Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"The Asian community is kicking off summer with the return of its popular Cleveland Night Market festivities, and Lana Lee is excited to represent the Ho-Lee Noodle House booth with her favorite chef, Peter Huang. Lana is confident that the evening marks the beginning of a great season to come. Not only is she looking forward to the warm temperatures, but her birthday is only weeks away, her handsome boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, is planning a romantic get-away. Life couldn't be better.

But before she can get too accustomed to the idea of a carefree summer, an explosion involving a nearby food truck, Wonton on Wheels, kills one of the proprietors and injures several others in the nearby vicinity.

When the authorities discover that this was no accident, the family members of the dead man become the number-one suspects in a front-page murder story. Lana and her best friend, Megan Riley, fall back into detective mode. But as they uncover family secrets of abuse and angry costumers, Lana's own family drama raises its head. Will Lana be able to juggle everything the universe is throwing at her, or has she jumped from the frying pan to the fire?"

My Thoughts:

Two books in and I'm really enjoying this cozy mystery series.  To be clear though, I started earlier this year with the third book (Murder Lo Mein) and just now finished this one which is the fourth book so I'm still reading completely out of order.  I enjoyed both of these books for a variety of reasons but one highlight of the series is the food featured in each book.  I read both of these books constantly craving spring rolls and rice.  LOL - but seriously these books made me hungry!  My favorite things about cozy mysteries is that they feel like comfort reads.  I don't usually read these types of books for the mystery although that is always an enjoyable part of it.  I read them for the characters, and this series is no different.  I really enjoy Lana's character and her inquisitive ways.  I think I enjoyed this book just a tiny bit more than its' predecessor only because I really started to get a handle on all of the other characters and who they are.  It's fun to see Lana navigate this new life of running her family business while also trying to solve crimes.  She never means to get involved but her curiosity always gets the better of her.  This book had a bit of a darker theme to it in regards to spousal abuse.  If this is a trigger for you then you may want to read Murder Lo Mein instead.  I thought that the author handled this topic respectfully which is all that you can really ask for.  I'm excited to continue on with this series but I REALLY need to catch up with the first two books while I wait for the next book to release.  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and this series in general has moved on to my must read list.  I've become attached to Lana and all of her family thanks to these two books.  It's actually really nice that I've read them both this year because I remembered most of the details from Murder Lo Mein which doesn't always happen when I read books that are part of series.  I would recommend this series to fans of cozy mysteries.  I don't think that you have to read them in order (I sure haven't been) but I'm sure that you would also get maximum enjoyment if you did read them that way.  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great addition to what is becoming a favorite cozy mystery series for me.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Still Life by Louise Penny (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter. 

Still Life introduces not only an engaging series hero in Inspector Gamache, who commands his forces--and this series--with integrity and quiet courage, but also a winning and talented new writer of traditional mysteries in the person of Louise Penny."
My Thoughts:

"Choice?'

'We choose our thoughts. We choose our perceptions. We choose our attitudes. We may not think so. We may not believe it, but we do. I absolutely know we do. I've seen enough evidence, time after time, tragedy after tragedy. Triumph after triumph. It's about choice." 
from Still Life by Louise Penny

I first read this book back in 2012 according to my Goodreads account (I never actually shared my thoughts on it though it looks like).  I never continued on with the series though afterwards.  Fast forward seven years and I decided that it was time to reread this one thanks to all of the love this series gets from bookstagram.  I enjoyed my time rereading this book immensely.  I immersed myself within the pages of this book and almost didn't want to come up for air.  This book isn't one to rush through but instead is one to just savor.  With such gorgeous writing I don't know how you would want to do anything else if I'm being honest.  I'm not one that marks passages that speak to me but I did while rereading this book.  Maybe it was the perfect timing of reading this book again at just the right point in my life.  I can't say for sure but there were various points where this book just spoke to me.  It made me sit and think with it for awhile which I certainly don't do often enough.  I saw somewhere that Inspector Gamache had been compared to Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot.  I can definitely see what they mean and feel like it explains all the more my enjoyment of Gamache as I'm a huge fan of Christie's Poirot books.  Reading this book again after seven years was an interesting reading experience also because my memory of the storyline was basically forgotten.  I could remember who I thought was behind everything but the why's, what led there, and everything else all still felt knew to me.  It honestly felt like I was almost experiencing this book again for the first time.  I'm so glad that I went back and reread this book so that I can now continue on with reading more of this series.  It's a reading experience that I'm not likely to forget any time soon as this book just struck a cord with me!

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book so much and am grateful that I've found this series (again?) thanks to bookstagram!  I can tell you that I certainly won't be waiting seven years before finally moving on to the second book in this series.  I actually think that this is a series that I'm going to want to own and have on my own shelves so I'm going to start picking up copies as I can.  I've always been a huge fan of mysteries but a book like this really stands out from the rest.  I loved my time with this book and almost wasn't ready to see it end.  I'll leave you with another quote that I couldn't help but savor.  Highly, highly recommended!

"Life is change. If you aren't growing and evolving you're standing still, and the rest of the world is surging ahead. Most of these people are very immature. They lead "still" lives, waiting.'

'Waiting for what?'

'Waiting for someone to save them. Expecting someone to save them or at least protect them from the big, bad world. The thing is no one else can save them because the problem is theirs and so is the solution. Only they can get out of it." from Still Life by Louise Penny

Bottom Line:  An outstandingly good read!  I cannot highly recommend enough!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library - it is my mission to now have this one on my own shelves in the near future.

The Cutting Room by Ashley Dyer (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"While Britain is obsessed with the newest hit true-crime television show, Fact, or Fable? detectives Ruth Lake and Greg Carver are tormented by a fiendish flesh-and-blood killer on the loose.

Lured to a “crime scene” by a mysterious digital invitation, Ruth Lake is horrified by what she finds: a bizarre and gruesome tableau surrounded by a crowd of gawkers. The deadly work is the latest “art installation” designed by a diabolical criminal dubbed the Ferryman. Not only is this criminal cold-blooded; he’s a narcissistic exhibitionist desperate for an audience. He’s also clever at promoting his deadly handiwork. Exploiting England’s current true-crime craze, he uses social media to titillate and terrorize the public.

Ruth is joined in the investigation by her partner Greg Carver, who is slowly regaining his strength after a run-in with another sadistic criminal. But Greg can’t seem to shake the bewildering effects of the head wound that nearly ended him. Are the strange auras blurring his vision an annoying side effect of his injury, or could they be something more . . . a tool to help him see a person’s true nature?"

My Thoughts:

I'm starting to feel like 2019 is becoming the year of sequels for me.  I've been reading some absolutely stellar books that are all second books in their respective series - and I can add this one to the list without hesitation!  Last year, I read and loved the first book which is titled Splinter in the Blood.  It was dark and thrilling which is exactly the type of book that I enjoy reading most.  I've been anticipating this book every since finishing that first one.  I've got to say that this book was just as good (if not slightly better) than its' predecessor.  Let's start this off though by saying that it's probably for the best if you read these books in order.  Do you have to read that first book?  No, but if you don't a lot of what happened in that first book will be spoiled for you to a certain extent.  I just think you will enjoy these books more if you read them both but you certainly don't have to.  That being said, this book starts off with a bang.  Carver and Ruth are both still dealing with the aftermath of what happened in that previous book but in different ways.  All of that has to be pushed aside though as they are drawn into another dangerous and high profile case.  The best part of this book for me was how easily the author was able to keep me guessing.  I feel like I was going back and forth suspecting different individuals but I wasn't even close.  The storyline was just as dark and fast-paced as it was in the first book.  I found myself reading for as long as possible because I just couldn't stop reading.  In fact, I broke my late night reading rule that I have during the week just so that I could finish this one.  Ha!  I'm very, very intrigued by a separate storyline that the author brought into this book.  I expect that we will learn more about it in the next book but I fully admit that it's going to be a very long wait until then!

Overall, I enjoyed this one immensely and am now officially a huge fan of this series!  I was a huge fan after the first book but I feel like with two winners in a row this author has jumped on to my must read list.  It's going to be so hard to wait for book three in this series, but I'm sure it will be worth the wait after loving these first two so much!  What more can you ask for with a book that has you on edge while reading guessing the entire time?  It was a marvelous reading experience and now I need more books and series to follow just like this!  I would recommend this book to fans of suspense, thrillers, and mysteries alike.  Be warned that both of these books edge on the darker side but it's so worth it!  I'll just be over here impatiently pining for the next book whenever it is due to release.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A series and author to take note of - do yourself a favor and start with Splinter in the Blood to get the full reading experience!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Buried by Ellison Cooper (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Senior Special Agent Sayer Altair studies the minds of psychopaths. But even she didn't expect to uncover a killer within the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Rooting him out and exposing internal corruption got her a bullet wound and six months of desk duty. Now, she's finally back in the field, called in when an off-duty FBI agent and his cadaver dog fall into a sinkhole filled with human bones.

Found deep in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, the skeletal remains date back almost two decades, the same time a beloved local teen disappeared. The cold case quickly heats up when Sayer's team finds two fresh corpses among the bones. When a gruesome clue ties these new bodies to a woman recently kidnapped along with her young daughter, Sayer has to uncover the connection between the old bones and the new bodies before the mother and child become the next victims.

But the killer is one step ahead, attacking her team and sabotaging their efforts. With Sayer's investigation compromised and unsure of who to trust, she receives unwanted help from Subject 037, one of the anonymous psychopaths she is currently studying. She has the chilling realization that he's someone powerful in Washington D.C.--and he is not about to let a mundane serial killer jeopardize his own ominous agenda for Sayer... "

My Thoughts:

This book was so phenomenally good!  Wow, wow, and just wow!  For me, there is nothing better then a book that starts with a bang and never lets up.  This book had me reading so fast and I was so completely engrossed that I was tempted to skip ahead just to see what was going to happen.  Thank goodness for the short chapters or I wouldn't have been able to resist.  Last year I read and adored the first book in this series titled Caged.  It was actually a five star read for me so that should tell you all that you need to know!  This book was just as good and has me absolutely pining for the third book in this series.  What makes this book (and series) stand out for me though is the characters and the attachments that I've formed to them.  I don't say this often but I do think that you need to read this series in order to get the full experience.  There is a lot that comes into play from book one that carries over into this book (for example a story line that we will hopefully get more answers on in the next book).  All of that is to say that you should probably read these in order for the best reading experience.  The characters in this series though are just all so great!  Sayer is one of those great characters that you cannot help but root for.  She is still struggling with events from the previous book (trying not to share spoilers here) and is thrown into a brand new case where there are lots of questions but not very many answers.  I loved that in this book the author wasn't afraid to completely pull the rug from under my feet multiple times.  I would be just going along reading when out of nowhere something completely unexpected but compelling would happen that had me reading at a frantic pace yet again.  I blew through this book in a matter of days because I just HAD to see what was going to happen next.  Even when I started to suspect the killer, I thought that I was wrong and off base until the very end.  I also really, really love the storyline relating to what is going on at the FBI and what really happened to Sayer's fiancé Jake.  This book added in an unknown character that also has me very, very intrigued.  It is going to be a very long wait for the next book in this series!

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and cannot say enough good things about this series.  I am so loving the fact that I have been finding these great mystery series with female leads - I cannot get enough of them!  This is honestly another five star read for me so this author is two for two which is pretty darn impressive!  I feel like I've been mostly gushing over this book but it deserves it.  A book that is thrilling, keeps you guessing, and has an original mystery with great characters is my version of perfection.  I really hope that more readers find this series because it is well worth your time.  I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries, thrillers, and suspense.  Highly, highly recommend this series but start with that first book if you can!

Bottom Line:  A five star read for me - that should tell you all that you need to know!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Honest thoughts are my own.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (July 29th)

"It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date."

Happy Monday everyone!  It has been a very busy summer which means I've been much quieter on the blog than I would have liked.  I would like to say that's going to change but honestly some years are just like this.  We will have to see as the upcoming school year is coming at a very rapid rate.  This means we have coming up physicals, school supply shopping, and school registrations just to name a few.  It's a busy time of the year but really when isn't it?  Softball and baseball season are officially over but we are now gearing up for tryouts for next year.  My son's is over already (he made the same team again) but my daughter's is in another week.  On top of that, football season is really gearing up which is exciting.  I love this time of year though because it means fall is just around the corner!  I've had a pretty good month of reading in July - I've already finished six books.  Five or six books seems to be my average for this year when I was looking at my reading dates on Goodreads.  This meant that I was perpetually behind on my Goodreads goal of reading 80 books this year - I went ahead and dropped that number down to 60 which seems much more doable.  I've read 80 books in a year before but this year most likely wasn't going to be that year with my current reading pace.  Not much else new going on - still working lots of hours at work and still completely behind on book reviews.

My reading updates have been too irregular to be able to really share everything that I've read since my last reading update.  Instead, these are the books that I finished this past week:

Three Strikes by Kate Kessler is the third book in her Audrey Harte mystery series.  I loved the beginning two books in this series but didn't enjoy this one quite as much.  It was still a really good read but not a five star read like the previous two had been.  I'll share my full thoughts eventually but suffice it to say that you would really want to read this series in order so start with book one if at all possible.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin is a book that I read for an upcoming blog tour so I will be sharing my full thoughts then.  I will say that I really enjoyed my time with this book despite a lack of likable characters.  It was a compelling read and I'll be watching to see what this author comes up with next!

I'm currently reading the following books:

I haven't yet started The Cutting Room by Ashley Dyer is going to be my next print read.  I haven't yet started it yet as I just finished The Escape Room earlier this morning (I'm writing this on Sunday).  Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks is my current book on my e-reader that I'm reading as part of NetGalley's reviewathon.  I am always so hopelessly behind on my NetGalley review copies so I'm trying to use this #reviewathon as the extra push that I need to clear some of them out.  This book published back in January so that should show you how behind I really am (and how much I need this challenge).

I would love to finish both of these this week but we will see as we have a lot going on.  I'm going to really focus on getting some more reviews written though because I hate being this far behind.  Tell me what books you have been reading and loving lately!

Happy Monday and Happy Reading!

A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"All her life Ryan Gracey watched her perfect older sister from afar. Knowing she could never top Wendy’s achievements, she didn’t even try. Instead Ryan forged her own path while her family barely seemed to notice.

Now Wendy shares two little girls with her perfect husband while Ryan mourns the man she lost after a nearly fatal mistake in judgment. The sisters’ choices have taken them in different directions, which is why Ryan is stunned when Wendy calls, begging for her help. There’s been a murder—and Wendy believes she’ll be wrongfully accused.

While Wendy lies low, Ryan moves back to their hometown to care for the nieces she hardly knows. The sleuthing skills she’s refined as a true-crime podcaster quickly rise to the surface as she digs for answers with the help of an unexpected ally. Yet the trail of clues Wendy’s left behind lead to nothing but questions. Blood may be thicker than water, but what does Ryan owe a sister who, with every revelation, becomes more and more a stranger?

Is Wendy, who always seemed so perfect, just a perfect liar—or worse?"

My Thoughts:

Oh wow - I really enjoyed this book!  I picked this one up and was a bit intimidated by the size of it (it's close to 500 pages) but I needn't have worried.  I absolutely fell into the pages of this book and Ryan's life.  I feel like this book was the type of book I've been wanting and waiting for without even really knowing it. I read a ton of thrillers and mysteries - I wouldn't categorize this book in either of those genres really even though it has elements of both.  Instead, I think that I would call it a family drama maybe or suspense.  Honestly it doesn't even matter to me what exact category this book falls into because really it was just a plain great read!  From the very beginning pages, I fell into the story the author was telling and Ryan's life.  Ryan's life is upended when her sister calls her one day and basically tells her little to nothing other than she might be charged with murder and she needs Ryan to care for her children while she tries to clear her name.  And just like that I was completely sucked in.  I don't think it is a spoiler to say that Wendy's brief call leaves the reader with more questions than answers.  I was completely hooked that easily and stayed hooked throughout the rest of the book.  The author did a really great job with the pacing in this book so that I never lost interest.  Just when I would think that I had things figured out there was a twist that changed everything.  I need more books like this in my reading life!  I just loved how easily I found immersed myself within this book - I couldn't stop reading it and didn't want to.  I'm hesitant to say much more.  This was a book and a reading experience that I just couldn't get enough of!  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely.  I need other readers who have read this book to recommend me more just like it (well, not exactly like it but you know what I mean).  I need more books like this in my reading life - that's for sure.  This book worked for me so well because it did have suspense and mystery elements but the focus was on Ryan and her family.  The secrets and truths that were coming to the surface whether she was ready for them to or not.  I loved every minute of my reading experience with this book which is why I can't wait to read more by this author.  The positive side is that it looks like this author has quite a backlist for me to try!  That's always exciting!  I would recommend this book to readers of suspense, mystery, and those who love books focused on family secrets or drama.  It's a page turning read that I highly recommend!

Bottom Line:  A reading experience that I won't be forgetting anytime soon!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

One Little Secret by Cate Holahan (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Everyone has a secret. For some, it's worth dying to protect. For others, it's worth killing.

The glass beach house was supposed to be the getaway that Susan needed. Eager to help her transplanted family set down roots in their new town - and desperate for some kid-free conversation - she invites her new neighbors to join in on a week-long sublet with her and her workaholic husband.

Over the course of the first evening, liquor loosens inhibitions and lips. The three couples begin picking up on the others' marital tensions and work frustrations, as well as revealing their own. But someone says too much. And the next morning one of the women is discovered dead on the private beach.

Town detective Gabby Watkins must figure out who permanently silenced the deceased. As she investigates, she learns that everyone in the glass house was hiding something that could tie them to the murder, and that the biggest secrets of all are often in plain sight for anyone willing to look."

My Thoughts:

One Little Secret was one of those suspenseful thrillers that just sucked me in and didn't let me go.  I went into this book after finishing two contemporary romances in a row so I was more than ready for a thriller to change things up.  I started this book and just let the author take me for a ride!  In this book there are three different couples who are all neighbors and have decided to rent a house on the beach together for vacation while their kids are away at camp.  The book flips between the present and the day before.  We get to see pieces of their lives, their relationships with their spouses, and here and there a secret or two was hinted at.  Let me tell you that I just ate this all up with a spoon!  I have been here lately for the domestic dramas with suspense mixed in!  I loved the fact that it felt like we were experiencing the investigation in real time thanks to the present day sections of the book but that we were also getting to see stuff from before too.  The book went back and forth between chapters but the author does it so seamlessly that it was just perfection.  What I liked best about this book though was that at some point in this book, I suspected every single one of the characters (besides the individual that was killed).  That's the mark of a good book in my opinion!  There were characters that I definitely didn't want it to be and ones where....well, we will say that just wasn't the case. None of these characters were likable all of the time but there were ones that I could at least relate to or found redeemable.  That's key in a book like this for me I have to say!  I know the trend lately is books featuring characters that you hate but that's just not really my type of thing.  I need a character I can root for usually for me to really enjoy the book!  I also have to say that I really loved Gabby (the detective)!  She was a character that I could get behind so I was rooting for her to figure out who the killer was.  

Overall, I just really enjoyed my time with this book.  This book had a Big Little Lies vibe to it with the three couples, the hidden secrets, and the interactions between them all as a group.  I think if you liked that book then you will probably enjoy this one as well.  I'm super excited to read more by this author and am glad that she has other books for me to look forward to.  She kept me guessing throughout this book which is always a good thing.  I don't want to say much more than that as I think this is a book to just experience or go into without knowing too much about it.  I can easily recommend this one to fans of thrillers, mysteries, and suspense.  This would be the perfect book to get lost in on the beach during these hot summer days or even while you beat the heat in the air conditioning.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A suspenseful read that kept me guessing the entire time!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Meryl Moss Media.  Honest Thoughts are my own.

The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"In a London slowly recovering from World War II, two very different women join forces to launch a business venture in the heart of Mayfair--The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks, quick-witted and impulsive, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, practical and widowed with a young son, are determined to achieve some independence and do some good in a rapidly changing world.

But the promising start to their marriage bureau is threatened when their newest client, Tillie La Salle, is found murdered and the man arrested for the crime is the prospective husband they matched her with. While the police are convinced they have their man, Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge are not. To clear his name--and to rescue their fledging operation's reputation--Sparks and Bainbridge decide to investigate on their own, using the skills and contacts they've each acquired through life and their individual adventures during the recent war.

Little do they know that this will put their very lives at risk."

My Thoughts:

The Right Sort of Man was an absolutely delightful beginning to this historical mystery series!  I'm finding more and more that I just enjoy historical mystery series.  There is something about the historical details in books like this and added to it a mystery that I just can't get enough of.  This book is set after World War II which made it all the more interesting to me.  The details that the author included of what life was like after the war ended - well, I just couldn't get enough of them!  I fully immersed myself in the pages of this book and this time period.  I just have to tell you how much I enjoyed this book and the two main characters.  Iris and Gwendolyn are as different as you could possibly be from one another.  But they have formed this matchmaking type of business together and are committed to making it successful.  When one of their clients is killed, they decide that they simply must investigate in order to clear the name of their business which is being run through the dirt by the newspapers.  I adored each of these characters for so many different reasons but mainly because their differences complemented one another.  Iris has a secret history to her that is alluded to at times but it is this history that gives her an edge when it comes to investigating the murder.  Gwendolyn on the other hand is someone who is just really starting to get her feet under her and find her inner strength after her husband's death.  Both women are characters that you can't help but root for and want to get to know more of.  I'm so glad that this book is just the beginning to this series because I want more!  More books featuring these two characters and more books like this in general!  

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and am left so excited about this series and author!  The historical details alone would have me coming back for more.  But then add in two great main characters and a compelling mystery and you have the perfect combination in my opinion.  This was also one of those books that I just didn't want to set down.  I found myself at one point trying to read ahead because I was so curious to see what would happen with that particular storyline (no worries though - I managed to stay where I was and just read on).  This book truly read like a standalone - I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that this is actually the beginning to a series.  I'm so excited to revisit these two characters in the near future and see what other trouble they will find themselves in!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line: An absolutely delightful beginning to this historical mystery series! I need more books like this in my reading life!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher - honest thoughts are my own.

Spoiler Section (Stop here if you haven't read book):

Okay so one of the things that I really liked about this book was that Iris was a spy before opening her business with Gwendolyn.  It gives her past a bit of mystery to it as you wonder exactly what she has gone through and what else she has done.  I'm speculating here but I've got to think that her background will play a bigger part in future books.  I also liked how the ending seemed wrapped up but it ended up with Iris and Gwen solving two separate mysteries. They managed to find the real killer and solve the mystery of what was really going on with Tillie before she was murdered. I thought going into it that those two things would be one and the same but they weren't which left me quite pleased with the ending. I love when a mystery keeps my guessing until the end and this one definitely did that!  Have you read this book yet?  If you have and want to discuss, just send me a message! All I need to remember with this book really is read book two!

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"As an etiquette coach, Margot teaches her clients to fit in. But she’s never faced a client like Bianca, an aging movie star who gained fame—and notoriety—through a campaign of shock and awe. Schooling Bianca on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife requires intensive lessons, forcing Margot to move into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son. Like his incredible home, Alec’s stony exterior hides secret depths Margot would love to explore. But will he trust her enough to let her in?

Sunshine has always been the good-time sister, abandoning jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. No more. She refuses to be “that girl” again. This time, she’ll finish college, dedicate herself to her job as a nanny, and she 100 percent will not screw up her life again by falling for the wrong guy. Especially not the tempting single dad who also happens to be her boss.

Master storyteller Susan Mallery weaves threads of family drama, humor, romance and a wish-you-were-there setting into one of the most satisfying books of the year!"

My Thoughts:

This was such an enjoyable and page turning read!  I feel like this is another book that would be perfect spend reading on the beach or during a long, hot summer afternoon.  This is actually only my second or third book (I tried checking Goodreads but she has written so many books that I couldn't tell for certain) that I've read by this author but I really enjoyed them both so much.  Mallery has a knack for creating characters that you can't help but root for and enjoy reading about.  Sunshine and Margot were both so very different, and yet they were twins and also wanted the same things out of life.  It was just the case that neither of them thought that they would ever find true happiness thanks to their family history.  Sigh...how can you not want happiness for characters when they feel that way?  I just instantly found myself attached to them both and the two storylines that the author was telling us.  I loved when the two storylines intertwined but really I enjoyed it all.  I didn't even have a preference of one sister over the other - I wanted both of them to find true love and happiness with their lives.  I also really enjoyed the fact that neither of them were perfect or completely had her life in order.  Margot was definitely more on the I've got my stuff together side of things but she still had her issues that she was dealing with.  Sunshine on the other hand is just now going to college for the first time and trying to really make changes with her life.  While that isn't where I'm at in my own life, I related. to her and the struggles that she was dealing with because of the choices she made when she was younger.  I'm telling you guys - this book was such a winner for me because of these two characters and how relatable they both felt.  The pages of this book just flew on by and I was finished before I even knew it.  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely!  It just felt like the perfect read for these early summer days and I soaked it all in!  I'm not sure if I would classify this one more as contemporary romance or women's fiction but it has vibes from both genres.  I would classify it as a winner though and a book that I will be recommending to readers of either genre!  This book was also a great reminder that I would like to work on catching up with some of this author's backlist as well.  So many books and so little time!  Also, how gorgeous is this cover?  It's even better in person, I've got to admit!  This book was the perfect change of pace from the mysteries and thrillers that I read so often.  I always say to myself that I'm going to work on mixing my reading up more but books like this are why I want to make that happen so much!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great summer read that I can't help but recommend!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Summer on Mirror Lake by JoAnn Ross (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…

When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.

As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.

Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk."

My Thoughts:

Summer on Mirror Lake felt like the perfect read to start off my summer reading!  I don't read nearly enough contemporary romances or small town romances - books like this always leave me wondering why.  There is just something so comforting about them and it almost reminds me of the feeling I get with the cozy mysteries I read.  I love the small town vibe, getting to know all of the characters, and the descriptions of the town itself.  I always feel like with books like this that these towns feel like real places that I could actually go and visit which is fun in itself!  In this book, Chelsea is the head librarian in the town's library and is just focused on living up to her mentor and former head librarian's expectations.  Gabe has come back to his hometown from the summer needing a break from the stress of his job.  These two meet and the sparks fly almost instantly.  I usually don't care for romances that happen super fast but it was different with this book.  Gabe and Chelsea decide to have a summer fling rather than a committed relationship and I think that worked for me.  It felt more like a fun thing than the insta-love that I cannot seem to get behind.  My favorite part of this book though were the two young foster girls that Chelsea becomes caught up with.  There was just something about these two girls that tugged at my heartstrings.  I was almost more focused on them getting their happy ever after compared to Chelsea and Gabe.  I do say almost there because really isn't it all tied up into one thing in the end?  My one and only complaint with this book was that I had a hard time keeping track of all of the characters.  I'm thinking that this is my fault though as I didn't realize that this was the third book in a series.  Looks like I've got a few books to catch up on now!  I did finally get a hang of the who's who by midway through the book which helped.  And overall, I was satisfied by the way that things played out in the end.  It was exactly what I was hoping for which left me feeling content and happy when the book was finished.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and am looking forward to reading the previous books in this series.  This book has a summer vibe to it that I couldn't help but appreciate.  I feel like this book would be the perfect binge read while spent on a hot day at the beach.  Or curled up with during a late night baseball game on a summer evening like I did!  That definitely worked as well.  I think that fans of contemporary romance and just romance in general would enjoy this book.  You don't have to read these books in order necessarily (I sure didn't) but it may help you keep track of the characters better if you do.  And books like this are just the perfect type of read for this time of year in my opinion!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great summer read and romance!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley as part of a TLC book tour.  Thoughts are my own.