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Release date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

Allison Brinkley—wife, mother, and former unflappable optimist—discovers that a carefully weighed decision to pack up and move her family from suburban Dallas to the glittery chaos of Manhattan may have been more complicated than she and her husband initially thought.

Allison learns that New York is unruly and bewildering, defying the notions she developed from romantic movies and a memorable childhood visit. After a humiliating call from the principal’s office and the loss of the job she was counting on, Allison begins to accept that New York may not suit her after all.

When Allison has a fender-bender, witnessed by a flock of mothers at her son’s new school, she is led to the penthouse apartment of a luxurious Central Park West building and encounters a spoiled, hungover, unsupervised teenager who looks familiar. It doesn’t take long to recognize him as Carter Reid—a famous pop star who has been cast in a new Broadway musical. Through this brush with stardom, Allison embraces a unique and unexpected opportunity that helps her find her way in the heart of Manhattan.

In a book that delivers laughs, warmth, and delightful wish fulfillment, Poeppel dives into celebrity culture and modern motherhood with her trademark style.

Review:

Ahhh I loved this book SO much, it seriously surprised me by just how much I enjoyed it and I don’t even know why. I’ve had Small Admissions sitting on my bookshelf for over a year and now I’m so frustrated with myself for not reading it sooner. Amy Poeppel nailed every single aspect of this book, and I wholeheartedly did not want it to end!

Allison is my new fictional BFF, I could not get enough of her from the moment I read the first chapter. She’s gutsy, witty, caring and a little crazy but she’s real. She has three kids and they were so honestly depicted as well, I mean what teenager today doesn’t curse inappropriately at the worst possible time? Or what young boy doesn’t develop a fascination with the female anatomy at some point? #Truth Carter is the mega pop star that Allison finds herself working for and though they’re an unlikely duo, I loved Allison’s tactics in dealing with him. He’s a pompous, self absorbed jerk, a womanizing party animal, (Think Justin Bieber, maybe even worse) and she treated him no differently than one of her own kids, and this made for some hilarious moments and fantastic scenes.

I love reading books about celebrities (real or fictional) and Poeppel gave me the best of both worlds by including both. The behind the scenes look at Broadway was everything, admittedly I know absolutely nothing about the backstage life of a play but everything she created rang true, it was super authentic and believable to me. So much so in fact that I had to stop myself from checking to see how much tickets are to see Limelight.

I can’t say enough good things about this book, it really had it all for me. I wondered if I would be disappointed by the ending but Poeppel kept things real and there wasn’t some unrealistic, happy ever after conclusion, which was awesome because that wouldn’t have worked well here and the way she handled things was perfection.

Limelight in three words: Savvy,

Modern and Sparkling.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 3, 2018

Publisher: Corvus

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Are you afraid?

You should be.

The husband: in over his head with no way of knowing the truth.

The mistress: blinded by love, betrayed by her family…

The neighbour: will stop at nothing to protect the life he has fought to create.

The wife: a woman bent on revenge, but how far is she willing to go…?

Dark as night, this is a brilliantly plotted, gripping short story from the e-book sensation, Jack Jordan.

Review:

If you’re a fan of Jack Jordan then you’ll probably agree with me that it feels like it’s been forever since the release of his smash hit My Girl. It’s been almost two years and I was SO excited to hear he was releasing a short story/novella this month and then a full length novel this summer! Let me tell you guys, it was worth the wait, normally short stories don’t blow me away, I’m usually not totally satisfied and am left wanting more. Totally not the case here, this bite sized treat packed one hell of a punch, it’s hands down one of the best novellas I’ve ever read.

This has four viewpoints, The Wife, The Mistress, The Neighbor and The Husband, just going by their titles alone I was alllll in. I mean, it alludes to a clear affair and the prospect of a nosy neighbor, there’s really nothing more to want for me. My biggest gripe with novellas is that usually the characters don’t feel fully developed and I’m left wanting to know more about them but Jordan managed to squeeze in an amazing amount of depth in 120ish pages, all four of the leads were fantastically drawn. Who knew you could pack so many twists and surprises into such a small window either, I cannot even tell you just how many times I was floored, seriously impressive and I never saw anything coming before it happened, bravo Mr. Jordan!

This couldn’t be more exciting and fast paced, I think I held my breath throughout the whole book and there’s just no way to read it in more than one sitting, it demands your undivided attention, a truly wild ride.

A Woman Scorned in three words: Thrilling, Twisty and Intense.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Emotionally guarded Daphne Amos always believed she’d found a kindred spirit in her fiancé, Heath. Both very private people, they’ve kept their pasts hidden from the world, and each other, until Heath’s escalating nightmares begin to put an undeniable strain on their relationship. Determined to give their impending marriage the best chance of succeeding, Heath insists that Daphne join him on a seven-day retreat with Dr. Matthew Cerny, a psychologist celebrated for getting to the root of repressed memories. Daphne reluctantly agrees—even though the past is the last place she wants to go.

The retreat’s isolated and forbidding location increases her unease, as do the doctor’s rules: they must relinquish their keys and phones, they’ll be monitored at all hours by hidden cameras, and they’re never to socialize with the other guests.

One sleepless night, Daphne decides to leave her room…and only then does she realize that the institute is not at all what it seems—and that whatever’s crying out from Heath’s past isn’t meant to be heard. It’s meant to be silenced.

Review:

There is something compulsively readable about Emily Carpenter’s books, once I start them I have a difficult time putting them down. She creates the creepiest, most eerily atmospheric settings and she writes so well you find yourself completely immersed in the story, it’s as if you’re actually inside it yourself and experiencing it with the characters. It’s an unsettling experience to say the least, but one I wholeheartedly enjoy.

The whole idea of a couples retreat that focuses on therapy is unappealing to me and then when you throw in a weird atmosphere with uneasiness oozing from the pages? That’s a hard no from me, and Daphne had similar feelings but she went despite her reservations. You see, no one has ever understood her quite like Heath does, they have a hard and fast rule where they don’t discuss their pasts, ever, and this works for both of them. Until now. Until Daphne decides maybe it’s time to share her secrets with Heath and in turn he may share his as well. I loved knowing that they both had skeletons in their closets but not knowing what they were, it kept me extremely engaged and doubtful of the pair of them. I never could decide if I actually liked either of them, but they were both interesting, mysterious and highly complex.

Another thing that Carpenter excels at is the way the structures her books. The Weight of Lies had a book within a book, SO cool, and this time around she worked with flashbacks. You know how oftentimes flashbacks read as disjointed or confusing? Not the case here, it starts with a prologue that immediately reels you in and then skips back to a week earlier. It flips back and forth until the days catch up to each other and everything culminates in a shocking ending. Interspersed between these time jumps you slowly find out about Daphne’s past, Carpenter gives you a little tasty morsel to whet your appetite and then she cuts you off again, WHY does that work so well for me?! It just does, it has me hanging onto over single word, dying to know what will be revealed next.

I said Carpenter was the queen of southern gothic fiction in my review of her last book and that still stands here, she is immensely talented and she has a firm fan in me. I haven’t read any recent others that write quite like and I mean that as a huge compliment, she stands out from the crowd.

Every Single Secret in three words: Unsettling, Surprising and Absorbing.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 20, 2018

Genre: Fiction

Blurb:

High school is a difficult time for every teenager. When Erin enters a large public high school in 1980, she’s more than a little intimidated. Shocked by the realization that the legacy of her southern Alabama town isn’t a thing of the past, Erin struggles to find her way and in the process forms several important relationships. Brittany, whose genuine friendship and unconditional support help Erin navigate her unfamiliar surroundings. Shelby, whose strength and confidence challenge Erin to make her own decisions. And Emmet, whose magnetism and acceptance inspires her to dream of a different future.

Together they search for the answer to one important question: How do you define your own path, feel like you belong, and yet resist all of the social pressures and rigid expectations?

Ultimately, Erin is forced with a life-defining choice. Her decision will catapult her into adulthood, will test her faith, love and courage, and inevitably have an impact on the lives of those she loves most.

Review:

This is one of those books that’s tricky to slot into one particular genre, it begins when Erin is just starting high school so there were times it felt like a straight up YA novel, but this was laced with dark themes and heavy topics giving it an adult vibe as well. It’s set in the 1980’s in the south so there was some nostalgia as well and a historical feel as well, but regardless of whatever label you want to use this was a thought provoking and engaging read.

One of the darkest themes that I alluded to earlier, the most prevalent one is racism and being set almost forty years ago really shows just how terrible race relations were back then, especially in Alabama. Erin is different from her peers, she hates how everyone is labeled and categorized, kind of ironic that I had a hard time labeling this book. She struggles to fit in and she’s not even sure that she wants to fit in, she just wants to live her life without judgement and I think we can all relate to that on some level. She was a very well constructed character, the book follows her from high through to college and through various highs and lows.

As much as I know that society has taken huge forward strides in terms of race relations this book will still strike a chord with people today, which is sad in a way, it would be so great if it wasn’t still relevant, but it is. It covers some tough topics but is very well written and ultimately uplifting.

Everybody Needs a Bridge in three words: Thoughtful, Emotive and Engaging.

Overall rating: 4/5

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Release date: April 17, 2018

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Having left the military, Dakota Jones is at a crossroads in his life. With his elder brother and youngest sister happily settled in Sullivan’s Crossing, he shows up hoping to clear his head before moving on to his next adventure. But, like every visitor to the Crossing, he’s immediately drawn to the down-to-earth people and the seemingly simple way of life.

Dakota is unprepared for how quickly things get complicated. As a newcomer, he is on everyone’s radar—especially the single women in town. While he enjoys the attention at first, he’s really only attracted to the one woman who isn’t interested. And spending quality time with his siblings is eye-opening. As he gets to know them, he also gets to know himself and what he truly wants.

When all the Jones siblings gather for a family wedding, the four adults are drawn together for the first time in a way they never were as children. As they struggle to accept each other, warts and all, the true nature and strength of their bond is tested. But all of them come to realize that your family are the people who see you for who you really are and love you anyway. And for Dakota, that truth allows him to find the home and family he’s always wanted.

Review:

This is the third book in a series that’s set in an idyllic small town I Colorado, I read the second book last year and was excited to catch up with the characters again. You could easily jump in at any point, these books read fine as a standalone, although it was nice to see some familiar characters as secondary characters this time around. Last book it was Sierra’s story and this one focused on her brother, Dakota.

Carr writes the type of romance novels that I can handle, they’re not over the top gushy or unrealistic with insta love and other overdone tropes. She creates genuine, true to life characters and scenarios that are just so easy to get lost in. Dakota isn’t necessarily looking for love, but he’s not adverse to casual flings and though he has plenty of offers when he moves to town, he has eyes for only one lady, Sid. I like the whole play hard to get storyline but this was deeper than that, it wasn’t two flat characters playing games, it was two damaged grown adults who went into a relationship in a mature fashion, I love that!

This is just a really smooth read, it wasn’t all about the romance there was family issues and several serious complications, lots going on to keep you engaged. Carr is an excellent storyteller, she reels you in and makes you become invested in her characters, I’m totally in love with this little town and it’s residents and can’t wait to catch up with them again!

The Family Gathering in three words: Authentic, Charming and Heartwarming.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Vanity Fair calls it one of the most anticipated books of the summer. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Scandal’s Kerry Washington.

An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.

They call themselves the May Mothers—a collection of new moms who gave birth in the same month. Twice a week, with strollers in tow, they get together in Prospect Park, seeking refuge from the isolation of new motherhood; sharing the fears, joys, and anxieties of their new child-centered lives.

When the group’s members agree to meet for drinks at a hip local bar, they have in mind a casual evening of fun, a brief break from their daily routine. But on this sultry Fourth of July night during the hottest summer in Brooklyn’s history, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is abducted from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but the May Mothers insisted that everything would be fine. Now Midas is missing, the police are asking disturbing questions, and Winnie’s very private life has become fodder for a ravenous media.

Though none of the other members in the group are close to the reserved Winnie, three of them will go to increasingly risky lengths to help her find her son. And as the police bungle the investigation and the media begin to scrutinize the mothers in the days that follow, damaging secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are formed and fractured.

Review:

There’s several very compelling reasons why The Perfect Mother is one of the most talked about books of the season, but the main reason (to me at least) is that is lives up to the hype! There is nothing more satisfying as an avid reader than picking up a buzz worthy book and having it meet all of your expectations, in fact it even exceeded them.

Nothing bonds new mothers quicker than their pregnancies, and then newborn babies, especially if you narrow them down to women all due in the same birth month. There’s a sense of kinship and understanding between them that constructs this weird little bubble of isolation and acceptance that feels both like a safe place and one where you’re harshly judged. I actually never joined a mommy group that met up in real life but I was in a few online groups and while they can be extremely fun as informative, they can also be super catty and mean. That’s the type of atmosphere the May Mother’s are in, although they take their friendships offline and meet up in real life, they still don’t really know very much about each other and their common ground is their children, they’re virtual strangers.

Molloy explored many issues that new parents, and especially mothers, face in a very relevant way. There is an immense amount of pressure for new moms, and it comes from every direction, social media, the internet in general, friends, family and even strangers. I swear, some strangers have no problem making snarky comments about the way you’re handling your baby, it’s insane but it really does happen, the pressure is overwhelming.

This is told from several viewpoints and I could wholeheartedly relate to many of the thoughts and feelings of these women, Molloy was spot on in terms of relatable characters. The juxtaposition of emotional, hormonal, brand new moms that are full of self doubt and/or insecurity AND an incredibly terrifying situation where one of their tiny little babies vanishes was beyond intense and engrossing, I seriously could not put this one down until I knew what happened to baby Midas and I was guessing and then second guessing throughout the entire book. I never did see where things were headed, I was pretty shocked when things came to a head and I was left impressed and awed.

Make sure this one is on your summer reading list, I predict it’s gonna fly off the shelves, it has all the magic ingredients that make up that perfect summer read. I’ll be impatiently waiting for the movie to be released as well as waiting to see what the author comes up with next!

The Perfect Mother in three words: Devious, Misleading and Clever.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.