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Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Historical Fiction

Blurb:

1944: Fiona Denning has her entire future planned out. She’ll work in city hall, marry her fiancé when he returns from the war, and settle down in the Boston suburbs. But when her fiancé is reported missing after being shot down in Germany, Fiona’s long-held plans are shattered.

Determined to learn her fiancé’s fate, Fiona leaves Boston to volunteer overseas as a Red Cross Clubmobile girl, recruiting her two best friends to come along. There’s the outspoken Viviana, who is more than happy to quit her secretarial job for a taste of adventure. Then there’s Dottie, a shy music teacher whose melodious talents are sure to bring heart and hope to the boys on the front lines.

Chosen for their inner strength and outer charm, the trio isn’t prepared for the daunting challenges of war. But through it all come new friendships and romances, unforeseen dangers, and unexpected dreams. As the three friends begin to understand the real reasons they all came to the front, their courage and camaraderie will see them through some of the best and worst times of their lives.

Review:

I’ve read my fair share of World War Two HF and I’m always eager to see a new spin on things, so when I read the description of this and realized I had never even heard of the Red Cross Clubmobile Girls I was excited! The idea of these young women volunteering to help out during such a scary and unsure time was fascinating to me and their bravery was so inspiring.

Historical accuracy is so important to me, even when reading fiction and Healey did an amazing job at staying very close to true events. Her dates were pretty spot on and her attention to detail was impeccable, and yet she still managed to make this an engaging and fun read despite maintaining historical accuracy. Sometimes when I read a HF I can get bogged down with the details but there was none of that here. I was wholly invested in Fiona, Viv and Dottie’s lives and this is due to the authors ability to create such vivid and vivacious characters that leapt from the pages.

This was an emotional read, Healey didn’t shy away from the horrors of war and the girls were right in the thick of the action so there were some somber scenes. Overall though, this was an ultimately uplifting read and one full of hope, but I did experience a wide variety of emotions while reading. Recommended for fans of HF and especially those who can’t get enough of WW2, also the whole concept behind the Clubmobile Girls was so interesting, their sole purpose was to bring some joy and happiness to soldiers far from home, so cool!

The Beantown Girls in three words: Heartwarming, Precise and Impassioned.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

For fans of Maria Semple and Rainbow Rowell, a comedy-drama for the digital age: an epistolary debut novel about the ties that bind and break our hearts.

Iris Massey is gone. 
But she’s left something behind.

For four years, Iris Massey worked side by side with PR maven Smith Simonyi, helping clients perfect their brands. But Iris has died, taken by terminal illness at only thirty-three. Adrift without his friend and colleague, Smith is surprised to discover that in her last six months, Iris created a blog filled with sharp and often funny musings on the end of a life not quite fulfilled. She also made one final request: for Smith to get her posts published as a book. With the help of his charmingly eager, if overbearingly forthright, new intern Carl, Smith tackles the task of fulfilling Iris’s last wish.

Before he can do so, though, he must get the approval of Iris’ big sister Jade, an haute cuisine chef who’s been knocked sideways by her loss. Each carrying their own baggage, Smith and Jade end up on a collision course with their own unresolved pasts and with each other.

Told in a series of e-mails, blog posts, online therapy submissions, text messages, legal correspondence, home-rental bookings, and other snippets of our virtual lives, When You Read This is a deft, captivating romantic comedy—funny, tragic, surprising, and bittersweet—that candidly reveals how we find new beginnings after loss. 

Review:

I’ve always been a huge fan of epistolary novels, there’s such an intimate feeling when you’re reading someone’s emails or text messages that satisfies my nosy side. Most of the ones I’ve read in the past have been on the lighter side, but this has some heavy moments, (it does take place after Iris’ death after all) that really gave this one unexpected depth for me.

The stars of the show are Jade and Smith, but there’s a supporting cast of quirky characters that brought some much needed life and light to a oftentimes sad tale. Jade and Smith begin communicating after Iris dies and begin to find comfort in each other that they both desperately need. Just when things would get a little depressing Carl, Smith’s intern would appear with some off the wall idea or big gaffe that would crack me up.

If you’re a fan of epistolary definitely check this out, a really fast and surprisingly fun read that charmed me.

When You Read This in three words: Fresh, Poignant and Touching.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

When a video call between friends captures a shocking incident no one was supposed to see, the secrets it exposes threaten to change their lives forever.

Molly and Liza have always been enviably close. Even after Molly married Daniel, the couple considered Liza an honorary family member. But after Liza moved away, things grew more strained than anyone wanted to admit—in the friendship and the marriage.

When Daniel goes away on business, Molly and Liza plan to reconnect with a nice long video chat after the kids are in bed. But then Molly leaves the room to check on a crying child.

What Liza sees next will change everything.

Only one thing is certain: Molly needs her. Liza drives all night to be at Molly’s side—but when she arrives, the reception is icy, leaving Liza baffled and hurt. She knows there’s no denying what she saw.

Or is there?

In disbelief that their friendship could really be over, Liza is unaware she’s about to have a near miss of her own.

And Molly, refusing to deal with what’s happened, won’t turn to Daniel, either.

But none of them can go on pretending. Not after this.

Review:

Before I share my thoughts on this one I want to address the fact that this one shows up on Goodreads as a mystery/thriller and it’s really not. This is women’s fiction with a suspenseful edge and if you know that before you start, I think you’ll be better prepared. Thankfully I was aware thanks to my friend Jamie so I did end up liking this more than I would’ve had I been expecting a fast paced and exciting thriller.

The blurb for this talks about a video chat and a shocking incident and makes you think the whole book will be about said incident but if you look at the event as a catalyst, your expectations will be more in line with the reality of the story. This is a domestic drama about the relationship between two long time friends and then also about a marriage on the brink.

Two things make JS a standout author for me, first she creates authentic and relatable characters that just feel real and secondly she is a really fantastic writer. Liza and Molly’s friendship was genuine, as riddled with strife as it was, and Molly and Daniel’s marriage was also incredibly authentic. Seeing how one event can set off a chain of other events and reactions was interesting and was depicted very well by the author, she really knows how to write about relationships in general and adds enough secrecy and suspense to keep a nice momentum.

Full disclosure, I listened to the bulk of this one via audio and the narrator is just amazing so that may have impacted my enjoyment in the end. I’m not quite sure I would’ve liked it as much as I did had I just read it because the narrator was so fantastic. Recommended for book clubs, there is much to dissect and discuss.

Forget You Know Me in three words: Genuine, Fluid and Secretive.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Flatiron

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Two brothers meet at the border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of outback Queensland, in this stunning new standalone novel from New York Times bestseller Jane Harper

They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old, no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron. The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish. Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he lose hope and walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…

Dark, suspenseful, and deeply atmospheric, The Lost Man is the highly anticipated next book from the bestselling and award-winning Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature. 

Review:

I’m officially a Jane Harper fangirl at this point, I loved both of her previous books and was super excited about this one and also curious because it’s not a part of the Aaron Falk series, it’s a stand-alone. Series or stand-alone I’ll read anything she writes, there is something about her style that mesmerizes me and also gets under my skin at the same time.

I have to admit that it did take some time for me to really get into this one, it’s definitely slow to start but when I did get wholly invested I was all in. There was quite a bit of character development and background to start, but it was really well done and pertinent to the plot. The cast of characters is fairly small so you get a strong sense of who they are and what drives them each which only added to my investment in the story as a whole.

To me, what makes Harper stand out from the crowd is her ability to create such a vivid, strong sense of place. All three of her books have such intense, rich atmospheres they become a character all on their own. This takes place in the outback where the weather is brutally unforgiving and the small town where The Bright family lives is completely isolated. I swear she’s so good at bringing a scene to life that I found myself thirsty and parched just reading about this desolate place.

You may have noticed I really didn’t touch on the plot at all and that’s deliberate because you should just read it for yourself. Trust me, whatever I can tell you won’t hold a candle to Harper’s writing. Recommended for fans of character driven family based dramas set in a fantastic place.

The Lost Man in three words: Atmospheric, Mesmerizing and Cunning.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Dial

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.

So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants? 

Review:

While I’ve been a huge fan of SK for years now her last couple of books haven’t been my favorites, but I will always read her books simply because I’m a huge fan. I’m so happy to say that I Owe You One reignited my love for her and reminded me more of her earlier work.

One thing that I can always count on in a SK book is being able to connect with her characters and this was no exception. Fixie was an adorably flawed heroine and I found her to be genuine and believable. She was quirky enough to be unique but not so out there that you think, no way would anyone really behave like this. The supporting cast was interesting enough, I really liked Fixie’s family with their various antics and their family dynamics made for some funny moments. Her developing relationship with Seb was sweet (if predictable) and the owing each other concept was cute.

I was in the mood for a light and easy read and that’s exactly what this was. There was enough depth of character to keep me engaged but it was funny enough to be a true escape. If you’re a fan of the author you’re in for a treat, her trademark charm is in full effect here!

I Owe You One in three words: Sweet, Uncomplicated and Engaging.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.