Remember Me by Lynda Renham - New Release

A new neighbour becomes a new friend. She looks up to you. She admires you, but is it you she wants? You begin to wonder if she wants your husband, or even your child. But then you realise, she wants your life. 

When Sharni and Tom move into 24 The Pines, it seems like Clare and Chris have the perfect neighbours. Sharni is always there to help, especially with childcare for Clare’s two-year-old, Ben. But Clare can’t shake off the feelings of anxiety that assail her whenever Sharni is near.  Is Clare just being overprotective, or are her feelings justified?  As Sharni‘s influence touches everyone around her, Clare finds herself fighting for her sanity as well her family.

The gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist.

 Purchase Remember Me for only .99 on Amazon and Amazon UK

***Watch for my review coming soon***

 

Lynda Renham is famous for her romantic comedy novels. She has been called A Comedian in a Book, Chicklit Royalty and A Comic Genius. Her writing style has been likened to Sophie Kinsella but is refreshingly down to earth with characters that become your friends. Lynda is a prolific writer, blogger and when not writing can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook.

Lynda lives in Oxfordshire with her second husband and cat.

Her web page: www.renham.co.uk and Twitter: @lyndarenham

Forever, Alabama (Alabama Series Book 3) by Susan Sands - Review

Everybody loves local attorney and favorite son, Ben Laroux. Well, at least everybody of the female persuasion–until he meets Sabine O'Connor. She loathes him and makes no secret of her feelings, even when he pours on his famous charm hoping to thank her for helping his family. Ben has never been told no, and if there's one thing he's never walked away from, it's a challenge.

Sabine hopes she’s finally found peace and safety in the small town of Ministry. She’s changed her name to escape her painful past and her shameful family secrets. Ben Laroux is a gorgeous and sexy complication she can’t afford, but also can't resist. However, when her past threatens to derail her present and future, Ben might be the only man she can trust.

My Review: 

Everyone in Ministry, Alabama knew and loved attorney Ben Laroux.   But, Ben had a problem with women.  He couldn't make a commitment.  Ever since the breakup with his one serious girlfriend, he held a one date rule.  And because of it, a lot of women were left heartbroken.

Sabine O'Conner has been counseling some of the women who had their hearts broken by Ben.   So, she thought she knew him well.  When Sabine and Ben are placed on opposing sides in a court case, Ben starts to become interested in Sabine.  But Sabine isn't a one night kind of girl.  If Ben really wants her, he will have to change his ways.

Sabine has secrets that she worked hard to hide.  When she moved to Ministry, she never expected anyone to ever know about her life back in Louisiana.  When Sabine's biggest secret threatens to blow, Ben is right there to help her though it.

I enjoyed this book.  I liked seeing how Sabine was able to change Ben’s way of thinking and how Ben was right there for anything Sabine needed.  They had really good chemistry.  The background of both characters and plot were well written.  I also enjoyed catching up with characters from previous books in the series.  Even though this is the third book in the series, it can be read on its own. 

 

Kitty Smile

The Hope Chest: A Novel by Viola Shipman - Review

The discovery of one woman’s heirloom hope chest unveils precious memories and helps three people who have each lost a part of themselves find joy once again.

Ever since she was diagnosed with ALS, fiercely independent Mattie doesn’t feel like herself. She can’t navigate her beloved home, she can’t go for a boat ride, and she can barely even feed herself. Her devoted husband, Don, doesn’t want to imagine life without his wife of nearly fifty years, but Mattie isn’t likely to make it past their anniversary.

But when Rose, Mattie’s new caretaker, and her young daughter, Jeri, enter the couple’s life, happiness and the possibility for new memories return. Together they form a family, and Mattie is finally able to pass on her memories from the hope chest she received from her mother.

With each item—including a favorite doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament—the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges.

A beautiful story about the unconditional love and support of family, The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman will remind you that hope can be found where and when you least expect it.


My Review:

A beautifully written tale of love, loss and discovering happiness in the little things in life.

“There is always hope where there is love.”

Mattie and Don Tice have been married for 50 years and Don still loves Mattie more than anything.  But as Mattie’s ALS progresses, he is forced to seek help taking care of her.  When Don hires Rose, a struggling single mother, as Mattie’s caretaker, he had no idea how involved Rose and her daughter would become in their lives.  They became the family they never had. 

The story is told in phases after Don and Mattie list their beloved lake house for sale and move someplace easier for Mattie to navigate in her wheelchair.  During the move, Mattie’s hope chest is rediscovered.  Throughout the book, Mattie finds comfort in the heirlooms in her hope chest as she asks for them or they are discovered.  The story flashes back in time to when each item was placed in the box and tells of the importance of each item in Mattie’s life. 

When I first started reading this book, I really didn’t know much about ALS.  Now I have a good idea what the patients and their loved ones go through.  I got totally lost in this book.  It is a very emotional story full of love, hope and the value of family. 

I thought this bible verse was a perfect addition to the story.

“‘So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’”   Corinthians 4:16–18

I received a digital copy through NetGalley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press

 

Find Me at Willoughby Close (Willoughby Close Series Book 3) by Kate Hewitt - Review

Welcome to Willoughby Close… a charming cluster of cozy cottages, each with a story to tell and a happy ending to deliver…

Harriet Lang had the perfect life, so she's left reeling when everything is taken from her in one fell swoop. Suddenly, Harriet learns her beautiful farmhouse in the Cotswolds is double-mortgaged, her husband Richard’s been unceremoniously fired—and he’s become a little too close to his young, sexy assistant.

Harriet moves into Willoughby Close with her three children, trying to hold her head up high. With the help of her neighbor and newfound friend Ellie Matthews, Harriet starts to rebuild her life--but dipping a toe in the dating pool feels strange and meanwhile her children are struggling in different ways. She wonders if starting over is really possible...

Then Willoughby Close begins to weave its healing magic on both her and her children, and Harriet begins to see a way forward. But when Richard reappears in her life, wanting to make amends, Harriet must make the painful decision about how much of the past can be forgiven—and what kind of future she is fighting for.


My Review:

Another great installment in the Willoughby Close series.  Where the first two books seemed a bit more lighthearted and romantic, this one touches on deeper subjects.  It didn’t have the romantic feel like the previous books did.  It is more of a women’s fiction story about starting over after you lose everything.

It all started with a discovery on the phone bill.  Harriet Lang found out her husband Richard had been making many middle of the night phone calls to his secretary.  When she confronts Richard about the discovery and finds out he lost his job six months ago and has been confiding in his former secretary, Harriet’s world falls apart.  Piece by piece, everything Harriet loved, from her prized home, to her car, the children’s after school activities, and even their horse, is stripped away.  Harriet is forced to move into a three bedroom apartment at Willoughby Close which even means not every child gets their own bedroom as they were accustomed to.  Richard doesn’t move with them, he gets a place in London where he can continue his job search. 

While Harriet and her three children adjust to their new life, Harriet realizes her friends really weren’t the best of friends as she thought they were.  They turned on her when they found out she didn’t have any money and she split up with her husband.  She becomes friends with a couple of unlikely characters, one is her neighbor (from the previous book) who she didn’t think much of when she first met her and another is the eccentric elderly lady who owns Willoughby Manor.  Harriet also comes to terms on what is going on in her marriage and does a lot of soul searching trying to figure out her next move.  She doesn’t want to lose what she and Richard had and doesn’t want to break up the family, but she has trouble moving past what Richard has done.  It was interesting to watch the story unfold.  The book ended up in a way I didn’t predict. 

If you read the previous book in this series, Harriet is mentioned many times and the author didn’t paint a pretty picture of her.  I honestly didn’t like Harriet.  But in this book she redeems herself and I learned why she acted the way she did.  I was glad to read Harriet’s story.  It all made sense then.  The book is well written and kept me interested throughout. 

 

Whiskey River Rescue by Justine Davis - Review

Still reeling from the unexpected sale of the land she and her horses live on, horse rescuer Kelsey Blaine is frantic when she comes home to find her possessions already boxed up and her house being bulldozed without any notice. Normally calm and kind, Kelsey becomes furious and impulsively cuts a privacy fence to confront the culprit–her mysterious neighbor, Joe.

Joe Kilcoyne is in a desperate place. He guards his secrets and hides from the world for a reason. He's the hottest topic of speculation around Whiskey River, but no one has ever dared to get close to him. That is, until fiery Kelsey comes barging straight into his life.

The last thing Joe needs is for Kelsey to breach his defenses and make him confront his past. But when her sunny, open, and determined personality collide with a haunted man with no idea how to reconnect with the world, the sparks that ignite shock them both.


My Review:

I enjoyed the rest of the Whiskey River series, so I was excited to read another installment in the series.  This one ranks right up there with the rest of them.

When Kelsey Blaine finds out the land she rents and runs her horse rescue on is sold, she doesn’t quite know what she will do.  She doesn’t know where she will live or where to move her horses.  Full of anger, she confronts her neighbor, known by everyone in town as Crazy Joe, to find out what’s going on.  Little did Kelsey know she would soon form a friendship with Joe and learn his secret.  Kelsey might be good with horses, but she is just as good helping Joe move beyond the traumatic past that has held him back for a long time.  And with just a little bit of help, Joe might be able to trust someone enough to fall in love. 

This book is an emotional read and touches on some sensitive subjects, so be sure to have kleenix ready.   I highly recommend it.  

 

Plan Cee by Hilary Grossman - Review and Giveaway

Would you abandon your present for a second chance at your past?

Cecelia Reynolds has spent most of her life trying to forget the commitment-phobic man who broke her heart. It wasn’t easy, but eventually she did it, or so she thought…

As Cecelia and her husband gather for a friend’s wedding, her perfect world is thrown into complete turmoil. Even though it’s been twenty years since she last laid eyes on Keith Emerson, all it takes is one glance for her to feel emotions she thought were long gone. When Keith ends up officiating the ceremony, she quickly realizes his message of love is directed at her, not the happy couple. But can she believe him?

We live our entire lives thinking we know ourselves. But do we ever really?

As secrets and lies cause Cecelia’s world to spin completely out of control, she is forced to seek advice from the most unlikely ally. In the process, she must confront the demons of her past and the events that shaped her into the woman she is now. Will she finally learn the real meaning of love, friendship, and family?

While this book is a sequel to Plan Bea, it also reads as a standalone.

you found yourself in a similar situation.  

Purchase Plan Cee - getBook.at/PlanCee


My Review:

When I heard Hilary Grossman had written a sequel to Plan Bea, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book.  I loved Plan Bea and I knew Plan Cee would be just as good.

How would you react if the man you loved in the past suddenly came back into your life decades later wanting a second chance?

Twenty years ago Cecelia was head over heels in love with Keith, but he never could admit he loved her.  So she ended the relationship.  She couldn't go on with a man who was only half invested in a relationship.

Cecelia is now happily married to Bryce and they have twin boys.  She has a great job and wonderful friends.  Life couldn't be better.  At a friend’s wedding, Cecelia runs into Keith again.  She never thought she would see him again.  All of the memories she tried so hard to forget come rushing back causing confusion and upheaval in her life.  If Cecelia was so happy with her life, why is she feeling his way?

Keith regretted letting Cecilia a walk away all those years ago and now he will do anything to get her back, even if it means destroying her marriage.  He just wanted a second chance with Cee.

When Cecelia's life starts spinning out of control, she turns to her friends for support.  Together they devise a plan to help Cecelia find happiness again.

This brilliantly written book had such a real feel to it.  The creative plot and characters had me hooked from the start. Reading from both Cecelia and Keith's point of view gave the story a true feeling to what they were both going through.  This book is an emotional ride about love, family and friendships.  It leaves you pondering the question of what would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation.  

We live our entire lives thinking we know those closest to us. But do we ever really?

On the outside, Annabel O'Conner has it all - the perfect husband, two adorable children, an amazing job, and a mother from hell! Just when she gives up trying to regain her overbearing mother's love, an unexpected call turns her world around and makes Annabel question everything she believes about her life.

Could falling in love give a cold, stubborn, and selfish woman a second chance to open her heart back up to her family?

Beatrice Buchanan has spent more years than she can remember distancing herself from everyone close to her. She barely has a relationship with her grandchildren. The only time she manages to have a one way conversation with her daughter is during her weekly fifteen-minute commute to the nail salon. When Bea meets Walter on a cruise she realizes there may be more to life than designer clothes, killer handbags, and impressing the ladies at her posh country club.

As the mother and daughter duo team up to plan "Long Island's wedding of the year" they confront the secrets and lies that have defined them. This humorous emotionally honest women's contemporary fiction novel will tug at your heartstrings and the twist ending will shock you.

"Although a light read, the subject matter was very sad at times and I found myself choking back tears, but in a good way! It was so authentically heart wrenching yet often very funny too. The characters were so well fleshed out and three dimensional - no one was perfect and no one was fatally flawed - like real life. I thought the twist was genius!" - Meredith Schorr Best Selling Author

Plan Bea is Free between 3/7-3-11, get it now.  viewBook.at/Plan_Bea

By day, Hilary Grossman works in the booze biz. By night she hangs out with her "characters." She has an unhealthy addiction to denim and high heel shoes. She's been known to walk into walls and fall up stairs. She only eats spicy foods and is obsessed with her cat, Lucy. She loves to find humor in everyday life. She likens life to a game of dodge ball - she tries to keep many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. She lives on Long Island.

Blog https://www.feelingbeachie.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HilaryGrossmanAuthor/

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In honor of Plan Cee's release, Hilary is offering a $25 Starbucks Gift Card to one lucky person

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