Book Review: You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa

 

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: August 9, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "What could be worse than your ex-boyfriend marrying your childhood best friend? Getting accused of her murder… From the author of My Sweet Girl comes a dangerously addictive new thriller about a lavish Sri Lankan wedding celebration that not everyone will survive. When Amaya is invited to Kaavi’s over-the-top wedding in Sri Lanka, she is surprised and a little hurt to hear from her former best friend after so many years of radio silence. But when Amaya learns that the groom is her very own ex-boyfriend, she is consumed by a single thought: She must stop the wedding from happening, no matter the cost. But as the weeklong wedding celebrations begin and rumors about Amaya’s past begin to swirl, she can’t help but feel like she also has a target on her back. When Kaavi goes missing and is presumed dead, all evidence points to Amaya. However, nothing is as it seems as Jayatissa expertly unravels that each wedding guest has their own dark secret and agenda, and Amaya may not be the only one with a plan to keep the bride from getting her happily ever after… "

 

Amaya Bloom lives in Los Angeles, miles away from her hometown and family in Sri Lanka.  She had a falling out with her best friend, Kaavi, and now they don't speak. Amaya just stalks her via social media to find out what is going on with her life. While in their teens, Kaavi was quiet, but now she has become a social media influencer with a ton of followers and a successful charity in Sri Lanka.  On one of her Instagram posts, she finds out Kaavi is getting married, but not just to anyone - to Amaya's ex-boyfriend, Matthew Spencer.  Then an invitation to their wedding arrives. Should Amaya actually attend? Does Kaavi want to bury the hatchet and start over? Is this an olive branch? Amaya decides to attend the wedding, but not with the best intentions. She is set on messing it up, because she doesn't know how can she allow Kaavi to marry her ex. Amanda Jayatissa's You're Invited is the perfect summer thriller. It has a beautiful setting in Sri Lanka, an extravagant wedding, and a murder mystery that will keep readers flipping the pages.

Amaya isn't a likeable character, but she is one that kept me glued to the pages in You're Invited.  She is a bit troubled. She has some questionable coping strategies, she engages in self-harm, and is often guided by symbolism in her life.  So, obviously while reading You're Invited, I was wondering if she is a reliable narrator in the very least.  She returns to her hometown in Sri Lanka and partakes in the many activities leading up to the wedding.  While doing so, she has to face the very reasons she left Sri Lanka along with her fractured relationship with Kaavi.  Jayatissa flashes back to months before the wedding, so we can learn about Amaya leading up to the event and things aren't looking good for her, especially after the horrible turn of the events at the wedding.

Jayatissa tells You're Invited in a thrilling way in that she includes various points of view including wedding guests and family members including transcripts from interviews with investigators, After each transcript, I kept wondering who was to blame for the crime leading up to the wedding and each person was looking more and more like a suspect or guilty about something.  Jayatissa also included Kaavi's point of view, and let's just say she is withholding some secrets, too!

The setting of Sri Lanka was perfect for this thriller. I learned a lot about life in Sri Lanka, about the social classes, the wealthy, and their customs. I haven't read too many books that take place there, so that felt very fresh to me. 

So, if you are looking for thriller to close out summer with definitely give You're Invited a try. Fans of Lucy Foley will definitely enjoy it. Between the mystery and the luxurious setting, I was flipping the pages. Have you read You're Invited? Do you enjoy thrillers? Let me know in the comments below.

 

Spotlight: Kit McBride Gets a Wife

I don't know about you, but it's been quite a lonnngggg time since I read a western. When I read the synopsis for Kit McBride Gets a Wife by Amy Barry, I knew I had to read it. It sounds like the perfect book to help usher the fall season in and say goodbye to beach reads.  This debut just came out last week, so be sure to add it to your TBR list. 

Learn More About the Novel:

 

Goodreads says, "The four McBride brothers have their worlds turned upside down when their precocious younger sister secretly places an advertisement for a mail-order bride. Kit McBride knows that Buck's Creek, Montana, is no place to find a wife. Between him and his three brothers--plus little Junebug--they manage all right on their own, thank you very much. But unbeknownst to Kit, his sister is sick to death of cleaning, cooking, and mending for her big brothers, so she places an ad in The Matrimonial News to get them hitched. After Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland, she found employment with an eccentric but poor widow. When her mistress decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride, Madd​y is dragged along for the ride to Montana. But en route to the West, Maddy is suddenly abandoned and left to assume the widow's name, position, and matrimonial prospects.... With no other recourse in the wilderness, Maddy must convince Kit not only is she who she says she is, but she's the wife he never knew he needed."

 

You can purchase your own copy of Kit McBride Gets a Wife at Bookshop, Books a Million, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. You can learn more about the novel by visiting Amy Barry's website and connecting with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Kit McBride Gets a Wife is part of a new series called The McBrides of Montana and I am excited to check it out. I love a good historical romance! So, let me know if this book is on your TBR list and what you think of it in the comments below.  

 

Spotlight: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Whether we want to admit it or not, summer is coming to an end, school is starting, and the first signs of fall are starting at least in my neck of the woods. I always get sad this time of the year, but I do look forward to a good witchy read for the fall. If I can't be at the beach, then cozying up with a hot tea, a good book, and breathing in some crisp fall air sounds like a recipe for the perfect day.  

Today I am part of Berkley's blog tour for a book that just came out this week, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.  Doesn't the title alone make it sound like the perfect fall read? The early reviews for the book are outstanding, so let me know what you think!

 

Learn More About the Book:

Goodreads says, "A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life. As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat. As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for...."

 

To learn more about The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, you can visit Sangu Mandanna's website or connect with her on Twitter, and Instagram.  You can always purchase your own copy of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Amazon.  

 

Read an Excerpt From the Novel:

THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES by Sangu Mandanna

Berkley Trade Paperback Original | August 23, 2022 

Excerpt

When the spellwork part of the meeting was complete, Primrose cleared her throat. "Finally, does anyone have any news they'd like to share?"
 
"It's okay to say it's time to gossip, Primrose," Mika said merrily. "We all know that's what comes after the spellwork."
 
"Witches don't gossip," sniffed Primrose.
 
This was patently untrue, however, because gossiping was precisely what they proceeded to do.
 
"My ex-husband wanted to get back together last week," said Belinda Nkala, who was in her forties and never had time for anyone's nonsense. "When I turned him down, he informed me that I am apparently nothing without him. Then he left," she added calmly, "but I fear he's going to be suffering from an inexplicable itch in his groin for a few weeks."
 
Several witches laughed, but Primrose set her lips in a thin line. "And have you been playing such petty tricks lately, Mika?"
 
"Oh, for the love of fucking god, Primrose, what does this have to do with me?"
 
"It's not an unreasonable question, precious. You do like to take risks."
 
"For the millionth time," Mika said, irked beyond belief, "I post videos online pretending to be a witch. It's just a performance." Primrose raised her eyebrows. Mika raised hers right back. "Hundreds of people do the same thing, you know. The whole witch aesthetic is very popular!"
 
"Witchcore," Hilda said, nodding wisely. "Not quite as popular as cottagecore or fairycore, but it's up there."
 
Everyone stared at her.
 
"I didn't know fairies were real!" shouted Agatha Jones, who was almost as old as Primrose and tended to believe all young people needed to be shouted at lest they miss the import of her pronouncements. "Whatever next!"
 
"You see, Primrose?" said Mika, ignoring this interruption. "People call themselves witches all the time. I'm not putting myself or you or anyone else at risk. Nobody who watches my videos thinks I'm actually a witch."
 
It was unfortunate for Mika, then, that at that precise moment, over five hundred miles away, in a big house in a quiet, windy corner of the Norfolk countryside, a skinny old man in a magnificent rainbow scarf and enormous fluffy slippers was saying exactly the opposite.
 
 
“Absolutely not!”
 
This came from Jamie, the scowling librarian, who was not in fact the skinny old man in the scarf and slippers. That was Ian. And the third person in the library was Lucie, the housekeeper, a chubby, round-cheeked woman in her fifties, who sighed as if she knew exactly how this argument was going to go. (She did know, and she was right.)
 
Ian smoothed down the tail of his scarf and replied, in the deep voice that had charmed audiences in many a small theatre over his eighty-odd years, "Don't be difficult, dear. It doesn't become you."
 
Jamie was unmoved by this criticism. "You can't seriously be considering bringing that"-and here he jabbed a finger at the dewy, sparkly face on the screen of Ian's phone-"into the house?"
 
"Why not?" Ian asked.
 
"Well, for one thing, there's no way she's a real witch," Jamie said irritably. This was not unusual. Most of the things Jamie said were said irritably. "What kind of witch would show off her magic on a platform with millions of viewers?"
 
Mika would have been immensely gratified to hear this, had she been there, but it looked like her double bluff had not hoodwinked Ian.
 
"She's a real witch," he insisted.
 
"How the hell can you possibly know that?"
 
"I have excellent observation skills. Just watch part of the video." Ian wiggled his phone like he was dangling a lollipop in front of a toddler. "A minute. That's all I ask."
 
Jamie's glare stayed firmly in place, but he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against his desk to look over Ian's shoulder. Gleeful, Ian tapped the screen and the video started to play.

Excerpted from The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna Copyright © 2022 by Sangu Mandanna. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

So, let me know what you think! Is The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches on your Fall TBR list? Are you a fan of witchy reads? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

Book Review: Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult Fiction

Publisher: Ballantine

Pub. Date: August 30, 2022

Other Books By Author: Malibu Rising,

After I Do, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,

One True Loves, Daisy Jones and the Six, 

and Maybe in Another Life

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime—from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising. Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two. But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan. At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever. In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet."

Readers of Malibu Rising may remember Carrie Soto, an accomplished tennis player.  This book dives into her life and her tennis career.  It starts with Carrie as a child, living with her father, Javier, who also lives and breathes tennis. He used to have a successful tennis career, but is now coaching and instructing at clubs.  He has big plans for Carrie and even as a child, she is determined to be the best. As the years go by, she finds much success (thanks to her commitment and determination) and Carrie and her father have always made the greatest team. Fast forward many years later, Carrie is a retired tennis player and holds the record for winning the most Grand Slams. But then comes along a much younger Nicki Chan who might very well break her record. Carrie decides to come out of retirement to defend her record, along with her father as her coach.  Carrie has always been a fierce competitor, not to mention her difficult personality, so will people root for her comeback? And quite simply, at thirty-seven, can Carrie even do it?   Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a phenomenal sports book, but even readers who don't enjoy tennis will be sucked in by this unputdownable novel.

I really liked Carrie Soto in  Carrie Soto Is Back. I know she can be brash, difficult, a sore loser, and brutally honest, but I liked that about her. I enjoyed her determination and resilience. Reid created such an interesting character and one that felt so real that I found myself trying to google Carrie. She has to be real, right? Maybe not, but Reid really brings it when it comes to character development.  Carrie practically leaped off the page.  As the years go by, she reconnects with fellow tennis player Bowe and I really enjoyed their relationship and watching it progress, especially as they started training together. Lastly, Carrie's relationship with her dad was a memorable one and truly tugged on my heartstrings.  I adored his coaching and his perspective on things.

Reid must have done a ton of research regarding tennis or she must be an avid tennis player herself, because I felt like I was watching a tennis match when I was reading Carrie Soto Is Back. It was so real, so immersive, that it made me want to dust off my old racket and get back out there. It's never too late, right? I don't know how she does it, but Reid took a sports book and made it so much more.  So, you don't need to enjoy tennis or be a sports fan to appreciate Carrie's journey. 

Carrie Soto Is Back is one of my favorite books of the summer, as well as the year. At this point, I'll read anything Reid writes; she is one of the best writers of our time.  So, are you a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid? Do you plan on reading Carrie Soto Is Back? Are you a tennis fan? Let me know in the comments below.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Spells for Lost Things

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!  

 

Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch

Pub. Date: September 27, 2022

 

Goodreads says, "Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch. There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it? Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other?"

 

As much as I am sad to see beach read season end, I am looking forward to all those cozy fall reads and some witchy reads, too. High up on my list is Jenna Evans Welch's latest. I really enjoyed her other YA novels, so I am looking forward to this one that takes place at Salem. What do you guys think?

 

Blog Tour and Review: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

 

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: August 23, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Goodreads says, "Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project - a literal dream come true - Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.  Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school - archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.  But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas... devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.  But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?"

 

 

 

Bee, a neuroscientist, just landed her dream job working on a project with both NASA and the NIH.  This is everything she has ever dreamed of, except that she is has to work on the project with Levi Ward, her nemesis.  Bee knows Levi from graduate school and he was impossible to work with, aloof, and an all around jerk.  Once she is there and Bee starts working on the project, things go from bad to worse. Someone is sabotaging her efforts; could it be Levi? Thankfully, Bee finds solace in her anonymous, but very popular, social media account that highlights issues in both science and academics, especially when it comes to women.  Slowly as Bee and Levi continue to work with one another, he has her back more often than not. So, who is creating all these roadblocks for Bee and BLINK, the program they are developing? Bee and Levi will have to work together like never before and can Bee get over her hesitation and broken heart from her ex-fiance?  Ali Hazelwood's Love on the Brain is a fun, laugh-out-loud novel for fans of STEM rom-coms.

I really liked Bee from the start of Love on the Brain. She runs an social media account called What Would Marie Do (as in Marie Curie) and it was so much fun to learn tidbits about Marie's amazing life as Bee channels her in her responses.  Hazelwood shares tweets and common concerns in academia via the social media account, so it was a nice touch.  Also, Bee lands her dream job, but she is hesitant about working with Levi as it hasn't gone well in the past.  As I mentioned before, someone is screwing things up for her while she is working on BLINK and at first, she assumes it's Levi. As time goes by, she realizes that it can't be him, so who is out to get her? She finds herself relying on Levi a bit more (maybe he isn't so bad?) and sparks fly.  If you like the whole enemies-to-something more trope, Love on the Brain will be right up your alley.  

What I like most about Love on the Brain is the dialogue. I am a sucker for witty banter and Hazelwood does it so well. She captures the nerdy academic side, but makes it seem cool and even romantic at times.  I really enjoyed the witty dialogue between Levi and Bee as well as the social media discussion between @WhatWouldMarieDo and other academic accounts. I felt that some of the issues she brought up were very timely and if a reader happens to be in the science or academic field, he or she will definitely relate and appreciate some of the discussions.  

The plot in Love on the Brain was a bit more twisty than The Love Hypothesis and I didn't see some of the plot twists coming. This definitely kept me flipping the pages. While I didn't love this one as much as The Love Hypothesis, it was still a solid and intelligent read.  

So, if you enjoy a brainy novel or are a fan of Hazelwood's The Love Hypothesis, definitely add Love on the Brain to your TBR list.  I know I'll read anything Hazelwood writes.  Are you a fan of Hazelwood? Is this book on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.    

 

 

Book Review: Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

 

Pages: 272

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: June 7, 2022

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Goodreads says, "Nora's life is about to get a rewrite... Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it's her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage's collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it's picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne'er do well husband Nora's life will never be the same. The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He'll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it's the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it's the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart. Filled with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Nora Goes Off Script is the best kind of love story--the real kind where love is complicated by work, kids, and the emotional baggage that comes with life. For Nora and Leo, this kind of love is bigger than the big screen."

 

You know those cheesy romance movies that all follow the same formula? Well, Nora Hamilton writes them for The Romance Channel.  Newly single after her husband left her to raise their two children on her own, she channels her anger, sadness, and other difficult emotions into a screenplay. Except this isn't her usual screenplay that has a happy ever after moment. It's based on her husband leaving her and how she finally felt like she could breathe. She could exhale. Her agent sold it to a big time movie company, not The Romance Channel, and now it's being adapted with legitimate Hollywood stars. They need to film for a few days at her house to capture the story fully, so Nora's perfectly curated routine is blown out of the water for a few days, not to mention when Leo Vance, one of the hottest men in Hollywood, camps out at her house and front porch. Once production is done, Nora hopes to go back to her routine that is laid out carefully, but there's one flaw in her plan. Leo wants to stay on to recenter himself.  Apparently, the simple country life is good for him. He offers to pay her $1,000 a day, so how can she say no? She really needs the money as her ex-husband doesn't help out at all. Meanwhile Nora is trying to live her everyday life of porch sitting, long runs, grocery shopping, school pickup, dinner making, assisting with homework, etc, all while Leo Vance tags along for a taste of normalcy.  Slowly, sparks fly between the two and more importantly, Nora finds out who and want she wants out of her life.  Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is an adorable romantic comedy that is the perfect escape.

 

I really enjoyed Nora in Nora Goes Off Script. I found her to be funny, smart, relatable, and cringe worthy. She could be a little over emotional and clingy at times, but it made for a good story.  After all, she is trying to find her way after her ex left her, so she is a bit vulnerable. Once Hollywood shows up at her door, she starts to have feelings for Leo and enjoys him following her around. It's good to have support and a friend in life after doing things on her own for so long.  But slowly, the sparks between them point to something more. However, how could a regular mom in a small town somehow get the attention of Leo Vance, one of the sexist men in Hollywood? In real life, probably not, but in Monaghan's version, a girl can dream, right? I loved this aspect of the novel as it made for a great summer escape.

 

Once things played out in Nora Goes Off Script, I was eye rolling a bit. It just seemed very obvious what would happen, but Monaghan proved me wrong. I didn't see some of the plot twists coming and enjoyed the ride for sure.  Monaghan's writing is so good and thoroughly enjoyable.  Her writing style is exactly what I gravitate towards when I am looking for a vacation read.

 

I think most mothers can relate to Nora in Nora Goes Off Script and I think that's why it resonates with so many of us. The awkwardness, the putting ourselves last, the mundane routine, the school pickup, the PTO, the Saturday sports games, the wine before bed, etc, it's all there. And if divorced, who wouldn't want to bring a Hollywood heartthrob to the school pick-up line? I mean that's the stuff of dreams right there.  

My only minor complaint about this novel was the lack of steam--not that I need something explicit, but I didn't feel Nora and Leo's romance blooming as much as I had hoped. It seemed a little lacking in that area, and rather one dimensional. Monaghan focused more on Nora's arc and self-growth, which I get, but I would have loved more.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed Nora Goes Off Script. If you are looking for a last minute summer escape, pick up a copy.  Living in Nora's world means every forty year old mom comes out a winner, realizes her full potential, and everyone else just watches in awe.  So, have you read Nora Goes Off Script? Is it on your summer TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

 

 

 

Audio Book Review: One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

 

Publisher: Random House Audio

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audio Book

Pub. Date: February 15, 2022

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: One Day in December

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is the last thing that dating columnist Cleo wanted, but she is going on a self-coupling quasi-sabbatical--at the insistence of her boss--in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island she's booked is a far cry from London, but at least it's a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet, solitary self-care while she figures out her next steps in her love life and her career. Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can't bring himself to acknowledge, his soul searching has brought him to the same Irish island in search of his roots and some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have reserved the same one-bedroom hideaway on exactly the same dates. Instantly at odds with each other, Cleo and Mac don't know how they're going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other's company quite as much as they thought they would... Written with Josie Silver's signature warmth, charm and insights into the human heart, One Night on the Island explores the meaning of home, the joys of escape and how the things we think we want are never the things we really need."

 

Cleo Wilder is about to turn thirty and her career, as well as her love life, is in a slump.  Cleo is a dating columnist and her boss sends her as a retreat of sorts to a remote Irish island to re-center herself. It's very different than her life in busy London, but maybe this is just what she needs to figure out her next step. She has rented a luxurious cabin on Salvation Island, but her plans go awry when there's another person who has booked her cabin.  A one Mac Sullivan, who is visiting the island for some rest after his marriage went up in flames.  Both Cleo and Mac realize that only one person can stay in the cabin, so who will go?  Unfortunately, just when they figure out who is going to leave, ferry service off the island has been suspended and there's no where else to stay on the island. Cue the drama.  Until ferry service is back, both Cleo and Mac have to live together in this cabin and as they do, they get to know each other better. Cleo finds out what exactly brings Mac to this remote island and Mac gets to connect with Cleo further.  Before they know it, both they both are connecting like they never thought they would.  Josie Silver's One Night on the Island is a sweet audio book about finding love in unexpected places.

Cleo and Mac are such great characters in One Night on the Island. I really enjoyed their story and how they went from sort-of-enemies-to something more. Cleo is in a slump and Mac has his own baggage, so it was nice to have such complex, mature characters represented.  While I enjoyed both Cleo and Mac, I didn't always connect with them like I wanted to.  

One aspect of One Night on the Island that I enjoyed was Silver's depictions of a remote Irish island and its quirky residents. The townspeople, their customs, and the way life is lived on the island had me laughing out loud at times. It reminded me a bit of Oakley's The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.

The audio of One Night on the Island was well done. It was narrated by Eleonor Tomlinson, who I have enjoyed in the past, and Davis Brooks.  Their accents truly brought the story to life and I enjoyed the narration overall.

While I liked One Day in December a bit more than One Night on the Island, as I felt it packed more of an emotional punch, it was still a solid read for fans of Silver, Beth O'Leary, as well as realistic stories with happy endings.  So, are you a fan of Josie Silver? Have you read One Night on the Island? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  

 

 

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Shrines of Gaiety

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

 

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

Pub. Date: September 27, 2022

 

 

Goodreads says, "The #1 national bestselling, award-winning author of Life after Life transports us to the dazzling London of the Roaring Twenties in a whirlwind tale of corruption, seduction, and debts that have come due. 1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.  The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho’s gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost. With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson gives us a window in a vanished world. Slyly funny, brilliantly observant, and ingeniously plotted, Shrines of Gaiety showcases the myriad talents that have made Atkinson one of the most lauded writers of our time."

 

The early reviews for this novel have been outstanding, so I can't wait to dig in. I love setting of Jazz Age London. What do you guys think? 

 

Book Review: Jackie and Me by Louis Bayard

 

Pages: 352

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: June 14, 2022

Publisher: Algonquin

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Master storyteller Louis Bayard delivers a surprising portrait of a young Jackie Kennedy as we've never seen her before. In 1951, former debutante Jacqueline Bouvier is hard at work as the Inquiring Camera Girl for a Washington newspaper. Her mission in life is “not to be a housewife,” but when she meets the charismatic congressman Jack Kennedy at a Georgetown party, her resolution begins to falter. Soon the two are flirting over secret phone calls, cocktails, and dinner dates, and as Jackie is drawn deeper into the Kennedy orbit, and as Jack himself grows increasingly elusive and absent, she begins to question what life at his side would mean. For answers, she turns to his best friend and confidant, Lem Billings, a closeted gay man who has made the Kennedy family his own, and who has been instructed by them to seal the deal with Jack’s new girl. But as he gets to know her, a deep and touching friendship emerges, leaving him with painfully divided alliances and a troubling dilemma: Is this the marriage she deserves? Narrated by an older Lem as he looks back at his own role in a complicated alliance, this is a courtship story full of longing and of suspense, of what-ifs and possible wrong turns. It is a surprising look at Jackie before she was that Jackie. And in best-selling author Louis Bayard’s witty and deeply empathetic telling, Jackie & Me is a page-turning story of friendship, love, sacrifice, and betrayal— and a fresh take on two iconic American figures."

 

 

Everyone knows former president Jack Kennedy and his beautiful wife, Jackie Kennedy, but do they know Lem Billings, a close friend of Jack's? Lem is Jack's lifelong best friend and because of this, he is a part of Kennedy family dinners, holidays, and insider secrets.  The story starts with Jack and Jackie right before they start dating. Jack, a playboy, has no real desire to get married, but we know his family is putting the pressure on him, especially if he has political aspirations. Jackie is the perfect political wife; she is poised, glamorous, educated, and can speak various languages. But does she know what she is in for? That's where Lem comes in. He is to befriend Jackie, clue her in as to what's ahead, and help Jack navigate their courtship.  Jackie and Me by Louis Bayard is a delightful re-imagining of Jack and Jackie's relationship as told through Lem's eyes.  The Kennedys have been done ad nauseam, but this is a fresh perspective.

I have always been mesmerized by Jackie and I think Bayard really captured her essence.  While she is still young and figuring out what she wants, I enjoyed her spunk, her resilience, and her friendship with Lem.  I also enjoyed learning more about her job working at the Washington Times. We all know what's up ahead for Jackie, but watching it unfold through Lem's eyes definitely offered a different perspective.

Lem also brings us behind the scenes at Kennedy family social functions. Bayard brought to life Jack Kennedy's larger-than-life father, his religious mother, and other important family members. I loved watching them come to life in Jackie and Me and enjoyed Jackie's interactions with them, even if certain people made her squirm. I'm looking at you, Ethel. Lem is also a complex character in that he is gay man, which was difficult given the time period. Can he truly come out of the closet if Jack, who will be a public figure, is his best friend? It's very complex and my heart went out to Lem on so many occasions.

Bayard captures the Kennedy family as well as Jack and Jackie's initial courtship very well. The book almost asks what if Jack didn't marry Jackie? What would that look like? Did Lem prepare Jackie for what it means to be a part of the Kennedy family? Being a hardcore Kennedy fan, I enjoyed all this drama and Kennedy lore. Jackie and Me is a wonderful historical read to curl up with this summer.  So, have you read Jackie and Me? Is it on your TBR list? Are you a Kennedy family fan? Let me know in the comments below.