Out of His League

Gretchen Harper has a thriving business as a wine sommelier. She is independent, trustworthy, a planner and has under no circumstances been a risk taker. Gretchen is single but she definitely has never tried to pick up a strange man in the airport. When she sees Joshua Malvern, her all time favorite heartthrob baseball player in the wait lounge looking incredibly sad she buys him a coffee (just the way he likes it.) This small gesture warms his heart and they begin a quick easy friendship. The entire flight to Las Vegas is a dream come true. Just to be near him makes Gretchens heart sway and to learn how nice he truly is - well, thats just icing on the cake. Imagining this is just a fling she decides to let loose of the first time in her life. Even though she cannot visualize the details of what a future with Josh would look like she knows that their meet-cute was definitely a home run. Fast paced, steamy sports romance. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How to Fake it in Hollywood

Behind the scenes, it’s been almost a year since Grey Brooks has had actual job. When her long running teen drama series came to an end so did the offers. Having been an actress since she was eight years old, at 27 Grey considers herself lucky. She was able to help her mother pay the bills when her dead beat dad disappeared and has been independent ever since. Smart, pretty and possibly a little lonely, Grey has stayed out of the gossip mags and done the hard work. While she eyes a new role that could put her back on the map her feisty publicist feels the directors need a little nudge. She proposes Grey create a fake relationship with an absolute A-lister that has been reclusive for over 5 years and requires a creative come back as well. A decade older, Ethan Atkins was Grey’s teen heartthrob. A poster of this gorgeous hunk hung on her wall fulfilling all her young fantasies. She agrees with the crazy plan. Little did she know sparks would mutually fly, their chemistry off the rom-com charts. When the paparazzi become uncontrollable Grey and Ethan must put down their scripts face actual feelings Hollywood style. The grass is not always greener but it’s a wild ride to read about. Beach reading at it’s best! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the Girls

Lexi is getting married to the perfect guy. He is successful, handsome though just a tad bit too controlling. After a decade of dancing professionally and partying hard Lexi is ready to settle down. Her closest friends and future sister-in-law are throwing her a hen party (bachelorette to Americans!) They have arranged an idyllic weekend in the Greek Islands. As soon as the women arrive things start to go wrong. With emotions running high it is clear each of the women are hiding something and one of them won’t make it back to London. I desperately wanted to like this latest book by Lucy Clarke, having loved all her others but this one didn’t fly for me. Didn’t like a single character and the story felt like a retelling of something I’ve already read. ⭐️⭐️

The Displacements

The Larsen-Hall family has relocated from Michigan to Miami, Florida. In a big beautiful house by the bay Daphne is still adjusting to this fanciful life as an artist, a wife and mother of three. Oliver and Mia are in elementary school and Gavin, who should be finishing freshman year at Stanford, is unexpectedly taking a break. Brantley, her pretentious surgeon husband hasn’t been around very much since they arrived. Closely following the news, Daphne is alarmed one morning that a category 6 hurricane, the largest the world has ever seen, changed direction and is heading their way. Quickly arranging the kids, the dog and a few necessities in the minivan they race to pick up Brantley at the hospital only to be told he will meet them in northern Florida as he is in charge of evacuating patients. Panic beginning to simmer along the highway, suffocating traffic and long gas lines, the Larsen-Hall bunch just keep driving. When absolutely nothing works out as planned the family is transported to a FEMA megashelter in Oklahoma with thousands of evacuees, now called IDP’s - Internally Displaced Persons. The days pass slowly, the news out of Miami is devastating. There is no sign of Brantley. As the plot thickens life at Tooley Farms is no picnic. Other residents don’t look like Daphne with her manicured fingers and huge diamond ring. With no choice but to remain in place each member of the Larsen-Hall family quickly learns the hard truth about family and the unethical world they live in. Fast paced novel, like watching a train wreck the reader are unable to turn away. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Woman in the Library

This book in a book, where you are never quite sure where the story begins and reality ends is absolutely unputdownable. One day four strangers are sitting at a table in the Boston Public Library. They hear a piercing scream. The library is cordoned off and then closed. A murder has occurred and these four unlikely characters quickly form a deep friendship. Handsome Man is a published author working on his next novel, Heroic Chin is trying to fail Harvard Law School to piss off his socialite parents, Freud girl - a tattoo covered beauty getting her graduate degree in psychology. Lastly, there is Freddie, an Australian writer on scholarship who deems this scene as chapter one of her latest mystery, a work in progress. As the strangers learn about each other, more dead bodies are discovered and fingers are pointed. The police investigate and alibi’s become crucial. The story unfolds with a string of letters interspersed between a famous author named Hannah and Freddie’s neighbor Leo (friend or psychopath?) In an unexpected twist the reader finds themselves in a fictional funhouse. Writers, books and murder mystery all rolled into one, this wholly original tale is a must read for summer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Beach Trap

At Camp Chickawah Kat Steiner and Blake O’Neill become inseparable as twelve year olds tend to do. Pinky swearing to lifetime friendship, the two are devastated when they learn they share the same father. Blake is raised by her loving grandparents, just getting by in Minnesota and Kat lives a luxurious lifestyle in Georgia and becomes a well known social media influencer. Determined resentment on both sides, they do not speak for fifteen years. When their father suddenly dies, he leaves the girls a beach house his family owned in Destin, Florida. Having never finished college and working as a nanny, Blake is determined to sell the beach house as quickly as possible and use the money to help with her grandpa’s care. Kat on the other hand refuses to let go of the beach house and the childhood memories she holds dear. The house is found in total disrepair and a deal is made. Blake, who is very handy is determined to renovate and get the best value and Kat who is demanding and a little spoiled is convinced she will find a way to buy Blake out. The summer brings unexpected renovation romance and reminders of a lost friendship back to life. Sweet as a summer breeze, this fast paced read is absolutely vacation worthy! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where the Crawdads Sing

In 1969 Chase Andrews, handsome town charmer, football quarterback is found dead at the bottom of the fire tower. This small southern marsh town is overwhelmed with grief and rampant with suspicion. Appalled that Chase had a past relationship with Kya Clark, they immediately point their nasty fingers at this beautiful young woman who lives alone out in the marsh. Taunted by the other children, she only attended school for one day. After being abandoned by her family, Kya raised herself alone in the woods and a little boy named Tate taught her to read. Kya spent her days intensely studying nature and the world around. Much to the towns surprise reclusive Kya became a published author and expert naturalist. With few people in her life to vouch for her whereabouts, Kya has always been an easy target for their malice. Told between the past and the present the reader dives deep into the marsh and the surroundings that Kya struggles to understand. Viewing life in the simplest form she is both brilliant and honest, lonely but terrified of letting anyone into her world. With the movie releasing any day now, I had to read this 2018 bestseller first! I loved every minute of it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dead Romantics

When Florence Day arrives to meet her new book editor she finds none other than Benji Andor, handsome hunk with an attitude sitting across from her. Florence is a ghost writer for the romance series of the very successful Ann Nichols. She has written the last three novels for Ann with great success and now Ben is refusing her an extension. The past year has been hard for Florence. After being dumped by her no-good story stealing boyfriend she doesn’t believe in happy endings anymore. To add salt to the wound Florence is called back to her small home town in South Carolina as her beloved father has sadly and unexpectedly passed away. After ten years of avoidance, she returns to Mairmont and the family’s funeral home business stricken with loss and grief. This peculiar family (think Adam’s Family) has been in the funeral business for generations. Florence and her father also shared a mysterious gift. They can see and communicate with the dearly departed. As if things weren’t complicated enough, a few days into her stay she see’s Benji, her editor. Both of them completely baffled they find a way to dig deep and unwind the greatest and most complicated happy ending of all. This original, funny, heart warming love story was such a complete surprise. Absolutely adored all the bizarre characters and fast paced banter. Perfect beach read for ghost lovers and regular people too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Truth About Ben and June

Ben and June meet on New Year’s Eve in the Emergency Room of a New York hospital. Ben had broken his hand punching a man in a bizarre attempt to help a stranger that didn’t want his assistance. June had an awful flu. Their chemistry was intense and it didn’t take long for Ben to ask June on a date. Slowly easing into a thoughtful romance, June was an aspiring dancer and Ben a law school student on the cusp of a promising career. His unwavering support emotionally and financially was generous and loving. Years later after an unexpected pregnancy they are in the suburbs “living the dream.” Only June’s dream was left behind with the dance company. As much as she loves baby Mikey his incessant crying and discontent throbs through her heart and soul every single day. Ben works nonstop and June is home with her infant son, little sleep and hallucinations of her dead mother. Their yuppy little enclave is filled with immaculate homes and perfect moms. Ben is too busy to notice June’s downward spiral until it is too late. Narrated from both Ben and June’s perspective, this novel carefully depicts a young couple’s struggle with unfulfilled dreams, expectations and a very real disorder. Compelling exploration of a young marriage and new motherhood. Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️