Sara Starting Over

Sara has fallen into a deep depression. She has lost her treasured restaurant she spent her life building, her father passed away and her ex just married a beautiful woman half his age. Alone with nothing to do and no-one to care for Sara travels in her beat up old car until she finds a suitable landing space, preferably one where she can be isolated and wallow in peace. She stumbles upon Hills of Andrew, a quaint southern town with a storybook main street and the quiet ambiance she is searching for. Renting an adorable house with a gorgeous view, Sara slowly settles in. She finds a job at the town library and her world and fragile heart opens up in ways she never imagined. At middle age Sara did not think new friendships and the flutters of love were even a possibilty. Icing on the cake, though she is terrified of getting hurt again, Sara is surprisingly intrigued by a handsome neighbor who runs the local theater. This is a really easy, quiet, sweet story about starting over in every way. Sometimes you have to take risk to start anew, but it is well worth it. Thumbs up for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just For the Summer

Justin and Emma meet online. It turns out they share the same curse. Every time a relationship ends, their ex goes on to meet “the one.” What starts as jaunty banter turns super flirty super fast. Even though Abby is a traveling nurse about to leave for a 3 month stint in Hawaii with her best friend Maddy, she is intrigued enough to change her summer plans and relocate to an adorable lake house on Lake Minnetonka. Justin, a tech guy who works remotely, is about to endeavor on some serious responsibility for a single young man. His mother is going to prison for fraud and he must take care of his three younger siblings for the foreseeable future. Although when the two finally meet their chemistry is off the chart, Emma has her own emotional baggage caused by years in foster care and a delinquent mother. Maddy, who is quite a character, really holds down the fort throughout this dramatic rollercoaster. Even though the setting was charming and lots of romance was brewing between these likable characters, the story was way more drama than this authors previous romcoms. A quick read but for me its a like not love. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Princess of Las Vegas

On August 31, 1997 the world was shocked to learn Princess Diana of Wales had tragically died in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi. Years later Crissy Dowling finds herself as a struggling actress in Las Vegas. She has an uncanny resemblance to Princess Di and with a little tweaking of hair color and speech, people do double takes wherever she goes. Her agent set her up for a one woman show at a second rate hotel located just off the strip and to her surprise she hit the jackpot. After years of searching, she finally found her new home. Living in the hotel and performing two sold out shows a night, Crissy continued to enhance the stage with Charles and all the happy/sad drama that Diana’s life entailed. Adrift since the passing of their mother, Crissy is surprised to learn her younger sister Betsy, lifelong trouble maker, has moved to Vegas trying to turn her own life around. She is accompanied by a snarky 13 year old she recently adopted and a questionable boyfriend named Frankie. Betsy is given a job at a crypto company Frankie is involved called Futurium. From the minute they arrive Crissy is suspicious of their financial dealings and gun toting business partners. Mimicking the mob from the 1950’s these ruthless men are trying to take over her hotel and coerce “Diana” to perform for their investors. As the mystery builds the sisters cannot find a way to extricate themselves from the spider web of lies these people have created. An absolute page turner, I truly enjoyed and recommend this original fun storyline. Reminded me of this authors fast paced previous book, The Flight Attendant. On that note it does get a little too impossible and for some reason his overzealous vocabulary felt unnecessary. Still a thumbs up! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sicilian Inheritance

Sara’s restaurant has failed. Her marriage is over and she has lost full custody of her daughter. As the world she carefully designed implodes, her dear Aunt Rosie quietly passes away. Always a spicy one and full of surprises, Rosie has left Sara a letter, her final instructions. She has arranged a trip to Sicily where their family lived for hundreds of years. Sara is meant to scatter Rosie’s ashes and confirm that the valuable piece of land Rosie inherited from her great grandmother, Serafina, still exists. If the land is legally theirs, Sara will inherit the property and finally have a chance to start over. Inheritance can be a tricky thing and many people want a piece of that pie. When Sara arrives in Italy she is immediately bombarded by a cast of quirky characters who appear little too anxious to help this beautiful American girl. With each step she takes, Sara uncovers more secrets than she ever imagined hidden beneath the ruins. Narrated by Serafina in the early 1900s and intertwined with Sara's contemporary journey, this captivating tale envelops us in the lives of courageous women driven by the pursuit of freedom, family, and love. Set amidst the breathtaking mountains of Sicily, this page-turner brims with rich historical detail and intriguing mysteries. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Trail of Lost Hearts

At 34 Wren Waters thought she had her future all mapped out. She was engaged to charming guy named Rob, ran her own social media marketing business and enjoyed a close knit group of girlfriends. One day an unimaginable tragedy strikes and Wren’s entire world is turned upside down. Stuck in bed with barely enough energy to face the day, Wren finally decides what she needs is a geocaching trip. Once an avid hiker and nature lover, Wren has discovered a hobby that provides fresh air and a challenge to get her mind off her troubles. She plans a trip to Oregon and on the trail teams up with a fellow geocacher who turns out to be a handsome psychologist named Marshall. He literally saves the day and provides a shoulder to cry on. Feeling rejuvenated, the universe has provided the perfect partner to pull Wren from the hazy world she has occupied for months. Marshall and Wren share instant chemistry and even though they are both battling their own demons, they spend a glorious week in their own vacation bubble. As full as her heart feels, Wren cannot ignore that Marshall is holding back, and she will never again let these boxes go unchecked. The young couple must learn they have to set themselves free before they can start over again. A beautiful story of discovering love, friendship and forgiveness. I have adored all of this author’s books and this one is a simple, well written story that grabbed my heart and my imagination. Releases March 26 2024! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jackpot Summer

The Jacobson siblings are still mourning their mother’s death. They are spending July 4th weekend cleaning out the family beach house as Dad has decided to sell and retire to sunny Boca Raton. As they reminisce and poke at each other as the siblings often do, it becomes crystal clear that the Jersey shore will never feel the same again. Taking a break, Noah, the youngest and often favored sibling, decides to venture to the local convenience store where apparently Powerball is the hot ticket of the weekend. His two sisters chip in for the fun, while the eldest and his snooty wife decline declaring that lotteries are designed for stupid people. Easy for Matthew to say since they are both power lawyers who make money faster than they could spend it. Adjusting to Dad’s big move and constantly avoiding the daily drama of their own lives the Jacobsons are beyond shocked when they win the pot! While the close siblings decide how they will spend their millions they must also decide if they can face the guilt of leaving Matthew out of the group. Extravagant purchases, unnecessary trips and meaningless donations backfire as this life changing event comes full circle. The Fabulous Foursome realize the truth - family is everything and money really can’t buy happiness. Loved every minute of this fast paced, laugh out loud story that is perfect for your beach bag this summer! Releases June 2024. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Oud Player of Cairo

Laila’s baba (father) raised her in the spirit of the boy he had always hoped for. Baba taught her strength and endurance, to stand up for what she believed and walk proud with the confidence of a man. In Egypt, during the mid 1900’s their family was just getting by. In Cairo, Kamal was a well known oud player at local cafes and parties. Talented and kind, his music entertained many but did not produce a large income. While his wife took in sewing and odd jobs to help the family financially, mostly her responsibilities were to care for their two girls. One day Kamal realized that Laila, his younger daughter had a beautiful voice. With some training and lessons her voice grew into a magnificent gift. Even though society frowned upon Laila  accompanying him on his musical endeavors, he was certain she could be famous. The duo became widely known and applauded. As life took some turns for the worse, Laila is married off to a handsome pasha from a wealthy family. At first their love feels authentic and hopeful. But as society proves them wrong, their initial emotions are not strong enough to withstand the pressures of life in the upper echelons of their city. Laila must ultimately forge her future path instead of following what is expected. In the midst of a society teetering on the brink of transformation, Laila finds her world upended by the dynamic forces of politics, religion, and the evolving dynamics within her own family. A beautiful story filled with incredible characters, interesting history and family love. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️