Pictures of You

Waking up in a hospital hooked up to monitors would be terrifying to anyone. But when Evie Hudson opens her eyes she does not recognize her almost 30 year old face. In her mind, the memories of her life stop at 16. She has survived a horrific car crash that killed her husband Oliver, whom she does not recall. Evie finds herself with a traumatic form of amnesia that the doctors say will “most likely” return in time. How long it will take, they do not know. Evie has no choice but to attend Oliver’s funeral with her cold overbearing in-laws. Where are her Mom and Dad? Where is her best friend Bree? As Evie puzzles her life back together she meets up with Drew, a handsome photographer who knew Evie in the past and has never let go of the hope she would return to his life one day. The scariest part is as memories begin to trickle in Evie becomes more confused about who she really is. She cannot begin to imagine how she pushed everyone she loved away and tolerated Oliver’s manipulative abuse. Always a fan of second chance romance this fast paced story is filled with family, friendship and the one who got away. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

We Are Made of Stars

In the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina is the charming resort Vis Ta Vie. This inn is run by Jean-Paul and Renee, a loving couple who are currently struggling financially and emotionally as to whether they must close for good after the summer season. As they welcome their guests for the week, we meet old college friends who have been coming for years and are hiding explosive secrets that will change their lives forever; a single mom self medicating while she struggles to make her gloomy teenager happy and a handsome famous movie star who desperately wants to reconcile with his lifelong love after a very public fallout. Each day brings adventures on the trails and in the kitchen, but within the beauty we slowly piece together the compelling puzzle. The question is whether their relationships can survive when the truth comes out. Totally reminded me of White Lotus vibes with an array of complex characters who come together at a resort! ⭐⭐⭐

Confessions

In New York City, September 11, 2001, the world changed. When the planes crashed Cora Brady became an orphan. After days of wandering the city, she finally posts a flyer for her missing father Michael who worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, high up in the towers. Cora knows he will never be found, she doesn’t post contact information. It is just her way of saying goodbye. Her Aunt Roisin is waiting for her in the small village of Burtonport, Ireland. Roisin and Cora’s mother Maire were as close as two sisters could ever be growing up, but love and art and life tore them apart. In a silent standoff for years, Michael predicted Cora would someday need her aunt in her life, and he was right. Cora arrives in Ireland sixteen years old, terrified and alone in the world. The house she enters looks haunted. It is also identical to a house in the video game she loved as a child. A game where two sisters must save the students in a creepy boarding school where they often disappear. The narrator alternates confessions between three generations of women who love each other deeply but are all hiding from their truth. Although one of the narrated portions is in second person, which is both off putting and interesting - I simply loved this group of eclectic characters and the poetic Irish voice of debut author Catherine Airey. Highly recommend this deeply emotional family saga which is creative and beautifully written. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Diana in Love

After years of feeling like a stranger in her own marriage, Diana and Oliver have officially separated. The problem is, she has no clue what the future looks like. Diana feels trapped working for Oliver’s wealthy family, every other the weekend her house feels empty and minutes feel like hours. Diana is asked to take a work trip to Paris and thinks maybe a change of scenery is just what she needs. Accompanied by her two closest friends, she journeys to the City of Lights where, amidst the bustling world, she reunites with Jasper, her boyfriend from 15 years ago—the one who had slipped away. Jasper remains unchanged, still capable of leaving her breathless. When Diana returns to Dallas she and Oliver continue to struggle through therapy. While she imagined they were there to learn the most effective parenting methods, Oliver is traveling down memory lane of their intimacy issues, ones she doesn’t care to face. Diana realizes she can no longer hide her passion or her art - a website she created combining women’s fantasies with illustrative paintings. This fabulous read is the second book in a passionate, raw and steamy trilogy (originally a podcast starring Demi Moore). One page in and I was hooked! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fallen Grace

Bubbles Jones could not imagine handing over her baby. These last few months, sequestered in the jail they call a home for unmarried girls -  Bubbles refuses to give up or give in to her Southern Baptist minister father who does not practice what he preaches. She finds a way to escape with a little help from a friend. These girls, one white and one black, are frowned upon by a hypocritical society who has hidden them away in a shameful attempt to put their babies up for adoption. In 1950’s segregated Virginia the entire community has turned it’s back on girls in “trouble.” Forcing them to believe they have no options except to let the adults in charge take advantage of their naivete and put them to work. The girls don’t have many options but they are strong and determined to build a life they can be proud of. This short story from Amazon Original Blaze series is FREE for Prime Members and easy to download. Similar to this author’s last two novels The Yellow Wife and The House of Eve, it is expertly crafted and filled with characters you will be thinking of long after the final page. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Love Intervention

Laila has no time for a social life. The last decade of her life has been dedicated to her job at a London hospital as a clinical scientist. Her two best girlfriends are ready to intervene. They know Laila needs a break from work and caring for her mother, in addition to sunshine and sex! Sneakily digging into the past the girls force Laila to admit she has not had an actual relationship or even a crush since her graduate school days at NYU. After doing some of their own love research they decide to arrange a three week vacation bringing Austin, Edoardo and Mateo back into Laila’s life. Categorizing these handsome hunks as second chance romance, friends to lovers and the one that got away, she begrudgingly sets off on this life changing adventure. From magnificent wine vineyards in California to the nature trails of Puerto Rico and Costa Rican beaches Laila wakes up from her work coma and begins to realize she can write the script for her own future. Through one steamy mishap after another Laila must come to terms with painful memories that have been holding her back for a decade. What better Valentines read than to learn it’s never too late for love! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Good Dirt

At ten years old, Ebby Freeman’s life was shattered when she witnessed the brutal murder of her brother—a tragedy her family has never fully healed from, even after years of therapy. Now approaching thirty, Ebby faces another devastating blow: being left at the altar by Henry, the man she thought would help her start anew. The weight of her pain, privilege, and family’s expectations sends her spiraling, and she flees the comfort of her parents’ New England home for the charm and solace of a picturesque French village. In this journey across oceans and centuries, Ebby begins to chronicle the remarkable story of her family’s rise from slavery to prominence in Massachusetts. From the backbreaking toil of plantation life to daring escapes on whaling ships, her ancestors—artists, inventors, and carpenters—built a legacy of resilience and excellence. Through a vibrant cast of characters, both past and present, Ebby’s story becomes a powerful tale of survival, heartbreak, and triumph. In her third stunning novel, Charmaine Wilkerson weaves together threads of Black history, familial bonds, and the complexities of contemporary relationships into an unforgettable saga of freedom and forgiveness. A thoughtful, captivating read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

The Endeavour of Elsie Mackay

When Elsie Mackay was a flashy actress, her family wanted nothing to with her. But since Elsie left that life behind, she rejoined her aristocrat father and brothers at one of the largest British shipping companies in the world. Dedicated to making rather bland ships into luxurious transatlantic liners, Elsie quickly became a successful interior designer. This dynamic woman didn’t stop there. She acquired her pilot’s license, unheard of for a woman at that time, and sat on a multitude of prestigious boards. In Post WW1 a woman could either have a career or have a family. One or the other, never both. Elsie rekindled her friendship with Stella Campbell, whom she had met during the war. Instead of sitting in on Paris Peace Conference, Stella found herself pregnant with baby number 3, resenting her husband and yearning to feel seen as a person with purpose. Her sister Corran chose books over people, an authoress that also lectured at university to women who may not be able to receive an actual degree. These three women, determined to find their place in the world support one another at a time when feminists were just beginning to seek birth control and working rights. In 1928, Elsie secretly purchases a Stinson Detroit airplane, partners with a well known ace pilot and was resolved to make history by becoming the first woman to complete a transatlantic flight. Based on a true story, this novel is a fast paced, fascinating peek of a brave, adventurous woman making history. ⭐⭐⭐⭐