Broken Country

Beth lives in a quaint village in the English countryside. As a teenager in the 1950s, while most of her peers dream of marriage and babies, Beth, a studious girl, dreams of studying literature and poetry at Oxford. The summer before her final year of high school, she wanders through a meadow and meets Gabriel. They fall madly in love. Gabriel, a year older and extremely wealthy, shares her passion for writing. He is beautiful, gentle, and completely captivates Beth’s heart. However, his controlling mother disapproves, believing Beth isn’t good enough for her son. Determined to keep them apart, she does everything in her power to sabotage their relationship. Fast-forward to the late 1960s—Beth is married to Frank. Together, they run a large farm with his brother, Jimmy, while still mourning the loss of their son, Bobby. After a decade of silence, Gabriel suddenly returns. The village erupts in gossip, judging Beth for reconnecting with her first love. Through it all, kind and steadfast Frank remains unwavering in his commitment to their marriage and farm. Shifting between past and present, we are led to a courtroom trial. Someone stands accused of murder. But who is on trial? Who was killed? And why? This novel is a breathtaking rollercoaster of love, heartbreak, and secrets. Suspenseful and beautifully crafted these short, gripping chapters make it utterly unputdownable. The biggest compliment I can ever give a book: I didn’t want it to end. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wild Dark Shore

The Salt family has spent the last nine years living in a lighthouse on the remote island of Shearwater, near Antarctica. As caretakers of a once-thriving seed bank, they have watched the world’s climate deteriorate into chaos. With the weather growing increasingly hostile, they are tasked with organizing the final seed crates while awaiting naval rescue. Dominic Salt, a tireless problem-solver who can fix anything, has raised three children who have become brilliant autodidactic scientists, each specializing in their own field. Their love for nature, animals, and one another is unwavering. After losing their mother, the family sought refuge on this isolated island, finding solace among seals, birds, and whales, far from human interference. Everything changes when seventeen-year-old Fen discovers an unconscious woman washed up on the shore—an impossible event in this remote place. As they nurse her back to health, they learn her name is Rowan. But the truth of how she arrived unfolds slowly, revealing secrets that threaten to upend everything. This suspenseful, atmospheric novel is filled with beauty, loss, and moral dilemmas. Loosely inspired by Macquarie Island and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, it will haunt you long after the final page. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Let's Call Her Barbie

In 1956 little girls played with baby dolls. They were practicing to be good mothers and little helpers. Ruth Handler thought otherwise. As she and her husband Elliot led Mattel Toy Company to become one of the largest in the world, Ruth was determined to single handedly change the way the people viewed women and to teach girls to reach for the stars. Ruth’s vision was the Barbie doll and it took three hardworking years to produce the very first 11 inch rubber doll. Barbie would be beautiful, fashionable, successful and independent. As the Mattel creative teams got to work Ruth faced many obstacles in the boardroom and with the public. The fan mail was not always positive and it would take many years for mothers to see the value in purchasing this doll for their children to dream. In an era when men were in charge, this tiny outspoken woman would not accept no for an answer. She created and fought for Barbie, a cultural icon which over the decades has evolved reflecting societal changes and embracing diversity as well as empowerment. To date more than 1 billion Barbies have been sold. Barbie has introduced over 100 dolls representing various ethnicities and has held more than 200 jobs, including roles as an astronaut and a president. This novel is a glimpse into the history of Barbie, alongside the fascinating life of Ruth Handler, a woman way ahead of her time. As Ruth famously quotes “Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices." ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Every Tom Dick & Harry

Emma Lewis feels like a kid coming home again. After achieving multiple degrees in college she is back in Harrow, Massachusetts and needs a job. As her parents ready to retire she reluctantly moves into their home and is handed Finders Keepers, their successful estate sales business. As Emma takes on quirky customers with a modern twist she stumbles upon the sale of the century signing up the largest mansion in their town that was just put up for sale. Upon her appraisal inspection Emma discovers that this monstrous home was not the quaint bed and breakfast everyone thought it was. It was secretly or not so secretly a brothel servicing some of the most prominent members in the community. With hidden filing cabinets and a trove of valuable items to sell, Emma puts her personal feelings aside and is ready to make a windfall. At the same time she is falling for the new police chief who she went to high school with. This lanky, shy boy has grown into a confident hunk and the most legible bachelor in town. This light romantic comedy is an adorable breezy read and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Funnily, I find myself itching to do a yard sale or at the very least some spring cleaning! ⭐⭐⭐⭐