Breathing Under Water

Berry is an elementary school vice principal who is very good at her job and eager to become principal when the position opens in the fall. At home, her attention is focused on her teenage son, Leo. Bright, sweet, and autistic, Leo struggles socially, and Berry is determined to prepare him for college and future independence. McKenna is a talented local college swimmer pursuing a nursing degree while facing many challenges that threaten everything she has worked toward. When she begins teaching swim lessons to autistic children at the local country club, Leo joins her as an assistant. And the two form a bond. As Berry’s and McKenna’s plans begin to unravel, their paths cross in unexpected ways, leaving both women struggling to keep their heads above water. I especially enjoyed Leo, who is wonderfully likable and fully developed rather than defined solely by his autism. The swimming world added another interesting layer, making this novel an engaging story about family, friends, unexpected connections, and finding your way when life pulls you under. ⭐⭐⭐

The Amateur

Mira Winston is a teenage golf prodigy in the late 1970s—a shining star in her affluent little town and virtually untouchable at the local country club, where she’s been playing alongside grown men since she was fourteen. As she prepares to begin her freshman year at Yale, a routine practice session turns into an unimaginable tragedy. A summer caddie, Kenny, whom she knows from school, is standing on the other side of the driving range net when one of Mira’s golf balls tears through it, striking him in the head. He dies. Told from Mira’s point of view, this novel goes places you will never see coming. It’s suspenseful, gripping, witty, and brilliantly written. This novel explores guilt, privilege, grief, and the ripple effects of a single devastating moment with incredible depth. Be prepared to be completely mesmerized.  I’ve read a ton of books by Chris Bohjalian, but this may be my favorite. You won’t be getting up from your beach chair anytime soon. Thanks to Netgalley for the sneak peek! Releases August 4th! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Slanting Towards the Sea

Ten years ago, Ivona divorced Vlaho. She has suffered through every minute of every day since, watching his life move forward while hers has sadly remained in place. Now approaching forty, Ivona is caring for her ill father while doing everything in her power to save his failing business. As she manages the most basic demands of daily life, she reflects on her marriage, her choices and exactly how she ended up here. What could her future possibly look like when she still cannot let go of the past? Set in Croatia, this novel is a simple, quiet story filled with love, sadness, regret and the ordinary responsibilities that continue even when life feels broken. There is something incredibly beautiful about it, despite or perhaps because of all that loss. It is mind-blowing that this exquisitely written book was a debut novel. It took me a year to finally pull it from my enormous TBR, but I am so glad I did. If it has been sitting on your list too, it is absolutely worth reading this summer. Promise. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alan Opts Out

Alan’s advertising agency is in the running for a huge account with the dairy industry. He has been living and breathing milk, the American way of life, to prepare! But when the biggest pitch of his career bombs spectacularly, this is no simple case of crying over spilled milk. Alan is devastated and begins questioning everything he has worked for his entire adult life. While wallowing in self-pity, he unexpectedly finds peace in his own backyard—inside his daughters’ abandoned childhood playhouse. The little structure has not been touched in years, but Alan decides it is the perfect place to opt out of his old life and embrace a new one. Meanwhile, his wife, Vivian, is determined to earn membership in the Queen Annes, an exclusive women’s club in their fancy Connecticut community. She will do whatever it takes to belong, something she never had growing up. Their teenage daughters are fairly certain both parents have gone completely bonkers! Laugh-out-loud funny, surprisingly thoughtful, and filled with rich-people drama and sharp social commentary. It takes on consumerism, marriage, and the exhausting business of keeping up with the Joneses. Alan’s favorite philosophy is also one I wholeheartedly agree with: less is definitely more. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (As a little throwback, in 2007 I thoroughly enjoyed the memoir How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill, about an ad executive whose life falls apart and unexpectedly finds himself working on the other side of the Starbucks counter. Alan Opts Out really reminded me of that premise, but with its own very funny, modern twist)

Single Girls

It is 1965, and Helen Gurley Brown has convinced the head of a major publishing conglomerate to give her a chance. She has three issues to revive one of the company’s failing magazines. Having recently published Sex and the Single Girl, Helen knows exactly what modern women want: freedom, independence, sexual satisfaction, and control over their own futures. She hits the ground running at Cosmopolitan and never looks back. The novel introduces the talented women working alongside her, moving between their present-day ambitions, and their past. Unfortunately, this one did not quite hit the mark for me. I was hoping for a more intimate look at the iconic HGB, a woman who transformed what women read and how generations of women viewed themselves. Instead, much of the story focused on the backstories of the women around her, and I found myself less invested in those chapters.  I did not dislike the book, but I did not love it either. Readers who enjoy stories about ambitious women and the changing social landscape of the 1960s may connect with it more than I did. ⭐⭐⭐

Love You More

Billie and Dean have just gotten engaged. They seem like the perfect couple - both brilliant, successful physicians on the cusp of major careers. Their biggest contrast is their upbringing: Billie is a small-town Wisconsin girl, while Dean grew up in New York City with a golden spoon. After years of trying to move on from Mick, her high school sweetheart, Billie finally feels ready to embrace big-city life, and leave the past behind. One day she receives a phone call about her best friend, Erin—a call that turns her world and all her plans upside down. Suddenly, everything Billie has worked for is at stake as her heart pulls her back to Wisconsin. A story about friendship, love, and the ways our past continues to shape us. Emily Giffin is spot-on in her depiction of medical school and residency—a long, demanding road that many people do not fully understand. I loved this summer read. It is a quick, enjoyable beach read with plenty of heart and great characters. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In Wonderland

Fourteen-year-old Frances is spending the summer in Maine as a mother’s helper at Wonderland, the Emerson family’s exquisite lakefront home. Forrest Emerson is a charming old friend of her father’s who grew up hard-scrabble but now lives a life of luxury with his wife, Regina, and their two children, supported by Regina’s family money. Frances's job is to look after twelve-year-old Hayward and six-year-old Jilly. At first, Frances is so intimidated by the wealthy country-club set that she can barely breathe. But within days, she creates a routine that brings her enormous happiness: writing in her journal, learning to play tennis, and reading every Stephen King novel she can find at the library. On the verge of getting her first period, Frances quietly imagines what her future might be like when she grows up—and what it might feel like to have a man like Forrest in her life. While her own parents fight and ignore her, she begins to feel as though she is finally part of a family, even if it is only temporary. What initially appears idyllic begins to unravel as secrets from the past emerge, leaving Frances unsure of whom she can trust. I loved every minute of this page-turning coming-of-age novel. Maynard perfectly captures the summer of 1986 and the intense vulnerability of a young girl standing on the cusp of adulthood.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 1, 2 and 3

Having never heard of The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, I am absolutely positively madly in love with them. There are eight novella-length journals, and I just flew through the first three volumes. They are short, smart, funny, and incredibly easy to read. Set in 1883 London, Emma returns to St. Crispian’s and records the odd, charming, and often ridiculous happenings around her, including her eccentric cousin, formidable aunt, and the wonderfully strange people in her neighborhood. It is hard to describe exactly, but imagine binging Bridgerton if it were even more clever, and written with a sideways wit. I read the first three so quickly that I’m making myself take a little break before continuing. These books feel a little off the beaten path, which makes them even more delightful. Dear reader friends, I highly recommend checking them out. You will not be sorry! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hunger & Thirst

After spending years in and out of foster homes, Ursula finds herself in a halfway house. She is only sixteen, but her counselor has found her a job in the post room of an art school and taught her a few very basic living skills. They agree this is better than sending her to yet another home where she is unwanted and mistreated. Alone in the world, Ursula trusts no one and moves through her daily routine with a kind of hesitant fearfulness. She has one talent, and almost by accident, while snooping around the art school, she begins to focus more seriously on her own artistic endeavors. When she finally makes a friend in her coworker Sue, Ursula is invited to live in a squatters’ house with Sue’s boyfriend, Vince. For me, this is where the story took a very different turn. Without giving anything away, I will say I was not expecting the gruesome horror story it became. The book is well written, and Ursula’s life and art are unique and interesting, but I found myself wishing the novel had gone in a different direction. In the end, I couldn’t wait to be done with it. It’s not a bad book; it just wasn’t for me at all. ⭐⭐

Whistler

One day, while Daphne and her husband, Jonathan, are walking through a museum, they realize an older gentleman is following them. As they turn from one gallery to the next, he continues to trail behind until Jonathan approaches the seemingly harmless man. He is none other than Eddie Triplett, Daphne’s former stepfather, a man she has not seen since she was a young girl. Eddie was special, and Daphne loved him with all her heart. They exchange numbers, and unbeknownst to Daphne, this chance encounter becomes a new beginning. All these decades later, Daphne faces the life-altering occurrence that separated Eddie from their little family. As Daphne and Eddie look back on their lives, they begin to see the past through fresh eyes, yearning for even the smallest details that might return them to that precious time when anything seemed possible. In her 2021 New Yorker essay “How to Practice,” Ann Patchett reflected on possessions, death, and the way ordinary objects can hold a lifetime of memory, meaning, and attachment. Whistler is told in a similar tone — Patchett’s own quiet, deeply intimate voice. I felt as though she were whispering this story to me. I devoured this beautifully written novel of family,  memory, regret, forgiveness, and loss. It is the kind of book that lingers long after the last page. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Boring Asian Female

Elizabeth Zhang grew up in South Dakota, the only Asian girl in her class. For years, her identity was built around academic success while she was placed in the “nerd” category. Deeply jealous of how effortlessly the other girls seemed to move through life, Elizabeth worked twice as hard. The Ivy League sat at the top of her ambitious list. At Columbia in New York City, Elizabeth is no longer the only Asian girl, but the competition is fierce, and to make matters worse, everyone seems richer and more connected than she is. Liz has a few good friends and the occasional hookup with a relatively cute guy, but her sights are fixed on one goal: Harvard Law School. After four years of relentless work, she applies with a stellar GPA and an aced LSAT. And then she is rejected. As her life begins to spiral, Liz’s OCD demands a reason — an explanation for this absurd outcome. Her obsession lands on Laura Kim, a beautiful fellow Asian student who was accepted. Soon, she becomes ruthless, obsessive, and unhinged. Boring Asian Female is a razor-sharp dark satire about race, identity, ambition, and the way society reduces people into assumptions. Uncomfortable and a page turner, this reminded me of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (which I loved) in the way it exposes the dark, twisted rationalizations people use to justify taking what they believe they deserve — by any means necessary. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Dolly All the Time

Dolly was 12 years old when her mother left home. From that moment on, she became the lady of the house, taking care of her younger sister and brother, cooking, cleaning, and becoming the all-around problem solver, while her dad ran the fish shop. Years later, Dolly has built a life of her own in Boston as a kindergarten teacher and mother to her son. She still returns to Whitfield often to check on her dad and brother, but she treasures the independence she worked so hard to build. Then one thing goes wrong after another, and Dolly is pulled back home to save the day — or, as it turns out, the summer. One day, on her way back from the fish shop, Dolly stops to help the one and only Stewart Whitfield change a flat tire. She has to admit he is every bit as handsome as she remembers. When he proposes a PR arrangement, it sounds ridiculous at first, but Dolly really needs the money, so she accepts. She will fake-date Stewart for the summer while he competes for the CEO position. Soon, Dolly has a makeover to die for and a wardrobe to match. Accompanying Stewart to events turns out to be a lot more fun than expected, and their chemistry is shockingly off the charts. But Dolly keeps him at arm’s length, knowing her heart must be protected. He would never truly fall in love with someone like her, would he? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Burning Side

The night their Dallas house caught fire, April and Leo were not speaking. They were not even sleeping in the same room. Their marriage was in shambles, and in one terrifying night, they seemed to be losing not only their home, but the little family unit they had built. Caught up in their own anger and hurt, neither of them could see the light. After the fire, the family takes shelter at April’s parents’ home. Her parents have been a surrogate family to Leo for years, since his own family was nearly nonexistent. While April and Leo try to sort through the logistics of insurance adjusters, temporary housing, and what comes next, they also painfully navigate divorce proceedings that neither of them truly seems to want. At the same time, April’s very supportive family is struggling with her beloved father’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Written in both past and present, The Burning Side takes the reader through this unimaginably difficult time, while also revealing the love story of April and Leo from the day they met. I truly liked all of the characters and felt the heartbreak they were experiencing. There was a teeny-tiny bit of drag at the end, but not enough to stop me from recommending this very solid four-star read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The One Day You Were My Husband

A young couple madly in love gets married on an idyllic beach in Thailand. The sun is setting, the guests are celebrating. And then the groom, Johan, disappears. Carrie is devastated, terrified, and does not know how to help her new husband. Her mother flies over to help—but between the language barrier, legal pressure, and severe prison conditions, there is little that can be done. Carrie returns to England. She goes back to work as a surgeon, keeping herself busy at the hospital. With the support of her co-workers and family, she finally begins to heal. Twelve years later, married to Robin and raising young twins, Carrie stumbles upon an ad for a rental unit in Sweden where she is soon to attend a conference. The host has a familiar face. Shockingly, it is her beautiful Johan. Diving down a rabbit hole she never dreamed of, Carrie soon discovers the complicated and painful truth that destroyed her first marriage and nearly destroyed her life. Part romance, part thriller, as we journey between past and present, this captivating story unwinds at a nail-biting pace. An unforgettable mystery that is perfect for summer! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Foursome

Sarah and Adelaide are two sisters living on a plantation in Wilkes County, North Carolina. After a family scandal, the sisters find themselves socially ostracized and no longer viewed as the desirable marriage prospects they once expected to be. In 1839, Chang and Eng Bunker arrive in town and set up a farm. Known as the original “Siamese twins” — from Siam, now Thailand — the brothers just finished a sensational world tour that brought them fame and fortune. Despite being joined at the sternum, these conjoined brothers traveled the world, spoke multiple languages, and were remarkably active and adventurous. They were ready to settle down, and marrying the Yates sisters seemed like the perfect opportunity to live together as a foursome in peace. Over the decades, the families lived side by side and raised twenty-one children. The details of how they lived, farmed, hunted, and managed daily life are truly amazing. It is something I never could have imagined, and I honestly could not stop looking up facts about them while I was reading. As the Civil War approaches, the Bunker family faces complicated struggles involving identity, privacy, love, physical limitations, and the painful realities of slavery in this part of the South. Based on actual people, this fascinating novel is beautifully written and filled with so many issues to talk about. It would make an incredible book club pick. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Storm

Geneva is the owner, manager, and all-around handywoman keeping the Rosalie Inn running. Having grown up in St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva never imagined she would be back, running the hotel her family has owned for generations — and doing it alone. Chris, her ex, couldn’t handle commitment, and her mom, now in a nearly catatonic state, is in nursing care nearby. Geneva is hanging on by a thread, both financially and emotionally. Then an author named August arrives with none other than Lo Bailey at his side. They are writing a book about Lo’s life and the 1984 hurricane, Marie. Legend has it that when Lo was 19, she was having having affair with the handsome governor’s son, Landon. When he was killed during the storm, Lo was charged with murder. All these years later, she has returned to finally tell her side of the story. As August gathers details of the events the gossiping town is only too happy to share, Geneva begins to piece together her own family mystery. Set during the tense days leading up to a massive hurricane, this suspenseful thriller is hard to put down. The author perfectly captures that unmistakable pressure in the air — the kind that comes from both a dangerous storm and a town full of secrets. Anyone who has ever felt the fierce winds of a hurricane will be blown away by this gripping mystery. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Under Water

When Marissa and her father, a prominent marine biologist, move from New York to Thailand, life takes a turn no one could have imagined. Her mother has tragically passed away, and Marissa is brought to a remote island where her father can continue his research and move forward from their painful loss. At school, Marissa meets Arielle. They are only five years old, but Arielle immediately takes Marissa under her wing, and the two become sisters in every sense of the word. Inseparable and endlessly curious, the girls discover the delicate ecosystem around them, the wonders of the sea, and all of its marvelous creatures. When the tsunami of 2004 destroys their world, Marissa’s reality is forever changed. Years later, back in New York, she once again faces disaster as Hurricane Sandy’s fierce winds bear down on the city, forcing memories of her past to come rushing back. It’s fascinating how the author uses grief, friendship, family, and loss as mirrors for natural disasters. These forces can leave us helpless, afraid, and wondering what the future holds. This beautiful debut novel is about nature and the equally precious, fragile relationships that shape our lives. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Murder Takes A Vacation

As former assistant to a private investigator, Muriel Blossom is very good at blending into the scenery. She never cared for much attention, especially since losing her beloved husband ten years ago. Muriel has been living a quiet life, helping take care of her grandchildren and enjoying museums and art history, when the darnedest thing happens. She finds a lottery ticket in a parking lot — and boom — Muriel is a millionaire. One of the very first things she does is book a river cruise through France with her best friend, Elinor. From the moment she boards the transatlantic flight, Muriel’s stomach is filled with butterflies. Not an avid traveler and satisfactorily single, Mrs. Blossom is surprised to find herself being flirted with by another passenger. His name is Allan, and Muriel cannot resist this unexpected attention. Even more shocking? After spending an wonderful day with Allan in Paris, he is found dead. Muriel continues on to meet Elinor and board the MS Solitaire, where the mystery is steam ahead. Charming, quirky characters and an art heist with a French twist — this is a cozy mystery that cruises along from the very first page. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Paris Match

Layla has been divorced for over a year. In an effort to keep the peace, she agrees to attend her ex-sister in laws wedding in Paris. The City of Lights holds a lot of memories for Layla so the trip itself is expected to be bittersweet. She has remained friends with her ex-husband and hearing that he is bringing a plus one to the city they honeymooned is not easy. Then Layla meets Griffin. He is the grumpy best man that seems to have it out for her from the moment they meet. Griffin’s only goal is to make sure the main event takes off without a hitch. As the bride appears to have cold feet Griffin convinces Layla to help fix the situation. Griffin is hot and can be charming once he lets his guard down. Their chemistry is palpable but honestly the bride is immature and whining. It’s not funny enough to be quirky and the rest of the family members are completely annoying. Loved the Paris setting but that’s about it. This one was just okay for me. ⭐⭐⭐

This Story Might Save Your Life

Benny and Joy have a podcast called TSMSYL, enticing listeners with strange near death experiences and solutions to survive them. Part creepy, part humor, the back and forth banter of these longtime friends is a huge success. They have thousands of fans and more deals and sponsorships than they know what to do with. Joy’s husband Xander manages the business and Xander’s sister Mallory is assistant producer helping the duo create episodes, schedule live performances and a book (memoir) in the works. While Benny and Joy anxiously await a deal that could bring in millions they try not to rock the boat. The day Joy tells Benny she needs a break from the podcast is the beginning of their own real life episode. This surprising, plot shifting unputdownable mystery is an absolute page turner. Each character has motive. No-one knows if the detectives can be trusted and most importantly the reader is rooting for Benny and Joy the whole way through. I am glad I didn’t know much going in, check out this new domestic thriller! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐