Publisher: Little Brown and Company

#BookReview The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheFiveStarWeekend #ElinHilderbrand #HBGCanada

#BookReview The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheFiveStarWeekend #ElinHilderbrand #HBGCanada Title: The Five-Star Weekend

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 13, 2023

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hotel Nantucket: After tragedy strikes, food blogger Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.

Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper.

So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie.

The husband of Hollis’s childhood friend Tatum arranges for Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to spend time with them, stirring up old feelings. Meanwhile, Tatum is forced to play nice with abrasive and elitist Dru-Ann, Hollis’s best friend from UNC Chapel Hill. Dru-Ann’s career as a prominent Chicago sports agent is on the line after her comments about a client’s mental health issues are misconstrued online. Brooke, Hollis’s friend from their thirties, has just discovered that her husband is having an inappropriate relationship with a woman at work. Again! And then there’s Gigi, a stranger to everyone (including Hollis) who reached out to Hollis through her blog. Gigi embodies an unusual grace and, as it happens, has many secrets.

The Five-Star Weekend is a surprising and captivating story about friendship, love, and self-discovery set on Nantucket. It will be a weekend like no other.


Review:

Heartwarming, comforting, and nostalgic!

The Five-Star Weekend is a lighthearted, engaging tale that takes you into the life of Hollis Shaw, a middle-aged successful food blogger who, after returning to her hometown of Nantucket, invites four friends, one from each stage of her life, to spend a weekend at her home on the island to help her come to grips with the recent loss of her husband and the strained relationship with her daughter she’s struggling to repair.

The prose is sentimental and tender. The characters are independent, supportive, and layered. And the plot is a compelling, touching tale of life, love, family, honesty, kindness, communication, acceptance, self-discovery, grief, loss, understanding, forgiveness, romance, taking chances, and new beginnings.

Overall, The Five-Star Weekend is another emotive, thoughtful, cosy read by Hilderbrand that does a beautiful job of reminding us just how important, powerful, and meaningful female friendships can truly be.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is a mother of three, an avid runner, reader, and traveler, and the author of twenty-three novels. She grew up outside Philadelphia, and has lived on Nantucket for more than twenty years.

#BookReview For Twice In My Life by Annette Christie @MsAnnetteMC @littlebrown @HBGCanada #ForTwiceInMyLife #AnnetteChristie #HBGCanada

#BookReview For Twice In My Life by Annette Christie @MsAnnetteMC @littlebrown @HBGCanada #ForTwiceInMyLife #AnnetteChristie #HBGCanada Title: For Twice In My Life

Author: Annette Christie

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Feb. 7, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

A second try at love becomes more than one woman bargained for in this “timeless, enchanting” rom-com from the author of The Rehearsals (Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author).

Can one little lie lead to a big second chance?

Layla’s chaotic life transformed when she met Ian Barnett. Ambitious, committed, and thoughtful, Ian has been everything she’d dreamed of, and she knows he’d say the same of her. So when he breaks up with her out of the blue, Layla is stunned. What went wrong?

But then, Layla gets a call from the local hospital. Ian’s had a biking accident. He’s okay, but he needs someone—his someone—to get him home safely. As it becomes clear Ian doesn’t remember he ended things, it also becomes clear that the accident has given him a new outlook on life . . . and Layla a second chance to get things right. 

That is, until Ian’s younger brother comes to town. Matt is restless, unpredictable, and threatens to upset the careful balance Layla and Ian have rebuilt. As things get more complicated both at home and at work, Layla realizes she might lose her chance at real love—and real happiness—if she doesn’t come clean about the stories she’s been telling: to Ian, to Matt, to her family, and most importantly, to herself.


Review:

Cute, amusing, and delightfully entertaining!

For Twice In My Life is an uplifting, charming tale that takes you into the life of the kind, heartbroken Layla Rockford who, after having her heart shattered a few months ago by the man she thought was forever, finds herself in a dilemma when her ex has an unfortunate accident on his bike and loses all his memories giving them an opportunity at a somewhat devious second chance until his brother she’s never met finally arrives and throws a little curve ball into the mix.

The writing is light and warm. The characters are multilayered, hesitant, and endearing. And the plot is a push-pull tale of relationship dynamics, introspection, chemistry, friendship, family, secrets, deception, tender moments, spirited mishaps, second-chance love, and new beginnings.

Overall, For Twice In My Life is a big-hearted, engaging, cosy tale by Christie with characters you surprisingly can’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that leaves you smiling, satisfied, and wishing for more.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Annette Christie

Annette Christie is a Canadian-American hybrid with a BFA in Theatre and a history of very odd jobs. Her writing has been published in HelloGiggles and The Guardian, and the back of her head is featured prominently in the film Mean Girls. She currently resides in Alberta with her husband and two children.

Photo courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview The House of Wolves by James Patterson & Mike Lupica @JP_Books @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheHouseofWolves #JamesPatterson #HBGCanada

#BookReview The House of Wolves by James Patterson & Mike Lupica @JP_Books @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheHouseofWolves #JamesPatterson #HBGCanada Title: The House of Wolves

Author: James Patterson, Mike Lupica

Series: House of Wolves #1

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jan. 9, 2023

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 400

Format: Hardcover

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

The murder of a billionaire patriarch triggers a bloody battle for control of his empire. For fans of Succession, Yellowstone—and #1 bestselling duo James Patterson and Mike Lupica.

Joe Wolf applies a cutthroat determination to his life’s work, from to building a California business empire to parenting three sons and a daughter. Kill or be killed. So when the patriarch takes a deadly cruise on San Francisco Bay, Joe Wolf’s bloodline becomes SFPD’s lifeline. 
 
Detective Ben Cantor trails the “pack of wolves” as the siblings vie for control of their legacy of power and assets. All four have the means and the motive to commit murder, but only one of them is most like Joe Wolf. Only one of them earned their father’s love.
 
Lurking in the shadows is the real alpha wolf. That creature survives on instinct. And desire. To kill all the wolves dead.  


Review:

Edgy, menacing, and tortuously thrilling!

The House of Wolves is a gripping, suspenseful tale that takes you into the life of the ruthless Wolf family, especially Jennifer Wolf, a science teacher and high school football coach whose comfortable life gets turned upside down when her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of both the family’s NFL team and local newspaper which ruffles a lot of feathers and leaves her a target for those who are willing to do whatever it takes, even kill, to get what they want.

The writing is tight and gritty. The characters are secretive, deceptive, stubborn, and driven. And the plot is a sharp, sinister tale filled with twists, turns, power, mayhem, coercion, politics, obsession, greed, lies, secrets, surprises, football, and murder.

Overall, The House of Wolves is a dark, intense, action-packed brilliant start to a new series by Patterson that has everything I’ve come to expect and love about his novels, and honestly, I can’t wait for more.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About James Patterson

JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 385 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades - the Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels - and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand- alone thrillers.

Photo courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview Endless Summer by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #EndlessSummer #ElinHilderbrand #HBGCanada

#BookReview Endless Summer by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #EndlessSummer #ElinHilderbrand #HBGCanada Title: Endless Summer

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Oct. 4, 2022

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Hardcover

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

The “queen of beach reads” (New York Magazine) presents nine captivating stories of summer on Nantucket—and days that last forever—to carry us through the off-season.

Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand revisits her most treasured and iconic characters in this magical collection of stories. Collected in a single volume for the first time, Endless Summer ranges from fan favorites to original, never-before-seen works. In “The Surfing Lesson,” the marriage at the heart of Beautiful Day crosses uncertain territory when Margot Carmichael encourages her husband to reunite with his ex-girlfriend. The legendary weekend of a Harvard-Yale football game in “The Tailgate” recharts the course of Matchmaker Dabney Kimball’s first—and abiding—true love. And in a brand-new novella, “Summer of ’89,” we reconnect with the Levin sisters, whose distant adult lives collide once again at a tumultuous family reunion on Nantucket.


Review:

Charming, lighthearted, and generous!

Endless Summer is a nostalgic, heartwarming short story collection that takes us back into the lives of some of the most memorable characters from Hilderbrand’s previous novels and gives us a special glimpse into how all those relationships and storylines all began, what followed next, or in some cases just a little bit more.

The writing is layered and sweet. The characters are complex, engaging, and fun. And the plot is a delightful mix of life, loss, family, friendship, secrets, drama, history, chemistry, betrayal, romance, and small-island living.

As most of you know, I’m a huge fan of Elin Hilderbrand and have read almost all her novels, so it will be no surprise to anyone that Endless Summer was a delightful treat and pure indulgence for me to be able to pop back into some of my favourite tales and revisit some of my most beloved main characters and spend just a little bit more time immersed in those worlds.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is a mother of three, an avid runner, reader, and traveler, and the author of twenty-three novels. She grew up outside Philadelphia, and has lived on Nantucket for more than twenty years.

#BookReview Diana, William, and Harry by James Patterson & Chris Mooney @JP_Books @cmooneybooks @HBGCanada @littlebrown #DianaWilliamHarry #JamesPatterson #ChrisMooney #HBGCanada #LittleBrown

#BookReview Diana, William, and Harry by James Patterson & Chris Mooney @JP_Books @cmooneybooks @HBGCanada @littlebrown #DianaWilliamHarry #JamesPatterson #ChrisMooney #HBGCanada #LittleBrown Title: Diana, William, and Harry

Author: James Patterson, Chris Mooney

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Aug. 15, 2022

Genres: Nonfiction

Pages: 448

Format: Hardcover

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

From the moments William and Harry are born into the House of Windsor, they become their young mother’s whole world. 
 
I’ve got two very healthy, strong boys. I realize how incredibly lucky I am, Diana reminds herself every morning. But even the Princess of Wales questions, Am I a good mother?  
 
Diana’s faced with a seemingly impossible challenge: one son destined to be King of England and another determined to find his own way.  She teaches them to honor royal tradition, even while daring to break it. 
 
“Sometimes I’d like a time machine…” Diana says as William and Harry grow up, never imagining they’d have less than a lifetime together. Even after she’s gone, her sons follow their mother’s lead—and her heart. As the years pass and William and Harry grow into adulthood and form families of their own, they carry on Diana’s name, her likeness, and her incomparable spirit.


Review:

Eye-opening, interesting, and informative!

Diana, William, and Harry is the detailed, perceptive biography of Princess Diana and her two sons, William and Harry, from the time of her introduction to Prince Charles, her fairytale wedding, her delight in being a mother, a divorce that rocked the monarchy, an early tragic death, and the pressures, responsibilities, and sadness for two motherless boys growing up to date, wed, take on careers, and become parents themselves under a bright and never-fading spotlight.

The writing is crisp and clear. The characters are inspiring, hardworking, and driven. And the novel is a compelling tale of the highs and lows involved in being a member of the most popular monarchy in the world.

Overall, Diana, William, and Harry was a nostalgic read for me as I remember both getting up early to see the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and being consumed by the horrific breaking news of her fatal car accident on the streets of Paris. It is also, ultimately, a well-researched, insightful read about a strong, independent woman and her two sons, beloved by all, and their constant struggles and challenges with the paparazzi, lack of freedom, and life within an institution where image, tradition, and responsibility are valued above all else.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

                

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Chris Mooney

Hailed as “one of the best thriller writers working today” by Lee Child and “a wonderful writer” by Michael Connelly, Chris Mooney is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Walk in My Combat Boots, written with James Patterson. His recent books include ER Nurses and Blood World.

His fourth book, The Missing, the first in the Darby McCormick series, was a main selection of the International Book of the Month Club and an instant bestseller in over thirteen countries. The Mystery Writer’s Association nominated Chris’s third book, Remembering Sarah, for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. Foreign rights to his novels have been sold to twenty-eight territories. He has sold nearly two million copies of his books.

Chris teaches writing courses at Harvard and the Harvard Extension School.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

About James Patterson

JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. His books have sold in excess of 385 million copies worldwide. He is the author of some of the most popular series of the past two decades - the Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, Detective Michael Bennett and Private novels - and he has written many other number one bestsellers including romance novels and stand- alone thrillers.

Photo courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheHotelNantucket #ElinHilderbrand #HBGCanada

#BookReview The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheHotelNantucket #ElinHilderbrand #HBGCanada Title: The Hotel Nantucket

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 14, 2022

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

After a tragic fire in 1922 that killed 19-year-old chambermaid, Grace Hadley, The Hotel Nantucket descended from a gilded age gem to a mediocre budget-friendly lodge to inevitably an abandoned eyesore — until it’s purchased and renovated top to bottom by London billionaire, Xavier Darling.  Xavier hires Nantucket sweetheart Lizbet Keaton as his general manager, and Lizbet, in turn, pulls together a charismatic, if inexperienced, staff who share the vision of turning the fate of the hotel around. They face challenges in getting along with one another (and with the guests), in overcoming the hotel’s bad reputation, and in surviving the (mostly) harmless shenanigans of Grace Hadley herself — who won’t stop haunting the hotel until her murder is acknowledged.
 
Filled with the emotional tension and multiple points of view that characterize Elin’s books (The Blue Bistro, Golden Girl) as well as an added touch of historical reality, Hotel Nantucket offers something for everyone in this summer drama for the ages. 


Review:

Heartwarming, mysterious, and addictive!

The Hotel Nantucket is a colourful, breezy tale that sweeps you away to the newly renovated Hotel Nantucket where there’s plenty of luxurious things, scrumptious treats, an eclectic staff, an abundance of scandal, a touch of romance, a variety of quirky and demanding patrons, a ghostly presence with a big heart, and a strong desire to be the first and only establishment to ever receive the coveted rating of five keys.

The writing is amusing and light. The characters are multilayered, genuine, and intriguing. And the plot is an enchanting mix of friendship, family, secrets, deduction, workplace drama, sizzling chemistry, spirited mishaps, scandalous behaviour, and of course a lot of summer vibes.

I’m not sure if it’s ever truly summer unless I have an Elin Hilderbrand book to throw in my beach bag and this twenty-eighth outing is everything I could have wanted and more. The Hotel Nantucket is an alluring, charming, irresistible tale by Hilderbrand that’s the perfect escapist read with its idyllic setting, layered characters, and blissfully entertaining storyline.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is a mother of three, an avid runner, reader, and traveler, and the author of twenty-three novels. She grew up outside Philadelphia, and has lived on Nantucket for more than twenty years.

#BookReview Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu @MelissaLFu @littlebrown @HBGCanada #PeachBlossomSpring #MelissaFu #HBGCanada

#BookReview Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu @MelissaLFu @littlebrown @HBGCanada #PeachBlossomSpring #MelissaFu #HBGCanada Title: Peach Blossom Spring

Author: Melissa Fu

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Mar. 15, 2022

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: Hardcover

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

“Within every misfortune there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time.”

It is 1938 in China and, as a young wife, Meilin’s future is bright. But with the Japanese army approaching, Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, are forced to flee their home. Relying on little but their wits and a beautifully illustrated hand scroll, filled with ancient fables that offer solace and wisdom, they must travel through a ravaged country, seeking refuge.

Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. Though his daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, he refuses to talk about his childhood. How can he keep his family safe in this new land when the weight of his history threatens to drag them down? Yet how can Lily learn who she is if she can never know her family’s story?

Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving look at the history of modern China, told through the story of one family. It’s about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the haunting question: What would it mean to finally be home?


Review:

Rich, poignant, and affecting!

Peach Blossom Spring is an intimate, absorbing, multi-generational story, spanning eight decades, that takes you into the life of Meilin, a young widow who, after fleeing war and communistic oppression in the Hunan Province of China in 1938, escapes to Taiwan with her four-year-old son where she toils and struggles to make a good life until 1960, when Renshu, now grown, heads to graduate school at Northwestern University in America where he stays, marries, and raises a family as an immigrant who never quite feels at home due to ongoing encounters of political unease, awkwardness, racism, and the enduring effects of his childhood trauma.

The prose is expressive and fluid. The characters are layered, vulnerable, and resourceful. And the plot is a moving tale about life, love, familial relationships, heartbreak, loss, desperation, estrangement, courage, hope, regret, and culture.

Overall, Peach Blossom Spring is a compelling, evocative, immersive tale by Fu that I thoroughly enjoyed and which has just the right amount of intrigue, colourful history, and palpable emotion to be more than pleasing to lovers of the historical fiction genre.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

           

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Melissa Fu

Melissa Fu grew up in Northern New Mexico and has lived in Texas, Colorado, New York, Ohio and Washington. She now lives near Cambridge, UK, with her husband and children. With academic backgrounds in physics and English, she has worked in education as a teacher, curriculum developer, and consultant. She was the 2018/19 David TK Wong Fellow at the University of East Anglia. Peach Blossom Spring is her first novel.

Photo courtesy of grandcentralpublishing.com.

#BookReview The Rehearsals by Annette Christie @MsAnnetteMC @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheRehearsals #AnnetteChristie

#BookReview The Rehearsals by Annette Christie @MsAnnetteMC @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheRehearsals #AnnetteChristie Title: The Rehearsals

Author: Annette Christie

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jul. 13, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover

Source: Forever, HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

Have you ever made a life-changing decision and then wondered if you made the right one…? A clever, captivating and bittersweet story of what might have been. Perfect for the fans of Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes.

When Liv and Nate walked up the aisle, Liv knew she was marrying the one, her soul mate and her best friend.

Six years later, it feels like routine and friendship is all they have left in common. What happened to the fun, the excitement, the lust, the love?

In the closing moments of 1999, Liv and Nate decide to go their separate ways, but at the last minute, Liv wavers. Should she stay or should she go?

Over the next twenty years we follow the parallel stories to discover if Liv’s life, heart and future have been better with Nate… Or without him?


Review:

Creative, thought-provoking, and delightfully optimistic!

The Rehearsals is a moving, time-loop tale that takes you into the lives of Megan and Tom, as after a disastrous rehearsal day, when difficult families, long-buried secrets, and thoughts of what-if leave them tired, confused, heartbroken, and calling the whole thing off fate magically intervenes leaving them reliving that same day over and over again in order to change, forgive and potentially rekindle the love they once shared.

The writing is sensitive and sincere. The characters are flawed, genuine, and weary. And the multi-layered plot is a heartfelt, absorbing tale about life, love, family, friendship, secrets, betrayal, compassion, romance, happiness, destiny, and second chances.

Overall, The Rehearsals is an emotional, pensive, brilliant debut by Christie that reminds us that life is complicated, things happen for a reason, secrets always have a way of coming to light, often the choices we make have far-reaching consequences, and love is, ultimately, always worth fighting for.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada and Forever for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Annette Christie

Annette Christie is a Canadian-American hybrid with a BFA in Theatre and a history of very odd jobs. Her writing has been published in HelloGiggles and The Guardian, and the back of her head is featured prominently in the film Mean Girls. She currently resides in Alberta with her husband and two children.

Photo courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheSweetnessofWater #NathanHarris

#BookReview The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris @littlebrown @HBGCanada #TheSweetnessofWater #NathanHarris Title: The Sweetness of Water

Author: Nathan Harris

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 15, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Hardcover

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

In the spirit of The Known World and The Underground Railroad, a profound debut about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever.

In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry—freed by the Emancipation Proclamation—seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys.

Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox.

With candor and sympathy, debut novelist Nathan Harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting Georgia in the violent crucible of Reconstruction. Equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, The Sweetness of Water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances.


Review:

Evocative, tragic, and incredibly affecting!

The Sweetness of Water is a powerful, riveting, emotionally-charged tale that sweeps you away to Georgia at the end of the civil war and takes you into the lives of a handful of people, including a lost father, a grieving mother, a returned soldier with a lot of aggression and a secret he will protect at any cost, two brothers recently enslaved who are slowly adapting to their newfound freedom, and a myriad of other southern people struggling to survive and accept the repercussions, fallout, and new way of life caused by their recent defeat by the Union Army.

The prose is sensitive and expressive. The characters are multi-layered, resilient, and vulnerable. And the plot, set during the mid-1860s, is a profoundly moving tale about war, familial relationships, heartbreak, loss, guilt, grief, shame, suspicion, secrets, desperation, resilience, hope, courage, resentment, emancipation, unlikely friendships, and forbidden love.

Overall, The Sweetness of Water is the perfect blend of historical facts, compelling fiction, and palpable emotion. It’s a beautifully written, impactful, stunning debut by Harris that does a remarkable job of highlighting the indomitable spirit of humanity to endure, survive, conquer, forgive, and even love under even the harshest of circumstances.

This book is available now. 

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Nathan Harris

Nathan Harris, a native of Oregon, is a Michener Fellow at the University of Texas. He was awarded the Kidd Prize, as judged by Anthony Doerr, and was also a finalist for the Tennessee Williams Fiction Prize. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Photo courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #GoldenGirl #ElinHilderbrand

#BookReview Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown @HBGCanada #GoldenGirl #ElinHilderbrand Title: Golden Girl

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 1, 2021

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

On a perfect June day, Vivian Howe, author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three nearly grown children, is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home on Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she’s assigned to a Person named Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens below for one last summer. Vivi also is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of events on earth, and with her daughter Willa on her third miscarriage, Carson partying until all hours, and Leo currently “off again” with his high-maintenance girlfriend, she’ll have to think carefully where to use them.

From the Beyond, Vivi watches “The Chief” Ed Kapenash investigate her death, but her greatest worry is her final book, which contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous for her reputation. But when hidden truths come to light, Vivi’s family will have to sort out their past and present mistakes—with or without a nudge of help from above—while Vivi finally lets them grow without her.

With all of Elin’s trademark beach scenes, mouth-watering meals, and picture-perfect homes, plus a heartfelt message—the people we lose never really leave us—Golden Girl is a beach book unlike any other.


Review:

Thought-provoking, sentimental, and a touch mysterious!

Golden Girl is a heartfelt, compelling tale that sweeps you away to the idyllic Nantucket Island and into the life of novelist Vivian Howe, a mother of three, who after being killed in a hit-and-run accident is given one last summer to watch over those she loves and granted three small nudges to alter events on earth before she must finally accept her fate and pass over to the other side.

The writing is eloquent and expressive. The characters are complex, authentic, and troubled. And the plot is an irresistible, touching tale of relationship dynamics, familial drama, life, loss, acceptance, moral dilemmas, secrets, forgiveness, friendship, and the intricacies of small-island living.

Overall, Golden Girl is another absorbing, nostalgic, poignant tale by Hilderbrand that does a beautiful job of reminding us that to be human is to be flawed, and everyone should love and deserves to be loved for who they are, flaws and all.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is a mother of three, an avid runner, reader, and traveler, and the author of twenty-three novels. She grew up outside Philadelphia, and has lived on Nantucket for more than twenty years.