Source: Little Brown and Company

#BookReview Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown

#BookReview Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown Title: Summer of '69

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 18, 2019

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century! It’s 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother’s historic home in downtown Nantucket: but this year Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests, a passion which takes her to Martha’s Vineyard with her best friend, Mary Jo Kopechne. Only son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother who is hiding some secrets of her own. As the summer heats up, Teddy Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, a man flies to the moon, and Jessie experiences some sinking and flying herself, as she grows into her own body and mind.

In her first “historical novel,” rich with the details of an era that shaped both a country and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again proves her title as queen of the summer novel.


Review:

Relevant, vivid, and absorbing!

Summer of ’69 is a nostalgic, domestic tale that takes us back to the idyllic island of Nantucket during a year when Vietnam was still raging, and Apollo 11 was finally going to put men on the moon, and into the lives of the blended Foley-Levin family as they navigate a summer of revelations, change, and new additions.

The writing is expressive and polished. The characters are genuine, troubled, and sympathetic. And the spirited plot is a delightful mix of summer fun, heartbreak, coming-of-age, secrets, wartime worries, adultery, racial segregation, women’s rights, and fresh starts.

Overall, Summer of ’69 is once again a beguiling, heartfelt, must-read summer tale by Hilderbrand that highlights the power of family and reminds us that even though we’ve come so far, in some respects we still have a long way to go.

This novel is available now.

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

                                           

 

 

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company 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.

#BookReview Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner @JamieLBrenner @littlebrown

#BookReview Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner @JamieLBrenner @littlebrown Title: Drawing Home

Author: Jamie Brenner

Published by: Little Brown and Company on May 7, 2019

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8.5/10

An unexpected inheritance, a promise broken, and four lives changed forever: the newest page-turner from USA Today bestselling author Jamie Brenner.

Summer has started in idyllic Sag Harbor, and for Emma Mapson that means greeting guests at the front desk of The American Hotel. But when one of the town’s most famous residents, artist Henry Wyatt, dies suddenly, Emma learns he has mysteriously left his waterfront home – a self-designed masterpiece filled with his work – to her teenage daughter, Penny.

Back in Manhattan, legendary art patron Bea Winstead’s grief at her lifelong friend and former business partner Henry’s passing turns to outrage at the news of his shocking bequest. How did these unknown locals get their hands on the estate? Bea, with her devoted assistant Kyle in tow, descends on Sag Harbor determined to reclaim the house and preserve Henry’s legacy.

While Emma fights to defend her daughter’s inheritance, Bea discovers that Henry left a treasure trove of sketches scattered around town. With Penny’s reluctant help, Bea pieces them together to find a story hidden in plain sight: an illustration of their shared history with an unexpected twist that will change all of their lives.

Drawn together in their battle for the house, Emma and Bea are forced to confront the past while facing a future that challenges everything they believe about love, fate, and family.


Review:

Heart-tugging, tender, and sincere!

Drawing Home is an uplifting, engaging tale that takes us to Sag Harbor and into the life of Emma Mapson as she juggles all sorts of highs and lows, including single motherhood, an unexpected inheritance left to her teenage daughter, an ex who suddenly reappears out of nowhere, and an elderly woman determined to contest the final wishes of her oldest friend.

The prose is immersive and expressive. The characters are well-drawn, troubled, likeable, and genuine. And the plot is a wonderful mix of life, loss, forgiveness, grief, love, familial drama, friendship, community, contentment, coming-of-age, and art.

Overall, Drawing Home is another lighthearted, beautiful, beach read by Brenner that mixes a side of mystery with her innate ability to delve into all the psychological and emotional entanglements found in nuclear families.

 

This book is available now.

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

                                             

 

 

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jamie Brenner

Jamie Brenner was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia but has called New York City her home for the past twenty years. She graduated from George Washington University with a degree in literature and spent her career in publishing before becoming an author herself. Her books include The Gin Lovers, The Wedding Sisters. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two daughters.

#BookReview The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown

#BookReview The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown Title: The Perfect Couple

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 19, 2018

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 480

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 10/10

From New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand, comes a novel about the many ways family can fill our lives with love…if they don’t kill us first.

It’s wedding season on Nantucket. The beautiful island is overrun with summer people–an annual source of aggravation for year-round residents. And that’s not the only tension brewing offshore. When one lavish wedding ends in disaster before it can even begin–with the bride-to-be discovered dead in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony–everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect. As Chief of Police Ed Kapenash digs into the best man, the maid of honor, the groom’s famous mystery novelist mother, and even a member of his own family, the chief discovers that every wedding is a minefield–and no couple is perfect. Featuring beloved characters from THE CASTAWAYS and A SUMMER AFFAIR, THE PERFECT COUPLE proves once again that Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of the summer beach read.


Review:

Compelling, mysterious, and deliciously entertaining!

The Perfect Couple takes us to the beautiful island of Nantucket and into the lives of the rich and famous Winburys as they gather to celebrate a family wedding. But like most families with privilege, power, and money everything is not always as it seems and it quickly becomes apparent that behind the beautiful mansion and designer clothes is an abundance of secrets, deception, betrayal, infidelity, substance abuse, lies, scandals, and murder.

The writing is effortless and fluid. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are flawed, authentic, and fun. And the alluring plot is an intelligent, lighthearted mix of a breezy summer read, unpredictable whodunit, and domestic drama all rolled up in one.

Overall, The Perfect Couple is an enjoyable, scintillating treat by Hilderbrand that once again highlights her incredible ability to delve into all the complex dynamics between family members and friends and is without a doubt a must read for 2018!

This novel is available now.

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

                                           

 

 

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company 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.

#BookReview The Husband Hour by Jamie Brenner @JamieLBrenner @littlebrown

#BookReview The Husband Hour by Jamie Brenner @JamieLBrenner @littlebrown Title: The Husband Hour

Author: Jamie Brenner

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Apr. 24, 2018

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 10/10

When a young widow’s reclusive life in a charming beach town is interrupted by a surprise visitor, she is forced to reckon with dark secrets about her family, her late husband, and the past she tried to leave behind.

Lauren Adelman and her high school sweetheart, Rory Kincaid, are a golden couple. They marry just out of college as Rory, a star hockey player, earns a spot in the NHL. Their future could not look brighter when Rory shocks everyone-Lauren most of all-by enlisting in the U.S. Army. When Rory dies in combat, Lauren is left devastated, alone, and under unbearable public scrutiny.

Seeking peace and solitude, Lauren retreats to her family’s old beach house on the Jersey Shore. But this summer she’s forced to share the house with her overbearing mother and competitive sister. Worse, a stranger making a documentary about Rory tracks her down and persuades her to give him just an hour of her time.

One hour with filmmaker Matt Brio turns into a summer of revelations, surprises, and upheaval. As the days grow shorter and her grief changes shape, Lauren begins to understand the past-and to welcome the future.


Review:

Absorbing, poignant, and incredibly moving!

The Husband Hour is a beautifully written story that delves into the complexities and dynamics of relationships between partners, siblings, and the nuclear family as a whole and reminds us that there’s no perfection in humanity, we are all wonderfully flawed.

The prose is fluid and well turned. The characters are authentic, scarred and lovable. And the story is an exceptionally mesmerizing tale about life, loss, love, grief, forgiveness, familial drama, friendship, courage, community, moving on, happiness, and the enduring physical and psychological effects of sports injuries on professional athletes.

Overall, The Husband Hour is the perfect blend of heart-wrenching emotion, grit, hope, and humour. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it left me smiling, and I absolutely loved it!

This book is available now.

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

                                             

 

 

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jamie Brenner

Jamie Brenner was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia but has called New York City her home for the past twenty years. She graduated from George Washington University with a degree in literature and spent her career in publishing before becoming an author herself. Her books include The Gin Lovers, The Wedding Sisters. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two daughters.

#BookReview The Late Show by Michael Connelly @Connellybooks @littlebrown

#BookReview The Late Show by Michael Connelly @Connellybooks @littlebrown Title: The Late Show

Author: Michael Connelly

Series: Renée Ballard #1, Harry Bosch Universe #29

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jul. 18, 2017

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 405

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, a new thriller introducing a driven young detective trying to prove herself in the LAPD

Renée Ballard works the night shift in Hollywood, beginning many investigations but finishing none as each morning she turns her cases over to day shift detectives. A once up-and-coming detective, she’s been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor.

But one night she catches two cases she doesn’t want to part with: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of a young woman in a nightclub shooting. Ballard is determined not to give up at dawn. Against orders and her own partner’s wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the cases entwine they pull her closer to her own demons and the reason she won’t give up her job no matter what the department throws at her.


Review:

Extremely tense, highly suspenseful and masterfully paced!

The Late Show is a skillfully crafted, well-executed police procedural that introduces us to the feisty Detective Renée Ballard as she heads out on a shift that will have her hunting a burglar, a sadist, and a ruthless killer.

The writing is tight and seamless. The characterization is spot on with a gang of multi-layered, gritty characters including the gutsy, tenacious Ballard. And the plot is a thrill ride of twists, turns, surprises, corruption, violence, forensics, police politics and murder that will have you hooked from the very first page.

Connelly is a best-selling author, and with this new release it’s easy to see why. The Late Show is a raw, action-packed page turner that is compelling, entertaining and will leave you wanting more.

This book is available now.

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

                                       

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

#BookReview Devastation Road by Jason Hewitt @JasonHewitt123 @littlebrown

#BookReview Devastation Road by Jason Hewitt @JasonHewitt123 @littlebrown Title: Devastation Road

Author: Jason Hewitt

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jul. 3, 2017

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

A deeply compelling and poignant story about the tragic lessons of war and the endurance of memory.

In the last months of World War II, a man wakes in a field in a country he does not know. Injured and with only flashes of memory coming back to him, he pulls himself to his feet and starts to walk, setting out on an extraordinary journey in search of his home, his past, and himself.

His name is Owen. A war he has only a vague recollection of joining is in its dying days, and as he tries to get back to England, he becomes caught up in the flood of rootless people pouring through Europe. Among them is a teenage boy, and together they form an unlikely alliance as they cross battle-worn Germany.

When they meet a troubled young woman, tempers flare and scars are revealed as Owen gathers up the shattered pieces of his life. No one is as he remembers, not even himself. How can he truly return home when he hardly recalls what home is?


Review:

Deeply moving, incredibly insightful, and hauntingly tragic!

This story is set in Europe near the end of WWII and follows one Englishman as he sets out on a journey to uncover the memories that seem buried just beyond his reach and the country he knows he calls home.

It is, ultimately,  a story about war, loss, family, friendship, injustice, guilt, grief, love, courage, and survival.

The writing is direct and precise. The prose is stunningly vivid. The characters are strong, damaged, lonely, and real. And the plot is a heartrending tale that gives us a unique view into the struggles, hardships, and horrors felt by all during this heinous time in history.

This truly is a powerful story which will resonate with you long after you finish the final page and is a good reminder of some of the stories we don’t always hear but are devastating nevertheless.

This novel is available now.

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

                                        

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Little, Brown and Company, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jason Hewitt

Jason Hewitt was born in Oxford and lives in London. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and English and an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University.

After completing his degree he spent a number of years working in a bookshop in Oxford before moving into the publishing industry.

His debut novel, The Dynamite Room, published in the UK & Commonwealth in 2014, and in the US/Canada in March 2015. It will also be translated into French in Autumn 2015. His new novel, Devastation Road, will publish in the UK this summer.

He is also a playwright and actor. His first full-length play, Claustrophobia, premiered at Edinburgh Fringe in August 2014 and was also previewed at the St James Theatre, London.

As an actor he has performed major roles in a number of plays including Pericles, A Christmas Carol, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Merchant of Venice and King Lear (directed by Sir Jonathan Miller).

Jason is currently writer-in-residence at Abingdon School, Oxfordshire.

#BookReview The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown

#BookReview The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown Title: The Identicals

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jun. 13, 2017

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 10/10

From New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand, a summertime story about identical twins who couldn’t be any less alike.

Nantucket is only two and a half hours away from Martha’s Vineyard by ferry. But the two islands might as well be worlds apart for a set of identical twin sisters who have been at odds for years. Just because twins look exactly the same doesn’t mean they’re anything alike–and Tabitha and Harper Frost have spent their whole lives trying to prove this point. When a family crisis forces them to band together–or at least appear to–the twins come to realize that the special bond that they share is more important than the resentments that have driven them apart. A story of new loves, old battles, and a threat that gives a whole new meaning to the term sibling rivalry, THE IDENTICALS is Elin Hilderbrand at her page-turning best.


Review:

Absorbing, enchanting, and absolutely irresistible!

This story is set on the picturesque islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and gives us a glimpse into small-island living, complete with alluring beaches, endless sun, infinite gossip, and competitive rivalry. It is told from three different perspectives; Harper, a free spirit who is fun and kind but often impulsive and reckless; Tabitha, Harper’s mature, responsible, workaholic identical twin who struggles with underlying grief; and Ainsley, Tabitha’s teenage daughter who is popular, spoilt and in desperate need of some additional parenting.

The writing is flawless. The plot is a perfect blend of heart, hope, angst, and drama. And the characterization is well-developed with a wonderful cast of characters, including three generations of strong, determined women who learn to embrace the future and let go of the past. 

This is, ultimately, a story about family dynamics, sister relationships, heartbreak, secrets, expectations, loss, grief, forgiveness, dreams, love, discovering one’s true self and the undeniable special bonds between twins. It is the perfect summer read. It sweeps you away to another place, gives you some tears, gives you some smiles and I absolutely adored it.

This novel is available now.

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

                                           

 

 

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company 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.

#BookReview The Futures by Anna Pitoniak @annapitoniak @leeboudreauxbks

#BookReview The Futures by Anna Pitoniak @annapitoniak @leeboudreauxbks Title: The Futures

Author: Anna Pitoniak

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Jan. 17, 2017

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 7.5/10

In this dazzling debut novel about love and betrayal and redemption, a young couple moves to New York City to prove their mettle and to find success—only to learn that such success may come with dangerous strings attached.

Julia and Evan falls in love as undergraduates at Yale. For Evan, a scholarship student from a Canadian logging town, Yale is a whole new world, and Julia—blonde, beautiful and rich—fits perfectly into the future he’s envisioned for himself. After graduation, and on the eve of the great financial meltdown of 2008, they move together to New York City, where Evan takes a job at a hedge fund. But Julia, who has only known a life of privilege, feels unmoored and increasingly shut out of Evan’s secretive world.

With the market crashing and banks failing, Evan becomes involved in an increasingly high-stakes deal at work—a deal that, despite the assurance of his Machiavellian boss, begins to feel more than slightly suspicious. Meanwhile, Julia reconnects with someone from her past who offers a glimpse of a different kind of life. As Evan and Julia spin apart into their separate orbits, they each find that they are capable of much more—good and bad—that they’d ever dreamed, and that betrayal is easier than they ever imagined.

Rich with suspense and insight, Pitoniak’s thrilling debut reveals the fragile yet enduring nature of our connections to one another and to ourselves. THE FUTURES is a glittering story of a couple coming of age and a tender, searing portrait of what it’s like to be young and full of hope in a city that often seems determined to break us down—but ultimately may be the very thing that saves us.


Review:

Compelling, insightful and satisfying!

This a coming-of-age story set in New York City during the financial crisis of 2008 and follows the lives of two Yale graduates who come from completely different backgrounds as they struggle to maintain their relationship and successfully achieve all their hopes, dreams and career goals.

For me what was clear throughout the novel was the ideology that life is not predictable; it always throws you a few curve balls.

The writing is well done. The characters are young, naive and self-indulgent. And the plot is a sequence of events steeped in deception, loneliness, denial, heartache, acceptance, and forgiveness that leads each character to undergo a form of introspection to recognize what’s truly important.

Overall this is a good debut novel that will definitely resonate with many people who have also found themselves daunted after post-secondary education.

 

This book is due to be published on January 17, 2017. 

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

Amazon UKAmazon USAmazon CanadaKoboBarnes & Noble

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Lee Boudreaux Books, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Anna Pitoniak

Anna Pitoniak is an editor at Random House. She graduated from Yale in 2010, where she majored in English and was an editor at the Yale Daily News. She grew up in Whistler, British Columbia, and now lives in New York City.

#BookReview Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown

#BookReview Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown Title: Winter Storms

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Series: Winter #3

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Oct. 4, 2016

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 246

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Little Brown and Company, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

Gather under the mistletoe for one last round of caroling with the Quinn family in this heartwarming conclusion to Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling Winter Street Trilogy. 

Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn’s old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there’s hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan. 

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can’t quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can’t decide between the two lovers that she’s been juggling with limited success. However, if there’s one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it’s Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle’s wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place–and the people–they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again. 


Review:

It’s hard to believe that this is the final instalment of the Quinns’ saga.

This novel starts off where the last one, Winter Street, left off and this time around we get to experience and live a whole year with the gang.

The prose is smooth and precise. The characters are charming, flawed, entertaining and real. And the plot is a whirlwind of ups and downs, highs and lows, weddings, long-awaited reunions, struggles with addiction, exciting endeavours, grim diagnoses, and new loves.

This truly is a bittersweet novel. On the one hand it’s a lovely, satisfying end to an endearing trilogy, but on the other it really is a little sad to know it’s done.

If you haven’t read any of the other books in the Winter Street series, you’re truly missing out. And if you haven’t already had a chance to read my review for Winter Stroll (Winter Street #2), be sure to check it out HERE.

 

This book is available now.

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

Amazon UKAmazon USAmazon CanadaChapters/IndigoBook Depository

 

 

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company 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.