Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

 

Title: Summer Romance

Author: Annabel Monaghan

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: June 4, 2024

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?

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A Summer Romance to enjoy!

Ali Morris has been dealing with grief for a couple of years. She lost her mother who was her best friend and supporter. She was always there for her and her children. A year after her mother passed, her husband, Pete tells her he is moving out. He wants a divorce.

Life has moved on but Ali is still stuck. She only wears sweatpants and is not ready to organize her home despite working as an organizer and being good at it.

On her mother's death's second anniversary, she puts on something closer to "hard pants" and takes her dog to the local dog park. Her dog makes a beeline for a hot guy and decides to pee on him. Luckily, the guy doesn't mind and strikes up a conversation with Ali. When they see each other again, he asks her out and she agrees. This leads to more outings and more time spent together over the summer.

Could this summer romance last?

I love Anabel Monaghan's books. Her characters are more mature. The problems they have are real problems that anyone can encounter. Her main characters are always likable and memorable.

I will be looking out for her next book.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by G.P. Putnam's Sons via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Mother by Shalini Boland

 

Title: The Secret Mother

Author: Shalini Boland

Publisher: Bookouture

Release Date: November 9, 2017

Are you my mommy?

Tessa Markham returns home to find a child in her kitchen. He thinks she is his mother. But Tessa doesn't have any children.

Not anymore.

She doesn't know who the little boy is or how he got there. After contacting the police, Tessa is suspected of kidnapping the mystery child. Her whole life is turned upside down. And then her husband reveals a secret of his own...

Tessa isn't sure what to believe or whom to trust. Because someone is lying. To find out who, she must first confront her painful past. But is the truth more dangerous than Tessa realizes?

The Secret Mother is an intense psychological thriller with a twist that will make you wonder if you can ever trust anyone again.

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Unputabledown!

I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I started listening to The Secret Mother.

The book begins with Tessa Markham returning home after visiting her dead children at the cemetery.

When she gets home, she finds a little boy in her kitchen. The boy asks her if she is his mommy!

Tessa doesn't know what to do so she called her ex Scott to ask him for help. Together they call the police who immediately suspect Tessa of kidnapping the child.

The press smells a story and they begin to camp outside her home trying to get a soundbite. Tessa is distraught. The press even tries to get her at work too. Her quiet life is imploding.

Tessa doesn't know how the child got into her home but after several days she begins to doubt herself. Did she snatch him and forget about it? She knows that at times her mind is not perfect after losing her children but was she capable of doing this?

Excellent plot. It sucked me in and it took me a while to figure it all out. Great outcome too!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

Murder Road by Simone St. James

 

Title: Murder Road

Author: Simone St. James

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: March 5, 2024

A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel.

July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.

When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.

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A wrong turn can cost you your life!

In 1995, April and Eddie are newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon. They are driving at night when they realize they are lost and they have taken a wrong turn. They are driving on a lonely road called Atticus Line. Just as they recognize their mistake, they see a woman walking on the side of the road.

April and Eddie decided to stop the car and help the woman. After the young woman agrees to get in the car with them, April notices blood from her midsection. They immediately take her to the hospital where she dies.

The police want to question the newlyweds as they have become the prime suspects in the death of the woman. They are asked not to leave town.

The couple soon learns that multiple deaths have been happening for many years on that road. Is there a serial killer in the town of Coldlake Falls?

Quite spooky and so very entertaining. Both main characters were quite engaging as well as Rose and the sisters who helped them.

Another addicting novel by Simone St. James.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth

  

Title: All These Beautiful Strangers

Author: Elizabeth Klehfoth

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: July 10, 2018

In the last day of summer, Grace Fairchild, the beautiful young wife of real estate mogul Allister Calloway, vanished from the family’s lake house without a trace, leaving behind her seven-year old daughter, Charlie, and a slew of unanswered questions.

Years later, seventeen-year-old Charlie still struggles with the dark legacy of her family name and the mystery surrounding her mother. Determined to finally let go of the past, she throws herself into life at Knollwood, the prestigious New Englandschool she attends. Charlie quickly becomes friends with Knollwood’s “it” crowd.

Charlie has also been tapped by the A’s—the school’s elite secret society well known for terrorizing the faculty, administration, and their enemies. To become a member of the A’s, Charlie must play The Game, a semester-long, diabolical high-stakes scavenger hunt that will jeopardize her friendships, her reputation, even her place at Knollwood.

As the dark events of past and present converge, Charlie begins to fear that she may not survive the terrible truth about her family, her school, and her own life.

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I haven't read YA in a while and I didn't know it was YA when I started listening to the audiobook of All These Beautiful Strangers. Yet, it didn't take long for the story to suck me in.

The plot revolves around Charlie Calloway, a teenager in her junior year at a prestigious prep school, Knollwood. She is part of the "it" crowd and more so when she is asked to join the elite secret society that goes by the A's. During the current year, the A's will be asking her to do multiple things that could get her in real trouble if she were to be discovered but she wants to be part of the A's more than anything else.

Charlie comes from a rich family and most people know or recognize her last name. When Chloe was seven her mother, Grace Fairchild disappeared with money from their bank account leaving Charlie and her sister Seraphina behind. Charlie's father changed after this. Things were never the same. So when her maternal uncle tells her that he believes there is more to the story, she can't let it go and will begin investigating her parents' past and their connection with Knollwood.

I enjoyed it quite a bit. Charlie grew on me. At first, I thought she was a brat but as more of her was given to us by the author, the more I was rooting for her. The ending was a plus as well despite not being completely believable, it left me quite satisfied.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

Storm Front by John SandfordVirgil Flowers #7

 

Title: Storm Front

Series: Virgil Flowers #7

Author: John Sandford

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: October 8, 2013

In Israel, a man clutching a backpack searches desperately for a boat.

No more than a few days later, Virgil Flowers in Minnesota gets a message from Lucas Davenport, "You're about to get a visitor." It's an Israeli cop, and she's chasing a man who smuggled out an extraordinary relic — an ancient inscribed stone which may revel startling details about the man known as King Solomon.

"Wait a minute," laughs Virgil. "Is this one of those mystical movie-plot deals? The secret artifact, the blockbuster revelation, the teams of murderous bad guys? Should I be boning up on my Bible verses?" He looks at the Israeli investigator. She's not laughing.

As it turns out, there are very bad men chasing the relic, and they don't care who's in the way or what they have to do to get it. "They're crazies," she says. "What kind of crazies?" asks Virgil. "Palestinian crazies, Syrian crazies, Egyptian crazies, maybe a couple of Israeli crazies. Turks. Some Americans, too, I suppose. Maybe the Pope."

Perhaps Virgil should start praying.

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This one was nuts!

A man steals an ancient Stela from a dig in Israel and smuggles it into the United States. This man is ready to sell it to the highest bidder as long as he gets the cash he needs.  He doesn't care if it goes to the Israelis, Palestinians, Turks, Americans or Australians. 

Lucas calls Virgil to pick up an Israeli agent. Her job is to recuperate the Stela and take it back. At first, Virgie believes this task won't be difficult but soon he realizes the opposite. No one is what they seem and enough people are either ready to pay or to steal the Stela.

Virgil is very different than Lucas in so many ways. He approaches his investigations differently too. The one thing both have in common is that they would do anything to catch the bad guys without leaving loose ends behind.

This book also marks the addition of a formidable character, Ma Nobles. A woman with several kids, a high IQ, and someone who will be perfect for Virgil as a partner. 

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Title: The Gathering

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: April 9, 2024

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man

Deadhart, Alaska. 873. Living.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?

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A well-done novel!

In the small town of Deadhart in Alaska a teenager has been murdered. It looks like his throat was ripped open and drained of all his blood.

The town wants justice. They believe the vampire Colony living close by was responsible for the death and the humans wanted nothing more than to get approval of a Cull. They want to eradicate the vampires which can only be done if it turns out that the vampires are responsible for the death of fifteen-year-old Marcus Anderson.

Detective Barbara Atkins of the Forensic Vampire Anthropology Department is sent to investigate the case. The town is distrustful of outsiders making things harder for Barbara. More so since Reverend Colleen Grey wants a Cull too.

Barbara decides to enlist the help of the ex-sheriff, Jenson Tucker. He was the last one to investigate a murder twenty-five years ago and it was very similar to the current case.

Besides, Barbara and Tucker, there is also Athelinda. She is the leader of the Colony although she looks to be a child. She is very old and deadly but she insists the Colony is not guilty of the killing.

Quite a great atmospheric novel with an amazing character. I liked Barbara from the get-go. She was smart, funny, and determined to learn the truth at all costs.

The author leaves the door wide open for another book with this character and I hope it does happen. I would buy that book for sure!

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Ballantine Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Ghost Writer by Loreth Anne WhiteNever Tell Collection #2

Title: The Ghost Writer

Series: Never Tell Collection #2

Author: Loreth Anne White

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Release Date: March 19, 2024

A reclusive author with a lurid history is ready to divulge her most infamous secret to the world in a chilling short story of Gothic suspense by the bestselling author of The Maid’s Diary.

It’s an offer Grace Logan can’t ghostwrite the memoir of Claudia Blackwell, a successful novelist once accused of a ghastly triple murder. Did she really do it? In self-imposed exile in her island mansion, the frail Claudia is finally bringing her notorious past to a close. But for Grace, the end of Claudia’s story may be more than a sinister reveal…

Loreth Anne White’s The Ghost Writer is part of Never Tell, a heart-pounding collection of stories about secrets, lies, and mind games. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Just keep the endings to yourself.

Amazon 

A quick read!

Grace Logan is hired as the ghostwriter for the infamous author Claudia Blackwell. Claudia was the main suspect in a triple murder but she was never convicted. Claudia says she is ready to tell her story of the events and Grace can't resist being the person who will write about it. However, Grace will have to leave her life and move to the island where Grace, a reclusive, lives. Is Grace ready for the isolation?

So many questions. Why did Claudia pick Grace? What happened all those years ago? Is Claudia ready to tell the truth?

Loreth Anne White is an auto-buy for me. I couldn't resist listening to the Ghost Writer. It was an attention grabber from the get-go

Cliffhanger: No

3.75/5 Fangs

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand Nantucket #4

 

Title: Swan Song

Series: Nantucket #4

Author: Elin Hilderbrand

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Release Date: June 11, 2024

In the grand finale of "queen of the beach read" Elin Hilderbrand's beloved Nantucket novels, there's a new couple in town... and they instantly shake things up. Amid the extravagant parties on land and sea, there's trouble on the island, forcing Chief of Police Ed Kapanesh to postpone his retirement and changing the fabric of life on the picturesque island forever...

After thirty-five years serving as the Chief of Police on the island of Nantucket, Ed Kapenash's heart can no longer take the stress. But his plans to retire are thwarted when, with only three days left to serve, he receives a phone call. A 22-million-dollar summer home, recently purchased by the flashy new couple in town, the Richardsons, has burned to the ground. The Richardsons are far from hurt—in fact, they're out on the water, throwing a lavish party on their yacht—but when news of the fire reaches them, they discover that their personal assistant has vanished. The Chief is well-acquainted with the Richardsons, and his daughter is best friends with the now-missing girl, leaving him no choice but to postpone his retirement and take on the double case.

On a small island like Nantucket, the Richardsons shook things up from the second they stepped on to the scene, throwing luxurious parties and doing whatever they could to gain admittance to the coveted lunches at the Field & Oar Club (with increasing desperation). They instantly captured the attention of local real estate agent Fast Eddie, and the town gossip Blond Sharon, both dealing with their own personal dramas. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce, and in order to avoid becoming a cliché, she's enrolled in a creative writing class, putting her natural affinity for scandal towards a more noble purpose. To solve the case of the fire and track down his daughter's best friend, the Chief will have to string together the pieces of the lives of all of these characters and more, rallying his strength for his final act of service to the tight-knit community he knows and loves.

The last of Elin Hilderbrand's bestselling Nantucket novels, Swan Song is a propulsive medley of glittering gatherings, sun-soaked drama, wisdom and heart, featuring the return of some of her most beloved characters, including, most importantly, the beautiful and timeless island of Nantucket itself.

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I love going back to Nantucket for the summer and immersing myself in the characters Elin comes up with.

Two young women meet on the ferry going to Nantucket.

Casey is the daughter of the chief of police. She is an ICU nurse and after losing a newborn in the NICU and realizing the woman she loves is marrying someone else, she decides to leave LA and go back home.

Coco is the other woman on the boat. She is new to the area. She was working in the Virgin Islands where she met the Richardsons. On the spot, Mr Richardson offers her the position as their personal assistant. Coco has a dual reason for accepting. First, she needs the money and second, Bo Richardson is a movie producer and Coco has just finished her first screenplay and she believes this could be the perfect opportunity for her to get it made into a movie.

At the beginning of the summer, The Richardsons buy a large home in Nantucket and pretty soon they make friends all over. Inviting them to the most coveted parties in town. However, by the end of the summer, their house has burned to the ground and Coco is missing.

The Chief of police who is ready to retire after being on the force for over 3 decades, is informed of the fire and Coco's disappearance. He knows that he needs to help with the investigation and find Coco. So many questions are going through his head. Who burned the house? Was it an accident or arson? Was Coco the one who set it up? Did Coco swim away or did someone push her off the boat?

I enjoyed this one a lot. I decided to do the audio and Bennett was fantastic. The characters were all interesting. Some are new, some are old. I was rooting for blonde Sharon to have a happy ending too.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

The Swimmer by Loreth Anne White

Title: The Swimmer 

Author: Loreth Anne White

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: September 10, 2024

A deviously twisty novel of psychological suspense about secrets, neighbors, a need to belong, and murder by the award-winning author of The Maid’s Diary.

Socially awkward Chloe Cooper divides her time between dog walking, bartending, caring for her ailing mother, and at a safe distance, watching people and inventing the stories of their lives. Like Chloe’s new neighbors: glamorous influencer Jemma Spengler and Jemma’s husband, Adam, a renowned surgeon. They’re attractive, wealthy, and in a house of open windows, so exposed.

A move to the Pacific Northwest is supposed to be a fresh start for Jemma and Adam. It’s a renewed commitment to a marriage fractured by secrets. A chance to work through the tragic losses in their past. For Jemma, however, this new beginning also comes with an unnerving sensation that she’s being watched.

Then, on a fog-shrouded beach early in the morning, Chloe witnesses the murder of a swimmer. Her suspicions aroused, she suddenly sees her neighbors in a sinister new light. But as a detective and her partner close in, nothing is quite as it seems. Because the Spenglers are not the only ones with secrets. And Chloe isn’t the only one who’s been watching.

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A twisty psychological thriller!

Chloe is taking care of her mother who is dying from cancer. Besides being a caregiver, she is a bartender and a dog walker. Chloe who is a loner spends her time watching people. Her newest addiction is watching her new neighbors Jemma and Dr. Adam Spengler, from her apartment window.

Every morning Chloe takes her mother's dog for a walk on Jerrin's beach. Then, one morning Chloe witnesses a jet ski hitting a swimmer and then returning to hit the swimmer again. Chloe believes there is a connection between the swimmer and her new neighbors.

The swimmer had me turning the pages quickly. As I read, I started liking Chloe and was rooting for her. Jemma felt manipulative to me and I wasn't sure about her.

Loreth Anne White always does a great job at piquing my interest from early on. This one was no exception. I liked the addition of multiple chapters "It's Criminal: The Chloe Cooper Story". It gave us so much more detail about what happened. The best part was seeing Trinity Scott in this one too. She was the podcaster from Beneath's Devil Bridge (which I enjoyed too).

I'm looking forward to her next book. Always.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Montlake via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea

 

Title: Long Time Gone

Author: Charlie Donlea

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: May 21, 2024

When DNA results reveal a disturbing connection to the mysterious disappearance of a famous baby nearly three decades ago, a forensic scientist is plunged into a dangerous search for answers in this engrossing, propulsive new novel from the internationally bestselling author of Twenty Years Later.

Thirty years ago, Baby Charlotte vanished. Today, she’s still in danger.

When Dr. Sloan Hastings submits her DNA to an online genealogy site for a research assignment, her goal is to better understand the treasure-trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites. Brilliant and driven, Sloan is embarking on a fellowship in forensic pathology, training under the renowned Dr. Livia Cutty.

Sloan has one reservation about involving herself in the she’s adopted. Grateful for a loving home, she’s never considered tracking down her biological parents. The results of her search are shocking. Sloan’s DNA profile suggests her true identity is that of Charlotte Margolis, aka “Baby Charlotte”, who captured the nation’s attention when she mysteriously disappeared, along with her parents, in July 1995. Despite an exhaustive search, the family was never seen again, and no suspects were named in the case.

Sloan’s discovery leads her to the small town of Cedar Creek, Nevada, the site of her disappearance. It also leads her to Sheriff Eric Stamos. The Margolis family’s influence and power permeate every corner of Harrison County, and Eric is convinced that in learning the truth about her past, Sloan can also help discover what happened to Eric’s father, who died under suspicious circumstances soon after he started investigating the case her disappearance.

Slowly, over the course of a stifling summer, Sloan begins getting to know her relatives. Though initially welcoming, the Margolis family is also mysterious and tight-lipped. Not everyone seems happy about Sloan’s return, or the questions she’s asking. And the more she and Eric learn, the more apparent it becomes that the answers they both seek are buried in a graveyard of Margolis family secrets that some will do anything to keep hidden—no matter who else has to die…

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A good thriller!

Dr. Sloan Hastings is starting her forensic pathology fellowship. As part of her fellowship, she needs to do research. She decides to center hers on DNA. Due to this, she decides to submit her own DNA to an ancestor website. Sloan knows she is adopted and even though she had never wanted to meet her biological parents, this could bring insight into her planned research.

No one is more shocked than Sloan when her DNA comes back proving that Sloan is none other than Charlotte Margolis, "baby Charlotte", who went missing with her parents back in 1995. The Margolis family has power and connections everywhere but what do they know about her disappearance?

After making the discovery, Sloan is approached by Sheriff Eric Stamos. His father was the Sheriff in 1995 investigating a hit-and-run case where her mother was a suspect. Just a few days after her parents disappeared, the Sheriff died from an overdose. Eric believes his father was murdered and he needs Sloan's help to prove it.

Quite a compelling plotline with remarkable characters. The suspense was just right.

I'm looking forward to reading another book by this author.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Kensington Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.