Category Archives: Fiction/Literature

What a wonderful novel this was to read! At first, I wondered what kind of story it would involved. It seemed to focus on a young woman and her relationship issues. It then took a sharp turn to look at the past of a woman in her nineties.

Kate Parker is in a relationship with someone who seems, to her at least, to be perfect for her. She can’t quite understand why people in her life are not as accepting.

An event happens before her 40th birthday that leaves her scrambling for ways to fill her life during what, she insists, is a short setback in her relationship with her boyfriend.

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Over the years, I have read many books by Kristan Higgins. I started with her light-hearted romances and have, more recently, enjoyed her longer, fictional literature with humorous overtones.

This book is different. It is more serious and explores familial relationships from a more realistic viewpoint.

The family in the book is the Frost family, who are maybe but probably not related to Robert Frost. However, they are a big deal in their town, thanks to the hard work by the matriarch, Barb Frost.

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I have read many books by Jill Mansell over the years and have enjoyed every one. This book is now one of my favorites. It is not just a romance, though that is part of the story. It is what I call, a slice of life.

The story follows Lainey and Kit, two co-workers who want to work with each other again after losing their jobs due to a financial downturn by the owners.

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I really enjoyed this slice of life story about five individuals who were invited anonymously to a story society. The people in the book are quite different from each other except for one thing: they are each in the midst of a struggle. There are past struggles and current ones but they each are looking for something.

They get together and aren’t thrilled to begin with. There is a wealthy businesswoman, an Uber driver, an elderly man who wants to write about a book about his life with his late wife and a man and a woman who were divorced a couple of years before.

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When I started reading this book, it seemed a little out of date for today. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or if it had been earlier. It turns out to be the latter. The book was release close to a decade ago and in some ways it shows. Having said that, I still enjoyed reading the book.

Dulcie, Liza and Pru are all friends. At the beginning of the year, they all get together and find out what each one wants.

Liza has never been married and would like to find someone to love who doesn’t bore her silly after a few weeks.

Pru is married to someone that neither of her friends like. Pru is happy and wants to stay that way with her husband.
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For the last three years, I’ve enjoyed reading a Christmas novel by Nancy Naigle. All three have been set in various small towns in North Carolina. While I am not from that area, my mother grew up in the mountains outside of Asheville during the latter years of the Great Depression. It’s always a treat to get a peak at that area of the country.

In this story, Liz Westmoreland is a successful project manager. She has always dreamed of owning an Inn or Bed and Breakfast like the one that her grandparents ran for many years. Truth be told, Liz wanted their old inn, Angels Rest but it was sold years before.

When the opportunity arises to buy the old inn, sight unseen, she grabs it. Reality hits her square in the face too late when she finds it in total disrepair.

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In Nancy Thayer’s latest novel, it is Christmas time in Nantucket. Christina Antonioni is the owner of a toy store that is located in a set of historic shacks on the wharf in Nantucket. Along with the other owners, they scramble to make ends meet, especially during the winter when visitors don’t often arrive at the island.

A young girl, Wink, becomes a valued friend who helps Christina during the busy Christmas season.

The shop owners are shocked when the new owner of the wharf raises their rent to a degree that is unfeasible for all. Christina, by nature of her relationship with Wink and with Wink’s uncle, is voted the voice of the shop owners to speak with the wharf owner. That is because Wink and and uncle are granddaughter and son of the Scrooge of a landlord.

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When I think of heart-warming tales with a Christian influence or message, I always think of books written by Debbie Macomber. Her books also deal with real life scenarios and don’t gloss over the pain and suffering that part of real life.

In this story, Laurel McCullough, is dealing with both the decline of her grandmother, Helen, and has given up the dream of having children (either her own or adopted.) She is sad and her husband Zack is trying his best to support her in her time of need.

Helen is having increasing difficulty remembering things. Because of that, Laurel and Zack have moved in to help her. Even so, it is becoming increasingly obvious that Helen needs someone to help her while Laurel and Zack are at work.

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I was first introduced to Meg Cabot with her Heather Wells mystery series. I then read a few of her stand-alone books and really enjoyed them. When I saw that she had published a new book, I definitely wanted to read it. I didn’t realize that it was the second in a series at that time.

While I really enjoyed much of the book, I was a bit surprised by the single somewhat graphic sex scene. I also heard a little too often about the fireworks going off in the shorts of our main character, Bree Beckham. I had forgotten that Ms. Cabot had once written erotic novels under the name Patricia Cabot so, in retrospect, I should not have been as surprised as I was.

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Gina has just been unceremoniously dumped by her husband when he discovers that his secret girlfriend has become pregnant. Gina ventures out into the night and, while distraught, ends up running into Izzy who is out riding on her motorbike.

Izzy ends up losing her job and she and her teenager daughter have nowhere to live. They end up living with Gina and end up turning her world upside down.

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