A Season For Second Chances

• AUTHOR: Jenny Bayliss
• TOPIC: Novel

Loved, loved, loved! She just made me want to jump into the novel and take her place. Loved the story, the characters, the narrative. A perfect ending to the year and to my Christmas time reading.

Annie had enough. She caught her husband cheating on her with one of the waitresses of the restaurant they own, on the banquette! After sulking for weeks, she stumbles upon an ad: someone is looking for a temporary house sitter, and offers free rent. When she reaches the location, she immediately falls in love with Willow Bay and the owner Mari, and she decides to accept, leaving her whole life behind. While the neighbors welcome her in open arms, her ex Max doesn’t stop making attempts to get back together…but she has something else to focus on: herself. Unable to stay still, she reopens the cafe that was always housed in Saltwater Nook, much to everyone’s happiness. The only one against it is John, Mari’s nephew, who is still set on selling the property and relocating Mari to a safer place for her age. But Annie is falling in love and what was once a cafe, becomes a bistro and slowly a large part of the community, to the point which Annie takes on all of Mari’s old traditions, from Halloween to Christmas, and starts to become a profitable business. She hence decides to fight her ex Max to her her half of everything to be able to buy Saltwater Nook…because she finally found where she belongs.

Christmas for Beginners

• AUTHOR: Carole Matthews
• TOPIC: Novel

I usually love her novels but for me, this one fell short. It was a tiny bit festive, but it simply didn’t grab my attention so much as other books of hers did in the past.

Molly owns Hope Farm, and her life is simple: her farm, her animals, her work with kids in need and a handful of friends. What is not so simple, is her long distance relationship with a famous soap opera actor Shelby and the fact that his teenage son Lucas lives with her on the farm. This year, she has been convinced to organize an open day fair to raise awareness for her cause and funds for the farm. Things are tight since all her support is coming from Shelby, who is present mainly with his wallet but little else. Throughout the organization of the event, while she seeks for his support, he ventures further away for work to pursue his career, leaving her behind to deal with it all, along with Lucas that he barely speaks to or gets along with, who is going through a tumultuous first love relationship that affects him deeply. Luckily the town’s Mayor becomes an unexpected exceptional help, and as an ex farmer himself, forms a very strong bond with Molly. Just when Christmas approaches and Molly has a pregnancy scare, Shelby decides to leave for the US with the dream of making it in Hollywood, and that is when Molly will have to decide what it is worth fighting for, and which kind of life is really meant for her.

The Mistletoe Pact

• AUTHOR: Jo Lovett
• TOPIC: Festive Novel

I really liked the start of the novel, and I really wanted to love it. I did like it, but I just found that they have dragged the whole story for way longer than necessary and than sprinted the too-cliché ending very rapidly. Shame.

Evie and Dan have known each other their whole lives, and on Christmas Eve 8 years prior, they made a pact: if they weren’t married by 30, they would marry each other. And it happens, but not as planned. Totally drunk the night before Evie’s 30th, they find themselves married at a Vegas chapel, and all they can think of when they wake up is…annulment. The story continues in a back and forth throughout the years, where they individually acknowledge the feelings they have for one another, but never act upon it, too scared to lose their friendship, or because one or the other was currently in a relationship with someone else. Both burnt by childhood experiences with less than commendable fathers, they are afraid to hurt and be hurt. But don’t worry, happy ending will be waiting around the corner.

The Christmas Bookshop

• AUTHOR: Jenny Colgan
• TOPIC: Festive Novel

How much I loved this one! How can I not adore a novel that takes place at Christmas, and in a bookshop! Jenny never disappoints.

When Carmen looses her job, she has little choice: she has to move in with her sister, in her perfect house with her perfect children, and even accept a job that she found for her. Tragic! At first, the job as a sales assistant in the bookshop seems an impossible feat: the place is not making any money, has no Christmas atmosphere and only offers books no one reads. But as the days pass by, ideas flow, people are met, opportunities arise, and Carmen is able to transform the shop in the best looking one in the street, a profitable business and a new helm of the community. On a personal note, spending more time with her sister opens Carmen’s eyes to her reality, bringing them closer to one another. And by occasionally looking after her kids, she realizes that she finally found a place where she belongs. Love is also no stranger in this novel. Carmen’s heart with have to chose between a famous and obnoxious, but funny and successful writer, or a Brazilian Quaker professor…who will make Carmen’s heart beat the most?

Always in December

• AUTHOR: Emily Stone
• TOPIC: Festive Novel

A definitely festive novel with an unfortunate unexpected and sad ending. But all in all, a great read.

Josie lost her parents as a child, due to a car accident on Christmas Eve. Ever since, she has never been able to return to the place where she grew up, or celebrate the festivities as everyone else. This is set to change while riding to post her special letter ( Christmas wishes that she writes yearly to her beloved parents ), because she collides with a stranger, Max, who is bound to change her life forever. Overcome by guilt about the accident, Josie invited Max for a drink, and with one thing leading to another, they spend together many days celebrating the festivities, something they both always avoided entirely. Just when Josie starts to think that this could be the start of something real, Max disappears without a goodbye. But fate comes to rescue, as over the course of the year, they continue bumping into each other in the most unexpected places…but every time something comes in between, despite the fact that the strong feelings they experience, are impossible to erase. Exactly a year after meeting, just when they are both ready to confess to each other and to themselves their love, something unexpected and devastated happens. This will not put Josie at ease, but will at least explain why Max spent a full year running away from her.

A Lighthouse Christmas

• AUTHOR: Jenny Hale
• TOPIC: Festive Novel

This novel really hit home. There were so many similarities between the story and my personal life and the experience I had to go through just a short few months ago. I loved it even more because of it. Just as I always love anything Jenny writes.

When Mia’s beloved grandma passes away, she needs to leave NYC to the seaside village where grandma Ruth was running the lighthouse. Mia’s family is one of strong women, but she is always the one holding it all together and her mom and sister always rely on her a lot. But when she is faced with having to part from her childhood memories by selling the lighthouse, it’s hard for her to keep it together. Luckily, she finds an amazing ally in Will, the real estate agent who is facilitating the sale, and together with her family, they start working through grandma’s belonging the way she would do it: with fun, wine and laughter. She arranges for a company to come and refurb quickly and stage it for sale, at the same time dealing with her almost ex-husband who is giving her pressure to organize the Christmas event for the successful PR company that they run together. The Lighthouse refurb is so beautiful that Mia decides to host the company party there itself, using the event as a charity stunt to help Will’s sister keep her bakery afloat. But an unexpected discovery while sorting grandma’s belongings is threatening to destroy all of Mia’s plans: the sale, the party and the new life she was planning to start for herself. But hang on tight, as there is a fantastic happy ending waiting for you!

The Santa Suit

• AUTHOR: Mary Kay Andrews
• TOPIC: Festive Novel

Another perfect holiday read, that kept me glued to the pages throughout. There is everything you wish for: love, family, community, Christmas, magic and hope.

Recently divorced Ivy took a decision: she needs a change of scene and life. So much so that she buys an old farmhouse without even seeing it first. And is she in for s surprise when she arrives! The house is still full of everything from the previous owners and needs more than a little refurb. Luckily she meets Ezra, who without a flinch seems to always have an answer for all her worries, and helps her out every day with one thing or the other. While sorting through the belongings, she finds a beautiful old Santa suit, and discovers a note inside left many years before: the silent prayer of a little girl to Santa to get her father back from war from Christmas. Touched by the note, Ivy sets on a personal quest to find out more about the note, all the while making friends in the community and helping so many people around her without realizing it. A truly unexpected Christmas miracle will deliver to her not only the solution to her quest, but also a home and a second chance at love.

The Holiday Swap

• AUTHOR: Maggie Knox
• TOPIC: Festive Novel

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It was cute, festive, romantic, the perfect Christmas time read.

When celebrity Chef Charlie Goodwin has a small accident on set, she looses consciousness, and with it, also her sense of taste and smell. Knowing she is in a dire career turning point trying to win the helm of the next baking reality show against her nemesis, she reaches out to her identical twin Cassie for help: they need to swap for a week, like they used to do as kids. Cassie has just finally gathered the courage to break up with her long term boyfriend, and accepts happily the change of scene. On top of it, running every day the family bakery can be repetitive, so the swap takes place. Living in each other shoes it’s an eye opener for both sisters, and also comes with its complications. Trying to keep up the show is tricky, and slowly both of them let their own personality take over: Cassie by standing up for herself on set and Charlie by getting rid of the sister ex-boyfriend once and for all. Romance is added to the mix when both sisters unexpectedly fall in love with someone while in each other’s shoes. Conflicted about their feelings and if they should come clean or not, they also start thinking about their future: are they really happy with the life they are leaving? But don’t worry, a fantastic happy ending is waiting around the corner of this great read!

Window Shopping

Well, this was definitely not a Christmas book. I mean, it happens at Christmas, but wow, it was one of the raciest books I have ever read. Fifty shades of Grey has nothing on it! I was totally open-mouther surprised as I was NOT expecting this. Liked it, but didn’t love it.

Stella has just got out of prison after serving a four year sentence, and while walking in Manhattan, she stops in front of the windows of Vivant, unable to stop herself from thinking how much better she would have done it. Because window merchandising was her dream. A stranger approaches her with curiosity and asks her opinion, which she hesitantly but than freely provides. Little did she know that she is talking to Aiden, the GM of the store. Seeing something in her, he invites her to apply for the position of window decorator. Initially to scared to do so, due to her recent past, she agrees and gets hired on probation. During this time, Aiden and Stella spend more time together, slowly falling for each other, trying not to let it show. Because the rules are clear: no fraternizing between employees, unless a love contract is signed. But when Stella’s first window is unveiled and it’s a huge success, the two of them cannot deny any longer, and they are so close to the edge of taking the next step, until Aiden pulls back: he cares for Stella and doesn’t want to create any issues in her newly conquered life. When Stella gets hired permanently and is accused of stealing some earrings, two things happen: Aiden stands up to his family for the first time, and Stella realizes she is in love and ready to sign and seal the contract. When someone from Stella’s past is about to ruin it all, Aiden’s love will make her stronger and able to fight her past demons.

Seven Days of Us

• AUTHOR: Francesca Hornak
• TOPIC: Novel

I was conflicted for a while about the book and took me a bit to fall into it, but I ended up liking it.
Wouldn’t call it one of my favorites, but I did like the intricate family and life issues that are touched during the story: adultery, secret love, marriage, family, belonging, sisterhood. And for me, anything that happens during Christmas, is always a winner.

The Birch family is together for the first time in years under the same roof. But it’s a different kind of Christmas: a quarantine one. Olivia is coming home only because she has to, but having just finished helping during a Haag epidemic abroad, she is forcing the whole family to be in lockdown with her for a week. And of course, younger sister Phoebe is less than thrilled with this, as she just got engaged to George and would rather spend Christmas otherwise. Andrew, the father, and ex war correspondent, is closing himself in the study, sulking not only about the restaurant reviews he now writes, but also about a mysterious email he recently received from Jesse…a son he never knew he had. Emma, the mom, also has her secrets to hide: she was diagnosed with cancer and doesn’t want to ruin Christmas by divulging the news.
While they all battle their own secrets and emotions, Jesse accidentally falls inside the house ( literally ), Emma secret comes out in the open, as does Andrew’s, George breaks up with Phoebe and Olivia mistakes an unexpected pregnancy for Haag infection. Never a dull moment for sure, and un unexpected ending, though sad, makes the whole book really worthwhile.

All About Us

• AUTHOR: Tom Ellen
• TOPIC: Novel

Even though the storyline has been probably overdone throughout the years, for me it’s always the winner and didn’t make me love the book any less.
Think The Christmas Carol meets Groundhog day.

Ben is unhappy with his life. He is married to Daphne since 10 years, and when an old flame reappears in his life, Alice, he starts questioning himself whether he took a wrong decision all those years back by choosing Daphne. So on Christmas Eve, instead of being home setting up the tree while his wife is out for a work event, he decides to hit the pub, where he meets a strange old man that gifts him a clock. A broken one at that, because it stopped one minute before midnight and never moves.
Once home and feeling sorry for himself, he visits the attic half drunk and finds a box full of past memories. The next thing he knows, when he wakes up he is not in the attic…but back in time. To where it all started.
During the book, Ben moves throughout the years, past, present and future, every night at midnight. His experiences, thoughts, memories are touching. The regret and lessons learnt are many. The opportunity to do good where he once did wrong, presents itself many times. The only challenge? Only he will remember the changes he is making to his own decisions…no one in the present will know. So what is the point?
Ben is the point. His life, his future, his family.

This Time Next Year

• AUTHOR: Sophie Cousens
• TOPIC: Novel

Loved Loved Loved this novel! Been on my shelf since last December but didn’t get around to read it until now. And totally get the hype that surrounded the release of this title: totally worth it!

Minnie is scared of her birthday. Which falls on 1st January. Because every year, something bad happens. This year, she reluctantly joins her boyfriend to a party, only to find herself locked into the bathroom of the club…the whole night. Just proving her point that it’s best to stay at home on her birthday. Saved by a handsome stranger, things get worse when she realizes who that is: Quinn, a boy who was born the same day as her, in the same hospital, and that stole the name that was meant for her. Along with her luck. Set on proactively hating him, fate has other plans, and while they continuously bump into each other, Minnie discovers two things: he is not that bad, and he is not lucky in all aspects of his life. While Minnie struggles to keep her business afloat with her best friend, Quinn has to deal with his mom who never quiet recovered her divorce. But it’s only when they two worlds melt into each other, that the magic will really happen. And it will become clear that luck is something you make for yourself, not something that happens to you.

Second First Impressions

• AUTHOR: Sally Thorne
• TOPIC: Novel

I love Sally Thorne and my second read by her didn’t disappoint.
Cute, funny, full of banter and emotions.
Can’t wait to see what she will write next.

Ruthie has worked all her life at the front desk of a luxury retirement residence, forgetting during this time that she is young and beautiful, and not one of the guests residents. When she is left at the helm of the operation during her boss’s vacation, she accidentally meets the son of the owner, who is a developer. Teddy, on the contrary, is a free spirit, penniless, chasing the dream of opening his own tattoo studio. Absolutely gorgeous and gifted with the most beautiful hair anyone has ever seen, he stirs something in Ruthie that she forgot was inside of her. Since Teddy needs a place to stay and get himself back on his feet, the father places him in the half cottage next to Ruthie, who in return assigns him the worst job ever: personal butler to the most demanding and eccentric ladies in the residence.
Convinced he will fail like all the others, she is in for a surprise: Teddy can charm everyone, not only her. Clear from the beginning that he won’t stay long ( the butler job comes with a handsome pay that will make his tattoo studio wish come true ), she tries hard not to fall for him, and her new intern/friend is making sure of that, by setting her on dating websites and making a full plan about bringing Ruthie back to this century.
When everything comes crumbling down, with the news of Teddy’s father’s intentions to redevelop the residence into something else, both Teddy and Ruthie will be put in front of a hard decision: will Teddy stay next to Ruthie to help her overcome the crisis? And will Ruthie finally move on and join Teddy to start a new chapter in her life?

Freckles

• AUTHOR: Cecelia Ahern
• TOPIC: Novel

I cannot tell you how excited I was when this book came out. Cecelia was one of the reasons I got back into reading. I have read every single one of her books and was also in my top three favorite writers.
Until this book…
It was painful to read…difficult to follow…I am not exaggerating when I say it was torture to finish it.
The main idea, that you are the sum of the five people you spend most time in the world, was a good one to start with.
But I feel simply unable to even write a summary…It’s simply not worth it.
What a shame.

The Match

• AUTHOR: Sarah Adams
• TOPIC: Novel

Sarah did it again in this second book of hers I have read.
She is always able to mix a romantic tale with a witty and funny prose, and an underlying lesson of life and people.
Evie fought hard to get her independence. Born in a family where wealth and appearances seems to be everything, when diagnosed with epilepsy, she was scared to go alone in the world. Until she got her own support dog and it opened the world for her.
Though she is living salary to bills on a monthly basis, often falling short, she would never give it up. She is fulfilled and happy as she is able to help others like her for a living: helping finding the right support dog for the right owner.
When a small girl tricks her architect father into meeting Evie by sending an email to her faking to be him, things become complicated, but Evie doesn’t give up…the girl also has epilepsy and she is the right person for the job.
It will take some time to get Jacob to accept Evie’s intentions to help, but when he does, he will discover a talented, caring, motherly woman, who wants to do nothing else than making her daughter happy.
Afraid to let go and be hurt again and scared of his daughter being disappointed again by a mother figure, it will be soon clear that Evie is what they need in their lives.
And it will be more than a just a match from support dog to owner…it will be the start of their forever.

The Top Five Regrets Of The Dying

• AUTHOR: Bronnie Ware
• TOPIC: Authobiography

I have been wanting to read this book for a very long time.
Maybe my expectations were wrong and I was looking forward to something totally different.
I had no idea this book was an autobiography…or better said, I knew it was but I certainly didn’t imagine it to be so focused on the author’s life.
I was attracted to it even more due to a recent personal lost, that made me question everything about life, and I was curious to see if the obvious is taken for granted as much as I thought it was.
And unfortunately it is. We realize too late that our time on this planet is limited and can be taken away from us any second, and still we arrive to our death bed wishing we did everything different.
This book is meant to remind you of what’s important in life, but were it fell short for me, is how this message was delivered.
Never the less, it was an inspiration for a tattoo that I got recently: DIE WITH MEMORIES, NOT DREAMS.

Bearing The Unbearable

• AUTHOR: Joanne Cacciatore
• TOPIC: Self-help

I recently lost my mom, and as I am a reader, I needed a book to help me out during this time.
I loved going through these pages because they were written in an easy way to understand, full of real life and author’s experiences and examples, and not like a mechanical to do list…because with a loss like this, there is no right or wrong way. Everyone feels and reacts differently, and it is good to read that it’s ok to feel in any way I feel. It is good to read that there is no manual for this. It is good to read that everyone’s experience is unique and worthy. It is good to read that I am allowed to feel different emotions at different times. It is good to read that I don’t have to justify myself to anyone. This is my journey of pain and loss, mine alone. And I am allowed to go through it the only way I know how…one step at the time.

The Women at Hitler’s Table

• AUTHOR: Rosella Postorino
• TOPIC: Novel

I should have read this book in original language and probably I would have understood it and loved it more. It was a bit heavy to follow, I could see in the prose that the translation was not giving it justice. I was initially attracted by the story, but it just didn’t make it for me. Shame.
I wish I could write a summary but it really all revolves around the ladies that were hired to taste all the food that was going to be consumed by Hitler, to ensure he wouldn’t be poisoned by his enemies. Of course, there are other nuances to the story, but as mentioned, it didn’t leave any emotional mark on me.

The Bride Test

• AUTHOR: Helen Hoang
• TOPIC: Novel

My second book from Helen and it was just as good as the first. Funny, witty, romantic, a true pleasure to read.

Mi makes the weirdest encounter while cleaning toilets at the hotel where she works in Vietnam. A woman is looking for a wife for her son Khai, and thinks Mi would be a perfect fit. After much thinking, she decides to accept, to provide her family and her daughter with the opportunity of a better future. Once in America with her name changed to Esme, she meets Khai, who is obviously not thrilled to have her live with him. On top of everything else, Khai is autistic, so he is very particular about his schedule, his things, his feelings and people in general. He avoids relationships at all costs, and thinks he has a heart made of stone. Feeling guilty for the death of this best friend Alex 10 years prior, doesn’t help. But Esme has 3 months to make Khai fall in love with her and marry her, and she needs to seduce him. What she doesn’t realize is, that just being herself is making an effect of Khai, who mistakes the love he is starting to feel for her, for addiction to her presence. When Esme’s time in America is coming to an end and its clear that Khai doesn’t love her, she needs to try a way to stay. Luckily she saved money from working at Khai’s mother’s restaurant, and her evening studies have paid off, granting her the high school diploma she never had. But when her university scholarship gets rejected, she tries one more time to tell Khai how much she loves him, but to no avail. Only thanks to a genius idea from Khai’s brother, he will come to his senses, and will be forced to understand he was wrong all along.

Dilemma

• AUTHOR: B.A. Paris
• TOPIC: Novel

This was a super interesting and totally unexpected book. My second from B.A. Paris and a genre that is usually not my go-to, but I loved it. So full of twists, beautifully written, keeps you glued to each word of each page. I really enjoyed it.

Livia cannot think of anything else: her 40th birthday is around the corner and she is throwing the biggest party ever. A party she has been thinking of and saving for, her whole life. Her obsession comes from the need to make up for the wedding she never had. Fallen pregnant too young, estranged by her uber-catholic family, she never had a chance and now she will make up for it. The only black stain on this celebration is the fact that her daughter Marnie will not be able to make it as she is studying in Hong Kong. What she doesn’t know is that Marnie and her father Adam are planning a surprise. But everything shatters when Adam hears the news of an airplane crash in Cairo. Marnie was supposed to be on that flight, but she might have missed it because her previous connection was delayed. It’s the morning of the party and Adam cannot reach Marnie. What should he do? Livia sees that Adam is worried, but a whirlwind of misunderstandings take place. Livia discovered time back some awful secrets about Marnie, and while Livia is trying to find the right moment to confess everything to Adam, Adam is trying to cling to hope that Marnie wasn’t on that flight and struggles to decide: shall he inform Livia or let her have the last few hours of joy?
We are taken on an emotional trip between Adam’s and Livia’s thoughts, until the news of Marnie’s death is confirmed to Adam during the night of the party. And than, everything comes falling apart.

A Million Dreams

• AUTHOR: Dani Atkins
• TOPIC: Novel

Wow, what a novel. I absolutely loved it. So complex, so well written, so full of sentiment and feelings, so gripping. A story of motherhood and hope, of family and second chances, of love and loss.
Highly recommend it.

Beth has a decision to make. When her husband Tim died of cancer, they had one frozen embryo left to fulfill her dream of having a child with the love of her life. And she wants to try again, without telling anyone to avoid disappointment. But when the clinic calls, they ask her to come in person to discuss.
Izzy, on the other hand, is struggling to come to terms that her marriage might be over. Separated from her husband since a year, they only have their 8 year old son Noah to keep them together. When the time comes to renew the contract to keep their frozen embryos in the clinic, despite the circumstances, they decide to keep them. But they also receive a call from the clinic to come in person to discuss.
What happens next is nothing short of a nightmare. Beth embryo’s was mistakenly implanted into Izzy 8 years ago.
So is Noah Beth’s or Izzy’s son?
While Beth comes to terms with the fact that her dream to have Tim’s child is now gone forever, Izzy needs to fight to keep the child that she birthed and taken care of since the day he was born.
How will these two women find a way to cope? to live? to compromise? to get back what was taken away from them?

Appuntamento in Terrazzo

• AUTHOR: Felicia Kingsley
• TOPIC: Novel

My second book from Felicia, read in Italian, is just as good as the first one I have read, and i am on a mission to read everything from her.
This take is particularly funny, as it takes place during the year that changed our world: 2020, lockdown, pandemic. But it gives a positive note to it, as it is a story of resilience and love, giving us hope that even in the worst time, we can find something to dream and live for.

The Italian Government has just announced a month lock full lockdown: no one is allowed out, everyone stays in. Didi just came back to visit her family from Germany and is now stuck with her workaholic father, her mother who discovered social media and its conspiracy theories, grandpa and her younger sister who plays wanna-be influencer. While Alex next door just found out that his influencer girlfriend of 10 years, has been cheating on him for a long time. So her is stuck with her, trying to keep his homicidal thoughts at bay.
The only respite seems to be the terrace, and this is where Alex and Didi meet. Hesitant at first, they make of this tiny space their meeting place, and as the days pass, they look forward to each other’s company more and more. When the building opens up the rooftop to allow access to residents one at the time for an hour a day, they break all rules, and they treat each other with surprises and made up dates to spend more time together, dream about what they will do once lockdown ends, and fall in love in the most unexpected times of all.

Fly Away

• AUTHOR: Kristin Hannah
• TOPIC: Novel

I have made the mistake of watching the Netflix series before reading this second part of Firefly Lane, so obviously it was interesting to discover the discrepancies.
But this didn’t take away from the fact that I loved this book as much as I loved the first one.
An emotional novel of life, hope, addiction, loss, motherhood, family, and most importantly, forgiveness.

When Kate looses her battle of cancer, everyone around her falls apart. She was the glue of her family and the stronger one of the Tullyandkate duo.
Despite Tully’s promise on Kate’s death bed, she is unable to keep her word to look after Kate’s children, and when Marah, the eldest, disappears while under her care, Tully looses all control.
Addicted to antidepressants, she barely survives a car crash leaving her in a one year coma.
During this time though, something miraculous happens, as this tragedy brings everyone together.
Johnny, Kate’s husband, puts aside his feelings of disappointment towards Tully and stands by her side with his whole family.
Marah comes back, gives up her addiction and the young man that led her astray.
And Cloud, now Dorothy, Tully’s long lost mother, reappears clean, changed, and ready to share her story and to finally do the one thing she was never able to do: be Tully’s mother.

The Memory Keeper

• AUTHOR: Jenny Hale
• TOPIC: Novel

They should make this book a movie. I am a secret admirer of Hallmark, and while reading this book, I just felt like I was inside one of their movies. Such a feel-good story, not only of love, family and friends, but also of second chances and finding the path that was meant for you. And especially this last part hit home: when you have that feeling inside of you that you are not doing what you meant to be doing. Thank you @jhaleauthor for this gem.
Hannah is a workaholic living in NYC, turning 35. To celebrate, she planned a surprise trip to the Barbados with her boyfriend. Once she reaches the airport, three things happen that will throw her plans off-course: she catches her boyfriend with another woman; her mom calls telling her that her Gran is in hospital; a snow storm hits NYC and flights are cancelled. But fate comes to the rescue this time with Georgia, a woman on a mission to find her birth parents; and Liam, an old school friend from home. Liam has a rented car, and they embark on a journey to reach Hannah’s home town. Once there, aside Gran’s recovery, the most pressing issue is her beloved flower shop, The Memory keeper: it’s drowning in debt but she doesn’t want to let it go. Despite her parents pushing her to give up, Hannah is torn to keep her Gran’s wishes and with Georgia’s help and creativity, they embark on a mission to bring it back to life. During this time, she reconnects with Ethan, her childhood best friend, and develops a relationship with Liam, which is rocky at first: he lost his wife to cancer, and has a son Noah who he is struggling to bond with. But Hannah’s determination is unstoppable, now that she realized she found her path and her home. She resigns from her job, brings the shop back in business, gives a job to Georgia and helps Ethan and his wife reconnect with their lost dreams. The only thing missing is Liam. When Hannah discovers that he has been hiding that he is the owner of Gran’s shop and responsible for increasing the rent, all seems lost. Will Hannah be able to keep the shop and live her happily ever after?

People We Meet On Vacation

• AUTHOR: Emily Henry
• TOPIC: Novel

Poppy and Alex couldn’t be more different. But despite this, they have been best friends since college. When Poppy moved away from their home town to pursue a life of travel, and Alex stayed back to finish his studies, they agreed to spend every summer holiday together, discovering a new place each time. And each year, this is the time they most look forward to. Poppy has everything she wants, but she feels stuck. And when prompted by her best friend to think about the last time she has been truly happy, her memories always take her back to time spent with Alex. The only thing is that the last time they spoke, was two years ago during their last trip together in Croatia. With nothing to lose, she contacts him to plan their next trip, and surprisingly, he agrees…and she has a week to fix everything. Taking Alex’s brother wedding in Palm Springs as the perfect time to meet up, things are awkward at first, and they take an unexpected turn when they both put their guard down and confess their love to each other. But when the week is over, it’s time to go back to reality, and a last-minute misunderstanding seems to threaten their newly formed bond: do they want the same things? is love enough? It will take a few therapy sessions for Poppy to untangle her feelings and to realize that home is not a place, but a person: Alex. 

Why Mummy Swears

• AUTHOR: Gill Simms
• TOPIC: Novel

Gill Sims did it again! My second book from her series and if possible, it’s even better that the first.
I have laughed with other books this year, but THIS is legendary! You will literally never stop.
For those out there who are mothers, this is a must read. And for those who aren’t, just read it for the fun of it!
You will thank me later.
In this episode, it touches on how motherhood is not perceived as a full-time commitment, and on the old society way of thinking that women should always be responsible for everything when it comes to house hold and child care.
And how utterly tiring and distressing it can be to try and juggle it all, between a house, a dog, a husband, the kids and full-time job. How often women are not entitled to be able to feel like their own person, with dreams and desires, and are expected to drop everything to take care of everyone else first. How having a job can drive women into guilt, thorn between wanting a career and being the best mothers and wives, they can be. How often husbands and partners contribute to this feeling, by thinking their job are more important and that women should do it all. How marriage is a partnership where duties and responsibilities should be shared as a team.
Of course, Gill takes everything to excess to make it more fun, but I am sure that unfortunately many women are experiencing this day in and day out. But the bottom line is: women never give up, and no matter how unhappy or tired or lonely or disheartened, they always make it work and pull it off in the end.

The Hidden Beach

• AUTHOR: Karen Swan
• TOPIC: Novel

@swannywrites is in my top 10 favorite writers and again she didn’t disappoint. Though it took me a bit to warm up to the story, I was glued to the pages as usual, by the end of it. She has this magical way of creating suspense and mystery in any story, with a sparkle of love on top. That’s why she is one of the bests!
Bell has been babysitting for Hanna and Max for 3 years, taking care of Linus and the twin girls. But then one day, she picks up a call that will change everything: Hanna’s husband is alive. Turns out that Linus’s father is not Max, but Emil, who was in coma for the last 7 years due to an accident and was never meant to wake up. But he did, and he is part of the most influential family in Sweden. While things become tense in the household, they move to the summer house, where Bell manages to breathe and have some fun, and even a one-night stand with a stranger who shares a big loss just like her: losing someone they love. Suddenly, trying to forget him becomes impossible when Hanna, submitting to Emil’s threats, asks Bell to spend the summer with Linus in Emil’s house, to allow the two to reconnect. And it turns out that her stranger in Emil. Wanting to leave but having to stay, Bell is torn by Emil’s quest to get his family back no matter what, hurting everyone on his way, denying what they felt together. But when Hanna makes an undeniable move on Emil, Bell returns angry and confused to the girls and Max. It will take Emil’s sister intervention to bring his memory back, realizing that his quest is irrelevant: Max and Hanna were already back together before the accident, and when they all meet on Emil’s birthday, the truth that comes out is a shock they will all take a long time to recover from. So much so, that Bell sails across the world to NZ to escape…but will it be enough distance to forget Emil?

The Float Plan

• AUTHOR: Trish Doller
• TOPIC: Novel

@trishdoller what a gem of a book! Thank you for this uplifting story of love, grief, survival and discovery. Loved it!
Since Anna lost her fiancé’ Ben to suicide, she has been lost. On the day they were supposed to sail for a trip around the world, she does the unthinkable: she drops everything and everyone and decides to sail the route they were supposed to discover together. From early on she realizes it’s no easy feat for an inexperienced sailor, and when she is saved from a drunken night by a stranger Keane, she struggles to believe he is the sailor she was looking for. While they start the journey together, they both need to come to terms with their own demons and past, but all seems easy around Keane: handsome, kind, funny, and though supporting all of her planned trip decisions, also takes her out of the beaten track, allowing her to discover places that weren’t on Ben’s list. Afraid at first that it’s too early to move on, the growing feelings between them are too difficult to hide. And just when they finally fall for each other, Keane receives the call he was waiting for: a proper sailing gig. And leaves. Feeling stronger than ever, Anna sets on the last and most difficult leg of her journey, realizing that she can live without Keane, but just doesn’t want to. Luckily, Keane feels the same.

The Echo Wife

• AUTHOR: Sarah Gailey
• TOPIC: Novel

I really didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this novel, but I was pleasantly surprised! I loved it!@gaileyfrey kept me reading, and on the edge, never knowing what was coming next: exactly the way I like it!
Evelyn is a famous genetic researcher, who just won an award for her scientific breakthrough. But while all at work is great, her personal life isn’t. Coming from a broken home, now her own is broken too: her husband left her for another woman. This would be something common if it wasn’t that Nathan has used Evelyn’s Caldwell Method to clone Evelyn herself and make Martine. Things get complicated when Evelyn receives a call from Martine out of the blue, and when they meet, Evelyn cannot believe her eyes: Martine is pregnant. Something that shouldn’t even be possible. And it all reaches a new level when Martine murders Nathan and drags Evelyn into it. Left with no other choice, they together make a new Nathan using the same method used to make Martine. But when her baby is born and everything seems to finally be going smoothly, a macabre discovery sets things off again: the real Nathan has made 12 attempts to make Martine, and all the clone bodies are buried in her garden. Decided to find a way out, Evelyn stages Martine’s death to save her, but that means leaving the baby behind. Luckily clone Nathan is not so different than the real one, and appears at Evelyn’s doorsteps asking for help with the baby. Just when you think there is a happy ending, the last words of the last pages will make you think otherwise.

The Switch

• AUTHOR: Beth O’Leary
• TOPIC: Novel

I loved Flatshare and The Switch didn’t disappoint. Just simply equally amazing, funny, witty, cute. @betholeary is definitely up there with my favorite authors now.
Leena is forced to take a sabbatical after failing at a big presentation at work due to an uncommon panic attack. Eileen, her grandma, is almost eighty, newly single and in search of love, but complains that her rural city lacks eligible decent single man. So they decide to swop lives for two months: Leena needs to decompress and Eileen needs a bigger pool of eligible man, which should be no problem to find in London. The only issue? Leena hasn’t seen her mom Marian since her sister Carla’s passing, and on the long list of duties that Eileen left her, “taking care of Marian” is high on the list. While both take time to settle, Eileen seems to be doing brilliantly in London, winning over all the neighbors, all of Leena’s friends, finding a fling and even starting events for the elderlies in the common area of the building. Leena, on the other hand, is taking a bit longer to be accepted by the elderlies of the small town and to deal with reconnecting with her estranged mother, but luckily there is Jackson around, a single dad her age that she meets while fulfilling Eileen’s long list of duties. A great distraction from her non-present boyfriend Etienne. When the time is about to run out, and Jackson confesses his feelings, Eileen discovers that Etienne has been cheating. But Leena is not ready to listen. Only when put in front of the hard truth, she will take the courage to follow her heart: leave her job, set up her own company with her best friend, move back to Yorshire where she belongs, and kiss the man that really deserves her. While Eileen discovers that the man she needed, was right across her fence the whole time. 

Shall We Tell The President?

• AUTHOR: Jeffrey Archer
• TOPIC: Novel

My third book by Jeffrey Archer, and the last part of the Kane & Abel series. I was so looking forward to see how the story ended, because I absolutely loved the first two books. But unfortunately, this sequel was a great disappointment. I just finished reading and I am still questioning what was the point of this last book? The first two were filled with stories and anecdotes of life, it had a meaning…while this one was an odd recount of an assassination attempt to President Kane. And really the summary is useless, because nothing else happened but this, in the whole book. While the focus should have been on the main character and outline her life as President ( in line with the style of the previous two books ), it was everything but: she was barely touched upon during the whole story. So disappointing.

The Soulmate Equation

• AUTHOR: Christina Lauren
• TOPIC: Novel

I can’t tell you how much I have been waiting to read this book! @chirstinalauren did it again! What an amazing read, I could barely put it down! Funny, witty, innovative! I would give 10 stars if I could. Make sure you read it!
Jess is a single mom trying to juggle her free-lance statistics job, trying to forget the fact that her mom is an addict and never present and her kid’s father was never in the picture. Luckily, she can rely on her grandparents and her best friend Fizzy, whom she works with daily from their favorite cafe. Here is where she meets stubborn and stuck-up River, a genetics doctor who is about to launch a new dating app: what if you could find your soulmate based on your genes? Initially skeptical, on a whim she submits her results, and her world changes forever. She got a 98% match with someone, and this never happened before in the history of GeneticAlly. The catch: her match is River. Both incredulous and shocked, after much thinking and with a much-needed monetary incentive for Jess, she agrees to trial a relationship with him for 3 months, in the name of science. With time, feelings grow between them with each passing day, and the ever present question for both of them is: is it really true? or is the pressure of the 98% convincing them that they are falling in love? When Jess stumbles accidentally on their genetic reports, she discovers that they were altered…and even though River proves to be innocent, his reaction to the discovery seems to be putting their newly born love into grave danger. Can they still love each other and be together after this shocking discovery? I guess you will need to read to find out!

Le Piccole Liberta’

• AUTHOR: Lorenza Gentile
• TOPIC: Novel

I am still in double mind about this book by Lorenza Gentile. I loved the topics touched in the story and even though I read the book in the original language, it was often slow and hard to follow, with some missing links that I think could have been developed better. Never the less, it wasn’t a bad read.

Oliva is 30, about to get married, working in the marketing department of a multinational company on a temp contract, and with a secret addiction to Asian snacks. When her long-lost aunt sends her a package with a ticket to Paris with instructions to meet her there to discuss something vital, she finally decides to go. She finds herself in a famous library where a bohemian community welcomes her, gives her a place to stay, as long as she helps out and reads a book a day. Easy. What’s not easy is the way they think and live, and the fact that her aunt never shows. Every time she misses an appointment, Oliva misses her train and ends up on multiple adventures lead by Victor. And with this, Oliva starts to open up to life and possibilities. Torn between her new found freedom and the responsibilities waiting for her at home, Oliva still knows that she should wait, her aunt will come and explain everything. And when the truth is revealed, it finally all makes sense. And Oliva embarks on a journey written by her own hand, following her own rules, finally living life the way she wants to live it.

Stronze Si Nasce

• AUTHOR: Felicia Kingsley
• TOPIC: Novel

My first book by @felicia_kingsley and don’t let the name fool you, but she is actually Italian, and reading the book in the original language was not only fun, it was great! I loved the banter of the book, the never-ending twists and funny moments, and this only means one thing: I am in trouble, because now I want to read anything she has ever written.

Allegra Hill has only one dream: write for Architectural Digest. But to get there, she needs to start somewhere and finally lands a job in a high-scale real estate firm in the center of London. Shock of her life when she realizes that her archnemesis from high-school, Sparkle, also works there and is already the appointed office-goddess. Memories of always being in second tier flood Allegra’s mind, but when their boss pairs them up as a team, something happens: apparently the Sparkliness is contagious and Allegra is suddenly “in”: Sparkle doesn’t go anywhere or does anything without Allegra. When she bumps into a stranger, Tristan, twice in a row, Allegra thinks she has finally found prince charming, only to realize that all along Sparkle has never changed and was eyeing Tristan for herself. Her doubts take further ground when the boss announces an impossible mission that could cost her job: Sparkle tricks her into taking the unsellable building stuck with the company since years. With the help of Duke, Tristan’s friend, she decides to stage an incredible party in the building, after personally refurbing the place, and it’s success! She becomes the official stager of the company and her new business model takes off. When Sparkle and Tristan announce their wedding, it’s game on: time for revenge. Duke is again at her rescue to help her in her mission, but it will take Allegra some time to realize that what she really needed and wanted all along, was not sparkles: but the person who was beside her and in front of her all along.

Hopeless Romantic

• AUTHOR: Marina Adair
• TOPIC: Novel

My first novel by @authormarinaadair and loved it. I should have also realized that this was part 2 of a story, but it was ok as the story was standing on its own feet. There is a multitude of topics touched in this novel: family, friendship, finding your place in the world, asking for help, putting yourself first while taking care of others, dreams and hopes, hard work, charity, mental illness, trust, vulnerability. A rainbow of subjects that make the love story so much more than just that.
Beckett has no time for anything. No wonder, as not only she takes care of her autistic brother and father, but she also has her own business as a personal concierge and trains rescue animals to become support partners for those who need them. So, love and relationships are out of the question. It’s always family and business first. Levi, the owner of the town’s most popular restaurant, also has his life on hold: when his sister died leaving behind a grieving husband, mother and newborn child, he couldn’t take the sailing trip of his dream and stayed behind. Both taking on more than they can, they have an easy daily banter and connection that they have no choice but to develop when their best friends turn to them to organize their wedding. As feelings grow, Levi wants to help and Beckett is afraid to let go of control; Levi wants to be her rock, while Beckett is scared no one will ever accept her family situation. It will take a great shock in both of their lives to realize that they need each other to hold on to, and that trying to do everything alone is not always the solution to everything.

The Book of Lost Names

• AUTHOR: Kristin Harmel
• TOPIC: Novel

My first book by @kristinharmel and I absolutely loved it. It is always heartbreaking to read stories based on WW2 and one of the worst chapters in human history: the Holocaust. But the beauty of this book is reminding us that there was still hope in between the tragedy. People came together to help, there was still love and humanity, there was an inner strength that some courageous displayed and saved countless lives. It was an absolutely amazing read, which I highly recommend.
Eva Traube is now an eighty-something librarian living in Florida, but there is more to her than her family knows. And when she finds a picture on a newspaper about a book she last saw sixty years ago, everything she witnessed and survived comes crashing back into memory, pushing her to go to Berlin and find it: The Book Of Lost Names. Going back in time, we live with Eva her tale of tragedy and survival. French born to polish immigrated Jews, when her father is taken away to prison, she follows her dad’s instructions and finds a way for herself and her mother to reach the free-zone in the French mountains. Having been artistic her whole life, she has a gift: forgery. Once settled into the new town thanks to the false documents she created, she finds herself in the middle of a resistance group that helps people to safety into Switzerland. And they need her help. Despite her mother’s grief and lack of understanding, she knows she needs to help, and she starts forging documents in the local church, where she meets Remy, who will work by her side and even help her to try and get her father back. When Eva realizes a lot of those they are helping are kids, she wants to ensure there is a trace somewhere of their real identity, and with Remy’s, they develop a secret code hidden in a book, giving life to the Book of Lost Names. While Eva and Remy start developing feelings for each other, Remy’s desire to help more takes him on dangerous adventures, leaving Eva behind continuing the work until their cell is discovered, leading to her mom’s arrest. Left alone, she makes a last trip with some kids to cross border into Switzerland, only to realize her travel companion is Remy. Despite their love, Eva’s inability to commit to marriage to Christian Remy pushed him away back to his duties, and Eva decides to go back and find her mother, only to discover she was executed because of her. Fast forward to after the war, Eva goes back to Paris, finds her father and goes to the agreed upon library step to wait for Remy. But he never shows. Upon the death of her father, she boards a ship to America with the man who will become her husband…but not all is lost…because she is not the only one who shows up sixty years later, looking for the Book of Names

One Thousand Stars and You

• AUTHOR: Isabelle Broom
• TOPIC: Novel

My first book by isabelle_broom_author and loved it! It is for sure a romantic novel with a happy ending, but it is so much more than that! It’s about friendship and adventure, but above all, is about self-discovery and having the courage to decide what’s best for you, and find your own path in life, no matter what others think, free of the shackles of family and society. Your journey is your own, so it’s ok if people don’t understand: just be happy.
Alice is living a stable, yet boring life: a job she doesn’t love and a boyfriend since 10 years. But she is a free spirit at heart. Something she has hidden away for so long after an accident years before that left a scar, not only of her face, but on the hearts of those close to her. Decided not to make anyone worry about her ever again, she put her true self to rest. But this is soon going to change, as she embarks on a bucket-list adventure in Sri Lanka with her 2 best friends. The evening they arrive, they meet 2 friends, and it’s clear from the start that Max sees something in Alice he recognizes: adventure, honesty, fire, but also fear…just like him. They develop a strong connection, helped by the fact that also Max has been in a life changing accident where he lost one leg. It’s as if 2 souls recognize each other, but Alice cannot seem to let go, afraid of her commitment back home. But they both can’t deny that something special is happening. When Max opens himself to her, and not only about feelings, but also about the fear they both have to let people down and hurt them, Alice freezes. It’s only when Max is forced to leave Sri Lanka urgently due to an infection in his stump, that Alice realizes Max was right: she loves him and she needs to start living her own life, the way she wants to.

Until Next Weekend

• AUTHOR: Rachel Marks
• TOPIC: Novel

An amazing tale of fatherhood, love, divorce and redemption by @rachelmarksauthor It is not often that I read a book where the male character is the protagonist, where his fears, opinions, feelings and insecurities are the central part of the story…and this is probably the main reason I loved it.
Noah is a divorced teacher with 2 sons, and he is now the “weekend dad”. Struggling to cope with the loss of his family, he turns to drinking every single day, and to the occasional hookup. His ex wife Kate has already another partner, and he cannot cope with the idea of losing everything that once was his. On one evening when he was supposed to keep the kids, he drinks too much yet again, and decides to further drink his guilt into oblivion in a new pub, where he meets Mimi, an outspoken barmaid. As the days go by, they get into a closer friendship and Mimi decides to help Noah in his mission: prove to Kate that he is a changed man and win her back. The only problem: Kate is getting married in 6 weeks. Noah cleans himself up, spends more time with the kids, sometimes with Mimi as well, and does everything he can to be a better father and person. But when the mother of one of his troubled students attempts suicide, the truth of Noah’s past comes rushing into his life again, sending him back into a black hole. Especially as this student is Mimi’s nephew. It will take his whole family’s intervention and Mimi to get him back on his feet yet again, and complete his mission: declare his love to Kate. But when he does that on the day of her wedding, one thing becomes very clear: what he really loves and needs was standing in front of him all of this time. 

In The Time We Lost

• AUTHOR: Carrie Hope Fletcher
• TOPIC: Novel

Another gem by @carriehopefletcherFull of love and magic, but also a story of lost love, pain, and the courage to open up oneself again to the light of life and all that it entails. A tale of finding yourself again, discovering new parts on you, facing the inner fears, one step at a time.
Writer Luna is back in Ondingside, a small town out on an island in the middle of nowhere and with barely 400 habitants. And this time, she is going to stay for good. Because Luna has already been there…the day her fiancé left her before even getting onto the altar. But she only stayed one day last time, as an embarrassing moment at the local pub made her escape: she drank too much and made a fool of herself in front on Beau. Once back, it is difficult for her to fit in: she wants to be left alone but everyone in the village seems to be wanting to make conversation. And on her first day around town, she meets Beau again, who is now running the only decent coffee shop around and immediately recognizes her. Unable to let herself go into talking, she goes back to the inn. On waking up the following day, the village is completely covered in snow, despite it being the middle of July…and as she makes her way into town, she has a funny feeling on deja vu all along. The days pass, and the snow is getting thicker, and her round into town is exactly the same every day: the only difference? the way she starts to relate with the people she meets: more open, more willing to talk and to listen. And just when she starts developing feelings for Beau, a stranger from the mainland appears on the island with a shocking discovery: the snow is creating a time bubble and everyone on the island has been living the same day over and over for the past 5 days. Will Luna be able to move on into the future? You will have to read and find out!

Love Songs For Skeptics

• AUTHOR: Christina Pishiris
• TOPIC: Novel

What a book! Cute, funny, entertaining…it has it all! It’s her first and only book so far, but I can’t wait to read her more! @christinapishiris thank you for this gem!
Zoë Frixos is the editor at a major music magazine in London. And still in love with her best friend Simon, since she was 13…though she never told him. When he appears 20 years later, and single, Zoë hopes this is the moment for a second chance. If it wasn’t for the fact that suddenly her magazine is under the threat of being shut down unless she comes up with the best interview of the century. Her favorite rock idol Marcie would do the job, but it’s not that easy: she hasn’t written a song in 10 years and never gave out an interview before. And the only way to her is through Nick, an arrogant publicist she already had crossed with, when she wrote a not-so-positive review on a famous boy band he also represents. 
To make matters more complicated, Simon briefly confesses to have feelings for her and kisses her, but soon lands in the arms of Jess, a lost and addict old friend who blames Marcie for the end of her career. While Zoë tries to make sense of it all, she is forced to take on a deal with Nick: a revised positive interview of the band in exchange for one with Marcie. As the 2 get closer working together on this arrangement, Zoë realizes that Nick is not as bad as he seems, and the conflictive feelings she feels for Simon, don’t allow her to open herself up to new possibilities. It will only be during her brother’s wedding preparations and day, that Zoë will see the light: Simon was never right for her, and Nick is the one! An unexpected secret at the end will make the end even more exciting!

Healing Is The New High

• AUTHOR: Vex King
• TOPIC: Self-Help

I bought this second book by @vexking a while back, but only now I felt like I needed to read it. It is one of those books that you will be able to go back to, anytime you need it the most. I won’t lie: I didn’t to the meditation and exercises. But yes I needed a book to remind me that everything will be ok. And this is what this book does. It takes you on a journey to understand all the different layers that make you, you. And how to navigate through them, how to heal them, how to understand the, with one sole purpose: finding your true self, being compassionate and loving to yourself, allowing you to be free. It is interesting to read about concepts that I found in another similar topic books, because than it means it is all true: the power of energy, meditation, journaling, vibrations, and the connection of body and mind. And I also loved how it explained the possible root causes to certain traumas, that can go back as far as childhood, that affect the way you think, act, behave and have relationships with others. The long story short is: you have amazing possibilities ahead of you if you just believe and love yourself, no matter what happens around you. You can heal yourself. You can be happy. You can start over. You won’t forget, and that is ok because it makes you the person you are today…but you don’t have to let sadness, fear and insecurity define you.

The Tenth Muse

• AUTHOR: Catherine Chung
• TOPIC: Novel

I really didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book, but my instinct was right: I loved it.My first read by Catherine Chung, it’s a multifaceted tale: of discovering one self and one’s past; of secrets and discoveries; of passion for what one loves; of surviving and thriving as a women in a world of men; of adoption and family; of love and friendship…the story of a woman trying to prove herself during her whole life: of trying to prove she is worth it.
Katherine struggles her whole life to fit in: she is of Asian descent and a woman, trying to make her way in a world dominated by man mathematicians. Struggling to prove that she has a place in that world, and that as a woman, she is worth it. The story is almost like an autobiography, from childhood till old age, during which time Kathrine tells us her life: from discovering that both her parents are not her natural ones; from fighting for her love of math when no one believes in her; from her love for a man that ended up using her to prove his superiority; to finding her own way and traveling to Germany, where she will track down her origins and the story of her birth parents…who just like her, didn’t fit in the world of their time ( one being chinese and the other one Jew ), but where math genius, just like her. On her quest to conquer the Riemann Hypothesis, the greatest unsolved mathematical problem of her time, she will end up finding herself.

The Promise

• AUTHOR: Lucy Diamond
• TOPIC: Novel

Another masterpiece by @lucydiamondwrites She never disappoints, and with this newest book she really surpassed herself. A story of family, marriage, infidelity, death, grief, brotherhood and disappointments, but also hope and love: the cure to everything. Be ready for unexpected twists and surprises. Just how I like it!
Patrick suddenly dies in mysterious circumstances, leaving behind his wife Zoe and 3 kids, and his brother Dan. Dan is suffering from his broken marriage and he feels guilty for his brother’s death: on the night he passed, they had an argument. Intended to put himself back on track, he decides to step in and help out, by taking over his brother’s responsibilities with work, but also helping our Zoe and the kids. This will be a life changing exercise for him, and what was born out of guilt and responsibilities, trying to earn good points for himself, becomes a pleasure. Things get complicated when Dan discovers a monthly transaction to someone called Lydia from his brother’s work account, and unable to resist, he starts investigating. What he will discover, will unearth incredible secrets: his brother was not the person everyone thought he was. Keeping this secret is hard, but he must protect Zoe. Faith comes in the way providing further proof: Patrick was unfaithful more than once. It will take time for Dan and Zoe to find peace again, also with each other, but luckily this is a book with a happy ending: Dan will find love again in the most unexpected person, Zoe will find peace again, while the truth of Patrick’s death is left as the last surprise for you to discover.

Summer of ’69

• AUTHOR: Elin Hilderbrand
• TOPIC: Novel

My first book by @elinhilderbrand and I loved it. An enthralling story of family, secrets, marriage, love, and coming of age. I loved how the story followed the lives of all the family members, both separately and as they intertwined with each other, creating a mesh of tales and feelings, as if you would be living in the characters head, feeling what they feel and thinking what they think. This makes the summary a tough one to do, as there is so much going on.Taking place in the summer of ’69, we follow the lives of Kate and his kids: Jessie, Blair, Tiger and Kirby.Usually the summers are spent all together at grandma’s manor in Nantucket, but this year is a different one: Tiger is deployed in Vietnam; Kirby is set on finding her own two feet and get a summer job in the next town; Blair is about to give birth to twins while afraid that her estranged husband is having an affair. That leaves Jessie, only just turned 13, to deal with her mother’s pain for her brother Tiger; to get her heart broken for the first time; to learn how to become a person on her own and finally a little woman. Many secrets held by each family member will be revealed throughout the book, and it’s what makes it all the more exciting! I can’t wait to read more from her.

500 Miles From You

• AUTHOR: Jenny Colgan
• TOPIC: Novel

Another great and heartwarming read by @jennycolganbooks I loved the story but personally I thought that the ending was a bit rushed compared to how descriptive and intense the rest of the book was, but I loved it regardless. 
Lissa is working in London as a nurse, living the city life and genuinely loving her profession. When she happens to witness a hit and run, and the teenager dies in her arms, everything comes tumbling down. Her anxiety is so strong that she is unable to function, and in order not to lose her, her supervisor arranges for her a 3 months swap: she will go to a small town in Scotland and Cormac, an ex-army nurse, will take her place. Initially terrified and unable to fit in, Lissa slowly falls in love with the beauty and quiet of the place, enjoying the community and nature, making new friends, and letting the calm soothing new surroundings ease her anxiety away. Though reluctant at first, she starts to message with Cormac, starting with professional updates that slowly turn into more personal ones. When Lissa finally opens up about the accident, they both feel like the other person is the only one in the world that can understand them, leading to growing feelings on both sides. When Lissa is called back to London to testify in court, they arrange to meet for the very first time, and though various obstacles come in the way, they still make it back to each other, confirming what they knew all along.

Atlantis Genesi

• AUTHOR: A.G Riddle
• TOPIC: Thriller

First book for me by this author, and I found it complicated at times…so much going on with lengthy parts that made the read sometimes stuffy and on the verge of boring. On the other hand, other parts left you speechless with twist and turns and wow moments, especially towards the end, with so many unexpected discoveries. Read in Italian.

More than 70,000 years ago, humanity was on the verge of extinction. It miraculously survived, but no one knows how. Now it is ready to take a new step towards a higher evolutionary level, but time is running out. Dr. Kate Warner, a brilliant geneticist, is convinced that she has found the cure for autism, but instead she has made a much more dangerous discovery for her, and for the entire human race. Meanwhile, in Antarctica, a scientific mission has identified a Nazi submarine buried inside an iceberg and strenuously defended by agents of the Immari, a mysterious and very powerful global organization, divided into many subsections with branches in every field and around the world. Agent David Vale has spent the last ten years trying to understand what this organization protects, but by now it is too late: the men of the Immari are on his trail and are hunting him. The only person in the world who can help him is Kate Warner. Together, she and David must try to thwart a global threat and understand what the Atlantean gene hides and what the true origins of man are. But the Immari agents are willing to do anything, even to kill 99.9% of the population of planet Earth, in order to stop them.

The Family Gift

• AUTHOR: Cathy Kelly
• TOPIC: Novel

I laughed a lot while reading this amazing novel by @cathykellybooks. This tale is a true reflection of life and family, touching on so many important topics of every day life: love, family, insecurity, social media, infertility, sickness, adoption. A women’s quest to save everyone around her, while trying to juggle a career, kids, sick and grieving family members, while trying to find herself again after a traumatic experience. I absolutely loved it.
Freya is a celebrity Chef, who is supposed to be writing her new show and cookbook, but she’s on a creative freeze. She was mugged months before and not even changing houses to feel more secure, is helping her anxiety and inability to sleep without pills. If that wasn’t enough, her mom is taking care of her dad after a stroke; her sister marriage is on the brink as she cannot conceive; she has 3 kids to take care of, one of which she adopted from her husband’s first marriage; the birth mother of said kid is back on the scene causing havoc; she has to lie on social media to keep up her celebrity face while all she wants to do is tell the truth; she cannot seem to come up with any new recipes; and she lied to her husband about her constant fear and sleeping pill addiction. It will take a lot for Freya to get over the fact that she cannot save everyone around her. And it will be exactly this realization, that will enable her to help herself get back on track with her life and career, coming up with an amazing new set of recipes, meant to help families when everything seems wrong. And thanks to this newfound strength, she will be able to help everyone around her with a newfound inner peace, and finally shut up the voice inside her head: Mildred.

Point Of Retreat

• AUTHOR: Colleen Hoover
• TOPIC: Novel

@colleenhoover is one of my favorite writers, and I am slowly making my way through all her books. I didn’t know this was a sequel, but it was a great novel standing on its own feet, so I was able to read it without being left wondering what happened before. And it was so good, that I finished it in one day.
Lake and Will are living the best of love stories: young, desperately in love with each other while studying and taking care of their own two little brothers. As a promise to Lake’s dying mother, they didn’t consummate their love just yet, waiting for the famous one-year mark to pass. And as it’s not easy feat to resist each other, they have one key phrase they can use when they know they have reached the limit and have to stop: point of retreat. While they are planning their first special night together, something always gets in the way: family, school, their amazing neighbors or their responsibilities as carer for two young kids. When THE NIGHT is finally approaching, the worst happens: Will’s ex ( who studies with him in college and who Will is avoiding ) shows up at his house wanting to talk to get him back. And Lake shows up in the exact moment when Will is hugging her. The problem: Will never told Lake about her. Will tries anything in his power to try and explain to Lake what happened, and with the help of all his friends, he manages to win her back at a slam poetry night. But than a tragedy happens: they are all in a terrible car accident. Lake is on the verge between life and death, and Will makes a promise once more: he will never let her go, she will make her his forever. 

Love, Almost

• AUTHOR: Hayley Doyle
• TOPIC: Novel

My second book by @hayleydolly and I certainly enjoyed it. A love story shadowed by tragedy, but at the same time laced with hope and the ultimate question: how can you live and survive when the love of your life no longer lives?
Chloe is madly in love for the first time with Jack. On a trip to Thailand, he asks her to move in with her. Though they just started dating 5 months ago, there is no question: he is the one, and she says yes. Recently moved in, she is hit by the worst news when Jack goes out one morning, and his father ( that she never met before ) comes into the apartment to announce that Jack was hit by a truck and died on the spot. She is lost, alone and misunderstood: no one seems to have known about her, and all her family and friends don’t seem to understand how such a short relationship could have such an impact on her. Not knowing what else to do, and unable to let go of Jack just yet, Chloe decides to live life for the both of them and makes her way through the list of things they’d planned to do together – this time on her own. From another trip to Thailand into Vietnam, to a comedy show, a ski lessons, a posh restaurant, she ends up finding her own way, after being on this mission of completing a list that was hanging on their fridge. Finding her purpose in life again, she learns to cherish what she had, but looking forward to the future at the same time.

Maybe This Time

• AUTHOR: Jill Mansell
• TOPIC: Novel

I love @jillmansell and everything she writes. Her novels are just so breezy and easy to read, you get so engrossed in the stories that you are unable to put the book down, waiting eagerly for what comes next. This was no exception, a story not only of love, but family, loss, community and how to find yourself.
When Mimi visits her dad’s new home in the Cotswolds for the first time, she is surprised about how much she loves it. Cal, a charismatic and charming man she stumbles on upon arrival, certainly helps matters. Her dad and her partner are new to the small town, but with Cal’s and Mini’s help, they get over the fear of being unaccepted and venture out to meet the locals, forming long lasting relationships. Though Mimi lives and works in London, she goes back to visit as much as possible, and on one of these occasions, the unthinkable happens: her father and Cal’s wife die in a car accident. Getting back to living again is hard, but life has his ways to get in between. So, when Mimi discovers that her new boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend, she finds solace with her dad’s partner and moves back to Cotswolds, leaving her job and London behind. Fighting to get her career back on track, she spends more time with Cal, and develops feelings for him…but the timings is never right: either she is away due her new job, or he is away for his, or he is dating someone new. But fear not…as i said…life has his ways to get in between.

The Order

• AUTHOR: Daniel Silva
• TOPIC: Novel

I already LOVE @danielsilvabooks but it doesn’t get any better than reading a Gabriel Allon novel that is mixed with a Papal conspiracy: that is next level! As usual, he doesn’t disappoint. His signature mix of dry humor and action, intertwined with historical fiction, makes him my absolute favorite for this genre!
Gabriel is headed to Venice for a much needed holiday with his family. Of course, it doesn’t last long when news of the Pope’s death reaches him. His private Secretary Donati has reason to think it was not of natural causes: the Swiss guard who was in front of the Pope’s apartment disappeared, as did the letter that the Pope was writing to Gabriel about a book he discovered just before his passing. The book is a lost gospel that questions the accuracy of the New Testament’s version of the death of Jesus. And the Order of St. Helena, a secret Catholic, anti-Semitist and racist society, will stop at nothing to keep its message hidden and try to control the upcoming conclave’s verdict. Gabriel sets on a mission across Europe to get to the bottom of the Order, and gather proof of its evil plans, during which he discovers that so many high clerical officials were paid handsome sums to alter the votes for the next Pope. With this information in hand, Donati manages to get audience with the Conclave just before the voting starts, ultimately upturning the Order and ensuring that the next Pope is one that the Church deserves…but also one he never expected to be.

If You Could Go Anywhere

• AUTHOR: Paige Toon
• TOPIC: Novel

Another big favorite of mine, @paigetoonauthor never disappoints. This tale of travel, lost family, grief, love, food and discovery, kept me glued to the pages. I felt like I was traveling right there with the characters, and since majority of the story takes place in Italy, it gave me a pang of longing and home sickness that I don’t always feel. Or maybe was it a longing to travel? Either way, I loved it and highly recommend it.
Angie always wanted to travel, but she never left her small mining town in the desert of South Australia. Only when her grandma passes away, she feels like she can finally go and discover the world. But where and how? Fate helps her out when she finds a lost letter from her late mom, addressed to the father she never met. And this letter, takes her to Rome. Once there, she meets her father Giulio and all of his family, but it’s Alessandro that helps her the most to adapt to the Italian way of life. It’s soon apparent that Angie is really an Angel, her heart knows no boundaries when it comes to helping the people she loves. Secrets start making their way to the surface as Alessandro and Angie spend more and more time together, secrets so dark that explain why he is often withdrawn, why he seeks the adrenaline of extreme sports, and why he keeps all of his family always at a distance. Against her better judgement, she can’t help falling in love with him…but will this love be enough to cure his ghosts? Will her love be enough to save him? You will need to read to find out!

Grown Ups

• AUTHOR: Marian Keyes
• TOPIC: Novel

@marian_keyes is one of my favorite authors. I absolutely love her books. This one, took me a little while to warm up to. In fact, I think I was really conflicted about it until the second half. Definitely not my favorite from her, but I still liked it in the end. My opinion: other books from her are far better, and if you have never read her before, don’t start with this one.
The plot summary is virtually impossible to write, as there is simply too much going on. Three brothers, three wives, countless kids, family affairs, health issues, cheating, disappointment, money and job problems, it’s simply a whirlwind portraying how life really is, especially when you are part of a huge extended family. It’s a genuine portrait of life, insecurities, love, family, jealousy, conflict, marriage, parenthood, and all the different shades of being human.

A Summer Without You

• AUTHOR: Karen Swan
• TOPIC: Novel

Another great read from one of my favorite writers @swannywrites She has this ability to mix suspense, mystery and romance into one, creating compelling stories that keep you glued to the pages. It is my goal to read each and every one of the books she has ever written, and I am nearly there. If you haven’t read her yet, please make sure you do!
Photographer Rowena is shocked when her boyfriend of 11 years announces that he wants to press pause on their relationship for 6 months to travel the world, before committing for life. During a wedding shoot in NYC, faith has other plans for her when she ends up in an audition for a houseshare in the Hapmtons for the summer, and wins. Driven by the opportunity to live a new life while Matt does the same, she embarks on a summer with 3 eclectic housemates, in an ambience at the polar opposite of her usual lifestyle: tennis, beach and high society events. Housemates become friends, and while she slowly but successfully establishes her studio, she will find herself entangled in a local campaign crossfire, with a homicide in between, and she will also succumb to her feeling for a stranger that she met on her first day…that though she tried so hard to avoid, will turn out to be everything she has ever wanted. 

The Jetsetters

• AUTHOR: Amanda Eyre Ward
• TOPIC: Novel

I heard so much about this book but I am sorry to see that it feel short for me and was slightly disappointed. Though finished in one setting, mainly because I couldn’t wait for it to be over with, I was left with a question: what’s the story line and purpose of this book? I really didn’t enjoy it.

When Charlotte wins a Mediterranean cruise for herself and her 3 grown up kids, she hopes that this will be something to bring them together. Lee, the prettiest failed wanna-be actress; Regan, the married woman with kids in an unfaithful marriage; and Cord, a successful venture capitalist unable to come out of the closet. All 3 of them have way more secrets that they can bear, but past misunderstandings drifted them apart so much that no one knows whom to trust and rely on…and no one really knows what’s really going on in the other person’s life.
During the trip these secrets slowly start to surface, include Charlotte’s own…but the issue with the book is that there is no purpose, no solution, no bonding, no epiphany moment. So what could have been a great novel about family and relationships, just leaves you with a huge question mark, and you are left unable to understand what you were actually reading about in the first place. Shame.

Always With Love

• AUTHOR: Giovanna Fletcher
• TOPIC: Novel

⭐️⭐️This is a sequel to “Billy and me”, and though I loved the first book, I didn’t quiet get the same feeling with this one. Unsure why, but it simply didn’t feel the same for me…hence the 2 stars.

Sophie and Billy are on their way to LA for the first time to meet his family. Once there, it’s so clear that it’s another world. The family is cute and welcoming, but the attention they both get while trying to enjoy their vacation, doesn’t sit right with Sophie. Once news spread that Billy is back in town, one of the best movie directors in the city wants him for a role. Hesitant at first, as he is on personal leave, pushed by his mother and ultimately with Sophie’s support, he accepts. But this will mean that a long distance relationship is on the books. Though they start writing each other letters, visiting each other when possible, this new reality puts a huge strain on their relationship. And the gossip magazine doesn’t help. Back home, Molly’s son Peter makes a move on Sophie, misunderstanding their newly former friendship. Will Sophie and Billie make it, despite all the new challenges and bumps along the road? Will they be able to compromise their own dreams and meet in the middle?

The Lost Letters Of William Woolf

• AUTHOR: Helen Cullen
• TOPIC: Novel

My first book by @wordsofhelen, and though it took some time to get into it at first, I ended up loving it. The story has both a side of magical, and a side enrooted in the truths of love and marriage, with notes of despair, longing, and how to stay connected to love even though people are bound to change during relationships. Amazingly written, with touches of almost poetry mixed with internal dialogues, making you feel inside the characters’ heads. Loved it!
William has the most interesting job: he works at the Lost mail depot, where letters that never made it to their destination, find unsung heroes that work like detectives to find out where the letter came from, where it was supposed to go, and try their best to deliver them to their destination. His wife Grace, his greatest love, is a once-wannabe-artist turned into a successful lawyer. Things are not going well in their marriage, mainly with Grace feeling disappointed in William’s lack of ambition and inability to become the writer he promised he would be. When William discovers the most enchanting love letters written by Winter to a unanimous “great love”, he embarks on a journey to find her, unable to resist the magnetic call of a woman who loves so deeply, feeling a connection he once felt to his wife. Just when Grace and William seem to find a way back to each other during a friend’s wedding, William is about to finally let go of his chase to find Winter…but an awful truth coming to light, will push him right back into it, potentially compromising his marriage for good.

The Bromance Book Club

• AUTHOR: Lyssa Kay Adams
• TOPIC: Novel

I have heard so much about this book from @lyssakayadams and all my high expectations were not only met, but also exceeded. Racy at times, the story line is so clever and exciting, that I found myself finishing the book in one sitting. It is so refreshing to read about husbands that would do anything to gain back the love of their wives…instead of just quitting without a fight. Seems that gentleman still exist…at least in this novel. Definitely worth the hype, and highly recommend it!
Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is on the brink: the day he found out that his wife has been unsatisfied in bed during the whole of their marriage, his ego is so burnt that he left the house. And of course, his wife Thea, asked for divorce. Luckily, Gavin’s team mates come to the rescue: they let him into their secrete club. And what they do? They read romance novels to help each other out to save their relationships. Doubtful at first, Gavin knows he has no other choice: he loves his wife and cannot lose her. Not without hiccups, he embarks on a journey of courtship, trying to win her back. Him and Thea strike a deal: he has until Christmas, only 5 weeks to make her change her mind. With a bit of help from the book and his team mates, he is getting closer to his goal. But it’s only when Thea acknowledges her part of the blame, born from her difficult childhood and an absent father, that they will find the way back to each other.

First Comes Love

• AUTHOR: Emily Giffin
• TOPIC: Novel

A story of sisterhood, this novel by @emilygiffinauthor was so good I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one day. I loved the characters, the friendship, the story of loss and the discovery of hidden truths coming up every chapter, which made the book so interesting, honest and enthralling.
Josie and Meredith couldn’t be more different. Josie is a teacher, single, still heartbroken from her last relationship. Meredith an actor turned lawyer, married with one child, always focused on responsibilities. What they do have in common: they lost a brother 15 years ago. When Josie’s ex’s daughter makes an appearance in her class, she cannot hide her growing feelings of motherhood, and sets on a quest for a donor, intent on becoming a mother on her own. Meredith, on the other hand, is struggling with her marriage, wondering if she did the right thing by marrying her late brother’s best friend. When the truth about their brother’s death is surfacing, unveiling hidden secrets from the past, Josie and Meredith will both have to come to terms with their own life decisions, and with each other. Will Josie have the baby? and if so, with whom? Will Meredith quit her job, and her husband? You will need to read to find out!

My Favorite Half-night Stand

• AUTHOR: Christina Lauren
• TOPIC: Novel

@christinalauren is up there between my favorite writers, and I absolutely love anything she writes! I literally devoured this fun, engaging, romantic novel, and I simply cannot wait to read all of her books, one by one.
Millie is a university professor, fascinated by serial killers. Her main traits: she has 4 friends, all male university professors, and she is unable to speak about herself and her feelings. One on of the many evenings they spend together, they discuss about a black-tie gala event they all need to attend to that is getting closer, but they all realize one problem: none of them have dates. And they decide to jump into online dating to solve the issue. Tipsy and worried about the prospect, Millie makes a move on Reid, her best friends amongst them, and they sleep together for the first time…and it’s much better than they both expected. Not allowing this to make things weird, they concentrate on the online dating, and when Millie puts up a fake name profile to enable her to talk about herself openly without being exposed, she matches with Reid. But he doesn’t know. While keeping up the charade, things get intense between them, and they sleep together again. When Reid starts having feelings for Millie’s online alter-ego, the problems really start: Millie is jealous and wants Reid to herself. But how to tell the truth? Without making Reid upset and losing him, and without exposing her feelings?

La Magia De Ser Sofia

• AUTHOR: Elisabet Benavent
• TOPIC: Novel

My second book by this Spanish writer, and she did it again! Read in original language ( because only this way you will savor the real tone of the novel ), it’s sexy, it’s amazingly written, it’s a glorious fun of colloquialism and jokes, with a cloud of sadness that keeps it real. Loved it!
Sofia is 30, not exactly skinny, coming out of relationship cheated on and broken hearted, surrounded by friends, a mother who doesn’t think she is good enough, living with a cat in a shared apartment, and she is a waitress. Since forever. But she loves it: The Alexandria is her life. All is set to change when a stranger steps in the cafe, Hector, who is soon charmed by Alexandria and becomes a regular. Hector is quiet and keeps to himself, but when one day Sofia takes out on him screaming, enraged after seeing her ex seated in the cafe, things start to develop. They slowly get closer to each other, as friends, but they both soon realize they found in each other what they were missing. The only problem: Hector has a girlfriend, Lucia, since 16 years, who is currently living in Geneva but will soon join him. Sofia tries to stay away at first, but it soon apparent that they are falling in love and can’t help it. When Hector decides to break up with Lucia and goes to Geneva to do so, it seems that the new couple will finally be free to live the love that it’s consuming them: the love that they feel will be for life…but will it be that easy? 

The Alexandria Link

• AUTHOR: Steve Berry
• TOPIC: Novel

Steve Berry has a special place in my heart: it is thanks to his novels that years ago, I started reading avidly again. Though I read a lot of different genres, his style of historical, political and religious fiction has always been one of my favorites. I love the conspiracy theories and the action behind each of his tales, and though it has been a while since I last read from him, it was quick to remind him why I always absolutely love it.
Cotton Malone retired in Denmark, but when his ex-wife appears at his doorsteps claiming that his son has been kidnapped, he immediately fires into action. To get his son back, the kidnappers want him to find the Library of Alexandria: a mythological place which existence has never been proven or found, that is meant to be holding thousands of manuscripts from ancient times, some of which might put into danger the world as we know it today. In a story that takes us from Denmark to the UK, from Lisbon to Sinai, from Austria to the USA, with the ever-present back up of his ex-boss from the Magellan Billet and Cassiopea Vitt, Cotton puts his life in danger again for the greater good. With all the most powerful governments involved and at each other’s throats, and a close coup-d’état shaking the US government, Cotton will try to protect the Library and its secrets from a group of wealthy international moguls that are willing to risk the already compromised relationship of the 3 world’s biggest religions, for their own interest. Whatever is in that Library, needs to be preserved and hidden forever.

I Owe You One

• AUTHOR: Sophie Kinsella
• TOPIC: Novel

It is easy to fall in love with anything from @sohpiekinsellawrites and this was no different. A captivating tale of family, love and how to find your own voice, it was a perfect weekend read, that makes you day dream and fills your heart with positiveness and strength.
Fixie is keeping things together at the family hardware store, a legacy from her deceased father. Though her siblings are everything but helpful, she is adamant to keep at least one thing in her life from falling apart. Just when her childhood crush Ryan suddenly reappears in town, she meets a handsome stranger in a cafe, Seb, in the most unusual of ways: she saves his laptop from a collapsing ceiling. Willing to thank her for it, Seb writes an IOU on a coffee sleeve, for her to redeem for anything at any time. When Ryan is desperate looking for a job, Fixie is bullied into exchanging the IOU to help Ryan, but it won’t take very long for him to show his true colors and Fixie finally understanding that he isn’t the one after all. Now she is the one in dept to Seb. Her mother’s sudden sickness and departure for a long vacation, leaves Fixie to battle her siblings to keep the store afloat, and though she knows what she should be doing, she temporarily succumbs to their charades, unable to make her voice heard. That IOU keeps going back and forth between Seb and Fixie, bringing the two close together until they fall in love. But when family issues come in the way, along with misunderstandings and the imminent crash of the store, it will take Fixie finally discovering her voice to finally save it all: her love, her family and her beloved store.

The Prodigal Daughter

• AUTHOR: Jeffrey Archer
• TOPIC: Novel

You will not believe how hard it was to find this book, a sequel to “Abel & Kane”, which I absolutely adored. Shouldn’t have come as a surprise, as this book is not exactly new…it’s dating back to 1982. But…I got lucky, and I can’t wait to read the 3rd and last episode of this magnificent tale. Even more enthralling than the first, amazingly written, fast-paced, filled with surprise moments, you almost feel inside a movie at every page you turn. Though it can be considered an “old book”, do yourself a favor and read all 3.
While the first book was focused on the lives of Kane and Abel, where Florentyna was a part of, without being the protagonist, in this second book all the attention is focused on her. We are taken back to her childhood in more detail, to understand her interests, passions, academic and work experience, and everything that has molded the woman she is today. Focused and ambitious like her father Abel, she builds her own fashion empire, before taking the helm of the Baron hotel group upon her father’s passing. With now two multi-million company to run, she has the best partner next to her: her husband Richard, Kane’s son. Together they initially pursue their own diverse career, before taking the world by storm side by side: first with the Baron group and then with the Lester bank. Even when Florentyna, encouraged by her college best friend Edward, decides to pursue a political career, her husband is right by her side as her biggest counsellor and supporter. From a member of the House of Representatives, to the Senate, to Vice president, Florentyna will incur the loss of many close to her, including her husband, just at the dawn of an unexpected turn of faith which ends the book with her reaching her ultimate dream: becoming the President of the United States.

Things You Save In A Fire

• AUTHOR: Katherine Center
• TOPIC: Novel

I fell in love with @katherinecenter when I read “How to walk away” and she is ever since up there with my favorite writers. And of course, she didn’t disappoint with this tale of courage, love, forgiveness and healing. A great read, which I highly recommend.
Cassie lives for her job as a firefighter in Austin. Nothing else matters to her, because when she was 16 her life changed forever: her mother left, and she was abused. That is why she never does any kind of love. The night she is meant to receive an award of valor, it’s another turning point: the person handing it out to her, it’s her abuser. And she loses control, sending the guy to hospital. The same day, her mom calls to make an impossible request: for Cassie to move in with her for a year, near Boston. Though initially reluctant to leave her life, she is forced into it as her job is on the line. She ends up moving, and joining a new firefighter crew, starting from the bottom, having to prove herself. And the same day, a rookie starts as well, Owen. And she feels towards him a connection she never felt before, bringing down all her defenses, including the ones towards her mother. Soon after, the discovery of her mom tumor makes Cassie change her prospective in life, and though she tried so hard not to love Owen, she gives in, confessing her trauma and having her first kiss and night with a man. When a huge fire threatens to take away Owen from her, she will be no longer afraid to lose her job to her love, and despite someone on the team is trying hard to get Cassie fired, an amazing plot of truths will be revealed that will make for a perfect happy ending.

I Custodi Della Biblioteca

• AUTHORI: Glenn Cooper
• TOPIC: Novel

This read was long overdue, as I didn’t read in italian for a long time. And when I do, @glenn_cooper is my go-to. I read almost all of his books, and in fact this is a sequel of one that I read a few years back. If you are a Dan Brown fan, you will love him. That mix of historical fiction with a bit of action and religious affairs in the way: love it!
The world will end on the 9th of February 2027. This is the discovery that Will Piper made before retiring when he found the Library. On the isle of Wight, a cave was discovered full of volumes dating from the 8th century until the end of the world: each person that has ever lived, is there: their name, date of birth and date of death. The Abbey above the cave was used as protection, and eligible virgins were kept there for only one purpose: keep the dynasty of these unique scribes alive. Until Clarissa decides she has no intention of giving up her baby, and escapes, putting an end to the library. Or so it seams. Years later, she is found by a Father, who sees in Clarissa’s boy the gift of the scribes: from that moment onwards, Clarissa’s family, the Lightburns, will be the gatekeepers of the Library, which also means one thing: the world won’t end on the 9th of February 2027. This is a world-changing news, that comes about when the youngest of the Lightburn family contacts Will’s son Phil for help. This almost unleashes a world war when the Uk, the US and China battle against each other to get control of the surviving Library, while all Will is set out to do, is save his son and hand over the truth to humanity. 

Big Summer

• AUTHOR: Jennifer Weiner
• TOPIC: Novel

My first ever novel by @jenniferweinerwrites and it was nothing as what I expected. In a good way! A tale of insecurities, body shaming, personal come back, complicated friendship…all dusted with a coating of mystery which was really surprising and made me love the book at the more!
Daphne is now a plus-size influencer, but she wasn’t always this brave. Battling her whole life with her body, it took one episode in high school to turn her life around: from victim, to owner of her own destiny. That faithful night, her so-called best friend Drue arranged for a boy to dance with her…but the truth came out soon enough. That night, she decided that it was enough, and the video of her affront went viral, kickstarting her new life and career, breaking her friendship with Drue forever. Just when she signs up with a new collaboration with a clothing brand, Drue reappears in her life, asking her to attend her wedding as bridesmaid. Initially hesitant, she feels bad for Drue and gives in, with the prospect of spending a few glamorous days and maybe meeting someone. And she does, Nick. Only waking up to find Drue dead in her jacuzzi. This shock unleashes a whirlwind of events. While Daphne embarks on a mission to find out who the killer is, she will also discover truth about Drue’s father, about Nick, and about Drue: she wasn’t as bad and evil as everyone thought her to be.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

• AUTHOR: Taylor Jenkins Reid
• TOPIC: Novel

All I am going to say is WOW. First time reader of anything by @tjenkinsreid and for sure, not the last. I was totally engrossed in this book and unable to put it down. Reading it was like watching a movie: exciting, rapturing, descriptive, emotional, and true. The life of Hollywood fame is so well described, reminding you that even the biggest stars, are human beings, just like you and me, struggling and feeling just as everybody else.
Newly separated Monique is a reporter in a magazine, and her life is about to change when Evelyn Hugo, one of the biggest Hollywood stars of all times, expressively requests her to write up an article about an upcoming charity event. Only thing is, Evelyn has other plans: she wants Monique to write her full, un-edited, truth-only biography. Reluctant at first, Monique is unable to refuse this incredible life altering opportunity, and agrees. We are than taken through the whole story of Evelyn’s whirlwind life and career, meeting her 7 husbands, and the unexpected love of her life. But the very best part of the book is the end…I know it can sound cliché, but trust me it is. The reason why Evelyn chose Monique will be revealed to you, and you will simply be left with a big WOW, speechless and in awe at the genius of it all. Read it and enjoy!

Don’t You Forget About Me

• AUTHOR: Mhairi McFarlane
• TOPIC: Novel

My second book by @mhairimcf and though I always love them, I always have major issues with the English colloquialisms that she often uses, and have to re-read entire phrases to understand. Aside this, I always have a good laugh thanks to the wittiness of her writing, and come back for more. ( in fact, I have other 2 books of hers on my TBR pile already 🙂 ).
Georgina is having her worst day: she just got fired from her waitressing job at the worst restaurant in town, only to go home and find her boyfriend in bed with someone else. An unexpected twist of luck lands her a last-minute gig at a soon-to-open pub, and despite it being a wake, she loves it, and they love her, and the job becomes permanent. But…one of the owners is Lucas, her first love, who has grown into a handsome man, rich, owning pubs all over the country. And worst of all…he doesn’t seem to recognize her. At all. While enjoying her new job, Georgina battles her ex-boyfriend attempts to gain her back in the most horrible ways; fights with her manipulative step-dad; rebuilds her relationship with her mom and her sister; and begins to write again thanks to the “share your shame” stand up reading competition that the pub is hosting. One night, Lucas opens up about his past, and she does too, uncovering her most intimate secrets about her dad, and she kisses him, only to be rejected and find out that he faked not knowing her all along. She resigns, hurt, only to come back to “share your shame” once more to tell the story she never told anyone: what happened that famous day 12 years ago when both their hearts were broken.

Persuasion: The Art of Influencing People

• AUTHOR: James Borg
• TOPIC: Self-development

In this book, Persuasion: The Art of Influencing People, James Borg is throughout and detailed in everything that communicates, and how this affects everything we do in life. From our words, to our tone of voice, from our body language to our ability to read others, it takes you on a journey filled with examples to learn from. It emphasizes the importance of how small changes in the way we talk and engage with other can have unexpected effects and results. The main topics explored are: empathy, being a good listener, keeping attention, controlling your body language, cultivate memory skills, how to say the right things at the right time, the importance of telephone etiquette, negotiation, dealing with difficult people and how to deal with different personality types. All this, with one goal in mind: how to convince people to listen to you, and follow you…or how he likes to describe it: how to take people from point A to point B, without even realizing it. Though some parts of the book might seem “common knowledge”, I like to think that common sense is no longer so common anymore, so I definitely suggest this book for anyone who needs a reminder and a refresher on the topic, or for those who are at loss and need to advice on how to master this very important art of communication. 

Summer Days & Sea Breezes

• AUTHOR: Carole Matthews
• TOPIC: Novel

Another favorite of mine, @matthews.carole doesn’t disappoint with this easy breezy novel. I love how she is able to transport you to another time and place, to a story that though feels real…it’s always filled with hope and a touch of romance. Her stories keep you grounded but make you fly at the same time, reminding you of the important things in life whilst allowing your imagination to fly.
Jodie is leaving London behind, towards the Isle of Wight. Escaping her life, her husband and her broken heart, she is set to spend time alone to put herself together, by spending as long as needed on her brother’s refurbished boat, “Sunny Days”. Easier said than done, when Marylin shows up with food and cleaning intentions, and a dose of cheer and vitality. Irritated as first, she slowly lets herself go, exploring the vicinity, meeting new people…especially Ned, her next-boat neighbor. While at her first ever festival, her and Ned get closer, and it just feels right and not a casual fling at all. But upon their return to the boat, the sudden appearance of her ex husband Chris quickly breaks the spell. And Ned walks away feeling cheated and heartbroken. With no other choice than returning to her normal life, Jodie vows to save her marriage and returns to London. Work is her only respite, and while her creativity seems to be back to where it’s supposed to be, her marriage sinks and breaks when her doubts about her husband come true: he was cheating on her with her best friend. She immediately returns to the boat, where she decides to stay for good, working remotely and with a sole objective in mind: find Ned, explain her story, and hopefully win him back. 

After The End

• AUTHOR: Claire Mackintosh
• TOPIC: Novel

My first ever read by @claremackwrites and it didn’t disappoint. A gripping story of parenting, love and loss, of second chances and failure, of fear and bitterness. I also really loved the “sliding door” scenario that makes the second part of the book come to life, where the author explores how life would/could have been different, should different choices have been made.
Pip and Max are a strong couple, together forever and making it work since day one, despite their very demanding jobs which has them both traveling all the time. Things change when their son is born. And change even more when he gets very sick, diagnosed with a brain tumor when he is not ever 3 years old. Despite initial hopes of a recovery after the surgery, things take a turn for the worse and the hospital’s recommendation is to cease treatment aside palliative care. Called onto making a decision on the fate of their son, Pip and Max cannot agree. One wants to give their son another chance at life, no matter how small. The other wants to end all suffering and put a stop to a non-life spent in hospital without being able to move. Unable to reach a consensus, they fall apart, and end up in court. The rest of the story takes you on a journey into past and future, navigating what life would have been based on the two different choices. And one thing is clear…no matter what, it will not be an easy ride. 

The Happy Ever After Playlist

• AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez
• TOPIC: Novel

My second book from @authorabbyjimenez and it didn’t disappoint. I laughed, I cried, I daydreamed, I hoped ( that man like Jason actually exist in this world ). It’s one of those books that are romantic without being cheesy. One of those that give you faith in true love though born from imagination. We need books like these in life, words and pages and stories that make you dream and have faith. And we also need a best friend like Kirsten in our lives too! She was my favorite. Loved it! Highly recommend.
Two years after losing her fiancé, artist Sloan is still living in the limbo of the past, unable to move forward, unable to paint again. And when she least expects it, something happens in her life that will change everything forever: a dog jumps into her car. After weeks of trying to contact the owner, he finally calls her demanding the dog back. But she is adamant to keep it, unless he will prove to her that he really loves his dog. Texts are followed by phone calls, and they both start developing feelings for each other, before meeting in person two weeks after. Sloan is afraid to love again, but cannot resist Jason’s pull. When she gives in to a date, her best friend Kirsten finds out that Jason it’s actually Jaxon, a famous upcoming singer that Sloan is a huge fan of. After overcoming the first shock, they can’t help falling in love for each other, visiting his family, before his tour starts. Growing fame is upon Jaxon, and with his tour extended beyond the initial plans, he asks Sloan to join him around the world, and she accepts. When life on tour becomes too hard to bear, he sacrifices himself by sending Sloan to his family house to rest and paint, but they cannot stay apart. Only when misunderstandings, new career developments and a blast from his past come flooding in, is Jaxon forced to make up a lie to hurt Sloan so much that she will never forgive him. All this, for love: he doesn’t want her to give up her life and dreams for him…he wants her to be happy. But don’t worry, because as the title says, there is a happily ever after waiting for you at the end of the story.

Defining You

• AUTHOR: Fiona Murden
• TOPIC: Self-development

When you are uncertain during a specific time of your life, a book like this screams “salvation”. I picked up this book in a quest to help myself find myself again. The book is very detailed, with heaps of exercises that build up from the bottom all the way to the top, in an attempt to help you redefine yourself, what you believe in, what are your strength and weaknesses, what you need to succeed in life, what your purpose is, and how to find the perfect spot in the world where you can truly be yourself and thrive. The book focuses both on day-to-day life and work/career. As we all know, we spend most of our adult waking moments working, hence I appreciated how the author always reconnected everything to your professional realization, because that is the one place where you can find your meaning, where you can learn and develop, where you can energize from, where you can find meaning and feel helpful, where you can make a difference and contribute to the world. At the end of the book, it also focuses on sleep, exercise, stress, as a reminder of the body-mind connection that so many people often forget.

Girl A

• AUTHOR: Abigail Dean
• TOPIC: Novel

Despite the hype surrounding this book, I think it’s simply not my style. I didn’t particularly enjoy the narrative nor the ending, and though the story was heartbreaking, it just left me with too many open-ended questions, one of them being: what is the purpose of this book, what is the story? I am sorry but I was just left a bit disappointed.
Girl A, Lex, is one of the surviving children of the so called “House of Horrors”. The story begins when news come of the death of her mother in jail, and the inheritance she left behind: some money, and that terrible house that marked her and her 6 siblings for life. Now a successful barrister, she decides to convert the house into a community project, but to do so, she needs the approval of all her brother and sisters. En route to obtain the same, Lex takes us through the horrible story of her childhood, of how a poor family that was somehow surviving along, was transformed into a nightmare. Pain, hunger, and abuse all caused by their father’s religious views, who lost his mind and literally imprisoned his whole family, away from the world. Her escape was the act of love that allowed all of her siblings to start again and have a new life…or is it really that way?

Shipped

• AUTHOR: Angie Hockman
• TOPIC: Novel

This book is the perfect pool side read. Cute, funny, uncomplicated, dreamy, but with a touch of life lesson attached to it: always speak up for yourself, follow your dreams, work hard, give credit where its due and surround yourself with people that believe in you and support you. 
Henley Evans is a marketing manager at a cruise line, and wants nothing more than to prove herself in her career. Dedicated fully to this dream, she divides her time between work and evening classes to get her MBA, leaving no time for anything else. When her dream promotion is announced and she is shortlisted, she is set on a mission to make the job hers. Only issue: the remote social media manager she despises, Graeme, is also up for the role. To decide the winner, their boss asks for a proposal on how to boost their business in the Galapagos…and to do so, they need to experience the cruise…together. Confined on the ship and with the taste of vacation in the air, Henley manages to let her hair down a bit and she ends up discovering that Graeme is not so bad, neither work wise or as a person. In fact, he is nearly perfection. And he seems to reciprocate her growing feelings. Scared to get caught and lose her chance to the promotion, she tries to pull back, unsuccessfully, and comes up with an amazing proposal that she is sure will get her what she wants. Once back in the office, she is appalled when the promotion is given to Graeme. Luckily, surrounded by her co-workers and with Graeme by her side, she will learn to stand up for herself and fight for what’s right, and she will achieve more than she would have ever imagine possible.

Sea of Lost Love

• AUTHOR: Santa Montefiore
• TOPIC: Novel

I have grown to love anything Santa Montefiore writes. This is only my second book but I already have three more waiting ready to go. At the beginning, I felt the book had way too much details in terms of descriptions, though the plot kept me glued to the pages. As I went on, there were a lot of WOW moments, and suddenly it almost felt rushed…so definitely a slow beginning, with a very powerful second half that will keep you wondering what’s next at each page you turn. Loved it and highly recommend it.

When Robert Montague, a loved husband, father, son, brother, business and community man suddenly disappears at sea without prior alarm, the family is devastated. When the body is never found, his daughter Celestria decides to get to the bottom of it. Back in London, leaving the rest of the family behind at the Cornwall estate to deal with the news that there is no money left, she embarks on a Sherlock Holmes journey to find out the truth. After some unbelievable discoveries, and with the help of her grandfather, she traces it all back to a small town in Puglia, where apparently her father was wiring money. Unable to untangle anything at first, a fortuitous meeting with a French women will shed lights on unexpected truths about her father, leaving her reality shattered. Thankfully, she will find a shoulder to cry on Hamish, the widowed son in law of her hosting family, with whom she falls in love.

Love Her or Lose Her

• AUTHOR: Tessa Bailey
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

Well…this book was much racier than I expected. There was a LOT of action going on throughout the whole story, and though I didn’t mind it, it kind of puts me off from giving it a five star. Don’t get me wrong, I am not prude or anything, it’s just that I felt it took over 50% of the story, which was a topic very close to home: have the courage to chase your dreams and make sure your voice is heard, even if that means giving up on what you love the most. Communication, partnership, support, understanding…are as important in a relationship as sex and love. 
Rosie and Dominic have been married since forever: best friends, fierce lovers, soul mates. But not anymore. Since Dominic came back from the military, the communication is zero unless it’s in bed on their weekly Tuesday night encounter. Everything else seems lost. One evening, when at work a man shows interest in Rosie, she gathers the courage to say “enough” and leaves, threatening divorce. But Dominic will not have it: he will fight back for his wife. He gives in and accepts to go to a non-conventional therapist with her to try and save their marriage, and as hard as it is to keep their sexual frustration at bay, they both learn more about each other, about themselves, about what makes the other happy or what the other needs. Though Dominic’s insecurities almost threaten to ruin everything again, you will be in for a true happy ending, and a great lesson about love and marriage.

The Memory Collector

• AUTHOR: Kim Neville
• TOPIC: Novel

I was enchanted by the cover and the small synopsis at the back, and that is why I decided to give this book a try.I liked the story but for some reason it didn’t leave a mark in me. Maybe I was let down by the end. As the book unfolds with one secret after the other, I was probably waiting for a more impressive ending that never came, and left me surprised and slightly let down. 
Ev has inherited a gift that is hard to comprehend and to explain: she feels the energy in the objects around her. She can feel emotions left behind by the previous owner, so much so that if not careful, they affect her. Though she sells these items for a living, she is always very careful on how she trades with them, aware of the effect that it can have on others. This care and protectiveness are affecting her life, but a childhood trauma is so engrained inside of her that nothing will change her mind. Until she meets Harriet, an older woman who shares the same gift, but not as developed as Ev. This new discovery, of not being the only one in the world, prompts Harriet to create a museum of all the things she has collected throughout her life: a place people will be able to visit and take advantage of the positive emotions those items will release. While the two woman get to know and help each other, exploring and developing their gift,  the sudden reappearance of Ev’s younger sister will threaten not only the success of this museum, but also their own lives.

The Ex Talk

• AUTHOR: Rachel Lynn Solomon
• TOPIC: Novel

I really enjoyed this book. I think the plot was extremely clever, powdered with few racy bits which are always welcome! But also touching subjects like misogyny, how to stand up for yourself, the fear of change and the pain of loss. This book was talked about in past few months, and I do understand the hype now. Definitely a great beach/pool read @rlynn_solomon
Shay has been working at the same radio station since 10 years, loving every moment of it. Things get a bit tricky when Dom joins the team, fresh out of grad school, thinking he knows it all. When the radio station is going through some rough times, during a brainstorming session Shay comes up with an idea: create a radio show about exes. With the backup of the whole team, The Ex Talk is born…but there is a catch: Dom and Shay will co-host this and pretend to have been together and broken up. This is the first experience for both of them in front of the microphone, but the success is instant and overwhelming. But no one ever expected for them to fall in love. Agreeing to come clean to the world during a national podcast conference, they get tangled into management politics and cut out: the radio station decided to come clean on social media about their fake break up minutes before they go on stage. With the audience against them, Shay tried her best to damage control, but when Dom doesn’t stand up for them and support her, she feels that she didn’t just lost her job, but also the love of her life.

The Rose Code

• AUTHOR: Kate Quinn
• TOPIC: Novel

I wasn’t sure I would love this book when I decided to give it a go, but obviously, I was wrong…my instincts never fail me! 600 pages in 2 days is quiet a record for me, and this is testament to how good the story was. Now I am in trouble, because yet again I found a new writer that I love and it means that I will have no rest until I read every single book she has ever published.
Thank you @katequinn5975 for this tale of friendship, women, war, love, passion and resilience.

It’s the beginning on WW2, and 3 very different woman find their paths crossing: Osla, the beautiful girl that has everything and tries so hard to show everyone that she also has a brain ( while dating Prince Philip at the same time ); Mab, escaping poverty and the ghost of past mistakes; and Beth, the village spinster living in her mother’s fear while possessing a very singular gift. An unlikely friendship grows between the 3 girls, while they proudly put their individual knowledge and skills to use to ensure they participate in their country’s war. What they do? They break German military codes, each finding their place in the world. In between code braking, friendships growing and heartaches, more than one exceptional secret will be revealed, until something happens that tears them apart, putting them against each other, with Beth ending up in an asylum. It’s 1947, just before the royal wedding of Prince Philip to Elizabeth, that Beth reaches out via a code to her lost girlfriends…and yet though hesitant at first, they are too curious to discover the real reason behind Beth’s request. Friends once more, with Beth free, they will work closely to uncover the traitor who betrayed Beth and their country. Back to coding, and surrounded by so many friends coming together to help, they will break the last most important code that will reveal the truth and save not only their country, but also their individual futures.

The Success Code

• AUTHOR: Amanda Dewinter
• TOPIC: Self-improvement

The more I read about similar topics, the more it’s clear that there is no escaping from doing certain things, changing certain habits, rewiring your thinking and just putting a lot of work and conscious planning…if you want to get anything done in life.
Some might say “well, you didn’t need to read a book to find that one out”…but you would be surprised how helpful it actually is.
What I loved the most about this book it’s the emphasis put onto learning. And how it reminds you that there are endless possibilities and opportunities out there, if only you are ready to open your eyes.
I recommend this book to those who need a push of confidence, who need a boost to keep trying or start anew, you needs to be reminded that we are capable to do whatever we put our mind to.

Our Story

• AUTHOR: Miranda Dickinson
• TOPIC: Novel

Read in one day as I just couldn’t wait to discover how it ended, and now made me fall in love with this author, meaning I will now pursue my quest of reading everything she has written. It happens every.single.time🤪

Otty is about to embark on her dream journey: being on the writing team for upcoming tv shows. But just the night before, she is unexpectedly evicted from her flat. Not all is lost when on her first day on the new job, she finds out that favorite writer Joe, is looking for a flat mate. And so she moves in. Their friendship grows, and when paired as writing duo, their chemistry increases daily. One evening, drunk on a recent writing success, they hook up and individually realize their feeling for each other…but neither of them is ready to confess it out loud, making things awkward. When a new executive, Fraser, joins the team and starts showing interest in Otty, Joe’s jealousy in uncontrollable…especially when Otty, disappointed about Joe’s behavior, ends up in Fraser’s arms. It will take a lot of heartbreaks and misunderstanding to realize that that one off was not a mistake, but even more to express their feelings out loud. And while their writing success continues to grow, it won’t be until the last pages that we will find out how their story ends.

Pretty Things

• AUTHOR: Janelle Brown
• TOPIC: Novel

This was probably one of the hardest books to find and buy. Took me close to a year than get my hands on, but I knew I had to read it and I was right. Really enjoyed this novel by @janellebrownie
A story of broken dreams and families, of the world of social media, how we do anything in life to be loved and understood, and how unfortunately often we really can’t trust anyone in our lives.

Nina is putting her BA in arts to good use, but not in the traditional sense: she is a con artist, just like her mom used to be. About to get caught, and with news of her mom’s illness getting worse, she decides to embark on a last big act with her boyfriend. They study the victim’s every move on IG, they recreate new identities for themselves, and show up at this mansion of Lake Tahoe, where Vanessa, an heiress and social media influencer, lives alone trying to put her life together after losing her family in various tragedies. But Nina has been in this mansion before as a teenager, and that’s why she chose Vanessa: an easy victim but also an opportunity for revenge. When Vanessa realizes who Nina is, she also starts her own revenge scheme against Nina, convinced that she was the culprit of her family’s tragedies. What they didn’t expect, is to end up being connected together against one shared revenge, transforming them from enemies into allies, discovering in the end that all they can trust is each other.

The Hating Game

• AUTHOR: Sally Thorne
• TOPIC: Novel

I absolutely loved this book! Fun, charming, clever, subtly racy hot at times, and just a pleasure to read.
Loved, loved, loved and absolutely recommend!

Lucy is the nice girl in the office, assistant to the co-CEO of a publishing company. Her life is work and sleep, and most of her energy is spent on hating her co-worker, Joshua, assistant to the other co-CEO. Things get really intense when a new role comes up for COO, where both Lucy and Josh are the preferred contenders. The game is on. Until unexpectedly one day, in an elevator ride, he kisses her like she has never been kissed before, and with her anxiety raising to new levels, she is lost between hating him, wanting him, with the upcoming promotion making things just that more difficult. As time passes it’s clear that it’s not just one episode, but the new upcoming job is just too important for her. What will she choose? Career? Or the potential love of her life?

The Therapist

• AUTHOR: B.A. Paris
• TOPIC: Thriller

This kind of novels are not usually my “go-to” but I do enjoy some suspense reading once in a while, and this had just the right amount to keep me glued to the pages, trying to solve the mystery, second guessing the end ( and failing at it, of course ).
I actually ended up enjoying it much more than I thought I would, and finished the book in less than two days, leaving me wondering if maybe I should attempt to read more books like these, beginning with more by the same author.

Alice and Leo decide to cement their so-far long-distance relationship, by moving in together. They buy a villa in a beautiful gated community, and Alice gets immediately to work trying to make friends with all the neighbors and fill her loneliness, as she works from home while Leo travels for work. She struggles at first, feeling as everyone is trying to avoid her, only to than realize that it’s her house they are actually trying to stay away from: because a murder was committed there and she didn’t know. While her relationship with Leo takes a hit due to this uncovered lie, Alice gets more and more involved into the story, taking it as a personal challenge to solve the mystery of this death. Maybe because it’s close to her personal experience of loss. A mysterious yet charming private detector becomes the only person she can seem to trust, as more lies surface from Leo’s past life, and all the neighbors seem to be hiding something. Just when Alice is about to give up solving the mystery and go back to her previous life, single again…and unexpected turn of event will give you that jaw-dropping moment that is so important and essential in stories like this.

The Love Proof

• AUTHOR: Madeleine Henry
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

I really enjoyed the read, the story, the belief in soul mates and in the rarity of finding that one person that is meant for you. I also loved the underlining lesson: work and success is nothing, if you don’t have people and love around you.

Sophie is a prodigy student, in physics, intended to solve the mystery of time. When she meets Jake at their first week of Yale, it’s love at first sight for both, as if they knew each other forever. They immediately become inseparable, but while Jake thrives following his dreams, Sophie starts to shy away from hers, finding everything she needs in Jake. Not even tutoring classes with Peter can make her think otherwise. While Jake becomes a star, Sophie fades away…so much so that Jake decides to break things off, thinking it’s the only way for Sophie to find herself again. Years pass by, Jake is at the top of fame, and only a sudden realization brings Sophie back in the game, managing to finish her PhD and concludes a research that will make her forever famous. Well into their 60’s, a twist of fate with being Jake’s son into Sophie’s life…and the opportunity to find and love each other again, finally seems within grasp for Sophie and Jake.

Why Mummy Drinks

• AUTHOR: Gills Sims
• TOPIC: Novel

 Just to prove how much I adored this book, I bought the next ones already 🤪 Even if you are not a mom, you need to buy this book because you will laugh for 338 pages non stop to the point of rapture. In this book, the author wittingly explores family dramas, but more in particular, what it’s like to be a mom. It also touches on the myth that we always think other people’s lives and families are better than our own. Wrong! If you are kind enough to ask and listen, you will find out that everyone is fighting their own battle and continuously checking if grass is greener on the other said.
I cannot express in words how much I laughed and loved this book.
It is a must read, mark my words!

Designing Your Life

• AUTHOR: Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
• TOPIC: Self-Development

When I saw the title of this cover, I knew I had to read it.
I love why this book was born: two professors from an Ivy League college wanted to help students reply to the most common question: “what shall I do with my life?”. So they created a course, that you can take at the early days of your studies…because no one wants to waste years of university only to find out you were pursuing the wrong career.
The book is full of question, exercises and advice. And you can buy the workbook as well, that helps you really dive in deeply into it.
There are a lot of parts of this book that I particularly loved, especially when myths were torn apart and reframed into what they actually are in reality.
The underlining lesson, to quote the book, is: “Life design is ultimately a way of life that will transform how you look at your life and how you live your life. The end result of a well-designed life is a life well-lived”.
Yes, your life is your own, unique, and made-by-you-for-you. And most importantly, there is no right or wrong way of living this life, and there is not only one version of it…there are as many different paths available to you as there are possibilities.
So “be curious, try stuff, reframe problems, know it’s a process and ask for help”, and you will be on the right path to build a life where who you are, what you are doing and what you believe in…will align.

The Lost Apothecary

• AUTHOR: Sarah Penner
• TOPIC: Novel

I have been waiting for this book…it was one of those new releases that I was attracted to from the beginning.
Must have been the cover 🙂 as it always is.
@sarah_penner_author thank you for this book. I really enjoyed it.

Caroline is in London, on her 10th wedding anniversary trip, alone…because before departure, she found out her husband James has been unfaithful. On her first day, unable to embark on the countless activities she had planned, she joins a group of people that explore the muddy shores of the Thames, looking for treasures. When she finds a vial with a bear etched on it, she can’t resist her impulse to investigate, rehashing memories of the life she should have lived as a researcher and historian. Her search unveils for us the story of Nella and Eliza and take us back to the end of the 1700’s, while in modern day she continues her search: not only for the story of the vial, but also for a solution to her life and broken marriage.

Nella, daughter of an apothecary, transformed her trade into a secret and dangerous one, after a personal loss and deceit: she sells poison to women who seek revenge. Each poison is personalized, should not be used against other woman, and will be recorded in her register. But when one day, a young Eliza enters her life to collect a poison for her mistress, neither women will know how much their lives will change or how dangerous they are about to become.
The final twist of the plot will give you a proper open-mouthed wow moment, and will make you love the book all the more for it.

Love At First Like

• AUTHOR: Hanna Orenstein
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

Smart, witty, funny, good plot, easy read. Really liked it and can’t wait to read the rest of her books. It was just the perfect weekend-by-the-pool read with a sprinkle of fairytale.

Eliza co-owns an already popular jewelry store in NYC, specialized in engagement rings. But things take a wild turn when she accidentally posts a picture of her finger with a ring on, and the engagement rumors have such an effect on business that she decides to keep her followers dreaming. Now she only needs to find a fiancé. On a night out, she meets Blake, the perfect guy on paper. When her landlord presents a rent increase notice, she has no choice but to keep up the farce. She even gets a venue, dress, and honeymoon for free, and her need to save her store blinds everything else. What she wasn’t expecting was for Blake to actually fall in love with her and propose right on time, but everything falls apart when she reveals the truth. But not all is lost. She would have never expected that true love, and all the answers to her problems, was just right in front of her eyes…just across the road

Milk Fed

• AUTHOR: Melissa Broder
• TOPIC: Novel

I am really struggling with this book on so many levels. The writing was good and fluid, it had a lot of wow moment I personally didn’t expect, but one day after finishing I still cannot wrap my finger around what was the purpose of the story, and what is the sudden ending for? I was literally left there like “what just happen? It’s over now? What’s happening next?”
I don’t know, I hate books that leave me this confused. I cannot even understand if I liked the book or not. So I feel I cannot really post a summary or recommendation.
But just as a top line, it highlights topics like: sexuality, family, religion, eating disorders, being an outcast in society, solitude.

The Off Limits Rule

• AUTHOR: Sarah Adams
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

This book from @authorsaraadams kept me giggling with laughter the whole way through! I simply couldn’t put the book down, I enjoyed it so much. This is definitely a strong contender for favorite book of the year! And the smart ending makes me want to grab the next book straight away, so eager I am to find out what happens next!
Don’t think, buy it! You won’t regret it.

Lucy is back in her hometown, trying to put pieces of herself together, after a failed attempt at making it on her own in a different state as a single mother. On a mission to cheer her up, her brother Drew drags her out one day for a boat trip, where she meets Cooper, Drew’s best friend. It is attraction at first sight, though they both try to fake it. Sensing something, Drew is clear from the beginning: Lucy is off limits. Blinded by Cooper’s recent history as a flirt, not knowing his real story ( that he ended up in this city after a broken heart and failed engagement ), Drew is adamant that Lucy should not be another woman on his list, thinking that his best friend is allergic to actual commitment. Stuck into trying to respect the bro-code, Cooper sends mixed signals to Lucy, leaving her wondering if she is the only one with feelings. So much so that she even makes a failed attempt at going on a date with someone else. When Drew is out of town for a few weeks, Lucy and Cooper get closer together, and even spend time with Levi, Lucy’s son, and things are clear: no amount of trying can keep them apart. Drew finding out in the worst possible way doesn’t help matters, but when Levi has a medical emergency, everything finally falls into place, with a truly magical happy ending…but still leaving you wondering what happens next?

Something To Live For

• AUTHOR: Richard Roper
• TOPIC: Novel

It was the title that attracted me to this book, and it was a nice read, that reminded me in places to Fredrik Beckman’s Ove: dry humour, a man with his heart in the right place but outcast from society, the pain of loss and how hard it is to come back to life and move on.

Andrew has a job at the council hard to come by: he inspects households of recently passed away citizens, looking for traces of relationships. Because all these people died alone, often without anyone realizing they were missing. But it’s a job he cherishes, so much so that he involuntarily lied during his interview just not to seem socially awkward and ensure he would get the job. Because Andrew is alone, lives alone, his only respite being his music and his train toys. Until Peggy comes along…a new colleague that day by day, will make Andrew understand that there is more to life, making him feel emotions he had long forgotten, always standing by him, especially when his last family member passes away: his sister Sally. Consumed by guilt, loss, pain and fear, he wants to right every wrong in his life, but he is scared. Until he finally comes clean to Peggy, whom to his surprise doesn’t run away…but instead gives him more courage to finally tell the truth, and get a chance at life again

The Four Winds

• AUTHOR: Kristin Hannah
• TOPIC: Novel

I started to love her books after reading Firefly Lane, and now I can’t get enough from @kristinhannah
This book was loved by every bookstagrammer I follow, and now I understand why.
I didn’t know anything about this part of American history, but I could surely feel the pain of those who suffered during those hard time, just by reading through the pages. It was not only a moving story of love, family, hope and survival, but it was also a lesson: not only one of American history but also one of gratitude. We often forget how much we have.

Elsa wants to break free from her family, who doesn’t love her or value her. She has a fire in her, to become someone, that only disappoints her family further. Reaching its peak when she falls pregnant, and gets disowned and dropped at the door steps of the boy’s family. After a rocky start, she blooms into a woman, a mother, and a fierce and untirable worker, gaining the love of her adopting family. Everything is perfect until the drought strikes, followed by wind, with dust covering everything, spreading desperation and death. Unable to take it anymore, her husband leaves in the middle of the night, leaving her and her kids heartbroken, trying to survive. When her son Anthony get seriously sick, she decides to pack up and leave for California, chasing an uncertain dream like many other before her. But when they reach, more hardships await, even worse than what they left behind, but Elsa won’t give up, and does everything to ensure the survival of her family. Only when talks of strikes take over the valley, she resists to stand up for her own rights, and its Loreda, her daughter, who starts showing signs of rebellion, befriending Jack, the leader of the resistance, who helps the family out more than once. When Elsa finally decides to stand up for herself and others like her, it will be too late. Too late to be free and love again

The Silent Treatment

• AUTHOR: Abbie Greaves
• TOPIC: Novel

A heartbreaking story of love, family, secrets, regret, suicide, and how the inability to communicate can ruin everything.
Definitely leaves a lot of food for thought. And proves something that I always believed in very fiercely: everything can be fixed if people communicate.

Frank stopped talking to his wife of forty years, Maggie, and she doesn’t know why. Until one morning, he finds her in the kitchen, where she attempted suicide.
The books splits in two: Frank at her bedside in the hospital, recounting their whole lives, trying to get to his main confession: why he stopped talking. We discover that after a miscarriage, they were blessed with a daughter after 15 years, Eleonora. And that their lives fell apart one day when she was a teenager and came home a different person.
The second part is Maggie’s confessions in a written form, that she left for Frank before attempting to take her own life. Her recount is as filled of regret as Frank’s: they both blame themselves for their daughters faith.
They both feel like failures. They were both unable to speak the truth to each other.
Only in the end will we discover the tragedy that pushed both of them into silence, but the lesson learnt will push them back into each other’s arms, willing to try and live again

The Marriage Game

• AUTHOR: Sara Desai
• TOPIC: Novel

I laughed so hard the whole time, it’s definitely an entertaining read that left me super curious to read her next novel!

Layla comes back to her family heartbroken and jobless, intent to put her life back together, starting by putting up her own recruitment business in the office above her parents Michelin’s star Indian restaurant. Issue is, her father just rented the space to someone but she is intent of throwing him out, Sam.The next 24hrs are a decisive step in Layla’s upcoming future: her father suffers a heart attack, the guy he rented the office to is handsome and has no intention to leave, and when a strange man appears looking for her, she discovers that her father signed her up to a dating site to find her an arranged marriage husband. Since her parents are happily married thanks to an arranged marriage, she decides to give it a try and strike a deal with her unwanted office companion: he will come to each date with her, and if she finds a husband, the office will be is. The marriage game begins. What they didn’t see coming is that spending so much time together, only one thing could happen. Unless Sam’s past ghosts and regrets takes over, threatening to jeopardize and ruin everything.

Kane & Abel

• AUTHOR: Jeffrey Archer
• TOPIC: Novel

I absolutely loved it. So well written, so captivating, so enthralling, I simply couldn’t put it down.
It was inspiring, surprising, and with one strong lesson for all of us at the end about regret: money, success, career are not everything in life, so never let anything stand in the way of family and love, because you never know when it will be too late to appreciate what you have.

Two parallel lives intertwine over decades.
In America, William Kane, from a well-off bankers family, has his future planned out for him: best school, get all the honors, and lead his father’s bank one day.
On the other side of the world, in Poland, a new born boy saved by a farmer in the woods grows into an intelligent little boy, getting the attention of the Baron of the estate, who soon takes him under his wing. When WW1 hits, he survives imprisonment in his Baron’s castle, concentration camp, a trip through Russia into Turkey, and makes his way into America where he names himself Abel. Working in a hotel and studying economics, he grabs the attention of a Texan hotelier, where his real history starts: that of a hotel magnate.
Both men build empires in their respective businesses, but on the verge of Black Friday, their encounter marks a moment of hate that will accompany them for their whole lives, becoming sworn enemies.
Their lives cross again and again, even when they both enrol in the army to fight in WW2 and Abel saves William’s life without either of them realizing who the other was.
Only when unexpectedly, William’s son falls in love with Abel’s daughter, is the rivalry at its peak. Both fathers are not blessing this union, and for years they don’t speak to their own children, continuing to tear each other’s reputation apart.
William eventually decides to forgive his son, but it’s too late.
And when Abel decides to do the same, he will get his chance to make it up to his daughter, but never to William, who turns out has always been Abel’s biggest supporter…but by than, every chance of redemption was long lost

The Rome Affair

• AUTHOR: Karen Swan
• TOPIC: Novel

As always, anything she writes is pure perfection.
The way she manages to produce stories so full of twists and surprises, that guarantee a WOW moment, leaving you open mouthed and speechless.
Each story has multiple intertwined tales and a sparkle of romance, without ever feeling overdone. Just loved❤️
Francesca is a tour guide and blogger in Rome, where she moved to escape a past she rather forget. One night, she finds an expensive bag in the bin outside her house, and thanks to her neighbor, she finds out who the bag belongs to: Elena, a princess living across the street. The bag is empty, aside a blue sealed envelope. Upon returning the bag, the two strike up a conversation into the late hours, causing Francesca to be late the next day to work, ending in her losing her job. Elena comes to the rescue by offering Francesca a job: write her memoir.
During the interviews, scanning through photos, Francesca gets a glimpse of Elena’s fantastic life, but also the feeling that the princess is not telling all of the truth. One day they are suddenly interrupted by the garden collapsing on its own, revealing a set of tunnels that run under the palace. And that’s when Francesca meets Nico. The story unfolds between the present and the past, revealing so many secrets of Elena’s past, and it’s clear that she is hiding more than she gives away. An incredible truth unfolds that none of the characters expected, all becoming clear with the sudden death of Elena, and with the blue envelope finally open, revealing the truth that even Elena waiting 15 years to discover.
Highly recommend!

The Binding

• AUTHOR: Bridget Collins
• TOPIC: Novel

The cover did it for me, as so often happens. @bakerbridg can’t wait to read on your next one, which by the way, is already on my bookshelf waiting to be read.
I was left with so many unexpected wow moments, which is something I absolutely love in a book.
In the first part, Emmet is leaving the country life with his parents and his sister Alta, until one day he gets severely and unexpectedly sick. Shortly after, his father decides to send him away in the woods with an older woman, who is a binder. Binders take away your memories and bond them into books, leaving the subject free of that tormenting memory they wanted to forget so badly. Turns out that his illness had his explanation: he is a binder too, it’s his destiny and while learning the trade, his mentor suddenly passes away and he is forced to move to the city to continue the trade. Here he meets Lucien, a born aristocratic son of a rich man, and immediately their relationship is one of love and hate that they both can’t explain.
In the second part, the book takes you back to the relationship between Emmet and Lucien, revealing the source of their connection. Something totally unexpected.
In the third part, narrated by Lucien, the truth will be revealed. Emmet and Lucien both visited binders to forget their sorrows, leaving them oblivious of their true relationship, despite the strong pull they feel toward each other. Only when a fire destroys the book that bound Emmet’s feelings in the dark, will he be on a quest to free Lucien’s fate, guiding the story in a tormented yet happy ending.
Compelling, breathtaking and thrilling.
Loved ❤️

How To Stop Time

• AUTHOR: Matt Haig
• TOPIC: Novel

From the moment I read the Midnight Library from @mattzhaig, I knew I wanted to read more from him.
#howtostoptimematthaig is equally good but not as soul twisting, but still a great read.
Since the dawn of tome, humans have battled one thing: avoid death, avoid getting old. But if you had the reverse problem? What if you could never get old…would that make your life a better and happier one?
And this is the problem with Tom. He cannot age, or better said, he ages very slowly. He is centuries old and spent his life moving as often as someone would notice his “condition”, and survives every person he has ever cared for. Afraid to fall in love, afraid of being misunderstood, afraid of being taken as a freak of nature. Unable to fully live. And the Albatross community, created to safeguard the lives of those just like him, seems a safe haven at first. The group, led by one of the oldest man alive, turns out to be a controlling and manipulative scheme, creating fear in those who are part of it. And only when Tom finally reunited with long lost daughter whom he has been searching for hundreds of years, will he feel empowered to let go of fear, try to take life as it comes, and finally starting to live. And love.
A great read ❤️ 

Love At First

• AUTHOR: Kate Clayborn
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

I love a good romantic story, especially when it reminds you of real life: how we are too often scared to be vocal about our true feelings, probably scared of getting hurt.
Sixteen years ago Will fell in love with a voice under the apartment building where her mother dragged him in, in Chicago, to ask for help from a brother he never knew she had. When his estranged uncle passed away leaving that apartment to him, he is adamant not to live there and decides to return it and giving up for seasonal rent. But to do so, he has to pass through the building’s approval, whose director is a blast from the past: the girl he fell on love with all those years ago. She is fiercely connected to her neighbors, attached to the memory of her late grandma, and on a mission to make it difficult for him to make his plans come true. But the more they spend time together, the more they give up on their on stubbornness. Him, starting to love the neighborhood and giving up his commitment issues. And her, giving up on memories and trying to keep them alive for someone else’s sake, beginning to make a life of her own.
Loved it and highly recommend!

Bone Labyrinth

• AUTHOR: James Rollins
• TOPIC: Thriller

I was really hoping for more.
Usually I love his books and the story line always going back to religious or history related mysteries. I started to read again thanks to this genre.
But this read? It was painful.
The plot was there but somehow it got diluted into too much description, too many details ( seemed like a movie script more than a book ) and too much complication. So much so that I got lost more than once and I literally couldn’t wait for the book to be over, determined as I was not to collect another DNF anytime soon!
So, apologies, but a summary is not going to happen for this now. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.

Our Secrets and Lies

• AUTHOR: Sinead Moriarty
• TOPIC: Novel

 I loved the book. I started reading @sineadmoriartywriter after seven letters and now I am on a mission to read all of her books. The reason for a 4 and not a 5, is that I found some parts to be repetitive at times. Otherwise was a great read done in 2 days, and would still recommend.
Lucy is 21, first class at law school and in love with Tom. Than she finds out she is pregnant. Initially convinced to abort, when Tom’s controlling and nasty father comes to know of it and gets involved, she changes her mind. But Tom disappears cowardly to NYC to finish his studies. Luckily Lucy has her mom, dad and best friend Sarah on her side, and Lucy decides to have the baby and return to school after a year. Fast forward 17 years, Lucy had twins, her mom passed away due to cancer, she never got her law degree and Tom never reached out. But on the plus side, her kids are her world and make her very proud. Dylan got a scholarship for football, and Kelly gets to tag along being an A-student. Lucy lets her past grievances get into the way, suffocating her kids, expecting them to make up for the life she didn’t get to live, bitter due to all she had to give up, intended to prove to Tom’s father and the world that she is good enough. Blinded by this, she is oblivious to Kelly’s situation at school. Bullied to the edge, she will take an extreme decision that will force Lucy to refocus on life, just as Tom is bursting back into their lives.

Writers & Lovers

• AUTHOR: Lily King
• TOPIC: Novel

I am still left with the feeling of being unsure if I liked it or not. It was like waiting and waiting to see what going to happen…and than boom! In a couple of chapters it’s allover and the protagonist’s life totally changes 360 degrees all of a sudden.
So I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Though it was a nice read of two days.
Casey just lost love and her mom, and is lost. Struggling to pay her college debts because she refused to use her golf scholarship. Trying to write a novel since six years. And working at a restaurant to survive. Than she meets Silas, and than Oliver. Silas, a writer, interested, but troubled, so much so that he leaves town suddenly before their date. And Oliver, also a writer but mature and with two kids in tow. When Silas reappears, Casey is faced with a decision to make. And while her life finally starts to go in the right direction ( new job as a teacher, her novel finally published ), in love she will take the most dangerous decision and follow her heart.

When You Read This

• AUTHOR: Mary Adkins
• TOPIC: Novel

I absolutely loved it.
Written in a style that it’s quiet unique ( texts, emails, blogs ), it will leave you laughing and crying at the same time.
Due to the nature of the way it’s written in, it was such an easy wonderful read. And it just made sense. Loved!
Iris finds out she has cancer and has little to live. She leaves behind a printed copy of her blog to her boss-cum-friend Smith, whose life is falling apart between childhood dramas, a failing business and a gambling addiction. But even from the grave, Iris manages to spread love and connect people. And that’s how Smith meets Jade, Iris sister. And somehow they heal one another from their losses and grief, uncovering Iris desire of opening a bakery, opening to each other about their hopes and dreams, fighting over Iris’s blog publication, and trying not to kill Carl ( Smith’s nosy intern )…Who despite being barely tolerable, will help magic happen.

Ordinary People

• AUTHOR: Diana Evans
• TOPIC: Novel

 I struggled with this one. Very slow start and a very weird ending that leaves you with a number of question marks, one of them being: surely this can’t be the end? But not in a good way. Not in a “I am looking forward to a sequel” kind of way. More in a “I’m glad it’s over and it’s weird this is the end”. A story of relationship, of losing yourself into marriage and kids and responsibilities, of wanting more for yourself but not knowing how to, on guilt and cheating, and arguing and feeling not enough. The hot topics were there, but the narration was heavy, the tale of two couples and their kids interwoven somehow without a clear purpose. I was just left confused and unfortunately didn’t enjoy the read at all.

You Are Not Alone

• AUTHOR: G. Hendricks & S. Pekkanen
• TOPIC: Novel

Finally a great read after two consecutive DNF that literally left me heartbroken. There is nothing worse than starting a book you want to love, and end up being so disconnected from it that you can’t bring yourself to read it. I read hundreds of books before but that was a first time.
So when I picked up this one, and couldn’t put it down, I felt relieved. Like the world was right again 😂
It was an intriguing suspence-filled tale that kept me glued to it so much so that I finished it in two days.
Abuse, friendship, women sticking together, and the best part: you have no idea who is the person and the reason behind everything until the last pages.
Loved it!
Shay needs a new life, apartment, job, love. One day on her way to work on the subway, she witnesses a suicide that shakes her life and leaves a deep mark inside of her. While on a quest to find more about the victim, she crosses path with Cassandra and Jane, a sister power couple who have everything Shay wants: career, beauty, fame, confidence. In surprising ways, they demonstrate an interest in her and take her under her wings, amazingly fixing everything in her life that was wrong: new job, new house, new looks. But Shay is a data analyst by trade, and when she starts to add things up, she realizes that the sisters know so many things about her she never disclosed. Finding herself in the middle of a murder case where she is being set up as the killer, thanks to her analysis she will discover the truth behind the murder and the suicide she witnessed, and the real reason why she was pulled into it. The two sisters weren’t so angelic after all, spending most of their lives making others pay for wrongs bestowed unto them.
Highly recommend!!

The Starless Sea

• AUTHOR: Erin Morgenstern
• TOPIC: Novel

My first DNF ever. No matter how much I loved her other book, I couldn’t pass the mark of 200 pages. And even that was a torture.

Instagram Power

• AUTHOR: Jason Miller
• TOPIC: Social Media

This was a work related read.
With my new job, I need to use Instagram more than ever before, and I was looking for some insights to learn and develop my knowledge about the platform. I am always better at reading a real book than on line articles. Though this edition is a 2019 one, and ever since a lot of new features have been developed, it was still a very good read and helped me a lot to highlight some key things I was missing or didn’t know of.

Firefly Lane

• AUTHOR: Kristin Hannah
• TOPIC: Novel

My first book by this author and for sure not the last. I didn’t watch the series yet and now I find myself equally intrigued to, and worried in case it doesn’t match what I read!
Don’t know if anyone felt the same but the story gave me flashbacks to The movie “Miss you already”: friends since forever, living two totally different lives and being two totally different characters, but no matter what, seem to be made from the same soul split into two, unable to stay away from each other for two long. A story of coming to age, growing up, career, love, kids, fights, understanding, support, sacrifice but most importantly: friendship above all else.
I am leaving the summary vague on purpose, as it’s up to you to find out the whole story.
Loved and recommend!!

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue

• AUTHOR: V.E Schwab
• TOPIC: Novel

A super well deserved 5 star for this amazing book. A big hit in the last months that I couldn’t wait to read, and now all the fuss about it is clear to me. A true masterpiece.
Thrilling, mysterious, filled with suspence and with an plot that keeps you glued to the pages. Absolutely loved it.
Adeline is about to be married away, but she cannot imagine her life tied up. She is thirsty for freedom and life. So on the day of her wedding she escapes to the woods and pleads for a way out…but she is too late and as darkness takes over the day, her plea is granted by the god of darkness: a deal, to get her freedom. The price: her soul when she gets enough of it. And a curse, that she will discover over time and keep her company for centuries: she will never grow old and no one will ever remember her. Year after year she wonders through life and cities not being able to own anything, form a bond, or create something of her own. Only visited by the dark god on her deal anniversary, forming with him a twisted bond of rivalry and stubbornness. After 300 years, she stumbles upon Henry in NYC. And he remembers her. Sees her. And it’s not an illusion, it’s for real, so real they form a relationship neither of them expected. But soon enough they will realize why this was at all possible: he also made a deal with the dark god. A much shorter one, meaning that soon the god will come back for his payment. That is when Adeline will have to make a choice, that will change everyone’s destiny forever.

The Flat Share

• AUTHOR: Beth O’Leary
• TOPIC: Novel

Praise for this so-talked about book that I couldn’t wait to read. And I do understand the excitement now, because it was awesome! Written in a witty way that I just adore, it was funny and romantic and a total delight. So much so that I finished it in one day because I couldn’t put it down.
Can’t wait to read all of your other books, because this one was just epic!

A heartbroken and now single Tiffany needs to find a new place, and the only option she can afford is a strange arrangement: share a flat, and a bed, with someone who will be using the flat when she is not there. Leon, working nights at a hospice, needs the extra money to get his brother out of jail. They don’t meet for months, exchanging post-it notes to communicate, and unknowingly get close thanks to this correspondence, till one day they finally meet in person in the most awkward of ways. And it’s instant chemistry which neither of them seem to be wanting to admit. Tiffany gets her best friend Gerty to help Leon with his brother case, and just when everything seems to go well, Tiffany’s boyfriend reappears in her life, stalking her and begging for her to come back, causing her a shock so big that she is unable to let go fully with Leon. Just when her career is skyrocketing, her ex pulls the biggest attacks of all, threatening to ruin everything in her life. A story of love, friendship, abuse, second chances, and hope. Read it, you will love it!!

The Paris Library

• AUTHOR: Janet Skeslien Charles
• TOPIC: Novel

 I truly loved the book, finished it basically in one sitting, as the narrative took me back to WW2 in Paris, thanks to the intensity of the description and the love for books that I share with the main character. I was only a bit disappointed with the ending, otherwise it was a great book and would still recommend.
Odile gets her dream job: librarian at the American Library in Paris. Her policeman father is not thrilled, and keeps inviting suitors to Sunday lunch to find a potential husband. The fourteenth candidate, Paul, it’s the good one, and she enjoys her growing romance while living her best life at the library, surrounded by inspiring people coming from different journeys of life. Everything will change once war disrupts Paris, but that won’t hold back the library from staying open, delivering books to soldiers at the front or readers that can’t make it to get books themselves. The library becomes a symbol of hope. One act of jealousy towards her best friend will truly ruin everything, forcing her to leave her recently wedded Paul, marry Buck and flee to America to start new. Here, forty years after, she meets lonely neighbors teenager Lily, and forms a special connection especially when Lily loses her mother. The two ladies have more in common than they think, and when a misunderstanding from the past seems to break their affection forever, they will both learn the greatest lessons in life.

The Vanishing Half

• AUTHOR: Brit Bennett
• TOPIC: Novel

Both while reading it and now that it’s finished, I still cannot make my mind up about this book. Did I love it or not? For sure, the second half was much more interesting than the first one, and it didn’t really catch me, otherwise I would have finished it much quicker. It has not been one of those “I can’t put down” reads. I really wanted to read it as I have heard so much about it, but maybe it’s simply not my style.

Twins Desiree and Stella disappear from a small town out out New Orleans. But truth is, they escaped, leaving behind a life of many tragedies and poverty, shadowed by their skin color. They get by working here and there until Stella leaves Desiree behind without so much of an explanation, chasing “the whites life”, at which she succeeds, marrying well and having a daughter, Kennedy. Not so lucky, Desiree also needs to escape a violent husband, and finds herself back in her hometown with her daughter Jude, reconnecting with her mother and with her first love, Early. Only a twist of fate brings the twins daughters on the same path, with Jude trying to uncover a past everyone else seems to hide from or not know at all. And even a brief reconciliation won’t be enough to bring the twins back together again.

Such A Fun Age

• AUTHOR: Kiley Reid
• TOPIC: Novel

I heardf so much about this novel and was looking forward to it. Read in one day and though the story was good, it didn’t leave me wowed to be honest.
I liked it, but didn’t adore it.
Emira is baby sitting part time for a well-off family. One evening, she is asked to help out late at night as an emergency to look after their daughter, Briar, for a short while. They go to the closest shop, and Emira is stopped by a security guard and accused of stealing the child. Only because she is afro-American. One man, Kelley, vídeos the encounter and offers Emira a copy of the video to seek out justice but she refuses. They later ob meet again and start a relationship. Alix, Briar’s mother, becomes obsessed with Emira and trying to make it up to her, and when she invites her over for Thanksgiving and Kelley shows up with her, she recognizes in him the guy who broke her heart in high school. Alix and Kelley fight their way to gain Emira’s sole love and attention, Alix pushing her to leave him and Kelley pushing her to leave her job. When the video of the store incident leaks out, Emira is faced with a decision to make, that will eventually force her to leave behind the only people she had ever loved. 

Layla

• AUTHOR: Colleen Hoover
• TOPIC: Novel

Colleen, you did it again! What a masterpiece ❤️
I love everything she writes, every book seems better than the one before. The unexpected turns and twists of the plot kept me glued to the pages, so much so that I read half the book last night in one sitting because I simply couldn’t wait anymore to find out what happens next. I must have gasped “omg” at least 100 times. Absolutely adored it!
Leeds, an unfulfilled musician, meets Layla at a B&B where her sister is getting married while playing the gig. It’s love st first sight. Though it makes no sense to him, she can’t let her go and when he offers her to move in with him, she does. Layla pushed Leeds to pursue a solo career, and just when life seems too perfect to be true, someone from his past shows up and tragically changes all their lives forever. In an attempt to recover themselves and their relationship, Leeds decides to bring Layla back to where they first met. But she is not the same person he fell in love with. Matters complicate further when another guest of the B&B, Willow, makes her appearance in bizarre circumstances, forming a relationship with Leeds that goes beyond understanding. Though he knows he is neglecting Layla, Leeds cannot stop his interest in Willow and the pull he feels towards her: she feels so familiar and right, like he needs to help her. Forced to make a decision between saving Layla or Willow, unexpected circumstances will make it almost impossible to choose without affecting everyone’s future.
I know the summary is cryptic, but it’s intentionally so…I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for you. Just read it.

The Guest List

• AUTHOR: Lucy Foley
• TOPIC: Thriller

This book it’s not my usual genre but really liked it and now totally understand the hype about.
@lucyfoleyauthor keeps you glued page after page wondering: who did it? And this is exactly what you need for a thriller.
A wedding is about to take place in a remote island between Jules and Will, both too good looking and famous for their own good. There is a small list of guests that will be staying overnight at the estate prior to the celebration: and everyone is hiding something. Everyone has a secret, and the groom is the connection between them all. When the scream of a waitress claiming to have seen a body interrupts the wedding celebrations, it won’t be until the very last pages that you will discover who the body belongs to. And who did it. You will be kept on the edge until the very last wondering and scheming. But it will leave you speechless when you will find out.
Loved it. Highly recommend!!

The Untethered Soul

• AUTHOR: Micheal Singer
• TOPIC: Self-help

And not because I didn’t like the topic or didn’t find it interesting – on the contrary. It’s just that the writing style didn’t sit well and with me and when that happens, I am unable to fully focus on the book. It doesn’t make me run to it to finish it. Regardless of that, I have been wanting to read this for a long time and I am happy I did. It explores the world inside yourself, and how to master that relationship with the most intimate part of your soul, how to manage the voice in your head, how to conquer fear, how to channel your energy to your heart, how to control the psyche…all with the ultimate goal of letting go of everything that doesn’t serve the higher purpose of living your best life.

Secrets of The Lighthouse

• AUTHOR: Santa Montefiore
• TOPIC: Novel

My first read from this author and for sure not the last. I was so charmed by this book, I couldn’t put it down. I felt I was in Ireland the whole time, part of this enchanting story. Just blew me away and absolutely loved every page of it. Ellen escapes London, leaving a controlling mother and an arranged wedding behind. Her only option: go to Ireland, where her aunt lives. Aiming to start fresh and start on a novel, she discovers many secrets about her family. First of all, she has a huge family she never knew existed, and meets her biological father, discovering why her mother escaped this part of the world never to return. She also finds love in the estranged Conor, who lost her wife Caitlin 5 years ago in unclear circumstances. The whole town blames him and her family wants her to stay away from him but she can’t. On a mission to bring her daughter back to her senses, her mother travels back to Ireland, and reconnects with the whole family, but at the same time letting a secret slip that might destroy Ellen’s relationship with Conor.

It Started With A Secret

• AUTHOR: Jill Mansell
• TOPIC: Novel

I absolutely loved all of her books so far and this was no exception.
That’s why she is one of my favorite writers: I adore books that keep you engaged, with a good love story to ger you dreaming, but surrounded by multiple interwoven plots that just make each page so much more interesting and complex.
Each character in the book has his own thing going on that supports the main part, adding diversity and color and meaning to it. Hence summarizing its a bit tricky. Lainey lost her job at a chateau in France, and on her way back to the UK, she applies to a quirky ad, knowing it would be the perfect fit for her and her best gay friend Kit. But the ad is for a couple. Passing the interview with flying colors while pretending to be in a relationship, they soon realize they will be taking care of the house and family of an old famous Hollywood actor. Seth, the grandson, discovers that Kit is gay and is secretly happy as his feelings for Lainey have started to grow, not knowing that she feels the same way about him. Once out in the open, job safe, they are still unsure of each other feelings, worried to break the working relationship that was working well so far. Between multitude of different events, every single character in the story will find love, family, friendship and acceptance for who they truly are.
Beautiful and highly recommend!

The Spanish Promise

• AUTHOR: Karen Swan
• Topic: Novel

Another breathtaking story from one of my favorite authors.
Each book I read, the more I am amazed about the way she can just glue you to her pages, as you just can’t stay away until the next plot twist, or to find out how it ends. She has this amazing way of making each story so interesting, that you never know how it will turn out to be: it’s what I love the most about her… you can never guess the finale and it’s always a surprise.As usual, summaries of her books are very hard to write, as the is so much going on. Charlotte has a particular job: wealth counselor. She helps rich people deal with the psychological issues that might arise from possessing a great amount of money. On the week before her wedding, she gets sent to Spain to get at the bottom of a very strange request from one of the richest man in the country, who is about to pass away and wants to gifts everything he is owes to an unknown woman. With the help of Nathan, her long lost love who now hates her, she will come to the bottom of the story, realizing that this mysterious woman is in fact a long lost twin of the man, and revealing so much family history, including her own. It was so good I had read it in one day. Highly recommend!

How To Fail At Flirting

• AUTHOR: Denise Williams
• TOPIC: Novel

I stayed up until 1Am to finish it in one day…that’s how good it was! And I love how the title doesn’t prepare you for how much more complex and unexpected the story actually is. Abuse, racism, gender discrimination, love and lots of racy parts.
Loved it…now I understand the hype.. Naya is an accomplished professor at university, but after being in a violent and abusive relationship, she shut everything else off. Her best friends convince her to get herself out there, and give her a to do list. On the night they are all supposed to go out and support her, she ends up alone in a bar…and that is when she meets Jack. Everything goes more than right, ticking off so many items on the list, until she gets sick…but the next day he still calls her. They unexpectedly grow fonder until it turns out that Jack works for a company that’s working with her university…but not even this conflict of interest can stop them from falling in love. Things take a turn for the worst when their relationship comes to light and her abusive ex makes a comeback, making Naya feel like she is about to lose everything.

If I Can’t Have You

• AUTHOR: Charlotte Levin
• TOPIC: Novel

I remember looking at this book on the shelves for weeks before going for it…but the pull was there…the book was calling me.
Though I am still true to my February theme of novels about love, unfortunately this one is not one with happy ending. But definitely one with a big last minute surprise.
I won’t summarize the plot, but I will tell you what you can expect. It touched on so many topics, from alcoholism, self-harm, domestic violence, stalking, unreciprocated love, jealousy, abandonment, grief, guilt…but still it was a story about love. Love that you feel but don’t get in return. Love that hurts and drives you made. Love that makes the unacceptable, acceptable.

Watermelon

• AUTHOR: Marian Keyes
• TOPIC: Novel

I love everything she writes!! It was just amazing.
I didn’t even realize this is her first ever written book…no wonder she became so popular. I have read a lot of her books so far and loved every single one of them, so can’t wait to read all the rest very soon. She is definitely one of my favorite writers. This book made me laugh out loud but also angry. Angry about the underlying issue that she brings to light in this novel: how sometimes women end up in manipulative relationships where the man makes them feel like everything is their fault, and the only way to make it work is changing themselves to make their partner feel more like a man. Totally raging!! And this is what happens to Claire. She has literally just given birth to their daughter, when James announces that he is leaving her and having an affair. Without so much so giving a glance to his newborn daughter. Claire goes back to her childhood home where her crazy sisters still live with mom and dad, and when she just about managed to put herself together and met a young man to keep her mind off things, James flies to Dublin, doesn’t apologize and practically blames Claire for pushing him into cheating on her. Initially she forced herself to give in for her daughters sake, but Claire doesn’t take long to realize that she isn’t the one who should apologize and change to make the marriage work. In fact, she gathers enough courage and self-respect to end things and start life all over again. Great read, highly recommend for a good laugh but also for a good lesson to any woman who is made to feel less than she actually is. Because that is not love.

In Case You Missed It

• AUTHOR: Lindsey Kelk
• TOPIC: Novel

Another amazing novel from one of my favorite writers. Ros is back home after spending 3 years in DC as a radio producer. Forced to live in her parents house and witness their newly found romanticism, she is jobless but her 3 best friends are almost as she left them. Almost because they are all moving on with their lives, their hangout has changed to a new bar run by a guy named John…and she is the only one missing the good old days. Part of her past is Patrick, who broke her heart when she moved overseas and accidentally gets in touch with again the first night she is back in town. She finds a job, which she hates…and she picks up with Patrick where she left off…only to realize that he hasn’t changed one bit and she was never the problem: he was. Through a lot of moments spent with friends, a vow renewal she has to organize for her parents, and getting on with this job which clearly isn’t for her…she will learn to move on and look to the future, both at work and in love.
Super cute and loved it. Highly recommend.

A Bend in The Road

• AUTHOR: Nicholas Sparks
• TOPIC: Novel

I really liked this book. It kept me stuck it, waiting for find out exactly what happens. And I love when a book does this…keep me on my toes, excited and waiting with anticipation.
Hence my summary will be short and sweet, as I wouldn’t want to give away too much, keeping you from experiencing the same thrill. Miles is a single father to Jonah, working as a sheriff in a small town. The last years have been a nightmare, filled with investigations trying to find out who killed his way and ran away. The only one able to break this spell is Sarah, who recently moved to town after a bad divorce, and offered to help Jonah after school since he is falling behind. One thing leads to another, and Sarah and Miles heal each other’s hearts. To threaten all this, is new information that arise in regards to his wife killing, over which Miles looses all stability. And when the true finally comes out, seems there is nothing left to save Sarah’s and Miles’s love, no matter how strong…but…will let you read and find out the rest!

The First Time I Saw you

• AUTHOR: Emma Cooper
• TOPIC: Novel

Wow! What a story! So intriguing and so full that I struggle to make a summary. I loved it, so much, the pages keeping me stuck to the book, unable to wait to know what happens next.
Sophie is successful and meets Samuel, for whom is love at first sight. He is able to cut through her defenses and see the real her. Work gets in the way, when she realizes he works for the company she is trying to acquire. A glitch of conflict of interest makes it impossible for them to be together, and misunderstandings get in the way. So she tries to move on, until she finds herself jobless and pregnant. He doesn’t want to give up on her until an accident makes it impossible for him to fight for her. Both their lives change dramatically, and through the whole story they keep looking for each other and missing each other, as if fate is trying to make it as hard as possible for them to be together. But love conquers all. And though they are both not the same people they have fallen in love with, they will look at a very bright future together…topped off with a surprise.

The Places I’ve Cried in Public

• AUTHOR: Holly Bourne
• TOPIC: Novel

What started like something close to a YA book leaving me wondering if it was something for me, ended up gripping and twisting all of my insides. Feeling the pain of the main character deeper than I ever thought possible, as if it had actually hit home somehow.
I will not write a summary this time, but will type out a paragraph from the closing chapter of the novel. A novel about the wrong type of love and emotional abuse.

“Sometimes, when someone doesn’t treat us well and attacks the essence of who we are, that causes trauma. It’s natural to want to be loved – it’s the most natural thing in the world. So, when we love someone and they hurt us, our brain doesn’t like it. Our brain doesn’t like trauma, it doesn’t like feeling unsafe, and sometimes comes up with unhealthy shortcuts in order to trick us into feeling safe. One of the things the brain does to feel safe, is it creates an intense bond with the person who hurts us. If someone is inconsistent with how they treat us, our body can get addicted to being in a nervous state. Waiting for it to get better, feeling sick and depressed and terrible when it doesn’t – but then when we get a flood of happy hormones when this person is finally nice to us again. It’s a bit like being on drugs. You’re never sure when you will get your next hot of niceness”

Beach Read

• AUTHOR: Emily Henry
• TOPIC: Novel

I have read ravishing reviews about this one, and though I rarely buy based on this, the plot seemed interesting enough to give in. And I am glad I did.
Read in one day, as I couldn’t put it down until I knew how it ended, I highly recommend. Great love story without being cheesy. January is a writer, now nearly broke and struggling to write her next book. Moreover, her father passed away, and she inherited a cabin by the beach…where he used to have a second life with a woman he was cheating on his mother with. Her neighbor, turns out to be Gus, another writer she went to school with and had a crush on, but that couldn’t stand as he always thought he was a better writer than her…just because she writes romantic comedies with happy endings, and he does the total opposite. On the way back from a book club night they have been set up with, they decide to cure each other writers blocks by making a bet: he will write a book with a happy ending, and she will write one without one. Spending more and more time together, they both discover darkness and pain in each other, built up from their past, making you wonder if they will ever be able to write those books and much more. Don’t want to write more not to spoil the ending.

The Plus One

• AUTHOR: Sophia Money-Coutts
• TOPIC: Novel

Filled with belly-laugh moments, it will make you love Polly. But might not make you adore the book. Hence my three stars. Polly, almost 30, shares a flat with her gay friend Joe and hasn’t seen much romantic action the past year. Working as a writer in a royals-gossip-only magazine, she is surrounded by many friends, her widowed mom being her best. When sent to a duke’s palace to interview their son Jasper for the magazine, little did she know that he would be the one to break her one year-spell, with lots of bed action and even a declaration of love. All her friends, including mom, seem to love him apart for her oldest friend, Billy. When away on her a hen night she organized for her friend Lex, he doesn’t stay in touch only to reappear with a lot of excuses that are later revealed to be lies once some paparazzi pictures appear on the desk of her boss. He cheated. Forced to go to her friend Lex’s wedding without a plus one, she will be surprised how she will end up the day never to be alone again.

The Sun in Her Eyes

• AUTHOR: Paige Toon
• TOPIC: Novel

I liked but didn’t adore.
Amber lost her mom to a car accident very young. She was in the car too and survived thanks to a driver who passed by the accident and saved her life, Doris. Grown, married, and now living in London, she looses her job on the same day she finds out that she suddenly needs to go back to Australia when her father suffers a stroke. There, she meets with her old friends again while tending to her father, above all reconnecting with Ethan, her first love. Spending time together, they get closer by the day and she confesses her love to him, and ends up cheating on her husband, nearly divorcing him. When she finds out she is pregnant, fearing the baby to be Ethan’s, she discovers his true colors and she doesn’t like what she sees. She meets Doris, who connected with her through a letter, and who reveals to Amber her mom’s last words, bringing closure to both women about the tragic event. With her husband Ned on the way to Australia to save their marriage, Amber finds out that the baby she is expecting is Ned’s, and the relief and happy news is enough to save their love

Everything I Know About Love

• AUTHOR: Dolly Alderton
• TOPIC: Memoir

I laughed, a lot.
This memoir is quiet something, made me miss having strong long lasting female relationships in my life. Reminded me that I never shared a house with friends or went on a girls vacation in life. Never say never though!
In this book you will find everything about life: loss, breakups, friendship, sex, addiction, grief, counseling, anxiety, coming of age, getting older, flat sharing, tears, laughter and heaps of alcohol.
But most importantly you will remind yourself of some important lessons: you are good enough, love yourself, age is just a number, live your life the way that fits only you, don’t care about society-imposed milestones, it’s ok to feel broken, friendship is everything, marry your best friend, don’t be scared of getting older, you can do anything you want at any age.
Loved, but not adored. But still recommend to read it.

The Friend Zone

• AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

This is a hands down proper romantic novel. With a hint of tragedy, but with the best happy ending you could wish for.
And the main character? Totally in love with her, she is so my type.
Read it, you will cry and laugh and believe in love again!!

Kirsten is on a long distance relationship with a military man who she rarely sees and who doesn’t want kids: perfect! Because she cannot have kids. Her condition is severe and this relationship fits her just fine. On the days preceding his boyfriend coming back and moving in with her at long last, she meets Josh. He moved into town for good, just before his best friend gets married to Kirsten best friend. One thing to another forces them to spend more and more time together, first as friends while the individually develop feelings for one another. And than her boyfriend texts: he is reenlisting and not coming back. And Kirsten let’s go. She soon regrets it as Josh wants kids above else in this world, and she loves him to much to take that away from him. But no matter how much she pulls back, the more he fights for her. Even when he finds out about her condition. Even when a tragedy seems to be tearing them apart.
I don’t want to say more, as I would spoil the fun!
Can’t wait to read more from her. 

The Light We Lost

• AUTHOR: Jill Santopolo
• TOPIC: Novel

I was looking forward so much to this book and I was right. I loved it.
I loved the way how it was written, like a long love letter, as if the writer was expressing her whole experience to her loved one, sometimes prompting for answers she knew she would never get. Because unfortunately, it’s a story with a sad ending. Lucy meets Gabe on 9-11 while at college. They immediately click and this experience marks them, making them realize about the importance of time. They kiss, but it goes no further as Gabe ends up back with his girlfriend. But they meet again, and live the type of romance that we all wish for: all consuming. But work and dreams come in the way separating them again: Gabe puts his dreams before the relationship and leaves NYC to be a war photographer correspondent. Life moves on, Lucy marries, has kids, works in a job that she adores and Gabe and her only keep in touch or meet few times over the years. But one time, when Lucy wrongly suspects that her husband is cheating on her, she gives in all the way to her feelings. She never stopped loving Gabe. Time passes again and a call from an unknown number makes her jump…will it be him? No, he has been injured and won’t wake up again. She had to run to him, one last time, with a huge secret inside of her. Lesson learned: time is single most important thing we have. Don’t waste it not being happy or now following your heart.

Good Vibes, Good Life

• AUTHOR: Vex King
• TOPIC: Self-help

I am so happy I decided to read this one and break my pattern of “romantic-reads-only” for this month.
Why? Because this book makes you feel good, makes you think, makes you want to change and better yourself. And I needed this book at this point in my life.
I have read many books of similar topic, but I have to admit that this is hands down the best yet. It’s clear, each chapter short and on point, and it definitely belongs to those few books I will read again. In fact, due to its small size, I am tempted to bring it always with me in my bag, to be able to flick through it when I need a nudge or a reminder, to give me strength and ideas to focus and love myself and to remember what I should focus on and on what matters.
The book touches everything: fear, meditation, purpose, acceptance, goals, affirmations, consistency. And all written in a concise manner and to the point…just the way I like it.
Read this book, cherish it, read it again. It makes you feel like it’s all possible. Only a few tweaks and you can live the life you want and you were meant to live.

Love After Love

• AUTHOR: Ingrid Persaud
• TOPIC: Novel

I am sorry, maybe it’s just me, but I really didn’t like this book.
Not only the fact that majority was written with a Trinidad influenced English, but the story just didn’t get to me.
Betty has a son, Solo, and her husband Sunil beats her daily. On Solo’s 5th birthday, she kicks him down the stairs when he is drunk. And he dies. She meets a co-worker, Chetna, that needs a place to stay, and he moves in with them. Becomes part of the family but never anything more, as though he really loves Betty, it’s not enough for him: he needs a man. They live in harmony for years and he becomes a father to Solo. When Solo finds out about the truth of his father’s passing, he moves to NYC with his uncle and stops speaking to his mother. Chetan moves out and has various relationships and keeps in touch with Solo, who is struggling in NYC with depression, self-harm and loneliness. Only when Chetan is murdered, Solo goes back to Trinidad, and finally patches up his relationship with his mother. Was very close to being DNF for me.

Some Kind of Wonderful

• AUTHOR: Giovanna Fletcher
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

The start was amazing: in Dubai on holiday, Lizzie is hoping that her boyfriend of 10 years will finally propose. When he organizes a romantic dinner on the beach on their last night, she thinks this is it! He even pulls a ring out…only to tell her it’s over. Heartbroken and lost, she moves back at her parents, aiming to find herself again. She joins a choir, she meets new people, she leaves her job, on a quest to put her life back together. But when the right job comes along, and a possible new man too, she decides instead to go traveling for 3 months.
And this is how it ends.
For me it was a bit stretched, found it boring at times and not really as exciting as the start had promised.
It was an easy breezy read but didn’t take my breath away. Not sure why but maybe was expecting more.

Dear Emmie Blue

• AUTHOR: Lia Louis
• TOPIC: Romantic Novel

Emmie, with a father she never met and an absent mother, releases a red balloon in the air as kid, with a message. That balloon makes it over the canal, to France, where Luke just moved. He writes back, and the friendship is sealed for life. First emails, than gift boxes and than visits. Luke’s family becomes Emmie’s, and they spend all birthdays together, as they were born on the same day. During one of these occasions, Emmie is convinced that Luke will propose: she loves him and cannot imagine living without him. But instead, she is asked to be his best woman. He is getting married…to someone else. During the wedding preparations, she will get closer again to Elliot, Luke’s brother. He will always be there when she needs him: when she discovers who her real father is, when she freaks out to go for an interview for a school counselor job because that is were she was molested, when she develops a friendship with her landlady. He is always there. Through various plot twists that I leave to you to discover, Emmie will realize that all she was sure to know, is not exactly so. And she will rebuild a life and find love, in the most unexpected places. Highly recommend!

Happier Now

• AUTHOR: Nataly Kogan
• TOPIC: Self Development

I have never read so many books before in one month, and choosing this one to finish off my January reads was the best decision ever. The right book at the right moment.
I have been going through a phase of uncertainty, my confidence weakened, searching for answers…and this book opened up a wide door of support and understanding.
I would highly recommend anyone to read this, regardless of your personal life circumstances: it’s a great reminder to love ourselves, to cut ourselves some slack, to be understanding and forgiving, and how much our mental health affects anything in life.
Acceptance, gratitude, intentional kindness, the bigger why and self care are the pillars of this amazing book.
Do yourself a favor and read it. You will thank me later.

The Silent Patient

• AUTHOR: Alex Michaelides
• TOPIC: Thriller

These few days off gave me a lot of time to read, finishing one book a day, and trashing my record of books per month.
I have been wanting to read this book for so long. It has been praised to highly, and even though it’s not my usual genre, I loved it so much that I finished it in one day: I simply couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen.
Alicia stops talking after her husband is brutally murdered in their house. She is put in the care of a psychiatric facility, and when Theo, a new joiner, starts working there…it makes it his personal challenge to find out what really happened, and to get her to talk again. Alicia kept a diary…the key to the truth about what really happened, and the key to find out who tried to kill her to silence her forever.
This is just a super short summary. The plot is too twisted and gripping so don’t want to spoil it for you. If you like mystery and thriller, this one is for you! Highly recommend !!

The Psychology of Time Travel

• AUTHOR: Kate Mascarenhas
• TOPIC: Novel

I was honestly so excited by the title and the summary plot at the back of the book. Time travel is something whole humanity has been thinking about since the dawn of time and I was sincerely looking forward to it. I am not sure what exactly didn’t make me love this book: maybe it was the complexity of the plot, which is so intricate that it makes me unable to write a summary of sorts. Too many moving parts and too much going on, that often made me lose track of the story and it’s purpose. It started well but didn’t blow my mind…in fact, it was so close to be a DNF for me but I was just too curious to finish it to find out what it was all about. Shame.

The Kiss Quotient

• AUTHOR: Helen Hoang
• TOPIC: Novel

This one was a funny, steamy, cute and witty one, totally unputdownable hence finished it in one day.
I heard so much about her books and all the fuss was totally worth it, as I now can’t wait to read her next ones. Michael left all his dreams aside to pay for his mom cancer treatments and take care of his 5 sister and brother after his dad left, taking everything with him. To make ends meet, he spends Fridays being an escort. Stella is successful and rich, but doesn’t know how to be with a man or have a relationship, and her autism doesn’t help her with this. When pressured by her mom to bring a date to an upcoming charity social event, Stella contacts an escort agency to have a professional teach her all she needs to know. Michael shows up at her door. Stella will not be the only one to learn about relationships: they will tear each other walls and insecurities down, learning about trust and love and forgiveness.

VOX

• AUTHOR: Christina Dalcher
• TOPIC: Novel

I knew, when I read the summary at the back of the book, that I would love this. Reminds me a bit of Atwood’s recent books, though I must be truthful in saying that this one is much better. We are again in the US, when the overzealous Christians decide to purge the communicate from sin: by taking away everything from women…most importantly their voice. If they speak more than 100 words a day, an electric shock will go through their bodies…to remind them what their new place in the world is: silence, reverence and obedience to man, in a world where they cannot read, write, work, communicate, feel. A terrifying tale but with a happy ending. Because woman are resilient and they always find a way, to protect their families, kids, loved ones…and themselves.

I Feel Bad About My Neck

• AUTHOR: Nora Ephron
• TOPIC: Novel

I think every woman in the world should read this book. The way Nora Ephron destroys bluntly every single cliche’ about what women do or care about just to uphold the standard role that society has given us ( or we have given ourselves ), it’s mind blowing. And hilarious. And so true it hurts. And straightforward. And I just loved it and please make sure you read it. Every chapter is something new, all based on her own experience recounted without shame or embarrassment. What she learned, where she failed, what she believes in, and even if you don’t know her and you are from a different age group/nationality/part of the world…you will relate so much that you will just laugh and raise your hand and say “yup, that’s me”! I would personally take a screenshot of the chapter called “what I wish I’d known” for future life reference 😉

The Gift

• AUTHOR: Edith Eger
• TOPIC: Self help

Just as the title says, this book is truly a gift. It’s raw, it’s true, it makes you think and it makes you cry. @dr.editheger puts it all out on the table, showing us how being vulnerable can be our biggest strength. Not shy or ashamed to use her own life experience to teach us how to love ourselves no matter what, she explains in great details 12 ways to make your life better.
If you read carefully, you will recognize yourself in so many ways, remembering things you either said, did or thought…and how you can do better next time. For your own good. Just for you. I think everyone in the world, no matter their life circumstances, weather they had a good or troubled life, should read this book and never give it away. Keep it there in the shelf so you can go back to read it, when you know you are going off-path.

The Year that Changed Everything

• AUTHOR: Cathy Kelly
• TOPIC: Novel

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!! I knew I would love this writer and can’t wait to read more from her. The story is full of meaning and truth, the power of woman resilience, the importance of family and true friends, the hard-learned life lesson of never giving up. Callie turns 50, only to find out that her husband James is gone, leaving her and her daughter behind, escaping a fraud case. Ginger turns 30 at her best friend wedding; she is still a virgin and overweight, and that night she discovers that her best friend was no such thing all along. Sam turns 40 and gives birth to her miracle baby, after years of IVF, but is consumed by post-natal depression and the memory of her own unmotherly mother, fearing she will end up like her. During a full year, all 3 woman rediscover themselves and get a new chance at a happy life, thanks only to themselves and to their loved ones around them. Highly recommend.

The Seventh Commandment

• AUTHOR: Tom Fox
• TOPIC: Novel

I have waited for this book for so long. It took me ages to find anyone who would have it in stock and shipping to the UAE, so I was super excited when I started. I loved his other book so much that I couldn’t wait to read it as soon as it was out of the delivery box. It was good, but maybe not as exciting as Dominus. An ancient tablet written in Akkadian, a lost language from Mesopotamia that only a handful of people can translate, is found underneath Rome. And it contains seven prophecies. Though it will turn out to be a huge scam, Emil, fired years ago from the Secret Archives of the Vatican, has made his life purpose ever since to seek revenge. And thanks to years of meticulous planning, conjures this tablet and its seven commandments to become true, forcing Rome to its knees for 4 days. His ultimate objective: empty the secret vault of the Vatican, full of gold and silver and only known to a few. But thanks to the only two people in Rome that understand Akkadian, and with the help of the Swiss Guards, he will be discovered and stopped.

Sorry I missed you

• AUTHOR: Suzy Krause
• TOPIC: Novel