Five Star Summer by Sarah Morgan

 

Five Star Summer is about Evie who finally has achieved her dream job in England.  It may be temporary so she's got to make the best of it.  She's grown up in the hotel - her dad is bell man.  Everyone in this hotel has changed her diapers and treats as one of their own.  It's a small town so everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets.

Abby is living in Chicago where her mom is the owner of the hotel chain.  Abby has done every job in the hotel and worked her way up from the bottom but it doesn't matter as everyone still sees her as her mother's daughter.  She's got no work friends.  They all stop talking every time she enters a room.  So Abby just does her best to work hard.

In a surprise twist Abby's mom is sending her to England to see why the oldest hotel in the chain isn't performing well lately.  Against Abby's wishes she must do so undercover.  She gets why she has to be undercover but this is her one shot at making friends.

I enjoyed reading this book and how it all unraveled.  Especially fun was reading Five Star Summer while on vacation in England.  I highly recommend reading this with scones and clotted cream because you will be craving them once you read about the chef.  I've read many Sarah Morgan's books and this was just enjoyable as I expected it to be.

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

 

Joy is a sweet little old lady that's lived her life following the expectations of those in her life.  First her father, a doctor, he had a lot of expectations of Joy.  Then her husband, a lawyer, expected her to be the perfect mother and house wife.  The only one who expected nothing of Joy was her long standing best friend, Hazel, that Joy met in grade 2.

Now at almost 80 years old almost all her friends have passed.   Now, even her beloved Hazel now has a expiry date coming soon with a new cancer diagnosis.  This cancer diagnosis and the thought of life without Hazel is enough to make Joy start living life on her own terms.  Slowly Joy starts taking more chances and soon sets a goal on her biggest risk yet.

Good Joy, Bad Joy was such a fun read!  I loved Joy and her friend Hazel.  I gave this book 5 stars which I don't do often but it really surprised me and I just loved the story.  

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

 

I was extremely excited to get to read Our Perfect Storm. I'm a huge Carley Fortune fan. I've loved all her other books and this one did not disappoint.

Frankie is getting married to Nate tomorrow and when her maid of honour, George, finally arrives she couldn't be happier. Her happiness doesn't last long though - she wakes the next morning to a note saying the wedding is off and no explanation.

The next 2 months are a blur until Frankie's convinced to go on her honeymoon to Tofino, British Columbia with George. George has a plan to help her get over Nate. He's done research - every day has a theme with the intention for Frankie to move on.

I don't want to reveal too much. But if you've read any Carley Fortune before you don't want to miss this one. I loved reading about Tofino. I've never been and the author describes the scenery so beautifully. Frankie is a chef so the descriptions of the food are amazing as well. This book is definitely going to be a huge hit this summer. I'm sure many of you will be so excited to read it.

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack

 This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone is the second book in a murder mystery series.  I read that you can read book two without reading book one but I wouldn't recommend it.  Although, I was able to understand the story I felt like I was missing a lot of details about the characters and their relationships that I'm certain I would have gotten from reading in order.

Elenor is at a writers retreat with her boyfriend, Oliver and her sister/assistant Harper.  She knows all the other attendees too because they are on the same book circuits.  They were previously in Italy together and well the title is Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies, so that gives you an idea about the last time all these characters were together.

The weekend starts off with Elenor, Oliver and Harper being shown to their room and there is a dead body there!  As a murder mystery writer, Elenor knows there's probably going to be two more murders because that's how things go in a murder mystery.  Instead of being a guest speaker and teaching the attendees how to write a murder mystery they end up working to solve one.

This book is written in Elenor's perspective.  She writes some tips throughout the book on how to write a good murder mystery.  Elenor also loves to write with foot notes and there are plenty of them.  I was able to guess the murderer about mid way through the novel but I think it was more a lucky guess then actually predicable because I did not predict the ending.  At one of the most nail biting moments 89% through the book my Kindle died.  Leaving me hanging for 30 minutes while I waited for it to charge.  

Definitely take this series on vacation with you.  

Save the Date by Mallory Kass

Marigold is about to marry Jonathan, the very handsome doctor that her best friend Natalie set her up with.  Marigold's very wealthy step father has paid for the wedding on an island in Maine and everyone who is anyone is here.  But Marigold has some last minute business to finish in Canada that just can't wait.  

Olivia, Marigold's sister, is keeping a huge secret that would definitely upset Marigold if she knew.  Olivia, is also hoping to find a love connection this weekend on an old crush.  But right from the start this weekend isn't going as planned and she's trying to stay one step ahead of Marigold and take care of like she always has.

Then there's Natalie.  She introduced the happy couple even though she's been in love with the groom since college.  But she can't say anything now the weekend of her best friend and the guy she loves.  So she just smiles and grins and tries to be there for Marigold the best she can.

Save the Date felt pretty predictable right from the beginning but that didn't stop it from being a great read.  I really enjoyed the unraveling of the story.  I liked all the characters.  It was a fun book with a happy ending and I would recommend the book to everyone who enjoys a happy ending.

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer by Bellamy Rose

 

Pomono Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer is such a fun cozy mystery to read.  Pomono comes from a very wealthy family - they own hotels, airplanes and more.  She's been a party girl for far too long and it's time for her to show that she's an adult now and she's changed her ways.  So she plans a gala for all her rich friends to raise money for charity.  This will show them she's new Pom.

Unfortunately, a murder happens at the Gala.  Fortunately no one liked him anyway.  But he was helping Pomona by donating a building to her new charity.  So with everything up in the air she can't work on the charity so she may as well solve this murder.  She's solved a murder case before so this shouldn't be too hard.  Plus she's got her boyfriend Gabe to help her.

Here begins the cozy mystery.  Just my kind of murder mystery.  I was not able to solve the murder by the ending so that also makes for a great book when it's not too predictable.  This is the second book in a series.  I own the first book but couldn't read it in time in order to get this review out the week it's published.  I don't think it will be giving too much away to read book two first but obviously if you have the option and time I'd recommend reading in the proper order.

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West

 

Sutton is back in her hometown for a few months so she can help her mom recover from an accident.  She hasn't spent this much time back in her hometown in ages.  One evening, Sutton finds herself all dressed up and nowhere to go she heads to the pub where she is totally overdressed.  She wasn't expecting to run into her high school best friend, Tara and her fiance and his brother debating the benefits of therapy.  Sutton is a believer in therapy although she's never tried it herself.  Tara is trying to convince her future husband to join her in some couples therapy before the wedding just to give them a good healthy start at marriage.

Suddenly, Sutton finds herself involved in a bet that she's got no interest in.  She's got enough on her plate with taking care of her mom and trying to run a restaurant from afar.  The bet - couples therapy with a complete stranger.  She thinks the therapist will obviously be able to tell right away that the two have never met.  He thinks they'll make it through four sessions without figuring it out.  She needs to win this bet for Tara.  She owes her.

I absolutely loved reading Stranger Things Have Happened.  It was such a fun read and I was completely hooked all the way through.  The story has a little bit of spice but it has such a great story around the spicy scenes.  I really loved enjoyed the characters.  If you enjoyed Emily Henry novels, you will enjoy this story.