Love You More by Emily Giffin

 

Billie is happy and excited for the future.  She's got a wonderful fiancé.  She's living in New York and has a clinic where she works as a doctor helping with women's health and fertility.  Life is perfect.

Perfect doesn't last forever though and when a phone call from her old boyfriend comes Billie's perfect world is shattered and on the next plane back to Wisconsin.  Where she's forced to make big decisions and face her old love.

It's hard to say too much about this book without giving much away.  I honestly didn't know how it would end.  There's also a huge surprise twist that I definitely didn't see coming.  This is such a great read and I was so hooked from page one.  I love all of Emily Giffin's books and this one might be her best yet.  

Nantucket Second Chances by Pamela Kelley

 

Claire has just discovered that her husband, Ellis, of 20 years has been having an affair.  Of course, Ellis's new flame is way younger.  The new flame is also pregnant with Ellis's baby and very surprising so is Claire.  They have one daughter together Lily who is 16.  They thought they were never able to have any more children.

With not many options, Claire heads back to Nantucket where she grew up.  There she has her mother and grandmother and her best friend.  Being in her late 30's living with her mom and pregnant is not how she saw her future but it is what it is.

Claire has $1000 in her purse that she grabbed from the safe when she left.  It's not going to last her long.  Now Lily has come to stay on Nantucket and she needs things too.  After a joke at book club that she may need to start selling off her many name brand purses a business idea has begun.

I love reading Pamela Kelley books.  I always enjoy reading books set in Nantucket.  Kelley writes about the scenery there so beautifully.  Another thing I love about Pamela Kelley books is how she writes about wine and food and Nantucket Second Chances includes all the best scenery, wine and food descriptions.  If you like Elin Hildebrand definitely give Pamela Kelley books a try.

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews

 

Road Trip is the story of two Irish sisters, Maeve and Therese.  They're mother has just passed away and left the girls with a pile of debt.  There's a small tin of $20 bills but that's only to be put towards a trip to Ireland to find her family history.  There's a portrait painting that's been in the family forever and the girls would love to know how they are related to her.

While in Ireland the sister's meet a slew of people - some helpful in their search and some not so much.  They aren't the first people to come to Ireland in search of family history.  The search for history leads them on a wild goose chase.  Throughout the trip the make friends and enemies.

It's a bit of a longer book at 448 pages and it did take me a bit to get into the book.  But once things start unravelling it gets really good.  I loved the ending.  All loose ends tied up and you aren't left wondering about anything which I like.  

The Shippers by Katherine Center

 

Jojo has been cursed with love.  Every relationship she's had has ended badly and she's about to end another one standing at the altar with some help from her best friend Cooper.  

When she was 10 years old she was blindfolded and kissed and she's never stopped dreaming about that kiss.  Her blindfolded kisser, Finn, is newly divorced and going on the same cruise.  This is her chance to try and conquer him and be reunited with the best kiss of her life.

Not only is she trying to get her own love life under control she overheard her parents having marital problems.  Jojo's sister is getting married on the cruise to her ex boyfriend who is still holding a grudge over their breakup.

The Shippers unravels with a whole pile of misunderstandings and missed opportunities.  I'm a long time fan of all of Katherine Center's novels and this one was a very enjoyable fast paced read.  Only thing that would have made it better would be reading it on a cruise ship - I highly recommend doing that.

Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez

 Cam is burnt out.  Bad.  Her life is going down in flames.  She's drowning in debt.  She's just been fired.  She's very soon going to have no where to live.  Now she's just been arrested.  Something has to change.  When a friend offers a life line for the summer - a chance to breathe - how can she say no.

Danny is one of her best friends from college.  Part of the group of five that quickly formed over a project.  When life is falling apart for Cam, Danny swoops in with the perfect solution for a break and chance to recharge.  Danny owns a restaurant in a beach town.  He's got a summer job for Cam as a waitress, he can provide a roof of her head, and he's full of all the encouragement she needs to get her life back.

The only advice her best friend offered Cam before the summer began was don't fall in love with Danny.  Cam did that before - she dated Corey, one of the other guys in the friend group and when that ended the friend group struggled.  But falling for Danny is not going to be a problem.  She's got other things to focus on like what will she do when the summer ends.

I really enjoyed reading Burnout Summer.  Cam is definitely a sympathetic character and you can see how her life quickly spiraled.  Following her get back on track while working and living with her good friend in a beautiful beach town was a fun read.  I don't want to reveal too much but there's a very hilarious Oh My God! scene that I was howling over.  I will definitely be looking for more Jenna Ramirez books in the future.

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.