The Treehouse on Dog River Road by Catherine Drake

 

When her life seems to be falling apart, Hannah accepts a job for the summer taking care of her sister's two kids while her and her husband travel for work.  How hard can it be to take care of two young kids especially with them in summer camp all day.  This will give Hannah plenty of time to rethink her life, next career and new city.

The nights and weekends with the kids are full and busy but Hannah realizes she's going to need a project to occupy herself while the kids are in camp.  She dreams up a treehouse for her niece and nephew and once she gets approval from her sister the building begins.  There's a new neighbour next door and she should probably let them know what she's up to.

The last thing Hannah expected to do this summer is to fall for a guy.  But it's fine.  He's just a summer fling.  No big deal.  Except he's perfect in every way.  But Hannah's determined not to make life decisions based on a guy.  This time she's following her dreams.  Vermont is nice but she really thinks Denver is where it's at.

The Treehouse on Dog River Road seemed very predictable and in some ways it was but there were definitely parts that weren't predictable.  Overall it was a really great story with some interesting twists and turns.  

Shipped by Angie Hockman

 

For most of us here in Canada it's now been years since vacations were possible because of Covid.  If your stuck in another cold winter with no warm vacations in sight Shipped is the perfect book to take you away.  

Henley and Graham are two employees working for a cruise ship company.  Spending all their days working on social media and marketing they've never even set foot on a cruise ship.  When they are told they are competing for a new management position their boss decides it's time they get on a cruise.

It sounds like a beautiful 10 days sailing around the Galapagos islands but Henley is determined to spend the entire cruise working on her management proposal presentation.  Henley also hates Graham so when not working on her presentation she's trying to avoid him - but he's everywhere.  Worse yet - she didn't realise he was so good looking - like really good looking.  She needs to stay focused.

Cruising is my favourite way to travel and I've never been to Galapagos.  Shipped had me planning my next cruise for someday when things look better.  But for now it was a perfect escape from January on a cold winter day.

We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange

Sunday Brennan has been living in California for 5 years.  Her brother Denny gets a call in New York that she's in the hospital after a drunk driving crash.  That's not like Sunday and he knows it's time he paid her a visit in California himself.

Somehow Denny convinces her to come back to New York to heal.  The Brennan clan couldn't be happier to have her back.  She left quite suddenly five years ago and they were worried for a bit but overtime they worried about her less.  They figured things were going good for her.  But maybe they were wrong.

The craziest part about her leaving is that she left her high school sweet heart, Kale, behind.  Who also happened to be Denny's best friend and co-owner of the local pub Brennans.  He was absolutely heart broken for a bit but eventually he married Vivianne who Denny said seemed all wrong for him.

Denny's got some problems of his own.  Kale and him are opening a new pub across town and things aren't going well.  The new pub was his idea and so he's trying to hide some unexpected payments from Kale.

Jackie, another one of Sunday's brother has also been in some trouble lately.  His parole dictates he's not allowed to work in the pub - the only job he ever really loved. 

All the Brennan's seem to have secrets including their father who is at the beginning stages of Alzheimers.  Sweet Shane, the last Brennan brother, is the only one with nothing to hide.  No matter the secrets this is an Irish clan that sticks together.  But once the secrets start unraveling will they be able to stick together.

We Are the Brennans is one of the best books I've read in awhile.  I got it as a Christmas book from my husband.  Tracey Lange manages to twist the story so you really don't know how it's all going to come together.  It's definitely a book you won't want to put down.  I give it 5 stars!

The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton by Eleanor Ray

 

Amy has had love and lost love.  When her best friend and soon to be fiance (she hopes!) disappear on the same night everyone assumes they've fallen in love and run off together.  Amy has a hard time believing that either of them would do that to her but the police have done their investigation and that's the conclusion.

Years later, Amy finds a clue.  Then another clue.  She'd like to go through her memory box of the time they went away but it's in the spare bedroom.  After losing her boyfriend and best friend she began to gather everything with a memory or beauty that she came across.  11 years later the house is hard to get around.  The neighbors think it may be a safety hazard.  There could be mice in there - maybe even rats.  Who really knows?!

With the help of some new neighbors, Amy begins to unravel the clues to the disappearance of her boyfriend and best friend.  But is she prepared to starting purging her boxes of treasures.

The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton was a great book.  It's easy to see how Amy's hoarding began.  The ending was a total twist that I couldn't predict until the very end which always makes for a great story!

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley

Anders has been dumped by his girlfriend.  He's living in a run down apartment with a mattress on the floor and cockroaches.  He's got a podcast but the only person who reads it is his step dad.  He's a journalist who thought he'd be covering bigger stories by now.  He's latest assignment is a cake walk on Frick Island.  After a rain storm cancels the cake walk he ends up in the local diner where he meets some of the locals.  One local really catches his eye.  Anders is immediately drawn to Piper.  When he finally gets the courage to go talk to her she tells him she is eating with her husband - but yet he is nowhere in sight.  After embarrassing himself he can't wait to get back to the main land.  

Piper is well loved on the island.  The other islanders are very protective of her.  When her husband, Tom, goes missing in a storm while boating.  He is presumed dead.  After a few days of grieving she leaves her home in her normal chipper mood.  She heads to her job at the Bed and Breakfast and during her shift makes a comment that Tom isn't snoring anymore.  At the end of the shift she grabs a breakfast to bring home to him.  Mrs. Olecki is stunned but goes along with it.  Soon the whole island is acting as though Tom is still right there with them.

When Anders receives an anonymous email telling him he's missed the real story on Frick Island he decides to head back over to Frick Island and dig for more of a story.  First he has to find a local willing to talk and he struggles to figure out what the real story is.  It would be great if he could find something here that could escalate his podcast audience.

I really enjoyed the The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.  I really liked all the characters and how all their stories unfolded.  The story had a good amount of mystery and unraveled with many surprises.  I haven't read any other Colleen Oakley books but when I checked my Goodreads account I saw that I had marked other books of hers as ones I would like to read.  Definitely check out this book and some of her other novels.

Are We There Yet? By Kathleen West

Alice Sullivan is a busy mom.  A husband who travels for work.  She has a busy job as an interior decorator.   Two good kids - at least she thinks they're good.  She's also got a great support system, two best friends whose kids are the same age and a very helpful mother who is a doting grandmother to her only grandchildren.  It's busy, but it works.

Until it doesn't.  Her son makes a few bad choices at school.  Her daughter is only reading at level E and where is her reading journal?  Her mom has a family secret.  She's made her two best friends mad.  She can't focus at work and of course, her husband is out of town.  There's a folder sitting on the table that she can't even begin to open.  Soon Alice is dealing with problem after problem and she's bound to crack soon but which problem will do her in.

When reading Are We There Yet? it referenced Liston Heights and I thought that's funny I read a book that took place there recently.  While updating my Goodreads I explored the author and realized not long ago I had read her first book Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes which took place in Liston Heights.  I really enjoyed both her novels and will definitely put Kathleen West on my to watch list.

The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore

 

Gracie's mother died at birth.  She's been raised by a loving father and surrounded by love from those in the village, including her mother's best friend, May, and her family.  Her father is a beekeeper for a wealthy family.  He also creates the most beautiful gardens and Gracie is following in his footsteps.  

May's son Freddie has been Gracie's best friend forever.  After a conversation with her father she realizes that he may just be marriage material after.  But does she really love him?  Her heart doesn't patter like it does when she sees Rufus - even though he's not in the same social standing as Gracie.  Then war strikes and both men are off to war.  She writes to both men and prays for a safe return.

Years later Gracie's daughter, Trixie, is in love.  Without revealing the past Gracie tries to tell her daughter there's no way it will work but Trixie's heart just can't believe that.  Will history repeat itself and honour prevail.

The Beekeeper's Daughter is the second book by Santa Montefiore that I've read recently.  I really enjoyed The Beekeeper's daughter.  I know I've heard from a few people who enjoy a lighter read during the pandemic and I think this would story would be perfect.  The war part of the story is very minimal and not a focus of the book.