*** Publication Date 6 August 2024 ***
By Sarah Stewart Taylor
4 stars
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What a great mystery. Told from several points of view, this novel takes us into the minds of the prominent characters to solve the question of what happened to Hugh Weber. I really enjoyed this step back in time to a turbulent period in the history of the US. It is the summer of 1965. 

Sylvie is a French-Canadian woman who married Hugh Weber when she was just a teenager, but he was in his 30s. She was so young, and had a son before the first year of the marriage was over. Originally Hugh promised Sylvie an idyllic life, living off the land of Vermont. After four children, with a fifth on the way, things were not as they started.

Mrs. Bellows was raised in Bethany, Vermont, but also traveled the world with her husband, who worked for the government. After his death, she returned to Bethany to spend her remaining years in the house built by her family. She is a bit of a sleuth herself, trying to solve the mysteries that arise in Bethany. Being one of the original families, she is well connected to the town.

During the summer of 1965, Franklin Warren arrives as a newly installed investigator for the state police. He no sooner sets foot in his new house, that he is called to investigate a suspicious death. Warren has his own demons to conquer, and this new position is going to be a challenge for him. 

Going back in time to 1965 when there was so much dissent due to not only the Cold War but also Vietnam. At this period in history, the ‘hippie’ and ‘back to our roots’ movement was prevalent in bigger cities, but was just reaching the smaller communities in the US. It is a fascinating time and Taylor has captured the dynamics so well. I loved the descriptive qualities of her writing. 

Recommend this step back for summer reading. 

By Holly James
** Publication Date 30 July 2024 **

​4 stars
Cute, smart, flirty romance novel. Holly James grabbed one from the headlines with her reality show driven theme in this novel.
Olivia doesn’t like the spotlight. Raised by her grandmother after her parents died in an auto accident, Olivia knows that being in the spotlight isn’t always good. After all, she is the love child of a former movie star and Hollywood businessman.
Chuck, her on again/off again boyfriend, is an actor. Living way above his means, for now he’s nothing more than a B list actor, recently fired from a film. He won’t talk about it, and for Olivia that’s one more thing that drives her nuts about him. But not in a good way.
After their latest make-up, once again they fight. This time it ends up on the street where all can see, and apparently do. For next thing you know, they are a viral video. Which leads them to a reality TV show worth a lot of money. But there’s a catch. There’s always a catch, and neither of them knows if they can make it through to the end.
This novel was just so much fun. Relevant and wild. But also has its deep moments of introspection. Liv & Chuck are adorable, and clearly mad for each other, and also mad at one another. Since it’s a romance novel, we all know, or at least hope, how it will turn out. There are going to be quite a few obstacles in the way on this one.
Loved it. Whizzed through it. Recommend it for a fun, refreshing read. 

By Jamie Day
** Publication Date 16 July 2024 **
4 stars

This is definitely not one big happy family. No spoilers, but honestly, this family really puts the fun in dysfunctional. And while the story is about a family, it mostly focuses on one person, Charley.

Charley lives and works in an inn on coastal Maine. The structure is quite amazing with its cliff location and unique decor. Charley was whisked away from her job as a waitress to become the hotel’s chambermaid. Living rent free sounded amazing, until she realized her new home was a former broom closet. Nonetheless, she can’t really be choosy, cause she needs every penny to support her grandmother who lives in a nursing home.

When her employer suddenly dies, Charley and Rodrigo, the hotel manager, are left to deal with the offspring of their employer. From what townies tell them, dealing with these three sisters is going to be anything but easy. Add in an acquaintance of Charley’s who suddenly needs a free place to stay, and it’s going to be one crazy weekend in Maine.

Especially when one of the guests turns up dead.
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Funny, heartwarming, and surprising is what makes this novel a good read. Your suspects will change as you turn the pages. Unexpected surprises in every chapter! What a fun novel. I loved Charley and her authentic self. Rodrigo was the best. It’s just a great way to spend a few hours immersed in the nuttiness of Jonesport, Maine.

By Meg Shaffer
** Publication Date 16 July 2024**

5 stars

Oh Meg Shaffer, I don’t know how you do it, but your stories really keep me entranced. This book is truly a fairy tale, right down to the ending. You gave us suspense and mystery and bright, shiny things. But also a little bit of Grimm with the Bright Boys. Fabulous.

Fifteen years ago two boys went missing in the woods of West Virginia. Six months later they reappeared out of nowhere. They had grown considerably in such a short period of time. Other than a few days in the hospital, they were fine. At least physically.

Jeremy and his mother went back to England to allow him time to be out of the spotlight of a small town. Ralph went home to his mom in rural West Virginia, his dad had passed away while he was gone. The two didn’t speak for fifteen years.

Emilie was adopted at a very young age by a wonderful woman who raised her in a well to do household wanting for nothing. After her mom passed, Emilie found out she’d had a sister prior to her adoption. The sister had gone missing in the same forest as Jeremy and Ralph. When Emilie finds out that Jeremy spends his time locating lost girls, Emilie approaches him to help her find her missing sister, Shannon. 

After Jeremy initially declines, he shows up and agrees to help. Because Jeremy knows Emilie’s sister. And she’s not really missing. But he’s going to need Ralph’s help to locate her. The same Ralph that he’s been avoiding for fifteen long years.

As I said this is a magical little fairy tale. A fairy tale for the older set. LGBTQ themes are present, so if that’s a problem for you, you may want to skip this one. Otherwise, indulge and enjoy. It’s a trip into a fantasy world that sounds like we all might want to visit someday. Yes, this story is far-fetched and unbelievable, but isn't that what fairy tales are all about?

By Stephanie DeCarolis
** Publication Date 16 July 2024**

4 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.

With twists and turns you’ll never see coming, The Perfect Sister is the perfect summer beach suspense thriller. It will keep you up later at night than you should be, wondering what’s coming next.

Alex and Maddie are almost twins. Two sisters of a single mom, Vivienne, their dad having run off years before. Their small town is too small for Maddie, a year older than Alex. Maddie is the perfect one. Smart, driven, with dreams of becoming a doctor. So when Maddie leaves to college, Alex is kind of lost, left behind.

Alex stays in their town, while Maddie is in NY. Alex works at the local hardware store. Maddie is accomplishing her dream of attending medical school. Until Maddie decides to head to the Hamptons for the summer. Presumably to work and make some money to keep her med school dream alive.

But then Maddie disappears from the grid. Alex can’t find her. No responses on her cell phone. Nothing. So Alex packs a bag and heads to the Hamptons to find her. What Alex finds is a tangled web of lies, secrets, and a very wealthy dysfunctional family. Alex needs to unravel what was going on in Blackwell Manor, and what Maddie had to do with it.

Crazy good. Kept me up way too late reading. Enjoy!