Friday, December 27, 2019


The Space Between
By
Dete Meserve

I love the epigraph at the beginning of this book.... "Silently one by one, In the meadows of heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, The forget-me-nots of the angels. ---Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. What happens when you think you know the person you're married to but then something takes place and questions arise and doubts set in? This is a fantastic book with mystery and suspense. I was pulled into this story like a meteor into the gravity of earth and didn't want to escape. I love the character of Sarah and her determination to find out what happened to her husband, Ben. What the police and FBI were saying about him was nothing like the man she knows. He surely wouldn't have done the thing they are saying he did . She knows what the evidence right in front of her says but it's just not making sense. Sarah's logic comes from her astronomical expertise. "Most things are not as they appear." "So many of the most remarkable discoveries are made when we look past the obvious, when we find ways around being blinded by light, and when we discover new ways to see in the dark." I really appreciate the research and how Dete Meserve incorporated astrology into this story. I learned so much. I am fascinated by what's in the sky and beyond what we know so having that as an aspect in the story was great. This is a fantastic read and I highly recommend this book. It's worth 5 stars and the galaxy they're in! TY Lake Union for the opportunity to read this wonderful book and to Dete Meserve for sharing it with us!


Perfectly Good Crime
By
Dete Meserve
"I am Robin Hood, I take from the rich to give to the poor..." This line is what I'm most familiar with in the story of Robin Hood. In Dete Meserve's book, Perfectly Good Crime, she has taken the basis of Robin Hood's words and actions to create a wonderful story twist of a modern day Robin Hood mystery. I was enthralled with this premise. "Is it possible to commit a perfectly good crime?"
This is the second book in the Kate Bradley series. I was so excited to read this book after reading the first novel, Good Sam! I knew I was going to be in for a fantastic read...and I was so right!
It's hard to justify stealing from anyone and while I was reading, it was the big question. Is it ok to steal from the rich if it makes the lives of those less fortunate so much better?
The characters in this book are so likable. Especially Kate Bradley. She is so relatable and so wants to do the right thing. She asks the hard questions as a reporter. She has a personal life that I kept hoping she would be able to work out, too. I love her grit, determination, and desire to report the truth. This story took me into the uberrich society through the wonderful written descriptions Ms. Meserve is so talented to write. I could visualize the estates and mansions that she eloquently wrote into the story of the actual properties. How grand and magnificent!
I really liked this passage in the book:
"The Robin Hood story lives-like most important stories-in the murky shades of gray between what's good and what's not. Yet there is such a thing as a perfectly good crime."
This is a wonderful story. It made me feel good. I love that Ms. Meserve's novels focus on good and kindness. Being the best we can to others.
I want to thank Ms. Meserve for writing this fantastic book. I also want to thank Lake Union and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a five star novel that I enjoyed so very much.
This is my freely written and honest review! Five stars!!

Good Sam
By
Dete Meserve

I really enjoyed this book. For me it was a light and fun to read book. I like that the storyline was about someone doing something good for others and not wanting the recognition for doing it. There were times when I wanted to "advise" the main character, Kate about choices she was making. I was so into her character and what she was going through. There was a bit of mystery and romance. It was subtle but just enough for me. This book intrigued me from the beginning and I enjoyed every page to the end.

Monday, December 16, 2019



Reckless Beginnings
By
Tina Hogan Grant
This is one of those books that really tears your heart apart. It's a novel based on the true life events of the author and as I was reading, it broke my heart to pieces as she unfolds the details. She took me into the depths of her life in ways that were personal and excruciating.

Tammy is a young teen who just wants to go to America and live the "American Dream". Her parents are divorced and her father goes to America but she has to remain in England where her parents believe she will be better with her mom. Tammy's father eventually offers for her to go to America and she's thrilled to accept. Her coworkers in England give her a special send off with some advice, "Tammy, may all your dreams come true in America. It's not going to be the same here without you. Be good to America and it will be good to you." Tammy is so excited to be in the United States and truly believes she will find true happiness. This is where the story becomes reality and the challenges and struggles begin for Tammy.

The "American Dream" became a nightmare for Tammy. This book took me into the deep, dark places she ended up in because of naïve and reckless choices. Choices made from trusting and believing the wrong people. Believing the best in the worst kinds of people who took advantage of her. Her relationships with her family suffered. Especially with her father. This broke my heart. All she ever wanted to do was please her dad and have him be proud of her.

The character of Tammy is so special and one I cared about from the beginning. She is someone I wanted nothing but great things for because she was such a compassionate and loving girl. Going through this novel and "living" the horrendous situations was devastating. I just wanted to jump in there and pull her to safety and hold her close. There are wonderful people who cross her path and make a difference. Then there are the users and losers you will really detest. This story ripped at my emotions and all I wanted was for Tammy to find her "American Dream" and her happy.

This book leaves me wanting to know "the rest of the story". It's one I'm very honored to have read. I couldn't put it down and turned the pages with all the hopes I know that Tammy hoped. I am looking forward to reading the sequel "Better Endings". I want to thank Tina Hogan Grant for the privilege of reading such an emotionally charged story and for the courage she had in putting it into a book like she has.

This is my heartfelt and honest review of an unbelievable story.

Thursday, December 12, 2019


The Neighborhood
By
Erina Bridget Ring
What is a neighborhood? It's "often a social community with considerable face-to-face interaction among members". OH, does this book take that definition to a new level! The neighborhood in this book, Sherwood Forest, has more than it's share of endless interactions and not so fairy tale events.
Life is about to become one hot mess when Gretchen and Jarrod O'Malley move into their new home on Sir Richard Road. With the neighborhood called Sherwood Forest, they thought they were moving into the fairy tale neighborhood....but it is not anything like they expected. This is where the craziness of this story begins....and what a crazy tale that is told!
This story had my mind spinning at what these neighbors to Gretchen and Jarrod were capable of! Each one had their weirdnesses and quirks that were out of this world! From the very first neighbor to introduce herself, Maggie, who was a busybody and "town crier", to the new neighbors who move in and are so unsuspecting of what's about to overtake their lives, this book was a tale of unbelievable events! This story had so much of Ms. Ring's humor that made me laugh, but also there is a tragedy that made my heart hurt and so very sad. The characters are unique but also ones that could be in any neighborhood there is. This neighborhood is not normal by any means with its share of busybodies, spies, nuisances, gossips, and the "ones to avoid". Is there anything this neighborhood doesn't have?
Do I know my neighbors? Not like this, I don't! This story was one that I turned the pages and was surprised at what was coming next. I really enjoyed Gladys and her clipboard and binoculars dropped like breadcrumbs through the book. What was she writing down all the time?
Would I want to live in a neighborhood like this? Most definitely NO! BUT I sure did enjoy spending some time visiting it! It was an outrageous, very original and fun read.
Thank you, Ms. Ring for sharing your imagination and also the challenge of knowing who our neighbors really are. In the end, tho, "Home is Where We Are"....no matter what the neighborhood is like.

Monday, December 9, 2019



The Ruby of the Sea
By
Peggy Lampman
There is nothing more precious than the love that families share with each other.  That love is often challenged with life, events, and secrets that bend that love to almost breaking.   Ms. Lampman has written a book that challenges the Chandler family to the very core.   It's an emotionally heart wrenching family drama about three sisters, Linnea and Delphina who are twins, and their younger sister, Ivy.  Each one with secrets that they hold so close inside they lose their bonds of sistership.  What are these secrets and why are they so difficult to share?  This book takes you into the depths of the issues and your heart with it. 
Linnea returns home to her family in Key West, Florida from being away for 15 years.  Her family is far from the idyllic, perfect "Cleaver" family and is more to the dysfunctional end of the spectrum but they need her home so she returns.  This is where the secrets, lies, deceit, painful pasts, and injured feelings start to unravel.  Ms. Lampman took me into each of the character's lives in a very personal and intimate way.  I felt for each one and her struggles.  The story unfolds in chapters that rotate between the three sisters.  It's a poignant story and written so that my heart felt each sister's hurts and anguish of what they were going through. 
The setting of the story in Key West, Florida in telling this story was perfect.  I've never been to Florida, let alone Key West but I have a vivid impression in my mind of a virtual visit from the great descriptive writing.   I loved the historical lighthouse setting that the family runs a B&B out of.  The Maiden Tower plays a crucial part in Ivy's story.  The Foghorn House and Lightkeeper's Quarters are "home" for the family.  The mystery surrounding the history of the grounds and stories were intriguing.  Especially the mystery of the original lighthouse keeper's daughter, Rossalea, and the parallel with Ivy's story in the book.   Then add an impending, historic hurricane into the scenario.  How would such devastation change a family and would it bring the family together or tear them apart like the destruction of the hurricane?  My emotions were so all over the place in this book.  I  became a part of the family and experienced their hurts and emotions as I turned the pages.
This is a very well written family drama that addresses the issues of mental illness, family dysfunction and what the effects are to a family.  I want to thank Peggy Lampman for writing such a heart tugging novel.  I am so grateful for the ARC copy and the honor of reading this book.  This is my own, heart felt review of this wonderful book. 

Christmas Memories By Nancy Carey Johnson If I could fill my  Christmas stocking with goodies and stories it would be filled to over flowing...