“Beach Read”

Beach Read

By Emily Henry

My faith in love and romance has been restored! Emily Henry’s novel is a rom-com with a twist. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot line that included two writers; one a romance novelist, the other a literary fiction writer. Add that the two studied at the same college competing for top-dog honors, ending as rivals, and you’ve got the perfect summer read. Getting inside the writers’ head, and witnessing their writing process was eye opening. Just enough sex and intrigue to keep the story moving. I will seek out this author in the future. Happily-Ever-After...Happy-For-Now. 

“The Women in Black”

The Women in Black

-Madeleine St. John

Five women working in an Australian department store, who have to wear black uniform frocks. Sounds intriguing, right? I thought so too...my enthusiasm was short lived. It felt like I walked into the middle of a movie and missed some of the backstory. The principal characters were connected by their jobs and little else. It wasn’t until I read some of the Book Club notes at the end that I learned the story was set in the 1950s. That helped, but not enough. St. John left too many loose ends for my taste...her novel needed an epilogue showing what happened to the characters. Pregnant? College? Marriage? Continentals? Ladies Cocktail Frocks? Arghhh, I so wanted to fall in love with this book.

“Killer Queen”

Killer Queen

Julie Mulhern

Spoiler alert: THEY HAD SEX! Oops, I’m getting ahead of myself. Julie Mulhern did not disappoint with installment #11 of the Country Club Murders. How is it that some books put you to sleep, and others keep you up all night tearing through the pages? I tried soooo hard to savor every word, every plot twist, and every conversation with Mr. Coffee. Even the introduction of a new character, Anarchy’s mother, didn’t slow me down. The romance between Ellison and Anarchy had been simmering for over ten-plus murders. I appreciated that Mulhern drew out all those toe curling kisses, and then left the intimate parts to our imagination. Whew...but then I was faced with the reality that I was done with Ellison, Anarchy, and the gang. Until? 

“Deacon King Kong”

Deacon King Kong

By James McBride

The inventive character names; Sportcoat, Pudgy Fingers, Hot Sausage, the Elephant, The Governor, Beanie, Lightbulb, Soup, Miss Four Pie, and Bum Bum, drew me in. James McBride’s storyline cruised through the Projects of Brooklyn and the Five Ends Baptist Church without a hitch. Well, almost. Drug dealers. Contract killers. Drunks. Italian mobsters. Cops on the take. King Kong (moonshine). Love lost. Spirituality. Understanding. Compassion. Redemption. And CHEESE!.

Unforgettable.