Susan Coventry's Blog, page 41

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

The Miniaturist is a historical novel set in Amsterdam in the late 1600's.  At the beginning a young woman, Nella, enters into an arranged marriage with Johannes, a wealthy merchant.  Johannes is often away on business so Nella is left behind with his moody sister Marin and their two secretive servants.  To keep her occupied, Johannes buys Nella a wooden replica of their house, and she procures a miniaturist to make pieces for it (much like a dollhouse).  The pieces start to represent the strange events taking place in the household almost as if the miniaturist is spying on them.  This story is haunting, eerie and gripping all the way through.  The characters don't have many redeeming qualities but the story itself will grab you.  If you read The Miniaturist, hang on, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

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Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster is a new adult romance and book 1 of the Beautiful Disaster series.  This is a story of young love between a "good girl" and a "bad boy".  In this case, Abby and Travis, are college freshman who form an intense and at times combative relationship.  Abby knows she should steer clear of the notorious underground fighter, but Travis has other ideas.  This novel contains a fair amount of angst along with a great deal of action.  Well-written characters and snappy dialog make this romance novel stand out from others in this genre.  I haven't read the other books in this series but I thought this one was really good.  Ladies who like to read about bad boys...this one's for you!

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He’s Gone by Deb Caletti

He's Gone is a suspenseful novel about a husband who goes missing and his wife's revelations as she attempts to find him.  Dani and Ian attended a party the night before he disappears from their Seattle houseboat.  They had an argument that night and at first Dani believes that he left to "cool off" but when the hours turn to days she is fraught with fear and frustration.  The author does a good job of making the reader question Dani's role in her husband's disappearance even as she proclaims her innocence.  He's Gone is somewhat reminiscent of Gone Girl (minus the sinister parts), in that it dissects a couple's marriage, revealing all of it's flaws in the process.  This story was well-written and engaging, but it doesn't paint a rosy picture of marriage so be warned!

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Longbourn by Jo Baker

Longbourn is a historical fiction novel with a similar theme to Downton Abbey.  The story takes place at the Longbourn estate in England where the wealthy Bennet family and their servants live.  Sarah is a young kitchen maid who longs for freedom and finds love with James, the footman.  James deserted his post in the English army and is constantly wary of being captured.  In the meantime, the Bennet daughters are married off one by one, Elizabeth matched with the infamous Mr. Darcy (from Pride and Prejudice).  Even though the characters are separated by class, their lives are intertwined in many ways.  I really liked the setting, the characters and the romance between Sarah and James.  If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice or similar novels, you'll probably enjoy Longbourn too.

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Thank You!

A big thank you to the 844 people who entered my Goodreads giveaway of See You Then!  The winners were notified and I will be mailing out 25 copies of my debut novel very soon.  Thanks for your interest!

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One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

One Plus One was a disappointment to me after reading Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  In this story, Jess is a single mom who struggles to make ends meet.  Her daughter Tanzie is scheduled to take a math exam that could gain her a place at a prestigious school in Scotland but an unreliable car may wreck her chances.  A chance encounter with a wealthy man whose house Jess cleans, solves the problem.  Ed agrees to drive Jess, her two kids and their dog from London to Scotland so Tanzie can take the exam.  They encounter a lot of obstacles along the way but Jess and Ed somehow manage to fall in love.  Unfortunately, I didn't.  One Plus One had some touching moments, but I didn't feel attached to the characters or the outcome.  If you haven't read anything by Jojo Moyes, I definitely recommend Me Before You over this book.

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Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Simply Irresistible is book 1 of the Lucky Harbor series, which I've mentioned is my favorite series by Jill Shalvis.  Maddie is one of three sisters, who inherit a run-down inn from their mother.  Looking to revamp her life, Maddie takes on the project of refurbishing the inn, with the help of a smoking hot contractor named Jax.  I love this series for many reasons: the small-town setting, fun and flirty characters and sexy love scenes.  Books 1-3 follow the three sisters as they bring the old inn back to life and find love in the process.  If you're looking for light-hearted romance, Simply Irresistible is a winner!

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The Garden of Letters by Alyson Richman

The Garden of Letters is a WWII historical fiction novel set in Italy.  Elodie is a promising, young cello player who becomes involved in the resistance movement after she meets and falls in love with Luca, a bookseller who is also a member of the movement.  When wartime violence steals the lives of several people that Elodie loves, she flees to Portofino, Italy, where she meets Angelo, a kind doctor who has also suffered great loss.  Together, Elodie and Angelo find healing and embark on a promising new journey.  This is the second WWII drama I've read by Alyson Richman and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them.  Lyrical prose, strong characters and historical detail makes The Garden of Letters a great read.

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The Troublemaker Next Door by Marie Harte

The Troublemaker Next Door is book 1 of The McCauley Brothers contemporary romance series.  Flynn McCauley is a hot plumber, yes, hot and plumber belong together in this instance.  Maddie is a fiesty interior decorator that lives next door.  Flynn comes over to fix her pipes, and well, you can see where this might lead.  This was a fun and steamy read, as were the other three books in this series.  Who can resist a close-knit band of four brothers as they pair off with their sweet and sassy women counterparts next door?  The Troublemaker Next Door is a good example of light and fluffy romance, complete with attractive, likable characters, witty dialog and steamy sex scenes.  Great fun to take along on vacation or if you need a break from reading "heavy" novels.

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The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

The Little Paris Bookshop is a quirky tale about a bookshop owner, his friends and his lost love.  Jean Perdu owns a floating book barge on the river Seine.  His one true love, Manon, left him over twenty years ago with only a letter to say goodbye.  Jean was too heartbroken to read the letter until now and what he discovers sends him on a journey to heal his soul.  Jean literally takes his book barge down the river to the south of France, where he makes good friends and learns to enjoy life again.  I had mixed feelings while reading this book.  First of all, Manon was engaged to another man during her relationship with Jean and both men knew about each other.  Perhaps the French have more liberal views on marriage than we do.  Anyway, I enjoyed the descriptions of the quaint French towns and delicious-sounding food.  I just wish the story had more to do with the bookstore aspect than Jean's crazy love life.

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