Susan Coventry's Blog, page 44

Freud’s Mistress by Karen Mack & Jennifer Kaufman

Freud's Mistress is a historical fiction account of the life of Sigmund Freud.  Most of us know at least a little about the renowned psychiatrist, but this book contained a lot of new revelations for me.  Freud's mistress turns out to be none other than his sister-in-law Minna, adding a scandalous affair to the list of controversial topics surrounding Freud.  Sigmund and Minna conduct their affair right under the nose of his wife/her sister Martha and their many children. The authors depict Freud as a moody, arrogant man who's plagued with his own demons even as he attempts to help others conquer theirs.  This story was fascinating on many counts.  If you like to delve into the human story behind someone famous, Freud's Mistress is a good choice.

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The Collector by Nora Roberts

The Collector is a suspenseful story with a little bit of romance thrown in.  Lila is a house-sitter/writer who becomes a witness to a murder while house-sitting.  The murder victim's brother Ash, enlists Lila's help to  find the killer.  They expose a plot involving a collection of priceless Faberge eggs and the further they investigate the more they endanger themselves.  In true Nora Roberts style, Lila and Ash fall in love along the way but the focus is on solving the mystery.  I have read numerous books by Roberts and I would say this one is good but not great.  The Collector kept my interest but it wasn't as riveting as some of her older novels.  If you're a Roberts fan who likes a good suspense tale, you may like this one.  I'll be sure to include some more book reviews of Nora's novels, so check back often.

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Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Wallbanger is book 1 of the Cocktail series by Alice Clayton.  This is a fun and flirty romance between Caroline and Simon, who first meet as next-door neighbors in their apartment complex.  Caroline gives Simon the nickname, Wallbanger, because of the sounds emanating from his apartment at all hours.  At first she despises him but their relationship gradually develops into friendship and then love.  Wallbanger has many laugh-out-loud moments and I loved the rapport between the characters.  My favorite romance novels are the ones that combine love with humor, mixing up an irresistible cocktail (pun intended)!  I have since read the other 3 books in this series, but I liked Wallbanger the most.  If you're in the mood for a light-hearted romance, give this one a go.

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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale is a World War II historical fiction novel that is one of my favorites.  The story is centered around two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, who live in Nazi-occupied France.  Each sister fights against the occupation in their own, unique way.  After her husband goes off to fight, Vianne is forced to house a German captain, yet she continues to protect Jewish children right under his nose.  Isabelle joins the resistance movement and helps downed airmen escape into Spain.  She continually risks her own life to lead these men across the mountains to safety.  The Nightingale is a very rich, emotional story about love, loss, betrayal, fear and courage.  Kristin Hannah is a terrific author who creates very real characters and places them in interesting situations.  If you have an interest in WWII history or simply enjoy books about sisters, I highly recommend The Nightingale.

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Searching for Beautiful by Jennifer Probst

Searching for Beautiful is actually book 3 of a series, but I don't think you need to read them in order.  This contemporary romance novel features a runaway bride, Gen, and her hot male best friend, Wolfe.  Gen has a major case of cold feet on her wedding day and escapes out a window right into Wolfe's waiting arms.  Wolfe escorts Gen away to his lakefront cabin where she can decide about her future with David, her fiance.  While there, Gen and Wolfe discover that their feelings for each other might be more than just friendship.  I really enjoy a friends-to-lovers story and this was a fun one!  To me a good romance is all about the characters and these two have sizzle!  I also read book 4 of this series as well as a few other books by this author.  I would label her romance novels as fun and flirty and they always have a happy ending.  If you haven't read anything by Jennifer Probst, try Searching for Beautiful.

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Room by Emma Donoghue

Room is a haunting realistic fiction novel that was recently made into a movie.  The story is told from the perspective of five-year-old Jack, who lives in a one-room shed with his mother (her name is never revealed).  Jack's mother was kidnapped at age nineteen by an older man they call "Old Nick" and she gave birth to Jack two years later in the room.  Room is all Jack has ever known, so he has no idea what he's missing on the outside but Jack's mother is desperate for them to escape.  The subject matter of Room is disturbing, but the way the author handles it makes the book very readable.  Telling the story  from a child's perspective helps to take the edge off and the focus is on the love between Jack and his mother, not on the evil man who holds them captive.  If you can handle the topic, this is a well-written, captivating story.  Having read it, I'm not overly anxious to see the film though.  Once was enough for me.

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Top 10 Favorite Romance Authors

Here's my top 10 list of favorite romance authors.  I've read multiple books from each of these authors and they are the ones I would recommend when you want to get lost in a good romance!  (This list is alphabetical by author's last name.)

Bella Andre
Alice Clayton
Lori Foster
Diana Gabaldon*
Colleen Hoover
Christina Lauren
Jennifer Probst
Jill Shalvis
Nicholas Sparks
Samantha Young

*=Diana Gabaldon's books could also be labeled as historical fiction but they contain plenty of romance!

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The Stranger by Harlan Coben

The Stranger is a suspenseful novel about secrets and deception.  Adam is approached one day by a stranger who tells him that his wife Corinne faked a pregnancy.  He even gives Adam the name of the website where she purchased a fake pregnancy belly.  When Adam confronts Corinne about it, she hedges and asks for a few days away to think about things.  While she's gone, Adam digs deeper into the mystery and discovers that Corinne isn't the only one keeping secrets.  Adam realizes that to get answers, he needs to track down the stranger.  This story was just so-so for me.  The premise was interesting but it became convoluted by the end.  I was hoping for a different resolution but there was no happy ending here.  That said, The Stranger kept my attention, so if you like mysteries/suspense, you may want to give it a try.

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The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor

The Girl Who Came Home is a historical fiction story about the Titanic, a topic that I find fascinating.  This book is loosely based on the true account of 14 Irishmen/women, who set out for America aboard the ill-fated ship.  At the center of the novel is Maggie, who leaves her sweetheart behind to forge a better life in Chicago.  Maggie is one of the fortunate ones who survives and the story switches back and forth from 1912 to 1982, as Maggie shares the tale with her granddaughter.  The author does a great job portraying the ship, the passengers and the unbearable suffering they endured. The Girl Who Came Home ranks as one of my favorite historical fiction novels.  If you have an interest in the Titanic, this is a must read.

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Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan

Archer's Voice is a unique,new adult romance that has received rave reviews.  Bree moves from Ohio to a beautiful, small town in Maine in hopes of rebuilding her life after her father's brutal murder.  Here she meets Archer, a quiet young man with a rough past of his own.  The two are resistant to forming a relationship yet they are inexplicably drawn to each other.  What I really enjoyed about this story was it's pace.  As Bree and Archer slowly fall in love, the reader really gets to know them and invests in them.  The emphasis in Archer's Voice is on the sweet and tender side of romance, although there are some steamy sex scenes as well.  Overall, the tone of this book is "hopeful"; the message being that love really does conquer all!

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