Susan Coventry's Blog, page 45
March 28, 2016
Love the One You’re With by Emily Giffin
Love the One You're With is realistic fiction about marriage and fidelity. Ellen, a married photographer, has a chance encounter with her ex-boyfriend, Leo, on a busy New York City street. This innocent meeting leads Ellen down a slippery path that brings her commitment to her husband Andy, into question. Ellen and Leo strike up a "friendship" that is fraught with flirtation and desire, pulling Ellen closer to temptation and farther away from her marriage. When Andy suggests that they leave New York and return to their hometown of Atlanta, Ellen is broken up about leaving Leo behind. I won't say how the story ends, however, Love the One You're With, is a very appropriate title. If you like realistic fiction that tackles the delicate issues within a marriage, you may like this book. Personally, I liked all of the characters, flaws and all, and thought that the story had a very positive message.
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March 26, 2016
Goodreads Book Giveaway Starts Today!
Today, Saturday, March 26, marks the beginning of my book giveaway on Goodreads. I will be giving away 25 signed copies of See You Then after the giveaway ends on April 26, 2016. Enter here and good luck!
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March 25, 2016
Once in a Lifetime by Jill Shalvis
Once in a Lifetime is book 9 of the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis. This story features Aubrey, a book-store owner (love that!) and Ben, a man she has secretly been in love with since high school. When Aubrey's uncle hires Ben to remodel the bookstore, sparks fly. As their relationship heats up, Aubrey feels compelled to confess something to Ben that could spell disaster for them. The Lucky Harbor series is on my favorites list for many reasons. I like the small town setting and the connections between the characters, plus, there's always a happy ending. While I've enjoyed all of the books in this series, I would especially recommend books 1-3, about three sisters who inherit their mother's inn. They rediscover each other as sisters and friends and find love along the way. If you like simple love stories that are fun and flirty, give Jill Shalvis a try!
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March 23, 2016
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
Under the Wide and Starry Sky is a historical fiction novel about Robert Louis Stevenson (the author of Treasure Island and more). Stevenson was an interesting character who suffered from severe health problems throughout most of his life. He met and married Fanny, who had left her first husband in California and moved to Europe with three children in tow. Robert and Fanny's life was in constant turmoil due to arguments with Fanny's ex-husband, Stevenson's constant illness and their frequent moves to different countries. Having read similar books about famous authors, Edgar Allan Poe and Ernest Hemingway, I hoped to enjoy this one too. While the book kept my interest, I wasn't sad to see it end. I would definitely recommend Mrs. Poe and The Paris Wife, over Under the Wide and Starry Sky.
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The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a book about books, but it's also about friendship and love. Sara travels from her home in Sweden, to Broken Wheel, Iowa, to meet a pen pal who she's been corresponding with about their mutual love of books. Sadly, she never gets to meet her pen pal Amy, because Amy died right before Sara arrived. The town members insist on Sara staying and the longer she's there the more it starts to feel like home. Sara eventually opens up a bookstore in Amy's memory, even though the town isn't much for reading. Sara develops friendships with some of the quirky residents and even falls in love. In the end, the townspeople try everything in their power to keep Sara from returning to Sweden. If you like sweet, homespun stories that depict life in a small town, you would most likely enjoy this book. If nothing else, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, actually includes some book/author recommendations for further reading!
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March 21, 2016
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
Luckiest Girl Alive is a dark, intense novel about a high school shooting and it's aftermath. Tifani (Ani) was date-raped as a teenager, which sets off a horrifying series of events. She befriends Arthur, a fellow outcast, who orchestrates revenge against the boys who raped her. Years later, Ani is still suffering from the fallout of her teen years even though she's engaged to a handsome, wealthy man named Luke. It's difficult to discuss the plot without giving away too many details. Suffice it to say, this book has a lot of darkness and not many redeeming qualities. To be fair, the story is gripping in a similar way that Gone Girl was. If you like edgy, suspenseful dramas, Luckiest Girl Alive could be your next good read.
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How I categorize book reviews
When you read my book reviews, you'll notice I use 3 categories: historical fiction, romance and general. Sometimes it's obvious what category a book belongs in, but other times it's difficult because a book can contain elements of multiple categories. How I decide is by thinking of where a book is most likely to be found in a bookstore. I've traveled up and down the aisles of many bookstores and have a pretty good idea of where books are shelved. I also worked at a bookstore once upon a time. Regardless, I hope you'll forgive me if some of my reviews end up in the "wrong" category!
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Thoughtless (series) by S.C. Stephens
Thoughtless is the first book in a romance series that made it on my favorites list. This series had all the elements of a good romance novel; angst, steamy scenes and a love triangle! At the beginning, Kiera, a college student and Denny, her Australian boyfriend, move in with Denny's best friend Kellan. Kellan is an emerging rock-star, equipped with all the sexy traits that are associated with the title "rock-star." When Denny accepts an out-of-state internship, he mistakenly leaves Kiera behind with Kellan, whose attraction to each other is undeniable. Here's where the angst comes in! Kiera and Kellan try to maintain their "friendship" but with Denny out of the picture, it quickly escalates into something more. They suffer a great deal of guilt as Kiera is forced to choose between her first love and her new love. I enjoyed Thoughtless and Effortless (book 2) more than Reckless (book 3) but I felt compelled to read the entire series to see how it all works out. If you like romance between young people with a healthy amount of angst, give this series a try!
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March 19, 2016
A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley
A Desperate Fortune is the fifth book I've read by Susanna Kearsley, who often writes about the Jacobite rebellion in 1700's Scotland. This story toggles between past and present as Sara Thomas attempts to break the code in a journal that has been uncovered from the time of the Jacobites. While Sara is on location working, she develops a romantic relationship with Lucas and becomes close to his son who has Asperger's. In the meantime, the journal of Mary Dundas reveals many fascinating details about the Scottish rebellion along with her budding feelings for Hugh, a Scottish guard. It's difficult for me to write about Susanna Kearsley's books without comparing them to the Outlander series which is my #1 choice for historical fiction about Scotland. A Desperate Fortune includes the elements of intrigue, adventure, history and romance and is well-written. If you have an interest in 1700's Scotland but you're not ready to tackle the lengthy Outlander series, then A Desperate Fortune is a good alternative.
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Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven
Bad Romeo is an angst-filled college romance between Cassie and Ethan who meet in acting school. As the title suggests, Cassie and Ethan are cast in a production of Romeo and Juliet, where they connect on stage and off. Bad Romeo is on my list of favorite romances because of the chemistry between the characters and the witty dialog. I liked the pairing of the brooding bad boy and the squeaky clean good girl and was rooting for them to get together. I also read the sequel entitled Broken Juliet which I wouldn't rate quite as high. If you like "new adult" romances that are fun and steamy, this one's a winner.
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