Jennifer Trethewey's Blog, page 2

Lilac by B.B. Reid

I’m not a prude, but I did wonder if I had the…um…fortitude to swallow (oops, sorry) a reverse harem novel. Yes, that’s right. Instead of one guy and many wives, flip that around. Lilac is the story of an internationally famous rock band named Bound that has lost their lead guitarist. The record label hires an undeniably talented (yet unknown) female guitarist, firebrand Braxton Fawn, against the wishes of Bound. The remaining band members, control freak Houston, perpetual flirt Loren, and nice guy Jericho believe Braxton is all wrong and are happy to let her know it. Braxton can take their constant griping but she absolutely will NOT sleep with any of them and she will NOT be bullied into quitting. This is her big break. Lilac is a slow, slow burn but, man, when the fire is lit, whoo boy, it takes off like a rocket. It’s erotic, yes, but there is plenty of romance. In fact, three times the romance! I don’t know what kind of magic B.B. Reid used to infuse this story with so much love but it will sweep you up and take you away! #23for23

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The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

I listened to Cutting for Stone, Verghese’s second novel, way back in 2009. It’s hard to believe a novel that good, that lyrical, could be only his second. The story stuck with me like no other book I’ve ever read. So, when I saw that his third novel, The Covenant of Water, had been released, I added it to my queue with some trepidation. I suspected the story would be as good, if not even better than the first, and that I would be very affected by the tale. And that it would take some time to recover. I was, of course, right. Like Cutting for Stone, the story was a family saga rich with emotional and cultural detail. Set in the early to mid 20th century against a backdrop of political turmoil and natural disasters, not every part of the novel had happy endings. It’s hard to read, hard to listen to, because there is no way one cannot be affected. Yet, in the end, the most predominant message is love and the triumph of the human spirit. I recommend readers visit the author’s website https://www.abrahamverghese.org/ for his additional insight and his glossary of terms. I love this book. It is good for the soul. #23for23

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Pulling Doubles by Christina C Jones

I just finished listening to Christina C Jones’s PULLING DOUBLES, the second book in her Wright Brothers series and have become a fan or Jones, the Wright Brothers, and Medical Romance all in the course of one book! The story features Devyn Echols, a nurse practitioner, and Joe Wright, an arrogant, know-it-all doctor who, unfortunately, is her mentor and, consequently, her tormentor during her one-year internship. Jones skillfully portrays how quickly antagonism can turn to attraction. Dr. Joe’s personal dating code is hands-off when it comes to co-workers. Nurse Devyn’s personal dating code is hands-off when it comes to infuriating doctors. It’s so much fun to watch these two flail-about until they finally tumble into a storage closet and succumb to their deepest desires. Oh yes. Sparks will fly and know-it-all doctors will eat their words. You will love this one, I guarantee. #23for23

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GLORY UNBOUND by Deborah L. King

When Deborah King writes a novel, she means business. She is not kidding around. Not for one second. “Gird up thy loins” (King James Bible 2 Kings 4:29) before you read Glory Unbound. This story takes no prisoners. I read King’s first novel Glory Bishop and thought it was the best book I read in 2019. Glory Unbound is a continuation of that novel, but in truth, it stands alone. It stands alone in its originality, its depth of emotion, its memorable characters, and its unflinching representation of how the corruption of a religious dogma can ruin people’s lives. The main character, Glory Bishop, is only 17 years old at the start of Glory Unbound, a time in life when young men and woman still need plenty of love and guidance from the adults in their lives. But the people Glory should be able to rely on—family and church elders—abuse that trust. They manipulate her heart and her perception of what a good woman can expect out of life. A person not as strong or brave or resilient as Glory Bishop would have been crushed by these people. But she endures it all. I can’t spill the ending, but I can tell you that it was so, so satisfying. I was chewing my cuticles and shouting at the book to the very end. And if anyone ever starts quoting scripture to me, I will run away, far away! #23for23

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Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

The blurb on the cover says it best: “Dating Dr. Dil is a frothy, snarky, hilarious treat.” This rom-com is like a Bollywood romance but with so much more heart. Kareena Mann is about to lose the house that her mother built, the home of her dreams. In four months, her father will retire and sell the house. The only way she can come up with the down payment in time, is if she gets engaged. Only then, will her father hand over the money he has set aside for her wedding. Dr. Prem Verma, host of the Dr. Dil Show, has a similar problem. He needs money for his clinic specializing in treatments unique to Asian women’s medical issues. His shortcut to money problems is also marriage. The only problem is that Kareena wants love and Prem doesn’t believe in love. The romance is a slow burn while the physical attraction sparks fireworks. I highly recommend this wonderful contemporary American romance with the warning that you will definitely find yourself craving Indian food throughout. Ditch your diet and give in to the spice!!!! #23for23

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BEATNIKKI’S Café by Renée James

When I finished BeatNikki’s Café, it took a while for me to stop shaking and fully relax. I got to thinking that maybe I should never relax. At least not about defending human rights. I really like the books this author puts out and was looking forward to this one. I was not disappointed! There was so much tension on the page I felt I lived it. Brava on portraying just how trying dealing with an angry teen can be. All the characters in this book, especially Nikki and those in Nikki’s orbit, even the bad guys, were drawn as multidimensional people. People we recognize every day. Most importantly, James brought forward the ugly, hate-filled layer of humanity the Orange Man whipped up and released during the last administration and took society back two decades in the fight. The ultimate message is that we must fight back twice as hard.

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The Artful Bargain by Audrey Lynden

I am in love with The Artful Bargain, Audrey Lynden’s latest contemporary romance, the first in a series set in my home state of Wisconsin. Yes, I love all the references to an area of the state I love best, but the chief reason for my adoration are her characters. Museum curator, Claire Beaumont, is on a mission. She needs one particular piece to add to her first major exhibit featuring artwork with a steampunk theme. She goes to collect the piece, a sculpture titled Coal or Steam, only to find that its British creator, Sinjin Reid, knows nothing about the exhibition. Claire realizes that she’s has been set up to fail by her loathsome boss, Larry. Sinjin realizes that Larry and his ex-wife are trying to steal his sculpture. After his ex-wife trapped him into marriage and then cheated on him, Sinjin has big-time trust issues. Claire’s got a huge secret, one that could ruin her and any chance she might have with a career in the art world or a relationship with Sinjin. Still, Sinjin and Claire agree on two things: they both hate Larry and want to take him down, and they are wildly attracted to each other. Together, they devise a plan to make Claire’s exhibit a success while setting a trap for Larry and SInjin’s ex-wife. Perhaps the defining aspect of Lynden’s writing is the secondary characters who represent the kind of love and warmth we all want from our friends and family. It’s a world one can step into and never want to leave.

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Troy Story by Carla Luna

*Coming Soon! Tour Wars: Romancing the Ruins Book 3*

I’m running out of superlatives for Carla Luna’s writing. It seems each novel bests the one that came before it. Now on her sixth novel, Ms Luna has reached a level of storytelling and writing style to match any best-selling contemporary romance author. I adored her first three, the Blackwood Cellar Series. But this new series, Romancing the Ruins, speaks to her personal experience as an archeologist. Without overwhelming readers with minute details or archeology-speak, she eases us into a world she knows well, shows us both the day-to-day drudge as well as the thrill of discovery. But that’s the backdrop. The real story is the love, the romance between the main characters, Stuart and Dusty, people we met in book one of the series. Both Stuart and Dusty are about to take two big leaps. One is a leap in their professional ambitions and the other is a leap of faith into the arms of the other. Is Dusty ready to catch Stuart and never let him fall? And Will Stuart set aside his burdens to welcome Dusty into his heart without reservation? Everyone knows, there can be no happily ever after without sacrifice. What are they willing to sacrifice for love? Whoo! I love this story. Five stars.

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Jackal by Erin E. Adams

JACKAL by Erin E. Adams is a psychological thriller that will:

A) Keep you up at night.

B) Give you the shivers.

C) Make your skin crawl.

The answer is, of course, D) All of the above. In the story, Liz Rocher returns to her small-town hometown for her best friend Mel’s wedding. What was supposed to be a weekend celebration of love turns out to be a week-long nightmare of terror when Mel’s daughter Caroline disappears into the woods. The ineptitude of the police and their reluctance to conduct a thorough search is shocking. Driven in part by feelings of guilt, Liz begins her own investigation. After only a few days, she discovers that her friend’s daughter, Caroline, is not the first young black girl to go missing in the woods. The tension ramps up with every page. The deeper Liz digs the more she realizes there is no one she can trust. All throughout the story, there is a tantalizing hint at something evil, something malignant, something supernatural lurking in the woods feeding off hatred and racism. Adams really knows how to get under a reader’s skin and make it crawl with anxiety. I highly recommend this book but not if you’re going on a camping trip, and I definitely won’t be going for a hike anytime soon. I listened to the audio version and narrators Sandra Okuboyejo and William DeMeritt are excellent. #23for23

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BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson

I chose to read BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson for several reasons. First, I’m focusing my book choices on authors of color because I’ve taken the #23FOR23 challenge and I am loving it. It’s turning out to be one long forehead smack. Second, it popped up on Audible as a book I would like based on my previous selections. Third, a writer friend whose taste I admire said she loved the book. And fourth, I’ve made Black Cake before—not the Island version, but rather Emily Dickenson’s version. Oddly, the recipes are not at all that different, but my Emily Dickenson recipe did not turn out well. Nevertheless, I’m going to give the Island recipe a try. This novel, this amazing debut novel, is worthy of all the awards. It’s a sweeping family saga much like Ken Follet’s Century Trilogy only it’s all in one heartbreaking, uplifting, bittersweet novel. It deals with secrets and why we keep them, friendship that endures, acceptance and understanding between parents and adult children, and the ache of never feeling like you’re “enough.” Most of all, I loved the theme of forgiveness. Forgiving parents for their weaknesses, forgiving friends who let you down, forgiving children for their selfishness, and forgiving yourself for your failures and wrong thinking. It ends in hope, the very best ending. #23for23

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