Any women who have felt that they were a part of the “Sandwich” generation will welcome sitting down on a summer’s day to read this story. Those who are not sandwiched will also enjoy the setting, characters and look at a life that are offered in this title.
As I read this one, I thought of the many kinds of sandwiches that there are for Rocky. It is not just between her children and older relatives. She is in the middle of the sandwich between her regular life and this one week away. Rocky is also sandwiched between her past and future.
Readers will enjoy getting to know Rocky and those around her. They will also enjoy some (virtual) beach time as they turn the pages of a story that can be funny, nostalgic and reflective..
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for this title. All opinions are my own.
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads. We also feature a number of other prominent selections, including the Barnes & Noble Book Club, the “Good Morning America” Book Club, Oprah’s Book Club, the PBS Books Readers Club, the “Read with Jenna” Book Club, Reese’s Book Club, and the Target Book Club.
— Read on www.bookreporter.com/features/special-feature/favorite-monthly-lists-and-picks
The Garnett Girls are women who are trying to find their way over the course of this well written first novel. Mother, Margo, was once wildly in love with Richard but all did not go well. She has gone on to a somewhat chaotic life and has been a less than perfect mother.
Margo’s three daughters have their own relationships and issues. Imogen is about to be engaged but is William really the right person for her? Is she doing what is safe or what is best for her? Sasha has a rather prickly relationship with controlling husband Phil, while Rachel seems to have the perfect husband d(he does lots of cooking and childcare). Is he?
Readers follow each of the daughters careers-writer, doctor and lawyer respectively. Has professional success made then happy? What will happen to them and Margo?
This book has wonderful settings. The characters are sufficiently complex and there is lots of plot. All of these make for an involving read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and, Avon and Harper Voyage for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 16 May 2023
From the Publisher
These blurbs are from authors whose books I have enjoyed.
I enjoyed Sarah Stewart Taylor’s Agony Hill, which was the first in this series set around the time of the Vietnamese War. The novels take place in a small town in Vermont.
Characters from Agony Hill are in this second book as well. These include, of course, detective Frank Warren and his young who is nicknamed Pinky. I also enjoyed again meeting up with Warren’s neighbor Alice (she has a good back story), Sylvie (an important person to Warren and a key character in the first novel), and others in the town.
This time, a former diplomat has been killed at a hunt club. Did his death relate to his profession or his messy personal life? There are many characters and suspects for readers to consider as perpetrators. Things intensify when there is a snowstorm and a second murder, leaving many of the characters stranded at the hunt club.
Readers will want to know what was behind the deaths. They may also be interested in a glimpse of a fraught time in the country’s history.
While it is not necessary to have read Agony Hill to enjoy Hunter’s Heart Ridge, I think that readers will enjoy both of these titles. Why not read both?
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 05 August 2025
320 pages
Mystery & Thrillers
The first in the series:
At the time of this writing the e book is just $2.99
I started reading this novel soon after Serena Williams retired and when I had tennis on my brain. Carrie is not Serena but there is no doubt that tennis has defined her life. As the story opens, Carrie is at the U.S. Open waiting to see if her long held record for most wins will be shattered. From here the book moves back in time to when she first began playing and goes forward to the time of the book’s title.
I understand the basics of tennis but don’t have the knowledge base to know how accurate the descriptions in the matches played were. I know that they were deeply involving and that I always wondered how Carrie would do.
This novel, however, is not just about Carrie’s tennis but is also about Carrie. She has a rather hard and brittle shell and most although most everything about her has been about tennis, she has things to figure out. Readers get to know the people around her; there are those that she lets in to some degree. The most important one is her father who has shared Carrie’s dream. Another is a player on the male circuit named Bowe and, of course, many of the women players.
Along with a page turning story, this novel offers some food for thought. Are we our accomplishments? Does winning mean everything? How is it to have to deal with being in a constant limelight? What happens when a game that one started to play out of love becomes so dominant? No spoilers for the end of the book. Find out for yourself what happens to Carrie.
I recommend this title to tennis lovers, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s fan base and those who enjoy an involving story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 30 August 2022
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“The books in Reid’s famous women quartet stand alone. . . . But each of the books centers a vibrant protagonist managing the tensions between her glamorous life in the public eye and the pressures she feels in private . . . with Reid meticulously collecting minute yet meaningful details to help build immersive worlds”—TIME
“Carrie Soto [Is Back] . . . is like other sports novels in which underdogs punch, volley, bat and birdie their way to victory or additional defeat, but it goes beyond this to explore sexism and racism in the tennis world in the 1990s. . . . This novel will grab you. You’ll tear through blow-by-blow descriptions of championship matches on some of the most famous tennis courts in the world. . . .”—The Washington Post
“An epic story about bravery, endurance, but also the power of vulnerability.”—BuzzFeed
“Reid . . . draws on the lives of actual tennis pros (think Serena, Sharapova) to build a world of believable rivalries and intrigue infused with the whiplash suspense of a nail-biting tennis match.”—People (Book of the Week)
“Nearly every Taylor Jenkins Reid novel reads like a survey course in some flagrantly glamorous specialty and era. . . . Come for the King Richard–level attention to the art of the game; stay for the more personal soap operas unfolding off the court, and the final score.”—Entertainment Weekly
Many readers will recognize that the title of this historical mystery refers to Julia Child and her classic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And indeed, most happily, Julia, her husband (Paul), and sister (nicknamed Dort) are all found in these pages. There is also a fictional character, Tabitha, who is nowhere near the cook that Julia is but who is a good friend to her.
The story takes place in the late 1940s in Paris so I was immediately inclined to like this book. The opening has Julia trying to figure out what is wrong with her mayonnaise. Soon, she will have much bigger problems. After a party at her apartment, a body is found in the basement area of Julia’s flat. The victim was a guest and the knife used to kill her came from Julia’s kitchen. Therese also was employed at the theater where Dort works.
Tabitha, the book’s amateur sleuth, has a father who was in the police. This makes her wanting to solve the case feel credible. She has come to Paris to spend time with her grandfather and his partner who becomes like an uncle to her. They add color and relationships to the story.
This book was entertaining and fun. I liked the setting, the characters, the food and the story. Kudos to the author. She has also written a series featuring Agatha Christie’s housekeeper showing how versatile she is. I have enjoyed her contributions to the historical mystery and recommend this title. I hope that this is the start of a series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 25 April 2023 Mark your calendar
And the next in the series
This series began with last year’s Mastering the Art of French Murder. This second title is every bit as delightful.
Here is an historical mystery set in post WWII Paris. It features a fictional protagonist, Tabitha, and a friend of hers. That friend is the larger than life Julia Child. Together the two become involved in murderous situations.
This time, chefs should beware what they drink. Not too far into the novel, two have died after imbibing what should have been very special vintages. Tabitha and Julia are on the case even if the police inspector (and possible romantic interest for Tabitha) does not want their help.
What I like best in this book (and in the first one) is the evocation of Paris. When Tabitha and Julia visit a market it is easy to visualize the food and want to start cooking. And speaking of which, every time Julia is around food, and that is often, the book is so much fun.
Highly recommended to those who are foodies, those who love Paris and those who like historical mysteries. I hope there will be a third book soon
Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this title. All opinions are my own.
So many readers adore the books by this author that I feel almost as if no review is necessary. All loyal fans need to see is her name on the title of the book.
This is the third book that I have read by this author. My favorite is still How to Walk Away, although What You Wish For is certainly an enjoyable read.
I liked the setting of this book, both the Texas location and the vibrant, joyous school where narrator Sam is the librarian. This novel is primarily about Sam and Duncan with attention paid also to those around them. The two knew each other in the past when Sam had a crush on the flamboyant, exuberant Duncan. Sam is now at a new school and guess who the new principal is? (I’m sure that no guess is needed). But why is Duncan so different? Will he and Sam connect again? Even if you feel you know the answers, this book is a good one to laze around with on a summer’s day. Its message of taking as much joy in life as possible, despite life’s difficulties, is an affirming one.
On NetGalley, there are 1576 reviews and counting with readers all liking the book. These are the biggest numbers that I have seen on the site. I think that readers who buy this book will enjoy it too!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
This cookbook will appeal to anyone who has been watching the Julian Fellowes’s eponymous TV series and also to those who are looking for intriguing holiday recipes. Since this title is published in August, there will be plenty of time to make decisions about what to try. There are many tempting sweet treats in these pages.
Readers will find sections on Cookies; Cakes; Pies, Puddings, Custards; and Candies. There are also some recipes for Hannukah and New Year’s. In addition, there is much history and holiday lore here.
There are many beautiful photos throughout this book. They will put readers in the holiday spirit.
This book would make a lovely gift for a home baker.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Globe Pequot for this title. All opinions are my own.
So many readers adore the books by this author that I feel almost as if no review is necessary. All loyal fans need to see is her name on the title of the book.
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 