#NewBook – Page 11 – Rosepoint Publishing

The Light Over Lake Como by Roland Merullo – #BookReview – #historicalWWIIfiction

Book Blurb:

Two lovers separated in war-torn Italy struggle to reunite in a riveting and heartrending historical novel by the bestselling author of Once Night Falls and From These Broken Streets.

It’s 1945. The Nazi occupation of Italy is in its closing days. But risk is ever present.

It’s been nearly two years since Sarah Zinsi found tenuous sanctuary in Switzerland. Unmoored in a foreign land, she heeds a rumor that her village on the Lake Como shore has been liberated. Clutching her young daughter, Sarah navigates the arduous mountain trek back home to be with Luca Benedetto, the father of her child.

A resister to the end, Luca has one last assignment: assassinate Mussolini, the man who destroyed everything Luca cherished and who forced the love of his life to flee. Sarah’s path crosses that of a charismatic and kindly black marketeer turned partisan spy. He vows to keep mother and child safe as Luca’s perilous mission escalates and the Nazis’ final moves devolve into chaos.

But for Sarah and Luca, the pull of love, the will to survive, and the promise of a new family are greater than any odds against them.

His Review:

The years immediately after 1922 when Mussolini came to power were good in Italy. Large crowds would marvel at his wisdom and embrace his promises of making the Roman Empire a world leader again. Certainly, he had problems and many young ladies warmed his bed. But then, wasn’t that what all great leaders had in common?

El Duce felt that joining with Hitler would expand Italian territories and strengthen his position in the world. During the beginning of the war, this seemed true as the armies swept through North Africa with little or no opposition. The might of the former Roman Empire seemed possible. The citizens enjoyed his speeches and enthusiasm. But his leadership became a puppet show during the middle of the war, and many plots were hatched to kill the man.

The people became destitute as the war dragged on and the Nazis controlled the police and the military. Hitler kept Mussolini around to show his support for Italy’s attempts to defeat the Allies. Meanwhile, the citizens of Italy wanted the Germans out of their country and an end to the conflict. Could El Duce get to Switzerland and seek refuge there until the end of the war?

This story deals with the tragedy of war and the hardships that nations endure during conflicts. Even the close confidants of Mussolini began to plot his demise and a total elimination of any support for Germany. Daily lives were shattered as plots were discovered and reprisals administered. The writing is first rate and the sub-plots are well developed and thought provoking. Enjoy this story. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical World War II Fiction, Women’s Historical Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ISBN: ‎ 1662510780
ASIN: B0CHD24CT9
Print Length: 280 pages
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: NEW FROM ROLAND MERULLO:

DESSERT WITH BUDDHA will be published in early May, 2023.

Roland Merullo is the author of twenty-seven books of fiction and non-fiction, that range from suspense novels (Fidel’s Last Days, A Russian Requiem, Revere Beach Boulevard, The Return) to love stories (A Little Love Story, The Talk-Funny Girl, Leaving Losapas) to golf and travel books (Golfing with God, Passion for Golf, The Italian Summer, Taking the Kids to Italy) to humorous spiritual road trips (Breakfast with Buddha, Lunch with Buddha, Dinner with Buddha, The Delight of Being Ordinary, Golfing with God, American Savior). His books have sold over half a million copies and been translated across the globe, from China to Brazil, from Korea to Croatia, from Turkey to Bulgaria, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards (see below).

Much in demand as a speaker, Merullo has given informal talks, commencement, and convocation speeches at colleges and universities in New England, California, Florida, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Nebraska, as well as at open-minded churches of various denominations, and hundreds of libraries, schools, and community organizations.

His latest novel, A Harvest of Secrets, is the third in a recent series of World War II historical fiction set in Italy. It follows Once Night Falls, which was selected as a November pick by Amazon First Read’s editors who called the novel “Both epic and intimate in its portrayal of World War II Italy.” They continued by saying, “Merullo expertly illuminates the war’s devastation of the country and its culture. …So immediate, it plunges the reader into this harrowing time, making the story—and the chapter of history—feel intensely personal. …The book is unflinching in its portrayal of wartime turmoil. Yet heroism and hopefulness drive these characters. Once Night Falls is a page-turning, propulsive read, and the stakes are always incredibly high. But it is the characters—and the powerful lessons they bestow—that make this is a truly unforgettable story.”

Once Night Falls was followed by From These Broken Streets, which describes the famous Four Days uprising in Naples in 1943. Kirkus called it, “Stirring and moving: more fine work from a versatile and gifted writer.” And the Booklist reviewed said, “The seamless plot is compelling, making this an altogether deeply satisfying work of historical fiction.”

The third novel in the series, A Harvest of Secrets, also takes place in Italy in 1943, and tells the story of a young woman from a wealthy, wine-producing family, who falls in love with one of the estate’s workers not long before he is sent off to war. The novel already has over 9,000 Amazon reviews and a 4.5 star rating.

Merullo was born in Boston and raised in the working-class city of Revere, Massachusetts. He had a scholarship to Exeter Academy and graduated in 1971, attended Boston University for two years, transferred to Brown University and graduated from Brown in 1975, then earned a Master’s there–in Russian Studies– in 1976. He’s been a carpenter, a cab driver, a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia, a college professor, worked for many months on cultural exchange exhibits in the former USSR, and has traveled to 49 US states and across the northern hemisphere. He currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife Amanda and their two daughters. He can be reached at Roland@RolandMerullo.com.

His many awards and prizes include:

– Massachusetts Book Award in Non-Fiction: Revere Beach Elegy
– Nomination for the prestigious International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award: Breakfast with Buddha
– Massachusetts Book Honor Award in Fiction: American Savior
– One of Publishers Weekly Five Best Books of 2013 (religious subjects): Vatican Waltz
– American Library Association Alex Award: The Talk-Funny Girl
– Boston Globe’s 100 Essential Books of New England: Revere Beach Boulevard
– Finalist LL Winship/PEN New England Prize: Revere Beach Boulevard
– Booklist Editors Choice: In Revere, In Those Days
– Maria Thomas Fiction Prize for Year’s Best Novel by a former Peace Corps Volunteer: In Revere, In Those Days
– Kirkus Reviews “Best of 2013” List: Lunch with Buddha
– B.Dalton Discovery Series: Leaving Losapas
– Good Housekeeping’s Ten Wonderful Romance Novels: A Little Love Story

His best-selling novel, Breakfast with Buddha, has gone into its 22nd printing and has sold over 250,000 copies. Like Golfing with God before it, and American Savior after it, Breakfast with Buddha treats questions of philosophy/spirituality from a multi-denominational viewpoint and with a healthy dose of humor. The novel has become a favorite with book clubs all over the country and been the focus of numerous community-wide reads from Colorado to Connecticut. It was based on an actual trip Merullo took from New York to North Dakota, most of it in the company of his wife and daughters.

Also based on actual road trips, and also available in various formats (including a collector’s edition) is Merullo’s 2012 novel, Lunch with Buddha, the long-awaited sequel to Breakfast with Buddha. Lunch with Buddha details a trip from Washington State to North Dakota with the same wonderful characters as its predecessor. In a Starred Review, Kirkus called it, “a beautifully written and compelling story about a man’s search for meaning that earnestly and accessibly tackles some well-trodden but universal questions. A quiet meditation on life, death, darkness and spirituality, sprinkled with humor, tenderness and stunning landscapes.” Lunch with Buddha recently went into a fifth printing and has also been widely translated.

Dinner with Buddha follows the same cast of characters from Breakfast with Buddha and Lunch with Buddha as they make another hilarious, spiritually uplifting road trip across the American west.

Merullo’s novella, Rinpoche’s Remarkable Ten-Week Weight Loss Clinic, features two of the characters from the Buddha Trilogy. Ostensibly about a weight loss clinic run by the meditation master Volya Rinpoche, this compact and deftly structured story explores aspects of addiction and self-appreciation from a fresh vantage point.

An avid and accomplished golfer and golf writer, Merullo’s Ten Commandments of Golf Etiquette, is perfect for those who are new to the game and want to master the complicated dance that is on-course behavior. His other golf-related books include Passion for Golf; In Pursuit of the Innermost Game, Golfing with God, and The Italian Summer.

The Return is a dark and thrilling sequel to Revere Beach Boulevard and follows the lives of a circle of people who are linked by one man’s addiction.

Merullo’s humorous travel memoir, Taking the Kids to Italy, is a light read that tells the story of a disastrous family trip to Italy. Everything that could possibly go wrong, did go wrong, from illness to cold houses, but the author shines the light of laughter on all of it and creates a story that will appeal to armchair travelers and to any family that has met with vacation challenges.

His novel, Vatican Waltz, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal and was chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of the five best books of 2013 on the subject of religion. More serious than his other spiritual novels, it tells the intriguing story of a young Catholic woman who believes she is being called by God to become a parish priest.

Merullo’s 2005 novel, Golfing with God, was optioned for film by Gemfilms, and the actor John Turturro held the option to Leaving Losapas for ten years. American Savior is currently under option for both stage and screen.

The Talk-Funny Girl, a 2011 Alex Award winner, is the story of a teenage girl in rural New Hampshire who escapes an abusive home life in a most unusual way. It follows a theme that can be found in almost all Merullo’s books, that is, a person who bravely overcomes some past trauma, whether that be the stress of war, illness, divorce, addiction, or early abuse. The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.

Please watch Roland’s FaceBook page for news of upcoming workshops and events or visit his website http://www.rolandmerullo.com to sign up for his popular monthly newsletter (essays, giveaways, serialized stories, announcements).

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day – #BookReview – #DomesticThriller

Book Blurb:

Could this reunion be the death of them?

The Precipice is a legendary, family-owned hotel on the rocky coast of Maine. With the recent passing of their father, the Bishop sisters–Iris, Vicki, and Faith–have come for the weekend to claim it. But with a hurricane looming and each of the Bishop sisters harboring dangerous secrets, there’s murder in the air– and not everyone who checks into the Precipice will be checking out.

Each sister wants what is rightfully hers, and in the mix is the Precipe’s nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits.

The arrival of the Bishop sisters could spell disaster for Charley. Will they close the hotel? Fire her? Discover her habit of pilfering from guests? Or even worse, learn that she’s using a guest room to hide a woman on the run.

With razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists, Jamie Day’s ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY delivers a unique brand of summertime suspense.

His Review:

The Maine coast can be one of the most dynamic areas in America. Gulls float effortlessly over the water looking for a quick meal. The Precipice is a remote hotel on the coastline with unmatched views. Papa ruled with an iron thumb and each of his children were beyond spoiled and entitled. They grew up working at the hotel with various chores. Father was determined not to allow his offspring to be spoiled.

Sadly, Papa has passed and the family congregates at the hotel for a reading of the will. Faith is recently out of prison and Brea, Vicki and Iris are all thinking of how their lives will change when they sell the relic! The oldest sister, Vicki, has decided that she will take over and run the place and the others will receive a monthly stipend from the rents.

The family is fighting and trying to liquidate the property and Vicki will hear none of it. People start dying or disappearing. A hurricane slams into the Maine coastline and the hotel is on the track of the storm. Are the deaths accidents or is someone trying to eliminate the potential heirs?

This read made me very happy that I was not raised with this family. No love is lost between these siblings and accidents seem to be around every corner. The storm worsens and the property is boarded up to protect from blowing debris. Who will remain after the storm to take over the property? If the property is still there. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Thrillers, Murder
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ASIN: B0CGS1QT8G
Print Length: 384 pages
Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: No bio listed

The Keeper of Secrets by Maria McDonald – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

A brand new completely gripping historical novel.

Book Blurb:

One lie changes a family’s path for generations—and finally brings them back to Ireland, in this saga by the author of The Devil’s Own.

In May 1917 the Americans sailed into Cork to join the Great War. When they left two years later, they brought their war brides with them, including Lizzie McCarthy. Still reeling from the tragic death of her sister Maggie, Lizzie leaves Ireland hoping for a better life with her new husband Ed Anderson.

Lizzie soon finds that America is not the land of opportunity she thought it was. Despite the obstacles in her path, she makes a good life for herself and her family. Ed’s sisters become her closest friends and allies. At home, Ireland’s bloody civil war ends. Lizzie’s brother Jimmy joins her and becomes part of the family until he feels compelled to return to a new independent Ireland.

But another conflict is on the horizon, and as their family grows and plants roots in America, they take the once-unimaginable step of boarding a plane and visiting Ireland. Once there, will Lizzie finally learn the truth about her sister’s death?

My Review:

Just in time for Reading Ireland Month (and my second contribution) comes a book from Irish author Maria McDonald. This author provides varied engrossing tales of historical fiction based on familiar characters—in this case, Irish WWI war brides.

In 1976, Beth in Florida, grapples with the tapes of her grandmother, Lizzie, and the startling revelations of her life in Ireland and the marriage to Ed Anderson, a sailor who takes her back to the US following the end of WWI.

Ed gets a job and Lizzie meets his family and gratefully begins the assimilation of life in America. Ed’s two sisters prove her new best friends and she begins a forty-plus year odyssey of life in America, watching both his family and her own grow, evolve, and emerge over the years through hardship and small triumphs.

The storytelling is compelling—following the lives and their progress, developments in both countries, the tragedies, and the impact of events that influenced both countries from prohibition and the depression, WWII, and the US President John F. Kennedy.

There is an interesting well-plotted twist and pace that keeps engagement. Lizzie is well-developed and sympathetic, as are support characters, although a couple of them take an unexpected course of action. The tension of the tightly held secrets holds the suspense in the background, always a cloud over the characters.

Only the tapes will relinquish the long-held and history-changing truths, although these too include a couple surprises. The conclusion becomes an ah ha! and satisfying moment.

I’ve read and enjoyed each of the author’s books, always finding tidbits I can tuck away, particularly in The Devil’s Own.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Sibling Fiction, 20^th Century Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
ASIN: B0CTJC31PF
Print Length: 310 pages
Publication Date: March 26, 2024
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Originally from Belfast, Maria McDonald lives in Kildare, with her husband Gerry.

Maria is an avid reader who loves to write but only indulged in her passion for writing fiction after retirement. Since then, her short stories and articles have been published in Woman’s Way and Ireland’s Own, as well as numerous anthologies; Intermissions, Grattan Street Press Melbourne; Same page anthology, University College Cork; Fragments of Time, Amber Publishers. Maria is a founder member of Ink Tank Writing Group, based in Newbridge library and contributed to their anthologies, Timeless in Kildare and Let Me Tell You Something.

Since signing with Bloodhound Books she published two historical fiction novels in 2023, The Devil’s Own and Tangled Webs. The Keeper of Secrets, her third novel with Bloodhound Books, is due for release in March 2024

https://twitter.com/mariamacwriter

The Big Lie by Gabriel Valjan – #BookReview – #HardboiledMysteries

A Shane Cleary Mystery

Book Blurb:

LOST: Poodle. Standard. Black. Studded collar. No tags. Goes by the name of Boo.

Sun Tzu may have said, ‘Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer,’ but he didn’t live in Boston, he’s not Shane Cleary, and Shane’s latest and most unexpected client is Southie’s most dangerous criminal.
The man who almost killed Shane wants to hire him, but Shane is more interested in Jimmy’s ‘bonus for a job done well and discretely—information about his father’s death.
His cat Delilah is against it, his girlfriend Bonnie the lawyer doesn’t know.

Everything screams he shouldn’t take the gig, but Shane can’t resist Jimmy’s ‘incentive.’
Life is neither easy nor simple for Shane. Bonnie asks for help on a pro bono case, friend Bill wants a background check, mafia henchman Tony makes a peculiar request, and Shane can’t help but think his client just might kill him anyway after he finds the dog.

Does Jimmy know a Truth that will change Shane’s life, or is it a big lie?

His Review:

A beloved pet is missing. Tony Two-Times wants him back and orders our hero to find him. There will be no reward, just a ticket to stay alive. Finding a dog does not usually require a private detective but refusing Tony invites a visit to six feet under. No is not a word in Tony’s vocabulary! He has lost his beloved dog and wants the bitch back yesterday.

Others suspected of absconding with the furball are dispatched very unceremoniously. The job won’t pay but then again, not doing it will result in permanent burial. Many in Tony’s world have received the reward for not finding Tony’s dog but there are roadblocks in the way.

A mob leader or mafioso boss has many things in common. Denying their requests is not an option. Our hero finds that leads he feels may be fruitful were not. Meanwhile, the time is getting short and the dog cannot be found!

This story explores the underworld and the loyalties that are required to stay alive! Cleary, an ex-cop, is the subject of the mob bosses’ angst, and the dog better be found. The result is an exposé of the thinking within the mob. Very informative! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Hard-Boiled Mysteries, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: Level Best Books – Level Historia
ASIN: B0CL14JLMK
Print Length: 214 pages
Publication Date: March 12, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Gabriel Valjan is the author of the Roma Series, The Company Files, and the Shane Cleary Mysteries. He has been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, Silver Falchion Awards, and received the 2021 Macavity Award for Best Short Story. Gabriel is a member of the Historical Novel Society, ITW, MWA, and Sisters in Crime. He lives in Boston.

Cheers!

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day – #BookReview – #DomesticThriller

Book Blurb:

Could this reunion be the death of them?

Each sister wants what is rightfully hers, and in the mix is the Precipe’s nineteen-year-old chambermaid Charley Kelley: smart, resilient, older than her years, and in desperate straits.

With razor-sharp wit, heart, thrills, and twists, Jamie Day’s ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY delivers a unique brand of summertime suspense.

His Review:

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Thrillers, Murder
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ASIN: B0CGS1QT8G
Print Length: 384 pages
Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: No bio listed

Rich Justice by Robert Bailey – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Jason Rich Book 3

Book Blurb:

In this twisty thriller from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Robert Bailey, a disgraced attorney’s mistakes come back to haunt him when he’s tried for a murder he didn’t commit.

Once the flashy, successful lawyer known for his in-your-face billboards—IN AN ACCIDENT? GET RICH—Jason Rich has fallen from grace, his reputation scrubbed of its glitz and his life stripped of the people he cares about. All thanks to meth kingpin Tyson Cade.

But when Cade is shot and killed in the heart of his territory, things go from bad to worse for Jason as he is charged with his murder.

To clear his name, Jason seeks help from an unlikely source: Shay Lankford, an old adversary and attorney almost as disgraced as Jason himself. Now Jason and Shay have even more to lose—their lives—as they dig into the dangerous truth behind Tyson Cade’s murder.

Neither time nor evidence is on their side, but after everything he’s lost, Jason is determined to save his future from the mistakes of his past—no matter the price.

His Review:

Small towns in Alabama are often one-horse towns. Guntersville is a very good example of this fact. The control of the town rests on a former US Army Colonel named Chuck Tonidandel. Everything in the town and immediate environs is controlled by Chuck and his three sons. Everyone else in the burg answered to the Colonel or his three sons.

Jason Dean was raised by the Colonel and everything he did was to please the Colonel. People who crossed the Colonel or his family wound up in various stages of dead. The local gendarme pointed out that Jason was responsible for the killings in the area. He lost his law license due to malfeasance and is in limbo waiting for a two-year suspension of said license.

This book is well written with the exception that it has too many murders. Anyone who seemed to cross the Colonel or Jason Dean wound up dead. There are simply too many deaths pointing back to the Tonidandels and their father, nor does the author leave the fairer sex out of the mix. Dating any lady in Guntersville could be a quick trip to a three-by-six-by-six future. I enjoyed the book but found the number of killings over the top. Read to see if you agree. 4 stars – CE Williams

[Note: It’s been a while since we read a Bailey book, Legacy of Lies, that one in 2020 that I read from a different series and thoroughly enjoyed. VW]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Sibling Fiction, Legal Thrillers
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 1662516630
ASIN: B0C62FWRL2
Print Length: 515 pages
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Robert Bailey is the bestselling author of the McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers series, which includes The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor. The first two novels in the series were Beverly Hills Book Awards legal thriller of the year winners, and Between Black and White was a finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year.

For the past nineteen years, Bailey has been a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, where he lives with his wife and three children. For more information, please visit http://www.robertbaileybooks.com.

Wintertime Books and Reviews

Where Butterflies Wander by Suzanne Redfearn – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Happy Release Day!

Book Blurb:

From the bestselling author of In an Instant comes the moving story of a family grappling with grief and a woman with the power to help them through it—or stand in their way.

After a tragic accident claims the life of one of her children, Marie Egide is desperate to carve out a fresh start for her family. With her husband and their three surviving children, Marie travels to New Hampshire, where she plans to sell a family estate and then, just maybe, they’ll be able to heal from their grief.

Marie’s plans are thwarted when she realizes a war veteran known by locals as “the river witch” is living in a cabin on the property, which she claims was a gift from Marie’s grandfather. If Davina refuses to move on, Marie won’t be able to either.

The two women clash, and battle lines are drawn within Marie’s family and the town as each side fights for what they believe is right, the tension rising until it reaches its breaking point. And the choice is no longer theirs when a force bigger than them all—fate—takes control.

My Review:

Marie Egide and her husband Leo have lost a little member of their family and reeling from the tragedy decide on a desperate move to New Hampshire to “start new” and claim an old inherited property. They’ll take the summer at the house to clean and repair and then sell and move to Farmington.

They hadn’t counted on Davina Lister, however, known locally as the “river witch.” Invited to stay on the property as long as she wished by Marie’s grandfather, Davina has made a comfortable home and local reputation for herself.

Marie takes an instant dislike to the woman although it’s clear from the beginning that surviving daughters Hannah and Pen have engaged with her very quickly. Son Brendon sides with his mother. He carries secrets that keep him in an agitated state and directs his anger to any who crosses his path.

“Mom said I should take up a hobby like guitar or painting. I’d rather watch cheese melt.”

Davina is an amazing character. A combat veteran, she received devastating and disabling injuries on her last tour of duty and for the most part tried to stay quietly away from the public. She has learned to stay pretty independent, living off the land with some animals, and developing an expertise with the local flora and fauna. She has developed a gratifying and generous history with her healing powers of elixirs and potions.

The POV switches between the characters including the children, each dealing with the tragedy in their own way, and it’s touching that Pen has taken refuge in believing she sees her sister Bee in the butterflies on the property.

Marie’s character develops as the novel antagonist, demanding Davina leave the property as she has no properly written legal document to support her position. Marie is caught in her position and must doggedly pursue legal action with only Brandon supporting her which inevitably escalates tension and culminates in creating additional serious problems.

I really loved Davina’s character. She is so inviting and immersive, it’s hard to see any way this could end equitably for anyone. Each in the family is harboring guilt of some nature in the death of their loved one—it’s crippling—and obvious that if it is not resolved here, they’ll simply carry it, festering, to their next location.

The author has an emotional, sentimental writing style that plucks at tender feelings and spears the appropriate moral objective (own the mistake, vow not to repeat, forgive yourself, move on?).

Although I’ve read several of her books, all good, including the Moment in Time (’22), Hadley & Grace (’21), and In An Instant (’20), my favorite is still Hadley & Grace. I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Women’s Literary Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ASIN: B0BX4M26PV
Print Length: 298 pages
Publication Date: February 6, 2024 Happy Release Day!
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Suzanne is the bestselling author of five novels: Moment In Time, Hadley & Grace, In an Instant, No Ordinary Life, and Hush Little Baby.

Born and raised on the east coast, Suzanne moved to California when she was fifteen. She currently lives in Laguna Beach with her husband where they own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza & Beer. In addition to being an author, Suzanne is an architect specializing in residential and commercial design.

You can find her at her website, www.SuzanneRedfearn.com, on Facebook at SuzanneRedfearnAuthor, or on Instagram at SuzanneRedfearn.

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Fury by Alex Michaelides – #BookReview – #suspensethrillers

in Murder Thrillers (Hardcover)

Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense (Kindle)

Book Blurb:

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

His Review:

A mentally disturbed playwright is marooned on an island with the cast of his play. He is egocentric and his world revolves around his plays and the actors that bring them to life. He has fallen in love with the leading lady but unfortunately, she has another love interest. Why does this feel like a Greek tragedy?

The main character is an artist and a great writer in his mind. His narrative develops as the play progresses. All of the characters are involved in his play and as the work develops he becomes detached from reality. He writes the dialogue as the changes to the play develop.

Although the leading lady loves another, he is sure she will learn to love him if she just gives him the chance. The other man, however, seems to hang on and always spoils his plans. What can he do to become the leading man in her life?

I found this book to be slow at times and a little Edgar Allen Poe-ish in some of the scenes. He talks to himself and the reader as the plot develops and it does, indeed, defy the reader to keep up with the twists. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense Thrillers, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Celadon Books
ISBN-10: ‎ 125075898X
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1250758989
ASIN: B0BXTB6HSN
Print Length: 295 pages
Publication Date: January 16, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

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The Author: Alex Michaelides was born and raised in Cyprus. He has an M.A. in English Literature from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and an M.A. in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The Silent Patient was his first novel, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide. The rights have been sold in a record-breaking 51 countries, and the book has been optioned for film by Plan B. His second novel, The Maidens, was an instant New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for television by Miramax Television and Stone Village.