GOODREADS 

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David and Caroline Connolly are swimming successfully through their marriage’s middle years—raising two children; overseeing care for David’s ailing mother; leaning into their careers, both at David’s university teaching job, where he’s up for an important promotion, and at the ad agency where Caroline has recently returned to work after years away while the children were little. The recent stresses of home renovation and of a brief romantic betrayal (Caroline’s) are behind them. The Connollys know and care for each other deeply.

Then one early fall afternoon, a student of sublime, waiflike beauty appears in David’s university office and says, “I think you might be my father.” And the fact of a youthful passion that David had tried to forget comes rushing back. In the person of this intriguing young woman, the Connollys may have a chance to expand who they are and how much they can love, or they may be making themselves vulnerable to menace. They face either an opportunity or a threat—but which is which? What happens when their hard-won family happiness meets a hard-luck beautiful girl?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

There is an energy on campus during those first weeks of the new semester that is like nothing else. The air is charged with the frisson of possibility. A cheerful busyness takes hold, giving a new life and sheen to every faded surface, every jaded room… I felt it too— the beat of possibility, the urge to get a head start on the year. After seventeen years working at this university, I was still not immune to the buoyant lift of first-term energy.

We never had children because I didn’t want them. Any child I had with you might be born with a dorsal fin and several rows of teeth.

Mum had stepped toward the bed and was standing with one hand upon it, quietly contemplating it, when it occurred to me that the previous inhabitant had probably died in this room, in that very bed Mum was touching. And in all likelihood, my mother would die here too. A strange vertiginous thought. I felt like someone had punched me with it. I couldn’t escape the feeling that by moving her into this room I was somehow hastening her doom.

That night in the cold darkness at the top of the stairs, overhearing the conversation, that was the moment when things began to unravel for me… A pinched, mean voice inside me whispered: If you are not the love of his life, then what makes you so sure he is yours? … Like a stone dislodged deep inside me, I felt the structure of my being start to crumble.

She had the cool beauty of a glassy lake on a cold day— you wanted to stare at it, to take it all in, though you wouldn’t want to touch it. A coldness that seemed biting.

My Review:

Girl Unknown was a gripping and enthralling read that steadily built and maintained an intriguing and inescapable level of tension and suspense as well as an unmistakable sense of impending doom from the very first word of the bewitching prologue to its devastating conclusion.   I gasped in disbelief, cringed, flinched, held my breath, clenched my fist, and even growled in frustration at the annoyingly dense David, yet I was mesmerized by the storyline, transfixed by the narrative, embedded and engaged with the characters, and physically unable or unwilling to put my Kindle down any longer than necessary. The characters were as hypnotically intriguing as they were repellent and fractured. I loathed/loved/despised/pitied them in equal measure. Adulting did not happen yesterday. The storyline was cleverly well-crafted, alluring, and maddeningly fascinating while the writing was keenly honed, insightfully observant, well detailed, emotive, and infuriatingly well-paced. I must stalk these talented wordsmiths at every opportunity!

Karen Perry is the pen name of Dublin-based authors Paul Perry and Karen Gillece. Together they wrote Girl Unkown.

Karen Gillece is the author of several critically acclaimed novels. In 2009 she won the European Union Prize for Literature (Ireland).

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Critics, too, have heaped praise on “the new queen of romantic fiction.” (Walmart) Booklist says, “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling,” and RT Book Reviews puts her “in a class by herself!”

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month, January of 1992. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool’s Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life.

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Favorite Quotes:

Unlike Italy , with its Popes and volcanos and sunshine and pasta, Ireland had nothing of note. Just nuns, rain and potatoes. It was an unremarkable place to anyone but the Irish themselves. In fact, mostly to them as well.

… as if a piece of him had gone missing in her presence. He was afraid that if he gave her what she wanted, then she would leave the room and, if she did that, he might never get it back.

You could catch up on a month’s gossip in Lyons’s in less than an hour if you knew who to sit next to.

Business took precedence over pleasure, always. The dead don’t book in and they don’t bury themselves, her father used to say.

He instinctively understood things about her that he knew were true… Without her saying a word, he could see in her beautiful eyes that she was carrying something that did not belong to her. It was a lifetime in a moment; this was the world standing still.

Sure all them miniskirts around here would turn a blind man horny!

My Review:

Visiting Ireland remains on my Bucket List, I’m sure I have distant ancestral roots of some sort and would just love to see the Old Sod, although these three Irish gals didn’t seem to be enjoying their life there in the turbulent 60’s and fled for “Swinging London.” Although, each of the three had fled for a different reason. Hanna was running from the brutality of her life, Lara was striving toward a different future, and Noreen was desperately seeking adventure. From the cover, you might be expecting a breezy and light-hearted book, well, think again. The well-crafted and engaging storylines were packed with drama, quirky gangsters, betrayal, suspense, angst, tension, heartache, aspirations, anxiety, intrigue, and excellent writing. The 60’s and 70’s were a period of profound and explosive social change worldwide, which was as confusing as it was exciting. I came of age a decade after these gals, but could easily identify with the issues.

I quickly slipped into the story and only fell deeper with the addition of each new character. The writing was emotive, observant, and descriptive enough to place me within each scene; I could hear the music, smell the food, feel the tension, and recognize the entire peculiar cast of characters by sight. It was hard to put my Kindle down and even though I had not lived their experiences, I could fully relate and empathize with each of the female characters as well as a few of the men. But I tilted the most toward the couple of Lara and Coleman. Poor Lara, when the love of your life informs you he has decided to be a priest because, “I suppose I love God more than I love you.” Ouch.   I would have hightailed it out faster than Lara had, although I would have torn a pound of flesh off of the weasel first. The suspense and tension were maintained beginning to end and oh, how I reveled at the sweet and well-deserved endings for each one. As if reading a superbly written book wasn’t pleasure enough, I have new additions to my British Isles Vocabulary List, which I’ve realized I needed to rename from My Brit Word List due to the inclusion of Scottish and Irish colloquialisms.   My new collection includes, “clobber” which the Urban Dictionary defined as new clothes or personal items; and “face like a spanner” which means ugly. It’s always a red-letter day when I can boast of expanding my verbosity.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR  

Garden of Lamentations

by Deborah Crombie

HarperCollins 

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 Paperback: 448 pages
 Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (November 14, 2017)

Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James are drawn into separate investigations that hold disturbing—and deadly—complications for their own lives in this powerful mystery in the bestselling series.

On a beautiful morning in mid-May, the body of a young woman is found in one of Notting Hill’s private gardens. To passersby, the pretty girl in the white dress looks as if she’s sleeping. But Reagan Keating has been murdered, and the lead detective, DI Kerry Boatman, turns to Gemma James for help. She and Gemma worked together on a previous investigation, and Gemma has a personal connection to the case: Reagan was the nanny of a child who attends the same dance studio as Toby, Gemma and Kincaid’s son.

Gemma soon discovers that Reagan’s death is the second tragedy in this exclusive London park; a few months before, a young boy died in a tragic accident. But when still another of the garden residents meets a violent end, it becomes clear that there are more sinister forces at play. Boatman and Gemma must stop the killer before another innocent life is taken.

While his wife is consumed with her new case, Kincaid finds himself plagued by disturbing questions about several previous—and seemingly unrelated—cases involving members of the force. If his suspicions are correct and the crimes are linked, are his family and friends in mortal danger as well? Kincaid’s hunch turns to certainty when a Metropolitan Police officer close to him is brutally attacked. There’s a traitor in the ranks, and now Kincaid wonders if he can trust anyone.

As Gemma begins to see a solution to her case, she realizes she holds a child’s fate in her hands. Can she do the right thing? And can Kincaid rely on his friends, both inside and outside the Scotland Yard force, to stand beside him as he faces the deadliest challenge of his career?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Pathologists are insatiably curious. That’s why we do it, most of us. Although maybe there are some who just like really bad smells and have no people skills.

Don’t say you don’t want to speak ill of the dead. The dead are dead and it won’t hurt them.

 Lisa Su, Gemma decided, might have been pretty if not for what seemed a perpetually angry expression. Her eyes protruded slightly, as if pushed out from the pressure within.

My Review:

I was stunned when I noticed I was reading an author for the first while picking up book number seventeen in a series. I had not contemplated such a vast amount of books in one series since my Nancy Drew years.   While I am certain I would have had an easier time beginning the tale had I read the previous books, prior experience was not necessary as the story was more than steady on strong dancers legs and quite capable to stand-alone. The plot was complex, ingenious, and brilliantly crafted. Ms. Crombie must be wicked smart and at least a tad twisted to have such a profound facility for evil genius lurking about her headspace. I doubt her neighbors ever fully relax or dare to disturb her peace. Her writing was hypnotic, packed with peculiar and intriguing characters, and densely detailed with a treasure trove of fascinating and multi-faceted story threads knitting themselves into vivid imagery. I covet her mad skills.   I was provided with a review copy of this extraordinary book by HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.

About Deborah Crombie

Deborah Crombie is a New York Times bestselling author and a native Texan who has lived in both England and Scotland. She now lives in McKinney, Texas, sharing a house that is more than one hundred years old with her husband, three cats, and two German shepherds.

Connect with her through her website, Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

I’d kept up with certain things in Hell. We had computers though the internet was limited to what Satan felt we needed to know… Fashion was easy to keep up with as the new residents came fully dressed and I gained an envied designer wardrobe from the many rich wives who’d killed their cheating husbands. That’s how my love of Louboutins had started.

Well, I thought he couldn’t shock me any more than the day he brutally murdered me, but it seems he’s doing his dang best to try. No one wants to hear their child shouting about how much they love pussy unless there’s a family pet.

I need to see this neighbour if he looks like Jason Momoa. Do we need any sugar?

My Review:

Stalk Andie:

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The Promise Between Us

by Barbara Claypole White

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Paperback Publisher: Lake Union

Publishing (January 16, 2018)

From the bestselling author of The Perfect Son comes a hopeful tale of redemption, renewal, and the promise of love.

Metal artist Katie Mack is living a lie. Nine years ago she ran away from her family in Raleigh, North Carolina, consumed by the irrational fear that she would harm Maisie, her newborn daughter. Over time she’s come to grips with the mental illness that nearly destroyed her, and now funnels her pain into her art. Despite longing for Maisie, Katie honors an agreement with the husband she left behind—to change her name and never return.

But when she and Maisie accidentally reunite, Katie can’t ignore the familiarity of her child’s compulsive behavior. Worse, Maisie worries obsessively about bad things happening to her pregnant stepmom. Katie has the power to help, but can she reconnect with the family she abandoned?

To protect Maisie, Katie must face the fears that drove her from home, accept the possibility of love, and risk exposing her heart-wrenching secret.

Favorite Quotes:

You might have been blinded by love and lust, but Katelyn was always wound tighter than a dollar store watch.

How did this happen? Two PhDs between them, and they couldn’t figure out contraception.

I’m a welder who works in a helmet decorated with Power Girl stickers.

Why were these horrid thoughts taking up a whole room in her brain? No, multiple rooms!

Still as predictable as ever. Takes a small pair of balls to intimidate a small woman.

‘’Cause I feel as if I’ve been skinny-dipping with snapping turtles. And oh, Lordy’—he tossed out an expression that reminded her of Robin Williams playing Mrs. Doubtfire—‘you know how much I value my body parts.’

Delaney had once complained that it was impossible to make Patrick jealous, but the look he gave Jake was, surely, reserved for muggers of little old ladies.

 My Review:

This book should be required reading for all medical and psychological graduate students and interns.   Written from five viewpoints The Promise Between Us was smartly written and endlessly fascinating, yet surprisingly easy to follow. I was quickly mesmerized and completely embedded within the craniums of these peculiar and cringe-worthy characters and have yet to fully resurface. I have a strong suspicion that these singularly unique yet fully formed individuals will be residing with me for quite some time.   The storyline was tragic and heartbreaking while the characters were deeply flawed, fractured, and somewhat repellent, yet oddly compelling and endearing for their efforts. But the writing, oh the writing, it was stellar, superb, well-crafted, tantalizing, heartrending, poignant, painfully insightful, sharply honed, and exquisitely observant with unexpected yet perfectly pitched twists of levity, primarily from the most under-appreciated characters. I adore this author and would worship at an altar laden with her works.  I was provided with a review copy of this engrossing book by  TLC Book Tours.