Your Perfect Life

Your Perfect Life

by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Genre:  Chick Lit

Synopsis:  Best friends since childhood, Casey and Rachel couldn't lead more different lives.  While workaholic Casey rubs elbows with celebrities daily as the host of Gossip TV and comes home nightly to an empty high-rise apartment, stay-at-home mom Rachel juggles an oops baby, two fiery teenagers. and a husband who only physically resembles the man she fell in love with two-decades before.  After an argument at their twentieth high school reunion, they each throw back a shot to try and save the evening.  Instead. they get a life-changing hangover.

Waking up in each other's bodies the next morning, they must figure out how to navigate their altered realities.  Rachel is forced to face the broadcasting dreams she gave up when she got pregnant in college and Casey finally steps out of the spotlight to confront the real reason why she's alone.  Each woman will soon discover she doesn't know herself-or her best friend-nearly as well as she thought she did.

from the back of the book

Review:  This book was different than most chick lit books out there.  The women in this book were not in their 20s, they were in their late 30s like me which made for chick lit that was more relatable to an older audience but perhaps not the younger crowd.  Though this book does check off several of the chick lit necessities: partying (alcohol), fashion, celebs, etc.  All that aside, this was a great summer read.  Rachel, a mom to three, seems to be stuck in a rut and changing lives with Casey, a single, workaholic, famous, live-in-the-moment kind of woman gives her an out of motherhood for a while.  I think most mothers could relate to Rachel.  Casey, who has worked in television for her whole career, gets to live out a fantasy she didn't know she had while living in Rachel's life.  The women learn much about themselves and what it takes to change back into their own lives.

Rating: 4 stars

Keep Me Posted

Keep Me Posted

Lisa Beazley

Genre: Women's Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): Two sisters share the surprising highs and cringe-worthy lows of social media fame, when their most private thoughts become incredibly public in this fresh and funny debut novel.

Sisters Cassie and Sid Sunday have not done a bang-up job of keeping in touch. In their defense, it hasn’t been easy: life veered in sharply different directions for the once-close sisters. Today, beautiful and big-hearted Sid lives an expat’s life of leisure in far-off Singapore, while harried, iPhone-clutching Cassie can’t seem to make it work as a wife and a mom to twin toddlers in Manhattan.

It doesn't help that Sid spurns all social media while Cassie is addicted to Facebook. So when Sid issues a challenge to reconnect the old-fashioned way—through real, handwritten letters—Cassie figures, why not?

The experiment exceeds both of their expectations, and the letters become a kind of mutual confessional that have real and soul-satisfying effects. And they just might have the power to help Cassie save her marriage, and give Sid the strength to get her life back on track.

But first, one of Cassie’s infamous lapses in judgment comes back to bite her, and all of the letters wind up the one place you’d never, ever want to see them: the Internet...

Review: I am tired of books about women in Manhattan looking down on everyone who doesn't live in Manhattan.  That wasn't the focus of this book, of course, which was about a disorganized and whiny SAHM NYC mom handwriting letters to her sophisticated ex-pat sister who lives in Singapore.  But every so often, Cassie would shoot off these one liners about fat tourists from flyover country that would make me so mad.  Her superior point of view didn't add to the story (other than making her sound even more selfish and pretentious than she already was) so why bother to include them?  Is the author trying to alienate women who don't live in Manhattan?  Seems like that would give her a pretty small reader base...

Anyway, that quibble aside, the premise of this book was interesting, and I enjoyed seeing the sisters connect through the hand written letter they mailed each other, which allowed themselves to express their innermost thoughts with an honesty that was missing in their other everyday communications.  However, I found it impossible to like Cassie, given that she is a stay at home mom with a part time nanny, who has the time and money to take yoga and get pedicures every week, and who has no problem shopping for an entirely new wardrobe online just because she feels like it.  If she acted grateful for all these luxuries, that may have been different, but she constantly whines about her life.  I also didn't really buy into the huge drama about her letters going viral - would that really have happened?  No.  Would that have been a big deal in anyone's life?   Probably not.  

Rating: 3 stars

The Weight of Small Things

The Weight of Small Things

by Sherri Wood Emmons

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis:  Corrie Phillips has an enviable life—even if it’s not quite the one she wanted. She enjoys working at her university alumni magazine, her house is beautiful, and her husband, Mark, is attentive, handsome, and wealthy. But after years of frustration and failed attempts, Corrie is desperate for a child—and haunted by the choices in her past. 

A decade ago, just after college, Corrie’s boyfriend Daniel left town, intent on saving the world even if it meant breaking Corrie’s heart. Now he’s returned, and despite her misgivings, Corrie feels drawn to him again. But the emotions that overwhelm her may put her marriage and her secure, stable life at risk. Faced with an unexpected choice, Corrie must unravel illusion from reality at last and weigh what she most needs against what her heart has always wanted.

from GoodReads

Review:  This story is about two women, Corrie and Bryn, and their relationships with the men in their lives and the challenges that arise.  I thought that the characters lacked depth because their actions did not seem to fit with their character but instead happened because it moved the plot along and created problems.  Everyone seemed overly nice and accomodating.  It was a little sappy at times.  I read a review that this was like a Lifetime movie and I would agree.  There was a lot that was going on and it was all wrapped up very neatly.

Rating: 3 stars

Wedding Season

Wedding Season

by Darcy Cosper

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis: Joy Silverman and her boyfriend, Gabriel Winslow, seem perfect for each other.  Living together in New York City, they have everything they want and everything in common-most important, that neither one wants to get married.  Ever.

But when Joy finds herself obligated to attend seventeen weddings in six months (including those of her father, mother, younger brother, and five of her closest girlfriends), the couple is forced to take a new look at why they're so opposed to marriage when the rest of the world can't wait to walk down the aisle.  As the season heats up and the pressure mounts, Joy must confront what it means-and what it costs-to be true to one's self.

from the back of the book

Review:  I have not been in a read mood lately and I thought that lighter chick lit books might help me start reading again so I picked up this book at the library just by looking at a random shelf (alphabetical order-letter C) and knew nothing about it.  It did get me reading again but then part way through the book I stopped to read another book and I thought about not even finishing this book because I just wasn't that interested in what happened to Joy.  Joy had 17 weddings to attend in six months but that just made the book repetitive and uninteresting.  The author does try to make each wedding different and more interesting by creating a huge variety in the cast of characters but then the characters come off as caricatures of a culture.  Joy has quite the mix of friends!  Joy is adamant that she does not want to get married and she does not believe in marriage.  Her beliefs are tested while so many of her friends tie the knot.  What happens later in the book didn't fit with what we learned about Joy and the ending leaves us unsatisfied.  While I wouldn't say that I didn't like the book, this book was just blah.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Tricky Twenty-Two

Tricky Twenty-Two

Janet Evanovich

Genre: Chick Lit

Summary (from Goodreads): Something big is brewing in Trenton, N.J., and it could blow at any minute.

Stephanie Plum might not be the world's greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she's being played. Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), hailed as the Supreme Exalted Zookeeper of the animal house known as Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College. Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding. People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk. Things just aren't adding up, and Stephanie can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college - and it's not just Zeta fraternity pranks.

As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken. When Linken is gunned down in his backyard it's good riddance, and the list of possible murder suspects is long. The only people who care about finding Linken's killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve.

Review: Stephanie Plum books are always amusing, and this one was no exception.  The antics of Stephanie, her fiesty grandmother, and her quirky friend Lula make me laugh out loud while reading, and I found the descriptions of her car disasters and funeral home visits as hilarious as always.   

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Love Goddess' Cooking School

The Love Goddess' Cooking School

Melissa Senate

Genre: Chick Lit

Summary (from Goodreads): Camilla’s Cucinotta: Italian Cooking Classes. Fresh take-home pastas & sauces daily Benvenuti! (Welcome!)

Holly Maguire’s grandmother Camilla was the Love Goddess of Blue Crab Island, Maine—a Milanese fortune-teller who could predict the right man for you, and whose Italian cooking was rumored to save marriages. Holly has been waiting years for her unlikely fortune: her true love will like sa cordula, an unappetizing old-world delicacy. But Holly can’t make a decent marinara sauce, let alone sa cordula. Maybe that’s why the man she hopes to marry breaks her heart. So when Holly inherits Camilla’s Cucinotta, she’s determined to forget about fortunes and love and become an Italian cooking teacher worthy of her grandmother’s legacy.

But Holly’s four students are seeking much more than how to make Camilla’s chicken alla Milanese. Simon, a single father, hopes to cook his way back into his daughter’s heart. Juliet, Holly’s childhood friend, hides a painful secret. Tamara, a serial dater, can’t find the love she longs for. And twelve-year-old Mia thinks learning to cook will stop her dad, Liam, from marrying his phony lasagna-queen girlfriend. As the class gathers each week, adding Camilla’s essential ingredients of wishes and memories in every pot and pan, unexpected friendships and romances are formed—and tested. Especially when Holly falls hard for Liam...and learns a thing or two about finding her own recipe for happiness.

Review: I was hoping this book would be more in the women's fiction genre, but it turned out to be total chick lit, and I think I'm just old to appreciate chick lit now.  The characters were formulaic, the plot predictable, and the romance too cheesy.  I was especially frustrated by the fact that Holly, who admitted she didn't know how to cook, was able to take over her grandmother's business and cooking school after practicing for what, two weeks?  Completely unbelievable.

Rating: 2 stars

The Royal We

The Royal We

by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis:  American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy tales.  Her twin sister, Lacey, has always been the romantic who fantasized about glamour and royalty, fame and fortune.  Yet it's Bex who seeks adventure at Oxford and finds herself living down the hall from Prince Nicholas, Great Britain's future king.  And when Bex can't resist falling for Nick, the person behind the prince, if propels her into a world she did not expect to inhabit, under a spotlight she is not prepared to face.

Dating Nick immerses Bex in ritzy society, dazzling ski trips, and dinners at Kensington Palace with hem and his charming, troublesome brother, Freddie.  But the relationship also comes with unimaginable baggage: hysterical tabloids, Nick's sparkling and far more suitable ex-girlfriends, and a royal family whose private life is much thornier and more tragic than anyone on the outside knows.  The pressures are almost too much to bear, as Bex struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monarch he's fated to become.

Which is how she gets into trouble.

Now, on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex is faced with whether everything she's sacrificed for love-her career, her home, her family, maybe even herself-will have been for nothing.

from the book jacket

Review:  This book reminds me of the movie The Prince and Me (a prince tries to be an ordinary guy and comes to the US to go to school and falls in love with a regular American girl) as well as the love story of William and Kate.  The story was unoriginal and unbelievable but it's a romance about royalty so what's not to like?  The story extends over the many years of Bex's and Nick's relationship from when they started dating to when the get engaged and move into the public's eye.  The books is quite long for a chick lit book (452 pages) and it felt unnecessarily long at times.  I wish the authors had cut part of the story out or moved parts along a little faster (I think there could have been a few less drinking scenes).  For those of us who have a secret fascination with princesses and royalty, this was a good guilty pleasure read.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Mystic Summer

Mystic Summer

by Hannah McKinnon

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis:  Maggie Griffin is a hardworking elementary school teacher in a tony Boston suburb, a devoted sister, and a loving aunt.  With her childhood best friend's wedding on the horizon and her own relationship moving even deeper into commitment, this is the summer she has been waiting for.  She's eared it.

But when Maggie's career is suddenly thrown into jeopardy, it sparks an unraveling of all that matters most to her.  Stricken, Maggie returns to her childhood home in seaside Mystic, Connecticut, where she expects to find comfort in family and familiarity.  Instead, she finds Cameron Wilder, a young man from her past who has also returned home and whose life has altered in ways that put her own struggles in harsh perspective.  When tragedy strikes for Cameron, Maggie must ask herself: If you go back home, can  you truly return to what you left behind?

from the back of the book

Review:  This book was just what I needed to end my hiatus of reading.  This was a light romance beach read but it kept me entertained and engaged.  This book was a bit meatier than some other romance novels.  The romance was a bit predictable.  There were some moments of the book that I questioned why it was added to the book such as a discussion about Post Partum Depression.  It just didn't add anything to the book and it seemed to be forced into the dialogue.  If you're looking for a beach read this is a good one to pick up.

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

Amy Reichert

Genre: Chick Lit

Summary (from Goodreads): YOU'VE GOT MAIL meets HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE in this delightful novel about a talented chef and the food critic who brings down her restaurant—whose chance meeting turns into a delectable romance of mistaken identities.

In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern.

Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst.

The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future?

Set in the lovely, quirky heart of Wisconsin, THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE is a charming love story of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and the power of food to bring two people together.

Review: It was fun to read a book set in Wisconsin, especially one that highlights the awesome things about Wisconsin, instead of making fun of small town people living in fly-over country.  From the first page, it was easy to see where this book was going, but the author got there with well-developed characters, delicious descriptions of food, and a great deal of charm and whimsy.  A fun and light-hearted read that will make you wish that you, too, lived in Wisconsin!

Rating: 3.5 stars

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe

Mary Simses

Genre: Chick Lit

Summary (from Goodreads): A high-powered Manhattan attorney finds love, purpose, and the promise of a simpler life in her grandmother's hometown. 

Ellen Branford is going to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish--to find the hometown boy she once loved, and give him her last letter. Ellen leaves Manhattan and her Kennedy-esque fiance for Beacon, Maine. What should be a one-day trip is quickly complicated when she almost drowns in the chilly bay and is saved by a local carpenter. The rescue turns Ellen into something of a local celebrity, which may or may not help her unravel the past her grandmother labored to keep hidden. As she learns about her grandmother and herself, it becomes clear that a 24-hour visit to Beacon may never be enough. THE IRRESISTIBLE BLUEBERRY BAKESHOP & CAFE is a warm and delicious debut about the power of a simpler life.

Review: The title of this book is deceptive; it is NOT about a bakeshop and cafe.  Instead, it's a story of an accident prone young woman who keeps getting herself into unlikely situations and developing more and more ridiculous lies about her life.  I could just see her digging herself deeper and deeper into a hole, and I tend to really dislike that type of character and plot.  But that is just something quirky about me.

This book had an interesting premise, a lovable cast of small-town characters, and a satisfying sense of the main character discovering her true self.  It just happened a little too quickly and a little too predictably for my taste.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Too Many Cooks

Too Many Cooks

Dana Bate

Genre: Chick Lit

Summary (from Goodreads): In this hilarious, insightful new novel from the author of A Second Bite at the Apple, a cookbook ghostwriter finds that she’s bitten off more than she can chew…

When Kelly Madigan is offered a job abroad right after reading a letter from her late mother urging her to take more risks, she sees it as a sign. Kelly’s new ghostwriting assignment means moving to London to work for Natasha Spencer--movie star, lifestyle guru, and wife of a promising English politician. As it turns out, Natasha is also selfish, mercurial, and unwilling to let any actual food past her perfect lips.

Still, in between testing dozens of kale burgers and developing the perfect chocolate mousse, Kelly is having adventures. Some are glamorous; others, like her attraction to her boss’s neglected husband, are veering out of control. Kelly knows there’s no foolproof recipe for a happy life. But how will she know if she’s gone too far in reaching for what she wants?

Review: This was a quick, fun read about a cookbook writer working for a celebrity.  Kelly Madigan is a thoroughly likable character, even when she is making choices that the reader knows are completely wrong for her.  She manages to maintain her composure while working for a truly terrible boss -- think Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.  The descriptions of her recipes were mouthwatering, and it was delightful to discover some recipes in the back of the book.  A fun and quick summer read!

Rating: 3.5 stars

Then and Always

Then and Always

Dani Atkins

Genre: Chick Lit

Summary (from Amazon): For fans of One Day, What Alice Forgot, and the hit film Sliding Doors, comes an absorbing and surprising debut novel about a young woman who, after an accident, gets a second chance at life . . . just not in one she remembers.

Rachel Wiltshire has everything she’s ever wanted: a close group of friends, a handsome boyfriend, and acceptance to the journalism program at her top-choice college. But one fateful evening, tragedy tears her world apart.

Five years later, Rachel returns home for the first time to celebrate her best friend’s wedding. Still coping with her grief, she can’t stop thinking about the bright future she almost had, if only that one night had gone differently. But when a sudden fall lands her in the hospital, Rachel wakes to find that her life has completely changed. Now the people she loves most are not the way she remembers them. Unable to trust her own recollections, Rachel tries to piece together what really happened, and not even she can predict the astonishing truth.

Review: I was looking for a light, quick read, and this book fit the bill.  As I was reading it, I kept thinking that it reminded me of the movie Sliding Doors, which I very much enjoyed.  And lo and behold, the publisher even referenced Sliding Doors in the book summary above!  Although at times it was a little slow and predictable, overall I enjoyed the story, and especially loved the thought-provoking ending.

Rating: 3 stars

Not Quite Perfect

Not Quite Perfect

by Annie Lyons

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis: Sometimes having it all isn't enough... Emma has everything she's ever wanted. Her boyfriend's just proposed and her career has finally taken off. And so what if her latest client just happens to be downright gorgeous? She's getting married. Isn't she? Rachel's married with 2.4 children (well, actually, 3) and life is all about trying to leave the house in a non-stained top. Once it was about skinny cappuccinos, cocktails and dynamic ad agency meetings. She wants her old life back, but can it ever be the same? A sparkling, funny tale of two sisters and how often you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

from GoodReads

Review:  This book had a slow start for me.  I didn't feel like there was enough of a plot and that Emma was a less interesting, less quirky Bridget Jones.  But then the story started to pick up, there were more twists, and I became much more interested in the lives of Emma and Rachel.  There were even times where I was tearing up and I felt so much sympathy for the characters.  The language in the book is very British and I struggled figuring out what the characters were saying at times.  This is a good, light quick read.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Little Beach Street Bakery

Little Beach Street Bakery

Jenny Colgan

Genre: Chick-Lit Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): In the bestselling tradition of Jojo Moyes and Jennifer Weiner, Jenny Colgan's moving, funny, and unforgettable novel tells the story of a heartbroken young woman who turns a new page in her life . . . by becoming a baker in the town of Cornwall

A quiet seaside resort. An abandoned shop. A small flat. This is what awaits Polly Waterford when she arrives at the Cornish coast, fleeing a ruined relationship.

To keep her mind off her troubles, Polly throws herself into her favorite hobby: making bread. But her relaxing weekend diversion quickly develops into a passion. As she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, each loaf becomes better than the last. Soon, Polly is working her magic with nuts and seeds, chocolate and sugar, and the local honey--courtesy of a handsome beekeeper. Packed with laughter and emotion, Little Beach Street Bakery is the story of how one woman discovered bright new life where she least expected--a heartwarming, mouthwatering modern-day Chocolat that has already become a massive international bestseller.

Includes 7 Recipes!

Review:  This book took me a really long time to read, given that it's chick-lit, which I normally fly through.  Once again, I'll say that I think I'm growing out of that genre.  Perhaps I should try to remember that when I'm at the library looking for books!

I just didn't really care about Polly, who struck me as a wishy washy character who (with no real talent or effort on her part) luckily fell into the perfect career.  Her relationships with her friends developed too quickly, her romances had no depth, no history, no emotional connection.  The descriptions of her little town in Cornwall, and her connection to the rescued puffin were my favorite parts of the book.

Rating: 2 stars

When In Doubt, Add Butter

When In Doubt, Add Butter

Beth Harbison

Genre: Women's Fiction - Chick Lit?

Summary (from Goodreads): From the New York Times bestselling author of Shoe Addicts Anonymous and Always Something There to Remind Me comes a delicious new novel about the search for true love and all the ingredients that go into it.

As far as Gemma is concerned, her days of dating are over. In fact, it’s her job to cater other peoples’ dates, and that’s just fine by her. At thirty-seven, she has her own business, working as a private chef, and her life feels full and secure. She’s got six steady clients that keep her hands full.

There’s Lex, the fussy but fabulous department store owner who loves Oysters Rockefeller and 1950s comfort food; Willa, who needs to lose weight under doctor’s orders but still believes butter makes everything better; a colorful family who may or may not be part of the Russian mob; an überwealthy Georgetown family; the picture-perfect Van Houghtens, whose matriarch is “allergic to everything”; and finally, a man she calls “Mr. Tuesday,” whom she has never met but who she is strangely drawn to.

For Gemma, cooking is predictable. Recipes are certain. Use good ingredients, follow the directions, and you are assured success. Life, on the other hand, is full of variables. So when Gemma’s takes an unexpected turn on a road she always thought was straight and narrow, she must face her past and move on in ways she never would have imagined. Because sometimes in life, all you need is a little hope, a lot of courage, and---oh yes---butter.
 
Review:  This was an entertaining easy read about a personal chef struggling to make a living while dealing with her eccentric clients.  I saw the plot twist coming early in the book, felt that the romance was a little formulaic, and was appalled at how Gemma decided to deal with her "unexpected turn on the road."  Nevertheless, I enjoyed the well-drawn diverse characters that Gemma interacted with; the supporting characters were almost more interesting than Gemma herself.  I was surprised that there wasn't more focus on food and recipes given the story, the title, and the cover, and I think the book would have benefited from those things, or alternately, the title and cover should have been changed.  For a chick-lit book, this was quite fun and entertaining, but I was looking for a little more.

Rating: 3.5 stars

How I Came to Sparkle Again

How I Came to Sparkle Again

by Kaya McLaren

Genre: Chick-lit-Christian-women's-fiction (yes, I know that isn't a "real" genre)

Synopsis:  Jill Anthony spent her young in the ski town of Sparkle, Colorado, but more than a decade has passed since she left.  Then a devastating tragedy, coupled with the worst kind of betrayal, makes her want to run away, but the only place she knows to go is home: Sparkle.

Lisa Carlucci looks in the mirror once morning and realizes that she no longer wants to treat her body like a Holiday Inn.  She's going to hold out for love.  The only problem is, love might come in the form of her ski-bum best friend, who lives next door with his ski-bum friends in a trailer known as "The Kennel."

Cassie Jones, at age ten, has lost her mother and no longer believes in anything.  Her only solace comes from the messages she believes her deceased mother is spending her through the heart-shaped rocks they once collected in the streams and hills of Sparkle.

Three people at the crossroads of heartbreak and healing.  Three lives that will be changed one winter in Sparkle, Colorado.  One tender, funny, tear-jerking novel that you won't soon forget.
from the book jacket

Review:  To be honest, I almost abandoned this book after 20 pages because I thought it was a Christian fiction book.  There was so much talk about God and people losing faith.  It was so heavy on faith and it turned me off.  I checked online to see if it is a Christian fiction book and it is not, it's actually a chick lit book.  That surprised so I kept on reading.  Then we are introduced to Lisa and her crew of male friends and the book just gets crude and immature.  But I stuck with it because the story of Cassie who has lost her mother and is going through a really tough time intrigued me.  But don't get me started on Uncle Howard, the philosophical zen skiing dude who just seems way too over the top and a caricature of a real person.  I did, however, keep going and found myself tearing up at the raw emotions that Cassie and her father, Mike, portrayed.

This book seems to have an identity problem.  Is it a Christian fiction book masquerading as a chick lit book?  Is it supposed to be a light, chick lit book intended for a younger than myself audience?  Is it an emotional story of the struggles of a young girl?  I have no idea how to classify this book but the author really should have picked just one genre of book.  It's far too heavy on religion for the everyday reader but it's far too vulgar for the Christian fiction reader.  If the author had left out all the sex talk by Lisa and the sex-crazed male neighbors next door this book would be more appealing as these sections of the book are highly crude and immature.  If the author had toned down the come-to-Jesus moments that Lisa had and the struggles with faith that Mike had, the book would also be more appealing.

But yet, I had a hard time putting this book down.  Cassie's story really tugged at my heart strings as did Jill's story.  (I do wish that the author had picked different names for Jill and Lisa, I had a hard time remember who was who).  The faith part of the story really dropped off after a while and it makes me question why the author even included some of it in the first place.  The author did tie everything together at the end and the reader is left with a warm feeling.  It makes it very difficult to rate this book!

Rating:  2 1/2 stars

The One & Only

The One & Only

by Emily Giffin

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis:  Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas-a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares.  Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker's legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave.  Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.

But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea's comfortable world is upended, she begins to wonder if the life she's chosen is really enough for her.  As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most-and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.

from the book jacket

Review:  I had picked this book up multiple times at the library off the new fiction shelf and then put it back.  I finally decided to check it out since I was drawn to it.  I wish I had just put it back.  This book was just plain awkward.  In my opinion Shea's crush was just wrong and quite disturbing knowing the relationship that Shea and her crush had throughout her whole life.  I don't know why her crush would return her feelings wither considering he had just lost his wife.  He did virtually no grieving for his wife of 30 plus years.  I felt a little uncomfortable while reading this book and I'm not sure what made me keep reading.

My other problem with this book is football.  Shea lives, breathes and dies football, especially football in Texas.  I have zero interest in football and don't know much about the game and I felt like I really should have been somewhat interested in the sport to enjoy the book.  I'm not sure who the target audience for this book was.  Everyone in this book (well most everyone) takes football far too seriously and there was WAY too much football talk for me.

I would not spend your time reading this book as you will just walk away feeling grossed out by the story.  After the somewhat incestuous relationships started I read some spoilers and then skimmed the rest of the book just so I could finish it and count it as a finished book.

Rating: 2 stars

On The Island

On the Island

by Tracey Garvis Graves

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance

Synopsis:  Anna Emerson is a thirty-year-old English teacher desperately in need of adventure.  Worn down by the cold Chicago winters and a relationship that's going nowhere, she jumps at the chance to spend the summer on a tropical island tutoring the sixteen-year-old T.J.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to go anywhere.  His cancer is in remission and he wants to get back to his normal life.  But his parents are insisting he spend the summer in the Maldives catching up on all the school he missed last year.

Anna and T.J. board a private plane headed to the Callahan's summer home, and as they fly over the Maldives' twelve hundred islands, the unthinkable happens.  Their plane crashes in shark-infested waters.  They make it to shore but soon discover that they're stranded on an uninhabited island.

At first, their only thought is survival.  But as the day turns to weeks, and then months, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

From the back of the book

Becky's review:  At first I thought this book was just going to be trashy and far too romancey for me but after the first 40-50 pages, the writing improved, the characters developed and the book became much better.  I was really disturbed by the age difference between Anna and T.J. and felt like the romance in this book would be totally inappropriate.  But luckily the characters were legal when the romance started and that made me feel better about the story line.  This was a quick and easy beach read.  There's not a lot of meat to it but it's fun and light.  It is a tad unbelievable at times but I was willing to overlook that for the sake of a fun novel.

Becky's rating:  3 1/2 stars

Marcie's review:  When I started reading this book, I knew it was a romance between a 30 year old woman and a teenage boy; I'm glad I did, because otherwise I would have been so disturbed by the idea of that that I would have put the book down.  And this turned out to be a quick and enjoyable read, so I'm glad I stuck with it.  I was relieved to discover that their romantic relationship didn't actually start until T.J. was 18, but the 13 year age difference still made me cringe when I thought about it.  Having said that, I always enjoy stories about castaways, and so I was eager to see how this unusual couple survived on their deserted island.  There were definitely parts where the reader had to suspend disbelief, and the author skipped over some aspects that I'm sure would have been challenging - like how did they manage to collect enough drinkable water during the dry sesason?  In addition to the details of their survival, I appreciated seeing the characters grow and mature, especially towards the end of the novel, but I was not thrilled with the frequency of the descriptive sex scenes.

Marcie's rating:  3 1/2 stars

New Money

New Money

by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Genre: Chick Lit

Synopsis:  Savannah Morgan had high hopes.  She dreamed of becoming a writer and escaping her South Carolina town, where snooty debutantes have always looked down on her, but at twenty-four, sh's become a frustrated ex-cheerleader who lives with her mother and wonders if rejecting a marriage proposal was a terrible mistake.

Then Savannah's world is shaken when she learns that the father she never knew is Edward Stone, a billionaire media mogul who has left Savannah his fortune on the condition that she move to Manhattan and work at his global news corporation.  Putting aside her mother's disapproval, Savannah plunges into a life of wealth and luxury that is threatened by Edward's other children-the infuriatingly arrogant Ned and his sharp-tongued sister, Caroline, whose joint mission is to get rid of Savannah.  She deals with their treachery along with her complicated love life: eventually she has to decide between Jack, a smooth and charming real estate executive, and Alex, a handsome aspiring writer/actor.  Savannah must also navigate a thrilling but dangerous city while trying to figure out what kind of man her father truly was.

From the book jacket

Review:  This was a good, quick summer read.  I enjoyed the story about Savannah moving to New York and learning how to adjust to society there.  There were quite a few characters who I didn't care for.  Her half siblings were nasty and unnecessarily cruel as was their mother.  I understand why they would be mad but the author took them to a whole other level.  I also thought that Tina, Savannah's best friend, was immature and annoying.  Savannah's relationships seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.  She would meet someone, i.e. her driver and Kitty, her sister-in-law, and be instant friends with them and everyone was giving everyone advice.  It seemed sudden and a little shallow to me.  There were humorous parts during this story but there were also serious parts where Savannah had to learn a lesson.  I did enjoy the book overall for it being a very light read.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Nice to Come Home To

Nice to Come Home To

Rebecca Flowers

Genre: Women's Fiction, or maybe Chick-lit?

Summary (from Goodreads):  A funny, entertaining novel of love and family for our times: a single woman who fears she's lost her chance at a family of her own, begins to accumulate an ad hoc one around her.

In the tradition of Elinor Lipman or Marisa de los Santos (Love Walked In), Flowers delivers a smart, witty, appealing story of love, family, and community that breaks the mold of the conventional love story-and will have readers cheering.

Everyone around Prudence Whistler, thirty-six, seems to be settling down. Her once single girlfriends have married and had babies. Her gay best friend is discussing marriage with his partner. Even her irresponsible younger sister, Patsy, is the single mother of a two-year-old. But when Pru panics at losing her mediocre boyfriend of two years-and begins to see the door to her traditional family life closing-she accidentally finds something even better: a new definition of family and happiness. First, it's the crazy cat who moves into her apartment. Then come Pru's headstrong sister and two-year-old niece. Then the niece's dog, the sister's ex-boyfriend, and, ultimately, Patsy and Pru's widowed mother. With the strength of her modern new household, Pru musters the confidence to open the dress shop she's always wanted in town-and discovers an extended family of sorts in the community of shop owners and devoted customers. It's only then that she ends up with the man of her dreams. Endearing, romantic, and satisfying, Nice to Come Home To is a charming, crowd-pleasing debut.

Review: An easy-to-read and quick-to-finish book about a very normal girl looking to find her place in life.  Pru was a down-to-earth girl with very amusing friends and family.  In fact, the gay neighbors and crazy sister were much more interesting characters than Pru, who seemed a little too boy crazy for her age, and a little snobby about her career.  Some scenes were spot on perfect - like Pru observing the competitive mothers at a party, but the scenes between her and "the man of her dreams" didn't feel very realistic.  Pru seemed to fall in love with him for no reason at all, and I couldn't understand what he saw in her.  An okay beach read, but ultimately too forgettable.

Rating: 3 stars