Leigh Kramer

Review: On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins

On Second Thought- Kristan Higgins

 

 

Synopsis

Following in the footsteps of her critically acclaimed novel If You Only Knew, multi-bestselling author Kristan Higgins returns with a pitch-perfect look at the affection—and the acrimony—that binds sisters together. 

Ainsley O'Leary is so ready to get married—she's even found the engagement ring her boyfriend has stashed away. What she doesn't anticipate is for Eric to blindside her with a tactless breakup he chronicles in a blog…which (of course) goes viral. Devastated and humiliated, Ainsley turns to her half sister, Kate, who's already struggling after the sudden loss of her new husband. 

Kate has always been so poised, so self-assured, but Nathan's death shatters everything she thought she knew—including her husband—and sometimes the people who step up aren't the ones you expect. With seven years and a murky blended-family dynamic between them, Ainsley and Kate have never been overly close, but their shared sorrow dovetails their faltering worlds into one. 

Despite the lifetime of history between them, the sisters must learn to put their differences aside and open their hearts to the inevitable imperfection of family—and the possibility of one day finding love again.

 

Buy The Book Here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

My Review - 4 Stars

I’ve always been drawn to stories about sisters, probably because I wished so badly I had one. Whether it was watching Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen sing Sisters on White Christmas or watching my mom and aunt interact, there was something so magical about that particular relationship.

And yet it can be a complicated relationship as well and that’s what we find in Kristan Higgins’s latest novel.

It started out a little slow- it takes about 10 chapters to move us through the synopsis- but once both Ainsley and Kate have experienced their respective losses, they find themselves looking at each other in a new light, in part because they need each other in ways they never have before.

I was mesmerized by Kate’s experience as a widow. She and Nathan hadn’t been married long before he died and I haven’t encountered this particular kind of grief in a novel before. There’s no one right way to grieve but it’s even murkier with a new marriage and a layer of fertility issues. (Kate is older when they marry so they start trying to get pregnant from the start.)

I didn’t know what to make of Ainsley at first, mostly because her boyfriend is so awful. Like douchecanoe awful. You cannot put lipstick on that particular pig and she couldn't see his very obvious true colors and that made me think much less of her. But once Eric breaks up with her, she has to figure out what to do with her life, both literally and figuratively, and this is when her character came alive. I loved watching her grow and take more ownership of her life decisions.

"For a second, I thought we might hug, but then the moment was gone. 

We were still us, after all.

Us, but a little better." p. 399

At the center of the story is how Ainsley and Kate relate to each other. And how they don’t relate to each other. They never had a smooth relationship as sisters and it certainly isn’t smooth sailing at first. But I loved seeing them both try. Try to be vulnerable and take a risk on a closer relationship. It is hard won but this was the best part of the book for me. It was so true to life! Their efforts spilled over to their relationship with their parents as well and this made for some touching moments.

I also really enjoyed watching the sisters have a second chance at love, even if I was a little irked at first that Ainsley got a second chance when she’d picked such an awful person the first time around. In any case, Jonathan and Daniel were absolutely lovely to read about and I liked how well they took care of their women. Neither are perfect and there are obstacles to dating. I liked how the new relationship wasn't a magic cure-all for either woman. 

This was different from what I expected. I’ve read Kristan Higgins’ contemporary romance Blue Heron series and this was firmly in the Women’s Fiction camp. I thoroughly appreciated her exploration of the ups and downs of being sisters, as well as how to move on after loss or the end of a relationship. I hope she’ll write more in this vein.

 

Disclosure: I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links included in this post.

Review: Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved By Beauty by Kate Hennessy

 Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved By Beauty- Kate Hennessy

 

Synopsis

The life and work of Dorothy Day—the iconic, celebrated, and controversial Catholic whom Pope Francis called a “great American”—told with illuminating detail by her granddaughter.

Dorothy Day (1897-1980) was a prominent Catholic, writer, social activist, and co-founder of a movement dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor. Her life has been revealed through her own writings as well as the work of historians, theologians, and academics. What has been missing until now is a more personal account from the point of view of someone who knew her well. Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty is a frank and reflective, heartfelt and humorous portrayal as written by her granddaughter, Kate Hennessy.

Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty challenges ideas of plaster saints and of saintly women. Day is an unusual candidate for sainthood. Before her conversion, she lived what she called a “disorderly life,” during which she had an abortion and then gave birth to a child out of wedlock. After her conversion, she was both an obedient servant and a rigorous challenger of the Church. She was a prolific writer whose books are still in print and widely read. While tenderly rendered, this account will show her as driven to do good but dogmatic, loving but judgmental, in particular with regards to her only daughter, Tamar. She was also full of humor and laughter, and could light up any room she entered.

An undisputed radical heroine, called “a saint for the occupy era” by The New Yorker, Day’s story unfolds against a backdrop of New York City from the 1910s to the 1980s and world events spanning from World War I to Vietnam. This thoroughly researched and intimate biography provides a valuable and nuanced portrait of an undersung and provocative American woman.

 

Buy The Book Here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

 My Review - 3 Stars

I'm not sure the first time I heard about Dorothy Day but I'd guess it was in one of my college sociology classes. Her work with the poor was unprecedented when it first began and the Catholic Worker continues to impact us today.

However, I was hazy on the particular details of Day's work and life. When I saw her granddaughter had written this biography, I was curious about what I'd find. This is about Dorothy, yes, but it is also a portrait of her daughter Tamar's life, as well as Kate. I'm still not sure what to make of all I encountered.

Although her granddaughter writes this account, it is a fairly unflinching one. Kate does not shy away from depicting Dorothy's lesser qualities and mistakes. Nor does she shy away from showing the ways Dorothy's parenting choices negatively impacted Tamar and thus Tamar's children. In fact, there were more than a few points where I felt great relief to not be related to Dorothy Day.

“Dorothy wanted to throw herself into the fray. She believed that not only could she change the world but it was her obligation to do so.” p. 53

To be clear, Dorothy Day did a great deal of good. She advocated for civil rights decades before many other white people did. She interacted with and related to the poor in a way few others did. I can understand why those who benefitted from the Catholic Worker's efforts would want her declared a saint. She was tireless in her advocacy and her Catholic faith informed it all. But this highlights the discrepancy between her professional and personal worlds, a discrepancy those who are children of many pastors, leaders, and public servants will unfortunately relate to. This is one of the most interesting aspects of this book.

The book was slow-going at times but it came alive for me in Chapter 16 when Kate takes a more active role in the narrative in her teenage years. She is also more active in the Catholic Worker, as well as trying to get her mother to become more forthcoming about the painful periods in her past.

“Perhaps the difference between Dorothy and Tamar over the question of faith was that for Tamar life was truer without the Church, while for Dorothy life was truer with it.” p. 244

I was also fascinated by the ways Dorothy's Catholic conversion did not translate to the rest of her family. Tamar eventually left the Catholic church and very few of Dorothy's grandchildren are involved. What meant so much to her did not have the same effect on others, although this could be due to her stridency in the matter.

Day's legacy is still strong some 35+ years later. There are still plenty of Catholic Worker homes in the US and around the world. I may have conflicted feelings about the woman herself but I'm glad to know more about her work and family. 

 

Disclosure: I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links contained in this post. 

 

Review: Worth The Wait by A.J. Pine

Worth The Wait (Kingston Ale House #4) - A.J. Pine

 

 

Synopsis

I like to think of myself as a man of pleasure

I enjoy a good pint of ale, being in the arms of a beautiful woman, and living by my own rules. The only thing I try to avoid? Commitment. And I’ve got a three-year success rate to prove it.

I wasn’t planning on Grace—the beautiful, funny, totally off-limits massage therapist who keeps popping up in my life. She’s on a six-month mission to rid her life of toxins. No alcohol. No red meat. And, yeah, no men. I’m talking full-on man cleanse.

I know I should walk away, but I can’t…and the only way to keep her in my life is to live by her rules. I’ll need to prove to a woman who’s lost all trust in men that I’m worthy of her love. And do it all without so much as a single kiss.

The only problem? If I win, I’ll lose the one thing I swore I’d never give up. My heart.

 

 

My Review - 5 Stars

This book made me so happy! I swear I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading. Jeremy had so many swoon-worthy gentlemanly moments and I was inspired by Grace's determination to live a better, more independent life. I loved watching them fall for one another!

If I could transport myself to Kingston Ale House, I would do it in a heartbeat. That's how much I've come to love the crew at the center of this series. Jamie could teach me more about the fine art of beer-making, Brynn would help me be a better numbers person, I'd go shopping with Holly, I'd listen to Will's accent for ages, and, of course, Annie and I would talk about books all the live long day, while Wes and I discuss the finer points of writing.

In Worth The Wait, we finally get to see what makes Jeremy tick and we meet the lovely Grace. Their goals were at complete odds- Jeremy wants to hook up, while Grace is on a man cleanse- but there's something about Grace that draws Jeremy in. Maybe he's initially intrigued by the challenge but it quickly becomes something more.

While Grace is the one who started the fast, it turns out Jeremy needs it as well. They both need to reflect on their past choices and figure out what's behind it all. This part was especially interesting to me because it's so different from my own relationship style. I generally see red flags from a mile away and run away from those guys, whereas Grace ran toward them and Jeremy decided he was done with relationships altogether.

Jeremy and Grace both need to learn to trust their instincts and each other. It's not an easy process and my heart really went out to both of them. Grace has the hardest time with this, particularly with one thing she refuses to tell her family about. This kind of drove me crazy because, of all people, they would have been the most equipped to handle the situation but I could also understand her drive to figure things out on her own.

Just as they're becoming friends, Jeremy's ex learns about Grace's man cleanse and turns it into a news story. This part had the potential to be the same old thing but Pine turned it on its head as Grace made some refreshing moves. This is a big part of why I loved this book so much. It was thoroughly enjoyable and I loved watching the characters navigate whatever life threw at them. And I loved, loved, loved watching their friendship turn into something more, even though the man cleanse stipulated they couldn't act on their feelings. This made for some hot scenes and the resolution was more than gratifying.

Plus, it's clear Pine is a White Sox fan so she has my eternal fandom. At one point, Jeremy's ex comes over wearing a Cubs shirt and I liked to think of this as proof she was the villain. Even if she technically wasn't. Sorry not sorry!

Jeremy and Grace's story was a great way to close out this fun series. All the books can be read as standalones and I read them out of order myself. If you're looking for an enjoyable read, Worth The Wait is worth your time. I can't wait to see what Pine comes up with next!

 

Buy The Book Here:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iVJGCJ

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2k8o038

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2irPt16

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ikhidi

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DON'T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE KINGSTON ALE HOUSE SERIES!

The One That Got Away (Kingston Ale House #1)

Synopsis: How far will one man go for the woman he's loved since high school?

Jamie Kingston has been Brynn Chandler's best friend since middle school. Only once was their friendship tested—when Brynn gave Jamie a single kiss. Since then, they've had an unspoken agreement never to cross that line again, and she’s ready to let go of the past and move on.

But Jamie has loved Brynn for as long as he can remember, and now that he's ready to tell her, she has her sights set on someone else. Knowing this is his last chance, he asks Brynn to go on a two-week road trip. But their time alone brings old hurts to the surface, and Brynn has to decide if the one that got away lies at the end of the journey or if he's been by her side all along.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2eIDOaF
Paperback: http://amzn.to/2eXCqoe
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2asrYz7
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/29SpV7N
B&N: http://bit.ly/1SSq2xv
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1QeR2VO
iBooks: http://apple.co/1SdYliQ

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2a76NFb

 

Six Month Rule (Kingston Ale House #2)

Synopsis: She created the game, but the rules are about to change.

The second I met Will Evans in his three-piece suit with that hot as hell British accent, I wanted him.

That is...until he insulted my shoes and stole my corner office.

Now I have to work side-by-side with the surly British arsehole who just set my career back six months.

It's fine. That accent won't get to me, no matter how sexy it sounds when he asks permission to do things professionals shouldn't do. On the couch. In the corner office I still wish was mine.

Maybe we can't keep our hands off each other, but I'm sure as hell not falling for a guy who lives an ocean away. Because in six months, he's leaving for good.

I don't do broken hearts, but you know what they say...

There's a first time for everything.

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2eXExsk
Paperback: http://amzn.to/2f6O3Zt
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/29TZDTY
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/29SxC1Y
B&N: http://bit.ly/29NdJoL
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2af6WHO
iBooks: http://apple.co/2a9sztH

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/29O8xSK

 

Three Simple Words (Kingston Ale House #3) 

(My review here.) 

Synopsis: She's holding out for a happy ever after.

Annie
I know where to find my happily ever after—between the pages of a romance novel. It’s why I sell books, why I blog about them, and why I’ll never get disappointed by love.

So what if my brother’s best friend from high school is now a bestselling author? Or that he just blew back into town on a Harley, filling out a pair of jeans like he never did before? Or that he’s agreed to do a signing at my bookstore on such short notice? Because despite all his adoring female fans, I kind of hated his book.

Wes
The last time I saw Annie Denning, she was a senior in high school, three years older than me and way out of my league.
Now I’m her last-minute date to a wedding, and what started as a night of pure fun has turned into something more real than either of us anticipated.

Annie is my muse. When I’m with her, my writer’s block fades away, and the words finally flow.

The only problem? She wants the fairy tale—her very own happily ever after—and anyone who’s read my book knows the truth. I just don’t believe they exist. 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2j5f1hE

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2dF92xZ

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2e7fW2t

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2eaI1Do

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2dWPc71

B&N: http://bit.ly/2ehNmYX

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2esJgSy

iBooks: http://apple.co/2e4a4WG

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ejj9K9

 

About The Author

AJ Pine writes stories to break readers’ hearts, but don’t worry—she’ll mend them with a happily ever after. As an English teacher and a librarian, AJ has always surrounded herself with books. All her favorites have one big commonality–romance. Naturally, her books have the same. When she’s not writing, she’s of course reading. Then there’s online shopping (everything from groceries to shoes) and, of course, a tiny bit of TV where she nourishes her undying love of vampires and superheroes. And in the midst of all of this, you’ll also find her hanging with her family in the Chicago burbs.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instragram | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile

 

 

Disclosure: I was provided an ARC from IndieSage in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links included in this post. Any purchase you make helps support this site. 

Review: RoseBlood by A.G. Howard

RoseBlood- A.G. Howard

 

 

Synopsis

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

 

Buy The Book Here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

My Review - 5 Stars

Something you should know about me: I love The Phantom Of The Opera. LOVE IT. The first time I encountered the story was an animated version on TV when I was probably 10 or 11. I was completely swept away.

Several years later my friends and I bought tickets to see it downtown Chicago as our post-prom activity. That is when I really fell in love with it. A few years later I got to see it on Broadway again and it's place in my heart grew ever more secure. The music sweeps over me like nothing else. I can get teary eyed just thinking about All I Ask Of You. Gah.

When I saw the cover for RoseBlood, I wondered if there was a connection to the Phantom. And when I saw it was, I immediately begged for an ARC. I needed to read this. Did it ever blow me away! 

RoseBlood is part YA, part gothic novel, and 100% unputdownable. I was spellbound from the start, wondering how much influence the original story would have. This is almost a spin off because while the Phantom does indeed have plans for Rune, this takes place after the original story. 

When Rune arrives at her new French boarding school, she is grieving the death of her father a couple years prior and still untangling complicated family dynamics...like her grandma trying to drown her. Grandma's in jail not to far from Rune's new school and while Rune welcomes the opportunity to get to know her aunt (her father's sister), she has no interest in giving her grandmother another chance. At the same time, she's trying to figure out her unusual singing ability. She becomes ill if she doesn't sing but is also left physically drained when she does. She also worries her voice could harm others. And she's also caught up in the mystery of the school itself, as well as the disappearing gardener Thorn.

 

via GIPHY

I loved Rune's friends at the school and the part each ultimately plays. I also loved her burgeoning friendship with Thorn and getting to see things from his point of view as well. The way Rune and Thorn bond over music is beautiful, as is the way Thorn's virtuoso violin playing helps Rune better understand her gift.

There's some solid character growth and I was seriously agonized at some points, wondering how it would all work out, particularly Thorn's battle over what his heart wanted vs. what his foster father wanted.

I don't want to spoil the plot so I'll leave it here. Even if you know the Phantom of the Opera well, you'll be surprised by the story's twists and turns. It's obvious Howard loves her source material and it plays off in such wonderful ways. I loved how much history was included- from Leroux, Paris itself, and Rune's family tree.

One of the best parts of this book was the way the author brought music to life. The descriptions were incredible, not only in how Rune and Thorn felt about their gifts but the actual musical pieces themselves. It made me want to track down more than a few operas so I can aurally experience the ones Howard included. It also made me want to read Gaston Leroux’s novel and see how it differs from the Broadway show.

I haven't read anything else by A.G. Howard before but I plan on diving into her backlist. Based on how much I loved this one, I'm sure to enjoy the rest of her work.

 

Disclosure: I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links included in this post. 

Review: Indelible by Adelia Saunders

Indelible- Adelia Saunders

 

Synopsis

In this masterful, enthralling debut novel about fate and family history, a young woman sees the truth about people written on their skin.

Magdalena has an unsettling gift. She sees writing on the bodies of everyone she meets—names, dates, details both banal and profound—and her only relief from the onslaught of information is to take off her glasses and let the world recede. Mercifully, her own skin is blank.

When she meets Neil, she is intrigued to see her name on his cheek. He’s in Paris for the summer, studying a medieval pilgrimage to the rocky coast of Spain, where the body of Saint Jacques was said to have washed ashore, covered in scallop shells. Desperate to make things right after her best friend dies—a loss she might have prevented—Magdalena embarks on her own pilgrimage, but not before Neil falls for her, captivated by her pale eyes, charming Eastern European accent, and aura of heartbreak.

Neil’s father, Richard, is also in Paris, searching for the truth about his late mother, a famous expatriate American novelist who abandoned him at birth. All his life Richard has clung to a single striking memory—his mother’s red shoes, which her biographers agree he never could have seen.

Despite misunderstandings and miscommunications, these unforgettable characters converge, by chance or perhaps by fate, and Magdalena’s uncanny ability may prove to be the key to their happiness. Indelible pulses with humanity and breathes life into unexpected fragments of history, illustrating our urgent need to connect with others, and the past.

 

Buy It Here:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

My Review: 3.5 Stars

Trigger warning: suicide, suicide attempt, and sexual harassment

The premise of this novel greatly intrigued me. What would it be like to see words on someone's skin and know their fate? How would I respond to that kind of gift? How does Magdalena respond? I thought this would encompass the bulk of the novel based on the synopsis but the story centers more on Magdalena, Richard, and Neil and how their paths intertwine.

Magdalena lives a diminished life because of her gift. She quickly learned as a child it wasn't normal to see words written on skin and that no one else could see them. She stops telling people the stories written on their skin and she even starts wearing strong prescription glasses so the world becomes blurry and she can't see the words at all. She carries a great deal of guilt with her after her best friend dies, feeling the clues were there all along on Lina's skin and she could have prevented it. This was the most interesting part of the novel, though trigger warnings abound. The tone of the novel made some of the content choices extremely unexpected and hard to read at times and for that reason, I recommend this with reservations.

Magdalena, Richard, and Neil are all waking up to their lives in different ways and much of this awakening predicates on how their paths cross. There was strong character development throughout, particularly as Magdalena grappled with her ability, but the story moved slower than I would have liked. I did, however, like how the author lets us come to our own conclusions about each character's history and choices. There are no tidy conclusions But as they began to move forward, I was left with a sense of hope.

  

Disclosure: I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Affiliate links used in this post.