Shelley's Book Nook

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 307 pages Published July 23rd 2019 by Lake Union Publishing About the Book: Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally. In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time. Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over. Oh...

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 304 pages Published July 23rd 2019 by Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Canada About the Book: Germaine Johnson doesn’t need friends. She has her work and her Sudoku puzzles. Until, that is, an incident at her insurance company leaves her jobless—and it turns out that there are very few openings these days for senior mathematicians with zero people skills. Soon enough though, Germaine manages to secure a position at City Hall answering calls on the Senior Citizens Helpline. But it turns out that the mayor has something else in mind for Germaine: a secret project involving the troublemakers at the senior citizens center and their feud with the neighboring golf club—which happens to be run by the dashing yet disgraced national Sudoku champion, Don Thomas, a celebrity of the highest order to Germaine. Don and the mayor want the senior center closed down and at first, Germaine is dedicated to helping them out—it makes sense mathematically, after all. But when Germaine a...

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 352 pages Published July 23rd 2019 by St. Martin's Press About the Book: There is a stranger outside Caroline's house. Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she'd have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aiden, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary. As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she's built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aiden for comfort...and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aiden's obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline's husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband...

☆☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 309 pages Published July 16th 2019 by Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing About the Book: When Ollie Sweet is very publicly dumped by ‘The One’, his seemingly perfect world dissolves into misery, self-pity, and a bizarre rooftop meeting with a suicidal man in flip-flops. While most would seek out the support of loved ones at such a torrid time, natural-born journalist Ollie asks the subscribers of his website: how did they get over their failed relationships? When Ollie follows some of their more extreme advice, chaos inevitably ensues, including accidentally exposing himself to some unsuspecting wildlife, jumping out of a perfectly serviceable aeroplane, and suffering from an extremely painful bottom, courtesy of a maniacal Scotsman. Of course, all of this goes down a storm with his online following, and Ollie soon finds himself the centre of everyone’s attention – whether he likes it or not! With his eclectic collection of supporters to guide him...

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 437 pages Published July 11th 2019 by Aria About the Book: No-one said being a single mum would be easy. Everyone knows that being a single mother means having no time to yourself. But for Callie Brown, its more exhausting than most. She's juggling the needs of three teenage children, two live-in parents, a raffish ex-husband, and a dog who never stops eating. The last thing Callie needs is anything more on her plate. So when she bumps (quite literally) into a handsome, age-appropriate cyclist, she's quick to dismiss him from her life. After all, if she doesn't have time to brush her hair in the morning, she certainly doesn't have time to fall in love. Funny, heartwarming and oh-so-true, this is a novel about motherhood, families and life after divorce. This is a delightful story...written by a talented and very funny woman. Every mother in the world will identify with Callie. her journey of self-discovery is an absolute joy to behold. Mostly this is ...

☆☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 324 pages Published July 9th 2019 by Viking and Penguin Random House Canada About the Book: Gloria Janes appears to be a doting suburban mother and loving wife. But beyond her canary-yellow door, Gloria controls her husband, Telly, as well as seven-year-old Maisy and her older brother Rowan, through a disorienting cycle of adoration and banishment. When Telly leaves, Gloria turns on Rowan. He runs away, finding unlikely refuge with a homeless man named Carl, with whom he forms the kind of bond he has never found with his parents. After they are menaced by strangers, Rowan follows Carl to an isolated cottage, where he accidentally sets off a burst of heightened paranoia in Carl, and their adventure takes a dark turn. Gloria is publicly desperate for the safe return of her son while privately plotting ever wilder ways to lure Telly home for good. Her behaviour grows more erratic and her manipulation of Maisy begins to seem dedicated toward an outcome that only ...

☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 352 pages Published July 9th 2019 by Minotaur Books About the Book: A late-night phone call is never good news, especially when you’re Roxane Weary. This one is from her brother Andrew whose evening was interrupted by a visit from Addison, a hip young DJ he knows from the hotel bar where he works. She was drunk, bloody, and hysterical, but she wouldn’t say what was wrong. After using his phone, she left as quickly as she appeared, and Andrew is worried. That’s when he calls Roxane. But another late-night call occurs as well: Addison’s father calls the police after getting a panicked voicemail from his daughter. The only thing he could understand is the address she gave in the message—Andrew’s. Before long, the police are asking Andrew all about why there’s blood in his apartment and what he did to Addison. Meanwhile, another cop is found dead on the opposite side of town, leading to a swirl of questions surrounding a dance club whose staff—which includes Addis...

☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 364 pages Published July 9th 2019 by Montlake Romance About the Book: Pregnant and still grieving the death of her fiancé, historian Megan Buchanan is forging ahead on a dream project: to restore to its original glory the landmark hunting lodge her own great-great-grandfather built on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. With the help of her fiancé’s caring best friend, it’s sure to draw much-needed tourist revenue to Cape Hudson, a town rich in southern history. However, it’s Spring House, the caretaker’s cottage on the grounds, that holds the most intriguing history for Megan. In a cache of old letters, she’s drawn into the captivating life of a young woman who embarked on her own dream adventure a century ago. With each one, Megan is swept away into her enthralling world—and all its secrets. But Megan has secrets too. Now, as one woman’s past unfolds in each revealing letter, Megan will discover more about herself and about the emotional tides of family that can be we...

☆☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 297 pages Published July 9th 2019 by Lake Union Publishing About the Book: Lifestyle journalist Ella Skye remembers every celebrity she interviewed, every politician she charmed between the sheets, and every socialite who eyed her with envy. The chance meeting with her husband, Damien; their rapid free fall into love; and their low-key, intimate wedding are all locked in her memory. But what she can’t remember is the tragic car accident that ripped her unborn child from her. Ella can’t even recall being pregnant. Hoping to find the memories of a lost pregnancy that’s left her husband devastated and their home empty, Ella begins delving into her past when she’s assigned an exclusive story about Nathan Donovan, a retired celebrity adventurer who seems to know more about her than she does him. To unravel the mystery of her selective memory loss, Ella follows Nathan from the snowcapped Sierra Nevada to the frozen slopes of southeast Alaska. There she discovers th...

☆☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 273 pages Published July 8th 2019 by Bookouture About the Book: Daddy has been lying. Faye Townsend has planned the perfect summer trip for her family. But returning to the small seaside town her husband grew up in does not go to plan, the rain pours and the long days become stifling. And then the unthinkable happens. Her husband Jake and her six-year-old son Dylan go for an early morning walk along the beautiful, windswept clifftops. They don’t come back. As the hours tick by, Dylan’s red baseball cap is found on the beach and Faye finds herself being questioned by the police. They want to know everything about the man she married - is Faye ready to face her husband’s dark past? Or will she have to confront her own secrets first? And just how far will a mother go to save her only child? Imagination is an artist’s blessing but a mother’s curse. Shalini Boland is a gifted story teller. The first two books, I read by her, were phenomenal and The Marriage Be...

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 345 pages Published July 8th 2019 by Avon Books UK About the Book: When Maisie Meadows finds herself single and jobless on New Year’s Day, she resolves that this will be the year she focuses on bringing her scattered family back together. Romance is all very well, but it’s the people you grew up with that matter the most. But a new job working at an auction house puts her in the path of Theo, a gorgeous but unattainable man who she can’t help but be distracted by. As their bond begins to grow, Maisie finds herself struggling to fulfil the promise she made to herself – but the universe has other ideas, and it’s not long before the Meadows family are thrown back together in the most unlikely of circumstances. Can dealing with other people’s treasures help Maisie to let go of the past, and teach her who she ought to treasure the most? I do not normally read what would be classed as chick lit, but this was just so enjoyable. I adored Maisie Meadows. She made me laugh and...

☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 352 pages Published July 2nd 2019 by Simon & Schuster Canada and Simon Pulse About the Book: Remy Tsai used to know how her story would turn out. But now, she doesn’t even know what tomorrow will look like. She was happy once. Remy had her boyfriend Jack, and Elise, her best friend—her soulmate—who understood her better than anyone else in the world. But now Jack is dead, shot through the chest. And it was Elise who pulled the trigger. Was it self-defense? Or something deeper, darker than anything Remy could have imagined? As the police investigate, Remy does the same, sifting through her own memories, looking for a scrap of truth that could save the friendship that means everything to her. We’re the heroes in this story, born of tragic circumstances, yes, but also strong enough to overcome them. We’ll win the day. This story drew me in right away with the taunt plotting and characters that felt like they could be a real teens. I liked the change of now...

☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 432 pages Published June 27th 2019 by Relay Publishing About the Book: Child psychologist Dr. Karen Marks relates well with her young clients when it comes to loss. After all, she’s no stranger to painful life experiences. Despite the adversities she’s weathered, Karen works hard to serve Chicago’s troubled youth. But maintaining the perfect façade becomes impossible when the past crawls from the woodwork and threatens the life she’s worked so hard to create. First come the allegations from former students against her deceased husband. As the vicious and unfounded news goes public, Karen’s counseling schedule dries up overnight and she can’t help but feel like she’s being watched. But then a new client walks into her office—his appearance so like her missing son’s, that for a moment she thinks her wishes and prayers have finally been answered. But it can’t be… it’s been so long since he disappeared and this angry, violent child behaves nothing like her Luke. Y...

☆☆☆☆☆ Kindle Edition, 284 pages Published June 25th 2019 by Bookouture About the Book: This is a story about Charlotte – a mother and a wife with the perfect job, the perfect life… at least, that’s how it looks from the outside. But behind closed doors, the marriage is breaking, and Charlotte’s husband Tris doesn’t even know how much. He has no idea what Charlotte has planned for him, who she has found, why she has hired someone to pretend to be her. But he doesn’t have long to wait to find out. What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve after. This is my second book by Lucy Dawson, I loved White Lies and was glad to get this one from Netgalley...I was not disappointed. What I liked most about this book was the duel points of view, my favourite type of thriller. The well written narrative and excellent character development kept me reading all through the night. I especially liked the way the story flowed through the voices of the two main characters. The description ...

☆☆☆☆☆ ebook, 322 pages Expected publication: July 27th 2019 by Tangled Tree Publishing About the Book: Sometimes that little voice in your head isn’t always yours. What if the only friend you have isn’t real? When the voices in his head begin to make sense, high school senior Branson Kovac turns to the one friend he’s still got… only to discover he’s not really there. You can’t fix everyone. You can only help mend. Or help improve upon the situation. Only a few pages into A Divided Mind, my heart was already in my throat. I could tell this was going to be one powerful read. This story is told via dual points of view, by Branson and his mother, in alternating chapters. M. Billiter writes with such incredible care and sensitivity, I felt connected to each of these characters on a deeply personal level, whether I'd faced their struggles or not. This is a confronting book in many ways. It addresses immensely challenging issues and contains a side that is absolutely horrify...

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 320 pages Published June 25th 2019 by St. Martin's Press About the Book: Rouge is a sexy, glamorous journey into the rivalry of the pioneers of powder, mascara and rouge. This fast-paced novel examines the lives, loves, and sacrifices of the visionaries who invented the modern cosmetics industry: Josiah Herzenstein, born in a Polish Jewish Shtlel, the entrepreneur who transforms herself into a global style icon and the richest woman in the world, Josephine Herz; Constance Gardiner, her rival, the ultimate society woman who invents the door-to-door business and its female workforce but whose deepest secret threatens everything; CeeCee Lopez, the bi-racial beauty and founder of the first African American woman’s hair relaxer business, who overcomes prejudice and heartbreak to become her community’s first female millionaire. The cast of characters is rounded out by Mickey Heron, a dashing, sexy ladies' man whose cosmetics business is founded in a Hollywood brothel...

☆☆☆☆ Published June 25th 2019 by St. Martin's Press & Minotaur Books ebook, 400 pages About the Book: “Few crimes are reported as quickly as a snatched kid.” That’s what the officer tells single mother Aubrey Finch after she reports a kidnapping. So why hasn’t anyone reported the little boy missing? Aubrey knows what she saw: a boy being taken against his will from the park. It doesn’t matter that the mother can’t be found. It doesn’t matter if no one reported it. Aubrey knows he’s missing. Instead, people question her sanity. Aubrey hears the whispers. She’s a former stay-at-home mom who doesn’t have primary custody of her daughter, so there must be something wrong with her, right? Others may not understand her decision to walk away from her safe life at home, but years of hiding her past – even from the people she loves – were taking their toll, and Aubrey knows she can’t be the mother or wife she envisions until she learns to leave her secrets behind. When the police r...

☆☆☆☆ ebook, 352 pages Published June 25th 2019 by St. Martin's Griffin About the Book: An unpredictable and entertaining tale of secrets, desires, and forgiveness spanning four generations of an American family. In WASPy Larkspur, New Jersey, social expectations and decorum rule, and Marjorie and Dunsfield Thornden are the envy of their neighbors. Their daughters Claire and Cat set the small town’s social calendar by throwing tastefully lavish family parties year round. Because it’s 1977, underage debauchery is to be expected—and Cat and Claire’s children, Bizzy and Choo, are at its very center. Underneath their well-maintained veneer, the Thorndens are quite dysfunctional, but have always had their entitlement to fall back on. And while some are finally ready to accept what they’re willing to give up for the life that they think they deserve, secrets that should’ve never been kept—especially not from each other—are bubbling unattractively to the surface. So when a scandal thr...