Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Review: Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen

 

Seven Summer Weekends by Jane L. Rosen
Publication Date: June 4th 2024 by Berkley
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher 
Rating: 
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Addison’s journey had some ups and downs. The first down was losing her job in a public way, but that was also an up, IMO. It forced her to take stock of her life and re-evaluate her career and life path. Inheriting her aunt’s cottage on Fire Island was a definite up, and I thought the decision to sell or keep was a no-brainer despite Addison’s indecision in that regard.
 
There were a lot of fun secondary characters, like Kizzy, one of Addison’s best friends who gets a shock and has a reset of her own. Also, Shep, Addison’s older neighbor and Sally, the sweetheart of a dog! And of course, there was Addison’s gorgeous neighbor, Ben. He’s alternately sweet one minute and surly the next. They had some push and pull. Ben had a sad back story.
 
Seven Summer Weekends was a delightful cross between romance and women’s fiction.  With a vivid backdrop that made me nostalgic for a beachy summer vacation!

4 Stars


Book Description:

A woman inherits a beach house, along with a series of weekend guests, while butting heads with the irritable (and irritatingly handsome) man next door, in this sparkling new escape from Jane L. Rosen.
 
When a Zoom disaster upends Addison Irwin’s decade-long career at a posh Manhattan advertising agency, things look bleak for the thirty-something mid-western transplant. But an unexpected inheritance from an aunt she barely remembers—a property on Fire Island, complete with guest house and artist’s studio—changes everything.
 
While debating whether to stay or sell, Addison learns that she’s also inherited her aunt’s list of eclectic guests, tying her to the island for seven summer weekends. Eager to convince Addison to keep the house rather than let a new buyer build a monstrosity in its place, the neighbors welcome her to their laid-back community. Well, all except the moody guy next door, who seems intent on glowering his way through life.
 
Steadfast in her path since college, Addison is determined not to let this detour on Fire Island throw her off track. But soon, between the revolving door of weekend visitors and the up-and-down relationship with her neighbor (and his adorable dog), she finds herself in unfamiliar territory. Should she try to pick up where she left off—or embrace entirely new possibilities?



Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Review: You'll Never Find Me by Allison Brennan

 

You'll Never Find Me (Angelhart Investigations #1) by Allison Brennan
Publication Date: June 25th 2024 by MIRA
Pages: 399
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:
Margo Angelhart, a private investigator, helps a woman escape her abusive husband who happens to be in law enforcement. Margo knows he’ll connect the dots eventually and is on alert. Margo has another case where a wife suspects her husband of cheating, but some of the information the wife relayed doesn’t add up. During her surveillance, Margo runs into her brother, Jack, and her sister, Tessa staking out the same house and it becomes apparent their cases intersect.
 
The situation is complicated since she and her mother, Ava, had a falling out. However, the Angelhart Investigations was one that Ava and Margo planned out together. Working with the family again shows Margo how much she misses them and how well they work as a team.
 
Both cases held my attention! I was worried for Margo with the state-trooper hell-bent on finding his wife, knowing Margo was in his sights. The guy was awful and unhinged! The mystery with the cheating husband had a lot of layers. Not all was as it seemed.
 
I’m a big fan of Allison Brennan’s mysteries! They’re a wonderful combination of complex characters with mystery and suspense that keep you glued to the pages eager to find out how things turn out! I really liked this new series and all the characters! Margo and her brother Jack especially! Margo’s ex, Rick, played a role, and it’s clear their relationship is still unfinished.  
 
The cause of the rift between Margo and her mother was revealed, but most of the details are still unknown. I imagine this will be a continuing story arc in the coming installments. It was clear that the family is close-knit and love each other, though. I look forward to seeing how all these plots play out and look forward to the next mystery!

4.5 Stars



Book Description:

Nothing brings family together like crime.

Working alone as a private investigator is tough. Estranged from her PI family, Margo Angelhart does what she must to get by—including taking on sordid cases that pay the bills, even if she’d rather be helping those the justice system has failed.

That is, until a cheating husband case she’s working intersects with her siblings’ corporate espionage investigation, forcing Margo to cooperate with the Angelhart firm. Now, as the siblings compare notes, it’s clear they need to work together before a white-collar crime escalates to murder.

With far more questions than answers and a key suspect on the run, they’ll need the whole family to pitch in. But as they investigate the ever-twisting mystery, Margo isn’t sharing everything. Can she learn to trust her family and heal their once-close relationship before her secrets put those she loves most in danger?