Summer reading is in full swing. I’m loving most of the books I’ve picked up, and I think I’ve found a top five book of all time! Keep reading to add some pretty stellar books to your TBR.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women- Marie Bostwick
Four women in a picture perfect neighborhood are brought together by the book, The Feminine Mystique, and form a book club and life long friendship because of it. They see each other through life’s ups and downs and encourage each other when the book really resonates with each of them in life changing ways. Set in the early 1960s, The Book Club for Troublesome Women gives us a glimpse into what it was like for these women and what many of our mothers and grandmothers may have been experiencing.
I loved this book. It fascinated me. Each woman was so different and so well developed. I have many passages underlined throughout this book. It was an excellent book club pick and should be discussed with friends. Highly recommend.
A Happier Life- Kristy Woodson Harvey
Keaton is going through a bit of a personal crisis, so she heads home to her parents’ house. But her mother is in need of someone to go to her childhood home to clean it out and get it ready to sell. Keaton jumps at the chance, but once there she learns things about her grandparents that she never got the chance to meet. The locals tell Keaton tales of summer suppers and of some discrepancies in the cause of death of her grandparents. Told in dual timelines and dual points of view, we get Keaton’s story in the present day and Becks’ story in the 70s.
While I didn’t love this one, it was alright. I didn’t find the ending very believable and took issue with that. It did keep me interested, but ultimately it fell flat for me. This is a beloved author, so maybe another of her’s would suit me better.
One Golden Summer- Carley Fortune
Alice and her grandmother, Nan, are spending the summer in Barry’s Bay at the lake for some recovery. Alice is reeling from a breakup and Nan is recovering from hip surgery. They’ve been coming here since Alice was little, but it was the summer she turned 17 when everything changed for her. Nan gave her a camera for her birthday, and Alice snapped a photo of some kids in a yellow boat that would be the catalyst to her career as a photographer. Imagine Alice’s surprise when the hot guy in the yellow boat that summer she turned 17 is the even hotter neighbor across the lake. Charlie Florek is about to give her the summer of her life.
This is the sequel to Every Summer After, (review in this post) but you don’t have to have read it to enjoy this one. I recommend you do read it but only because it’s so good. One Golden Summer was a perfect summer read. It should most definitely be read by a body of water or, even better, on a boat.
Broken Country- Clare Leslie Hall
Beth lives a quiet, country life with her kind husband, Frank. But there are secrets from the past that need to stay buried. Unfortunately, when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog for going after their sheep, her entire past comes speeding into the present. The owner of the dog is Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s first love *gasp* and the man who broke her heart. He has a son that reminds Beth of the son she lost. Now that Beth and Gabriel are back in each other’s lives, she must choose between past and present.
Y’all! There is so much more to this book than that synopsis. I can’t write anymore, though, because it will spoil it. It is a mystery, a romance, a courtroom drama, a dysfunctional family story, and a Shakespearean tragedy all rolled into one. I had tears running down my cheeks on the last page and felt so many emotions throughout. This is a top contender for favorite book of the year and is ranking in the top five books I’ve ever read. High praise!
It’s a Love Story- Annabel Monaghan
Jane is a former child actor who is now working in Hollywood on the production side of things. She is trying to get a movie made, but in order for that to happen she makes a promise to get the most popular musician at the moment to write a song for the movie. She has a past with this guy, they worked together when she was in her child acting days, so surely it can’t be that hard…right? The cinematographer is posing more problems. Dan is a guy she went on a date with, she had a crush on him, but things didn’t work out in the end. However, Dan’s family home is on Long Island, which is exactly where Jane needs to be since the music festival is there and this may be her only chance to connect with the famed musician. Jane finds herself a houseguest of Dan’s entire family where there’s only one room (!!!). Feelings start to develop even though Jane doesn’t believe in love. Will Dan and his delightful family make a believer out of her after all?
I listened to this one, and I don’t recommend that. I think this book would have been 100 times better on the page. I had a problem with the narrator, and sometimes that can ruin the whole experience. Anyway, read it, but don’t listen to it. I think Annabel writes great stories.
Atmosphere- Taylor Jenkins Reid
Joan Goodwin has always been obsessed with the cosmos. She is a professor of physics and astronomy and an aunt to her adorable niece, Frances. When she comes across an advertisement for NASA’s space shuttle program, specifically looking for women, she jumps at the chance. In the summer of 1980, she’s selected from thousands of applicants to train at Houston’s Johnson Space Center alongside the smartest group of people she’s ever met: Hank, Griff, Donna, Lydia, and Vanessa. They become unlikely friends, and Joan finds a love she never dreamed of, which makes her questions everything she thought she knew about love in this universe. Then, a mission in December of 1984 changes everything.
This fast-paced, emotional, and thrilling story was one that hooked me from he beginning. The mission scenes in space will have you on the edge of your seat. Those scenes made me confident that I belong with my feet firmly on the ground. The camaraderie of the group was really touching. A closeness like family develops, and I imagine that is exactly how it has to be in a situation like that. One of my favorite story lines was that of Joan and her niece. They have a special bond that is evident on the page and very well written. Overall, this was classic TJR: gripping, interesting, entertaining, and storytelling at it’s finest.
Six books in a month ain’t bad! I had a great time reading and hope July brings even more fabulous stories my way. Have you read any of these? Let me know which ones and we’ll chat away.
Until next time,
