Category Archives: HQN Books

March 15, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery

Title: The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 418 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

One woman takes the vacation of a lifetime in this poignant and heartwarming story about the threads that hold a family together from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.

Single mom Robyn Caldwell needs a new plan for her future.  She has always put her family first.  Now, with her kids grown, she yearns for a change. But what can she do when her daughter has become the most demanding bride ever, her son won’t even consider college, her best friend is on the brink of marital disaster and her ex is making a monumentally bad decision that could ruin everything?

Take a vacation, of course. Press reset. When her great-aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara for the summer, Robyn hops on the first plane to sunny California.

But it’s hard to get away when you’re the heart of the family. One by one, everyone she loves follows her across the country. Somehow, their baggage doesn’t feel as heavy in the sun-drenched, mishmash mansion. The more time Robyn spends with free-spirited Lillian, the more possibilities she sees—for dreams, love, family. She can have everything she ever wanted, if only she can muster the courage to take a chance on herself.

Review:

The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery is a touching novel of self-discovery and new beginnings.

Robyn Caldwell is a divorced mom of two adult children who work in their father’s business. Eighteen-year-old Austin has recently graduated from high school and Robyn is frustrated he is not going to college. Twenty-two-year-old Harlow is a college graduate who is planning her upcoming wedding to fiancé Kip. Robyn is concerned Harlow is marrying too young and her daughter is always upset with her about one thing or another. With one drama too many and overwhelmed by thoughts of her future, Robyn decides to accept her beloved ninety-four-year-old Great-Aunt Lillian Holton’s invitation to visit her in California.

Robyn is a caring mom and friendwho suddenly realizes she has to make some choices about her future. She is also very irritated by Harlow’s immature and hurtful behavior. Robyn is tired of seeing her boss and friend Mindy inch closer to the brink of marital disaster. Fed up and needing space, she impetuously travels from her home in FL to a stunning surprise at Lillian’s.

Austin and Harlow are very close and both of them are becoming increasingly annoyed with their father. Austin is usually fairly easy-going but once he makes a decision, he sticks to it. He has been assuring his mother he has a plan for his future and he is on the verge of finalizing it. Already upset with her recent encounter with her mom, Harlow’s rock-solid certainty in her fiancé is suddenly on shaky ground. Hoping to put some distance between them and their problems, brother and sister head to Lillian’s to decide what to do next.

The Summer Getaway is a delightful novel with (mostly) appealing characters. Lillian’s eccentric home is the perfect place to distract Robyn, Austin and Harlow from their individual troubles. In addition to making plans for her future, Robyn has the opportunity for love if she is willing to risk her heart again. Harlow undergoes the most character growth when she is confronted with some hard truths about herself. Austin’s laidback attitude is the perfect foil for his sister’s melodrama. With a wonderful blend of humor and seriousness, Susan Mallery brings this marvelous novel to a heartwarming conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, HQN Books, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Susan Mallery, The Summer Getaway, Women's Fiction

November 25, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan

Title: The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 371 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

An uplifting novel of friendship, the festive season, and risking everything for the biggest gift of all…

It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas escape – a dream trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband, Seb. Her solution? Alix, along with Seb’s oldest friend, Zac, can take Christy’s daughter on the planned Lapland trip, and they will all reunite there for Christmas Day. After all, what are friends for?

There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy, but Christy’s plan to save Christmas is testing their friendship. Especially as Alix and Zac have a difficult history of their own.

As long-held secrets unravel, and unexpected romance shines under the Northern Lights, can Christy and Alix find the courage to fight for the relationships they really want? And could this Christmas escape save the precious gift of each other’s friendship?

Review:

The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan is a heartwarming novel with a magical setting.

Christy Sullivan is planning the perfect Christmas for her husband Seb and their four-year-old daughter Holly. They, along with best friends Alix and Zac, are traveling to Lapland, Sweden where Christy will also meet her estranged Aunt Robyn. But Christy’s world begins to fall apart when doubts begin to creep in about Seb. She is also frustrated with ongoing problems with their cottage. When Seb finally opens up to her, Christy realizes she needs to focus on her marriage. So, she asks her best friend Alix to take Holly to Lapland while she remains home with Seb. But unknown to Alix, Christy has also asked Zac to accompany them. Alix is less than thrilled at the news, but she will do anything to for her best friend. And anyway, she won’t actually have to spend time with him, will she?

Christy and Seb’s whirlwind romance quickly ended in marriage and a dream cottage in the country. She has always envisioned the life she wants for herself and her family. She works hard to keep everything on track which is not always easy and her effort to keep everything perfect is sometimes exhausting.  Christy and Seb spend a lot of time with their energetic and highly curious daughter and it takes an unexpected crisis to make Christy realize her priorities need to change.

Alix is a highly successful career woman who loves her job which also provides the opportunity to travel.  Due to her dysfunctional childhood, she has her emotional barriers in place. Alix dates but she has never had a relationship beyond her close friendship with Christy. But because of something she said to Christy before her friend’s wedding, they have not been quite as close. Although Alix feels like her friend is keeping something from her, she does not hesitate to agree to take Holly to Lapland on her own.

While Aunt Robyn’s Lapland resort is stunning, tension underlies the visit. Alix cannot avoid Zac who wants to talk about the last time they were together. She wants nothing to do with that emotional time but their close contact makes it impossible to ignore. Once Christy arrives, the simmering undercurrents in their friendship make their time together extremely awkward. Christy is an expert at ignoring difficult things so she first spends time with Aunt Robyn who reveals stunning information about the family’s past. Her next meeting with Alix does not go as planned once Christy heatedly tells her friends exactly what has been bothering her. With Christmas right around the corner, will Christy and Alix mend their tattered friendship? And will Alix give her fragile relationship with Zac a chance to grown into more than a holiday fling?

The Christmas Escape is a beautiful holiday novel that tugs on the heartstrings. Christy’s crisis with Seb provides them much needed time to remember why they fell in love. She also learns a lot about herself and decides to make much needed changes going forward. Alix comes to surprising realizations that give her a better understanding of how much her past is still affecting her. Under the glow of the Northern Lights, Sarah Morgan brings this heartfelt novel of healing to a deeply affecting conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, HQN Books, Rated B+, Review, Sarah Morgan, The Christmas Escape, Women's Fiction

September 30, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross

Title: The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

With a dramatic wartime love story woven through, JoAnn Ross’s brilliant new novel is a gorgeous generational saga about the rivalry, history and loyalty that bond sisters together

When conflict photographer Jackson Swann dies, he leaves behind a conflict of his own making when his three daughters, each born to a different mother, discover that they’re now responsible for the family’s Oregon vineyard—and for a family they didn’t ask for.

After a successful career as a child TV star, Tess is, for the first time, suffering from a serious identity crisis, and grieving for the absent father she’s resented all her life.

Charlotte, brought up to be a proper Southern wife, gave up her own career to support her husband’s political ambitions. On the worst day of her life, she discovers her beloved father has died, she has two sisters she never knew about and her husband has fallen in love with another woman.

Natalie, daughter of Jack’s longtime mistress, has always known about her half sisters, and has dreaded the day when Tess and Charlotte find out she’s the daughter their father kept.

As the sisters reluctantly gather at the vineyard, they’re soon enchanted by the Swann family matriarch and namesake of Maison de Madeleine wines, whose stories of bravery in WWII France and love for a wounded American soldier will reveal the family legacy they’ve each inherited and change the course of all their lives.

Review:

The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross is a wonderful novel of family, new beginnings and love.

Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Jackson Swann captured horrifying images the world needed to see. He put his career first as he put himself in danger to take the photos that showed the worst of humanity. Jackson married and divorced his first wife and walked away from his daughter, Tess. He then married wife number two and although their marriage was essentially a war zone, he acquiesced to his wife’s wishes to remain married in name only. He remained a part of his daughter Charlotte’s life and they treasure their times together. Jackson’s final relationship lasted twenty-six years and he was very involved in his soul mate and their daughter Natalie’s lives. When he discovers he has terminal cancer, Jackson suffers regrets and failings as a father. He has hopes the terms of his will can unite his adult daughters as he brings them together at his family’s estate and vineyard in Aberdeen, Oregon. Will Jackson succeed in giving them the home and family they each deserve?

Tess is a former child star turned pop singer turned author. She is close to her mother but she is slightly bitter about her father’s abandonment. Now living a quiet, solitary life, Tess is the author of a best-selling young adult series that has been made into a TV series. She has learned from the mistakes of her past but she holds everyone at arms’ length. Tess is quick to ask challenging questions after she decides to accede to her father’s last wishes in order to satisfy her curiosity about her absentee father.

Charlotte Aldredge is the wife of a lawyer with political aspirations. Like many society women, she does charity work and attends charity dinners with her husband. At his suggestion, Charlotte scaled her successful design business way back although she does still work with a few clients. Having lived her life as a people pleaser, it takes a cataclysmic problem at home for Charlotte to make the decision to honor her father’s request to go to the vineyard.

Natalie Seurat-Swann is also a photographer but she instead captures life’s happier moments. She is an urban street photographer and  a rising star in the art world. Natalie is very close to Franklin and she is devastated at his loss. She immediately drops everything to travel to the family estate where she is anxious yet nervous about meeting her sisters.

The Inheritance is an engrossing novel that features a marvelous cast of appealing characters. Despite their differences and concerns, Tess, Charlotte and Natalie are quick to warm up to each other. Tess tries to maintain an emotional distance but she is drawn to her half-sisters and the Swann family history. She also has a chance for love but only if she decides to risk her heart. Charlotte blossoms once she is away from her husband and mother and she begins to have perspective about her relationships and mistakes. Tess is thrilled by how quickly she and her sisters find common ground. She is also torn as she tries to make a decision about whether or not to act on her long-standing feelings for someone who has long been part of her life. The Swann family’s history about their grandparents’ heroic actions during World War II and their subsequent romance add depth and substance to the storyline. Without much drama or angst, JoAnn Ross brings this charming, character-driven novel to a very happy conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, HQN Books, JoAnne Ross, Rated B, Review, The Inheritance, Women's Fiction

September 3, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell

Title: The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell
Closed Circuit Series Book One
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The world watches on as reality TV meets rodeo in this competition like no other. In front of the cameras, Lil and AJ are each other’s biggest rivals. Off-screen, it’s about to get a whole lot more complicated…

At thirty-six, undefeated rodeo champion AJ Garza is supposed to be retiring, not chasing after an all-new closed-circuit rodeo tour with a million-dollar prize. But with the Houston rodeo program that saved him as a wayward teen on the brink of bankruptcy, he’ll compete. And he’ll win.

Enter Lilian Sorrow Island. Raised by her grandparents on the family ranch in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Lil is more a cowboy than city boy AJ will ever be. It shows. She’s not about to let him steal the prize that’ll save her ranch, even if he is breathtakingly magnificent, in pretty much every way going…

This summer, in this bold, uplifting novel, Marcella Bell reminds us that even when it comes to rodeo, romance is the wildest ride of all!

Review:

The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell is a rodeo romance with an ingenious twist.

Lilian “Lil” Sorrow Island has been pinching every penny she can to save her family’s ranch. But when her beloved gran reveals they have to come up with a lot of money very quickly or they will lose the ranch. But not to worry, Gran has a sure-fire plan that she has already put into motion. She has signed Lil up as a contestant for a rodeo reality show. Shock does not even begin to describe Lil’s reaction to this announcement. But Lil is not in a position to say no since she wants to keep the ranch in the family as much as her gran does.

AJ Garza is a rodeo super star whose retirement tour has lasted three years. Now seriously thinking about what comes next for him, he returns to Houston where he learns the program that inspired his career is in danger of shutting down.  AJ grimaces at the thought of the reality rodeo show but the prize money would ensure the doors stay open while they work on out a permanent funding solution.

Twenty-seven-year-old Lil is tough as nails and she can take care of herself. She is the only female competitor and she is surprised by the public reaction as she advances through each round. Lil tends to be a solitary person so she is content to spend time on her own. This becomes very important due to her very unexpected and unwanted attraction to her rodeo idol.

Thirty-six-year-old AJ is a wildly popular rodeo star and he has plenty of swagger. He would do anything for the mentor he views as a father figure, even if it means competing in the reality show. AJ has been in the rodeo business long enough to recognize talent and he knows that Lil has what it takes to win the show. But with the future of the CityBoyz at stake, AJ knows he has to win the competition. But he not does count on his sizzling attraction to his fiercest competitor which is a bit of a distraction.

The Wildest Ride is a clever romance with a multi-cultural cast of characters and a storyline that highlights  racism in the rodeo world. The reality show aspect of the plot is very creative and is mostly drama-free. Lil not only has race barriers that prevent her from achieving her goals, she also faces sexism. AJ can be a little arrogant but he respects the other riders on the circuit. The relationship between AJ and Lil starts as insta-lust that gradually turns into love. While the banter is snappy, there are long, repetitive passages with both AJ and Lil overthinking their decisions and their futures. Some of these paragraphs occur within conversations which makes it difficult to keep track of the ongoing discussion.  Marcella Bell brings this unique romance to a satisfying, but abrupt, conclusion.

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Filed under Closed Circuit Series, Contemporary, HQN Books, Rated C+, Review, Romance, The Wildest Ride

May 21, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan

Title: The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Get swept into a summer of sunshine, soul-searching and shameless matchmaking with this delightfully big-hearted road trip adventure!

Kathleen is eighty years old. After she has a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move in to a residential home. But she’s not having any of it. What she craves—what she needs—is adventure.

Liza is drowning under the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza long for a solo summer of her own.

Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advertisement for a driver and companion to share an epic road trip across America with, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. She’s not the world’s best driver, but anything has to be better than living with her parents. And traveling with a stranger? No problem. Anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it’s never too late to start over.

Review:

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan is a delightfully uplifting, multi-generational novel.

Liza Lewis is a married to a wonderful man and they have twin teenage daughters. Liza continually worries about her mum, octogenarian Kathleen Harrison. After an incident at her mum’s seaside home, Liza is more determined than ever to convince Kathleen it is time to move into a care facility. The incident has the opposite effect on Kathleen and she decides it is time to plan an adventure. She hires Martha Jackson to drive her as she explores Route 66. Along the way, Martha helps Kathleen make a decision that she has been uncertain about. The assistance is mutual as Kathleen diligently tries to shore up Martha’s lagging confidence. Back in the UK, Liza makes an unexpected decision that sends shockwaves through her family.

Liza has recently become somewhat disenchanted with her husband and kids. She dearly loves them but she is at the end of her rope with them. Liza makes an impetuous decision that could alter her life going forward.  But will her husband and daughters be on board with the changes she is hoping to make?

Kathleen has always been determined to live life on her own terms and she does not plan to give in to Liza’s well-intentioned but ill-received suggestions. Despite her daughter’s doubts about her trip with a virtual stranger, Kathleen is eagerly looking forward to her Route 66 adventure. She is delighted with Martha’s spirited attitude and they become surprisingly close during their trip. As Kathleen confides in Martha, she begins to view her relationship with her daughter in a new light. How will this newfound realization impact their relationship once she returns home?

Martha is stuck in a situation she is having difficulty extricating herself from. Her self-esteem is at an all time low so she is thrilled when Kathleen hires her. Martha greatly enjoys Kathleen’s company and despite a few reservations, they are soon off on their journey. Her new boss is matter of fact and does not hesitate to voice her opinion. Martha soon begins to see her life back home in a very different way. With a fresh perspective, she cannot help but wonder what the future holds for her at the end of Route 66.

The Summer Seekers is a thought-provoking yet light-hearted novel. The characters are all very different yet each of them grows and changes throughout the story. Route 66 is the perfect setting for Kathleen to make a decision about something that has nagged at her for a long time. Liza unexpectedly finds peace at her childhood home. Martha spreads her wings and discovers confidence that has been sorely lacking. With unexpected twists and charming turns.  Sarah Morgan brings this beautiful novel to a very happy conclusion. I absolutely loved and highly recommend this captivating novel to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Contemporary, HQN Books, Rated B+, Review, Sarah Morgan, The Summer Seekers, Women's Fiction

May 4, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates

Title: Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The Ashwood women don’t have much in common…except their ability to keep secrets.

When Lark Ashwood’s beloved grandmother dies, she and her sisters discover an unfinished quilt. Finishing it could be the reason Lark’s been looking for to stop running from the past, but is she ever going to be brave enough to share her biggest secret with the people she ought to be closest to?

Hannah can’t believe she’s back in Bear Creek, the tiny town she sacrificed everything to escape from. The plan? Help her sisters renovate her grandmother’s house and leave as fast as humanly possible. Until she comes face-to-face with a man from her past. But getting close to him again might mean confessing what really drove her away…

Stay-at-home mom Avery has built a perfect life, but at a cost. She’ll need all her family around her, and all her strength, to decide if the price of perfection is one she can afford to keep paying.

This summer, the Ashwood women must lean on each other like never before, if they are to stitch their family back together, one truth at a time…

Review:

Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates is a family-centric novel that deals with some heavy subject matter.

Lark Ashwood moved from her hometown after graduating from high school. After college, she takes a job as an illustrator for children’s books. She also works on her own projects and she enjoys traveling and exploring new places. But after her beloved grandmother dies, Lark decides it is time to move back home and begin a new stage in her life. But the reasons why she left all those years ago are still unresolved. And Lark soon discovers her feelings for an old friend still remain. Will she finally make peace with the issues that have continued to haunt her?

Lark’s middle sister Hannah has a successful career as a violinist with the Boston Symphony. With the summer off from the symphony, she plans to renovate her grandmother’s family home and turn it into an Airbnb rental property. Lark is not at all thrilled to be thrust in close proximity with her high school boyfriend. And when they begin spending time together, old memories begin to rise to the surface. Will finally coming to terms with what happened to her allow her to make changes in her life?

Oldest sister Avery returned home after college and she is married to a surgeon with a demanding career. She takes care of their two children and she is very involved with other school moms. From the outside, Avery has the perfect life but is she hiding secrets from her sisters and parents?

While all three girls love their mother, Mary, none of them are close to her. The grandmother they were so close to abandoned her family when Mary was three years old. She was raised by her dad who did not like to deal with messy emotions. Mary’s pragmatic approach to life makes it difficult for her to relate to her three daughters. Now they are back in town, Mary is hoping to repair her strained relationships with her daughters.

Confessions from the Quilting Circle is a character-driven novel of recovering from old and new pain. The characters are well-developed with genuine strengths and weaknesses. The storyline is interesting but the overall pacing is somewhat slow to since the women are prone to a lot of introspection.  Maisey Yates brings this engaging story to a satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Confessions from the Quilting Circle, Contemporary, HQN Books, Maisey Yates, Rated C+, Review