Category Archives: Kensington

July 20, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Beauty of the End by Debbie Howells

Title: The Beauty of the End by Debbie Howells
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From the acclaimed author of The Bones of You comes a haunting and heartbreaking new psychological thriller about a man thrust into the middle of a murder investigation, forced to confront the secrets of his ex-lover’s past.

“I was fourteen when I fell in love with a goddess. . .”

So begins the testimony of Noah Calaway, an ex-lawyer with a sideline in armchair criminal psychology. Now living an aimless life in an inherited cottage in the English countryside, Noah is haunted by the memory of the beguiling young woman who left him at the altar sixteen years earlier. Then one day he receives a troubling phone call. April, the woman he once loved, lies in a coma, the victim of an apparent overdose–and the lead suspect in a brutal murder. Deep in his bones, Noah believes that April is innocent. Then again, he also believed they would spend the rest of their lives together.

While Noah searches for evidence that will clear April’s name, a teenager named Ella begins to sift through the secrets of her own painful family history. The same age as April was when Noah first met her, Ella harbors a revelation that could be the key to solving the murder. As the two stories converge, there are shocking consequences when at last, the truth emerges.

Or so everyone believes. . .

Set in a borderland where the past casts its shadow on the present, with a time-shifting narrative that will mesmerize and surprise, The Beauty of the End is both a masterpiece of suspense and a powerful rumination on lost love.

Review:

With an intriguing premise and an interesting spin on the unreliable narrator plot device, The Beauty of the End by Debbie Howells is a riveting mystery that moves at a steady pace to a somewhat shocking and unexpected conclusion.

Noah Calaway is a part-time solicitor and author who lives a solitary life in the countryside.  However, a phone call about his ex-fiancée April Moon pulls him out his self-imposed exile when he decides to look into the circumstances surrounding her apparent suicide attempt.  Even more surprising than the supposed overdose is the crime April is suspected of committing-the murder of her stepfather Bryan Norton. Although he has not seen her since she inexplicably ended their engagement years earlier, Noah is convinced April is not capable of murder and he has serious doubts she tried to kill herself.  As he pulls back the layers of this enigmatic and complex woman whom he has worshipped from the moment he first saw her, Noah is forced to revisit old memories and revise his perception of long ago events.  But will this new insight and information about the past lead Noah to the truth about what is happening in the present?

Noah’s infatuation with April began as a teen and despite their complicated history, he still views her as perfect and completely flawless.  In the past, he easily excused her faults and he turned a blind eye to her less than appealing traits. Their paths crossed many times over the years and although April broke his heart more than once, Noah never hesitated to give her a second chance.  But as he begins to investigate the murder of her stepfather and her overdose, he gradually realizes that he willingly ignored, consciously overlooked and simply blocked out anything that contradicted his vision of her “perfection”.

Noah was guilty of this willful ignorance of facts with his childhood friend, Dr. Will Farrington, as well.  He caught on much quicker to Will’s manipulation and arrogance much sooner, but unfortunately not before Will interfered with his relationship with April.  Noah has not had any contact with either Will or April in years so he is surprised when Will calls to tell him about the situation with April.  Never forgetting  Will’s betrayal, Noah still remains a little naive as he initially takes everything Will tells him at face value.  It is not until he scratches below the surface of April’s life that he begins to realize what Will might be capable of but Noah still cannot figure out where he fits into the current situation. By the time Noah eventually pieces together all of the clues will it be too late to save himself from his old friend’s lies and manipulations?

In addition to Noah’s first person narration of past and present events, there are occasional passages from a teenager’s therapy sessions.   Ella is the daughter of wealthy parents whose lives are often so busy they do not have time for their child.  Forced to see a therapist by her mother, Ella tries to keep her sessions impersonal as she dances around the real reason her relationship with her parents is so strained. Seemingly unrelated to Noah’s drama, the two storylines finally converge as the novel nears its explosive finale.

The Beauty of the End is an intricately plotted mystery that will leave readers reeling as Noah uncovers a sinister plot as he tries to prove April’s innocence.  Atmospheric and full of chilling secrets, lies and manipulations, this latest release by Debbie Howells is a must read for anyone who enjoy a well-written, suspense-laden psychological mystery.

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Filed under Contemporary, Debbie Howells, Kensington, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Beauty of the End

June 29, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Darkest Lie by Pintip Dunn

Title: The Darkest Lie by Pintip Dunn
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Mystery
Length: 256 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Is it better to live with a lie, or risk everything for the truth?

In Pintip Dunn’s gripping and timely novel, a young woman whose life unravels in the wake of her mother’s alleged suicide sets out to clear her name.

“The mother I knew would never do those things. But maybe I never knew her after all.”

Clothes, jokes, coded messages…Cecilia Brooks and her mom shared everything. At least, CeCe thought they did. Six months ago, her mom killed herself after accusations of having sex with a student, and CeCe’s been the subject of whispers and taunts ever since. Now, at the start of her high school senior year, between dealing with her grieving, distracted father, and the social nightmare that has become her life, CeCe just wants to fly under the radar. Instead, she’s volunteering at the school’s crisis hotline—the same place her mother worked.

As she counsels troubled strangers, CeCe’s lingering suspicions about her mom’s death resurface. With the help of Sam, a new student and newspaper intern, she starts to piece together fragmented clues that point to a twisted secret at the heart of her community. Soon, finding the truth isn’t just a matter of restoring her mother’s reputation, it’s about saving lives—including CeCe’s own…

Review:

The Darkest Lie by Pintip Dunn is an engrossing young adult mystery about a teenager’s search for answers about her mother’s apparent suicide.

Six months ago, Cecelia “CeCe” Brooks’ mother, Tabitha, committed suicide following rumors she was sleeping with popular football player Tommy Farrow.  Following a short investigation that did little to prove or dispel the allegations, the case is closed as far as the police and CeCe are concerned.  With her senior year in front of her, she wants nothing more than fly under the radar and avoid the attention of her fellow classmates.  During the first day of school, CeCe catches the eye of new student Sam Davidson when he steps in to help another student who is being bullied by resident mean girl, Mackenzie Myers. 

Needing extra credit to pass one of her classes, CeCe ends up volunteering at the crisis center where her mother also worked.  When she learns Sam is researching her mother’s suicide for a newspaper article, she reluctantly agrees to work with him and she begins digging into her mom’s cases at the crisis center.  After CeCe begins getting threatening phone calls and texts, she is unsure who to trust but she is also unwilling to stop her investigation once she and Sam begin to uncover the horrifying truth.

Lost, confused and certain she did not know her mother at all, CeCe has withdrawn from her friends and keeps to herself.  Never really close to her dad, their relationship is incredibly strained due to his intense grief over Tabitha’s death. Angry and hurting, CeCe remains torn about whether or not she truly believes the allegations against her mother. Despite her reservations about her mom’s guilt or innocence, once CeCe decides she wants to know the truth, she keeps looking for answers although she is a little scared of what she will discover.  She does not always trust her own judgment and fear clouds her thinking, but once she realizes what is at stake, CeCe finds the courage she needs to continue her investigation.

Although there is NOT a love triangle in the book, CeCe is drawn to two different boys. Newcomer Sam is a little goofy and offbeat but he is a genuine, nice guy with some very adorable quirks. Liam Kessler works at the crisis center and he is incredibly charming and charismatic with a tragic past that CeCe can definitely relate to. With two completely different guys to choose between, who will capture CeCe’s heart?

The mystery surrounding Tabitha’s death is well written although the storyline is a little predictable. Pintip Dunn keeps readers off balance with plenty of red herrings, misdirects and a plausible list of suspects. With a few unexpected twists and turns, a handful of shocking discoveries and a stunning plot twist late in the story, The Darkest Lie comes to a dramatic conclusion that is a little clichéd but satisfying.

This fast-paced young adult mystery touches on some very relevant social issues but some of the subject matter might not be appropriate for younger readers.

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Filed under Contemporary, Kensington, Mystery, Pintip Dunn, Rated B, Review, The Darkest Lie, Young Adult

June 22, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Sweet Breath of Memory by Ariella Cohen

Title: Sweet Breath of Memory by Ariella Cohen
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Life is in the telling.

With its tree-lined streets, vibrant downtown and curbside planters of spring bulbs, Amberley, Massachusetts, seems a good place for Cate Saunders to start over. It’s been two years since her husband, John, was killed in Iraq and life has been a struggle. Her new job as a caregiver doesn’t pay much, but the locals are welcoming. In fact, Cate has barely unpacked before she’s drawn–reluctantly at first–into a circle of friends.

There’s diner-owner Gaby, who nourishes her customers’ spirits as well as their bodies; feisty Beatrice, who kept the town going when its men marched off to WWII; wise-cracking MaryLou, as formidable as Fort Knox but with the same heart of gold; and, Sheila, whose Italian grocery is the soul of the place. As Amberley reveals itself to be a town shaped by war, Cate encounters another kindred spirit–a Holocaust survivor with whom she feels a deep connection. When revelations about John’s death threaten Cate’s newfound peace of mind, these sisters-in-arms’ stories show her an unexpected way forward. And Cate comes to understand that although we suffer loss alone, we heal by sharing our most treasured memories.

Review:

In Sweet Breath of Memory, Ariella Cohen seamlessly weaves past and present into a poignant yet uplifting story of healing.

Although it has been two years since her husband John’s death in Iraq, Cate Saunders is still deeply mourning his loss.  After losing her house due to unforeseen circumstances, she accepts a job as a home health care aide in Amberley, MA.  The small town is a close-knit community of influential women who take Cate under their protective wing.  Through her new friends’ life stories, Cate finds unexpected hope but it is the unexplained discovery of Holocaust survivor’s Miriam Rosen lost diary entries that helps her heal.

Cate’s grief over John’s death is compounded by guilt and her unshakeable need to learn the truth about how he died.  Convinced she is indirectly responsible for him being in Iraq in the first place, her efforts to get answers leave her  frustrated as she is stonewalled by military leaders who refuse to give her any information about the roadside bombing that killed him.  Cate is wracked with regrets over choices she made while he was alive and she cannot help but feel like she took him for granted over the course of their marriage.  Her is interest is piqued when she discovers Amberley has been shaped by war and the strong women who tenaciously kept it alive. Interviewing the various women who have been affected by loss and tragedy over the years, Cate discovers how resilient people can be despite enduring unbearable loss and experiencing unspeakable horror.

Cate immediately becomes friends with her landlady and store owner Shelia Morazzo.  Shelia is not only a savvy business owner, but she is also Amberley’s mayor. She is hardworking but her long hours still cannot fill the void she feels over her husband’s absence nor does it ease her concerns over his latest stint as a volunteer with Doctors without Borders.  Her worry intensifies when he returns home but after getting to know Cate, Sheila finds the courage to discuss how she feels about his time away from home.

Local diner owner Gaby French is quick to welcome Cate into the circle of friends.  Gaby cannot cannot help but worry about her new friend due to her uncanny ability to “see” how deeply troubled Cate is.  While Gaby can usually help the townspeople recover from their deepest despair, she is unable to shake her guilt from a long ago tragedy that completely altered her life.  She is also hiding a secret from everyone in town and when the truth comes out, Gaby finds help from a very unexpected source.

Gruff and outspoken, MaryLou Rice is a mechanic with a heart of gold.  Although loathe to admit or show her feelings, MaryLou cares deeply for her friends and she will do just about anything for them.  With multiple divorces behind her, she is not exactly looking for love but Cate cannot resist trying her hand at a little matchmaking for the striking beauty.

Town matriarch Beatrice McLean literally kept Amberley alive during World War II after she hired the women left behind to work in her family’s store.  She also came up with inventive ways to earn money and provide food for the families during the lean wartime years.  At the war’s end, Beatrice kept the women employed instead of filling their positions with returning soldiers.  Now in her nineties, Beatrice retains her dignity as her mind and body slowly begin to yield to the ravages of time.

Although she is no longer living, Miriam Rosen’s presence is keenly felt in Amberley.  A survivor of the Lodz ghetto in Poland, she spent several years after World War II ended searching for her brothers.  When the opportunity arose to come to America, she settled in town where Beatrice hired as s clothing designer her family’s store.  Although she rarely spoke of those war torn years, Miriam recorded the atrocities she endured at the hands of the Nazis in her journal. These entries were lost in the years leading up to her death, but the pages mysteriously appear just when Cate needs encouragement most.  When Cate decides to enter a writing contest, she ties the various threads of the women’s lives together with Miriam’s wartime experiences.  But most importantly, Miriam’s story provides her with the compassion she needs to make a decision about the information she uncovers about John’s death in Iraq.

Sweet Breath of Memory is a magnificent story of friendship, resiliency and compassion that is deeply moving. This beautifully rendered debut novel by Ariella Cohen has a unique storyline and an incredible cast of multi-faceted characters that will leave an indelible mark on readers’ hearts.  A heartfelt and captivating story of hope and healing that I absolutely loved and highly recommend to fans of contemporary fiction.

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Filed under Ariella Cohen, Contemporary, Kensington, Literary Fiction, Rated B+, Review, Sweet Breath of Memory

May 25, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Better Get to Livin’ by Sally Kilpatrick

Title: Better Get to Livin’ by Sally Kilpatrick
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Supernatural Elements, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating:

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Smart, witty, and delightfully offbeat, this new novel from the author of The Happy Hour Choir and Bittersweet Creek is an uplifting story about following your heart, even when it leads to the last place you’d expect…

Presley Cline has put aside dreams of Hollywood stardom and come back to Ellery, Tennessee, to work in a beauty shop. In truth, the dreams in question were more her mother’s than her own. Presley may have the face and body of a movie icon, but she lacks the stomach for it. Yet a loving relationship and normal home life seem almost as unattainable as an Oscar. Being able to see and speak to dead people certainly isn’t helping.

Presley’s first job, beautifying “clients” at the Anderson Funeral Home, is quite a change from working on a movie set. The place is home to dozens of ghosts all hoping that Presley can help them move on–and also one very-much-alive owner, Declan Anderson. Like Presley, Declan is caught between following family expectations and his own aspirations. But with a little meddling from loved ones and locals–both living and dead–Presley is starting to see that life is too short not to be who you want to be, and the most rewarding journeys involve some unexpected detours…

Review:

Better Get to Livin’ by Sally Kilpatrick is a delightfully charming romance with a slight supernatural element (ghosts).

Following an embarrassing Hollywood scandal, actress Presley Cline returns to Ellery, TN to lie low for a few weeks until the publicity dies down.  Immediately after her return home, a tornado hits, leaving Presley and her mother LuEllen in need of a place to stay.  Gladly accepting Declan Anderson’s offer to stay at his family’s funeral home, Presley is dismayed when she discovers her high school crush on him has not lessened over the years. When Presley is offered the chance to audition for a role that could catapult her to stardom, will she follow her heart or her dream?

Despite her years in L.A. and her momentary lapse in judgment, Presley is surprisingly down to earth and completely lacking in guile.  Mortified by the paparazzi photos showing her assets, she is happy to escape the limelight but less than thrilled to return home.  Her relationship with her mom is tense since LuEllen refuses to take better care of herself.  Presley is also trying to decide if becoming an actress is her dream or her mother’s.  Equally troubling is her inability to sustain a romantic relationship but if she wants the role she is auditioning for, she knows she  will have to move past her fears.  Presley works up the nerve to ask Declan to help her overcome her problems but their no strings fling becomes complicated when she begins to fall for him.

Declan is struggling to reconcile his personal dreams with his promises to keep the funeral home in the family.  He is eagerly planning his future while impatiently waiting for his brother Sean to return and honor the agreement they made years earlier. A little stunned by Sean’s news once he does come home, Declan knows he has to do what is best for the family even if that means he has to alter his plans. Since he is all too aware how it feels to sacrifice his dreams, Declan refuses to stand in the way of Presley’s career although he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her.  Will Declan let Presley walk out of his life without telling her how he feels about her?  Or will Presley discover a compromise that will allow the star-crossed lovers to live happily ever after?

Better Get to Livin’ is a well-written novel with a quirky but engaging storyline.  The characters a wonderfully developed and anyone who has ever tried to reconcile their dreams with family expectations will find their issues easy to relate to.  With a sizzling hot romance, a dash of a supernatural element and some very mysterious deaths, this latest novel by Sally Kilpatrick is sure to be a hit with anyone who enjoys contemporary love stories.

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Filed under Better Get to Livin', Contemporary, Kensington, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Supernatural Elements

March 23, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: From Here to Home by Marie Bostwick

Title: From Here to Home by Marie Bostwick
Too Much, Texas Series Book Two
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Marie Bostwick welcomes readers to the quirky, unforgettable town of Too Much, Texas, in a heartwarming, richly satisfying story of friendship and moving forward…

Mary Dell Templeton prefers the quiet charms of Too Much to the bright lights of Dallas any day. She’s relieved to be moving back to her hometown–and bringing her cable TV show, Quintessential Quilting, with her. There are just a couple of wrinkles in her plan. Her son, Howard, who is her talented co-host and color consultant, and happens to have Down syndrome, wants to stay in Dallas and become more independent. Meanwhile, Mary Dell’s new boss hopes to attract a different demographic–by bringing in a younger co-host.

What Holly Silva knows about quilting wouldn’t fill a thimble, but she’s smart and ambitious. Her career hinges on outshining the formidable Mary Dell in order to earn her own show. Yet as Holly adapts to small-town living and begins a new romance, and Mary Dell considers rekindling an old one, the two find unlikely kinship. For as Mary Dell knows, the women of Too Much have a knack for untangling the knottiest problems when they work together. And sometimes the pattern for happiness is as simple and surprising as it is beautiful

Review:

From Here to Home by Marie Bostwick is an absolutely heartwarming novel of love, family and moving forward.

With her beloved quilting show up for renewal, the last thing Mary Dell Templeton needs are complications on the family ranch in Too Much, TX.  The show’s ratings are slipping and Mary Dell knows that without the show, the quilt store in her small hometown will lose business so she comes up with a pretty ingenious plan to film the upcoming season in Too Much.  Unbeknownst to Mary Dell, a newcomer to the network wants to cancel the show and a co-host has been hired to replace Mary Dell’s son, Howard.  When Mary Dell breaks the news to Howard, she is stunned by Howard’s reaction to the news and although she is happy that her son wants to stretch his wings, she is worried about him living on his own.

Howard’s replacement, Holly Silva, relocates from California to Too Much and immediately begins a crash course in quilting.  Holly is surprised by Mary Dell’s warm reception and the two women form a fast friendship.  Determined not to allow the network’s programming executive pit them against one another, Holly and Mary Dell present a united front but the show’s inept new producer refuses to listen to their suggestions.  Despite their hard work and their innovative ideas, Holly is still under pressure to sabotage the show and when Mary Dell faces a personal crisis, the future of the series remains in jeopardy.

Romance is also in the air for both Mary Dell and Holly.  Mary Dell’s close friendship with hotel owner Hub Jay turns to love but since she has not completely made peace over her estrangement with her husband, she is very reluctant to act on her feelings.  Holly’s surprising romance with Mary Dell’s nephew Rob Lee is complicated by his unresolved issues stemming from survivor’s guilt, untreated depression and PTSD.  With time,  patience and good humor, Mary Dell and Holly work through their respective issues, but will either of them find their happily ever after with the man of the dreams?

From Here to Home is a captivating novel that is brimming with humor and down home country charm.  All of the characters are richly developed and watching them grow as they work through their individual problems is incredibly gratifying. Marie Bostwick brings the town of Two Much and its quirky but lovable residents vividly to life.  Although this newest release the second installment in the Two Much, Texas series, it can be read as a standalone (but I highly recommend the entire series).

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Filed under Contemporary, From Here to Home, Kensington, Marie Bostwick, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Too Much Texas Series, Women's Fiction

February 21, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Where I Lost Her by T. Greenwood

Title: Where I Lost Her by T. Greenwood
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Literary Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In her page-turning new novel, T. Greenwood follows one woman’s journey through heartbreak and loss to courage and resolve, as she searches for the truth about a missing child.

Eight years ago, Tess and Jake were considered a power couple of the New York publishing world–happy, in love, planning a family. Failed fertility treatments and a heartbreaking attempt at adoption have fractured their marriage and left Tess edgy and adrift. A visit to friends in rural Vermont throws Tess’s world into further chaos when she sees a young, half-dressed child in the middle of the road, who then runs into the woods like a frightened deer.

The entire town begins searching for the little girl. But there are no sightings, no other witnesses, no reports of missing children. As local police and Jake point out, Tess’s imagination has played her false before. And yet Tess is compelled to keep looking, not only to save the little girl she can’t forget but to salvage her broken heart as well.

Blending her trademark lyrical prose with a superbly crafted and suspenseful narrative, Where I Lost Her is a gripping, haunting novel from a remarkable storyteller.

Review:

With a possibly unreliable narrator, Where I Lost Her by T. Greenwood is an intriguing mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats as Tess Waters tries to locate a missing young girl.

Tess and her husband Jake are visiting friends in rural Vermont when, returning from a late night run to the store, she sees a young girl in the middle of the road. Although the police are little slow to respond to her emergency call, they put together an extensive search that slowly tapers off within a few days. Convinced Tess is either mistaken or outright lying, the local police remain unreceptive to her pleas to continue looking for the missing girl. When the cops threaten to charge her for filing a false report, she hires attorney Ryan Hughes, who pleads with her to stay out of the case. Unable to stop worrying about the little girl, she continues her search and although she does not locate her, Tess stumbles onto evidence that supports her claim but will the police reopen their investigation?

Tess’s marriage never quite recovered from the couple’s infertility treatments and a botched adoption attempt eight years earlier. Their relationship is quite strained during their visit with their friends and Tess’s excessive drinking exacerbates the tension between them. At first supportive of Tess, Jake’s doubts continue to grow especially considering what happened after their adoption attempt went horribly wrong. The fact that she had been drinking the evening she spotted the young girl is another strike against her and Jake eventually returns to New York without her.

Tess’s main priority is continuing her efforts to find the missing girl but she is also quite reflective as she tries to decide what to do about her troubled marriage. Her longtime friend Effie not only believes Tess saw the little girl, but after Tess confides recently discovered information about Jake, she is outraged on Tess’s behalf. Despite Effie’s fears for her safety, Tess continues taking unnecessary risks as she makes impulsive decisions that are dangerous and oftentimes, foolhardy.

The events from eight years earlier are slowly revealed through a series of flashbacks. What begins as a happy occasion becomes emotionally charged after Jake joins Tess in Guatemala where she has been spending time with the little girl they are planning to adopt. These flashbacks slowly reveal the cracks in their marriage as Tess begins to realize that she was much more invested in having children than Jake and she starts wondering what other important information she might have overlooked about her husband. She remains ambivalent about their marriage for a good portion of the novel, but a family emergency puts things in perspective for her and Tess finally arrives at a decision about her future.

With a unique twist on the unreliable narrator plot device, Where I Lost Her is a well-written and engaging novel that is initially a little slow paced. The characters are three-dimensional with true to life flaws and imperfections. The storyline is wonderfully developed and the suspense builds as Tess continues trying to piece together the puzzling clues she uncovers. Overall, it is a very clever mystery/psychological thriller that old and new fans of T. Greenwood are sure to enjoy.

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Filed under Contemporary, Kensington, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Rated B, Review, T Greenwood, Where I Lost Her