Category Archives: St Martin’s Griffin

October 24, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You by Tara Eglington

Title: How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You by Tara Eglington
Aurora Skye Series Book One
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin/Thomas Dunne
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Humor
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed . . .

That’s Aurora Skye’s big secret. And the way she wants it to stay. She’s not going to give away her first kiss to just anyone. Busy dodging suitors and matchmaking for her best friends, Aurora (not so) patiently awaits her prince.

But everything changes when Aurora is coerced into a lead role in the school production of Much Ado about Nothing. Which means she’ll have to lock lips with her co-star Hayden Paris—the smart and funny boy next door who also happens to be the bane of her existence, always around to see her at her worst.

Now Aurora is more determined than ever to have her first kiss with the one who’s truly worthy of it. But first she’ll have to figure out just who that person is.

Romantic and funny, Tara Eglington’s How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You is a feel-good tale of finding love where you least expect it.

Review:

How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You by Tara Eglington is a cute, giggle-inducing young adult romance with a (mostly) fantastic cast of female characters.

With a fairy tale view of romance, Aurora Skye expends a lot of energy avoiding parceling out goodnight kisses to her dates.  With an arsenal of evasive maneuvers at her fingertips, she is waiting to bestow her first kiss on her “Prince” much to the amusement of her next door neighbor and personal nemesis Hayden Paris.  Despite never having been in a relationship, Aurora dispenses plenty of romance advice to her close circle of friends. Aurora is the teensiest bit annoying since she is a little controlling, a lot nosy and a tad irrational where Hayden is concerned, but she is surprisingly likable. She is loyal, protective and willing to do just about anything to make her friends and family happy.  Although she is popular and well-liked, Aurora is not a “mean girl” and she is willing to stand up for anyone she thinks is being treated unfairly.  All in all, she is an all around enjoyable and sympathetic character despite her faults.

The secondary cast of characters is fairly large but they are well-developed and relatable.  Cassie Shields is Aurora’s best friend and she always has Aurora’s back.  Their other close friend Jelena Cantrill is trifle shallow and a wee bit self-centered, but she offers a nice foil for Aurora’s niceness.  Lindsay is in the midst of a sudden break up with her long term boyfriend Tyler and with Aurora’s advice, she is rediscovering her individuality while resisting Tyler’s attempts to reconcile.

Landing the lead role of Beatrice in the school play Much Ado about Nothing takes Aurora out of her comfort zone and puts her in near daily contact with Hayden, who is playing Benedick. No one can understand her sudden dislike of the boy who was at one time her closest friend and she is incredibly prickly with him every time their paths cross.  Hayden is a genuinely nice young man who always shrugs off Aurora’s unpleasantness and offers her shoulder to cry on when she needs one.  As the premiere of the play looms ever closer, so does the all important kiss between Beatrice and Benedick, and hilarious hijinks ensue as Aurora tries to avoid giving her first kiss to anyone other than her “Prince”.

Although How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You is a light-hearted young adult novel, Tara Eglington does manage to impart a few serious messages to readers.  While Aurora’s desire to wait for her first kiss seems a little silly, the idea behind not wasting her first kiss on someone who does not like or respect her is actually quite refreshing.  In a time when casual relationships are the norm, it is nice to see that she wants her first kiss to have significance.  The other important lesson stems from the storyline involving Lindsay’s breakup with Tyler and how their lives were so enmeshed while they were dating that they were essentially viewed as one person.  The time apart provides Lindsay the opportunity to embrace her independence while discovering the things she enjoys doing on her own.  And last but not least, Aurora does not let a misunderstanding destroy a friendship and she demonstrates the importance of forgiveness even when suffering from hurt feelings.

How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You by Tara Eglington is an engaging and entertaining young adult novel.   With a cast of appealing characters, a humor-filled storyline and subtle yet important messages, this fast-paced story will charm readers of all ages.

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Filed under Aurora Skye Series, Contemporary, How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You, Humor, Rated B+, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin, Tara Eglington, Thomas Dunne Books, Young Adult

October 2, 2016 · 11:56 pm

Review: Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes

Title: Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Roamnce
Length:288 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Anita Hughes’s Christmas in Paris is a moving and heartwarming story about love, trust, and self-discovery. Set during the most magical week of the year, the glorious foods and fashions of the most romantic city in the world are sure to take your breath away.

Isabel Lawson is standing on the balcony of her suite at the Hotel de Crillon as she gazes at the twinkling lights of the Champs-Élysées and wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. She was supposed to be visiting the Christmas tree in the Place de la Concorde, and eating escargots and macaroons with her new husband on their honeymoon. But a week before the wedding, she called it off. Isabel is an ambitious Philadelphia finance woman, and Neil suddenly decided to take over his grandparents’ farm. Isabel wasn’t ready to trade her briefcase for a pair of rubber boots and a saddle.

When Neil suggested she use their honeymoon tickets for herself, she thought it would give her a chance to clear her head. That is until she locks herself out on the balcony in the middle of winter. Thankfully her neighbor Alec, a French children’s illustrator, comes to her rescue. He too is nursing a broken heart at the Crillon for the holidays. With a new friend by her side, Isabel is determined to use her time in the “city of lights” wisely. After a chance encounter with a fortune teller, and a close call with a taxi, she starts to question everything she thought was important.

Review:

Set against the glimmering holiday lights of Paris, Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes is a whimsical romance.

Realizing she and her fiancé Neil Harmon want completely different things in life, Isabel Lawson cancels her wedding just a few days before the ceremony.  Now, instead of enjoying her honeymoon with her new husband, she is reflecting on her failed engagements and exploring Paris with Alec Braxton, the jilted groom in the room next door to hers.  A chance encounter with a fortune teller convinces Isabel that her future husband is a French aristocrat so, with a little help from Alec, she sets out to find the man of her dreams.  Believing her future lies with a dreamy comte she meets at a ball, Isabel is nonplussed by her sudden awareness of Alec.  However she ignores her growing feelings for him as she awaits a marriage proposal from the man Isabel believes she is destined to share her life with.

Isabel might be a successful career woman but she also wants a husband and children. Now with two failed engagements behind her, she begins to doubt her judgment since she was absolutely certain that Neil was the right man for her. So, it makes perfect sense to her to believe the fortune teller’s prediction about an imminent proposal from a titled Frenchman.  This somewhat fanciful belief is a little at odds with her somewhat analytical mind but Isabel is soon busy dreaming up some very elaborate plans starring her future fiancé, the comte.  Needless to say, reality sometimes falls a bit short of her fairytale dreams yet she has an intractable belief the fortune teller’s prediction will come true.  When not mooning over her would be suitor or reminiscing about her past, Isabel enjoys quite a few very down to earth, fun-filled adventures with Alec.

Jilted by his beautiful fiancée,  Alec is nursing a broken heart while working on the illustrations for his next children’s book starring an adventuresome dog named Gus when he meets Isabel.   He is quite sweet but he definitely feels sorry for himself for much of the story.  He has a bit of convoluted issue with his family but he quite devoted to widowed mother.  Alec’s frustrations with his family and his ex manifest themselves in some hilarious (and sometimes dire) situations for Gus  but once he meets Isabel, his fictional character begins starring in some very familiar fairy tales.  Dismayed to realize he is beginning to fall for Isabel, he initially resists his feelings but after getting a little helpful advice from his best friend, Alec decides to woo her.  But with Isabel pinning all her hopes for her future on the comte, will she give Alec a chance?

With Paris serving as a glamorous backdrop for this magical holiday story, Christmas in Paris is an enchanting romance that provides readers with a decadent escape from everyday life.  A hallmark of a novel by Anita Hughes is a lush, extravagant setting which springs vibrantly to life and in this latest release, readers will have no trouble visualizing famous Parisian landmarks during Isabel’s explorations of the city.  Although the storyline is somewhat unrealistic, this charming tale is a fanciful adventure that will delight readers who enjoy light-hearted love stories.

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Filed under Anita Hughes, Christmas in Paris, Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin

September 7, 2016 · 11:58 pm

Review: Karolina’s Twins by Ronald H. Balson

Title: Karolina’s Twins by Ronald H. Balson
Liam and Catherine Series Book Three
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Historical (WWII), Fiction
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

She made a promise in desperation
Now it’s time to keep it

Lena Woodward, elegant and poised, has lived a comfortable life among Chicago Society since she immigrated to the US and began a new life at the end of World War II. But now something has resurfaced that Lena cannot ignore: an unfulfilled promise she made long ago that can no longer stay buried.

Driven to renew the quest that still keeps her awake at night, Lena enlists the help of lawyer Catherine Lockhart and private investigator Liam Taggart. Behind Lena’s stoic facade are memories that will no longer be contained. She begins to recount a tale, harkening back to her harrowing past in Nazi-occupied Poland, of the bond she shared with her childhood friend Karolina. Karolina was vivacious and beautiful, athletic and charismatic, and Lena has cherished the memory of their friendship her whole life. But there is something about the story that is unfinished, questions that must be answered about what is true and what is not, and what Lena is willing to risk to uncover the past. Has the real story been hidden these many years? And if so, why?

Two girls, coming of age in a dangerous time, bearers of secrets that only they could share.

Just when you think there could not be anything new to ferret out from World War II comes Karolina’s Twins, a spellbinding new novel by the bestselling author of Once We Were Brothers and Saving Sophie. In this richly woven tale of love, survival and resilience during some of the darkest hours, the unbreakable bond between girlhood friends will have consequences into the future and beyond.

Review:

Based on real life events, Karolina’s Twins by Ronald H. Balson is a riveting novel about a Holocaust survivor’s search for her best friend’s twin daughters more than 70 years later.  Although this is the third book featuring lawyer Catherine Lockhart and private investigator Liam Taggart, it can be read as a standalone.

At 89 years of age, Lena Woodward might be feeling the physical effects of her advanced years but her mind is still sharp as a tack.  Realizing she is running out of time to fulfill a long ago promise, she contacts Liam and Catherine to help her locate her childhood friend Karolina Neuman’s twin daughters whom she has not seen since they were just a few months old.  Lena and Karolina are childhood friends whose lives were torn apart when the Nazis invaded their hometown in Poland.

Forced to work as seamstresses in a coat factory, the young women manage, with the help of Karolina’s German lover, to survive extreme conditions.  Not long after Karolina gives birth to twin daughters, the coat factory shuts down and the women are sent to Gross-Rosen concentration camp where they are forced to work as slave labor. Knowing the babies’ fate if they arrive at the camp, Lena and Karolina take drastic measures that will hopefully save the girls from a horrific fate.  After surviving Auschwitz, Lena marries and moves to the United State but the fate of Karolina’s twins weighs heavily on her mind.

Needing to know whether or not the girls survived, Lena hopes Liam and Catherine can trace the girls’ whereabouts. However, her son Arthur is convinced she is suffering from dementia and his efforts to have her declared incompetent could interfere with their efforts.  After so many years have passed and hampered by the impending court case, will Liam and Catherine uncover the truth about what happened to Karolina’s twins?

Lena’s life in Poland was rather idyllic in the years before the Nazi occupation.  Her parents are well-respected shop owners in the Jewish community where they live a rather comfortable life.  Her friendship with Karolina begins while they are attending public school together and although Lena eventually transfers to a private school, they remain close friends.

As the Nazis begin rising to power, Lena’s father starts making arrangements for the family to immigrate from Poland, but the Germans invade Poland before they are able to leave.  Stripped of their business and forced to adhere to the strict rules all Jews must follow, Lena’s father is a member of the Polish resistance.  After he and the rest of the family are selected for “relocation”, Lena, now a teenager, remains in hiding until their home is taken over by Germans and she begins searching for her missing family.

Finding shelter in the ghetto, she works in the coat factory where she is reunited with Karolina.  Conditions are almost unbearable as the young women live without running water, electricity and heat as they work long hours in the factory.  Food is strictly rationed and as winter descends, the harsh weather and  poor nutrition take a horrific toll on the people living in the ghetto.

In the midst of this unimaginable horror, the birth of Karolina’s twins is an unexpected bright spot but as the war continues, the Nazis put their plans in motion to exterminate the Jews.  More and more Jews are sent to concentration camps where children, the elderly and the infirm are separated and sent to their deaths.  Those who are healthy are selected to work as slave labor but their lives are often cut short as malnutrition, harsh living conditions and illness take their toll.  Knowing full well what will happen to the babies, the women make a split second decision to try to save them from certain death but this choice haunts Lena for the most of her life.

Interspersed with Lena’s account of her wartime experiences is Arthur’s effort to have her declared incompetent.  He is quite odious and it is difficult to ascertain his motives for  the case.  Is Arthur genuinely concerned for his mother’s health?  Or are his reasons financially motivated due to his mother’s wealth?  His heavy-handed tactics and sneering conversations certainly cloud the issue and leave everyone wondering what he hopes to accomplish with his actions.

Although some of the dialogue is a little awkward and the court case is a little overly dramatic (and unnecessary), Karolina’s Twins is an absolutely compelling novel about Lena’s experiences as a Jewish woman living in Nazi occupied Poland.  Ronald H. Balson deftly blends fact with fiction and brings this fictionalized account of actual events vibrantly to life.  This  poignant story is a gripping and educational read that I highly recommend.

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Filed under Contemporary, Fiction, Historical, Karolina's Twins, Rated A, Review, Ronald H Balson, St Martin's Griffin

August 15, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Winemakers by Jan Moran

Title: The Winemakers by Jan Moran
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

A young woman
A family secret
A devastating truth that could destroy the man she loves

Many years ago, the Rosetta family’s hard-won dreams of staking their claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition. Now high-spirited, passionate Caterina Rosetta, who has inherited both her mother’s talent for crafting the finest wines and also her indomitable will, wants nothing more than to win her mother’s approval and wo rk at her side. But that can never happen, because Caterina is keeping a secret that could ruin her: a daughter of her own, fathered by the love of her life, who left her without explanation. Just as she feels she has nowhere to turn, Caterina discovers that she has inherited a vineyard in the Tuscan countryside in Italy, from a grandmother she’s never heard of, and she seizes the chance to start a new life for herself and her child.

But the past is not so easily outrun. In the country of her ancestors, Caterina meets the family of the father she never knew, and discovers that her mother is also hiding her own secret―a secret so devastating it threatens the future of everything her family has worked for. As an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragedy that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past―if she has the strength to face it.

From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.

Review:

With an interesting cast of characters, a fascinating plot, a forbidden romance and a slight mystery element, The Winemakers by Jan Moran is an engrossing historical novel about a Napa Valley vintner whose secrets from the late 1920s come to light during the mid 1950s.

Caterina Rosetta dreads telling her beautiful and accomplished mother, Ava, about her now one year old daughter, Marisa.  Now having to face the harsh reality of keeping her illegitimate baby, Caterina can no longer keep the news from Ava and just as she feared, her revelation is met with anger and demands she give Marisa up for adoption.  Immediately following their heated argument, Caterina is stunned to learn she has inherited a cottage and vineyard in Tuscany from her paternal grandmother.  This discovery is just the first of many secrets that she learns her mother has been keeping from her and Caterina travels to Italy searching for answers to the questions about her family’s past.

Caterina never planned to be an unwed mother but her attempts to tell Marisa’s father about the pregnancy were unsuccessful.  Brokenhearted, she managed to find a wonderful home where she found a very supportive and understanding couple to help her through this difficult time.  From discussions she and her mother had over the years, Caterina knows exactly how her mom will react, so she feels like she has no choice but to keep the news of the pregnancy and subsequent birth to herself.  Unfortunately Ava’s reaction is exactly what she expected and with very few options available, she feels that moving to Italy with Marisa is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. However, she is almost immediately confronted by unexpected revelations about her family and she is bewildered by her mother’s lies. Learning the truth about her father is difficult but her hopes for the future are shattered once Caterina hears the rumors everyone believes are true about her father and another woman.

Ava’s past is tragic but she worked hard make the Napa Valley vineyard a success.  She truly believed she made the right decision to conceal the truth about her husband and she never expected her lies to be uncovered.  Now regretting those long ago decisions, Ava is overcome with guilt for her angry outbursts during Caterina’s childhood. She also realizes that while she had good intentions, she did not always treat her daughter fairly.  Ava is deeply remorseful for her somewhat irrational reaction to Caterina’s announcement about Marisa and she fears her relationship with Caterina will never recover.  As she is trying to figure out a way to smooth over their relationship, a calamitous event threatens to destroy the vineyard.  When a person from her past returns, Ava lives in fear of what will happen to her beloved home.

The Winemakers is a multi-layered story that takes place in both California and Italy. Both settings are picturesque and the beautiful descriptions bring them vibrantly to life.  Through a series of flashbacks, the heartbreaking events from Ava’s past are slowly revealed throughout the course of the novel. Caterina’s storyline is equally compelling as she uncovers the truth about her family while attempting to make a difficult decision about her future.  Jan Moran’s extensive research adds a layer of authenticity to the plot and provides readers with an eye-opening glimpse of societal issues of the time period.  Although a little melodramatic and a little rushed, the novel’s conclusion is quite heartwarming. 

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Filed under Fiction, Historical, Historical (20s), Historical (50s), Jan Moran, Rated B, Review, St Martin's Griffin, The Winemakers

August 7, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Where Love Lies by Julie Cohen

Title: Where Love Lies by Julie Cohen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

When Felicity steps off the train on the way to meet her husband, she is so sure of everything in her life. Where she is headed, what she will order at the restaurant, the first words her husband will say to her when she arrives, their happy future together.

But then she catches a scent of perfume in the air, and suddenly she is overcome by forgotten emotions-passionate memories of another man she loved many years ago.

As the feelings continue to surface again and again, Felicity begins to question the life she thought she knew so well. She doesn’t doubt that she loves her husband, but does she owe it to herself to explore these overwhelming emotions that have taken hold of her? Or is her mind simply playing tricks on her heart?

How can she know where love truly lies? And when she finds out, will it be too late?

Julie Cohen’s Where Love Lies is a novel that will capture both your heart and mind.

Review:

With a unique and engrossing storyline, Where Love Lies by Julie Cohen is a thought-provoking novel that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction.

Just as she is about to celebrate her one year anniversary with her husband, Quinn, Felicity is struggling to complete her long overdue children’s book.  While on her way to meet Quinn for a meal, she smells a fragrance that brings bittersweet thoughts of her mum.  When these odd occurrences continue, the scent is also accompanied by a strong emotional reaction that Felicity realizes are centered around her ex-boyfriend, Ewan, whom she has not seen since their relationship ended ten years earlier.  An unexpected trip brings her face to face with unsettling issues from her past and Felicity is overcome with intense feelings of love for Ewan that she feels she must explore.  Will this decision cause irreparable damage to her relationship with Quinn?

Growing up, Felicity lived a rather nomadic life with her artist mum so adjusting to life in a small country town has been a bit of a challenge.  With little privacy and surrounded by caring but nosy in-laws, she feels a little exposed since everyone seems to know everyone else’s business.  Her relationship with Quinn is comfortable and loving, but Felicity is not the type of person who shares her innermost thoughts.  When she begins experiencing the strange fragrances and odd emotions, she does not tell Quinn what is happening to her, so he is completely stunned when she asks for separation.  Caught between the past and present, Felicity feels guilty about hurting Quinn but she is so caught up in the exhilarating love she feels for Ewan that she cannot stop herself from finding out if this emotional reaction for her ex is real.

Steady and responsible, Quinn has strong ties to his family and he has no desire to leave them or the town where he grew up.  He is head over heels in love with Felicity and he is quite happy with the life they have carved out for themselves.  He is aware that Felicity holds part of herself back from him but after being shut out time and again, Quinn has given up trying to get her to talk to him.  He is completely devoted to her and he will do whatever it takes to make her happy even if it means letting her go.  Hoping their separation is just a temporary setback, he remains committed to their marriage but even the most patient man has his limits.  Once he discovers the truth about Felicity’s reasons the separation, will Quinn continue to wait for her to sort through her problems?

Broken into three distinct parts, Where Love Lies is a riveting novel that takes many unexpected twists and turns.  The storyline is incredibly fascinating and Julie Cohen keeps the underlying cause of Felicity’s strange phenomena and her inexplicable emotional response completely under wraps for much of the story.  By the time the reason becomes clear, Felicity’s life is such a tangled mess that it is impossible to predict how this incredible novel will end. All in all, it is captivating read that is impossible to put down and will linger in readers’ thoughts long after the last page is turned.

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Filed under Contemporary, Julie Cohen, Rated B, Review, St Martin's Griffin, Where Love Lies, Women's Fiction

August 1, 2016 · 11:57 pm

Review: Santorini Sunsets by Anita Hughes

Title: Santorini Sunsets by Anita Hughes
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Brigit Palmer is thrilled to be on the Greek Island of Santorini. She’s here for her wedding to Hollywood heart-throb Blake Crawford, one of America’s most eligible bachelors. Brigit’s parents have rented a villa, and soon guests will arrive from all over the world for the intimate ceremony.
Brigit is a New York socialite, and she’s just given up her position at a Manhattan law firm to run her father’s philanthropic foundation. Things are finally falling into place. Love, career, family. Everything is going so well…until she steps into the garden and sees her ex-husband Nathaniel hiding in the rose bushes.

Nathaniel, a failed novelist, announces that Blake sold the rights to the wedding to HELLO! Magazine for two million dollars (donated to charity), and he is the reporter assigned to write the story. Everyone expects Brigit to have her happily ever after, her mother who taught her how to lead the perfect lifestyle, her younger sister Daisy who impatiently wishes for her own love story, and of course her fiancée. Things are supposed to work out for them. But when Brigit discovers an unsettling secret about Blake, she questions everything she’s ever believed about love, and wonders if she’s not better off alone.

Told in Anita Hughes’ spectacularly descriptive prose, Santorini Sunsets is a story about family bonds, first loves, and the question of when to let go and when to hang on as tight as you can.

Review:

In Santorini Sunsets, Anita Hughes whisks readers away to a spectacular island for the IT marriage of the year.  The Greek Island of Santorini is the perfect setting for socialite Brigit Palmer’s lavish destination wedding to Hollywood heartthrob Blake Crawford and their guest list reads like a Who’s Who of Hollywood celebrities and wealthy New York families.

Brigit, Blake, her family and their assorted guests arrive in Santorini for fun adventures and sumptuous feasts a few days prior to the wedding.  In the midst of last preparations and all of the fun, Brigit is shocked by the arrival of her ex-husband Nathaniel Cabot and even more stunning is the reason WHY he is there.  It seems her dreamy husband-to-be neglected to tell her he signed a contract with HELLO! magazine that gives them an exclusive story of their wedding.  The reporter covering their upcoming nuptials is, you guessed it, Nathaniel!  Their marriage might have ended two years earlier, but Brigit is still seething over her ex-husband’s failures that, in her opinion, led to their divorce.  And when he begins telling her a few of her fiancé’s secrets, Brigit rushes to Blake’s defense, but doubts are beginning to creep in.  Will these uncertainties derail her upcoming wedding?

Brigit is an interesting blend of irritating and likable.  She is genuinely concerned about bettering the plight of those less fortunate which is quite admirable.  However, she views the world as black and white and she is convinced her way is the only way to do things.  Brigit was less than understanding when things went wrong for Nathaniel and this lack of patience and sympathy is difficult to overlook.  With Blake, she is pretty wowed by his celebrity status and despite their altruistic plans to aid impoverished countries, Brigit is rather self-absorbed.  Her current interactions with Nathaniel are somewhat hostile on her part which on the one hand is understandable since who really wants their ex at their current wedding?  However, on the other hand, she comes across as haughty and unyielding as she continues to rehash old grievances and these discussions do not paint her in a flattering light.  Brigit is definitely an interesting character, but one that is hard to feel much sympathy for.

Nathaniel’s motives for covering his ex-wife impending wedding are most assuredly suspect. Is he there to ruin things for Brigit?  Or is he just doing his job?  Again, a difficult decision as he continues to reveal Blake’s secrets to Brigit.  Are these revelations for his own gain?  Or is he ensuring she has the pertinent facts about her husband-to-be?  Despite not being sure of his reasons for divulging suspicious information to Brigit, Nathaniel is a genuinely likable man and he is quite charming and personable.  Whether or not his reasons are self-serving or selfless, Nathaniel is a refreshing breath of fresh air since he is much more down to earth and relatable than most of the characters.

Brigit’s sister Daisy is another person that is difficult to read.  She is nowhere near as successful as Brigit and while Daisy keeps saying she is not jealous of her sister, some of her inner musings make it appear that she is, in actuality, rather envious of her sister’s accomplishments.  Like Nathaniel, Daisy has more depth than the other characters and despite her conflicting feelings for Brigit, she is a genuinely kind-hearted young woman who always has her sister’s back.

Brigit’s parents, Sydney and Francis also take center stage as they prepare for their daughter’s wedding.  Wealthy and privileged, they have weathered a few storms during their long marriage and this vacation seems to be helping them recover from a recent rough patch.  Both are keeping secrets from one another and they are eventually forced to make a few long overdue confessions.  Their quick recovery is a trifle unrealistic and readers will most likely be a little annoyed over the way this part of the storyline is handled.

While Santorini Sunsets is an enjoyable, light-hearted read, there are few things that readers might become impatient with over the course of the novel. Some of the sentences are a little perfunctory and there is an overuse of certain words. Many of the characters lack depth and seem rather superficial due to the excessive label and celebrity name-dropping.  Yes, they are über wealthy but the constant reminders of the lavish meals, extravagant purchases and exclusive clothing/jewelry labels soon become grating.  The numerous flashbacks provide insight into events occurring in the present, but this telling vs. showing becomes tedious (which is fairly heavy-handed since this is something I do not typically notice).

However, the underlying themes of Santorini Sunsets are universal and will resonate with readers.  The various storylines aptly demonstrate how secrets and lack of communication can undermine even the best relationships.  And of course, the absolute best aspect of reading a novel by Anita Hughes is the exotic foreign setting.  Santorini is an absolutely breathtaking location that springs vividly to life through the richly detailed descriptions of the scenery and sunsets.

Despite a few flaws, Santorini Sunsets is overall entertaining read that offers a pleasant diversion from ordinary, everyday life. Anita Hughes does a wonderful job keeping readers guessing how the story is going to end and the resolution of the various story arcs is quite satisfying.

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Filed under Anita Hughes, Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Romance, Santorini Sunsets, St Martin's Griffin