Books Read in 2015

Heart Conditions by Phoebe Fox

heart conditions by phoebe fox

Photo Credit: Henery Press 2/9/16

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Heart Conditions

Summary from Goodreads:

Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden has spent the last year sifting through the fallout from the disastrous decision that led to her unconscious uncoupling with boyfriend Ben Garrett. Despite advising her clients you can’t be friends with an ex, she and Ben have somehow begun to stitch together a friendship—one Brook hopes is slowly turning into more. That is, until Ben introduces his new girlfriend, Perfect Pamela, a paragon of womanly virtues who is everything Brook is not.

While Brook navigates her newly volatile emotional life, an unwelcome surprise shows up on her doorstep: the ex-fiancé who broke her heart two years ago—one month before their wedding. Between her ex’s desire to rekindle their attachment, her best friend Sasha’s unexpected crisis, and her own unsquelchable feelings for Ben, Brook finds herself questioning the personal progress she’s made in the last two years—and threatened with the highest-stakes Breakup Doctor failures she’s ever faced.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Oh Brook. I love you. You are so fun. Even when you are being kind of nutty! Continue reading →

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

readers of broken wheel recommend

Photo Credit: Sourcebooks

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

Summary from Goodreads:

Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen…
Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her pen pal, Amy. When she arrives, however, she finds that Amy’s funeral has just ended. Luckily, the townspeople are happy to look after their bewildered tourist—even if they don’t understand her peculiar need for books. Marooned in a farm town that’s almost beyond repair, Sara starts a bookstore in honor of her friend’s memory. All she wants is to share the books she loves with the citizens of Broken Wheel and to convince them that reading is one of the great joys of life. But she makes some unconventional choices that could force a lot of secrets into the open and change things for everyone in town. Reminiscent of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, this is a warm, witty book about friendship, stories, and love.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

When I first saw this book at BEA 15, I’ll admit that the cover was the initial draw. I like blue covers, the swirls, etc. Then, my next thought (after reading the summary) was could this be another The Storied Life of AJ Fikry? It had a ish feeling to that plot line. Continue reading →

Come Away With Me by Karma Brown

come away with me by karma brown

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Come Away With Me

Summary from Goodreads:

One minute, Tegan Lawson has everything she could hope for: an adoring husband, Gabe, and a baby on the way. The next, a patch of black ice causes a devastating accident that will change her life in ways she never could have imagined.

Tegan is consumed by grief, not to mention her anger toward Gabe, who was driving on the night of the crash. But just when she thinks she’s hit rock bottom, Gabe reminds her of their Jar of Spontaneity, a collection of their dream destinations and experiences, and so begins an adventure of a lifetime.

From the bustling markets of Thailand to the flavors of Italy to the ocean waves in Hawaii, Tegan and Gabe embark on a journey to escape the tragedy and search for forgiveness. But they soon learn that grief follows you no matter how far away you run, and that acceptance comes when you least expect it.

Heartbreaking, hopeful and utterly transporting, Come Away with Me is an unforgettable debut and a luminous celebration of the strength of the human spirit.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ll admit- a blurb about this book referencing EAT PRAY LOVE almost turned me off this book ( I didn’t care for the movie at all and the reference made me think that Tegan was going to give me a major case of the bummers.)

Luckily for COME AWAY WITH ME- it had a book fan to bend my ear and let me know how fabulous it is (shout out to Helen at My Novel Opinion 🙂

When I began read Tegan and Gabe’s story- their story, basically in the first ten pages, went to a dark place. A sad place. So, I thought I had it figured out- their life is crap now and the jar of spontaneity is all about them, together and separately, learning to deal with the craptastic stuff that happened and find a way to move on.

But Karma was sneaky. And that’s all I have to say. #nospoilers

And yes, COME AWAY WITH ME does have an EAT PRAY LOVE feel in the sense of the travel and maybe even some of the lessons that Tegan learns about life, love and forgiveness.

I thought long and hard as I was reading this book- could I forgive Gabe? Because while it’s an accident, it’s also his fault (if that makes sense). I ached with Tegan about her choices, what she lost. #Kleenex

I’m doing a terrible job of explaining why this book should be on your TBR list. Just trust me- read it.

 

*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

traveling with t sign off picture

Thicker Than Blood by Jan English Leary

thicker than blood

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Thicker Than Blood

Summary from Goodreads:

Andrea Barton is single but wants a child. When an infant is abandoned at a church on the north side of Chicago, Andrea first becomes a foster mother and then adopts her. Andrea believes that love and her experience as a social worker will see her through the challenges of raising an African-American child in a white world. During Pearl s childhood, Andrea is able to protect her daughter from many of societys blows. But when teenaged Pearl starts to seek her own identity, their relationship is threatened. Both mother and daughter face situations that force them to confront the possibilities and limits of love.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Andrea wants a child very much. She’s considered many of her options- but when a child is abandoned, it seems that fate wants them to be together. Continue reading →

Anything For You by Kristan Higgins {+ Giveaway}

Anything for You by Kristan Higgins

Photo Credit: Harlequin Books 12/29/15

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Anything for You

Summary from Goodreads:

Before you get down on bended knee…

…you should be pretty darn sure the answer will be yes. For ten years, Connor O’Rourke has been waiting for Jessica Dunn to take their on-again, off-again relationship public, and he thinks the time has come. His restaurant is thriving, she’s got her dream job at Blue Heron Vineyard—it’s the perfect time to get married.

When he pops the question, however, her answer is a fond but firm no. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? Jess has her hands full with her younger brother, who’s now living with her full-time, and a great career after years of waitressing. What she and Connor have is perfect: friends with an excellent benefits package. Besides, with her difficult past (and reputation), she’s positive married life isn’t for her.

But this time, Connor says it’s all or nothing. If she doesn’t want to marry him, he’ll find someone who does. Easier said than done, given that he’s never loved anyone but her. And maybe Jessica isn’t quite as sure as she thinks…

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’m still in denial that Kristan Higgins Blue Heron series has come to an end. I’m not accepting it. Continue reading →

Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan

some kind of wonderful by sarah morgan

Photo Credit: Harlequin Books

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Some Kind of Wonderful

Summary from Goodreads:

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan will sweep you away with her Puffin Island series! In a town where anything can happen, sometimes love can be found in the most unlikely place of all…

Her whole life, Puffin Islander Brittany Forrest has dreamed of adventure. And at the age of eighteen, she thought she’d found it in bad boy Zachary Flynn. But after just ten tempestuous, smoldering days, their whirlwind marriage went up in smoke, and Brittany resolved to put him out of her mind forever.

Zach knows he let Brittany down, but being back on Puffin Island and seeing Brittany again stirs up long-buried emotions. This daredevil pilot has never felt worthy of her, yet he can’t stay away—even when he knows the chemistry between them will only complicate his life.

As long, hot summer days on the beach dissolve into sultry, starry nights, Brittany and Zach find that the sparks between them are more powerful than ever. Could it be that the second time around, their dreams of a happy-ever-after will finally come true?

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Having absolutely enjoyed the heck outta my first exposure to Sarah Morgan in her O’Neill brothers series- when I first heard about Puffin Island- I was unsure. Could I love another series like I did the first one? Continue reading →

Food Whore by Jessica Tom

Food Whore

Photo Credit: William Morrow 10/27

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Food Whore

Summary from Goodreads:

Food whore (n.) A person who will do anything for food.

Fresh out of college, Tia Monroe has every intention of taking the New York City restaurant scene by storm. But after a coveted internship goes up in smoke, Tia’s suddenly just another food lover in the big city.

Yet everything changes when Michael Saltz, a legendary New York Times restaurant critic, lets Tia in on a career-ending secret: he’s lost his sense of taste. Now he wants Tia to serve as his palate, ghostwriting his reviews. In return he promises her lavish meals, a boundless cache of designer clothing, and the opportunity of a lifetime. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Tia agrees.

Within weeks, Tia’s world transforms into one of glamour and luxury: four-star dinners, sexy celebrity chefs, and an unlimited expense account at Bergdorf Goodman. Tia loves every minute of it…until she sees her words in print and Michael Saltz taking all the credit. As the veneer of extravagance wears thin and her secret identity begins to crumble, Tia is faced with what it means to truly succeed. In a city where “making it” is the ultimate goal, Tia will have to decide: how far is she willing to go for the life she craves?

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Confession: I’m not a real “foodie”. I like food. I can talk about flavors and I can usually pick interesting tastes/spices out. I love a simple home cooked meal and I enjoy dancing on the wilder (for me) side of sushi. Continue reading →

All Dressed in White (Under Suspicion #2) by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

Photo Credit: Simon and Schuster 11/17

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

All Dressed In White

Amanda Pierce was about to marry the love of her life when something happened. Was it cold feet or something more nefarious? 5 years later, no one can actually say. Her body has not been discovered and Amanda has not contacted her family to let them know that she is ok.

For a mother, this limbo is the worst kind of life. When Amanda’s mother contacts Laurie about choosing the Amanda White story as the next Under Suspicion story, Laurie is initially unsure. But the more she listens to the mother talk- the more that she knows this is the story. Continue reading →

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Photo Credit: William Morrow

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Pretty Girls

Summary from Goodreads

#1 internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter returns with a sophisticated and chilling psychological thriller of dangerous secrets, cold vengeance, and unexpected absolution, in which two estranged sisters must come together to find truth about two harrowing tragedies, twenty years apart, that devastate their lives.

Sisters. Strangers. Survivors.

More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed.

The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.

Powerful, poignant, and utterly gripping, packed with indelible characters and unforgettable twists, Pretty Girls is a masterful thriller from one of the finest suspense writers working today.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve been living under a rock apparently. I know of Karin Slaughter (and now have actually met her at BEA 15) but I’d not read any of her books, despite numerous recommendations to read her books. Continue reading →

Cover Shot by LynDee Walker

cover shot by lyndee walker

Photo Credit: Henery Press 11/10

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Cover Shot

News has been slow in Richmond until Nichelle tempts the news gods and then faster than you can say “Holy Manolos!” the news is kicking up a storm.

Naturally, our Moscato-drinking, shoe loving reporter is in the thick of things.

When a body is discovered at a high rise condo complex, Nichelle does her best to get the info she can. But, the police are being surprisingly tight-lipped over things.

Of course, that has never stopped Nancy Drew- so Nichelle uses her smarts and her feminine wiles to find out pieces of the story.  Continue reading →