Must Love Dogs: Bark & Roll Forever by Claire Cook
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Claire Cook has done it again. Must Love Dogs 4 - Bark and Roll Forever is another fun visit with the irrepressible Sarah Hurilhy and her family. Sarah is such a wonderful main character, with all of her quirks and personality flaws, she is so likable and real. In this book Sarah and John have made plans to move in together, but the challenge is finding the right place, and they are quietly trying to have a baby together. As they begin their search, Sarah's ex-husband's new wife manages to push her way into the process by finding buyers for Sarah's current place. Time is running out, and with very few options open, Sarah and John decide to move in with Sarah's dad temporarily. The usual Hurlihy family hijinks include Sarah's dad being involved with a group of women who run the "Bark and Roll Forever" dog-walking business.
Sarah is consumed with self-doubt that she has waited too long to begin trying to have a baby, so naturally she is surrounded by pregnancy, from her co-worker at the preschool to her very own niece. Even her ex-husband's new wife is expecting.
Bark and Roll forever is like a visit with some cherished old friends. Claire Cook does an amazing job of keeping the story fresh and interesting, while staying true to the Hurilhy family charm. You can't help rooting for Sarah and John, and cheering along with them once they finally find a solution to the their housing dilemma.
You will want to add this book to your list of beach reads for the summer!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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Trying Not to Love You by Megan Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
It was a cute story idea, over protective brothers getting in the way of love, I really wanted to like this book but I just didn't. The book had several errors and was seriously in need of editing. The dialogue was simplistic and repetitive. The characters were undeveloped, very one dimensional. I had trouble relating to the main character. For me the worst part was the ending, it seemed rushed, unfinished and completely out of character with the rest of the book. It was meant to be a cliffhanger but I really have no interest in finding out what happens next.
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Daughters of the Lake by Jane Riddell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Despite a very etherial sounding title, this book was an inside look at a dysfunctional family, keeping secrets from each other. When their widowed mother invites everyone home to celebrate the anniversary of their hotel, the secrets begin to unravel. Infidelities, broken relationships and guilt play out against the beautiful swiss location of the story. The author is from the UK, so American readers will need to adjust to the different spellings and some of slang used. At times the descriptions got lengthy, but overall the family dynamics and the many secrets led to an interesting story.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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Sold by Patricia McCormick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A well written and very disturbing look at human trafficking, this is the story of Lakshmi, a young girl from the hills of Nepal who thinks she is going to the city to be a maid so she can send money back to her family. Unfortunately, Lakshmi is unwittingly drawn into the ugly world of sex trafficking in India, and her heartbreaking story of abuse is written in a poignant first person account. This young adult book handles the sex scenes discreetly, but the emotional pain is raw and difficult at times. I would recommend this book highly to older teens and adults.
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At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Set in Scotland during World War II, the story follows Maddie and her husband Ellis along with his friend Hank as they search for a sighting of the infamous Loch Ness monster as a way to vindicate themselves to Ellis' disapproving family. Ellis and Hank are spoiled and selfish, and as Maddie learns the truth about her husband she find herself falling for Angus, the gruff innkeeper. The story shows the depth of pain and loss as well as the true resurrection of the human spirit. I really enjoyed the characters, and although the story is quite dark at times, Sara Gruen has once again given us a brilliant love story.
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