Review for The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley

 

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by  Colleen Oakley 

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Publication: May 25th 2021 by Berkley

 

Sometimes all you need is one person to really see you.

Piper Parrish's life on Frick Island—a tiny, remote town smack in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay—is nearly perfect. Well, aside from one pesky detail: Her darling husband, Tom, is dead. When Tom's crab boat capsized and his body wasn't recovered, Piper, rocked to the core, did a most peculiar thing: carried on as if her husband was not only still alive, but right there beside her, cooking him breakfast, walking him to the docks each morning, meeting him for their standard Friday night dinner date at the One-Eyed Crab. And what were the townspeople to do but go along with their beloved widowed Piper?

Anders Caldwell’s career is not going well. A young ambitious journalist, he’d rather hoped he’d be a national award-winning podcaster by now, rather than writing fluff pieces for a small town newspaper. But when he gets an assignment to travel to the remote Frick Island and cover their boring annual Cake Walk fundraiser, he stumbles upon a much more fascinating tale: an entire town pretending to see and interact with a man who does not actually exist. Determined it’s the career-making story he’s been needing for his podcast, Anders returns to the island to begin covert research and spend more time with the enigmatic Piper—but he has no idea out of all the lives he’s about to upend, it’s his that will change the most.

My Thoughts… As I read this book, I thought of a real island in the Midwest that has no cars and a slower way of life, but it depends almost entirely on the vacationers to keep their island going.   I was picturing the quaint stores, the wonderful restaurants, and the citizens that do not always love having people intrude on their lives.  

Ander’s starts podcasting about Frick Island and their resident widow, Piper.   I liked how he started telling her story and then realized that her story may not be what he thinks it is.   He wants to get to know her and know why she still thinks her husband is alive.   I loved how the other citizens put him through the paces to protect Piper.   They realized that outsiders would find her odd and did what they could to protect her.  

Piper… what a wonderful character.   I cannot give it away but the end of her story WOW!  I loved how she lived her life, she was a caretaker for others, she allowed others to caretake her, and she lived a life that helped her be happy.   Her quirks, her spunk, and her amazing will to keep living show her strength.  

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

 

 

Meet Colleen Oakley…Colleen Oakley is the USA Today bestselling author of You Were There Too, Close Enough to Touch, Before I Go, and the forthcoming The Invisible Husband of Frick Island (May 2021). Colleen’s novels have been longlisted for the Southern Book Prize twice and Close Enough to Touch won the French Reader’s Prize. Her books have been translated into 21 languages, optioned for film and have received numerous accolades including:

*Indie Next List Pick Jan 2015, March 2017 and Jan 2020

*Library Reads Pick 2020

*Top 21 Books of 2020 by O Magazine

*People magazine Best New Book

*Us Weekly “Must” Pick

*Romantic Times Top Pick

*Library Journal Big Fiction Debut

*Publisher’s Lunch Buzz Books

*In Touch Weekly: Grade A

*Pop Sugar’s Books We Can’t Wait to Read

*Real Simple’s Best Books List

*Bookbub’s 12 New Books to Read If You Love Jodi Picoult

A former magazine editor for Marie Claire and Women’s Health & Fitness, Colleen’s articles and essays have been featured in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Women’s Health, Redbook, Parade, Woman’s Day, Fitness, Health, Marie Claire and Martha Stewart Weddings. A proud graduate of the University of Georgia’s school of journalism, Colleen currently lives in Atlanta with her husband, four kids, four chickens, two guinea pigs, and one fish.

 

 

              

 

 

Review for Beth and Amy by Virginia Kantra

 

Beth and Amy  by  Virginia Kantra 

Paperback, 352 pages

Publication: May 25th 2021 by Berkley Books

Genre:  Fiction, Romance, Retellings, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

 

From Goodreads…Four sisters face new beginnings in this heartfelt modern take on Little Women by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.

Amy March is more like her older sister Jo than she'd like to admit. An up-and-coming designer in New York's competitive fashion industry, ambitious Amy is determined to get out of her sisters' shadow and keep her distance from their North Carolina hometown. But when Jo's wedding forces her home, she must face what she really wants...and confront the One Big Mistake that could upend her life and forever change her relationship with Jo.

Gentle, unassuming Beth grew up as the good girl of the family. A talented singer-songwriter, she's overcome her painful anxiety to tour with country superstar Colt Henderson. But life on the road has taken its toll on her health and their relationship. Maybe a break to attend her sister's wedding will get her out of her funk. But Beth realizes that what she's looking for and what she needs are two very different things....

With the March women reunited, this time with growing careers and families, they must once again learn to lean on one another as they juggle the changes coming their way. 

My Thoughts…Little Women is such an amazing book so when I saw that Beth and Amy March were getting a retelling of their stories, I could not be more excited to read it.   I had already read Meg and Jo (the first book in this series) and love it so I was sure I would not be disappointed.   I am happy to report that Beth and Amy is just as wonderful and heartwarming.  

I really enjoyed how real Virginia Kantra kept the characters real.   Beth has an illness and the way it was handled was with care and tenderness while still showing how serious it could be.  The March family gathered around, protected their own, and showed her the love that they always have for each other. Amy is struggling to make it in New York and knows that the next step will be a big one.   Looking for funding she looks towards her aunt who gives her an ultimatum.  Her relationship with Trey was fun but had many serious sides.   I loved how strong Amy was, she stood up for herself, protected her family, and did what she must just to get where she wants to be.   

The March family is still wonderful.  Abby, the mother, is still the backbone of the family keeping everyone in line but now that they have grown she realizes that sometimes she must step back and let them live their lives.   Ash, the father, has a large part in this story and I love how he was portrayed and the choices that he was making. 

Whether you have read Little Women or not I recommend buying your own copy and meeting the strong, loving, and family orientated March women.  

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Meet Virginia Kantra…New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra is the author of thirty novels. Her stories have earned numerous awards including two Romance Writers of America's RITA (R) Awards, and two National Readers' Choice Awards.

Her work includes the popular Dare Island series, the Children of the Sea series and, in e-book format, The MacNeills stories.

Meg and Jo, a contemporary novel inspired by Little Women, received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and the American Library Association's Booklist and was praised by People Magazine.

Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three (mostly adult) children, Virginia lives in North Carolina. She is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.

Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations.

A popular speaker, Virginia regularly offers workshops to writers' groups and has participated in Winston Salem's Bookmarks Festival; the North Carolina Literary Festival; and Duke University's "Unsuitable" event series hosted by the Forum for Scholar and Publics. She loves talking with readers.

Follow Virginia Kantra on BookBub, Goodreads, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

 

 

Cover Reveal for Playing Hard to Get by Ellie Isaacson

 

Title: Playing Hard to Get

Series: Playing With Hearts

Author: Ellie Isaacson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Ex-Military, Fashion Designer, Friends to Lovers

Release Date: June 10, 2021

Cover Design: Kate Farlow with Y'all. That Graphic.

I've wanted Mitch since the day we met.

But the broody ex-Marine was the one man I could never have.

I'm not a girl who believes in fairytales. I'm no princess, and there's never going to be a handsome prince coming to my rescue.

I don't deserve it—not after all the hurt I caused.

So I tried to stay away, ran whenever he got too close. It wasn't enough.

Mitch wouldn't take no for an answer. He chased me until I gave in. Made me let go, break all my rules, and drop my defenses. He made me feel things I’d never felt before.

Our love was all consuming.
Our lives forever changed.

Are we finally ready to give up our hearts? Or will the wounds from our pasts continue to tear us apart?

Ellie Isaacson has been an avid reader her whole life, but a couple years ago she had a dream that she just couldn't forget. She cultivated that dream and began writing, which became a dream of a different sort. Ellie is thrilled to be able to share her passion with her readers. As an accountant and an author, she slings numbers by day and words by night. She's also a wife and a mother of two amazing boys.

HOSTED BY:

 

Title: Unbreak Her Heart

Series: Beaver Run Reunion Series #1

Author: Brie Wilds

Genre: Small Town Second-Chance Romance

Release Date: June 3, 2021

Cover Design: Brie Wilds

Some never find love…some others do, and set it free. But will it ever come back? An endearing story of sweethearts since high school, college breakup and a casual encounter many years later. Sometimes, it takes a second chance to get it right.

Luke

On the verge of losing his mega art commission, wanderlust-stricken artist Luke accepts an indecent proposal from his ex to help complete his paintings, but when old emotions are rekindled, he discovers that his feelings for her never died, now he must confront the demons in his past before it’s too late and he loses her forever. There is never a second chance, to a second chance.

Sandra

Just as she decides to start dating again, after a long hiatus, lonely bar owner Sandra is presented with an opportunity to serve her ex the coldest dish of revenge ever, but when old feeling come roaring back, she quickly discovers that moving on is easier said than done, now she must take matters into her own hands to ensure she is never a fool for love again.

Brie Wilds writes steamy, romance stories about men, women and their amazing and unique journey to happily ever after.

She’s the author of My Big Fat Fake Matrimonial Ad- Book 3 of her Beaver Run books. Her latest book, Unbreak Her Heart, is an endearing story of sweethearts since high school that got a second chance at love many years later after a breakup.

When Brie is not writing, she’s hanging out with her family. You can visit her at www.briewilds.com

HOSTED BY:

Spotlight for Hamburger Dreams by Christopher Carosa

 

Within the mists of time lie buried uncoverable answers to history's most compelling questions. 

What really happened to the lost continent of Atlantis? 

How did ancient Greeks possess the technology to create the Antikythera mechanism and what did they use it for? 

Why did hundreds of people suddenly start dancing in the streets of Strasbourg during July 1518 and then, just as suddenly, die? 

Who was Jack the Ripper? 

And, finally, where did Amelia Earhart end up? 

These questions pale to the ultimate mystery. 

It's the mystery behind something that has touched us all and will continue to touch generations into the future. It's the mystery behind a trillion-dollar industry. It's the mystery behind something so simple, so common, so obvious, that no one bothered to write it down. It is, the birth of the world's first hamburger. 

Did the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis really inaugurate the "hamburg sandwich" as purportedly described in a New York Tribune article that same year and as said to be taught by McDonald's famous Hamburger University? 

Or was the first hamburger served in 1900 at Louis Lunch, a diner in New Haven, Connecticut as reported by the New York Times and recognized as such by the Library of Congress? 

Or did Fletcher "Old Dave" Davis first place a ground beef patty on bread in "the late 1880's" as suggested by the Dallas Morning News? 

And, if the hamburger really was first invented in 1885 either by Charles Nagreen at the Outagamie County Fair in Seymour, Wisconsin, or by Charles and Frank Menches at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York, which fair occurred first? 

Cynics will tell you we can never discover who really sold the first hamburger just because there is no smoking gun proof. By coincidence, literature's most famous detective appeared at the same time the first hamburger was sold. Would he have conceded just because the case lacked a credible eye witness? Would he say it's impossible to know who among the usual suspects most likely sold the first hamburger? No. Sherlock Holmes didn't rely on the existence of a smoking gun. He used something more convincing: the power of deduction. 

Award-winning academic researcher and writer Christopher Carosa uses these classic crime solving techniques and other investigative tools to crack the mystery behind who sold the world's first hamburger. In Hamburger Dreams, Carosa submits his findings in much the same way a DA might present a final summation to the jury. 

Available to buy from the following sites...

Amazon Paperback   Barnes and Noble  Kindle

""It gives me delight to report Hamburger Dreams is both scrupulously researched and written with graceful style. I could not put it down and finished it in a single sitting." Craig Shelton, James Beard Award Winning Chef, Shelton Hospitality Group

"In Hamburger Dreams Chris Carosa has created the most savory of culinary whodunnits, using the techniques of modern crime solving to examine the four major 'suspects' who claim to have created the World's most famous sandwich." Simon Majumdar, Author (Eat My Globe), Foodand Travel Writer, Broadcaster, Podcaster 

"Hamburger Dreams is a fascinating and well-researched account of the origin of the hamburger. Part culinary-mystery and part documentary, I thoroughly enjoyed both Chris Carosa's investigation and the delightful way in which it was presented." Liz Petty, Creator - culinarymysteries.net

Enjoy an excerpt

Hiram P. Hopkins woke up Friday morning to threatening skies. The skies didn’t bother him. After the last nine months, nothing more could bother him. It was the last day of the annual Erie County Fair. He had accomplished much, despite his apparent youth. Why should that have surprised anyone?

He inhaled a deep satisfying breath of the moist morning air. For a moment, Hiram’s mind drifted back to another morning nine months earlier. “The Erie County Agricultural Society held its annual meeting at Kopp’s Hotel, Abbott’s Corners, Wednesday, Jan. 21st. H.P. Hopkins of Buffalo was elected president.” He remembered reading that in The Buffalo Commercial the previous January. He was but twenty-nine years old when the Society tapped him to replace long-time president John Kraus...

Walking the fairgrounds under darkening skies before the gates opened that Friday morning, Hiram surveyed the vast expanse of his accomplishment. All around the grounds he saw happy faces beneath the many vendor tents and booths that dotted the landscape. As a result of Thursday’s dense crowds, they were no doubt flush with cash. If they were worried about the chance of rain, they didn’t show it.

As Hiram neared the now-finished grandstand, he did spy upon two dour faces. These were the Ohio brothers. A few years younger than he was, Hiram took a natural liking to them. He wandered over to their tent to see what troubled them.

“Mr. Hopkins,” began the older brother, “we’ve sold out of sausage for our sandwiches. Do you know where we could buy more?”

Hiram reflected for a moment. He felt a raindrop touch him. He knew exactly who the boys should go to.

It may have seemed inconsequential at the time, but, in that instant, Hiram P. Hopkins’ answer would forever change mankind in a way that continues to touch nearly every man, woman, and child in the world today… 

More books by the author

About Christopher Carosa

Christopher Carosa was born on the third floor of Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York on a hot summer morning in mid-July, 1960. Barely a Kindergartner, he and his younger brother produced a daily newspaper (for just one day, and mainly as an excuse to type on their mother's vintage typewriter). He conducted his first public reading in first grade at the age of six, where he read a story he wrote about "Herbie the Helicopter" (sort of like "the little train that could" except with rotors instead of wheels). 

Later, as a teenage rebel who detested all things literature and English class, he once joined with a small band of classmates in tenth grade who refused a class assignment to read a novel and write an analysis of it. The teacher gave each of the renegade students a stern choice: "either do the assignment or write your own novel." While all his friends bowed to their instructor and did the assignment, Mr. Carosa held firm. He wrote his first novel "Armageddon" (a geo-political sci-fi epic set in the not-so-distant future). His teacher gave him an "A" and went so far as to suggest the budding scientist might have a dual career as a writer a la Isaac Asimov. 

The young Carosa laughed at the suggestion, but remained a closet author, coming out rarely and when it was least expected. He agreed to serve as treasurer of his high school literary magazine Equinox, but only if the editors agreed to publish his sophomoric send-up of Star Trek. They reluctantly acceded to his demands. He went on to oversee a then record-breaking sale of the flimsy carbon-copy annual, mostly by offering to personally autograph every copy sold ("You never know," he told unsuspecting buyers, "I might be famous some day.") 

Despite his best efforts, such as organizing a union of AP English Students (U.A.P.E.S.) and leading a "strike" where the entire class skipped one day, he passed his English classes. He found his antics fared no better in college, where his mocking essays failed to incite the professor, who instead enjoyed them for their "change of pace." 

Now a full-fledged adult, Carosa began writing in earnest the last few weeks of his college career. With hours of computer time left in his account and his senior thesis complete, he spent his remaining time using an archaic word processor to create entertaining tidbits for his friends. 

And that was it. 

The author within him went into hiding. He still wrote, but no one knew. He accumulated pages and pages, then floppy disks and floppy disks and then finally hard drives full of creative content. Some of it will never see the light of day (and probably shouldn't). Some of it you see here and will continue to see. 

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Website   Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads   Amazon

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