I won this book through Goodreads First Reads. I entered because: the description was unlike any book I've read before, it had high ratings, and everyone mentioned the beautiful writing. I hated the writing. This book was basically Mayumi over-analyzing absolutely everything. Everything went on and on and there was way too much shit in parenthesis (I found it to be VERY distracting) I find the whole thing very hard to believe - everyone knew and was okay with what was going on? Mayumi annoyed me to no end. She was a very childish 41-year-old woman. I was embarrassed by some of her actions and words towards the young man. She was like a prepubescent girl with her first crush not a married, grown-up woman with a four-year-old child to take care of. The two women needed some sense slapped into them.

There aren't many options for a young woman growing up on a family farm in the early 1900's, but Liddie Treadway is determined to pursue a career instead of getting married and starting a family. She patiently waits for the day when both of her parents agree to let her work as a seamstress in town. Several obstacles are thrown into Liddie's path but eventually her dream comes true. She loves her independence, her employer, and her new friend Minnie. She even has a new-found passion: photography; but she misses her family and friends and the life she once had at the farm. Liddie must decide what she truly wants - a life of adventure or a life of love. I wanted to like this book. I felt as though the characters were mostly one-dimensional and flat. The book itself is forgettable.

Summer has just begun and eleven-year-old Timmy Quinn and his best friend Pete are looking for something to do in their small, boring town of Delaware. They go down to Myers Pond where they discover an odd looking boy sitting on the bank.  This is a really solid short story, and the first in the series about Timmy Quinn. Good writing, interesting story, never dull. I look forward to reading the next one!

Nick Hansen makes a trip to the grocery store one day and sees a young woman who looks exactly like his college girlfriend, Marissa. But Marissa died in a fire twenty years ago and when he tries to speak to the young woman, she gets spooked and runs off. The next morning the police arrive at his apartment bright and early to show him a photo of the young woman at the grocery store. She was murdered and a piece of paper was found in her pocket with his name and address on it. Nick is convinced there's a connection between the two women. With the help of his friend, Laurel, who happens to be a cop, they dig deep into the past and begin to unravel one hell of a story. This book was so good! It was a suspenseful, well-written novel - it flowed together well and the characters were three-dimensional. I'm an animal lover, so I was rooting for Riley the whole way!

Wolf is still holding Lady Killane for ransom. She is locked away in a beautiful room underground where she is served three meals a day and is allowed to bathe and read. She still struggles with her feelings for Wolf but she's also thinking hard about how to escape from the den. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Tulsa loves the river, canoeing, the birds and critters, the scenery in the Ozarks and she especially loves her grandmother Ruby. Together they run the Sweet Oak River Oasis - a canoe rental business that sits on a river that threads the Ozark hills. Widowed for thirty years and still missing her husband, Ruby knows the joys that love can bring and wants her granddaughter to experience those joys herself. But Tulsa has no time for anything except running the Oasis. When her grandmother suggests she read a romance novel Tulsa reluctantly agrees out of the love she has for Ruby. Unbeknownst to Tulsa, Ruby has created a romance novel book club. Their friends Pearl, BJ, and Jen get together to discuss books but end up learning about forgiveness, taking chances, and love. I really loved the setting of this book and the strong bond of friendship these women shared. I also loved when BJ responded to her doctor's orders to find a man's love with "Jesus loves me" and he told h

The author knows how to craft her words into a really good story. Annabelle Macon returns home from New York after being fired from her job. Sheriff Jackson Storme hasn't seen Anna in a decade but the minute he lays eyes on her he knows that she's the one for him. I can't wait to read more!  

I really liked the description of this book which is basically: Olivia Nelson had a close relationship with her brother and when he died it destroyed her life. Landon Gray was the one responsible for Olivia's brother's death and she plans to get her revenge. She transforms herself into a completely different person and travels from the United States to Argentina with her mind set on the revenge she has wanted for so many years. After the accident, Landon went to Argentina to get away from what happened and to be with his sister. Not a day goes by that he's not tormented by the guilt he still carries around. When Brooke arrives at his resort he is immediately drawn to her. As Olivia (now Brooke) starts spending more and more time with Landon she begins to doubt if she can go through with her plan.  It started off good but then it became boring to me. It was a whole lot of fancy eating and them just doing stuff. I hate to say it but I didn't overly care for this book.