TBR Challenge: Aimie K. Runyan - The Wandering Season

Veronica Stratton, a specialty food broker with a business on the cusp of brilliant success that would change the trajectory of her life, visits her parents in idyllic Estes Park for Christmas. She's fresh from a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, so she's eager to reconnect with her beloved family in the mountains and forget about her troubles for a few days. But with the holiday comes a DNA test from her younger sister that confirms her secret she's adopted. Having the truth out in the open leaves her feeling unmoored in ways she didn't anticipate.
With so much of her life in upheaval, Veronica is looking for an escape. Inspired by her best friend, she plans to go to Europe to see four of the places listed on her DNA ancestry report. She treks to County Mayo in Ireland; the Dordogne region of France; the countryside of Lombardy in Italy, and Copenhagen, Denmark. She hopes to learn about where her family lived while also making connections for her rapidly expanding business, but she finds that each stop brings her visions of her ancestors that raise more questions than they answer. And among those pressing questions is how charming Irish castle keeper Niall Callahan will fit into her visions for the future.

Comment: For the month of may, the TBR Challenge theme is "new beginnings" and I had initially chosen a book which I DNF'd. 

Since I still had time, I've managed to pick another one, out of the titles I had planned for this month, and this book by new author to me, Aimie K. Runyan, seemed a good fit too, since the heroine spends the book traveling to learn more about her roots and by the end of the story she has definitely embarked on a new beginning in her life. 

Veronica is doing well enough in her life but she has recently broken up with her boyfriend, which should have bothered her more than what actually did. Things change when her sister decides to bring a DNA kit and the results prove she had been adopted, something she already knew but which had not affected her relationship with her parents. Still, talking about this makes her curious to know more about where her ancestors came from and that is why she goes on a month trip to Ireland, Italy, France and Denmark. Since she loves working with food, this is the element she seeks first, but is there room for other good things to present themselves in her path too?

In general, I liked this story and was happy enough with the author's writing style (which is positive since there is another book by her I would like to try one day) but I will be honest and say I wasn't easily "immersed" in the story because what I thought the most was that this book was rather boring. 

Veronica has a business in which she provides help to restaurants or similar enterprises although everyone around her thinks she should have her own restaurant. She has never wanted this nor the responsibility since she knows how easy it is for such a dream to go wrong but that doesn't make her feel less successful. Her life has been one of privilege, with her family being well provided financially and emotionally. She has known she is adopted but that never interfered much with her vision of happiness or stability. I did like this, that she wasn't this poor victim or this frustrated villain of her circumstances.

Still, it wasn't truly challenging to read about someone who had it easier for the most part reacting so maturely even though i liked this. Thus, when Veronica is given the chance to travel during her low season at work, with all expanses paid by her father, well, good, but made the logistics seem too easy, too simple. I mean, I would not want a detailed description of every single thing she would do, but this did paint her in a privileged scenario that made me less eager to connect with her.

She then goes to find more about her roots, considering the areas mentioned in the DNA's results, which just happens to be areas out of big city centers. First stop is Ireland (I suppose the gorgeous cover of this book is inspired on that) and from the start, we are introduced to the love interest. I should say this isn't a romance, this is woman's fiction, but this element seemed cute and I did like Niall as a potential partner for Veronica, even more so when we see they share a lot, like their interest in cooking.

From then on, the other places also had their interest, except the place in Denmark which Veronica barely acknowledged, but what was a total fail in all these places was how they were linked to Veronica. I kind of expected more information about how were these places connected to her ancestors, what had happened for people to leave the countries but the explanation was very thin. The author chose to use a magical realism tool, making Veronica have visions of women who are her ancestors. I've found this to be a very poor choice because it seemed to be out of place for the rest of the novel, as if the pieces would not fit properly.

When Veronica finally understands more, connects the dots and has her eureka moment as why this experience mattered and what she might do with her life, I was already a little bored with all the superficial information and how it should be seen, without any character having been properly developed and without it being interesting to see them with more depth, which was lacking. Thus, everything was fine, well presented but not really challenging, not emotionally addictive.

Veronica does have her new beginning in life, in how she sees herself, so I think this was a good element in the book, certainly well achieved. But it wasn't spectacular.

Grade: 6/10

J.R. Lawrie - The Sheltering Tree

The heart of Alastair Harding's life is his duty. Becoming the first gay chief of the Metropolitan police has required certain sacrifices, but Alastair made them willingly. If his life now lacks human connections, he can't exactly complain—and it's a little too late for regrets.
Jay Fieldhouse knows all about sacrifice, too. Brought to London for his own safety by witness protection, Jay's grassroots charity works day and night to save vulnerable kids from a life of crime. But getting close to other people is tough when no one really knows who you are.
When he meets Alastair one night at a charity event, Jay is intrigued by his glimpse of a gentle soul beneath the commissioner's uniform. The two men decide to run their lonely paths side by side for a while—after all, life is short and good sex is hard to come by.
Then the shadows of the past begin to stir, and the words which go unsaid might be Jay and Alastair's undoing.

Comment: I saw this book being recommended in several places and once I got in my head that I would like to try it, the decision was made and, months later, voilá.

Metropolitan commissioner Alastair Harding is attending one more gala in his life, this time to award charities and he isn't prepared to see his life changing, but that is what happens when he meets Jay Fieldhouse, the CEO of this years's winner. They get to chat for a long time that night and they don't end things there. In the following weeks, they see each other often, mostly on the weekend, and what it seemed to be a simple friends with benefits situation soon turns into drama because they both start seeing each other in a different way. However, Jay is hiding secrets in his past, will they be able to get past that and what those secrets would mean for Alastair's career, in order to be happy together?

Reading this novel was quite an experience. It was quite long for the plot but I think I don't really mind it because I liked the story and the writing in general. However, I can see how certain things might have discouraged some readers, for there is a lot of repetition and some situations between the protagonists which read more like juvenile crushes than mature falling in love.

In spite of this general less positive element, I did have a good time and I felt invested in the characters' journey and how they made an effort to be together. What probably makes this a successful book (tome it was) is the dichotomy between the main couple but how that isn't a deterrent for their happiness. Alastair and Jay might start with the idea of something special but for one time only but it is obvious from the start that they have chemistry.

Alastair is the highest representative of the police and his character and reputation must be flawless, something he has achieved with a lot of effort and personal sacrifice. It's true he comes from money and a high positioned family but he is gay and that has worked against him in the past, which is why he has kept a discreet personal life and has had no public attachments. This lonely life has suited him at times but Jay, of course, gives him a new perspective in life and this affects him more than he imagined.

Jay is obviously more complex because of his past, which we guess right away wasn't easy and not privileged in any way. Still, Jay has overcome odds we only get to understand later on, but his need to help others has been impressive and that has gained him some validation, especially in his work for the charity he is managing. I liked Jay, he seems so bubbly and carefree at times but we know from the start he hasn't been like this all his life. His quick connection with Alastair was funny to see developing.

The romance was cute, in my opinion, because we have two people who, for a reason or another, don't feel that they are what the other needs, or they don't see themselves in a way in which the person would see the same. It was cute to see the tentative ways they messed up while deciding if they were falling in love, if the other person would share their feelings and such. you know, everyday stuff that surely takes long to happen between a couple, but in the novel it feels a little juvenile. There were times I felt they didn't act like they were in their 40s.

When things finally seem to become stable in the romantic department, a secret from Jay's past comes to surface and a lot of drama follows. I understand this tactic from a narrative POV, but it surely was annoying how this delayed certain situations and dragged the plot even further when a lot could have been solved much sooner. Again, I don't mind it exactly, but it is a very noticeable element and it made the story seem much longer than the actual plot required. I also expected more drama, considering the cover and the possible issues, but even the most stressful situations weren't that upsetting.

In the end, as one would expect, the guys found their happiness, we get to see plenty of mushy/sugary scenes but you know, I felt happy for them and I think that as a romance, everything was pretty much cute. Writing wise, I'd change some things but as a whole, this was a positive story for me.

Grade: 8/10

Tracey Garvis Graves - The Trail of Lost Hearts

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.
Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.
What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

Comment: The blurb of this novel made it seem like it would be a cute, perhaps a little angsty, romance while the main characters were doing a trail in Oregon. Although I'm not a fan of this activity in my personal life, I still find plots with this hiking and trailing business interesting, not sure why!

Wren Waters is about to start a trail in Oregon, which also includes geocaching, which is something she feels passionate about, when she meets Marshall Hendricks, who is doing the same. At first she is determined to be aloof and his offer to partner up is refused, but later one Wren finds some trouble and he helps her. From then on, trust is expected and they decided to keep up the geocaching quest together, which means plenty of time to share things and become closer. But both are dealing with past sorrows and heartbreak. Is there any hope for something solid between them or this adventure something they will forget when they separate?

Years ago, another book by this author (On the Island) was on the list of many of my friends, or at least the ones I have more contact with on goodreads. I was not sold on the idea and I have never tried that other book but when I saw the blurb for this one, it really sounded great. Since I had read other books in the past with the theme ( trail setting), I thought I'd enjoy this one too.

At first, I was quite engaged and I've found the author's writing style to be fluid and easy. I liked the setting, of course, and just like it happened with those other books I had tried before, while reading this one I also felt like I could imagine myself in those locations, seeing those landscapes and such. Well, in my mind, because I'm not really athletic. But the setting up seemed great. I was also invested in Wren, she is the narrator, and what she was going through. We are told she is mourning her deceased fiancé, but there is more to this than what seems at first, something that is developed throughout the novel.

Marshall is the romantic interest and we meet him right at the beginning, he does seem like a good guy. He happens to be a psychologist, which is an interesting choice, considering what we learn as the story advances. I think there was a time that I felt this was too convenient because they could have conversations in such a way that advice/counseling almost seemed to be included, which was more like a handy tool the author was giving us for our understanding and reflections on what was being shared, and not a real believable progress of the characters' relationship. 

As they go on, they become closer and the shared experiences make this even more obvious, especially since we see everything through Wren's eyes. They click so easily, in fact, that it felt this would lead towards a predictable path, with them falling in love and worrying about geography, because Wren lives in Ohio and would need to go back home at some point. Again, conveniently, her job allows her to work anywhere, so I could see where this would go once they solved their issues.

At this point, the story was entertaining enough and I was having a good time, but it wasn't spectacular, it wasn't as addictive as I imagined. I figured this would lead on to something pretty average but then the drama intensified and a few new details were added, mostly regarding Wren's future and the way these new elements would interfere with her relationship with Marshall, who also was going through emotional drama of his own. I knew this would be more a woman's fiction type of novel than romance, so the drama and the dealing with it didn't bother me.

However, it is a fact that this new turn of events made their connection change a little, or at least caused it be seen through a different perspective and I admit I've started to feel a bit bored. It's not that things were now bad, but I just didn't find the same eagerness to know what happened next. I've kept going because I wanted to see how the author would solve the distance thing, what handy situation would make it easier for them to move in together at last, and this included a lot of conversations and "dealing with one's feelings".

I liked reading the book but it wasn't the experience I've imagined, considering the fame the author's other book had had with so many readers.

Grade: 6/10

Agatha Christie - Destination Unknown

When a number of leading scientists disappear without a trace, concern grows within the international intelligence community. And the one woman who appears to hold the key to the mystery is dying from injuries sustained in a plane crash.
Meanwhile, in a Casablanca hotel room, Hilary Craven prepares to take her own life. But her suicide attempt is about to be interrupted by a man who will offer her an altogether more thrilling way to die... 

Comment: Here is one more book by Agatha Christie I had not read before. I thought this would be another whodunit, as usual, but it was surprisingly more of a thriller than a murder investigation.

Hilary Craven is a woman who feels she lost everything after the death of her child. Since then her life has been miserable and she decides she has no more will to carry on, and that is why she plans to travel to a warmer, more exotic country like Morocco, so she can say goodbye in a place where the memories aren't overwhelming.

However, her plans derail when a stranger, who saw how much sleeping pills she had bought in different places, approaches her and makes her a proposal. The thing is, several scientists have been disappearing lately and coincidentally, a plane had crashed the day before, but a specific person survived, but not for long and perhaps Hilary an be of an assistance...

I was really surprised by the turns this book took from the start. I was expecting a more similar novel to all the others the author is famous for, but it turns out that there is more to this novel than what it seems. Yes, it's not the most ingenious one, in terms of thriller, but it was quite refreshing to me anyway, and reminded me of other books with similar plots/intentions.

This isn't a big book, and the plot develops very quickly, with the reader having to read between the lines to follow some ideas and to understand the characters' motivations. In this regard, things aren't too different from the author's other books. Still, the situation with the scientists has a clear spying element to it and I will say that this isn't my favorite thing in books, but here it wasn't too bad because the point of the story was not the spying activity, but what is behind the disappearance of the scientists.

The development of the story to the point where Hilary's character becomes key in advancing things does set on many rather vague things. The plane travels between England and Morocco seem, somehow, so easy and mundane that one even wonders how much of a distance it truly is and how much bureaucracy really exists to allow for this to seem simpler than what it is. I know this doesn't have to matter but my brain kept thinking about it. I understand some elements have to be suppressed for plot's sake - many authors don't do this! - but the other side of this is that some characters feel underdeveloped.

In fact, this is the element I feel a little disappointed with here. The characters all play a role of course, and one could suppose to say the purpose of this novel was for the author to prove an idea and not that she really wanted to write such a novel. However, in the need to keep up the mystery, the suspense of what is really going on, most characters are quite superficial. In her whodunits we have more time spent on character dynamics and someone investigating, which helps us to see character development. 

Here, this felt secondary to the suspense... for instance, Hilary's actions at times felt so impossible but it was as if she could simply decide and perform that way. Thus, I assumed there was some hidden thing about her that would come to light later on and, incredible, all this makes sense now. Well, not really. I mean, I liked Hilary as a protagonist and I liked how the story ends for her, but she does come across as someone caught in this by pure chance and then she is just perfect in what she does.

In fact, to be fair, there is a twist at the end, not related to the main narrative, that did surprise me. I thought the big explanations had been given already and then we are told about one more thing regarding a certain character. It was not truly spectacular, but it was like a little extra, and I think the author just could not resist adding this little thing anyway,since she was primarily a writer of crime mysteries.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book, more than I imagined. It's not as great as my favorites by the author but it was very compelling.

Grade: 8/10

Ilona Andrews - Sweep in Peace

Dina DeMille isn't your typical Bed and Breakfast owner. Her inn defies laws of physics, her dog is secretly a monster, and the only permanent guest of the inn is a former Galactic tyrant with a price on her head. The inn needs guests to thrive and guests have been scarce, so when an Arbitrator shows up at Dina's door and asks her to host a peace summit between three warring species, she jumps on the chance. Unfortunately, for Dina, bridging the gap between space vampires, the Hope-Crushing Horde, and the merchants of Baha-char is much easier said than done. To make the summit a success, she must find a chef, remodel the inn, keep her guests from murdering each other, and risk everything, even her life, to save the man she might fall in love with. But then it's all in the day's work for an Innkeeper.…

Comment: This is the second installment in the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews. 

This story begins months after the events of book #1 and while Dina and her sole guest are having a perfectly good time, Dina knows the Inn needs more people and that is why she accepts the business presented by the Arbitrator. The deal is quite tricky but if it works out, it will mean more and better chances for her Inn. Of course, in the meantime, knowing three different fractions currently at war on planet Nexus are coming fora peace event, hosted by the Arbitrator is making Dina go crazy, especially since she doesn't have a proper cook for all these people. But will things succeed or is someone more interested in the peace agreement not happening?

As always, what a fascinating plot by these authors, always with incredible detailed facts and situations, which adds so much veracity to the story. To me, this is the best part, I really like the authors' writing style and how they can convey the information in such an addictive way.

The plot of this book is independent from the first book but it is best if one reads things in order, because several references here allude to what happened in that first book and some reactions make a lot more sense that way. Some recurrent characters also show up and their attitude and behavior also make more sense if one knows what went before. I was quite eager to see if something more would be added to these interactions, between these characters and Dina, and this did happen, in a way.

The plot seems simple, the Arbitrator, a sort of neutral party in this universe, has set up a challenge for Dina's Inn, being the place for a peace summit of some kind and if things succeed not only the Inn will have better critics and revenue, but it will open doors for more people, who might know Dina's parents, which is her goal since she wants to find her parents again. As expected, this scenario originates many funny and weird situations and the best part of the novel is to see the character's interactions and dynamics. By adding more and more details about the three fractions, the story remains interesting and curious to be followed.

A side note, it was quite surprising to find that the Arbitrator and his team are actually George, his brother and two other characters from another series by the authors, The Edge. I no longer remembered much about them, truthfully, but the more information we got, the easier it was to refresh my mind. It was an interesting crossover, now I wonder if we will see more of them in the other installments of these series.

It's not a novelty to say that there is a lot of stuff happening off page that, when shared, makes certain things seem both simpler and more complex as the peace talks carry on. For me, this technique is presented very well by the authors, because they can make this seem flawless and intrinsic to the plot, sometimes other authors cannot. This means that there is always some new little thing that might have seem overlooked and then, like in mystery novels, suddenly makes more sense in the big picture. I was wondering how the peace would be achieved, and the solution seemed almost too simple, but... it kind of worked out.

Perhaps the element I wasn't as fond of is that this need to maintain some secrets, some hidden information for plot purposes - to keep going in further books I bet - makes certain facts feel too random. There are times that if such a big deal is made out of this or that, why are different situations dealt with other types of rules? Why some expectation for one problem and a completely different one to something else? I mean, I get it, but it sometimes feels that the ideas aren't fully controlled. Thankfully, the writing is so good that this is almost a minor thing.

I'm quite curious to see where the plot goes in the next installment and if Dina has reached any conclusion to her romantic doubts.

Grade: 8/10

Lisa Jewell - The Family Upstairs

In a large house in London’s fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up.
In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note.
They’ve been dead for several days.
Who has been looking after the baby?
And where did they go?
Two entangled families.
A house with the darkest of secrets.

Comment: I've brought this book from the library and had no reason why, simple curiosity. This is also the second book I try by the author but to be honest, I can't remember anything about the plot of that story anymore.

In this book, we follow several narrators as they explain what happened in a house in Chelsea. The house belongs to a rich family but when the story begins, three bodies are found dead, which had happened for some time already, and a baby is found alive and taken care of somehow. The police investigated but found no real evidence of what took place to lead to such a scenario. Now, 25 years later, the baby is a grown up woman, Libby, and she is told she has inherited the house but when she gets there she believes someone is hiding inside. Investigating the news of that time leads her to the journalist who did some research and they decided to dig deeper... but are they ready to find the truth at last?

As I had experienced with the other book by the author I had tried, it was quite easy to read this book, I found myself turning the pages very quickly because the chapters are short and the plot compelling. In terms of execution, I think this was better than the other book I had tried, but still not as great as it could be.

The story is told from the POV of Libby in third person and Lucy in third person, but also in first person by Henry. At first we don't know the connection between Lucy and the others but it becomes clear soon enough, only it's not simple why life took her in the direction it did. The story is told by these people now, but Henry's POV is in the past, leading us through what happened to them all and why the three bodies were found dead.

Although it seems confusing, it really is much easier while reading, since all this is very distinctive on the page and one always has in mind who is who, narrating. Of course, the interesting part is Henry's, and how things come to be. Basically, everything is centered on the life of those who lived in the house, because Henry's mother let a couple she was friends with to stay there until their situation was solved, and later on, she let another family staying as well. All was great at first, but slowly and manipulatively, everything started to change after a while.

I suppose it might be easy to guess where this is going, and how these "guests" influenced what happened after, and from a psychological POV it seemed the plot is quite believable and realistic, after all insidiousness ins't easy to spot right away. Still, however, it always seemed strange who quickly the family was isolated and that no one really paid attention. Although, who knows, considering how everyone kind of protects their privacy...

I can accept the path taken by the characters and the reasons why they felt like those were their only options, but it's still an odd process to think of. Then, personally, the issue probably is the writing style, because for some secrets to be maintained, and for the suspense of some doubts to be carried on, the author has to change third person here to first person there, has to present things in a way that is simply not logical at times. I get it, but made for the twists to seem both predictable and/or easy to spot.

I had a hard time connecting with Lucy and Libby. Each had a different path in life, and while their personalities are certainly justifiable, neither seemed very interesting, more like a necessary type of character for this specific story. Libby is very likable and a true innocent but she also seemed very bland, her character, I think, wasn't developed as much as it perhaps required. Lucy had to live through traumas and I cannot say her choices are surprising, but... again, I struggled to like her.

Henry is the most fascinating character of them all and the means through which we learn all the important bits, but I had this feeling he was made to seem mysterious on purpose for the final twist, which kind of annoyed me. I think a different explanation for some choices everyone did in the past would have been more believable. I also didn't really like how will this was made to look the work of a disturbed person, I'd have preferred the narrative to go a different direction.

All things considered, this was an intriguing story, had great elements and vibe, but there are things that I feel didn't really enrich the plot, but had to be included for other things to make sense. Thus, part of the suspense feels weak...

Grade: 7/10

Jennifer Ryan - The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

After renowned fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses both her home and her design house in the London Blitz, she has nowhere to go but the family manor house she fled decades ago. Praying that her niece and nephew will be more hospitable than her brother had been, she arrives with nothing but the clothes she stands in, at a loss as to how to rebuild her business from a quaint country village. 

Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay-the village has been interminably dull with all the men off fighting. But just as Cressida arrives, so does Violet's conscription letter. It couldn't have come at a worse time; how will she ever find a suitably aristocratic husband if she has to spend her days wearing a frumpy uniform and doing war work? Meanwhile, the local vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, is trying in vain to repair her mother's gown, her only chance of a white wedding. 

When Cressida Westcott appears at the local Sewing Circle meeting, Grace asks for her help-but Cressida has much more to teach the ladies than just simple sewing skills. Before long, Cressida's spirit and ambition galvanizes the village group into action, and they find themselves mending wedding dresses not only for local brides, but for brides across the country. And as the women dedicate themselves to helping others celebrate love, they might even manage to find it for themselves.

Comment: I've decided to read this book because of its premise. Also, I had read another book by the author years ago and it was captivating enough that I wanted to try something else by the author.

Grace, Cressida and Violet should not have much in common, but the war has taken a toll on everyone and when Grace becomes engaged, a huge problem is to find cloth and material to do a wedding dress, and she decides to use her mother's, although it needs some fixing. Along with the ladies' sewing group, she decides she would lent her dress afterwards, to any other woman who needs it, and thus they start their task. One thing leads to the next and they soon find themselves at a position to help shape the fashion culture for years to come, but are their personal lives as easy to fix and plan for? Are they all certain their choices are giving them what they need to be happy and to survive the war problems?

In this story, once again the author offers a small community in England during the WWII period. Three women are at the center of a story which is based on true facts, in which economizing and rationing everything is mandatory, even for wedding needs. The idea of reusing and letting others use one's wedding dress might seem unlikely nowadays, at least for most people, but it was a necessity when material was so scarce.

I liked all the elements related to the clothing and sewing the ladies do in this book and having found similar ideas in other books with the same theme helped me to understand some scenes and decisions. Of course what made this story more interesting was how this group helped the protagonists seeing things from a different perspective and trying to find happiness instead of just letting things go as they were.

Grace is about to marry a man who is a little older but she never imagined someone shy and not really a beauty like her would marry, so she is eager to start her new life, even if it means to keep doing what she has always done in terms of parish work. She had forgotten about her youth dreams of Hugh, the son of the most influencing man in the region, and how he disappeared from her life, but now she is about to spend time with his aunt at his house and seeing him again will certainly force her to rethink everything.

Cressida is a well known designer in London but she comes back when her house is destroyed, and she is eager to help the ladies of the sewing group. She also likes Grace for her skills and posture and isn't surprised when she realizes Grace isn't really confident in her future marriage being a happy one. It also happens that the man she imagined she would marry one day, but who died, was friends with Grace's father, a man she becomes closer to now and with whom she finds a lot in common. But she will return to London, surely...

Hugh's sister Violet receives a conscription letter and has to join the women's teams, which she thinks is beneath her aristocratic status, but she decides to be brave even if it means less chances of finding an aristocratic husband too. She discovers, however, that she is a natural for some tasks and not even the slightly irritating American she needs to drive around puts a stop to her self discovering. 

The lives of these three ladies overlaps as they work together to help with the wedding dress fixing, as well as other projects, and the best part was to see them learn things about themselves, and all finding love. In terms of romance elements, this story worked out quite well, but I must say, just as it had happened with the other book, the writing style is a little predictable and the characters' choices very easy to guess. The writing is actually a little too simple, more depth would have elevated the plot.

In spite of the elements I think should be done better, I still had a good experience reading and wanted to know what would happen next.

I will likely read more by the author.

Grade: 7/10

Annabeth Albert - Rough Terrain

Navy SEAL Renzo Bianchi has a soft spot for Canaan Finley, and not only because the man makes a mean smoothie. He’s the first guy to get Renzo’s motor revving in a long time. But when he agrees to Canaan’s insane charade—one all-access fake boyfriend, coming right up—he never expects more than a fling.
Creating a hot Italian SEAL boyfriend to save face seemed like a good idea…until his friends called Canaan’s bluff. Now he’s setting off into the woods with the very man who inspired his deception, and Canaan is not the outdoorsy type. The sparks are already flying when a flash flood separates them from their group, leaving Renzo and Canaan very much trapped…very much alone in the wilderness.
Working together to come up with a plan for survival is sexier than either of them expects. But back in the real world, being a couple is bringing its own set of hazards…

Comment: This is the final full length installment in the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert. There are several short stories in between all the books but I have not read them.

Renzo Bianchi is a Navy Seal who loves what he does and who also happens to have some fame posting videos with exercises, although never referencing the military. He also likes what he sees in Canaan, the guy who prepares the smoothies he and his friends drink after their work outs, and after one fun conversation, they agree on a date. Following that, Renzo accepts Canaan's request to help him with an event camping and hiking, which was organized by his former band mates but it turns out that Renzo and Canaan get along way better than they imagined. However, their jobs and personalities might lead them in different directions too... is there hope for a relationship between them?

This is the last story in the series, featuring several Navy Seal characters and those who interact with them. I have liked most of the stories for the focus is mostly on romance and the relationship challenges and not as much on military content and scenes.

Both protagonists of this story had been secondary in other books but I will say that Canaan had not impressed me much because he had been a key element at one specific part of the plot of book #3, which was the one I liked the least. He had seemed rather aloof then, and showcased as someone who liked to party and some kink and, traditionalist as I think of myself, his character didn't interest me. This is mostly why I had some trepidation in reading this story but, thankfully, there is more to Canaan than who he was before.

In fact, Canaan is studying to become a nurse and he has some jobs in the meantime, which he doesn't ind because it also helps him to keep an eye on his grandfather, with whom he lives. He also has a past of being a party guy, which doesn't bother him much but being with Renzo makes him realize he might more ready for a commitment than he imagined, and I think the author did a good enough job in revealing us how vulnerable he was, and how his past shaped him to be this person who seems one thing but it's not just that.

Renzo seemed, at first, an easier guy to read but he obviously hiding some vulnerability too, and we are told he feels he needs to be closer to his family on the eat coast. This was an important part of the conflict after a while, because the setting is on the west coast and how would a nee relationship survive long distance.... I think everything was dealt with in a satisfying manner, but it also seemed as if some sequences of the plot were there for drama and not because those were really the only options. Still, the difficulties provided a new way of seeing the guys' personalities.

I kind of expected Canaan's past to be more of an obstacle for the romance but this was actually dealt with very quickly. I also thought Renzo's videos would be more of an issue for his career, considering how often they were mentioned in the beginning of the book and in the previous installment, but it didn't really go anywhere specific after all. This is to say that the plot wasn't as intense as I imagined, if I were to think of the possible obstacles, but those things still added layers to what was happening.

This author's writing style is clearly appealing to me, but I have enjoyed other books by her more. This series, as a whole, was satisfying and entertaining, but apart from one book (#4) whose plot was more interesting, all the to hers were more or less average in how gratifying they were. I will certainly read more by this author, at some point.

Grade: 7/10

Lidia Jorge - Mercy

Comment: This book was published in 2022 by Portuguese author Lidia Jorge, a well known writer who writes literary fiction. This book is the result of a request by her mother, who stayed at a nursing home for a while until her death and this is an interpretation of things she said and wrote, which her daughter then turned into a book. Misericórdia could be translated as "mercy".

I saw that this at the library and remembered that it had been praised by both critics and readers and I thought, why not. Although this is a famous writer here, I had not read anything by her before, probably because I got this idea her style would be complicated. In a way, it was so, but I still found this book to be easy to read, in terms of writing style.

The plot tells us the story of Maria Alberta, a character based on the author's own mother, who has been in the same position of needing to stay at a nursing home, as it often happens in the contemporary Portuguese society, for the social division of work vs family life means most families cannot have family members in the house all day, as it certainly happened decades ago. Thus, the quick development of the social work "business" of having, needing and paying for a nursing home.

Most families also cannot afford to do it differently and, thus, many people need to go into one of these places,which is both a blessing - they have care pretty much 24h a day - and a torture - locked in a place without having the means and often the health, to stay in their own houses. This is especially difficult to people from low incomes, or whose children cannot afford to have private care, meaning that there is quite a dissonance for these people's lives, many still aware but without mobility or unaware and in need of even more specific care.

Reading this book was interesting because there is this idea most people have of what happens in places like these. Some are good, others aren't, but it's quite a psychological trauma, I'd say, for older citizens - everyone is going there too at some point! - to adapt to a life in which they aren't in their house anymore and the helpers very likely aren't enough to be there for everyone, unless more were to work but financially that is unbearable. Thus, a conundrum which only expensive private places often can solve.

Anyway, a lot could be said about the logistics of this "business" but when it comes to the book, the author focused on the narrator's experience which is both funny and heartbreaking at times. So many situations she sees and deals with and so many things out of her control, I think this was a good story due to this, the idea of thinking about such a life, such a way of looking at life. I think that, apart from the musings and reflections, the events are recognizable and interesting.

I am also assuming this took place at a nursing home more alike to those we would find in a big city as opposed to smaller rural areas. My grandparents were in a quieter area and they were always well treated  and some of the scenes of the book aren't as similar, but the idea is there. To be fair, the people staying at the nursing home depicted in the book were also well treated, but it is common knowledge this is not always so, and older people are certainly more fragile and vulnerable.

I'd say that the element I wasn't as fond of in this book was the constant poetic/literary descriptions and sentences. Yes, the author is known for this, but I kind of expected a more realistic and exposed scenario of what was happening at the nursing home. Yes, Maria Alberta is a fascinating and erudite person, but I wanted less musings about life and more descriptions of the everyday routines at the nursing home, more interactions with others... I feel this was included but was almost secondary.

Still, I understand why so many readers found this provoking and interesting.... it does give us food for thought, and some allusions were quite a hit, but I think this was a bit too literary if I can say so.

Grade: 7/10

Irina Shapiro - Murder on Platform Four

Inspector Sebastian Bell arrives at Paddington station through thick Victorian mist, hoping to reconcile with his estranged brother. Instead, he discovers a young woman’s body in an abandoned trunk, stabbed with a peculiar bone-handled knife. But with no clues to her identity and his new boss dismissing the case, Sebastian’s investigation seems doomed.
Nurse Gemma Tate is at work when the nameless woman is brought in for an autopsy. Realizing how desperate Sebastian is for a lead, she risks a forbidden examination and makes two tragic discoveries: the woman recently gave birth, and she wears a wedding ring with the inscription “G loves H”. Has this brutal act of violence shattered not just one life, but an entire family?
Determined to get justice, Sebastian and Gemma pursue answers to the woman’s wretched fate. But when the trail of clues leads them uncomfortably close to home, Sebastian realizes too late the danger they are in. By ignoring his superior to follow this case, has he fatally doomed the woman he loves…?

Comment: This is the fifth installment in the Tate and Bell series, which I have been reading recently with my buddy read friend. The series features detective Sebastian Bell and Nurse Gemma Tate as they investigate a case and fall in love.

In this story, Sebastian and Gemma are still debating what to do with their lives, but Gemma's period of mourning is ending and they are planning on becoming engaged after that. In the meantime, a body is found inside a trunk on platform four and Sebastian is quick on the discovery since he had planned to meet his brother at the station. As they investigate the dead woman found inside, they follow the clues to a hotel, where the woman had stayed, and the hospital, where she had planned to meet someone. Why is the woman dead and what as she doing in the city? Can they find out what happened before someone else is killed?

This being the fifth installment means there are situations that have become easy to spot in the series and a certain vibe has become predictable. Still, I must say i was surprised by how much easier it was to read this book as opposed to the last two, for instance, which felt a lot bleaker. This one still had the crime investigation, which always touches subjects that can seem sensitive, but the overall impression was one of a much more approachable story line and secondary characters.

In fact, my biggest disappointment in the previous book was how unlikable most secondary characters had been and the tone of the story suggested some very bad thoughts and emotions. I'm glad that this one was a lot lighter to me, and not at the expanse of an intriguing story, for the crime committed and the solving of it still offered a lot of food for thought. This means that this book felt like it was easier to read and to appreciate.

The crime investigated provided interesting details to analyse and to wonder about and this is one of my favorite things about these novels, how the police investigates certain things with pretty much only their wit and by asking questions. At a time where so much of our contemporary science is set on technology or artificial means of finding evidence, it always impresses me how much Sebastian and Gemma can learn by talking to people and assuming things. Of course, some coincidence makes all this sound better too...

I think the case wasn't very complex, however, and the real challenge was to see how the clues would fit. Despite this, the investigation went towards a path in which it was interesting to learn what motivated the killer to act that way. And, as always, the author added interesting historical facts about this and that to make the reading experience feel richer.

My buddy friend and I have talked about the books and for me the biggest "negative" issue has been the tone of the books and how unpleasant some characters are and how that affected my enjoyment of the book. For my friend, the issue is the lack of development of Gemma and Sebastian's romance. This is an historical, so the author is trying to keep up a realistic evolution of how such a couple would behave in public, but I can understand why this also feels like an excuse, and their romance seems too bland and relatively platonic. I, too, would not mind more evidence that they are falling in love.

This book did work better for me than others and some of the things that take place give me hope for what is to come. There is always something I'd change to suit my preferences but I think this one had a good balance of the elements used. I hope the next one can feel stronger, though.

Grade: 8/10

Mini - Comments

These are the last books I've read in April. Nothing in common between them, but since I don't have much to say about them, I've decided to group both in a smaller post.

The Postman by Antonio Skarmeta is a well known short story featuring Pablo Neruda and a man who is his postman for a while, Mario. The story isn't developed much and the social and political allusions to the situation in Chile in the 1970s quite superficial. I suppose a short book would not contain much anyway, but I did expect a bit more setting and sequence to what was being said. 

The focus is on the postman who, by getting to know the poet, sees Neruda for who he is and not for his fame. Mario was a likable character but he is also quite distracted by his feelings for Beatriz. This relationship didn't convince me, but it was also a way for Mario and Neruda to talk and the best part of the book was certainly the supposed meaningful short conversations they shared. 

This short book was one of those that I think have a special value but don't leave a big mark on the reader, at least not for me. Sadly, it's very likely I'll forget about it easily.
Grade: 6/10

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is also a short story (less than 200 pages, just like Skarmeta's book) about a set of characters who connect somehow. The element they all have in common is the coffee shop which only seems to be open and available at certain times, and is managed by talking cats. In recent years, I have read several books by Japanese authors who have stories with cats and bookshops or coffee shops and in general all have been easy to appreciate. Of course, not all have been great for most include some sort of magical realism element too, and this can be tricky to do well.

In this book, sadly to me, I think the conjunction of things did not work out. I could not seem to connect with the characters, I had some difficulty recognizing the fun or the cuteness of the talking cats and although the book is short, it was also boring. There is also an element of astrology, which the author inserts in each character's life by having the cat providing advice and wisdom, but I was not convinced. I cannot say this bothered me as it did other readers but yes, it didn't help.
All in all, it just didn't make sense to me at any level, so I've decided to not finish.
Grade: DNF