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The High Tide Club
The High Tide Club
Mary Kay Andrews | 2019 | Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Josephine Bettendorf Warrick is 99 years old. She has terminal cancer and any day could be her last. She asks for the help of Brooke Trappnell an attorney in town to help settle her affairs. Brooke is aware that Ms. Warrick has attorneys and lives on an island off the coast of Georgia. Why she needs Brooke's help is unclear. Brooke's grandmother was an old friend of Josephine's and they lost touch over the years. Josephine would like to make amends to her friends and leave them a part of the island so that the state will not get a hold of it, for that she needs Brooke's help. Josephine, Ruth, Millie, and Varina were The High Tide Club. Before she dies she wants to see in person her friends or their relatives. Will Josephine be able to accomplish everything she needs to before her death?

Thank you to NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It has been a while since I have read one of Ms. Andrew's books. This book was good. It held my attention and kept me intrigued throughout.

Can you imagine living on an island in a palatial estate? Cut off from most of the world by the ocean. Sounds like a dream come true to me.

The story switches time from present day to 1941 when The High Tide Club was formed. There are many secrets that these friends shared and kept from one another. The four friends lost touch after the war except for Josephine and Varina, although their relationship has strained over the past few years.

Brooke herself is the granddaughter of Millie which is why Josephine chose her for the job in the first place. Brooke finds out things about her family she didn't know about and is successful at bringing together the ancestors of her friends. But the state wants the land and Josephine's distant relatives want to give it up to them. Discoveries are made and secrets are uncovered in this book.
  
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Merissa (13123 KP) rated Scorn of Secrets in Books

Jun 23, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)  
Scorn of Secrets
Scorn of Secrets
B. Truly | 2021 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
SCORN OF SECRETS will tear your heart out and stomp on it - this I can promise you! It hooked me in from the start as Madison tries to cope with the death of her father, plus have a relationship with her oh-so-loving mother and older sister. Her whole world is upended when they move to a new state, but it's not all that bad... is it?

Told from Madison's perspective, you are with her as she meets the rich man her mother has latched onto, the new home, the new school, the new future step-siblings. She is the quiet one of the two, more introspective than the loud Tanya, and more likely to be on Goodreads than Instagram!

This book was so emotional, I swear I wanted to kill Tanya and Charlotte. Unfortunately, family can be too similar to the way the characters are described, so my heart broke for Madison and how they treated her. The confusion and trauma she goes through were made completely understandable and showed you how little choice she thought she had. Justin is a caring and mature young man who is swept away by Madison. He wants to be there for her in every way. He struggles to understand but, once the secret is out, he fully understands.

This is the first book and does have an open ending. I can't wait to read Book 2, Thorn of Secrets, and I really REALLY hope for a happy ending for Madison and Justin. These two, gah!!! Please let them be happy, they deserve it!

In case you hadn't figured it out, I highly recommend this book! Absolutely brilliant.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 23, 2021
  
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Book Divas (227 KP) rated Fjord Blue in Books

Dec 12, 2017  
Fjord Blue
Fjord Blue
Nina Rossing | 2016 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received an eARC via NetGalley and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.

I've never read anything written by this author so I picked this book based on the description. I'm happy that I was able to read it as I found it to be a beautifully written story.

Benjamin is sent to Norway to work on his grandparents’ farm after some reckless behavior gets him into trouble. He's a young man dealing with his sexuality as no one knows that he is gay. Once he gets settled in and begins working side by side with Even who is employed by Benjamin's grandfather he starts falling into a routine while secretly fantasizing about this gorgeous eye candy. Unbeknownst to Benjamin, Even has his own secrets and demons. The characters are strong and believable. The use of Spanish and Norwegian words in this story line were excellent and it was a well-rounded read.

I found myself laughing and at times crying but most of all I loved the emphasizes on family and even though they aren't always perfect or always accepting, they are truly an important part of our lives. My only gripe is that the cover should be more appealing.
  
The Girl Next Door
The Girl Next Door
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
One little lie just became deadly…
Perfect mother. Perfect wife. Jane Goodwin has spent years building her picture-perfect life in the quiet village of Ashdon. So when sixteen-year-old Clare Edwards is found murdered in Sorrow's Meadow, Jane knows she must first protect her family.
Every marriage has a few white lies and hers is no exception. Jane's worked hard to cover up her dark secret from all those years ago - and she'll do anything to keep it hidden..

Appearances can be deceptive, can't they?
This story is told from multiple points of view and are taken on the journey of what happened on the fateful day and also the aftermath.
This story has so many secrets that are revealed throughout. The village setting is so perfect but is it really all it seems?
The pace and plot were just perfect for this story. Great characters and the suspicions just keep mounting.
The ending has such a shock twist and revelation that will leave you stunned.
Perfect suspense throughout!!
Highly recommend reading!

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review