The Bromance Bookclub by Lyssa Kay Adams
This was a cute story about a man who turns to his friends and fellow athletes to help him win back his wife. That may sound run of the mill but it is the way they help that gives this book the edge. The men have formed their own bookclub to learn the art of love and courtship via historical romance novels. Very readable.
Rating: 3.5/5
The Scentkeeper by Erica Bauermeister
Reese Witherspoon chose this as one of her bookclub picks and for me that usually means that a win, the key word being ... usually. This one fell short in my opinion. It revolves around a young girl who lives on a deserted island with her father who teaches her the importance of scent and smell. How they came to be on the island and the tragedy that takes girl off of the island never quite hit the mark for me and I felt myself searching for a deeper story that never came.
Rating: 2/5
The Straw Men by Michael Marshall
This book was passed on to me by one of my uncles who instilled in me the love of thriller/horror genre. It sat on my shelf for a long time and made itself known when, as I was reaching for another book, it came crashing into my lap. I took that as my hint to read it next. Turned out to be a very interesting read.
A man comes back to his hometown after, what he initially thought, was an accident that claimed the lives of his parents. Different sub-stories come together into one as the truth behind the deaths comes to light. Unbeknownst to me this book is the first installment of a trilogy as the story peaked my interest I will look for the other books to get to the truth.
Rating: 3.5/5
The Garden Plot by Marty Wingate
This is the "cozy mystery" choice for the month. If you remember in October I read the first in the authors newest series and enjoyed it so I chose to look into her earlier books and was pleasantly surprised that it was good as well. This series has an American gardening architect "starting over" in the Chelsea area of England. As she looks for permanent work in the many stately homes she becomes a witness to a murder. With a new group of friends and a potential love interest she finds herself solving the mystery and learning more about her mothers English roots. Smart and funny with lovely narrative about the area I have already added the next book to my wish list.
Rating: 4/5
I have read others books by this author and have always found them immensely readable. This one has a mystery mixed in that lends itself well to a story that, at its heart, is a dissection of a marriage in peril. They way the author told both sides of this tale and how the couple comes to terms with their past, both shared and singular, is what kept me turning the pages.
Rating: 4/5
The Missing Letters of Mrs. Bright by Beth Miller
Picture a woman in her fifties deciding, after 29 years of marriage, that she is not happy and she wants out of the marriage and out of the rut that is her life. That is the premise of this heartfelt and endearing novel. This story is about family and friendship and how you can lose yourself if you are not truly present in both. A little gem for sure.
Rating: 4/5
Friday on my Mind by Nicci French
This is the 5th installment in the Freida Klein series by the author and it did not disappoint. Coming close the end of the series we learn more about the main character as she goes on the run when she becomes the main suspect in a murder of someone close to her. What I enjoy in this series is how the authors keep the arc that runs through all the novels relevant and intertwined with each new story. The cliffhanger has me eager to read the next book but also sad that the series is almost over.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
I definitely ended the November with a bang as I loved everything about this book! This was my audio book for the month and having it narrated by actor Lesley Manville was a treat.
Set in a fictional retirement community outside of London, England where a group of retirees form The Thursday Murder club as a way to pass the time. When a real murder takes place they become the central hub, along with a police duo, in the solving of the crime. Along the way we learn the background of the characters and each one has a story to tell. I was sad when the book was finished but that quickly turned to joy when I found out that there is a follow-up book in the works.
Rating: 5/5
Happy Reading!
Nancy
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