Book Review: "Trust Issues" by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan and Greg Wands

Being on Bookstagram I have lots of friends who love thrillers, including my friend Kim. When she really raves about a book, I listen! This is the second thriller I’ve read recently because of her, and she hasn’t steered me wrong either time!

Hazel and Kagan are sister and brother, and they simultaneously support one another and tear each other down. Even though they’re adults, neither is particularly good with money, so they often turn to their mother for help. But she’s had enough, so when she refuses to keep funding the siblings, it strains her relationship with both.

When their mother dies under mysterious circumstances, they’re understandably sad. It’s not long, however, before their grief turns to greed, and they wonder what their inheritances will be. Imagine their surprise when they learn their mother cut them both out of her will.

Hazel and Kagan were both depending on the money from their mother’s estate, so they’re none too happy to be left empty-handed. They’re convinced that their mother’s second husband is to blame—and they want to make him pay, both literally and figuratively. The siblings find an unlikely partner in this mission, which takes them up and down the East Coast.

This is definitely one of those books that keeps you guessing, where you know not everything is what it seems, but you don’t know what to believe. It’s good to go into this book relatively blind.

The authors have written three books together under the name E.G. Scott. I’ve not read any of those, but I definitely will now, because I thought this was great! I devoured this and still wanted more.

Book Review: "Wedding Dashers" by Heather McBreen

This book was exactly what I needed! What a fun, sexy, and surprisingly emotional debut this was.

Whenever her sister Allison was sad or in trouble, Ada fixed it. She was there to pick up the pieces every time Allison’s relationships would go bad. But when Allison gets engaged after only knowing her fiancé for a short time, Ada keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop. And she might have told Allison that marrying Collin wasn’t the best idea.

The relationship between the sisters is definitely strained, which is why Ada is taking a budget airline to Allison’s fantasy wedding at a castle in Belfast. Of course, the travel gods are not on her side—her flight is canceled and there’s not another one for at least several days, which means she’ll miss the wedding.

As her travel karma goes from bad to worse, a meet-cute with a handsome man helps ease the pain. It turns out this stranger, Jack, happens to be the best man at Allison’s wedding, so the two plan to travel together—a plan that is fraught with roadblock after roadblock. They can’t deny their obvious attraction to one another, but Ada and her boyfriend of 8 years are on a break, and Jack has a reputation for being a bit of a player.

“I wish there was a word for it. The space between longing for someone but not quite loving them.”

Wedding Dashers is definitely a slow burn, and Ada’s early indecision is a little irksome, but the chemistry between her and Jack is excellent. Are there surprises? Not really. Did it matter? Not with the banter, the steam, and the emotion, not to mention the setting!!

Book Review: "More or Less Maddy" by Lisa Genova

“She’s bipolar. That word gets thrown around without a medical license all the time, mostly by boys to describe girls as crazy. It’s a derogatory dart meant to demean and dismiss its target. But those boys aren’t doctors, and Dr. Weaver isn’t hurling names.”

Maddy’s first year at NYU was definitely stressful, but isn’t that the case for most college freshmen? There’s dealing with a roommate, dealing with all of the work and exams, as navigating her emotions after her high school boyfriend broke up with her just before college.

She often feels like the black sheep of her family. Her sister and brother excel at everything, her mother cares tremendously about appearances, and it’s no wonder Maddy is always sad or anxious. But it all seems rather innocuous until her mood swings blossom into a full-blown manic episode, and she is diagnosed as bipolar.

“But this chose her. Without her consent, like an arranged marriage, till death do they part. She wants an annulment, a divorce, an open window onto a fire escape, a new doctor, a time machine. Some way out of this.”

Despite her doctor’s advice to lead a more tranquil life, Maddy decides what she wants is a career as a stand-up comedian. Of course, the pressure and the constant fear of rejection doesn’t count. And at times she’s convinced she’s writing Taylor Swift’s biography or being involved with one TV show or another.

This was a tremendously powerful, emotional book. It really captured the rawness of depression and bipolar disorder. But at the same time, there are touches of humor which lessens the heaviness of the book. Lisa Genova always tugs at my heartstrings with her books, and this one is no exception!!

Book Review: "Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations" by Alton Brown

“To me, food is best when it’s not fussed over. Cook it as simply as you can, make it taste as good as you can without overcomplicating matters, serve it on a fairly simple, tasteful plate (if it’s chipped, even better), toss on a bit of parsley, and let it go. Do not fuss. Do not wipe down the edge of the plate. Do not position the stack of fries just so. Do not manipulate the Brussels sprout leaves with tweezers. We are humans, and wonderfully, imperfectly so. If it turns out that fussing is simply part of your DNA, do your imperfect best to not let it show, as it scares the rest of us.“

If there’s a chef who writes a book (not a cookbook), chances are I will read it. I’m fascinated by the paths that people followed into the culinary world, especially those who have some longevity, given people’s constantly changing tastes.

I used to be addicted to Food Network. On the weekends in particular, I’d watch a ton of cooking shows. And as much as I loved new recipes and techniques, I also loved understanding the science behind cooking, which is what drew me to Alton Brown and his show Good Eats.

Brown is a quirky personality but he is an absolute fount of culinary knowledge. His show not only taught ways to cook better but also helped viewers understand where their problems might lie. His humor was always on full display.

This book isn’t quite a memoir; it’s more a collection of essays, the majority of which center around food and how it became part of his life. From his early days of consuming every type of sugared cereal to reflections on his perfect martini, Brown provides insightful, fun, and thought-provoking commentary. He also talks plenty about Good Eats and his participation on Iron Chef America.

I thought this was a great book, as it was right up my alley. Even if you’re not familiar with Brown, if you’re a fan of food and cooking, there will definitely be something in here to enjoy!

Book Review: "Every Tom, Dick & Harry" by Elinor Lipman

What a fun, bighearted book this was! I think I might have had a smile on my face from start to finish.

“I’ve been estate-sale adjacent since I could add and give change, spending weekends at a table, wrapping and bagging purchases.”

Emma moved back to her small hometown of Harrow, Massachusetts, where her parents still live. She helps out with their estate-sale business, and when they decide to retire to Cape Cod, Emma takes over the business (which she renames “Estate of Mind”) and their house.

She hears about a large house being put on the market, so she quickly reaches out to see if the owners would let her handle the estate sale. It turns out that this wasn’t just any house—it was a bed and breakfast as well as a brothel. (The customers used different sets of stairs.) Given all of the furnishings and other tchotchkes in the house, Emma expects quite a windfall, but she doesn’t count on the stress that dealing with the madam, her ex-husband, and their daughter will bring.

There are many other things going on in Harrow. Emma begins a secret romance with Luke, the chief of police, whom she went to high school with. Her boarder, Frank, a retired high school teacher, begins dating Luke’s widowed mother. And then there’s all the craziness related to Frank’s late wife…

Elinor Lipman’s books always have complex and memorable characters, and often are quite humorous. There’s a lot going on here but it’s just such a sweet, fun read. And boy, given all that’s going on in the U.S., it’s exactly what I needed!

The book will publish 2/11/2025.

Book Review: "One Perfect Couple" by Ruth Ware

I was today years old when I read my first Ruth Ware book. I’ve been meaning to read her for a long while, but thanks to my book club’s selection of this one, I finally can check her off my list of authors I’ve yet to try.

Lyla is a virologist whose research isn’t going the way she or her boss had hoped. Now she’s in danger of her contract not getting renewed. That would make life difficult for her, since her boyfriend Nico, who lives with her, is a struggling actor who keeps searching for his big break.

Then he thinks he’s found it: his agent is recommending that he and Lyla be contestants on One Perfect Couple, a new reality show that will launch an all-reality show streaming channel. Nico is convinced that simply appearing on the show will give him the notoriety he needs to get to the next level, and he begs Lyla to participate with him, since it’s a show for couples.

Lyla reluctantly agrees but keeps waiting for the whole thing to fall apart. But before she knows it, they’re off to a secluded island in the Indian Ocean, to stay at a brand-new resort, where the show will be filmed. They’ll compete against four other couples for a cash prize of undetermined value, although Lyla doesn’t expect she’ll get very far.

Shortly after they arrive, things start going awry. It appears the challenges haven’t been thought through, which leaves everyone tense, and then (of course) a massive storm is headed for their island. They’re unable to get back to the mainland or communicate with anyone, and supplies—and patience—start running low. And then the contestants start dying…

Much like the true crime podcast, I’ve seen enough books centered around a reality show on a deserted island. The main problem I had beyond disliking every character was that this book was billed as an homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, and I didn’t get the comparison at all. I’ve been told to try another of Ware’s books, but I don’t know if I'm up for giving her a second chance.

Book Review: "I Think They Love You" by Julian Winters

Julian Winters is one of my auto-buy authors, so when I saw he had a new book coming out I was definitely excited. And as much as I’ve loved all of his YA books, learning this would be his first adult novel was even more exciting!

As the son of the CEO of 24 Carter Gold, Atlanta’s most prominent event planning company, Denz has always been expected to make a good impression. He’s tremendously conscious that someone is always watching him, which as an adult has translated into social media success for the company.

When his workaholic father announces his retirement and a search for the company’s new CEO, Denz decides to become a candidate. His family questions his seriousness and his commitment to things, so he tells them he has a boyfriend to prove them wrong.

Of course, now he has to find a boyfriend, or at least someone who’ll pretend to be one. The person to fill the role is the last person Denz is expecting: Braylon, his college boyfriend, who took a job in London after graduation and broke his heart. (Braylon needs Denz’s connections, so it’s not a one-sided fake relationship.)

As Denz jumps through hoops to try and prove his worthiness to be CEO, he and Braylon go all in on fake dating. Of course, there’s always some truth in every pretend relationship, but can either of them admit their true feelings before it’s too late?

I loved how much heart this book had. It’s not only a story about second chances; it’s also about family, friendship, ambition, fear, and trying to figure out what you want out of life. This is a sexy, romantic, emotional story, and proof that Julian Winters succeeds no matter what genre he’s in.