A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler

 

Title:  A Forty Year Kiss

Author:  Nickolas Butler

Narrated by:  Richard Poe

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 46 minutes

Source:  Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library

What is your favorite second chance romance book or movie?

Forty years ago, Charlie and Vivian divorced after forty years of marriage, mostly due to Charlie’s alcoholism.  He has regretted this divorce and now finds himself retired and alone.  He returns to Wisconsin to look for Vivian.  Will these two find a second chance at romance after a lifetime has passed?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This novel has two triggers in it:  alcoholism and abortion.

·       I liked the western Wisconsin setting. 

·       This was a very slow-moving novel.  It was a second chance romance and also domestic fiction for genres.

·       It was the February pick for the Page-turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  We meet next week, and I’ll see what the rest of the book club thought about this one.

·       I figured out a plot twist almost right away, but it did overall play out differently than expected.

·       I listened to this on audiobook. The narrator was good, but I did bump up my listening speed to 1.5 as the story was so slow moving.

·       I enjoyed getting to know Viv’s daughter, Melissa, and her grandkids.

·       The writing in this novel was inconsistent.  Charlies is made out as being a more caring and compassionate man, but he also makes statements like that from Viv’s picture on social media, he can tell she takes care of herself because she dyes her hair.  Then later he talks about how he doesn’t dye his hair.  I really hate this type of sexist talk on women’s looks and expecting more than you are willing to give yourself.

·       The alcoholism storyline was weird as they divorced because of Charlie’s alcoholism, and he is still an alcoholic all these years later.  It seemed unrealistic that he would just be able to drop it after all this time.

·       Abortion is a hard topic, and I did not enjoy this storyline at all.  I especially didn’t like the keeping of secrets.

·       The book is mostly made up of conversations and not much action.

·       I did like that the book featured a love story between two mature, retired people.

Overall, A Forty Year Kiss by Nickolas Butler was a slow moving second chance romance that didn’t quite resonate with me.

The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan

 

What was the first book you read in 2026?  I read this book on New Year’s Day.

Mirren Sutherland has been hired by Jamie McPherson, a highland Scottish laird, to help find a rare book amongst this late Grandad’s collection, that could help save the estate.  The problem is, he doesn’t know what book it is and his Granddad had a massive amount of books filling the entire estate.  Rival book hunter, Theo Pallister, is also on the case and just so happens to be the man that ghosted Mirren after their last adventure.  Will Mirren find the rare book, and will she find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I started reading this book and realized I was missing the novella, The Christmas Book Hunt, so I went back and read it first.  It was a very enjoyable novella.  In it, Mirren searches for “A Child’s Garden of Verses” as a wish for her dying Great Aunt Violet to see the book she so loved in her childhood.  Mirren is a “quantity surveyor,” but searches across the United Kingdom for this lost book, a decision which changes her career.  Handsome Theo Pallister assister her and sparks fly.  I loved the adventure of the search and the bond between Mirren and her great aunt Violet.

·       I love a good treasure hunt, especially a treasure hunt involving a lost book. The clues were fun, and it was very enjoyable trying to solve the mystery of the lost book.

·       The book and Dr. Who references were a lot of fun.  It is a great book for book lovers.

·       The setting of the run-down castle in Scotland was also magical.  I wanted to visit!

·       Roger the dog was a cute character.  I enjoyed the humor when Jamie said Roger was a working dog and didn’t want to be petted, but Roger loved getting pets from Mirren.

·       I enjoyed the characters, especially Mirren.

·       One of my favorite parts was that Mirren and Theo had their own private rail car to the estate.  It was magical!

·       Everyone is trapped at the estate due to a huge snowstorm and family secrets are also investigated.

·       The romance didn’t go the way I expected it to, but I enjoyed it.

·       I love Jenny Colgan.  Whenever I need escapism reading, I love to grab one of her books.

·       The book didn’t have that much Christmas in it, it was more a winter setting.  It would be a good read any time of year.

Overall, The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan is a cozy book treasure adventure that was a great escapism read.

Book Source:  Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

Shopaholic Christmas by Sophie Kinsella

 

What is a favorite series that you have read?  I have always enjoyed the Shopaholic series for a light funny read that helped me out when I was sick with Hyperemesis gravidarum when I was pregnant.  I was very saddened to learn of Sophie Kinsella’s premature death from cancer.  I was looking through her works and realized I had missed the last Shopaholic book – Christmas Shopaholic.  I love this series and Christmas books, so I decided Christmas was the time to read it.

Becky Bloomwood is back in England with her husband Luke and daughter Minnie.  She is excited for her traditional family Christmas at her parents’ house.  Her life is thrown into a tailspin when she discovers that her parents are moving for a time to the trendy Shoreditch neighborhood in London so that her half sister Jess and husband can stay at their home for the holidays.  Becky is now hosting Christmas!  Everyone has a lot of demands and needs that need to be met that are pulling the joy out of Christmas.  Will Becky be able to have a Christmas that meets her family’s needs while also having a good Christmas for herself and her little family?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I could relate to this book as I have had many similar feelings while hosting family events.  I really liked how Luke kept advising Becky  to think - is it really needed for the true core and family or is it extra fluff?

·       Becky still hasn’t gotten over her shopping addiction, but she is a caring person that always thinks of others.  She is just really lucky she married a rich husband!

·       I laughed out loud several times.  It reminded me why I love this series.  I need to reread the entire series.

·       This is number nine in the series.  It has been quite some time since I’ve read the previous book, and it was pretty easy for me to jump back in and remember the characters.  I think you could read this as a standalone, but it is really fun to experience all of the books.

·       This book was very engaging, and I read it very quickly.

·       I love all the characters.  They are like old friends.

·       The book had a great ending that is also now the ending for the series.

·       I was continually amazed at all the scraps that Becky is able to get herself into.  I wonder how Kinsella thought it all up – it was hilarious!

·       This was a fun read that made me happy

·       In between the chapters there were text messages, emails, Google searches and the like that related to the action and moved the story along.  They were pretty funny.

Overall, Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella was a light, engaging, and hilarious read that was perfect to read during the holiday season.

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan

 

Do you travel during the holiday season?  We travel at either Thanksgiving or Christmas to Michigan each year to visit my family.  It’s by car, but the drive through Chicago keeps things exciting.

A Merry Little Lie is a family drama that is told through many point of views.  Becky is trying to get home for Christmas but is stranded at the airport.  She runs into her brother’s best friend Will, and he offers her a ride home.  Will experienced her very embarrassing moment at her twin sister Rosie’s wedding.  Will she be able to face down this embarrassment? 

Rosie married Declan after a very quick relationship.  They are having problems – will they be able to hide them from Rosie’s family?

Hayley is being introduced to Jamie’s family as his significant other and they have some exciting news to share.  Jamie is Rosie and Becky’s older brother.  Hayley is meeting the family for the first time.  Will she find the family she has always wanted?

Jenny is happy her kids are coming home and is trying to put together the perfect Christmas experience.  Will she be able to hold everything together?

My thoughts on this book:

·       A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan is the Brenda Novak Book Club read for December.  I finished it up at the end of the month and still need to watch the book club meeting on Facebook.

·       There were a few different romance tropes in this book including forced proximity, friends to lovers, and second chance romance.

·       I would rate this as some spice.  There were a couple of steamy scenes.

·       It made me laugh when the elders were very excited about the romance between the young people.  Grandma in particular was very forthright in her thoughts.

·       Jenny and her husband, Martin, are having problems as he has just retired as a doctor and doesn’t know what to do with himself.

·       I liked all the relationships in this book including the romantic, sibling, parent, etc.  It was a good family drama.  I liked how the book focused on family in all different stages of life.

·       I loved how Hayley was accepted and able to experience a family Christmas she never had before.

·       This book did move rather slowly for me with all the characters to keep track of.

Overall, A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan is an enjoyable family drama perfect for the holidays and all year round.

Book Source:  Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank-you!

 

The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans

 

Title:  The Christmas Stranger

Author:  Richard Paul Evans

Narrated by:  Richard Paul Evans

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 7 minutes

Source: Review copy from Simon Audio.  Thank-you!

What is the last book that made you cry?  This book made me feel a lot of feelings and I did cry at the end.

Paul lost his wife and son three years ago in an accident.  He is at the end of his rope and has decided to commit suicide, even though he feels guilty about leaving his dog Barkley alone.  A mysterious stranger shows up and changes Paul’s life.  He directs Paul to a pharmacy where Paul helps to save people during a robbery in progress.  He also puts him in the path to rescue a boy from bullying.  Who is this Christmas stranger, and will Paul find life worth living once again?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       It’s not Christmas without a new Richard Paul Evans book.  I love reading his books every year and getting into the Christmas spirit.

·       It is interesting how many Christmas stories have a Christmas stranger, spirit, or angel that helps the protagonist find their path forward.

·       I loved that author Richard Paul Evans reads the audiobook himself.  He was a great narrator. 

·       This was a very emotional book.  The book was about grief, guilt, forgiveness, and starting over.

·       The only thing I didn’t like is although Paul was a good guy helping a kid out, it seemed creepy in today’s world that he would be at the school talking to the principal about a kid not related to him, picking him up, waiting for another kid.

·       This would be a great Christmas movie.

·       I loved the characters, especially Paul and young Ronald.

·       This was a clean read.

·       I don’t want to say too much as I think it’s best to experience this story yourself without knowing any details.

Overall, The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans is a heartwarming and touching Christmas story that was perfect on audiobook.

The Good Samaritan by Toni Halleen (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of The Good Samaritan by Toni Halleen.

Have you ever been helped by a good Samaritan, or have you been one yourself?  I spun my mom’s car and slide off the highway while driving through a snow storm when I was in college.  A good Samaritan stopped and made sure I was okay, which I greatly appreciated.

Matthew Larkin is a sociology professor at St. Gustaf in Minnesota in 1992.  While driving home one night, he comes across a young passed out boy underneath a tarp in the rain.  Trying to be a good Samaritan, he decides to take the boy to the hospital himself.  The boy wakes up and runs off before Matthew gets him to the hospital.  Who is this boy and why was he passed out in the rain?  Why does he remind Matthew of the poor choices he has made in his own life that led up to his own son’s death?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was an interesting domestic suspense thriller.  I would call this a family drama or slow burn domestic thriller as didn’t have a lot of stunning twists and turns.  It did have a lot of character and family development.

·       I liked the 1992 and Minnesota setting. 

·       The story was told through many people including Matthew, his daughter Claire, the missing boy, Seaver, and Kira a social worker that is looking for Seaver.

·       The stories were all separate, but intwined.  I liked the resolution at the end.  I thought that the mystery was solved and that the characters also had great growth towards a positive solution to the problems in their lives.

·       I didn’t always think Matthew made the right choices, but I felt for him.  He tried to do what was the right thing at the time.  He kept harkening back to the worst moment of his life, his son’s death, and the aftermath which included the destruction of his marriage. 

·       Claire is trying to navigate life as a teenager from a broken family.  She has a crush, but when her crush takes things too far, what will she do?

·       Seaver had to leave his foster home suddenly, but what he wants most is to get back his mother.

·       Kira wants to find Seaver, but she also has ties to Claire and gets to know Matthew.

·       There are some trigger warnings and heavy themes for this book including sexual assault, the death of a child, alcoholism, drug addiction, divorce, grief, foster care, and runaways.

·       The book does make you think, what would you do in such a situation?  Now with cell phones, I would just call the police immediately.  It’s interesting how technology has change our society so much since the 1990s.

·       I enjoyed these characters and would love another novel to catch up with them a few years down the road.

Overall, The Good Samaritan by Toni Halleen was a good domestic suspense thriller with interesting characters and premise.

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones

 

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones is the April selection for the Rogue (aka FLICKS) Book Club.  I have been in the mood for a thriller, and was excited to pick this book up.

Rachel is traveling to Portugal with her husband Jack, and best friends Paige and Noah for a weekend wedding.  They are also bringing along the bride, Ali, who is marrying Jack’s brother Will.  Jack seems preoccupied and not pleased about the wedding even though he introduced the bride and groom.  Is there more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye?

This thriller opens up an entire can of worms of how the dynamics between these friends have worked through the years. This novel is for fans of domestic drama, and I would call it more of a domestic thriller of who is sleeping with who.  I figured out pretty quickly one aspect of the story, but I didn’t quite get the final answer.   I couldn’t put the book down as I tried to fit all of the pieces together.  Things went very south at the end of this novel and the ending is more action packed than the rest of the novel.

Rachel is the narrator of the story and it’s filled with her suspicions as she tries to piece everything together.  She annoyed me at times with her naiveté.  I wanted her to just leave and take a plane home.  I did like how the novel played with people’s preconceived notions about people.

The setting at the seaside villa in Portugal was beautiful.  I’m ready to go there for vacation now…although I am not going surfing (too soon?).

Overall,  The Guilt Trip is an entertaining domestic thriller.

Book Source:  The Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you.

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Where do you consider your own personal Paradise that you love or want to visit?

 Troubles in Paradise is the conclusion of the Paradise Trilogy.  I read the first book as part of the Page-turners’ Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.

 The Steele family has moved to St. Johns, and they are still looking for the answers in the helicopter accident that killed Russell Steele and his lover Rosie. The survivors all find their lives intwined. Russell’s widow Irene works on a fishing boat with Rosie’s stepfather Huck.  Russell’s sons Baker and Cash have moved to the Island and are having complicated love stories with friends of Rosie’s.  Maia, the daughter of Rosie and Russell, tries to figure out how to move on without her parents.  As a hurricane nears the island, will they all survive?

 I have enjoyed this entire trilogy.  I loved the mystery and that it is resolved in this final novel.  The plot moved quickly, and it was very readable.  I especially enjoyed getting to know all of the characters over the three novels.  I was sad as the novel concluded as I realized I wanted to stay with the characters and their story, even though the conclusion of the novel was a good one.

 Favorite Quote:

“This Is the kind of conversation he likes the least – murky ambiguous.  They’re middle-aged.  Why can’t they just say what they mean?”

 “Her mother was right, Maia thinks.  Love is messy and complicated.  And, most of all, unfair.”

 “It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be true.”

 “You can lose the people you love the most; you can lose homes, cars, antiques, hand-knitted silk rugs that cost five figures; you can discover that the very life you’re living is a terrific lie.  And despite this, despite all this, the sun will continue to rise.”

 Overall, Troubles in Paradise was a great conclusion to the trilogy.

 Book Source:  Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!