Sunday Post (57) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

I worked yesterday and it was not that busy for a Saturday. I also enjoyed the slightly cooler (but still warm) sunny weather we had.

Not much happened this past week and I didn't read as much as I'd hoped. I need to finish my current book soon so I can write the review before the deadline. I hate deadlines :) Today I hope to finish reading Monsoon Summer and finish a review for another book. I also have this recipe for gluten free zucchini bread that I've been wanting to try. Supposedly you can mix it in a blender but I'm not sure my cheapo blender is strong enough for the challenge. We shall see! 

My trip to Williamsburg, Virginia is two months away. I've decided that I want to buy a crossbody purse as well as a new pair of walking shoes so I will probably spend part of the day online shopping. I am planning to buy my purse from Amazon if I can and use my Apple credit towards it. I haven't had any luck with buying shoes online so I may have to visit a bigger mall sometime soon to find my size. My feet were so sore at work yesterday and it has been years since I bought a new pair of walking shoes. It will not be easy to find a pair with my small wide feet and fallen arches. Wish me luck!

Last week on my blog:

Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon (review)

Books read:

Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin

I liked this sequel to A School for Unusual Girls. It was great seeing the characters develop more and the story progress. Tess is probably my favorite of the students at Stranje House and I enjoyed her romance with Lord Ravencross. This series reminds me so much of  the Maids of Honor series by Jennifer McGowan only set during the Regency instead of Elizabethan England.

The One That Got Away by Bethany Chase

I'd forgotten I had an ARC of this book until I saw that she had a new book releasing this August. Oops. I liked this contemporary romance and I feel bad that I waited so long to read it. 

Currently reading:

Monsoon Summer by Julia Gregson

I think this is pretty good so far. The first part of the book felt a little slow but once they arrived in India it became so much more interesting, especially learning about what life was like for midwives, nurses and female doctors during that time.

Currently listening to:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (reread)

On my TBR pile:

A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain

I moved this book up on my TBR pile because it is due back next week and there are holds on it. I want to read it now while I have the e-book instead of reading the huge hardcover version. One of my coworkers said it was fantastic and it's received starred reviews so hopefully I will like it. Time travel plus murder mystery makes this sound like a winner.

Margherita's Notebook by Elisabetta Flumeri and Gabriella Giacometti

I read an excerpt of this on the publisher's website and I liked what I read. I love books with lots of food descriptions and the setting also appeals to me.

The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen

This book kind of reminds me of Desperate Housewives, a show I loved once upon a time. I've also read some positive reviews of it so I'm looking forward to digging in and uncovering all the secrets.

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

New books received:

Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker (for review)

The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck (for review)

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West (for review)

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms (for review)

Margherita's Notebook by Elisabetta Flumeri and Gabriella Giacometti (for review)

Review: Mystic Summer

By Hannah McKinnon

Published: June 7, 2016

A chance run-in with a college boyfriend puts a young woman’s picture-perfect life in perspective in this warm-hearted and lyrical novel—from the author of The Lake Season.

Since finishing graduate school, Maggie Griffin has worked hard to build an enviable life in Boston. She’s an elementary school teacher in a tony Boston suburb, a devoted sister, and a loving aunt. With her childhood best friend’s wedding quickly approaching and her own relationship blossoming, this is the summer she has been waiting for.

But when Maggie’s career is suddenly in jeopardy, her life begins to unravel. Stricken, Maggie returns home to seaside Mystic, Connecticut, where she expects to find comfort in family and familiarity. Instead, she runs into Cameron Wilder, a young man from her past who has also returned home, and whose life has taken a turn that puts Maggie’s city struggles in harsh perspective. When tragedy strikes for Cameron, Maggie is faced with big decisions as she weighs what matters most and strives to stay true to the person she’s become.

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of a New England summer when past and present collide, Mystic Summer is a gorgeous novel about looking back, moving forward, and the beauty that blooms when fate intervenes.

My review:

Maggie is a teacher at a private school in Boston and as summer vacation starts, she has to deal with the upheaval of finding a new place as her best friend and roommate is getting married. She also finds out that she may not have a job next year due to funding issues at her school. Maggie's boyfriend Evan isn't as supportive as she'd hoped. When circumstances lead to Maggie going back to her hometown of Mystic, Connecticut she is surprised to run into Cameron Wilder, her onetime boyfriend who is now a single father. Cameron has had a difficult life in the years since they split but he is doing his best to be there for his daughter. Maggie and Cameron become fast friends again but even though she is starting to feel some stirring of her former attraction to him and she is drawn to his infant daughter, she has her own issues to deal with and she is  still committed to Evan. On top of that her best friend Erika's wedding has been moved from Boston to Mystic and Maggie's sister Jane calls on her to help take care of her children while she goes on a much needed break with her husband so Maggie has her hands full.

I think I was expecting this to be a contemporary romance but it ended up being something a little more. Maggie is facing some difficult decisions about her future and what she wants from life. I liked Cameron from the start and I enjoyed the rekindling of their friendship. He is a good fit for her but neither of them are in a place to start a relationship just yet. The novel also looked at Maggie's relationship with her family, particularly her mom and her sister Jane, as well as Maggie's friendship with Erika.  I wasn't a big fan of Erika to be honest. She wasn't that great of a friend and if this were real life, that friendship would fade into mere casual acquaintance status after Erika's wedding.

I loved the setting of Mystic and it made me want to visit the town for myself although I don't think I'd like the crowded tourist season. I think it was the setting and the character of Cameron that really stood out for me in this book. He is a fantastic dad and I loved his interactions with his daughter Emory. I think he's a little too perfect :)

Mystic Summer would make a good beach read. It is the kind of book you could finish in an afternoon. There is a little bit of romance and a great setting so even if it's easy to guess what will happen, it is a fun journey to get there.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Waiting on Wednesday (189)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

This week, I'm waiting on:

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

Release date: August 9, 2016

A young painter, Lily has reached a crossroads in her life. Her career hasn't taken off, her best friend may no longer be the trusted friend she thought, her boyfriend is a disappointment, and now she can't keep up with the rising cost of living in the city. With no one to turn to, Lily is forced to move from her beloved apartment, but while packing she comes across a piece of mail that had slipped to the back of her junk drawer: a letter detailing further action needed to finalize the annulment of a quickie Vegas wedding. Ten years ago!

Lily decides it's time to turn over a new leaf and the first item on her list of things to fix is getting the annulment... but you can't just send a reply ten years later, "Hey by the way we are still married." This is something that must be addressed in person. Lily takes to the road to track down her husband - the charming, fun, and sexy man she connected with all those years ago - Ben Hutchinson.

Ben Hutchinson left a wealthy dot-com lifestyle behind to return home to his family and the small town he loves, Minnow Bay. He's been living off the grid and the last thing he expects is a wife he didn't know he had to show up on his doorstep.

By chance, Lily arrives at the magical Minnow Bay Inn, and there she will discover not just a place to lay her head, but new friends, a thriving art community, and maybe even the love of her life.

I think this sounds like it could be a fun contemporary romance. 

Sunday Post (56) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

Happy 4th of July to my readers in the U.S. I am glad to have a long weekend but a little sad that my parents are in Canada so I can't take advantage of it to visit them. Instead I have been catching up on reading and writing book reviews. Today I will be grocery shopping. Not a bad way to spend the weekend. At least I didn't have to work. I only have two weekends free this month.

We are now less than two weeks from my library's second annual Comic Con. I am trying to decide if I want to make a costume or just find a Comic Con worthy t-shirt to wear like I did last year. My coworkers are urging me to cosplay as the new Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) and I did tell them last year that I might do that but I'm not very crafty so we shall see.

Last week on my blog:

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid (review)

Books read:

Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson

 A.J. just moved to Nashville with her mom and brother. It's been two years since her dad died and now her mom has announced she is getting remarried so A.J. has a lot on her plate. At school she crosses paths with popular and rich Kate who is hoping to be picked to star in a reality show set at their school. The producers decide they want A.J. to star in the show too. I thought this was a nice story about two very different girls but it was definitely easier to like and sympathize with A.J.

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash

Although it took me a little bit of time to get into the story for some reason, I ended up loving it in the end. Our hero Graham is in love with his best friend Roxy and he hopes to declare his love for her at New York Comic Con. He has the whole weekend planned out with the highlight being tickets to a panel featuring their comic book idol. Of course things don't go quite the way he planned. 

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

This book was really slow to get into but I was patient with it and rewarded in the end with a good story. There is some mystery over what happened at a barbecue that affected so many lives and it is slowly revealed through flashbacks. 

Books listened to:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (reread)

Currently reading:

Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin

I've only just started reading this but so far I like it. I think I will like Tess as a main character more than Georgie, who annoyed me a little bit in the first book.

Currently listening to:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (reread)

This is one of my favorite Harry Potter books. I just have all these good memories associated with it as well as sad ones. One of my favorite parts is seeing Fred and George's joke shop and I liked the humor after the darkness and oppression of Order of the Phoenix. 

On my TBR pile:

Monsoon Summer by Julia Gregson

I will be reading this one soon because my review for Library Journal is due in a couple of weeks. At least it is a book I was planning to read anyway. I like that it is set in India during the 1940s. Should be fascinating.

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

I wasn't fond of Britt-Marie when I first started reading My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. She was kind of uptight and mean but after her secrets were revealed I felt really sorry for her and understood why she behaved that way. She became nicer in the end so I'm curious to see how she will be portrayed in this book as the main character.

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

New books received:

The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen (for review)

Absalom's Daughters by Suzanne Feldman (for review)

Monsoon Summer by Julia Gregson (for review)

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman (library book)

The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (library book)

Wild Swans by Jessica Spottiswood (library book)

Meternity by Meghann Foye (library book)

The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo (library book)

Review: One True Loves

One True Loves

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published: June 7, 2016

From the author of Maybe in Another Life—named a People Magazine pick—comes a breathtaking new love story about a woman unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life.

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

My review:

Emma Blair grew up feeling like she didn't quite fit in with her family of readers. Her parents owned a bookstore and their dream was for their daughters to one day take over the store but Emma longs to travel and see the world instead of reading about it in a book. Her boyfriend Jesse felt the same way so they moved to California for college and never looked back. Emma and Jesse built a happy and exciting life together but it came to a halt when Jesse's helicopter crashed in the ocean. Emma falls apart and can no longer bear the memories everywhere she looks so she moves back home with her parents. 

While at home, Emma begins to read more and more and take an interest in the store, eventually running it. She also reconnects with Sam who had worked for her parents and had a crush on Emma as a teen. As Emma heals, she and Sam fall in love and get engaged. Then she finds out Jesse is still alive and she is torn between not just two men she loves but two very different lives she lived with them. Can she go back to being the adventurous girl Jesse married or has she changed too much?. How can she walk away from what she has with Sam? What does she want to do with her life?

I thought One True Loves was well written and Emma's emotions and struggles felt authentic. Emma changes a lot over the course of the story, going from a young woman who can't wait to escape her family and small town life and hopping from place to place to becoming someone who settles down to run the family bookstore. Losing Jesse changed her fundamentally but she also matured through her life experiences, even developing a closer relationship with her older sister Marie. With a new fiance and a future planned out, things are thrown into turmoil when Jesse returns. 

Jesse has also been changed by what happened so the two have to decide if they can rebuild because while they loved each other before, they have changed so much and have to figure out if there is still something worth saving. Then there is Sam who is a wonderful and caring and patient guy with whom Emma has built a very different kind of life from what she had with Jesse. I really appreciated how Emma's decision was not just between two different men. It was more about what she wanted from her life and what made her happy. Her family is supportive but it isn't an easy decision to make and I thought the author handled it well. 

One True Loves is about falling in love, love that evolves and survives challenges and love for your family and yourself. There are no easy answers and that's what makes it feel so real and true to life. I would suggest this novel to fans of Jojo Moyes, Liane Moriarty and Cecelia Ahern. It is the first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I've read but I have a feeling it will make my list of top 2016 books and I definitely plan to pick up her other novels. If you are looking for a good contemporary summer read, consider giving One True Loves a try.

Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss

Waiting on Wednesday (188)

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme to discuss upcoming books we can't wait to get our hands on. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

This week, I'm waiting on:

United by Melissa Landers

Release date: August 2, 2016

After thwarting a deadly coup and saving the alliance between their worlds, Cara and Aelyx have finally earned a break. Their tiny island colony is everything they dreamed it would be―days spent gathering shells on the beach and nights in each other’s arms.

But the vacation is short-lived.

The treaty between Earth and L’eihr has awakened an ancient force that threatens to destroy them all. The Aribol, mysterious guardians charged with maintaining interstellar peace, deem the alliance a threat to the galaxy. They order a separation of the races, decreeing humans and L’eihrs must return to their own planets within the month or face extinction. In fact, they already have agents in place on Earth, ready to begin.

With the clock ticking, Aelyx and Cara assemble a team of colonists and race back to Earth, where they unite with old friends to solve the mystery of who the Aribol are, what they want, and the real reason the alliance has provoked them. As tensions build to a full-scale war, Aelyx and Cara must fight harder than ever―not just for their future, but for the survival of both their worlds.

I loved Alienated and Invaded and I can't wait to see what happens in book three! This series may be YA science fiction but it also has plenty of humor, romance and adventure for readers not as interested in sci-fi.

Margherita's Notebook by Elisabetta Flumeri & Gabriella Giacometti

Release date: July 26, 2016

Escape to the winding cobblestone streets and rolling hills of Tuscany in this delicious, romantic, and charming tale of irresistible attraction and dreams fulfilled, complete with mouthwatering authentic Italian recipes—perfect for fans of Chocolat and Under the Tuscan Sun.

Margherita is a spirited young woman with a passion for cooking. When her heart is broken in Rome, she returns to her hometown of Roccafitta, a small Tuscan village filled with lovable eccentrics and beautiful vineyards. She dreams of saving enough money to reopen her late mother’s restaurant and hopes she may find help from the handsome stranger in town, Nicola Ravelli.

An aloof and ambitious businessman, Nicola is buying up the village’s vineyards and is also on the lookout for a personal chef. Though the two dislike one another immediately, Nicola agrees to pay Margherita well for each delicious meal she prepares for his various business meetings. But with each new dish, Nicola discovers that he is the one being seduced and Margherita realizes that she is expressing much more through her cooking than she cares to admit.

Featuring the recipes for the seductive Italian dishes described in the story, including roast duck and the delectable pastry, baci di dama (a lady’s kiss), Margherita’s Notebook is an engaging and warm celebration of the power of food and its ability to nourish, stimulate, and express emotion—a satisfying read for every season.

I think this sounds like a romantic and fun novel and I love the setting. I bet there will be lots of great descriptions of food and Tuscany as well as the recipes. Count me in!

Sunday Post (55) / It's Monday, What Are You Reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme now hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next.

I had a busy week because of my library program but now things are quiet and I will have a chance to get caught up on other stuff like grocery shopping, planning my vacation this fall and reading :) 

My murder mystery dinner was Thursday night and it went very well. I couldn't guess who the killer was and I was a little disappointed by how the mystery resolved but at least a handful of people did guess correctly. Everyone had a good time and I even received some donations toward more murder mystery dinners in the future. Good thing I plan to do one more this fall. My focus for the next few weeks will be on our mini Comic Con but I am not as involved in that as the youth services specialists. I did find a very talented manga artist who will be teaching the kids and teens (and any interested adults) how to draw manga characters as well as someone from an area university who will be bringing their 3-D printer in to demonstrate how it works by printing 3-D superheroes and villains. We are very excited about that! Now I just have to come up with a costume!

Last week on my blog:

My Top Ten 2016 Releases So Far (post)

738 Days by Stacey Kade (review)

Summer Comment Challenge Sign Up (post)

Books read:

The Winemakers by Jan Moran

I liked this one quite a bit. It had a dual story line though it mostly took place in the 50s. I initially disliked the mother, Ava until I found out what she'd been through. I really enjoyed the descriptions and learning about wine and wine making. 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Although I liked A Man Called Ove more than this one, I did laugh out loud sometimes while reading it and I loved the Harry Potter references among other things. It took awhile to get into the story because of the fairy tale stuff but the characters were fun, especially Elsa's crazy grandmother. My one major irritation was that they fed the dog chocolate. Maybe the author has never owned a dog but that is a huge no-no!

Currently reading:

Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson

I just started this and so far it's not bad. I have a feeling it will be popular at my library where so many people are fans of the Robertsons and Duck Dynasty. I'm not a fan of the show but I was impressed with Sadie's personality on Dancing with the Stars so I thought I'd give this a try.

Currently listening to:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (reread)

Jim Dale's rendition of Weasley is Our King is stuck in my head but I am enjoying listening to this although like Elsa (from My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry) it isn't my favorite of the Harry Potter books. I liked the formation of Dumbledore's Army and seeing Dumbledore and other characters outsmart Umbridge.

On my TBR pile:

If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo

I've never read a book written from the perspective of a transgender teen before and I've heard really good things about If I Was Your Girl. It received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus so I have high hopes.

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

I've also heard good things about this contemporary retelling of The Taming of the Shrew from other bloggers so I hope to get to it soon.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

I just featured this for my Waiting on Wednesday pick so I was thrilled when I found it was available to request from Netgalley. I loved Big Little Lies, The Husband's Secret and What Alice Forgot so this is one of my most anticipated reads for the summer. 

Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

I've only read Little Bee but I wanted to read this one since it is historical fiction set during WWII.

Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin

I can't wait to read this sequel to A School for Unusual Girls. I don't know if I'll get to it this week or have to wait till the weekend when I usually have more time for library books (it's much easier to take my Kindle with me during the week). If I'm really motivated and get through my current book this afternoon maybe I can get started on Exile for Dreamers :)

New books received:

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty (for review)

Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson (library book)

A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain (library book)

Summer Comment Challenge

I first found out about this challenge when I saw it mentioned by Kathryn from Book Date. I thought it sounded like a fun idea so I've signed up to participate in July. While it is too late to sign up for July now, here are the details in case you want to participate in August:

If you love comments and are looking for a fun blogging challenge to participate in this summer, then the Comment Challenge is for you. Hosted by Lonna @ FLYLēF and Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense, the Comment Challenge was created as a way to increase comment activity on your blog and help you forge new connections with other book bloggers. For every month this summer (June through August), we will be pairing different bloggers together and asking them to engage and encourage one another through comments on each other’s blogs. And you are formally invited to join us!

DETAILS
• This challenge will run June through August.
• You are welcome to sign up for one, two, or all three months (a sign-up post will go up a month in advance for each month and will be open for three weeks).
• Bloggers will be paired up for one month and will be required to comment on each other’s blog posts.
• If you sign up for more than one month, you will have a different comment partner each month.
• To allow a bit of freedom, you will be able to choose how often you would like to comment on your partner’s blog (options include 5-10 or 11-20 posts).
• Social Media Option: If you’d like to give your partner further encouragement through social media, we will do our best to connect you with bloggers who are active on the same platforms.
• Giveaway: at the end of August, we will be giving away two bookish prizes. Please note: this giveaway will only be open to participants.

I think this sounds like a good way to get to know other book bloggers and find new blogs to read. I signed up to comment on 5-10 posts. For July I am paired with Lonna at FLYLēF. 

Review: 738 Days

738 Days

By Stacey Kade

Published: June 7, 2016

At fifteen, Amanda Grace was abducted on her way home from school. 738 days later, she escaped. Her 20/20 interview is what everyone remembers—Amanda describing the room where she was kept, the torn poster of TV heartthrob Chase Henry on the wall. It reminded her of home and gave her the strength to keep fighting.

Now, years later, Amanda is struggling to live normally. Her friends have gone on to college, while she battles PTSD. She’s not getting any better, and she fears that if something doesn’t change soon she never will.

 

Six years ago, Chase Henry defied astronomical odds, won a coveted role on a new TV show, and was elevated to super-stardom. With it, came drugs, alcohol, arrests, and crazy spending sprees. Now he's sober and a Hollywood pariah, washed up at twenty-four.

To revamp his image, Chase’s publicist comes up with a plan: surprise Amanda Grace with the chance to meet her hero, followed by a visit to the set of Chase’s new movie. The meeting is a disaster, but out of mutual desperation, Amanda and Chase strike a deal. What starts as a simple arrangement, though, rapidly becomes more complicated when they realize they need each other in more ways than one. But when the past resurfaces in a new threat, will they stand together or fall apart?

 

With charm and heart, Stacey Kade takes readers on a journey of redemption and love.

My review:

Amanda survived the horrific ordeal of being kidnapped and held captive for two years. Two years after her rescue, it is still hard for her to get through the day. She suffers from PTSD, taking comfort in hiding in her closet. Her family has been fractured by what happened to her and they don't treat her the same way. Amanda's mom likes to act like everything is just fine while her dad doesn't even acknowledge her. Her sisters are resentful though younger sister Mia is the only one to treat Amanda in a semi-normal fashion and her resentment is due to her parents' lack of notice. 

Chase is trying to stage a career comeback. He is getting ready to film a movie set in a small town near Amanda. When his publicist comes up with the dubious idea of a publicity shot with Amanda and having her visit the movie set, Chase isn't completely on board with the idea but he could really use some positive publicity so he agrees. When he sees Amanda and how she reacts, he changes his mind but she wants to help his career and get away from home for awhile. Unfortunately there are complications in the form of Chase's cutthroat publicist, a stalker and Chase's past failures.

I felt so bad for Amanda. She suffered a lot and is having a hard time fitting in to her family now that she is back home. I did like how the author portrayed her relationship with her family especially Mia who may be selfish at times but at least she talks to Amanda even if it isn't what Amanda wants to hear. I had a harder time with Amanda's parents though her father's behavior is explained towards the end of the book and I understood why he had been acting that way. The abduction affected more than just Amanda and it definitely took a toll on her sisters and her parents treatment of them too.

While Chase makes some bad decisions he does care about Amanda and I thought that they were really good for each other. My one issue was with the timing of their relationship. This book takes place within a few days although it feels like a longer length of time has passed. It is a little hard to believe that Amanda is able to have a physical relationship with Chase after knowing him just a short amount of time considering the trauma of her past. I liked how the friendship and relationship with Chase blossomed to love but I thought it should have been over a few weeks or a month at least and not just a few days. 

Overall aside from the timing issue, I liked this book and I think readers who enjoy contemporary new adult fiction should give it a try. It offers plenty of romance, some suspense, emotional growth and a strong heroine to root for.


Note: I received an ARC for review purposes courtesy of the publisher and Edelweiss