TWELVE HOURS IN MANHATTAN by Maan Gabriel – Featured New Release

TWELVE HOURS IN MANHATTAN

Maan Gabriel

BLURB

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min who is in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue, eating ice cream at Serendipity, to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. They talk about love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just twelve magical hours.

As the clock strikes the 12th hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve – and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

Two worlds. One heart. Twelve Hours.

Buy Links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop

ABOUT MAAN

Maan Gabriel is a mom, wife, dreamer, writer, and advocate for women’s stories in literature. She earned her BA in communications from St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and MPS in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She has lived in Manila, Brussels, Dakar, and Mexico City. During the day, she works in strategic communications. Gabriel, along with her husband and son, currently calls suburban Washington DC home.

Learn more at www.maangabriel.com

Facebook: @MaanGabrielAuthor
Instagram: @Maan_Gabriel
Twitter: @MaanGabriel

REVIEW

To follow.

WHEN JASMINE BLOOMS by Tif Marcelo – Featured New Release

WHEN JASMINE BLOOMS

by

Tif Marcelo

BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Tif Marcelo comes a timeless tale of motherhood inspired by Little Women about one woman’s grief, hope, and second chance with the daughter she lost.

It’s been two years since Celine lost her daughter Libby. Desperate to escape her grief, Celine throws herself into her work, determined to be the strong, capable woman the world believes her to be. But there’s no fooling her family.

A shocking intervention brings an impossible choice: confront her grief or risk losing the family she still has. Reeling, Celine wonders what her life would have been like if she’d chosen her first love instead of her husband and avoided this pain altogether.

Celine wakes the following day and is shocked to realize that what-if has become reality. She’s with her high school sweetheart, her daughters aren’t quite her daughters, and her home is being rented by the daughter she thought she’d lost forever.

As she reconnects with Libby in this parallel world, Celine is forced to face the problems in her real life: her unwillingness to move forward, the tension that’s always rocked her family, and the hard truth that not everything can be fixed by a mother’s love.

Buy links:

Tif’s Website
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

ABOUT TIF

Tif Marcelo is a veteran US Army nurse and holds a BS in Nursing and a Master’s in public administration. She believes and writes about the strength of families, the endurance of friendship, heartfelt romances, and is inspired daily by her own military hero husband and four children. She hosts The Stories to Love Podcast, and is the USA Today bestselling author of In a Book Club Far Away, Once Upon a Sunset, The Key to Happily Ever After, and the Journey to the Heart series.

Follow her here:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

WHISKERS & SUNSHINE by Sarah Skye – Featured New Release

WHISKERS & SUNSHINE

Unlikely Pairings #3

Sarah Skye

BLURB

Harmony Daniels always dreamed of getting married, having babies, and living the “big house with a white picket fence” fantasy. But after a broken engagement and a pregnancy scare, she has to admit that she has no idea what she truly wants. When her great-aunt dies and leaves her dog rescue to Harmony’s family, Harmony jumps at the chance to take it over. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity to find out who she really is.

Lucas Mallender isn’t happy when he finds out that glam girl Harmony is his new boss. As the gruff and no-nonsense head trainer at Fido’s Farm dog rescue, he’s certain this high-maintenance city girl is going to drive the place into the ground with her lack of experience–and he’s not afraid to let her know what exactly he thinks of her.

Lucas and Harmony clash as they struggle to keep the rescue afloat, but there’s an undeniable attraction between these two polar opposites. The more time they spend together–both in and out of bed–the deeper their feelings grow. But Lucas wants to be a dad someday, and Harmony has discovered that dog mom is her true calling. Can they find a way to compromise? Or will they have to call it quits?

Purchase Links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble

ABOUT SARAH AND SKYE

Sarah Smith (Faker; If You Never Come Back; Simmer Down) is a copywriter-turned-author who wants to make the world a lovelier place, one kissing story at a time. Her love of romance began when she was eight and she discovered her auntie’s stash of romance novels. She’s been hooked ever since. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, eating chocolate, and perfecting her lumpia recipe.

Skye McDonald (The Anti-Belle Series) is an author and personal development coach. Skye’s Anti-Belle series feature sassy GRITS (Girls Raised In the South) learning to love themselves before they can claim their happily ever after. (Spoiler: they always do!) Her coaching method uses fitness and life skills to teach individuals to do the same. When not writing sexy books or cheering for you to live your best life, Skye can be found out on a new adventure, usually with her pup at her side.

Author links:

https://twitter.com/authorsarahskye

https://www.instagram.com/quickndirtyromance/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21206854.Sarah_Skye

VAMPIRE MAGIC By PK Reeves – Featured New Release

VAMPIRE MAGIC

The Lineage Series Book 2

P.K. Reeves

BLURB

Audrey Sanders has been doing much better after surviving the attack from a lost elf prince and adjusting to her life as a vampire. Before that, she had just graduated high school, believing that she was a regular teenager. The night of her high school graduation car accident gave her a dose of reality that she wasn’t prepared for. She has always been a witch, magic is ingrained in her blood, but as a human, it was so minuscule that it was hidden from her. Now that she is a vampire, she also has to deal with the magic she had no training in.

She has been given a command from June Li, the Chamber member of the United States. June wants Audrey to turn more witches into vampires. Something no other vampire was ever able to do. Either powerful witches died tragically, or they lost all of their power during the process. Audrey starts the vetting process of witches who volunteer despite the risk of death. She also begins to explore her new bonds with her familiars. Not the typical familiars’ witches bond with to help with magic, but powerful lycanthropes who hold their own power in the supernatural world.

Keeping her magic caused tremors in the paranormal world. There hasn’t been new magic born into the world for centuries. Now, that magic is owned by vampires, who never had any gifts for sensing or using magic. No one is prepared for what Audrey is capable of as she explores her magic and bonds during the lull of peace between her and the elves. Another force moves against her, a consequence of using magic from when she was even less familiar with it. It threatens her Family, her mate, and the lycanthropes with whom she made her bonds. Can she make peace with it, or will that even be an option?

Buy Link: Books2Read

ABOUT P.K.

P.K. is a Filipino American born and raised in the United States. She currently resides in the state of Virginia with her daughter and cat. With a degree in computer science, she is still learning other programming languages and looking forward to continuing her education in the future.

When P.K. isn’t working on her next book, she is working, reading manga or comics, and is always on the lookout for when she can go to the next convention. A big fan of horror and science fiction thrillers. P.K. is a new adult author that writes across genres, including fantasy, urban fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and urban fantasy romance.

Social Media Links:

AFTER PERFECT by Maan Gabriel – Featured New Release

AFTER PERFECT

Maan Gabriel

BLURB

Thirty-six-year-old Gabriella Stevens is living quietly and contently as a devoted housewife to Simon—just as her traditional Filipino mother has always told her to do—when, after sixteen years of marriage and twenty years together, he tells he wants a divorce.

With New York City as her backdrop, Gabby—single for the first time since she was a teenager—goes back to school, gets her first real job, and faces unfamiliar reality with determination. But when she unexpectedly falls in love with her mysterious but utterly beautiful creative writing professor, Colt, she learns he is battling demons of his own: a tragic past that may have made him incapable of love. Is Gabby destined for another heartbreak—or will her connection with Colt be what unbreaks her?

Buy Links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble One More Page

Advance Praise:

“A heartfelt debut, After Perfect depicts a woman’s healing after divorce with grace and empathy. Maan Gabriel is an author to watch in contemporary women’s fiction.” ―Tif Marcelo, USA Today best-selling author of In a Book Club Far Away and The Key to Happily Ever After
“At once relatable and unexpected, AFTER PERFECT is the story of one woman’s quest to learn to live—and love—on her own terms after heartbreak. Maan Gabriel is a refreshing new voice in women’s fiction.” —Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around
“Maan Gabriel’s After Perfectis the story of a marriage and a divorce and the complexities of both. Gabriel explores how cultural expectations may not only inform decision-making but determine it. In clear prose and through vivid scenes, Maan Gabriel shows us this irony―often through relationships, we come to know ourselves.” ―Corie Adjmi, author of Life and Other Shortcomings

ABOUT MAAN

Learn more at www.maangabriel.com

Facebook: @MaanGabrielAuthor
Instagram: @Maan_Gabriel
Twitter: @MaanGabriel

REVIEW

From its pain-filled opening scene to the sigh-worthy hopeful ending, After Perfect is one highly evocative read. Maan Gabriel’s wonderfully polished debut involves the reader in newly-divorced Gabby Stevens’ journey to self-discovery amidst heartbreak and uncertainties.

After being cosseted most of her life, Gabby resolves to start over, go back to school, get a job, move into a small place, open herself up to new experiences, and stand on her own. Along the way, she maintains the support of her parents and best friend while creating meaningful relationships with new people.

I like how Ms. Gabriel made Gabby so real and relatable by giving her balance in both long-held insecurities and newfound strengths. I love how she made Gabby’s Filipino heritage integral to her identity. I admire the way she drew her characters with dimensions, with light and shade. Thomas is, of course, a favorite as well as Gabby’s parents and her best friend Felicity. They provide the humor necessary to counter the angst in the storyline. As for Simon and Colt, I can see the attraction and approve of the final choice. They’re both important but this book is all about Gabby.

Other things I love:

The inclusiveness and diversity of the characters reflect the society we live in today.
The great sense of place in both New York City and Washington DC locations
Everything that has to do with books (Thomas’s bookshop!!!), the writing and reading of them
All the food

Some of my favorite quotes:

The thing about writing … It defines who you are as a person. It evolves and revolves around you, around how you feel, or around how you perceive life.”

If I become light, then darkness cannot overpower me. You can’t extinguish the light from the sun.”

When you have a book, you have been everywhere.”

Love is nobody’s fault. Love is someone’s magic. And no one should feel guilty for loving.”

Content notes: adultery, on-page miscarriage, deaths (narrated), body image issues

IT TAKES HEART by Tif Marcelo – Featured New Release

IT TAKES HEART

by

Tif Marcelo

From romance author Tif Marcelo comes a heartwarming story about taking a second chance on love at a family-owned couples resort.

Heart Resort, a private resort in the Outer Banks, is a romantic getaway for couples but a hotbed of family drama for its proprietors, the Puso family. Brandon Puso, the youngest of the four siblings, prefers life on his own as a licensed contractor in DC after a falling-out with his eldest brother.

After a hurricane plows through the Outer Banks, Brandon has a change of heart. He returns to the resort to help with the grand reopening but encounters his big sister’s best friend, designer Geneva Harris, who’s there to do the same thing. But Geneva and Brandon have a secret. Years ago, they had a secret romance that ended in heartbreak.

With the resort’s future at stake, Brandon and Geneva decide to put the past aside and to keep peace with the family. But as their mutual attraction heats up, they have to decide if history will repeat itself—or if this time, love gets a second chance.

Buy links:

Tif’s Website
Amazon

Follow her here:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

To follow.

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

SNIPPET SUNDAY: Fourth of July

SINGAPORE FLING
Carpe Diem Chronicles 2
Epilogue

“A captivating display like no other,” Aidan recited, looking in admiration at his girlfriend. Her back to him, Maddie’s jet-black hair styled in an elegant updo shone with a thousand little stars from the lights illuminating the hotel behind them. Sleek dress in traffic-stopping red lovingly caressed her returned curves. A long string of cultured pearls from her home country worn backwards around her throat aligned with the now completely healed “Carpe Diem” spine tattoo.

Spectra, the light and music show on the bay that would culminate the embassy’s advanced Fourth of July celebration might be captivating. Madeleine Duvall, French Filipina public relations and events management expert, his woman, was absolutely dazzling. No question about it.

. . .

Cheers went up as the colors of the rainbow lit up the night sky of Singapore, along with the soaring fountains that danced in time with instrumental music, fulfilling their promise to captivate. Aidan was enchanted, all right. Not by the show, but by the woman in his arms.

Singapore Fling is Book 2 of the fun and sexy multicultural contemporary romance series Carpe Diem Chronicles.

It’s now available from your favorite etailers in eBook and paperback.

Check out other blogs participating in Snippet Sunday on Facebook.

AAPI SPOTLIGHT – A LOWCOUNTRY BRIDE by Preslaysa Williams

A LOWCOUNTRY BRIDE

by

Preslaysa Williams

A heartwarming Avon debut of love, forgiveness, and new beginnings set in the beautiful South Carolina Lowcountry.

Maya Jackson has worked for Laura Whitcomb, Inc, a renowned New York City bridal gown brand for years and dreams of becoming Head Designer. She has the talent, she just needs a chance to showcase her unique style. Due to an illness, she’s always prioritized her career over her personal life until Maya’s father fractures his hip and she returns to Charleston, SC. While home for only a few months, she’s thrilled to find an opportunity at the local bridal gown boutique, never expecting sparks to fly with its owner…

A military veteran and widowed father, Derek Sullivan hopes to save Always a Bride from bankruptcy in order to preserve the legacy of his mother. He also wants to reconnect with his estranged, twelve-year-old daughter, who is still recovering from the loss of her mother. The last thing he needs is a relationship with a beautiful, smart, complicated woman who will be leaving soon.

When Derek begins to fall for the lovely Maya, he knows there’s no future. But destiny has its own plans, and these two lonely people with big hearts discover that coming home to love is the best gift life can give.

Buy links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Apple Google Play IndieBound Kobo

A Lowcountry Bride is an affecting story of discovering identity, fulfilling dreams, dealing with loss, keeping the faith, and finding love. The authenticity with how the characters’ culture came across strongly emphasizes the importance of providing opportunities for own voices stories, of lifting marginalized creators, of representation and inclusion.

This book is bursting with Ms. Williams’s pride in her unique mix of West African/Filipino heritage. It’s manifested in the food, by distinctive sewing techniques, and in the sympathetic personalities of the main characters.

Maya Jackson, with her struggles to cope with a chronic illness while attempting to achieve her mother’s dreams for her amidst obstacles in the workplace, feels like a real person to me. Adding to all those the care for her injured father, she is heavily burdened than most but utterly real. Maya’s internal conflict when making life-altering choices made me anxious. Despite the guarantee of a hopeful ending, I still fretted over her decisions.

While I liked Maya, I was soft for the men in her life–her father Carl and her love interest Derek Sullivan. These two dads had similar tales of guiding their daughters to find their paths. They had the best lines from the book.

Her dad’s advice resonated with me.

But don’t stop living, Maya. Don’t ever stop living. You owe it to yourself to live every single day to the fullest.”

Derek’s declaration made me melt.

It’s not the dying that matters. It’s the living. … I can bring the past with me and use it to craft a beautiful present and a hopeful future.”

I like that despite the heavy topics (illness, deaths from a mass shooting, inequity in the workplace, racism) this book is not depressing. There’s enough humor and joy in the successes both Maya and Derek achieved individually and together.

My minor concern is with the portrayal of Laura, Maya’s boss, as an irredeemable villainess. I wish there’s more dimension to her character. After all, she hired Maya in the first place. Her part in the story appeared soap-opera-ish.

Besides that, I enjoyed this book. It’s engaging and made me root for the characters. I can’t wait for the author’s upcoming books.

Preslaysa Williams (nee, Preslaysa Edwards) is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. She loves sharing her culture with her readers.

She has an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and a MPA from the University of South Carolina. She is also a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar, a Jackie Robinson Foundation Extra Innings Fellow, and a Sol Spiegelman Scholar. Preslaysa is currently earning a MFA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University.

In addition, she’s a professional actress. She started acting at age eight, joining the Screen Actors Guild as a teenager when she co-starred on the Nickelodeon TV show, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.

She’s an avid bookworm and planner nerd who hoards pens, pencils, and notebooks in her spare time. In her daily life, you’ll find her wearing mismatched socks while being a homeschool mom. Preslaysa presently makes her home in Virginia with her husband and two children. You can visit her online at www.preslaysa.com where you can sign up for her newsletter community.

Social Media links:

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AAPI SPOTLIGHT – SIPS & STROKES by Sarah Skye

Sips & Strokes

by

Sarah Skye

SYNOPSIS

Lily Maldonado is screwed. The people-pleasing art professor has been roped into attending her ex’s wedding by her overbearing, image-obsessed parents. Even worse? The woman her ex is marrying is Lily’s childhood bully. She can’t back out, but she’s not sure she can face this nightmare solo.

Enter Calder Ross. The sexy Scot’s abs have graced the cover of many romance novel bestsellers, but the reformed playboy needs a more serious image if he wants to land his dream job as the spokesman for Sonce Whisky. Modeling for Lily’s figure drawing class is step one in the right direction.

After their very adorable—and very naked—meet-cute, Lily and Calder realize that they can be each other’s saving grace. Lily can bring Calder to the wedding as her fake boyfriend to ward off pitying stares. Calder can bring Lily to Sonce events as his fake girlfriend to show he’s the responsible, relationship-minded guy that execs want as the face of their brand.

But the longer Lily and Calder play pretend, the harder it becomes to deny the very real chemistry between them. Will they play it safe and stick to their fake roles? Or will they throw out the playbook completely and risk it all for love?

Purchase Links:

Amazon Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT

I enter the classroom expecting to find Ms. Maldonado already there but stumble to a stop as soon as I’m inside. There is no middle-aged professor dressed in a long skirt and cardigan. Instead, there’s a young woman seated on the pedestal in the center of the room. Her legs swing idly as she stares up at the sunlight streaming in from the windows close to the ceiling. An overstuffed blue velvet armchair sits on the pedestal, providing an interesting backdrop for her.

Her serenity, the graceful ease of her posture, and the faraway expression on her face make me wish I had my camera. It’s a moment, absolutely beautiful in its simplicity. Shame no one’s capturing this.

She blinks and hops to her feet when the door shuts, her gaze focusing in on me. Her dark eyes give me a full-body scan, brows rising as she goes for round two. She shakes her head and swallows hard. “Oh, hi. Sorry, I was just having a moment.”

“I hate to interrupt. Are you modeling for this class too?”

Her lips curve as a blush sweeps her cheeks. My attention snags on her mouth. Her full, pink lips are fucking lush. She’s got the kind of mouth that women kill for and men daydream about. I’m not above daydreaming a bit myself, and with the way that blush makes her skin glow—

“I’m sorry, what?” I shake my head, sure that I was too distracted to hear her correctly.

“I said no, Mr. Ross, I’ll save everyone from that horror and stick to teaching, thanks.”

Well, fuck me running. This stunner in blue jeans and a white t-shirt is Ms. Lily? Where is my buttoned-up professor?

I look around, taking in the space. The linoleum is there, sure, but this room is a proper studio. The walls are draped in warm cloth to enhance the soft lamps glowing in the corners. Easels are at attention around the dais with a teacher’s desk off to the side, but everything about this place has been set up with creativity in mind. Impressive.

I stick out my hand and abandon all presumptions I’d had about this gig. “It’s Calder, please. And I am sorry to interrupt, but I’m also sorry I’m a bit late, Ms—”

“Lily.”

“Ms. Lily.”

She laughs as her hand slips into mine. I’m hit with a double whammy of sensation. First, the warmth of her soft skin sliding across my palm and then the muted sound of her mirth, which she hides with her free hand.

Her eyes squint as she shakes her head. “Just Lily. If that’s what you’re comfortable with.”

“I could be very comfortable with it.”

The words I’d meant to keep in my head tumble out without warning. What the fuck is with you? Is this amateur hour? Pull your shit together and be a professional for a second.

Lily’s blush deepens, so I release her hand and flash an easy grin. “No need for formality in my opinion,” I clarify.

She exhales and nods, and I take that as a decent recovery. I watch her go to her desk, shuffling a stack of papers as she says, “We’ll start with some short gesture poses if that’s good for you?”

“Of course.” I tug off my tee as I head to the pedestal. Once I hop up, I drop my sweatpants and toss everything on the armchair.

“Great, so if you need any suggest—oh!” The papers flutter to the floor as she turns and looks at me. “Oh my god, you’re already naked.”

My brows knit. “Just getting comfortable. Was I meant to wait for a specific moment?”

“Well, I just, I mean class hasn’t started and we—or, no, but it’s just that you’re… so naked.”

Her eyes dart around the room, landing on me at regular intervals as a blush paints her cheeks all the way down her neck now.

I bite the inside of my lip, glad I’m not the only one off their game today. “You could get me a robe.”

ABOUT SARAH AND SKYE

Sarah Skye is the nom de plume of romance authors Sarah Smith and Skye McDonald. Sarah and Skye met on Twitter as fledgling authors seeking critique partners. That turned into a brilliant friendship, a joint podcast (Quick & Dirty Romance Podcast), and now a novel.

Sarah Smith (Faker; If You Never Come Back; Simmer Down) is a copywriter-turned-author who wants to make the world a lovelier place, one kissing story at a time. Her love of romance began when she was eight and she discovered her auntie’s stash of romance novels. She’s been hooked ever since. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, eating chocolate, and perfecting her lumpia recipe. She lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband and adorable cat Salem.

Skye McDonald (The Anti-Belle Series) is an author and personal development coach. Skye’s Anti-Belle series feature sassy GRITS (Girls Raised In the South) learning to love themselves before they can claim their happily ever after. (Spoiler: they always do!) Her coaching method uses fitness and life skills to teach individuals to do the same. When not writing sexy books or cheering for you to live your best life, Skye can be found out on a new adventure, usually with her pup at her side.

Author links:

https://twitter.com/quickndirtyrom

https://www.instagram.com/quickndirtyromance/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21206854.Sarah_Skye

IN A BOOK CLUB FAR AWAY by Tif Marcelo – Featured New Release

IN A BOOK CLUB FAR AWAY

by

Tif Marcelo

SYNOPSIS

From the author of Once Upon a Sunset and The Key to Happily Ever After comes a heartwarming and moving novel following three Army wives—estranged friends—who must overcome their differences when one of them is desperate for help.

Regina Castro, Adelaide Wilson-Chang, and Sophie Walden used to be best friends. As Army wives at Fort East, they bonded during their book club and soon became inseparable. But when an unimaginable betrayal happened amongst the group, the friendship abruptly ended, and they haven’t spoken since.

That’s why, eight years later, Regina and Sophie are shocked when they get a call for help from Adelaide. Adelaide’s husband is stationed abroad, and without any friends or family near her new home of Alexandria, Virginia, she has no one to help take care of her young daughter when she has to undergo emergency surgery. For the sake of an innocent child, Regina and Sophie reluctantly put their differences aside to help an old friend.

As the three women reunite, they must overcome past hurts and see if there’s any future for their friendship. Featuring Tif Marcelo’s signature “enchanting prose” (Amy E. Reichert, author of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake) and the books that brought them together in the first place, In a Book Club Far Away honors the immense power of female friendship and how love can defy time, distance, and all old wounds.

Buy links:

Tif’s Website
Bel Canto Books
Indiebound
Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Book of the Month

REVIEW

I always sound like a broken record when it comes to my reviews of Tif Marcelo’s books. It’s because I see myself in her characters. For one, there’s always a Filipina in her stories. And Filipino food, of course.

With this book in particular, I see myself in all three women–Regina, Adelaide, and Sophie. I’m a military spouse (Air Force, not Army) and a founding member of a book club initially comprised of military spouses. We set it up in a military city when our service members were all still active duty or working at the base/fort. Alongside discussions about our book of the month, we also talked about our experiences of military life. I relate closely with the strong friendship that developed among such like-minded people. Three years after I’ve left that city, I still belong to the book club and I remain great friends with many of the members. This is why this book resonated with me greatly.

However, one doesn’t have to be a military spouse to relate to this story of a fractured friendship and reconciliation. As long as you appreciate good storytelling, compelling diverse characters, great sense of place, intelligent conversations, and evocative real-life situations, you’ll enjoy this book too.