Book Review: Majesty by Katharine McGee

Pages: 374

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date:  September 1, 2020

Publisher: Random House 

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: American Royals

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says,"Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless. Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we're looking at you Daphne Deighton.  As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her "party princess" persona...and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace--and Prince Jefferson--at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne's carefully laid "marry Prince Jefferson" plans.  A new reign has begun..."

 

 

Majesty picks up where American Royals left off; Beatrice is planning a royal wedding and preparing to follow in her father's footsteps as the Queen.  Is America ready for its first Queen though? To make things a bit "easier" for all involved, she is going to marry the Duke of Boston's son, Teddy Eaton.   He is pretty great, but she isn't in love with him, not like she was with Connor.  But she knows deep down that their relationship can never be; he was her bodyguard! So, she throws herself into her royal duties.  Then there's her sister, Samantha, who has got a lot of drama surrounding her love life in this sequel as well as Sam's best friend, Nina.  Of course there's more from Daphne, who is still planning on winning over Beatrice's brother, Prince Jeff.  She will go to great lengths to get what she wants as we learned in American Royals.  If you are looking for a fun escape this fall, definitely give this series a try.  Majesty by Katharine McGee was such a fun follow-up and didn't disappoint.

McGee is able to juggle all the different points of view in Majesty very well. However, I found myself mostly interested in Beatrice's story.  Beatrice is trying to get over her first love, Connor; however, as the story progresses, she finds herself having real feelings for Teddy. I mean how could she not? He seems pretty great. Even I somehow ended up rooting for their relationship! 

Nina and Samantha's story in Majesty wasn't as compelling as the first book.  Nina is crushing on a new love interest (which is really complicated) and Samantha is deliciously dramatic in Majesty. She wants to make her ex jealous by dating someone new, so she and her new love interest have an arrangement.  Even though this is a common trope, I will admit this part of the novel was a lot of fun!

Then of course there's more from Daphne, the character I just love to hate. She is back at it with her sights set on Prince Jeff. We know from American Royals that she will do just about anything (even her parents' encourage this) to get what she wants. So cue all the scheming!

I love McGee's premise for this series. Imagine George Washington ended up as our crowned king; it's fun to explore this alternate universe and Majesty was a great escape from our current political climate.  If you enjoy all things Royal, I urge you to check out this delightful series.

Are you a fan of the American Royals series? If so, did you read Majesty yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

Stacking the Shelves (130)

Audio Book Review: The Switch by Beth O'Leary

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Rose Code

Books on my Fall TBR List 

This week I am going to be sharing my thoughts on Majesty, which was a fun followup to American Royals and to stick with a Royal theme, I will also be sharing my thoughts on The Woman Before Wallis.  Can you believe October is this week? 

A Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry - Thanks to Greenwillow
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah - Thanks to St. Martin's and NetGalley

 

 

 

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson - Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss

Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory - Thanks to Atria and NetGalley

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser - Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley

Eventide by Sarah Goodman - Thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley

Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig - Thanks to William and Morrow and Edelweiss

  The Last Agent  by Robert Dugoni - Thanks to Thomas and Mercer

 

 

 

The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson - Thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan - Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley 

Gentleman Jim by Mimi Matthews - Thanks to Perfectly Proper and NetGalley

Have you read any of these books? Are they on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts. This meme is hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Thanks for visiting!

Audio Book Review: The Switch by Beth O'Leary

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: August 8, 2020

Publisher: MacMillan Audio

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A grandmother and granddaughter swap lives in The Switch, a charming, romantic novel by Beth O’Leary, who has been hailed as “the new Jojo Moyes” (Cosmopolitan UK)..   When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some long-overdue rest.  Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.  So they decide to try a two-month swap.  Eileen will live in London and look for love. She’ll take Leena’s flat, and learn all about casual dating, swiping right, and city neighbors. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire: Eileen’s sweet cottage and garden, her idyllic, quiet village, and her little neighborhood projects.   But stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected. Will swapping lives help Eileen and Leena find themselves…and maybe even find true love? In Beth O'Leary's The Switch, it's never too late to change everything....or to find yourself."

 

 

Leena Cotton is in a big meeting at work and while in the middle of the presentation, she suffers a horrendous panic attack, so much so that her employer says she needs to take a sabbatical.  Most employees might think about the benefits of a two month break, but not Leena. That would be too much free time and with so much free time, she might have to confront the issues she hasn't been facing.  When talking to her grandmother, Eileen, about her current situation, they come up with a plan.  Eileen, although she is seventy nine, wants to find love since her husband left her.  How can she do that though in her small town?  So, Leena and Eileen devise a plan where they switch spots for the next two months. Leena will live in her grandmother's idyllic village and her grandmother will live in Leena's flat in London.  This may be the very opportunity that Leena needs to relax, get her act together, and live in a gorgeous country cottage in a picturesque village.  Before they know it, Eileen relocates to the big city and Leena is taking over Eileen's many projects in the village, such as the Neighborhood Watch.  Both characters' new locations give them not only new experiences, but also new perspectives.  Leena must also confront the many issues in her past that she has been so desperately avoiding starting with her fractured relationship with her mother and her sister's untimely death.  The Switch by Beth O'Leary is like a warm hug; it's such a charming novel and perfect to cuddle up with alongside a crackling fire and a cup of tea this fall season.

Leena is such an interesting character in The Switch.  I thought this was going to be mainly about two people switching lives, but it was about so much more. Leena's relationship with her mother isn't great and she isn't dealing with her sister's death, so that is why she is having mental health issues. She isn't facing her problems; she is hiding from them. So, where better to focus on herself than in a quiet village taking over her grandmother's projects. While in the village, she meets a cast of eccentric characters that were reminiscent of my favorite Masterpiece TV shows.  

Leena's grandmother, Eileen, is also a really heartwarming character in The Switch. Instead of giving up on her love life, she wants an opportunity to take back some of the moments she lost being stuck in a lackluster marriage.  Eileen wants some adventure in London and that is exactly what she gets! Although Eileen is almost eighty, she is still a woman with needs, desires, hopes, and struggles; I love how O'Leary makes Eileen more than just the usual older woman depicted in contemporary novels. She talks a lot about sex, dating, and more. And why not?

I adored the relationship between Leena and Eileen in The Switch. Their relationship made me miss my grandmother more than ever.  Regarding the audio version, I really like the narration of Leena's chapters performed by Daisy Edgar-Jones (who some people might recognize from Normal People), but I felt her grandmother, narrated by Alison Steadman, was a bit too loud at times with her lip-smacking and very audible breaths.  However, that did make me visualize her as a someone in upper seventies even more than before.  Nonetheless, The Switch is a heartfelt and moving audio book.  Listening to this audio book was like curling up with my favorite rom-com.

 

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Rose Code

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

 

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Pub. Date: March 9, 2021

Goodreads says, "The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.  1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female crypt analysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.   1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer..."

 

There's a new Kate Quinn novel coming out!  Woo hoo! Is this book on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Fall TBR List

I can't believe it's already fall! With our world being so different, there's one thing that remains the same: snuggling up with a good book this fall season sounds like just what I need, right? Here are the top ten books that I am really looking forward to:

 

1.  Cobble Hill by Cecily von Ziegesar

This book is by the author of Gossip Girl, so yes, please!

2.  In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

I am always going to be excited for a new Christina Lauren novel. Lauren's books are great escapes and I love a good holiday novel. A good holiday read will be especially needed this year.

 

 

3.  Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Ahhh! It's the final book in the Paradise series.   I am sad to see this series come to an end, but excited to finally get some answers.

4.  Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory

I really enjoyed Tidelands, which is book one in The Fairmile series.  I can't wait to continue with it; Gregory never disappoints!

 

5.  Beautiful Wild by Anna Godbersen 

It's been awhile since I read a Godbersen novel and I am hoping this new series is just as good as her other historical series, Luxe.

6.  Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett

Jenn Bennett is one of my favorites when it comes to really good YA contemporary fiction.

7.  The Awakening by Nora Roberts

I have only read a few of Roberts' novels and I have enjoyed the setting in Ireland and of course the romance. This one sounds especially good!

 

8.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Everyone seems to be talking about this novel, so I knew I had to add it to my Fall TBR list.

 

9.  Eventide by Sarah Goodman

I am always going to be a fan of good YA historical fiction and this one sounds really compelling, especially since it is being described as a fantasy thriller.

10.  The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

I have never read Schwab's novels before, but I love the sound of this book. It's getting a lot of buzz and a lot of really, really good early reviews.

So, what books do you hope to read this fall? Are any of these books on your TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.  This meme is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Blog Tour: Chance of a Lifetime

 

Today I am excited to be a part of Harlequin's blog tour for Chance of a Lifetime by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets and share an official excerpt from the novel with you.  You guys know I love a good time travel/time slip novel and this one sounds really good.  Chance of a Lifetime just came out this week and it's one of my most anticipated novels for the fall!  

Learn More About Chance of a Lifetime:

 

Synopsis: "In one century she loved him madly, and in another she wants nothing to do with him

In 1844 Ireland, Liam O’Connor, a rogue and a thief, fell madly in love with a squire’s daughter and unwittingly altered the future. Shy and naive Cora McLeod thought Liam was the answer to her prayers. But the angels disagreed and they’ve been waiting for the right moment in time to step in.

Now Liam finds himself reunited with his beloved Cora in Providence Falls, North Carolina. The angels have given Liam a task. He must make sure Cora falls in love with another man—the one she was supposed to marry before Liam interfered. But this Cora is very different from the innocent girl who fell for Liam in the past. She’s a cop and has a confidence and independence he wasn’t expecting. She doesn’t remember Liam or their past lives, nor is she impressed with his attempts to guide her in any way.

Liam wants Cora for himself, but with his soul hanging in the balance, he must choose between a stolen moment in time or an eternity of damnation."

 

To learn more about Jude Deveraux visit her website or find her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.  You can also learn more about Tara Sheets by visiting her website, or connecting with her on Facebook or Instagram.  You can also buy Chance of a Lifetime at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Indiebound.   

An Excerpt From Chance of a Lifetime: 

 

Prologue

For an angel as old as Agon, there was nothing new under the sun, or above. After thousands of years studying the human condition, he’d pretty much seen it all. Time didn’t lie. It proved over and over again that human beings were flawed. They led messy lives. They didn’t always learn from their mistakes. And yet, as he swooped into the Department of Destiny and prepared for another day of judging souls, he remained ever the optimist. Because time also had a way of proving that even in the face of all odds, love would prevail.
He landed silently in the misty chamber and slapped his associate on the back. “What’s up, Samael?”
 The shorter angel jerked, fumbling for the clipboard in his hands. He gave Agon a scathing look of disapproval. “How many times must I tell you not to sneak up on me like that?”
 “Oh, yes. Sorry,” Agon said breezily. “Who’s up next?”
Samael checked the clipboard with a heavy sigh. Pale curls framed his round face. Next to Agon’s imposing figure and dark hair, Samael looked almost boyish. But he’d been in charge of the Department of Destiny for over three hundred years, and he ran it with a stoic sense of justice that made him seem much older. “A grave disappointment, to be sure. The soul of Liam O’Connor stands judgment today.”
“Ah.” Agon shook his head sadly. “Poor Irish ruffian. Such a tragic love story, Liam and the fair Cora.”
“Those two should never have fallen in love,” Samael said with a scowl. “It shattered all of our plans. For over a century! So many destinies were ruined because of it.” He tucked his wings neatly behind his back, then glanced at Agon. “Are you ready to call him in?”
“Yes.” Agon turned toward the wall of mist and pasted an encouraging smile on his face.
“I told you not to do that,” Samael said. “This is serious business. We must reflect the gravity of the situation through our appearance and mannerisms.”
“But humans like smiles,” Agon said. “I thought perhaps it would make him feel more comfortable.”
“His soul hangs in the balance between heaven and hell, and we’re about to judge it,” Samael said flatly. “Who could possibly be comfortable with that?”
 “Right.” Agon arranged his features to appear as bleak and unyielding as the surrounding chamber.
“Much better,” Samael said with a nod. Then he raised his hand and called into the void. “I summon the soul of Liam O’Connor.”
Like a cannonball hurled through a cloud, a man shot out of the mist, tumbling head over heels to land before the angels in a tangle of curses and grunts. Unlike other souls who were called to the Department of Destiny, Liam did not rise on unsteady feet, shaking with fear, terrified to stand judgment for his past life’s choices. Instead, he jumped up, slapping at wisps of fog still clinging to his hair and clothing, dark eyes casually scanning the room.
Samael regarded him coolly. “Do you know why you’ve been summoned to the Chamber of Judgment?”
Liam raised a dark brow. “Judgment day, I’d imagine?” For someone who stood on the brink of eternal damnation, he was far too nonchalant. But the angels knew this was part of his act. Liam O’Connor was no stranger to deception.
“We have reviewed your past life and found you wanting,” Samael said. He flicked his hand, and moving images suddenly appeared in the misty wall. Liam picking pockets. Breaking into houses. Liam running through the forest carrying a bag of stolen jewels. A stagecoach in the background with victims shouting after him. A musket ball shattering the branch of a tree near his head. Liam laughing in the face of danger.
 “You were a thief,” Samael said. “And you stole from innocent people. Often.”
“Well…” Liam crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of mist. “Crops were failing. I only stole to help put food on the table. Simple as that.”
 “Do not attempt to lie to us,” Samael said coldly. “We can see into your soul, Liam O’Connor, and we know the truth. You enjoyed stealing. You reveled in your life as a thief.”
 “Fine.” Liam pushed off the wall and began to pace, dragging the tips of his fingers through the roiling fog. “I did enjoy thieving, and I was good at it, too. I was never any good at farming. But I kept my brother’s family from starving, didn’t I? That has to count for something.”
Samael gazed at him sternly. “You didn’t only steal objects.” He flicked his hand and another image appeared, a sweet, innocent young woman with glossy blond curls and rosy cheeks. She had a round, pretty face with a nose just a little too prominent, and a smile just a little too trusting. She was holding out a rose.
“Cora,” Liam breathed. He stepped closer, but the image of the young woman vanished. “Bring her back!” He grasped at the fog with both hands. “Let me see her again.”
 “She wasn’t meant for you, ruffian,” Samael said. “You stole her from her fiancé.”
 “But I loved her,” Liam shot back. “And she—”
“You interfered with her destiny,” Samael interrupted. “She was supposed to marry that man, and together they were going to raise a child who would someday help the world.”
Liam scowled. “Her fiancé didn’t deserve her. She wanted me. It was me she loved in the end.”
“Ah, yes,” Samael said icily. “The end.”
Liam glanced away.
“Things ended very badly for her, as you well know,” Samael continued. “For both of you. And now, because of you, Cora’s soul has never found peace. In every new life we’ve given her, she’s afraid to fall in love. She never lives long enough to fulfill her destiny.” He flicked his hand again.
 This time, terrible images appeared. Cora as a young nurse, caring for soldiers during an outbreak of scarlet fever…dying in a hospital bed. Cora as a nanny, rushing to save a young child from the path of a runaway horse…dying in the street. Cora working in a factory during WWII…dying in an explosion.
The angels knew Liam wouldn’t understand some of the things he was seeing, but the message was very clear. Cora’s life always ended in tragedy.
“Enough!” Liam flung his hands up, scrubbing his face. “Just tell me my fate. Is it to be hell, then?”
The angels exchanged glances.
“It is true you’ve done much wrong in your life,” Samael said. “But you’ve also done some good. For this reason, we’re going to give you a chance at redemption.”
 Liam’s head shot up. He glanced back and forth between the two angels.
 “Cora is on earth again in this twenty-first century,” Samael said. “You must make sure she fulfills her true destiny in this life.”
“But…how?”
 “There is a man named Finley Walsh. He is her true soul mate—the man she must marry. The man she was destined to marry until you ruined everything. This time, you will see that Cora falls in love with the right man.”
 Liam scowled and kicked the floor, displacing wisps of fog. He grumbled under his breath, then glanced up. “Will she remember me?”
 “Of course not,” Samael said. “Certainly not as you remember her. The role you play this time will be…much different.”
Liam narrowed his eyes but remained silent.
 “You have three months to complete the task,” Samael continued in clipped tones. “We will bestow upon you some knowledge of the current century, but it won’t be an easy transition. If anyone questions your struggles with modern technology, just explain you’re from a very rural town.”
 Liam raised his chin. “What if I tell them the truth?”
 Samael let out a huff of amusement. “That you’re a transplanted soul from 1844 Ireland? Good luck with that.” He slid the clipboard into a pocket of mist. “Three months, Liam O’Connor. Get Cora to fall in love with Finley. It is imperative that this happens. If you fail—and that includes sleeping with her—you will be sent straight to…”
All the light in the chamber vanished, plunging them into icy darkness.
“Hell.” Samael’s voice echoed off the chamber walls like a war drum.
 “And if I succeed?” Liam whispered.
The light snapped back on.
“Heaven,” Samael said matter-of-factly. “Now, off you go.” He started to lift his hand.
“Wait!” Liam cried. “If Cora’s been on earth living all these different lives, where have I been the whole time?”
 “Suspended up here,” Samael said. “Waiting for us to decide if you deserved a chance at redemption. I do hope you are worthy of it. Goodbye, ruffian.” He waved his hand a final time, and a hole opened in the mist beneath Liam’s feet.
They could hear him yelling for a long time as he fell, even after the hole closed.
Agon chuckled. “That was a rather dramatic exit, don’t you think?”
Samael shrugged. “I thought the moment could use a bit of theatrics.”
“And the flickering lights with the echoing voice?” Agon elbowed him in the ribs. “Nice job.”
Samael pressed his lips together and tried to look stern, but Agon could tell he was pleased.
They turned to the wall of mist as the image of Liam appeared. His body floated to earth, landing softly on a bed of leaves on the forest floor. He glanced around in a daze, his lips slowly curving into a smile.
 “He always loved the forest,” Agon said wistfully.
“I thought he could use a moment here to reflect on his past, before we send him to work,” Samael said.
 Liam’s eyes drooped. His dark lashes fluttered once. Twice. And then he slipped into a deep, dream-filled sleep.
“You didn’t tell him the truth.” Agon turned to Samael. “About the child.”
 “He’s not ready to hear that—and neither is she.”
Agon glanced back to the image of Liam’s slumbering form. “Do you think he’ll succeed?”
Samael frowned. “What’s that human saying about a snowball’s chance?”
Agon shook his head. “It eludes me.”
“No matter.” Samael expanded his wings and stretched. “Time will tell.”
 “Yes,” Agon mused. “Time always does.”

Excerpted from Chance of a Lifetime by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets, Copyright © Deveraux Inc. Published by MIRA Books.

 

 

So, what do you guys think? Will you be adding Chance of a Lifetime to your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.   

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Bradley's Dragons

I love sharing a good fantasy with my eldest son and there's nothing better than seeing him get lost in a great book.  That's why I am excited to share with you guys today a fantastic new middle grade fantasy, Bradley's Dragons by Patrick Matthews, and host a giveaway for it, too! I know I love curling up with a good fantasy, especially with fall approaching and families staying home more often than usual. 

Learn More About Bradley's Dragons:

Publisher’s Synopsis: "The Hunters are Coming. The first time a hunter came for him, Bradley Nash was only nine years old. That was three years ago. Now, he lives with his family in a Florida trailer park. He doesn’t remember the attack, doesn’t know anything about hunters, or dragons, or even magic. As his twelfth birthday approaches, however, his peaceful life starts falling apart. The hunters are coming, and if Bradley doesn’t figure out exactly who and what he is, everything he’s ever known will be destroyed. “The novel teems with drama from the first page, and readers will be swept up by intrigue and action.” —The Children’s Book Review

Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Second Story Up | July 7, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1733077743  

You can purchase Bradley's Dragons at Amazon or Bookshop.org.   To learn more about Patrick Matthews, you can visit his website and also visit the website for Bradley's Dragons. 

The Giveaway:

I've partnered with The Children's Book Review and Second Story Up to share with you guys a giveaway for your own hardcover copy of Bradley's Dragons signed by Patrick Matthews and a dragon sun catcher by the Glassy Geek.  Eight other winners will receive hardcover copies of Bradley's Dragons signed by Patrick Matthews.  The giveaway begins September 1, 2020 at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 30, 2020 at 11:59 P.M. MT.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Another Summer Is Over.....

And another Summer Kickoff Feature has come to an end.  Guys, I had a blast sharing some of the best beach reads with you all this summer. This year it was an especially challenging and different summer, so I truly relished the opportunity to armchair travel to some beautiful places through all the fantastic beach reads. While I didn't read as many as I had hoped (do I ever???), now that fall is upon us, I am officially concluding this feature.

But that doesn't mean I won't be enjoying a few beach reads from time to time.  2020 pretty much requires it, right? I can always use a good feel-good read with a coastal setting!

So, what were your favorite beach reads of the summer? Here are my favorites:

Favorite Beach Reads:

 

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Runner-up: Summer Longing by Jamie Brenner

 Favorite Feel-Good Beach Reads:

 

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

Girls of Summer by Nancy Thayer

Favorite Historical Beach Reads:

 

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

Favorite "Smart" Beach Read:

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

Favorite Beach Read By a Debut Author:

Summer Darlings by Beatrice Lea Foster

Favorite Beach Read With a Side of a Mystery:

Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

The Beach Reads That Are Still On My List:

Here are a few of the beach reads that I didn't get to this summer that I am hoping to pick up this fall or winter when I need a good escape:

  

500 Miles From You by Jenny Colgan

The Second Home by Christina Clancy

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman

 

East Coast Girls by Kerry Kletter

Just a Boy and a Girl and in a Little Canoe by Sarah Mlynowski

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery

Have you read any of these books? Which one should I read first this fall or winter when I need a good escape? Let me know in the comments below.


So, now I need to know what were your favorite beach reads of the summer? What do you think of my list?  To see all the beach reads that I featured during this year's Summer Kickoff, check out my list here and past year's lists are there as well.

Till next time!