If You Love Southern Beach Reads....

For me, some of the best beach reads are those that take place down South, where it's always warm, there's palm trees, crystal blue waters, and a cold ice tea. I'm sharing my updated list of Southern beach reads today, including the ones on my overflowing TBR list.

 

Adult Fiction: 

 

 

Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck  (Key West, Florida)

Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey (Georgia)

The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White (Georgia)

The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews - (North Carolina)

The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank (Charleston, South Carolina)

All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank (Charleston, South Carolina)

Under a Dark Summer Sky by Vanessa LaFaye (Key West, Florida)

 

 

 

 

 

Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams (Cocoa Beach, Florida)

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe (Charleston, South Carolina) 

Summer at Hideaway Key by Barbara Davis (Florida) 

The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey (Georgia)

Southern Side of Paradise by Kristy Woodson Harvey (Georgia)

Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey (North Carolina)

Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews (Florida)

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton (Florida)

Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews (Florida)

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey (North Carolina)

The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt by Andrea Bobotis (South Carolina)

Dreams of Falling by Karen White  (South Carolina) 

 

 

 

 

The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews (Outside Savannah, Georgia) 

The Summer of Lost and Found by Mary Alice Monroe (Charleston, South Carolina)

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews (Florida)

Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras (Key West, Florida)

Flight Patterns by Karen White (Coastal Florida) 

A Lakeside Reunion by C.Chilove (Florida)

Beach House for Rent by Mary Alice Monroe (Isle of Palms, South Carolina)

 

 

 

On The TBR List:

 

 

 The Summer House by Jenny Hale (Outer Banks, North Carolina)

My Magnolia Summer by Victoria Benton Frank (Sullivan's Island, South Carolina)

The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey (North Carolina)

The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe (Sullivan's Island, South Carolina) 

YA Fiction:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (Colby, North Carolina)

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (Colby, North Carolina)

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm (Key West, Florida)

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (Southern beach town)

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols (Alabama)

Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton (Georgia)

So, these are just a few of the southern beach reads I've read over the years. Did any of your favorites make my list? Do you have any recommendations for me? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

 

Book Review: The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

 

Pages: 400

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction

Pub Date: May 2, 2023

Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers

Source: Library

Other Books By Author: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour,

Save the Date, Second Chance Summer,   

Since You've Been Gone and The Unexpected Everything

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "The Penderwicks meets The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street in a story about a young girl who gets to know her mom’s side of the family and hunts for hidden treasure over the course of one chaotic summer. For as long as Ryanna Stuart can remember, her summers have been spent with her father and his new wife. Just the three of them, structured, planned, and quiet. But this summer is different. This summer, she’s received a letter from her grandparents—grandparents neither she nor her dad have spoken to since her mom’s death—inviting her to stay with them at an old summer camp in the Poconos. Ryanna accepts. She wants to learn about her mom. She wants to uncover the mystery of why her father hasn’t spoken to her grandparents all these years. She’s even looking forward to a quiet summer by the lake. But what she finds are relatives… so many relatives! Aunts and uncles and cousins upon cousins—a motley, rambunctious crew of kids and eccentric, unconventional adults. People who have memories of her mom from when she was Ryanna’s age, clues to her past like a treasure map. Ryanna even finds an actual, real-life treasure map! Over the course of one unforgettable summer—filled with s’mores and swimming, adventure and fun, and even a decades-old mystery to solve—Ryanna discovers a whole new side of herself and that, sometimes, the last place you expected to be is the place where you really belong."

Ryanna's mother died when she was just three years old, so the maternal side of her family has always been a mystery as they are estranged. But one day she gets an invitation from her maternal grandparents to come spend the summer at their house in the Poconos. Ryanna agrees as she is curious about her extended family and also she hopes to learn more about her mother. What she thought was going to be a quiet lakeside summer with her grandparents turned out to be so much more. It's not just her grandparents who are there; there are aunts, uncles, and cousins staying at what was once a bustling summer camp that her grandparents operated. Camp Van Camp, an idyllic getaway in the Poconos, is no longer in operation, but is in crisis. Nonetheless, Ryanna's days are filled with all the summer fun you would expect lakeside, hanging out with her cousins, treasure maps, her mom's old books, and more. One old treasure map might hold the key to keeping Camp Van Camp. Morgan Matson's middle-grade debut, The Firefly Summer, is an absolute delight of a summer novel.

Ryanna is the type of character you instantly feel for in The Firefly Summer. She is just getting to know her grandparents and extended family, so it's a bit awkward in the beginning, especially with how she met her cousins. Slowly, she folds into the family nicely and acclimates to summer life at the lake. I loved how she got to know her mom's side of the family and the adventures with her crew of cousins. She also tries to piece together what happened between her grandparents and her dad as that is the reason why they were estranged.

One of the main problems in The Firefly Summer is the fact that her grandfather can't find the handwritten document from his neighbor, who has since passed away, which indicates the land of Camp Van Camp goes to him. Without this document, the fate of the camp is up in the air, so clearly this is a focus for Ryanna this summer as well. It turns into a bit of an adventure involving her mom's old book, notes in the margins, and a treasure map---pure summer fun!
 
Matson captures summer life at the Poconos so well in The Firefly Summer; it made me want to plan another trip back. Readers can easily tell that Matson writes from the heart about the Poconos, because all the descriptions are completely vivid and accurate. Fans of the Poconos will love this aspect of the novel; I certainly did.
 

Fans of the Vanderbeekers series will especially enjoy this novel as it has some similarities. In sum, Matson can do no wrong. She is such a fantastic writer and I am so glad she wrote her first middle-grade novel. I hope she continues to write more; The Firefly Summer is a novel I would have loved to pick up when I was in middle school. So, are you a fan of Morgan Matson? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Blog Tour: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

 

Pages: 352

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: June 27, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: The Dead Romantics

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Goodreads says, "Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it. So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: stay busy, work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it. And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again. Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future. Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed. After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing."

 

 

Clementine inherits a gorgeous apartment on the Upper East Side from her kooky aunt, whom she loved to travel the world with. Clementine is dealing with some major grief after the death of her aunt, not to mention remembering all the strange stories she told about her "magical" apartment that bends time. She used to think it was all her aunt's strange stories, but when she wakes up to find aspiring chef, Iwan, in her apartment she is starting to realize her aunt was right. Iwan is living seven years in Clementine's past and she is living seven years in his future. In the same apartment! Clementine is also dealing with some bumps in the road regarding her life as well as her job, and Iwan is the greatest escape. His lemon dies, his southern accent, and his warm heart all make her gravitate toward him. The more time she spends with him, the more she starts to see things differently about her life and question what she really wants. How could they actually have a real relationship though? Her aunt warned her to never fall in love within the walls of her apartment and that is exactly what is happening. Ashley Poston's The Seven Year Slip is a delightful romance filled with magical realism.

Clementine is a wonderful character in The Seven Year Slip. She works as a book publicist for a small publisher in New York City, so that aspect of the story was interesting. She is at a crossroads at work though, not to mention dealing with the death of her beloved aunt. Then throw in Iwan, you have a lot of drama that Clementine must face. Clementine and Iwan's love story, due to the magical elements, is very unpredictable and in that case, I enjoyed that aspect of the story as I wasn't sure what would happen. How could they make this work in real life?

The threads of magic in The Seven Year Slip are perfect. Even though it seems really far-fetched, Poston made it believable for me. While it didn't pack the emotional punch of her previous novel, The Dead Romantics, I still enjoyed the ride and was rooting for Clementine. If you love a romance with a strong side of magical realism, look no further. This book will transport you and that makes it the perfect beach read for the summer.

Are you a fan of Ashley Poston? Do you plan to read The Seven Year Slip this summer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: My Soul Treasure

 

I love all the emphasis on mindfulness right now for children. I think it's so important and very helpful as children are growing up in a very different world than we grew up in. It's important to decompress and take a moment for some calm. 

With that in mind, I am excited to share with you all today a new picture book that focuses on children becoming more self-aware and taking the time in their busy world to connect with their inner selves. I've partnered with Kate Searle to celebrate the recent publication of My Soul Treasure and to host a very exciting giveaway.

 

 

Learn More About the Book:

 

My Soul Treasure

Written by Kate Searle

Illustrated by Alison Mutton

Ages 4+ | 28 Pages

Publisher: Kate’s Soul Treasure (2022) | ISBN-13: 978-0645415421 

 

Publisher’s Book Summary: My Soul Treasure is a beautifully illustrated children’s book designed to teach children how to connect with their inner selves and cultivate self-awareness and self-love. It follows the story of a young girl who goes on a journey beyond her mind, body, and heart to discover her own inner treasures. The story includes positive affirmations and visualization exercises to help children develop mindfulness and self-reflection skills.

 

You can purchase your own copy of My Soul Treasure at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. You can learn more about Kate Searle by visiting her website and connecting with her on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Enter the Giveaway:

 

I've partnered with Kate Searle to host this fantastic giveaway. Enter the giveaway for a hardcover copy of My Soul Treasure signed by Kate Searle and a Kindle (2022 release). Four other winners will receive a hardcover copy of My Soul Treasure signed by Kate Searle. Good luck!  

 

 

My Soul Treasure Book Giveaway

 

Book Review: Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison

 

Pages: 288

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: June 20, 2023

Publisher: St. Martin's

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Montauk

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 

Goodreads says, "In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers. Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him. Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants."

 

Hazel Francis left her small town behind for California during WWII. She worked at Douglas Aircraft building aircraft for the military, but now that the war is over, so is her job. She is expected to return home. But what about all the women that did not want to return home to the status quo and wanted more for themselves? Well, Hazel is faced with that very problem as she doesn't want to return home, and happens upon Laguna Beach when looking for a new job. Laguna seems so promising with its artistic and boho vibe. Eventually, she does land a job as an assistant to Laguna's most successful artist, Hanson Radcliff. Hanson is mysterious and moody, but locally adored, so naturally Hazel finds him intriguing. As more time passes, Hazel becomes a member of Laguna's community, she finds a possible romance in Jimmy, a bartender, and perhaps her place in a post-WWII war. Nicola Harrison's Hotel Laguna is a solid historical read that highlights the struggles women experienced during this transitional time in America's history.

Hazel is a character you have to respect in Hotel Laguna. She stepped up to the plate during the war and built aircraft for the military and contributed to such an important cause. However, once the war was over, Hazel, like many American women, was dropped and just expected to return home to their former lives. While I am sure many women did happily, others wanted something else for themselves. Hotel Laguna highlights this struggle through Hazel's experiences post-war. I can't say I've read a book that details how difficult it was for women during the time, so this was a new concept for me and one that I appreciated wholeheartedly. I enjoyed her journey to finding something more for herself, a place in a new community, a possible love, and an unlikely friendship with her boss, Hanson. 

The real star of the show in Hotel Laguna is Laguna Beach itself. Harrison did a wonderful job bringing it to life. The art show, the artistic community, the bohemian vibe, and the beautiful landscapes were done so well; it made me want to visit one day. If you love a memorable setting in your historical beach reads, look no further.

While Hotel Laguna wasn't a stand-out historical beach read, I still enjoyed Hazel's story and how it highlighted postwar America. It was a quick read (less than 300 pages), so it would be perfect for a long weekend at the beach.

Are you a fan of Nicola Harrison? Is Hotel Laguna on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Audio Book Review: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Genre: Romance/Audio Book

Pub. Date: 4/11/23

Publisher: Forever

Source: Library

Other Books by Author: Part of Your World

 

Goodreads says, "Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.  And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse."

 

 

 

Briana Ortiz is an ER doctor and has a lot going on. She is recently divorced (her husband cheated on her), she is hoping to get a promotion at work, and her brother is in desperate need of a new kidney. There's a lot on her plate, so when a new ER doctor, Jacob Maddox, enters the scene, she assumes that he will want the new job that is up for grabs. But things aren't as they appear with Jacob. He doesn't want the job; in fact, he has his own issues starting with clinical anxiety and the fact that his girlfriend dumped him for his brother. So, obviously, when Briana and Jacob meet they both have a lot of baggage. After a really bad first impression, Jacob writes Briana a letter and then they start corresponding that way and actually hit it off. The letters level up to lunch dates and so much more. Abby Jimenez's Yours Truly is a delightful rom-com that had me laughing out loud and while the novel touches on serious issues at times, it never feels overly dark.

I really enjoyed Briana from the start of Yours Truly. I thought she was a really fun character and her glitter revenge and other scenes had me cackling. Her dedication to her brother tugged on my heartstrings and I appreciated that Jimenez highlighted chronic health issues and how they can impact an entire family as well as the toll it takes mentally. Jimenez adds her own personal health issues in the author's note at the end of Yours Truly, so I really appreciated that as well and I think many readers can relate to it. So, needless to say, I was rooting for Briana.

Jacob is a picture-perfect boyfriend in Yours Truly. I mean he offers to donate his kidney to Briana's brother. He writes letters. He has houseplants! His family is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Need I say more? The one issue he has is clinical anxiety and I think Jimenez does a brilliant job showing us through Jacob how that can impact a person both socially and at work. While I didn't really buy that he would donate his kidney so soon, I appreciated the sentiment and adored his character.

There are many common tropes in Yours Truly--fake dating for starts, but Jimenez makes it feel fresh and fun. Many readers will enjoy this romance and I think it would be a great one to throw in your beach bag this summer. I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed it as well. A solid romance!

Are you a fan of Jimenez? Have you read Yours Truly yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

 

 

Book Spotlight: Love, Theoretically

 

Romance fans, get excited! A new Ali Hazelwood novel has come out this week! Woo hoo! I always enjoy picking up her novels and I can't wait to read her latest, Love, Theoretically, which I hear is a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance. Hazelwood's rom-coms are not only steamy romances, but they are smart and laugh-out-loud funny, too. 

Learn More About the Book:

 

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Pub. Date: June 13, 2023

 

About the book, "It’s a rivalry that runs as old and as deep as the feuds between the Capulets and the Montagues, the Yankees and the Red Sox, Batman and the Joker, Tom and Jerry: theoretical versus experimental physicists. Elsie Hannaway is firmly in the camp of theoretical physics—an adjunct professor by day, she toils long and hard to teach students about the laws of thermodynamics in hopes of landing tenure. But to make ends meet, Elsie takes on another role in her (very) limited spare time: fake girlfriend. In this career, Elsie can pretend to be anyone her client needs her to be… and while she’s not supposed to go on more than one date with a guy, she develops a soft spot for one who really needs her help in front of his family. What could possibly go wrong?

 

Here is what can go wrong: her client has an older brother. A very hot older brother. And, on an interview for her dream tenure-track position in MIT’s physics department, Elsie learns that said older brother is a member of the hiring committee. And he also just so happens to be the very same experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and is the reason why the entire science field views theoretical physicists as wastes of space. Did we mention that he happens to be terribly sexy? And he thinks that Elsie is a librarian who has been dating his brother?"

 

You can purchase your own copy of Love, Theoretically at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, Books-A-Million, and Amazon. You can learn more about Ali Hazelwood by visiting her website and connecting with her on Facebook and Instagram. 

So, is Love, Theoretically on your summer TBR list? Are you a fan of Ali Hazelwood? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

Book Review: The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand

 

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: 6/13/2023

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Golden Girl,  The Hotel Nantucket,

Winter Street,  Winter Stroll, 28 Summers,  

Summer of '69,  Beautiful Day, The Island,
The Perfect Couple and Winter in Paradise 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper. So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie. The husband of Hollis’s childhood friend Tatum arranges for Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to spend time with them, stirring up old feelings. Meanwhile, Tatum is forced to play nice with abrasive and elitist Dru-Ann, Hollis’s best friend from UNC Chapel Hill. Dru-Ann’s career as a prominent Chicago sports agent is on the line after her comments about a client’s mental health issues are misconstrued online. Brooke, Hollis’s friend from their thirties, has just discovered that her husband is having an inappropriate relationship with a woman at work. Again! And then there’s Gigi, a stranger to everyone (including Hollis) who reached out to Hollis through her blog. Gigi embodies an unusual grace and, as it happens, has many secrets. The Five-Star Weekend is a surprising and captivating story about friendship, love, and self-discovery set on Nantucket. It will be a weekend like no other."

 

 

Hollis Shaw has it all at first glance. She lives in beautiful Wellesley and has a gorgeous vacation home on Nantucket. Her husband is a doctor, her college-age daughter is an aspiring filmmaker, and Hollis is the face behind the wildly popular website Hungry with Hollis complete with a community of food lovers. But peel back the layers of perfection and you can see the cracks that are starting to form. Things with Hollis and her husband are on the rocks, her daughter is angry most of the time, and her family resents her for spending so much time on the internet with her "followers." When her husband decides to not attend their annual Christmas party and go to a work conference instead, Hollis is upset. They have words before he leaves and en route to the airport, he gets into a car crash and dies. Now Hollis's daughter, Caroline, is even more angry and things will never be the same for Hollis. She leaves Wellesley behind for Nantucket, which is her hometown, and comes up with the brilliant idea to boost her mood--host a "five-star" weekend featuring four of her best friends from the various stages of life. There's Tatum, her childhood best friend, and Dru-Ann, her college bestie. Then there's Brooke, her friend from when the children were little, and lastly, Gigi, her internet friend whom she has never met from Hungry with Hollis. She will combine them for a weekend of fun at her house on Nantucket. What could possibly go wrong? Elin Hilderbrand's The Five-Star Weekend is a story about female friendships, the ups and downs of life, and figuring it all out.

I must be honest that I had a hard time connecting with Hollis in The Five-Star Weekend. I am not sure if it's because she was older than me, but I really couldn't connect with her like I usually do with Hilderbrand's protagonists. Nonetheless, I was rooting for her to find some happiness during her weekend with her friends; however, we know that is much more complicated than it appears at first glance. Getting together girlfriends from various stages of a person's life is a recipe for disaster, especially as personalities collide. Tatum, the Nantucket native, hasn't talked to Hollis in years and is dealing with her own very heavy medical issues. Brooke is facing another disaster with her husband and Dru-Ann, a very successful sports agent, is being canceled on social media. Then there's the mystery around Gigi. Who is she really? Throw in Caroline, as Hollis has paid her to film the weekend, and you've got yourself a houseful of drama. Plus, Hollis's first love, Jack, is back in town. Cue major drama between the fancy food, the tequila, color-coordinating dinners, and nights out at the Chicken Box.

One thing that Hilderbrand does so well in The Five-Star Weekend is to bring Nantucket to life. Readers can expect that from her by now. The fancy dinners, the Nantucket restaurants, the details surrounding the island, the descriptions of mouth watering food, the cold Sancerre.....you name it. The details are all there and every foodie will be dreaming of a delicious meal by the time they finish the novel. Also, Hilderbrand tackles some tough topics very well --- cancel culture, a possible cancer diagnosis, infidelity, sexual harassment, and more, but somehow keeps the book well-balanced, which is why her beach reads work so well. They have substance, but it isn't too overbearing and dark for summertime.

While The Five-Star Weekend wasn't my favorite of Hilderbrand's novels, it is still a fantastic beach read that I know will be in many beach bags this summer. Have you picked up a copy of The Five-Star Weekend yet? Is it on your TBR list? What's your favorite of Hilderbrand's novels? Let me know in the comments below.

Blog Tour: The Last Lifeboat

 

I have been a fan of Hazel Gaynor for years, ever since I read The Last Christmas in Paris, so I am excited to be a part of Berkley's blog tour for her latest novel, The Last Lifeboat. I love curling up with a good historical novel in the summer, so I definitely have this book on my summer TBR list. It's based on real WWII event and is perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Martha Hall Kelly. I am a sucker when it comes to novels based on real-life events, so I can't wait to read this one. The Last Lifeboat comes out today, so keep your eye out for it!

Learn More About the Book:

 

Goodreads says, "In 1940, England is under siege by the Nazis. With men gone off to war, women, children, and the elderly are plagued by daily bombings and constant fear for their lives. Lily Nichols, a single mother living in London, believes that anywhere must be safer than here for her two young children. She applies for a risky evacuation program that would send her son and daughter overseas to Canada, following a long journey at sea. 

Alice King, a shy and quiet librarian, can’t stand sitting still amidst the wartime suffering that surrounds her. To play her part in the war effort, Alice volunteers to serve as a chaperone who will sail overseas, accompanying children to safety abroad. 

When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the ship with Lily’s children on board, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic… and Alice becomes one mother’s only hope for her children’s survival. The story follows Alice’s harrowing eight days at sea, and Lily’s fight at home for her children to make it back to England alive."

 

You can purchase your own copy of The Last Lifeboat at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Amazon. You can learn more about Hazel Gaynor by visiting her website and connecting with her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

So, are you a fan of Hazel Gaynor? Is The Last Lifeboat on your summer TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.