Review: The Summer of Sunshine and Margot by Susan Mallery

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Summary: The Baxter sisters come from a long line of women with disastrous luck in love. But this summer, Sunshine and Margot will turn disasters into destiny…

As an etiquette coach, Margot teaches her clients to fit in. But she’s never faced a client like Bianca, an aging movie star who gained fame—and notoriety—through a campaign of shock and awe. Schooling Bianca on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife requires intensive lessons, forcing Margot to move into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son. Like his incredible home, Alec’s stony exterior hides secret depths Margot would love to explore. But will he trust her enough to let her in?

Sunshine has always been the good-time sister, abandoning jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. No more. She refuses to be “that girl” again. This time, she’ll finish college, dedicate herself to her job as a nanny, and she 100 percent will not screw up her life again by falling for the wrong guy. Especially not the tempting single dad who also happens to be her boss.

Master storyteller Susan Mallery weaves threads of family drama, humor, romance and a wish-you-were-there setting into one of the most satisfying books of the year!

Review

One of Susan Mallery’s best qualities is how when you grab one of her books, you just keep reading and forget time. The Summer of Sunshine and Margot definitely doesn’t disappoint. These two sisters will keep you flipping the pages wanting to see where life takes them. Trying to make their lives better, their story gives us all the elements that makes Susan’s book swoonworthy. 

We are introduced to Margot and Sunshine. These ladies have been through a lot, but what has been consistent, is their love for each other. At different places in their lives, they’ve had their fair share of disappointments, especially in the love department. Little did they know that life happens when it’s supposed to and how fate had something in store.

Margot is the more reserved sister. An etiquette coach, she lands a job working for a former movie star, Bianca, who is a lot to handle. Quirky and out of control at times, she is seeking her help to make her more social acceptable to her dignitary boyfriend. Little does she know that

Bianca has an ulterior motive for her. Her recluse and conservative son has sworn off love. Actually the last thing on his mind or wants is a relationship but when Margot comes into their lives, could this be fate meant to be?

Sunshine, definitely lives up to her name. Wanting to change her ways of running away from life and not to mention attaching herself to the wrong men, she really wants to have a real life. She wants a future, a real relationship and for once be respected as a person. Insecure but optimistic, she lands a position as a nanny with a widow and his son. A great guy who recently lost his wife and a charismatic son that is the center of his world. They hit off great. Actually, the ideal situation that seems meant to be. Seems perfect right?

As Sunshine gets adjusted and attached to her new situation, the past keeps creeping in on her clashed with her current feelings in turmoil. In her past, she would have a job, fall in love with the guy and leave. Not wanting to keep making the same mistakes, she wants to make this work. Not wanting to mix business with her personal life, she finds herself at a crossroads in life unsure of which direction to go. Little does she know that sometimes when you least expect it, what’s meant to be can be right in front of you.

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot brings all that we love in a great story by Susan Mallery. As much as these girls were enjoyable to read, the relationship between Bianca and Alec is worth noting as well. We get family drama, romance, wit that will make this wonderful. There’s much more to this book but I want you to enjoy all that it brings. I’m going to recommend adding this to your TBR.

Review: Once Upon A Comic Con (Geeks Gone Wild) by Maggie Dallen

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This is my third book in the Geeks Gone Wild series. Unfortunately did not enjoy Once Upon a Comic Con as much as I did the other two books in the series.

This the previous books, this one relies heavily on the jock/geek relationship in high school. It also continues the events of the "#geeksgonewild" hashtag that was established in the first book. However, the roles are reversed just a tad.

Matt Cartwright is fulfills the role of the geek that was originally held by Suzie & Margo. He is an aspiring writer, who is best friends with Suzie & Margo. The jock role is held by Julia. Her life was seemingly perfect until a photo of her is posted on #geeksgonewild.

Like mentioned previously, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others. It was hard to stay interested in what exactly was happening.

This is in regards to both the romance and the storyline.

Another problem I faced was that there was a lack of connection or concern for the main characters. Matt had been heavily introduced in earlier books, and he wasn't exactly my favorite. I still wanted to give him a chance in this book. However, in this book, he still felt one dimensional and unlikable.

Final Analysis

Once Upon a Comic Con was a simply "okay" installment in a good series.

Review: Being the Grownup: Love, Limits, and the Natural Authority of Parenthood by Adelia Moore

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Summary:

Children need adults to survive. This, despite the profound change our digital era has wrought on family life, remains the essence of parenthood. Being the Grownup The Natural Authority of Parenthood begins not with what should be, but with what is: If you are a parent, it is your job to provide shelter and safety, to make decisions about education, childcare, health and nourishment, to create the habitat that is the context and crucible of family life. Being the Grownup helps parents translate their determination to care for and protect their children into the clarity they need to communicate authority with a firm confidence, whether for bedtime, screen-time or mealtime. Just as she would in a clinical conversation, the author shifts the focus away from disciplinary strategies and back to the core of parenthood, the relationship between parents and children as it evolves, moment-to-moment, from the dependence of infancy to the autonomy of young adulthood.

There are a host of reasons that contemporary parents might feel uneasy about embracing their natural authority. There have always been parents who doubted themselves, often blaming their children, who may seem determined to challenge every limit. If authority is natural, why is that so? Looking for the answer in the characteristics of developmental stages or parenting strategies often leaves parents frustrated, because being a parent is not something you do to a child but something you are with a child. Parental authority is not simply a matter of discipline with time-outs, or even skilled negotiation and conflict resolution. Parent and child are two human beings whose bodies and voices, experiences, perspectives and emotions shape their interactions with each other. Like everything else about relationships, it’s complicated.

Being the Grownup zeroes in on the core challenge for every parent, the hard work of building a relationship that combines trust and connection with confident authority children can feel and rely on. Relationships take time, and so does learning about relationships. Readers will not find bullet points or formulas. Instead, to more fully understand what happens moment to moment between parents and children, and what patterns between them may strengthen or undermine parents’ authority, my readers will find moments in the parent-child relationship examined from a variety of angles. Each chapter delves deep into a topic, including attachment, temperament, family systems theory and body language, making connections from theory and research to everyday family life.

No one book can tell you what to do in every situation with every child. There are simply too many variables. That’s why it’s important to know more about what to think about parenthood and the relationship you have with each of your children: Being the Grownup helps you do that.

Review:

Being a Grownup wasn’t your typical advice book dealing with parenting. Even though I expected a different book in terms of theme and content, I got a well researched and thought provoking perspective featuring intelligent narrative that neither judged nor preached what she thought parents should do. You receive a well balanced perspective from not only a parent but a psychologist that gives you so much food for thought to weigh out with your own style of parenting.

Many people put their two cents in when they observe a parent doing something they perceive as right or wrong but ultimately it comes down to you finding your “natural authority” and balance to be a great parent. She helps parents understand their responsibility for their children and presents strategies to communicate with them. She tries to lessen the burden of their insecurities of being a good parent by stressing their status as the grownup while building their confidence to what feels right to them. Overall, this was an interesting book tackling parenthood not only from her own experience but her professional as well. There is much to gain from her insight and research that I think many parents might be incorporated in their own lives.

Review: The Road She Left Behind by Christine Nolfi

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Summary: Three women. Two families torn apart by secrets.

Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother’s resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn’t looked back. Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she’s found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him.

Once back in Ohio, Darcy realizes there’s more to Emerson’s disappearance—and to the sudden retirement of her mother, Rosalind—than meets the eye. As she works to make inroads with Rosalind, Darcy begins to unravel a decades-old secret that devastated her family and forced a wedge between her and Michael Varano, the man she left heartbroken when she vanished after the funeral. After carrying the scars of that fateful night for almost a decade, Darcy is determined to find closure, healing, and maybe even love where she lost them all in the first place—right back home where she belongs.

Review

This book was so wonderful for so many reason. This was my first book read by Christine and was very grateful to have had the opportunity to to be introduced to her work. I’m definitely looking forward to her other books. I’m not sure if this book was intended to begin a series but I hope another book can be made to continue.

I love books like this because it reminds you of how short life is and no matter what’s going on, you have time to mend relationships before it’s too late. You just know when you start reading a book that you will love it once you forget time and just keep going. This book was everything that I need right now. Christine truly blesses the reader with a beautifully written story, characters that leave an imprint on your heart and a reminder of the gift of time in life that some forget to cherish.

The Road Left Behind introduces us to the Goodridge family. From the outside, it would appear the ideal family. Prominent, well established with a reputation that was known to all. Behind the scenes told a different narrative. One night changed their family forever. Darcy, plagued with guilt and burdened by the weight of resentment from her mother, left home with no intentions to ever come back. Out of the blue one day she received a call, pleading for her return, she made the choice to face her past and return to the place she’d tried so hard to put past her.

Secrets are revealed, truths are are told and the road to healing gives Darcy a path she’d thought would never happen. Redemption, love, forgiveness paves the way for all roads lead to home is where the heart is.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful book that gives the reader a beautiful story that leaves you feeling good. Every character brings something to the book that fits like a puzzle. No one is perfect. Those imperfections bring substance and depth that allow the characters to grow and embrace their journey. I think you will enjoy this one and recommend you adding to your tbr.

Review: Starfish by Lisa Becker

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Summary:

Ambitious graduate Marin Collins accepts a four-month internship at a prestigious public relations firm to work on a tech account, but her plans are derailed when she’s assigned to go on the road with touring rock band Kings Quarters, hailed by Rolling Stone as the next big thing.

Enter Brad Osterhauser, the reluctant rock star who would rather be coding computer games than penning Grammy-nominated songs.

Traveling by bus, city to city with a group of practical joking bandmates and a greedy manager, Marin and Brad forge a friendship and forbidden romance over a shared love of Seinfeld episodes, stolen moments and Red Vines.

But when Marin’s accused of betraying her company and the band, will Brad come to her defense or believe she was disloyal to him for the sake of her career?

Told in alternating perspectives of Marin and Brad, Starfish is a contemporary romance of unexpected love, the redemptive power of music and hogging the bed.

Review:

I really love rock star romances because you never know what you are going to get. Despite the groundwork plot predictability, it’s always fun to read a new perspective. I went into this open minded, being forewarned of the potential steam, and glad that I took the chance because I didn’t want to stop reading.

Now, I have a low tolerance for steam and prefer not to read if possible. What I will say is that the point of view of Brad, much of what he says is steaming, due mainly because of his thoughts of being a guy. Beyond that, the rest of the plot over ruled any reservations I may have had. I really enjoyed the chemistry of the characters and definitely see this hopefully becoming a series.

Told by dual perspectives, you really get a balanced experience seeing things from two different angles. I was so glad that Marin was intelligent, ambitious and a hardworking gal that allowed her to bring something for us to want to root for. Brad wasn’t your typical rock star. There is a backstory to him that gives a unique perspective of more than a rock star character. Their developing friendship and forbidden romance gives the readers some highs and lows mixed with some drama that makes this contemporary romance worth flipping the pages. Overall, I thought it was a good read and loved their chemistry. I’d recommend checking this one out.

Review: My Virtual Prince Charming (Geeks Gone Wild Book 2) by Maggie Dallen

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This is my second book in the Geeks Gone Wild series. And I must say I enjoyed My Virtual Prince Charming the most. 

My Virtual Prince Charming is about Suzie & Luke- two high schoolers from two completely different social groups. Both are them are super into this indie video game & have developed an online friendship because of it. However, they aren't aware of each other's true identity. 

I felt that it was nicely paced. It didn't feel rushed nor did it feel too unrealistic. There was something oddly quiet yet charming about this book. What I mean is that it was incredibly hard to put down and although the plot was simple it was captivating.

Characters 

Both Suzie and Luke were two loveable characters.They were a cute and innocent couple. They are currently my favorite couple in the series. 

Although, the online friendship between them felt genuine, I would have loved more interactions between the two before they became aware of each other's identities. 

In addition, I would have enjoyed a little more backstory between the two characters. Luke had this conflicting dynamic with his family and I would have liked for that to be explored more. 

Suzie is the best friend of the main character in the first book in the Geeks Gone Wild series. So we has learned a lot about her through the eyes of her best friend, Margo. However, I still would have enjoyed an emphasis on Suzie's background in her own book. 

Final Analysis 

My Virtual Prince Charming is a cute YA about two undeniable loveable characters.