Savannah Breeze by Mary Kay ANdrews

SAVANNAH BREEZE Mary Kay Andrews BeBe, a formerly rich Southern belle, is reduced to remodeling her family’s rundown motel after a con man takes her money and most of her worldly goods. Her friends come to her aid when she determines to con the con man and get her money back – and remodel the motel into a magical get-away at the same time. A fun read by a master of the genre. You will enjoy this ramp thru the motel business. 4 of 5 stars

No Judgements by Meg Cabot

NO JUDGEMENTS by Meg Cabot When a hurricane hits the small beach town in Florida Bree has escaped to in order to reassess her life, she finds that many left their animals behind. Bree decides to help as many of these bereft animals as she can when the bridge to the island is washed out. Owners who expected to be gone just a day or two left behind many animals now trapped in empty homes. Bree and several friends, including a heart throb, work to save the animals while Bree’s former boyfriend and her mother attempt to convince her to flee back to the big city and her former fiance’s money and power. A light romantic comedy that is well written and has believable characters. 4 of 5 stars

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Miessner

BRIDGE ACROSS THE OCEAN by Susan Miessner I don’t usually like “ghost” stories, but this one was intriguing. Give it a chance. After WWII many American GI’s married the women came to know and love while overseas, this book tells the story of three of them. The “War Brides” came to the United States only after being cleared by the US government and passing health exams. They came in large groups on former troop ships to at last rejoin their husbands, often with small children in tow. A present day woman who “sees ghosts” is talked into visiting the Queen Mary in its California dock to reassure a young girl. What she finds there is not the Ghost of the young girls dead mother but an entirely different ghost, one who leads her to research the war brides who traveled on the ship in 1946. Interesting and well researched with believable characters and situations, Miessner tells a tale of love, betrayal, and desperation. 5 of 5 stars

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND BRAVE BY hAZEL gAYNOR

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND BRAVE – by Hazel Gaynor Based on real people in real peril, this book follows Nancy, an eight-year-old student, and Elspeth Kent, a teacher at the Chefoo (China) School from 1939-1945. When the book begins, both Nancy and Elspeth are new arrivals at the school for children of missionaries and diplomats. The students are expected to study hard and make their way to colleges like Oxford and Harvard at the completion of their school years. When the Japanese occupy the school, life for both students and teachers abruptly changes. The book centers on how the teachers help the children cope with their very changed circumstances. Well researched and well written the story is compelling and full of incidents that portray life as “guests” of Imperial Japan from Temple Hill to Weihsein Internment Camp. Olympic medalist Eric Liddell was also interned atWeihsein and became one of the children’s teachers. The grit and perseverance of both and adults is starkly shown without excess reliance on graphic details. Book groups will find much to discuss. Older children and their parents in a combined book group would find this book absorbing and thought provoking. 5 of 5 stars

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens WOW! Just WOW! This is a great book. Murder, abandoned child, growing up alone, nature, young love, sex, ecology, love, poetry, betrayal, education, redemption, forgiveness, treachery -- it is all here. Well written with strong characters and even stronger biology, Owens debut novel is clearly a winner. The North Carolina coastal region and the animals, birds, flowers, grasses, etc. are as much a character as the human in this book. Kya, Chase, Jumpin’, Mabel and Tate are the main humans in this beautiful elegy to nature and the human spirit. Saying too much more will spoil the “mystery” in the book, so just know that is a book that should not be missed. Book groups will find much to discuss and ponder. Biologists and sportsmen/women will appreciate the accuracy of the science. 5 of 5 stars

EGG DROP DEAD by Laura Childs

EGG DROP DEAD by Laura Childs This 7th book in the Cackleberry Club Mysteries series finds Suzanne discovering the dead body of her cheese supplier instead of rounds of cheddar cheese. When the amateur sleuths get too close to discovering the scheme to defraud the farmers, things get pretty dicey for Suzanne, Petra and Toni. Clever plotting served with a helping of friendship and rounded out with enticing recipes make this a cozy mystery worthy of an afternoon with a book. 4 of 5 stars

EVERY CROOKED NANNY by Mary Kay Andrews (Kathy Hogan Trochek)

 

EVERY CROOKED NANNY by Kathy Hogan Trochek (Mary Kay Andrews) One of Mary Kay Andrew’s first outings is this delightful romp through cleaning and mayhem. Callahan Garrity, former cop and now owner of a housekeeping service, finds herself embroiled in her clients missing jewelry, silver, important documents -- and nanny. Is their Mormon nanny really who she says she is? Where is she? Why would take the documents? How far does a high school friendship require one to go? And then there is the dead body! As times rollicking, this mystery will keep you guessing until the last page. Andrew’s characters and situations are believable and likeable. The writing is fresh and intelligent. Altogether well worth your time. 4 of 5 stars