Review of The Summer That Changed Everything by Brenda Novak

 

Brief Summary Courtesy of Mira

She returned to prove her father's innocence, but there's no telling what she'll find…

It's been fifteen years since Lucy Sinclair saw her father. Fifteen long years since she sat in a courtroom and watched him sentenced to life in prison. He murdered three victims—all people she knew—which ruined her life at just seventeen. But now she’s back in Virginia to talk to him, wondering if there’s more to the story of what happened that fateful night.

An old flame, Ford Wagner, makes his own return to North Hampton Beach, fleeing a marriage that seems destined for divorce. He’s wary of Lucy and her digging into the past, but the more time they spend together, the closer they get and the more he finds himself reconsidering the truth behind the death of their mutual friend that summer. Problem is, there are plenty of those in this small coastal town who would prefer things stay quiet…

My Review: 

I have been reading Brenda's books for years now so I was excited to read her latest release. This book was a mix of mystery, thriller and romance. Even though she included small sub stories to the main story everything intertwined very well. The pace of the book was good and kept you wanting to read more so you could find out what really happened all those years ago. The romance was added perfectly where you felt like it added to the story but didn't take a way from the mystery you were trying to solve. She really did a good job of keeping you hooked until the very end wondering what was going to happen. 

I think this is a great book for those that love mystery, thrillers and romance. I can't wait for her next release. 

Review of Viola Shipman's "The Page Turner"

Brief Summary Courtesy of Graydon House 

A young romance writer makes a discovery that throws her elitist family into chaos.

Emma Page grew up the black sheep in a bookish household, raised to believe fine literature is the only worthy type of fiction. Her parents, self-proclaimed “serious” authors who run their own vanity press, The Mighty Pages, mingle in highbrow social circles that look down on anything too popular or mainstream, while her sister, Jess, is a powerful social-media influencer whose stylish reviews can make or break a novel.

Hiding her own romance manuscript from her disapproving parents, Emma finds inspiration at the family cottage among the “fluff” they despise: the juicy summer romances that belonged to her late grandmother. But a chance discovery unearthed from her Gigi’s belongings reveals a secret that has the power to ruin her parents’ business and destroy their reputation in the industry—a secret that has already fallen into the hands of an unscrupulous publishing insider with a grudge to settle. Now Emma must decide: As much as she’s dreamed of the day her parents are forced to confront their own egos, can she really just sit back and watch The Mighty Pages be exposed and their legacy destroyed?

My Review 

This is my first time reading Viola Shipman. I have glanced at her books but took up reading this one as part of Brenda Novak's book group. I found that the book was a little hard to get into. I think the character development was good and that she tried to give enough of the back story to understand the main character.  However, it took about half way through the book to really grab my attention. I think once I got there I honestly couldn't put it down. It had you wanting to know how it was going to end. And who was the bad person going to be. 

 

I think over all this is a good book but it wasn't one of my favorite that I read this year so far. I will definitely try more by this author as I enjoyed the book in the end. I think overall my favorite part of this book was the relationship that she showed us the readers between the main character Emma and her grandma Gigi.