Congratulations, we’ve made it half-way through the year! Warm weather for me has meant time outside fighting the wildlife and the weeds as I tend my lawn and try to cultivate a vegetable garden, so I’ve been lucky to have audiobooks by trusted authors to keep me company.
Nora Roberts continues to deliver winners. This year’s IDENTITY is timely, as stories of identity theft constantly fill the airwaves. Morgan Albright’s is taken, but her attacker isn’t satisfied with just her small bank account and car; he wants to take her life, as well. So begins a cat and mouse game that moves from the outskirts of Baltimore to the hills of Vermont, and Ms. Roberts keeps us breathless throughout. As always, there’s a sweet love story to accompany the frightening plotline, and in this book, we can rejoice not only in the love between a woman and a man, but between generations of women supporting each other as well. January LaVoy, as always, provides superb narration.
A relatively new author is back this summer with a thriller that will keep your attention no matter how high the temperature rises. DROWNING, by T.J. Newman, is as nerve-wracking as its predecessor, FALLING. Newman worked for years as a flight attendant, so you know every horrifying moment is possible. This time the enemy is physics, rather than a terrorist, as a plane is forced to ditch into the ocean not long after takeoff. But as in her debut novel, the masterfully created characters capture our loyalty and admiration. Once again we have a family separated with some on board and some relegated to waiting in dread. I couldn’t put the book down until I’d reached the very last page and learned the fate of every character I’d come to care about. Read or listen to DROWNING, and I promise you’ll pay attention next time a flight attendant drones on about what to do in the event of a water landing!
Other books I read recently made me ponder coincidences. Not for the first time, I found that multiple books I picked by chance had similar themes or circumstances. I looked for words of wisdom concerning coincidence and happened upon this gem from Erma Bombeck that I hope makes you smile: “Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.”
To all you young readers out there, the great Erma Bombeck pre-dated our online world. Her columns were nationally syndicated and ran in these large, awkward, paper things called newspapers and were printed in paperback books that made great presents for mothers or grandmothers at Christmas. But on to the genesis of my searching. Three completely different but hugely enjoyable novels featured extraordinarily rich women. A lesson common in each was one we’ve all heard countless times: “money doesn’t buy happiness.” Having ties to the “show-me” state, I would very, very much like to test that principle for myself, but that’s irrelevant.
DAISY JONES & THE SIX starts as many of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel do: a bit complicated, leaving the reader (or at least this one), not sure whether she’s made the right choice. But then something clicks, and suddenly you’re totally caught up in the world the author’s created. In this case, Daisy Jones is a posterchild for the craziness of the 1970s. She’s phenomenally wealthy, parties like there’s no tomorrow, does every drug available, and somehow still captures our admiration and our sympathy. The Six are a rock band, and the music and the magic burn so brightly that they of course ultimately self-destruct. There’s friendship, betrayal, endurance, and love all wrapped up in a story you hope will never end. The novel takes the form of an oral history, and I recommend listening to the audio version, as I did, with its fabulous cast of narrators. I’ve heard the film series adaptation of the book is good, as well, but I haven’t started it yet.
My next wealthy heroine was a poor little rich girl named Nina Gregory. Jill Santopolo is a beautiful writer, and her novel MORE THAN WORDS is made up of words strung together so skillfully that the reader finds surprises on every page. Nina’s story begins with the death of her father, and from that day forward she’s forced to uncover family secrets carefully hidden amongst layers of wealth and privilege and decide where her heart truly belongs. It’s not hard to find sympathy for Nina, but I sure did envy her wardrobe choices.
Sometimes a writer we think we know turns up with something unexpected, and Sarah Ready presents us a lovely surprise this month. THE SPACE BETWEEN is not another light and airy romcom but is instead a deeply moving chronicle of two people fighting social, economic, and cultural divisions while never relinquishing a deep and abiding love. Andrea’s family’s wealth makes my other heroines look almost impoverished, but she finds real treasure in Jayce, his family, and his music—a treasure that outshines anything her family ever purchased. Andrea and Jayce are both careless with the life they’ve built together, however, and pain prevails, at least for a while. As in DAISY JONES & THE SIX, music itself seems to become a character in this novel, and while there’s no film version yet, I’m fervently hoping there will be as I’d love to hear the music brought to life.
Heartbreak, terror, riches galore, and drug overdoses: I loved every moment of these wildly diverse books. Here’s hoping your summer is filled with hours of reading time. Take a look at any of my titles for an escape into romance and wonder. None of my characters are wealthy, but I promise you won’t have Second thoughts!
Meg's friends during her high school years all expected her romance novels to hit the shelves decades ago, but she foolishly allowed "serious pursuits" to get in her way. Now that her beloved children can feed, clothe, and most importantly, support themselves, she's free to turn her attention to her first passion - putting words to paper that capture your attention and make your heart sing in quiet joy. Her stories tell most frequently of second chances--in life, love, and sometimes even at rediscovering a soul-mate from a previous life.
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