The Best Day of Someone Else's Life by Kerry Reichs

Publisher: Orion
Publish Date: 2008
Pages: 332
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0752891219

Despite being cursed with a boy’s name, Kevin “Vi” Connelly is seriously female and a committed romantic.  The affliction hit at a tender age of six when she was handed a basket of flower petals and ensnared by the “marry-tle.”  The thrill, the attention, the big white dress – its’ the best day of your life, and it’s seriously addictive.  But at twenty-seven, with a closetful of pricy bridesmaid dresses she’ll never wear again and an empty bank account from paying for it all.

Eleven weddings in eighteen months would send any sane woman either over the edge or scurrying for the alter.  But as reality separates from illusion, Vi learns that letting go of someone else’s story to write her own may be harder than buying the myth, but just might help her make the right choices for herself.

My Thoughts
The Best Day of Someone Elses’s Life is a funny, light hearted novel with likeable characters.  There are some genuine funny bits and is well written which flows along at a good pace and never gets boring.  Defiantly recommended as a beach read for a future bride-to-be or anyone interested in weddings. 

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Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Publisher:
Publish Date:
Pages:
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN:

On the eve of the monsoons, in a remote Indian village, Kavita gives birth to a baby girl.  But in a culture that favours sons, the only way for Kavita to save her newborn daughter’s life is to give her away.  It is a decision that will haunt her and her husband for the rest of their lives, even after he arrival of their cherished son.

Halfway around the world, Somer, an American doctor, decided to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own.  When she and her husband, Krishnan, see a photo of the baby from a Mumbai orphanage, they are overwhelmed with emotion.  Somer knows life will change with the adoption but is convinced that the love they already fell will overcome obstacles.

My Thoughts

This is the first novel from Shilpi Somava Gowda. The characters are well-developed, their real-life situations are convincing and detailed, and the reader gets to share in the story of their lives over a span of twenty-five years.  Secret Daughter is a powerful and thought provoking story about love, family, identity, hope, and above all else, a mother’s love.  Highly recommended! 

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publish Date: September 30, 2008
Pages: 320
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9780312370848 

Paris, 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel’ d’Hiv’s 60^th anniversary, journalist Julia Jarmond is asked to write an article about this black day in France’s past.  Through her contemporary investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of long-hidden family secrets that connect her to Sarah.  Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl’s ordeal, from that terrible term in the Vel d’Hiv, to the camps, and beyond.  As she probes into Sarah’s past, she begins to question her own place in France, and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

The beginning of Julia's story alternating with the girl's was strong. The need to find out what happened to Michel (Sarah's brother) and who exactly Sarah would turn out to be. Also enjoyable is Julie's own family drama and the mystery she uncovered that connected her to Sarah and her sad story, not only through geography but emotion as well.

While the story is fictitious, The novel is about actual events which were not well known nor spoken about. The author managed to switch seamlessly between Sarah’s’ story set in 1942 and Julia’s story in 2002. It is an amazing book which evokes all kinds of emotions. It is heart wrenching and though provoking.

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Publisher: St. Martin"s Griffin
Publish Date: March 15, 2011
Pages: 400
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0312554170

This story follows Tessa Russo and Valerie Anderson.  Both live in the same Boston suburb although they live in different social circles.  When Valerie’s son, Charlie, badly burns himself at a sleepover, he is rushed to the hospital and left in the care of Dr. Nick Russo, Tessa’s husband. At first, Nick and Valerie’s connection is only about Charlie but they soon grow very close.

Meanwhile, Tessa is struggling with her new role as a stay-at-home mother with her daughter Ruby and son Frankie.  It’s hard to adjust to suburban stay at home life, and Tessa is finding many of the women too obsessed with other people’s lives and appearances.  However, Tessa sometimes finds herself fitting the same mold.

When Nick becomes more distant and absent, Tessa becomes suspicious.  On Thanksgiving, she reads a text on his phone (from Valerie) that seems a little inappropriate but her friends and family try to tell her she’s being ridiculous.  However, after Nick and Valerie sleep together, Nick confesses to Tessa.  She battles with the decision of leaving Nick or forgiving him.  After meeting with Valerie for the first time, she meets with Nick who she hasn't seen in weeks.  Although she knows it is going to be hard, she realizes that she must try and give their relationship a second chance.

My Thoughts
Emily Giffin is back with some familiar characters (Tessa is Dex’s sister from something Borrowed) and a familiar plot of infidelity.  The novel is well written but still doesn't quite live up to her first two novels, Something Borrowed and Something Blue.  Giffin always has an enjoyable take on chicklit and is able to create characters that are emphatic but also flawed and imperfect.  A nice easy read with a thought provoking storyline about good people caught in a difficult situation.

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Publisher: Washington Square Press
Publish Date: March 3, 2009
Pages: 473
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-1416550532

On the eve of a glittering society party, by the lake of a grand English county house, a young poet takes his life.  The only witnesses are sisters Hannah and Emmeline Hartford.  This story unfolds both in the 1920’s and 1999.  Grace Bradley, in the 1920’s is a housemaid of Riverton Manor and in 1999 she is an old lady living in a nursing home approaching death, is visiting by a young director making a film about the poet’s suicide and is looking to Grace to fill in the missing pieces.

The reader knows that Robbie McCourt, the poet, who commits suicide at Riverton in 1925, really didn't  that the suicide story is a cover-up to a scandal.  Grace knows what really happened that night and has kept that secret he entire life – until now, in her final years of life when she starts at the beginning, when she starts work at Riverton for the Hartford family.

My Thoughts
In the page-turner of a novel, beautifully written and reminiscent of the era in England prior to and after World War 1, the author succeeds in weaving a complex tale of passion, jealousy and intrigue utilizing the past memories of 98 year old Grace Bradley and the secret she has guarded for over 60 years.

This story combines love, war, honour, family, money and scandals in an intricately woven web of deceit and secrets.  This book has so many twists and turns that you never really know what is going to happen – until the very last page when the entire story is finally revealed.

This book is a must read for lovers of historical novels and well written mysteries.  The House at Riverton is a literary feast.

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.