A Multi-generational Approach to Life and Work

 

Life expectancy has increased substantially as has technology since the 1900’s. The combination of these trends has led to increased opportunity as well as friction between generations. The author points out that the lock step progression through life from school to retirement is no longer satisfactory when people are living long and in many instances healthier lives.

The longer lifespan leads to people wanting education at more than one stage of their lives and not wanting to leave the workforce as quickly as they did in past generations. In the workplace, the author points out how successfully BMW has implemented a multi-generational workplace. It’s also true that with improved communication and access to the internet, people can take advantage of increased educational opportunities even if they are unable to attend the bricks and mortar university or college.

I found this book a timely and exciting read. The changing dynamics of population and aging are obvious all around us. The author has done substantial research to brings some order to what we see happening. I found it quite challenging to think about. My only reservation is that the book is heavy on academic presentation. This will not be a problem for many people, but for the casual reader it may be hard to get into the argument.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

A Magical Family, an Enchanting Town

 

Ella Dove, a middle child, has always felt out of place in her family of seven sisters. After her father’s death, with whom she was very close, she started running away and years later she hasn’t stopped, but now a disturbing dream has her returning to her home town of Dove Pond.

Ella is an internationally known baker with a large internet following. However, she has been having a disturbing dream and feels that she must return to Dove Pond to put things right. She is concerned about a rift between herself and her mentor Angela Stewart Harrington. Ella was accused of stealing a valuable cookbook from Angela. She knows she’s innocent, and she’d like to heal the breach. There’s also the problem of Angela’s grandson, Gray, her first love and heartbreak.

Angela has her own family problems. She wants to connect with her daughter Jules, who has never forgiven her for divorcing her father. The relationships are complex with plenty of meddling and secrets.

This was my first visit to Dove Pond, although this is book three in the series. The book is a little slow, but I enjoyed the pace and the visit to the enchanting area of Dove Pond. This was a story of homecoming and mending relationships. It was heartwarming and satisfying. I’ll be making more trips to this town and magical family.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

Mother, Sisters, and Surfing

 

In the 1960’s the Southern California surfing scene was the place to be. Carol Donnelly has no desire for the expected traditional role of wife and mother. She wants to be a professional surfer, and she’s good. The ones who suffer for their mother’s ambition are her daughters, Mindy and Ginger. Wanting to be with their mother, they start spending time in the water. Mindy is a natural surfer, but Ginger is uncomfortable.

The sisters grow up making different choices some good, some destructive. Mindy follows in her mother’s footsteps in professional surfing, and she’s a star. Ginger looking for her own place moves into drugs and men who take advantage of her. Through it all, the sisters maintain their strong bond from the childhood they shared.

The Southern California described in this book is magical from the beaches, bathing suits and surf to the exciting nights at clubs and beach-side parties. Having lived in Southern California I love revisiting it. The story itself is very emotional. The dysfunctional family and the heartache it causes is made very real. I thought the author did a good job with the characterization. That said, I really didn’t like the characters, but considering their emotional problems, I think that was realistic. If you want a great trip to the beach, I think you’ll like this book.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

The Evolution of a Friendship

 Four friends, Dev, Nate, Rachael, and Clarissa, are on the eve of college graduation when the novel opens. The world is unfolding before them. It’s exciting and a little frightening. One of the questions is whether they will remain friends. As the years pass, the story of each character is told from his or her viewpoint. From 2010 through 2018 we have a view of each character's life with successes and failures and interactions with old friends. They grow apart, but in the end tragedy brings them back together.

I thought the author did a good job of making each character distinct. They come to life through the successes, failures, happiness, and disappointment that are part of every life. I particularly liked that we had male as well as female characters. Too many books I’ve read about friendship concentrate on female characters. I kept reading because I wanted to know more about these people

The story takes place between New York and Chicago. However, I think readers from other parts of the country can relate to the characters. If you enjoy character based novels, this is a good one.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

 

The Serial Killer and the Social Media Influencer

 The FBI has a suspected serial killer in prison, but they can’t continue to hold him because they only have evidence of him breaking and entering. They contact Rachael Krall because she was mentioned by both the suspect and social media influencer, Maddison Logan, who has subsequently disappeared. They’re hoping Rachael can help them get information from the suspect, Terence Bailey, that will help them find Maddison before it’s too late, and get some item that will help them keep Terence behind bars.

Rachael doesn’t know either Terence of Maddison, but when the FBI calls, she flies to northern Florida to assist in the investigation. At the end of the interview with Terence, he warns her that killers are often hide behind a normal facade. She doesn’t understand the connection to Maddison until she opens a voice message and finds that Maddison contacted her to see if she could help find her friend. With the veiled threat from Terence, the FBI wants her to fly home where she’ll be safe, but now she’s interested in the case and decides to stay and investigate.

This is the second Rachael Krall mystery, and she is even more determined than in the Night Swim, the first book. This book is rather different from the previous book. The book is told from Rachael’s point of view, but she’s not writing podcasts. She’s investigating. I liked seeing her in action and interacting with the FBI agent, Joe Martinez. Sparks fly, but there is also a deep attraction. If you enjoyed Night Swim, this is a good addition to the series.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

 

An Atmospheric Thriller

 

Megan was killed ten years ago. Her boyfriend Cal was convicted of manslaughter and has just been released from prison. Now her family have all received invitations to come to a lovely rental home on the Oregon coast to learn what really happened that night. They don’t want to come, but the invitations draws them together. Will Cal tell what he knows? Did he commit the murder, or was it someone else?

This is a very atmospheric thriller. The setting is a summer house perched high on a cliff. A storm is brewing and the house has been set up with reminders of Megan. The family waits tensely for Cal, but he has suffered an accident when his car hit a tree. He’s unconscious. No one will know what happened. Should they help him? It would be easy or let him die? But if he dies they may never know the truth.

The story is filled with twists and lots of emotion. I didn’t particularly like the characters. Megan’s mother Maureen, now divorced from the girls’ father, seems particularly upset and vicious toward her husband’s new wife. The story is told from multiple points of view. This is a good device. It lets us get to know all the characters and is particularly effective at the end.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

The Adventurous Life of a Socialite Spy

 In the Gilded Age society was more structured than it is today. Young ladies in upper-class families were expected to marry well, have children, and pursue social obligations. Marguerite Harrison was not interested in conforming. She rejected the suitor her mother had chosen and married a man she loved. When he died, she was left with large debts and a young child. The solution was to go to work.

She started as a society reporter, but craving more action she applied to Military Intelligence to go to Europe as a spy. Her social skills and background opened doors to people in high places and her perceptive reports were very valuable. Eventually, her work as a spy took her Russia, a stint in prison, and travels to the Mideast and beyond.

I found her story fascinating. She didn’t conform to the strictures places on women between the two world wars and had adventures and escapes that would have daunted many men. The book is well researched, but it reads like an action adventure. Because it’s non-fiction we don’t get into her head trying to understand motivation, but the story is riveting none the less. It’s interesting to see how she was able to use the skills learned in an upper-class family to become successful as a secret agent.

Thanks to the published and Net Galley for this review copy.

 

A Time Loop Romance

 

Gemma runs into Jack, literally. She’s been off romance, but Jack attracts her looking deep into her eyes. The next day is a day Gemma and Jack have experienced many times before. Jack is caught in a time loop. The way he can break out of it is to get Gemme to fall in love with him. This is not as easy as it seems because while he remembers her, she doesn’t remember him.

This is a cute romance. Gemma and Jack are likable characters. You can’t help rooting for them to get together. The writing is good. It pulls you into the story and makes you keep reading. A few times, I thought the author was over-explaining, but it didn’t detract too much from the action.

The setting was perfect for the story. The characters were great, including Lila, Gemma’s best friend. If you enjoy romance with a different background, I think you’ll like this book. I did.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

A Mother’s Secrets

 

Ruth, a single mother, and her daughter Catherine have always been close. Now Catherine has graduated from nursing school and plans to take a prestigious job at Johns Hopkins necessitating a move away from her mother. Ruth will do anything to stop her. As Ruth tries to bind her daughter closer to her, Catherine wants to know why and begins to search for secrets in her mother’s past.

The author uses an effective technique to let us follow both Ruth’s and Catherine’s thoughts. The chapters are told first from one point of view then the other. I found this a very good way to bring out both women’s secrets without having to strain the progress of the plot.

The plot moves rather slowly as Catherine works to unravel her mother’s secrets. However, the continuing revelations keep the story moving. I wondered how the author would handle the ending. There didn’t seem to be much left, but the ending pulled the story together and explained each woman’s behavior.

The book is not an action packed thriller. It is more of a psychological drama. However, the twists in the plot keep you reading and the ending makes sense of the story. I thought it was well done.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Gallery for this review copy.