3 New Summer Books To Read Now

by Susan Roberts

Are you still trying to find your perfect summer read? Here are 3 great books that came out earlier this summer that you need to try.
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The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go by Amy E. Reichert  

May 2018; Gallery Books; 978-1501154942
audio, ebook, print (352 pages)
women's fiction

I love books about the relationship between mothers and daughters so this book has the extra treat of a relationship between three generations:  grandmother - mother - daughter. There are misunderstandings between the mothers and daughters in both generations and the question is whether love will solve all of their misunderstandings with each other

Regina's husband Drew has been dead for two years. Instead of grieving with her daughter, May, it has added to the normal problems moms have with their teenage daughters. Regina's mom, Lorraine, never approved of Drew and was always quick to criticize her daughter, so there are problems there, too. Gina who runs a food truck that specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches uses her work and the lists that she obsessively makes to help her deal with the problems in her life. When Lorainne has a stroke and secrets come to light, it will either strengthen the bonds between mothers and daughters or make them impossible to repair.

The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go is a lovely book full of love and problems within a family and how love is really an unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters. To make it even better, there are food descriptions that will make you want to go make a grilled cheese sandwich to eat while you are reading it.

Buy The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go at Amazon

The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan

May 2018; William Morrow; 978-0062851116
audio, ebook, print (416 pages)
women's fiction

You can always depend on Jenny Colgan to give you a good, heartwarming story. The Endless Beach is a continuation of the story from The Summer Seaside Kitchen but it can be read as a stand-alone with no confusion. My opinion is that since both books are so fantastic, you might as well read both of them.

This book takes place on the Isle of Mure in the Scottish Highlands. There's a small town with a lot of quirky characters. Flora, who runs the local bakery, is in love with Joel, who has just moved from London but still does a lot of work there. She is unsure of his true feelings for her and not sure how to handle her life with him or without him. We also have a gay brother, an immigrant doctor searching for his family, and various other characters that make this novel a fun read. There are a couple of loose ends at the end of this book so I am hoping for another trip back to Mure Island with this series.  (Note:  I just saw where there will be another book An Island Christmas publishing in October, 2018.)

If you've never read Jenny Colgan, now is the time to start. If you have read her before, I highly recommend the Summer Seaside Kitchen series.

Buy The Endless Beach at Amazon

How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson

June 2018; St. Martin's Press; 9781250086082
audio, ebook, print (384 pages)
women's fiction

I had no idea when I started this book that it was book 2 in a series. This was such a fun book to read that I definitely need to get book 1 in the Kate Reddy series on order. (From my experience, it's no problem to read these books out of order.)

In her late 40s with two teenage kids and a husband who has quit his job and is trying to 'find himself', Kate has decided that it's time to go back to work. Her kids, especially her daughter, are horrible and her husband has totally checked out on his family life. Add to the mix, a mother who is very forgetful and a mother in law with dementia. Kate has her first struggle writing her CV - she knows that at her age, she will be immediately out of the running for any job so she makes a decision to lie about her age. Plus she is dealing with the invisibility that comes with age. Kate faces lots of different problems but it is all handled in a humorous way that is fun to read but doesn't overshadow the issues. This is a book that will make you smile as you go through life with Kate.

Allison Pearson deals with a lot of current issues - being part of the sandwich generation, marital problems after being married with children for many years, social media and teenagers. Despite some of the serious subjects, it's all handled with just enough humor to make it fun to read.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy to read and review.

Buy How Hard Can it Be at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads,  or Twitter.

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