Bound to Love by Sally Clements

I got this book for free on Kindle and am glad that I did not pay more than that.  It was not a terrible book, but it was not well written.  An easy read and if you want something hot, steamy and quick, this is what you want.  There was some good character development, but not a lot of creativity.  A woman tries to help a man who appears to be being mugged and they both get kidnapped.  They eventually get away and the man figures out what lies behind it all.  It is a lot of betrayal, mistrust and an inability to get out of themselves.  

Silver Girl by Ellen Hildebrand

This story takes you through the lives of two women.  Connie, who lost her husband to cancer, and Meredith, whose husband turned out to be a crook.  These women grew up together and grew apart as time went on.  Connie takes Meredith to Nantucket to get Meredith away from all the commotion of her husband going to jail.  They had not spent any time together for years and at times Connie really questioned what she was doing.  There was a lot of tip toeing around each other and avoiding certain subjects, but then things started to change.  It was very painful at times, knowing how these life changes had affected these women so, but they were strong.  It took them a while to find their strength, but they had it.  The first half of the book was rather slow for me, but really picked up and I had a hard time putting it down.  Hildebrand knows how to tell a story and pull at your emotions.

The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice

A family tragedy occurs where the fathers dies and the oldest child runs away.  Through these things family secrets are uncovered.  Throughout the book you see the past and where the future may be going.  Learning how to deal with loss and grow into new family roles stretches the family.  This book was very easy to put down and really did not have any pull until the last 20 pages.  I was disappointed, but will not stop looking for her books.

Bookplate Special by Lorna Barrett

Another fun bookshop murder.  This time Tricia did not get too involved, but involved enough.  An old friend bunked with her for a bit, and then Tricia had had enough.  The next thing she knows, her friend is dead.  So now things start to unravel.  Tricia learns more about some of her employees, the town and the new sheriff in town.  It was a fun, easy read and Barrett did not disappoint with her ability to weave a tale.  There were some surprises, which I always love, it is no fun when things are very predictable!

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

A novel that delved into eight lives of people who thought they knew each other and did not.  A tragic accident occurs in the beginning that truly rips these friends apart.  Some can't function, others find their voice and others do not even know where to begin.  When you know people for so long, really think you know them, and find out they are not really who you thought they were your world turns upside down.  Trust and growth happened between these folks and generous things happened.  Hilderbrand did a wonderful job weaving the stories of all of these people together and making it all work together.

The Lobster Kings by Alexi Zentner

This was an interesting novel about a family that had been working Loosewood Island for generations.  It was myth mixed with current day and how history has shaped the people and ideas of the island.  Changes were coming and were hard to adjust to.  There were power plays and demons that people were dealing with.  Overall it was very enjoyable, the ending was a little disappointing though.  The author can tell a good tale and is very descriptive and emotional, but in the end it was lacking.

A Million Steps by Kurt Koontz

Koontz walked the Camino de Santiago trail in Europe.  It is a religious pilgrimage for many, for others it is just a walk to figure things out.  It is about 5oo miles, so you get a lot of time to think.  He did a wonderful job talking about the people, the landscape and the places that he stayed.  He made it sound so good I would consider to go do it also.  So many people and things to see and a great way to get in touch with yourself.