Category Archives: reading

Book Reviews – Summer Rental & Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews

A couple of years ago, I was browsing through Goodreads as I prepared for vacation looking for a few books to put on my Kindle.  I stumbled upon an author I had never read before, Mary Kay Andrews.  Two of her books, Summer Rental and Spring Fever, had good reviews so I downloaded them for the flights.  I’m so happy I did because I thoroughly enjoyed both of them and I’d recommend them to anyone looking for a good dose of romance and chick lit!

Summer Rental

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie are three women in their mid-30s who have been best friends since grade school. They decide to rent a house on the Outer Banks for the month of August as a girls getaway. Throw in Ty, the good looking landlord, and Maryn, a woman on the run from her troubles, and there are twists and turns along the way.

Summer Rental on Amazon

Spring Fever

Small southern town, old love resurfacing, long standing family business at risk of a corporate takeover – it may sound cliché for chick lit, but Spring Fever is anything but.  There are twists that keep you guessing and romance that makes your heart flutter.  It’s the perfect book for a couple relaxing afternoons by the pool or on the beach. I definitely enjoyed Spring Fever more than Summer Rental.  I love storylines with past relationships coming back around.  Maybe it’s the hopeless romantic in me, but I feel the pang of nostalgia as I read and to me, there’s nothing better!

Spring Fever on Amazon

I hope you check out both Summer Rental and Spring Fever!  Mary Kay Andrews has most definitely become one of my favorite authors.  In fact, one of her newer novels, The Weekenders, is on my list for the summer.  I hope to share my review of that book soon!  I hope you enjoy Spring Fever and Summer Rental as much as I did!

If you’d like book reviews emailed to you directly, click here to sign-up for my weekly newsletter!

Book Review Newsletter

Get your summer reading list ready!

I make it no secret that one of my favorite things to do in the summer is relax on the beach with a good book. It’s rejuvenating to escape reality for a little bit while I listen to the waves crash against the sand and smell the sweet salt air! I don’t know about you, but sometimes, the hardest part is finding the right book. I hope I can make that a little easier for you this summer! Starting Thursday, May 25th, I’ll be emailing a weekly newsletter featuring book reviews for some great summer reading books!

All you have to do is click the link below to sign-up!

http://www.dkhamiltonauthor.com/newslettersignup/

Book Review…Lake News

If there’s one thing I’ve really appreciated over the past two years, it’s when a reader takes the time to not only read, but also write a review about my book. So I’ve decided to periodically write reviews of some of my favorite books and share them with you.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

I was cleaning off my bookshelf a couple weeks ago, and I stumbled upon one of my favorite books, Lake News by Barbara Delinsky.  I’ve actually read it a couple of times since I bought it the summer of 2008 to read on a long, 10 hour flight to Hawaii.  I had previously read Looking for Peyton Place by Delinsky and loved it so I was looking forward to reading Lake News as well.  I wasn’t disappointed, and I liked the book so much that I’ve read it a couple of times since then.

Lily Blake and John Kipling are both from Lake Henry, New Hampshire, and both left after high school to create lives for themselves away from their small, New England hometown.  However, through the twists and turns of their lives, they both find themselves back in Lake Henry.  Lily, a music teacher and piano lounge singer in Boston, flees to her small hometown after being accused of having an affair with a newly appointed Cardinal, and John, a former reporter with a mysterious past and trust issues of his own, is the editor of the Lake Henry weekly newspaper.

Although he’s a former member of the Boston media, John is outraged at the lies and invasion of Lily’s privacy.  Together, they build an alliance and work through their trust issues as Lily prepares to take on the Boston media to clear her name.

While the overall storyline may seem generic, Delinsky’s attention to detail, character development, and intertwining subplots sets this novel apart from the norm.  As the reader, you travel to New Hampshire; you feel the damp air getting colder with the onset of fall; and you can almost see and hear the loons (birds with a very unique call) that make Lake Henry their home from the spring through November.  But more importantly like in all of her novels, Delinsky has the innate ability to use these details to enhance her story rather than confuse or bore her audience.

Delinsky’s book always have a permanent place on my bookshelf.  Her characters are old friends that I like to revisit on those cold, winter nights by the fire and also on those sunny, hot summer days on the beach.  So if you’re looking for a great book to read while you cuddle up by the fire this winter, read Lake News and visit Lake Henry, New Hampshire.

Summer Reading Round-up…Part 1

It’s hard to believe it’s already the middle of June, and while I know summer doesn’t technically begin for another week, the summer season has been in full swing here at the Jersey Shore for several weeks now.  I’ve been lucky enough to take advantage of some beautiful, sunny beach days and gotten a good start on my summer reading list.

A couple weeks ago, I shared a few books that were at the top of my list to read this summer, and today, I want to share my quick reviews of them!

Summer at Rose Island by Holly Martin

My rating – 4 stars

My review:

I love it when authors revisit the same towns in several of their books. Summer at Rose Island is the third book in the White Cliff Bay series. I enjoyed not only meeting Darcy and Riley, but also revisiting characters from the first two White Cliff Bay books to see what they were up to.  It’s a sweet story with small town charm that was the perfect read for a day at the beach!

Summer at Oyster Bay by Jenny Hale

My rating – 5 stars

My review:

Summer at Oyster Bay is the perfect summer read! The small town in the Chesapeake Bay area is the perfect setting for this light-hearted, summer read!

This is the third book I’ve read by Jenny Hale, and I’m quickly becoming a big fan. She has such a way of creating dynamic relationships between characters. But the best part is the focus isn’t solely on romantic relationships, but also on ones between family members and friends, which makes all of her characters so relatable.

Make sure Summer at Oyster Bay is on your summer reading list this year!

So what’s next on my list?  I’m currently reading The One with the Engagement Party (Bridesmaids Part 1) by Erin Lawless, and then next up will be Kiss Me Forever by Barbara Freethy.  What’s on your summer reading list?  I’d love hear about what you’re reading so that I can check it out!

Summer Reading List

The start of beach season at the Jersey Shore is one of my favorite times of year!  Time spent with family and friends, walking along the water, building sandcastles with my friend’s little ones, and sometimes, relishing a solo day when I can sit back in my chair and read a new book.

IMG_8285

With the start of Memorial Day Weekend, I thought I’d share the books I already have downloaded to my Kindle or pre-ordered and ready to download once they are released in the coming weeks.  My favorite part about all of these books is that they are written by authors that I’ve connected with via Twitter since self-publishing my first book last spring.  I’ve read books by all three of them in the past and have loved every one.  I can’t wait to start reading their newest!

The books are listed in order of their release date.

Summer at Rose Island by Holly Martin

Released 05/13/16

Synopsis via Amazon

Darcy Davenport is ready for a fresh start. Determined to leave a string of disastrous jobs and relationships behind her, she can’t wait to explore White Cliff Bay and meet the locals.

When Darcy swims in the crystal clear waters of the bay, she discovers the charming Rose Island Lighthouse. But it’s not just the beautiful building that she finds so intriguing…

Riley Eddison doesn’t want change. Desperate to escape the memories of his past, he lives a life of solitude in the lighthouse. Yet he can’t help but notice the gorgeous woman who swims out to his island one day.

Darcy is drawn to the mysterious and sexy Riley, but when it seems the town is trying to demolish his home, she soon finds herself having to pick sides.

She’s fallen in love with White Cliff Bay. But is that all Darcy’s fallen for?

 

Summer at Oyster Bay: A heart-warming summer romance by Jenny Hale

To be released on 06/09/16

Synopsis via Amazon

For Emily Tate, returning to her charming childhood home Oyster Bay is like coming up for air after the fast pace of her city life. At the farm her grandfather built, surrounded by sister Rachel’s chatter, Gram’s buttermilk biscuits, and the soft, white sand, Emily is reminded of exactly who she is and what she holds most dear.

When Emily starts work at elegant Water’s Edge Inn, Charles Peterson, the handsome new owner, asks for her help. He wants to expand and needs Emily to teach him the local ways, so he can convince the planning commission. Emily vows to make him fall in love with her hometown, just the way it is.

At work, Charles is reserved and serious, yet once Emily has him kicking off his shoes in the sand and sailing across the glistening Chesapeake Bay, she sees another side to him, and their easy rapport feels like the start of something big.

But when it becomes clear Charles’s plans for the inn involve bulldozing Oyster Bay, Emily is heartbroken. Will she lose her home and Charles all at once, or can she save Oyster Bay, and give true love a chance?

 

The One with the Engagement Party (Bridesmaids Book 1) by Erin Lawless

To be released 06/10/16

Synopsis via Amazon

Save the Date

For fans of romantic comedies like Bridesmaids and Four Weddings & a Funeral, and bestselling authors Mhairi McFarlane and Jenny Oliver, this is a hilarious new romantic comedy series about one bride and her four best friends.

 

Like I said, I’ve read books by all three fantastic authors before and loved every last one.  I can’t wait for a few relaxing beach days so I can start reading their latest!  If you’re looking for books to read as you sit on the beach, by the pool, or at the lake, check these out.  I’m pretty sure you’ll be happy you did!

Also, since I’m a little bias, I’d recommend checking out my debut novel The Other Side of Later.  I’ll think you’ll find it’s good summer read too!