The Three Mrs Wrights by Linda Keir

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“A little tricky to keep track – but satisfying if you stick with it.” ~Sheila

Meet Lark. Shes brilliant and she has designed a game that she feels is going to make positive things happen if she can just connect to the right investor…

Meet Jessica. She’s passionate about the medical field and believes she has hitched herself to a star when she is invited to be part of the team following an inspiring man’s lead – both in and out of the office.

Meet Holly. She has been married to her husband for twenty years and together they have raised three children, and built a home and a charity together.

And meet Mr Wright. He is a very busy busy man…. and these three women who have yet to meet… will soon be in for the jolt of their lives.

This book was actually fun. With the essence of the movie First Wives Club or 9 to 5 (IMO). Jack, Trip, Jonathon, has an appetite for beautiful smart women. Attractive himself, he has no problem luring them in with his charm and nothing stops my attitude. And at first… it works. Each woman understands he is busy flying here and there for work, or having to deal with his children from hi previous marriage… all hoping that someday things will level out and he will be more present – more theirs…

And level out – things do. But not in the way he would have predicted.

While the book itself was a little predictable, I was still enjoyed the ride… anxiously turning the pages to see how it would all come crashing down.

A fun read – perfect for a summery read.

~Sheila


The Wife You Know by Chad Zunker

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There was potential – Sheila DeChantal

Luke Driskell was not looking to fall in love after losing his first wife – but fall in love he did. Finding kind-hearted, modest Ashley and her daughter Joy felt like a gift. When Ashley finally agreed to marry Luke, he felt like he had won the jackpot. While Luke could afford the big home and luxuries, all Ashley wanted was a quiet low low-key life and he was more than happy to provide.

When a fire happens at a local daycare and Ashley rushes in to help bring out the children, she becomes an overnight hero. And just as quickly as she appears on everyone’s radar through TV, Radio, and Social Media –

she is gone.

Luke wakes up to discover both Ashley and Joy are gone without a trace. And when he discovers a hidden stash of fake IDs that belong to Ashley with different hairstyles and names, Luke has to wonder – who did he really marry? And who or what is she running from?

As it is every year, I get to a point where I get behind in reviews. Here I am again 🙂

While this book seemed to have everything you would want in a good psychological thriller/mystery… it sadly falls short.

Reviewing this one with my book club The Bookies, we overall felt while a quick and easy read that held our attention, it came off as unbelievable… too stretched and with no real WHOA moment (IMO). My rating overall out on a 5 was a 2.75…. the Book Clubs average was about the same – a little higher in some cases and a little lower.

With any good Book Club read it’s nice to be able to find questions online that can fuel the conversation, sadly, there were none and our group conversation lagged in finding things to really discuss about the book.

As seen above, we did make the best of it by some of us dressing in disguise with false identities inspired by the book.

One by one by freida mcfadden

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There comes a time when the twists and u-turns can simply just overwhelm the story ~Sheila

Claire Matchett is at the end of her marriage. The magic has been gone for longer than she can remember. Noah and Claire live together with their children, but they may as well be roommates. They barely talk to one another. 10 Years into what Claire thought would be a magical reunion of growing old together has turned into a desire to just be done with it all.

When a hiking/camping trip is planned with two other couples, Claire is less than thrilled. As if her marriage isn’t hard enough in private – now they would be taking it public. Yet, a break would be nice, and really – what could possibly happen in the presence of their friends?
Turns out… anything and everything can happen.

It’s no secret that I have been on a McFadden kick. I like that the books are not overly long, they are engaging, and easy to follow in what is my busier than busy season.
I am a big fan of a good twist and I love to be blown away by a great read with a WHOA ending – yet… there is the possibility of too many twists and turns and rerouting and sidling and … well you get it.

While I enjoyed the synopsis, the convenient settings that allowed for what to happen happen – was a bit too staged feeling. The book left you feeling anyone could be the one behind what was happening and while that can be exciting – I feel McFadden set this one up where honestly in the end – none were likable enough for me to care.

Maybe I’m jaded on the genre.

I will give credit to the alternating chapters with the anonymous narrator. This I liked and as it all played out – my rating is because of these chapters being told by an unknown author. While it didn’t save the book entirely, it certainly kept me going.

I did see a review that compared this book to Friday the 13th (full disclosure – this intrigued me…. (80’s girl who liked scary movies). I disagree with that review… while there were woods, there was no Jason Vorhees (boo!)… and if they would have had a Camp Crystal Lake, they would not have been so thirsty.

Maybe… a McFadden mini-break is due…


Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand

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Beginnings are exciting… endings, they can be a bit harder. ~Sheila

Ed Kapanash’s experiencing his final summer as Chief of Police and is looking forward to quieter days, sleeping a little longer, and perhaps just enjoying the life he has worked so hard to build…

But – when the call comes in about Richardson’s 22 million dollar home burning to the ground and fingers are being pointed…. Ed’s plans are put on hold.

The Richardsons are new to Nantucket. Bull, a businessman, and his gorgeous and wild wife Leslee (how does one describe Leslee?) have been the talk of the town. Throwing lavish invite-only themed parties that you want to be invited to. You can say a lot about Leslee, but you can never say she does not know how to throw a party. The food, the theme, the service, the drinks – are all over the top and Nantucket residents covet the invite.

Coco, a young aspiring screenwriter, meets Bull in St John and worms her way into a summer job in Nantucket to work for Bull and his wife, looking for the right time to present her screenplay to him… all the while keeping an eye on the gorgeous and off-limits boy they hired to drive their boats…

Nantucket regulars are plenty and when it gets right down to it, there are more than a few people who would not have minded throwing a match to all that the Richardson’s own…
But – in the meantime… you might as well grab a drink and enjoy the summer, after all isn’t that what Nantucket is best at?

There is so so so much more to say about this book but I honestly feel you need to dive in (swimsuit-clad or not) and enjoy the ride.

I love books like this where you have the chance to revisit characters you have come to know – much like friends. While this is the 4th book in this Nantucket setting, you do not have to read the other 3 to enjoy this one – although I have a feeling you may wish you had just to get a real feel for the land. As a long -time Hilderbrand fan, I was excited for this book and also sad knowing that this is the last of Hilderbrand’s Nantucket writing as the Author is turning towards other projects including some writing with her daughter.

Overall – I really did enjoy this book and I think if you are a fan of summer beach reads (I swear you can feel the sun as soon as you turn the page!) Pick this one up today and let me know your thoughts 🙂

Other books from the series:

A Summer Affair.

The Castaways.

The Perfect Couple.

Swan Song 

Girls Trip by Jason Letts

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Is there such a thing as too many twists… too many turns? Yes. ~Sheila

Alice, Taylor and Emily are fairly new co-workers. On a whim, they decide to plan a girls trip over Labor Day Weekend. This is a chance to blow off some steam and get to know each other better.
Staying at a quaint little cabin in a small town in Texas, at first things appear to be shaping up nicely.
But – appearances can be false.

With a strange host with his cabin attached to their rental, a sense right from the start that they are being watched, a strange encounter at the local bar, and the constant changes to the cabin entry pad, – the girls can not tell if they are being messed with by the host or if they are in real danger.


Honestly – the book had my attention at the title Girls Trip. Who doesn’t love a good girls trip? I was all to soon disenchanted with the unlovable protagonists. As there was no real bonding moment in the book where as a reader you get to know the characters, they were hard to get a read on and IMO never really fully character developed for me to care one way or another about any of them. The continuous twists and turns that often led nowhere or were left to chase another direction – I found the book confusing and for the most part lost interest early on – but wanted to finish to see what really happened.

In the end – it was still not a fit for me. I love a good phycological thriller but this was a goose chase of a read with I am certain, good intentions that missed the mark.

Any one read this? Thoughts?

The perfect Son by Freida mcfadden

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

Liam has always seemed a little different than other kids his age. Erica loved her son – and loves her family – daughter Hannah, and her wonderful husband – but she does keep her guard up when it comes to Liam. He’s quiet. He’s sensitive… and there was the incident with the girl in grade school…. but all kids play right?

Now years later – a knock on the door throws Erica for another loop. A high school girl has disappeared and according to the detectives, Liam was the last person to see her. While Liam denies knowing anything about what has happened, and Erica wants to believe… evidence is showing otherwise.

I have come to learn in McFadden’s writing that you don’t know what you think you know. For the second time this year, while listening to one of her books I felt she was making it too obvious… too many clues….
But I knew NOTHING.
Fooled again – McFadden is creative in using subtle techniques that make you feel so smart (you’re not… ) only to find out later the breadcrumbs were false.
While I enjoyed this creepy book – it is not a favorite of hers. It left me a little unsettled – wrapped up a little too neatly and in the end… whoa. It would make a good movie.

McFadden readers/listeners I would love to know your thoughts.

Under The Palms by Kaira Rouda

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It’s almost always enjoyable to revisit the characters you feel you have come to know ~Sheila

Following the Beneath The Surface introduction to the Kingsley Family and all their baggage…. Under The Palms brings us back to the family and their new President, Paige for a luxury weekend retreat.

The brothers, still hoping their father, Richard Kingsley will come to his senses and name them President of the company and thus pulling the rug out from under Paige – still battle with their own insecurities and hard habits to break.
Of course – this is the Kingsley’s and all is never what it seems. As the social media outlets buzz about what may be happening at this resort – they are in for a real newsworthy update very very soon.

I enjoyed my first introduction to the Kingsleys in Beneath The Surface. Having a chance to meet up with this family again to check in on what is happening since the crazy untimely death of ____________________________, the wild entrance and exit of ______________________, and of course who can forget when the _______________________________ went ahead and did _________________________ (read the book…. fill in the blanks 😉 ) It was fun to see what was next.

Not as good as the first one, it was still a worthy enjoyable read.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

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Never… NEVER hesitate to read a book by Kristin Hannah ~Sheila

It’s 1965 and it is a changing world. Frankie McGrath is well aware of the Vietnam War. Her brother is serving and her father is proud of his son and all the men fighting their country. But Frankie can not just sit idly by, and when she finds her chance -to do something to join the Army Nurse Corp, she does not hesitate to make the decision that changes her life – for both better and for worse, forever.

I stand by my statement – if you only have room for one book this summer… this is the book. I don’t know why I hesitate when it comes to books that center around war… but I do. While I love a Kristin Hannah book, admittedly this theme gave me pause. It was a little buzz from friends (when did I become such a follower lol) that assured me it so much more than about war – that I dug in.

So – it is all about the Vietnam War… and it isn’t. It’s also about life after the war, and its also (refreshingly so) about the unsung heroes of the war, our medical team that patched up the boys, talked them through surgeries, lost limbs, minor to major bruises, and held their hands as they died. Going a step further – many of these people serving in the makeshift hospitals were women.

I flew through this book on audio – listening every chance I had – while cooking, cleaning, mowing the lawn, driving… it’s beautifully written with just the right amount of history sprinkled through to remind us of those who served, those who suffered, what it was like to return to a world that once was yours but now is different, and how we adjust and survive and not always in the most elegant ways.

HIGHLY recommended. Five Shiny Stars.

Other books I have reviewed by Kristin Hannah:

The Four Winds

Distant Shores

Mystic Lake

Home Front

Winter Garden

Between Sisters

Firefly Lane

Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Adored. ~Sheila

Elizabeth Zott is anything but ordinary. She is matter of fact. She is brilliant, she is a scientist- and she is ahead of her time.

Set in the early 1960’s, Elizabeth Zott finds herself struggling for every inch as a woman in a field that is best described as a mans. Never taken seriously for her ambitions (although often sought out for her opinion if she did not get credit), Calvin Evans enters her life as a breath of fresh air.
Calvin sees her.

REALLY sees her.

As life as it is in science – outcomes can be unpredictable until you find the right formula and Elizabeth’s life takes a turn she that no one seen coming. Certainly, becoming a star of an on air cooking show, owning a dog that is smarter than the average man, and becoming a single mom … was not part of that equation…

yet, like science… we continue to evolve and learn to work with what we are given.

So…. funny story. I bought the book after hearing great things about it. There it sat (as often my books do…) on a shelf, waiting for its time. A not so favorable review by a friend made me think the book was not for me and my interest in this unopened book waivered.
Upon stumbling across the mini series on TV one evening, I thought I would give it a try and found it interesting and delightfully different. This still was not enough to get me to open the book….

Then – it was picked as a book club selection with my book club the Bookies. Reluctantly I thought audio may be the better way to go, and honestly this time of year I have more time for audio than I do to sit and read…

Turns out – I adored it. I can not explain if my enjoyment of the mini series helped prep me for this listen (probably) but I did enjoy the quick wit – sometimes dry humor that follows throughout this book that is blended with a true taste of the times. In Lessons On Chemistry, you get a little women’s rights, an example of what life was like for women in a men’s field – and a refreshing look at a character like Elizabeth that broke the mold … said “Why the hell not” and paved a path (fictional or not) for women to reach beyond the invisible limitations set before them.

So many books can be a cookie cutter format of other books. You know the type – you read it and if reminds you of another book with similar bones…. not necessarily bad… but definitely done before. A Lesson In Chemistry felt different to me. Refreshingly so.

Bookies Thoughts: A lot of mixed opinions in our Book Club. Most struggled with it and found it a slow start receiving lower ratings. Only a couple had the same opinions as I did. Most likely the mini series prepped me and helped me with my enjoyment. I would love to hear other opinions on this one. Love it? Hate it? Somewhere inbetween?

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

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Set in Chicago, Marilyn and David fell madly in love in the 70’s. Together they raise 4 daughters that turn out to be completely different from each other.

Wendy, widowed, lives on the edge, using her looks and booze to ger what she wants.. or what she thinks she wants.

Violet once an attorney and now a stay at home mom, finds reason for doubt and anxiety at every turn.

Liza a Professor is pregnant with a baby she is not sure she wants with a man she is pretty sure she does not love.

And Grace, the youngest of the four, living a lie that no would ever suspect.

And when 15 year old Jonah Bendt enters the picture – having ties to the family that no one knew…. things get ever more twisted as the family that finds joy in the moments takes a look at what they missed.

“Everyone thinks I know what I’m doing but I actually have no idea what I’m doing and that’s the cruelest trick the universe plays on people who have their shit together, little one; the people who seem like they have it together are the most overlooked, because everyone thinks those people never need anything, but everyone needs things; I need things; thanks for listening.” ~Violet


This is one of those books I wanted to love. Thought I was going to love. I was excited to see the book be picked by Reese Witherspoon, and excited to hear the hype around the book. As one of our 2024 Wine and Words authors it just added to the “Must Read”.
And don’t get me wrong – it is a good book, and it is a family that you will enjoy diving into and learning more about. There are definitely moments in the book I loved.

Overall for myself, too many characters to keep track of – too much going on and that honestly is just my preference. Sometimes books read at certain times are not the best fit. I would honestly call it that a time when life is busy and sinking deep into a book that required a bit of work was not a great fit for the time.

The Bookies Book Club ready this book for May 2024 and turns out – many of them felt the same. The overall book club rating 3.34 out of 5 most stating the too many characters to follow.

Of course – would love to hear others opinions 🙂