Hello, hello! We’re back with another WIRL. This was a goooood roundup so let’s dive in.
Synopsis: Ronke wants happily ever after and 2.2. kids. She’s dating Kayode and wants him to be “the one” (perfect, like her dead father). Her friends think he’s just another in a long line of dodgy Nigerian boyfriends. Boo has everything Ronke wants—a kind husband, gorgeous child. But she’s frustrated, unfulfilled, plagued by guilt, and desperate to remember who she used to be. Simi is the golden one with the perfect lifestyle. No one knows she’s crippled by impostor syndrome and tempted to pack it all in each time her boss mentions her “urban vibe.” Her husband thinks they’re trying for a baby. She’s not. When the high-flying, charismatic Isobel explodes into the group, it seems at first she’s bringing out the best in each woman. (She gets Simi an interview in Shanghai! Goes jogging with Boo!) But the more Isobel intervenes, the more chaos she sows, and Ronke, Simi, and Boo’s close friendship begins to crack.
Would I Recommend It: This was my book club pick for June and it definitely delivered! I wish this was a TV show. It had kind of a Gossip Girl meets Sex and The City vibe and it was so fun to read. I loved the girls’ friendships and their individual relationships. Seeing how Isobel totally changed the dynamic of the group was both thrilling and heartbreaking. I highly recommend this one.
Synopsis: When Mallory Blessing’s son, Link, receives deathbed instructions from his mother to call a number on a slip of paper in her desk drawer, he’s not sure what to expect. But he certainly does not expect Jake McCloud to answer. It’s the late spring of 2020 and Jake’s wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is the frontrunner in the upcoming Presidential election. There must be a mistake, Link thinks. How do Mallory and Jake know each other? Flash back to the sweet summer of 1993: Mallory has just inherited a beachfront cottage on Nantucket from her aunt, and she agrees to host her brother’s bachelor party. Cooper’s friend from college, Jake McCloud, attends, and Jake and Mallory form a bond that will persevere—through marriage, children, and Ursula’s stratospheric political rise—until Mallory learns she’s dying. 28 Summers explores the agony and romance of a one-weekend-per-year affair and the dramatic ways this relationship complicates and enriches their lives, and the lives of the people they love.
Would I Recommend It: This is Same Time, Next Year but modernized. I devoured this. I’ve been on an EH journey this year [remember January ;)] and her novels are the perfect saccharine, beach-read type books when I need a palette cleanser in between thrillers. This one was sweet and endearing and delivered exactly what it set out to.
Synopsis: When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her―until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences. Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow―another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them.
Would I Recommend It: Verity lovers, rejoice! Colleen Hoover did it again with another thriller. This was WILD. I did not see the ending coming at all. This has some Behind Her Eyes vibes and it was deliciously thrilling the entire time. If you liked the style of Verity, give this a go.
Synopsis: Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife. Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts–paper, cotton, pottery, tin–and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after. Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.
Would I Recommend It: This was another twisty one. While I think this one was a tad long, the ending was definitely not something I saw coming. The way this was told actually reminded me of another book I’d read and I can’t put my finger on it! Either way, the last couple chapters will blow your mind. I had loved Sometimes I Lie, and I do think I liked that better than this, but this was still a decent thriller.
Synopsis: Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there. The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question. The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.
Would I Recommend It: I have complicated feelings about this one. This came recommended by so many of you. The first “twist” I knew from the jump because I understand French. Once that was established, I found the first half to drag on. Once the secrets started spilling and you learned more and more, that bit was exciting. However, I found the ending to fall really flat. I think I wanted more or a bigger twist. Even though it was initially a bit shocking, as the dust settled, I just didn’t think it was exciting enough to warrant all the events leading up to it. So, yeah, this one is a mixed review for me. I don’t think it lived up to the hype for me, but I do see how it would’ve gotten the attention it did.
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