Heart the Lover by Lily King
Her senior year of college Jordan meets two star students in her Lit class. They were best friends living off campus in an elegant house. They invite her into their friendship circle and their academic driven lives. Jordan is quickly trapped in a love triangle and works her whole life to understand the complexities of their friendship. Decades later she is enjoying the life she imagined but one visit will bring the past crashing down on her. Heart the Lover is a story that celebrates love, friendship, and forgiveness. It was one that seemed to go fast while reading and ended so quickly but it was worth the read. I gave this book 4 stars.
Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter
Have you ever gotten in a pickle? Abi Mariano certainly did. As a professional cleaner, she found herself working two jobs, attending school and needing a place to stay while her apartment has an infestation. Her solution to stay in the penthouse she cleans while the owner is out of town for the week. Her plan would have been perfect but one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. Declan Powell is the millionaire and owner of the penthouse. Now they are both caught in a pickle and have to work around a few lies to keep their stories straight. Do you think a fake relationship is worth the work? For them it is the only option. Predictable, yes but darling. I gave this one 4 stars.
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
What would you do to make wrongs from the past right? Colette Marceau learned to steal as a child just like Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich to help the poor. At eighty years old, she is still stealing. The favorite jewel in this story are two bracelets made for a Jewish family. Then during World War Two, she lost a bracelet and her little sister. She has been looking for them ever since. You will find yourself cheering on the characters, hoping for romance and a happy ending. This book was on most people’s best of 2025 reading lists. Although I did enjoy the book, it wasn’t on my top. I gave it 4 stars.
JFK: Public, Private, Secret by Randy Taraborrelli
If you are interested in the whole Kennedy legacy this is a great place to start. This book covers the early beginnings with John Kennedy, into his runs for Senate, the courtship with Jackie and his assassination. It is more than a story of his presidency, it is an intimate study of a man whose public triumphs were shaped and sometimes overshadowed by the complex realities of his private life. It was a good entry point into my Kennedy fascination. I gave it 4 stars.
JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by Rose Marie Terenzio
Listening to this book was like learning about JFK Jr from his friends and family. His closest friends, confidants, lovers, classmates, teachers, and colleagues all share details that make you feel like you are one of them. John just wanted to fit in and be a normal guy. He lived in a flat, rollerbladed through NYC, wore silly outfits, and was obsessed with People Magazine. He really learned to live in the spotlight and represented the Kennedy name so well. This was my favorite of the Kennedy reads. I gave it 4 stars.
America’s Reluctant Prince by Steven M. Gillon
Please tell me I’m not the only one obsessed with all thing JFK JR?! Ever since The Love Story came out on Hulu documenting his relationship with Carolyn Basset, I can’t get enough. I’ve read 2 books, watched all the documentaries and have several on hold. This one is great and basically goes through his childhood to adulthood. He never really remembered his father except through pictures and his life was filled with media attention. He had full on security until he reached 18. They would attend elementary school with him. He grew up thinking his life was normal and so when Carolyn had a hard time with all of the attention, it is understandable. Can you imagine what life would be like if they lived? Would they have a clothing empire, a spot in the White House, or would the paparazzi get them like they did Princess Diana? I guess we’ll never know. I gave this one 3 stars.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
This movie came out and I have yet to see it but after it won all of the awards I knew I need to learn a little bit about it. Hamnet is a portrait of a marriage and the loss of a beloved child. Agnes is a woman of many talents, most admired is her gift for seeing the future. She marries and has three children, Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith. The son, Hamnet dies and his father writes a play called Hamlet. It is the little known story behind Shakespeare’s most mysteriously puzzling play, Hamlet. It took me a while to get into it but I loved the parallels at the end of the book. I gave this one 4 stars.
Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford
My cute grandma recommended this book to me. It is about a cute Grandma Jenny who loves to bake. In her aging era of life Jenny decides to do something for herself. She secretly enters a baking competition and doesn’t tell her husband. Mixed in the fun of creating and the stress of the competition, Jenny starts to unearth memories she buried decades ago. Will the memories strengthen or break her relationship with her husband of 59 years? Read how one woman can influence so many lives and how her simple recipes connect her to the past. I gave this book 4 stars.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther
Meredith Fox has been going to Martha’s Vineyard every summer for as long as she can remember. But this summer is her first time back since the death of her sister. It will be overwhelming to mix the memories of the past with the obvious reminder of her sister’s absence. To make matters worse, her longtime boyfriend broke up with her right before the trip. So this summer will be different. The family has a tradition of playing Ultimate Assassin, a water gun game and it will help keep her mind off her sister. This is the perfect chance for her to honor her sister’s legacy and jump back into the world after her loss. All of the rules are broken when she makes an alliance with a cute groomsman, she is at risk of losing the game and her heart. It made me want to start a game of assassin but I didn’t love the book. I gave it 3 stars.
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
Are all old people alike? Frederick Fife was at the lowest of lows. He had recently lost his wife and his savings helping with her cancer treatments. Thinking his day couldn’t get any worse, he found Bernard dead in his wheel chair. As he went to help his join his group from the nursing home, he was attacked by seagulls and Bernard fell in the river. When he tried to let the staff know of the issue, they didn’t believe him and helped him back to the nursing home. Life seemed to be a little better being Bernard. He had good food, a bed and began to make friends, until he met Bernard’s daughter. What would you risk to tell the truth? Frederick Fife will become a man you love. His heart is big and he was willing to risk whatever it took. I gave this book 4 stars.
