Book Review: The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest (Heart Beach #1)

The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set primarily in the fictional New Jersey Heart Beach, Noelle and Jeremiah are 'fake dating.'  Noelle has been laid off from one of her jobs and needs to save money for her fall tuition.  Jeremiah is avoiding his family and their summer beach house by saying he's spending time with his new girlfriend.  Noelle and Jeremiah meet cute and he asks if she would stand in as a his girlfriend in exchange for tuition money.  It's no surprise that they start falling for each other throughout the summer.

This is the perfect summer beach read -- after all it's set at a beautiful summer beach house on the Jersey shore and involves three generations of Jeremiah's wonderful family.  There's the boardwalk, the beach, hang gliding, boating, pools, summer food, books, desserts, and more!  This was on the 2026 Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide under the category of Seaside Stories.  Take my advice and read it this summer; you won't regret immersing yourself in Noelle and Jeremiah's summer romance!

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Book Review: The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alexandria Watson - Alix - is down on her luck.  She was fired from one of her three part-time jobs, her debit card was declined at the grocery store, and her roommate gave her one week to move out and find somewhere else to live.  She visits her manager at the Boston Public Library to see if she can get more hours to work, but was unsuccessful.  Frustrated, she goes through one of the BPL Reading Room doors only to discover that she has been transported to the Astral Library and her life is about to change!

This book is a fantastic immersion for the reader into the magical world of books!  If you are in love with books, reading, book worlds, libraries, and librarians, then this book is for you!  It's full of magical realism; set aside your real world expectations and get transported into various books.

What I loved about this book:  the descriptions of the book worlds, the various period costumes, the elegant vocabulary (I wished I was reading the ebook instead so I could easily look up many of those unfamiliar words), the patterned edges of the book, the book's end pages.  The author also mentions Henry Ford Centennial Library (in Dearborn, not Detroit as mentioned in the book); I worked at this library as one of my first library jobs!

What I didn't like about this book:  the heavy handed overtones of The Library Board and many of the library detractors; it often felt like I was being lectured to.  The middle section of the book got bogged down with going back and forth to many other books without any real destination or goal.  Also, I have not read many fantasy novels so was not able to fully appreciate all the characters, locations, and authors mentioned.

"Have you ever wanted to live inside a book?"  If so, then you will definitely enjoy reading this book!

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Book Review: Ironwood by Michael Connelly (Catalina #2)

Ironwood by Michael Connelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sheriff Stilwell is back in the second book of the new Michael Connelly series, once again set on Catalina Island. It's a small substation, with just six deputies and an office manager. But he has a lot on his plate including a small plane landing dark late at night from Mexico with a drug drop-off, evidence from a 4-year old cold case murder, stolen vehicles, sabotage to a local vineyard, and graffiti on two local landmarks.

The best surprise in the book was the involvement of Renee Ballard's cold case unit! Stilwell and Ballard team up to investigate and eventually arrest the individual responsible for the murder of five women over the past several years. Even Harry Bosch has a small role in this book!

I flew through this book in just two days. It's a quick read and very fast-paced, switching from one incident to another. And according to his website, Michael Connelly is working on the third book in this series, to be published in May 2027!

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Book Review: The Scarecrow (Jack McEvoy #2)

The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jack McEvoy has just been laid off from his job as crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, and has been given two weeks' salary to train his replacement.  He decides to investigate and write the story of a 16-year old drug dealer who has been falsely accused of murder.  He soon realizes that the police obtained a false confession, which leads him to similar cases of "trunk murder."

Thus begins the second (of three) in the Jack McEvoy book series written by Michael Connelly.  Written in 2009, it reflects the beginning of the print newspaper demise across the country.  It's a tense page-turner, delving deep into the extensive investigative research that journalists used to do.   I'm looking forward to reading the third (and apparently final) book in this wonderful series - The Final Warning.  Luckily, Connelly continues to write other series because he is definitely one of my favorite writers!

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Book Review: The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz (The Book Series #1)

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jake is a young novelist whose first novel was an astounding success.  Since then he's published another novel which was not as well received.  He is working part-time in Vermont teaching writing to students in an MFA program, where he meets Evan, a smug and pretentious student who claims to have an idea for a book sure to be a huge success.  

Fast forward three years.  Jake is still struggling to write and has started working as a freelance editor for other writers.  He remembers Evan's boasts, looks for his published book only to discover that he died soon after the MFA program.  Predictably Jake takes the broad story line, writes the book, and publishes it to huge success.  (I don't think this is too much of a spoiler -- it's included in the book blurb.)

What follows is an incredible ride for the reader, following Jake in his successes and failures, including the haunting emails and letters from the supposed real author.  This is a fast-paced, page-turning thriller, with plot twists and turns throughout.  We get a look inside at both the publishing industry and the life of an author.  It's also a 'book within a book' because chapters of the book written by Jake are interspersed throughout.  

This is the second time that I've read this book; this time it was for one of my book clubs (discussion tonight!).  Once again I'm giving it five stars and highly recommend it to anyone interested in books, authors, publishing, and wonderful suspenseful thrillers!  It will keep you glued to the pages until the very end!

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Book Review: Walk With Me: New York: Photographic Stroll Through New York Streets Capturing Serendipitous, Everyday Urban Poetry, by Susan Kaufman

Walk With Me: New York: Photographic stroll through New York streets capturing serendipitous, everyday urban poetry. by Susan Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of incredible photographs of many of the Manhattan (and Brooklyn) neighborhoods. Susan Kaufman has a background in magazine publishing and fashion, and has a wonderful eye for architecture, decor, and history. Her photographs immerse the reader in each of the city's wonderful areas. Her captions describe the location of each photo, and she includes a map at the end of each neighborhood chapter which identifies her favorite streets and locations.

I discovered this book at the shop in the main branch of the New York Public Library a couple of years ago. I glanced through it and realized that I *had* to have it! Since we regularly visit our son and soon-to-be-daughter-in-law in NYC, I have reviewed her book and compiled a list of her favorite streets and points of interest. During our NYC visits we try to explore two or three new areas, using her book as our guide. We have found so many interesting sites that we wouldn't have discovered otherwise! Pro Tip -- follow her on Instagram @skaufman4050 to get her wonderful photos in your IG stream daily!

Please note that the author has compiled another book focusing on the Hamptons!
Walk With Me: Hamptons: Elegant photography tour through Hamptons estates, beaches, and the cultivated ease of summer living.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

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Book Review: The Love Haters by Katherine Center

The Love Haters by Katherine Center
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(3 1/2 stars)  Katie is a video producer working at a commercial video company, and she gets the opportunity to film a promotional video for the Coast Guard in the Florida Keys.  The video focuses on rescue swimmer Tom "Hutch" Hutcheson, who happens to be her boss's brother and they are not speaking to one another.  The bad news is that she doesn't know how to swim, and of course this assignment involves a lot of swimming.  

I usually really like Katherine Center's novels, but I almost gave up on this one.  The main character has a horrible self-image and just wallows in it.  The first 25% of the book was very difficult to read because of all of her self-hate.  A "Note from the Author" at the beginning of the book warns the reader about this.

I started reading this book on the flight for my vacation, and finished it the next day.  It was a perfect book to keep my mind occupied but not too deep that I would lose track of the story line.  The characters were all very interesting, and the light romance kept things moving along.  I'm glad I persisted in reading it because it ended up being a lot of fun, even if it was very predictable.  

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Book Review: The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson

The House by the Side of the Road: The Selma Civil Rights Movement by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an autobiography / memoir told by Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, the wife of the dentist Dr. Sullivan Jackson.  It was their home in Selma, Alabama, "The Jackson Home," that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used as his headquarters to rally supporters for the Voting Rights Act and the Selma Civil Rights Movement.  Their daughter, Jawana, was just five years old at the time, and loved when 'Uncle Martin' came to visit.

Greenfield Village in Dearborn (part of The Henry Ford) recently acquired The Jackson Home and had it moved from Selma to Dearborn, Michigan.  It is opening to the public this weekend (June 12-14, 2026) with a festive Block Party.  We had the good fortune of touring the house last month and the experience was quite moving.  The house is preserved just as it was in 1965 with as many original furnishings and accessories as possible.  The Henry Ford staff worked tirelessly to find additional items which needed to be added to those original items.  

Here is a 48-minute documentary, created by our local NBC affiliate WDIV, which was broadcast earlier this year.  The Jackson daughter, Jawana Jackson, is now 65 years old and is featured in the video talking about Dr. King and the role that her house played in making history.  One of the fascinating things in this video is how they had to cut the house in two in order to transport it from Selma to Dearborn on two different trucks, and then reassemble it once it arrived in Greenfield Village!
https://www.clickondetroit.com/video/news/2026/02/26/backstory-the-jackson-home/ 

This is an incredible book telling the story of the Selma Civil Rights Movement.  Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson is a wonderful storyteller, and reading the book I felt like she was my grandmother, sitting in a rocking chair with me at her feet on the carpet while she was telling me the tales of her life and all the important people who came to The House by the Side of the Road.  A very compelling memoir; very highly recommended!

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