Peasreads: Escape to the Rome Apartment by Kerry Fisher

 

Escape to the Rome Apartment

A heart-warming and emotional romantic page-turner

by Kerry Fisher

My thoughts:

I've never read a book my this author before. This is a part of Kerry Fisher's The Rome Apartment trilogy but it is a stand alone read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's about friendship, letting go of the past, unlearning who you aren't and finding yourself again, boundaries, and bit of romance.

I could have highlighted most of this book. It's refreshing to read books about older mature women who are still living life. Learning, exploring. Letting go of expectations, even though there is some reluctance to let go of what's comfortable and live fully. Getting second chances, whether at love or life in general. Kerry Fisher's writing is so thoughtful.

I liked this book so much I put the other two in this series on my to be read most.

#EscapetotheRomeApartment

Description

Sara’s eyes fill with tears as she reads the letter, her last words from her dearest friend: ‘I’m buying you your freedom. You don’t need to ask your husband’s permission and you have to put yourself first for once. Have an incredible adventure before it’s too late for both of us…’

Sara has lost her zest for life. Trapped sharing a house with her soon-to-be-ex-husband, with grown-up children who still need her but take her for granted, working in a job where her boss bullies her, the final straw is the heartbreak of losing her beloved best friend Lainey.

But Lainey’s death could be the beginning of Sara’s new life… as the last gift Lainey gives to her friend is a sum of money and a request: that Sara travels to Italy, the scene of the pair’s youthful adventures, and scatters Lainey’s ashes on the beach at Portofino.

For once, Sara decides to be brave. She quits her job, tells her family they can manage without her, and sets off on the trip of a lifetime. Swept up by new friends and relishing the freedom of being away from home in beautiful Florence, Sara finds herself drawn to Carlo. Handsome and charming, he is everything Sara finds it so hard to be: carefree, impulsive, living in the moment without worrying about the future.

And then Sara sees something she shouldn’t… and discovers a secret about Carlo that makes her question everything she thought she knew. Stuck at a crossroads in her life and her travels, she can’t face returning home yet, but nor is she brave enough to continue the challenge that Lainey set her. And then she meets an English woman who tells her about an apartment in Rome, that could just be the answer to everything…

Return to the sunny streets of beautiful Rome with this heart-warming and romantic story about discovering your true path in life. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Elin Hilderbrand and Sheila O’Flanagan.

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I received this book from NetGalley and/or the publisher, Bookouture. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: The Broken Elf King by Leia Stone

 

The second book in the Kings of Avalier series is here! This one is about a girl sold as a slave who is indebted due to not being able to afford the medication her aunt needs. Kailani is a smart, capable character that is not without her faults. The Elf King is actually likable. He's competent to lead. His people respect him. Very refreshing. Both of these strong characters with a love for their people and protecting those who need it was endearing.

I liked this book more than the first in this series. It is a short book at 288 pages. So it isn't deeply detailed though the lands are lush with brief descriptions. Entertaining, for those who like the fake dating trope. The magic is fun and interesting. I can't wait to read the remaining books.

Description

The second book in the addictive Kings of Avalier series by USA Today bestselling author Leia Stone sweeps readers away in a fantasy romance full of forbidden love and deadly magic.

Peasread: Red Thread of Fate

 

Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler

A story about betrayal, family, love, healing, forgiveness, and letting go so you can move forward. I truly enjoyed this book and devoured it in one sitting. All 368 pages. I just kept turning the pages. This book is labeled as romance fiction. Maybe it is. It is more about familial bonds and love. Yes, there was/is love between Tam and her recently deceased husband. I found that I was drawn in by the relationships she had after the accident that killed her husband and estranged cousin.

Tam, to me, was learning to let people in. To see their stories and be vulnerable enough to share her own. I saw village building. Allowing yourself to let others be close to you. Allowing them to see the ugly parts along with the good. That is why I think this is a great read. All of that including the description below makes for a powerful story about the ties that bind us, and how fate has her own way of revealing what is to come.

Peasreads: Love You, Mean It

 Love You, Mean It is a contemporary romance with While You Were Sleeping vibes. Underneath the playful romantic vibes, author Jilly Gagnon introduces a community with a history that both main characters have a deep connection to. 

Ellie and Theo are the main characters, they both grew up in the same town but under very different circumstances. Ellie grew up surrounded by a loving family that is close. Theo seems to be the typical rich guy whose family is dysfunctional. Ellie is running her family's small deli which has been theirs for four generations. Theo's family owns much of the town as they are in real estate. 

Ellie is running the deli though she feels it is an obligation to her family. She's a little resentful of that. However, when Theo and his family look into bringing a mega grocer into the area, Ellie realizes that the deli isn't just an obligation. It's also a place she's come to love. Eillie isn't my favorite female character in the book. She is a bit self-sabotaging. She is no-nonsense and strong in other areas which is nice to read.

Peasread: The Address

The Address
Fiona Davis
368 pages
Publisher: Dutton (August 1, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 152474199X

If you like historical fiction, suspense, and mystery. This book is a wonderful read. The story weaves together the lives of  Sara Smythe and Bailey Camden who live 100 years apart, they both reside in the historic Dakota in Manhattan. I loved reading some of the history about the building itself, so much so that the book had me doing research on my own about this famed landmark.

Peasread: A Fairy King

Hello everyone! My 12/13 year old has agreed to reviews some great books for me. Here's one from C.J. Brightley called A Fairy King, it's a novella. My teen LOVES this series and is anxiously waiting for the next book. It is not a tween/teen/young adult book. It's a story that adults and teens will all enjoy.

It is summer here so less food blogging, no school lunches, but we'll try to get these book reviews up!

Here's the review:

Peasread: The Austen Escape

The Austen Escape
Katherine Reay

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 7, 2017)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0718078098

ISBN-13: 978-0718078096

Book description from publisher:

Falling into the past will change their futures forever.
Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues – particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.
But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by the other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.
Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.

Peasread: A Name Unknown

A Name Unknown

Shadows Over England #1

Roseanna M. White

 434 pages

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (July 4, 2017)

ISBN-10: 0764230417

ISBN-13: 978-0764230417

 Book description from publisher:

Edwardian Romance and History Gains a Twist of Suspense 

Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family's history, their very name?
Peter Holstein, given his family's German blood, writes his popular series of adventure novels under a pen name. With European politics boiling and his own neighbors suspicious of him, Peter debates whether it might be best to change his name for good. When Rosemary shows up at his door pretending to be a historian and offering to help him trace his family history, his question might be answered.
But as the two work together and Rosemary sees his gracious reaction to his neighbors' scornful attacks, she wonders if her assignment is going down the wrong path. Is it too late to help him prove that he's more than his name?

Peasread: Plain Retribution

Plain Retribution is a book a Christian romance with suspense. It's set in both a small town and Amish country. Ten years ago Rebecca Miller, a deaf Amish girl was kidnapped along with three other girls, after being rescued their testimony helps put the man in jail. After surviving that ordeal she has tried to move on with her life in the "English" world where she feels more at ease with the deaf community. Now Rebecca and the other girls who were abducted are being targeted.

Peasread: The Lost Letter

The Lost Letter is a book set in both 1938 (Austria, World War II)  and 1989 (Los Angeles). Katie Nelson is a woman who lives in Los Angeles in 1989 who is going through a divorce and caring for an elderly parent. She has a stamp collection of her father's that she is getting appraised. Her father was recently moved into a care facility and has early dementia. The stamp appraiser finds an unusual stamp in the collection on a letter that has never been opened. Both Katie and Benjamin are determined to find out what happen to the intended recipient of the letter and to find out why the stamp is unusual.

Peasread: Peace In The Valley

The last in the Double S Ranch series by Ruth Logan Herne follows Trey Walker Stafford, the youngest of the Stafford boys. Trey was orphaned at a young age when is parents overdosed on drugs. He was adopted by his uncle Sam Stafford, patriarch of the family and owner of the Double S Ranch. Trey is a successful country music star returning home to help his dad, Sam, during a time of illness. 

All his life Trey has been a straight shooter, trying to prove to the world, himself, Sam, and his deceased parents that you can be in the spotlight and not succumb to drugs and alcohol. While Trey never struggled with addiction, his late wife did and she died from an overdose. Trey carries this guilt with him. He hates what drugs and alcohol do to people so much so that he has a hard time trusting anyone with a history of drug use. There is too much pain in his past from the effects of it. 

Peasread: Home On The Range

Another Double S Ranch book by Ruth Logan Herne. This one is called Home on the Range, in it we get to know more about Nick Stafford. Middle son to Sam Stafford. Nick is a single father trying to raise two little girls Cheyenne and Dakota. Along with the challenges of being a single father he has to deal with his past rejections, a father who was too busy on the ranch, and memories of a mother who walked out on him. Nick had always wanted to be a better man than his father in so many ways, but when his wife walks out on him he realizes that he is going down the same parenting path as Sam Stafford. Cheyenne is an 8 year old who is struggling to hold on to hope that her mother will return, she is defiant and angry at the world.

Peasreads: The Little French Bistro

Cover photo from the First to Read site, I do not own this image.

The Little French Bistro is a novel by Nina George, about Marianne, a woman in her 60's who is in a loveless marriage. Forty years of her husband's indifference towards her. That in itself was heartbreaking to me. The book starts off smack dab in the middle of a chaotic and intense scene in Paris where Marianne has finally had enough of her life and attempts to end it. She is unsuccessful, but the attempt leads her down a path of self discovery. A path where she discovers that life with all it's ups and downs, sorrows, joys, and heartache are worth living.

Peasread: Back In The Saddle

Back in the Saddle is a book I almost didn't want to read. It's the title, the cover. It's a beautiful cover. It's just cliche in some ways. Handsome cowboy with his horse. Back in the Saddle. Prodigal son. Just sounded so predictable. However we had a lovely cold rainy day recently and I snuggled in by the fire and finished this book, in two days. I really enjoyed it! A great romance with some mystery and action.