Audio Review: The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers

THE COMFORT OF LIES is the story of three very different women who most likely would never have met had it not been for one man.  Five years ago Juliette's professor husband, Nathan, had a year long affair with Tia, one of his students. The affair ended abruptly when Tia announced she was pregnant. Tia, young and naive, did not expect Nathan's response of simply walking away from the relationship and never looking back. Caroline and her husband, Peter, adopted their daughter, Savannah, loved her as their own, yet they each had different ideas about family and the roles each should play in raising their daughter.

Five years after giving her baby up for adoption, Tia decided that Nathan should know he has a daughter, so she sent a picture that the adopted mother had sent to her along with a letter. But Nathan's wife intercepted the envelope and was shocked to learn the news of a child from his affair. The actions that Juliet takes after learning this information changes all of their lives forever. Even young Savannah has to learn some hard truths about her parentage.  

My Thoughts:

Having read and loved Meyers' first novel, THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS, I was very excited to read this second book. There are so many jagged edges in the storyline that kept my emotions tense. I kept putting myself into the shoes of each of these women and would try to imagine how I would feel if it were happening to me. It would be terrible to discover that your husband had a year long affair, but then to find out five years later that the affair resulted in a child would be devastating, to say the least. If I had an adopted child, I would be terrified if I thought the biological parents wanted her back. And for Tia, the pain of having to give up a baby that you conceived out of love, would be absolutely heartbreaking.

I felt connected to each of the characters, however, Caroline was my most difficult. Though she agreed to adopt a child with her husband, she would often put her job first, which, even as a non-parent, I couldn't possibly relate to. There would be no job that would rival my daughter, adopted or not. But I suppose that's part of what made this story so believable. The characters and their flaws were realistic. Another interesting thing about these complex characters is that each represents a different class of society.

Though I can't say I loved this book as much as I loved THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTERS, I still enjoyed it very much. I think it would be a terrific book club selection giving all of the different points of view the story offers. I'm sure it would prompt a lively discussion.

I chose to listen to this book on audio and I'm happy with that choice. I enjoyed Amy McFadden's performance and felt she did a great job distinguishing between the varying  characters. If you're looking for a engaging audio for your commute, you won't be disappointed with THE COMFORT OF LIES.

THE COMFORT OF LIES (Unabridged Audio Version)
Author: Randy Susan Meyer
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published: February 2013
Length: 10 hrs 47 mins
Reccomend? Yes

Review: Best Staged Plans by Claire Cook

Sandy Sullivan is a professional home stager, living in Boston with her tennis-loving husband and college graduate son who has moved into their basement and rarely comes out. Though she stages homes for a living she can't seem to get her own family on board when she wants to 'clean up' their family home so it can be put up for sale. After constant prodding, begging and bitching to no avail, Sandy is at her wits end. So when her best friend mentions that her new boyfriend just bought a hotel in Atlanta in desperate need of some updating, Sandy takes the job. Her family is stunned and can't believe she's actually going to Atlanta, even her newly married daughter who lives in Atlanta is shocked. Sandy's plan to stay with her daughter and son-in-law during this process is derailed when her daughter tells her she's headed back to Boston for some training for her job, leaving Sandy to stay there alone with Chance, her very southern son-in-law she barely knows.

Her motive for this plan was to force her family into action and that by the time she returned home, the house would be ready to put on the market. But she didn't plan on missing her family so much and feeling so disconnected from her own life, not to mention being in a city that is so different from Boston. To add to the stress, she thinks her best friend's boyfriend is cheating on her, which puts her in a very uncomfortable situation. The time she spends away from her loved ones and her experiences in Atlanta gives Sandy a fresh outlook on life and the people around her.

My Thoughts:

BEST STAGED PLANS is my first Claire Cook book and it is all that I thought it would be. Claire's characters seem like real people to me. They are certainly anything but perfect but they are good people. I liked Sandy Sullivan right away, especially her sense of humor. In fact, I know some people who are very similar to her in a lot of ways. I really enjoyed the friendship with her best friend. That is a special relationship for any woman and it came across very sincere and honest. The interaction with Chance was so realistic and comical at times. I really enjoyed those parts as well.

Throughout the book, Cook offers up simple anecdotes about friendship, marriage and tips for clearing up clutter in your own home and even how to properly pack a suitcase. These tips took me by surprise but I found myself making mental notes and I bookmarked each one.

I'm glad I finally took the time to read one of Claire's books. It was exactly what I was looking for at the time. It made me laugh and it made me think. I don't read a lot of chic lit but I plan to be entertained by Claire Cook again.

 BEST STAGED PLANS (Kindle Edition)
Author: Claire Cook
Publisher: Hyperion
Published: June 2011
Length: 256pp
Source: Purchased

Review: The Good House by Ann Leary (Unabridged Audio Edition)

When I first noticed this book going around the blogs people were raving about it.  Then I started hearing how great the audio version was and since I was due for a new audio book, I chose that format. Boy, am I glad I did! Mary Beth Hurt was F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S as Hildy Good! But hold on, I don't want to get ahead of myself  First, for those who aren't familiar, here is a bit about the book:

Hildy Good grew up and has lived in a small town on Boston's North Shore for all of her life. I guess you could call her a townie. She knows everyone and everyone knows her. She's had a good and successful life as a Realtor and is currently the only independent Realtor in town. She is divorced with two grown daughters, one married with a child and one not married.  For the most part Hildy lives a happy life. There's only one problem: Hildy is an alcoholic. When her family held an intervention, Hildy gave in to their demands and went into rehab. It's now the beginning of the story and Hildy has been sober for about a year. She says its not a problem and she can handle it, but inside she feels it was all blown out of proportion. 

Hildy is an outspoken but friendly sort but she does like her privacy.  Like many small communities, its hard to keep secrets so when Hildy begins to backslide from her sobriety, she is careful to keep it to herself and justifies it with one excuse after another. Hildy's denial of her drinking problem grows and before long she is back to having blackouts and suffering from hangovers on a regular basis until one night the unthinkable happens and she has to face that she may have been the cause.  If only she could remember . . .

My Thoughts:

I purposely left out a lot in my synopsis because I wanted to let Hildy tell her own story. Let me start by saying that Hildy Good is one of my favorite characters of all time. She is really something. Hildy is the one telling this story so it is her insights and perspective that is given to the reader. At first, I have to admit, I thought she came across a bit haughty and snobbish, but quickly changed my view. It's just her way. She is very opinionated, sometimes prickly but certainly not a bad person. She is deeply flawed however, and in such denial it is rather scary. I saw her gradual slide down that slippery slope and felt that helpless feeling but she is so convincing in her justifications that I wanted to believe her when she repeatedly said she had it under control.. There's no mistaking that Hildy is the star of this story but the supporting characters and sub plot added another element and were authentic and very believable.

But just know, THE GOOD HOUSE is not just a novel about an alcoholic, it is also about an unlikely friendship, an affair, a rekindling of long ago love and bonds. This book has it all and is told in perfect pitch. I chose to listen to the audio version and I am so glad I did. Mary Beth Hurt was the perfect Hildy Good. No one else could've portrayed this character in my opinion. She interpreted all of Hildy's characteristics flawlessly.

I can only imagine that writing a successful novel centered around alcoholism must be a daunting task. The way Ann Leary wrote Hildy's perspective and her continual justification of her drinking can only come from someone who knows alcoholism intimately. I feel she did an outstanding job. Once I got started I didn't want to stop. Hearing Hildy's voice with my own ears was such an authentic experience. I didn't want to leave her when the book was done.

The bottom line is THE GOOD HOUSE is one of my top reads this year and the audio is probably my favorite of all. If you're looking for an audio that you can get sucked into right away with great characters and great story, then you should definitely listen to this latest from Ann Leary. It was a real treat. Just one more comment about this author: Am I the only person on the planet who didn't know Ann Leary is married to Denis Leary, the actor from Rescue Me?  Saw her on an MSNBC program and they mentioned that and I was shocked!

THE GOOD HOUSE (Unabridged Audio Version)
Author:  Ann Leary
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: January 2013
Length: 10 hrs 12 min
Recommend? Absolutely 100% YES!!!

Review: The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro

THE ART FORGER is the story of Claire Roth, a very talented artist who has, over the last few years, suffered through the consequences of choices she made while still an art student in Boston.  Her involvement with her famous art professor, Issac Culliun, led to the devastation of her budding art career. But this story isn't just about Claire. It's also about a famous masterpiece painted by Edgar Degas that was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990 along with a dozen other historic works of art, of which none have been recovered.

Claire's story begins a few years after her relationship with her professor-lover has ended, but we get glimpses as to how it all fell apart and why she is now looked at with disdain throughout the art world in Boston.  At the same time, we are treated to a lesson in art history through letters written by Isabella Gardner to her niece, Amelia, in the late 1800's. The letters give many clues to the origin of After the Bath, Degas' painting that is at the center of this intriguing plot. Adding another layer to this story is Claire's romance with, Aiden, a man she first met during her days with Isaac. Though she has legitimate issues with trust, she takes Aiden up on an offer that he describes as 'a good deed', but as time goes on, Claire fears it could also land her in prison.

My Thoughts

This book was a fantastic surprise! As soon as I began reading, I was completely caught up in the story. I liked that alternating chapters took me back in time and explained what had happened with Isaac and how Claire became black-listed from the world of art that she loved so much. The romance with Isaac, and then later with Aiden, was a perfect balance to the mystery of After the Bath and it's origin. I truly enjoyed the history of the painting and it's owner, Isabella Gardner.

There are many things I loved about this book.First and foremost, the story and the writing were superb. I've seen this book listed as mystery and suspense, and while it has both of those elements, it is not what you'd call a seat-of-your-pants thrill ride, although it will keep you completely enthralled. What I found fascinating about this book was the art. I am not well versed in art at all, but I became so interested that I even spent time researching Degas and his paintings and even learned about art forgery. I found the process fascinating and thoroughly enjoyed that part of the story as well.

Claire was a very likable character and I had no trouble at all relating to her. There was also just the right mix of supporting characters who helped give Claire authenticity and made her more personable. I loved her friendship with Ric and felt the genuine bond between them. I was also very happy with the ending of this story. Nearing the final pages, I had no idea how it would turn out, but I was completely satisfied.

There is so much more I could say about this book, but I don't want to take away any of the suspense and mystery of this novel by summarizing too much. All I can say is, you must read it for yourself to fully appreciate this fascinating story.

Once again, Algonquin Books has delivered a novel that has become a favorite of mine and has made me a dedicated fan of Barbara Shapiro. I'd also like to thank She Reads Book Club for inviting me to participate in this month's selection. THE ART FORGER was a terrific pick and a great way for me to start a wonderful new venture this year with them. More reviews by other members of the club can be found here. I encourage you to read them.

THE ART FORGER
Author: B.A. Shapiro
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Published: October 2012
Pages: 368 pp
Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

Teaser Tuesday: THE ART FORGER by B.A. Shapiro

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, where we share the books we're reading by giving a glimpse at what's inside. Here are the guidelines if you'd like to participate:

• Open your current book and let it fall open to a random page
• Choose two teaser sentences to share, being careful not to include any spoilers
• List the title, author's name and page number (or location) of the teasers you've chosen
• Go to Should Be Reading and share your link with the other participants

It's that easy and its a fun way to get a look inside of some new-to-you books.

The teasers I'm sharing today come from a fabulous new book by B.A. (Barbara) Shapiro called THE ART FORGER. It takes place in Boston and is the story of Claire Roth, a talented artist who has been snubbed by many people in the art world because of choices she made while still an art student. A few years later she still has obstacles to overcome but she finds herself in almost the same position as before, but with much more dire consequences. Here are my teasers . . .

Ambition, talent, antiestablishment vengeance, greed, and hubris run rampant through all fifty stories, and I see myself everywhere.  Plus, they all share the same outcome:  the ultimate exposure of the forger as the charlatan he is. ~ Location 3502-3506 Kindle edition

Once I began reading, I had a hard time putting this one down. I was so drawn into the story and really enjoyed the backdrop of the art world. I was completely sucked in! For more information on this great book, please stop by She Reads Facebook page. 

 

Book Review: "The Ex-Debutante" by Linda Francis Lee

At first glance, this isn't a book that I would make a beeline for - I'm not into alot of girly-girly things like balls and designer labels, but this book is about so much more than debutantes and their clothes. I am so glad to have read it! There are so many facets to the story and Linda Francis Lee reveals them beautifully.

Carlisle Wainwright Cushing is the protagonist of the story. She is an accomplished attorney who is confident and seemingly happy with her choices. She has made a very nice life for herself in Boston, even though her roots are in Texas along with her dysfunctional family. Although her life would appear to be going the way its supposed to - she has a great job, a wonderful fiance' - even Carlisle is surprised that maybe she still has alot to learn about herself. She gets pulled back to Texas when her mother asks for her help with her latest divorce. Then she gets guilted into organizing the annual debutante ball that has been hosted by her family for a century. During the course of defending a mother she feels she never really knew and overseeing 8 teenage girls that don't even know the meaning of being a lady, let alone a debutante, she faces her past and is forced to re-think her future. This is a heartwarming story of not only Carlisle, but all the Wainwright women and even the girls who are debuting.

Linda Francis Lee writes the story with a clever, witty stroke of the pen (or keyboard). Her characters are so easy to imagine. As I read the book, I could see it as a movie playing in my head. It has comedy, drama and longing. It's a delightful read that never gets bogged down or boring. She has you rooting for even the slightest of characters. This book is for any woman who has ever felt out of touch or misunderstood and confirms that even when you think you know all there is to know about your family, they still may surprise you.

Also reviewed at:

Booking Mama

And at Beastmomma

I'm a Reviewer!

I'm so excited! I was contacted via email a few days ago by The Book Network, who runs bookreporter.com, a website all about books and authors. It's a great website that showcases new releases, has interviews with authors etc. Anyway, I was asked to read a book that has just been released, then write the review here on my blog! All I have to do is obviously, get the book read within a reasonable period of time, be honest about my review and send them a link to it once its been posted. I've always wanted to do this, so now I'm patiently waiting on my copy of the book. Its called THE EX-DEBUTANTE by Linda Francis Lee. After reading about it on bookreporter.com, it appears to be a very witty, smartly written story about an ex-deb from Texas who now lives in Boston and works as a lawyer. She goes back to her wealthy Texas family to help her mother thru yet another divorce and gets sucked back into a life she thought (and hoped) she'd left behind. I look forward to reading it. AND I get to keep the book! While I wait for my book to arrive, I'll have time to finish INFIDEL, which I've been reading off and on for a couple months. I'll be posting that review shortly.