One Minute Later - Fiction Review

About One Minute Later

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (June 11, 2019)

International bestselling author Susan Lewis’ riveting, unforgettable novel of a woman whose life changes in an instant and the handsome young man with whom she shares a secret history—perfect for readers of Diane Chamberlain, Jodi Picoult and Susan Wiggs.
 How well do you know the people you love? For one young woman returning to the past, the answer could be heart-shattering... Vivi Shager is living her dream. Raised with drive and ambition by a resolutely single mother, Vivi has a thriving law career, a gorgeous apartment in London, and a full calendar that keeps her busy at work and at play. Then on the day of her twenty-seventh birthday, an undiagnosed heart condition sends Vivi’s prospects for the future into a tailspin. After escaping her roots nearly a decade ago, she’s forced to return to her childhood home to be cared for by her devoted and enigmatic mother. Vivi has always known the woman is hiding something and now she’s determined to find out what it is. Though her condition makes her fragile and vulnerable and she’s afraid of what may happen, her spirit remains strong. Then comes an unexpected ray of light. Josh Raynor, a local veterinarian who his sisters claim is too handsome for his own good, brings a forbidden love to Vivi’s world. Josh and Vivi are soon inseparable, unaware of the past their families share. All Vivi knows is that Josh is wrestling with a demon of his own… Then quite suddenly the awful truth is staring Vivi in the face

My Thoughts:   Somehow I've never read a Susan Lewis book until just now so going in I really had no idea what to expect.  I will say that while this won't be on a favorites lists I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking for more from Susan Lewis in the future.  It took me a few chapters to fully get into this one.  While I was instantly pulled into Vivi's story it took me longer to connect with Shelley's POV.  I actually liked Shelley better but they just seemed so far apart at first that I didn't get how they were connected at the beginning.  Vivi wasn't the easiest character to like.  I sympathized with her from the beginning but she could be prickly and defensive I wanted to shake her.  Overall, I really enjoyed this read.  Lewis pulled me in right from the start in Vivi's story and soon I was fully wrapped up in Shelley's as well.  This was a bit more bittersweet than I usually go for but I feel like Lewis' almost casually chatty writing style made this a fast read despite the sad elements.  I'm looking forward to reading more from Susan Lewis!  Rating: Good

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Susan Lewis

Susan Lewis is the internationally bestselling author of more than forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense, and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband, James; stepsons, Michael and Luke; and mischievous dogs, Coco and Lulu. Find out more at her website, and connect with her on Facebook.

This Week in Reading - June 16

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Another week of nothing!  Or at least I think it's nothing.  This week has been both super short and a million years long so my memory is kind of fuzzy.  I do feel a bit of a binge coming on though.

Currently:

Reading:  Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter and Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter

Listening:  I finished Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan (loved it) and Doom With a View by Kate Kingsbury (an enjoyable mystery but not a favorite) and am now listening to A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

Watching:  Pretty much nothing.  I don't think I sat down long enough to watch more than 5 minutes of anything.

Off the Blog:

I don't think I've ever mentioned that we have a rental house.  Back in 2009, right before the Tornado was born, this house we had driven by hundreds of times and absolutely loved went on the market and we jumped at it.  Unfortunately 2009 wasn't the best time to sell a house so we decided to turn the house we were living in into a rental.  We still haven't decided if that was a good idea!  Most of the time it's out of sight out of mind but our long term tenants moved out at the beginning of the month and we've been scrambling to get it ready to be rented out.  Right now we are drowning in to do lists, contractor quotes and paint.  So much paint.  The whole house has to be repainted and the original color I picked which looked like a nice cream with a little bit of coffee ended up going on mauve.  Luckily we were able to pull the plug on that pretty quickly and picked out a not so pink cream with a little coffee before we lost too much work time.  But between all the house stuff, regular stuff, physical therapy, and the meds I'm taking for my neck I'm flat out exhausted!  My reading has definitely taken a hit but I'm making up a bit for it in audio books. 

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  Murder in the City of Liberty - Historical Mystery
Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Unpopular Bookish Opinions
Wednesday:  Summer on Mirror Lake - Contemporary Romance Review
Thursday:  Death in Kew Gardens - Historical Mystery Review
Friday:  Friday Fives - Five Goodreads Giveaways I've Entered Recently
Saturday:  Cloaked in Malice - Cozy Mystery Review

What's Coming Up:

Monday: One Minute Later - Fiction Review

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Part of 2019

Wednesday:  Pieces of Her - Mystery Review

Thursday:  Summer by the Tides - Fiction Review

Friday:  Friday Fives

Saturday:  Spring Favorites

Have a great week and happy reading!

Cloaked in Malice - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Cloaked in Malice (A Vintage Magic Mystery #5) by Annette Blair

Rating:  Good
Source:  Purchased

Description:  There’s nothing Maddie loves more than fabulous vintage clothes, but the visions she gets while touching them are starting to wear her down. Even so, when a beautifully dressed girl comes to Vintage Magic in search of her past, Maddie isn’t about to turn her away, especially since she bears a striking resemblance to her good friend Dolly Sweet.

When Maddie touches Paisley Skye’s exquisitely crafted child’s cloak, the vision she receives is of the ugliest sort: a decades-old case of kidnapping and murder. To give herself more time to investigate, Maddie enlists the help of her FBI Agent boyfriend Nick and takes Paisley into her own home. But when Dolly suddenly skips town, Maddie realizes that uncovering the folds of Paisley’s past will reveal more than one vintage crime…

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've enjoyed this series and I love books about vintage clothes

My Impression:  Is this the most realistic book I've ever read?  Nope - not even close.  Was it enjoyable?  Thoroughly! My only complaint was that we didn't spend nearly enough time in the shop  with all the gorgeous vintage clothes and Dante the ghost.  I loved figuring out just who Paisley was and what she was hiding and how she was connected to Paisley's friend Dolly.  I love a missing persons case and this was kind of like a missing persons case in reverse.  In this case we had the person but didn't know who she was.  And of course Maddie's ability to read clothes is giving us some very ominous clues.  So what was unrealistic?  There's Maddie's psychic abilities to get visions from old clothes of course but that's not really what I'm talking about here.  The main issue was that Paisley just didn't quite ring true.  For someone who had been isolated on an island with 2 people for her entire memory she's very comfortable around people and quick to pick up mannerisms.  As well the plot unravels in a bit of a crazy over the top way with conspiracies galore.  I'd been reading a lot of psychological suspense before I picked this one up so this lighter over the top cozy full of old clothes and a few ghosts was exactly what I wanted.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes.  I have book 6 and am looking forward to it but I think it's the last of the series.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozies with a paranormal element - and love one about a vintage clothes - than this is a fun read.  You can jump in here but the relationship stuff (very small part of the book) would probably make more sense if you started at the beginning.

Friday Fives - The Five Most Recent Goodreads Giveaways I've Entered

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  Michelle over at Because Reading is Better Than Real Life   used to do a Five on Fridays that I always enjoyed and I've seen a few other variations on the theme.  As well I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd give start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  I go through phases with the giveaways on Goodreads.  Sometimes I'm entering like it's my job and other times I go for months without even thinking about it.  I'm in an entering kind of mood and here are the most recent 5 that grabbed my attention.

1.  Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris - I was surprised to see this because it's been out for a bit.  Maybe it's about to release in paperback?  I wanted to read it when it first came out and nothing I've read about it has changed my mind.

2.  Finding Zsa Zsa: The Gabors Behind the Legend by Sam Staggs - I know nothing about this one other than who Zsa Zsa and Eva are but it sounded like it could be interesting.

3.  One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski - I feel like I've seen a review or two for this one that was good but I don't remember more than that.  The cover caught my eye and there's a mystery involving a 30 year old disappearance which I can never resist. 

4.  The Christmas Keeper by Jenn McKinlay - I love McKinlay's mysteries and enjoyed the one romance by her that I read.  This is the 2nd in a new romance series and it involves a bookstore so how could I pass that up?

5.  Ice Cold Heart by P.J. Tracy - I can't really explain this one other than I've heard of PJ Tracy and own a couple of books in this series which I've never read any of them. 

Do you enter Goodreads giveaways? 

Death in Kew Gardens - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Death in Kew Gardens (Kat Holloway Mysteries #3) by Jennifer Ashley

Rating:  Loved It!
Source: Publisher

Description:  In return for a random act of kindness, scholar Li Bai Chang presents young cook Kat Holloway with a rare and precious gift—a box of tea. Kat thinks no more of her unusual visitor until two days later when the kitchen erupts with the news that Lady Cynthia's next-door neighbor has been murdered.

Known about London as an "Old China Hand," the victim claimed to be an expert in the language and customs of China, acting as intermediary for merchants and government officials. But Sir Jacob's dealings were not what they seemed, and when the authorities accuse Mr. Li of the crime, Kat and Daniel find themselves embroiled in a world of deadly secrets that reach from the gilded homes of Mayfair to the beautiful wonder of Kew Gardens

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  The main reason is because I have loved the first two books in the series and couldn't wait to dive into this one but if that hadn't been the case I couldn't have resisted that cover!

My Impression:   This series is the book version of a cozy blanket and a nice cup of tea.  Things have been crazy in real life but the second I opened this book the world faded away and I was swept up into Kat's world both in the kitchen and out of it.  I loved seeing Kat, Tess, Daniel, Cynthia, and Thanos again and thoroughly enjoyed the mystery.

I thought the Chinese angle was a little unusual and really fascinating.  I can't think of the last time I've seen China discussed in a historical mystery so the information and the attitudes of the characters were both really interesting.  It also made a good excuse to pull Mr. Thanos in and some other researchers.  Thanos is one of my favorite characters and Thanos plus research is pretty much all of my favorite things in one.    The mystery was a delight with a regular increase in information and an unraveling that kept me turning pages.

As always, I loved the below stairs part of the mystery and it was interesting seeing Kat with an adversary.  The new housekeeper makes Mr. Davis look like Mr. Rogers.  While this is the third in the series you could jump in right here without any problem though you really should go back and read the first two because they're fantastic!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I'm already counting the days until the next book comes out.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Absolutely!  Even if you aren't a regular mystery reader if you're interested in upstairs/downstairs stories or historical fiction in general I think you'll love this series!

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Summer on Mirror Lake - Contemporary Romance Review

Goodreads: Summer on Mirror Lake (Honeymoon Harbor #3) by JoAnn Ross

Rating:  A Good Read
Source: Publisher

Description:  Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…
When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.

As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.

Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk.

Genre:  Romance - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  I've read the first two books in this series and I'm always willing to read about one of the Mannions finding their HEA whether they want to or not.

My Impression:  I do love a small town romance and this one set in the cutesy named (but there's a reason for it!) Honeymoon Harbor is becoming one of my favorites.  It's not all unicorns and rainbows.  People have their struggles, down times, and relatable worries but it never gets over-angsty or overly dark. 

Chelsea is a great character.  She's a librarian not only because she loves books but also because she loves the community of the library itself and wants it to as much of a haven for those around her as it was to her during her turbulent childhood.  She's optimistic and upbeat and tries to see the best in situations.  She has her demons and sorrows but she doesn't let those define her.

Gabe was a little harder to like.  He's spent most of his adult life not connecting to the people around him.  He's a workaholic and even a pretty big wake up call doesn't really wake him up.  He sees no real issue with the way he's living even though he's taking a doctor ordered break.  He's so focused on work and succeeding that his personality gets a bit lost and replaced with sheer intensity.  Right from the start we know he has a softer side (he's invested in several businesses around town mostly for altruistic purposes) but not only does he not want to talk about it, he really doesn't seem to want to admit to himself that it exists.

The romance is a bit of a slow burn as at the beginning of the book the Chelsea and Gabe don't know each other at all and really only have one conversation.  But that doesn't mean it was a slow read.  I loved seeing Chelsea in the library and developing her relationship with library patrons (2 in particular) as well as seeing Gabe and Chelsea get to know each other.  I think this is my favorite kind of romance as these two have very different personalities and it was so fun watching a bond develop.

While this book is a romance there is a lot of other things going on.  It's more of a segment of time in Honeymoon Harbor that just happens to focus on Chelsea and Gabe for a bit.   I really love visiting Honeymoon Harbor again but don't feel like this is a series that has to be read in order.  I think you could jump in here with no issue though I bet you'll be wanting to go dive into the previous two books as soon as you finish this one!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I noticed there were a few novellas I missed that I'm adding to my wishlist now!

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would!  If you enjoy small town romance with a real community feel and likable and sympathetic characters I think you'd love this one.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Unpopular Bookish Opinions

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun linkup hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl that's all about Top Ten lists.  Today's topic is about unpopular bookish opinions!  I'm not sure how unpopular these are but these are just a few things I've seen people object to or like that I'm a bit on the opposite side of.

1.  I like a trite or overly wrapped up ending - Is every plot tied up with a bow?  Does everything magically work out?  I'm so in for that!

2.  I liked Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee - I think this book suffered from a bad marketing campaign.  It in no way is a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird which is kind of how the book was sold.  What it is is a rejected manuscript that she used as inspiration for To Kill a Mockingbird.  It's not particularly great book but  found it interesting to see what Lee started with and I could definitely see why she focused on Scout's childhood.  The flashbacks were actually brilliant.

3.  I dislike Little Women with the hot intensity of a thousand suns - I enjoy several of Alcott's other books but I despised Little Women.  The only character I liked was Meg because she got married early in the book and left.  Also, Amy is a psychopath.

4.  A book that is going to cause me to ugly cry is a book that I will most likely skip - It seems so many people like books that bring up a lot of emotions or are really sad but I've never been a fan.  I'm an escapist reader and I like what I"m escaping to to be fun!

5.  I don't keep books - Unless it's a book I know I'm going to reread or it has some kind of sentimental value I'm either giving it away or selling it at the local used bookstore.

6.  I don't mind a broken spine - Now I don't want pages falling out but as long as the binding okay I don't mind if the spine is broken to the point I can't even read the title.

7.  It doesn't bother me if all the covers in a series don't match - I don't know why publishers change it up as so many people do collect series they love and do want them to look the same but it doesn't really bother me.

8.  I didn't mind assigned reading in school - I've seen a lot of people say that assigned reading put them off of reading classics or even off of reading at all for awhile but it never bothered me.  Not even when I was in school.  Now I didn't love everything I read - I still get twitchy when James Joyce or Dostoyevsky gets mentioned - but it didn't affect my overall opinion on reading in general or specific genres.

9.  I hate clinch covers of any kind - I love the romance genre but so often I hate their covers.  They've gotten a little better over the last ten years or so but there are so many with a couple busting out of their clothes in an impossible pose.  Now to be fair I don't know anyone who really loves those covers but enough people must because they still exist.

10. I don't take notes, highlight or collect quotes - I know so many people love quotes but for some reason they never really stick with me and I can never remember any of them.  I'm also not a big note taker or highlighter.