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The Love Elixir Of Augusta Stern
by Lynda Cohen Loigman
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Once again Lynda Loigman enthralled me with her story of Augusta, a woman before her time. Although I had a preview of the story when attending her visit at East Meadow, I could not put this book down. It is filled with history and was a tribute to aging. Augusta reminded me of some Great Aunts, Aunts, and my own Mother who dealt with life events in the world around them. Kudos to Lynda for writing another touching book. Thank you!

Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old
by Steven Petrow
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Steven Petrow and I know each other since were were in 2nd grade. We lived in the same neighborhood and our fathers coincidentally went to college together. I have a signed copy of "Stupid Things..." but had not read it yet so I read it this month. The library also had it on display very recently. Steven is an LGBTQ+ author who also wrote "The Complete Guide to Gay and Lesbian Manners." I'm actually cited in the book. The book was different than I thought it would be. I expected it to be more comedic but it was more serious, or maybe I felt it was having known his parents. He writes about them a lot in the book. It's definitely worth the read.

The Woman In Cabin 10
by Ruth Ware
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A good book but disappointing overall. This was very predictable and had twists and turns that were not necessary. Additionally the main character's backstory in the first 3 chapters means nothing to the plot. The big reveal comes too early and the story has a huge setting to utilize, but they keep it in one small closet. It gets boring very quickly. The main character's survival is also not believable. While reading, I could hear Agatha Christie spinning in her grave like a rotisserie chicken.

No Ordinary Duchess
by Elizabeth Hoyt
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Elizabeth Hoyt, the very prolific author of more than 20 Recency Romance novels has written another one. Her latest, NO ORDINARY DUCHESS, is rich with characters, charm, and social settings that existed in the early part of the 1800's in Great Britain. To this is added the unique story for whatever novel. All of Hoyt's Recency Romance novels have a hero (handsome and brooding), a heroine(charming and headstrong) and , of course, a villain (ruthless and cruel). Frequently a kidnapping or blackmail is involved. So far, so good. However, this latest offering goes into great detail about the hero's problem. Rather than his problem being about money, the life of a second son, or a forced marriage - Julian Greycourt's problems are sexual. And, in a twist of roles, Lady Elspeth comes along to save him, rather than visa versa.... I'm all for gender bending stereotypes in literature (and life?) but a found this book to be more graphic than I like in Regency England.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach And Book Club
by Martha Hall Kelly
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Martha Hall Kelly presents well integrated woven with some family memories into historical fiction. The mystery is set in current time when a young Californian woman travels to Martha’s Vineyard for an Art Class to begin her quest. During her visit, the art instructor shares the story of a local family set during WWII. I came to know the family well and wanted to know the fate of each person. A beautiful summer read. When finished check out Martha’s website. She shares some of the recipes dating back to the ‘40s.

The Woman In Suite 11
by Ruth Ware
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Great sequel to another great book, The Woman in Cabin 10 which I read when it first came out. I had to find a synopsis of the book to remember the plot. The Woman in Suite 11 picks up 10 years later. I'm a big fan of Ruth Ware. If you like mysteries/thrillers, you'll most likely love her books as well.

The Last Letter From Your Lover
by Jojo Moyes
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Jenny was in an unhappy marriage and ended up having an affair. She fell deeply in love and there were many missed opportunities and lost years. So sad. At least it had a happy ending.

Keep The Doctor Away
by James Caine
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I felt this psychological thriller was just average. It was a different type of story taking place on a secluded island for wealthy people. They hire a new doctor for the rich patrons. Him and his wife, Lily move to the island and Lily feels something is not right. Immediately a woman commits suicide. Well, Lily’s intuition is spot on.

The Kind Worth Killing
by Peter Swanson
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Two strangers meet in a London airport, but are they really strangers? She has secrets. He is unhappy. It all leads to murder. The book was ok, but not great.

The Wedding People
by Alison Espach
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This book sat on my shelf for too long but Phoebe and the Wedding People will stay with me even longer. This quickly has become my favorite book of the year. It centers around Phoebe and how for one weekend she decides to splurge one last time on herself at a ritzy hotel in Rhode Island. She has hit rock bottom and to her, her life is over but then she meets the bride and the rest of the Wedding People. Pros: Espach did an excellent job of weaving an intricate story of tough subjects with humor. The characters were all likeable and relatable. I also thought that the book flowed nicely. There were also multiple moments in the novel where I laughed out loud. Cons: It was a little slow in the beginning but very quickly you become invested in the story.
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