Save the Date, by Mary Kay Andrews

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Save the Date is a must read summer book!  I received an advance copy of Save the Date, which will not be available until June 3rd, through a houseparty.com promotion (see review for Ladies' Night).  I generally prefer reading books with deeper themes, what I like to consider "meaty fiction".  I enjoy books that require me to think while reading, and that expand my knowledge and literary experiences (see review for Doctor Sleep or The Husband's Secret).  I've been known to enjoy a quick read, and never turn down a book by Janet Evanovich when I get the chance, but I lean more toward Literary Fiction or Suspense as my favorite genres.  Save the Date is an deviation from my norm, and I'm glad I read it.  After reading Ladies' Night, I was in the mood for another fun, enjoyable read, and Save the Date did not disappoint me!  

Save the Date follows Cara, a florist from Savannah, Georgia, who has spent the past two years trying to build her business while rebuilding her own post-divorce life.  She borrowed the money to grow her business from her domineering father, and he not only wants his money back (and fast), but he expects her to fail.  Cara faces the demands of operating a  business in a competitive locale, while also trying not to become involved with a local man who is a little damaged himself.  True to her apparent style, Mary Kay Andrews infuses her story with suspense, romance, and humor.  I so enjoyed the journey this book took me on, I couldn't put it down.  In a way, I'm a little sad that Mary Kay Andrews newest summer hit has come and gone for me, and my summer vacation hasn't even begun!

Overall score: 86

Bottom Line:  This book will surely be one of the "beach reads" of the summer season!

Ladies' Night, by Mary Kay Andrews

This was such a "fun" book!  So fun, I had got to use it for a party theme! I received 10 free copies of Ladies' Night as part of a promotion I was selected for through houseparty.com (I am neither employed by nor compensated by them for this review in any way).  I was selected to host a book premiere party for Save the Date, Mary Kay Andrews' newest book, which will hit the shelves on June 3rd. I agreed to distribute the 10 copies of Ladies' Night to friends and host a "book club style" party to discuss both Ladies' Night and Save the Date.  I had never done anything like this for a publisher, but thought it was worth a try. The result was a fun time with friends, and the chance to read two excellent books, for free!

Ladies' Night begins with a married blogger (she blogs about food and style, not books, but I still felt the connection) who catches her husband cheating with her assistant, so she impulsively drives his sports car to the bottom of their swimming pool.  I love this scene so much, I chose to host my House Party poolside at our neighborhood pool.  As a result of this treacherous night, Grace Stanton must deal with the loss of her marriage, as well as her business and reputation.  During the legal proceedings for divorce, Grace is sentenced to a type of divorce group therapy, with other enraged or damaged spouses.  This group forms a bond that no only is entertaining, and endearing, but also conniving and determined to get revenge.  The book is filled with "laugh out loud" moments, as well as twists, turns, and a little romance.  In other words, it is a great summer reading material; or it works for any time you need to escape into a good book and just enjoy some fun reading.  For me, I got the added bonus of laughing with friends about the book's great one-liners and crafty ideas.  

Overall score: 85

Bottom Line:  Fun, enjoyable, and touching...make sure you pack it in your pool bag this summer!

e Art of Arranging Flowers

What a beautiful bouquet of fiction! I received an advanced copy of this book through First Reads. It looked like a "light" story, and I thought it may be enjoyable. I have to admit that when I first started reading, I thought it was going to be a variation of The Language of Flowers. It was a story about a florist, the meaning of flowers, and one being lonely with her flowers. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this was a different take on the magic of flowers; it wasn't so much about their "meanings", but the effects of flowers on different people, and the ways that a florist, who brings much happiness to others, has to find her own happiness. 

The story begins with Ruby, a lonely florist in a small town, who devotes her life to making sure others are happy. She takes special care to make sure life is "perfect" for all of her friends and clients, but doesn't always look out for her own needs, due to her wounded spirit from a difficult upbringing. A special boy with a past of his own starts hanging around, and Ruby's loving nature is just what he needs. Ruby's self-esteem and sense of self-worth begin to grow as she strengthens those around her. The Art of Arranging Flowers is an appropriate title for one who is trying to arrange her own life. Your value and significance, as well as your own beauty, is greater when you surround yourself with beautiful (inside and out) people.

Rating: 84
Bottom Line: A nice, smooth work of fiction. A good escape from some of the "intense"  books I tend to read.

The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty

Wow.  Just WOW!  This book was on my "to read" list since December.  When I first read the synopsis, I knew it wasn't a book to miss.  I finally downloaded it to my Nook, to "check it out".  I started reading and couldn't stop.  The story is good.  Really good.  But the writing is even better than the story.  Moriarty took a really good story and wove it into a masterpiece.  If I'm starting to sound as if I'm enamored with this book, it's true.  If I enjoy a book, I often leave it on the shelf to read again someday.  But as soon as I read The Husband's Secret, I seriously considered reading it again right that very minute.

The novel, set in Australia, opens with Cecilia finding a sealed envelope in her attic, addressed to her by her husband "to open only in the event of my death".  She asks her husband about it without opening it, and he immediately brushes it off and tells her it's "nothing" and he meant to throw it away. He then asks her to throw it away, but I'll leave it to any woman to decide whether or not she does.  The story weaves the lives of three different families together, in a story captivates the reader from page one.  I admit I had a little trouble deciding how all three families would connect until at the very beginning, but it soon became clear.  And just when you think the story has reached an early resolution, it's only the beginning..  There are twists and turns that seem surprising at first, but as the author takes us deeper into the characters, they start to seem to follow the natural order of things.  I found myself questioning my own life throughout this book as I thought "What would I do?" many times as I connected with the characters.

My best advice, besides to READ THIS BOOK, is to make sure you don't read ahead.  I know some readers that like to "cheat" or "peek" to move things along faster, but DO NOT do that with this book.  If you read the ending or the Epilogue early, it will ruin (and I mean RUIN) the entire book for you.  I loved the ending, but I loved the Epilogue even more.  If you want to be taken on a true literary journey, take it slowly, savor it, and enjoy the ending and the way your mind will work when it's done.  Of course, you won't really go too slowly because the writing is so good that you can't put it down.  You'll devour every page until you're done!

Rating: 98 

Bottom Line:  A great work of fiction, one you'll be talking about for years to come.