Beach Reads
This summer was full of many new book releases. Actually, there were so many books I wanted to read that I didn’t get to half of the ones on my ever-growing list. The fall is the perfect time to grab a good book and sit on the beach. Things have quieted down, the weather is still perfect, and the kids are back in school. If you didn’t have a chance to catch up on the latest titles over the summer, I have narrowed down the list for you. These books were some of my favorites, and ones you don’t want to miss!
“The Personal Librarian” by Victoria Christopher Murray and Marie Benedict
Belle da Costa Greene was in her 20s when J.P. Morgan hired her in 1905 to curate a collection of rare items for his new library, Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a very popular person in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world. Her taste is impeccable, her negotiating skills are unmatched, and her skills aid in the creation of a world-class collection. What no one knows is that Belle isn’t being truthful when she claims to have a Portuguese heritage, which enables her to pass for white despite her somewhat dark complexion. The truth is she is African American, the daughter of Richard Greener, the first black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle will go to any lengths to protect her family and her real identity so that she can hold onto the amazing life she has built.
“An Ambush of Widows” by Jeff Abbott
Henry North, a cybersecurity expert from New Orleans and Adam Zhang, co-founder of a venture capitalist firm in Austin, Texas, don’t know each other. They had never met; that is, until the day they died together in a place they shouldn’t have been. Henry was supposed to be on a business trip and when he doesn’t return, his wife Kirsten begins to panic. Then she gets a phone call from an anonymous number telling her that Henry is dead in Austin. Flora knew her husband Adam had secrets. She thought he was having an affair, but then he turns up dead. Even worse, the police suspect her. Kirsten and Flora didn’t know each other, but together will face a powerful enemy who is determined to hide the truth about the murders.
“A Woman of Intelligence” by Karin Tanabe
Katharina is the daughter of immigrants who was born and raised in New York. She graduated from an Ivy League school and speaks four languages. In 1940s Manhattan, she is working for the United Nations as a translator. Her days are spent working toward finding world peace while her nights are spent with cocktails in hand, living the single life. Now it’s 1954 and Katharina is the wife of a pediatric surgeon and heir to a shipping fortune. On the outside, her life looks perfect – a Fifth Avenue address, two healthy children, and parties at the Plaza. But on the inside, Katharina feels trapped and desperate to escape. When the FBI approaches her to become an informant, she can’t say yes fast enough! A man from her past is now a Soviet spy and Katharina is the perfect person to try to enter his circle. As those close to her lose their cover, and some their lives, Katharine’s own life is now threatened.
“Island Queen” by Vanessa Riley
Doll was born into slavery on a tiny Caribbean Island called Montserrat. She found a way to rise above the harsh realities of slavery by working the system and knowing how to play the men in her life, including Joseph Thomas, a shipping merchant; John Coseveldt Cells, a planter; and a naval captain who later became King William IV of England. She bought freedom for her mother, sister and herself and built a legacy of wealth, power as an entrepreneur and merchant, among other things. Doll was a survivor who answered to no one but herself, and defied 18th-century morality and the oppression of women, most especially women of color. This historical novel is based on the true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, who became one of the most powerful and wealthiest landowners in the colonial West Indies.
“For Your Own Good” by Samantha Downing
Belmont Academy is a prestigious private school filled with overbearing parents, students who are determined to get into the Ivy League school of their dreams, and teachers who just want their students to be the best they can be. Teddy Crutcher is an English teacher there and he just won Teacher of the Year. He claims his wife couldn’t be more proud of him, even though no one has seen her in quite some time. And he isn’t bothered by the mysterious deaths on campus that are beginning to look more and more like murder because, after all, he is busy pushing his students to reach their full academic potential. He will make sure each one of his students is successful, no matter what. All he wants is for his co-workers and these annoying parents to stay out of his way. If they don’t, they will just get what they deserve. Excellence does come at a cost, after all.
“The Guilt Trip” by Sandie Jones
Rachel and Noah have been friends since college. There was a time they thought there might be a spark between them, but 20 years later they are happily married to other people. Rachel is married to Jack, and Noah is married to Paige. Jack’s brother, Will, is getting married to Ali, and the three couples travel to Portugal together for the destination wedding. They are staying at a gorgeous villa located on a cliff overlooking the famous surfing beaches of Nazare. Rachel has hopes of getting to know her future sister-in-law better, but Ali seems to be rubbing everyone the wrong way. Jack tries to support his brother and future sister-in-law but seems to be having his own issues with Noah. Then Rachel learns something about Ali that changes everything. As the weekend plays out, many secrets come to the surface, and friendships as well as marriages are threatened.
