Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

When typical, suburban socialite Laura Beckman’s life is turned upside down by the premature death of her beloved husband, she has to face some searching questions about herself and how she has conducted her life, especially with respect to her estranged eldest daughter, Brooke. Laura’s husband died in hospital after months of pain amid his constant pleading to Laura to just let him go and help him to die. She was not able to grant his wishes and she was forced to watch him slowly slip away, suffering the whole time. In The Chocolate Shop, author J.J. Spring shows us how Laura’s husband’s death galvanized her thought processes and forced her to consider what she had achieved in her “country-club” life. When the previously austere and conservative Laura commits a rebellious act, so out of character for her, in order to fulfill what she believes would have been her late husband’s final wish, her thought processes about her future direction change forever.

The Chocolate Shop is one of those books that crept up on me. Initially, I wondered where Laura’s pain and angst would lead her but once I became aware of the direction the story was headed, I was hooked and, as I’m sure was the author J. J. Spring’s intention, began to seriously think about the legal, moral and spiritual connotations of assisted suicide. I could not put this book down as we were led down the path of pain, suffering, and angst, beautifully leavened by the sheer joy and thrill of these terminally-ill patients, as they were given the opportunity to fulfill their dying wishes. I won’t spoil the story by telling you the many and varied “last wishes” but they absolutely added the lightening that a story on such a serious topic desperately needed.

The author’s greatest success, in my opinion, was the ability to make such a controversial and sad topic so enjoyable to read. The little twists and turns the author threw into the story, along with the incredible emotions that were beautifully woven through it, definitely made this one of the stand-out reads for me this year. You always know when you are reading a book that grabs your heart and your emotions but also your intellect because you simply don’t want it to end and The Chocolate Shop was one of those books for me. I judge a good book in two ways – 1/ Did it move me and 2/ Will I still be thinking about the themes and the characters days from now. The answer, in this case, to both questions is a resounding, yes! One of the best books of the year for me and although it is targeted mainly as “women’s fiction,” I would say poppycock to that – everyone should read The Chocolate Shop.

Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

The Waratah Inn in Cabarita Beach was run down and neglected as Nan didn’t want to update it and take away all of the memories it held for her over so many years. The sisters - Reeda, Kate and Bindi - each had their own lives and seldom did they return to visit Nan. When they receive the unexpected call that Nan has died, all three drop everything in their lives and hurry to the Inn. They were close as young girls living and playing in the Inn and on the beach but time and life had separated them from spending much time together. They soon learn that Nan’s will asks the girls to decide the fate of the inn together and all must agree to sell it or keep it. At first, they are troubled by this decision and each has their own opinion, but time soon finds them working together and wanting to see the Inn reopen and remain a legacy of their Nan. After several months of hard work, the Inn is ready for business and each of the sisters must decide where their future lies.

I loved reading The Waratah Inn by Lilly Mirren. It is a heartwarming family story about three sisters, Reeda, Kate and Bindi, and their beloved grandmother, Nan. There was family love, determination, mystery, sadness, happiness, friendship, and romance all intertwined to make The Waratah Inn a great book that was hard to put down. Lilly Mirren is a gifted author who created very real, likable characters. I look forward to reading the continuing stories of the sisters and would not be surprised to see this story on the Hallmark Channel (I can even see who will portray the sisters). The Waratah Inn is a book that should not be passed up – it is a guaranteed good read.

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

After Kilimanjaro: A Novel by Gayle Woodson has a strong appeal for fans of women's fiction and adventure. Dr. Sarah Whitaker knows she needs a break. She’s been burned out from work. So, when David, the man who has been central in her life for nearly six years, tells her that he wants to climb Kilimanjaro, she agrees that they can use the grant to work on a malaria vaccine and spend a whole year in Africa. But David backs out, leaving Sarah alone on the plan. She continues on the adventure to Africa where she falls in love with Tanzania. Follow her as she faces new challenges, gets into life-and-death situations, and build new friendships. Can she muster the courage to leave this place with its kind people behind and will her life ever be the same again?

This is an interesting story with wonderful characters. I had the feeling that the novel is well-researched, with beautiful locales and an Africa that readers will want to discover. The setting is impeccable and descriptions from the Kilimanjaro International Airport to the details in the environment and rare finds like Tanzanite -- the precious stone rarer than diamonds -- are colorful and filled with imagery. Character development is wonderful and I enjoyed how characters like Sam help bring out the different layers of the personality of the protagonist. Gayle Woodson writes in prose that is fluid and captivating and fills the writing with exciting dialogues, right from the moment the reader encounters the protagonist in the aircraft to the very last page. After Kilimanjaro: A Novel has a lot of drama and emotionally charged scenes that make for a great read.

Reviewed by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

Best friends forever, Anna Dillon and Dante Leola ventured on a medical mission to Ban Nam Khem, a small fishing village on the coast of Thailand. Dante’s nickname for Anna has always been Sparky, illuminating the role she played in his life. But, this brief period of time in Thailand changed their lives forever. Anna met Jude Grayson and had a brief, passionate affair. She needed to return home immediately for a family death, and she never heard from Jude again. She resumed her medical studies and finally was able to move on with her life. Then…everything changed again. The story of Anna, Dante, and Jude is detailed in the novel, In This Life, written by Christine Brae. How the three of them navigate the changes in their lives, colored by secrets and lies, comprises the compelling plot.

This book is a page-turner, engaging the reader from the first page to the last. It is written in four parts; three parts are narrated by Anna, while one part is from Jude’s perspective. The parts span six years of time, covering the evolution of these three relationships and career choices, as well as family and friend relationships. There is another aspect to this story which adds an enriching depth, and that is the addition of faith – faith in God, the Catholic religion, one’s life purpose and eternal life. Author Christine Brae has crafted a wonderful novel titled In This Life; it is a true love story, rich in emotional prose. A thought-provoking read!

Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

Abigail is an almost 40-year-old author whose husband has recently died and for her, the world has stopped. As she comes out of her year-long hibernation from everyone and everything, she decides to start life again. Sight unseen, she buys a small cottage in a little, out of the way Nova Scotia village. Abigail believes that this will give her peace and quiet away from people and distractions to get back to her writing. This plan does not work out very well. Upon arriving, she finds the cottage needs a lot of work before she can really call it home. Her nosy next-door neighbor runs a bed and breakfast and it is also the town meeting place. The peace she was hoping for does not look promising as all the villagers want to meet the lady from New York and have a chance to welcome her to Canada. She hires Liam, a widower with a young daughter, to do the renovations and the two form an unusual friendship – wanting to be friends and maybe something more. Liam and Abigail face many dilemmas as they spend more time together and get into sticky situations; some fun, some life-threatening, some confusing to them both.

The After Wife by Melanie Summers has a lot of things going on at once and they will all keep you glued to the story. I found it hard to stop reading until I could find out what happens between Abigail and Liam. The After Wife is about love, loss, sadness, happiness, friendship, and life. It was impossible not to like Abigail and, as I read, I felt all her pain and all her gladness. Liam and Olive were a sweet and loving father and daughter trying to make it work without their wife and mother. The After Wife by Melanie Summers is certainly a contemporary romance worth reading.

Reviewed by Maureen Dangarembizi for Readers' Favorite

Caught Up In Me by Virginia Gray is a contemporary rom-com that has all the laughs of a great comedy and all the romance and angst that make Hallmark movies so addictive. Susan Wade is on her way to the top of her career and woe betide the man or woman who stands in her way. When she’s sent to North Carolina, she goes because it’s another step up the ladder. But Susan is not ready for the surprises in store for her. Pete Walsh should have retreated with his tail tucked firmly between his legs on the night they met in a rustic country bar but he gives as good as he gets. Getting one over him is her new obsession. Too bad he is such a yummy package.

For anyone looking for some serious laughs, Caught Up In Me is the way to go. Susan has this hilarious outlook on life. I just loved everything about her from her tenacity to her humor and even to her faults which landed her in lots of funny situations. Virginia Gray is a talented writer who involves you in the characters that she writes. I felt these amazing people’s pain, hopes, and love. l also loved that she rewarded the good and gave the bad guys what they richly deserved. At first, Susan came off as a die-hard feminist set to become a cat lady but as you get to know her past, you realize that she’s a product of her history and there’s so much more to her story. I just loved the happily ever after that comes after one of the most complex courtships I’ve ever read.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Dear Wife is a work of serious and compelling women’s drama fiction which was written for adults and penned by author Jennifer Peel. The third novel in the More Than a Wife Series, this rollercoaster tale takes readers through the full gamut of human emotions as we follow the turbulent and tragic life of protagonist Avery Decker. For a while on the outside, Avery looked like the perfect wife and picture of health, but since the loss of her daughter, life has been a constant struggle. As Avery battles her own grief, fears creep in about the dangerous addiction that her husband James has developed in response to his own high emotions. What results is a deeply emotive and often shocking interpersonal drama as they struggle to recover their relationship.

On opening, I’d like to say that the content of the novel is only suitable for readers who can access sensitive subject matters, especially with regard to child death. From here, author Jennifer Peel sets herself an incredible task – that of accurately portraying the incredible strength that a mother needs to lift herself up and continue life after such incredible tragedy – and she achieves it on every page of this raw and gripping drama. Readers who love family drama and difficult relationships will certainly get their fill as Avery tries to deal with James’s out of control behavior, but there are moments of strength and solidarity amid the darkness as Avery turns to other amazing women to help her out. Overall, The Dear Wife is an unmissable drama for women’s fiction readers everywhere.

Reviewed by Soumya Sreehari for Readers' Favorite

The Exit Strategy by Lainey Cameron is the story of two women, Ryn and Carly, who cross paths in the most unusual circumstances. Ryn Brennan is a formidable investor in a Silicon Valley VC firm. Carly Santos is the co-founder and chief scientist of BioLarge – the healthcare company that Ryn Brennan is about to invest in. On the eve of their first meeting, Ryn discovers a most shocking personal connection with Carly. So starts the roller coaster of the unusual friendship between two remarkable women in a ruthless business world. The story courses through complex issues – betrayal in marriage and relationships, sexism, and harassment in the workplace. It is a story of solidarity among women, the power of solid friendships, and the ability to recover from adversities stronger than before.

I found The Exit Strategy impossible to put down once I started reading. Lainey Cameron weaves a gripping narrative that is relatable on so many accounts. Through alternate chapters of Ryn’s and Carly’s viewpoints, the story held my rapt attention at every turn of the page. All during the story with its numerous twists and turns, I was rooting for the two women to emerge strong and victorious. The struggle for fair treatment in the business world and betrayal in love are universal challenges. The tough exterior covering a soft heart, the self-doubt that comes with betrayal, the constant pressure to prove oneself in the workplace – these are common to women professionals all around the world. Lainey Cameron makes a striking impact with her splendid cast of characters and brilliant storytelling.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Split-Level: A Novel by Sande Boritz Berger is a bold, gripping, and well-written novel with unusual themes and sophisticated characters, following a genuinely flawed female protagonist with traits that many readers will identify with. Alex Pearl is a beautiful woman in her late thirties who is, seemingly, happily married with two daughters and a loving husband. With a lovely home and family, life should be complete for Alex, but she is obsessed with an inner longing that is about to set her on a dangerous adventure. It starts with a call from the mother of her babysitter that eventually leads Alex into convincing her husband, Donny, to go with her to Marriage Mountain, the renowned “healing couples sanctuary.” It is here that Alex and Donny are introduced to the idea of spouse-swapping. Will Alex risk everything when her husband sets eyes on a new couple?

Sande Boritz Berger’s novel is engrossing, masterfully handling the theme of the desire to always have more, for a love that is exciting. As I read through the story, I understood the protagonist and loved the way the author explored the intricacies of human nature. Alex Pearl is a very sophisticated character and while she appears serene and level-headed on the outside, there is an emotional turmoil that she carries within. I wanted to see how she’d end up and what would happen to her marriage. The author raises a myriad of questions in the minds of readers and allows them to reflect on how free love can be. Split-Level: A Novel is deftly plotted and intelligently written, infused with a lot of emotional strength that makes it as real as it is captivating.

Reviewed by Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite

In A Different Kind of Fire by Suanne Schafer, a young artist in Texas in the late 1800s is betrothed to a man she has loved since childhood. Women's rights were barely heard of, let alone spoken about, during this time. Ever the wayward child, the young woman is accepted into a prestigious art school. After her fiance promises to wait for a year, she leaves for Philadelphia, where she learns brilliant technique and endures a magnitude of criticism from teachers. She meets another young woman who becomes much more than just a best friend. The two of them admit to more than just friendship after being informed that there are committees for women that speak about a woman's right to vote, love whomever she chooses and the right to deny her husband marital relations as well as choosing not to bear children.

After not reading a romance novel in more than 18 years, I chose this book by accident and honestly could not stop reading it until the early hours of the morning. The ideals portrayed in a place and time when a woman’s right to choose was all but unthinkable, this book truly gives a brand new shine to century-old issues. Schafer paints a brilliant picture of a time that still affects women today and adds a delicious spin of love, raw and vibrant in varying settings. The story line is wild and a bit off kilter which only serves to accentuate the plot. The writing style is very unique and interesting; it is a true page turner for any romantic. I hope to read more from this author who has reintroduced me to a genre I had abandoned.