Book Review - The Nightingale; Kristin Hannah

 

TITLE/AUTHOR:  The Nightingale; Kristin Hannah

PUBLISHER:  St. Martins

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2015 

GENRE: Fiction / Historical / WWII

FORMAT:  print LENGTH:  pp. 567

SOURCE:  my shelves

SETTING(s):  France (1939 - 1945)

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A powerful story of two very different sisters and how their lives were impacted during WWII.

BRIEF REVIEW:   The Nightingale,  begins in 1998 Oregon with an elderly, unnamed woman sorting through papers and reflecting on her younger days as a young woman during the war.

Vianne and Isabelle are sisters whose lives take different paths after their mother died. Vianne, significantly older, marries Antoine and the couple and their young daughter Sophie move to the French countryside of Carriveau.  Isabelle had attended boarding school and when old enough to go it alone, the fearless, rebellious and independent Isabelle moves to Paris.  

As German troops move into France and war breaks out Antoine is called to serve and, in the countryside, everything changes for Vianne, a teacher, and daughter Sophie.  As the Germans infiltrate the countryside and one Nazi forces his way into her home, her instincts as protector of her young daughter kick into high gear and she must do what it takes for them survive the ordeal of war.  Meanwhile, Isabelle recovering from a love loss refuses to sit idly by as the brutal Nazi occupation grows, she joins the resistance movement, constantly putting her life at risk with every move she makes.

The strength of this novel, IMO, was not in the way in which it depicts the war, although the second half of the book was darker and more intense.  I still thought the war aspect felt mild in terms of describing the brutality and horror of war.  The author's strength was in the wonderful job she did describing how each sister was affected by war and what they had to endure and the sacrifices they made while the men were called to serve.  The women were often faced with agonizing choices and the utter strength and bravery shown by the sisters and other women made each of them heroes in their own right. 

A story of both survival and loss and ultimately redemption, based in part on a Belgian woman who inspired the role of Isabelle (The Nightingale) in the war effort.  I throughly enjoyed reading this novel and have gained a new appreciation for historical fiction in 2021 - my 9th book in this genre thus far.

RATING:  4.5/5  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

MEMORABLE QUOTES: 

“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

"It's not biology that determines fatherhood. It is love."

Book Review - The Four Winds; Kristin Hannah

TITLE/AUTHOR:  The Four Winds; Kristin Hannah

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press

YEAR PUBLISHED: 2021

GENRE: Fiction / Historical

FORMAT:  print /LENGTH: 451 pp.

SOURCE: Library

SETTING(s):  Texas and CA

ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY:  A heartbreaking story of a mother's desperate attempts to provide for her children.

BRIEF REVIEW:  Elsa Martinelli was born into a wealthy family but had never felt loved until she became a mother herself.  Living with her husband and in-laws on a large farm in the Great Plains of Texas, she loves her life and her in-laws who are hard working farmers.  However, when a prolonged drought makes farming impossible and her husband up and leaves, she feels she must forget her fears and change her current situation to provide for her children.   As things become more desperate Elsa, Loreda and Anthony (Ant) leave her in-laws farm with an old truck, a tank full of gas, minimal possessions and supplies and a very little cash.  They head for California in hopes of finding work.  The journey leads them into a variety of terrible circumstances for which they were not prepared.

The Four Winds is such  beautifully written piece of historical fiction about the period 1920-1940.  It is also a tragic story about a time when nearly 100,000 people headed for CA in just over a year with everyone hoping for a better life. The author does an amazing job depicting the terrible situations which lead to the Great Depression.  With well-rounded characters, it's a story that will make many readers both angry and sad.  Everything about the story made me feel what the characters were experiencing: the setting, the dust storms, lack of food, medical services and even basic supplies but, especially the desperation of Elsa and the love for her children in the midst of adversity.  A very sad story but, one that I will never forget.

RATING: 5/5 stars

MEMORABLE QUOTES: 

"I see one-third of a nation of ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished...The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.  (1934 - Franklin D. Roosevelt)

"She learned how to disappear in place long ago.  She was like one of those animals whose defense mechanism is to blend into the landscape and become invisible.  It was her way of dealing with rejection: Say nothing and disappear. Never fight back. If she remained quiet enough, people eventually forgot she was there and left her alone."

"Books had always been her solace; novels gave her the space to be bold, brave, beautiful, if only in her imagination."

"The world can be changed by a handful of courageous people. Today we fight on behalf of those who are afraid."

Book Review - Don't Look for Me; Wendy Walker

                                                         Don't Look for Me; Wendy Walker

                                                  St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio - 2020

Don't Look for Me, a dark, thriller full of twists, was a combo read for me (eGalley and audio download). The audio was read by Therese Plummer who did a great job.

In this story Molly Clark is a wife and a mother and her life is a mess.  Her youngest child was struck and killed by a car at the age of 6 and, Molly was driving the car that killed her daughter.  Her older children. a daughter and a teenage son barely speak to her now and her husband has been avoiding her as well. 

When Molly fails to return home one rain and stormy night, her car abandoned on the side of the road with her cell phone still inside, foul play is suspected. However, when a note left in a casino hotel room miles away that appears to have been written by Molly, just maybe Molly decided to walk away from her miserable life?

This was a fast-paced thriller that could have easily been read in one sitting. I found myself trying to piece it all together and, although it wasn't quite perfect, it did hook me and had more than a few surprises. I always love when a story is just too riveting to put down.  

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Good Morning, Monster; Catherine Gildiner

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, now hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book they are reading or that they plan to read soon.

Good Morning, Monster; Catherine Gildiner

St. Martin's Press - 2020

The day I opened my private practice as a psychologist, I sat smugly in my office. Fortified with the knowledge I'd acquired, taking comfort in the rules I'd learned, I looked forward to having patients I could "cure."

I was deluded.

What do you think? I generally like reading about case studies such as these; hope to start this one later this week.

Book review - The Dilemma; B.A. Paris

TITLE:  The Dilemma 

AUTHOR:  B.A. Paris

PUBLISHER:  St. Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2020

Setting: UK

Format: eGalley

Rating - 2.5/5

Livia and her husband Adam have never had a proper wedding celebration. Livia parents pretty much disowned her 20 years earlier when she became pregnant before marriage, in turn, they missed out getting to know their two adult grandchildren.  Now Livia is about to celebrate her 40th birthday and a huge celebration is in the works to make up for the wedding she never had .

Here's the "dilemma":  both Adam and Livia have a secret they've been keeping from each other. They don't want the secret to spoil the party as the guests are to arrive within 24 hours.

The story is told over a period of 24 hours in alternating chapters from Livia and Adam's POV.  Initially, I couldn't wait to find out the "big secrets" but, soon I became frustrated by how the story began to drag and by how annoying the key characters were acting.  I really looked forward to this suspense thriller.  I've read everything this author has written and had enjoyed both the writing style and the pace of her earlier novels. This latest offering seemed so unrealistic and, even though it got off to a good start, it ending up being a letdown for me.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Dilemma; B.A. Paris

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, now hosted by  Socrates Book Reviews. Thanks to Yvonne for taking over FCFPTI. Each week readers post the first paragraph (sometimes 2) of a book they are reading or planning to read. Feel free to join in.

The Dilemma; B.A. Paris

St. Martin's Press - 2020

Sunday, June 9 3:30 A.M.

Livia

"It's the cooling bathwater that wakes me. Disoriented, I sit up quickly, sploshing suds up the sides, wondering how long I've been asleep..  I release the plug and the drain gurgles, a too-loud noise in a silent house.

A shiver pricks my skin as I towel myself dry.  A memory tugs at my brain. It was a sound that woke me, the roar of a motorbike in the street outside.  I pause, the towel stretched over my back.  It couldn't have been Adam, could it?  He wouldn't have gone off on his bike, not at this time of night."

I've read every book by this author, some better than others. What do you think of the intro?

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - A Good Neighborhood; Therese Anne Fowler

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where readers post the opening paragraph(s) of a book that they are reading or plan to read. Here's my pick for this week:

A Good Neighborhood; Therese Anne Fowler

St. Martin's Press - 2/2020

Part 1

1  

"An upscale new house in a simple old neighborhood. A girl on a chaise beside a swimming pool, who wants to be left alone.  We begin our story here, in the minutes before the small event that will change everything.  A Sunday afternoon in May when our neighborhood is still maintaining its tenuous peace, a loose balance between old and new, us and them. Later this summer when the funeral takes place, the media will speculate boldly on who's to blame.  They'll challenge the attendees to say on-camera whose side they're one.

             For the record: we never wanted to take sides."

What do you think?  I love the into, it really drew me in and, Ti@ Book Chatter really seemed to enjoy this one as well. I hope to begin this today.

Blogging Woes and a quick review - Christmas in Vermont; Anita Hughes

Blogger tale of woe -- I wanted to apologize for not always responding to comments left on my blog, it's been a frustrating process. I've always used Safari as my browser of choice on my MAC to do my posts and to respond to comments left for me. I also used Safari to comment of other blogger's posts (both Blogger, Wordpress and self-hosted blogs as well). Lately, I can't respond to the comments that have been left for me, nor can I revise my own blog posts using Safari.  Instead, I now need to switch between browsers Safari and Google Chrome to respond and/or revise -- It's weird and a pain!  I'm not a Google Chrome fan so, I'm not sure whether 2020 will be the year my 11+ year's blogging might come to and end - we shall see!  In the meantime, I leave you with a quick review of what is most likely my last book read in 2019.( I'll be reviewing one more book - What Happens in Paradise; Elin Hilderbrand before year's end)

TITLE: Christmas in Vermont

AUTHOR:  Anita Hughes

PUBLISHER: St Martin's Griffin

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING: NYC and Vermont
FORMAT: eGalley

RATING - 4/5

A sweet, charming December story that you know is destined to have a happy ending.

Emma is 33 and hasn't had much luck in finding that perfect mate that she'd want to spend the rest of her life with.  After a recent breakup with boyfriend Scott, she finds herself in a NYC pawn shop trying to sell the bracelet her last boyfriend had given to her.  She notices a watch that looks very familiar to her and it's engraved. It turns out that it is the watch that Emma had given to Fletcher, the only man she really ever cared about. She hasn't seen him since after college when he left for a job in London and she stayed in back in the states.

When Emma's friend, Bronwyn, who believes in fate, intervenes, she comes up with a plan.  She finds out through social media more about Fletcher's whereabouts. It seems that Emma will be spending time at a charming Vermont Inn over Christmas in the hopes that the two might reconnect.

A feel-good Christmas novel about second chances and lost connections.  

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Christmas in Vermont; Anita Hughes

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where readers post the opening paragraph(s) of a book that they are reading or plan to read.  (This will be my second (and probably final) Christmas book this December.)

Christmas in Vermont; Anita Hughes

2019 - St. Martin's 

One

Christmas Eve

(Seven Days Before New Year's Eve)

Emma strolled through the East Village and admired lampposts wrapped in red bows and the shop windows littered with fake snow and tinsel.  Most of her friends fled New York City during Christmas but Emma adored Manhattan during the holidays.  Fifth Avenue flooded in lights was so romantic and she could stare at the cashmere sweaters in the windows at Barney's for hours.

Would you read more or pass? BTW - Hope all my readers who celebrate Christmas have a wonderful day!

The Escape Room; Megan Goldin

TITLE: The Escape Room

AUTHOR:  Megan Goldin

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING: New York City
FORMAT: hardcover/Library

RATING - 4/5

Vincent and colleagues Jules, Sam and Sylvie are ruthless, cut-throat employees of Stanhope, a Wall Street finance company.  The group receives an invitation to compete in a team-building exercise which requires them to work together in order to escape from the locked elevator of high rise building that is still under construction.

The group is given questions and clues that will hopefully help them figure out a means of escape.  However, the longer it takes the more claustrophobic and unhinged each becomes, especially as they soon realize there seems to be a price to pay for their unscrupulous past deeds.

The chapters create reader insight into the backgrounds and dirty deeds of Vincent, Sam, Jules and Sylvie as they try to figure a way out of the locked elevator.  Alternating chapters feature Sara Hall, a newbie analyst at Stanhope.  Unlike the ruthless 4, Sara is an extremely sympathetic character and, it was her story that really hooked me and made this debut novel so enjoyable.

The story starts out with a prologue that lets readers know that something bad has happened. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, but, this is one of those books that was extremely hard to but down once I started it.  I will look for further offerings by this talented author.  Try it!

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Escape Room; Megan Goldin

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where readers post the opening paragraph(s) of a book that they are reading or plan to read.

The Escape Room; Megan Goldin

St. Martin's Press - 2019

Prologue

It was Miguel who called 911 at 4:07A.M. on an icy Sunday morning. The young security guard spoke in an unsteady voice, fear disguised by cocky nonchalance.

Miguel had been an aspiring bodybuilder until he injured his back lifting boxes in a warehouse job and had to take night-shift work guarding a luxury office tower in the final stages of construction. He had a muscular physique, dark hair, and a cleft in his chin.

He was conducting a cursory inspection when a scream rang out. At first, he didn’t hear a thing. Hip-hop music blasted through the oversize headphones he wore as he swept his flashlight across the dark recesses of the lobby.

What do you think? Read more or pass?

Keeping Lucy; T. Greenwood

TITLE: Keeping Lucy

AUTHOR:  T. Greenwood

PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING: MA (and cross country)
FORMAT:  eGalley (320pp)

RATING - 4.5/5

In 1969 Ginny Richardson, wife of Abbott, mother to 4 year old Peyson gives birth to a baby girl, Lucy, who is born with Down's Syndrome.  Without her consent, her husband under pressure from his powerful father Abbott Sr. sign the baby over to the care of Willowridge in Western Massachusetts, known as "a place for the feeble-minded".

When Ginny finds out she is devastated and every time she talks about visiting her baby she's stalled and pressured to move on with her life. Two years later her best friend Marsha shows her articles about Willowridge being a filthy and neglectful place for the children residing there.  Ginny and her friend decide to visit Willowridge and find out for themselves. When they do they are horrified by what they witness.  Lucy, now 2,  has in fact been neglected so she decides to check her little girl out for the weekend and figure out her next move in getting her daughter back. Her husband does no know what she's doing and the women, along with Ginny's six year old son travel cross country to figure out what to do. 

Keeping Lucy was a very good read but a sad read.  Ginny is a courageous mother whose unflinching love for her children makes her unstoppable. Her supportive friend has her back and, I thought that their journey had a Thelma and Louise feel to it.  This story is based in part on true events and it felt very real as well given the 1969-1971 time period.  The characters were well explored and I liked that the story also gave insight to an earlier time in Ginny and Abbott's relationship as well.  Great characters however,  the father-in-law Abbott Sr. was hard to take. I was a bit disappointed that the horrors of the school were not more deeply explored, but, perhaps that would have turned off some readers.

Note: This book was of particular interest to me as I grew up in Western MA and there was a place like Willowridge. It was called Belchertown State School for the Feeble Minded that did in fact exist for some 70 years. It finally closed its doors for good in 1992. I recall that my aunt's friend had a daughter, my age, with Down's Syndrome, who spent her life there -  so sad.

The Girl He Used to Know; Tracey Garvis Graves

TITLE: The Girl He Used to Know

AUTHOR:  Tracey Garvis Graves

PUBLISHER:  St. Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING:  Illinois
FORMAT:  - library print (291pp)

RATING - 4.5/5

Second chance romance stories are not the kind of story that normally appeals to me but, this one was a winner. I sat down, it pulled me in and, I read it in one sitting.

Annika Rose is a quirky young woman who has always struggle to fit in.  It's evident that she is somewhere on the autism spectrum: loud noises, strong smells, uncomfortable clothes, debilitating shyness and social situations are things she finds hard to deal with.  

Annika - "simply preferred the company of animals over most humans, the soulful look in their eyes as they learned to trust me sustained me more than any social situation ever would."

In 1991 Annika attended the University of Illinois and with encouragement from her friend Janice, she decided to join the chess club, something she was good at.  Her father taught her to play at age 7 to help her build confidence and deal with her shyness.  It's there, playing chess, where she meets Jonathan, a kind-hearted guy who patient enough to bring Annika out of her shell.  After college they go their separate ways, he off to NYC with a job on Wall Street and she in her dream job as a librarian at the Harold Washington Library.

Annika - "If there was one thing I loved almost as much as animals, it was books.  Reading transported me to exotic locales, fascinating periods in history and worlds that were vastly different from my own."

Now in 2001 (where the story begins) the two run into each other at a grocery store. She's living the safe, comfortable life as a librarian she wanted and Jonathan is back in Illinois. He was injured in the 9/11 attacks in NYC, now newly divorced and looking for a fresh start.

Even though it's easy to see where this story was headed, it was such an endearing read and I couldn't wait to see it play out. I liked the back and forth backstory from their college days to 2001 when they reconnected.  The first person POV worked well, making it easy feel for Annika, her social struggles and encounters with being teased and bullied. If you are in the mood for a feel-good read, be sure to try this one.

The (2) quotes I shared  reminded me of why I love animals and books so much.

The Wartime Sisters; Lynda Cohen Loigman

TITLE: The Wartime Sisters

AUTHOR:  Lynda Cohen Loigman

PUBLISHER:  St. Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING:  Brooklyn, NY and Springfield, MA
FORMAT:  - ARC - 290 pp

RATING - 5/5

Normally, I'm not drawn to books that take place around WWII but, I liked this author's debut novel, Two-Family House, so I decided to try this one as well. I'm so happy I did!

Mille and Ruth are Jewish sisters who grew up in Brooklyn, NY, born 3 years apart.  Ruth, the oldest is down to earth, serious and smart, but, Millie, is the attractive one and favored one. As a result the sisters are never very close.  

Millie dreams of greatness, but she's not encouraged and ends up marrying, Lenny, a real bum, and has a son with him.  Ruth, has married a West Point graduate and military officer. They now live a nice life in Springfield, MA.  One day Millie, arrives in Springfield with her young son, claiming to be a war widow, the sisters are reunited their strained relationship and buried secrets keep things tense.

Millie takes a job at the Springfield Armory campus as a "Sister of Production", supporting the war efforts with the production of weapons. While Millie works the production line with some amazing women, each come alive in the story, Ruth works in a clerical position.  

Having grown up in a neighboring town to Springfield, MA, I was fascinated by the historical aspects of the Springfield Armory and how great a job the author did with her research. The details are incredible. It made me feel like I was part of the story.  The references to real places that I frequented growing up like, Johnson's Bookstore, Steiger's tea room and Forbes and Wallace department store, brought back fond memories.  I recalled how my mother and her sisters told stories of their friends who had worked at the Armory, along with some 10,000+ others while the men were off to war.

Although the stores of my childhood are now long gone from the downtown area, replaced by tall office buildings, hotels, a civic center and even a casino, the Springfield Armory Museum, remains a fixture in Springfield as a testament to the importance of this time in history.  

A historic trip down memory lane and a wonderful story of sisters, I highly recommend this book.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Girl He Used to Know; Tracey Garvis Graves

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where  readers post the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book they are reading or that they plan to read. 

The Girl He Used to Know; Tracey Garvis Graves

St. Martin's Press - 2019

Chicago

August 2001

"I run into him at Dominck's of all places. I'm poking around in the freezer case, searching for the strawberries I put in my morning smoothie, when a man's voice somewhere off to my right says, Annika? He sounds unsure.

From the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of his face.  It's been ten years since we've seen each other and though I often struggle to recognize people out of context, there's no need for me to question whether it's him. My body vibrates like the low rumble of a faraway train and I'm grateful for the freezer's cold air as my core temperature shoots up.  I want to bolt, to forget about the strawberries and find the nearest exit.  But Tina's words echo in my head, and I repeat them like a mantra:  Don't run, take responsibility, be yourself."

Read more or would you pass?  (I started this today, it's a page turner.)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - A Bite in the Apple; Chrisann Brennan

Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where  readers post the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book that they are reading or plan to read. 

The Bite in the Apple: A Memoir of My Life With Steve Jobs; Chrisann Brennan

St. Martin's Press - 2013

One

The Creatives

" I first met him in early January of my junior year of high school. It was 1972.  He wore thin blue jeans that were full of big holes, the torn material hanging in loops around his legs.  He was dressed in a nice pressed shirt and tennis shoes and walked then, as he did as an adult, in a forward-falling gait, arms swinging with a contained reserve in his hands.  It was a sunny California afternoon in early spring and he was standing in the quad with a small book in his hand.  I don't know why I hadn't seen him before, since, as I would find out later, many of my friends knew him.  I was drawn to him immediately, and when he walked off campus I followed him, wanting to say something but having no idea what or how.  I surprised myself, because I ended up following him out to the edge of the campus three times over the next week.  I finally gave up because it was too big a leap for me to introduce myself out of the blue to a boy I thought was cute. I never even learned his name."

Even though this intro seemed pretty boring to me, I'm obsessed with all things "Jobs and Apple" and, since I read (2) other books about him I wanted to see what else this one might have to offer.

Any interest?

Catching Up on a few Reviews - Kingdom of the Blind; Louise Penny and An Anonymous Girl; Hendricks and Pekkenan

TITLE: Kingdom of the Blind (book #14)
AUTHOR:  Louise Penny

PUBLISHER:  Macmillan Audio 

PUB. YEAR: 2018

SETTING:  Canada
FORMAT:  - library audio download (12 hrs. 20 min)

RATING: 3.5/5

When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache receives a curious letter inviting him to an old farmhouse outside of his charming village of Three Pines, he learns that he's been named one of (3) executors of the will of a woman he does not know. None of the executors have known the deceased, a woman known as "The Baroness."

The Baroness, a former cleaning lady has amassed a fortune of millions but how, and, why was Gamache and the others called forward to execute her wishes when she had adult children?

I've read several books from this series, which I always enjoyed. The characters you grow to love come back with a new characters added to the mix here and there.  Her characters are so well-written, real characters with human frailties. Unfortunately, I hadn't read the previous book of this series, Glass Houses, and I wish I had as this one contains hints of that backstory.

I loved the cold, snowy backdrop, typically a part of Penny's mysteries, as well as the well established characters but, this one definitely felt much grittier than earlier installments. Honestly, I didn't enjoy reading about the drug trade, which seems to pop up all too often in today's fiction.

TITLE: An Anonymous Girl
AUTHOR:  Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

PUBLISHER:  St Martin's Press

PUB. YEAR: 2019

SETTING:  New York City
FORMAT:  - print -  (384 pp)
RATING: 3.5/5

Seeking women 18-32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

Jessica Farris 28, is a make-up artist in New York City looking to earn extra money.  When she learns that she could earn an extra $500 for starters by answering a survey, she jumps at the chance.  A little uncomfortable and perhaps a bit suspicious after her first session, she agrees to continue helping Dr. Shields with her research by returning for more Q&A's and additional compensation.

She soon begins to suspect that the manipulative Dr. Shields has a hidden agenda when it's clear that she knows far too much about Jessica than she has ever shared.

This was a fast read with short chapters alternating between Jessica and Dr, Shield's POV with a few more characters added to the story.  At times I didn't feel that the story felt quite believable but, I was curious enough to want to see how it played out.  Unlike the authors last book: The Wife Between Us which was riveting and had some great twists, this one seemed anti climatic and went on just a bit too long.