Tuesday, February 6, 2024

The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett

  ~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  It's never too late to start living.

Eudora Honeysett is done with this noisy, moronic world - all of it. She has witnessed the indignities and suffering of old age and has lived a full life. At 85, she isn’t going to leave things to chance. Her end will be on her terms. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland, a plan is set in motion. 

Then she meets 10-year-old Rose Trewidney, a whirling, pint-sized rainbow of sparkling cheer. All Eudora wants is to be left alone to set her affairs in order. Instead, she finds herself embarking on a series of adventures with the irrepressible Rose and their affable neighbor, the recently widowed Stanley - afternoon tea, shopping sprees, trips to the beach, birthday celebrations, pizza parties. 

While the trio of unlikely BFFs grow closer and anxiously await the arrival of Rose’s new baby sister, Eudora is reminded of her own childhood - of losing her father during World War II and the devastating impact it had on her entire family. In reflecting on her past, Eudora realizes she must come to terms with what lies ahead. 

But now that her joy for life has been rekindled, how can she possibly say goodbye? 


"One adorably British odd couple ... Charming." (People)

“An exquisitely poignant tale of life, friendship and facing death ... heart-breaking yet ultimately uplifting .. Everyone should read this book.” (Ruth Hogan, author of Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel)

Infused with the emotional power of Me Before You and the irresistible charm of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Be Frank with Me, a moving and joyous novel about an elderly woman ready to embrace death and the little girl who reminds her what it means to live.


One (or more) Sentence Summary: ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! I fell in love with Rose and the impact she had on Eudora's life.  A beautiful story of innocent children and those that have lost hope. The book reminded me of Fredrick Baackman's Britt-Marie Was Here, which I loved (this is meant to be a huge compliment to Annie Lyons).

I couldn't put it down and want a sequel of Rose as young adult! I can't wait to read Annie Lyons' other novels. 

Caution: reading The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett at the beach and wiping tears away can cause you to get sand and sunscreen in your eyes!

Annie Lyons has written several books since her first book was published in July 2013.  Not Quite Perfect reached number one in the Kindle bestsellers. Her latest book is The Air Raid Book Club, which is on my TBR list. Okay, all other books are now on my TBR list and I can't wait to read them.

Instagram: @annielyonsauthor

Twitter: @1AnnieLyons

Facebook: www.facebook.com/annielyonswriter

Website: www.annielyons.com



Sunday, February 4, 2024

Not Another Roman Holiday

 ~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~



Synopsis (from Amazon):  In the novella NOT ANOTHER ROMAN HOLIDAY, an American blogger meets a European Prince in Italy. She needs a story. He needs an escape from the paparazzi. Neither thought love would hit them in the eye like a grande pizza pie – but that's Rome for ya. (And, okay, it might also be amore.)


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A modern, role-reversing twist on the classic film 
Roman Holiday by New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Marilyn Brant!

American entertainment blogger and aspiring poet, Jenna Bradley, is spending the summer in Rome, visiting her grandparents and working remotely for the online magazine/ezine WORLD VIBE. She's assigned to write a feature on the latest Goodwill Tour of an Eastern European royal – handsome and wealthy, perhaps, but aloof and surely dull. Definitely not her type.

The night before the big meet and greet, however, she comes face to face with an incredibly attractive man who surprises her and quickly wins her over with his wittiness, depth, and charm. He couldn't be more different from the royal stiff she's supposed to interview...or could he?

On the eve of his 26th birthday, Prince Andrei of Saragovia has had a long day of official duties followed by a little too much Grappa and some unexpected paparazzi stalking him at his hotel. While making his escape, the Prince inadvertently crosses paths with a cute American named Jenna and her friends, and he finds himself caught up in an action-packed 36-hour spree through the Italian capital.

Adventurous, fun, and romantic, Andrei is given a birthday celebration he never would have imagined, and Jenna gets the scoop of a lifetime. But the clock is ticking... What if they could spend more than just a day and two nights together in Rome?


One (or more) Sentence Summary: I have always been a big fan of Marilyn Brant's books and Not Another Roman Holiday didn't let me down.  I loved it!  Great story, fast read, fun characters, rom-com, laugh out loud while reading, and royals! All of my favorite things. Not Another Roman Holiday is a MUST READ!

Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award® in 2007 and she was named the 2013 Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She wrote ACCORDING TO JANE, the story of a modern woman who receives dating advice from the spirit of Jane Austen, FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, and A SUMMER IN EUROPE, all women's fiction releases from Kensington Books.

She's also a #1 Kindle & #1 Nook Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, such as ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH, along with a bestselling coming-of-age romantic mystery (THE ROAD TO YOU), a sweet holiday romance (THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS), and the 7-book "Mirabelle Harbor" contemporary romance series. Look for her latest release, THE SECRET LIFE OF MAGGIE BLAKE, a light romantic suspense/fantasy/action & adventure tale, in May 2022!

Marilyn lives in the northern Chicago suburbs with her family, analyzing novels for the storytelling website Save the Cat! and working on her own writing projects. When she isn't rereading Austen's books or enjoying the latest releases by her author friends, she's daydreaming plot ideas for her next novel, eating chocolate indiscriminately and hiding from the laundry.

Visit her website: www.marilynbrant.com