A Romp through the Hamptons
351451
Scrambled Eggs was a great romp through the Hamptons.  The characters, particularly Jake, the hero, and the entire Russian contingent, were delightful.  Jake's amateur sleuthing and chivalry are enough to get him into a mess of trouble, and following the parallel story of a marriage on the verge of ending, kept the interpersonal angle of the story always interesting.  This is a perfect vacation read and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Wendy Bichel, NYC
4769224
As someone who grew up in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, it was awesome to see my hometown during early 1800s. I don't normally see this area used as a setting in many stories so to see it set in a historical era was really fun and enlightening. I also liked how Eakes uses the Eastern Shore as the central setting because I feel that it is a part of the state that is sorely neglected. Hopefully this book will entice others to want to learn more about the area.

The parts of the book that intrigued me the most were the sections on midwifery and the pressing of men into the British navy. I find midwives fascinating because as stated in the story, many come to this occupation through family connections and they were usually the town's only medical help. In most books that I've read, the midwives portrayed have been quite elderly so to see someone that is fairly young to be in this position is quite unusual. Tabitha's job wasn't easy and there's a good bit (though not as intensive as I would have liked) description of what her job entailed. A lot of secrecy and trust went into helping to birth a baby and it was quite interesting to see that most women had no idea what was happening during their time of birth.

Equally as fascinating is learning more about the tensions between Britain and the young American country at this time. The British navy is constantly on the lookout as they continue to "steal" men from the shore and take them into their Navy. The process of how it happened and then the aftermath for those taken and their loved ones left behind is quite heartbreaking.

While all the historical aspects of the book were very interesting, I found the romance to be slightly lacking. I didn't feel that Tabitha and Dominick's relationship was very believable. It seemed like they were both swept up in the drama of everything and it just all seemed too romance like to me. I was rather disappointed at the ending of the book. The conversion scene is just too convenient and I despise how a person becomes a Christian and then the relationship can immediately commence after that. I also didn't think Raleigh was treated very fair in the story. It wasn't his fault that he got pressed into the navy and then he couldn't get back home until now. Tabitha's anger at him felt slightly misplaced and I felt bad for him and what ended up happening to him.

Overall, it's an interesting read. There's romance and history so fans of historical romances will enjoy this read. This is the first book in the Midwives series so I am looking forward to continue the adventure of learning more about them.
3912017
I couldn't put this book down!  As a former New Yorker with a former sense of high entitelment I found this glimpse into the life of my children's former pediatrician ( they grew up) enlightening.  It is a quick read ( I couldn't put it down) and very well written.  Perfect for summer reading, especially if you are in the Hamptons, have kids or simply want to peek into the life of New York's Upper East Side.
135180
This is a retelling of the My Fair Lady story told in a contemporary setting. Is it realistic?  Not really but it is fun for just reading by the pool or on  your back porch this summer.

Lucy Jo Ellis is a down on her luck would be fashion designer who has just been fired from her job as a peon assistant to a fashion designer.  She is standing in the rain after being fired and meets Wyatt Hayes IV, a debonair and wealthy upper crust New Yorker.

Wyatt Hayes is also a PHd anthropologist who has decided to write a book about transforming a nobody into a socialite.  He decides after meeting Lucy that she is the nobody that he will transform into New York's reigning socialite.  He will then "out her" in his book.  All this will be unknown to Lucy.

Lucy is hired and promises to transform her and he does.  Lucy becomes the toast of Manhattan.  Again this is light and fluffy but a fun read if you are looking for something for a lazy afternoon. It was fun and readable.
3379821
I met Cassie on-line during the Hot in the Hamptons release party; didn't know Cassie or familiar with her work. Cassie was a special guest there doing a giveaway and I won an ARC for an honest review.

Cassie's writing style is similar to Nora Roberts, Kristan Higgins and Janet Evanovich. I found her work to be funny sometimes LOL, sensible, and believable. Her characters have depth, personalities, and angst. The beginning of this plot what I thought was going to happen didn't occur, I was waiting for my prediction, but she fooled me. The sex scenes were written gives the reader the complete image without being raunchy or too graphic. Overall, this is a fun summer beach read that you could share with a teenager without embarrassment.  AJ Marks
1775722
A delight. A sparkling portrait of an old part of London revitalized by the West Indian community. A privilege to be guided into the twists and turns of Caribbean London by Bernadine Everisto whose light-hearted style belies the depth and intricacy with which she draws her characters. It is a sensuous book, the descriptions of food, of colour, of music, of human intimacy and love are written so well that one experiences them as well as reading them.
Highly recommended
3387312
There is something about the very rich that fascinates.  I must admit that one of the things that drew me to A Gilded Grave was the chance to spend time with some extremely rich people in Newport, Rhode Island, during the 1890s.

To be specific, this book is set in 1895, and the book stars Deanna Randolph, who is looking forward to her summer season in Newport, having had a mostly successful debut season in New York over the last few months.

Her first major ball of the season is in honor of Lord David Manchester and his sister Madeline.  The two are from Barbados, and they are in Newport to work out a deal with Deannas father and his business partners to sell them sugar from Barbados for their sugar refinery business here in America.

However, the night ends in tragedy when one of the hosts maids is found dead on the bottom of a nearby cliff.  The maid was friends with Deannas maid and the intended of Joe Ballards apprentice.  Joe is one of Deannas lifelong friends who was briefly Deannas intended.  With accusations flying, Deanna must reluctantly team up with Joe to find out who the killer really is.  Can the two work together to learn the truth?

The characters in this book are wonderful.  Joe has given up his familys money, at least briefly, to follow his dream of inventing, more specifically to invent machines to help the family business.  Deanna is a strong and independent young woman, or at least as much as she can be for this time in history.  Even Deannas maid gets into the action quite a bit and proves to be a lot of fun.

I did feel the book was a bit too long.  While I always enjoy getting lost in another time and place, at times those details slowed things down.  Chopping about 50 pages would have helped keep things moving along at a brisker pace.  I did find the climax logical and satisfying, and Im quite curious what life has next for our main characters.

I must say I enjoyed spending time with the extremely wealthy.  Since one of the main characters is a maid, we do get to see the great divide between the two classes at the time.  I think part of the reason I enjoyed living with the rich is I can only imagine ever living that way, so its a bit of a fantasy escape that I enjoy.

The book is narrated third person, and we get scenes from both Deanna and Joes perspectives.  This is mainly Deannas story, with two thirds to three quarters of the book told from her point of view, but the times we switched to Joe really did help the story unfold, and I truly enjoyed that.

So if you are looking for a trip back in time, A Gilded Grave is for you.  Savor it during your own summer season.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in hopes I would review it.
1354928
This book kept showing up as a recommendation, so I finally decided to get a copy and take it with me to the beach last week. I'm glad I did. It's a breezy read, painting a summer picture of Nantucket and filling it with an array of colorful, well-drawn characters. I couldn't help but fall in love with the central character, Nan, a kooky old broad who rides a bicycle around town and helps herself to flowers in her neighbor's gardens. The additional characters revolve around her as she, determined to keep her landmark home, ventures into an innkeeping business. I read this in two afternoons.

If you like character driven women's fiction, I also recommend:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Secret-Confessions-of-the-Applewood-PTA/dp/0060824816/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/It-s-Not-Your-Mother-s-Bridge-Club/dp/1932172300/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club</a>, and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Jane-Austen-Book-Club/dp/B000X7CN64/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Jane Austen Book Club</a>
4693201
My mother-in-law recently bought this for my husband to read while he was out on a temporary disability, and, since he only reads his car magazines, guess who settled down in front of the wood stove to read it?  In "Massachusetts Curiosities," authors Bruce Gellerman and Erik Sherman, both Massachusetts residents, write with an amusing tongue-in-cheek humor that is both engaging and entertaining.  They traverse the Bay State to bring us all kinds of interesting "curiosities" that show us just how interesting this state is to learn about.

In Boston, "The Tortoise and the Hare" sculpture calls Copley Square its home, and Boston's Public Garden is where the famous "Make Way for Ducklings" sculpture resides, a favorite of children and adults alike. The State House is topped by a gilded pine cone, the symbol of  Maine, which was part of  Massachusetts until 1820 - and a "Sacred Cod" and "Holy Mackerel" reside within.  (Who says stuffy politicians don't have a sense of humor?)  The Great Brinks Robbery happened in Boston's North End in 1950, and the North End is also the location of the great molasses tidal wave of 1919.  My grandmother used to tell me stories about that one, and until I read this book, I always thought it was an exaggerated bunch of hooey (or is that gooey?).

But the fun doesn't stop with Boston.  We learn about the "bugging" of Natick, the Museum of Burnt Food in Arlington, and the birthplace of Fig Newtons, Necco Wafers  and Marshmallow Fluff.  (How long has my husband been eating that goop and I didn't even realize it's still being made in Salem?)  Easton lays claim to the world's largest (and possibly only) shovel museum, and the Toll House Cookie (of Nestle fame) was invented in Whitman.  We learn the history of the "chair wars" that began in Gardner in 1905, and discover that, yes, there actually is a Podunk, USA.

I learned so much history about my state.  This book holds a lot of sweet memories for me, too, like eating at The Union Oyster House with my Dad, riding the carousel at Paragon Park with my much older neighbor who was, well, five, and  taking my parents to a restaurant at Minot Light for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary (which cost me a king's ransom of $25).  Battleship Cove ... Lizzy Borden ... Nantasket Beach ....  Is this reading more like a memoir that a review?  Sorry ... now where was I?  Field trips to Plimoth Plantation ... the Mayflower ... summer vacations on Cape Cod ... eating at the Toll House Inn with my grandparents ....

This is much more in depth and meticulously researched than other curiosity books I've read.  The authors' love of the state is evident.  Let's face it, Massachusetts is cool.  I've always known it.  Now it's been proven.  From the Vested Grasshopper atop Faneuil Hall (his vest is actually a time capsule) to the Toilet Museum in Worcester (pronounced "Wisstah"), if you decide to join the authors for this wacky trip around the Bay State, rest assured you won't be missing a thing.
890636
I thought this was a totally charming book and a great summer read. -Some wonderful characters (Antonia and Larry Lippert) and some wonderful dialog.  Very funny and well done. I thought Antonia's relationship with food was refreshingly done - complex and totally believable. I would recommend this book to anyone - specially if they have spent any time in the town of East Hampton - or plan to.
420779
Like another reviewer mentioned earlier, there are serious problems with the timeline in this story -- but I tried to overlook that and just go along for the ride. It reminded me of some of the fun reads from the early '80s about New York City, such as books by Judith Krantz, but without the heavy-duty X-rated scenes.
Overall, a fun fluffy reading experience that's almost as delightful as heading out on a summer vacation roadtrip, knowing that you'll be able to fit into your swimsuit.
82267
The Flip is an easy, enjoyable summer read. The years of animosity between Sonnet and Andrew play out to a while new conclusion when they are forced to work together on the house they both inherit. There are lots of laughs, some awkward painful memories from years gone by, and the constant awareness that time truly does change all things. So grab your sunscreen and a seat in the sand and let K.L. Montgomery provide the entertainment.
3693880
This is a very cleverly told tale(s) of a dozen or so main characters, all of them as large as life, set in swinging San Francisco in the nineteen seventies. Anything goes and of course anything does. Much like the play La Ronde what goes around comes around.  The lives of each and every one of the characters are inevitably linked as the novel progresses. Persons so diverse, with no apparent linking thread, turn out to be either intimately acquainted or only apart by one degree of separation. Some of the coincidences are amazing, but then real-life can often be just like that. Life is good, life is fun, there are swinging singles, miscreant couples, gay affairs, straight affairs, platonic ones and even the lady of the manor having a quick fling or two with the grocery boy.
The setting is of parties, flash parties, up market parties and parties which are judged by the fame or name of the special guests. It is keeping up with the Joneses, outdoing your friends, work colleagues and neighbours in the most extravagant fashion where easy-come easy-go or here today gone tomorrow is the driving force. Yet for some of the characters it is as little as pursuing a simple dream, enjoying a happy cigarette or searching for a soul mate. Contrasting with the flash parties are scenes in laundro-mats, steam baths, dance halls (jockey pants competitions), supermarket aisles and inner-city low cost apartments. Halcyon, Manigault, Booter, Beauchamp, DeDe, Oona, Binky, Mona, DOrothea and Madrigal are just a few of the characters whose lives and relationships are as unusual as their names.
Most of the book is written as conversation between any two of the players so it is a quick read as the pages flash past. An appendix with an instant guide to all the characters in the book would have been useful as there are so many to remember.  However, a few times when trying to recall who someone is or what they did earlier in the book, a link appears with a new person and the past anecdotes fall into place.
For those of us who were around at the time  even if not in San Francisco or the USA  this book vividly illustrates and recalls the life style of the era when the music, the drugs, the fashions and the lifestyle were so unique, so superficial, so exciting and yet, at the same time so real. For those who werent, this is not just a social history of the age but a clever, romantic book, well put together and a darn good read.
4396246
Carrie doyle writes a twisting mystery with many twists and detailed and colorful descriptions of East Hampton and the people populating the seaside hamlet. A worthwhile beach read. Might make you hungry
1320445
Having lived in NYC for 5 years, I found this book hilarious.  It's hard to believe that people would actually pay for a sleep pod, but this is New York we are talking about.  A fun, fast summer read!
1052949
Jane Green's depiction of Nantucket life and the surrounding history is a fine backdrop from which to tell the tale of Nan Powell.  Nan is the 65 year old year-round resident of the famed island.  Years ago, Nan was left a young widow after her husband, Everett, committed suicide and in his wake, left a load of gambling debts that rendered her and their young son, Michael, in dire financial straits.  The solution came when Nan decided to sell off some of the prized property at Windermere and keep only the main house and a few acres for herself and her son.

Many years pass, fairly uneventfully, although Nan has become the town's eccentric - you see she helps herself to other people's hydrangeas, swims naked in their swimming pools when no one's around and while everyone in town knows Nan, no one really "knows" her.  So it seems as though Nan finds herself, once again, under some financial difficulties when she discovers that the "hedge funds" that her financial portfolio have consisted of have not performed well and it seems that she may be broke and that Nan may finally be forced to sell her beloved Windermere. Eventually, she comes along a solution that will not only help her financial situation, but also breathe life into Windermere again.  When Nan was a young wife, this home was the backdrop of many parties and a main fixture in the social hey-day of that era.  Through the years, she has found that not only has it been difficult to maintain Windermere esthetically, but time has also drained the home's spirit.  After an unsuccessful attempt to sell the home's much loved, but also uncared for furniture, she decides to rent rooms and turn Windermere into a summer boarding house.

After reviewing answers to her ad, she decides to rent to Daniel, who is on the run from a marriage that he no longer understands, but afraid to pull away from the daughters he loves dearly.  Recently divorced Daff finds that she suddenly has a free summer to roam Nantucket's beaches and old shops, while her teenage daughter spends some time with her father.  Nan's son Michael also returns to Nantucket that summer, fleeing from a misguided romance with his boss's wife and he hopes to answer some questions about his choices in the affairs of love.

Although brought together for different reasons, the residents find themselves getting to know each other and reveal a few secrets among them.  Along the way, they receive visitors - Dan welcomes his daughters and his ex and answers some questions about his marriage.  Michael gets a visitor from back home and learns that it's not that easy to just walk away - sometimes your troubles can follow you.  Even Nan gets a an unexpected visit from someone from her past and the answers to deeply hidden secrets evolve and threaten to destroy everything that Nan has worked so hard to sustain.

I think that I was expecting something light, more chick-lit in nature and I found that it took me a while to get into this story.  As I continued to read this novel, I began to catch wind of Green's style - her use of words that create a picture in the mind of the reader - and realized that this story winds much deeper and entertains at a much higher level than I was originally expecting.  I think that this was an enjoyable story and gives an insider's view to summer life in Nantucket.
992133
Michael Cunningham graces one of his favorite places on earth, Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod's hook, with his wonderful, almost poetic prose. He takes us with him as he introduces us to the town's characters both past and present, to the beaches, the dunes, both ends of town, the nightspots, and everything in between.
A treat.