What Are Friends For?

Finished March 13

What Are Friends For? by Patricia McLinn

This is the first in a four-part series set in small town Illinois. It has a few plotlines that work together. The main characters are in their thirties, but they have memories of their high school days. Zeke was a bit of a loner, felt bullied, and only really talked to one girl in his chemistry class, Darcie. He did have his eyes on the prom queen, Jennifer, but felt she was out of his league. Darcie had big plans to go to college and apply to the FBI. There was also something that happened between Darcie and Zeke just before they both left town, but they have never talked about it, or even at all since.

Now Zeke has a successful technology company and hasn't been home in years, seeing his mother only when she comes to visit him. Darcie moved back home during college after the death of her father to help her mother manage things and work to keep the house. She works for the local police force. Jennifer married her prom king, and has a daughter, but is now divorced and struggling a bit. The town, Drago, also has some financial issues, and the planning committee, which both Jennifer and Darcie are on, has chosen Zeke as this year's honorary alumni host for the spring fair, hoping to convince him to help. He will also be one of the judge's of the town's beauty pageant, which is about choosing a young woman to represent the community, not just looks. Due to this, he finds himself the target of one young woman's affections, and must fend her off. 

Zeke was reluctant to come, but the other management in his company convinced him the PR would be good, and he has an ulterior motive we gradually learn. He also has a large chip on his shoulder about the town, and how he feels it views him and his immigrant parents. Zeke's company is working on some new projects and they are trying to be careful about security around his coding work. 

The small town flavour comes through here, from the issues the town and its surrounding rural community face, to how people know everyone in town. Darcie, as a police officer, is very tied in to the community and where help is truly needed, as well as who might have reasons for some of the strange activities that begin to happen. 

I really enjoyed the immersive nature of the book, with its individualistic characters and their backgrounds. 

Confessions of a Red Herring

Finished March 9

Confessions of a Red Herring by Dana Dratch

This is the first in a series called A Red Herring Mystery. The main character, Alex Vlodnachek, is a newpaper reporter, but she recently changed jobs to be a public relations representative for a company that had been chasing her for a while. She doesn't feel entirely comfortable in the corporate environment, especially the with internal politics. When her boss expects her to prostitute herself to a potential client, she refuses and argues with him. Because it was offsite, at a dinner late Friday evening, she is upset enough to call in sick on Monday. On Tuesday, she discovers not only that the man she confronted was killed on Sunday, but she is the main suspect. She also learns that the company says that she was fired by the company on Friday, but that was never communicated to her. 

With all the evidence stacking up against her, and misinformation from the company limiting her options, she decides that she must solve the case herself. Calling on friends and relatives for help she digs into government records and even goes undercover. There is a lot of humour here, with the situations that she gets herself into, and the conversations that take place. The addition of a destructive, but adorable puppy adds to the fun.

With extra plot lines with a new British neighbour, her youngest brother taking up residence in her guest room, and even a visit from her traditional grandmother, there's constant action. There is also depth to the major characters, and we them grow and make important life decisions. I will definitely look for more books in this series. 

Blind Squirrel

Finished March 8

Blind Squirrel by Dave Mishkin

This novel tells an interesting story. The main character, Noah Nicholson is a minor league hockey player. He has excellent hand-eye coordination, which makes up for his slower skating. The story is told mainly in the present, but also jumps back to Noah's childhood. 

Noah has been on the team in Hershey, Pennsylvania for years, and is the captain of the team. He is also the guy that sets the tone, and guides new players through the team dynamic and what is expected of them. As the book begins, we see him go through this with two younger players. One is a young married player whose wife has recently had a baby, and the sleep deprivation has been causing him to be late often, and not play up to expectations. Despite not having a family of his own, we see how he reminds the young man of the expectations on him, and guides him to resources. The other player is a young Russian player who played in the Canadian minor league the year before, and went briefly to the NHL team affiliated with the Hershey team, but is spending the rest of the season in the minors. Noah guides him to better choices in nutrition than the fast food he's been living on, and gets him into a routine that will serve him to hone his skills and help him mature as a player. 

Noah, despite being admired and liked, has a secret that he has been dealing with for years, since the death of his parents in an accident when he was only twelve. It has him shying away from serious relationships, and living a lonely life. 

In his childhood, raised by two loving parents, both teachers, one of whom was headed towards pro sports before an injury, he had a great life. His parents were supportive, but also instilled a strong ethical core in him. They were active, running and biking. They read a lot, with his mother in particular sharing a love of books with him through a habit of bedtime reading that lasted long past when most kids stop. They didn't just read, they also talked about the books, about the ideas represented and what they meant. He also started young with a passion for baseball with his hand-eye coordination leading to not only playing on teams young, but also practicing regularly with his parents as support. He was an excellent hitter .and catcher, with his best friend as an excellent pitcher. They lived in California, but had a strong community that they were involved in. 

After his parents' death, he moved back east to live with his paternal grandmother and they had a good relationship. It was based on similar expectations to the ones his father had grown up with: a strong work ethic, good academics, and involvement in a sport. Noah couldn't face baseball without his parents, but he took advantage of the great private school his parents had planned for him in this eventuality and access to an ice rink, and taught himself how to skate so he could join the school hockey team. 

We see how he came to be where he is, and when he unexpectedly is injured in a game, ending his career, we see his depression and the actions that led him out of it. Once again, he becomes connected to his community, makes new friends, and might even have a chance of a romance and a new career. But only if he deals with his past trauma. 

I found the main character to have a lot of depth, and his story is told with empathy and sensitivity. We gradually learn the details of his trauma and how he has coped. I genuinely cared about him. 

The author brings his sports experience to this book. He began sports broadcasting in college, and now works for the Tampa Bay Lightning NHL team. He does mainly radio broadcasting but launched into television this year. Because of his experience telling fans about the sports he watches, he makes both baseball and hockey come alive for the reader, which means that the sports details here are never boring. This is his first book, and I definitely would be interested in reading more by him.

Ship of Dreams

Finished March 6

Ship of Dreams by Donna Jones Alward

This novel is set mostly aboard the Titanic. Two friends are at the centre of the story. Hannah Martin is married, but has found her husband distant since the miscarriage that almost killed her. She hopes accompanying him on this business trip will provide the opportunity to add life back to their marriage. She has asked her best friend Louisa Phillips, the unhappy and rebellious daughter of an earl, to accompany them. The two women plan to stay in New York City while Charles Martin travels west on business. But Louisa has another purpose to her trip. Her father has decided to force her into a marriage that she does not want. She grew up ignored or a target with him, and things haven't improved. She's directed her energy, and her money, towards fighting for women's rights and helping those less fortunate. But if she doesn't marry as her father wishes, he has told her that he will kick her out of the homes she has been living in, and cut off her money. She has a plan that we gradually learn, but it wasn't well thought out, and doesn't reflect well on her. 

She has also invited a man she's known socially on the trip as a side interest. She likes flirting with him and has led him to believe she might be interested in more. Reid Grey, the man in question has come, solely for her, and is definitely interested in Louisa. The author includes a few of the ship's travellers that were actually on the boat, from the feminist Margaret Brown, to the newly married Astors.

As the women interact socially with their shipmates, they also share the truth about their own lives, which proves emotional and enlightening. 

While Hannah tries to force a confrontation with Charles, Louisa finds that her problem may have an different solution that she hadn't expected. 

Alward has done her research and the descriptions of the ship and its amenities really bring the setting to life. The strong friendship between the two women is tested here, and the crisis of the ship itself changes so many stories. A really great read. 

A Nose for Mischief

Finished March 6

A Nose for Mischief by K.T. Lee

This is the first book in the Riverbend K-9s series. Zoey Butler was a materials engineer working on a renewable energy project for Future State Energy in Denver when the FBI came in, charging the company with fraud. Zoey spent a lot of time helping investigators find answers, and then decided to leave the company. But with the company reputation what it is, she finds herself unable to even get an interview. She reaches out to the main FBI investigator, Alexis, and asks if there is any opening with them. She is offered an unpaid intern position at Alexis's division of K-9 training in Riverbend, Indiana, which is located at an old airport. It includes accommodation at an apartment in the small town. Zoey is paired with Liam, one of the trainers, with his dog, Tank. She is assigned a rescue dog, Tasha, that didn't meld well with its original trainer, and she finds the job interesting and is drawn to both the small town camaraderie and Liam. 

When her apartment back in Denver that she shares with her sister Elise is broken into and tossed, she is worried for her sister, and asks whether there is still something the FBI didn't learn about Future State Energy's activities. After some discussion with Alexis, she offers to take the job she's repeatedly been offered back at her old company and look for answers. Liam will be accompanying her as an undercover agent, posing as an entry level project manager. The two rent a house and pose as a couple for the purposes of this. 

As the two and their dogs become a real team, she and Liam become close, but the investigation at the company heats up as well as corporate espionage and possible sabotage.

I enjoyed the characters, particularly Zoey with her quick intelligence, and the engaging dog Tasha. 

A Bramble House Christmas

Finished March 4

A Bramble House Christmas by C.J. Carmichael

This is the sixth book in the series, Carrigans of the Circle C, but the first I've read. The main female character is Willa Fairchild. As the book opens, she and her six-year-old son Scout are travelling to Marietta, Montana for a much-anticipated winter vacation. The trip is a gift from her most recent client, Mr. Conrad. Willa has worked as a private nurse since Scout's cancer diagnosis, which also marked the end of her marriage. Scout is now cancer-free and looking forward to engaging in normal activities for his age. Conrad learned enough of Willa's story to also include her in his will, something his family is surprised at, and suspicious of. 

Finn Conrad, his son, has given in to pressure from his family to find out more, and has booked into the Bramble House B&B under his professional name, Finn Knightly. He is a successful children's book illustrator. As he spends time with Willa and Scout, he learns more about them, and finds himself drawn to both of them. He also finds himself curious about his father's focus on Marietta, and begins to look more closely at the secrets in his own family history.

I liked both the main characters and found the plot believable. The setting is a real town, and is brought to life here, giving a cosy Christmas vibe. A light and enjoyable read. 

Room on the Sea

Finished March 1

Room on the Sea: Three Novellas by André Aciman

This was my first encounter with this author and I really enjoyed these novella. I think my favourite is the title one. 

The first novella in the book is The Man from Peru. It is set in coastal Italy, at a hotel in a small town. 

A group of American, friends from college, is there, meeting ten years after graduating. One of them was unable to attend, but the others are letting him know about the good time they are having. They've noticed an older man by himself, along with other fellow guests, and some of them have been making unkind comments about them and guesses about their lives. 

On of the Americans, Mark, has a shoulder injury that is bothering him and the older man stops at their table and holds his shoulder for a moment while telling him it might help and the shoulder appears healed. The man, Raul, reveals that his family used to vacation here regularly when he was a child, and he offers other predictions and advice that proves to be true. He seems to have an interest in one of them, Margot, even though she is the most catty of the women, and gets her to spend some time alone with him. The outcome is interesting and unexpected, but fits with the other strange stories he has.

The second novella is Room on the Sea, and takes place mostly in New York City. Two people in their sixties are both attending the courthouse for jury duty. They begin a friendship, going for lunch together, meeting for coffee before jury duty, wandering the streets and visiting art galleries. As they share details of their lives, they also befriend an Italian-born barista at the coffee shop and his stories of Naples get to be part of their story as well. This is an interesting look at the serendipity of relationships and how we as people change over our lives as well.

The third novella is Mariana and is also set in Italy. The title character is attending an art school, and she is drawn to a man already there as a student when she arrives. They have a short relationship, and he moves on, but she finds herself unable to get over him. Her actions draw attention and she learns more about herself and the other women he has spent time with.