Reading Ahead: July 2016, part 3

Ok, so if thrillers or suspense novels aren't your summer reading genres of choice, what else does this summer have in store for you? Some new contemporary fiction from bestselling authors, that's what!

Falling, by Jane Green. Green's newest novel finds her characters right in our own backyard. When Emma Montague left the strict confines of upper-crust British life for New York, she felt sure it would make her happy. Away from her parents and expectations, she felt liberated, throwing herself into Manhattan life replete with a high-paying job, a gorgeous apartment, and a string of successful boyfriends. But the cutthroat world of finance and relentless pursuit of more began to take its toll. This wasn’t the life she wanted either.  On the move again, Emma settles in the picturesque waterfront town of Westport, Connecticut, a world apart from both England and Manhattan. It is here that she begins to confront what it is she really wants from her life. With no job, and knowing only one person in town, she channels her passion for creating beautiful spaces into remaking the dilapidated cottage she rents from Dominic, a local handyman who lives next door with his six-year-old son. When fate intervenes, Emma finds she must finally stay put and fight for what she wants. Also available in Large Print.

Ryan’s Hand, by Leila Meacham. Meacham made her mark with readers with her novel, Roses, and now keeps them coming back for more. Her latest is a sweeping classic romance. Some friends are more like family...and that's exactly how Cara Martin feels about Ryan Langston. He stood by her side through the most difficult time of her life and there's nothing she won't do for him, even now after his death. But inheriting Ryan's share of his family's ranch in west Texas and living there for a year? Cara doesn't understand what he was thinking. Still, she cannot, will not deny Ryan's last request...even if it means sharing a roof with his brooding, arrogant older brother. Jeth Langston doesn't trust Cara as far as he can throw her. Jeth is certain she prevented his baby brother from spending his last days at home. And he'll be damned if he lets this stranger take over the Langston family legacy too. But long days together can break down walls, as Ryan must have guessed, because sparks fly before long.

Truly Madly Guilty, by Liane Moriarty. Moriarty, who has captivated readers with novels like The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies (my personal favorite), is now back with a treat of a beach read. Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other. Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite. Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?