In Broken Promise Barclay does his usual job of producing a fast-paced novel that is not at all predictable. The characters are believable and well-drawn, especially Arlene. This is a good read. You won't be able to put it down.

Newly widowed Carley discovers that she and her two young daughters are broke after the sudden death of her husband. She decides to turn her Nantucket home into a B &B much to the dismay of her staid in-laws. This is a story about survival, about the ties that bind friends and family ,and about reliance on inner strength when the world as we know it has collapsed. This is a good read with substance.

The three Stenen siblings, orphaned as young children, are going through adult crises unaware that their deceased parents are observing from "somewhere other". Cook's characters are realistic and her writing is spell-binding. You will be left asking yourself if we can ever be truly separated from those we have deeply loved.

In Louise Penny's "Bury Your Dead", two homicides are solved and Inspector Armand Gamache struggles to recover physically and mentally from a terrorist attack that leaves him near death and with much guilt and despair over the loss of fellow officers.

As usual Penny's characters are well-drawn, complicated, and fascinating people, and we revisit the small village of Three Pines as well as Quebec City Penny's books are never disappointing and she continues to produce sophisticated, compelling fiction.

This book about family and memory and the way secrets interplay with both was a powerful story about childhood and the lasting effects it has on our adult lives. Justin Fisher is finally able to triumph over his childhood scars and become the husband and father he wants to be.

Bandele's book, though beautifully written, struck a somewhat sour note with me at times. Being a single mother myself, I could identify with her frustrations and anxieties, but a lot of her problems were due to her own very bad choices and I did not see this fact adequately acknowledged in the narrative. Still, it is a worthwhile read and will resonate with struggling single mothers..

Adventurous journalist Marika Vecurs has dedicated her life to writing about the world's "hell holes", During a particularly arduous trip to Papua New Guinea, she realizes that though she has dared death many times, that it ultimately takes more courage to live than it does to die. This adventure story would appeal to anyone who delights in reading about faraway places and high adventure.

This funny and touching novel will have you laughing one minute and questioning your definition of "crazy" the next. With witty dialogue and unforgettable characters including a puppet and a soon-to-be-euthanized wolfhound, Evans has crafted a book about a partnership that survives in spite of all odds. Animal lovers will especially be charmed by Nick's strategy in saving the animals in the shelter.