Book ~ "The Solemate" (2022) Sally Hepworth

From Goodreads ~ Picture a lovely cottage on a cliff, with sloping lawns, walking paths and beautiful flowers. It’s Gabe and Pippa Gerard’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Over the past several months, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge.

Until one day, he doesn’t. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral. Did the victim jump? Was she pushed? And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate ... lie? As the perfect façade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel. Because sometimes, the most convincing lies are the ones we tell ourselves.

Pippa and Gabe had recently bought a cottage that sits next to a cliff and thought they'd found their dream home for them and their young daughters. Then they realized that people used the cliff as a spot to jump off and commit suicide. So they kept an eye on the cliff. When they would see looking like they are contemplating suicide at the cliff, Gabe would rush out and talk them down. He became famous and respected locally for doing this. One woman wasn't so lucky. Gabe ran out and talked to her and then she was flying over the cliff. The police investigate. Pippa realizes that the woman wasn't a stranger to either of them and starts to wonder if the woman truly jumped or was pushed (and why).

I've read a few books by this author and wasn't all that crazy about it. There was so much going on ... infidelity, money laundering, mental illnesses and more. And with each thing (everything is revealed slowly), it kept getting more unrealistic to me. It's written in first person perspective in Pippa and Amanda's (the dead woman who went over the cliff) voices (the chapters are labeled). As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "The Personal Assistant" (2022) Kimberly Belle

From Goodreads ~ When Alex first began posting unscripted family moments and motivational messages online, she had no intention of becoming an influencer. Overnight it seemed she’d amassed a huge following, and her hobby became a full-time job - one that was impossible to manage without her sharp-as-a-tack personal assistant, AC.

But all the good-will of her followers turns toxic when one controversial post goes viral in the worst possible way. Alex reaches out to AC for damage control but her assistant has gone silent. This young woman Alex trusted with all her secrets, who had access to her personal information and front row seats to the pressure points in her marriage and family life, is now missing and the police are looking to Alex and her husband for answers. As Alex digs into AC’s identity - and a woman is found murdered – she’ll find the greatest threat isn’t online but in her own living room.

Alex is a successful social media influencer, married to Patrick and has 12-year-old twins. She wakes up after a night of too much tequila to discover she had thrown shade on a 16-year-old actress in a post the night before. After years of her posting about encouraging positivity, Alex's fan base turns against her and her social media blows up with comments about her being a hypocrite. She turns to her assistant, AC, for help but AC had disappeared. When the comments get more dangerous with threats of violence and AC is reported missing by her roommate, the police look at Alex and Patrick with suspicion.

I've read many books by this author but I thought this one was okay. It's written from two perspectives which bounce back and forth (the chapters are labeled) in Alex and Patrick's voices. In the end, we find out what happened to AC and it was an interesting twist but not a big surprise. I found it odd that with all the threats (online and physical) they received, though Alex and Patrick eventually had changed the locks and upgraded their security cameras, they didn't seem overly concerned about any danger. to themselves or Alex's children. I thought it was irresponsible of Alex as a mother to expose so much of her life (she posted pictures of her daughters, Patrick, their house, etc.) in her quest to become a successful influencer.  As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands" (2022) Kate Beaton

From Goodreads ~ After university, Kate Beaton heads out west to take advantage of Alberta’s oil rush, part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can't find it in the homeland they love so much. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, what the journey will actually cost Beaton will be far more than she anticipates.

Arriving in Fort McMurray, Beaton finds work in the lucrative camps owned and operated by the world’s largest oil companies. Being one of the few women among thousands of men, the culture shock is palpable. It does not hit home until she moves to a spartan, isolated worksite for higher pay. She encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet never discussed. Her wounds may never heal.

After she graduated from university, the author left her home and family in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and headed to northern Alberta to work in the oil fields. She had racked up university debt and saw it as a way to make good money quickly as Alberta was booming at the time and many east coasters headed that way for work. What she discovered was there were 50 men to one woman in an isolated setting and there was a lack of respect towards women. The men made crude remarks and advances to her and the higher ups did nothing about it.

I'm not into graphic novels but this one had attracted so much attention so I was interested in reading it. It took me a while to get into the rhythm of reading a graphic novel. To be honest, I'm not sure why it received so much praise as I thought it was just okay.  I think she had an interesting story to tell of her two years of experiences and it would have worked better for me as a "normal" memoir (she's a cartoonist so I guess it was comfortable for her to present it this way). I'm originally from Nova Scotia so at times I could hear the voices with their east coast lingo.

I found it was disjointed and confusing as "scenes" would end and another would begin without any flow or context. I found there were so many characters in the different locations and I couldn't remember who was "good" and who was "bad" towards her and the other women. I'm glad I finally read it but I don't know what the fuss was about it. As a head's up, there is swearing, sexual content and abuse against women.

Book ~ "Before I Do" (2022) Sophie Cousens

From Goodreads ~ What would you do if 'the one that got away' turned up the night before your wedding?

Head-in-the-stars Audrey is about to marry down-to-earth Josh. Though they are polar opposites, they have a healthy, stable relationship; Josh is just what Audrey needs. But romance should be unpredictable and full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey's found herself wondering if Josh really is The One.

So, when Josh's sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey's What If? guy - the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with - Audrey finds herself torn. Surely Fred's appearance the night before she is due to get married can't be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humour?

Six years ago Audrey randomly met Fred. She loved that he was a free spirit and they had a fun day together and made plans to meet the next day. Though Audrey waited, Fred never showed up and she never heard from him or saw him again. Because of the time they had together, even after she stopped looking for him, he always held a special spot in her heart.

Over the years, Audrey is trying to find herself and figure out what she wants to do with her life with lots of starts and stops. Along the way, she has encounters with Josh, who is a friend of one of her roommates. They eventually go out on a date, fall in love and get engaged. But Fred is always in the back of her mind (and their photo booth pictures are still in her wallet). 

On the day of the wedding, anything that can go wrong does ... including Fred showing up as the plus-one of Josh's sister. It all makes Audrey wonder if they are all signs that she shouldn't be marrying Josh after all.

I thought this story was okay, though the ending was cheesy. It is written in third person perspective with the focus on Audrey. It bounces back and forth and back and forth in time from the day of the wedding to when Audrey and Fred met to Audrey and Josh's developing relationship to after the wedding but the chapters are marked (and I was okay with this). In addition to Fred's surprise appearance at her wedding, there was lots going on around Audrey including her mother who was on her fifth husband, her best friend who had recently given birth to twins, past questionable behavior of an almost stepfather, Josh's grandmother who predicted doom and more.

Book ~ "Hold on for Beer Life" (2022) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ Spring has given way to early summer in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Washington, where Sloan Krause and her brewing partner in crime, Garrett Strong, are taking off for a weekend adventure. They’ve been invited to Confluence Brewing in nearby Wenatchee for the brewery’s soft opening. Confluence is taking beer tourism to the next level with farm-to-table dinners in their lush apple orchard, hop field tours, overnight accommodations complete with beer-themed breakfasts, and of course, plenty of tastings.

The trip is part work and part pleasure. Sloan is looking forward to a weekend away with Garrett and getting a chance to learn more about Confluence. There’s no doubt that the nanobrewery is a perfect escape for any craft beer lover. Sloan is immediately captivated by the rustic barn, turned tasting room, and the expansive orchards that stretch as far as her eye can see. Dinner under the stars is nothing short of magical. Maybe it’s the organic food and beer pairings or perhaps it’s the company. Either way, she’s happy to be finally stepping outside of herself and figuring out what’s next for her.

However, the blissful moment is short-lived. Sinister things are brewing at Confluence. When Sloan discovers one of the brewery’s young interns knocked out in the middle of the orchard, she realizes she and Garrett are in for more than sampling summer IPAs. If they can’t get to the bottom of what’s really going on at the new start-up, they might just end up at the bottom of the barrel.

I like beer and I like mysteries so that's why this series has caught my eye.

Sloan has been working with Garrett in his microbrewery/pub, Nitro. Over time, they have developed feelings for each other but are taking it slowly as she recently got out of a marriage to Mac, whom she'd caught cheating on her.

Nearby Confluence Brewing has recently opened and is doing tours and tasting. It sounds like a fun way for Sloan and Garrett to spend a weekend ... supporting the local craft beer industry and spending time together. What they hadn't bargained for is discovering shifty activities at the Confluence and they are determined to find out what's going on to protect their industry.

This is a novella after the fifth book in the Sloan Krause Series and I liked it.  I've read the others and this works as a stand alone (there is enough background provided). It's written in first person perspective in Sloan's voice.  There is some talk about beer and food pairings and recipes at the end.  It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity.

Book ~ "Never Coming Home" (2022) Hannah Mary McKinnon

From Goodreads ~ First comes love. Then comes murder.

Lucas Forester didn't hate his wife. Michelle was brilliant, sophisticated and beautiful. Sure, she had extravagant spending habits and that petty attitude, a total disregard for anyone below her status. But she also had a lot to offer. Most notably, wealth that only the one percent could comprehend.

For years, Lucas had been honing a flawless plan to inherit Michelle’s fortune. Unfortunately, it involved taking a hit out on her.

Every track was covered, no trace left behind and now Lucas plays the grieving husband so well he deserves an award. But when a shocking photo and cryptic note show up on his doorstep, Lucas goes from hunter to prey.

Someone is onto him. And they’re closing in.

Three years ago, after a whirlwind romance, Lucas and Michelle got married. Michelle comes from a wealthy family and as soon as Lucas met Michelle, he has been plotting on how to get her money. But he's been patient and because of a prenup agreement, the only way he'll get her money is if Michelle passes away. He does what he has to do and hires someone to kidnap and kill her. While the police are looking for her and her family is waiting for her to come home, Lucas plays the hopeful husband, knowing that will never happen. But then things start happening and Lucas suspects the hit man is messing with him and he's determined to find and stop him. Lucas had a rough upbringing and he's worked too hard not to get the money he feels he deserves.

I liked this story and was curious to see how it ended (the "whodunnit"). It's written in first person perspective in Lucas' voice. Although I knew he was a bad guy, I still found him a bit likeable (Michelle isn't portrayed as likeable at all). Lucas thought he was so smart and would get foiled every time he turned around. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Bingo" (2022) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ Bingo is so cute – but he really needs a pal who can help him out. When Charles meets Annie, he thinks he might have found the perfect match for this special pup.

Lizzie and Charles are in elementary school. Their family, the Petersons, have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

When their local animal rescue asks the Petersons to foster a special dog, they are happy to. Bingo is a young Chinese Crested dog who is blind. He is a cutie and Charles would like to spend more time with him but he's committed to helping Margaret, a neighbour, who has hurt her leg. She has an elderly dog named Annie who has gotten cranky in her old age and Margaret warns him not to bring the puppy around. The dogs do meet, though, with surprising results.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Bingo's point of view. It is the 65th in the Puppy Place series.

Book ~ "Zig & Zag" (2022) Ellen Miles

From Goodreads ~ When their mom sits the family down for a talk, Charles and Lizzie are excited to hear that they'll be fostering Zig and Zag, twin Brittany puppies! 

Double the puppies should mean double the fun but the twins are very hyper and need a lot of attention. In order to find this adorable duo their forever home, Lizzie will need all the help she can get to train Zig and Zag!

Lizzie is in elementary school. Her family, the Petersons, have a puppy named Buddy plus they foster dogs and help them find homes.

From a woman she works with, Lizzie's mother hears about Zig and Zag, two energetic Brittany spaniel puppies, who need homes. Because she has a deadline coming up, Mom is hesitant to foster two puppies but when she meets them she knows they have to take them. Lizzie takes on the responsibilities of walking them. It's a lot of work but she's happy when she discovers a doggy park not far from home where the puppies can run and tire themselves out with other dogs and puppies. She knows it's going to be hard to find a home for the two puppies together.

Though this book is a quick read and directed at elementary-aged children, I found it entertaining. There is a learning experience and a puppy tip at the end. It is written in third person perspective and first person from Zig and Zag's points of view. It is the 64th in the Puppy Place series, which currently has 66 books in the series, and works as a stand alone.

Book ~ "When in Rome" (2022) Sarah Adams

From Goodreads ~ Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her "princess of pop" image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, "Roman Holiday", she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome ... Rome, Kentucky, that is.

When Noah Walker finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn't have the time or patience for celebrity problems. He's too busy running the pie shop his grandmother left him and reminding his nosy but lovable neighbors to mind their own damn business. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room - but only until her car is fixed - then she's on her own.

Then Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose - she's Amelia: kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. He can't help but get close to her. Soon she'll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she's been missing, and she'll help him open his heart to more.

Amelia can't resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.

Amelia, aka Rae Rose, is the "princess of pop" ... always on tour, recording albums, doing PR and more. She hasn't had a break in a long time and has had enough. Sad and lonely, she watches Roman Holiday and gets inspired by Audrey Hepburn to run away to Rome. The closest Rome to her, though, is Rome, KY, so she jumps in her beater of a car and takes off. Just as she arrives in Rome, her car breaks down ... it turns out in Noah's front yard. He begrudgingly invites her to spend the night in his spare room and when she discovers the next day that her room at the B&B is no longer available, Noah lets her stay in his house until her car can be fixed.

Rome is the perfect spot for Amelia as it's small and friendly. Though everyone knows who she is, no one makes a big fuss because she is a celebrity. What they do make a fuss about it that she's staying with Noah and the busybody town is hopeful he can find love again after a break-up a couple years ago by a big city woman. Noah and Amelia can't deny their attraction but know it doesn't make sense to pursue anything since she will be off touring for the  next nine months and the last thing Noah wants is to have his heart broken again.

This is the first book I've read by this author and it was cute and light, not something I usually read (where a couple falls in love within a week), but it was just what I needed as I've been reading bios and more heavier books lately. Not a surprise but it does have a happy ending. It's written in first person perspective from Amelia and Noah's points of view (the chapters are labeled). It's the first in the When in Rome series and I look forward to reading the next one (it apparently focuses on one of Noah's sisters). As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "The Opportunist" (2022) Elyse Friedman

From Goodreads ~ When Alana Shropshire’s seventy-six-year-old father, Ed, starts dating Kelly, his twenty-eight-year-old nurse, a flurry of messages arrive from Alana’s brothers, urging her to help “protect Dad” from the young interloper. Alana knows that what Teddy and Martin really want to protect is their father’s fortune, and she tells them she couldn’t care less about the May–December romance. Long estranged from her privileged family, Alana, a hardworking single mom, has more important things to worry about.

But when Ed and Kelly’s wedding is announced, Teddy and Martin kick into hyperdrive and persuade Alana to fly to their father’s West Coast island retreat to perform one simple task in their plan to make the gold digger go away. Kelly, however, proves a lot more wily than expected and Alana becomes entangled in an increasingly dangerous scheme full of secrets and surprises. Just how far will her siblings go to retain control?

Alana has been living a quiet life in Toronto with her young disabled daughter. She is estranged from Ed, her father, and Martin and Teddy, her brothers, so she's surprised when Martin shows up and asks for her help. Their father, Ed, isn't well and is getting married to his nurse, Kelly, who is about 50 years younger. Martin and Teddy feel Kelly isn't genuine and is just after Ed's billions. Alana could care less but Martin offers her money which would help make her daughter's life so much better. Alana heads out west to spend time with the family and make an offer to Kelly that they don't think she will refuse ... but things don't go as expected.

I liked this story and it took some weird turns I didn't see coming, which was fun. It is written in third person perspective depending where the action was. It jumps back and forth in time to give background as to why things are the way they are today. As a head's up, there is swearing and child abuse.

Book ~ "Every Summer After" (2022) Carley Fortune

From Goodreads ~ They say you can never go home again and for Persephone Fraser, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life a decade ago, that has felt too true. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart.

Until she receives the call that sends her racing back to Barry’s Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek - the man she never thought she’d have to live without.

For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family’s restaurant and curling up together with books  - medical textbooks for him and work-in-progress horror short stories for her - Percy and Sam had been inseparable. Eventually that friendship turned into something breathtakingly more, before it fell spectacularly apart.

When Percy returns to the lake for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been. But until Percy can confront the decisions she made and the years she’s spent punishing herself for them, they’ll never know whether their love might be bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past.

Thirteen-year-old Percy and her parents lived in Toronto and bought a cottage about four hours away. Next door was Sue, a single mom with two sons, one (Sam) was Percy's age, who lived there all year 'round. Percy and her parents spent every summer there and Percy and Sam became best friends and eventually fall in love. They end up going to separate universities hours away from each other and eventually break up.

Twelve years later, Sue had recently passed away and, despite not having any contact with the family for all those years, Percy immediately headed to cottage country for the funeral. When Percy and Sam run into each other as soon as she arrives in town, the spark is still there. But because of something she had done that had broken them up, she didn't feel like she was worthy of the possibility of picking up where they had left off.

This story bounces back from present day to flashbacks to when Percy and Sam first met when they were 13-years-old (the chapters are labeled). It's written in first perspective in Percy's voice. As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity ... it was cringy reading the details of teenagers Percy and Sam engaging in adult activity. Ew! 

I found it hard to believe that Percy and Sam, who haven't seen each other or been in contact with each other for 12 years (since they were 18), hadn't moved on emotionally and were STILL in love today at age 30 ... and that this love had dictated their relationships since they split up. It's like they still had the mentality of when they were 18-year-olds ... I would think their life experiences would have matured them more (she's an editor and he's a doctor). 

Book ~ "Blind Date" (2022) Brenda Chapman

From Goodreads ~ Nobody’s safe when a killer has you in their sights.

True crime podcaster Ella Tate is shaken to her core by the horrific assault and murder of Josie Wheatly, a teacher she has never met ... because not only had Josie moved into Ella’s vacated apartment three months earlier but her Facebook photos reveal a striking resemblance between the two women.

Within days, two people close to Ella are harmed and she fears that she’s become the target of twisted revenge from her crime-reporting days. Reluctantly teaming up with her neighbour, Tony, a hairdresser who loves the finer things in life, and Liam Hunter, the persistent detective assigned to the cases, Ella struggles to stay one step ahead before she becomes the target of the final kill.

Ella recently got laid off from her job as a newspaper reporter and has started a crime podcast. She and her live-in boyfriend recently broke up, taking all of his furniture with him. She's barely scraping by now. She doesn't have many people close to her except her younger brother, Danny, who is a busker addicted to drugs and living on the streets, Finn, her childhood friend, and O'Brien, a police officer she has known for about ten years.

Ella starts to investigate the rape and suicide of a teacher named Josie, who had recently moved into Ella's old apartment. Ella realizes how similar they are in appearance and wonders if she was the intended victim. As she starts digging, she receives threats and terrible things start happening to people around her.

This is the first of two in the Hunter and Tate series (I'd read the second one in March) and I liked it ... there are lots of possibilities about who could have done everything. It's written in third person perspective in various voices depending on where the action was. I like the fact that it is set in Ottawa, ON, and they didn't hide it. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "The Bodyguard" (2022) Katherine Center

From Goodreads ~ She’s got his back. Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart. Jack Stapleton’s a household name - captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret. When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah - against her will and her better judgment - finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong??? Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

Hannah is an executive protection agent (aka bodyguard) and is good at what she does. Her mother recently passed away and her boyfriend, who is a colleague, breaks up with her the day after her mother's funeral. Needless to say, she's going through a bad time but is looking forward to an assignment overseas. Her boss doesn't think she's mentally and emotionally ready so assigns her to guard Jake, a famous actor. He doesn't want a bodyguard but doesn't have a choice because he's is being stalked and is receiving threatening letters.

Jake's mother is sick and he heads home to their ranch while she recovers. He doesn't want to worry his family so tells them that Hannah is his girlfriend so they have to act the part. As Hannah gets close to him and his family, she doesn't know whether Jake really cares about her or is he pretending for his family.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thought it was cute. It is written in first person perspective in Hannah's voice ... it's as if she is speaking to you and telling you what's going on. I liked the writing style. I liked the interaction between Hannah and Jake ... they seemed to enjoy each other's company even though they knew it was just a job. As a head's up, there is some swearing.

Book ~ "Relish Your Retirement: 501 Fun, Insightful And Simple Ideas To A Blissful Retired Life For Women" (2022) Florance Philip

From Goodreads ~ 501 fun, insightful, simple and enjoyable ideas and things to do in your retirement without spending too much!

Are you now free from the time restrictions of your past workplace? Are you done being tied to the everyday routine of your 9-5 job?

Congratulations! You are now in the happiest chapter of your life!

No boss. No deadline. No pressure. No rat race!

You have more time to do what you want, anytime you want. But maybe you have no idea what to do with your life to keep yourself happy and productive in your retirement.

You might still be missing working despite it being stressful and overwhelming at times ... because your mind and body have gotten used to being active after so many years.

Maybe you have identified yourself with the work you do. You’ve felt secure about yourself because of your job. So, seeing your career end seems to stop you from having a strong sense of self.

Identity loss in retirement is common. You’re not alone – millions of people experience it.

Your transition to retirement might be difficult because of the emotional roller coaster that can follow but you can get through it with time.

The experiences you had while working has shaped you into the wise person you are now - more understanding of the world and, more importantly, yourself.

Your joyful life doesn’t stop when you retire; it is going to get even better!

In this book, you’ll discover how to get the best out of life in your retirement years

✔ Why retirement will be the best chapter of your life 

✔ The 5 stages of retirement you should be aware of - which phase are you in now? 

✔ Unique, simple, unusual and fun things to do without blowing through your savings 

✔ How to improve and maintain emotional and physical well-being in your golden years 

✔ Nurturing your relationships and deepening bonds 

✔ Fun ways to keep your creative juices flowing 

✔ Simple and enjoyable activities for ladies with limited mobility 

✔ Cheerful and indulgent ideas for foodies 

✔ Delightful ways to get outdoors and enjoy nature

✔ A beautiful chapter on giving back to your community

✔ A free bonus that you’re sure to enjoy. 

✔ Insightful activities and journaling at the end of each chapter that you do not want to miss

And much, much more - about relishing your retirement.

Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you will indeed find something you enjoy with these 501 ideas that cover various activities from indoor to outdoor, from arts to food, from relaxing to merrymaking, and from traveling to snuggling at home. You will find something you’ll love and make you smile!

It’s time to get excited about your retirement ... because it’s about to be amazing!

The chapters in this book include:

1. Clearing the Identity Crisis Hurdle 
2. Activities To Develop Yourself During Your Golden Years 
3. Nurturing Your Relationships and Deepening Bonds 
4. Keeping Your Creative Juices Flowing 
5. Challenging Yourself Mentally and Physically 
6. Building Your Bucket List of Unique, Unusual and Fun Ideas & Challenges 
7. Learning New Skills Without Pressure 
8. Getting Outdoors and Enjoying Nature 
9. Fun Activities for Seniors with Limited Mobility 
10. Fun and Indulgent Ideas for Foodies 
11. Getting Involved and Giving Back to the Community

I retired about eight months ago. Though I enjoyed my job, I was looking forward to retirement so my time would be my own. My two main criteria in retirement were to just do the things I wanted to do (and not have to do what I didn't want to do) and not have to get up with an alarm. And so far, for the most part, I've succeeded.

When I retired, I wanted to do everything but knew I had to pace myself. Volunteering was important to me and I've been doing that (as I have in the past).  And I've started doing aquafit.

There are some great ideas in this book, some I'm already doing and some I want to do (like learn how to tie dye and take a first aid/CPR course). The suggestions range from simple and cheap to more complex and expensive. I worked in the retirement industry for many years (so like reading books about retirement) and the majority of the people I spoke with would have trouble affording a lot of the things the author is suggesting because they will have trouble even being able to afford to pay their basic bills.

It was a fun book to read and will help those who are struggling to figure out what their retirement will be figure it out. I haven't had an issue yet spending my time.

Book ~ "Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead" (2022) Elle Cosimano

From Goodreads ~ Finlay Donovan is - once again - struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant, Vero, to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like.

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes ... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it.

Finlay is a newly divorced mother of two. Steven, her ex-husband, had left her for another woman who he has since broken up because she got arrested for being involved with the Russian mob. Finlay is an author who is being harassed by her agent to finish her next novel but this is nothing new.

Finlay receives info there's an "ad" on a women's chat forum that someone wants Steven dead and is willing to pay $100,000 to have it done. Finlay's not crazy about him these days but she doesn't want the father of her children dead so she and Vero, her live-in nanny and partner in crime, set out to find out who put the hit out on Steven.

This is the second in the Finlay Donovan series and I liked it (I read the first one a couple weeks ago). Though it does work as a stand alone, it's helpful if you read the first book in the series to get the background on what's going on and the relationship dynamics. It's written in first person perspective in Finlay's voice. I liked the writing style ... there is a mystery but it's also amusing. I enjoyed the characters and liked the interaction between Finlay and Vero. It's revealed at the end who put the put ad on the forum and it was an interesting surprise.

Book ~ "Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away" (2022) Annie Duke

From Goodreads ~ Business leaders, with millions of dollars down the drain, struggle to abandon a new app or product that just isn't working. Governments, caught in a hopeless conflict, believe that the next tactic will finally be the one that wins the war. And in our own lives, we persist in relationships or careers that no longer serve us. 

Why? According to Annie Duke, in the face of tough decisions, we're terrible quitters. And that is significantly holding us back.

In "Quit", Duke teaches you how to get good at quitting. Drawing on stories from elite athletes like Mount Everest climbers, founders of leading companies like Stewart Butterfield, the CEO of Slack, and top entertainers like Dave Chappelle, Duke explains why quitting is integral to success, as well as strategies for determining when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em, that will save you time, energy, and money. You'll learn:

• How the paradox of quitting influences decision making: If you quit on time, you will feel you quit early 
• What forces work against good quitting behavior, such as escalation commitment, desire for certainty, and status quo bias
• How to think in expected value in order to make better decisions, as well as other best practices, such as increasing flexibility in goal-setting, establishing "quitting contracts," anticipating optionality, and conducting premortems and backcasts 
• Whether you're facing a make-or-break business decision or life-altering personal choice, mastering the skill of quitting will help you make the best next move.

This sounded like an interesting book and topic and it was. We probably all keep doing things we don't want to do or we've lost our passion for but we are too far into it quit or we worry about what people will think. This book lets you know that it's okay to quit.

The topics/chapters include:

1. Why quitting is our best tool for making decisions under uncertainty
2. Why, when you quit on time, it usually feels like you quit too early
3. The science of quitting - grit vs quit
4. Escalation of commitment - we respond to bad news by increasing our commitment to a losing course of action
5. Why "sunk costs" make it hard to walk away
6. Strategies to improve decisions about when to quit
7. How ownership of things and ideas make it difficult to change course
8. How our identity becomes an impediment to quitting and cause us to escalate commitment to disastrous choice
9. Strategy for mitigating biases that make walking away so hard including getting a quitting coach
10. Lessons we learn when we're forced to quit
11. The downside of goals

I liked the writing style and it's obvious the author has done a lot of research (you can see for yourself at the back of the book). There are lots of  examples including Sears, Mohammad Ali, mountaineer Rob Hall who passed away on Mount Everest, and more ... how they should have quit but didn't and the repercussions. It was an interesting book and I'm going to try to some of the principles like having a kill criteria, being aware of sunk costs, and more.

Book ~ "The Housekeeper" (2022) Joy Fielding

From Goodreads ~ Jodi Bishop knows success. She's the breadwinner, a top-notch real estate agent. Her husband, Harrison ... not so much. Once he had big dreams. But now he's a middling writer who resents his wife's success.

Jodi's father, Vic, now in his late seventies and retired, is a very controlling man. His wife, Audrey, was herself no shrinking violet. But things changed when Audrey developed Parkinson's ten years ago and Vic retired to devote himself to her care. But while still reasonably spry and rakishly handsome, Vic is worn down by his wife's deteriorating condition.

Exhausted from trying to balance her career, her family, and her parents’ needs, Jodi starts interviewing housekeepers to help care for Audrey and Vic. She settles on Elyse Woodley, an energetic and attractive widow in her early sixties, who seems perfect for the job. While Vic is initially resistant, he soon warms to Elyse’s sunny personality and engaging ways.

And Jodi is pleased to have an ally, someone she can talk to and occasionally even confide in. Until ...

She shuts Jodi out. And Audrey's condition worsens - rapidly. Who is this woman suddenly wearing her mother’s jewelry? What is she after? And how far will she go to get it?

Jodi is the married mother of two young children. As a real estate agent, she is the main support of her family. Her husband is a novelist who had success with his first book 10 years and and has been working on his second one since. Her parents are elderly ... her mother is bedridden and her father is her caregiver. As busy as Jodi is, her husband still seems to expect her to carry more of the load at home and is resentful when she cares for her parents. Somethings got to give so Jodi hires a housekeeper named Elyse, who seems perfect and it takes some pressure off Jodi. But things start taking a turn ... Elyse is controlling her parents' household, restricting access to them and wearing Jodi's mother's clothing and jewellery and there's nothing Jodi can do about it.

It was an intriguing story of how Elyse was able to take control of everything ... a bit farfetched but I went with it. I liked the writing style. It was written in first person perspective in Jodi's voice. As a head's up, there is swearing. 

I didn't find there were any likeable characters. Everyone, including her parents, husband and older sister, treated Jodi like crap. Despite her age (she's in her late 30s/early 40s) and having a successful career, she's a doormat and kept on taking everything so I had a hard time feeling sorry for her. Her family would insult her and she wouldn't say anything because that's the way they always spoke to her (they made no secret that her older freeloading sister was the favourite). When her husband treated her like crap, she took it because she didn't want to cause friction like she saw between her parents.

Book ~ "The Christmas Wish" (2022) Lindsey Kelk

From Goodreads ~ Newly single lawyer Gwen Baker is hoping that a family Christmas - countryside, a mountain of food and festive films - will salve the sting of her career hanging by a thread and her heart being trampled on. Because everyone else has their life sorted: even Dev, her boy-next-door crush, is now a tall, dark and handsome stranger with a fiancée. She can’t help wishing her future was clearer.

Then Gwen wakes up to discover it’s Christmas day all over again. Like Groundhog Day but with eggnog. And family arguments. On repeat.

As she figures out how to escape her own particular Christmas hell, Dev is the one bright spot. He might be all grown-up but underneath he’s just as kind and funny as she remembers.

Maybe, just maybe, her heart can be mended after all.

But how do you fall in love with someone who can’t remember you from one day to the next?

It's Christmas and Gwen is heading home with her cousin, Manny, to celebrate with her family. She's hoping it will lift her spirits because her long time boyfriend recently broke up with her to be with someone else and she has been suspended from her job as a lawyer at a big law firm because she threw a stapler at a rich client.

Christmas Day doesn't go as planned ... she's fighting (as usual) with her older sister, her brother-in-law is drunk and snarky, her grandmother hates her dress, her father finds out she's been suspected from her job, and more! She is happy when the day is finally over ... only to discover that when she wakes up the next morning, it's Christmas Day again and again and again.

Gwen suspects it must have something to do with the sixpense hidden in the rum pudding ... apparently whoever finds it gets have a wish granted. So every day she focuses on a different family member asking what their wish is and trying to fulfill it so she will hopefully wake up and it's Boxing Day.

I thought it was a cute story. I found the writing draggy and slow so skimmed a bit during the middle ... I didn't want to give up on it because I wanted to find out the ending. The story takes place in England so there are references I wasn't familiar with. It is written in first person perspective in Gwen's voice. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Muffin But the Truth" (2022) Ellie Alexander

From Goodreads ~ Ashland is known for its Elizabethan charm and touches of Shakespeare around every corner but the surrounding Rogue Valley draws adventure enthusiasts to its outdoor wonderland of high alpine lakes, mountain ranges, and pristine rivers. 

Jules Capshaw and the team at Torte have been hired to cater a weekend getaway on the mighty Rogue River. Jules is going to have to put her culinary skills to the test while baking gooey chocolate chip skillet cookies over an open flame and preparing extravagant feasts under a canopy of stars. 

The executive team at a big city firm will be rafting the Rogue’s rapids and gathering around the campfire for spooky stories but their dysfunction quickly begins to show. Between constant bickering and heavy drinking, Jules wonders how the team can accomplish anything. She’s happy for a brief reprieve when they zip up their lifejackets and head out in their boats but the serenity of the scene quickly vanishes when Jules discovers one of the execs floating face down in the water. She’s going to have to uncover the truth before she gets pulled under.

Juliet (aka Jules) was raised in small town Ashland, OR, which has a Shakespearean theme. She grew up helping her parents in their bakery and went on to culinary school. After working for many years on a cruise line, where she met her Italian husband, Carlos, she moved back home to take over the family bakery, Torte. Though she shares ownership of it with her mother, who is married the local head of police, Jules does the day-to-day running of it. Carlos runs the winery they have majority ownership of. Ramiro, Carlos' son from a previous relationship, is in high school and spending a year with them.

Jules and the Torte team have been hired to cater an outdoor glamping outing for executives of a firm from the city. It's supposed to be a teambuilding adventure but Josie, the boss, is always being rude to the execs which has everyone on edge. After a night of them eating, drinking and being degraded by Josie, Jules welcomes the quiet the next morning as she heads to the river for water ... until she sees a body in the water. She jumps in but it's too late. While the investigation goes on, the team isn't allowed to leave Ashland and strange things keeps happening to them.

This is the sixteenth in the Bakeshop Mystery series (I've read them all) and I thought it was okay. The whodunnit came up rather quickly and I didn't think the reason justified the murder. It's written in first person perspective in Jules' voice.  It was a quick light read and is a "cozy mystery" so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity. It works as a stand alone as there is plenty of background info provided.

Book ~ "Going Rogue: Rise and Shine Twenty-Nine" (2022) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Monday mornings aren’t supposed to be fun but they should be predictable. However, on this particular Monday, Stephanie Plum knows that something is amiss when she turns up for work at Vinnie’s Bail Bonds to find that longtime office manager, Connie Rosolli, who is as reliable as the tides in Atlantic City, hasn’t shown up.

Stephanie’s worst fears are confirmed when she gets a call from Connie’s abductor. He says he will only release her in exchange for a mysterious coin that a recently murdered man left as collateral for his bail. Unfortunately, this coin, which should be in the office - just like Connie - is nowhere to be found.

The quest to discover the coin, learn its value and save Connie will require the help of Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur, her best pal Lula, her boyfriend Morelli, and hunky security expert Ranger. As they get closer to unraveling the reasons behind Connie’s kidnapping, Connie’s captor grows more threatening and soon Stephanie has no choice but to throw caution to the wind, follow her instincts, and go rogue.

Stephanie works for Vince, her bail bondsman cousin, and Lulu, a former 'ho, works with her. When Stephanie and Lulu show up to work on morning, the doors are locked and the lights are out, which is very unusual because Connie, the office manager, is always there ahead of time. After looking around town for her, they get a call that she has been kidnapped and her ransom is collector's coin that was given to Vince as collateral when he bonded someone out of jail. Vince, though, has lost the coin and Stephanie and Lulu start hunting it down so they can save their friend and co-worker.

As usual, Stephanie and Lulu have a couple people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date, including her boyfriend, Joe's evil grandmother, Bella, who puts the evil eye on everyone. 

This is the 29th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all. As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Though dating long time boyfriend, Joe, she is lusting after both Joe and Ranger ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and eating lots ... check
• Lulu gets mad when people insult her about her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment ... check
• Stephanie's car explodes ... check
• Lulu says "on account of" about a million times ... check

This book was okay. It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  Stephanie is still torn between Joe and Ranger which is tiresome ... she says she loves Joe but is still attracted to Ranger, which Ranger encourages. I found it surprising that she has marriage in her mind so much in this book considering she's cheating on Joe with Ranger. I don't know why she's even with Joe since they don't seem to spend quality time together ... they eat pizza, watch a hockey game and/or have sex. Ranger looks out for her more than Joe does.

Since it's basically the same story over and over, though, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library. It's a mindless familiar quick read. As a head's up, there is swearing.