Book ~ "The Armchair Detectives" (2025) Matt Dunn

From Goodreads ~ They might be over the hill but they’re far from six feet under and now there’s a murder to solve!

Meet Martin Maxwell. As a former government operative, at eighty-four-years young he always pictured a retirement sipping shaken-not-stirred martinis on a far-flung island. But in need of some care after a new hip, he finds himself at Twilight Lodge on the decidedly cloudy English coast.

From the outside, it’s a picture-perfect place to recuperate. But when popular resident Elsie dies unexpectedly, Martin suspects foul play. She’s the third death in less than two weeks and always had a clean bill of health. Armed with a walking stick and his trusty notebook and pen, Martin decides to investigate.

While nobody believes him – death is an inevitable part of care home life after all – Martin is convinced something sinister is afoot. With his wheelchair-bound sidekick and former nemesis Albie in tow, they begin questioning the residents. Soon they learn that there are several suspects in the frame.

When they discover Albie’s love interest Barbara is in the killer’s sights, Martin knows time is running out. Will Albie’s heart be broken forever, or can they battle the effects of old age and each other, outwitting a murderer before it’s too late?

Martin is 84 and a widower, recovering from hip surgery and not wanting to burden his daughter to have to take care of him. Instead he checks into Twilight Lodge, a seaside care home where he plans on taking it easy and recuperate. But taking it easy doesn’t last long. When one of the residents dies unexpectedly (and then others start dying), Martin’s old instincts kick in. Martin isn’t your average retiree ... he used to work for “The Company” (something very spy-like). When he starts connecting the dots, he’s sure there’s foul play involved. Luckily his old partner, wheelchair-bound Albie, who claims to not remember Martin, is also at the home and the two end up sleuthing together along with Martin’s wild theories and his notebook full of half-remembered clues.

This was a fun story and it was interesting to have it written from the first person perspective of an 84-year-old man. It's surprisingly a cozy mystery as there is no swearing or violence. The interactions between Martin and Albie were cute. There are some red herrings and I was okay with the whodunnit. It seems like it's the first of a series and I look forward to reading the future books.

Book ~ "The Summers Between Us" (2025) Noreen Nanja

From Goodreads ~ A young ambitious lawyer returns to her family's rural property after 10 years and must confront her deepest fears and long-buried secrets for a second chance at love with the one that got away, despite her family's expectations.

Lia is a corporate lawyer who seems to have her life completely figured out ... she’s got the high-powered career, a potential boyfriend her mother will approve of and the perfect immigrant daughter image everyone expects from her. 

When her aunt, who has been staying at the family cottage needs surgery, Lia agrees to stay at the cottage to care of her teenage cousin. Next door to their cottage live Wes, Lia’s first love, and his mother. Lia and Wes' teenage romance happened over five summers but it didn’t last because of family expectations, cultural clashes and a secret (which we don't learn about until near the end) drove them apart. She runs into him again at the cottage after not seeing him for about ten years and she tries to resist the emotions that are coming back.

I thought this story was okay, though not original. It moves back and forth between the past (the five summers when Lia and Wes fell in love) and the present (the chapters are labeled). It's written in first person perspective in Lia's voice. I liked that it was set in Ontario and the author didn't try to hide that. I found it hard to believe that Lia and Wes, after not seeing each other for about ten years and nearing age thirty, still carried a torch for each other after all these years, considering it was a teenage romance. There is swearing and adult activity and it was icky reading about the teenage Lia and Wes partaking. I didn't find Lia and Wes overly believable as teenagers as they seemed too mature.

Book ~ "John Candy: A Life in Comedy" (2025) Paul Myers

From Goodreads ~ From his humble beginnings in sketch comedy with the Toronto branch of Second City, to his rise to fame in "SCTV" and Hollywood film classics like "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", "The Great Outdoors" and "Uncle Buck", John Candy captivated audiences with his self-deprecating humour, emotional warmth and gift for improvisation. Now for the first time since Candy’s tragic death, biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs.

Drawing on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short and many more, "John Candy: A Life in Comedy" celebrates the comedian’s unparalleled talent, infectious charm and generosity of spirit. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt, Candy faced the world with a big smile and a warm demeanour that earned him the love and adoration of fans around the world.

This book is a behind-the-scenes look at the life and career of John Candy (1950 - 1994). It dives into Candy’s rise from local sketch comedy in Toronto to Hollywood fame, while also showing the kind, generous and sometimes troubled man behind all the laughs.

Candy grew up in Toronto and got his comedy start at Second City. Thanks to Dan Aykroyd, he landed a spot on SCTV and became a breakout star with his big heart and even bigger characters. From Stripes to The Blues Brothers to Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles to Cool Runnings, Candy built a career on playing lovable funny underdogs. This book takes you through those roles and others (there are whole chapters on most of his movies).

The author spoke with a lot of Candy’s friends and co-stars (including Steve Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Tom Hanks, Martin Short and Dan Aykroyd) to show the deep affection and admiration so many had for him. Off-camera Candy was generous and thoughtful ... for example, buying Thanksgiving dinner for entire film crews, comforting homesick extras and always making time for people. The book also looks at Candy’s struggles with anxiety, his weight and the pressure of being “the funny guy.”

I was (and still am) a fan of John Candy. He passed away just over 30 years ago and I'm surprised it's taken this long for someone to write such a book about him. I enjoyed it and it was interesting to learn more about Candy. It's obvious that it's well-researched and honest ... though he knew better (his father had passed away young of a heart attack), Candy liked his smokes, rum & Cokes and food. It would have been nice, though, to have some photographs included as it's just all text.

Book ~ "Living in the Present with John Prine" (2025) Tom Piazza

From Goodreads ~ In the spring of 2018, Tom Piazza climbed into a 1977 Coupe DeVille with the great singer-songwriter John Prine, taking a Florida road trip that soon evolved into a deep friendship, full of jokes and tall tales over epic meals, afternoons digging around antique malls and record stores, and long nights playing guitar and trading songs. 

Eventually they decided to write Prine’s memoir together and Prine shared intimate, often hilarious stories of his youth and family in Chicago and Kentucky, his breakthrough into the national spotlight, his riotous early years in the Nashville country scene, and much more. 

When Prine died suddenly of COVID in April 2020, that unfinished memoir evolved into an intimate narrative of the artist’s final years. Piazza offers fans an unforgettable portrait of the beloved musician in his late glory - as a boyish cut-up, an epic raconteur, a great American poet, and most importantly, the good friend his fans have always imagined.

John Prine was an American country/folk singer-songwriter who has been around since the early 1970s. I've been a fan of John Prine for over 40 years. I've seen him many times in concert and was happy I attended his last concert here in Toronto (The Tree of Forgiveness tour). I think his death during COVID probably hit me the hardest of all the celebs who had passed away during that time.

Tom Piazza spent time with Prine at home and on the road with the intent of writing an article about him before Prine asked him to work on a memoir about him. They ended up enjoying a two year friendship before he passed away. Piazza shared moments that showed Prine's sense of humor, his love for the simple things and the way he saw the world a little differently than most. Even after surviving cancer, Prine didn’t dwell on the past or future ... he was all about appreciating what was right in front of him (especially food and dessert!). Prine's songs were simple but packed with emotion, real life, heart and a touch of wry humor. 

I enjoyed this book. I like that there were actual interviews with Prine transcribed so we got to know Prine in his own words and his sense of humour. Prine sounds like a fun guy to hang out with. In addition to spending time with Prine, Piazza also spent time with his family including Prine's wife, Fiona, his sons and his late older brother, Dave. It was nice to see the intimate pictures of Prine as a regular guy. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "The Names" (2025) Florence Knapp

From Goodreads ~ Can a name change the course of a life?

In the wake of a catastrophic storm, Cora sets off with her nine-year-old daughter, Maia, to register her son's birth. Her husband, Gordon, a local doctor, respected in the community but a terrifying and controlling presence at home, intends for her to name the infant after him. But when the registrar asks what she'd like to call the child, Cora hesitates.

Spanning thirty-five years, what follows are three alternate and alternating versions of Cora's and her young son's lives, shaped by her choice of name. In richly layered prose, "The Names" explores the painful ripple effects of domestic abuse, the messy ties of family and the possibilities of autonomy and healing.

In 1987, Cora has just had her second child and is heading to register her son's name. Gordon, her dominating and abusive husband, wants their son to be named "Gordon" after him and his father. Cora wants to name him "Julian". When she asks their nine-year-old daughter, Maia, what she would like him to be named, she suggests "Bear". What follows are the three different versions of the naming of their son over the 35 years. It's not the name itself that affects their lives but Gordon's reaction to the name and the repercussions.

I thought this was an interesting premise for a story ... kind of like the movie, Sliding Doors, which I've seen many times. The story is chopped up in seven year increments over the next 35 years, each covering the three name versions. I liked the writing style but I found I really had to focus because when the stories changed names and time periods, I'd have remember what was going on and who was involved. In hindsight, it might have been better to skip ahead and read all the same name sections at one time (so all the Bears, then Julians and then Gordons). As a head's up, it was hard to read the parts with the domestic violence.

Book ~ "She Didn't See It Coming" (2025) Shari Lapena

From Goodreads ~ When a beloved wife and mother disappears, a luxurious condo building transforms into a potential crime scene, and the investigation begins: can the detectives find her before it's too late?

Bryden and Sam have it all: thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter. The perfect life for the perfect couple.

Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden - working from home that day - has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.

Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.

Bryden and Sam are a successful married couple with a young daughter named Clara. One day when Bryden fails to pick Clara up from daycare, Sam gets the call. But when he gets home, he finds Bryden’s car in their underground garage and her belongings including her purse, laptop and phone, inside their condo. The only thing missing is Bryden herself. Worried, Sam calls the police and soon the investigation begins with Sam quickly landing under suspicion, as is often the case with spouses. 

I’ve read a few books by this author and thought this one was okay. I did enjoy the writing style. It’s told in third person and shifts focus among several characters. As the story unfolds, there are quite a few people who might be involved in Bryden’s disappearance and they all have secrets ... Sam, her sister, her best friend, a neighbour with a disturbing past, a man she was in a car accident with recently and others. There’s a good twist when the truth comes out but I didn’t fully buy into the reveal. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "The Retirement Plan" (2025) Sue Hincenbergs

From Goodreads ~ Three wives wanting a new life, three husbands in their way ...

After thirty years of friendship, Pam dreams of her perfect retirement with Nancy, Shalisa, Marlene and their husbands - until their husbands pool their funds for an investment that goes terribly wrong and their dreams of beachfront condos and a sunny carefree retirement vanish. The golden years are looking as dreary as their marriages.

But when one husband dies in a freak accident, the other three women are shocked to see his widow rebound with a huge life insurance payout and a new life in Florida. In the aftermath, the women discover that their husbands have identical, seven-figure life insurance policies. A new dream forms and this time, it involves a hitman.

Meanwhile, their husbands have a secret retirement plan of their own. So when things begin to go awry, they fear their own scheme may have backfired ... with deadly consequences. The husbands scramble to stay alive but they may not be fast enough to outmaneuver their wives.

What follows is a high-stakes tale of cat and mouse, both laugh-out-loud funny and unbearably tense, while ultimately a bighearted look at marriage, friendship, and middle-age.

Couples Pam and Hank, Nancy and Larry, Andre and Shalisa and Marlene and Dave have been best friends forever. Things turned sour a couple years ago when Hank talked the guys into investing their retirement savings into a scheme that went bad. Now in their early 60s, instead of enjoying their relaxing retirement, they are all still working and the women feel bitter and unappreciated. 

When Dave suddenly dies in a freak accident and Marlene gets a huge insurance payout (and a fresh start in Florida), the other wives can’t help but wonder if the same thing can happen for them. Pam, Nancy and Shalisa start plotting their own "accidental" retirements and find a hit man to bump off Hank, Larry and Andre so they too can get a huge insurance payout and join Marlene. The husbands felt bad about ruining their retirement dreams and unbeknownst to the wives, have been illegally growing the assets back over the last four years as a surprise. Then things don't turn out as planned.

It is the debut novel by this author and I enjoyed it. The story itself was intriguing (and no, it didn't give me any ideas ... ha!). I liked the writing style ... it was humorous with lots of twists and turns. It's written in third person perspective with a focus on the various characters. I liked the characters ... the four couples were my age so I could relate to where they were in life. There were some other funny characters ... Padma, Hank's clueless boss at the casino whose mother in India keeps trying to marry her off via a matchmaker; Hector, the barber/hitman; Brenda, Hector's wife; and even Elmer, Pam's rescue dog. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "The Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays - A Curated History of the Jays" (2025) Keegan Matheson

From Goodreads ~ This thoughtful and engaging collection of essays captures the astute fans’ history of the franchise, going beyond well-worn narratives of yesteryear to uncover the less-discussed moments, decisions, people, and settings that fostered the Blue Jays' distinctive identity.

Through wheeling and dealing, mythmaking and community building, explore where the organization has been, how it came to prominence in the modern major league landscape, and how it will continue to evolve and stay in contention for generations to come.

Jays fans in the know will enjoy this personal, local, in-depth look at baseball history.

If you're a Blue Jays fan, you should check this book out. Instead of walking through every season, Matheson picks out the best, wildest and most emotional moments from nearly 50 years of Jays history. 

For example, such as the Jays' dramatic and super-secret attempt to sign Shohei Ohtani in 2023. They rolled out the red carpet with custom lockers, team gear and even a special dog jacket for his dog. But in the end, Ohtani signed with the Dodgers.

The chapters include:

1. Origin Stories
2. Only in Toronto
3. Faces of the Blue Jays (such as Dave Stieb, Cito Gaston, Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado John Gibbons, etc.)
4. Stories of the Seasons
5. The Glory Years
6. The Storytellers (such as Tom and Jerry, Dan Shulman and Buck Martinez)

The book isn’t just about blockbuster deals. Matheson also dives into quirky and heartfelt moments ... like players trying to stay warm at freezing Exhibition Stadium with soup and the emotional return to Rogers Centre after nearly two years away during the pandemic. 

I liked the writing style. It was as detailed as I needed it to be. Because Matheson covers the team for MLB.com, he brings a unique insider vibe so can share personal stories, player memories and little moments that most fans never hear about. What would have made the book even better is if there had been photographs. As a heads up, there is a swearing (some baseball people surprisingly have potty mouths ... ha!).

Book ~ "Women Who Woke up the Law: Inside the Cases that Changed Women's Rights in Canada" (2025) Karin Wells

From Goodreads ~ Behind every “landmark case” is a woman with a story.

Karin Wells pulls us into the lives and the legal trials of a group of women integral to the advancement of women’s rights in Canada. 

Eliza Campbell, Chantale Daigle, Jeannette Corbiere Lavell - these Women Who Woke Up the Law often had no idea what they were facing in the courts or the price they would have to pay. 

Some never saw justice themselves but they left a legal legacy. Their bold determination is something we need now more than ever to guard the hard-won gains in women’s rights.

This book is an exploration of 10 groundbreaking legal battles led by Canadian women that changed life for women and often, the law itself. It brings us behind the scenes of ten big legal battles led by everyday women who stood up to unfair systems and pushed for justice, even when the odds were totally against them:

1. Eliza Campbell (divorce law) - wrongly accused of adultery in the 1880s, she fought for her reputation and alimony and her struggles prompted early reforms in divorce rights
2. The Famous Five - in 1929, challenged the idea that only men were “persons” under the law and won
3. Florence Murdoch (property rights) - an Alberta ranch wife whose decades of labor went unrecognized until her fight brought attention to women's entitlement to shared property
4. Jane Doe (sexual assault ["No Means No"]) - in 1999, a consent ruling that defined clear boundaries around marital and extramarital sexual violence
5. Stella Bliss (maternity benefits) - her pursuit of unemployment insurance during maternity leave helped define equal treatment
6. Jeannette Corbiere Lavell and Indian Status Laws - she challenged the discrimination that stripped Indigenous women of their status when marrying non‑status men
7. Chantale Daigle (abortion rights) - in Quebec in the 1980s, she fought in court for her right to choose abortion
8. Jane Hurshman (domestic violence and homicide in self‑defense) - her killing of her abusive partner brought about legal protections for battered women
9. Viola Desmond and Rachael Baylis (racial justice) - these Black women’s legal battles brought attention to discrimination
10. NDAs and power - examines legal conflicts over non‑disclosure agreements and the right to one’s own narrative as it pertains to Jan Wong, Kaarina Pakka, Peter Nygård and others

I thought this topic would be interesting and it was. Some of these cases I'd heard of (like Jane Hurshman and Viola Desmond, for example) while others were new to me. I was expecting it to be dry and dull but it wasn't. There was just enough information and when/if I wanted more, I Googled. It's obvious the author did a great deal of research. It's an excellent book for women to read and thank those who came before us for all they did. As a head's up, there is swearing and descriptions of violence.

Book ~ "A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic" (2013) Caseen Gaines

From Goodreads ~ The definitive guide to everything fans want to know about "A Christmas Story" shares the inside story behind the film’s production, release, and unlikely ascent to the top of popular culture. 

From Jean Shepherd’s original radio broadcasts to Bob Clark’s 1983 sleeper hit film and beyond, "A Christmas Story" has become a beloved Yuletide tradition over the last three decades. 

In conjunction with the 30th anniversary of its theatrical release, this is the untold story of the making of the film and what happened afterwards. Ralphie Parker’s quest for a Red Ryder air rifle didn’t end with the movie’s release; the tale inspired massive VHS sales, a Broadway production and a mountain of merchandise. Complete with rare and previously unreleased photographs, now fans of the movie and film buffs alike can learn all they didn’t know about the timeless classic.

"A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic" is about the making, legacy and impact of the 1983 film "A Christmas Story". The book explores the origins of the film, which was based on the semi-autobiographical stories of Jean Shepherd found in his book, "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash". Gaines provides behind-the-scenes stories such as challenges during production (waiting/hoping for snow for the school yard scenes) and reveals little-known facts about the cast and crew (like hiding the fact that the actress playing the teacher was eight months pregnant in real life but they had to hide this because a pregnant teacher wasn't a thing in the time the movie takes place). 

The book also discusses how the film, which had modest success at the box office, gradually gained cult status through repeated television broadcasts, especially its 24-hour Christmas marathon. The book looks at fan devotion, memorabilia and even the restoration of the house used in the film, which has become a museum (the museum was recently sold and the website isn't working). 

We usually watch "A Christmas Story" around Christmastime every year so it was interesting to find out more about it. The book was published in 2013 and had insights from most of the actors (though nothing from the actors who played Ralphie, the mom and the dad, who had passed away by then). For the younger actors, this seems to be their peak of success and they are still riding it (the actor who played Randy quit his job at Starbucks to live in the museum for a while as a tour guide). I found the book got a bit uninteresting when the focus shifted to musicals that were made about it. There were lots of pictures, which was fun. Surprisingly there was some swearing when some of the actors were quoted.

Book ~ "From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home" (2019) Tembi Locke

From Goodreads ~ It was love at first sight when actress Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of his marrying a black American woman. However, the couple, heartbroken but undeterred, forged on. They built a happy life in Los Angeles, with fulfilling careers, deep friendships and the love of their lives: a baby girl they adopted at birth. Eventually, they reconciled with Saro’s family just as he faced a formidable cancer that would consume all their dreams.

"From Scratch chronicles" three summers Tembi spends in Sicily with her daughter, Zoela, as she begins to piece together a life without her husband in his tiny hometown hamlet of farmers. Where once Tembi was estranged from Saro’s family, now she finds solace and nourishment - literally and spiritually - at her mother-in-law’s table. In the Sicilian countryside, she discovers the healing gifts of simple fresh food, the embrace of a close knit community, and timeless traditions and wisdom that light a path forward. All along the way she reflects on her and Saro’s romance - an incredible love story that leaps off the pages.

While studying in Italy, Tembi, an African-American woman, meets Saro, a Sicilian chef. They fall in love, even though his traditional family isn't exactly thrilled at first. Eventually they build a life together in Los Angeles and adopt a daughter, Zoela. Their happy life takes a turn when Saro gets cancer and passes away. After his death, Tembi and Zoela head to Sicily to reconnect with his roots and spend time with his family. Happily his family had accepted her a few years before and welcome her into their homes.

I thought this book was okay. It bounced back and forth from the past to the present. It was interesting to read about their customs. For example, Saro's parents didn't approve of the relationship and marriage and his father, as the patriarch, forbid anyone in the family to have contact with Saro and Tembi ... and the members of his family went along with it. Eventually his second cousin visited them and then other members started to reach out until finally his parents did. From the author's descriptions, Sicily sounds like a nice place to visit. There are recipes at the back. It would have been nice to have some pictures included of Saro, Tembi and the rest of the families. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Tembi and I share a birthday (she's 8 years younger) and got married to Saro on our birthday, which is coincidentally what Gord and I did!

Book ~ "The Big Empty" (2025) Robert Crais

From Goodreads ~ Traci Beller was thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family but Traci never believed it. The police couldn't find her dad and neither could the detectives her mother hired but now, ten years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire a new detective: Elvis Cole.

Taking on a ten-years-cold missing person case is almost always a loser but Elvis heads to Rancha where he learns an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister and dangerous. Elvis calls in his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, to help, but even Pike might not be able to help.

As Elvis Cole and Joe Pike follow Tommy Beller's trail into the twisted nightmare depths of a monstrous evil, the case flips on its head. Victims become predators, predators become prey and when everyone is a victim, can Elvis Cole save them all?

In a case that tests Elvis Cole's loyalty to his clients and himself, the truth must come out no matter the cost. Elvis must face The Big Empty and see justice done.

Elvis Cole is a private detective and is hired by Traci, an influencer and baker, to find her father. Tommy had disappeared on his way home from work 10 years ago. Traci's mother had hired a private detective to find him but nothing came of it so she had him declared legally dead. With the 10 year anniversary of his disappearance coming up, Traci wants Elvis to reopen the case and find out what happened to her father. Ten years is a long time and a lot of the people from the initial investigation are dead or have moved. Elvis finds a witness who hadn't been interviewed all those years ago and this eventually provides him with more clues to follow and he does eventually find out what happened, which provides him with a moral dilemma.

I discovered the Elvis Cole series in the 1990s.  What attracted me to it was that Elvis was funny and tried to be charming ... the books were a fun read.  I found the last few in the series more heavy and serious and not as much fun and didn't really enjoy them. This book seemed to be reminiscent of the earlier books ... yay! It's written in first person perspective when the focus is on Elvis and third person perspective when it's Joe Pike, Elvis' friend and partner (always fun to have Joe in a book!), and the "kill car" (I wasn't crazy about the kill car chapters).  Though it's #20 in the series, it works as a stand alone. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "Famous Last Words" (2025) Gillian McAllister

From Goodreads ~ It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there and in his place is a cryptic note.

Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman.

What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says ...

Camilla has been off on maternity leave and is heading back to work. When she wakes up that morning, Luke, her husband, is nowhere to be found. He isn't answering texts and she then finds a short odd note from him. After she drops their daughter off at daycare, she goes to the office, excited to start her day. She's not there long before there is a hostage situation in a warehouse and police determine that Luke is involved. They arrive at Camilla's office to take her home. Things go wrong ... one hostage is released, two hostages are shot and killed and Luke has disappeared.

Seven years later, Luke is still missing and Cam is still trying to move on with her life. Not surprising it's hard because she still wonders what happened to make Luke kidnap and shoot the two hostages, which was out of character for him. And how the events unfolded still haunts Niall, the hostage negotiator.

I wasn't crazy about this story. I found it overly long and draggy. I could have done without Niall's side story of the break-up of his marriage and the time spent with a therapist still dealing with the hostage taking events and his marriage. There was so much of the book devoted to this. I can understand these things would bother him over the years but thought it could have been covered in a lot less detail. I could have also have done without all the time spend on Cam's older sister, Libby's desire to get pregnant. It didn't add to the mystery of what happened to Luke and why he did what he did, which to me was the point of the book.

It's written in third person perspective with a focus on Camilla and Niall. I didn't find Camilla overly likeable and I found Niall kind of boring. When the ending came (we finally find out what happened to Luke and why he did what he did), I thought "huh?" and I wasn't buying it. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Say You'll Remember Me" (2025) Abby Jimenez

From Goodreads ~ There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes - all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong.

... unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date - possibly the best in living history - Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life - and even a love - worth remembering.

Samantha found a kitten and took it to the vet to get checked out. The vet turns out to be a grumpy Xavier who advised euthanasia because its bumhole hadn't properly formed and it would eventually die if expensive surgery wasn't done. Samantha stormed out and raised enough money to save the kitten. She took the kitten back to Xavier for another check-up and he asked her out. They have a wonderful time that night and then she informed him that she was moving back home for good to California the next day. Her mother had dementia and the family was banding together to take care of her at home. 

I thought this story was okay. Samantha and Xavier were cute together ... her humour countered his seriousness. But things escalated quickly from there. I know she just met the guy but it wasn't until he was dropping her off at home after their date that he discovered she was moving from Minnesota to California in a couple of hours ... how could it not have come up in the conversation especially since she'd brought the kitten in to get a travel note? 

They acknowledged they had a great time but it couldn't go anywhere. Despite now being thousands of miles apart, Samantha and Xavier can’t stop thinking about each other. The next thing you know, Xavier is travelling to California a couple weeks later and it's like they'd been together forever. They are planning a life together but couldn't figure out how it was going to happen. 

Samantha's mother had dementia and the family had promised her she would live at home and never be put in a facility. So Samantha, her father, her maternal grandmother, her brother, her sister and her sister's two young sons all lived at the grandmother's house and took turns taking care of the mother. The mother became violent at times, didn't know who they were, wandered off, wouldn't take her medications, etc. I've never known anyone with dementia but shouldn't she have been a facility where trained people could take of her properly? It emotionally and physically beat them down but they were determined not to break the promise of keeping her at home. Really?! 

Neither Xavier nor Samantha had much money ... Xavier was still paying off his loans for his practice and Samantha was contributing to the household finances. Samantha then put her extra money along with the others into renovating their grandmother's house ... shouldn't the priority of the extra cash have gone towards getting the mother proper care instead of sprucing up the house? Xavier started working crazy hours at various clinics to make enough to fly back and forth to see Samantha in California and was burning himself out.

It's written in first person perspective alternating in Samantha and Xavier's voices (the chapters are labeled). There were references to characters in another author's stories I hadn't read so I didn't get them (I looked them up later ... it was weird the author would assume we all knew). As if the long distance relationship and the mother's dementia wasn't enough, there was more not so happy things that happened. I knew everything would be resolved at the end but I wasn't buying how it all came together. As a head's up, there is swearing and some adult activity.

The cat rescue I volunteer with had a kitten a couple years ago that was born without a bumhole and the surgery was expensive. Happily the cat is doing well now.

Book ~ "I Died on a Tuesday" (2024) Jane Corry

From Goodreads ~ THERE’S THE STORY EVERYONE BELIEVES ...

The victim: Eighteen-year-old Janie leaving home for a new life.

The criminal: World-famous rock star, Robbie, who harbours a shocking secret.

The protector: Witness support officer, Vanessa, desperate to right the wrongs of her past.

They tried to bury that fateful day. Now it’s back to haunt them.

... AND THEN THERE’S THE TRUTH.

Eighteen-year-old Janie was excited that she was heading off to London to start a new job and a new life. A couple days before she is going to leave she gets hit by a van and the occupants leave her for dead. She doesn't die but she is badly injured and ends up in a wheelchair, has memory issues and can't speak. Twenty years later someone is finally arrested for the hit and run. Everyone is shocked when it's Robbie, a beloved famous rock star. To avoid the publicity it will bring to his wife and children (plus a secret reason we find out later), he pleads guilty.

When I started this book, I found it interesting. Then it got ridiculous and farfetched but I stuck with it because I was too far into it and wanted to know how the ending would come together. I wasn't crazy about the writing style. The book is almost 500 pages and the writing have been tighter and less draggy.

There was A LOT going on in addition to the Robbie/Janie story. There were so many side stories and each could have been their own books. Vanessa was 69 and acted like she was 89. She'd been widowed three years earlier and still had conversations with Jack, her dead husband, and in her head he spoke back telling her what to do, which was unbelievable. In addition to being a volunteer support person for witnesses in court, she ended up having a complex side story when she found out Jack had kept a secret from her and she got sucked into that. Janie's mom had mental issues and had disappeared one day when Janie was younger. Everyone thought she took some drugs and drowned but Janie thought she was still alive and is determined to find her (before her accident her going on and on about her mother being still alive was tiring). Vanessa was friends with the judge trying Robbie's case and he had a secret of his own ... and he had conversations with a past love who lovingly talked back which was also unbelievable.

It's written in first person perspective in Janie's voice and third person perspective in Vanessa, Robbie and other's voices. I didn't like any of the characters and didn't care what happened to them. Robbie had a rough childhood but acted pathetic and entitled when he got to the prison awaiting his trial. I wasn't buying that Janie couldn't speak but could suddenly express herself by singing (huh?!) and remembered many details from the accident 20 years ago. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.

Book ~ "Three Days in June" (2025) Anne Tyler

From Goodreads ~ Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job - or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit. 

But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past.

This story takes place over three days:

Day 1 - Gail is divorced, in her early 60s and assistant headmistress at a school. She discovers come fall she is jobless. Debbie, her daughter, is getting married tomorrow and is spending the day at a spa with everyone but Gail, who wasn't invited. Max, her ex-husband, arrives for the wedding but has nowhere to stay because he has brought along an elderly cat he is fostering (he was going to stay at Debbie's but Kenneth, her fiancé, is allergic to cats) so Gail lets him stay with her. She must put on a happy face at the rehearsal dinner.

Day 2 - Debbie is getting married today and they discover Max hasn't brought a suit so they take him shopping. The wedding and reception happen.

Day 3 - Debbie is now married and heading to Bermuda with Kenneth, Max is heading home and Gail is alone again.

Considering how long this author has been writing, surprisingly this is the first book I've read of hers. It was just okay. It's written in first person perspective in Gail's voice. Not a lot happens ... mostly Gail reflecting on her life but not doing much to change it.

Book ~ "Beverlee Beaz meets Lowree Louise, the Blue Burmese" (2025) Regan W. H. Macaulay and Wei Lu

From Mirror World Publishing ~ Beverlee Beaz, the brown Burmese, longs to share her creative adventures with someone special. When she meets her new sister, Lowree Louise, the blue Burmese, she knows she has found a true friend with whom to play imagination games ... if only she can teach the little kitty how. 

Join Beverlee in her latest tale as she mentors her sister in the ways of imagination.

Beverlee Beaz is a brown Burmese cat with a very active imagination.  Her world is perfect except she realizes that something is missing in her life. Her human parents coincidentally surprise her with a new sister named Lowree Louise, a blue Burmese cat. Beverlee is really excited because now she has someone she can play with and mentor. And so begins the adventures of Beverlee Beaz teaching Lowree Louise the best game in the world, which is using their imaginations.

This is a story for young children and not only is it cute but it also encourages children to use their own imagination. So instead of just seeing a red cardinal, imagine that it's a fire breathing dragon! The illustrations are gorgeous and colourful. At the end of the book, there are a couple activities ... colouring a picture of Lance the white stallion as a pegasus and a word scramble.