Must-read inspys: 'London Tides,' 'Married 'til Monday,' 'Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor'
London Tides by Carla Laureano
What it's about (from publisher David C. Cook):
Irish photojournalist Grace Brennan travels the world's war zones documenting the helpless and forgotten. After the death of her friend and colleague, Grace is shaken.
She returns to London hoping to rekindle the spark with the only man she ever loved—Scottish businessman Ian MacDonald. But he gave up his championship rowing career and dreams of Olympic gold years ago for Grace ... only for her to choose career over him. Will life's tides bring them back together ... or tear them apart for good this time?
Why you should read it: When introduced in a small role in Five Days in Skye, Ian seemed to be a hard, stodgy and quite scowl-y older brother, but in London Tides, book two in the MacDonald Family series, Ian is fleshed out and shown to be much softer than his first impression. Likewise, Grace has a beautiful brokenness, a dichotomous fragility that makes her strong and independent, but she needs to allow herself to lean on the strength of others. Of course, they're perfect for each other!
Achieving an aching depth and a resounding trueness within a heated, yet baggage-ridden romance, author Carla Laureano has proved herself a storyteller who is not afraid to take her characters into the darkest regions of their own hearts. An excellent follow-up to her RITA award-winning Five Days in Skye, London Tides tugs and churns every emotion ... right up until the lovely, hope-buoying end. A must-read for any lover of contemporary romance!
Serena chats with author Carla Laureano …
Serena: The first book in this series — your debut novel, no less — won a RITA award, the Oscar of the romance fiction world. How did that affirmation — and the pressure to avoid the dreaded "sophomore slump" of a series — impact you as you readied book two to meet the world?
Carla: Fortunately, London Tides was already written by the time the RITA nomination came out, so the pressure the award brought didn't affect the content of the story or how I went about telling it. But there's no doubt there's an extra measure of nervousness involved in following up a book that was as widely loved as Five Days in Skye. Ultimately, I just focused on telling the story in a way that was true to the characters and my own vision, and I love how it turned out. This is one of those books that will always be close to my heart.
Serena: You recently released the second book of your Song of Seare fantasy series (writing as C.E. Laureano), and you're working on two very different "book three" projects. How's that going?
Carla: Fortunately, both "book three" projects are safely in the hands of my editors where they belong. I should be getting a peek at the typeset pages for The Sword and the Song any time now, in anticipation of its September release. I didn't expect to be quite so sad about saying goodbye to either set of characters, but after three years, they become like real people. I'll miss them!
Serena: With several books in the works, two young boys at home and an active volunteer schedule, what do you do when you need to relax?
Carla: I have almost as many hobbies as I have books — sewing, cooking, knitting, movies, music. I don't read much when I'm in the final phases of writing or editing, but now that I'm temporarily deadline-free, I'm looking forward to catching up on my to-be-read stack.
Serena: You've dropped a couple of hints in London Tides as to the characters we might encounter in book three of this series. When should we expect to have that novel in hand? Will we return to the Isle of Skye?
Carla: The last book in the MacDonald family series is called Under Scottish Stars, scheduled to be released in June 2016. It follows the story of the third MacDonald sibling, Serena, as she attempts to reconcile romance with her responsibilities as a single mum. The setting does return to the Isle of Skye — in fact, the title of the book is a nod to the fact that the island is one of the top places to stargaze in Europe, so expect some romantic moments under the night sky!
Married 'til Monday by Denise Hunter
What it's about (from publisher Thomas Nelson):
Ryan McKinley has tried to move on from his ex-wife, Abby. He's sulked, he's gotten angry, and ultimately he bought her dream house. Big mistake. Living alone in the massive two-story has only made him miss her more. When her parents call him out of the blue about their anniversary party in Summer Harbor, Maine, Ryan believes God has dropped a golden opportunity straight in his lap.
Abby McKinley never exactly told her parents about the divorce. A strained relationship with her dad has culminated in a distant relationship with her parents, but she's finally succumbed to her mom's pressure to make the drive for their 35th-anniversary party.
Then Ryan shows up on her doorstep, looking as handsome as ever. When he insists he's going to Summer Harbor, with or without her, Abby knows she can't say no. Her parents still think they're married and now Ryan knows it too. It's just a one-week road trip with the man who broke her heart. What could possibly go wrong?
Why you should read it: Taking a cute Hallmark movie-type of idea and deepening it with a backstory of childhood abuse that might make you weep (I did), Denise Hunter once again proves herself to be a storyteller with an eye for building characters that make you ache as you come to understand the poor choices they've made ... and exult when they overcome all that holds them back from love.
Ryan is familiar as a minor character in previous Chapel Springs novels, but he really shines in this book as a man determined to overcome whatever stands in the way of proving his love and winning back what was lost. With frequent dashes of humor and heat within the heartache of yearning, Married 'til Monday is an excellent book in which to get lost. I highly recommend you add it to your TBR stack!
Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor by Melanie Dobson
What it's about (from publisher Howard Books):
Libby, a free spirit who can't be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver's death.
Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family's cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions over her father's death. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family's belongings. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family's history.
Why you should read it: Although this Gothic-toned story flows more like women's fiction than contemporary romance, it cannot be denied the classification of "love story." With a bit of misplaced trust, a couple of star-crossed lovers, several well-meant but damaging deceptions and many sacrifices made so that loved ones can thrive, it is, in fact, several kinds of love stories.
Moving seamlessly through points of view spanning three generations of secret loves and loyalties, author Melanie Dobson has created a cast of characters stuck in a cycle they do not even know exists. Even so, that cycle leads toward a beautiful ending that redeems the past, romances the present and promises a hopeful future. Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor is a poignant mix of historical and contemporary family drama that delivers a beautifully redemptive love story that will appeal to a diverse audience of readers.
A writer, performer and accomplished partaker of dark chocolate, Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband and two daughters. Her Eyes of E'veria series — The Ryn, The Remedy and The Seahorse Legacy — is out now. You can find out more about her at serenachase.com.