Before joining our book club, I hardly read a couple of books a year, even though I love reading. So when my colleague wanted to start a book club, I immediately jumped to the idea as I thought it would be a great way to pick up reading again… and it worked!

Honestly, ever since starting that book club, I have been reading way more than the obligated books for our gatherings and I am glad to say that I am reunited with a long lost love… the love for reading!

Now in today’s post I want to share with you two books which you can still finish before the end of August I’m sure, as they are the perfect summer reads: a bit of romance, a bit of heartache, a bit of life-changing actions for the heroine,… ideal to read on your outdoor terrace with a glass of wine or homemade ice tea at the ready 🙂

The lifelist – Lori Nelson Spielmann

Summary

This is the summary I could find on ‘Goodreads‘:

“In this utterly charming debut — one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects.
1. Go to Paris
2. Perform live, on a super big stage
3. Have a baby, maybe two
4. Fall in love 
Brett Bohlinger has forgotten all about the list of life goals she’d written as a naïve teenager. In fact, at thirty-four, Brett seems to have it all—a plum job at her family’s multimillion-dollar company and a spacious loft with her irresistibly handsome boyfriend. But when her beloved mother, Elizabeth, dies, Brett’s world is turned upside down. Rather than simply naming her daughter the new CEO of Bohlinger Cosmetics, Elizabeth’s will comes with one big stipulation: Brett must fulfill the list of childhood dreams she made so long ago.
Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision. Some of her old hopes seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other dreams (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. For each goal attempted, her mother has left behind a bittersweet letter, offering words of wisdom, warmth, and—just when Brett needs it—tough love.
As Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list, one thing becomes clear: Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.”

My thoughts

The first thing that appealed to me when I saw this book, was the lovely cover! And then I read the summary… oh well… off to the counter 😀

This was such an easy, relaxing read… a bit predictable perhaps, but I didn’t care. You can sympathize with Brett Bohlinger from the start as she is struggling with her mother’s death. When she realizes she has to complete her bucket list before getting her inheritance, you can almost feel her grief, her anxiety and her uncertainty.

But one step at the time she’s getting there. It keeps her on her feet and it makes her deal with the loss of her mother.

I finished this book in a couple of days time, just because I wanted to find out how Brett would finish her goals. I didn’t for a second think she wouldn’t finish them, because as I said, it is quite a predictable story, but on a hot summer’s day you don’t want things to get too complicated now do you 🙂

The inn at Rose Harbor – Debbie Macomber

Summary

This is the summary I could find on ‘Goodreads’:

“From #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber comes a heartwarming new series based in the Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove, where a charming cast of characters finds love, forgiveness, and renewal behind the doors of the cozy Rose Harbor Inn. 
Jo Marie Barlow first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a sense of peace and a fresh start. Coping with the death of her husband, she purchases a local bed-and-breakfast—the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn—ready to begin her life anew. Yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine. 
Her first guest is Joshua Weaver, who has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, and Joshua has little hope that they can reconcile their differences. But a long-lost acquaintance from Joshua’s high school days proves to him that forgiveness is never out of reach and love can bloom even where it’s least expected.    
The other guest is Abby Kincaid, who has returned to Cedar Cove to attend her brother’s wedding. Back for the first time in twenty years, she almost wishes she hadn’t come, the picturesque town harboring painful memories from her past. And while Abby reconnects with family and old friends, she realizes she can only move on if she truly allows herself to let go. 
A touching novel of life’s grand possibilities and the heart’s ability to heal, The Inn at Rose Harbor is a welcome introduction to an unforgettable set of friends.”

My thoughts

Another pleasant book, once more quite predictable as a relaxing summer read should actually be 🙂

The book tells the story of Jo Marie Barlow, a woman who starts a bed and breakfast in Cedar Cove after the death of her husband. It’s a nice read, alternatively telling the stories of Jo and her first two guests Joshua and Abby.

When I started reading this book, I thought it would be more about Jo, but actually the side stories of Joshua and Abby were even more important and completely worked out, in contrast to the character of Jo. OK, she’s doing fine and all, but I just found that a bit odd.

But then I found out that this book is part of a series of 8 books… I guess I’ll have to read the rest of the series to find out how Jo’s doing after the death of her husband! How is she holding on? Will her B & B be thriving? Will she find her place in Cedar Cove? And… will she find love again???

Plenty more books to read now I suppose 🙂

Which summer reads can you recommend? Do you like these kinds of stories or do you prefer other genres? Let me know in the comments!

Love, Kathleen