Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake

Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake - 346 pages

Hadley's life has been in turmoil ever since it was discovered that her father had been having an affair.  They moved to a new town.  Her mother has withdrawn.  Her father is constantly trying to reconnect with Hadley.  Then she meets Sam.  He seems to get her -- her grief, her sorrow, and her anger.  Hadley begins to fall in love with Sam.  However, Sam has a secret that he hasn't told her . . .

I enjoyed this teen novel.  It did a good job of really showing the emotions of both of the main characters and how an act can change the lives of several people.  I would recommend this to teens who enjoy Sarah Dessen, Morgan Matson, and Jennifer E. Smith.

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher-257 pages

I wanted to read this since Carrie Fisher just passed away and I am a fan of Star Wars. I enjoyed reading this and it was enthralling to read her candid thoughts, both at the time and now, on her affair with Harrison Ford, her becoming a celebrity/star, and being Princess Leia. Overall, I am glad that I read it. It is an easy, flowing read.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 432 pages
On the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick's wife Amy disappears. There are signs of struggle in the hose and Nick quickly becomes the obvious prime suspect. It doesn't help that Nick hasn't been completely honest with the police and, as Amy's case drags on for weeks, more and more vilifying evidence mounts against him. However, the evidence against him just seems too clear and Nick maintains his innocence. As revelation after revelation unfolds, it becomes clear that the truth does not exist in the middle of Nick and Amy's points of view; in fact, the truth is far more dark, more twisted, and more creepy than you can imagine. Told from alternating points of view between Nick and Amy, Gillian Flynn creates an untrustworthy world that changes chapter to chapter.

The Counterfeit Mistress by Madeline Hunter

The Counterfeit Mistress by Madeline Hunter - 327 pages
The Fairbourne Quartet #3

Viscount Kendale has been suspicious of Marielle Lyon for over a year.  Rumors have swirled for years that she is not simply a French emigre, a niece of a count killed during the French Revolution, but instead a French spy.  Now Kendale has caught Marielle in the act of passing papers to two men in an alley.

I thought this was the best book of the series so far -- maybe because it was more humorous than the other two books.  Even though it dealt with serious issues it interjected quite a bit of humor by playing the two main characters off of each other.

The Conquest of Lady Cassandra by Madeline Hunter

The Conquest of Lady Cassandra by Madeline Hunter - 325 pages
The Fairbourne Quartet #2

Lady Cassandra has been an object of scandal since she refused to marry the man who compromised her during her first season.  Now she lives with her aunt and is determined to protect her from her brother who wants to send her to an asylum.  Her plan means receiving the money from the auction of her jewels.  Unfortunately, Viscount Ambury, one of the buyers, refuses to pay until he gets the provenance of the jewels he purchased.

Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas

Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas - 375 pages

Amanda Briars has been approached by editor Jack Devlin to publish her first work.  Agreeing to do this will put her in regular contact with a man she finds attractive and mesmerizing.  She takes the risk and ends up in an affair with him.  When rumors start to go around, she must make the decision -- stay with the affair and risk becoming a social pariah or end it and be unhappy without the man she has come to love.
This is a pretty standard historical romance.  Spinster gets drawn into affair with rich man.  Will true love win out or society's expectations for her?