The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez
Goodreads blurb: An epic novel of the construction of the Panama Canal, casting light on the unsung people who lived, loved, and labored there, by Cristina Henríquez, acclaimed author of The Book of Unknown Americans . It is said that the canal will be the greatest feat of engineering in history. But first, it must be built. For Francisco, a local fisherman who resents the foreign powers clamoring for a slice of his country, nothing is more upsetting than the decision of his son, Omar, to work as a digger in the excavation zone. But for Omar, whose upbringing was quiet and lonely, this job offers a chance to finally find connection. Ada Bunting is a bold sixteen-year-old from Barbados who arrives in Panama as a stowaway alongside thousands of other West Indians seeking work. Alone and with no resources, she is determined to find a job that will earn enough money for her ailing sister’s surgery. When she sees a young man—Omar—who has collapsed after a grueling shift, she is the only one who rushes to his aid. John Oswald has dedicated his life to scientific research and has journeyed to Panama in single-minded pursuit of one goal: eliminating malaria. But now, his wife, Marian, has fallen ill herself, and when he witnesses Ada’s bravery and compassion, he hires her on the spot as a caregiver. This fateful decision sets in motion a sweeping tale of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice. Searing and empathetic, The Great Divide explores the intersecting lives of activists, fishmongers, laborers, journalists, neighbors, doctors, and soothsayers—those rarely acknowledged by history even as they carved out its course
My Take: 4 out of 5. A lovely varied human take on the effects of the Panama Canal. There are so many characters in the story that on one side, it made me love the interconnectedness of it all but on the other, I didn’t get to know all of them enough to really form a bond and care what happened. There were some stories that I just wasn’t as invested as the others.
A great way to show the varying characters of the effects of the canal although I don’t know if it was relevant/funny or interesting that it was mostly of foreigners – the Panamanians weren’t as in. My favorite funny parts was how Ecuador hats became Panama Hats for the foreigners, I had always wondered that. A great book to read for Historical fiction lovers as its a beautiful human history lesson.
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh
Goodreads blurb: A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life–one yes at a time. Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she’s settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn’t go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she’s great with that. And then, the accident. While she’s in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate–a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of “things I’ll do someday,” and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born. It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way–a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina’s son Hayden and Georgina’s ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins. Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple “yes.”
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher. it comes out July 2, 2024.
My Take: 4.25 out of 5. funny, adorable and heartwarming story without taking itself too seriously. ITs funny, but also very insightful. Really why should we wait until we are old or a almost death experience to do what we like. Most people do, these characters do, but I think its a great story on just taking a summer of Yes ever so often. Say yes to life that is coming up. I love the interconnectedness of the stories and how these two women met and complement each other in such different ways.
One Star Romance by Laura Hankin
Goodreads blurb:A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin. Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man. Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel, which has them both reeling: Nat from imposter syndrome, and Rob over the reason he needed to write it. When the reception ends, these two opposites hope they’ll never meet again. But, as they slip from their twenties into their thirties, they’re forced together whenever their fast-track best friends celebrate another milestone. Through housewarmings and christenings, life-changing triumphs and failures, Natalie and Rob grapple with their own choices—and how your harshest critic can become your perfectly imperfect match.
After all, even the truest love stories sometimes need a bit of rewriting.
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher. it comes out June 18, 2024.
My Take: 3.5 out of 5 – The very long burn timetable of this enemies to lovers is wonderful to go through, I kind of love that its decades in the making, very When Harry met Sally. It is predictable but lovely. My other qualm other than the predictableness of this is that I really hate miscommunication tropes and this has it in spades. Its a cute quick read that is going to be great for the beach!
The Husbands By holly Gramazio
Goodreads blurb: An exuberant debut, The Husbands delights in how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options? When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years. As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
My Take: 3.5 out of 5. I had such high expectations for this book. I asked for an ARC, had heard so much buzz and it was even Read with Jenna’s book pick and i usually agree with her. This is however a case of two high expectations. It’s not that it was a bad book, it just was not great. I was expecting to be really engaged and in the end I just didn’t care enough. There are plenty of great things about it. It has a great, if absolutely wacky premise. Can you imagine swiping right on a full marriage and family. IT’s implications are intense, stressful and funny at the same time. I think my issue with this book is that i did not care about Lauren and therefore did not care about a) the life she lost when she embarked on this time loop but b) who she ends up with since I know nothing about her. I think I’m in the minority in this view, and It’s been so widely praised that I think you should read it and let me know what your hot take is on this one.
Happily Never After by Lynn Painter
Goodreads blurb: Their name? The objectors. Their job? To break off weddings as hired. Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other. When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!” During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in. The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all. And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.
my take: 3.25 out of 5. It is a cute rom com and a very fast read, it just doesn’t do much past the cute romance to take it to a much higher rating in my book. There was nothing that got me super excited I was just lukewarm happy and engaged and got through it in a day. I do have to say the concept of objectors is really fun, I however, of the huge amount of weddings I’ve been to have never encountered a moment where they actually ask does anyone object o this union. I feel like this happens way to often in movies books vs the opportunities in real life.
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