Before the Storm…

I have not done a book review in a while, as the Fall season has been quite busy with a lot going on. However, with the holidays upon us, it’s always good to take a break and re-energize before the craziness of holiday shopping and parties begin. I have blogged about Diane Chamberlain before, as I love all of her books, so here I go again (click here for the review of my favorite book of hers).  Some of her books are part of a series or trilogy, as are the two that I am reviewing today, Before the Storm and Secrets She Left Behind.  Once again, I do suggest you read them in order, as it always makes it easier to follow the story line. I simply could not wait to read the sequel to see how the story unfolds, and trust me, you will be just as anxious!

Photo Courtesy of Diane Chamberlain Books.

Photos Courtesy of Diane Chamberlain.

Before the Storm (Synopsis)
Fifteen-year-old Andy Lockwood is special. Others notice the way he blurts out anything that comes into his mind, how he cannot foresee consequences, that he’s more child than teenager. But his mother sees a boy with a heart as open and wide as the ocean. Laurel Lockwood lost her son once through neglect. She’s spent the rest of her life determined to make up for her mistakes, and she’s succeeded in becoming a committed, protective parent—maybe even over-protective. Still, she loosens her grip just enough to let Andy attend a local church social—a decision that terrifies and infuriates her when the church is consumed by fire. But Andy survives…and remarkably, saves other children from the flames. Laurel watches as Andy basks in the role of unlikely hero and the world finally sees her Andy, the sweet boy she knows as well as her own heart. But when the suspicion of arson is cast upon Andy, Laurel must ask herself how well she really knows her son…and how far she’ll go to keep her promise to protect him forever.

Secrets She Left Behind (Synopsis)
One afternoon, single mother Sara Weston says that she’s going to the store—and never returns. In her absence, she leaves her teenaged son alone with his damaged past and a legacy of secrets. Keith Weston nearly lost his life in an act of arson. He survived—but with devastating physical and emotional scars. Without his mother, he has no one to help him heal, no money, nothing to live for but the medications that numb his pain. Isolated and angry, his hatred has one tight focus: his half-sister, Maggie Lockwood. Now the person Keith despises most is the closest thing he has to family—until Sara returns. If Sara returns. . .

So, I hope I have peaked your interest in these terrific mysteries.  Now just pick up a copy of these books, or download them to your e-reader, and enjoy a great read!

Have you ever read a novel by Diane Chamberlain?  If you have, I’d love to hear which was your favorite.My Signature

Keeper of the Light Trilogy

With some of us in the middle of spring break and summer just around the corner, I thought it would be a good time for some more book reviews. Here are some great reads from one of my favorite authors, Diane Chamberlain, a USA Today and London Times bestselling author of 23 novels (click here for the review of my favorite book of hers). I started reading Keeper of the Light, not realizing it was the first of The Keeper of the Light Trilogy, which also includes Kiss River and Her Mother’s Shadow. After I finished the first book, I could not wait to hear what happened to the O’Neill family and I had to read the other two books…I couldn’t put them down. Although they do not necessarily need to be read in order, I highly recommend you do, to better follow the story line.

Photos Courtesy of Diane Chamberlain

Photos Courtesy of Diane Chamberlain

Keeper of the Light (Synopsis)
Dr. Olivia Simon is on duty in the emergency room of North Carolina’s Outer Banks Hospital when a gunshot victim is brought in. Midway through the desperate effort to save the young woman’s life, Olivia realizes who she is-Annie O’Neill. The woman Olivia’s husband, Paul, is in love with. When Annie dies on the operating table, she leaves behind three other victims. Alec O’Neill, who thought he had the perfect marriage. Paul, whose fixation on Annie is unshakable. And Olivia, who is desperate to understand the woman who destroyed her marriage. Now they are left with unanswered questions about who Annie really was. And about the secrets she kept hidden so well.

Kiss River (Synopsis)
Set eleven years after the first book, the O’Neill family finds itself facing new challenges in the form of a stranger obsessed by the old Kiss River Lighthouse. Separated by a continent from her child, Gina Higgins comes to Kiss River with little more than a desperate plan. Now, saving her daughter depends on whether she can uncover a message buried deep below the ocean’s surface. Kiss River’s historic nineteenth-century lighthouse has all but fallen into the sea, taking with it the huge Fresnel lens that once served as its beacon. Gina is desperate to find a way to raise the lens; the glass holds the key to her future, her fortune and her only chance to save the one person who matters to her. Clay O’Neill lives in the old light keeper’s house, a home he shares with his sister, Lacey. When Lacey invites her to stay with them, Gina eagerly accepts. As Gina begins her quest to raise the lens, Clay finds himself drawn to her struggle, and to Gina herself. But the answers lie deep below the ocean. And the lighthouse holds secrets that neither Clay nor Gina can anticipate….

Her Mother’s Shadow (Synopsis)
Visiting the O’Neill family once again in the haunting setting of Kiss River, Her Mother’s Shadow tells the story of the adult Lacey O’Neill as she’s thrust into the role of mother before she’s had a chance to truly grow up herself. Annie…A loving mother and wife, Annie O’Neill was the heart of the small community of Kiss River. But her generous nature hid a darker side that remained secret for years after her tragic death. Lacey…When Lacey O’Neill finally learns the shattering truth about the mother she’s spent a decade emulating, the foundation of her life begins to crumble. Then her close childhood friend dies, leaving her teenage daughter, Mackenzie, in Lacey’s care, and Lacey unwillingly finds herself in the role of mother. Mackenzie…Uprooted by her mother’s death, Mackenzie resents her new home of Kiss River. She wants nothing to do with the father who never knew she existed—and especially not her mother’s oldest friend. But the person who could understand her best might be the one she resents most: Lacey.

So, I hope I have peaked your interest in these terrific mysteries.  Now just pick up a copy of these books, or download them to your e-reader, and enjoy a great read!

Have you ever read a novel by Diane Chamberlain?  If you have, I’d love to hear which was your favorite.

My Signature

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes

Now that summer is around the corner and many of us are starting to plan our vacations or just hanging out at our favorite beach, lake, pool, etc., it’s time for some good summer reading.  I love to read and when I find a good book, I just can’t put it down until I’ve finished it. When I was much younger, I read many of the Flowers in the Attic series by V.C. Andrews. Years later, I became obsessed with the mysteries of Mary Higgins Clark, and I read many of her novels as well.

In the past few years, I’ve read many more books, and I will be featuring some of my favorites in the weeks to come.

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain (click here for synopsis)
Let me start by saying that I love all of the books by Diane Chamberlain and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her at several book signings, as she lives in Raleigh, NC, where I used to live a few years ago.  Her books always have a mystery to them, and they really keep you guessing.  This is the first of her books that I read a few summers ago, and I think I finished it in two lazy beach days!  It is my favorite of all her books and it pretty much got me hooked on this author.  Without giving much away, I’ll just say, go buy a copy, or download it to your e-reader, grab a towel, some suntan lotion, shades, a cold drink, and enjoy a great afternoon read!

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Photo Courtesy of Diane Chamberlain Books