Title: The Second Home
Author: Christina Clancy
Genre: Adult Contemporary
Publication Date: June 2nd, 2020
Content Warning: Rape, Suicide
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley.
“After a disastrous summer spent at her family’s summer home on Cape Cod, seventeen year old Ann Gordon is left harboring a secret that changes her life forever, and creates a rift between her sister, Poppy, and their adopted brother, Michael.
Now, fifteen years later, her parents have died, and Ann and her sister Poppy are left to decide the fate of the old Wellfleet home that’s been in the Gordon family for generations. While they both love the house, they decide to sell it and move forward. But then Michael re-enters their lives with a legitimate claim to a third of the estate. He wants the house. But more than that, he wants to set the record straight about that long ago summer.
Reunited after years apart, these very different siblings are forced to decide if they can continue to be a family–and in the process, they’ll discover that the house might be the glue that holds them together.” (Goodreads)
I wanted to like this book, I did. Family dynamics are always interesting to me and so the synopsis pulled me in. The thing is, there were just too many factors I didn’t like about it.
This review will not be spoiler-free.
The writing pulls you in and the characters start off as being very intriguing. They hold secrets. Since there are three siblings, they each have their own point-of-view. I always like more than one but some of their chapters just felt slow and a bit bland.
The plot twists/tragedy is where this book took a turn I didn’t want. The main character, Ann, is sexualized by an adult who eventually rapes her. This leads to pregnancy and then drama between the boy/ her friend that her family had adopted. The rape part had details that were very uncomfortable and had me wanting to dnf. Since this was an arc I chose to continue but should have listened to my gut because it didn’t get better.
The man who does the raping/sexualizing ultimately kills himself while Ann and his wife are in the same house discussing what happened. His wife says something along the lines of, “Oh dear, I must have forgot a gun.” Like what? Even if you didn’t love your husband is that really what you say? It just baffled me so much!
The ending didn’t really have much closure but I guess I should have known that since at 90% not much wrapping up had begun.
Overall, this book wasn’t for me and I personally wouldn’t recommend it.
Title: The Sweeney Sisters
Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother’s death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren’t quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.
Lian Dolan is a writer and talker. She’s the author of two Los Angeles Times best-selling novels,Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife published by Prospect Park Books. Her next novel,The Sweeney Sisters, will be published in 2020 by William Morrow. She’s a regular humor columnist for Pasadena Magazine and has previously written monthly columns for O, The Oprah Magazine and Working Mother Magazine. She’s also written for TV, radio and websites. Lian is the producer and host of Satellite Sisters, the award-winning talk show she created with her four real sisters. On Satellite Sisters, she’s interviewed everyone from Nora Ephron to Madeleine Albright to Big Bird. Satellite Sisters began life as a syndicated radio show and is now a top-rated podcast for women. The recent book by the Satellite Sisters,You’re the Best: A Celebration of Friendship, is popular with book clubs.A popular speaker who combines humor and heart, Lian has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS Sunday Morning and The Today Show and many local TV stations. She’s been a featured speaker at the LA Times Festival of Books, the Santa Barbara Celebrity Authors Lunch, the Literary Guild of Orange County Festival of Women Authors and dozens of other events at libraries, book stores, schools and women’s organizations across the country. In 2020, she’ll be on the faculty of the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop. Lian graduated from Pomona College with a degree in Classics. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband, two sons and a big German shepherd.
Title: Body Language
Title: One Week ‘Til Christmas
Title: Well Met
Synopsis: ”
1.) I have been wanting to read Five Feet Apart but I just keep pushing it off. I was planning to see the movie while visiting family but never got around to it so it still makes the list!
2.) Crazy Rich Asians seems hilarious and cute but again, haven’t found the time to do it. I think since I am in a reading slump I may stay clear of fantasy right now and read a contemporary in hopes it helps. Maybe my library will have this one available.
3.) Everything Everything has been out for awhile but as usual I am always behind! It seems like a great movie and one that I need to get sooner than later!
Title: Nick and June Were Here
Title: The Sisterhood
