A friend from FB said that she needs to finish 2 thick books in 8 weeks for her freshman law course, I shot back and said: I have bought 8 books in the last 2 months and not a single page was read...sigh!! :-(
But everyday, when Im on the net, I search for movies to watch, music to listen to and books to read. While I was reading updates on my FB, I read status of my long lost friend about a book of Luanne Rice "Follow the Stars Home", I got curious and began to read its reviews. Just by the stars marked on it, I felt the need to search more for the books similar to that of Rice's...and here's what I found, now included in my books wishlist ( to be bought and be read...:-)
1. The You I Never Knew by Susan Wiggs
A story about a single Mom who 17 years after returns home to donate her kidney to a dying father. There, all her painful past began resurfacing when she runs into her ex boyfriend who happens to be the father of her child, a father who is now trying to correct everything and discovering her own self and the people surrounding her.
2. Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe "I do" moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman's dream day come true. With perfect flowers, delicious desserts, and joyful moments captured on film, Nora Roberts's Bride Quartet shares each woman's emotionally magical journey to romance.
In Bed of Roses, florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn't found Mr. Right. And the last place she's looking is right under her nose.
But that's just where Jack Cooke is. He's so close to the women of Vows that he's practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion—kiss for blistering kiss—they must trust in their history…and in their hearts.
3. Full-time Father by Susan Mallery
A lonely millionaire suddenly discovers that he has a child. Is he capable of raising a child he is just beginning to know? Would the child's aunt give him the chance to become a full time father? I hope this book will get me hooked as Ive read good reviews about it.
4. Cloud Nine by Luanne Rice
Sara Talbot a cancer patient on remission has taken her second life seriously and has gone home to rekindle ties with family. On the way home, she met a perfect conversation partner in the person of Will. When Sara got home, she struggled mending fences with her unfeeling father and a troubled son. In all these struggles, she found refuge in the arms of Will who has given her love that will sustain them beyond forever.
5. Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy
When security expert Riley McAllister helps his grandmother haul a wagonload of old junk to the Antiques on the Road show, he doesn't think she'll get more than five dollars for the lot. But the moment the dragon hits TV screens, collectors are on them like a pack of hungry wolves, especially the owner of the House of Hathaway, San Francisco's most prestigious antiques emporium. Against his better judgment, Riley entrusts the dragon to Paige Hathaway for appraisal, which turns out to be a big mistake when the dragon goes missing. Paige and Riley's search for the object d'art takes them on a fast-paced adventure through the streets of San Francisco, from fashionable Union Square to funky Chinatown, where Paige discovers the existence of her half-sister Alyssa Chen. A WWII pact between the protagonists' fathers, a 1,000-year-old legend and romance between Riley and Paige and between Alyssa and an old love add depth and richness to the story. Those charms, combined with Freethy's smooth prose, spirited storytelling and engaging characters, are sure to send readers on a treasure hunt for the author's backlist books.
6. Out of The Storm by JoAnn Ross
Laurel's roommate Chloe Hollister is part of the Veep's contingent heading to his hometown of Somersett, South Carolina for an annual festival. That afternoon Chloe calls from Somersett telling Laurel that she has an idea who set her up. She says she will call later as she cannot speak freely at this time. When Chloe fails to call, a worried Laurel rushes to Somersett to insure her friend is safe, but Chloe is missing. Laurel visits the police; homicide detective Joe Gannon listens to her story since he investigates the death of Sissy Beale, who might be Chloe. Laurel states the corpse is not her roommate. Over the next few days her friend's vanishing and the Sissy case interconnect even as Joe and Laurel fall in love.
The lead couple is a delightful pairing deserving of one another although Joe feels inadequate having let down his nice former wife and their now deceased son. The two suspense subplots interconnect smoothly and not just through a paranormal element when Laurel enters a trance in which she enacts the final minutes of Sissy. Although the villain is so insane that it seems impossible that no one in his circle or the media recognized that, fans will appreciate this police procedural romance due to solid casting and a fine suspense plot.
7. My Sunshine by Catherine Anderson
A quietly courageous heroine takes a chance at life and love in the latest installment in Anderson's Coulter family series. With the author's signature nurturing warmth and emotional depth, this beautifully written romance is a richly rewarding experience for any reader.
A woman with aphasia ( condition that even simple things like writing , reading and speaking becomes a daily challenge) struggling to make daily living an ordinary thing found a job as kennel keeper. While it gave her an avenue to do what she really loves doing, the people around her seeing this magical effect made them realize that her handicaps are overshadowed by her compassion and ability to love truly.
8. The Parting Glass by Emilie Richards
Megan, who is feeling hopelessly unprepared in her new marriage, has no idea how to fix the problems already facing her relationship. Casey, who is happily married to her high school sweetheart, is facing a new challenge: motherhood. And Peggy, who always dreamed of becoming a doctor, has put medical school on hold with the discovery that her young son is autistic.
Each facing her own difficulties, the Donaghue sisters are brought to the remote Irish village of Shanmullin by Irene Tierney, a distant relative who hopes that they will be able to help her learn the truth about her father's death in Cleveland more than seventy-five years ago. As a stunning tale of secrets and self-sacrifice, greed and hidden passions unfolds, the life of each sister will be changed forever.
9. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn
Ten Things You Should Know About This Book
1. Sebastian Grey is a devilishly handsome rogue with a secret.
2. Annabel Winslow's family voted her The Winslow Most Likely to Speak Her Mind and The Winslow Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Church.
3. Sebastian's uncle is the Earl of Newbury, and if he dies without siring an heir, Sebastian inherits everything.
4. Lord Newbury detests Sebastian and will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.
5. Lord Newbury has decided that Annabel is the answer to all of his problems.
6. Annabel does not want to marry Lord Newbury, especially when she finds out he once romanced her grandmother.
7 is shocking, 8 is delicious, and 9 is downright wicked, all of which lead the way to
10. Happily. Ever. After.
10. The Island by Elin Hilderbrand
This is another excellent offering of smart chick lit from Elin Hilderbrand. The novel is told from the rotating perspectives of the four women, which gives the reader the opportunity to identify with each of the women and her story. Each of the women has her own internal demons that she must overcome on the island--from Chess' anguish over her fiance, to India's memories of her famous husband, to Tate's uncertainty at first love, and Birdie's challenge of starting again after a difficult divorce. The different experiences of the four women gives every reader a character that she can identify with, and makes for an never dull read.
If you are a fan of Hilerbrand's brand of smart and fun women's fiction, this is a novel for you. It's light enough for a beach read but with enough genuine emotion and real life to suck you in for this genuine good read.
Of course, I could go on and on with my list on the endless books Im discovering with every page I opened on the net, downside is that I have realized I missed reading a lot of books which makes me sad...:-(
So I guess, I should make this wishlist become a reality...ciao for now, heading to the nearest bookstore!!!
( some excerpts of reviews taken from Amazon.com)
