My Frugal Adventures

There are some fantastic books out this summer that I am really looking forward to reading.  I tried to include a little something for everyone- so many of my favorite authors have released new books I can’t wait. Just three books on my nightstand and then I plan to start on this list.

Meant To Be by Emily Giffin 

Emily has written so many wonderful books over the years and can always be counted on for a great summer novel you can get lost in.  Her latest release is an homage to Emily’s fascination with JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.  It is the story of Joe Kingsley, a blue blood young man trying to live up to the expectations of his family and the nation. Cate is a young woman trying to overcome a childhood filled with poverty and abuse, using her beauty to find a path to a better life.  The chemistry is instant but can they overcome the spotlight and the intensity of the Kingsley name?

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub  

This is the story of Alice, content with her life on the eve of her 40th birthday.  Her father is ill and she can’t quite put her finger on what is missing.  One night she wakes up to discover she is 16 again and back in 1996.  The biggest shock isn’t reliving her teenage years but rather seeing her Father as a vibrant, happy person that makes her rethink her relationship and see the past in a new light.  

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner  

Jennifer Weiner is such a great author and I always find it hard to put her books down.  This is the story of a family brought together by a sudden wedding announcement that takes them all back to the family’s beach house in Cape Cod. Each person must grapple with messy, complicated lives and relationships with each other. 

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center  

You might remember Katherine Center’s best seller How to Walk Away from a few years ago.  Her stories are so engrossing and this one sounds really good.  It is the story of Hannah, a young woman that looks sweet on the outside but is actually a very savvy and skilled bodyguard.  She is hired to protect, Jack, a celebrity that fell out of the public eye after a family tragedy, that suddenly finds himself dealing with a stalker.  Jack doesn’t want his family to find out about his stalker and when he returns to the family home to care for his mother, he convinces Hannah to pose as his girlfriend.  Hannah finds the role a little too easy to fall into and has to confront her prior heartbreaks or risk missing out on something wonderful.  

The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani 

I adore Adriana Trigiani and have been recommending her books for years now.  She writes lovely romances, woven into complicated family relationships of Italians and Italian-Americans.  This is the story of Matelda, the tough family matriarch facing the end of her life.  She gathers her family together to share the story of her own mother, forced to leave her beautiful Italian village on the brink of WWII. She travels to France and Scotland and England, meeting a dashing Scottish sea captain on the way… 

The Grand Design by Joy Callaway  

In 1908, Dorothy is a young socialite trapped by the expectations set for her by society and her family.  On a trip to a resort in the woods, Dorothy meets a young, Italian race car driver that opens her eyes to the life she wants.  Her family steps in and puts her back on track to the life she is expected to lead. Decades later, as the US enters WWII, Dorothy has defied convention by getting a divorce and starting an interior design firm.  When a commission takes her back to restore the resort of her youth, Dorothy finally has a chance to change her fate.

Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier  

I have heard this is very compelling but also quite dark so a great novel if you want an alternative to the lighter stuff above.  Paris Parelta suddenly arrested after her famous husband is found murdered in his bathtub.  Paris is not only covered in blood but also holding a razor.  The threat of prison is not what scares her but the publicity that follows the case and the potential for Paris’ long buried past to be exposed. 

Violeta by Isabel Allende 

Violeta is born into a close South American family after WWI and as the Spanish Flu ravages through her country.  The family survives only to lose everything in the Great Depression.  We get to know Violeta over her 100 year life- including wars, the Suffrage movement, tyrannical dictators and two pandemics.

All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers 

Anyone else a fan of the podcast, Crime Junkie?  This is a novel from the host, Ashley Flowers, who does an amazing job telling the stories of missing and murdered people week after week.  This is the story of Margot, a young journalist that returns home to her small town to care for an ailing relative.  She is forced to relive a terrible tragedy from her youth as a similar crime is committed with circumstances that are all too familiar.  Margot decides to dig into her past and attempt to solve the crime that haunts her from her youth.  This won’t be released until August but looks like it will be worth the wait!

Hopefully this list inspires you to add to your TBR pile this summer.  If you would like to see prior book recs, click here.