Be Frank with Me by Julia Clairborne Johnson

Released January 2016

Johnson’s debut novel is highly original and brought to life by its unusual characters and their witty dialogue. The unique relationships that the characters create with one another make for an interesting and touching read but the anti-climatic ending will leave you unsatisfied. 3 out of 5 stars.

SUMMARY: Mimi, a reclusive, former best-selling author and single mother, needs help to complete her second novel. After a 25-year silence, she calls her editor and asks him to send someone to keep her on track. His assistant, Alice, arrives at Mimi's California home to help her finish the book on time, but Mimi has other plans for her. Mimi locks herself away, leaving Alice to care for Mimi's eccentric 9-year-old son, Frank, who gets into mischief at every turn. As Alice gets to know Frank, she becomes intensely curious as to who Frank's father is while trying to discover what role Xander, Frank's transient ex-piano teacher, plays within the family. She wonders if Frank's father and Xander, the man she has fallen for, are one and the same.

Unhinge by Calia Read (review)

This is a new release, just out on January 12th.

This book keeps you guessing until the end and then you will want to reread everything. By jumping from present day to flashbacks, we feel the characters confusion, frustration and determination to uncover the truth, no matter the consequences. Her "dead" husband tells her she has been in Fairfax for three years; a mysterious stranger says only six months. I highly recommend this mind-boggling book to fans of twisting psychological thrillers and romantic intrigue with a warning due to three detailed intimacy scenes and some strong language. NOT CHRISTIAN APPROVED.

 

SUMMARY: Garden-lover and ex-nurse, Victoria, awakens in a psych ward with a faulty memory. Victoria's confusion and frustration with being in Fairfax leads to her quest to unlock the last three years of memories. She remembers marrying Wesley Donovan, a cutthroat lawyer, soon after meeting.  The key may lie with Sinclair Montgomery, the mysterious stranger who shows up at Fairfax, claiming to know and love her.  4.5 out of 5 stars.