Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

Hello everyone. I hope you are having a great day.

I want to make an observation that none of you care about and has nothing to do with books, but it has to be said.  Why do people tasting stuff on YouTube raise their shoulder high that is holding the fork, pull it grandly out of their mouth, then close their eyes to taste the food? It isn't just cooking videos but even with people that are doing reviews at places like Disney World.  Do your taste buds only work if your eyes are closed? I am sorry but this relates to their saying they make "the best" whatever. I doubt it.  I guess I still have my nose out of joint.  I'll be quiet.  Wait, one more complaint...it is not good manners to hold a giant piece of broccoli or sausage to your mouth on a fork and take a bite off.  Does nobody know how to use a dinner knife anymore? Okay, now I think I'm done. Over and out.

I recently read Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams. I've read many books by this author and have always enjoyed them. Williams writes what may be considered historic fiction, but I actually find that true with some of her books more than others. What you can always count on is a good story, with great character development and an interesting plot. Her most recent offering is no different.

In Under the Stars, we are treated to a story about a mother and daughter. The mother, Meredith, is a famous actress, working toward a comeback. Daughter, Audrey is a chef who discovers a mysterious chest having belonged to her estranged father. Despite not wanting to return to their family home on Winthrop Island in New England, both women find they must, in order to address their issues. What ensues is a family mystery, begging to be discovered. This is done with the aid of part of the story being told in a flashback to 1846 where Providence, who has a secret, is fleeing on a steamship which starts to sink near Winthrop Island. Of course, Beatriz Williams brings the whole story together with her normal mastery, holding the readers interest until the very end. As usual, a great read from a consistently good author. I can't wait for more.

Many thanks to Random House/Ballentine and Net Galley for the early look. It was a pleasure.

**review by hubby, he is a huge Beatriz Williams fan.

Inheritance by Nora Roberts

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

Did I ever tell you that I am an heiress?  I inherited a fair amount of money, far more than small countries are worth.  Five large homes all over the world, which I hardly ever visit.  I hear the butler I employee at my Paris home is very good, although I've never met him.  Then there are the yachts.  Two to be exact, complete with crew.  It seemed like overkill, so I rent one out for that TV show Below Deck.  Yep, life is grand.  Believe me?  I'm usually telling you to stop laughing, but now I am the one giggling.  The only thing I ever inherited is a rocking chair and some pretty pronounced arthritis in my thumbs.  Can you guess what the book I just read is about and that I had nothing to relate to?  Pretty obvious huh?  Oh well, my pretend wealth was fun for the 10 seconds I had it.

I recently read Inheritance by Nora Roberts. This is the story of a young woman, Sonya, who has lost her dad.  She finds out her dad had a twin that he never knew about.  Her newfound Uncle has also passed away and despite not knowing her, has made Sonya his benefactor.  Not only does she get a boatload of money, but a stunning cliff top manor house.  One problem, it is haunted.  For her to get to keep her inheritance she must live the next three years in the house.  Since the manor is a long-time family home, it seems reasonable that most of the ghosts are her relatives.  Naturally she starts researching her extensive family tree.  It becomes obvious that the house carries a secret.  There is a curse in the form of an evil woman that after death, has become an evil long-term resident.  As Sonya meets the town population and becomes more settled, she realizes she must resolve this issue from the past to have a pleasant future.

This is exactly what you expect from Nora Roberts, a solid, well written story. I admit that it seemed a bit too long for me, but perhaps not.  This is the first of a trilogy, so she does a great job on introducing you to the town and people in it.  Hopefully, this setup will pay off in the next two volumes.  The haunting is well done, and is interesting without the cheap trick of gore, or becoming campy.  While it took me a bit to get into this story, for reasons unknown, I look forward to the next installment.

Many thanks to NetGalley and, the always generous, St. Martin's Press.