Fictional Friday: Fall Reading Round-Up
Well, it’s that time again. No, I’m not talking Pumpkin Spice Lattes, cute kiddie Halloween costumes, or even sweater weather. It’s fall release time!
I’ve got a number of books on my TBR list for this fall, but I figured I’d take a minute to highlight three of the ones to which I’m looking forward most.
A Talent for Trouble, by Jen Turano
From the publisher:
For years, Miss Felicia Murdock’s every thought and action have been in pursuit of becoming a minister’s wife. When the minister she’d set her sights on has other ideas, she decides something in her life needs to change–and soon–before she wastes any more time pretending to be someone she’s not. If that means spreading her wings and embracing a more lively way of life, who’s to say nay?
Grayson Sumner, Lord Sefton, has had more than enough of spreading his wings and only hopes to settle into the life of a respectable New York gentleman. Prompted by some friends to lift the spirits of the disappointed-in-love Miss Murdock, he is surprised to encounter an adventurous young lady with an unfortunate knack for stumbling into troublesome situations.
Just as Grayson decides he’s had quite enough of her antics, his past comes back to haunt him and his presence in Felicia’s life endangers her. As they work together to extricate themselves from this latest complication, will Grayson and Felicia decide they want to spend the rest of their lives keeping one another out of trouble?
Why it makes my list:
I love Jen Turano’s books. Not only are they witty, entertaining, and well-written, but they’re my favorite escape at the end of a really long day. That’s the only reason why the copy that arrived last week is still unread on my nightstand. I’m saving it as celebration for meeting my own manuscript deadline, to be enjoyed along with a good cup of English tea, some excellent dark chocolate, and some peace and quiet. Pretty sure I can manage the first two, though the peace and quiet part is still up for debate.
A Talent for Trouble is the third book in the Ladies of Distinction series, after A Change of Fortune and A Most Peculiar Circumstance. Stay tuned for an interview with Jen Turano on October 4th!
Peril, by Jordyn Redwood
From the publisher:
Dr. Thomas Reeves is at the pinnacle of his career. The Department of Defense has awarded him a lucrative contract for his new research into superior autobiographical memory, which promises the ability to create combat troops able to quickly learn complex battle plans and enact them perfectly under the most demanding battlefield scenarios.
An elite unit has received neural grafts from fetal cadavers of genetically altered brain cells with enhanced NMDA receptors. The results are remarkable . . . until the recipients begin suffering hallucinations, nightmares, paralysis, . . . and death. Dr. Reeves searches for answers, but DOD insiders want him to stop the search.
The situation becomes public when pediatric ICU nurse Morgan Adams, Dr. Reeves’s daughter, is taken hostage by three research subjects in an attempt to force Dr. Reeves into disclosing why they are sick. If answers aren’t revealed within twenty-four hours, patients in the pediatric ICU will be killed.
This spine-tingling conclusion to the Bloodline Trilogy raises spiritual and ethical dilemmas torn directly out of today’s headlines. When does life begin? How far does commitment to family go? And can the sins of the father ever be forgiven?
Why it makes my list:
Jordyn Redwood is one of my favorite suspense authors, and this is coming from someone who at one time collected suspense novels like I now collect shoes (if you don’t know me that well, that means obsessively). But I do have a confession to make: I haven’t read Poison yet. I know, I know, so why am I recommending Peril? Well, I simply loved Proof, but at the time Poison arrived, I was under so much stress that the tension and drama and darkness of the opening started giving me heart palpitations. And really, that’s the best recommendation I could give Redwood’s books. Both Poison and Peril are getting read in October, no question.
Glittering Promises, by Lisa T. Bergren
From the publisher:
For Cora Kensington, the Grand Tour was to be the trip of a lifetime. She discovered the family she never knew she had, and may have even found the love she longs for in Will. And yet her life has just become infinitely more challenging …
Hounded by journalists chasing the beguiling story of the newest American heiress, Cora fights to remain true to her past, reconcile her present, and still embrace her future. But as Will struggles with her newfound wealth, she begins to wonder if their love is strong enough to withstand all that threatens to pull them apart.
Complicating matters is the stubborn pursuit of Pierre de Richelieu and the increased demands on her time and attention. Cora must stand up for what she believes—regardless of how that might challenge current family and cultural norms—in order to remain true to who she really is.
And as she glimpses the end of the Tour, Cora knows it’s time to decide Who and what defines her…and who and what does not.
Why it makes my list:
Few authors can hold my attention and make me turn pages like Lisa Bergren, and this Grand Tour series is no exception. I devoured the first two books, Glamorous Illusions and Grave Consequences each in a single sitting, and I pre-ordered the Kindle version of Glittering Promises so it would download automatically on release day. Well-drawn characters, high romantic tension, and a love triangle that conflicts me to no end but does not annoy me… no question that this series will go down as one of my favorites of all time. This might be one worth staying up all night for.
Tags: A Talent for Trouble, Glittering Promises, Jen Turano, Jordyn Redwood, Lisa T. Bergren, Peril
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