As I wrote a few weeks ago, I enjoyed Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Maybe in Another Life (reviewed here). She just released another book, which I also enjoyed. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is nothing deep. It’s a two-fold story of Monique who has just separated from her husband, and Evelyn Hugo, old-time Hollywood actress, who wants to tell her life story. Evelyn has chosen Monique to tell this story. Most of the book is Evelyn’s story, but we get enough of Monique’s story to eventually understand why Evelyn has chosen Monique. Again, this book is nothing amazing, but it was an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. Another good beach read to look forward to this summer.

I haven’t read anything by Dani Shapiro. Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage is a slim volume that takes about an hour to read. And, much like Ann Fadiman, it’s quick and enjoyable. It’s really vignettes of Shapiro’s marriage to “M” (which I hated – we can google who he is, so why not call him by name?). I highly recommend this piece.

I haven’t had a classic on my list in quite some time. I read on someone’s book list that I should add Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair to my TBR list. So I did. I very much enjoyed it. It’s much more beautifully written than books written today, and that alone made it a pleasure. And, it was a good story, though a little slow in the middle. Maurice’s affair with his friend’s wife, Sarah, began in London. But one day, Sarah breaks off the relationship with no warning. Two years later, Maurice hires a private detective to follow Sarah and find out what really happened. It’s a quick and satisfying read.

If you like Sliding Doors, you will like Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid. At twenty-nine, Hannah has no idea what to do next in her life. She has moved all over the country and doesn’t know what to do or how to move forward. So, she escapes to LA where her best friend lives and where she lived for her high school years. Soon after arriving, she and her friend head out to connect with high school friends and Hannah’s old love, Ethan. And, at the end of the night, her story breaks into two. In one story, she heads home at the end of the evening with her best friend, is hit by a car, and ends up in the hospital. In the alternate story, she goes home with Ethan and life carries on with interesting consequences. Each alternating chapter brings you to one or the other storyline. This story is nothing deep, but was a nice read at a time of year when I am looking for light and fluffy. It would make for a fabulous beach read.

Lilli de Jong by Janet Benton was a wonderful book that I very much enjoyed. Lilli has been left by her fiance in 1883 Philadelphia while he traveled to Pittsburgh for work. Unfortunately, Lilli is also pregnant, not a good condition to be in with a fiance and no way to reach him. She ends up at a home for unwed mothers, then as a wet nurse, and then homeless with no hope for employment, especially with a baby who she is unwilling to give up. Surprisingly entertaining and immensely readable, I found myself on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out how Lilli fared. I highly recommend grabbing this one for a fast-paced winter read.

All is not Forgotten by Wendy Walker was a fascinating psychological thriller about memory-erasing drugs used in cases of trauma and how they affected a young girl recovering from a violent rape. The story is told from the point of view of the psychiatrist who ends up treating the family and several others who end up tangled up in the story. And, the psychiatrist ends up protecting his son who might have been accused of the crime. It’s complicated and interesting, though hard to read at points.

What a string of depressing books I have chosen. This was the third in the set. It Happens All the Time by Amy Hatvany is the story of best friends who make a mistake one evening that destroys both of their lives. It was a gripping read that made me a little sick as I read. Still, I did like the story, even though it was a bit hopeless. If you are up for a tough read that’s an intriguing story and that will make you question your thinking, pick this one up.

A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal by Jen Waite was not the best-written piece I have ever chosen, but it was compelling and quick. The chapters alternate between before Jen realizes that her husband is having an affair (which he adamantly denies over and over) and after. I kept thinking that a shoe was going to drop and something was going to surprise me, but it didn’t. This was a sad story, but nothing earth-shattering and somewhat predictable. I couldn’t put it down, however, and, as it is a memoir, you have to feel bad for Ms. Waite, especially as she figured all of this out with a colicky newborn. Worth a read? Yes, especially if you like memoirs.

After slogging through Ken Follett, Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent was a delight. It was short, suspenseful, and enjoyable. In the first chapter, Oliver kills his wife. In subsequent chapters, we learn who he is piece by piece from his friends and acquaintances over the years. While an unsettling story, overall, it was a good one, and I recommend it as a quick and interesting read.

Wondering where I’ve been lately? Well, it’s the busy season at work AND I’ve been mired in a 900 page Ken Follett – a bad combination. When all is said and done, I should have passed on the Follett. I have always loved his historical fiction and thought this one would be equally enjoyable, but at this point in life, it was WAY too long. Once I got partway through, though, there was no giving up. If you are a fan of Follett, by all means take on A Column of Fire, a tale of the religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants during 1500s. But I wouldn’t grab it unless you are really ready to settle in for a LONG one.