My April reading focused on nonfiction writing craft books, but I did find finish up the S.W. Hubbard series as well as listen to another audiobook.
The Life in Palmyrton series by S.W. Hubbard
The thing I liked best about this series is that I got to know all of the characters in the books. Each woman has a different story, but she changed and grew in each book. Isabella’s book is number four in the series, which can be read out of order if you want.
Here is a short summary of book four:
Can the queen keep her crown?
Isabelle Trent knows everyone in Palmyrton, New Jersey. She’ll sell your old house, find you a new one, and solve your termite problem all before lunch at the country club. That’s what makes her the Queen of Palmyrton Real Estate.
But no one really knows Isabelle, not even the women who include her in their girls’ nights out. She deflects personal questions with a cool smile and a smooth change of topic.
Then Isabelle’s half-brother Ricky gets out of prison.
Now she has to explain the presence of a large, tattooed man eating Nacho Cheese Doritos on her white sofa. As Isabelle uses her many contacts to help Ricky start over, she must reveal parts of the difficult childhood they shared. Her crown shows some cracks.
When Ricky reconnects with some sketchy members of their extended family, the life Isabelle worked so hard to build is jeopardized. Isabelle faces a hard choice: fight alone or bare her soul to the friends who can help her.
What’s a queen to do?
What else I’m reading
I’m also listened to State of Shock by Marie Force. I had no idea it was book four in the First Family series. It popped up in my audiobook recommendations for some reason so I gave it a try.
I think I would have gotten more out of this book had I read books 1 to 3. The story covers one week in the life of the President and First lady and their families. I had not idea who the characters were going into the story, but I was impressed with how Force developed them in a way that I understood what was going on, even though I didn’t know what happened in the previous books.
May Plans
Check out a new-to-me Women’s Friendship Fiction series, read a thriller and listen to an audiobook a friend recommended. I’ve decided to take recommendations from real people over website suggestions and see how I enjoy those books.
Until next time…