tracyt223's reviews
1431 reviews

Working her way up at a storied Stockholm publisher, a young woman develops an ambiguous, shifting relationship with her boss, in this shrewd novel about the tension between tradition and modernity, and expectations and reality. 

I have conflicted feelings about this book in translation.  The writing was really quite good, and beautiful at times.  I didn't care for the structure of the book, it was done in just 2 long chapters.  I also was finally starting to enjoy the story a bit more by the end of Chapter 1, then there was a really abrupt change at the start of Chapter 2.  It takes you awhile to even figure out who is narrating this part.  At it's heart, the story is about two people who both seem to not quite fit the norms of society and find a kinship with each other.  It's a very different kind of relationship they develop.  I actually felt sorry for both of them, they didn't seem to really find what made them happy.  So, while I didn't necessarily connect to the characters, I do objectively see that it's well written and quite literary. The author also packs in a lot in the short amount of pages, but I found myself wanting more.  I was also a little confused about Chapter 2 and would love to know other's opinions.  I just don't think it was the right book for me.

We return to Rebel Blue Ranch and get the story of Ada and Weston.  Ada arrives in town to oversee the renovations at the old homestead on the ranch that Wes is turning into an inn.  The night she arrives, she stops in the town's only dive bar and has a chance encounter with a handsome cowboy.  When she arrives for her first day on the job the next day she soon realizes the man she met and made out with is none other than Wes, her boss for this job!  These two definitely have an attraction, but Ada is trying hard to keep it strictly professional.  Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love? 

Overall a cute, fun time back on the Ranch.  I have enjoyed this series so far much more than I thought I would.  Looking forward to the next one, we'll finally get Gus and Teddy's story!

I am now fully invested on this fictional town of St. Crispian's and Emma's story.  There are more interesting characters being introduced and I can't wait to see what happens next.  Especially with The Tennant.  These books have quite an addictive quality to them and I will definitely be diving into book 3 soon!

I had originally purchased the hardcover of this cookbook.  I have always loved her blog and recipes and definitely wanted a copy of her keepers.  Then I heard that she had done an audiobook for it also.  I thought to myself....an audio cookbook?????  Who knew I needed this in my life, but I truly did!  Deb picked several of her very favorite recipes and dives deep into the preparation, how the recipe came about and how much friends and family raved about these particular ones.  Deb's wit, charm and humor come through.  I was thoroughly entertained and found myself wanting to run to the grocery and pick up the simple ingredients needed for these recipes.  I had already made the Turkey Meatloaf with the Smashed Potatoes twice before listening and my husband and I loved them both!  I will definitely be making my way through more of these recipes in the future!  Give this one a try if you are a home cook, a foodie or a longtime reader of her blog.  It was just like sitting around talking with an old friend. Highly recommend!

A whirlwind romance.
When Theodora Scott met Connor—wealthy, charming, and a member of the powerful Dalton family—she fell in love in an instant. Six months later, he’s brought her to Idlewood, his family’s isolated winter retreat, to win over his skeptical relatives.

As soon as they arrive things don't seem right and there's a really strong sense of foreboding.  Clearly everyone is hiding something and this powerful family doesn't want any of those secrets to come to light.  Theo also had no memories of her early childhood, that is until she stumbles upon a deserted cabin on the property where she finds a picture and memories start to surface.  This one was full of so many twists and turns and I really didn't see where it was going.  It was a perfect Winter read, with the snowy lodge and cabin setting.  Especially after a big snow storm traps everyone there, this really bumps up the tension, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

The audiobook narration was great as always with Karissa Vacker, she's one of my favorites.  Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.  Out today, 02/04/2025.

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, and Jane isn't so sure she wants to make it to twenty.  They go out for their anniversary dinner at the famous and trendy restaurant, Le Fin du Monde.  It's a super upscale place sitting at the edge of a cliff, offering gorgeous sunset views.  Jane is feeling stalled out in her writing career, only selling a small amount of her first novel, she feel unappreciated by her two children and she's pretty sure Dan is cheating on her.  So Jane decided to tell Dan right then and there that she wants a divorce.  While Dan is still reeling from this news, the restaurant's patrons and staff are all taken hostage by an underground climate activist group.  Jane is shocked to be in this hostage situation, but also starts to notice that the events taking place are strangely similar to the plot of her unsuccessful novel.  Even Dan has to agree that it's eerily similar.

As the events of the evening start to unfold, several shocking twists are revealed, none of which I saw coming.  This was at times also quite funny and I found myself chuckling.  But along with the hostage plotline, I felt this was also an exploration of a long term marriage with all it's ups and downs.  So maybe if they can survive this night, maybe they can find a way to salvage their marriage as well.  Overall, a really fun ride that I found witty and unlike any story I'd read before!  Thank you to @berkleypublishinggroup and @netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.   Publishes March 11, 2025. 

I've been seeing this series all over #bookstagram lately and you guessed it.....FOMO won out and I decided to pick it up.  Especially since it was on Kindle Unlimited!  The story is told in epistolary style, through journal entries from Emma.  She has quite a strong wit and found myself giggling several times.  There are some interesting side characters as well.  Archibald is truly awful and I hope he gets what he deserves in future books. I thought this was a strong start to the series and I can't wait to read more. It definitely gives Jane Austin vibes, with a more modern feel.

This is my second book by this author, and I'm now convinced that @tracy_lange is the Queen of the family dramas!  This was definitely my favorite of the two I've read.  

This one takes place in Upstate New York, and offers a perfect Winter setting with a fun side of middle school hockey thrown in.  I'm not a huge sports fan, and was surprised how much this added to the storyline.

When Kyle McCray receives word that his Father has had a debilitating stroke, he much return to his childhood home to take care of him.  He's been gone for a couple of years after a quite sudden departure.  He's not really sure what kind of reception he will get.  He knows that most of all, he will have to face his ex-wife, Casey, and the past that tore apart their sixteen year marriage.  Casey is a beloved teacher in town who also helps out with the struggling local kids hockey team.  On many levels, Kyle gets a much warmer welcome than he was expecting as he starts to assimilate back into the community.  As he gets closer to his Father and friends, he also has to navigate the situation with Casey.  There are a lot of lingering feelings there, some good ones, and some not so much.  This is definitely an "onion" type of story.  With the timelines going back and forth from past to present, Lange slowly peels back the layers that tell the story of all that happened and why it drove a wedge between these two.  This one was very emotional at times and had some really sad parts too.  But overall, I felt it was a strong story of redemption and love.  There is also quite an extraordinary cast of side characters, my favorite by far being Wyatt, Casey brother.  He was so sarcastic and funny and stole the show at times.

The audiobook was extremely well done by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and William DeMerritt.  They really brought these characters and this town together perfectly!  Once I started it was so hard to put down!  

I need to read her other previous work, The Connelly's of County Down and look forward to whatever she writes next!  She has become an auto-buy author for me!

Bluebird Day is a novel that centers around a difficult and fractured relationship between a mother and daughter.  The mother, Claudine, is a former Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing, her daughter, Wylie, is a former skier who was groomed for greatness.  Each left the sport for their own reasons.  They have had a major falling out and haven't had a relationship in years.  When Wylie suddenly finds herself in need of a partner for a fitness competition in Berlin, she finds herself asking her Mother.  The two take off together with a pitstop first in the Swiss Alps.  Soon after their arrival, they are trapped in this small village due to an avalanche.  Here they must try to find a way to heal from past traumas and find out if they can salvage their relationship.  There are some pretty deeply buried secrets that come out along the way as well.  I definitely appreciated the mother/daughter dynamics and how difficult overcoming the past can be.  It's not always easy to relate to each other as adults.  The Swiss setting was beautiful and atmospheric, perfect for Winter reading.  I did feel it dragged along a bit in parts, but overall a really good story about family and finding your way.

Dan Slepian,  an NBC Dateline producer gives us a cinematic account of two decades navigating a broken criminal justice system to help free six innocent men. This was such a powerful and moving story that needed to be told.  I felt so many emotions while listening, sadness, despair, rage, disappointment and most of all hope.  At times the actions of the DA's office were so difficult to believe that it was hard to think this wasn't a work of fiction.  You just don't think about how easy it is for someone to be wrongfully convicted and spend decades of their life in prison.  What a truly horrifying thought.  I was truly touched by Dan's level of commitment to the cause for these men.  Thanks to him they have been able to gain their freedom and try to get their lives back.

I had the immense pleasure of participating in a Chapters  & Chats zoom discussion with @kellyhook.readsbooks and @beachesbooksandbubbles who brought Dan and JJ on for an in depth and behind the scenes talk.  You could just hear the passion in Dan's voice and how close he and JJ became during this whole process.  It was really moving and you couldn't help but be changed by this book and this dicsussion.  

Dan did a fantastic job on the audiobook narration and I highly recommend reading it this way.  It felt like a really detailed Dateline episode. A powerful book not to be missed.