Linda Reads: The Lemon Orchard by Luanne Rice

luanne rice

Luanne Rice

Luanne Rice is the author of 31 novels, including 22 New York Times bestsellers.  Five of her books have been made into movies and mini-series.

Luanne was born in New Britain, CT and spent most of her life in Connecticut.  She currently divides her time between New York City and Southern California.  She is an avid environmentalist and advocate for families affected by domestic violence.  Her first published poem appeared in the Hartford Courant.  Her first novel, Angels All Over Town, was published in 1985.  Many of her books take place in or have a connection to Connecticut.

Ms Rice delivers another captivating book, The Lemon Orchard.  It’s a love story between two people from completely different worlds, but with a common bond from their pasts.  The story starts off in Connecticut and moves to Santa Barbara, California.

Five years after a family tragedy, Julia, an anthropologist who graduated from Yale, goes to Malibu to house-sit her aunt and uncle’s house located in their lemon orchard.  She hopes to start healing and move on with her life.  There she meets the handsome, illegal immigrant who oversees the orchard, Roberto.  She learns that Roberto is also trying to heal and move on from a devastating loss in his life.  Their relationship starts off as a comforting friendship and moves on to something more.  Julia then realizes that she might be able to help Roberto resolve the issue from his past.

Ms Rice is quite skilled in character development and sets a beautiful stage with her descriptive settings.  She deals deftly with grief and loss, love, forgiveness and redemption.  This book is also quite relevant as it explores the world of illegal immigrants and the struggle they endure to try to live a better life.

On Our (virtual) Shelves: New E-Books

There are lots of new titles to choose from in our E-Book collection. If you’re a Cheshire Library cardholder, check out our Connect Downloadable Catalog for more ebooks and audiobooks. Here’s a sample of what’s new…

New Fiction

The Hero by Robin Carr. In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She thought she wanted to hide from the world, but in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it…and sometimes, you find a hero.

Big Brother by Lionel Shriver. From the acclaimed author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin comes a striking new novel about siblings, marriage, and obesity.

New Non-Fiction

The Library Book by various authors. From Alan Bennett’s Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan’s Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they’re important.

Between Man and Beast by Monte Reel. The adventure of an unlikely young explorer who emerged from the jungles of Africa with evidence of a mysterious, still mythical beast–the gorilla–only to stumble straight into the center of the biggest debate of the day: Darwin’s theory of evolution.

New for Teens

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. James Patterson returns to the genre that made him famous with a thrilling teen detective series about the mysterious and magnificently wealthy Angel family . . . and the dark secrets they’re keeping…

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she’s going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He’s out there somewhere–spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night. and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for…

New for Kids

Oddkins by Dean Koontz. Blockbuster author Dean Koontz’s first novel for young readers, a beautifully illustrated and visually stunning story about a magical band of living toys who learn to overcome the fears we all face in the dark.

My Name is Mina by David Almond. Award-winning author David Almond reintroduces readers to the perceptive, sensitive Mina before the events of Skellig in this lyrical and fantastical work.

What is ‘New Adult’ Fiction?

Every now and then the publishing industry trots out a new genre name for a particular type of book. Most of the time it is a title that can be applied to books that have been around for a long time as a tool to ramp up sales via marketing.”New Adult’ is the latest of these new genres, and very few people, including those in publishing or bookstores, seem to know just what to do with this new label. So, here are the basics about New Adult books.new adultIn general the ‘New Adult’ label is now applied to books with main characters between the ages of 18 and 25 as they face the challenges of leaving home, developing sexuality, and negotiating education and career choices. The books are typically about characters in the transition of becoming an adult while society still seems to consider them children. Some of the books in this category are still accessible and appropriate for teens, while others have more sexual content than most parents would be comfortable with their teens reading, and some have conflicts and situations have little interest to those that have not faced similar issues.  The majority of books currently being released under this  label seem to be contemporary romance, but this is not a requirement of the genre.newadultThis genre is typically said to be a small step up from young adult books, which I find belittling to some of the fantastic young adult books that are available. It is also insulting to some of the books shoved in this genre that are just as sophisticated as ‘adult’ fiction but happen to deal with protagonists in the 18-25 year old age range. Over all, I am not a big fan of genre labels as a rule, since readers often see a genre label and assume they will not like a book because it is fantasy, historical fiction, science fiction, young adult or whatever while they only like another genre. Many books have cross over appeal but do not get the chance they deserve because of the labels or marketing that are attached to them.

Some of the books in our collection currently being released and marketed as ‘New Adult’ include:

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire-
Abby Abernathy is re-inventing herself as the Good Girl as she begins her freshman year at college, which is why she must resist lean, cut, and tattooed Travis Maddox, a classic Bad Boy.

Tempest by Julie Cross-
After his girlfriend Holly is fatally shot during a violent struggle, nineteen-year-old Jackson uses his supernatural abilities and travels back in time two years, where he falls in love with Holly all over again, learns that his father is a spy, and discovers powerful enemies of time who will stop at nothing to recruit him for their own purposes.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry-
Rendered a subject of gossip after a traumatic night that left her with terrible scars on her arms, Echo is dumped by her boyfriend and bonds with bad-boy Noah, whose tough attitude hides an understanding nature and difficult secrets.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover-
High school senior Sky meets Dean Holder, a guy with a promiscuous reputation that rivals her own. Only by courageously facing some stark revelations can Sky and Holder hope to heal their emotional scars and find a way to live and love without boundaries.

Other recent examples of this genre include: The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen,  Losing It by Cora Carmack, and Where She Went by Gayle Forman.

Some other books that fit the official description of ‘New Adult’ but were published prior to the label becoming into fashion, or simply escaped it in some manner include:

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, Sunshine by Robin McKinley, Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride, The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger,  Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, and  Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson.

[Cover][Cover][Cover]

Linda Reads: Some Like It Hot by Susan Andersen

New York Times, USAToday and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author Susan Andersen’s newest book, Some Like It Hot, is a heart- warming romance and the second title in her Razor Bay series.

Harper Summerville has taken over for her beloved late father as the investigator of needy non-profit organizations to see if they meet the guidelines of her family’s philanthropic foundation.  Like her father, she loves the vagabond lifestyle, but her mother wants her to settle somewhere permanent.  Her latest job leads her to Razor Bay, Washington where she works undercover at the local resort so she can evaluate the Cedar Village home for troubled boys.  She is an energetic, fun loving, and independent woman.  Even though Harper is uncharacteristically attracted to the town of Razor Bay, she has every intention of leaving as soon as her evaluation of Cedar Village is done.

Max Bradshaw recently returned to Razor Bay after serving as a Marine and works for the local sheriff’s office.  He’s a pretty reserved and quiet guy who is trying to overcome some demons from his childhood.  His emotional baggage from his childhood makes him the perfect volunteer at Cedar Village.  He’s determined to make a new, permanent life in Razor Bay.

There are sparks when Max and Harper first meet, but they are both determined not to give in to any attraction they have because they have entirely different goals in life.  But sometimes, the heart just doesn’t want to listen to the brain!  Their relationship bounces from highs to lows and bottoms out when Max finds out why Harper is really in Razor Bay.

This is a wonderful story, with relatable characters and sensual romance.  It blends family, friends and romance into an intriguing and believable story that takes place in a beautiful setting.

On Our Shelves: New Paperbacks

New paperbacks to suit a variety of tastes.

Big Sky Wedding (Parable, Montana) by Linda Lael Miller – Wedding bells are ringing in Parable, Montana, but Brylee Parrish hasn’t enjoyed the sound since being jilted at the altar by Hutch Carmody. She’s over Hutch now, and running a multimillion-dollar business is challenging enough for this country gal. So she should avoid falling head over boot heels for A-list actor Zane Sutton.

Gentle On My Mind (Caribou Crossings Series) by Susan Fox – Brooke Kincaid knows second chances don’t come cheap. She’s spent five years repairing past mistakes and making her life in Caribou Crossing steady and predictable. But now a stranger’s Harley has shattered her fence and her peace of mind in one swoop.

Against The Mark (The Against Series) by Kat Martin – A young woman’s quest to find the murderer of her estranged father and the private investigator who helps her.

Love Overdue by Pamela Morsi – Buttoned-up book lover DJ is all sensible shoes, drab skirts and studious glasses. After an ill-advised spring-break-fueled fling left her mortified, she’s committed to her prim and proper look. When she’s hired by a rural library in middle-of-nowhere Kansas, she finally has the lifestyle to match—and she can’t wait to get her admin on.

The Hero (A Thunder Point Novel) by Robyn Carr – In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister took her daughter and fled a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can’t be worse than what they’ve left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need.

For The Love of Magic (Spellbound Falls Series) by Janet Chapman – After forty years of marriage, Rana Oceanus has done the unthinkable and run away from her mighty, magical husband. Not that she ran very far, having purchased a house in Spellbound Falls right on the shore of the Bottomless Sea, where she intends to prepare for the scariest battle of her life. The only flaw in her plan, however, is that she is still very much in love with Titus…

The Knight’s Temptress by Amanda Scott – Sir Ian Colquhoun has never feared danger. So when Lady Lachina MacFarlan is captured by a ruthless enemy, mounting a daring rescue seems only natural for the courageous knight.

Realm of Shadows (The Alliance Vampires) by Heather Graham – Tara Mason wants more than tourist sights out of her trip to the city of dreams, something strange and off the beaten path. But is it her own curiosity that draws her to an ancient cemetery on the outskirts of Paris? Or is she lured by a dark, immortal force she is powerless to resist?

 Clammed Up (A Maine Clambake Mystery) by Barbara Ross – Summer has come to Busman’s Harbor, Maine, and tourists are lining up for a taste of authentic New England seafood, courtesy of the Snowden Family Clambake Company. But there’s something sinister on the boil this season.

Love Inspired selections:  The Boss’s Bride by Brenda Minton, The Doctor’s Family Reunion by Mindy Obesnhaus, A Father’s Promise by Carolyne Aarsen.