The Inmate by Freida McFadden - 4 Stars

 "There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men’s maximum-security prison:

1) Treat all prisoners with respect.

2) Never reveal any personal information.

3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.

But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary’s most notorious and dangerous inmates.

And they certainly don’t know that Shane was Brooke’s high school sweetheart—the star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there.

But Shane knows. And he will never forget."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I've seen a lot of people reading this author's books, so I thought I'd give one a try. 

The book pulled me in from the beginning and was a really quick read. Not too far in I started trying to guess the outcome. My mind was all over the place. For a bit I was like, maybe it's this, then for a bit, maybe it's that. I actually did not guess the plot twist, which was good. With this type of book, you can pretty much expect a plot twist at the end. What really got me was the really unexpected twist in the epilogue. Sometimes I don't read these because they really don't add a lot to the story, but something told me to read this one and I'm glad I did. It was a short epilogue, but added a bit more whoa to the story. I'll probably give another one of hers a try. 

The Life She Wanted by Anita Abriel - 3 Stars

 "New York in the 1920s—a time when fortunes are made and a woman’s dreams are challenged against all odds in a sweeping historical novel by the international bestselling author of The Light After the War.

1926, Hyde Park, New York. Born to modest means but befriended by the wealthy, aspiring dress designer Pandora Carmichael has been surrounded by privilege yet never at home in it. That hasn’t stopped her from dreaming—of a romance in a rarified world that could also give her the status and resources to start a business of her own. When she’s introduced to a charismatic Princeton student, Pandora’s future begins to fall into place.

Marriage provides Pandora with a devoted husband, comfortable love, and the prominence and affluence to open a boutique. It’s a fantasy realized, until scandal and tragedy upend Pandora’s life and she flees Hyde Park with a heart-wrenching secret. As the Depression looms, Pandora must rethink everything she’s ever wanted.

From sprawling Gilded Age mansions in New York to the seedy underbelly of Greenwich Village and the stunning ocean vistas of the French Riviera, Pandora’s escape is a journey of self-discovery, adventure, true love, and ambition. There are new dreams to be had, and Pandora is betting on herself to make them come true."

This one started out pretty good. I was curious to see how it was going to play out. There was one minor twist in the middle of the book, but I figured that out before it happened. The rest of the book just flopped for me. I was hoping for some big shocker, but it never happened. 

Excuse Me While I Disappear: Tales of Midlife Mayhem by Laurie Notaro - 5 Stars

 In the latest book from Laurie Notaro, she gives a hilarious insight to being a middle aged woman. Each chapter is a different topic and I swear I could relate to almost all of them. This book had me laughing so much! I've loved most of her other books as well, but this one was just so relatable since I'm almost 48. If you love to laugh, I highly recommend this one.