Somehow, it’s nearly May. I am deep in the pre-Commencement swirl at work, but am snatching reading time where I can. Here’s the latest roundup:
Ask Again, Yes, Mary Beth Keane
Brian Stanhope and Francis Gleeson meet on the job as rookie cops at the NYPD in the 1970s. They end up being next-door neighbors in the suburbs, and a shattering incident one night changes both their families forever. A thoughtful, heartbreaking novel about family and forgiveness. To review for Shelf Awareness (out May 28).
The Favorite Daughter, Patti Callahan Henry
Ten years ago, Lena Donohue found her fiancé kissing her sister on the morning of her wedding. She fled her small South Carolina town and has never looked back. But when her dad’s memory starts to go, her brother calls her to come home. Lena–now Colleen–and her siblings must confront the past and try to mend their strained relationships. A warmhearted, poignant family saga. To review for Shelf Awareness (out June 4).
Field Notes on Love, Jennifer E. Smith
Hugo is all set to travel the U.S. by train with his girlfriend Margaret before they start university, until she breaks up with him. The tickets are in her name, so he finds another Margaret (Mae, a filmmaker from the Hudson Valley) to go with him. They spend a week together, contemplating their futures (and, of course, each other). I enjoy Smith’s sweet, funny, highly improbable YA love stories. I especially loved the group texts with Hugo’s five siblings (he’s a sextuplet) and Mae’s wise Nana.
Swimming for Sunlight, Allie Larkin
Reeling from her divorce, Katie Ellis takes her rescue dog, Bark, and moves back in with her grandmother in Florida. Nan’s friends welcome her back, and soon Katie is designing costumes for an underwater mermaid show. A sweet, engaging novel about anxiety and family, love and moving on.
Most links (not affiliate links) are to my favorite local bookstore, Brookline Booksmith.
What are you reading?
cakes, tea and dreams 
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