Library Loans

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Secrets of Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson
Published by Storm Publishing on November 21, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Cally, a devoted single mum, is stretched thin between caring for her clingy mother and her day job as a hairdresser with an always sympathetic ear. When her life in Liverpool is suddenly upended, she grabs her son Sam and jumps in the car to drive south. Searching for a tiny speck of a village she once visited as a child, they nearly give up when a storm hits, only to unexpectedly stumble across it: Welcome to Starshine Cove.

Amidst the welcoming – if slightly mad – locals, Cally finds some unexpected new friendships. But as the year draws to a close, she faces a tough decision: she and Sam can’t stay here forever, and the future looks a lot less jolly back home…

A funny, sweet and cosy read that will have you laughing, crying and everything in between. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Milly Johnson and Heidi Swain.

I had such a lovely trip back to Starshine Cove as this magical hidden village delivered another dose of healing. This time, it was two single parents who found comfort and the courage to move forward together.

Cally had been a single mom following her divorce, as well as caretaker for her mother since she was quite young. With her son grown and her mother running off with a new man, Cally was left with little to do. Inspired by some childhood photos, she took off on a mission to find Starshine Cove. While there, she met Archie who was left to raise his two girls on his own due to his wife's death.

In a word, this book was heartwarming. I was so happy that Cally and Archie found each other. Archie poured his heart into raising his children, and he was doing a great job, but he still carried a lot of pain related to his wife's death. Seeing him and his girls warm up to Cally was so lovely. It seemed the Cove selected the right person for this family as they all connected with each other so well.

Being in Starshine Cove was great for Cally, too. She had spent many years catering to everyone else's needs while ignoring her own. Here, she made friends and was able to frolic and be free. It was a treat seeing her have the opportunity to explore her wants while also dealing with issues from her past.

There were a lot of fun and rollicking celebrations which I greatly enjoyed. Holiday dinners, sledding, and hot cocoas were enjoyed by all the quirky and wonderful characters, and Cally and her son fit in perfectly.

Overall, my return trip to Starshine Cove was a hit, and I cannot wait to return again.

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A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen
Published by MIRA on January 30, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Time Travel

Goodreads

The only thing harder than finding someone in a time loop is losing them.

Grieving her best friend's recent death, neuroscientist Mariana Pineda’s ready to give up everything to start anew. Even her career— after one last week consulting at a top secret particle accelerator.

Except the strangest thing a man stops her…and claims they've met before. Carter Cho knows who she is, why she's mourning, why she's there. And he needs Mariana to remember everything he’s saying.

Because time is about to loop.

In a flash of energy, it’s Monday morning. Again. Together, Mariana and Carter enter an inevitable life, four days at a time, over and over, without permanence except for what they share. With everything resetting—even bank accounts—joy comes in the little a delicious (and expensive) meal, a tennis match, giving a dog his favorite treat.

In some ways, those are all that matter.

But just as they figure out this new life, everything changes. Because Carter's memories of the time loop are slowly disappearing. And their only chance at happiness is breaking out of the loop—forever.

I think when people see the word "quantum", they tend to associate it with physics. But a "quantum" is a measurement, a discrete, required, or allowed amount, and that makes sense with respect to this "love story". I didn't see the romance as front and center, but there was definitely something brewing between Mariana and Carter.

I found this book to be engaging and fast paced. My interest was held from beginning to end. I felt a lot, too, though I was not sure what I should have been feeling as the vibe of the story changed drastically from beginning to end.

This tale started the way many time loop stories do. I was having a great time with Mariana and Carter as they attempted to break out of the loop, but then things changed. The story seemed to go in a different direction which was not bad, but it was a bit heavier, maybe. This was fitting given the high stakes and the lengths Mariana had to go to in order to save the world.

I have a thing about endings, though. I felt this was hopeful in the end, but I think I needed a little more. Regardless, this was an intriguing time loop story that incorporated love, grief, and human connection.

Could you resist interfering
if you could time travel?
Let us know in the comments!