I was at Barnes and Noble today and picked this one up totally on impulse.  Haven’t heard of the author or read anything about the book.  I read the first few pages and got drawn in and had to buy it.  The story revolves around Juliet and Lucy, two estranged sisters, who are reunited after Lucy’s life turns into a train wreck at the hands of their mother, Fiona.

Lucy joins Juliet in Cumbria at her B&B and soon makes herself a member of the community.  There are romances and romances to come hinted at in places.  There is drama in form of the sisters’ rocky relationship and Fiona’s drama queen actions.  I really enjoyed the story and the plot and how the chapters alternated between the sisters.  I loved the Cumbria setting.  It was well developed and gave me a true sense of place.  Most of all I liked the ending resoluion between the girsl and their mother.  It was so much more realistic and satisfying than the typical ending of life long issues found in women’s fiction.  I don’t want to say more and give spoilers, just that I am looking forward to more books in this series.

Finished Ruling Passion and Raven Black last night after a bout with early rising insomnia.  I really enjoyed both of these.  Raven Black is set in the Shetlands and is a moody atmospheric type thriller that I really like.  The characters are interesting and well fleshed out.  The sense of place is done really well and you feel both the isolation of the location and the claustrophobic closeness of everyone knowing each other and their families for generations.  I had read this years ago but reread it now because it is the monthly read at the Kindle English Mystery Book Club on Goodreads.  If you haven’t read anything by Ann Cleeves, I would highly recommend any of her books.

Ruling Passion is book 3 in the Dalziel and Pascoe series which was made into a TV series.  I am reading through these after watching the whole series (and being dumbfounded at how it ended).  The books are very entertaining and well written.  The mystery is well crafted and even though I remembered the episode I still enjoyed the book. Love the characters of Dalziel and Pascoe both and the interplay between them.  A good number of clues and twists and connections between all the suspects.  Ellie is more likeable in the books than she was on the TV show, but this is only book 3 so I will have to see what happens.  Great police procedural read.