Books that explore current and modern-day themes and issues.
Briar Rose Thorne is grieving her late mother Aurora, back in her childhood home on Chicago's South Side. In the days since her mother's passing, she's been having strange, vivid dreams about a girl in white asking for someone to take her home. She also hears phantom music throughout the house, along with other strange… Continue reading Vanishing Daughters by Cynthia Pelayo
Laura Phillips is an associate at a law firm in New York and in a new relationship with a colleague. She dreams of traveling, but having been a workaholic with a nearly nonexistent social life, she never had anyone to travel with. But when her boyfriend, Dave, suggests a short trip to the Bahamas, she can’t wait to go. Enjoying a romantic getaway, Laura notices a woman at the resort by herself. She’s instantly intrigued by this single female traveler, wondering why she is alone at a paradise meant for couples. Laura eventually befriends the woman, Diana, spending time with her and surprisingly sharing pieces of her past. When Diana goes missing, Laura seems to be the only person concerned. Soon she realizes that her interest in Diana appears suspicious. And she’s not sure if she can trust anyone in the investigation. The Ends of Things by Sandra Chwialkowska is a psychological suspense novel that explores how one woman’s suspicions spiral into events that will change Laura’s life forever.
Madelyn Galloway just lost her job as an executive chef at a steak house in Las Vegas. Seeing as she is a single mom to a six-year-old deaf daughter, she needs to find employment quickly. Across the country, DC Stars defenseman Hudson Hayes is in need of a personal chef. But it’s hard for an NHL player to find someone who isn’t obsessed with his star status – and who actually knows how to cook. After reaching out to her connections and coming up short, she reaches out to D.C. Stars reporter Piper Mitchell hoping she might have a lead. They hit it off and Maddy makes the move with her daughter. While insisting they keep things professional, Hudson’s charm is hard to resist. Then one night, one kiss, and everything changes. Slap Shot by Chelsea Curto is a slow-burn adult sports romance novel in which Hudson and Madelyn’s attempt to be friends fails spectacularly, but it might have been what they both needed.
