Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes

Synopsis:

A spellbinding thriller, as suspenseful as it is sensual.

The richly-textured settings of Seattle's commercial waterfront, San Diego's topless beaches and the breathtaking waters off Cabo San Lucas create the backdrop for a riveting story of love, romance and betrayal, as a young couple find themselves in a fight for their lives having been set up by the FBI as perfect bait.

Review:

This is not my typical kind of book, but I must say I enjoyed it. Corey Phillips is devastated when he finds his beloved wife in bed with his best friend. To escape the pain, Corey starts a new life in California with a new love, Jennifer. He and Jennifer decide to restore a vintage yacht (and it takes as long to read about the restoration as it does to actually complete it!)

But the story becomes more interesting in its second half, when the murder/mystery element kicks in. I won't add spoilers, but the path to happiness for Corey and Jennifer is not a smooth one. There's lots of drama, and a daring rescue, which is well-executed by the author.

Warning--there's a good amount of graphic violence in this one, but I don't think it was gratuitous. Overall a good read, although the first half dragged for me.

The Good Woman by Jane Porter

Blurb:

Is it possible to leave it all behind?

The firstborn of a large Irish-American family, Meg Brennan Roberts is a successful publicist, faithful wife, and doting mother who prides herself on always making the right decisions. But years of being “the good woman” have taken a toll and though her winery career thrives, Meg feels burned out and empty, and more disconnected than ever from her increasingly distant husband. Lonely and disheartened, she attends the London Wine Fair with her boss, ruggedly handsome vintner, Chad Hallahan. It’s here, alone together in an exotic city, far from “real” life, that Chad confesses his long-standing desire for Meg.

Overwhelmed, flattered, and desperately confused, Meg returns home, only to suddenly question every choice she’s ever made, especially that of her marriage. For Meg, something’s got to give, and for once in her life she flees her responsibilities—but with consequences as reckless and irreversible as they are liberating. Now she must decide whether being the person everyone needs is worth losing the woman she was meant to be.

Review:

What a fantastic book! I love Ms. Porter’s writing style, and her realistic characters. I’m so happy this is going to be a series, and I’m sure I’ll be reading them all to the end.

This book touches on all of the Brennan sisters--Meg, Sarah, Kit and Brianna, but this is Meg’s book. Perfect mother, wife, and employee, Meg has it all. But she’s grown dissatisfied with her life. This feeling has come to a head at the exact moment that her boss invites her on a business trip, which she accepts. After this, her entire life changes.

I like Meg’s conflicts, her realistic struggles, and her very true-to-life frustrations in the role of working mother and wife. I also love the relationship between the sisters—I'm a sucker for a good family saga! I highly recommend this book--it's an addictive read.