I like to be surprised by books. Not in the way of clowns jumping out of sewers at you. Nope. No thank you. No horror for me. By surprised I mean books that I enjoy way more than I expected. Then I want to tell everyone about them. That’s where you come in.

Hi. These are good books. You should read them.

I had no idea what to expect with this one. An octogenarian artist leaves behind a notebook with his story in it. He’s alone and trying to connect with someone. First the local cafe owner reads it and adds her story. Then a lost financial trader finds the book and decides to change his life. It kind of had a Love Actually vibe to it. (I love Love Actually, so this is a good thing.) I liked how all the characters in the book wove in and out of each others’ lives. I am giving it a one Kleenex warning, because there was a little bit of sad, but even that fit into the story well and wasn’t overwhelming. This was a good read that wasn’t too sappy or too maudlin.
 

In London, overachiever Leena has a breakdown at work. In Yorkshire, her grandma Eileen is dealing with the fact that her husband of 50+ years just left her for a younger woman. Since both of their lives are a bit bumpy, they decide to switch places. Leena moves back to Yorkshire and takes over her grandma’s duties: planning the May Day event, fixing her relationship with her mother (Eileen’s daughter), and trying to slow down. Eileen heads to London to have the adventure she’s always wanted. I thought this one might be too Freaky Friday for me, but it wasn’t. I liked all of these characters, and it was fun to see them grow. 

I came across this one on Twitter and had no idea what to expect. I just thought it sounded interesting because it is about a girl who loves to make Cuban food, and I enjoy eating Cuban food.

In Miami, Lila Reyes has been having a rough time. First her beloved Abuela passes away, then her stupid boyfriend dumps her right before the prom. Knowing that she’s struggling, her parents decide to send Lila to a cousin in a small town in England. Once there, she finds a group of people she never knew she needed and discovers more about herself. Lots of good characters here as well and I really wish it was more than just one book because it was so engrossing. It also makes me want to learn how to make Pan Cubano, but that’s a different issue. 

Ok friends. Your mission – should you choose to accept – is to read any/all of these and maybe fall in love a little. (It’s ok if it’s just with the Pan Cubano.)

I dare you.

Happy exploring…
:) Amanda