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Books Mom Will Love 2015

Mother's Day

Books Mom Will Love 2015

Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. Click here to see the 25 winners of our 10th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. Each winner will receive a selection of five books listed below, along with some delicious Ghirardelli chocolate, tea from Tea Forté and Yardley Bar Soap. (Please note that two of these titles --- the eShorts CAT AND JEMIMA J by Jane Green and WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS by Barbara Delinsky --- are now available for free download on Amazon Kindle.)

With books that are moving, uplifting, humorous and informative, look no further than Bookreporter.com for the perfect gift for Mom.

This year's featured titles are:

  • AMERICAN WIFE: A Memoir of Love, War, Faith, and Renewal by Taya Kyle with Jim DeFelice
  • THE ART OF BAKING BLIND by Sarah Vaughan
  • AUNT DIMITY AND THE SUMMER KING by Nancy Atherton
  • THE BEAUTY OF GRACE: Stories of God's Love from Today's Most Popular Writers edited by Dawn Camp
  • BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarity
  • THE BOOK OF JOAN: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation by Melissa Rivers
  • CAT AND JEMIMA J by Jane Green
  • THE DANDELION FIELD by Kathryn Springer
  • DANGEROUS WHEN WET: A Memoir by Jamie Brickhouse
  • A FINE ROMANCE (audiobook) written and read by Candice Bergen
  • THE GIRLS OF MISCHIEF BAY by Susan Mallery
  • GLITTER AND GLUE: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan
  • GOING OFF SCRIPT: How I Survived a Crazy Childhood, Cancer, and Clooney's 32 On-Screen Rejections by Giuliana Rancic
  • HOUSEWITCH by Katie Schickel
  • HOVER by Anne A. Wilson
  • THE HURRICANE SISTERS by Dorothea Benton Frank
  • THE INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd
  • LEAVING TIME by Jodi Picoult
  • A LETTER TO MY MOM by Lisa Erspamer
  • MISS JULIA LAYS DOWN THE LAW by Ann B. Ross
  • NEVER TOO LATE by Robyn Carr
  • ONE PLUS ONE by Jojo Moyes
  • A PLACE FOR US by Harriet Evans
  • SISTERS OF HEART AND SNOW by Margaret Dilloway
  • SPRING BRIDES: Three Novellas by Rachel Hauck, Lenora Worth and Meg Moseley
  • TRUE AND CONSTANT FRIENDS: Love and Inspiration from Our Grandmothers, Mothers, and Friends by Kelley Paul
  • WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS by Barbara Delinsky

Winners

Annette from Odenton, MD
Bev from Decorah, IA
Beverly from Dallas, TX
Bonnie from Hephzibah, GA
Brittney from Lockport, IL
Debra from Camptonville, CA
Deci from Los Osos, CA
Deeann from Pottstown, PA
Jane from Minneapolis, MN
Janet from Lakeland, FL
Jessica from Maple Hill, NC
Joanna from Pittsford, NY
Joni from Geneva, OH
Kimberly from Trinity, FL
Kristine from Westmont, IL
Leah from San Rafael, CA
Lesley from Wales, WI
Linda from Bethel Park, PA
Marci from Watertown, SD
Marrge from Spring Green, WI
Michelle from Cordova, TN
Peggy from Hurst, TX
Robin from Hodgenville, KY
Tara from Dover, NJ
Vicki from Saint Paul, MN

American Wife: A Memoir of Love, War, Faith, and Renewal by Taya Kyle with Jim DeFelice - Memoir


Chris and Taya Kyle’s remarkable story has captivated millions through the Academy Award-winning film American Sniper, and because of Chris’ bestselling memoir, in which Taya contributed passages that formed the book’s emotional core. Now, with trusted collaborator Jim DeFelice, Taya writes in never-before-told detail about the hours, days and months after his shocking death when grief threatened to overwhelm her. Then there were wearying battles to protect her husband’s legacy and reputation.

The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan - Fiction


In 1966, Kathleen Eaden, cookbook writer and wife of a supermarket magnate, published The Art of Baking, her guide to nurturing a family by creating the most exquisite pastries, biscuits and cakes. Now, five amateur bakers are competing to become the New Mrs. Eaden.  As unlikely alliances are forged and secrets rise to the surface, making the choicest pastry seems the least of the contestants' problems. For they will learn --- just as Mrs. Eaden did before them --- that while perfection is possible in the kitchen, it's very much harder in life.

Aunt Dimity and the Summer King by Nancy Atherton - Mystery


Lori Shepherd has a lot on her plate, but she refuses to stand back and watch while big money destroys her beloved village. Lori suspects that a local real estate agent is illicitly lining her pockets at Finch’s expense, but before she can prove it, she’s sidetracked by a chance encounter with eccentric inventor Arthur Hargreaves. Dubbed the Summer King by his quirky family, he is as warmhearted as the summer sun. In his presence, Lori forgets her troubles --- and Finch’s. However, she snaps out of her happy trance when a series of unsettling discoveries shakes her faith in Arthur.

The Beauty of Grace: Stories of God's Love from Today's Most Popular Writers by Dawn Camp, editor and photographer - Christian Life/Spiritual Growth

In this hectic life, it's easy to forget that God is always near at hand, even though He sends us frequent reminders. The beauty amid the mess, a well-timed word of encouragement from a friend, the memories that won't let go of our hearts --- they're all ways God extends an open hand to us. But if we're not paying attention, we can miss it. Combining heartfelt stories from some of today's foremost writers with Dawn Camp's stunning photography of God's incredible creation, THE BEAUTY IS GRACE is your haven of calm contemplation amid the chaos.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - Fiction


A murder, a tragic accident, or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that somebody is dead. BIG LITTLE LIES follows Madeline, a funny and biting divorcee; Celeste, the beautiful mother of rambunctious twin boys; and Jane, a young single mother with doubts about her son. When Madeline and Celeste take Jane under their wing, no one realizes how she and her little boy will affect them all.

The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation by Melissa Rivers - Memoir


Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time. If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. In THE BOOK OF JOAN, Melissa shares stories, bon mots and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household. She relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.

Cat and Jemima J by Jane Green - Fiction

 

From New York Times bestselling author Jane Green comes an original short story featuring Jemima, the main character from Green's beloved novel JEMIMA J, and Cat, the main character from her upcoming novel SUMMER SECRETS.

The Dandelion Field by Kathryn Springer - Fiction

 

After Raine’s dad walked out, Ginevieve Lightly never lived in one place too long. Gin promises Raine they can stay in Banister Falls, WI until she finishes her senior year of high school, but her promising future is compromised when Raine reveals she’s pregnant with a local boy, Cody. As Gin and Dan, Cody's caretaker, do the best they can to guide the two teenagers through their early entry into adulthood, they discover together that a romance of their own can bloom in the rockiest of situations.

Dangerous When Wet: A Memoir of Booze, Sex, and My Mother by Jamie Brickhouse - Memoir


From the age of five, all Jamie Brickhouse wanted was to be at a party with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, and all Mama Jean wanted was to keep him at that age, her Jamie doll forever. A Texan Elizabeth Taylor with the split personality of Auntie Mame and Mama Rose, always camera-ready and flamboyantly outspoken, Mama Jean haunted him his whole life, no matter how far away he went or how deep in booze he swam.

A Fine Romance - Audiobook written and read by Candice Bergen - Memoir


A FINE ROMANCE begins with Candice Bergen’s charming first husband, French director Louis Malle, whose huge appetite for life broadened her horizons and whose occasional darkness never diminished their love for each other. But her real romance begins when she discovers overpowering love for her daughter after years of ambivalence about motherhood. As Chloe grows up, Bergen finds her comic genius in the biggest TV role of the '80s, "Murphy Brown," and makes unwanted headlines when Dan Quayle pulls her into the 1992 presidential campaign.

The Girls of Mischief Bay by Susan Mallery - Fiction


In this first novel of a brand new series from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery, three women at different stages in life come together in the beautiful seaside town of Mischief Bay, California, to provide solace and support through shared laughter and tears, proving that when all else fails, you always have your friends.

Glitter and Glue: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan - Memoir


When Kelly Corrigan was in high school, her mother neatly summarized the family dynamic as “Your father’s the glitter but I’m the glue.” After college, Kelly took off for Australia to see things and do things and Become Interesting. But soon her savings dwindled, and she realized she needed a job. That’s how Kelly met John Tanner, a newly widowed father of two looking for a live-in nanny. And there, in that house in a suburb north of Sydney, she suddenly heard her mother’s voice everywhere.

Going Off Script: How I Survived a Crazy Childhood, Cancer, and Clooney's 32 On-Screen Rejections by Giuliana Rancic - Nonfiction

 

Giuliana Rancic is best known for interviewing A-listers on the red carpet and "E! News," skewering their shocking style choices on "Fashion Police," and giving viewers a front row seat to her marriage and family life on her reality show, "Giuliana & Bill." What fans may not know is that she learned English from Eddie Murphy, got her American citizenship so she could be a beauty queen, and used to have a bad habit of stealing cars for fun. She bares this and so much more in her hilarious, warm, and inspiring memoir, GOING OFF SCRIPT.

Housewitch by Katie Schickel - Fiction

 

Former foster child, now a stay-at-home mom of three, Allison Darling desperately wants to fit in with the latte drinking and hundred-dollar-yoga-pants wearing moms that run Monrovia, her charming seaside town. When her estranged mother passes away, her previously dormant special talents emerge. Suddenly caught between the rag-tag, hippie relatives she once so desperately wanted and the rich, charismatic Glamour Girls --- Allison is unsure where she fits in. Her decision to lend her powerful magical talents to either group will change Monrovia --- and Allison --- forever. Shickel's debut is Practical Magic-meets-"Desperate Housewives"-meets-"Witches of East End."

Hover by Anne A. Wilson - Fiction

 

Helicopter pilot Lt. Sara Denning joins a navy battle group with little fanfare. Her philosophy is simple --- blend in, be competent, and above all, never do anything to stand out as a woman in a man's world. Somewhere along the way, Sara lost herself --- her feminine, easygoing soul is now buried under so many defensive layers, she can't reach it anymore. When Sara's life is on the line, can she find her true self again and follow the orders of her heart before it is too late?

The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank - Fiction


Dorothea Benton Frank once again takes us deep into the heart of her magical South Carolina Lowcountry. There we meet three generations of women buried in secrets. The determined matriarch, Maisie Pringle, will have the final word on everything, especially when she's dead wrong. Her daughter, Liz, has an emotionally demanding career that will eventually open all their eyes to a terrible truth. And Liz's daughter, Ashley, has dreamy ambitions of her unlikely future that keeps them all at odds.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - Historical Fiction


Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. On her 11th birthday, Sarah Grimke is given ownership of Handful. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next 35 years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies, and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult - Fiction


For more than a decade, Jenna Metcalf has never stopped thinking about her mother, Alice, who mysteriously disappeared in the wake of a tragic accident. Desperate to find the truth, Jenna enlists two unlikely allies in her quest: Serenity Jones, a psychic who rose to fame finding missing persons, and Virgil Stanhope, a private detective who originally had investigated Alice’s case. As the three work together to uncover what happened to Alice, they realize that in asking hard questions, they’ll have to face even harder answers.

A Letter to My Mom by Lisa Erspamer - Nonfiction

 

The next book in the A Letter to My series (after A LETTER TO MY DOG and A LETTER TO MY CAT) takes on mothers, with celebrities and civilians writing letters of gratitude and admiration to the women who raised them, alongside gorgeous, intimate photos.

Miss Julia Lays Down the Law by Ann B. Ross - Mystery


It’s November, and Miss Julia is looking forward to some quiet time before the holidays. That is until snobby Connie Clayborn and her rich husband move to town. At first, Miss Julia and the other ladies are pleased to be invited over for coffee, but the afternoon turns into a slap in the face when their hostess spouts nonstop criticism about Abbotsville. Days later, Miss Julia finds Connie dead on the kitchen floor. She will need to find out who's responsible as soon as possible --- particularly because her fingerprints are now all over the crime scene.

Never Too Late by Robyn Carr - Romance


Clare Wilson is starting over. She's had it with her marriage to a charming serial cheater. Even her own son thinks she's given his father too many chances. With the support of her sisters, Maggie and Sarah, she's ready to move on. Facing her fortieth birthday, Clare is finally feeling the rush of unadulterated freedom. But when a near-fatal car accident lands Clare in the hospital, her life takes another detour. While recovering, Clare realizes she has the power to choose her life's path. The wonderful younger police officer who witnessed her crash is over the moon for her. A man from her past stirs up long-buried feelings. Even her ex is pining for her. With enthusiasm and a little envy, her sisters watch her bloom.

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes - Fiction


Jess’ life is falling apart. Her husband has done a vanishing act, her teenage stepson is being bullied, and her math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she can’t afford to pay for. But then an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them --- Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. Driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages…maybe ever.

A Place for Us by Harriet Evans - Fiction


When Martha, a wife and mother of three, sits down to write out the invitations to her 80th birthday celebration, she knows that what she is planning to reveal at the party could ruin the idyllic life she and her husband David have spent over 50 years building. As the story unfolds, each character reveals the secrets, joys and tragedies they are wrestling with through the confines of the family. What will happen when Martha finally tells the truth?

Sisters of Heart and Snow by Margaret Dilloway - Fiction


Rachel and Drew Snow may be sisters, but their lives have followed completely different paths. When their deferential Japanese mother, Hikari, is diagnosed with dementia and gives Rachel power of attorney, Rachel’s domineering father, Killian, becomes enraged. In a rare moment of lucidity, Hikari asks Rachel for a book in her sewing room, and Rachel enlists her sister’s help in the search. The book reveals truths about Drew and Rachel’s relationship that resonate across the centuries, connecting them in ways that turn their differences into assets.

Spring Brides: Three Novellas by Rachel Hauck, Meg Moseley, and Lenora Worth - Fiction

 

From three authors --- Rachel Hauck, Meg Moseley and Lenora Worth --- comes three separate romances, three separate marriages and three separate stories in SPRING BRIDES: Three Novellas. There's a wedding for March, April and May, and the honor of your presence is requested at each one of them.

True and Constant Friends: Love and Inspiration from Our Grandmothers, Mothers, and Friends by Kelley Paul - Family Relationships


When Kelley Paul arrived on the Rhodes College campus in 1981, she immediately bonded with six women. Three decades of intimate friendship later, Kelley celebrates these relationships and the women who inspired them all. She tells their stories and those of their grandmothers, mothers and sisters, providing a microcosm of women raising families and building lives in 20th- and 21st-century America. The extraordinary lives of Kelley's and her friends' role models are honored in this lovely book that offers oral history along with classic poetry, art and photography.

What She Really Wants by Barbara Delinsky - Fiction

 

Sarah Markham loves her husband Tom. They've been married for eighteen happy years, but on some level, she worries that he doesn't see her as she really is. And nowhere is this more evident than in his gift giving. This year, when their anniversary rolls around, Sarah tells him, "I want you to think and to look at me and to see who I really am and what I really want." Can Tom rise to the challenge? Find out in this delightful 16-page short story that includes a teaser from bestselling author Barbara Delinsky's forthcoming novel BLUEPRINTS, which will be in stores on June 9th.