I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
A story of intercultural and interracial couples and families, written with sympathy and understanding. What happens when you fall in love outside of your family's clear ideas of marriage norms and appropriate relationships?

Durga takes us on the journey of reconciliation between modern life and family obligations. She finds herself in between full adulthood and knowing who she is - and who she's been. A good story with the potential for a Part 2.

Recommended for those who struggle to understand the interior life of neighbors and families from cultures outside of your own.

In Love by Amy Bloom

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
The process of dying has until recently been natural. Since assisted suicide has become possible, the possibility of killing oneself in a safe and medically-supervised place has gained momentum.

The interactions of the person who dies remain with those still alive. His pain is over with his end of life. Death eases suffering for the one who is killed, but the emotions and processes of grief and letting go are just beginning for those who are left behind.

Bloom documents love and life together with her husband and their decision to end his life. The records the shock of his death and the service of remembrance. The feeling of forgiveness and moving on is raw. It's real. It's in this memoir.

Playing God is not easy.

Unclaimed Baggage by Katie O'Rourke

★★★☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
When you have no personal boundaries, your family and friends may expect you to take care of them. Life is hard and uneven. When everyone dumps their drama on you but refuses to listen, how do you hold up?

Blended families and separated families sometimes choose one child to carry their burdens. And what happens when all the assumptions about who you are and who the others are lies?

As a young adult, can you back up and refuse to play your role? This story - about reclaiming your identity and loving from a maturing perspective - is both emotional and heartbreaking. If you're into that, this book is for you!

A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review
Not sure how Macomber comes up with one heart-rich story after another ... but she's done it again. The novel captures the meaning of community and family circles - and the ways we make those things happen. 

As a former Washingtonian, I relate to the ferry, filled with passengers who expect a smooth ride, and commuters who cross the sea all week to work. The ambiance, the complaints, and the coming together were satisfying, as Macomber's stories usually are.

You'll cheer for good endings and loving relationships when you finish the last page. This one's good for any time you need the comfort and smiles brought by happily-ever-afters on multiples fronts. 

The Elias Enigma by Simon Gervais

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
A winding tale that includes family, past relationships, various locations, and suspense. I enjoyed it though it took me a while to grasp who was who - and who met when and where. 

It's evenly paced, a gripping spy story of mayhem and behind-the-scenes maneuvering. If you like a good thriller, spy story, or mystery, you'll like this one.

Design For Your Mind by Annie Guest

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

The subtitle is "How a Family Caregiver and Mental Health Therapist Renovated Her Home to Recharge Her Life - and Didn't Break the Bank." The premise is that our spaces matter, and healthy spaces are possible for us and our families. 

Whether you are a designer working with a client who has mental health issues or if you want the comfort and calm that "home" provides, this book offers science and design to make that possible. Useful tips for making classrooms and other public spaces "safe" for others, too.

Editing Emily by Mia Rosette

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
 Life not going as expected? Welcome - it's the same for Emily, who is "finding herself" as a young adult in a big city. The language was raw, the choices were consequential, and the progress was winding.

This is a novel for those who understand the hearts of women, prefer conflicts that don't destroy, and invite new seasons of hope. It's Book One of a series, so you might want to get this one first.