June Staff Recommendations

The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Larissa is struggling to pay her bills; she has several “side hustle” jobs to generate extra income and is also working as a server in a restaurant.  Since she always seems to be behind and doesn’t have the money to fix her car, she goes to a concert with a friend and asks a couple new acquaintances, Chris and Mike for a ride home.  Chris and Mike are close friends and Mike really likes Larissa and begins dating her. Unfortunately, Mike keeps asking Chris to help Larissa, when he should be the one who’s there for her when she needs it. Larissa likes Mike; however, she realizes she’s having conflicting feeling towards Chris.

The situation and their relationships become complicated and the three of them have to unravel what’s happening between them. To make it even more challenging, Larissa works for Mike’s mother. The author humorously presents a difficult scenario about friendship and the complexities regarding the heart.  A funny summer read. Available at the library and through Libby. ~ Erin

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

Simone and Lucy, a mother-daughter duo from the UK, head to the US for a bonding trip before Lucy heads off to university. Their plans quickly derail though, when Simone wakes up on the first morning to an empty cabin. Lucy is nowhere to be found. What Simone found instead was a burner phone with instructions: Don’t tell the police. Come to this location. And be prepared to do a deal. Under the heat of the Texas sun, the story unravels as Simone finds herself making a whirlwind of decisions that lead down dangerous paths. How far will a mother go to protect her child? This fast-paced thriller was a great read! Available at the library and through Libby. ~ Alesia

Valley of the Moms by Hannah Selinger

I went into this book totally expecting a fast-paced popcorn thriller. What I got was a slow burn suspense featuring PTO Moms (my fave!) behaving very badly. Anna & Denny Plummer moved their family to Hamilton, a seemingly idyllic town where Anna’s childhood best friend Di lives. When Anna decides to throw her hat into the election for PTO President, running against Mimi Mar, she gets far more than she bargained for. Great character development. Interesting twists. Dual timeline & POV. The opening paragraph is a banger! Available at the library and through Libby. ~ Leslie M.