What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg

This was one of the best book club books that we have done. It garnered enough discussion to last us several hours. We did get off topic a couple of times (we always do), but it was mostly relating the book to our own lives and those of people we know.

As the book opens, the main character is flying to see her mom, whom she and her sister have not talked to in 35 years. Her sister is about to find out whether or not she has cancer and she feels they should reconnect with their mother, in case. We hear most of the story through the main character's reminiscences on the plane flight there. Their mother did something horrible all those years ago. Can you wait to find out what?

Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber

I love the Blossom Street series by Debbie Macomber. This is the 4th book in the series and maybe my favorite. The book starts with Anne, who owns the bookstore on Blossom Street. It has been three years since her estranged husband passed away and she feels she is missing something in her life. She and three other widows gather on Valentine's evening and she comes up with an idea that they should each come up with a list of 20 wishes that they would like to do to revitalize their lives. Some of them are big and some are small. A couple of Anne's are to buy a pair of red boots and to see Paris with someone she loves. My only complaint about this book is that I want more. Macomber shares the major details of each widow's quest with us, but she could have made this into four books and I would have eaten them all up!

P.S. This book made me also seriously consider starting a list of my own 20 wishes. Maybe soon.