Listen to Laura Hankin on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss Spinning a Bad Review Into Literary Gold Click here to tune in! If you love the show,
Listen to Laura Hankin on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss Spinning a Bad Review Into Literary Gold Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
*** The dark horse in my romance stack was Laura Hankin's debut novel, which pulled ahead as my summer favorite. After reading the author for years across genres, it was a treat to have Laura Hankin on the Book Gang podcast to discuss her romance writing pivot in One-Star Romance.
In this closed-door enemies-to-lovers romance, Natalie and Rob are assigned the duties of maid-of-honor and best man in their best friends' wedding. At first, the two have undeniable chemistry. Natalie is a down-on-her-luck writer navigating imposter syndrome, while Rob is a practical guy who plans every detail of his day down to the number of coffee beans he brews daily. Admittedly, these friends couldn't be more opposite, but who can argue with their attraction to one another on that first night?
Despite Emily's numerous financial hurdles, she was thrilled when her debut literary fiction novel enjoyed a warm reception on GoodReads for her book. The fact that most of these reviews are from friends and family is inconsequential. But one day, she discovers that her rating has suddenly tanked, and it is a detail that she can't help but fixate on.
As the two gather for the wedding ceremony, where everything goes comically wrong, Natalie discovers that Rob, a man she must see at every friend gathering for the rest of her life, is the one who left the one-star review on her book on GoodReads.
As Rob is known for his honesty in the review space, he can't compromise on why he stands behind his judgment. Natalie also discovers that her best friend stalled on reading the novel in a world where she is her biggest support person.
To share more will rob you of some surprises, but these reasons are well-developed, as are the occasions that bring Rob & Natalie back together, much to their awkward dismay. We follow them as they vacation together, celebrate the birth of their friend's child, attend a housewarming party, and witness other pivotal moments in this friend's marriage. These are beautifully spaced into seven parts over the years.
If I wrote the book blurb for this novel, it would be Happy Place meets When Harry Met Sally. This cozy rom-com delivers witty banter and will satisfy Katherine Center or Emily Henry fans! I had a goofy grin through this book and finished it in a single day. Hankin proves she can write anything!
Readers who want to dive into the ending more can access a bonus episode with Laura to hear how she crafted these amazing surprises for her readers.
cw- ends during the pandemic, dementia, and cancer diagnosis...more
Listen to L.M. Chilton on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss how Digital Dating Turns Deadly in this Debut Mystery Click here to tune in! If you lo
Listen to L.M. Chilton on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss how Digital Dating Turns Deadly in this Debut Mystery Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
*** After nearly a decade and 212 failed dates, L.M. Chilton channeled his dating frustrations into Swiped, a fresh debut murder mystery cleverly crafted for the millennial reader to explore the darker side of online dating. It was an honor to discuss his personal story and journalism efforts to uncover the truth behind the algorithms on the Book Gang podcast.
In a world of swiping right or left to find your perfect dating match, Gwen has been on more miserable dates than she can count. As she navigates a broken heart, she also must muster joy for her best friend's upcoming nuptials.
The twist in this story, though, is that every date she goes on becomes a victim to a serial killer in their coastal English town. Perhaps she could call it a coincidence when the first guy dies, but when a second and third start are in danger, she finds herself engulfed in a living nightmare.
Is Gwen being set up by the app's algorithm, or is something more sinister at work?
This novel was SO MUCH FUN, especially as the story offers chapters for each date and where they went horribly wrong! Chilton weaves in so many red herrings and deliciously evil people that at four different points in the story, I thought I knew the culprit, but I was utterly wrong.
Although many elements of discovering clues can stretch the imagination, it is clear that Chilton is here for campy adventures that match its comparable comp—the Scream movie franchise.
I'm so surprised that this one didn't get picked up by one of the celebrity book clubs this summer. It was the perfect reading escape!
Listen to Nicola Yoon on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss Her Provocative Debut Thriller Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please cons
Listen to Nicola Yoon on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss Her Provocative Debut Thriller Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
***
Before I get too far into a review, Nicola Yoon joined the Book Gang podcast to discuss her book. She stayed for a bonus spoiler-filled episode to discuss the One of Our Kind ending, talking us through her turn-by-turn decisions and, most importantly, why she chose this for her reader. Any reader curious about the motives behind the story should tune in, not because it is my show but because it is a privilege to hear her process.
This book is a social horror novel, meaning its story is deeply rooted in our problematic society. The endings of social horror novels are often unsettling, enraging, and unsatisfying. The story was inspired by Yoon's deep dive into The Stepford Wives, a backlist novel that people may not recall as a feminist-forward piece of fiction. Written amidst the despair of the pandemic, I believe these emotions come through on the page.
A wealthy young family decides to relocate into a newly created Black utopian community explicitly designed for its residents. As Jasmyn faces growing worries for the safety of her children, she is excited for the freedom from worry this will offer them. The problem is that their family's newly earned wealth often clashes with Jasmyn, who feels removed from the dialogue and conversations around social justice issues within her old stomping grounds.
But as she settles into her home, she discovers that the new neighbors seem removed from real-world issues and have a bizarre fixation on self-care and wellness. The truth about the intentions of this seemingly idyllic space starts becoming more troubling as she uncovers the origin story of the neighborhood and its people.
The ending does evoke a response, much like The Other Black Girl, which had me reeling when I finished that book. "Am I supposed to be angry?" was my question. I didn't know what to do with an ending like this or the simmering rage I felt when I shut the book.
Her answer: Yes, we are supposed to be angry. But we are supposed to talk about why it evoked that response and discuss these broken systems as they exist. She created this novel as a launching pad for readers to confront uncomfortable truths in the safety and context of warm reading communities.
I hope you'll give this author's adult debut a shot, especially if you have a book club that needs a book that will provoke conversation. I've found that a polarizing ending ALWAYS yields the best kinds of conversations!
If this isn't a perfect fit, keep her imprint, Joy Revolution Books, in mind. She co-founded it with her husband, David Yoon, to celebrate love stories by and about people of color. After hearing about the time, love, and devotion that goes into book selection, I'm amazed by their efforts to bring these stories to life. ...more
Listen to Amy Lin on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss Surprising Truths About Grief Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider
Listen to Amy Lin on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss Surprising Truths About Grief Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
*** Amy Lin's deeply meditative memoir offers a nonlinear perspective on the sudden loss of her husband, who passed away at the age of thirty-two when he heads out for a half-marathon. His deathly collapse is unbelievable and leaves her with no answers.
Just ten days later, she begins to have abdominal pain that Amy attributes to simply weeping- feeling indescribable pain in her rib. But what develops is a harrowing medical crisis that leaves her body in a weakened state as she navigates funeral planning while emerging from the ICU. Set against the grim backdrop of the pandemic, all of this can't be processed the way it deserves, from Zoom calls with a therapist to the absence of friend gatherings.
I read this book with much trepidation- I'm not typically drawn to this type of memoir simply because I'm in a season where life feels challenging. But, I walked away from this experience with an instruction manual on my misconceptions about what is helpful or harmful to someone grieving.
Lin processes it in a contemplative way, but also almost as an academic exercise to understand the body's responses to loss, why grief doesn't fit abstract timeliness, and what we should and should not say to those newly processing loss.
It reads like a diary, segmented into impactful emotional bites that sometimes seamlessly blend old memories among fresh aspects of grief. Intentional white space is left on every page, offering readers space between each entry. But readers should expect big emotions with devastating lines like, "When he dies, I fall out of time."
It was a joy to share an hour with Amy Lin on Book Gang and discuss the hurtful and harmful ways that people support grieving and the beneficial ways we can step into people's lives without shying away from the universal experience of grief. If the memoir itself feels too heavy, the conversation will give you so much for your relationships now and in the future.
Lin unflinchingly tells the reader that if you think this is hard for you, imagine what it is like for me. You can't turn away....more
Listen to Kennedy Ryan on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! The Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon episode discusses her inclusive narratives and the fandom she
UPDATE:
Listen to Kennedy Ryan on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! The Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon episode discusses her inclusive narratives and the fandom she has cultivated Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
*** This novel will undoubtedly be one of the best romances you will read this year. Ryan always builds something emotionally unexpected into her gorgeous plot- a signature I appreciate in her books. For this novel, it is a well-documented journey of parenting an autistic child. This beautiful journey mirrored many of our family moments that I'm so grateful to see here.
Kennedy Ryan opens this story with an author's note about her decision to include this in her storyline. As the mother of an autistic child, she wanted to make sure that when she shared this journey, she could give this storyline the care and beauty it deserved. It shows on every page.
Mixed into this slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance is a single dad navigating an amicable divorce and raising autistic twins. We also have a woman who discovers herself FIRST, creating a gorgeous story of the beauty that can be found after divorce.
While this is the second in the Skyland series, you could read this as a standalone, BUT WHY WOULD YOU?
I know you'll love this as much as me- this series is exceptional....more
Thank you to Michael Kardos for participating in the Book Gang Author Series to discuss this thriller on Patreon with the MomAdvice Book Club Click h
Thank you to Michael Kardos for participating in the Book Gang Author Series to discuss this thriller on Patreon with the MomAdvice Book Club Click here to tune in!
I have read a lot of con artist novels over the years, but this 2018 backlist selection is my new favorite. Published in 2018, Book Gang Podcast guest Julia Whelan was the audiobook narrator for this novel and praised it as a fantastic under-the-radar selection that she wishes more people would read.
The concept is such a clever one. Magician Natalie Webb, once a rising star in the world of card tricks, is now a washed-up has-been at twenty-seven. After a gig goes horribly wrong, she finds herself in financial debt due to an impending lawsuit.
She takes on a freelance writing assignment to give an insider look at the art of cheating at cards to make ends meet. But when she becomes enveloped in the world of a mesmerizing cardshark, her journalistic endeavor becomes a personal test. She makes a dangerous proposition with the player to execute a $1.5 million magic trick that could change her fate forever.
I selected this book not only to discuss Kardos's research on card tricks but also because it delivered some of the best plot twists I've read this year. Each time I thought I had gotten to the bottom of the story, Kardos threw in one more wrench. The characters aren't the only ones with a well-thought sleight of hand; the author delivers, too.
Equal parts thriller and mystery, I recommend that you listen to this on audiobook! While the paper copy offers some fun handwritten notes, Whelan's performance is captivating and enhances this selection greatly. I will be surprised if it doesn't become one of your favorites of the year.
I'm so grateful to Julia Whelan for this recommendation, which has been an enormous hit with our readers. Michael Kardos is so genuine and enthusiastic about his storytelling that I can't recommend his appearance enough if you choose his thriller for your book club. ...more
Listen to Nina Simon on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Remarkable Murder Mystery That Changed Everything Click here to tune in! If you love
Listen to Nina Simon on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Remarkable Murder Mystery That Changed Everything Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
A former NASA engineer, Nina Simon, wrote this debut mystery with her mom while undergoing cancer treatment to pass their time together.
When Nina's mother battled stage 4 cancer in late 2020, it prompted her to leave her CEO position and care for her.
Amidst the challenges, Nina and her mother found solace in their shared love for murder mysteries, leading them to write a mystery book of their own to keep them busy during their long days in the hospital room. I loved hearing about the therapeutic power of creativity, courage, and resilience that emerged through the act of storytelling that bonded Nina and her mother during this challenging period.
This heartwarming family drama within a mystery introduces readers to an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths—a spirited grandmother, a determined single mother, and a curious teenage girl—bonding together to unravel a perplexing murder.
Lana Rubicon, a powerful real estate magnate accustomed to the bustling life of Los Angeles, finds her world shattered by a cancer diagnosis. She must move to a sleepy coastal town with her estranged daughter Beth and granddaughter Jack as she finds her life at a standstill.
However, their life takes a sharp turn when Jack stumbles upon a lifeless body during a kayaking excursion.
Suddenly entangled in a murder investigation, the three generations of Rubicon women embark on a little amateur sleuthing as they discover Jack is the main suspect in the investigation.
This novel will satisfy slow-burn mystery readers who appreciate the setting as much as they do their characters. She writes the characters distinctly and depicts a beautiful ending for these three women.
I can admit, though, that what really enhanced this book was hearing about Nina's publishing journey and how this project gave her and her mother something to do in their darkest moments. Nina's joy is infectious, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
Patrons can enjoy a spoiler-filled episode with Nina to discuss the revealed killer and what Nina wanted to achieve with her ending. Thank you to William Morrow for the advanced copy and the opportunity to participate in this beautiful book launch.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night hits store shelves on September 5th....more
Listen to Meagan Church on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Best Book Club Books to Discuss Now Click here to tune in!
If you love the show,
Listen to Meagan Church on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Best Book Club Books to Discuss Now Click here to tune in!
If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
***** Church's eerie opening sent shivers down my spine. A teen girl in a stretched-out swimsuit is working her shift as a lifeguard at her community pool. As the strap to her swimsuit falls, it catches the eye of a father who has forgotten to keep an eye on his child. At this moment, his daughter begins to drown in the middle of the pool, and the fearless lifeguard, Lorraine, dives in to save her. It is as though Church is setting the scene for her reader that girls must protect themselves.
If you haven't heard of The Baby Scoop Era, this period, roughly from the late 1940s to the early 1970s, is when many unmarried pregnant women were often coerced, pressured, or forced to relinquish their babies for adoption. As widespread social stigma was attached to unwed mothers, many saw adoption as a more socially acceptable outcome than single motherhood.
This page-turner story, set in the 1960s, examines this era with fresh eyes as Lorraine, a gifted teen girl, navigates an unexpected pregnancy during her senior year of high school. Curious and bright, she has aspirations to be an astronaut one day. We are reminded in evocative detail of these dreams for her future as she looks to the sky and imagines a different life for herself as a very different story unfolds on the page.
When Lorraine discovers the pregnancy, she receives little information about what is happening in her body or the process. Instead, sent to a maternity home for teen girls, the parents pray that no one will ever know of her shameful secret. Lorraine's shame is palatable, but for the boy involved, this is barely a blip in his promising future.
As societal expectations and familial pressures ground Lorraine, Church examines the underbelly of perfect picket fences and suburban dreams. We then realize everyone has a shameful secret that could have grounded them at some point.
While these women's experiences varied widely during this time, many throughout this era faced isolation, shame, and psychological distress as they navigated the process of pregnancy, childbirth, and relinquishment. Church deeply humanizes this experience like few books have, with a raw and unfiltered lens through the eyes of a teen girl with few choices.
Well-crafted plot twists and shifting narration add to well-timed tension on every page. This historical fiction novel is another tour de force that showcases the author's magnificent lens at, once again, showcasing the harrowing and untold stories of girls that we need to read.
Thank you to Sourcebooks for an advanced reader. This novel will be published on March 5, 2023...more
Listen to Jeff Zentner on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss What Jeff Zentner Brings to Romance Click here to tune in! If you love the show, pleas
Listen to Jeff Zentner on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss What Jeff Zentner Brings to Romance Click here to tune in! If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon.
Readers may be surprised to discover that Jeff Zentner is firmly planting his feet in the romance world with his first small-town romance written for adult readers. It was a pleasure to talk to him about his writing transition this month.
This earnest second-chance love story opens with an emotionally charged moment when a drunken Colton Gentry professes outrage against gun violence on the microphone at a sold-out show that he is performing. The reason for this outburst is not politically driven but personally driven because his best friend was murdered onstage by a mass shooter at a country music festival.
As Colton's drunken rant begins, his team cuts his microphone midsentence, unleashing a cancellation by the country music industry for his public stance against gun rights.
With his personal life in shambles, a defeated Colton returns home to live with his mother, trying to find a new purpose and financial freedom away from his infamous past.
Luann, left behind by Colton when the two struggled to navigate a long-distance romance when they were kids, is now the proud owner of a local farm-to-table restaurant whose dishes wow Colton's dishes when he visits as a patron. Still smarting from the loss years ago, Luann sets aside her misgivings to allow Colton to work as a sous chef for the restaurant.
But how will this impact Luann's world when Colton becomes the punching bag for a media circus that trails him? And, after leaving her, is he deserving of this redemption story?
The book offers readers a slow-burn romance as Luann and Colton rekindle their relationship.
There is a familiarity that Zentner believably builds, but it is no surprise that this magic is best captured when they are kids. As Zenter is a young adult writer, it allowed him to sit comfortably in his wheelhouse while exploring a more grown-up story of navigating divorce, kids, and sobriety in their grown-up moments.
While steamy, the romance is almost entirely closed-door, with only a paragraph going beyond fade-to-black bedroom scenes.
Like J. Ryan Stradal's writing of Midwestern food details, Zentner offers our book stacks a well-researched Southern food scene. But where he shines is a coming-of-age story that develops on the page, celebrating the defining moments of a man coming to know himself and who matters most in his thirties.
Despite the opener, the story stays surprisingly neutral as Colton finds commonality with everyone, which many readers will find comforting. Zentner stresses in our interview that this is not an issues book. It could be an excellent book club book for those who want starter conversations for their groups around the gun rights topic.
This novel will more than satisfy Jeff Zentner fans....more
Listen to Molly Fader on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Magic of Old Hollywood Books on our show this week. Click here to tune in!
If you l
Listen to Molly Fader on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Magic of Old Hollywood Books on our show this week. Click here to tune in!
If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon. ****
This historical fiction novel has undoubtedly earned a spot on my list of best books of the year. I'm so thankful for the podcast preparation that brought me to this incredible book discovery. While Molly Fader may be a new writer to me, she is well-known as the award-winning author of more than 40 romance novels under the pennames Molly O'Keefe and M. O'Keefe.
Inspired by Fader's mother's career in nursing, this novel delves into the layers of tender and enduring bonds of friendship set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, with rich dual timelines that offer glimpses into magnificent Hollywood settings.
The story begins in Greensboro, Iowa, with the funeral of BettyKay Beecher, a beloved nurse, and mother. Her daughters, Clara and Abby, are reunited for the somber occasion, but tensions arise as the two sisters could not be more different in their lives and approach to wrapping up their mother's estate.
However, things take an unexpected turn when Kitty Deveraux, a famous Hollywood actress, appears at the funeral and places an unusual pink button in the coffin. Intrigued, Clara and Abby, invite Kitty to their mother's home, where she reveals that she knew BettyKay and their "Aunt Jenny" from their time as nursing students. The two odd-couple roommates had formed a fast comradery with Jenny, one of the few Black women in their nursing school program, a friendship that endured for many years.
The thing is, her daughters have never known of their friendship with Kitty or of her secret past life, and Jenny does not seem pleased by Kitty's sudden appearance. So as Kitty regales them with stories from the three friends' past, Clara and Abby learn surprising things about their mother that they never knew.
The flashback sequences are told partially through their mother's journal entries and partially through Kitty's rich memories. Fader's writing shines as she vividly portrays the bond between BettyKay, Jenny, and Kitty during their nursing school years, depicting the challenges they faced and the unwavering support they provided to each other.
I have learned some of my best history lessons through books like these, and exploring what it would be like to be a frontline nurse and how women were treated in the early days of these nursing programs was eye-opening.
Fader's own inspiration from her mother's stories about nursing school in Iowa in the 1960s is palpable, adding depth and authenticity to the characters and their relationships. In addition, the pink button laid within the coffin has a hilariously rich history that brings charm and warmth to the story, shared in her author's note.
The Sunshine Girls is a fast page-turner recommended for fans of The Seven Lives of Evelyn Hugo or Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?. It is the kind of book you can read in a day and immediately begin recommending it to your friends and family if you are anything like me. Get this book in your stack IMMEDIATELY and report back- I can’t wait to discuss this one....more
Listen to Wendy Heard on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Best Con Artist Queens in Literature on our show this week. Click here to tune in!
Listen to Wendy Heard on the Book Gang Podcast NOW! We discuss The Best Con Artist Queens in Literature on our show this week. Click here to tune in!
If you love the show, please consider joining my Patreon. ****
Step into the thrilling world of grifting and deception with Wendy Heard's latest novel, perfect for fans who craved more of Lucia and Mia's perspectives in season 2 of White Lotus!
This book is my first novel from Wendy Heard, but it won't be my last. In this popcorn thriller, best friends Summer and Leo have each other's backs through thick and thin but face one of their greatest challenges together.
Summer, an expert pickpocketer, takes Leo, a young woman living on the streets, under her wing, and together they plan a con that quickly spirals out of control. These two skilled grifters set their skilled sights on a billionaire named Michael but find themselves in danger when they discover their mark isn't who he seems to be.
When Leo disappears, Summer takes matters into her own hands and infiltrates Michael's private island to find her friend. But with no sign of Leo and no way off the island, Summer begins to suspect that she may have met her match in this page-turning story.
The story, told from alternating perspectives, also builds smart backstories and motives for both Summer and Leo as the two try to find one another again. Heard weaves in these flashback sequences seamlessly, helping to build tension, suspense, and connection through these timelines.
Her writing shines in her grifting sequences, and many passages seem borrowed from Epstein's island, and the horrifying ways women were lured and held there. The problem in this story is that this millionaire may have met his match by trying to con these seasoned grifters, challenging any narrative of victimhood and making it feel feminist-forward....more
Listen to the Book Gang podcast celebrating debuts, backlist books, and under-the-radar gems. ***
I'm saving my full review for our Patreon show, but IListen to the Book Gang podcast celebrating debuts, backlist books, and under-the-radar gems. ***
I'm saving my full review for our Patreon show, but I want to publicly state what a beautiful experience it was to see Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome represented for the first time in my fiction stack. If you ever wondered what it might feel like to be in a body like this, you only have to look at the detailed account in this fantasy novel to realize just how challenging life would be. To any reader that has left negative feedback on how these situations would never happen, I encourage you to learn more about the condition.
Violet's condition affects her bones and ligaments, causing chronic pain, subluxation, and dislocation throughout her training and battles. Yarros is, essentially, giving us a peek at what she and four of her children deal with daily with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I immediately recognized it as she used scenarios from my daily life and my children's daily life in her story.
It was a bewildering and fantastic experience to read about myself on a page and then imagine a world where I'm strong enough to fight in battle. The modifications made for Violet's life in battle, from her coat of armor that holds her together to the unusual saddle that helps support her body when she can't stay upright on the dragon, were perfectly crafted.
Those helpers are examples of things that people with EDS have to search for every day, from binding your body to keep ribs in place to having bones reset back in place weekly (sometimes daily) to simply the challenge of sitting upright- essentially preparing for war every day of our lives in our bodies.
Representation matters, and anyone who has ever seen themselves described in a book can only say that it is surreal, validating, and fully immersive. I hope this begins many conversations and awareness around Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I also hope readers will be compassionately curious to learn more and empathetic to the challenges people with EDS face daily....more
Happy publishing week! Adele will be a guest on the Book Gang Podcast later this summer. Thank you to Sourcebooks for this review copy for our show.
**Happy publishing week! Adele will be a guest on the Book Gang Podcast later this summer. Thank you to Sourcebooks for this review copy for our show.
*******
Adele Griffin's adult fiction debut showcases her seasoned expertise as a two-time National Book Award finalist, compellingly exploring the intricate dynamics of surrogacy within the contrasting lives of two women on very different wealth spectrums.
Nora is one of the best in the business for curating vintage fashion finds for her clients. Despite her personally rewarding job, she is battling a hidden struggle of overwhelming debt and infertility.
However, her life turns unexpectedly when a Manhattan socialite, Evelyn Elliot, enters the picture. When Evelyn enters her shop, she quickly escalates her as her personal assistant for curating the perfect tablescapes and party looks for the mysterious world of Manhattan's elite.
Guided through the journey by Evelyn’s charismatic yet unpredictable ways, she is shocked when the woman offers her the ultimate favor- be her surrogate.
It’s an unusual transaction, especially given Evelyn’s socialite status. As Evelyn's pregnancy progresses, she offers her own hashtag ( #compassionatesurrogate), giving her followers every detail of her pregnancy. With no actual contract between the two women, Nora makes a decision that could ultimately threaten their shaky relationship as she navigates a world she doesn’t understand.
With its fashion-forward backdrop and nuanced exploration of the path to modern motherhood, this novel held me captive from beginning to end.
Griffin's care for this mother’s story was beautifully crafted, solidifying this as a potential contender for next year's book club. Readers, please exercise caution if you have struggled with infertility, but know that you may also find a kindred spirit in Nora’s journey.
As I've just wrapped up recording the interview for this podcast, I can assure you this story is both profoundly personal AND that she shared that she wanted it to be packaged as "light as meringue" for the reader. Griffin's children are here because of surrogacy, a story I don't see often represented in my fiction. It was a joy to share space with her, and I can't wait to cheer her on as she dives into the world of women's fiction!...more
Fiona Davis will be on the Book Gang podcast for our Summer Author Series! This novel will be published on June 13th- thank you to the publisher for tFiona Davis will be on the Book Gang podcast for our Summer Author Series! This novel will be published on June 13th- thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!
Rounded up from 4.25!
****
Fiona Davis is best known for her historical fiction novels, which explore the history (and mystery) behind some of New York City's most well-known landmarks. I’ve read many of her books and can confidently say this is her best book yet.
In this dual timeline story, we meet Marion, a nineteen-year-old whose thrilled when she lands a spot in the Rockettes, even if her father isn’t. Davis takes us on a journey not just behind-the-scenes of the grueling dance life but imagines a dancer that is such a showstopper that she fails to blend into the dance ensemble.
However, amidst the glamour and grueling routines, the “Big Apple Bomber” is on the loose, and Marion tragically becomes entangled. The bomber has been relentlessly planting explosives all over New York, even where Marion performs.
As the police turn to psychological profiling for the first time, Marion finds herself drawn into the investigation with an unlikely man tied to the case, and she must decide if catching the bomber is worth risking everything she holds dear, including her hard-earned dreams and the safety of her loved ones.
Most people are unfamiliar with the true story of this bomber. Davis was surprised to uncover the details herself, bringing an astounding amount of research to this story along with beautiful historical elements to those beginning days of the Rockettes. What she does well is making this easy-to-digest so the reader is never too bogged down with the details.
Davis also excels at writing captivating dance sequences with perfectly captured frenetic energy. The true showstopper to this story isn't just Marion's earlier life; it is how she weaves a surprisingly personal and profound ending for her life that beautifully connects these two timelines.
It was so satisfying and moving that I encourage readers to have a box of tissues accessible for a good cry after you finish it.
I'm thrilled that Fiona will join us to discuss this book in our summer author series. I plan to request a short spoiler-filled conversation for our Patreon to discuss the ending of this book. I need to talk this ending through with the writer- it is so beautiful.
If you loved Lynda Cohen Loigman's, The Matchmaker's Gift, you will devour this story....more
Magic Season was a 2023 MomAdvice Book Club selection for May! You can join our book club on Facebook.
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Wade Rouse is a bestselling author, perhaps Magic Season was a 2023 MomAdvice Book Club selection for May! You can join our book club on Facebook.
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Wade Rouse is a bestselling author, perhaps best known for his beach reads written under the pen name Viola Shipman. However, you may not know he is also a gifted memoir writer with four memoirs.
I selected this for the summer season because it is the kind of book you can read in a single day and set around the game of baseball. What a perfect summer selection!
Wade's story begins as a queer kid who grew up in a conservative Ozarks community. He and his father could not be more different, and his father is both brutally unaccepting and disapproving of Wade. It isn't just his sexual identity that baffles his father. His creative endeavors, writing career, and political leanings also confuse him.
Despite their differences, they do find common ground in one thing: baseball! Rouse shares the most moving portrait of father and son as they use this sport as glue to bind them when they can never see eye-to-eye.
Rouse also tackles the complex terrain of parenting an older parent when you have grown up in a challenging relationship. His grace for his dad and ability to find commonality in polarizing times make this an essential read for ANY reader. How do we find common ground when we feel so differently?
I can't recall a more moving memoir of father and son than this one. It left me in a puddle, and I marveled how Rouse could pull in a reader like me who couldn't care a bit about the game of baseball to be wholly enveloped in their shared love of the sport.
Spending an hour with Wade in our Patreon Book Club Author Series was an honor- it has been my favorite interview so far this year. I feel lucky to have shared space with such a compassionate, driven, and gifted writer. I hope you will pick up this under-the-radar gem this summer! ...more
I have followed Thao Thai's essays for years, and how she captures motherhood on a page, speaking to the complicated journey of "good mothers," gives the nod to our secret selves that we hold at a distance through that season.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Vietnam and Florida, Banyan Moon will be one of your favorite reads this year- it left me breathless and highlighting passages throughout the story.
This emotional debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women grappling with the death of their matriarch, Minh.
As Minh's granddaughter, Ann faces a crossroads in her seemingly perfect life, she returns home to Florida to help her estranged mother clean out the estate. As the two begin this daunting process, they also start to unravel their own long-buried secrets in Minh's old manor, the Banyan House.
The house and its belongings are just as intriguing as the story. But, more importantly, readers are given a cinematic snapshot into the everyday life of people surrounded by the harrowing hardships of war but reminded that there is still vivid beauty and normalcy in the strange ways we adapt to adversities. Minh’s story, most of all, shines.
Fans of Panchinko's multigenerational legacy story will be captivated by this richly imaginative mother-daughter story spanning decades, generations and the unique bonds of motherhood.
Thank you to Mariner for the advanced copy for our show! Congratulations to Thao on her recent selection as the July 2023 Read With Jenna pick!...more
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