From the publisher:
https://amzn.to/4epTDjfShe left her hometown following a scandal—but family loyalty is dragging her back…
Despite their strained relationship, when Gia Rossi’s sister, Margot, begs her to come home to Wakefield, Iowa, to help with their ailing mother, Gia knows she has no choice. After her rebellious and at-times-tumultuous teen years, Gia left town with little reason to look back. But she knows Margot’s borne the brunt of their mother’s care and now it’s Gia’s turn to help, even if it means opening old wounds.
As expected, Gia’s homecoming is far from welcome. There’s the Banned Books Club she started after the PTA overzealously slashed the high school reading list, which is right where she left it. But there is also Mr. Hart, her former favorite teacher. The one who was fired after Gia publicly and painfully accused him of sexual misconduct. The one who prompted Gia to leave behind a very conflicted town the minute she turned eighteen. The one person she hoped never to see again.
When Margot leaves town without explanation, Gia sees the cracks in her sister’s “perfect” life for the first time and plans to offer support. But as the town, including members of the book club, takes sides between Gia and Mr. Hart, everything gets harder. Fortunately, she learns that there are people she can depend on. And by standing up for the truth, she finds love and a future in the town she thought had rejected her.“Filled with mystery and drama, coupled with themes of family ties and secrets. This page-turner will not disappoint.”—Booklist
Regular readers of this blog know I am horrified by the book bannings going on all over this country, especially in Florida where I live. I was happy to see Novak take on the topic in her latest, and while I applaud her for bringing this topic gently into her readers’ hands, I would have liked to see a bit more about the problem. That said, I am truly grateful for the books she does mention.
Gia’s mother is dying of cancer, and while her father is amazing, her sister Margot has been the one to take on a lot of her care. But Margot knows the end is coming soon, and she begs Gia to come home and spend some time with their mother, and give Margot a bit of respite. What Margot doesn’t tell Gia is that she is planning on leaving her husband, and needs Gia there for their mom before she can disappear.
Gia has never liked Margot’s husband, but Margot rarely says a bad word about him and, in fact, defends him as needed. What she is too ashamed to admit is that he is extremely abusive to her – not physically, but emotionally. And those scars run just as deep.
Gia left town as a teenager after her favorite teacher molested her. When she reported him, it created a major division in the small town. He was convicted, but never confessed or admitted anything, and blamed Gia for making it up due to a bad grade. His son is the town veterinarian, and he has moved into the house behind Gia’s family. As her presence becomes known, the town starts dividing up once again. Gia never felt like she had much support – even her parents weren’t especially supportive. But when she starts talking with Cormac, the teacher’s son, he comes to realize that maybe she wasn’t lying after all.
Eventually, the truth comes out and Gia is vindicated in the eyes of the town. Gia and Cormac fall in love and find their happy ending. This was a really good read with a lot of heart, that delved into some serious topics. Very well done.
9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE BANNED BOOKS CLUB by Brenda Novak. MIRA; Original edition (September 17, 2024). ISBN: 978-0778387329. 352p.
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