ONE SUMMER IN PARIS by Sarah Morgan

January 21, 2020

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From the publisher:

To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Grace has planned the surprise of a lifetime for her husband—a romantic getaway to Paris. But she never expected he’d have a surprise of his own: he wants a divorce. Reeling from the shock but refusing to be broken, a devastated Grace makes the bold decision to go to Paris alone.

Audrey, a young woman from London, has left behind a heartache of her own when she arrives in Paris. A job in a bookshop is her ticket to freedom, but with no money and no knowledge of the French language, suddenly a summer spent wandering the cobbled streets alone seems much more likely…until she meets Grace, and everything changes.

Grace can’t believe how daring Audrey is. Audrey can’t believe how cautious newly single Grace is. Living in neighboring apartments above the bookshop, this unlikely pair offer each other just what they’ve both been missing. They came to Paris to find themselves, but finding this unbreakable friendship might be the best thing that’s ever happened to them…

Sarah Morgan is a prolific romance writer and her “From Manhattan with Love” series is one of my favorites. A few years ago, she shifted from writing romance to women’s fiction. One Summer in Paris has been gathering virtual dust on my Kindle for about a year now. As I’ve been trying to clear out the ever-growing number of to-be-read titles on my Kindle it was time to finally go for it. This is a somewhat tricky review to approach. On a surface level, I enjoyed reading One Summer in Paris, it is a quick read, the descriptions of Paris and its food are of course charming, but in the end, the book as a whole didn’t sit well with me. The main highlight of the book is the unexpected friendship that grows between Grace and Audrey as they work together in a quaint bookshop.

After her husband’s devastating betrayal Grace has been struggling with feeling useless and learning how to navigate her life without her husband at her side. Audrey, on the other hand, has already had to be more independent than any teenager should. She has practically raised herself while dealing with a severe learning disability, while her mom struggles with alcoholism and is often neglectful if not downright abusive. Seeing these two women from vastly different backgrounds support and learn from each other was the best part of the book. Each of them begins to overcome their fears and gain confidence, while of course finding a little romance. Then, however, things begin to take a turn plot-wise, all working towards an ending that feels a little forced and not earned. A storyline involving Grace’s beloved grandmother, Mimi, in particular, feels like an afterthought and was not well developed. Most important though, I feel that in Morgan’s desire to give her characters happy endings, Grace and Audrey never get to fully reflect on the trauma and difficulties they have experienced and how they have changed as a result. As a reader this left me with some feelings of frustration by the end of the book.

While One Summer in Paris is packed with beautiful descriptions of Paris, its art, architecture, and food, even the complex friendship between Grace and Audrey wasn’t enough to keep me from feeling that this book still lacked something when it came to actual substance and character growth.

ONE SUMMER IN PARIS by Sarah Morgan. HQN Books (April 9, 2019). ISBN 9781335507549. 400 p.

1/2020 Caitlin Brisson

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WIFE AFTER WIFE by Olivia Hayfield

January 20, 2020

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The basic premise of this new telling of an old story reimagines Henry VIII morphed into a Rupert Murdoch type figure, without having learned a thing in the past 472 years.

Harry Rose is a British business tycoon whose media empire puts him near the top of every list of billionaires worldwide. This fast-paced, fun, yet engrossing read follows Harry’s marital trail of tears. Being married to one woman doesn’t work for Harry; he has one affair after another, and some of the mistresses even become wives. As a young man, he marries Katie, a devout Catholic with infertility issues. Eventually, she bears him a daughter, and not long afterward, Harry falls madly in love with wife number two, Ana, the “ice queen.” Harry’s blindly devoted secretary becomes his third wife, followed by a couple more, and he has children with several of them. But it is the burgeoning #metoo movement that creates a comeuppance for Harry, retribution for at least some of his wives, opportunities for his daughters, and a fitting end to this ultimately feminist tale.

Verdict: This story will resonate with readers, even ones those not familiar with British royal history. For readers who enjoyed the updated Jane Austen books like Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal and Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld, and are ready to branch out.

©Library Journal, 2020

1/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WIFE AFTER WIFE by Olivia Hayfield. Berkley (January 21, 2020). ISBN 978-0593101834. 464p.

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THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett

November 21, 2019

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From the publisher:

A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Commonwealth and State of Wonder, comes Ann Patchett’s most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go. The Dutch House is the story of a paradise lost, a tour de force that digs deeply into questions of inheritance, love and forgiveness, of how we want to see ourselves and of who we really are.

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

At the heart of this novel is the bond between siblings, something I have witnessed, but never experienced. I think what is a bit unusual is that the siblings are a brother and sister. I have read tons of books about sisters, and some about brothers. I’m sure there are other books that emphasize the brother-sister relationship, but nothing springs to mind, while this book will linger for a very long time.

Danny is dating Celeste. It has become serious, they’ve been together for a few years. He introduces his sister to her,, and at first, Celester and Maeve become fast friends. But when Celeste gives Danny a wedding ultimatum as he completes his first year of med school, he declines and they break up, causing a rift between Maeve and Celeste. When Danny and Celeste eventually marry, she is often resentful of his relationship with his sister. Frankly, I think many women will be able to understand that. I’ve always believed that a married couple needs to put each other first, above everyone else, so I thought I would struggle a bit with this. But I liked Maeve so much more than Celeste that I was surprisingly fine with it.

As you can probably tell from my own inner monologue here, there is a lot to discuss in this book. I haven’t even touched on the Dutch House itself. That is no metaphor, it is the name of the house where Danny and Maeve grew up, and it plays a significant role in the story. Actually, I’ll retract that, it is a metaphor for a few things, now that I think about it.

The Dutch House is, at its heart, a dysfunctional family story, yet in Patchett’s hands, it is so much more. I swear, Patchett could write a grocery list and make it sound beautiful. Her prose is sparse and sensitive; her characters well-drawn, including the house. A wonderful read to savor, perhaps over the upcoming holiday?

Oh, just as an added bonus, Tom Hanks reads the audiobook. Makes me want to give it a listen now!

THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett. Harper; 1st edition (September 24, 2019). ISBN 978-0062963673. 352p.

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AN UNORTHODOX MATCH by Naomi Ragen

October 30, 2019

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From the publisher:

An Unorthodox Match is a powerful and moving novel of faith, love, and acceptance, from author Naomi Ragen, the international bestselling author of The Devil in Jerusalem.

California girl Lola has her life all set up: business degree, handsome fiancé, fast track career, when suddenly, without warning, everything tragically implodes. After years fruitlessly searching for love, marriage, and children, she decides to take the radical step of seeking spirituality and meaning far outside the parameters of modern life in the insular, ultra-orthodox enclave of Boro Park, Brooklyn. There, fate brings her to the dysfunctional home of newly-widowed Jacob, a devout Torah scholar, whose life is also in turmoil, and whose small children are aching for the kindness of a womanly touch.

While her mother direly predicts she is ruining her life, enslaving herself to a community that is a misogynistic religious cult, Lola’s heart tells her something far more complicated. But it is the shocking and unexpected messages of her new community itself which will finally force her into a deeper understanding of the real choices she now faces and which will ultimately decide her fate.

I am Jewish; a Reform Jew. My parents were Jewish, my mom had little or no religion in her upbringing, my father was brought up Orthodox. He left that behind as soon as he left home. My own upbringing was sporadic Judaism at best. My son lives in Crown Heights, parts of which pits the Modern Orthodox contingent against the Lubavitch Chasidim. Growing up in NY, I am somewhat familiar with these groups. I am familiar with some Yiddish, but not to the extent used in this book. No worries, there is a lengthy glossary at the end of the book, and most of it you can figure out by the context, or it is translated on the page for you. That said, this felt like the most Jewish book yet from probably the most popular author of Jewish family fiction. According to the acknowledgments, Ragen spent a year in Boro Park doing her research and writing this book. The authenticity cannot be denied.

Just an observation: after reading the digital galley and then seeing the cover, I can tell you it is wrong on more than one level. But who cares, it’s only the cover.

Lola leaves behind her mother and her name and becomes Leah, a frum (devout or pieous) Jew. Her journey to this point is fraught, and she questions a lot. But once she starts volunteering to help this recent widower’s family, one thing becomes certain; Leah loves these children, at least the younger ones. The teenager is resentful and hateful, not a big surprise. Leah doesn’t meet their father for quite some time, and meanwhile, the local matchmakers are hard at work, setting her up on dates (shidduch) with one sad loser after another. Jakob is having the same spate of bad shidduchs. Leah is considered “Baal t’shevah,” meaning one who has returned, because she wasn’t a practicing Orthodox Jew until adulthood. There are lots of rules, and one of the most important, and most ignored, is to accept converts and those who return as if they are even better than those born to the religion. There are a lot of reasons for this, and it is explained thoroughly, as are many of the rites and rituals of ultra-Orthodox Jewish life. If you’ve ever been curious about it, this book should satisfy that curiosity.

It slowly becomes obvious that Leah and Jakob belong together, but it takes most of the book for them to get to that point. An ultra-Orthodox romance precludes almost everything typically found in a romance novel. Ultimately, this is a story about family and love, in an unusual setting. There is some humor, and lots of drama, making this a very engrossing read. Ragen fans, (and I am one,) will love it.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

AN UNORTHODOX MATCH by Naomi Ragen. St. Martin’s Press (September 24, 2019). ISBN 978-1250161222. 336p.

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SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand

October 18, 2019

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From the publisher:

The #1 New York Times Bestseller

Four siblings experience the drama, intrigue, and upheaval of a summer when everything changed, in New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand’s first historical novel

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century. It’s 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother’s historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same: Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha’s Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, each of them hiding a troubling secret. As the summer heats up, Ted Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, man flies to the moon, and Jessie and her family experience their own dramatic upheavals along with the rest of the country.

In her first historical novel, rich with the details of an era that shaped both a nation and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again earns her title as queen of the summer novel.

I was ten years old during the summer of 1969, just a few years younger than the youngest sibling in this story. I remember a lot about what was happening then.

I was a big reader, including newspapers; we got the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Newsday, and I read them all cover to cover. I never had enough reading materials. My parents were not readers and back then books were a special occasion gift. My mom would take me to the library once a week, wait outside in her car, so I always felt rushed, not to mention that the library limited the number of books I was allowed to borrow. I don’t recall exactly, but it was something like 3-5 books at a time. I could read that many children’s books in a day. When I ran out of children’s books, the librarian let me borrow adult books. I read everything I could get my hands on.

I knew about Vietnam and it scared me. I don’t really remember Chappaquidick, but I definitely remember the man walking on the moon. All that comes up during the Summer of ’69, wrapped up in a family that lived through it all.

While the publisher notes that this is Hilderbrand’s first historical novel, the rest is pure Hilderbrand. She is known for fabulous beach reads, and this certainly fits the bill. The family, Nantucket, the romance, the squabbling, it’s all here. I was immediately caught up in the story and these characters, and she does a really good job making them all come to life.

There are deeper issues woven throughout the story; racism, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, suicide, and more all come to light, making this a very satisfying read. Lots for book groups to discuss for sure. I really enjoyed this book, though it was more nostalgic than historical for me.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand. Random House (June 18, 2019). ISBN 978-0525510871. 384p.

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HOW TO HACK A HEARTBREAK by Kristin Rockaway

September 11, 2019

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Please welcome a new reviewer to the site! Caitlin was my “work daughter” when I was at the Palm Beach County Public Library. She’s still there and working hard in Youth System Services. I miss her every day!

Mel Strickland is an overqualified help desk employee at a start up incubator who spends her days putting up with a sexist boss and male co-workers who are constantly downloading viruses onto their laptops. After a series of bad dates, and being on the receiving end of one too many pictures of male genitalia through a dating app, Mel decides to put her coding skills to good use and creates her own app. JerkAlert allows women to document the harassers and ghosters they encounter in the world of online dating. Mel is unprepared, however, when JerkAlert goes viral overnight, bringing with it unexpected consequences for her career and personal relationships.

It is refreshing to read a book where the heroine is employed in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) field. “How to Hack a Heartbreak” tackles sexism and how women must work twice as hard as men to gain respect in the tech field. I’ve seen this book classified as romance, and while Mel does have a love interest, (Alex is a programmer at the start up where Mel works,) I would consider it more along the lines of women’s fiction. Mel’s relationship with Alex is underdeveloped and I found it difficult to get invested in their romance. More important are Mel’s relationships with her group of girlfriends who offer never ending support and empowerment while she works at starting her own business. While the ending felt a bit rushed, “How to Hack a Heartbreak” is a fun read that takes an uplifting and feminist look at making it in the tech world, all with a side of romance.

9/19 Caitlin Brisson

HOW TO HACK A HEARTBREAK by Kristin Rockaway. Graydon House (July 30, 2019). ISBN 9781525834257. 352p.

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ELLIE AND THE HARP MAKER by Hazel Prior

August 28, 2019

A rich, heartwarming and charming debut novel that reminds us that sometimes you find love in the most unexpected places.

Dan Hollis lives a happy, solitary life carving exquisite Celtic harps in his barn in the countryside of the English moors. Here he can be himself, away from social situations that he doesn’t always get right or completely understand.

On the anniversary of her beloved father’s death, Ellie Jacobs takes a walk in the woods and comes across Dan’s barn. She is enchanted by his collection. Dan gives her a harp made of cherrywood to match her cherry socks. He stores it for her, ready for whenever she’d like to take lessons.

Ellie begins visiting Dan almost daily and quickly learns that he isn’t like other people. He makes her sandwiches precisely cut into triangles and repeatedly counts the (seventeen) steps of the wooden staircase to the upstairs practice room. Ellie soon realizes Dan isn’t just different; in many ways, his world is better, and he gives her a fresh perspective on her own life.

I am loving this trend of romances with a main protagonist “on the spectrum,” as they say, and even though it is never explicitly stated, it doesn’t have to be. Dan is a character with enough quirks to make him endearing, along with a big heart and unflinching honesty. You can’t help but root for him. He talks about his girlfriend, Roe Deer, a lot, and has some pictures of the stunning woman in his barn. Dan lives in the harp barn, up those seventeen steps from where he builds beautiful and unique Celtic harps.

When Ellie stumbles across the harp barn, she is enthralled. She recalls learning to play the harp was on her list of things to do before she turns 40, none of which she has done. When Dan gifts her the cherrywood harp, it feels like kismet. Until Ellie’s husband sees it and makes her return it. Clive is a bit controlling, and while Ellie tries to convince herself that she is happy in her marriage, the more time she secretly spends in the harp barn with Dan, the more cracks in her marriage begin to appear and spread.

This is a charming story, full of pathos and drama and love. I am an Anglophile in my reading, so I loved the Britishness of this story and especially the uniqueness of these English characters. The difference in our cultures is apparent here, and I loved that. I wished so hard for a happy ending for both Dan and Ellie that I couldn’t put the thing down.

Don’t miss it. I loved this book!

8/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ELLIE AND THE HARP MAKER by Hazel Prior. Berkley (August 6, 2019). ISBN 978-1984803788. 336p.

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THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE by Susan Wiggs

August 15, 2019

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From the publisher:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author brings us her most ambitious and provocative work yet—a searing and timely novel that explores the most volatile issue of our time—domestic violence.

At the break of dawn, Caroline Shelby rolls into Oysterville, Washington, a tiny hamlet at the edge of the raging Pacific.

She’s come home.

Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.

And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.

But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.

Caroline returns to her favorite place: the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.

Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.

REVIEW

Susan Wiggs is one of my favorite writers. She excels at telling wonderful stories with characters you can’t help but care about, but there is usually something deeper as well. This is a book of the #MeToo movement, set in the fashion industry, which for some reason, has been exempt from this. At least I haven’t seen any earth shattering stories, but as in any industry where mostly men are in power, one can’t help but wonder…

The story moves back and forth between present day and Caroline’s childhood and coming of age. We meet Caroline and Will as young teens, then Sierra a couple of years later. Theirs is a complicated relationship, as are most friendships of three people, especially when one of them is a good looking guy. Caroline and Will have an instant connection which never really fades away. But instead of pursuing that, he falls for the beautiful Sierra, while Caroline watches from the sidelines. When they all wind up in the small town of Oysterville, the friendship rekindles with some unexpected changes.

I think from the start we can’t help but hope Caroline and Will end up together, but he is married to Sierra and they seem happy – at least at first. But as life goes on, it brings change. When a couple doesn’t grow together, they tend to grow apart and that is never good for a marriage.

Caroline inherits these children from a friend who dies of an overdose. She knew the woman had been in some sort of abusive relationship, but never knew or even suspected drug use. Caroline is a woman who has struggled for years to break into the fashion industry, then has her dreams snatched away in a public spectacle. At a loss, she takes on these children and runs home to Oysterville. The guilt Caroline feels for not pushing their mother, not helping her more, leads her to start a support group for abused women. Somehow she is shocked to find out how many women, even in such a small town, are affected.

This was a very good read, filled with the empathy and power that words can bring to such a dark subject. Book groups will find lots to discuss here.

8/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE by Susan Wiggs. William Morrow (August 13, 2019). ISBN 978-0062425584. 384p.

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LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Kristan Higgins

August 5, 2019

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BLOG TOUR

I am so excited to be part of the blog tour for Kristan Higgins’ latest; it is simply unputdownable! Plus read on to find out how you can win a copy of her last book, Good Luck with That!

From the publisher:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Good Luck with That comes a new novel about a blue-blood grandmother and her black-sheep granddaughter who discover they are truly two sides of the same coin.

Emma London never thought she had anything in common with her grandmother Genevieve London. The regal old woman came from wealthy and bluest-blood New England stock, but that didn’t protect her from life’s cruelest blows: the disappearance of Genevieve’s young son, followed by the premature death of her husband. But Genevieve rose from those ashes of grief and built a fashion empire that was respected the world over, even when it meant neglecting her other son.

When Emma’s own mother died, her father abandoned her on his mother’s doorstep. Genevieve took Emma in and reluctantly raised her–until Emma got pregnant her senior year of high school. Genevieve kicked her out with nothing but the clothes on her back…but Emma took with her the most important London possession: the strength not just to survive but to thrive. And indeed, Emma has built a wonderful life for herself and her teenage daughter, Riley.

So what is Emma to do when Genevieve does the one thing Emma never expected of her and, after not speaking to her for nearly two decades, calls and asks for help?

REVIEW

Higgins brings her characters to life on the page and creates a memorable family saga in her latest. Like all good family tales, there is drama galore and enough angst and laughs to keep the pages turning.

Family matriarch Genevieve London has not had the easiest life, so even though she is definitely the antagonist of the story and makes some really horrible choices, we can’t help but feel a little bit badly for her. Emma is our heroine, and I really loved her relationship with her daughter Riley. As close as they are, and as distant as Emma and Genevieve are, it really speaks to the kind of mother she is that she allows Riley and Genevieve to bond. I also loved how independent Emma is, and her willingness to stand up to her grandmother and speak her truth.

There is a bit of romance here between Emma and Miller, a neighbor of Genevieve’s who is a widower with a very difficult three-year-old daughter, Tess. I hate to say Tess provides some of the comic relief, but she definitely does at times. She also made me want to hug both my kids and tell them how fabulous they are.

The family relationships here are all fraught, but it makes for compelling reading. This was a one night read for me as I really couldn’t put it down. I must say I really love Higgins’ writing, she hits the perfect pitch for each character and the story in general. Great beach reading or for any kind of escape you may need. Don’t miss it – I loved this book!

8/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Kristan Higgins. Berkley (August 6, 2019). ISBN 978-0451489425. 448p.

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To win a copy of Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “GOOD LUCK” as the subject.

You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by August 31, 2019. One (1) name will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your book will be sent by PenguinRandomHouse.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.

Read an excerpt of Life and Other Inconveniences :

When I called Genevieve back and told her we were coming—including Pop, who would be staying elsewhere—there’d been a long pause. “Thank you,” she finally said.

“On one condition, Genevieve,” I said. “You do not mention money or inheritance to Riley. Not a whisper, not a hint. I don’t want you dangling your bank accounts in front of my daughter and snatching them away if she uses the wrong fork.”

“By which I assume you’re referring to the fact that I didn’t fund your teenage folly.”

“Teenage folly? You mean your great-granddaughter? Yes. This summer isn’t about the money. It’s us giving you a chance to make amends, and you making me Hope’s guardian.”

“How very gracious you are, my dear,” she said, and I heard a slurp. Five o’clock somewhere.

But she agreed, and here we were.

My clients, the ones I saw in person, were fine with me leaving for two months. I’d TheraTalk with most of them; two were about done anyway, and said they’d call me if they needed me. I’d had to give up my office space, though; luckily, a classmate from my PhD program had sublet it. Once I got back, I’d have to find another space, but I’d deal with that later.

Pop had found himself a little apartment over an antiques shop on Water Street. I was unspeakably grateful that he’d be nearby. He’d always hated Genevieve, who had viewed my mother as insufficient wife material for her wretched son.

Then again, she had a point. My mother had taken her own life. Maybe Genevieve had sensed something, even back then. She was many things, but she wasn’t stupid.

We crossed the Connecticut River, then the Thames. “There’s the Coast Guard Academy, Pop,” I said, pointing. He was an Air Force man himself, but he nodded. We went through Mystic, and I remembered going to the aquarium with Jason on a date. Or a field trip, maybe, but we’d held hands. Kissed in the dim light of the myriad fish tanks, and it had felt like the most romantic thing in the world.

He knew we were coming, of course. He was excited, he’d said on the phone. Talked about being separated, wasn’t sure where things were headed there. The boys couldn’t wait to meet Riley in person, though they knew her from Skype and phone calls.

My heart leaped into overdrive when, just before we hit Rhode Island, Charles exited the highway and entered the land of stone walls and gracious houses, tall oaks and two-hundred-year-old farms. The woods and fields gave way to narrower streets, and we went over the bridge that led to the borough.

Welcome to Stoningham, the sign said.

I found that I was holding my grandfather’s thumb, same as I had when I was little, back before my mother died, when seeing my grandparents was the happiest thing ever. He gave my hand a squeeze.

“Oh, my gosh, this town is so cute!” Riley said.

And it was. The sky was Maxfield Parrish blue, the lights of the Colonials that lined the streets glowing in what seemed to be a welcome. People were out, walking their dogs. At the library green, some kids tossed a football. As we came onto Water Street, Riley exclaimed over the little shops and restaurants. “There’s a café, Mom! Hooray! Oh, and an ice cream place! Even better!”
I smiled, but my stomach cramped again. It felt like I had never left.

The town hadn’t changed much. Still adorable with its colorful buildings and crooked streets. I caught glimpses of Long Island Sound as we drove, smelled garlic and seafood. Would Genevieve have dinner for us? Would she hug me? I swore if she made Riley feel one iota of shame, we’d be out of Connecticut forever.

Charles turned onto Bleak Point Road, where the most expensive houses in town sat like grand old ladies, weathered and gracious. All had names, which Riley read aloud as we passed.

“Thrush Hill. Summerly. Wisteria Cottage. Cliff View. Pop, we have to name our house when we get back!”

“Name it what? Crabgrass?” Pop asked.

“That’s kind of perfect, actually,” I murmured, having gone to war many times with weeds in our small yard.

“Oh, Sheerwater! We’re here!”

The iron gates (yes, gates) opened, and we turned onto the crushed shell drive. Sheerwater had ten acres of land, the very tip of Bleak Point, and it looked like a park, with beautifully gnarled dogwood trees on either side of the driveway, their intertwined branches making a tunnel of white blossoms. Spring was late this year.

We rounded the gentle curve, and my hands were sweating now.

“Holy guacamole,” my daughter breathed. “It’s even prettier than the pictures!” In the rearview mirror, I saw Charles smile. Beside me, Pop stiffened. He’d never been here, of course.

There it was—my grandmother’s twenty-room cottage, pristine and gracious and lit up like the fires of hell.

About the Author

Kristan Higgins is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children and dogs. If you want to know when Kristan’s next book will be out and hear news of her appearances, subscribe to her mailing list at kristanhiggins.com.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Fiction, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Contemporary, Excerpt | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

SURFSIDE SISTERS by Nancy Thayer

July 25, 2019

Click to purchase

From the publisher:

A Nantucket woman returns home to find that reunions aren’t always simple, in this heartwarming novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Nantucket Wedding and Secrets in Summer.

Keely Green always dreamed of leaving the beautiful shores of Nantucket to become a writer. Now she’s a bestselling novelist living in New York City, attending glamorous cocktail parties and mingling with the literary elite. Keely is also dating a charming, perfectly fine pediatric surgeon who looks good on paper but isn’t “the one.” She just can’t bear to break it off—until he declares his desire to settle down. Then Keely’s editor rejects her latest novel. With her personal and professional lives suddenly in shambles, Keely longs for the soothing island way of life.

Growing up, Keely and her best friend, Isabelle, were inseparable. Nothing could come between them—except, as it turned out, Keely’s high school boyfriend, Tommy. Returning home would mean facing Isabelle’s bitter betrayal and seeing for herself the family Tommy and Isabelle have created, the life that might have been Keely’s.

But when Keely’s mother falls into a deep depression, Keely knows what she must do, even though she is reluctant to face her estranged friend. And encountering Isabelle’s older brother, Sebastian—Keely’s longtime crush—only complicates things.

In one incredible summer, Keely must confront the mistakes of the past if she has any chance of finding true happiness in the place she will always call home. Nancy Thayer shines yet again in this uplifting tale of forgiveness and self-discovery.

There is rarely a better setting for a beach book than Nantucket, and Thayer really nails the location here. It is an island of haves and have nots, the working class and the ultra rich. In this book, Keely is the only child of working parents. Her best friend Isabelle is one of the rich kids. She lives in a mansion on the ocean with her older brother Sebastian, who Keely has a crush on for most of her life, although she never tells Isabelle. Keely loves the hustle of her friend’s busy household, such a contrast to her quiet family home. But it takes her most of her life to realize that not everything is as it seems.

The girls’ friendship is strained to the breaking point over a man, always a sad statement to make. But their journey to that point and beyond makes for an engrossing read. The book starts out a bit slow with the coming of age story of the two friends. But once they hit adulthood, things start moving and shaking, and I couldn’t put it down.

Themes of self awareness and forgiveness are evident, but not in a pushy way. Thayer tells really interesting stories and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

7/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SURFSIDE SISTERS by Nancy Thayer. Ballantine Books (July 2, 2019). ISBN 978-1524798727. 320p.