04.30.2021 The Truth and Other Hidden Things: A Novel By Lea Geller - Lake Union Publishing

Publisher : Lake Union Publishing (April 6, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 311 pages
ISBN-10 : 1542026539

A freshly funny and heartfelt novel about one woman’s secret life, the stories she tells, and the thrill and notoriety of being noticed.

On the same day Bells Walker learns that her IUD has failed, her husband, Harry, is denied tenure at his Manhattan university. So Bells, Harry, their two adolescent children, and her baby bump move to New York’s Hudson Valley, where Harry has landed a job at Dutchess College in the town of Pigkill.

When the farm-to-table utopia Bells envisioned is anything but, she turns to the blogosphere. Under the pen name the County Dutchess, she anonymously dishes about life in Pigkill, detailing the activities of hypercompetitive parents and kombucha-drinking hipsters. Suddenly, Bells has a place to say all the things she’s been secretly thinking about being a wife and mother. As Bells turns the focus of her blog on her new neighbors, her readership continues to grow, but her scandalous posts hit closer to home: she puts Harry’s new job in jeopardy, derails her children’s lives, and risks the one real friendship she’s built.

When Bells uncovers scandals right under her nose, the Dutchess goes viral, and soon everyone is asking, Who is the County Dutchess? Now Bells has to ask herself if it’s worth losing the people closest to her to finally feel noticed by everyone else.



“This engrossing romp makes for delightfully voyeuristic commentary on wealthy upstate life.” ―Publishers Weekly

“A brave, bold, laugh-out-loud, heartwarming, nail-biting story of family life in these uncertain times. Bells Walker is so relatable, I wanted to yell advice to her as I read. A pure delight.” ―Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling author of Lucky’s Beach

“What do you do when life throws a bunch of less than welcome surprises your way? If you’re Bells, the plucky protagonist of The Truth and Other Hidden Things, you make a string of questionable (if hilarious) choices…that land you exactly where you were always supposed to be. Lea Geller’s latest novel is a clever, witty, and insightful novel that just may inspire you to look at your own plot twists in a whole new light.” ―Camille Pagán, bestselling author of This Won’t End Well

“The Truth and Other Hidden Things is a perfect escape, whether you’re a city mouse like the hilarious and lovable narrator, Bells Walker, or used to the bucolic settings that amaze the Walker family so. As Bells navigates a whoops baby, a career tumble, two surly teens, and that PTA lady we all know, you’ll laugh―with and at her―and cheer for her every step of the way. I loved this romp and you will, too!” ―Kelly Harms, Washington Post bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

“In this humorous, smart novel, Geller brilliantly tackles one woman’s need for approval and the desperate lengths she’ll go to to get there. Bells Walker is the imperfect mom and friend we can all relate to and eventually root for. Readers will devour this book in one sitting. I did.” ―Rochelle B. Weinstein, USA Today bestselling author

MY REVIEW:

The Truth and Other Hidden Things
By Lea Geller

Lea Geller’s The Truth and Other Hidden Things is such a wonderful story that is both funny and poignant, and also completely relatable.

The story begins as forty something Bells Walker, a lawyer turned writer finds out she is pregnant and that her younger and very attractive husband did not receive tenure in his Manhattan University job. He ends up finding another position in the Hudson Valley in a town called Pigkill, a hipster town with kombucha loving residents who were mostly transplants from the city.

Bells who is craving to get back to writing starts to blog anonymously, writing about the competitive parenting and helicopter moms. As she writes about the town mom gossips and some strange sexual encounters, her blog takes off and suddenly Bells is in over her head.

I loved reading this story about characters that grow and evolve, and all the moms and the crazy antics. The writing was fresh, clever, and very insightful. I really enjoyed this entertaining read and I highly recommend it.

 
About the Author

Lea Geller is the author of Trophy Life. A recipient of the 2019 Kathryn Gurfein Writing Fellowship at Sarah Lawrence College, she began her writing career by blogging about her adventures in the trenches of parenting. Lea lives in New York with her husband and children, for whom she frequently wakes up and makes several separate breakfasts. When Lea’s not writing and eavesdropping on her children, she can be found running, gardening, drinking diner coffee, and occasionally teaching middle school English. She is a graduate of Columbia University and Stanford Law School. You can find Lea at www.leageller.com.

04.29.2021 Don't Make Me Turn This Life Around Paperback – May 11, 2021 by Camille Pagán

Publisher : Lake Union Publishing (May 11, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 253 pages
ISBN-10 : 1542026474

A witty and unexpected novel about a woman trying to keep her family vacation―and yes, her life―from going south by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Life and Other Near-Death Experiences.

It’s been thirteen years since doctors declared Libby Ross-Velasquez a goner. Yet here she is―cancer free. So why doesn’t she feel more alive?

Sure, Libby’s husband, Shiloh, has been distant. One of their daughters has a serious health condition. And her father’s death hovers over Libby like a rain cloud. Still, this eternal optimist knows she’s the winner of the existential lottery.

But when her forced cheer isn’t enough to keep her family from catching her blahs, she decides to fly them all to Vieques. The Puerto Rican island is where she and Shiloh fell in love―and where she decided to fight for her life after her cancer diagnosis. Where better to put their problems into perspective?

Then a tropical storm strikes. Libby pretends everything’s fine, even as she fears she’s doomed her family. What she can’t see is that the worst disaster they’ve faced may be the best thing that ever happened to them. But first, they have to get through it.


MY REVIEW:

I am holding back tears. What am I saying, I am typing this review while I am ugly crying because I get Libby, I get her so much I see myself in her. Camille Pagán can certainly write unforgettable characters that are so real, raw and realistic.

This story begins with Libby narrating in her point of view, as she visits her doctor's office for her appointment, after being diagnosed thirteen years ago, and now beating cancer going ten years. She finds out that she is cancer free, and what should be one of the best days of her life and the best news ever, is turning out to be a bit of a let down.

Her husband Shiloh is starting to get distant, her twin tweens Isa and Charlotte are going through their own issues, and her twin brother Paul is trying to keep his marriage together. She feels alone with no one to share the good news, that she calls her dad only to remember that he passed away just a few months ago.

What to do? Well, a vacation back to Puerto Rico where Libby fell in love with Shiloh is definitely the answer. That is until, they get stuck smack in the middle of a hurricane. But sometimes, a little natural disaster is just the jump start you need to bring the family together again.

I simply loved reading Libby's voice and narrative. I was cheering for Libby as if I was cheering for a best friend. The writing is addictive and emotionally gripping in a funny and heartwarming way. I just could not put this book down and kept on picking it back up as I was so invested with Libby's character. Though this was a fast read, I deliberately read it slowly as I just wanted to stay in Libby's world just a little bit longer to see how she navigates through life's difficulties, and to cheer her on for every win along the way.

If you love an engaging and readable story that is satisfying, emotionally charged, and heartfelt, this is a book for you. Do not miss this one. I just loved this book!


EDITORIAL REVIEWS:


“Pagán combines realistic midlife concerns with likable characters, showing that perfection is an illusion and that it’s the difficult times that truly bring us together. Fans of Maddie Dawson and Allison Winn Scotch will enjoy vacationing with the Ross-Velasquez crew.” ―Booklist

“Pagán delivers a relatable motherhood journey and all of the struggles that middle age bring to us. Bigger than that are the beautiful reminders of the importance of family, especially in times of struggle, that we really need right now.” ―MomAdvice

“With her trademark wit and charm, Camille Pagán invites us back into the lives of Libby and Shiloh thirteen years after we first met them in Life and Other Near-Death Experiences. Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around is rich, raw, and real, a new favorite…Readers like me can’t help coming back for more of Pagán’s gorgeously written stories. I loved it!” ―Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post bestselling author

“Oh my goodness! Camille Pagán has achieved such an exquisite, delicate balance, writing a profoundly moving novel that expresses both the beauty and heartbreak of loving other people. Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around is everything: funny and warm and scary and sad and reassuring―just like real life. I read this in one sitting because I simply couldn’t stop.” ―Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners and A Happy Catastrophe

“Camille Pagán’s latest page-turner brilliantly captures the nuances of marriage and family while tackling the tough challenges along the way. Libby is every wife and mother, and when life throws her a curveball, she finds the courage to keep moving…and keep believing. With wit and wisdom, Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around will have you laughing and crying along with these perfectly flawed characters and asking yourself, What does it mean to have enough?” ―Rochelle Weinstein, bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends

“Pagán masterfully guides us on a stormy journey through a morass of middle-age malaise and deposits us on the other side with charm, humor, truth, and a few lessons about the power of love and unbreakable family ties.” ―Andy Abramowitz, author of A Beginner’s Guide to Free Fall

“Camille Pagán pens another hit with the compulsively readable Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around. I trust Pagán’s storytelling, and in her latest, she masterfully guides us through a woman’s journey through real ups and downs in marriage and motherhood.” ―Tif Marcelo, author of Once Upon a Sunset

“Camille Pagán once again gives us a heartfelt and relatable story about a woman on the edge. This time, Libby knows she should be feeling euphoric about beating cancer for good―and instead she finds the limits of her unrelenting optimism. She can’t stop her tween daughters from arguing, make her work more fulfilling, or insulate her marriage from the pressures of middle-age. Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around is a lovely novel about banishing ‘shoulds’ and welcoming the adventures and inevitable pain of growing just a little bit older.” ―Kathleen West, author of Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes

“Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around is a delightful blend of humor and tension. Poignant, layered, and achingly real, we’re treated to a true-to-life protagonist we can both laugh and cry with as she navigate the anxieties of marriage and motherhood as middle age approaches. I devoured this charming, not-to-be-missed novel in a single sitting, and found myself hating to say goodbye to characters that had started to feel like friends.” ―Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Last of the Moon Girls

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:





I’m the author of seven novels, including This Won't End Well, I'm Fine and Neither Are You, and the #1 Kindle bestseller Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which was recently optioned for film. My novels have been translated into nearly two dozen languages.

I've written for Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parade, Real Simple, Time, and many others.

When I'm not at my computer, you'll find me with my nose in a book, running after my two kids, or planning my next trip (most likely to Puerto Rico, where my husband was born and raised). Visit me at www.camillepagan.com.

04.26.2021 BEFORE SUMMER ENDS EXCERPT TOUR BY: Susan Mallery @TLCBOOKTOURS

 

New York Times bestselling author

A long, hot summer with her secret crush…

What could possibly go wrong?

Nissa Lang knows Desmond Stilling is out of her league. He’s a CEO, she’s a teacher. He’s gorgeous, she’s…not. So when her house-sitting gig falls through and Desmond offers her a place to stay for the summer, she vows not to reveal how she’s felt about him since their first—and only—kiss.

Desmond should’ve known better than to bring temptation into his house. He decided long ago that his best friend’s sister was too sweet, too good, for him. She deserves a guy who can give his heart. For her sake, he’s stayed away. But as her laughter breathes life into his lonely mansion, he’s not sure how long he’ll be able to resist.

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.




PLEASE ENJOY THE EXCERPT:

They all went downstairs and outside to Nissa’s car. With the three of them working together, it didn’t take long to get everything unloaded and delivered to her suite. On the last trip up the stairs, Desmond carried an armful of her hanging clothes. The action felt oddly intimate, as if he were seeing into some­thing private. Silly, really, he told himself. So what if a few of her dresses were draped over his arm?

Once they’d dropped off everything, Hilde ex­cused herself to go start dinner. Desmond hesitated.

“You have the Wi-Fi code,” he said, pulling a house key out of his pocket. “Here’s this.”

She took it. “What about an alarm code or some­thing?”

“It’s only set at night. I’ll get you the instructions to deactivate it. Or you can ask me.”

“But what if you’re out on a hot date?”

“I’ll probably be home.”

“Not seeing anyone these days?”

“No.”

She sighed. “Me, either. I’m focused on growing my Italy fund.” She waved her hand. “Which you are contributing to by helping me out. Did I say thank you already?”

“Fifteen times.”

She grinned. “You’d better get used to it, then. I plan to thank you a lot more.”

“You’re family, Nissa. And always welcome here.”

He chose his words as much for himself as for her. That was what he had to remember. That while she was a beautiful, sexy, smart woman and there was just something about her that got to him, he was not to go down that path. She was someone he needed to look out for and protect, even from himself.

“Thank you.” Her gaze met his. “So how does the whole dinner thing work? Is there a bell? Or does a butler show up and escort me?”

“Dinner’s at seven. In your honor, we’ll be eat­ing in the dining room. After tonight, just let Hilde know if you’re going to be home or not. She’ll plan meals accordingly.”

“You have a great life, Desmond. Next time, I’m going to remember to be rich.”

He thought about telling her that his life wasn’t what she thought and there were times when he felt isolated and alone. That she was the one with the warm, loving family and to him, that was priceless. But he knew saying the words would be to admit something he wasn’t ready to face.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.

Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

04.25.2021 His Name Is Cwiz: Lessons from a Lifelong Friendship Paperback Pub Date – April 13, 2021

 

Publisher : Circuit Breaker Books LLC (April 13, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 328 pages
ISBN-10 : 195363902X

When a rattlesnake almost kills his best friend, Caesar "Cwiz" (pronounced Quiz) Ruiz, author Jeremy Rhyne can't help but recall all of the wild times they shared growing up in Southern California-and the profound impression Cwiz has made on his life. Starting with a covert one-man band in a high school health class that had the entire room laughing, Cwiz always kept Jeremy on his toes. Through near-death experiences, Bible study pranks, a kidnapping, hijinx across Europe and Asia, crashing the OJ trial, and game show dating to falling in love and finally growing up, Cwiz and Jeremy came of age together in surprising and hilarious ways.

Now Jeremy has collected all of their unbelievable stories into one book that ultimately charts Cwiz's journey from class clown to respected and well-loved community member. His Name Is Cwiz is the remarkable story of a lifelong friendship with a remarkable man-part jester, part sage-and the valuable life lessons learned along the way.




MY REVIEW:

Debut author Jeremy Rhyne deftly delivers a heartwarming and humorous true story about his best friend Cwiz pronounced “Quiz” and the incredible adventures they shared growing up in the ’90s in Southern California.

These over the top stories that span from their first meeting as fifteen year old sophomores in high school, to their adulthood-hood traveling the world, and finally finding their ground.

The book is told in short chapters with a life lesson at the end of every story. Through these hilarious and entertaining stories, we experience the joys of this life-long friendship that is both endearing and triumphant. I was in tears from both the laughing but also for Jeremy Rhyne pulling at my heart strings! This was so well written more people should be reading this book.

We could only wish to have a Cwiz in our lives, and this book is the next best thing to it!

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT AND Q AND A:

Jeremy Rhyne (His Name is Cwiz) Q&A

 

1. What is the most important lesson you have learned in your friendship with Cwiz?

That experience and memories are the measure of a successful life. Cwiz has always been mindful of how short this life is - that we need to get a vise grip on the moments we have together, and squeeze every ounce of fun out of it. Looking back, I feel like we did a pretty damn good job of doing that, and we’re still doing it!

 

2. What do you think accounts for Cwiz’s remarkable success?

Cwiz’s success, I think, is attributable to his unique outlook and approach to life. He is a fearless person by nature, and is not afraid to fail. This leads him to take big risks. Hence, big rewards.

 

3. What do you think accounts for Cwiz’s generosity?

I think he is sensitive to how fortunate he’s been and anxious to give back. And I know that he gets such joy in doing things for others – always has. When he is doing incredible and memorable things for people, he is chasing that joy.

 

4. What is your favorite story of Cwiz’s?

This is a tough one. I have a bunch of favorites but the one story that always seems to pop first into my mind is when Cwiz went to traffic school and impersonated the instructor. This is not the craziest thing he has done by any means. But to me, the story sums up the silly and harmless way Cwiz seeks out fun (sometimes at the expense of others) as he goes about his business every day.

 

5. Were there any crazy stories that did not make the book?

There were a bunch of them, probably another book’s worth of untold stories. Since the book came out, a bunch of people who know Cwiz have reached out to me and asked if I knew about this story or that story, and I’m learning that there are tons of Cwiz stories I didn’t know about.

There were also stories that I wrote up that ended up on the cutting room floor. One of the chapters I wrote up that did not make it into the book involved how Cwiz called into a local TV news station every day and harassed the TV anchors with inane questions to their guests. It was absolutely hilarious watching him on TV every day, peppering actors, authors, and other experts with absolutely ridiculous questions on a myriad of topics. It got to the point where the anchors expected his call every day but he kept eluding the screeners.

 

6. What are your future writing goals? Do you have any plans for another next book?

HIS NAME IS CWIZ was my debut book, and my hope is to springboard the success of this book into a future as a full-time author (or perhaps a mostly full-time author). I have another memoir style book already completed that I wrote several years ago, and I am currently working on a third memoir concerning my life as a lawyer, and the crazy things that have happened to me over the years in the world of litigation. (Cwiz makes an appearance in that book as well).

Jeremy Rhyne is an attorney living and working in Orange County,
California. When he is not fighting for truth and justice in the courts,
he enjoys standup paddling, reading, running, traveling, and listening
to Patrick O'Brian novels on a loop. He is married with two daughters.
His Name Is Cwiz is his debut book.

Information about Jeremy and his blog can be found at his website at www.jeremyrhyne.com

04.22.2021 AN INVINCIBLE SUMMER BY: MARIAH STEWART @TLCBOOKTOURS

Publisher : Montlake (May 1, 2021)
Publication date : May 1, 2021
Language : English

It was a lifetime ago that recently widowed Maggie Flynn was in Wyndham Beach. Now, on the occasion of her fortieth high school reunion, she returns to her hometown on the Massachusetts coast, picking up right where she left off with dear friends Lydia and Emma. But seeing Brett Crawford again stirs other emotions. Once, they were the town’s golden couple destined for one another. He shared Maggie’s dreams—and eventually, a shattering secret that drove them apart.

Buying her old family home and resettling in Wyndham Beach means a chance to start over for Maggie and her two daughters, but it also means facing her rekindled feelings for her first love and finally confronting—and embracing—the past in ways she never thought possible. Maggie won’t be alone. With her family and friends around her, she can weather this stormy turning point in her life and open her heart to the future. As for that dream shared and lost years ago? If Maggie can forgive herself, it still might come true.

MY REVIEW:

I had been craving some easy and light summer reads with a plot line that will keep me engaged and entertained, so it was fortuitous to have come across an opportunity to read and review Mariah Stewarts' newest book for a blog tour. 

Mariah Stewart is a beloved author that writes amazing contemporary romance, mysteries, romantic suspense, and women's fiction with a fabulous fan base - and I have yet to read one of her 41 published books. There was no better time, and I was so glad I did. This first book in a series, An Invincible Summer was also part of the Amazon's first reads for April 2021. 

This story is about recently widowed Maggie Flynn who returns to her hometown of Wyndham Beach on the Massachusetts Coast to attend her fortieth high school reunion. Looking to start over, she finds her old family home for sale, which means a chance to start over for Maggie and her two daughters. Her friends Lydia and Emma could not be happier but does it also mean another chance with Brett Crawford? 

I found the writing to be engaging and readable. I loved the characters and the friendships that surround Maggie. Though this was about a middle aged woman, I found that the perspectives and point of views of Grace and Natalie made this read relatable for a wide variety of audience. I have always enjoyed a great second chance story, reading about complex family dynamics, revealing deeply hidden family secrets, friendships, forgiveness, and a great dramatic plot like those written in this book that had me turning those pages. I am definitely a fan of Mariah Stewart's writing and look forward to reading some of her back list. 

This book certainly was a great start to a fantastic series and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:

Mariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-one novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women's fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!)

After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?

HOT STEW by Fiona Mozley @algonquin @fionamozley

 

Publisher : Algonquin Books (April 20, 2021)
Language : English
Hardcover : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 1643751557


FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST ELMET

Named One of the Most-Anticipated Books of 2021 by:
The Millions, BuzzFeed, The Stylist, The Guardian, and more

“Enjoyable and impressive on every page.” —Steph Cha, USA Today

In the middle of the bustle of London's Soho, among the theaters and sex shops and pubs, sits a building. It isn’t particularly assuming. But it’s a prime piece of real estate, and a young millionaire, Agatha Howard, wants to convert it into luxury condos as soon as she can kick out all the tenants.

The problem is, the building in question houses a brothel, and Precious and Tabitha, two of the women who live and work there, are not going to go quietly. And another problem is, just where did Agatha’s fortune come from? The fight over this piece of property also draws in the men who visit, including Robert, a one-time member of a far-right group and enforcer for Agatha’s father; Jackie, a policewoman intent on making London a safer place for all women; Bastian, a rich and dissatisfied party boy who pines for an ex-girlfriend; and a collection of vagabonds and strays who occupy the basement. In this much-anticipated follow-up to Fiona Mozley's brilliant debut, Elmet, as these characters—with surprising hidden connections and shadowy pasts—converge, the fight over the property boils over into a hot stew.

Entertaining, sharply funny, and dazzlingly accomplished, Hot Stew confronts questions about wealth and inheritance, gender and power, and the things women must do to survive in an unjust world.


MY REVIEW:

HOT STEW is a riot of a read that is highly entertaining, addictive and propulsive. The story begins in the neighborhood of SoHo London where the dilapidated building’s owner Agatha, wants to rebuild to make room for high-end restaurants and luxury apartments. That means that the brothel and all the tenants are going to be evicted. Well, they are not going without a fight and the stir causes a hot stew of a situation.

I enjoyed this fast paced and thought-provoking read that brought these amazing and quirky characters together. The varying POV’s of the story brought a glimpse into the lives of these diverse and eccentric characters, that I found engaging. The writing was witty, and the characters were weaved together and connected brilliantly. The story in its core was about the haves and have nots, the gentrification that affects communities, the unscrupulous landlord vs tenant issues, gender roles, class and inequality. Mosley’s sophomore novel sure packed a punch and was quite the unique and compelling read.


AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT:







Fiona Mozley grew up in York and went to King's College, Cambridge, after which she lived in Buenos Aires and London. She is studying for a PhD in medieval history. Elmet is her first novel and it has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2017.

04.21.2021 THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK BY RHYS BOWEN @TLCBOOKTOURS @RHYSBOWEN @LUAUTHORS @AMAZONPUB

Publisher : Lake Union Publishing (April 13, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 411 pages
ISBN-10 : 154202711X

Love and secrets collide in Venice during WWII in an enthralling novel of brief encounters and lasting romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and Above the Bay of Angels.

Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper…Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie” Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years.

It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever.

Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.



“Bowen’s vivid storytelling style holds readers enrapt…Bowen has written a tender, poignant story balancing dark and light.” ―Historical Novel Society

“The Venice Sketchbook is that rare book, both epic and personal, and utterly compelling. Two women, decades apart, escape to Venice, each forced to grapple with the influence of world events on her own life. This is a tale brimming with secrets, romance, and possibilities, cast against the colorful setting of irresistible Venice. I was utterly captured.” ―Barbara O’Neal, bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids and The Lost Girls of Devon

MY REVIEW:
First of all I want to admire the beautiful sketches inside this beautiful book, it’s a wow!

I just loved this dual time line story, with the first focused on carefree Juliet in 1928 as an eighteen year-old in Venice, and the other with Caroline, Juliet’s great niece set in 2001 England and New York. This is a story about families, secrets, star-crossed love, relationships, the tragedy of wars in the 40’s and the terror attacks in ‘01, and the courage of these women to face what life has given.

Overall I enjoy historical fiction books set in WWII and this one had a nice mystery twist which I found entertaining and a delight to read. A fun escape read that was immersive and highly intriguing.


About the Author:

Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including Above the Bay of Angels, The Victory Garden, The Tuscan Child, and the World War II–based In Farleigh Field, the winner of the Macavity and Left Coast Crime Awards for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery. Bowen’s work has won twenty honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world. A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona. To learn more about the author, visit www.rhysbowen.com.