**Many thanks to @CeladonBooks and Peter Nichols for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
THUD.
No, that isn't the sound of a large chunk o**Many thanks to @CeladonBooks and Peter Nichols for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
THUD.
No, that isn't the sound of a large chunk of granite being hurled into a harbor. (And yes, though that has little to do with this book, that IS one of the images that came to mind when I first heard this title.)
I'm sad to say that instead, that THUD heard round the world....was the sound of my head slamming into the wall after finally (and I mean FINALLY) finishing this book.
The premise of Granite Harbor is quite simple, albeit not that unique: a serial killer has ravaged a small coastal town (yes, you guessed it: Granite Harbor) and the denizens of the town are desperate to get the maniac off the streets. In a historical landmark known as The Settlement, where reenactments take place, a body has been hung for all to see...with a cryptic message INSIDE, spilling out. (Ick.) With such a small population, there aren't many who are willing (or ABLE!) to take on the case...save for the town's only detective, Alex Brangwen. As a former novelist, he's feeling more than a bit shaky and insecure about being able to suss out the killer...but with no other volunteers, he bravely steps up to the plate to give it his best shot.
Meanwhile, the mother of one of the murder victim's friends, Isabel Doerr, might be living the single parent life...but she's more than willing to try to assist Alex in finding the perp. Her child wasn't the only friend of the victim that's close to the investigation: Alex's DAUGHTER is also part of this former trio, making these two fast allies against the evil that is lurking in the shadows of Granite Harbor. Could these two have just the insight needed to get to the bottom of this bizarre and disturbing case? Is anyone inside - or outside - of the Settlement safe? Or is the first murder only the beginning -- and perhaps an ominous warning -- of the horrors to come?
I'll be honest, it's been a minute since I had the pleasure of putting this book in the rear-view mirror...and even after the WEEKS that have passed and time to reflect and step away...I have to admit that of ALL the adjectives that come to mind?
'Pointless' is probably the first.
The story starts with a long, plodding description of some characters interacting at the Settlement before the body is found, leading me to believe that reenactment was going to be a MAJOR part of this story. Well...it isn't. I suppose it served as atmosphere (?) to put our characters here, but they could just have well been hanging out in someone's backyard for all of the effect they had on me. What authors like Stephen King do SO well when describing places like Maine is to set the scene and allow what is already a creepy environment sort of get under your skin and function as another character - always lurking, menacing, in the background. Nichols instead worked so hard to try to make this book sound Literary with a capital L that any chance for this sort of brooding creepiness to take center stage got lost amidst a sea of clipped sentences and 'fancy sounding' words.
And trust me, there is PLENTY of that to go around. We spent so much time randomly diving into backstory (like the mostly irrelevant backstory of Alex's wife, for example) that I figured it just had to be leading somewhere, and all of the attempts at highbrow wordsmithing would SOMEHOW pay off. Nichols gives us gems like "His dour, mordant Mancunian wit" AND phrases like "He noticed the play of pronounced but firm buttocks beneath the flapping vent of her jacket."...on the same page. The writing is truly all over the place, and I had a hard time keeping pace with what the 'tone' of the book was supposed to be throughout. I kept waiting for things to get scary, or interesting...but they were just sort of off-putting and strange. There's nothing wrong with a literary book that weaves a mystery in, but I'm not even sure I can call this THAT...I truly just don't know WHAT to call it.
Nichols also needs to take a page from the psychological thriller writers of the world and figure out HOW to end a chapter. The number of times this book sort of randomly trails off, seemingly mid-thought, felt like he just decided he was done writing for the day and said, "Eh, I'll just start a new chapter in the morning." I honestly just didn't get it. I'm not saying each chapter's ending needs to feel like a punctuation mark on everything preceding it, or even necessarily be leading somewhere specific...but I think most readers would agree the reading experiences FEELS much better when this happens. I didn't find the 'twists' (if you could call them that) that surprising, the perp that surprising or interesting, and the number of times I thought "is this ever going to end" was innumerable.
There is also a bit of animal cruelty that is pretty horrible (even for me, and as much as I adore animals I usually am able to stomach reading fictional stories about such things) and yet AGAIN...I just questioned WHY. There is a fine line between disturbing and distasteful, and Nichols all but steamrolled that division here. I think what bothers me most about it is that most of the ickiest parts of the book felt sort of gratuitous and frankly, didn't serve the plot at all. There is even a section of the book where characters have bowel movements on another character's face in order to degrade them...so you've been warned....more
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Simone St. James for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 3.5!!**
"I danced with the Devil, he tried to ge**Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Simone St. James for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 3.5!!**
"I danced with the Devil, he tried to get my soul Didn't recognize him on the dead man's road Oh no, he's dead and cold Don't go down the dead man's road" - Dead Man's Road, Doc Holliday
It's the summer of '97, and April and Eddie have tied the knot...and now it's finally time for a peaceful, relaxing honeymoon. Headed to their quiet resort town along the lake in Michigan, they can almost hear the lull of the waves and feel the warm sun on their faces already...even though it's nighttime. But when they stray off the beaten path and end up on a strange stretch of road known as Atticus Line...the vibes are a lot less Good Vibrations and a lot more 'Oujia Board on Halloween'. They see a hitchhiker stranded on the side of the road, and despite their better judgment (and the obvious kink in their original plans) they stop to help the young woman out...and it's only then they notice that she's COVERED in blood.
Eddie and April get the woman (named Rhonda Jean) to a hospital...but unfortunately not soon enough to save her. What they later learn is that she's far from the first to disappear on that fated stretch of road...Atticus Line is known for missing hitchhikers, and one particular hitchhiker is known by all of the locals as "The Lost Girl." This Jane Doe has never been found, and with a string of other unsolved murders taking place on this SAME stretch of highway, police begin to narrow their focus onto the two people who just HAPPENED to be there when Rhonda was found soaked in blood: Eddie and April.
Desperate to clear their names and get to the bottom of the case, the married duo tap into local resources: the owner of the B&B they are staying at, Rose, and true Hardy Girls in the flesh, the Snell Sisters, who are teens obsessed with the murders and doing a bit of detective work on their own, and attempt to tackle the last 30 YEARS of unsolved cases to find out just what happened to all of this missing wanderers...and if their spirits are still haunting the same eerie stretch of highway. Can Eddie and April get to the bottom of the mystery with all eyes cast upon them? Or does The Lost Girl have her eyes on a NEW victim...or possibly a pair of victims...and won't stop until she FINALLY exacts her revenge?
I have to admit, I've been on the fence about continuing to read Simone St. James' books since my very first. I have always felt like I loved the IDEA of her books more than the finished product itself, and have relied heavily on her fantastic use of atmosphere and her AMAZING ghosts to keep me hooked and hoping for something more each time I pick one up. Oftentimes in the past, her plots have felt very convenient to me, with everything and everyone being in the right place, at the right time for everything to work, with a certain level of suspended disbelief ALSO required just to get me from A to B in terms of plot. I've never felt compelled to keep reading OTHER than to revisit her ghosts again and again, which is a bit bizarre, but just speaks to the quality of her writing when it comes to the paranormal.
But with Murder Road, I am thrilled to say that St. James took EVERY aspect of her writing to the next level...and the result was a thriller that was spooky, dripping in 90's nostalgia, and a TWISTY page turner that kept me EASILY enthralled from beginning to end!
St. James' atmosphere is ALWAYS on point, but as a 90's kid with a soft spot for the aforementioned era, I feel that she absolutely NAILED the essence of the 90s. This cover says it all: it could just have easily been on a Christopher Pike or R.L Stine book from the same era...and I mean that as an ABSOLUTE compliment! There are plenty of references thrown in along the way to remind you of the time period, but rather than beat her readers over the head with them, for the most part St. James slyly tosses them in as background or scene setting material, from TV footage around big news stories of the time to music playing on the radio during one of April and Eddie's many car rides...and THIS is how you do it. Lots of gentle nods, but nothing in your face: she played it JUST right....more
**Many thanks to Berkley and Ashley Poston for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
"I know you I walked with you once upon a dream" - Once Upo**Many thanks to Berkley and Ashley Poston for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
"I know you I walked with you once upon a dream" - Once Upon a Dream, Sleeping Beauty
A charming and soothing blend of fantasy, fact, fiction, and ALL of the feelings, A Novel Love Story will have you twirling around the room like Sleeping Beauty herself (well, maybe minus the group of cheerful animal companions!) ...more
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin - Putnam, and Richard Roper for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 2.13!!**
"If I could you know I would Just **Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin - Putnam, and Richard Roper for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 2.13!!**
"If I could you know I would Just hold your hand and you'd understand I'm the man who loves you" - I'm the Man Who Loves You, Wilco
Brian feels like Lily's only been gone for a moment...but at the same time, it feels like an eternity. He can still picture her in that vivid blue dress, smiling at him from behind the bar as though it was yesterday...but it's been almost SEVEN long years without her...and without any explanation as to why she left him. In that time, Brian has tried his best to keep the bar he ran with Lily afloat, and keep all of their dreams alive until she returns...because with the anniversary of her departure coming up, he knows in his GUT that she will be back soon.
But one day, Brian catches himself doomscrolling (or is it stalking?) TripAdvisor and finds a username that catches his eye: PinkMoonLily1972. With his Lily's affinity for musician Nick Drake (and especially his album PINK MOON) and her name in the username, Brian is convinced he's finally found her. PinkMoonLily has been all over the place, writing reviews of her adventures...and there even seems to be a method to her madness. Brian takes this as the sign he's been waiting for, and leaves the bar in the hands of his two employees to go out on a quest to bring Lily home to him at last. With a half-formulated plan in mind, Brian sets off, not knowing what to expect...but hoping he can stay two steps ahead of Lily and run into her at long last. But with memories of their long and complicated past flooding back to him along the way....and a curious female stranger named Tess who...catches him off guard, to say the least...will Brian's quest end in triumph? Or with such a tumultuous and at times tortured past between them...is it simply too LATE for their love to FINALLY conquer all?
I'm new to Richard Roper, so going into this read I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The beginning of the book is a little bit jarring to start, with bits and pieces of Brian's memories of Lily presented in flashes or as lists, and I was a bit nervous it would take me a while to find my footing and dig in to this read. However, by about 20% in, not only was I used to Brian's narrative style, I can only describe my reading experience as the best kind of mix between Fredrik Backman and David Nicholls....and I was nothing short of ENTHRALLED! I love a story that brilliantly blends past and present, and this narrative slowly unfurled, showing us flashes of Lily and Brian's relationship as it developed over time, but bouncing back over and over to Brian's current quest without feeling disruptive in the slightest.
This is a relationship you won't EVER quite understand...because Brian doesn't fully understand it either. He's self-deprecating, but never in an overly dramatic way, and at the same time, he both sees his worth and doubts it constantly. Lily's family and Lily herself are complicated creatures, and since we only get to know Lily through Brian's recollection, she is as much a mystery to us as readers as she is to Brian during her mysterious journey. Brian's sense of humor might take a bit of getting used to also...but as I mentioned earlier, he is right at home with the likes of some of my favorite Backman characters and has the perfect blend of wit, silliness, and still an air of melancholy about him...all with a heart of gold beneath.
Though I won't give ANYTHING away, because trust me when I say the journey is worth it, there is a WHOPPER of a twist towards the end of this book...and it is nothing short of a gut punch. I actually gasped out loud and said "No way" TO my Kindle while reading...it is that kind of breathtaking moment that feels eerily reminiscent of the most shocking moment in your OWN life, where you had to stop and look around for a second to make sure the Earth hadn't suddenly fallen off its axis. Once you come back into your body and start breathing again, Roper gives you a fitting AND intriguing end to Brian's story, with a charming final chapter that feels like taking the first sip of hot cocoa on a cold winter night: it'll warm you up from the inside out! ☕
And though I won't say exactly WHERE Brian's journey leads him (or to whom!) Marcel Proust's thoughts on the nature of discovery sums up this quest perfectly: "The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes...but in having new eyes."...more
**Many thanks to Berkley and Eve J. Chung for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and th**Many thanks to Berkley and Eve J. Chung for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
"There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women." - Malala Yousefzai
While some may be overjoyed at the birth of ANY child, in 1940s China, having "just another daughter" is nothing short of a curse. Amidst the poverty of the rural community of Shandong, the wealthy Ang family are desperate for a son to carry on the family name and the family wealth, leaving Hai and her sisters feeling like less of a blessing and more of a burden. With the Communist revolution knocking at their doorstep (quite literally) the girls try to keep their heads down and hope to remain out of the fray...but the rest of the family flees when soldiers arrive. Hai, as the eldest girl, is chosen to be representative for her family and must bear the brunt of the soldiers cruelty...and feels lucky to make it out alive.
Hai and her sisters know now is the time to make their escape, and with practically nothing but the burlap sacks they fashion as clothing (and flour they hide inside) to take with them as they are forced out...they have NO Idea if they will even make it to their destination alive. Their travels take them from Qingdao to Hong Kong to Taiwan, relying on the kindness of few along the way, with Hai keeping headstrong sister Di on the right path and hoping to lean on her intelligence to land a teaching job, the girls scrap, scrimp, and struggle their way across the countryside, determined to face the men who wronged them and forge a new path for themselves - one that doesn't revolve around producing yet another faceless male heir who will demand their subservience. As they finally reach family in Taiwan, will all of Hai's struggles and the arduous journey she has faced so far be worth the pain in the end as she is able to make a TRUE stand against injustice? Or will the firm grasp of the patriarchy keep these women "in their place" and stifle ANY chance for REAL independence?
With historical fiction, it's sometimes easier to get swept away by the text if you're very familiar with the place, era, and the events taking place...and in this case, I had little familiarity coming into this book about all three of those elements. I have to admit I spent a lot more of this read getting acclimated to what was going on at any given time, keeping track of where we were geographically, and keeping track of the characters and their activities than I would have liked, and this did take me out of the 'flow' a bit while reading. Chung is a very talented writer, but I felt like this read a bit more like a text rather than fiction at times, where there was a great deal of focus on the plot, where we were heading next, etc. so this style of HF reads a bit dry to me in comparison to others that have a more balanced approach. However, I also DO feel if I had the historical background coming INTO the book, this probably wouldn't have been noticeable or bothered me in the slightest, so it was one of those instances where I wish I'd taken a few minutes to do a little preemptive research before reading (and perhaps next time I will!)
What I honestly wished there was more of in this book was character development - because every glimpse we DID get into these fascinating women left me wanting more. At the beginning, I thought the harsh words from the girls' grandmother about how useless they were for not being born male etc. were going to play a bigger part in the overall goings on...but I felt like despite Chung's best efforts, there was so much plot content to get through, that I didn't get as thorough of a glimpse inside the minds of Hai, Di, and the others as I would have liked. I understood their struggles through the action, sure; but with such dynamic and intelligent personalities, it would have been even more impactful to get a firm sense of their INNER selves. I'm not saying this book could have necessarily functioned as a series of diary entries or the like, but I think utilizing that sort of device would have given an extra layer of realism and emotional connectivity that I personally look for in some of my favorite historical fiction reads.
What DID elevate the overall experience for me, however, was the detailed and fascinating author's note Chung includes at the end of this one, where she reveals that this book was in fact based on her OWN family's personal history. Her attention to detail and careful consideration while telling her family's story alone was enough to get me to bump up my rating. This is one of those author's notes that makes you want to read an entire BOOK (or maybe watch a documentary?) about the writing process because there is simply too much detail to fit inside an addendum. I know it probably isn't feasible, but since this is only Chung's debut, perhaps in the future she could delve into what happens next for our beloved women of Shandong!
And although I won't reveal whether or not grandmother Nai Nai has to eat her own words by the end of this harrowing tale...I WILL reference one other quote that sums up the power, the resilience, the determination, and the fortitude displayed by ALL of the Daughters of Shandong: "If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something DONE, ask a woman."
**Many thanks to Berkley and Jennifer Probst for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
"True friendship resists time, distance, and silence" - **Many thanks to Berkley and Jennifer Probst for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
"True friendship resists time, distance, and silence" - Isabel Allende
Maddie has never been the center of attention...at least, not in the way she would hope. As a quiet, tall, redhead who would rather pore over poetry than party, she doesn't have the confidence to talk to the 'cool' kids and feels like a very tiny fish in a large pond as a freshman in college. So she's nothing short of stunned when two of the popular and fun girls, Ava and Chelsey, come up to her and seem interested in being friends. Ava is at the center of the group, with her drop-dead gorgeous looks and personality, and Maddie feels special to be chosen as one of her nearest and dearest. The three spend countless hours together, with Ava and Chelsey encouraging Maddie to follow her TRUE dream of being a unique social media influencer, whose goal is to bring quirky fashion and a unique vibe to the mainstream...and of course, gain a social media following and earn a living along the way.
The three are inseparable over the years, navigating life and love as a group and tightening their own bonds...and when Maddie meets the ultra hunky Riggs at a bar and slowly falls for him, it seems all of the pieces of her life are coming together. But Ava's special attachment to Maddie and her neediness as a friend slowly starts to erode the edges of her relationship and Maddie starts to question if what she's feeling could be forever...or if her friendship and her business should be her TRUE priority. As she slowly climbs to greater popularity with Ava's help, one unfortunate incident calls their ENTIRE friendship and group harmony into question...and ultimately leaves the girls at odds with one another, their friendship estranged and seemingly a thing of the past.
UNTIL one day, when Maddie receives a wedding invitation...AVA's wedding invitation. She's getting married in gorgeous Lake Como, Italy...and the girls had made a pact to be part of EACH wedding day back in their college years. After a scandal online, Maddie's career is hanging by a thread and she finds herself questioning if this is the moment for reconciliation....but with such heartache and betrayal in the past, is there any hope for a new future? Can Maddie, Chelsey, and Ava reclaim the magic they once had as a unit...or has life and growth forced them apart for a reason...and for good?
New to Jennifer Probst and not knowing what to expect from the third in a series, I am happy to report that this book is very firmly a light romance whose focus is more on female friendship AND that it can most definitely be read as a stand-alone book. (From what I gather, it's the location that makes this part of a series rather than any recurring themes or characters.) And although this one looked a bit long given the subject matter (400 pages!) I have to admit I got swept away initially by the promise of an enchanting locale to come, as well as the sort of "introverted fashionista comes out of her shell" premise.
But somewhere between 30-50% of this read, I came to realize that what came off as fun and fresh in the beginning was moving into more shallow and redundant 'fluff' territory...and not even the promise of the enchanting Lake Como could keep me FULLY invested.
For starters, if you aren't a fashionista or would rather grab the NY Times than Vogue...I'd steer clear of this book. There are endless (and I mean endless) descriptions of what everyone is wearing, what their outfits look like, designers et. al for about, I don't know, 30-40% of the book? Yes, I know that Maddie's passion is fashion and that is fine to an extent...I love watching the Devil Wears Prada and ogling designer dresses on Say Yes to the Dress from time to time...but when it gets to the point that I'm rolling my eyes waiting for the clothing's description to be over so we can move on...that tells me it's a bit MUCH.
It's also very hard to fall in love with the female friendships in this one if you don't see the merit of the relationships...and with these three, the initial 'depth' of Maddie felt like a bait and switch. The minute her character decides to go full bore into social media influencing...I already felt my eyes drooping. At first, I was hoping she was going to be a different kind of influencer (although in many ways I doubt such a thing even exists), one who was far more focused on her purpose than her adoring fans...but nope. Ava's influence sort of just brings out what was present in her all along...a desperation to be popular and beloved, and to turn her page into a cash cow. Any sort of respect I had for Maddie sort of withered as the book went on, and honestly, once Ava went so far as to betray her? I was pretty disgusted.
And then there's the character of Ava. Painted as the sort of beautiful, hypnotic enigma that you just can't help but love...but I felt the opposite. She read classic narcissist for me from almost the first page, and despite Maddie's insecurity, I felt like someone as smart as she was should have easily been able to see what a toxic person she was in many respects. Although by the end of the book some transformation has taken place, I STILL wouldn't have been able to forgive her transgressions. Poor Chelsea, the third member of this trio, is the most likable BY FAR...and yet gets the least amount of 'page time' (rather than screen time) and we are all worse off for it. Chelsea is the only one of these three who resembled a fully functioning adult (even by story's end!) and I just didn't understand why she got the bum rush. Maddie's parents also play an important role in her background, but although interesting character development could have come from exploring THOSE relationships too...they are hardly mentioned.
All of this leads to what can only be called a messy, Jerry Springer-esque ending that honestly sort of turned my stomach. As much as I loved the idea of a little jaunt to Italy, I felt like so much of the focus was on the drama that it took away from any true 'growth' most of these characters could have experienced in the interim. As much as this is a pretty readable book (if you don't mind all of the fashion and influencer chat), I spent so much of the read frustrated by the characters and their decisions that I felt compelled to bump down my rating on that basis alone. I'm sure the 20 something set will be satisfied with a lot of the content here, but as a book that I expected to be aimed at a bit of an older audience (perhaps older than me, even!) it was about as deep and resonant as a tiny toy drum.
And although this cover and picture paints a beautiful picture of an idyllic love story in a spectacular locale...this book felt more like a cautionary tale of the dangers of both being an influencer and of BEING influenced by justTHAT kind of narcissistic friend.
**Many thanks to Berkley and Etta Easton for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 4.9!!**
Amerie Price is desperate to find **Many thanks to Berkley and Etta Easton for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 4.9!!**
Amerie Price is desperate to find a lucky star...but all she's been seeing lately are LOTS of clouds. After a breakup that left her crushed AND losing her job, she is scrambling to put together enough money to pay her rent. She feels terrified at the prospect of having to gamble on herself by jumping headfirst into her very own business venture as an event planner...but simultaneously hopes she has the goods to make it all happen. In this vulnerable state, she grabs a coffee at her favorite local Java Joint and bumps into NONE other than the ex she's been eager to forget..and he has his shiny NEW girlfriend in tow.
Looking for the upper hand, Amerie takes a chance encounter with a VERY sexy, Tall, Dark, and Handsome stranger (one that resulted in coffee being spilled all over her), grabs the handsome hottie, and presents him as her boyfriend. The man in question, she will later learn, is Vincent Rogers, and he's got the kind of job that sounds as unlikely as "CIA operative" or "bodyguard to the stars": Vincent is a certified, bonafide ASTRONAUT. Despite his glamorous job, Vincent's been dealing with struggles of his own...namely, a family that is DESPERATE to see him paired up with a nice girl with marriage on the horizon. Vincent decides to play along with Amerie's scheme...by hatching one of his own: Amerie's that one special girl, and he has her move into his pad to help her save some cash AND further the idea that these two are in a long-term, committed relationship.
But when family health struggles come up on Amerie's side, and Vincent's family grows increasingly worried that his next mission could be catastrophic...Vincent and Amerie begin to bond in a REAL way...and on a level that neither expected. With so much at stake, can Vincent fulfill ALL of his dreams? Will this next journey into space be his last? And will Amerie have the courage to ask him to stay with her...or is she in line for ANOTHER devastating heartbreak with the 'one who got (lightyears!) away'?
This is a debut novel, and since I had no point of reference coming into this story, I figured it would go one of two ways: VERY cheesy fake dating or adorable, charming fake dating with two MCs you just couldn't help but root for from beginning to end.
...And I am thrilled to say there was NO moon cheese here, folks!...more
**Many thanks to Berkley and Sidney Karger for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
How do you know when you're REALLY ready for kids?
Biz and **Many thanks to Berkley and Sidney Karger for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
How do you know when you're REALLY ready for kids?
Biz and Wyatt aren't sure they know the answer, but after a long, dedicated surrogacy journey...they think they are ready to take the plunge and find out. The pair are a gay couple who have had their ups and downs romantically, but think that despite their frequent sniping at one another and the fact that they aren't married yet (much to Biz's dismay) that now is the PERFECT time to bring a baby into the mix. (Sigh. More on that later). In fact, they decide that they are in desperate need of a Babymoon and figure a cross country roadtrip from NY to CA prior to the birth of the baby is a way to check both boxes. They load up their dog Matilda into the back of their tiny VW Cabriolet and head for the open road, trying to leave all their cares behind.
But IS this match made in heaven a pair of soulmates...or are they simply too different? Biz is a magazine writer who used to be a child actor and although he writes about food for a living, he feels like there's something missing in his current day-to-day...and Wyatt hasn't exactly been helping him find it. His beau Wyatt, on the other hand, is more of your typical Type A personality, and thrives on the order and structure he finds in his work as a TV director...or does the loud and crazy side of Biz clash too harshly against his own rigidity?
As the journey takes from a supposedly relaxing trip to Provincetown (read: it isn't) to a spontaneous baby shower with Biz's vivacious Italian family to a bizarrely random Star Wars themed wedding, the miscommunications multiply and BOTH men in this relationship are hiding pretty substantial secrets from one another. With the days ticking down until delivery, can Biz find the maturity Wyatt feels he needs to take fatherhood seriously? And can Wyatt open his heart to the possibility of making their relationship a LOT more permanent? Or will this new baby deepen the cracks of an already fractured relationship...and splinter it for good?
I can't say that I've ever read a story about surrogacy with a gay couple as the parents before, OR a Sidney Karger book before...so needless to say, I had no idea what to expect from this story...except the HOPE that it would be both a) very romantic and b) very funny.
But instead of a smooth ride...all I kept hitting were speed bumps.
From the off, I could tell I was going to have trouble relating to both characters, Biz and Wyatt, and this gut feeling (like many gut feelings) was spot-on. Not only did I feel like I didn't really KNOW the characters, I also just found them both a bit insufferable in their own ways. The story opens with Biz and Wyatt lamenting the change they are about to face becoming new parents...but as surrogate parents (not to mention surrogates who live ACROSS THE COUNTRY from the birth mom) the part they ignore entirely is that the woman giving birth to their child has ALREADY given up so much autonomy and given so much of herself...and there's a reason why MOMS are the ones who need a babymoon. While I champion their passion in many ways, the naivete and sort of thoughtlessness they both demonstrate towards the woman who is ACTUALLY doing the hard work was a huge red flag for me. If you can't even appreciate how difficult and demanding pregnancy can be (even in theory) how on EARTH are you ready to raise an infant on any level?
Which brings me to the next issue with this plot, and frankly, an age old problem in general: having kids does NOT solve relationship problems. Almost ever. If both parties learn to work together or coexist better, I can understand that...but kids are not Band Aids. I was so annoyed with the fact that both of them had such misgivings about their future together, yet figured they should go ahead and bring an innocent child into the mix (not to mention a kid who isn't fully biologically theirs...they also have zero clue about how THAT challenge might pop up in later years) and honestly, it left me wanting to bop both of them upside the head. Talk about La La Land...I guess there's a reason both of them are in show biz! I honestly felt their conversations often lacked depth and just served to illustrate their 'problems' more than anything else...but there was a problem with that, too.
...I just didn't 'buy' their relationship strife.
I get that not every troubled relationship has slamming doors, yelling, prolonged segments of the silent treatment, etc...but these two had some slight miscommunications at best (or worst?) and that was basically it. The other problems (with their own families, the secrets they kept from one another, etc.) seemed to FAR outweigh any actual relationship trouble. By making their 'fighting' seem more along the lines of good-natured banter and ribbing each other about their idiosyncrasies, it didn't seem like there was much to resolve...moreso that they just needed to TALK to one another.(Go figure!) I thought there might be some third act drama that left me hanging or unsure how this one ended, but alas. It was just as predictable as you'd expect. I kept waiting for all of the big laughs I thought I'd been promised from the start...but unless you find the dog's antics funny, you're going to be be waiting a LOT longer than 9 months for that laugh (if you catch my drift!)...more
**Many thanks to Berkley and Elizabeth Everett for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.19!**
In a world dominated by men,**Many thanks to Berkley and Elizabeth Everett for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.19!**
In a world dominated by men, Lucinda (better known as Lucy) Peterson is determined to stand out. She works at an apothecary and is INCHES away from finding the cure to a very common malady: croup. Lucy's business is a family business, making it even more vital for her to do her father proud, and working in tandem with siblings Juliet and David, she feels certain this new discovery will cement her and her family as the most beloved and innovative apothecary in town. So imagine Lucy's surprise when she learns her secret formula has been STOLEN...and in an appalling twist that adds insult to injury, she learns it is none other than her former flame, Duncan, who has taken the goods.
Furious, Lucy is MORE than ready to get her formula back before it's too late...and she enlists the help of a gruff PI, Jonathan Thorne, to help in the effort. Working as the apothecary's bookkeeper, he slowly gets to know Lucy and her family...and the two can't ignore the fiery sparks between them. But with a tortured past that has left him a single father, Jonathan keeps his heart firmly under wraps. As Lucy and Co. continue to fight rival political groups over a woman's right to choose and Lucy struggles with whatever feelings may or may not be lingering between her and Duncan from the past, her passion for Thorne continues to grow...and she wonders how long she can suppress her feelings...or if she even WANTS to hold back anymore. Will Lucy restore her rights to her formula, take on croup once and for all, AND find love in the end? Or will Thorne be a 'thorn' in her side after all...leaving her formula-less...AND brokenhearted?
I'll be the first to admit I've never read anything resembling this sort of book before...and after finishing this one, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. I'm always game for a strong female protagonist, and it is refreshing to read STEM representation more often in the genre, if not simply to give us as readers a change of pace. Female scientists of all sorts have been pushed to the footnotes of books for FAR too long (that is, if they were included in the book at all!) and a more complex, intelligent heroine is always more fun to read than a swoony, "I'm a woman and therefore NEED saving" sort of MC any day of the week. Throw in some feminist rep (with Lucy's pro-choice support, which was potentially even MORE of a hot button topic in the Victorian era than it is today, although at this point it's probably a toss up!) and this book seemed to have the foundation for a thought-provoking, interesting, but still comfortable, predictable HEA romance.
So...why couldn't I exactly ENJOY this reading experience?
For starters, the characters in this one felt simply...inaccessible. For a woman who was so brilliant, Lucy seemed to have forgotten that she could both possess book smarts AND common sense...and this led her to a lot of decisions I couldn't really understand or connect to at all. Her siblings were even more of a mystery, as neither of them felt fully developed at all and were simply names on the page for most of the book. To be honest, a week after finishing this, I had to LOOK UP what their names were: they were that forgettable. And then of course there's Thorne, the almost stereotypically stodgy yet devilishly handsome single dad who to me read more like a sixty year old man than a Casanova...I just didn't get the appeal.
And this dialogue? Just did not work for me. It felt very much like the author was making an effort to make it seem as though it read 'of the time period'...but at the same time, the characters randomly would say things that felt very 'of' the modern day...especially in the bedroom scenes. While I'm not suggesting that this talk never happened, to go from the very stilted formal dialogue to rather explicit language between the sheets just felt very odd. For instance, all of Thorne's chat about condoms (which he sometimes called condoms and other times prophylactics) which was APPROPRIATE...but still felt strange to hear coming from the mouths of these characters. Because Thorne read as older to me, it made it even MORE strange to 'witness' a romantic rendezvous between the two...and almost a bit icky....more
**Many thanks to Berkley and Stephanie Dray for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.12!**
"Being a woman has only bothere**Many thanks to Berkley and Stephanie Dray for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 3.12!**
"Being a woman has only bothered me in climbing trees." - Frances Perkins
It is this frank and fearless nature that sets Frances Perkins apart...and from the moment she arrives in New York City, destined to bring about change, she truly has her work cut out for her. Working with some of the poorest in Hell's Kitchen's tenements, it is apparent that working conditions (and living conditions) are not sustainable for the people of her fair city. She has several compatriots, each with a fire for revolution in their bellies: there's Upton Sinclair, a cheeky young fire-haired writer who longs to be more than just friends with Frances, a wealthy but kind socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, and a brooding, sensitive young reformer Paul Wilson, each determined to change the landscape in their own way.
But after witnessing the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire firsthand (with workers literally LEAPING out of the burning building to the ground below), Frances knows that labor conditions need change: immediate and DRASTIC change. Though she isn't directly involved in politics herself, Frances gets word that Franklin "Feather Duster" Roosevelt, a rich and haughty man she encountered at a party once (who wasn't exactly her number one fan, to put it mildly!) is running for office...and he might actually WIN. Roosevelt has a plan that will take him up through the ranks, and quickly: a plan that will end with him in the White House. When all of this comes to pass, NO one is more surprised than Frances when FDR not only recognizes Frances' passion for reform and labor policy, but wants to appoint her to be his Secretary of Labor...making her the very FIRST woman in the presidential cabinet.
Although Frances is honored and perhaps more passionate and driven by her work than anyone around her, she is met with push-back and criticism over and over again. Many men assume she can't do her job AND be a wife and mother...but Frances isn't going to let anything stand in her way. But balancing the severe troubles experienced by members of her family...acting as an indomitable force during FDR's tenure...AND fighting for social security and labor reform proves to be nearly overwhelming for Frances, and she starts to wonder if she can TRULY make all of these dreams come true. Will her bold determination start a blaze of glory that will continue on for generations to come...or will everything she has worked for crumble before her very eyes?
I'm a bit ashamed to say that before picking up this book, I probably hadn't heard the name Frances Perkins since elementary school...and since this may have been back in the 2nd or 3rd grade I couldn't have told you a THING about her. After reading this book, it's not only shocking but saddening to me that such an integral part of history was not a MAJOR focus in the curriculum. As someone who is very passionate when it comes to workers' rights (and as a former Union member myself, when I had the opportunity to be in one!) it was easy for me to become VERY invested in Frances' mission as she fought to keep children out of factories, to enforce more limited working hours (No more fourteen hour days...and we think we have it bad now! ) and to establish programs like social security which would benefit ALL citizens, not just those born into wealth. Sadly, many of these fights persist today, but they would have been Dead on Arrival PERMANENTLY if not for the tireless work of Frances Perkins. To say this book is enlightening is an understatement: I feel I owe Frances a debt of gratitude!
Dray also does something special with this narrative: this is technically historical fiction, but almost reads more like a diary or a memoir. Perkins takes you through so many years of her life, but the chapters are fairly short and manageable, and there is a solid balance between Perkins' work life and her personal life. There is romance and heartache, inner turmoil and also an exploration of the power of friendship. While Perkins and FDR have a rocky start, the two learn to work in tandem in a truly powerful way, and like all of the relationships explored here, has a complexity and a beauty all its own. Perkins' choices are never easy, and this is the recurring theme underlying her entire career. Being a woman during this time was hard enough in and of itself, but to make some of the 'radical' statements and decisions Perkins was forced to make at times was what set her apart...and I am SO thrilled Dray chose to share this history in such an interesting way.
This book is also 500+ pages (!) which is usually somewhat of a red flag for me when it comes to historical fiction, but this one is written in such a way that it never feels overly long or complex. The chapters move along at a pretty good clip, and as a reader I felt that the only reason the book was this length was to make sure she captured as much detail about Perkins' life as possible: this one is meticulously researched, with Dray highlighting at the end any areas where she took creative liberty, but these are few and far between. There's always a stark difference between authors who TRULY do their research in historical fiction and those that rely on more 'basic' tropes and commonly known information. I applaud Dray's dedication to preserving the integrity of Frances Perkins and EVERYTHING she accomplished during her truly impactful time in office.
And through Dray, by the end of her journey, Perkins makes an observation true of so many bold and brilliant, brave and breathtaking revolutionaries of the past, present, and future: "So maybe a spark of madness is what it takes to accomplish anything truly revolutionary in this world."
One tiny, seemingly insignificant, but POWERFUL spark!...more
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Ethan Joella for an ARC of this book!**
Jack Schmidt is proud to call Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home...but pro**Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Ethan Joella for an ARC of this book!**
Jack Schmidt is proud to call Rehoboth Beach, Delaware home...but prouder still to continue the legacy of his family's beachfront restaurant, Schmidt's. Three generations in, the restaurant has weathered all sorts of storms, and Jack might not have much in the way of a social life due to his workaholic ways...but he has a staff that feels like family and has kept the doors open and the balance sheet in the black...and there's part of him that can't imagine life any other way. Sure, after so many years he would LIKE to kick back his heels and relax in a beach chair...but he OWES his family, especially after his father's passing, and Jack isn't one to let others down.
But when wealthy restaurant group DelDine, who own several restaurants in the area and beyond, come along and make Jack an offer to buy the restaurant to add it to their portfolio...Jack can't help but consider the prospect. He would be handsomely compensated, and could finally have some TIME to explore all of the things in life he's been missing...and perhaps even rekindle an old romance. But what does DelDine ACTUALLY have in mind for the property? Can he trust a couple of strangers who know just what to say to maintain the integrity of Schmidt's and show the same type of care and compassion for the staff that are truly family to him? And when Jack gets some SHOCKING news about his past that is set to change the course of his life forever...will he be brave enough to make the first move and finally get answers? Will this be the impetus he needs to pull the trigger on the sale of the restaurant...or will his fears keep him trapped in a hamster wheel of indecision, where DelDine will end up with the upper hand...and Schmidt's as he knew it will cease to exist?
This is my first Ethan Joella novel and NOW I get what all the hype is about! This book reads like a perfect blend of contemporary and literary fiction, with ample doses of nostalgia, quiet reflections about the past, plenty of angst about the present, and an air of uncertainty about the future. I appreciate that though it feels like a bit of a genre hybrid, it is very much in the vein of literary fiction I appreciate most: one grounded in reality rather than an air of pretentiousness. At the center of the conflict is an exploration of family, what it means to 'owe' your family, and how found family and blood relations can sometimes intersect...and sometimes in the unlikeliest of ways!
It makes a LOT of sense that Rehoboth Beach is the setting for this story and that it practically leaps off the page with authenticity: the author lives there currently, and did an excellent job capturing the sort of 'endless summer' feel of the area. The book is interspersed with little snippets from a 'guidebook' about the town, and while at first I wasn't a fan of the device, by the 2nd half of the book, I was eagerly anticipating these segments. But be warned: although the setting is technically the beach, this isn't EXACTLY what I'd call a beach read. There are heavy topics aplenty here, from addiction, abortion, and abandonment, to estrangement, so NOT exactly a light and sunny read. By the same token, this setting sort of helps to balance the tension and ground the book at times. Although I had assumed this was set in summertime (both due to the book's release date and by the cover) the tale actually starts off in November (right before Thanksgiving) so in that sense it can really be read ANY time of year (and part of me wishes it had come out in winter as more of a 'remember how great the summer is?' sort of read!)
Aside from the beautifully depicted setting, the beauty of this book lies in its characters, led by our multifaceted narrator Jack. We watch as he revisits snips of his past, deals with the strife of his present, and imagines what his future could be...and although he is our only narrator, this is HIS story, so it completely works. We see all of the other characters through his lens, but Joella's characterizations are subtle and effective. These seem like people you COULD know or that you might know already, and they all fit effortlessly into the world of Rehoboth Beach. It's hard to say too much about the plot without giving anything away, but although the 'main' plot of this one revolves around the sale of the restaurant...this is just the lynch pin that holds the novel together and gives it a beating heart. You may change your mind about certain characters along the way, but despite Jack's indecision and foot-dragging when it came to whether or not to sell the restaurant, I never quite felt frustrated with him. This was simply a journey he needed to take on his own, in his own way, and as you might have guessed there is more to this story than a simple restaurant sale: like winter to spring, a transformation of sorts takes place...but unlike a simple changing of the seasons, it is both beautiful and unexpected, in the best possible way.
And though I won't spoil the ending, Jack's revelations by the end of this one were akin to Dorothy's in the Wizard of Oz right before her return to Kansas: "If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with."
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