July Read: An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson

 

I'm a huge fan of novels that put a spin on the epic story of King Henry VIII and his six wives. When this came across my radar I immediately grabbed it. I had just started it when I was leaving for vacation, but couldn't take it with me in hardcover, and I couldn't wait until I got back to read it. Thankful for library resources that got me the ebook, which I immediately devoured. 

This is a modern day mystery set in the world of New York finance and Cape Cod. It all starts with the body of a woman, found on the beach near Hank Tudor's summer home on the Long Island Sound. She's dead; found without her head. 

Who that woman is remains a mystery through most of the novel, but you figure out pretty quickly who it probably is but the motive for her murder remains murky. 

What I found enjoyable about this novel was discovering each wife and how they were written into the modern world. It was pretty interesting! I did find renaming Henry to Hank a bit jarring; he just didn't seem like a Hank to me. He's a billionaire sixty-something handsome man, ruthless and always has an eye for the ladies. Currently he's just married his previous assistant, Kate Parker, following a disastrous marriage to Caitlyn, a young starlet caught cheating with an actor. Anna Klein (Anne of Cleves) runs a successful high-end bed and breakfast with her wife, and takes care of Lizzie and Teddy, Hank's kids. Catherine Alvarez, (Katherine of Aragon) also lives nearby--she never leaves her house and lives alone, except for the assistance of her housekeeper. She's got a few tricks up her sleeves, for sure. She hasn't quite left the corporate world and secretly keeps tabs on all of it, especially Hank's empire. 

The biggest surprise was Anne Boleyn's character. Where was she? Known as Nan, she disappeared one night years before, when Lizzie was a few years old. No one knows where she is and it's just assumed by everyone she's dead. 

I found the characters very interesting, and the machinations between the remaining wives kept me turning the pages. Hank wasn't as much of a prominent character, which was disappointing but makes sense in a novel that focuses on the wives. The ending left me with a big WHAT?? and there were a lot of loose ends that didn't tie up.

Overall, it was an interesting read with a bit of a thud ending. There were surprises, for sure, but what I most enjoyed were the modern versions of Henry's wives. I always wonder what they'd be like as modern women, so anytime I find a novel that puts a fresh spin on the saga, I'm immediately intrigued. 

Rating: 3/6 for a mystery that is more of a thriller, with an ending that left me hanging. However, if you are a fan of all things Tudor, you'll enjoy the modern spin and tangled web of the wives and their relationships to each other. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson

December Read: The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs

 

This is a quick, feel-good holiday romance complete with lots of doggies. The cover art is just so stinkin' cute! 

Brenda Malloy does not like Christmas. Not anything about it; especially now that she's found out her husband is cheating on her on Christmas Eve. She used to love Christmas as a child, until a family tragedy one Christmas Eve left her feeling guilty and full of grief. Now she's starting over again, and a volunteer gig with the local animal shelter is going to change her world. 

Brenda volunteers with a dog rescue organization in Houston, Texas. It's been a year since her terrible Christmas Eve, and she's divorced and moved on--kind of. A series of mishaps within the dog rescue organization give Brenda a chance to travel with twelve dogs to their new adoptive homes in Upstate New York--just in time for Christmas. Loading up the van and traveling with her friend Dolly, all seems to be going well until a snowstorm sends the van off the road and Dolly into the hospital. Now Brenda has to coordinate the delivery of all twelve dogs to their forever homes, get the van fixed, and drive home to Houston by herself. 

Enter handsome paramedic Adam Bellamy, who is immediately attracted to Brenda and is also the new owner of Olaf, a big doggie that loves to run, jump, and play. He's divorced, a single father, and ready to take a chance on a new love. If only Brenda wanted to stay in Avalon, and get into the Christmas spirit...

This was just pure fun to read. Lovely characters; the dogs are all sweet and add to the festive atmosphere. The town of Avalon is very Hallmark-ish and there are some bumps in the road to happily ever after, but it's a fun journey. If you want to read a gentle holiday romance, this is your ticket. 

Rating: 4/6 for a quick romantic holiday read chock full of dogs and holiday spirit. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio book. 

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December Read: The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs

June Read: The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley

 

Bookshop, summer, beach...yes, I'm a sucker for it! I've read Ms. Kelley's Nantucket Restaurant series so I knew I would enjoy this summer read that takes place on Cape Cod. It's a place I've had on my travel radar for a long time. For now, I'll have to do armchair travel.

Jess is married to Parker and they're both lawyers in a thriving firm in Charleston. Their daughter Caitlin still lives with them as she bounces from job to job, unsuccessfully trying to find a career path. She's a hard worker, but never a "good fit".

All is not great in the marriage; Jess has noticed they're more friends than partners after 30 years of marriage. Before she can bring up divorce, she discovers her husband's been unfaithful with his secretary and now is expecting another child. Jess is DONE. She decides to return to her hometown of Chatham on Cape Cod for the summer to visit her mother and think about what she wants to do, and Caitlin decides to come along. It's a life changing trip for both of them. 

Jess' best friend Alison still lives in Chatham and works for a magazine that is in financial trouble. She's looking for a part-time job and finds out the local bookshop, which has been a staple in Chatham for decades, may be for sale. It's been her dream to own a bookshop and here's her chance, if she can pull the finances together. 

Along comes Jess with time on her hands, an impending divorce, and the means to invest in the bookshop and become co-owner with Alison. Soon Caitlin has taken over managing a defunct coffee shop next door to the bookshop, and the summer really kicks in! Plenty of characters are introduced and smaller plot lines run alongside the main bookshop/divorce storyline. 

All three women are going through life changes--all involving career changes as well as romantic. Although Jess and Caitlin have set October as a deadline to return to Charleston, will they stay in Chatham for good?

This is what I call a gentle novel. What makes a novel gentle (to me) is when there are no big plot twists; characters are all likable, and the story moves along at a gentle pace. Everyone is likable and the setting is a place that's perfectly perfect. No big surprises, but a satisfying read. 

I enjoyed this read, mostly because it was a relaxing one. My only slight beef was Caitlin expressing over and over how she was going to return to Charleston. It got old after a bit, especially when you, as a reader, knew there was nothing in Charleston to return to except shallow friends and temp jobs. It took her a bit too long to figure it out. 

Romantic interests for all, delicious food descriptions, and a seaside town that sounds like a dreamy place to live. And of course we can't forget the bookshop. I can't think of a more satisfying career than to own a bookshop in a seaside town. 

Rating: 4/6 for a perfectly enjoyable summertime read. Women enjoying their friendships, figuring out life, and realizing that you can go home again. And--you can love the ocean and not swim in it!

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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June Read: The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley

January Read: The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

 

I bought this book when it first came out in September 2022 and off it went into my stack of TBR titles. I pulled it out a few days ago and just spent my Saturday reading it. It's a gloomy day, so it was perfect to read with a pot of coffee and a comfy blanket.  

I love the cover; it definitely grabbed my attention. I'm a sucker for a feel-good novel about a bit of magic and when it's combined with people finding love, I couldn't resist. 

This novel is told in two time periods: the early 1900's and 1994. I was thrown for a loop reading about the 1990's as if it were decades ago until it sank in that IT WAS DECADES AGO. Had a moment of feeling old!

Sara Glickman is traveling to America in 1910 with her family to start a new life in New York City. She makes a romantic match between her older sister and a man on the ship, and even at ten years old, Sara's gift is apparent. She can see true love matches/soulmates. It ruffles the feathers of the shadchanteh, the Jewish matchmakers that broker deals between families. She's young, female, and unmarried. She's also taking money away from this group of men. The difference is that Sara matches soulmates, and the matchmakers match purely on "suitability" and money. Sara has to keep her matchmaking quiet through her teen years, so her family doesn't get into trouble. One match, between the Pickle King's daughter and a dentist, changes Sara's life, as well as her family's fortunes. But it causes some trouble, too. 

Forward to 1994, and Sara has sadly just passed away peacefully at the age of 95. Her granddaughter Abby is a young divorce lawyer in New York City, and she's devastated at her beloved grandmother's passing. She inherits Sara's journals, and begins reading through them. What she finds are the notes Sara made on each of her matches over the years, and Abby begins to believe, finally, that her grandmother was telling the truth all those years about her matchmaking skills. 

Abby and Sara's stories move back and forth, with the journals the bridge between what Abby reads and the real story from Sara's perspective. Abby may have inherited her grandmother's gift, and it may be causing some problems at Abby's job...

I found this to be a quick read, and so very interesting. I had no idea the job of matchmaking was taken so seriously by the Jewish community and culture. It's fascinating. The clash of old world traditions and fitting into the new world are illustrated throughout Sara's story, and the ties between her matches in the early 20th century and Abby's 1994 world are pretty interesting and make the whole story come full circle. 

Anyone who enjoys fiction with a bit of romance (but not necessarily a romance novel), and the history of matchmaking in New York City will enjoy this novel. It was lighthearted, interesting, and full of likable characters. I especially enjoyed Sara's character--full of spunk and smart as a whip. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel about finding your right person; knowing the path of happiness isn't always smooth, but worth all the trouble in the end. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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January Read: The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen

 

Followers of my blog know I'm a huge fan of historical fiction. I was asked to be part of the blog tour for A Dress of Violet Taffeta and jumped at the chance. You'll want to grab this novel when it is available on July 5th in the U.S. 

Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon is a fascinating historical figure. She made this a hard-to-put down novel, about her rise from a scandalously divorced woman to one of the most respected and revered clothing designers of the early 20th century. Toss in surviving the Titanic, and you've got a life that seems as if it can't possibly be true-but it is.

Lucy's first husband was a loser who left her practically penniless, with a young daughter. She'd always been intrigued by clothing design, and had an uncanny ability to know exactly what colors and style of dresses would suit women the best. With nothing to lose, she begins designing dresses for the upper crust women of British society, all while making it look to all that it wasn't really "work", but a genteel woman gently giving advice to other women. She grew her business over the years, adding more staff and moving to bigger homes. 

Lucy is a remarkable woman, and her fictional tale is hard to put down. She moved women's fashion forward, and wow! she accomplished a lot. Her second married to Sir Duff-Gordon was beneficial to both, but their trip on the Titanic became a scandal. Surviving in a lifeboat that only held a few people, she was appalled at the terrible tragedy, and was one of the only passengers to testify at the hearings. Her husband became a central figure in the Titanic trials. 

I so enjoyed this novel. The fashion--oh my. Stunning descriptions of color, fabric, and style. A glimpse at a world long gone, and a way of life long gone, too. Lucy and her assistant Celia, along with Lucy's sister Elinor are three strong women, making successes in a society that frowned on strong, independent, smart women. 

Anyone interested in clothing design or fashion, the Titanic, and a woman who helped determine the fashion of the 1890's all the way into the early days of Hollywood will want to dive into this novel. It clips along quickly and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's plenty online about Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon--photos of her and her clothing, as well as her life. 

A big thanks to Austin PR for inviting me along on this blog tour! Also thanks to Berkley (Penguin/Random House) for a copy of the book. 

Rating: 5/6 for a solid, well researched novel about one of the earlier fashion influencers with an amazing talent and eye for color and fabric. Strong women, independence, taking chances, and female friendship are all major themes in this novel. A truly remarkable trailblazer. Grab it on July 5th!

Available in trade paperback and ebook. 

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A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen

Tree is Up, Holiday Tunes on the Radio; Christmas Novel Reading has Begun: The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

 I waited as long as I could, which was Wednesday night. Snuggled into bed with a Christmas book and was pretty darn happy. 

Of course, I started that novel, and had another non-holiday novel with me and I started that one, too. And then, of course, I started a third novel. This one I finished quickly. 

Thanksgiving was a chance for myself and my partner to hunker down and spend some quality time together. We made a feast for Thanksgiving and spent a few days just relaxing (as much as he can relax--he's always working on something!). We actually watched movies, although we had to start a few over because neither of us can stay awake past 9 PM anymore. Having a few cocktails may have sped that sleepy process along...

Anyway. I grew up in a big family, and my parents always had everyone to their house for Thanksgiving. It was always a lot of fun, with a lot of people. Now it's just Lee and I, and while I do miss those get togethers, I really enjoy it just being the two of us. Aside from a run to get the newspaper, we happily stayed home and puttered around the house. Friday I set up our tree and decorated his house, and now on Sunday I've finished putting out a few things at my house. Christmas has arrived. Tomorrow night we are going to a holiday concert (which we have to keep reminding ourselves is tomorrow night). Some baking in the next few weeks, some shopping, and I'm ready for December 25th. 

So, the first holiday book I read: The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews. It's a really fast read and only a few hundred pages. Perfect to ease into holiday reading. It was released in September, and I grabbed a copy from my library last week. 

Ivy Perkins is newly divorced and making a big fresh start by leaving Atlanta and moving to the small town of Tarburton, North Carolina. She's purchased a farmhouse known as The Four Roses. Only thing, is Ivy purchased it based on photos she saw on the internet, so when she arrives with her dog Punkin, it's a bit more dilapidated than she expects. It's also full of the previous owner's furniture and possessions. Great. 

Ivy has a lot more work ahead of her to make the farmhouse a home. As she's cleaning out a closet, she finds a santa suit obviously made with a lot of care and love. Inside a pocket, she finds a letter from a little girl asking Santa to bring her father home from the war. Ivy is immediately touched and intrigued. Who is Carlette, the little girl who wrote the letter? Did her father ever come home from the war? Ivy decides to try and track down Carlette and solve the mystery. 

As Ivy settles into her home, her realtor Ezra sparks some interest in her wounded heart. He's awful cute, and so darn helpful. Will Ivy be able to find love again? And will she find Carlette? 

I gobbled this story right up. I was mad at myself Saturday night because I couldn't stay awake to keep reading it. Delightful characters; Punkin is a lovable mutt, and the townspeople of Tarburton are all sweet and welcoming. Ivy found herself a safe place to land after her divorce, and the perfect place to reset and begin a new life. 

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors, and I've enjoyed all three of her holiday titles: Blue Christmas, Christmas Bliss, and now The Santa Suit. All are available in a variety of reading formats. 

Rating: 4/6 for a short and sweet novel about starting over and finding your place in the most magical time of the year. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book. 

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Tree is Up, Holiday Tunes on the Radio; Christmas Novel Reading has Begun: The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

The Break-Up Book Club by Wendy Wax

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I had to start my summer reading in May when I purchased this novel and couldn't be disciplined enough to wait for June. 

I've read a number of Wendy Wax novels and am never disappointed. Her latest, The Break-Up Book Club was the perfect read to finish up on a holiday weekend and darn it all, gave me a few book recommendations, too. 

There are quite a few characters telling their stories in alternating chapters: Jazmine, Judith, Erin, and Sara are the main characters. There's also Dorothy and Meena, and Annell.  It may seem like a lot of characters to keep straight, but it's really pretty easy. Annell owns the Between the Covers bookstore where their monthly book club meets. It sounds like a dream place (for me, it certainly is!) and the book club sounds pretty wonderful, too. It is the landing space for all of these women who live around Atlanta, Georgia and at first don't have much in common except this book shop and book club. However, friendships form and the book club becomes a support group, too--in the best possible way. 

Jazmine is a sports agent, and wildly successful, too. Judith is in a long marriage and has found out her husband is bored but sticking with the marriage because it's comfortable. Erin is engaged to her childhood sweetheart, who has been signed to the Atlanta Braves baseball team and is having second thoughts about marriage to Erin. 

Sara, oh, poor Sara. She's married, but her husband has taken an out of town job that keeps him away for weeks at a time. His mother Dorothy lives with Sara after having surgery. They have a frosty relationship. When Sara finds out the truth about her husband, it flips her life in ways she never imagined. And it changes her relationship with Dorothy, too. 

Each chapter is told in the alternating voices of Jazmine, Erin, Sara, and Judith. Over the course of many months, the women all experience highs and lows as their lives change and they empower themselves to take control of their happiness. There are some sad moments, but a whole lot of happy moments, too. The monthly book club meetings keep everyone connected and the friendships formed are what help each women navigate big life changes. 

If you're like me, you'll also take note of the books they read and add a few to your TBR list. I've been part of book clubs for over 20 years, and it's always fun to pick out reads and get together to discuss. And yes, books help bring people together. That's just part of their magic. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and just as a warning if you read the author note at the beginning you may get a little weepy. My heart goes out to Wendy Wax. Bless her. 

Add this to your summer read list! I find novels about books, libraries, bookstores and book clubs irresistible. I'd love to craft a post about all the titles I've read that fit this particular sub-genre. Add that to my summer to-do list!

Rating: 4/6 for an enjoyable novel about friendship, a book club, and women coming into their own power. I gulped it down! 

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The Break-Up Book Club by Wendy Wax

Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French

 

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I'll admit I'm a little bit obsessed with Erin French and The Lost Kitchen. I first saw the show streaming on Discovery Plus but didn't pay any attention to it; then somehow I read a review of it and decided it might be worth checking out. 

Well I checked out the show, alright, and binged watched all eight episodes over a few weekends (yes, that is binge-watching in my world). I was captivated by Erin's Lost Kitchen and her life in Maine. So of course I quickly found out she had a memoir coming out in April, and I checked it out of the library. 

This woman has been through some stuff. BIG stuff. She's a prime example of what a parent does or does not do sticking with their child through adulthood. A father who showed no affection, no support. A mother whom she loved (and still does!), but who didn't stand up to her husband. Those two examples in her childhood lead her down a really dark path as a young woman, and it took a lot of guts and grit to get out of that hole. 

I don't want to talk too much about Erin's life struggles, because I think they are worth you reading about them, and seeing how easy it is to slip down into a deep, dark place. What I want to concentrate on is Erin's love of food. Her absolute adoration of it, and her desire to provide meaningful meals to people. Meals remembered years later for the emotional gift those meals gave to people. 

Erin is not a classically trained chef. She never went to school for cooking; she learned working in her father's diner, and also learned by instinct. She appreciates the bounty that surrounds her in Maine, and works with local farmers to bring the best of the best to her customers. What began as a dream has blossomed into The Lost Kitchen, a special place in an old mill in the very small town of Freedom, Maine. 

What makes The Lost Kitchen unique is that it is only open 4 nights a week, May through September. One sitting, one unforgettable meal. You can't make a reservation; hopeful diners send postcards in April, hoping to be picked to dine at The Lost Kitchen that season. Tens of thousands of postcards flood little Freedom, Maine each year, and what began as a small supper club for friends and family has become something unique, spectacular, and deeply personal to Erin and her crew. 

I actually got a bit sad while watching her show, realizing that I will probably never have the chance to dine at The Lost Kitchen. It's an experience people wait years for, and when they finally arrive, they know it's something unforgettable. The food, oh the food. Erin has a way with cooking and writing about food that will make your mouth water. Food rooted in family, childhood memories, and most of all, feelings. Some people have a gift, and Erin's gift is her magical way with food. There's nothing a cooking school could ever teach her that she doesn't already instinctually know.

I'll just say for those who may be sensitive to certain life experiences, this memoir contains prescription drug abuse, alcoholism, custody battles, divorce, and suicidal thoughts. But to read Erin's journey, warts and all, is uplifting and worth the read. 

I enjoy food memoirs so much but this one was extra special. Bravo Erin for sticking to your dreams and fighting you way through all the crap to find your bliss. 

Rating: 5/6 for a memoir about a woman's journey from a troubled past to a future of fulfillment and happiness with cooking. A powerful story! 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

 

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Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French

Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Well, I finally finished a book this month! It's taken me a ridiculously long few weeks to complete a novel. Part of my problem is that I am reading four at once and making slow progress in each one of them. I started NaNoWriMo, and after a few weeks, I've had to throw in the towel. Just not feeling inspired enough to get past my 5100 words. I'd much rather read! 

Summer at the Garden Cafe snuck by me and I saw it by chance while picking up the next book in this delightful series, The Mistletoe Matchmaker.  So I had to buy it before I could read MM for December. I reviewed the first in the series, The Library at the Edge of the World  in 2017. Set in a small town in Ireland, I loved it and looking back at my review, I couldn't wait to read more. Well, it fell off my radar until I happened to see the holiday novel sitting on a table in my local bookstore. I'm happy to say Summer at the Garden Cafe had me settling back into the small town of Lissbeg and getting familiar with Hanna Casey, her daughter Jazz, and the many folks who make the town of Lissbeg come to life. Everyone's stories continue, after the library sees some exciting growth, and Hanna has settled into her cottage. She finds an old journal, buried near her cottage, written by her great aunt Maggie. Written in 1920, it hints at secrets and troubles that led Maggie to leave her beloved Mother and travel to London. Maggie does finally return, decades later, to settle back into the family cottage, but she is a changed person. Hanna, who inherited the cottage from Maggie, is intrigued by the journal, and it makes her wonder about her family dynamics, and how the woman she knew as Aunt Maggie became such a curmudgeon in her final years. 

Meanwhile, Jazz is working through some anger issues with her father, and figuring out just what she wants to do with her life. Conor, a young farmer from the first novel who works part-time at the library, is deeply involved with a local young woman and contemplating marriage. But oh gosh, they have some bumps in the road! 

I don't want to give too much away, because you do need to read the first in the series to understand the second. It's definitely not one to pick up and read on its own. It took me a good chunk of the novel to remember what had gone on in the first novel, but once I did figure it all out, I was sucked in all the way to the last page. I can't wait to read The Mistletoe Matchmaker in a few weeks.

If you are looking for a Debbie Macomber-type novel, or something that takes you away from home and whisks you to the beautiful hills of Ireland, oh, this is the series for you. The people who populate Lissbeg and the surrounding areas are just solid, down to earth folks, but so enjoyable to read about. Characters evolve at a nice pace, and it will all leave you with a thirst for a cup of tea and a cozy cottage. Yes, there is romance, but it's not overdone at all, and it is actually pretty realistic, too, as Hanna and Brian navigate how to begin a relationship after some bad luck at love. 

This novel was exactly what I needed these first few weeks of November. The three would make a lovely present for someone in your life--or you! 

Rating:  4/6 for a smooth continuation of a series that doesn't fall flat. Life continues at a steady pace in Lissbeg, and characters make some bold choices in their journey to happiness. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio.

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Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold

Sometimes a book that you think is going to check off of all your boxes ends up being one that leaves you with a lingering feeling of disappointment and dissatisfaction.  The Ingredients of Us was one of those books. Maybe I went into the book thinking it was going to be a fun-filled novel about a baker, and recipes, and a bit lighthearted, with just enough drama to keep it from being sappy. 

Instead, I struggled to finish it, and it took me a few weeks. It's the story of Elle and Tom, married for 8 years, and Elle has recently discovered Tom has had an affair. A busy woman with a popular bakery, she's consumed by her love of baking--so much so that it usually takes priority in her life, even over Tom. Feeling neglected, he cheats. And this is the main plot of the novel--how they cope with his infidelity while deciding if saving their marriage is something they want to do. 

We see their relationship from the earliest stages up to the days and weeks following Elle's discovery of the affair. While it was important to understand where they came from as a couple, it was a bit too much bouncing back and forth, back and forth, between "7 years and 3 days before Elle finds out" to "Four weeks after Elle finds out". I'm never one to complain about plots zipping back and forth between the before and the after, but this seemed a bit overdone. The  looks back were a bit all over the place, so it was hard to settle in and see where in the relationship Elle and Tom were and what it had to do with what was going on in present time. One big issue was children--Tom wanted them, and Elle wasn't ready. Was she ever going to be ready? It's a pretty big deal, and I'm not really sure it was ever laid to rest as I turned the last page. 

So while I was looking for a lighthearted read, I didn't find it here. The recipes and baked goods sounded divine, but the writing of the recipes seemed completely at odds with the tone of the novel--they seemed a bit out of place. 

This wasn't the read I was expecting it to be, and maybe it's my fault for being disappointed in the result. If you want to read about a marriage and all the trials and troubles that add to it, and potentially destroy it, this is the novel for you. It just wasn't my jam. 

Rating: 2/6 for a novel about two people navigating the choppy waters of infidelity. Too much jumping around was jarring, and the bakery setting and foodie parts didn't seem to jive with the seriousness of the rest of the novel. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Ingredients of Us by Jennifer Gold

The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

I've read all three of Fiona Davis' novels, and every time I've followed the same pattern: start eagerly reading, get restless by page 50; put the book down, start something else, then return and devour the rest of the book. 

I'm not sure why I do this, but I do know one thing for certain: I absolutely love her novels. Her unique driver: taking a historical, quintessentially New York landmark, and crafting a novel around it. This time around, The Masterpiece centers on the Grand Central Terminal in the late 1920's and 1974, when the Grand Central Terminal was in very real danger of being destroyed to make room for a new, modern building. It was considered a crumbling old mess, full of homeless people, drug deals, and criminal activity. No one cared about it. Except one group of people, including Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who insisted that it be saved, deemed a historical landmark, and brought back to its original, stunning beauty. 

We follow two women: Clara Darden and Virginia Clay. Clara is an illustrator trying to break into the New York world of art and fashion, working at the famed Grand Central School of Art. She's a young woman in 1928 New York, determined to succeed, but struggling against the prevailing attitude that illustrators aren't really artists--and even more disdain because she's a woman. She's very talented, and with some help, slowly starts to make her way towards recognition. But she disappears from the New York art scene in 1931, and now, in 1974, no one knows who she was, or really cares. 

Virginia Clay is newly divorced; a breast cancer survivor and a single mother. She ends up working at the information station at the Grand Central Terminal in 1974 with a rag-tag group of people who have seen it all happen from the windows of their information booth. Virginia's struggling to create a new life vastly different from her previous life as a lawyer's pampered wife with no money worries. Her daughter Ruby has dropped out of her first year of college, and wants to be a photographer. 

Virginia gets lost on her first disastrous day at her new job, and instead of finding a restroom, she unlocks a door that completely changes her life. Inside that door is the long shuttered Grand Central School of Art. It looks like time stood still, and Virginia wanders around, stunned at the rooms full of art, left behind when the school closed during the Depression. 

The novel moves back and forth between Clara and Virginia; we see the Grand Central Terminal is all its amazing beauty, and we see it decades later, faded, filthy, and in danger of destruction. But underneath those layers of dirt the elegance and craftsmanship is just waiting to come back to life. Will Virginia have a hand in the salvation of the terminal, and maybe perhaps solve the mystery of Clara Darden?

I liked both women; maybe Virginia even more so than Clara. Virginia doesn't give up, keeps going and persevering. She sees her mistakes and works to correct them. Clara is one tough lady, who has more talent than those around her, but isn't appreciated as she should be. She works hard to become independent and successful, until it all falls apart tragically. 

I so enjoyed this novel. Now I want to find more information about the Grand Central Terminal. I'm hoping there's a documentary somewhere; I've got some research to do!  

The plot of The Masterpiece moved along fairly quickly; all of the characters were well developed; the art scene of the 1930's was fascinating and undergoing tremendous change. And who would have thought an art school would be in the Grand Central Terminal?! 

Rating:  5/6 for a solid, well-crafted novel about the rebirth of Grand Central Terminal. It's also about the rebirth of two women who, fifty years apart, are drawn together by the history, art, and people who made the Grand Central Terminal a vibrant, unforgettable New York landmark. And the cover art is stunning!

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis

The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

It's been about 13 years since I visited Ireland, but I can still remember the stunning beauty:  the intense colors, the fresh air, and the small towns and villages. Someday I'll return for another visit, but in the meantime, I was lucky to read The Library at the Edge of the World and be reminded of that special time in Ireland.  

Hanna Casey has returned to live with her mother in a small home set just outside of Lissbeg. She's newly divorced, with a grown daughter (Jazz) who's off on her own as a flight attendant. Hanna's ex-husband had been carrying on a years-long affair with a family friend behind Hanna's back. Very angry, Hanna only wanted out, and left behind the chance to be compensated for supporting her husband's career during their long marriage. So broke, she's living with her mother, working as a librarian in the Lissbeg public library. Not where she expected to be; after all, her dreams were to work in one of the great libraries of  London, helping to preserve and showcase history. Hanna is a bit of a wet blanket; she doesn't allow her library to have much going on for the public. People go to the library to check out books and none of that nonsense about classes, programs, or groups meeting in the library. She's cranky, which doesn't quite jive with the description of her rather youthful appearance. Her relationship with her mother is combative, as well.  

Hanna decides to remodel a crumbling little stone cottage she inherited from a distant relative.  It's a huge mess, but Fury, a local colorful character, decides he is the one to tackle this rather large project.  He's a man unto himself; he won't answer his phone, makes decisions for Hanna, and has his own reasons for wanting to restore the cottage.  What starts out as a prickly relationship becomes one of friendship, and it was fun to read the scenes between Hanna and Fury.  

Meanwhile, the local council has decided to push forth a large project that will benefit part of the Finfarran Peninsula:  a larger port to welcome cruise ships, a bigger center for activities, and a huge push to welcome more tourists.  Only problem with this is that it leaves a huge portion of the peninsula (and Lissbeg) out in the cold, with no access to services and no chance to survive.  If the Lissbeg library and local businesses hope to survive, they've got to come up with a plan and fight the council.  Hanna finds herself smack dab in the middle of this project with the help of an elderly nun and Conor, her part-time library assistant.  They've got to pull the community together and showcase all the wonderful people, places, and services the whole Finfarran Peninsula has; but have they run out of time?

I have to say this novel started out slowly for me.  I had to keep reminding myself that it was contemporary, because I felt like I was reading a novel that took place in the 60's or 70's. Hanna took a bit to warm up to; she has a lot of emotional baggage to work through, and it took up much of the first half of the novel. I'm happy to say the second half of the novel was much more interesting and picked up speed as the fight for Lissbeg's survival took center stage.  It is through this that Hanna begins to find her strength and looks at her library position as something more, rather than a drudgery.  As her home nears completion, she's finding her place. There are sufficient loose ends to hope for a sequel. Hanna has a budding romance; her home isn't quite finished (but is thisclose), and where does Lissbeg go after the surprise Fury pulls off?  I want to see what happens next! 

This novel was published outside the U.S. in 2016; it will be out in paperback by HarperCollins in the U.S. in November, 2017.  I was lucky to have a chance to read an ARC through Edelweiss and it was a great way to kick off my summer reading list. Add it to your TBR list now!

Rating:  3/6 for an entertaining read about a small Irish village, a librarian, and how they need one another.  The first half is more angsty relationship stuff, but the second half was delightful and makes me want to read a sequel. I  enjoyed getting to know the people who surrounded Hanna; a great job in building an enjoyable cast of characters.  

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The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

Yes, I know this wasn't on the list for March. But, I finished it at the end of February and didn't have a chance to review it before March rolled around, so here is a bonus review for you.  

Kelly Harms writes a novel that is what I call, to borrow a term from the foodie world, a "palate cleanser".  By this I mean after reading something heavy duty, like Sisi, I needed something fun, light, and entertaining to shake off the really sad story of Empress Elisabeth.  Something that would reset me for more good books in March. 

Matchmakers is chick-lit set in Chicago and Wisconsin.  Lily Stewart is in her early 30's, and still lives in the lousy apartment she first rented 10 years before after graduating from art school with her best friend, Renee.  Her dream was to make her living from her painting, and live a wonderful, carefree life in Chicago.  Now ten years later, she's broke, her paintings aren't supporting her, and she's just been evicted from her apartment.  With only one place left to stay for a few days (her step-brother's place), she's packing up when she finds an envelope hidden in her kitchen drawer.  Oops.  It's the annulment papers she was supposed to sign 10 years ago after a quickie Vegas wedding to a stranger.  

Except she forgot to sign them.  She's been married to this man for 10 years.  Lily, with the help of Renee, her college bestie now turned lawyer and married to Lily's ex-college boyfriend, tracks him down to Minnow Bay, WI.  Ben Hutchinson is a computer science high school teacher and no longer the rich computer guru Lily met on that night in Vegas.  She decides the only decent thing to to is to travel to Minnow Bay, find Ben, and apologize in person and hand him the signed papers. 

Of course not all goes as planned.  Lily ends up prolonging her stay in Minnow Bay, meets some great people along the way, and struggles to figure out her life and her awakened attraction to Ben.  Minnow Bay is not Chicago, and Lily's gallery owning boyfriend (who's a creep) is expecting her back in Chicago.  But whatever kept Lily blocked from painting with her heart in Chicago is gone in Minnow Bay, and she finds herself getting inspired by everything around her.  Does she stay or does she go back to Chicago?  Are the people in Minnow Bay as kind and friendly as they appear to be?  What about Ben?  

Lily's got a lot to figure out.  She's not a bad character, but there were certainly  times when I wanted to shake her.  She's pretty naive about money, people's motives, and the art world.  It's time for her to grow up.  Heck, I'd move to Minnow Bay in a second if it actually existed.  Sounds like a wonderful place. 

Rating:  4/6 for an entertaining mix of chick lit, romance, a bit of the art world, and small town friendships.  I really enjoyed the folks of Minnow Bay. 

Available in hardcover and e-book. It will be out in paperback in August, 2017. 

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The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir

I may be one of the few women in America that haven't read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I think I started it, but never finished it.  I actually watched the movie and formed a horrible crush on Javier Bardem.  Most of my reluctance to read the book stems from that old bookstore danger:  getting so sick of everyone asking for the same book, over and over, for months at a time.  I end up loathing any mention of the book and never wanting to read it.  I think that's what happened with Eat, Pray, Love. So years passed, and I never read it.

I knew the basic story, and at any other time I would have read the book right away.  And I did really enjoy the movie.  Cut to years later, and I see this book somewhere in my bookish wanderings.  I immediately checked it out of the library, and proceeded to dive in and be amazed at some of the stories people have shared.  

This non-fiction book is a collection of essays by various men and women (mostly women) who read Eat, Pray, Love  sometime in the past 10 years and had such a visceral reaction to it they changed their lives.  For some, like Elizabeth, it was a wake up call to leave an unhappy marriage or relationship; for others it was a reminder that life can and should be joyful and creative.  If we find ourselves stuck, we need to get moving.  For other women, it was about coping with motherhood and finding balance.  

One woman says "From Liz, I learned that it is never too late to start again.  I forgave myself my indiscretions and granted myself the permission to create the life I now understood I deserved."  Liz's story resonated with so many women that I was a bit floored by how her journey became the spark women needed to change their lives into more meaningful, peaceful, and vibrant quests.  

There wasn't one essay in this compilation that wasn't touching and amazing to me.  I can't imagine how Liz Gilbert feels knowing she's influenced so many people simply by telling her story.  It is a prime example that we never know who we will touch just by being open with the good and the bad in our lives.  

I think this would make an obvious choice for anyone who loved Eat, Pray, Love.  But you don't have to read that to feel the impact of these essays.  It will probably drive you to read Liz's memoir after you've turned the last page.  Powerful stuff.

Rating:  7/10 for so many touching essays about the power of one woman's journey of discovery to give courage, grace, and peace to those who struggle through life.  

Available in paperback, audio, and e-book.

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Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It: Life Journeys Inspired by the Bestselling Memoir

The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig

This is not the book to read if you're trying to eat clean.  Nope.  But I read it anyway, and it was enjoyable even if I did experience some big pangs for delicious tarts, cakes, and pies.  

This is the sequel to The Cake Therapist, which I reviewed last year after discovering another new author that writes one of my favorite genres:  foodie fiction.  

The Memory of Lemon returns to Millcreek Valley, Ohio and Claire "Neely" Davis.  Her bakery Rainbow Cake is winning people over, and business is good.  Her love life, however, is not in a good place.  Still married to her football pro (and cheating) husband, she can't file for divorce until she's established residency in Ohio--she's got a few weeks yet.  Her growing feelings for childhood sweetheart Ben are confusing and frustrating--her prenup agreement with Luke has a clause in it stating that he gets anything he's provided for her if she's caught being unfaithful during their marriage.  And that means Claire's home and bakery are on the line.  And gee, Luke doesn't want to give Claire up.  

Claire's latest client is getting married in June, and is having a tug of war over her wedding with her mother. Lydia wants to be married at her grandmother's old cabin, with a rustic theme and no cake; her mother wants a wedding fit for high society--and a spectacular cake.  Claire's usual special intuition, which matches dessert flavors exactly with her clients, is failing her each time she meets Lydia.  She just can't pinpoint what Lydia wants.  A visit to the cabin in Kentucky sparks Claire's talent and gives her a peek into the past history of the cabin and the women who lived, loved, and raised families there.  

This was a sequel that was almost better than the original.  The past glimpses of history between Claire's family and Lydia's family were really quite interesting.  Claire's father, long absent from her life, begins to connect to Claire through letters.  He's a homeless Vietnam vet who is trying very hard to get his life together and find a place of peace.  It's surprising how Claire's family history becomes such an integral part of the story, and melds perfectly with her latest efforts to create the perfect wedding for Lydia.  

And of course the descriptions of pastries, flavors, and scents all create such a wonderful background.  My mouth was watering!  There is a reason recipes are passed down generation after generation.  It's not just the tradition, but the memories those flavors invoke in us that keep us connected to our families and our roots.  Sometimes those flavors can bring us back when we're lost and feeling adrift.  

Rating:  8/10 for a lovely sequel to The Cake Therapist.  I hate to say goodbye to Claire and the folks of Millcreek Valley, so I certainly expect a third book.   

Available in paperback and e-book. 

  

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The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig

Tumbledown Manor by Helen Brown

I traveled to Australia this week to visit Tumbledown Manor.  A perfect beach read (or front porch read) that was a refreshing change of locale for me.  I haven't read too many novels set in Australia but I certainly plan on changing that soon.  

Lisa lives in New York City, a mother of two adult children, and happily married.  The story opens on her 50th birthday.  Her husband arranges for a surprise birthday party at their apartment, and so thoughtfully has a massive flower arrangement delivered to the party.  When Lisa reads the card, she discovers that the flowers were mistakenly delivered to her--and that they were meant for her husband's mistress.  Awkward!

Lisa is a successful author struggling through the second book in a trilogy.  This whole divorce isn't helping at all.  She decides to leave New York City for her native Australia.  She's starting over and leaves New York City with no regrets.  Once in Australia, she resists buying a townhouse in Castlemaine and instead buys Trumperton Manor, a falling-down house surrounded by neglected grounds and a spooky stable.  She has a connection to the house; her grandfather's family built the place and lived there.  In this space she will write her novel, and figure out her new life. 

There are plenty of characters in this novel that make it a fun read:  the Grey Army; a group of retirees who descend on the house to paint, rebuild, and refinish the home; Lisa's sister Maxine who is constantly bossy; Scott, the very handsome and slightly goofy landscaper who sets Lisa's heart racing; Lisa's son Ted and daughter Portia.  And of course her ex-husband Jake makes an appearance.  Lisa is surrounded by a great family and community.

Tuck this one into your beach bag or your purse when you take your vacation.

Rating:  7/10 for an enjoyable read with likable characters and a beautiful setting.  

Available in paperback and e-book.

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Tumbledown Manor by Helen Brown

Bootstrapper: a Memoir by Mardi Jo Link

I found this audio book while rapidly scanning the non-fiction offerings at the library.  I was in a hurry, but I recognized the cover from the bookstore, and remembered that it had intrigued me a few months before, so I checked it out.  

So far I've listened to audio books where the narrator is also the author.  This book was the first one where someone else other than the author narrated it, and I have to admit I had a hard time with that for the first day of listening on my commute.  So much so that I almost stopped listening.  I'm glad I kept plowing through (also I didn't have another audio book to get me through the weekly commute!) because I ended up looking forward to listening to Mardi's life in Michigan.  But while I did enjoy it for the most part, I have a few issues with the memoir.

Mardi Jo Link was a woman with a 19 year marriage and three young boys, living in an old farmhouse (with a half-done remodeling project) on a  6 acre spread in Michigan.  Her marriage falls apart, and her husband moves across the street, leaving Mardi with what she calls Happy Valley.  She's always dreamed of living on an acreage, growing her own food, and having horses.  Now that she's finally got that, her impending divorce and lack of money threaten to take it all away.  Mardi is a tough woman, but sometimes I felt she was too willing to take the extremely hard road instead of confessing to her parents that she was in some financial trouble.  I feel that her absolute determination to keep her farm and raise her boys on it sometimes kept her from asking for help.  It's no shame to ask for help when you are struggling.  Yes, grit and determination are all well and good, but also being sensible and making sure you've got heat and food on the table to feed your kids is important  too.  Her parents would have helped her in a second.  That was a big beef for me.  

This memoir is about the year following the end of Mardi's marriage, and the ways she and her boys kept things moving along in the dead of winter:  scouting around for firewood, winning a year's supply of free day-old bread at a local bakery by growing the largest zucchini; applying for free school lunches for her boys.  And then there is the local carpenter, Pete, who is waiting for Mardi to give him the okay to finish the remodel of her second floor.  There's a whiff of romance there that flits in and out of the story, and I did like that.  It was unexpected by both Mardi and me as the reader.  She most definitely wasn't looking for romance that first year. 

**warning all animal lovers and/or vegetarians!**

 I got the biggest laugh over the chickens she bought as chicks to raise for food.  Mardi and her sons decide not to name them, as they will be food eventually.  Instead they call them "the meats".  I found that really funny, and I don't know why.  What's even more amusing is that when it came time to do the deed, Mardi couldn't do it.  Instead she ended up giving the chickens away, and made herself feel better by realizing that the people who took the chickens needed them more than she did in her diminished financial situation.

So does Mardi hang onto her farm?  How does she do it, if she does succeed?

For the most part, I liked this memoir.  I like to read about women who move through the difficult parts of life and come out the other side stronger and smarter than before.  I admire Mardi for deciding that come hell or high water, she was going to hang onto her farm, her childhood dream, and her desire to raise her sons her way.  That fire kept her tough when she didn't know what to do, and was often at her wit's end.  But much of this drama probably could have been if not eliminated, at least diminished if she'd just asked for help.  I think part of being a strong person is having the strength to ask for a hand when you need it and accepting help with grace.  

Rating:  6/10 for an entertaining memoir.  Mardi  can write very well, and I had moments of tearing up and laughing out loud.  But, I was annoyed that she refused to ask for help.  That caused some teeth gnashing on my part.  I still prefer to hear the author narrate their audio book instead of an actor. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, e-book, and audio. 

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Bootstrapper: a Memoir by Mardi Jo Link