Monday, March 18, 2024

Book Review: The Last List of Mabel Beaumont

By Becky Gulc

‘THE LIST HE LEFT HAD JUST ONE ITEM ON IT. OR, AT LEAST, IT DID AT FIRST…

Mabel Beaumont’s husband Arthur loved lists. He’d leave them for her everywhere. ‘Remember: eggs, butter, sugar’. ‘I love you: today, tomorrow, always’.

But now Arthur is gone. He died: softly, gently, not making a fuss. But he’s still left her a list. This one has just one item on it though: ‘Find D’.

Mabel feels sure she knows what it means. She must track down her best friend Dot, who she hasn’t seen since the fateful day she left more than sixty years ago.

It seems impossible. She doesn’t even know if Dot’s still alive. Also, every person Mabel talks to seems to need help first, with missing husbands, daughters, parents. Mabel finds her list is just getting longer, and she’s still no closer to finding Dot.

What she doesn’t know is that her list isn’t just about finding her old friend. And that if she can admit the secrets of the past, maybe she could even find happiness again…’ (Synopsis courtesy of Boldwood Books.)

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont is quite simply an exquisite book. I’d heard great things about this book on social media and I was intrigued. I’m not sure if I’ve read a novel before where the lead character is in their eighties and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. I was instantly drawn into the world of Mabel and her husband Arthur, peas in a pod at least on the surface. However Mabel’s narrative quickly reveals she’s never quite felt she’s been the wife Arthur deserves. I was drawn to Mabel’s inner conflict – on the one hand she’s very self-assured, this is how she is, she’s not going to change after all these years, on the other...well life events may just challenge the laissez-faire. 

Unbeknownst to Mabel, prior to Arthur’s death he arranged for a carer to come in and support Mabel in the months following his passing. Mabel doesn’t really like company, or help, so she doesn’t immediately warm to Julie, who now visits her every day. What follows is a joyful journey of friendship, loss, and hope which transcends different generations of women Mabel meets in the months following Arthur’s death. 

Mabel feels Arthur was suggesting she find her long lost friend Dot through the ‘Find D’ note she found, but this isn’t going to be easy – Mabel hasn’t seen or heard of Dot for 60+ years now although they were thick as thieves once upon a time. With some new friends on board all equally determined to help Mabel locate her friend, is it possible she will find Dot? There are definitely challenges on the journey to finding Dot, not least that every new friend Mabel makes needs her help (or she thinks they do!) in some way, Mabel’s to-do list keeps getting longer and longer!

I loved slowly learning about Mabel’s younger days and the pace worked well. Mabel is extremely well-rounded and real as a character, her story shows us all you’re never too old to change your ways and even live a little if you want to. I admired Mabel’s journey, I found her stubborn and selfish at times, but quite the opposite at other points and it all felt extremely natural. 

I shed a tear at several points in this book – but I love a book that makes me feel! It’s one that you’ll hug at the end in gratitude. I wasn’t quite ready to leave the world of Mabel Beaumont. Highly recommended.

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Friday, March 15, 2024

What's in the (e)mail

Melissa:
Tomorrow is For the Brave by Kelly Bowen from Forever (NetGalley)
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski from Avon (NetGalley)
After the Rain by Laila Ibrahim from Storm Publishing (NetGalley)
Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb from Random House (NetGalley)
Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong from Forever (NetGalley)
Clickbait by Holly Baxter from Harper Perennial (NetGalley)
Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner from Grove Atlantic (NetGalley)
Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews from St. Martin's Press (print)
Definitely Better Now by Ava Robinson from Harlequin (NetGalley)
Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino from Lake Union (NetGalley)
\Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass from Penguin (NetGalley)
Barely Even Friends by Mae Bennett from Alcove Press (NetGalley)
Honey by Isabel Banta from Celadon (print)
Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe from Forever (NetGalley)
Boss Lady by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans from Over the River PR (print)
You Had Me at Happy Hour by Timothy Janovsky from Harlequin (NetGalley)
Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams from Putnam (print)
The Plus One by S.C. Lalli from William Morrow (print-won from Goodreads)

Sara:
It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier from Berkley (NetGalley)
The Backup Princess by/from Kate O'Keeffe (ebook)
The Suite Life by Portia MacIntosh from Rachel's Random Resources (NetGalley)

Jami:
Plays Well with Others by Sophie Brickman from William Morrow (NetGalley)
Honeycomb by S.B. Caves from Kaye Publicity (NetGalley)
The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb from Berkley (NetGalley)
Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage from Over the River PR (NetGalley)

Allyson:
People Will Talk by Kieran Scott from Gallery (print)
Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell from Dutton (print)
This Used to Be Us by Renee Carlino from BookSparks (print)
You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto from Berkley (NetGalley)

Melissa S:
The Summer Escape by Jill Shalvis from HarperCollins (print)
Dear Dotty by Jaclyn Westlake from HarperCollins

Becky:
Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North from St. Martin's Press (NetGalley)


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Book Review: Nowhere Like Home

By Sara Steven 

When Lenna gets a call from her old friend Rhiannon, she is startled; Rhiannon disappeared years ago without a trace. But Lenna is even more startled to learn that Rhiannon has a son and that she lives off the grid with a group of women in a community called Halcyon. Rhiannon invites Lenna, a new mother herself, to join them. Why suffer the sleepless nights by yourself? It takes a village, after all.

Lenna decides to go and hopefully repair her relationship with Rhiannon, but as she drives into the desert and her cell service gets weaker, she becomes suspicious. Who are these women and why did Rhiannon invite her here? And that is before she learns about the community's rules (no outside phone calls, no questions about people’s pasts) and the padlock on the gate that leads out to the main road. But Lenna has other concerns, secrets from her past she is terrified will come out. When a newcomer arrives in the community, Lenna’s worst fears are confirmed—she was brought here for a reason.

Nowhere Like Home tackles themes of complicated friendships and trauma but all with Sara Shepard’s expert twists that you don’t see coming. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

From the start, Nowhere Like Home gives off a very suspenseful and thrilling vibe. Lenna and her infant son are making their way to a place called Halcyon, an off-the-grid community that is only known by way of word of mouth. It is a very selective, secretive place–and the reader gets the impression that Lenna is running away from something. It feels like a last resort choice, but given one of her old friends (Rhiannon)  had reached out to her out of the blue to invite her, she can’t help but feel as though the next steps she chooses are ones that are most likely fate. Not to mention the chance to see Rhiannon again.

As Lenna spends time there, we get to see the wariness she feels from her perspective. No one appears to be who they really are. They all seem to have run away from something–and phone calls outside of the community are frowned upon. In order for the reader to better understand the relationship Lenna had with not only Rhiannon but others who play a key factor in her choices, the story is told from multiple perspectives, along with a time jump backwards roughly two years, when it all began. When Lenna initially had formed a friendship with Rhiannon. When Lenna’s deepest, darkest secrets had taken root, haunting her every day of her life from there on out. 

I absolutely loved the suspense! Nothing was laid out or cut and dried. I always wondered if something would lurk menacingly around the corner, and I was never disappointed with that. In one scene, I felt certain of who the “bad guy” was, but then I was completely and totally wrong. Other clues would surface, leading me down another path, but then that would lead me to a dead end, too. It was so exciting! I had the toughest time putting this book down and taking a break, because I wanted to find out how things would end for Lenna. 

The story takes place near Tucson, Arizona, and there is reference regarding Three Points (a town outside of Tucson). My parents happen to live there, so I can vouch for the vast desert and space out there–the perfect setting for an off-the-grid community. Lenna finds herself at a gas station out there, and I’ve actually been to that gas station several times! That was fun to read about. It’s not often such a remote place like that is featured in a book I’m reading. Nowhere Like Home was the perfect thriller. A definite five-star read!

Thanks to Dutton for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Sara Shepard:
The Heiresses
Pretty Little Liars (series)

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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Pleased to meet Stephanie Dray...plus a book giveaway


Credit: Kate Furek
Today we are excited to welcome Stephanie Dray to CLC. She has an impressive lineup of historical fiction novels. Her latest, Becoming Madam Secretary, released this week and it sounds fascinating. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to give away!

Stephanie Dray is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author of historical women’s fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into many languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, cats, and history books. (Bio courtesy of Stephanie's website.)

Visit Stephanie online:


Synopsis:
Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.

But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.

Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Becoming Madam Secretary is a proud anthem to a forgotten founding mother. Stephanie Dray's love and respect for this American heroine shines from every page, as does her impeccable research. Unputdownable!"
—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

“An inspiring tribute to an audacious, brilliant woman who fought ferociously against the mistreatment of the poor and working class in the last century and in doing so transformed American democracy. Dray’s three-dimensional portrayal of Perkins’s life and times is both astonishing and infuriating in the best of ways, a gripping tale of a woman who refused to back down. Powerful and timely.”
—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular

“A page-turning tribute to a woman who refused to give up, a woman who inspires us even now, and a woman who saved a nation. Stephanie Dray brings Frances Perkins, and everyone around her, so alive you feel she will walk off the page. With an indomitable heroine for our times, Becoming Madam Secretary is destined to be a classic of historical fiction.”
—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I’ve been told that my writing can be very vivid and evocative, appealing to all the senses. This is a favorite compliment of mine, because in my drafting phase, it often feels like two heads talking in a blank room.  So if there are any details, it’s because I worked hard to put them in after the fact.

If you could tell the debut novelist version of yourself one thing, what would it be?
You have a really long slog ahead of yourself. 

What inspired you to write about Frances Perkins?
I had wanted to tell another story about an American founding mother, but it hadn’t occurred to me that there might be a founding mother in the 20th century until I learned about Frances Perkins and once I understood her accomplishments, how they have defined a century, I decided that she was THE most important woman in American history. How can you not want to write about that woman?

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I have been on a great reading streak. I loved The Phoenix Crown, The Frozen River, and Demon Copperhead.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
This is a hilarious question. I have never been asked this question before. I have never thought about this. But what comes to mind is Marissa Tomei. Specifically using the voice she uses in My Cousin Vinny

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
Annapolis harbor! Beautiful bay, adorable town, historic statehouse, tasty cookies plus a poignant monument inspired by Roots

Thanks to Stephanie for chatting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here

Giveaway ends March 19th at midnight EST.

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Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Book Review: Happily Never After

By Jami Denison

Back in the days when I watched soap operas, the wedding episodes were always my favorites. Nothing ever went smoothly. Who can forget Tina showing up at Cord and Kate’s wedding on One Life to Live, coming back from the dead with a baby in her arms? (It wasn’t actually her baby, but that’s a different story.) Or when Greenlee showed up in the nick of time to stop Ryan from marrying Kendall on All My Children? Of course the most famous interrupted wedding of all time was on General Hospital, when Scotty confronted Luke before he could marry Jennifer Smith, and Luke ended up on the run with Laura rather than on his honeymoon with the mobster’s daughter. Oh, those were the days.

Lynn Painter’s latest romantic comedy, Happily Never After, reminded me of those terrific episodes. The action starts off as Sophie Steinbeck’s wedding is ruined: When the preacher asks if anyone objects, a man stands up and tells Sophie that her fiancé, Stuart, has been cheating on her. The wedding’s off, and…  plot twist! Sophia actually hired the man who objected. She’d found out about the cheating, didn’t want to call off the wedding because her father worked for Stuart’s father, and hired Max instead. 

After a night of drinking and bonding over their different views of love, Max and Sophie decide to go into the lucrative wedding-objecting business together. Seems there are a number of folks engaged to cheaters who can’t call off their weddings because of powerful in-laws. And these folks are willing to pay well to have someone else do their dirty work. 

At the same time, Max and Sophie start fake dating so his father can retire and move to Florida, and she can get promoted at her day job. While the feelings between them grow, Sophie continues to insist she doesn’t believe in love. Then they get a call to break up the wedding of Max’s ex. When Max hesitates, Sophie realizes she’s jealous. Will the final break up be of the objectors themselves?

Max and Sophie have great chemistry, and Painter has a true ear for dialogue. At its best, the characters reminded me not of soap opera greats, but of Harry Burns and Sally Albright. Sophie’s “love isn’t real” stance is almost as strong as Harry’s “men and women can’t be friends” point-of-view. Their back-and-forth is the best part of the novel. 

For readers who don’t enjoy explicit sex scenes or fake dating, Happily Never After may not be their cup of tea. But if you enjoy clever dialogue, beautiful people, and traditional romantic comedy tropes, spend a few hours with Max and Sophie. 

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Dara Levan makes things better...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Dara Levan to CLC today to celebrate the publication of her debut novel, It Could Be Worse. This is next in Melissa's five-book pile and she's so excited to read it. Thanks to Emi Battaglia Public Relations, we have THREE copies to give away! (We're also amused that our previous giveaway was for a book with "better" in the title. What are the odds?!?)

Dara Levan writes about love, loss, resilience, and how radiance emerges from our breaking points. She  is the founder and host of Every Soul Has a Story, a podcast in which she interviews inspiring people from around the globe about their life journeys. Her calling to impact others through words began at the age of twelve in her hometown of North Miami Beach, Florida, when she interviewed the residents of the nursing home where her grandmother lived and wrote their stories. 

As an undergrad at Indiana University, Dara earned a B.A. in English and pursued a career in journalism but decided to pivot and returned to South Florida to earn her M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She established a practice as a pediatric speech-language pathologist and has edited several nonfiction books. 

Actively involved in her community, she is currently a board member of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation and has served on the boards of the Goodman Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Broward County and Junior Achievement of South Florida. Her greatest sources of inspiration come from her husband, two children, and finding meaning in everyday moments. Learn more at daralevan.com. 

Visit Dara online:


Synopsis:
Mired in self-doubt and blind loyalty, Allegra Gil suspects her charmed life may be a gilded cage. She has a devoted husband, Benito, two loving children, a thriving therapy practice, and lifelong friends. But when a surprising discovery in a piano bench reveals a shocking family secret, Allegra questions everything she thought she knew about the two people who raised her. Was it true? Did her father, a respected pediatric neurosurgeon, harm instead of heal? And Allegra’s mother—how much did she know?

As the past threatens the present, Allegra plays the song of what was, what is, and what may never be in this “powerful and poignant story about letting go” (Jean Meltzer, international bestselling author of The Matzah Ball).

Composed with the cadence of a waltz—up, up, down—through flashbacks to childhood memories in Miami and a music camp in Michigan, It Could Be Worse is a heartwarming, at times heart-wrenching, multigenerational story of a woman supported and embraced by many while shaken to the core by a few. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“The gorgeous prose and raw, unflinching narrative both heal and inspire. A stunning debut.” 
--Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

“Visceral and moving.” 
--Andra Watkins, New York Times bestselling author

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you? 
I've realized the path to publishing isn't linear and learning to let go after releasing your book baby into the world is nerve-wracking but necessary.

How is Allegra similar to or different from you? 

I was born in Miami and loved my time at Interlochen Arts Camp in northern Michigan. Much like Allegra, those summers shaped who I am today. I used to sing, but now I only belt ‘80s tunes in public to embarrass my kids. Some of my fondest memories were sleepovers at my grandparents' house and lighting Shabbat candles with them. And like Allegra, I’m married to an incredible man for more than twenty years. But I’m sassier than Allegra. Also, I never run unless something, or someone is chasing me!

If It Could Be Worse was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? 
This is a tough question to answer. I love creating fictional worlds through words and stories. One of the best parts of being both a reader and an author is imagination. My hope is readers see parts of themselves in all the characters in It Could Be Worse regardless of how they look, sound, and act.

I’ll try to give this a go! I'd cast Jessica Alba as Allegra because she’s relatable and able to portray a range of emotions. Emma Stone as Ruby, who is Allegra’s lifelong fiery, fierce bestie. Brian Cox from Succession would be perfect to play Dr. Curt, who is Allegra’s controlling father. Struggling with who to cast for Benito, Allegra’s husband. Nestor Carbonell would be perfect—he’s gorgeous and inviting, yet not the right age. I’m really stuck here—any suggestions are welcome!

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend? 
I absolutely adored It would have to be The Greatest Night in Pop, the documentary about recording the song “We Are the World.” Quincy Jones is an extraordinary soul. What really resonated most was the connection, community, and how these artists came together for a higher purpose. I remember when the song was released—it still gives me chills whenever I hear it! After watching this documentary, and learning about the backstory, I felt inspired and wistful. Our world needs that now more than ever.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
Maria Shriver because her voice is calming while captivating. And she's a woman I've always admired for her integrity, resilience, and authenticity.

What is something you had a good laugh about recently? 
My life is like a sit-com, so it’s tough to pick just one instance! Here’s a funny moment:

I opened the mail and saw my name on an AARP card. I grabbed my glasses, certain there must be a mistake. Nope. The letters were clear. Utterly confused, I showed it to my husband. He looked at me sheepishly and said, “I added your name. The letter said you could get discounts.” (He knows I love a good deal!)

You’ve got to be kidding me! I replied, “No thank you! I’m not there yet.” I’ve loved this decade and psyched about my ‘50s-- every year is a gift. But why rush?

Thanks to Dara for chatting with us and to Emi Battaglia PR for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here

Giveaway ends March 17th at midnight EST.

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Monday, March 11, 2024

Book Review: It Must Be True Then

 

By Melissa Smoot

*One horrible, “bury your head under the covers” kind of day

*Two adorable children to nanny; and

*Their very hot, very single father

Daisy has realized you really can hit rock bottom when you lose your job, your boyfriend, and are estranged from your sister all at once. Seeking to claw her way out from the very definition of a bad year, her plan is to start by simply looking like she’s clawing her way out of rock bottom. On Instagram. Obviously.

But when she takes a stopgap job as a nanny to help a single father with his two young girls, being immersed in a close-knit, loving family starts to poke holes in her plan. Can making her not-so-picture-perfect life look perfect online really help her derailed career get back on track? Can it mend her relationship with her unreliable and painfully irritating sister? And can it get her back in the arms of her unbelievably beautiful and shallow ex…and as she gets closer to someone new, does she even want to?

A sparkling and bright novel of love, second chances, and finding your way in the age of ennui and influencers, It Must Be True Then is a delight for the millennial and Gen Z age. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I can’t say enough great things about this story. From the first few chapters, it just felt like one of the old-school women’s fiction books that got me loving this genre in the first place. The main character, Daisy, was so relatable and I felt a little bit “seen” while reading some parts. The author made the story flow so perfectly and I never felt like I was missing something critical.

Set in London (my favorite setting) the story follows Daisy and her obsession with a job she loves, which also comes with another of her obsessions, Jackson Oakley. When Daisy messes up with a huge client, her life goes on a trajectory that she could never have expected. There were times I thought I knew what was going to happen next, and then Adams would throw a giant curveball at me, and it was delightful.

If you are looking for a book that will give you that cozy feeling of curling up with your oldest friend and a nice glass of wine, then this is it. I found myself smiling throughout the entire story and I even felt inspired at many points. I can’t wait to see what Luci Adams comes out with next because I have found a new favorite author to add to my list!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Also by Luci Adams: Not That Kind of Ever After

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