Flying Solo - Linda Holmes

Genre: Romantic Fiction

Loss and grief don’t necessarily call romance to mind, but, as she does, Linda Holmes makes it all work in Flying Solo. Laurie returns to her hometown in Maine as the family representative to clean out her Aunt Dot’s house after her death. Aunt Dot found a place for Laurie when she was overwhelmed with her brothers and her chaotic home. She wants to honor her and her independent spirit after her passing. As she works through piles and piles of pictures, she discovers a wooden duck, they may have ties to a local artisan. Laurie has a mystery to solve. She also reunites with her best friend June and her first love Nick, the local librarian. Laurie is left with much to figure out.

I have learned to love Holmes’ female protagonists. Aunt Dot - who exists only in Laurie’s memories - is a force. She is independent, artistic - a free spirit who lived life on her own terms. She inspires Laurie, who has sought the same kind of independence, moving across the country and creating the kind of quiet life she longed for as a child. But she is unable to see any kind of compromise that might allow for love in her life though Nick tries to offer it. These complex ladies are the kind I’ve come to expect in Holmes’ work. The plot has twists and turns that make the read a fun one. I didn’t expect a quest to determine the price point of a wooden duck that would end up in a discovery (no spoilers) that would cause Laurie to reevaluate her life and decisions. This subplot really contributes to the humor factor too, keeping the book light hearted even with all of the seriousness. Entertainment at its finest!

My big life decisions feel long ago - in terms of marriage and family that is. But I appreciate very much Laurie’s thoughtful approach to her own life. I admire her desire for autonomy, but admit to feeling a bit relieved as she evolved near the end. I just wrote about Holmes’ new release Back After this, and I’m going to just repeat myself here : I love a woman learning to consider what she wants - and learning to trust herself - and acting for her own best interests. I also appreciate that there are no easy answers here. Holmes offers a bit more complexity and a little less ease in her happily ever after. Flying Solo is excellent - I’ll be waiting for Linda Holmes’ next novel!

Let Us Descend - Jesmyn Ward

Genre: Historical Fiction with a bit of magic…

In Let Us Descend, Jesmyn Ward weaves the horrifying and harsh realities of southern slave life with spiritual and magical fantasy elements to share the story of Annis. Annis and her mother are forced to separate by Annis’ evil owner who is also her sire. Separated by a year, he forces both mother and daughter from his plantation in the Carolinas on a march to the slave auction in New Orleans. Annis senses the presence of a spirit - who claims to have engaged with both her grandmother and mother in dark and difficult times. 

I am not as familiar with Ward’s work as I will become. I needed to “sit” with this book and let the horror of history sink in. Ward is not particularly graphic or overly emotional, but the profound torture and loss experienced by these enslaved characters is captured. I can’t imagine the horror of having no female body autonomy. I can’t imagine a forced separation from those I love, most especially my children. I can’t imagine experiencing the cruel punishments devised by slave owners. Oh, I could go on and on, but Ward’s work in this novel makes all of these real. When I reckon with the fact that Annis is a child whose whole life has been made up of these things - I can almost struggle to continue reading. Somehow, Ward weaves in a fantastical, spiritual element throughout the text.  I had to do some reading to wrap my head more fully around Annis’ visions as she descends deeper into the south, loneliness, and hellishness. In his article  “The Spirits of Let Us Descend, Explained” (https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/a46029503/the-spirits-of-let-us-descend-explained/) Charley Burlock details Ward’s development of this spiritual component. He reminds us that a spiritual component is historically attached to the enslaved Africans in America. He notes that Ward wasn’t comfortable ascribing her Catholic faith (with which she is no longer a fit for her) or West African gods to her characters. Instead she develops her own goddess Aza who accompanies Annis on this journey, just as she claims to have accompanied Annis’ mother and grandmother. Annis is very much a product of the life Annis lives. She is a bit selfish and manipulative  - and seems fitting for the life Annis must survive in. She brings some hope and connection to the women in her life, however, leaving Annis less bereft in the hellishness suggested by the novel’s title an allusion to Dante. As she must, Annis incorporates Aza into her life in the way that works for her. She must be practical and independent in order to survive and approaches this spirit realm in the same way. But ultimately the spirit helps her escape and have a hope of building a free life of her own. The writing here is just superb - from character and setting building to the lyrical supernatural elements  - this difficult and often horrific content is delivered with the reverence it deserves.

I was inspired to read about Jesamyn Ward and her writing after having read this book. I needed more context about the spiritual elements and was fascinated by her recounting of how she created them in the above article. Through that I read descriptions of her earlier memoir work and learned that she lost her partner to a respiratory illness in the very beginnings of the Covid epidemic while she was crafting this novel. In an interview recounted in “Novelist Jesmyn Ward: ‘Losing my partner almost made me stop writing,’” Emma Brockes notes this from Ward, “When everything in the world changes, these questions remain. ‘How do I live with this? Not in spite of it. How do I live with this?’”(https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/21/novelist-jesmyn-ward-losing-my-partner-almost-made-me-stop-writing).

And here’s this thing - the questions of modern day novelist Jesmyn Ward reflect nearly perfectly the questions of enslaved Annis in the 1860s. And if we are honest with ourselves, often the question of the readers’ lives as well. Gosh, I appreciate her transparency. She humanizes Annis - and while I can’t relate to her experiences AT ALL, I can relate to her questions. What that does for me is make the slavery experience much more personal. Does that matter? I think it does. So many folks are trying to create this narrative of “That” was so long ago (slavery),” and try to remove themselves from our nation’s history. What that does (I’m afraid is doing) is slide us as a culture toward removing the attitudes, the legislation, the policies we’ve put in place to try and create a more equal nation. I just completed Doris Kearns Goodwin’s An Unfinished Love Story where I learned a great deal about the passage of the Civil Rights Act which led me to documentaries and podcasts where I learned even more. I feel so passionate that we can’t go backwards when so much forward work still needs to be completed. Ward’s Let Us Descend inspires me at so many levels. I recommend you read it and see. 

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s - Doris Kearns Goodwin

Genre - Nonfiction: Historical, Memoir

I had been on the waiting list for An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin. My nonfiction brain needed to warm up a bit, but boy what an excellent read for me. Doris and her husband Dick make a project out of working through his boxes (and boxes and boxes) of memorabilia from his early working days. They planned to write a book about those experiences. Doris, using Dick’s own speeches and journals, crafts an intimate look at the presidential years of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson. As their speech writer, Dick was in the middle of it all. For example, he was integral in Johnson’s passing of the Civil Rights Bill - written as JFK intended. Doris also captures their lives - their meeting, their love, their political differences, and the beauty of their day to day living. 

This book was a challenge for me. I had to slow down my normal pace and also look up a fair amount of words (Thanks, Ereader!). Doris Kearns is a masterful writer and an expert in her field of history. She uses her knowledge and combined with her own experiences and those of her husband to provide new insight into the tumultuous political landscape of the 1960s. I am not politically and historically gifted enough to evaluate her work from this perspective. But as someone who loves to get her history through narrative nonfiction and memoir, Goodwin had me in the palm of her writing hand. I am fascinated by this period in history and am appreciative of her frontline perspective of it. As tends to happen with me, the book sent me into a flurry of googling, documentary watching, podcast listening, and book buying. I had little idea of the personalities of these historical figures and the weight of their legislation and political landscape.  Kearns also, through this book, explores the relationship that she and her husband share. The unfinished part is especially poignant as she embarks on life without him - without being able to complete this project with him. The blending of history and memoir is beautifully wrought. 

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s An Unfinished Love Story spoke to me in the current moment in two ways. One, it is, for me, a comfort to know that division and difficulty has a long and storied history in these United States.  Perhaps we are exposed to it more now with the 24 hour news cycle and social media, but I needed the refresher that this battle has long existed. Less positively, I worry about the “Great Society” being systematically chipped away at in our current political times. I am unsettled at the reminder of the lack of civil rights in my lifetime and the prejudice that still exists and seems to be pushing us backwards. I love a novel like that stretches me and  makes me think - even one that makes me uncomfortable or empowers me to act. 

A book cover of An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Another Brooklyn - Jacqueline Woodson

Genre: Literary Fiction

I have long loved Jacqueline Woodson novels, but had lost track of her just a bit when I retired from being a high school librarian. As I was looking for books to read - Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson appeared. I’m not sure how I missed it before, and what an easy choice! Focusing primarily on August, this short, lovely, lyrical book follows the growth of her and her girls: Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi. August moves to Brooklyn with her dad and brother after the death of her mother. She is left largely on her own, trying to find her way in her new urban home, believing for a long time that her mom is not really dead. She doesn’t truly begin to blossom until she becomes a part of her foursome. These girls navigate creepy old men, coming of age moments, first love, death, poverty always supporting each other. 

August is such a multidimensional character. Through retrospect, we are given insight into her childhood. We learn of her mother and the probable mental illness that contributed to her death. Somehow Woodson paints this extraordinarily difficult childhood with an almost magical brush. She captures the innocence of August’s childhood in an almost painful way. She captures much of her growing up in Brooklyn the same way - young girls who become accustomed to men offering them money to “see their panties” at a very young age. August  - who is fully grown and mourning the loss of her father reflects back on her life in Brooklyn in a very objective way. She threads together the good, the bad, all of the experiences in a very thoughtful way (I find I want to say that she has had excellent counseling and can’t find the one word to encompass that). The friendships these girls create are also beautiful to read about  - in spite of their differences, losses, and difficult environments. Though they are extremely close, the friendships do not transfer into adulthood. That fact of life makes me a little sad, but also reflects much of my experience. I’ve had different friendships that define different times in my life. Dramatic events don’t always break up a friendship; sometimes time, distance, and growth in different directions do the same. I have been known to duck out of an aisle at the store to avoid contact with someone from my past - for no real notable reason. Woodson captures the spirit of the 70s. She weaves in Vietnam and music and other cultural allusions seamlessly. We feel the 70s for certain, but also get the sense that what these girls experience is timeless. 

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson is a poetic and thoughtful slice of life that captures the coming of age of August and her friends. I have to say that the book reminded me in some ways of Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. The juxtaposition of innocence and very adult experiences are part of both. And both end with hope, with a processing that suggests a good future for these girls as adults. 

A book cover for Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

The Second Chance Fixer Upper - Grace Worthington

Genre - Contemporary Romance

Narrator - Mike Lenz and Jeannie Sheneman

A little love and a little home improvement - what can go wrong? Well certainly something must! Grace Worthington’s The Second Chance Fixer Upper is a perfect read for February and Valentine’s Day. Maeve is on her own after her husband leaves her for another woman. She is settling into her very own fixer upper - looking forward to making it her own - with her daughter Violet. When her high school ex Jack helps her out with the house, they hatch a scheme to help her get a second chance at her marriage. What if her second chance is meant to come in a different way?

You get exactly what you expect in the best kind of way here. A spark ignites almost immediately between Maeve and Jack - it’s clear to the reader that they are drawn to each other. But Maeve feels like a failure, and Jack is very busy trying to earn his way in his father’s business to support his ailing mother. Sure, he can help her rebuild her self esteem and perhaps reunite with her husband - for Violet’s sake. She can help his father see him in a relationship, settled, ready for responsibility and leadership. We all know where pretending to be in a relationship will lead them, and the journey is a delight. We root for them as they learn to stand up to the people in their lives who underestimate their value. We root for them as they learn to value themselves. We even get a pretty absurd chase through the airport - movie style.

The Second Chance Fixer Upper by Grace Worthington is a charming contemporary romance if you are in the mood for love. You will like Maeve and Jack - even when you want to smack some sense into them. Add this title to your Valentine’s list!

Book cover of Second Chance Fixer Upper by Grace Worthington

We'll Prescribe You A Cat - Syou Ishida

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Translator: E. Madison Shimoda

Just yesterday someone in a reading group I’m in asked for a fun read - something light hearted and fun. At first I thought, “Boy, that’s not what I’ve been reading!” But then I remembered Syou Ishida’s We’ll Provide You a Cat. A variety of different folks are struggling here. On visiting Kokoro Clinic for the Soul in Kyoto, Japan, which they believe is a mental health clinic, they are given a prescription for a cat: Bee, Margot, Koyuki, Tank, or Tangerine. In confusion they all leave with the cat and ultimately their lives are changed - though perhaps not in the way the reader expects. The audio book is delightfully performed by Naruto Komatsu and Natsumi Kuroda.

A business worker who feels lost in his office, a call center worker who just doesn’t quite fit in, a young mom who had to give up a kitten as a child, a handbag designer, and a geisha all find better lives after spending time with these cats. The joy extends to family and friends as well. It is also a delight for the reader to see them move from sadness, to confusion, to happiness across each story Ishida crafts. The ending offers some clever insight into the “clinic.” But no spoilers here. 

These lovely little vignettes are a delight. The writing is funny and in many ways lighthearted while simultaneously highlighting the sadness and loneliness of modern life. But in the end, the cats prevail. I am pretty allergic to cats, beyond what a simple prescription could alleviate. But the lesson is clear even for me. We all need to provide some kind of counterpoint to the relentlessness of everyday life. When I don’t get lazy about it, for me it is some time outside most days - a nice walk. If you, too, are looking for a book that will make you smile and remind you to care for yourself, I recommend We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida. 

Book Cover of We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida - a cat in a prescription bottle.

Hester - Laurie Lico Albanese

Genre: Historical literary fiction

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese gives us a fascinating idea of how Nathaniel Hawthorne may have been inspired to write The Scarlet letter. As an English teacher, I always enjoyed teaching Hawthorne’s work. His themes and his view of the world also fascinated my students. And while they struggled with his style and vocabulary, we almost always ended up in very thoughtful discussions. In Hester, Albanese explores the life of Isobel who has come to Salem from Boston because  her husband’s opium addiction had consigned them to the poor house in Scotland. She is a woman of many secrets and a family history of witchcraft accusations who lands in Salem of all places.  She hears and sees colors that others cannot. When her husband is away at sea,  she is forced to rely on her ability to embroider to survive. When she believes that her husband has been lost at sea, she also becomes involved with Nathaniel Hawthorne himself. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld expertly brings the audiobook to life.

I found myself lost a bit in the history at first, but ultimately as the threads started to merge (Do you see what I did there?).I truly appreciated this novel. This book simultaneously celebrates women while illustrating the difficulties faced by them in the early and late 18th century. Isobel’s grandmother is accused of witchcraft in Scotland and escapes execution long enough to deliver her daughter. The chapters that are set in her time are a bit magical themselves - lyrical and lovely in spite of what is often difficult content. Isobel, in spite of all that is against her, is a woman of great strength. Again and again, she must start with nothing to create a life and support herself. To do so in the difficult society that comprises Salem is especially impressive. Many of the women here have a secret strength working within the strictures as best they can. They fight abuse, loneliness, misogyny, and even slavery by working together. Isobel uses her talent with the needle to survive. In spite of the many who try and stop her, her strength and talent prevail. But also, the women who surround her are essential to her success. Nathaniel Hawthorne proves to be quite selfish and cowardly in the end in spite of how much I wanted him to be a romantic hero. (I mean I knew, but man do I hold out hope).  No spoilers, but I guess he chides himself a little through his writing in the end IYKYK. 

In the end - much like The Scarlet Letter - Hester is the story of the strength of women. Laurie Lico Albanese relies on expert research to expand our knowledge of Salem beyond the witchcraft trials. She illustrates the prejudice that exists both ethnic and racial. We see the underground railroad at work and also that all northerners were not supportive of the freedom of slaves. Like in my recent read All You Have To Do Is Call, we see women working with women, protecting them, helping them in the face of misogyny. In this way the 1070s are not that different from the 1600s. What is unnerving is that we may well be comparing the 2020s as well. What I started because of my teaching of The Scarlet Letter and a desire to explore Albanese’s parallels, has taught and reminded me of so much more. I need to pay attention and figure out what I should be doing to raise up and support women - right now.

Book cover of Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese covered with embroidered roses.

All You Have To Do Is Call - Kerri Maher

Genre: Historical Fiction

I read All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher at the recommendation of a friend. I learned a great deal about the Jane organization in Chicago in the early 70s - a network of women, doctors, police officers, and religious leaders who provided abortion care to women. The focus of the novel is on Veronica, a founder, who is pregnant; Margaret, a young professor; and Patty who is appalled at the notion of Jane as the book begins. Each of these women and their family and friends will grow and change a great deal as the novel progresses. Jane, the organization, will face its own challenges. The audiobook is expertly performed by Lauryn Allman. 

If for any  reason the topic of abortion is a triggering one for you, you might wish to avoid this title. If you just have strong opinions, this novel provides a great deal of historical context with which I was unfamiliar. As we see into the lives of these women - into their minds - we are privy to the restrictions with which women lived even into the 70s. These restrictions were beyond their own reproductive situations. I am always just a bit taken aback because this is my lifetime and these women could have been my mom. This characterization was one of the keys to the success of this novel for me. The setting, of course, works hand in hand with the characterization. I appreciate that we see stay at home wives and mothers, women in academia, women as artists. All of these different perspectives within the time period create an in depth look that I appreciate. Maher explores marriage, dating, work and family balance, friendship, racism and more. Still the book remains uncluttered, and has a strong throughline.

I appreciate very much this insightful and thoughtful look into Jane and the culture for women in the 1970s. Kerri Maher’s All You Have To Do Is Call is an important and compelling read. I always value being reminded how recently the rights as a woman that I take for granted. I am a believer in the power of knowing history and in the strength of women. Clearly, so is Kerri Maher. 

Book Cover of All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher

We All Want Impossible Things - Catherine Newman

Genre - Contemporary Fiction

Narrator - Jane Oppenheimer

I do - want impossible things that is, so this title was very intriguing. True confession, I chose Catherine Newman’s We All Want Impossible Things blindly among the audiobooks available in my Libby collection. The book gods smiled on me. Edi is dying: she is, in fact, ready for hospice care. Her best friend Ash will be by her side. Edi says goodbye to her 12 year son and moves into a facility close to Ash’s home. The 2 weeks she is given stretches to more and through that we get to relive their friendship and memories with them. We live the pain and sometimes grossness of her disease. This book gives a beautiful friendship and a testament to life and loss. 

Edi and Ash have the kind of friendship to which I aspire. They have been friends since childhood - with each other for all of the important moments. Newman’s writing is lyrical. I’d love to share with you some of my favorite bits of figurative language, but I was listening to an audiobook, and didn’t get them highlighted. One that stuck with me was near the end, when she noted how death - such a big moment is nothing compared to a future of trying to live without your best friends; she compared it to birth which can eclipse an entire future of parenthood. We do the same, I think, with marriages, graduations, and a fair amount of big life events. She captures it beautifully. Often, I was just stopped short with the loveliness of Newman’s language. Even the ugliest moments of Edi’s illness and death are rendered expertly through her words. Jane Oppenheimer delivers these words with the perfect balance of humor and grief. And there are moments of humor. Life is funny, even in the darkest times, and Newman illustrates this very well. 

I guess what I love about this book is that even through the profound sadness, Newman leaves her readers with hope. I don’t have any wisdom about death - in terms of accepting it. I mean I know it’s inevitable. I’ve experienced grief and had my world completely changed through death. I’d give a great deal to undo some of that. What happens in We All Want Impossible Things gives me hope for sustainable friendships that will see me through the darkest times in life - even death. 

The Mighty Red - Louise Erdrich

Genre: Historical (2008?) Fiction; Literary Fiction

The novels of Louise Erdrich never fail to challenge me. I admire her breadth of knowledge, her commitment to culture, and her extraordinary writing. Reading her newest The Mighty Red, displayed all of her talents and definitely challenged me. 

I genuinely don’t have the chops to write a critical review of Louise Erdrich. So, like I’ve done in the past, I’m just going to talk about what I like. She forces me to think about the choices I make impacting our earth in my day to day living. In spite of growing up among corn fields and farmers, I am not as aware of the issues of farmers and farming as I could be. I respect her exploration of the treatment of the land, and its impact on the country surrounding the Red River. I know from my farming friends that their choices are never easy and making a living often seems impossible. I see small farms struggling to stay relevant. I appreciate Erdrich’s exploration of these issues from every angle. I admire her characters. Crystal and Kismet are strong women. Winnie has her own kind of strength as well. They are strong women fighting on a number of fronts. And in the case of Crystal and Kismet, they are strong women who believe a tiny bit in magic and a great deal in the power of their ancestors. The supporting characters (the men?) are equally well developed. Erdrich has a gift in creating people who are neither wholly good nor evil. They are as equally complex as the people in our lives. The setting is uncomfortably aligned with my own: small town life - surrounding farms. People struggle;are victims of an economy they can’t control; get up, go to work, use icy hot and look for small reasons to celebrate. They love and they lose. Everyone mostly knows (they think) everyone else’s business. Mistakes can follow you for a very long time in a small town. Erdrich expertly captures the vicissitudes of such lives. 

In and among all of the chaos of these lives in The Mighty Red, Erdrich captures hope. When completing an Orion questionnaire online Erdrich responded “Yes. What is the alternative?” when asked if she was optimistic about the future. I value this response primarily because her honesty about problematic issues is unflinching, and she is using her art in a way that will hopefully raise awareness and effect change. After all, what is the alternative?

Erdrich, Louise. “Louise Erdrich Answers the Orion Questionnaire.” Orion, Orion Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024, orionmagazine.org/article/louise-erdrich-orion-questionnaire. 

The French Winemaker's Daughter - Loretta Ellsworth

Genre: Historical Fiction (WWII)

Loretta Ellsworth’s The French Winemaker’s Daughter reminds me of the horrors of World War II - Martine, a little Jewish girl,  hiding in an armoire and forced to find her way in a war torn world without her dear Papa and only family who was taken away by the Germans. I am always stunned by what victims of war must endure. She adds to it the story of the winemakers of France - and how the Germans stole from them and harmed their legacy for generations. Ellsworth intertwines Martine’s story with that of Charlotte, an airline pilot, charting her own course for women, in the 90s. Her home base is in Paris, and through an auction and a rather horrible “boyfriend” she comes into possession of a bottle of wine from the WWII era. A mysterious note and second label sets her on a journey to find its story and perhaps its owner.

The WWII historical setting in the Paris area was a fascinating one. We learn about the making of wine; we learn about the French resistance; we learn about how people worked to save Jewish children (and are reminded of how some did not.) In the 90s as Charlotte works to solve her mystery - we learn a great deal of the intervening history. We also learn a bit about how recently women have been fighting for career equity as well through Charlotte’s struggle as a female pilot. We have so many lessons to learn. Ellsworth does a remarkable job of bringing these characters to life in both eras. Martine must grow up so quickly. She struggles through new names, learning a second faith. She struggles to trust and live as the only child in an abbey filled with nuns. Ellsworth foreshadows her future, and we long to find out what happens to her. I didn’t relate perfectly with Charlotte and her jet setting life in Paris, but her quest was one to admire. She is determined to do the right thing by this WW2 era winemaker and his daughter while learning some things about her own family, love, and strength on the way. 

I recommend this book - history, romance, and the voices of women make it an important read. I think it’s very important to be reminded that we can work to try to not fix, not right, but maybe ease the pain of mistakes of the past. Many are quick to refuse accountability and insist that moving forward is the only way to move forward. We can do better. I’m beginning to also believe that we can never ever be reminded of the failures of history too many times. Too often the world just seems to be walking down painfully similar paths. Historians matter. Authors matter. The arts matter. I can’t do as much as I’d like to change the world at large. But maybe I can keep saying those words and return a bottle of wine. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Cover - The French Winemaker’s Daughter by Loretta Ellsworth

Christmas with the Queen - Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb

Genre: Historical, Romance, Holiday

A perfectly delightful holiday, historical read. Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb hits all the right notes. Olive, a single mother, wishes to be taken seriously as the royal correspondent for the BBC. She fights the battle of many women of the 50s to be taken seriously in her career - in her case a journalist. Jack dreams of being the head chef in his own restaurant. When the novel begins, he takes a job with the royal palace kitchen in an effort to distract himself from grief at the loss of his young wife. A young Queen Elizabeth is learning to be queen after the devastating loss of her father. The paths of these three meet in Sandringham at Christmas in 1952, and we get to follow them for several years. It turns out Jack and Olive met at the end of the great war and have a history of sorts. So mixed in with their present we get flashbacks to the past.

Historically speaking, the Queen gets her own narrative. Her voice seems very much like the footage I’ve heard. I really enjoy the insight into her early life. I am not obsessed with the royals, but I am interested enough. I’ve seen “The Crown” and done some reading. Though fictionalized, the authors’ research really helped to flesh out some of what I already knew. They humanize her and Philip, making her accessible to the reader. The fifties in London is a fascinating setting. The impact of World War II is certainly felt. The experiences change the approach of many people to life. It seems they are infinitely more practical and take little for granted. Jack’s and Olive’s narratives work well too. A fairly big secret (no spoilers!) is at the heart of the story. The alternating narratives help to build suspense while gradually revealing their history. I really enjoyed how the time was consistently marked by Christmas. I liked the pause to consider how the characters grew and changed over the course of a year.

Once again, a gentle reminder of how women’s rights have changed over time. (or not changed?) Olive had to disappear when she was pregnant out of wedlock and lie about being a war widow. She is treated lesser than at the BBC, and has to work awfully hard to earn the right to write the stories she wished for. While I am left wondering about change, I am grateful for the women who paved the way for me. Those are heavy thoughts, but If you like your Christmas books with some pretty cool history and a bit of mystery and romance thrown in, Gaynor and Webb’s Christmas with the Queen is just right! Give yourself the gift of reading it this Christmas. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Little Italian Hotel - Phaedra Patrick

Genre - Contemporary Fiction 

I have always wanted to visit Italy - authentic Italy - not the touristy one. Phaedra Patrick’s The Little Italian Hotel is a really close substitute for that visit right now. Ginny prides herself in the advice she gives to listeners on her radio show. One day a listener suggests that Ginny’s life isn’t as perfect as she portrays it. Imagine her surprise when very soon after she learns her husband wishes to separate. She is stunned, and in her confusion she offers to take some of those very listeners with her on the anniversary trip to Italy that she will NOT be taking with her husband. Her time at the Hotel Splendido - with strangers who are mourning their own losses proves to be excellent for her, creating an excellent read for me. 

The Hotel Splendido is not a luxury, resort-like hotel. Instead, it is a small family operation serving authentic Italian cuisine and small comfy rooms. Some might call it rustic, I guess. It turns out to be the perfect place for bonds to be formed among these strangers who are all trying to heal from - the loss of a pet, a terminal diagnosis, a broken marriage, an ill parent, and the loss of a child & aging. They come in a variety of ages, from a wide range of experiences. They share meals,  take day trips, get to know the locals, and try new things. They have heartfelt conversations, have ups and downs, and ultimately bond. The characters are very well drawn and realistic. 

I love these second chance sort of coming of age in adulthood books. I appreciate the reminder that we never stop learning. We all know how life can take a turn at any time. We folks of an older sort can choose to remain set in our ways and allow these changes to steal our joy. Or we can learn resilience and embrace the change and tackle challenges that we never dreamed of before. Together the characters in this book do just that. If you need an Italian vacation or a little boost in the face of loss and change or just a fun, poignant, and feel good read Phaedra Patrick’s The Little Italian Hotel is for you. 

Swan Song - Elin Hilderbrand

Genre - Contemporary Fiction, Mystery

Is November the wrong time to listen to a summer Nantucket novel - Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand? I’m going to say no time is the wrong time. Police chief Ed Kapanash is ready to retire. He is even having a little celebration when he hears that there has been a catastrophic fire at the Richardson’s multimillion dollar home and that their personal concierge Coco is missing. Since Coco is his daughter Casey’s friend, he feels obligated to oversee the investigation. Through flashbacks we learn about the arrival of the exotic Richardsons on Nantucket - their glittering parties and their colorful impact on many of the residents who live there. 

The people that Hilderbrand creates are part of what I most love about her work. The glittering Richardsons reminded me just a bit of Jay Gatsby. They turn up out of nowhere and buy the biggest gaudiest home. They create spectacular themed parties and the invites to them become coveted among the Nantucket crew. The ladies vie for her attention. Relationships  - long time friendships are in danger of fracturing. Leslie Richardson has a knack for pitting them against one another. Police chief Ed weaves in and out in the before of the fire and in the after. He is not sure about retirement, so perhaps he welcomes the swan song - one more mystery to solve. The timeline expertly builds suspense and contributes to the mystery. I always love seeing Hilderbrand’s depiction of Nantucket, even though I can’t wait to see what she does next. She captures the spirit of the place again here (as I imagine it must be anyway). Beach trips and summer celebrations abound. And something about the insular spirit of an island contributes to the relationships. 

Elin Hilderbrand’s Swan Song is more than just a fun, beach read. For me, it worked quite nicely in November - a good time to remember to be grateful, embrace friendship and family, and do the things you love. And boy howdy, the end will get you, no spoilers! If, like me, you missed the novel this summer, find some time to read it now; you won’t regret it. 

Go As A River - Shelley Read

Genre - Historical Fiction

Narrator - Cynthia Farrell

Victoria Nash who is 17 as Shelly Read’s Go As a River begins is forced to grow up quickly when a forbidden love affair ends violently and results in pregnancy. She is alone and running a household of men, and must find out where she can gain strength. For her, a strength that I’m not sure I possess at 58, is often rooted in the rhythms of nature: the family peach orchard, a garden, the flow of a river. The novel extends well into the 70s, and I’m grateful to have seen so much of her life.

The novel is very character driven. While Wilson Moon’s brief presence in the novel permeates the rest of it, we spend most of our time with Victoria. Wilson, who as a native American endures much prejudice, tells Victoria that he has learned to go as a river, establishing the metaphor that frames the rest of the novel. She learns through heartbreak, fear, and loss to do the same. She finds a way to flow forward every time the river of her life is dammed. She was raised in the west on farm land; has extraordinary responsibility at a young age, has ambitions, and finds the resourcefulness to achieve them. We are deeply a part of Victoria’s internal life.  The setting here functions much like a character as well. The town of Iola, while composed of different folks, seems as one body influencing Victoria throughout. She feels differently than they in terms of Wilson and in terms of the future of her farm. The community is not supportive, and she thrives much better when away from Iola. The government taking over land to build a dam that will flood that community becomes a very important plot point. Read’s language is beautiful. The content here can be tough - the struggles are painful and real, but Read frames them in gorgeous descriptions of nature that can remind us of beauty in the most horrific of times. She creates poetry. I was listening or I’d quote you some; Cynthia Farrell did a lovely job with the narration. The juxtaposition of beautiful language with the often harsh circumstances in the content - represents nicely how life holds the beautiful and the ugly often at the exact same time. 

Shelley Read’s Go As A River is a timely reminder of the struggle of women in history. Victoria’s struggle reminds me of how privileged my life is and how precious are the rights that allow me that privilege. Her tenacity scoffs at my wish to feel hopeless at times in the face of challenges to them. We owe it to these women who came before us to continue to fight their good fight. We owe it to our daughters and granddaughters to do the same. 

Holiday Hideaway - Mary Kay Andrews

Holiday Hideaway - Mary Kay Andrews

Readers, Mary Kay Andrews’ “Holiday Hideaway” is likely just what you need right now. In this short story, Tilly has fallen on rough times - a divorce has left her without the funds she needs to have a place to live short term. She takes a chance and with her dog moves into a rental that hasn’t been rented for some time. She just needs some breathing room. Imagine her surprise when homeowner George Callihan shows up. He is inspecting the place and planning to do the work needed to make it sellable. She wonders if she can hide in the attic? Shenanigans abound!

Andrews does a lovely job of developing the characters in the format of the short story. We get to know them and to enjoy the slow burn as they begin to get to know each other again. The holiday vibe is a fun addition to the setting. Among the romance and holiday celebration, Andrews reminds her readers of the importance tradition and the strength of family. She leaves us with a lovely hopefulness for the future.

So, if you need a short break - “Holiday Hideaway” will offer just the respite that you need. Here would also be a good place to mention Bright Lights; Big Christmas  - a novel by Mary Kay Andrews if you need a longer escape. Great holiday reading. 

Holiday Hideaway book cover Mary Kay Andrews

The Little Liar - Mitch Albom

Genre: Historical Fiction

Mitch Albom’s The Little Liar does not disappoint. He expertly weaves together the stories of three Jewish children: Nico, Sebastian, and Fannie from their childhood in Salonika, Greece at the beginning of World War II. Their paths tragically cross with that of Udo Graff, a German Nazi officer. Nico, a child who never lies, is tricked into lying. The tragedy that follows changes the entire trajectory of his personality and so his life. Sebastian who is already jealous and a bit bitter becomes even more so. Fanny who loves them both in her way, completes a painful journey of her own. Udo Graff remains unbearably cruel throughout. Narrated by Truth, this book explores WWII, the horror it brings, and the hope that survives. 

Albom is a master storyteller. I will read whatever he writes and was late to this one. In a short work he creates complex characters: representing pure evil, jealousy, survival and self loathing. I quickly became engrossed in their world.Albom weaves together multiple narrative perspectives seamlessly, creating suspense and intrigue.  I have read so many accounts of WWII and was not at all familiar with the events as they transpired in Greece. Impeccably researched, Albom makes this horrific world come alive. While I didn’t get exactly the ending I wanted, I got the ending that is most realistic for this period in time.

I currently live in a world where people talk about war quite casually. We see the carnage in real time on TV. Many think that they would welcome war. The cost of war is enormous. The effects go on for far longer than many realize. These ideas are well illustrated in The Little Liar by Mitch Albom. Literature helps us to learn and to remember. We would do well to do both. 

The Hunter - Tana French

Genre: Mystery, suspense

Narrator: Roger Clark

I loved The Hunter by Tana French - that’s the clever hook. I love how Roger Clark performs this work. Picking up several years after the end of The Searcher, Trey and Cal have cemented their tenuous friendship and have built a furniture repair business together.  They have a system worked out - Cal can keep an eye on Trey. She can retain her own sense of independence. But then Trey’s dad returns to Ardnakelty, and their fragile peace is disrupted. Talk of hidden gold and thoughts of revenge abound, and ultimately a murder; the whole community is involved.

Although I call this mystery and, of course, it is, the novel is very much character driven. I struggle mightily with classification of books - identifying literary vs. not, etc - but French’s development of character and setting is next level. Cal is very complex. I feel like we know less about him than I’d like. I hope this means another book in the series, but maybe this is just life, right? We really only know what people want us to know. I love his relationship with Trey. His willingness to do whatever it takes to protect her is quite powerful. The fact that she ultimately returns that devotion is a relief. I remember in The Searcher struggling to identify the bad guys and the same is true here. I’m just never sure about the “good” people of Ardnakelty. Neither is Trey. She continues to grow and change and work with the anger she feels toward them. Her reaction to her father, the hurt - and the growth in her relationship with her mom were beautifully shown. The murder mystery, while for me, more of a vehicle to let these characters grow, is complex and well written. The world of Ardnakelty is a bit different than the norm for me. These folks are mysterious and quite willing to engage in shenanigans, sometimes of the dangerous kind. They are a wide variety of con men and shysters who connive together and then farm and go home to their wives. I hope to get to see much more of Cal and Trey and the people of Ardnakelty.

For me this book worked excellently on two levels. I do enjoy a good mystery and French delivers. I also am drawn to books that are character driven, and this novel is. I love that I’ve come to know these characters and also that so much mystery about them remains. French shows us that some people will never change while others will grow and mature. She forces us to be satisfied with what is but gives us a  hope that cannot be denied. I wish you would find the time to read The Hunter by Tana French.

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont - Laura Pearson

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Do we ever stop coming of age? Mabel Beaumont would suggest that we do not. By working to complete her list in The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson, Mabel shows us that change can come whatever our age. Mabel feels lost after the death of her husband - uncertain how she is going to put one foot in front of the other without him. But even after death she feels looked after by him. She finds a mysterious note that reads “find D,”and with the help of a companion that her husband has hired to look out for her for three months, she sets out on a quest to find her long lost best friend Dot thinking that is what Arthur had in mind for her. Along the way she meets others and her list of things to accomplish grows. Through all of these things, she reflects on the past and comes to know herself in a new way. With echoes of A Man Called Ove and The Story of Arthur Truluv, and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper,  her journey is a beautiful one to experience.

Mabel is prickly, and I’m here for it. As the story begins, she clearly hasn’t had to navigate friendships in a long while. As she gathers her groups of ladies, she feels in her heart that she knows what they need. As a friend who is working to stretch herself, she boldly works toward meeting those needs. As she learns that perhaps she doesn’t know as much as she thinks she does, she must learn to apologize and to wait patiently for forgiveness (or not). I love how Pearson develops the disparate stories of each of these ladies who find hope and help in each other - a reminder of all that even very different women may have in common. All of these stories help Mabel plumb her own past and reckon with the decisions that she’s made over the years. We get glimpses into her past and into her marriage. She and Arthur had their struggles to be sure. Their marriage might not be one that the world would define as traditionally happy and successful. And yet a loving partnership is formed than many could only wish for. I love what Pearson does here - she threads a needle and creates a beautiful tapestry. 

I need often to be reminded that we are never too old to grow and change. I believe that, but sometimes I forget. I also forget how much life has changed in a lifetime like Mabel Beaumont’s. I am going to avoid spoilers, but Mabel’s self discovery was likely easier after the intervening 60 years that she had to process it. Although she is not bitter, we are reminded how far we’ve come and to not take that for granted. Simultaneously, we are also reminded how much work we’ve yet to do. I love being reminded by The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson that we are never too old to change. Hmmm…on what should I focus?

The Lost Book of Bonn - Brianna Libuskes

Genre: Historical Fiction - WW2

Narrator: Christa Lewis

Literature matters. Librarians matter. The protest of right minded citizens matters. Love matters. All of these and more are illustrated through Brianna Libuskes’ The Lost Book of Bonn. When librarian Emmy Clarke travels to Germany at the close of WWII to work towards restoring books that the Nazis confiscated to their owners, she is mourning the death of her soldier husband. Her response to a beautifully inscribed book of poetry  - her desire to return it to its home feels so logical. She sneaks the book out and sets out on a quest to find the owner. Other chapters explore the wartime lives of Annelise and Christiana Fisher and their very different experiences. Annelise is part of the Edelweiss Pirates-a German resistance group, and Christiana is following the nazi party line. They love each other, but the differences between them lead to betrayal and heartache - particularly involving Eitan, whom Annelise loves. This book is a multilayered look at the tragedies of WWII.

Because I read so many books about it, I often wonder who I would have been in WWII. I would love to think I’d be an Annelise - a rebel, who instinctively knows very early on that Hitler has all the wrong ideas. And no matter what family or friends say, I would have no fear in working toward resistance and freedom. I think, though, that I’d likely be a Christiana, seeking refuge and belonging in the following of rules and looking for approval from the folks in charge. Brianna portrays these girls both beautifully. While you might side with one, you understand both.  The love the sisters have for each other in many ways transcends their differences. When the ultimate betrayal happens, I mourned for both and railed at the war that fostered such pain. Eitan has lost his family and his love.  Emmy is a young widow. Tragedy and sadness abound. Lubuskes’ characters are beautifully wrought and offer insight into the darkness of war.

I appreciate here - so much - the value that is assigned to literature. I worry most days now about censorship and book banning - thinking it would never be a common “thing” in the United States. Now…sometimes I wonder. Authors are being challenged more and more. Without being political (see…Christiana here) I hate the idea that anyone in government feels they have the right to decide what I, my children, and my grandboy read. As always when the novel is about war, I leave The Lost Book of Bonn by Brianna Libuskes exhausted by the evil that comes with this kind of conflict. But also, I am in awe of the resilience of the people working to combat the evil.  The Lost Book of Bonn serves as a timely reminder of the importance of culture - literature matters.