Book Review: At Last

By Jami Denison

“When you marry someone, you marry their whole family.” The newlywed couple may have accepted this sentiment, but the rest of the family doesn’t get a vote. And yet sometimes these new relationships can doom the marriage. Who hasn’t heard of a stepson or mother-in-law whose selfish behavior led to a break-up?

In her latest novel, At Last, Marisa Silver writes of two widows who are bound together when their children marry. Evelyn and Helene find themselves locked in a decades-long battle over whom their granddaughter Frankie loves more. In long chapters with alternating narrators, Silver details important events over the decades that shape the women into their adult and senior selves. 

Helene’s life is full of tragedy: An only child after losing a brother and a sister, she marries an older German doctor who hides a tragedy of his own. The only real love Helene receives in life is from her only child, Tom, so it’s not surprising that she views Evelyn as her competition.

Evelyn’s daughter Ruth is one of three daughters, but she’s the one who seems to need her mother the most. Disdainful of Helene’s lavish Shabbat dinners and her formal manner, Evelyn vacillates between judging the other woman and pitying her. As the years go on and Tom and Ruth’s relationship changes, both women soften.

At Last reads like a combination of Elizabeth Strout and Jennifer Egan. With no real plot, the chapters hopscotch from year and year, describing events in the women’s lives: the wedding, Frankie’s broken arm. Told mostly from Helene and Evelyn’s third-person points-of-view, the book starts with Tom and Ruth’s 1971 wedding, then goes back to the women’s childhoods, then continues moving forward. With all the women in the book grappling with love and career issues, At Last often feels like a portrait of feminism over the past eighty years. 

For a novel without a traditional three-act structure, the writing is incredibly compelling. These women come across so strongly on the page, and the reader roots for them to find love, happiness, and acceptance—both of self and of others. And for someone to step in and help Frankie, whose grown-ups seem too self-absorbed to realize their girl is in trouble.

However, I do think the novel’s construct of checking in every several years lessens the development of the relationship between Helene and Evelyn. While the two share some meaningful events, they never really move beyond being their granddaughter’s other grandmother in an impactful way. In Helene’s case, the most meaningful relationship in her life seems to be the one she shares with her housekeeper, and I would have enjoyed reading more about that. 

Still, with its in-depth characterization, At Last is a poignant reminder of the childhood wounds and internal battles that create a person. It might be a worthwhile lesson for folks dealing with angry stepsons or judgmental mothers-in-law.  

Thanks to Broadside PR for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Marisa Silver:

Mary Coin

Little Nothing

The Mysteries

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Excerpt and Giveaway: Falling into Place

We are pleased to share an excerpt from Allison Ashley's latest novel, Falling into Place! The premise sounds really interesting and we know the excerpt is going to make you want to read the whole book. Thanks to BookSparks, we have one copy to share with a lucky reader!

Synopsis:

Accountant and freelance personal stylist Carly Porter, daughter of a compulsive gambler, knows the personal cost of a bad bet. But when she partners with her best friend, Sasha—publisher of a floundering fashion magazine—Carly can’t resist. The highly publicized makeover of an Oklahoma City bachelor could boost sales and be Carly’s ticket to her dream profession. The bachelor in question is none other than Sasha’s older brother, Brooks.

Hardly the party boy Carly remembers from high school, Brooks is now an antisocial, work-obsessed physician still struggling with a devastating loss. But if it means helping his sister, he’s in. It’s Carly’s job to get him out of those lived-in scrubs, style him to the nines, and bring Brooks back to life. But so far, the only real connection is between Brooks and Carly—and falling for a client could cost Carly the career she’s worked so hard for.

To move forward, they’ll both have to overcome their painful pasts. And whatever the risk, maybe even take a chance on love. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"I really enjoyed this book. It’s sweet, fun, romantic, and so very heartfelt." 
- AJ (Amazon reviewer)

"This was such a beautiful and emotional story and by that second chapter I was already smiling and laughing out loud. If you love romance that makes you happy and can also make you cry, then definitely add this one on your tbr!" 
- Jen Oddo (Amazon reviewer)

Excerpt:

Carly had never whistled at a client before, but this was Brooks. A (sort of) friend she’d known most of her life, and a man who needed a confidence boost.

“I’m just teasing,” she said. “But seriously. Can’t you see how much better that looks? The lines are so much cleaner. You’re casual but sophisticated. Sexy and easy-going. It’s the perfect combination for a first date.”

His lips parted. “I look . . . sexy?”

He glanced at himself in the mirror, white teeth pressed into his full bottom lip as he frowned. He ran one hand across his stomach and turned back to her. She tilted her face up to his, searching his eyes. She’d never ask a real client this question, but he was different. And they no longer had an audience. “Do you really not know how attractive you are?”

Gripping the back of his flushed neck, he cast his gaze once again to his reflection and back to her. “I don’t know. I feel like I’m too much of a science geek to be sexy.”

“Nerds are hot right now.” Now and always, if you asked her. Peter Parker over Spiderman anytime, anywhere.

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“I guess it’s just been so long since I considered my appearance to be something that mattered.”

“It’s not all that matters,” she agreed, still a little unbalanced at the sight of him. The man should wear green every day. “But even if it’s been a while, don’t you remember how much attention you got in high school? Every girl at our school wanted you back then, and you’ve only gotten better with age.”

His hazel eyes were steady on hers, expression unreadable. “Every girl?”

Was he asking if she’d been one of them, or was this a way to boost his ego? She’d give it to him. “Pretty much.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, watching her, and she had the urge to fidget under his perusal. Bite her lip or step away or move closer . . . something. It was her job to help her clients find their confidence, but something about this felt different. Heavier.

“I’m not proud of the person I was then,” he finally said.

There was a lot she wanted to ask to follow up on that, but when another guy brushed past them to an open fitting room, she decided now wasn’t the time.

Brooks had turned back to the mirror, brow furrowed and posture tight. What was on his mind?

Much of his life was unknown to her, so for the most part there was nothing she could say that might make him feel better. She had no idea what demons lurked, no inkling of the kind of encouragement he needed to realize he was a man worth getting to know. But there was one thing she did know, and it was the thing she’d been hired to help with. So she’d give him one last thought and move on for now, certain she’d come back to this moment and analyze it when she got home.

She leaned forward to speak softly, privately. She was close enough to smell his clean, spicy scent and resisted a sudden, somewhat alarming urge to bury her face in his chest.

“I know I’ve given you a hard time about your style. First impressions matter, so it’s my job to bring out the best in the way you present yourself. But believe me when I say this: I’m adding a few details to the package you’re already working with, yes, but it doesn’t really matter. You don’t need it. You’re a very handsome man, and the fact you don’t seem to know it only makes you more attractive. That saleswoman was even checking you out earlier.”

“She . . . she was?”

“Yes. Believe me, when it comes to how you look, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.”

He blinked a few times and slid his hands into his pockets in a move that didn’t speak of discomfort, but more like humility. Then his lips spread into a self-deprecating smile. “Time will tell if you’re right. But even if you are, looks will only get me so far.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not good at the other stuff, either. Like . . . small talk, for example. I don’t remember the last time I went out with someone I didn’t already know inside and out, like my sister, or my brother-in-law, or my best friend James.”

“Don’t you talk to strangers all the time at work? Your patients?”

He shook his head. “Most of my patients are sedated and on ventilators. I talk to their families, sure. But that’s different. I’m in my comfort zone talking about medicine and technology and my treatment plan. I’m not asking them about the weather, or whatever.”

“The weather? Wow, is that what you consider small talk?”

He tossed his hands up in the air. “See?”

“You seem to do fine talking to me.”

“I know you, sort of. And we’re not talking about personal stuff, either.”

She considered him for a moment and the muscles flexing in his jaw as if he was clenching his teeth from stress.

“So let’s change that.”

His expression was a giant question mark.

“Let’s buy your stuff—those jeans for sure, and whatever else you like—and grab dinner. You can practice small talk with me. That way it won’t be so scary on your first date.”

His lips flattened. “I don’t think I said it scared me.”

“Your face said otherwise.”

“Okay, let’s do it.” He turned to head back to the fitting room, then paused and twisted around again. “At least tell me this: Did you just hide my old jeans, or did you throw them out?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Allison Ashley is the author of If Tomorrow Never Comes, The Roommate Pact, Would You Rather, Home Sweet Mess, and Perfect Distraction. She is a science geek who enjoys coffee, craft beer, baking, and love stories. When Allison is not working at her day job as a clinical oncology pharmacist, she pens contemporary romances, usually with a medical twist. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and beloved rescue dog.

Visit Allison online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

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. 

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Giveaway ends September 2nd at midnight EST.

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Book Review: How the Hell Did I Not Know That

By Jami Denison

A year is a meaningful structure in memoir. Writers have told of a year spent asleep, following religious edicts, traveling around the world. Years of doing less—no shopping, no sex. In her first book, humor writer Lucie Frost details everything she learned in her year from “couch to curiosity.” In How The Hell Did I Not Know That?, Frost follows every thought in her brain down rabbit holes to answer questions both profound and mundane. 

Retiring young and abruptly, Frost had big plans for herself after quitting her job as an employment lawyer in San Antonio, Texas. But instead of volunteering and making the world a better place, Frost finds herself parked on the couch and obsessed with watching 90 Day Fiance. This binge starts her down her first rabbit hole, as she seeks to discover exactly what it takes to marry someone from another country and bring them to the United States.

Fighting depression and looking for a sense of purpose, Frost decides to research various topics: word origin, religions, psychology, sports, health, etc. Her interests flow in a stream-of-consciousness manner, often prompted by something said by her husband or one of her children. While most of the book is dominated by her findings, there are occasional references to her family, their rescue dog, and Frost’s personal struggles. While the book proports to answer the question of what do we do with our lives when our jobs or children are no longer driving our decisions, it deflects that quest into research. Anyone looking for the answers to bigger questions of what makes a life meaningful might not find them here. Self-knowledge, connection with others, serving needy populations—this memoir is not that type of book. 

Frost classifies herself as a humor writer, and her breezy tone fits that description, even if her explanations are straightforward. But there were enough asides about her personal struggles—weight issues, relationship problems, EMDR therapy—that I wanted to know her, not the address of the vice president. Frost ends the book with her acknowledgements, and the last line of that note left me slack-jawed. While writers are under no obligation to bare their souls or their dirty laundry, memoirists are expected to share their most personal stories. 

Perhaps Frost’s next book will delve more deeply into her personal life, or she’ll echo writers like David Sedaris or Erma Bombeck. While she’s planning her next project, though, I do have an earnest suggestion for what she can do with all the trivia she’s amassed: Try out for Jeopardy! The educational game show has been a meaningful second act for many. 

Thanks to Kaye Publicity for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Sara Goodman Confino's trip back in time...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

We're pleased to have Sara Goodman Confino back at CLC today to celebrate the publication of her fifth novel, Good Grief! While I love everything Sara has written, this one is her best one yet. Check out my initial thoughts on my Bookstagram. I've met Sara a couple times and she's just as delightful in person as she is online. She's so funny too! If you haven't read her books yet, don't hestitate to check them out. If you are as big a fan of hers as I am, then you're in for a treat with her latest. Today, Sara is taking us on a virtual trip back in time, to the 1960s. We hope you all enjoy the ride. Thanks to Get Red PR, we have TWO copies of Good Grief to give away!

Sara Goodman Confino is the bestselling author of five novels: Don’t Forget to Write, Behind Every Good Man, She’s Up to No Good, For the Love of Friends, and Good Grief. After spending more years than she’s willing to publicly admit teaching high school English and journalism, she is currently writing full time and trying to make a living off of the crazy stories in her head. She lives in Montgomery County, Maryland with her husband, two sons, two miniature schnauzers, and a goldfish that seems to be vying for the world record of longest living fish. When she’s not writing or frantically parenting, she can be found on the Peloton, at the beach, or at a Bruce Springsteen concert, sometimes even dancing onstage. (Bio courtesy of Sara's website.)

Visit Sara online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis: 
It’s 1963, two years since Barbara Feldman’s husband died. Raising two kids, she’s finally emerging from her cocoon of grief. Not yet a butterfly, but she’s anxious to spread her wings.

Then one day her mother-in-law, Ruth, shows up on her doorstep with five suitcases, expecting a room of her own with a suitable mattress. Abrasive and stuck in her ways yet well meaning, Mother Ruth arrives without warning to help with the children. How can Barbara say no to a woman who is not only a widow herself but also a grieving mother? As Ruth’s prickly visit turns from days to weeks to what seems like forever, Barbara realizes Ruth has got to go. But Barbara has an ingenious plan: introduce Ruth to some fine gentlemen and marry her off as fast as she can.

Soon enough, something tells Barbara that Ruth is trying to do the same for her. At least they’re finding common ground—helping each other to move forward. Even if it is in the most unpredictable ways two totally different women ever imagined. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Barbara and Ruth share a similar pain. Living under the same roof, the widowed mother and daughter-in-law butt heads as they wade through loneliness and grief. And when they each scheme to find love for the other one, Confino does what she does best: crafting a brimming tale of family and second chances while finding joy through our sorrows. Special nod to the tiny gems from former books Confino has sprinkled within the pages. But mostly, readers will fall in love with this bighearted story full of hope.” 

—Rochelle B. Weinstein, bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends

“Sprinkled with romantic side plots for both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and cameos from beloved characters of the author’s previous books, Good Grief is another winner from Sara Goodman Confino and guaranteed to delight her large existing fan base and bring in new readers who have yet to experience her charming and hilarious stories.” 

—Meredith Schorr, author of Roommating

One of the questions I am asked most frequently is why I choose to set the majority of my novels in the early 1960s when I clearly wasn’t alive in that era. 

It’s a valid question—I’m an elder millennial who never in a million years thought that I’d be writing about a time period when my parents were children. 

But it’s a multifaceted answer. The starting point is likely that my favorite movie is Dirty Dancing. I used to lie and say it was higher brow titles, like Breakfast at Tiffany's and Casablanca, which I do love. But if Dirty Dancing comes on the tv, I’m watching it. In fact, my dogs hide if they hear “Time of My Life,” because they know one of them is getting held overhead in the infamous lift. 

Did I watch that movie way too young? Yes. Did I understand the abortion subplot? ABSOLUTELY NOT. When I watched it again, older, I was shocked by how much I missed. But even more shocked by how relevant that storyline still was. 

Fast forward to college. My favorite class that I took was a seminar on America in the 1960s. I thought I was going to be learning about hippies, but we focused on the whole decade, with a large chunk of it dedicated to the Kennedy assassination and the ways in which that shifted the entire country’s future. And I somehow got to write papers on Simon and Garfunkle and compare the different portrayals of Romeo and Juliet through the era contrasting West Side Story with the Zeffirelli film. No boring analysis essays here!

And then along came The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (you knew I was going there, right?). The clothes! The colors! The family dynamics! The Jewish humor even if Rachel Brosnahan herself isn’t! I loved it all.

So when a bookstagrammer called me “The Marvelous Mrs. Confino” on publication day for my second novel, an idea was born. I wanted to write something set in that bright, colorful era before the Kennedy assassination, where everything looked so happy. But there was a lot going on beneath the surface that was decidedly less so. And like in Dirty Dancing, a lot of the issues that people were dealing with then are still relevant today. And that’s where Don’t Forget to Write and Behind Every Good Man came into play.

For Good Grief, I wanted to tell a more intimate story. My paternal grandfather died suddenly in 1960, when my father was nine. And my grandmother raised him in an era where she couldn’t even get a credit card without a man signing off on it. What jobs could she get? As a Jewish immigrant, who married at 19, and never went to college? And, she persevered because what choice did she have?

Women today can find work much easier, and childcare, while expensive, is available. We can get our own credit cards, car loans, mortgages. But we’re still expected to do it all—balance a career, a family, a home, and with social media, it often feels like everyone is doing it better than we are. 

Barbara, the main character, who suffers a similar loss to my grandmother’s, eventually realizes she can’t do everything herself. She has to be able to ask for and accept help—an issue that modern women struggle with as well. She faces antisemitism, inspired by a real incident that happened to my grandmother in that era, but mirroring today’s climate in ways I couldn’t have anticipated when I wrote the book. 

I love seeing how far we have come. But writing books set in the past has helped me see how far we still need to go as well. And I think that’s an important lesson for today’s readers—it wasn’t that long ago that we, as women, lacked the rights we take for granted today. And it isn’t impossible that we could revert to not having them again. And that, combined with a love for Dirty Dancing, is why I’ll continue to tell these stories. 

Thanks to Sara for visiting with us and to Get Red PR for sharing her book with our readers. (And now we have "Hula Hana" in our heads.)

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. 

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Giveaway ends September 1st at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library

By Jami Denison

Like many mystery fans, once I outgrew Trixie Belden and The Three Investigators, Agatha Christie was the first adult author I picked up. Miss Marple remains one of my favorite detectives, and her ability to sniff out a murderer using keen observation skills and sad knowledge about the worst of human nature remain unmatched. 

Author Amanda Chapman has brought Agatha Christie into the 21st century with her debut mystery, Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library. In it, the 20th century British author appears in modern New York City to help book conservator Tory Van Dyne to catch a killer and come out of her shell. 

Tory Van Dyne, offspring of a wealthy and eccentric New York family, lives in the Mystery Guild Library, a converted rowhouse left to her by a relative. She’s such a devoted Agatha Christie fan that she had remade one of the rooms in the museum to be an exact replica of Christie’s home library in England. Still, she’s shocked when the Grand Dame herself appears in the flesh, bored with the Great Beyond and wanting to help solve a mystery. Soon, one presents itself: Tory’s cousin Nicola, a Broadway actress, watches in horror as her agent, Howard, is pushed in front of a subway train and killed. Soon, other folks in Nic’s circle start dropping… and Tory is terrified that Nic might be next. With a cast of characters including a hot detective, a gay library assistant, a precocious 10-year-old girl, and a yappy dog or two, Tory and Mrs. Christie—whomever she may really be—have plenty of help in pulling apart this who-dun-it.

Chapman has the pacing and twists of a Christie novel down pat. Every Monday night, the team meets in the library to talk about the case and its latest complications, and Mrs. Christie—often quoting her own fictional detectives—asks questions and adds insight. The final reveal is straight out of Christie’s playbook. 

The protagonist, however, isn’t Mrs. Christie but Tory, and Tory is a worthwhile narrator, caring and curious. But neither character is Miss Marple, and the story unfolding for weeks across New York City doesn’t hit the same way that a three-day garden party at an English country home might. The reader hardly knows the victims, making it hard to care about their deaths or feel a sense of urgency in reading the pages. The story engages intellectually, like a crossword puzzle, but not emotionally, which many contemporary mystery fans want. 

Still, the novel is fun, and Agatha Christie fangirls will love all the references to her books. We can learn a lot about human nature by paying attention to people as closely as Christie’s detectives did… even if some of what we learn isn’t so good. 

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

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What's in the (e)mail...plus a book giveaway

All (or most) of these books can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Apple, Kobo, etc.

NG = NetGalley

Melissa:

Husband of the Year by M.A. Wardell from Forever (NG)
We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda from Poisoned Pen Press (NG)
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth from St. Martin's Press (NG)
The Fix by Mia Sheridan from Over the River PR (NG)
Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan from Berkley (NG)

Just Add Happiness by Julie Hatcher from Lake Union (NG)

Sorry for Your Loss by Georgia McVeigh from Dutton (NG)

Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson from Simon & Schuster (NG)

The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe from Grand Central (print)

Every Version of You by Natalie Messier from Gallery (NG)

Totally Fine by Nick Spalding from Amazon UK (NG)

And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens from Putnam (NG)

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson from William Morrow (NG)

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen from Random House (NG)

One and Only by Maurene Goo from Putnam (NG)

Sara:
Definitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah Fox from Random House (NG)
The Great Forgotten by/from K.L. Murphy (ebook)

Allyson:
Seeing Other People by  Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka from Berkley (NG)

What could be in YOUR mail:

Delayed Intention by Barbara Rachel

Barbara has TWO copies to share with some lucky readers!

Old friends. Unfinished business. A chance to make it right.

Lily Mendes and Joshua Cohen were best friends who nearly became something more… until one fateful night pulled them apart.

Nineteen years later, Josh is a devoted son, loyal brother, and dedicated physician. Love isn’t on his radar — the only girl he’s willing to commit to is his rescue dog, Ginger.

Hundreds of miles away, Lily only wants to feel safe, enjoy her work at the hospital, and avoid triggering her overbearing mother. As far as she is concerned, dating is off the table.

Fate—and a few unexpected choices—bring them back into each other’s lives. Timing is everything... and this time, it might finally be right.

Delayed Intention is a heartfelt story of friendship, forgiveness, and the possibility of a second chance. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

"If you love emotionally intelligent fiction with heart, depth, and a generous dose of joy, don’t miss this one." 

- Natasha Nadel (Goodreads reviewer) 

"This is a very enjoyable read that you will not want to put down, and it also will engage you in some thoughtful introspection about love, relationships, and healing."

 - Caitlin (Goodreads reviewer)

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. 

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Giveaway ends August 27th at midnight EST. 

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Book Review: You Belong Here

By Melissa Smoot

Beckett Bowery never thought she’d return to Wyatt Valley, a picturesque college town in the Virginia mountains steeped in tradition. Her roots there were strong: Beckett’s parents taught at the college, and she never even imagined studying anywhere else—until a tragedy her senior year ended with two local men dead, and her roommate on the run, never to be seen again…

For the last two decades, Beckett has done her best to keep her distance. Then her daughter, Delilah, secretly applies to Wyatt College and earns a full scholarship, and Beckett can only hope that her lingering fears are unfounded. But deep down she knows that Wyatt Valley has a long memory, and that the past isn’t the only dangerous thing in town… (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Suspenseful stories that take place in small towns are some of my favorites. It makes it almost harder to know who the antagonist could be and who to trust. You Belong Here kept me on edge from start to finish. I really enjoyed how the pieces of the puzzle all seemed to come together, starting from twenty years prior, and just when I thought I had it figured out, I was thrown off course again. 

The setting, a college in a small town in the Virginia mountains, was easy to imagine. I could picture the forest of trees and steep paths up and around the mountain terrain. It also added to the eeriness of the plot. I liked the parallel of the mother’s and daughter’s worlds colliding at the same college, but twenty years apart. I felt it made me want to fight for the daughter, Delilah, and hold her mother accountable for her past mistakes. 

I was surprised many times while reading by the twists and new information that would come to light. I would then have to rework my mind around this new information and change up my predictions again. If you want to read something that will have you hooked immediately, this is it.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the book in exchange for an honest review. 

More by Megan Miranda:

Daughter of Mine

The Perfect Stranger

Such a Quiet Place

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Spotlight and Giveaway: The Grand Paloma Resort

Today we are excited to feature Cleyvis Natera's latest novel, The Grand Paloma Resort! The premise sounds interesting and it will definitely appeal to fans of the hit TV series The White Lotus. Thanks to Lavender Public Relations, we have THREE copies up for grabs!

Laura is a local Dominican woman who, through sheer hard work, has risen through the ranks to become manager at the Grand Paloma Resort. Her idea to pair a “platinum” guest with their own resort employee to attend to their every whim has been wildly successful, and she’s just weeks away from a promotion that could blaze a path for her off the resort and toward a life of opportunity. If only her younger sister, Elena—who she’s looked after since the death of their mother—could get with the program.

Elena has tried to live up to her sister’s expectations, but to escape the drudgery of waiting on rich tourists, she’s become increasingly dependent on pills and partying. As a babysitter at the resort, she’s at the beck and call of guests who are indulging their worst impulses and need someone else to watch their kids while they do so. Now, after an accident, a child left in her charge is believed dead, and Elena knows she'll be held responsible.

When Elena runs into the child’s father at a nearby beachfront watering hole, he offers her an obscene amount of money for private time with two young local girls. Elena pockets the cash to fund her escape and prays she’s gotten the girls out of harm’s way. But then the girls are reported missing.

Set over the course of seven days, The Grand Paloma Resort offers an unforgettable story of class, family, and community, building to an intense climax in which the true costs of luxury are laid bare, redeemed only by true acts of love. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“A deeply felt, utterly unputdownable read.”
—Karin Slaughter, author of Pretty Girls

“One of the most compelling stories you will read this year.”
—Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake and Good Dirt

“With compelling characters and a narrative that steals your breath from the first page, The Grand Paloma Resort offers an unforgettable, unexpected story that will upend readers’ assumptions about power, pleasure, and moral salvation.”
—Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Olga Dies Dreaming

 Credit: Beowulf Sheehan

Cleyvis Natera is the author of Neruda on the Park. She was born in the Dominican Republic, migrated to the United States at ten years old, and grew up in New York City. She holds a BA from Skidmore College and a MFA from New York University. Her writing has won awards and fellowships from the International Latino Book Awards, PEN America, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, The Kenyon Review’s Writers Workshops, the Vermont Studio Center, the Hermitage Artist Retreat, Rowland Writers Retreat, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is currently a Fulbright Specialist. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, New Jersey. The Grand Paloma Resort is her second novel. Visit Cleyvis at her website and on Instagram.

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. 

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Giveaway ends August 26th at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Bad Jobs

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are now into our sixth year!

This month, we are talking about bad jobs we've had in the past. A bunch of books we've featured have been about characters who have bad job experiences. The Devil Wears Prada definitely comes to mind, as who could imagine working for Miranda Priestly? (We talked about horrible bosses a while ago, but this time we're talking about the job experiences.)

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

When I was in college, I was looking to make extra money over the summer. I worked at a day camp, but that didn't really pay too well. I interviewed at a bunch of restaurants I liked and was hoping to work at Ed Debevic's, as it was my favorite place and I could have fun being mean to everyone while getting away with it. However, that was not meant to be and the only restaurant that would hire me was...wait for it...IHOP. 

It probably could have been a decent job, if not for the obnoxious coworkers who made lewd comments and the rude, entitled customers. Sunday breakfast was hellish, to say the least! There was also this mean, cranky old lady who would sit in the back corner and complain about everything and help everyone with their side work, except for me of course. She would take all the silverware and wouldn't share it when I needed to do my side work. I got snide about it after a while and made a point of saying that I share my silverware with others who need to do their side work. She would also follow me around the restaurant and mess up what I was doing for the tables. 

Back to the lewd comments...when I talked to a manager about it, he said he'd do something but then ended up making lewd comments too. While I had some decent customers, they were few and far between. (Fun side note: This cute guy customer told me I had the personality for Ed Debevic's and didn't mean it as an insult. He just thought I was funny.) And don't get me started on the uniform. Boys got to wear long sleeved white shirts and pants while girls had to wear these ugly blue dresses with short sleeves. We were carrying hot plates on our arms! Needless to say, I haven't set foot inside an IHOP in 29 years! I was also glad to learn that the specific IHOP I worked at has since been torn down.

Good riddance!

The other bad job I had was a few years out of college, where I was working for a facilities management company that handled plasma donation centers around the country. I wasn't told until after I started that I would need to be available by phone 24/7 to deal with plasma center emergencies. So yeah, I would have to take a call at 3:00 a.m. and then find companies that could handle that middle of the night emergency. Some of these plasma centers weren't anywhere near places that could get there at the drop of a hat. I also didn't like the managers I had to deal with after the first one left. So when our contract ended, I was actually thrilled. No more company cell phone!!! 

Since then, I've had some decent jobs and am currently enjoying what I do, even though I deal with some big egos sometimes. (All part of the business, right?!?)

Sara Steven:

A couple of decades ago, I fell into property management. A neighbor of mine had recommended I replace her recently vacated part-time leasing consultant position for the apartment community down the street from our neighborhood, but at the time, I had a full-time job and had no need to change professions. Several months later, I did. I didn’t know if the apartment community needed someone. I knew nothing about property management. But after a two-hour interview with the manager, I started out part-time and just a few short months later, went full-time, splitting my time between two properties.

I worked for that management company for over five years. After a brief stint at a 55+ community, I moved on to a different management company and held firm there for several years until I’d made the decision to become a stay-at-home parent. When I left the biz, it was a tough decision for me. I loved property management. I enjoyed helping someone find their perfect home. The job was fun, and I made lasting friendships. 

After stepping away for over a decade, I decided to get back into property management. A small management company took a chance on an old mom who’d been out of work for a very long time, and for that I was grateful. But I noticed pretty quickly that the line of work I’d fallen in love with, had some of my best memories of, was not the same business I remembered. 

For starters, I worked with five managers in the thirteen months I worked for the company. The first one had been promoted and moved on to another property. The person who replaced that manager was only my manager for two months before changing management companies. The third manager did the same thing, as did the fourth. And the fifth manager was the one that finally broke me, forcing me to turn in my two weeks notice. 

Out of all five managers, three of them decided to steal my commissions. The first manager did it stealthily–on the bonus sheet she’d turn into corporate monthly, instead of writing my name down, she’d write her name. I never even knew it, not until a whistleblower alerted us to that behavior. She still works for that management company, believe it or not. The regional knew it was happening–he confirmed that to me when I asked. The second manager who stole commissions was even stealthier; she was a minimalist and would only take a little cream from the top, so as not to alert anyone. Not that anyone seemed to care one way or the other. 

The third thief (the fifth manager I had the displeasure of working with) didn’t seem to care to hide it. She converted all of my leads into her name. When I called her out on it, she said it must have been some sort of software glitch. She refused to “fix” the supposed issue, and no one at corporate supported me, so I decided it was best to part ways. It wasn’t a huge loss. Aside from the commission nabbing, I dealt with a shooting at the community, a SWAT team who’d swooped in to arrest a resident who had been found guilty of murdering four people–one of the managers had let the convicted murderer move in without a background screening done beforehand–along with drug activity, cockroach and bed bug infestations, and consistent arguments with residents who refused to pay rent and didn’t feel it was their problem to do so.

You’d think I would have walked away completely from this line of work, but I didn’t. Just recently, I thought I’d found the perfect job for me. A leasing consultant position just five minutes from where I live. It was a really nice property, with Monday through Friday hours, unheard of in property management. My interviews went well, and it felt like my luck had changed and I’d get to see some glimmers of what I’d experienced all those years ago when I first got into the profession. But on day one, the manager informed me that their sister property–a property where she and the assistant manager would take turns working, would be sold soon, and when I asked what that would mean for me, she noncommittally said that she thought it would be fine. A sale was never mentioned to me when I interviewed. There was only room for two desks in the tiny office on site. 

It only got worse from there. I have a health condition due to a disc compression on my spinal cord in my neck, and I made that clear to the manager when I interviewed. The condition requires me to be more active. I can’t sit strapped to a desk for hours on end. She informed me that it would be so wonderful for me to do the legwork, delivering notices, walking units, helping maintenance to relieve some of their load. But it never happened. In fact, when I needed to take a break to use the restroom, I was asked to finish a task first before I was allowed to use the restroom. The two months I worked there, I was in constant pain daily. I went from minimal visits with medical care professionals, like yearly check ups, to needing to consult with four doctors, because I was in so much pain. It got to the point where I was told I needed to quit the job for my health. Immediately.

I am a glutton for punishment, because I recently accepted a full time position in leasing, but other than some quirks and annoyances, it’s going okay. I’m not in pain. I actually get to walk the tour path, inspect apartments before someone moves in, to ensure they are ready for the new resident, deliver notices, and I do the majority of the tours, so I have a nice balance between sitting at a desk, and moving my body. It’s not perfect. I know not many jobs are. But at least I can use the restroom at my discretion. And just the other day, someone I’d toured with (and who had later applied) let me know that I was the sole reason she decided to move there. She told me that nice properties can be a dime a dozen, but a good leasing staff is hard to come by. That made me feel valued and appreciated and makes what I went through to get to this point kind of worth it.  

Tell us about YOUR bad job experience(s).

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Book Review: The One and Only Vivian Stone

By Sara Steven

After her grandmother’s death, thirty-something Margot DuBois prepares to sell the house quickly so she can go back to her predictable life in Santa Barbara. There, no one knows she used to write and that her lack of success wrecked her confidence. But while cleaning out the attic, she comes across eight unlabeled cassette tapes. Unable to use the damaged tape player, she calls in a favor from Leo—her first love and first epic heartbreak—and they strike a deal: he’ll fix the player if he can hear what’s on the tapes. When they manage to listen, the two are shocked to hear the voice of comedic legend Vivian Stone. Why did she record these tapes and how did Margot’s grandmother get them?

Between listening to Vivian recount everything from her forbidden love for Hollywood’s leading actor, to working under a misogynistic exec, to her chemistry with her co-star-turned-husband on TV, Margot and Leo fall down a memory lane of their own. Margot is inspired by Vivian’s tenacity and courage to keep fighting for the life she wants, but everything changes when Vivian reveals a secret from her past in this moving exploration of how it’s never too late to start over. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

The One and Only Vivian Stone focused on two different eras of time; the 1950s, when women struggled to make their voices heard within a male-dominated world, and the present time, where women have come a long way but it still feels as though there is a long way to go–especially in this current climate. Vivian reminded me of a combination of Maureen O’Hara and Lucille Ball, and it was interesting to get a more behind-the-scenes look at what life would have been like for up-and-coming female comedians putting their stamp on something that didn’t have many women involved.

The premise of Margot finding Vivian’s tapes was an interesting one, and did well to tie Margot and Vivian together. The question that plagues the reader for many chapters is: how do Vivian and Margot’s grandmother know each other? And, how did her grandmother end up with Vivian’s tapes? Told with chapters that focus solely on the past and Vivian’s viewpoint, then Margot’s in the present, the truth behind it all slowly unfolds until the last moment, and I actually had no idea how it would turn out and what the answer would be.  

I liked the relationship between Margot and Leo. I also liked how tough Margot makes it, for Leo to get back into her good graces. She doesn’t make it easy, considering her past relationships, but I could still feel the connection between the two characters. Without Leo, Margot would have a difficult time discovering who Vivian is, so he becomes an integral part to the story. It’s a slow-burn romance, but it also feels like Margot doesn’t delineate from her original goal regarding Vivian, the story’s own special connection. 

I’d love to see The One and Only Vivian Stone turned into a movie! It’s suspenseful and engaging, providing an old-timey mid-century feel that also blended well with our present day experiences. It was a definite five-star experience!

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

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A Novel Beginning for Elise Wayland...plus a book giveaway

 

Photo by Dan McClanahan

We are excited to have Elise Wayland here today to talk about her debut novel, Rivals to Lovers. Elise's answers to our questions were a lot of fun and we hope you will enjoy reading them too. Rivals to Lovers sounds like an entertaining story and thanks to Crooked Lane Books, we have TWO copies to give away!

Elise Wayland is a Midwestern writer and humorist, recently published in The New York Times, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Scary Mommy, McSweeney's, and other outlets. 

Visit Elise online:
Website * Instagram * BlueSky * TikTok

Synopsis:

Mo Denton has been obsessed with the classic feminist novel The Proud and the Lost for as long as she can remember. When Mo puts everything she has into writing a modern adaptation of her all-time favorite book, her agent Yuri loves it—but can’t pitch it anywhere. The original author’s estate must approve any adaptation, and so far, it has never allowed one to go forward.

The agent who represents the estate—Wes Spencer—is also working on an updated version of the beloved story. Promoting Mo’s project would go against Wes’s own interests, and he’s reluctant to bring it to Estelle Morgan, the elderly daughter of the original novelist. But when Yuri contacts Estelle herself, Estelle invites Mo and Wes to her home for a weekend where they will pitch each book to her and let her decide whose book will be approved–and whose work will be destined for deletion. 

Soon, Mo and Wes realize that they have more in common than just their love of the original book. As they grow closer and wait for the estate’s decision, will the secrets Wes is keeping ruin the bond between them, or can they find their way to a happy ending? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Rivals to Lovers is a love letter to the power of the written word, and the passion that just the right book--and just the right person--can ignite within us. A love story about and for book lovers!”
—Jen Deluca, USA Today bestselling author of the Well Met series

“I adore books about books and this cozy, heartfelt story did not disappoint. This will-they-or-won't-they, rivals-to-lovers story was the perfect slow-burn romance, and a testament to the staying power of a great novel.”
—Lindsay Hameroff, author of Never Planned on You

“Rivals to Lovers is rivals to lovers perfection. Full of not only witty banter and delicious tension, but tender, swoonworthy moments, this is required reading for book lovers!”
—Katie Holt, author of Not in My Book

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
Publishing is so wild that we need a pitcher of margaritas, a quiet table, and three hours to talk about it.

How is Mo similar to or different from you?
Mo is a Midwestern girl (like me) who has had previous book projects fail to sell to editors (also me), but unlike me, she decided to move to New York to make her dreams come true. I love New York and have family there, but my partner is a settled Midwesterner and we’ve made our home here. The artistic life can look all kinds of ways, and it was fun writing Mo’s version of it. One other major difference: while Mo and I both love cheese and ice cream, I’m lactose intolerant so some of the dairy consumption in the book is wish fulfillment.  

If Rivals to Lovers was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I love this question. For me, Wes is a total Jonathan Bailey character. When Wicked came out and I saw his portrayal of Fiyero as this dashing, very sexual nepo baby with hidden depths--- yeah, that’s like Wes. Plus, he’s only 5’11, which is about Wes’s height. I love a good 6’5” hero, but Wes isn’t that. I could see Jennifer Lawrence as Mo. She’s funny and forthright and not going to take no for an answer. 

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?

I’m late to the game, but I finally saw the new Superman this past weekend and it defied my expectations (and I’m obsessed with the new Superman’s dimples). Before that, I’ve been on a classic movie kick, especially the comedies. Recently, I’ve loved Singin' in the Rain and Bringing Up Baby.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 

I would say Kristen Bell, because I think about The Good Place almost constantly in the year 2025. 

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
The Iowa State Fair is going on right now! I would take you to see the butter cow (which is, yes, a cow sculpted entirely out of butter, and yes, they re-use the butter for years and years). In the same building at the fair, they always have hard-boiled-eggs on a stick, which I mistook for a cake pop the first year I went. We’d get cheese curds and I would regret them later. I’d show you around the show barns and take a picture in front of the Big Bull, who is over 3,000 pounds. After we left the fair, I’d take you to some of the fabulous indie bookstores in Iowa. We are a very book-ish state. 

Thanks to Elise for visiting with us and Crooked Lane 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. 

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Giveaway ends August 24th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Rock Star

By Sara Steven

He’s a rock star with stage fright. She’s a therapist with a dangerous secret…Sebastian Roe was shot onstage during a concert five years ago, sending him into a creative tailspin and leaving him with a deep fear of performing. But his love of music is too strong to keep him off a stage forever, despite the fact the police never caught the gunman. He just needs a little help getting back in front of an audience, and figures announcing a U.S. tour will force him back onstage. Unfortunately, it's bringing up his worst nightmare and puts his sold-out comeback tour in jeopardy. 

Mia Merrill was in the audience the night of Sebastian’s fateful concert. She loves his music and wants to help him overcome his PTSD and get him back onstage, but there’s another reason she’s determined to become his therapist. She’s the reason he was shot. Driven by guilt and a need to atone, Mia takes Sebastian on as a patient. Romantic sparks fly between the two during their therapy sessions, but no sooner do they start to make progress on Sebastian’s stage fright than the gunman announces he’s back to finish the job. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

Rock Star is such a fun read! The subject matter may be serious, but the connection between Sebastian (“Bash”) and Mia really helped to give some levity to the seriousness surrounding Bash’s attempted assassination. The “good girl” therapist and “bad boy” rock star was a really nice juxtaposition, and both characters need to learn to come out of their shell more, for different reasons. Bash is terrified that what happened five years ago could happen again, while Mia lives within particular rules and guidelines she’s set for herself, often using her profession as a means of protection from getting too close to Bash. What happened to Bash also had a huge effect on her too. Trust hasn’t been easy.

The PTSD angle was portrayed well. Mia attempts to give Bash tools to help him to find ways around his anxiety, and the experiences he has while he works through it felt real. There are no easy paths to healing. There were some obvious setbacks and fears while he finds his footing to get back out onto the stage, and while on that journey he dives deeper into who he really is as a person and more importantly, who matters most to him. He may not know Mia well, but she can see him for who he really is, stripping the rock star persona until the person who is left is the man Bash ultimately wants to be.

Of course, what kind of rock star story would this be without some steam between the primary characters? There was a lot of “will they, won’t they” build up, because Mia doesn’t want to cross lines with her client, and Bash doesn’t want the help of a “shrink.” But Bash had been Mia’s musician crush for years, and Mia wants the man behind the persona, so it is inevitable that there could be more to this than either of them could have ever bargained for. 

I had some inkling on what would happen when the truth is revealed, and more importantly, the truth behind the shooting. It wasn’t until towards the end of the book that it really dawned on me that what I thought might be a possibility really is the answer, and I wondered how it would end and whether Bash would be safe. It was a crazy, fast-paced adventure and I was there for it! It was a definite five-star experience!   

Thanks to Author Marketing Experts for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Leigh Court:
Rock Solid
Rock Steady
Rock On

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Book Review: The Break-In

By Jami Denison

Would you kill to protect your children? Almost every parent would answer yes. In thriller movies and TV shows where a child is in jeopardy, the climax usually happens as the parent rescues the child and kills the kidnapper. And the audience applauds as the credits roll.

But what happens afterward? What does killing someone—no matter how justified—do to a person’s soul?

In The Break-In, Katherine Faulkner’s thoughtful, propulsive follow-up to The Other Mothers (reviewed here), Alice is defending her home, her child, and her friends from a deranged man who broke into her house, and ends up killing him. But although she’s quickly absolved of a crime, Alice is burdened by the weight of taking a life. Who was this young man, and how did he end up in her home? Alice finds herself befriending her victim’s mother, who pretends not to know who she is. As Alice gets more involved in the life of her victim, his mother, and his twin sister, she starts to realize that the break-in wasn’t as random as it seemed.

Faulkner is an amazing writer, and the depth of her prose takes a story that could easily have been a shallow twist-o-rama with a predictable ending and creates a meaningful look at issues around class, privilege, sexism, and who counts in society. Living in a million-dollar home in a gentrified part of London, Alice is dismayed by her portrayal in press accounts of the break-in and killing. As she investigates what actually happened, she is forced to confront her own ignorance and culpability in the world around her and in her circle. 

Is the ending predictable? Yes… most readers of domestic suspense know the organizing question of the book, and who the villain will turn out to be. But as Faulkner excavates the layers to her story, she lays bare exactly how privilege allows wealthy white men to be excused for incompetence, victimize women, and continue to receive accolades unless and until someone more powerful than he is calls him out. The Break-In is much more than a why-done-it, it’s an indictment of an entire class of people-- as such, it will be a hard read for those who benefit from the current structure of society.

With her third book, Katherine Faulkner establishes herself as one of the most thoughtful, insightful, and perceptive authors working on class and sexism issues in the mystery and crime genre. Her commentary may be cloaked in fiction, but the truth of her words transcends her stories. While Faulkner is a British writer who sets her books in London, anyone wondering how Epstein got away with it for so long—and how so many are still getting away with it—will see answers here. 

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

Also by Katherine Faulkner: Greenwich Park

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