Book Review: The Last Night in London

By Jami Denison

Stories that weave a protagonist in World War II Europe with a modern-day heroine have become so popular that authors not known for this genre are jumping on the train. Southern fiction writer Karen White (I reviewed The Night The Lights Went Out in 2017 and Dreams of Falling in 2018. Links are to reviews.) is the latest to dip her toe into these popular waters, taking one of her Southern characters and sending her into an exploration of the past. While the tone of The Last Night in London is a tad uneven, the book is a winner, in some places as moving and heartfelt as Ian McEwan’s Atonement. 

Georgia native Maddie Warner (a character from White’s Falling Home series) avoids her hometown and the pain of losing her grandmother and mother to breast cancer through her work as a globetrotting freelance journalist. When she discovers a distant relative, Precious DuBose, lives in London and worked for the French Resistance during World War II as a model, she proposes an article about fashion during the war. The project reunites her with her college friend Arabella and with Precious’s surrogate nephew, Colin, whom she rejected in college. But as Maddie gets closer to Precious, she starts to question her own attitude toward life. Does her history really mean she needs to hold people at arm’s length? 

The book alternates between Maddie’s first-person point-of-view in 2019, and the third-person point-of-view of Precious’s best friend and fellow model, Eva, in 1939 London. As the drums of war beat louder, Eva meets aristocratic Graham St. James, whose wealthy family would never approve of a laundry maid’s daughter like Eva. So she changes her name, reinvents her past, and she and Graham fall deeply in love, which strengthens her friendships with Precious and with Graham’s sister Sophia (Colin’s grandmother, deceased in the present-day timeline). But the wrong person discovers Eva’s lies, jeopardizing everything.

I loved The Last Night in London, even though I predicted every plot twist and revelation. Eva is an atypical World War II heroine—she has faults and weaknesses; she isn’t noble. But her drive to better her life and better herself is admirable, and she’s a very likeable character. Most WWII heroines are so brave and their missions so dangerous, I can’t identify with them. Eva is very human. 

My only quibble is that the tone was a little uneven. The novel literally and figuratively starts with a bang—a prologue in which a woman during the Blitz tries to get a baby to safety. In the first two chapters, we meet Maddie, Arabella, and Colin, and I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a rom com. I love rom coms, but after that hugely tense and emotional prologue, the banter in the first two chapters didn’t sit well with me. As I got deeper into the story, though, Maddie became less of a romcom heroine cliché, and the dialogue became more meaningful as well. Usually the present-day heroine can’t compete with the World War II protagonist in novels with this structure, but with Maddie actively investigating Precious and Eva’s past, the link between them was significant, and both protagonists were worth rooting for.  

While The Last Night in London is a good addition to the TBR pile of readers in this genre, fans of Atonement, Kate Morton’s The Secret Keeper, and Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life and A God in Ruins definitely shouldn’t miss it. 

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

More by Karen White:

Amy E. Reichert feeds our soul...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to have Amy E. Reichert back at CLC today, to celebrate the upcoming publication of her latest novel, The Kindred Spirits Supper Club (April 20th). Melissa recently enjoyed her previous novel, The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go, and is excited to check this one out soon. Thanks to Kathleen Carter Communications, we have TWO copies to give away!

Amy E. Reichert, author of THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE, LUCK, LOVE & LEMON PIE, THE SIMPLICITY OF CIDER, and THE OPTIMIST'S GUIDE TO LETTING GO, loves to write stories that end well with characters you’d invite to dinner. A wife, mom, amateur chef, Fix-It Mistress, a volunteer baby snuggler, and cider enthusiast, she earned her MA in English Literature and serves on her library’s board of directors. She's a member of Tall Poppy Writers. (Bio courtesy of Amy's website.)

Visit Amy online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:

Jobless and forced home to Wisconsin, journalist Sabrina Monroe can tolerate reunions with frenemies and kisses from old boyfriends, but not the literal ghosts that greet her in this heartwarming tale of the power of love and connection from acclaimed author Amy E. Reichert.

For Sabrina Monroe, moving back home to the Wisconsin Dells--the self-described Waterpark Capital of the World--means returning to the Monroe family curse: the women in her family can see spirits who come to them for help with unfinished business. But Sabrina's always redirected the needy spirits to her mom, who's much better suited for the job. The one exception has always been Molly, a bubbly rom-com loving ghost, who stuck by Sabrina's side all through her lonely childhood.

Her personal life starts looking up when Ray, the new local restaurateur, invites Sabrina to his supper club, where he flirts with her over his famous Brandy Old-Fashioneds. He's charming and handsome, but Sabrina tells herself she doesn't have time for romance--she needs to focus on finding a job. Except the longer she's in the Dells, the harder it is to resist her feelings for Ray. Who can turn down a cute guy with a fondness for rescue dogs and an obsession with perfecting his fried cheese curds recipe? 

When the Dells starts to feel like home for the first time and with Ray in her corner, Sabrina begins to realize that she can make a difference and help others wherever she is. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Amy E. Reichert has created a heart-squeezing love story, with a perfect sprinkling of mystery and magic. A deliciously sweet tale about ghosts, growing up, and going home.”
~Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read

"The Kindred Spirits Supper Club is such a sweet, fun read. It's warm, cozy and full of hometown charm - and there's a brilliantly quirky cast of ghosts, too!”
~Beth O’Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flatshare and The Switch

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
When a reader tells me that one of my books brought them comfort and helped them get through a difficult time. When I read, I like to be transported from the day-to-day, so when a reader says my books can do that, I can’t imagine higher praise.

How is Sabrina similar to or different from you?
Other than a fondness for Brandy Old-Fashioneds and Pink Squirrels, I’ve realized it’s crucial to surround myself with people who accept me for who I am and vice versus. Life is too short to pretend to be someone else. 

If The Kindred Spirits Supper Club was made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
Sabrina - Aidy Bryant - she can be awkward and funny and endearing. 
Ray - Henry Cavill with an American accent. His deep voice would be perfect for Ray.
Molly - a young Kristin Chenoweth or Reese Witherspoon would have the right amount of depth and perkiness!

What is the last book you read that you would recommend? 
I’m in the middle of Sarah Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series. If you like fantasy with a heavy dose of romance, it’s fantastic. Incredible world building and complicated characters—the perfect escapist read. 

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?
During the pandemic, I realized I was made for isolation. I loved the excuse to never leave the house, spend extra time with family, and do so many puzzles. 

What is your biggest pet peeve?
I hate when people throw cigarette butts out of car windows. There is a special place in hell for people who treat the world like their own personal ashtray.

Thanks to Amy for chatting with us and to Kathleen Carter Communications 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 April 21st at midnight EST.

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Good Sister

Today we are excited to feature Sally Hepworth's latest novel, The Good Sister, which published yesterday. Melissa has enjoyed all of Sally's novels and this one was really a standout for her. (See her review.) Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have one copy for a lucky reader!

Sally Hepworth, the author of The Mother-In-Law delivers a knock-out of a novel about the lies that bind two sisters in The Good Sister.

There's only been one time that Rose couldn't stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life....

Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be...dangerous.

When Rose discovers that she cannot get pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple.

Fern's mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of what families keep hidden

“Sally Hepworth writes characters you love.” 
―Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Big Little Lies

Credit: Mrs. Smart Photography

Sally Hepworth has lived around the world, spending extended periods in Singapore, the United Kingdom and Canada. She is the author of The Secrets of Midwives, The Things We Keep, The Mother's Promise, The Family Next Door, and The Mother-in-Law.

Visit Sally online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * 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 April 20th at midnight EST.

Spotlight and Giveaway: Second First Impressions

Today we are celebrating the publication of Sally Thorne's latest novel, Second First Impressions. Melissa's is reading it now and is excited to see what will happen. Thanks to William Morrow, we have two print copies for some lucky readers!

Position Vacant: Two ancient old women residing at Providence Retirement Villa seek male assistant for casual exploitation and good-natured humiliation. Duties include boutique shopping, fast-food fetching, and sincerely rendered flattery. Good looks a bonus—but we aren’t picky. 

An advertisement has been placed (again!) by the wealthy and eccentric Parloni Sisters. The salary is generous and the employers are 90 years old, so how hard could the job be? Well, none have lasted longer than a week. Most boys leave in tears. 

Ruthie Midona will work in Providence’s front office, and be at the Parlonis’ beck and call, forever. That’s sort of her life plan. If Ruthie can run the place in her almost-retired bosses’ absence, with no hijinks/hiccups, she has a shot at becoming the new manager. She might also be able to defend her safe little world from Prescott Development, the new buyer of the prime site. Maybe after all that, she can find a cute guy to date. All she needs to do is stay serious—and that’s what she does best. 

Until, one day, someone dazzling blows into town. 

Teddy Prescott devotes his life to sleeping, tattooing, and avoiding seriousness. When Teddy needs a place to crash, he makes a deal with his developer dad. Teddy can stay in one of Providence’s on-site maintenance cottages—right next door to an unimpressed Ruthie—but only if he works there and starts to grow up.

Ruthie knows how this sweetly selfish rich boy can earn his keep—and be out of her hair in under a week. After all, there is a position vacant…

“Second First Impressions is the warmest, coziest, sweetest book of the year, an absolutely perfect blend of humor and heart. I want to live inside Sally Thorne’s brain.”

— Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read

Photo by Katie Saarikko

Sally Thorne is the USA Today-bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine. She spends her days climbing into fictional worlds of her own creation. She lives in Canberra, Australia with her husband in a house filled with vintage toys, too many cushions, a haunted dollhouse and the world’s sweetest pug.

Visit Sally online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * 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 April 19th at midnight EST.

Tracie Banister is full of heart...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

I am so excited to have Tracie Banister back at CLC today. As soon as she said she had a new book in the works, I was so excited. I love Tracie's writing style and her books are so much fun. If you haven't read them yet, it's never too late to start! Tracie and I have a lot of TV show and movie interests in common, especially Younger (#TeamCharles for both of us), Schitt's Creek, Being Erica, and The Princess Bride. She has also been so supportive of CLC, ever since we featured her debut novel. 

Her latest novel, Straight from the Hart, published today and is only $1.99 for Kindle. Because I am such a fan of Tracie's writing, I would like to buy one lucky reader an e-book of their choice from Tracie's current offerings! 

An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her fourth grade class performed an original holiday play she penned. (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she also starred in and tried to direct the production.)

 

Tracie’s dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, she decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. She is the proud winner of the Independent Press Award (Romantic Comedy) and a Bronze Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Awards (Chick Lit).

Straight from the Hart is Tracie’s seventh novel and a full circle moment for her as the story took her back to Hollywood, which was the setting of her very first book, Blame It on the Fame. (Bio courtesy of Tracie's website.)

Visit Tracie online:

Website * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

Synopsis:

Romance isn’t dead. At least not as long as Vanessa Hart has anything to say about it.

Having founded her own romance concierge business, Vanessa helps the couples of Los Angeles keep the spark alive by planning unique and unforgettable experiences guaranteed to make them fall even deeper in love. But playing Cupid doesn’t leave this boss lady any time to lock down her own happily ever after, or so she claims.

Vanessa is secretly nursing a broken heart from her last serious relationship, which ended badly, like donate everything he left at her apartment to Goodwill and refuse to ever speak his name again badly. When Vanessa’s ex, celebrity publicist Alex Farr, reappears in her life with an intriguing business proposition, she’d like to tell him where to stuff it, but . . .

Straight from the Hart is under attack by an unscrupulous former employee and getting the endorsement of Alex’s A-list client would prove Vanessa’s the best romance concierge in town. All she has to do is save the marriage of “It Couple” Jax and Jaz, which is teetering on the edge of a fault line thanks to his drunken indiscretion with a co-star, and get the twosome back on the red carpet in time for Jax’s film premiere.

If only Vanessa didn’t have to work side-by-side with the man she once adored and now wants to throttle. Jax and Jaz might be soulmates who deserve a second chance, but there’s no going back for her and Alex. They are done. Over. Finished. Kaput. Vanessa just has to keep telling herself that until she believes it. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I am always really honored when people tell me that they reread my books. There is no higher compliment to me because a story has to really strike a chord with someone for them to want to revisit it multiple times!   

How is Vanessa similar to or different from you?
Vanessa is similar to me in that she’s very goal-oriented and a natural leader. We’re both Fire signs (I’m an Aries; she’s a Leo) so that makes us bossy! LOL Also she’s creative and gets to employ that skill on the job as I do with my writing.

The biggest difference between Vanessa and me is she’s a diehard romantic who goes into any situation or relationship bright-eyed, hopeful, and expecting the best, while I’m more of a realist and have a wait-and-see-how-this-pans-out-before-I-get-excited attitude.

If Straight from the Hart were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
I had someone in my mind as Alex Farr while writing this book, so he’s easy to cast. Canadian actor Chad Connell would be perfect as he’s blond, has an athletic physique, looks great in a suit, and is very charming. Your followers may know him from the Netflix film Good Sam or a cute RomCom he did with the Mowry twins called Double Wedding.

As for Vanessa, that’s tough because I always envision my heroines as their own unique selves. I think Morgan Kohan (another Canadian!) would be my choice to bring Vanessa to life because she has the coppery hair and fair skin, plus she’s tall and slender and has that poise with an underlying hint of vulnerability that the character does. Morgan’s always easy to relate to and root for on-screen, which would be important for anyone playing Vanessa.

What TV series are you currently binge watching?
I am working on Country Comfort, the Netflix sitcom starring Katharine McPhee and Eddie Cibrian right now. It’s cute—sort of a gender-swapped, countrified Who’s the Boss. I’ll need a new binge-watch soon, so I’m open to suggestions if anyone has them. I was thinking about checking out Arrested Development since I never saw that. 

What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?
I’m really good at doing jigsaw puzzles and they are a fantastic stress reliever! I hadn’t done a puzzle since I was a child and it’s been wonderful to rediscover this hobby. I really like that doing puzzles is not only very entertaining, it works a different part of my brain than writing does. I post my finished puzzles on social media and have a blast discussing them with other puzzle lovers.

Since you write about characters with unique jobs, what is a unique job you would be interested in trying out?
I would love to be a beauty product namer. You know, the person who comes up with all of the fun color names for lipsticks, nail polishes, etc. Naturally, that would require me to try out all the products as well, which would be a great perk because I love cosmetics!  

Thanks to Tracie for chatting with us today!

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 April 18th at midnight EST.

Guest Book Review: Broken (in the best possible way)

Introduction by Melissa Amster

A while back, my husband picked up a book that was sent to me and started reading it. He has been reading my books, as well as some others, ever since. However, he has yet to write a review for this blog. Tracey's husband Matt, on the other hand, not only got into two of Jenny Lawson's books, but he very enthusiastically wrote a review of her latest, Broken. I've hung out with Matt a handful of times since he and Tracey first got together (the long distance is a factor in this) and he's as delightful in person as his writing would lead you to believe. Tracey and I have this thing about the porch test from How I Met Your Mother and Matt definitely passes! I hope he will read more books from Tracey's collection so that we may see more reviews from him in the future. 

Review by Matt Meistrich

After having recently read Jenny Lawson’s earlier ‘memoir’ of her unusual childhood in rural Texas, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, I eagerly awaited the chance to read her more recent book, Broken (in the best possible way).  Let’s Pretend This Never Happened delved into her childhood, which was influenced by too many interactions with animals, dead and alive, due to her father’s fledgling taxidermy business. The experiences she recounts in that book are among the funniest you will ever hear. If you have not yet read  Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, please do so, as it will make you laugh like you have never laughed before and make you feel better about whatever childhood traumas you’re now dealing with as an adult. After reading it, you will never look at many species of animals or high school the same way again. This reviewer will attest that memories of being around people who were inspiration for the TV show ‘Jersey Shore’ pale in comparison to her stories of random interactions with animals or what it was like being involved in  high school ‘science project’  artificially inseminating barnyard animals. 

Broken is more focused on her somewhat equally dysfunctional adulthood (and marriage, which she claims hasn’t ended because both her and her husband are too lazy to pursue a divorce) and more importantly, her significant health problems.  Unfortunately, Jenny suffers at times from many maladies, including extreme, debilitating depression and Rheumatoid Arthritis, forcing her to deal with an array of issues and problems you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. 

The main subject here is her semi-experimental treatment with ‘transcranial magnetic stimulation’ to treat her depression. Jenny pulls no punches in describing the full effect, impact and degree of her frequently crippling bouts of depression, and the struggle to treat it. She elaborates on the difficulties dealing with insurance companies, their stinginess and how pursuing almost any avenue of treatment in our health care system became a nightmare. Since her intended treatment is still considered ‘experimental’, she faced unimaginable challenges to have it approved. She details literally every letter, email and other correspondence she had during this arduous process, which thankfully did eventually result in it being approved. Jenny also demonstrates a profound gratitude for being able to receive this (successful and beneficial) treatment due to her privileges and advantages in life. Despite her struggles, she nobly recognizes the struggles so many others face to receive similar, necessary treatments in a health care system that even before this pandemic created too much health care inequality. The title of Broken itself is derived from her belief that we are all ‘broken’ in our own unique way, and that is what defines and distinguishes us. After reading this surprisingly uplifting book about depression, you have to agree with her. 

This book was a marvelous, quick read, and it quickly becomes clear why Jenny Lawson has achieved so much fame and adulation for her work. It’s all completely well deserved

Thanks to Henry Holt for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Matt Meistrich is a New Jersey native, a graduate of Rutgers The State University of NJ, a construction estimator by trade. Since all of those characteristics might be a negative stereotype or redundancy about the Garden State, don't be surprised that he is also now a guest blogger/ reviewer for Chick Lit Central, and that he recently moved to the Chicago area. He also appreciates the diversion CLC's books provide from his regular reading list of construction blueprints and car and airplane magazines.

More by Jenny Lawson:

Book Review: Half the World Away

By Cindy Roesel

Abbie Potter is really good at her job, but it’s sucking the life out of her. In Rebecca Banks's debut novel, HALF THE WORLD AWAY, Abs is the head of marketing for a UK football team, what we call soccer here in the US, and things aren’t looking up. Her ex-husband of two years, who wouldn’t have a baby with her, has announced he’s having one with his new wife. And one of the bad boys of the team threatens her. What’s a girl to do? Get a new job across the pond in (drumroll, please) Salt Lake City, Utah. I was surprised too, but a story set in SLC felt kind of fresh!

Abbie arrives in “the crossroads of the west” and her PR attributes make the Utah Saints known to all of Utah. She’s considered a rock star, when she introduces a new half time show for the home games that increase attendance. You know there’s a guy involved, who’s one of the most delicious characters I’ve read in a long time. Of course, Abbie and Kyle have to have a falling out.

“It’s not you, it’s me…”

They eventually make up and we readers are happy. I challenge you not to fall in love with Kyle Miller. But problems arise when one of Abbie’s coworkers turns out to be nothing less than a psychopath and all kinds of baggage, she hasn’t taken care of surfaces.

HALF THE WORLD AWAY is about finding yourself and leaving behind feelings and circumstances that are weighing you down. It’s all about female friendships and how you are able to keep each other in check by being honest, laughing together, being angry and even crying tears together. I loved HALF THE WORLD AWAY and I hope you do, too.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK * Amazon US

Rebecca Banks owns a boutique public relations agency specializing in sports and entertainment, and has 20 years of experience in PR and events.

She is also a freelance journalist. For over a decade she has written features from celebrity interviews and human profile pieces to motoring and travel reviews. Half the World Away is her debut novel.

Visit Rebecca online:
Website * Twitter * Instagram

Visit all the stops on Rebecca's blog tour: