The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi

An antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress embark on a revelatory friendship in a haunting and hopeful novel about family ties, secrets, and belonging.

 
Cautious Claire Shelton, employee at a Maine antique shop, is surprised when she’s recruited to catalog the treasures of reclusive Hanna Reeves, sole descendant of the state’s most colorful shipbuilders and industrialists. Hanna’s retreat from society years ago is just one of many mysteries behind the walls of Rose Hill, her fabled estate.

Settling into Rose Hill’s carriage house, Claire finds Hanna, nearing eighty, to be a still-formidable woman. She’s demanding, judgmental, and protective of a mansion that is a veritable shrine to her ancestors. Then, diving into her work, Claire discovers a hidden library that is the stuff of legend among locals. An avid booklover, Claire is in heaven. More enthralling are Hanna’s leather-bound family journals that open Claire up to the past—and soon forge a rich and unexpected bond between two very different women.

A legacy is coming to light. All of Maine is talking. Because the revelations in the journals are enlightening enough to unite old friends, lovers, and families. And shocking enough to tear them apart forever.

Kindle Edition, 287 pages

Published June 24, 2025

 by Lake Union Publishing

3.5/5 stars

There's something enticing about stories set in old houses full of forgotten books and family mysteries,  The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves delivers that charm with a few fresh twists.

Set in the 1970s on the coast of Maine, which was easy to visualize, follows Claire Shelton. An antiques dealer who is hired to catalog the dusty belongings of the reclusive Hanna Reeves. What starts as a job turns into something more layered, especially as Claire uncovers a series of hidden journals and searches for a secret library tucked away within the estate.

There is a connection that slowly forms between Claire and Hanna, though each are guarded in different ways as they carrying weight from the past. Some pacing issues and a few underdeveloped side characters kept me from fully sinking in at times. But even with a few slow spots, there was something warm and quietly compelling about this story.

If you're in the mood for a gentle mystery wrapped in vintage charm and bookish nostalgia, this is worth picking up. The cover in gorgeous and I will be looking into the authors backlist.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the what is the true meaning of home?

Kindle Edition, 367 pages

Published June 17, 2025

 by Berkley

3.5/5 stars

As a big Wizard of Oz fan I was excited to get an early read of Before Dorothy. The idea of exploring Aunt Em and Uncle Henry’s lives and how Dorothy ended up with them sounded intriguing, this felt like a fresh angle on a familiar story.

The book moves between Chicago in 1924 and Kansas in 1932, which gave a really clear sense of the contrast between bustling city life and the tough, gritty reality of prairie living during the Dust Bowl. It’s definitely a slower-paced read, but it shines in the way it builds Emily’s character, her relationships, her strength, and the heartbreak she endures. You can really feel the weight of the time period.

While it wasn’t the most fast-moving plot, I appreciated the emotional depth and the way it quietly asked big questions about family, resilience, and what 'home' really means. As a fan of Oz, the subtle nods to the original story were a lovely touch.

Overall I liked it. It didn’t blow me away, but it added a thoughtful layer to the Oz universe and gave some heart to characters we only see in the background.

My thanks to Berkley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review. 

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.

By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.

Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication April 22, 2025 

by Harper Muse

4.5/5 stars

This was my first time reading a Marie Boswick book, I was drawn to it by the time period and bookish title.

Set in the early 1960s three women Margaret, Viv and Bitsy invite their new neighbour Charlotte to their newly formed book club.  Charlotte will only come if the book is the newly released  The Feminist Mystique, which sets off a lot of discussion, soul searching and drama in this Virginia community.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the woman were relatable on one hand, and I felt their injustice and lack of opportunities as frustrating as they did. It was a well written story about four women with different personalities, goals and way of life. There was a lot of historical events that took place making it all the more authentic. It also gave a glimmer of hope for future women.

Don’t let the title fool you into thinking this is a typical book club, it is far from. It is a story of the power of female friendships that is heartwarming as they navigate life.

My thanks to Harper Muse (US) for a print arc in exchange for a honest review.

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner

Two pairs of siblings, devotees of Jane Austen, find their lives transformed by a visit to England and Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother and keeper of a long-suppressed, secret legacy.

In Boston, 1865, Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, have accomplished as much as women are allowed in those days. Chafing against those restrictions and inspired by the works of Jane Austen, they start a secret correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, her last surviving brother, now in his nineties. He sends them an original letter from his sister and invites them to come visit him in England.

In Philadelphia, Nicholas & Haslett Nelson—bachelor brothers, veterans of the recent Civil War, and rare book dealers—are also in correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, who lures them, too, to England, with the promise of a never-before-seen, rare Austen artifact to be evaluated.

The Stevenson sisters sneak away without a chaperone to sail to England. On their ship are the Nelson brothers, writer Louisa May Alcott, Sara-Beth Gleason—wealthy daughter of a Pennsylvania state senator with her eye on the Nelsons—and, a would-be last-minute chaperone to the Stevenson sisters, Justice Thomas Nash.

It's a voyage and trip that will dramatically change each of their lives in ways that are unforeseen, with the transformative spirit of the love of literature and that of Jane Austen herself.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Audiobook, 11 hours, 12 minutes

Expected publication May 6, 2025

 by St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio

3.5/5 stars

This is my first time reading a Natalie Jenner book, even though I do have her previous ones in my TBR.  Austen at Sea releases next month and I was given both the Kindle edition and the audiobook for review.

Taking place in 1865 from a couple different view points. There are the sisters who are two women ahead of their time. They have a on going correspondence with Sir Frances Austen, who just happens to be the brother of Jane Austen. Another is from the Nelson brothers, bookstore owners who also just happen to have a correspondence with Sir Austen. These four meet on a ship bound for England, along with familiar faces in history.

I will confess that I have not read much Jane Austen, actually Pride and Prejudice is my only one, though I am intrigued after reading this book. Austen at Sea is an interesting read, and I much preferred the e-book versus the audio. I found the voices in the audio just a bit distracting.

Austen at Sea is a story of relationships, women ahead of their time, and well, Jane Austen and her legacy. It was atmospheric as it reflected the time. How women were treated and the tension between England and America. I am intrigued enough to head over to my TBR and boost Natalie Jenner‘s books up closer to the top.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for advanced copies in exchange for a honest review

This Is Where It Ends by Cindy K. Sproles

When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just 14 years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her was filled with gold. And when he died 50 years later, he made her promise to keep his secret. She is to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contains.

Now 94, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she's kept that secret. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story. His friend who joins him only wants to find the location of the gold. Neither of them knows quite who they're up against when it comes to the old woman on the mountain.

As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. After all, how long is one bound by a promise? But the truth of what's really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.

Audiobook, 10 hours, 2 minutes

Published June 27, 2023

 by Recorded Books

4/5 stars

An intriguing blurb and book club selection had me reading this one.  Fourteen year-old Minerva's life changes drastically as she marries and moves to the mountains.  Her new husband carries a small box the whole time making her to believe that it is filled with gold.  Hidden away  he swears her to promise never to reveal its contains, which he reminds her of 50 years later as he takes his last breaths. Sounds enticing right?

Now 30 years after his passing, Minerva has stayed up in the mountain by herself.  With vivid descriptions I got a good lay of the land and how it would be isolated from human contact.  But then one day she gets a visitor and things changes.

This was a very intriguing read as pieces of her husband‘s past come to light. There were many layers to this story, not just the mystery of the box but also Minerva's transformation as she finally understands the meaning of a true friendship. 

I read this as part of our church book club and went the audiobook route. The narrator was Barbara McCulloh, who did a great job bringing this story to life.

My audio was obtained through hoopla via my public library.

Hold Strong by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz & Chris Crabtree

From Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree comes an epic and inspiring novel—based on true events—about love, heroism, and resilience during the darkest chapters of World War II.

Sam Carlson is a projectionist in small-town Minnesota, where fantasies unspool in glorious black and white—for him and for his sweetheart, college-bound math whiz Sarah Haber. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Sam is sent to the Philippines and captured as a POW. Brutalized but unbroken by the Bataan Death March and POW camps, Sam is one of 1,800 starved and weakened prisoners herded into the cargo hold of a barbaric hell ship called the Arisan Maru, his survival doubtful.

Determined to use her math skills on the home front, Sarah is recruited to Washington, DC, into the covert field of code breaking. When Sarah intercepts a message about a Japanese convoy, the US Navy’s mission is sink the Arisan Maru and send it to the bottom of the South China Sea. Now, the lives of the two young lovers are about to inadvertently collide in one of the most shocking acts of World War II.

Anchored in an extraordinary true story and breathlessly recreated, Hold Strong is a one-of-a-kind novel that explores faith, courage, survival, and coming home against insurmountable odds.

Kindle Edition, 543 pages

Expected publication January 28, 2025

 by Lake Union Publishing

4.5/5 stars

Coming out in January Robert Dugoni has a new book that is also written by Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree, authors I am unfamiliar with. A departure from his usual courtroom drama books that I have read in the past Hold Strong takes place before, during and after the war.

Beginning in a small town in Minnesota, high school sweethearts, Sam and Sarah's lives changes when Sam enlists and Sarah goes off to college. What follows is a gritty story, especially for Sam as a Japanese POW.   I already knew that that is almost a death sentence and for some that survived wish that it had been. It is vivid, descriptive and heartbreaking, to the point that I put the book down for a few days.

For Sarah back home she is getting involved in the war effort herself.

This was a well written story that was rich in history to the point that the author notes were very descriptive in telling where they got their information to make this a story as authentic as possible. Hold Strong is a story of perseverance, survival and heartache.  I loved the conclusion, it just felt authentic.

Hold Strong is still a story I think about a month have finishing, it emotional and gripping.  You can find it on shelves the end of January.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

It's never too late for new beginnings.

On the cusp of turning eighty, newly retired pharmacist Augusta Stern is adrift. When she relocates to Rallentando Springs—an active senior community in southern Florida—she unexpectedly crosses paths with Irving Rivkin, the delivery boy from her father’s old pharmacy—and the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.

As a teenager growing up in 1920’s Brooklyn, Augusta’s role model was her father, Solomon Stern, the trusted owner of the local pharmacy and the neighborhood expert on every ailment. But when Augusta’s mother dies and Great Aunt Esther moves in, Augusta can’t help but be drawn to Esther’s curious methods. As a healer herself, Esther offers Solomon’s customers her own advice—unconventional remedies ranging from homemade chicken soup to a mysterious array of powders and potions.

As Augusta prepares for pharmacy college, she is torn between loyalty to her father and fascination with her great aunt, all while navigating a budding but complicated relationship with Irving. Desperate for clarity, she impulsively uses Esther’s most potent elixir with disastrous consequences. Disillusioned and alone, Augusta vows to reject Esther’s enchantments forever.

Sixty years later, confronted with Irving, Augusta is still haunted by the mistakes of her past. What happened all those years ago and how did her plan go so spectacularly wrong? Did Irving ever truly love her or was he simply playing a part? And can Augusta reclaim the magic of her youth before it’s too late?

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Expected publication October 8, 2024

 by St. Martin's Pres

3.5/5 stars

This was a second chance story that spanned 60 years which centered around a feisty 80 year-old woman, Augusta Stern.

Told in dual times from the point of view of both Augusta and Irving, her friend and co-worker. Beginning in the 1920s when they were teens and spanning to current day. The start of this book was great, there was the mystery of Augusta, why she was hiding her age and ultimately her move to a retirement home in Florida. It was intriguing as to what took place with her great aunt Esther and Irving.

I love the author’s previous two books and whether my expectations were elevated with this one I found it had a slower pace and at times it dragged, especially in the middle. The ending was good, I appreciated the closure and what transpired all those years ago. I loved great aunt Esther and felt her character really gave the story some spark as well as her friend Shirley. But as for the main characters, I couldn’t really connect with them.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern is a story of secrets, friendship and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. Look for it on book shelves Oct 8th.

My thanks to St. Martin Press for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

A haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, D.C. boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.

Washington, D.C., 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital, where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; police officer’s daughter Nora, who is entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Bea, whose career has ended along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.

Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears apart the house, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: Who is the true enemy in their midst?

Paperback, 432 pages

First published July 9, 2024

by William Morrow

3.5/5 stars

Kate Quinn‘s new book is a departure to her usual writing style. Taking place in 1950 Washington DC is the story of a boarding house and its occupants. With extremely long chapters, each one reads like a short story until everything comes together in the last quarter of the book

I found the first 50/60 pages a little bit hard to get into but then once I caught on to what Quinn was doing, it wasn’t hard to be captivated. The prologue from the point of the view of the house was such a unique perspective, knowing what transpired did keep me wondering what happened and who was all involved.  

The Briar Club is a story of friendship and secrets.  Quinn touched on a number of issues relevant today - depression, women's role in the home and control of their own bodies...and more.  Known for her spot on research and knowledge of the times showed up here. A character driven story that revolved around real historical events and characters that came together in a unexpected way that highlighted the importance of friendship and loyalty.  

The author notes at the end were wonderful and I love how Quinn talked about motivation, history and brought unknown pieces of history to light. A nice way to finish off the story

This book was part of my 2024 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge

PS - get the print copy, lots of yummy looking recipes

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

When his father returns East to collect the rest of the family, 13-year-old Matt is left alone to guard his family's newly built homestead. 

One day, Matt is brutally stung when he robs a bee tree for honey. He returns to consciousness to discover that his many stings have been treated by an old Native American and his grandson. Matt offers his only book as thanks, but the old man instead asks Matt to teach his grandson Attean to read. Both boys are suspicious, but Attean comes each day for his lesson. In the mornings, Matt tries to entice Attean with tales from Robinson Crusoe, while in the afternoons, Attean teaches Matt about wilderness survival and Native American culture. 

The boys become friends in spite of themselves, and their inevitable parting is a moving tribute to the ability of shared experience to overcome prejudice.

Paperback, 144 pages

Published May 1, 1993

 by Yearling

4/5 stars

This middle grade book was an audio read, coming in around the 3 hour mark and perfect for a road trip.

Told from the POV of 13 year old Matt, alone on the family homestead while his dad goes to bring his mom and sister home. This was more than an adventure story but rather an exploration of Native culture and friendship taking place before the American Revolution.

The original plan was that Matt‘s father would be gone for seven weeks and those seven weeks turn into many months. Even though he is only 13 years old, he is prepared and knows what to do. However, there are obstacles in his way in terms of man, animal and the unknown.

This was a fun read by talented author who knows her history and a great book not just for middle-aged readers but older ones as well.  It's a story of friendship, bravery and history.

I obtain the audiobook via cloudLibrary, but I also have a print on my shelf

The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang

From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.

San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace.

His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice.

Paperback, 384 pages

Published February 13, 2024

 by William Morrow Paperbacks

3.5/5 stars

I am a huge fan of Kate Quinn, she’s an auto read for me. Janie Chang is relatively new to me.

The Phoenix Crown takes place before, during and after the great San Francisco earthquake. It is the story of 4 women connected through a man named Henry Thorton. He is in possession of the legendary Phoenix Crown. While this Crown plays a minor role it is the link that binds them together.

Not only does The Phoenix Crown give an authentic telling of what happened not just involving the earthquake but of the life style (i.e. the opera society, botany just to name a few things).  It is a story with many layers. There is the bond that connects these women towards a mutual goal, they have a unique friendship and have each other’s backs.

An entertaining and enlightening read.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton

As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.

With the Great War finally behind them, thousands of civilians and business moguls alike flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.

Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Expected publication April 9, 2024

by Berkley

4/5 stars

The House in Biscayne Bay is a dual time-period story which begins in 1918.  The construction of Marbrisa was a gift to Anna, a time of healing after the Great War. Jumping to 1940 there is yet again tragedy. Marbrisa is more than a house, but a mansion set to impress the locals.

I have read a number of books by this author that usually have a Cuba setting while there is history in Cuba the setting is Miami Beach with it tropical landscape and lifestyle of the well-to-do.

This was enjoyable read as one time period connects to the other. I was captivated with the mystery and what connected these two places.  The Gothic feel from both era's was felt with the sinister house and its secrets.  While I anticipated the ending it was an entertaining read.

My thanks to Berkley (via NetGalley) for a digital arc exchange for a honest review

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray

She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic new novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.

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

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

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

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

Kindle Edition, 544 pages

Expected publication March 12, 2024 

by Berkley

4.5/5 stars

Stephanie Dray is one author that I have managed to stay current with, from her earlier books about Cleopatra‘s daughter to strong women in US history, she has kept me entertained and educated. Francis Perkins is not someone I am familiar with so I went in somewhat blind and was pleasantly intrigued and captivated with this remarkable woman.

Spanning most of Perkins life she is portrayed as a force to be reckoned with.  Her drive, compassion and determination for change is well written in this epic sized book. Dray's passion and researched is evident in a story about a woman in politics is something unheard of in that time period.

Becoming Madame Secretary is a story of relationships, that between Perkins and FDR, her husband and daughter, her friend Mary and her country. The author notes were detailed, welcomed and finished this book off nicely.

My thanks to Berkley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

From the New York Times bestselling author of I Was Anastasia and Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published December 5, 2023

 by Doubleday

4.5/5 stars

The Frozen River was my final read of 2023. Ariel Lawhon is one of my go to authors because of her unique storylines and how she takes pieces of history weaving together an authentic story.

Beginning in 1789 The Frozen River is the story of Martha Ballard and told from her point of view. While there is drama playing out with the murder of a man once accused of rape, this is ultimately Martha’s story. Taking place over the winter months this captivating read was atmospheric as the author described the elements, the treatment/violence and inequality against women. Martha was a woman ahead of her time. There were many interesting characters, and as Martha went back in time with her memories it wasn't hard to really get to know her and the family.

I loved the extensive author notes at the end where the author reflected on what was fact verse fiction and her motivation to tell Martha's story.

There were parts that felt a bit slow and drawn out but ultimately this was a great book to end the year with.

The Frozen River is a story of family, compassion, injustice, and righting wrongs.

This book was part of my 2023 reading off my shelf challenge.

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright

Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy's brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta's younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her uncover the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must put the threat of the phantoms to rest.

Decades later, Kit Boyd's best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. When television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher engages Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater's history, Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of also finding out what happened to her friend. As the theater's curse begins to unravel Kit's own life, she sets out not only to save the historical building and her friend, but to end the pattern of evil that has marked their hometown for a century.

In this atmospheric dual-time tale, two women--separated by a century yet bound by the ghosts of the past--pursue light in the face of darkness.

Paperback, 352 pages

Published October 10, 2023 

by Bethany House Publishers

4/5 stars

Jaime Jo Wright is one of my go to authors (yea I know I do have a lot of them).  Known for dual time period stories loosely based on history she has once again delivered a mysterious suspenseful read.

Beginning in 1915 with strange happenings taking place in the Barlowe Theater and ultimately the disappearance of 3 boys.  Fast forward to present day where it feels like history is repeating itself.

This book had everything I love, the gothic vibe, authentic characters and a well written multi layered story.  Known for including themes relevant to most Wright always delivers a strong message in her books.

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater is a story of family, friendships and trust.  It is Christian fiction at it's finest.

My thanks to Graf-Martin Communication for a print copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

The missing. The forgotten. The brave… The women.

From master storyteller Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds, comes the story of a turbulent, transformative era in America: the 1960s. The Women is that rarest of novels—at once an intimate portrait of a woman coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided by war and broken by politics, of a generation both fueled by dreams and lost on the battlefield.

“Women can be heroes, too.”

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different choice for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on the story of all women who put themselves in harm’s way to help others. Women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has all too often been forgotten. A novel of searing insight and lyric beauty, The Women is a profoundly emotional, richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose extraordinary idealism and courage under fire define a generation.

Kindle Edition, 480 pages

Expected publication February 6, 2024

 by St. Martin's Press

5/5 stars

My love for Kristin Hannah's writing is what made me read The Women, Vietnam is not a place I visit in my HF reading. I am very glad I read this book, it was an eye-opener to say the least.

Frankie is a naïve 20-year-old raised with privilege, an impulsive decision sent her to nursing school and then she enlisted in the army. The author didn’t hold back on what transpired in the war, from the brutal conditions, the violence as well as the friendships that develop.

I was very thankful that the publisher gave me a digital arc along with the audio book. I found myself listening to the audio following along on my Kindle - it wasn't the type of story that I multitasked with but sat and absorbed it. The story was compelling and gripping.

I'll confess that there were times I have visions of Mash (the tv series) in my brain, but with more primitive conditions. It’s after Frankie comes home that the story becomes more heartbreaking and emotional. It’s during a time when PTSD was not really a thing and the fact that nurses were not considered Vietnam vets, making any type of help unavailable to her.

I’m also thankful also that my copy included the author notes with the authors inspiration, her numerous sources, and her strong desire to get this story out.

The Women is a well written strong historical story, it is a story of friendship, heartache and family along with addiction and longing. I think Kristin Hannah’s best book to date. One that will stay with me for a long while.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies.  The Women releases on Feb 6, 2024.

By the Light of Fireflies by Jenni L. Walsh

Sybil Ludington believes in the legend of fireflies—they appear when you need them most. But it's not until her family is thrust into the dangers of the Revolutionary War, and into George Washington's spy ring, that Sybil experiences firefly magic for herself—guiding her through the darkness, empowering her to figure out who she's supposed to be and how strong she really is—as she delivers her imperative message and warns against a British attack.

BY THE LIGHT OF FIREFLIES is the captivating tale of a young girl's journey as a daughter, a sister, a friend, a spy, and eventually a war hero, completing a midnight ride that cements her place in history as the "female Paul Revere."

Hardcover, 188 pages

Published November 2, 2021 

by Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing

4/5 stars

Jenni L. Walsh has returned again with another middle grade  historical fiction story. I love it when authors take little known historical tidbits and showcases them. Those heroes of the past that did not get the recognition they deserved.

This is a story about Sybil Ludington and her midnight horse ride to warn of impending attacks from loyalist upon her family.

This was a fun read, as it not only told the story of life on a farm, but the time period as well and the dangers that were a foot during the revolutionary war. I love the inclusion of fireflies and that cover!

This would make a great addition in classrooms to learn of a forgotten hero that did a very heroic deed.

This book was part of my 2023 reading off my shelf challenge

Molly's Letter by Jennifer Donnelly

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Donnelly returns to the unforgettable world of her beloved first novel, The Tea Rose . 

It’s the summer of 1891, New York City, in the early days of Fiona Finnegan’s marriage to Nicholas Soames. Though their marriage is an unconventional one and the wounds of the past are not fully healed, the two best friends are happy together, consumed with chasing their dreams and building a better life for themselves and their loved ones. 

When Fiona senses a quiet love blossoming between her widowed uncle, Michael Finnegan, and his neighbor, Mary Munro, she’s thrilled and hopes that Michael will soon propose to Mary. 

But one night, at a family supper, a surprise announcement tears these hopes asunder. 

Will Mary be lost to a determined suitor? Or will Fiona and Nick find a way to unite two souls who belong together but are held apart by grief, pride, and too many words left unspoken?

 Molly’s Letter is a love letter to family, friends, and the bonds that outlast loss, pain, and sometimes, even life itself. 

Molly’s Letter is the first in a series of novella-length stories written straight from the heart by Jennifer Donnelly for readers of her Tea Rose saga. Each one is inspired by – and set within – the epic world of The Tea Rose , The Winter Rose, and The Wild Rose .

Paperback, 128 pages

Published September 23, 2023

 by Wild Rumpus, LLC

4/5 stars

I started reading Jennifer Donnelly with her YA books and progressed to The Tea Rose Saga. All the books that I’ve read are historical and some of my favorites

Molly's Letter is set in the world of The Tea Rose saga, taking place in 1891. Molly is the recently departed wife of Fiona‘s uncle Michael, she leaves behind a young daughter also. This is a story of family and friends, love and loss, and new beginning. It’s a story of the past reaching through grief and heartache to give one’s heart another chance.

Well this was a quick read, coming in at 119 pages, it packs a punch and has me yearning to get back and possibly do a reread of Fiona’s story.

This is the first book in a series of novella for readers of the saga, I can’t wait to see what comes next.

My thanks to the author, Jennifer Donnelly, for gifting me with a copy of this book, my opinions are entirely my own.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

Paperback, 352 pages

Published April 30, 2020

 by Bloomsbury Publishing

3/5 stars

Part of my Dec 2019 SweetReadsBox, I am finally doing some serious reading off my shelf this year.  I have only read Ann Patchett once before with State of Wonder (I recommend it).

That being said, I did find this read and Tom Lake very conducive for an audio read.

Spanning many years in the life of Danny, it is through his voice that most of this story it told. Danny is a young boy when his mother leaves, it is this event that frames his life and then with the sudden passing of his father yet again, leaves it mark.

Danny and his sister Maeve have a very close relationship, there is a bond that ties them together that only siblings who are abandoned, truly understand.

I did a hybrid read with the majority of my time was through the audio with Tom Hanks being the narrator. One can’t go wrong listening to Tom Hanks. The Dutch House is a thought-provoking story of family. There were some twists that I didn’t anticipate. Very much a telling story of two siblings that might have been a tad too long.

Although this is not one of my favorite Ann Patchett books, it was still an entertaining read.  I did read her most recent release, Tom Lake which I hope to review next week.

This book was part of my 2023 reading off my shelf challenge.

A Soldier's Secret: The Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss

Historical fiction at its best, this novel by bestselling author Marissa Moss tells the story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who masqueraded as a man named Frank Thompson during the Civil War.

 Her adventures include serving as a nurse on the battlefield and spying for the Union Army, and being captured by (and escaping from) the Confederates. The novel is narrated by Sarah, offering readers an in-depth look not only at the Civil War but also at her journey to self-discovery as she grapples with living a lie and falling in love with one of her fellow soldiers.

Using historical materials to build the foundation of the story, Moss has crafted a captivating novel for the YA audience. The book includes a Civil War timeline, archival photos, a glossary of names, a detailed note on sources, and a new readers guide.

Kindle Edition, 408 pages

Published September 15, 2012

 by Amulet Books

3/5 stars

A Soldier's Secret is a kindle book buried in the pages of my kindle.  I thought it would be a quick read but alas 408 pages is not a quick read for me.  To be honest, I am always skeptical of stories of females impersonating males, especially in a war setting. The funny thing is that I pretty well went into this read blind.  The cover pretty much told me it would be a Civil War story.

Sarah begins her life in a rural setting in eastern Canada. She embarks on a journey that turns her into not just a soldier but a spy as well.  The story started out strong with her family and what lend her to leave them behind.  It is an interest journey, the places she went to and the people she met.  

There were some great author note's, especially as the author explained what was fact and I must say she did stay true to history.  I would have loved more time spend on the spying part verses being in Sarah's head for her internal dialogue, which was rather repetitive at times.

All in all an interesting story about an unknown heroine in US history.

Cover Reveal:

“I’m thrilled to share the cover of Stephanie Dray’s super anticipated new novel BECOMING MADAM SECRETARY, which goes on sale March 2024, tracing the life of one of America’s unsung heroes: Frances Perkins.”

 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and richly dramatic novel about American heroine Frances Perkins, who pulled the nation out of the Great Depression.

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

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

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

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