Ms. Drew reached out about her Minnesota Thrift Shop cozy mystery series. I had not read any of them before and it was so much fun and such a treat to have a protagonist who was more my age (on the other side of 50 ahem…). And her shop is called Once Upon A Find – love that!!
Here’s the scoop about her latest: Add a Pinch of Poison. Find out what happens when a recipe box is discovered in the thrift shop and it looks like a recipe for murder!
Thrift shop owner Maggie Doyle is delighted when her grandson Parker starts bringing Gianna, the lovely Italian exchange student (he definitely does not have a crush on), to spend afternoons at Once Upon a Find.
But when Gianna discovers a hand-painted recipe box marked Dal Vecchio Paese (From the Old Country), the cozy afternoons turn deadly. Inside are treasured Italian recipes… and chilling instructions for poison.
Scrawled in the margins are dates and a name: the witness whose testimony sent an innocent man to prison. When Thaddeus Reynolds died suddenly years later, was it natural—or was it murder?
I loved these characters and look forward to reading more. Thank you for sending me a copy to review! Readers, this is not a long read either, under 200 pages, which is perfect for a weekend afternoon relaxing and reading!
I’m adding a note from Nora herself as I like her overview of the book better:
I’m Nora Drew, lifelong thrifter and author. Through my stories, I bring readers into the world of small-town Minnesota, uncovering hidden secrets in ordinary objects. Thrift shop owner Maggie Doyle is delighted when her grandson Parker brings the lovely Italian exchange student (he definitely does not have a crush on) to spend afternoons at Once Upon a Find. When Gianna discovers a hand-painted recipe box, the cozy afternoons turn deadly. Inside are treasured Italian recipes… and chilling instructions for poison.
And here’s her author bit via Amazon:
Nora Drew is the author of the Thrift Shop Cozy Mysteries, inspired by her lifelong love of secondhand treasures and the stories hidden inside ordinary things. A devoted thrifter, she believes the best mysteries often arrive disguised as forgotten objects—waiting patiently on a shelf for someone curious enough to ask questions.
Nora’s fascination with thrifting goes beyond the hunt for bargains. She’s drawn to the history, humanity, and quiet drama woven into well-worn belongings. Estate sales, rummage rooms, and small-town thrift shops have always felt like story vaults to her, filled with clues about the lives that came before.
At the heart of her writing is a deep appreciation for genuine friendship. Nora loves stories about people who show up for one another, swap theories over coffee, and solve problems together—preferably with humor and heart. Her mysteries are gentle, community-centered, and rooted in curiosity rather than chaos.
When she’s not writing, Nora can usually be found near a lake. She tries to hop in for a swim every day of the year—even in winter—believing that a little cold water is good for clarity and courage. Through her books, Nora invites readers to slow down, look closer, and discover the extraordinary hiding in the everyday.
Me again – I love that bio! Nora sounds like someone I’d like to have a cup of tea with and gab about books, or maybe investigate a vintage shop with. I give her props for swimming in the lake daily (I don’t do “water without sides”), though I do appreciate the serenity of lake life.
An image of a stack of vintage books and iced tea creates a peaceful reading nook overlooking a lush garden.
This summer I had a lot of reading time and I read SO MANY good books but I really do not have time to write about them all (alas, the day job calls). So I just want to shout out a few titles that I read and really enjoyed that are out now (or will be soon) that I was not part of a tour for:
The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Kate Westbury.
I had the book AND the audiobook. So much fun!
Set against the backdrop of post-WWII Oxford University, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies is the irresistible debut from Kate Westbury that seamlessly layers mystery, romance, and a dash of academia to introduce the Crown’s newest undercover operatives. Oxford, England, 1951 – The Honorable Ginevra Bishop likes red lipstick, clever retorts, and earning top marks in her tutorials. She’s following her mother’s footsteps by studying at Oxford, eager to prove she’s more than a debutante.
Sidney Braithwaite likes brooding, Latin, and ignoring his nightmares. He’s determined to forge a new life for himself at Oxford, far from his childhood mining village and free from memories of the war.
Though Gin and Sidney have little in common, the British Security Service is keen to unite her charm with his espionage experience: there’s a Soviet spy at the university, and the agent tracking them down was poisoned. MI5 wants Gin and Sidney to pick up the trail and identify the informant before more sensitive information is compromised. As a team, the pair of undergraduates clash in personality, upbringing, and taste––but have a connection neither can deny. Gin and Sidney must unite their respective talents to follow the clues before they’re caught in the traitor’s crosshairs…if the sparks flying between them don’t blow up the operation first.
Lidie by Jane Smiley
I haven’t read anything by Smiley in a while and I just LOVE her writing.
From the bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist, a rousing novel that follows two young women fleeing a divided America: one running toward a dazzling future and the other running from a troubled past
Christmas, 1857. America’s future is precarious; civil war looms on the horizon. After her abolitionist husband is murdered in the lawless Kansas Territory, Lidie Newton returns, in mourning, to her hometown of Quincy, Illinois. But her sisters have little comfort to offer, and Lidie is haunted by the memories of her failures—until she takes an interest in her niece, Annie. Beautiful, self-assured, and mischievous, Annie sticks out in Quincy. She becomes an actress at the local theater, and when she is offered the opportunity to perform abroad, she decides to run away. But travel is dangerous for a young unmarried woman, so Lidie, armed with her pistol and her wit, goes with her.
The two women embark on a perilous journey across the Atlantic, rushing toward an unknown future in England. Once they arrive in Liverpool, they vanish into new roles in the household of Annie’s benefactor, Mr. Mallory Cunningham. Annie takes a stage name and finds her way to a career, while Lidie becomes her lady’s maid. But will either of them be content with her new lot in life?
Exuberant and riveting, a sly commentary on truth and beauty and fulfillment that resonates with our times, Lidie delivers a panoramic portrait of a volatile era and the headstrong women trying to live an honest life in it.
It Girl by Alison Pataki
Pataki never disappoints in her ability to make history come alive through engaging historical figures.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, New York’s streets teem with change: electricity, automobiles, the brash young President Teddy Roosevelt—and the It Girls. As artists’ muses and working models, these independent young women soar to stardom not because of their pedigrees or inherited wealth, but because of their talent, charisma, and irresistible beauty. Pop culture is born, and in a world alight with Mr. Edison’s new bulbs, no one shines brighter than America’s sweetheart, Evelyn Talbot.
But the journey to stardom is not simple or straight. While working as a shopgirl, the young Evelyn is recruited as a studio model and soon catches the eye of the preeminent artists of the age. When Broadway comes calling, Evelyn solidifies her status as the first self-made American female celebrity: the iconic Gibson Girl, the most sought-after figure and face of her time. Enter a parade of powerful and power-hungry men, from world-famous architect Stanley Pierce, the visionary behind Manhattan’s mansions and iconic landmarks, to Hal Thorne, the shockingly wealthy railroad heir and premier “playboy” of high society. Each man promises comfort, glamour, security—even love. But fame and fortune are cruel teachers, and Evelyn learns that the only person she can rely on is herself.
When Evelyn finds herself at the center of a murder of passion declared “the Crime of the Century,” she is blamed for the acts of the men in her life. In the media frenzy that spirals around her, Evelyn realizes that to survive, she will have to write her own ending. But can this artists’ muse turned showgirl pull off the greatest act of her life?
It Girl is a breathtaking ride inspired by a singular artist and icon who captured the collective imagination of American society. Allison Pataki has crafted yet another unforgettable leading lady, a heroine who must find the power to change not only the world around her but her own destiny.
NumbWere the Beadman’s Fingers by Alan Bradley
Thank goodness, Flavia is back! This is possibly my very favorite mystery series and I can’t get enough of the very unique voice of Flavia and all the humorous goings-on in her life.
A nun’s corpse leads beloved amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce to uncover decades-old secrets in this charming final novel in the New York Times bestselling series.
“I love the Flavia de Luce novels! Flavia is the best female detective I’ve ever read, full of realism, self-confidence, and emotion (in roughly equal parts), and her tales are hilarious, engaging, and occasionally heartbreaking.”—Diana Gabaldon
In the cloisters of Golgotha House, a mere binocular’s-squint away from Buckshaw, a nun lies dead. When her fellow sisters prepare her corpse for burial, they discover that their companion has been living a shocking lie for years. The truth about her past, and the dark reasons she harbored for escaping it, are impossible to fathom.
Charged with cracking this mystery is the firm of Arthur W. Dogger & Associates (Discreet investigations)—consisting, of course, of the inimitable young Flavia de Luce and her faithful partner-in-detection Dogger.
Working under the eye of a glowering Mother Superior, Flavia and Dogger must uncover a decades-old crime and a secret that lies an ocean away—along with a trail of deception that lies closer to home.
The Pools by e. lockhart
An interesting story in verse by the author of We Were Liars. I liked it. Appropriate for older teens, I’d say.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the We Were Liars series comes a love story full of simmering darkness and astonishing twists, following two teenagers whose lives are shattered by a shocking transformation.
This gorgeous hardcover edition of The Pools will feature unique printed endpapers, deckled edges (rough, uneven page edges), and an exclusive stamped case!
Once, in a small New England town known for its hot springs, something terrible happened. Something that should have been a warning to stay away from the pools, if the stories were to be believed.
But no one is afraid of the water anymore, even if they should be.
When new girl Lexie meets golden boy Chester, their chemistry is undeniable. She’s running from a glittering life she won’t speak about. He’s hiding secrets of his own. Their connection feels bigger than both of them, despite their damage.
One frigid winter morning in that small New England town, five people go for a swim in the pools. Five people, including Chester. What happens there sends shock waves through the town, changing life as Lexie knows it forever.
Magic Elizabeth by Norma Kassirer
I could NOT believe when this popped up on Net Galley. My very favorite book from when I was a little girl! I loved this story about a girl staying with her Aunt Sally and she is looking for a doll that was lost years ago. Part magical, part mystery and I was struck by how well-written this children’s book is!
A beloved middle-grade fantasy classic returns in a newly illustrated edition full of magic, mystery, and a doorway into the past.
When eight-year-old Sally is sent to spend the summer in a creaky old house with her elderly Aunt Sarah and a decidedly unfriendly cat, she expects weeks of boredom and loneliness. But everything changes when she discovers a mysterious painting of a little girl holding a doll—and learns that the doll, Elizabeth, vanished long ago.
Drawn by curiosity, Sally ventures into the attic, where an old mirror seems to open a doorway into another time. As she searches for the missing doll and the truth behind the painting, Sally discovers a story of friendship, empathy, and love that reaches across generations.
First published in 1966 and now back in print with brand-new full-color illustrations by Mark Richardson, Magic Elizabeth invites today’s readers into its timeless world of mystery, warmth, and wonder.
Here’s what makes Magic Elizabeth a classic fantasy for a new generation:
• A Beloved Children’s Classic Returns: A long-out-of-print favorite is available again for parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and new readers.
• A Magical Journey into the Past: A mysterious attic mirror, a lost doll named Elizabeth, and a long-ago friendship create a classic children’s fantasy for ages 8–12.
• Brand-New Full-Color Artwork: New illustrations by Mark Richardson bring fresh visual life to Norma Kassirer’s timeless story.
• Perfect for Independent Reading or Sharing Aloud: A nostalgic favorite for adults and a moving story of imagination, kindness, and love for young readers.
Magic Elizabeth is a classic middle-grade fantasy novel about a magic mirror, a missing doll named Elizabeth, and a mystery that reaches into the past. This beloved children’s classic remains a moving reminder that imagination, kindness, and love can travel across time.
The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen
Rhys NEVER disappoints. I love her stand alone novels (well, I love all her novels) and this one was no exception.
A ghostwriter plunges into danger as she unravels the dark secrets of a powerful Scottish family in a thrilling novel of romance and mystery by the bestselling author of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.
Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final historical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris Blackburn. It’s 1965, and Iris’s memory is fading. She’s certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to Scotland for research, she discovers the story is not fiction at all but rather a true crime, unsolved for more than fifty years.
It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.
But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.
The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
Speaking of never disappointing, Chris Bohjalian has to be the most versatile author out there today. And he’s a genuinely nice guy as well as hugely talented. Somebody call Netflix and make the limited series – now!
1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a golf ball from her tee toward the practice net near the clubhouse and caddy shack. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, traveling 150 miles per hour, and slams, with sickening force, into the temple of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, rupturing an artery and unleashing a torrent of blood. Kenny brings his hand to the side of his head, then topples onto his side. He’s dead before the ambulance even arrives.
In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong places: In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man three decades her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when the investigators look more closely at the torn net, when a detective recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once-promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a county courtroom, The Amateur asks: What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?
The Grapevine by Alexandra Sokoloff and Craig Robertson
As a California girl, I love stories that take place in California and this was a very engaging mystery. Yes the grapevine is a highway pass in SoCal that weaves together – integral to the story – but grapevines themselves weave into intricate and thick branches, just like this story had several strands that wove together.
From bestselling authors Alexandra Sokoloff and Craig Robertson, The Grapevine is a thrilling mystery featuring a quirky and relentless female protagonist, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter.
How far would you go to find your missing child?
Lou Gomersall’s going as far as it takes. And there’s no turning back.
When her nineteen-year-old daughter Abby disappears, Lou embarks on a reckless road trip in the family RV, scouring the highways and back roads of California. Through desert and mountains, into the woods, and to the ocean’s edge.
A year later, the police don’t believe Lou’s theory that four other missing young women have been taken by the same elusive predator. So, when another college sophomore vanishes, Lou jumps on the fresh trail, enlisting millennial #vanlifers, Gen Z entrepreneurs, boomer RVers, homeless sages, truck stop prostitutes, and everyone in between in her do-or-die mission to rescue Abby …
Or kill the man who took her.
Last Mission to Paris by Susan Elia MacNeal
Susan is an incredible writer (LOVE her Maggie Hope series) and this one was another amazingly researched and engaging WWII story.
Decades after serving as secret agents during World War II, three women reunite to uncover the truth behind the murder of their fellow agent in Paris.
In the rugged Scottish Highlands, four young women training as secret agents became inseparable: Flip, a fearless Southern Belle; Zaina, a dreamy Indian princess; Bella, the infamous star of stage and screen; and Gabrielle, a witty London shopgirl. They parachuted by moonlight into Nazi-occupied Paris, where they trusted each other with their lives… until the betrayal that shattered everything.
They were captured. Gabrielle was killed. And the truth about what really happened in Paris was buried. Twenty years later, in the vibrant London of the Swinging Sixties, the surviving agents are honored with a statue on the Thames. However, the well-deserved public recognition is eclipsed by the sudden death of a renowned war historian—and an anonymous letter suggesting that Gabrielle’s demise was far more suspicious than it appeared.
Chloe, Gabrielle’s daughter and a budding historian, grew up in the long shadow of a heroic mother she barely knew. Determined to uncover the truth, Chloe seeks out the three surviving agents, her mother’s friends. As past and present collide, Chloe draws the women back into a world of secrets, alliances, and duplicity.
As they follow clues from London to Paris and then to Berlin, the women discover their last mission didn’t just fail—it was deliberately sabotaged.
Because some missions didn’t end—and some betrayals go further than anyone can imagine.
Thank you for my review copies and the opportunity to read these books!
Coming soon…What I’ve Been Listening to this Summer (even without the 2-hour commute each day!)
I’m here as part of the tour for a new series by Donna Ashcroft – the Honey Haven series, which is a sweet but spicy romance. This first title is The Candy Apple Cafe.
Here’s the scoop:
Falling in love can be sweet and spicy… 🍏 🍭🌶️🍏 🍭🌶️
A fun-loving baking queen with a heart of gold. Her gruff neighbour. A tiny Scottish town. Is this a recipe for love – or disaster? This is the utterly unputdownable spicy Autumn romance you’ve been waiting for! Seasonal spice + hot Scotsman = 🧡 🔥🌶️
When Izzi pulls up in her battered old car outside The Candy Apple Café, she takes a deep breath and channels her trademark optimism. She’s run away to Honey Haven to escape the mess her life is in right now. Only, she hasn’t bargained on a handsome, broad-shouldered Scotsman appearing out of nowhere and grilling her on why she’s parked there… it turns out the baking work she has lined up is in his gran’s café and he’s her new landlord… Cameron is immediately rubbed up the wrong way by Izzi’s upbeat vibes and yet, his eyes keep meeting hers across his gran’s cake display at The Candy Apple Café. Cameron’s heart beats a little faster every time she looks up at him through those long, dark lashes and there are only so many times Izzi can pretend she hasn’t noticed the way he towers over her, his dark brooding eyes failing to avoid hers… Then Izzi and Cameron find themselves thrown together to organise the town’s Autumn festival. Planning a spectacular cinnamon-scented event as a surprise for his gran, they find themselves pressed up against each other as they work to turn a crumbling castle into the perfect haunted house filled with sweet treats… But he’s closed off his heart. And she’s only meant to be in town for a few weeks. Will the heat between grumpy Cameron and sunny Izzi dial up a notch? Or will their relationship turn as chilly as the Autumn air in Honey Haven?
Snuggle up with a steamy hot drink and bed down with this spicy romance, filled with grumpy sunshine vibes and a dreamy HEA. Perfect for fans of Laurie Gilmore, Harper Graham, and Gilmore Girls!
I did like the character of Izzi and I do like a light romance – though this one had a bit more steam that I usually read! (but nothing over the top – it’s no 50 shades of whatever). I’m curious about the rest of the series and if it will continue to center on Izzi, or maybe other characters in the town. I do like a series that follows a town and all the interesting people in it. There are many good TV shows (BBC ones) that follow small towns like that and I never get tired of them!
So check out this new novel and let me know what you think!
Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour.
About the Author:
Donna has had sixteen books published in total. Four have been in the Amazon top 100 and one even made it to number seven in the UK and US Kindle charts, another made it to number one in the UK, US and AU free Kindle charts. She was also shortlisted for the RNA Debut Romantic Novel of the Year in 2019.
She lives in Hertfordshire, with her own romantic hero, two grown up kids who pop in occasionally and two grumpy cats. She loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie.
I’m here today as part of the tour for Susanne O’Leary’s newest novel, The Secret Bookshop in Ireland. Just the title drew me in! Secret bookshop? Ireland? Sounds great! I loved this story, from the main character and her dog named Brian Boru, to the bookshop and the people of the village. This is a sweet romance story as well (a clean read) and a story that leaves you feeling good inside.
Here’s the scoop:
‘It devastates me that this will be the first you’re hearing of the bookshop. But it’s yours now, and I hope it can heal you despite everything you might hear about our family. Good luck, dear Ciara, and remember to never give up…’
Standing amongst the wildflowers that border the abandoned bookshop, Ciara’s heart begins to swell. She never met her mysterious distant relative Martha, but there’s no denying that this place, filled with beautiful old books, is captivating. Trapped in a dead-end job and a tiny apartment in Dublin, this inheritance could change everything for her.
As visitors from Cherrywood village arrive to welcome Ciara, and she learns to love each priceless edition she now owns, it’s Ronan, the handsome lawyer with hazel eyes and husky voice who makes a lasting impression. Can he help her learn more about Martha? Why was Ciara chosen to protect the bookshop’s legacy, and why all the secrecy? The only certainty is the butterflies Ciara feels every time she locks eyes with Ronan. Is it crazy to imagine herself re-opening the bookshop and staying forever?
But nothing prepares Ciara for the letter she finds hidden high on the rickety shelves, for the heart shattering story of an abandoned baby and a devastating family secret. The truth about Martha could mean Ciara loses the bookshop forever.
Ciara is faced with an impossible choice: close the doors of her new home and return to her old life in Dublin, or stay to find out the truth and risk everything for a new life in Cherrywood…
An utterly gorgeous and romantic story about second chances that will sweep you away to Ireland. Fans of Mary Alice Monroe, Mary Kay Andrews and Rachel Hanna will devour this feel-good read.
About the Author:
Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than 30 novels, mainly romantic fiction set in Ireland. Her many books set in County Kerry have been hugely popular with readers all over the world. She shares her time between Dublin and Kerry, where she and her husband have a little cottage near the beach. The wild, beautiful landscape, the small villages and the friendly people of that county have inspired her to write her feel-good stories. She’s been inspired to represent people of all ages and walks of life, with lots of romance, and more than a dash of humour. When she is not writing or reading by the fire, Susanne loves heading for the great outdoors, walking on the beaches or scaling the green hills of her favourite county.
It looks like this is the start of a new series – The Sisters of Cherrywood series – as this is Book 1. Yay!
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Today I’m posting about a new historical fiction novel, centered on WWII: The Girl with Two Names by Imogen Matthews.
This was an engaging read – I always love reading about the Resistance because it forces me to ask myself if I could ever be that brave. There is some romance/love interest built in, but the story, in my opinion, is driven by the war experience. Stories like this always remind me of how much people were (are) willing to sacrifice to stand up for what they believed in, even if it meant death.
I haven’t read this author before, but I would look for her again!
Thank you to Bookouture for my copy and for having me as part of the tour.
Here’s the scoop:
She smooths her light blue coat with trembling hands as a man approaches. ‘Felix?’ he says, and she nods. ‘We weren’t expecting a girl.’ He smiles, but panic grips her throat at what he says next. ‘Whoever you are, you’ve been betrayed…’
1943, Nazi-occupied Holland. Turning up her collar against the wind, Trix prepares for her rendezvous. Hidden in the bottom of her bag are coded instructions from the British Special Operations Executive and a silk handkerchief, secretly printed with a map of her next meeting point. She knows working for the Dutch resistance is dangerous, but she must put her past behind her and become someone new… someone brave.
Trix’s friends think she’s a secretary – they can never know the truth. Living a double life is desperately lonely, but the longer she goes under her alias, Felix, the more comfortable she becomes with this new version of herself: one who will stand up for what is right, and fight for those who can’t. That is, until the warm brown eyes of a pilot from her past spark hope for a life after the war.
But when she’s ambushed and imprisoned by German soldiers posing as men from the Dutch resistance, Trix must lean on everything she’s learnt if she’s going to survive and grasp her chance at love. These soldiers see her as just a woman. But is that her greatest weapon? In war, often it’s those we underestimate the most who have the power to change everything…
Inspired by a remarkable true story, The Girl with Two Names is a totally heartbreaking and emotional World War Two novel of bravery, sacrifice and the power of hope in dark times. Perfect for fans of Heather Morris, Kristin Hannah and Fiona Valpy.
About the author:
Imogen Matthews is an Oxford-based, award-winning author and journalist with an interest in forgotten stories from WW2 Holland. Imogen was born in Rijswijk, Holland, to a Dutch mother and English father who moved the family to England when Imogen was very young. All her life, she listened to her mother’s stories about her life in Holland, in particular the hardships she faced during the Hunger Winter in 1944-5, which has had a profound impact on her writing.
Oh, I loved this sweet story of the many people who live in Wisteria House and the older woman who brings all their stories together. It felt like a Maeve Binchy novel – warm and reassuring, and satisfying at the finish!
Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour.
Here’s the scoop:
Description
On a peaceful avenue stands the once-grand Wisteria House. Now it’s split into apartments, occupied by strangers who rarely say hello. Could one last dinner party bring it to life again?
Ninety-year-old Alice has one last wish: to fill her new home with light and laughter, just like when her husband was alive. So she sets out her favourite plates, opens an old recipe book, and sends invitations to the neighbours she’s certain need friendship just as much as she does…
Declan hasn’t believed he deserves to follow his dreams since he tragically lost his sister.
Jess has been working herself to the bone to provide for her little daughter and has no time for joy in her own life.
Mark, a widower, has been isolated in his grief for so long.
Over a shared meal, Alice reminds each of them that sharing stories keeps those we love alive, and that time is our most precious gift. As they hug goodbye, everyone feels lighter than they have in years. Little do they know Alice has her own secret reason for gathering them together…
The next morning the tenants receive terrible news. Is their first dinner party destined to be the last? With Wisteria House under threat, can they come together to save the one place that has only just started to feel like home? Or will they lose their little community just when they need it most?
This absolutely gorgeous, emotional and uplifting novel of finding friendship in the most unexpected of places is perfect for fans of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, Sally Page and Kate Storey.
What readers are saying about Sue Roberts:
‘OMG I loved this!! Gorgeous and glorious. I simply adore this… So absolutely beautiful… Perfect book!’ Loris2littlelibrary, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely fantastically gorgeous… I was absolutely devastated when I came to the end… I was truly whisked away… An absolutely gorgeous book!!… I absolutely adored.’ Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I absolutely LOVED, no make that ADORED reading… I was hooked… I was so addicted… I stayed up reading the book until the early hours of the morning… Made me laugh out loud and I got some strange looks on the bus for it.’ Ginger Book Geek, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I simply loved this book! A ray of sunshine during the two cloudy days that I read it… One of the best books I have ever read… I adored this.’ Bibbidi Bobbidi Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Gorgeous… Fantastic… lots of laugh-out-loud moments… I literally flew through the pages… I loved every minute… I was literally glued to my eReader for 3 consecutive days… Brilliant.’ The Cosiest Corner
‘Nothing is better… Fabulous, light-hearted fun.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
About Sue Roberts:
Sue was born in Liverpool and moved to Lancashire as a teenager where she has lived ever since. Her twelfth book ‘Theres something about Greece.’ was published on June 15, 2023, with another sunshine book published for August!
When not busy writing, Sue spends her time with her husband Derek, and her ever-growing brood of grandchildren! In her spare time, she enjoys walking, watching films, and travelling. Her first book, ‘My Big Greek Summer,’ was inspired by frequent visits to the Island of Rhodes in Greece. All Sue’s books are available from Amazon in kindle and paperback format.
I’m shouting it out today for this interesting historical novel that goes from present day to Ukraine during WWII and two cousins using their skills with the needle to fight back against occupation. This was a lengthy read, but intriguing, and I was captured by the story of Zirka, Perla, and Ana, Zirka’s granddaughter. I don’t read many stories that take place in the Ukraine, and it was interesting to learn about needlework at the same time.
Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!
Here’s the scoop:
As enemy soldiers march in the streets, the Needles of Freedom embroider by candlelight beneath the faded gold sign of an old dressmaker’s store. Will their secret messages help win the war?
Occupied Ukraine, 1940. Zirka has been sewing ever since she was a little girl. But now, every stitch contains a spark of rebellion. Together with her cousin Perla, as war rages around them they sew vital secret messages for the resistance into embroidered shirts.
Every night, Zirka leaves to meet with her fiancé in secret and Perla pours her heart out into her diary. Nobody else knows that Perla is living under false papers. If the two women are caught, or betrayed, it would mean certain death…
Lviv, 2022. As Ana gazes around at the peeling wallpaper, she hopes this little shop will bring her closer to the memory of her grandmother Zirka. After Ana’s mother suddenly refused to see or speak to Zirka decades ago, Ana has been desperate to find out what terrible secret tore them apart.
A diary hidden in a long-forgotten kitchen drawer tells of a secret sewing society vital to the war effort long ago. Ana knows she must continue her grandmother’s legacy of resistance now another war has come to her beloved country. But she’s no closer to finding the truth about her own family… and when she does, will she learn that some wartime secrets are too dangerous to uncover?
The Secret Sewing Society is a sweeping, heartbreaking tale about a devastating family mystery, a doomed love affair, and generations of women coming together against the odds. Fans of Evie Woods, Fiona Valpy and The Keeper of Happy Endings will be utterly swept away.
What readers are saying about Siobhan Curham:
‘Unforgettable… pulls on the heart strings… had me glued to the pages… left me breathless…dug deep into my heart… absolutely loved… 5 glorious stars… I loved this story so much.’ Cindy L Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Totally gripping… I adored… mesmerizing and I didn’t want it to end… a page-turner that will capture your heart.’ Christian Bookaholic, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘From the very first page of this book, I was stunned, mesmerised… knock the wind out of you! I’m so sad it’s over. I could have read another sixty chapters… fantastic.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Warning: do not begin this book if you have food cooking or housework to do! Your food will burn and your house will stay dirty, because you will not be able to put it down!…The best historical fiction… Brilliant.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Had me on the edge of my seat… Plus wiping tears from my eyes… captured my heart—hook, line and sinker… A must-read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Hooked… Iwant more… Captivating… A storyline you won’t forget. I would read this book over and over again.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Kept me awake… I just couldn’t stop reading… This book will really stay with you after you finish reading it.’ DianeLikesToRead, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow. This book is one I will remember…. gripping… I choked up… Beautiful… I loved every moment.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Siobhan Curham is an award-winning author, ghost writer, editor and writing coach. She has also written for many newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Guardian, Breathe magazine, Cosmopolitan, Writers’ Forum, DatingAdvice.com, and Spirit & Destiny. Siobhan has been a guest on various radio and TV shows, including Woman’s Hour, BBC News, GMTV and BBC Breakfast. And she has spoken at businesses, schools, universities and literary festivals around the world, including the BBC, Hay Festival, Cheltenham Festival, Bath Festival, Ilkley Festival, London Book Fair and Sharjah Reading Festival.
I love J. Courtney Sullivan’s beautiful writing, so I was excited to get The Cliffs to read and review. This was a totally engrossing story, part a ghost story, part a story of a woman’s life and her connection to an old house in the town where she grew up. It seems it has been chosen for Reese’s Book Club, so I’m sure you will hear more about this title. I loved it, though, and couldn’t put it down!
Here’s the scoop:
Description
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • A novel of family, secrets, ghosts, and homecoming set on the seaside cliffs of Maine, by the New York Times best-selling author of Friends and Strangers
“A stunning achievement, and J. Courtney Sullivan’s best book yet. Sullivan weaves a narrative that’s fascinating and thought-provoking. I literally could not put this book down.” —Ann Napolitano, New York Times best-selling author of Hello Beautiful
On a secluded bluff overlooking the ocean sits a Victorian house, lavender with gingerbread trim, a home that contains a century’s worth of secrets. By the time Jane Flanagan discovers the house as a teenager, it has long been abandoned. The place is an irresistible mystery to Jane. There are still clothes in the closets, marbles rolling across the floors, and dishes in the cupboards, even though no one has set foot there in decades. The house becomes a hideaway for Jane, a place to escape her volatile mother.
Twenty years later, now a Harvard archivist, she returns home to Maine following a terrible mistake that threatens both her career and her marriage. Jane is horrified to find the Victorian is now barely recognizable. The new owner, Genevieve, a summer person from Beacon Hill, has gutted it, transforming the house into a glossy white monstrosity straight out of a shelter magazine. Strangely, Genevieve is convinced that the house is haunted—perhaps the product of something troubling Genevieve herself has done. She hires Jane to research the history of the place and the women who lived there. The story Jane uncovers—of lovers lost at sea, romantic longing, shattering loss, artistic awakening, historical artifacts stolen and sold, and the long shadow of colonialism—is even older than Maine itself.
Enthralling, richly imagined, filled with psychic mediums and charlatans, spirits and past lives, mothers, marriage, and the legacy of alcoholism, this is a deeply moving novel about the land we inhabit, the women who came before us, and the ways in which none of us will ever truly leave this earth.
I recently received a copy of TALES OF A JAILHOUSE LIBRARIAN from my friends at Meryl Zegarek Publicists (just a note: anything I’ve ever gotten from MZPR I’ve loved!). This is a mini-memoir of one woman’s experience working as a library cart librarian and transition counselor in the juvenile section of a large prison in New York. For Marybeth Zeman, her relationship with the boys in this facility is centered around her library cart and the books and stories she brings to them each week. Reading, for these boys, is a sanctioned escape, a chance for the future, a little bit of freedom in their everyday life.
Told in short vignettes, Marybeth has captured numerous tales of different boys: how they came to be in prison, what their daily life is like, how bright or bleak their futures are. Their stories are touching, painful, and honest, and one is left with the knowledge that these boys are just a small percentage of the thousands of young men incarcerated in our country each year. Marybeth’s story highlights the workings of the justice system and shows where improvements could occur, especially in helping the boys to have the skills they need in order to not become repeat offenders. Most poignant of all, though, are the voices of the boys that stay with you long after reading this book.
I was so touched by this book that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Then I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Marybeth Zeman while I was in NY at BEA. We connected through her publicist and spent about 90 minutes together just chatting and talking about her work, the juvenile justice system, her experiences, etc. There was no formal interview, or a “how did you come to write this book” type of Q&A. Instead we were just two educators and readers, come together to discuss our concerns and feelings about these boys and our hopes for the future.
Marybeth’s story is one that deserves to be told. Readable, touching, and unforgettable, her TALES OF A JAILHOUSE LIBRARIAN reveals an intimate portrait of what life is like for many of our nation’s young citizens. And Marybeth is a spunky narrator, both in the book and in real life! I can’t believe I’ve heard the last from this woman — she is going places and, as her subtitle suggests, she is “challenging the juvenile justice system one book at a time”.
Here is a picture of Marybeth from our time together:
Beth's Book-Nook Blog 