I loved both of the novels in the Jane Austen series by Natalie Jenner so was delighted to learn it’s a trilogy with the third book newly released. Every Time We Say Goodbye follows the indomitable Vivien, the writer and intimidating brunette who was introduced in The Bloomsbury Girls. World War II has finally ended and she’s one of the many to have lost a loved one as her ... Read More...
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
I adored Maggie O’Farrell’s last novel, Hamnet. She returns, with another novel set in the 1500s, but in Italy this time. The Marriage Portrait is about a young Italian princess and bride, Lucrezia of the famous Medici family, known for its support of key artists and scientists of the Renaissance. The Marriage Portrait is both her story and the name of one of the few portraits ... Read More...
One Italian Summer
When Katy’s mother Carol dies, she is consumed with grief. Not only was her mother her best friend, but they had planned a trip of special importance. A month in Positano, Italy a place Carol visited decades ago in the summer before she met her husband and began the life Katy knows. Carol made all the arrangements down to daily itineraries for sightseeing and meals. Katy ... Read More...
Summer Thrillers: Mini-Reviews
Summer is a great time for thrillers. Hot weather, vacation, and short attention spans are all made for engaging reading that moves fast. Of course, my expectations are higher, because humidity makes me cranky and we have plenty of it in Michigan. For that reason, I’m a picky reader right now so take these reviews with a grain of salt (what does that even mean?). On Monday I’ll ... Read More...
July Reading Wrap-Up
Goodbye, July! My first full month of real summer in the Midwest. What I loved: fireflies, thunder and rain storms that last for hours. What is not so much: humidity that flattens me but makes my hair explode. And flies. So many flies! Why? The natural world aside, even with the increasing crazy that is America, July was an outstanding reading month. I finished 15 ... Read More...
The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King
Giovanni’s uncle, Bartolomeo Scappi, was a celebrity in Rome. He was the private chef to three popes and the author of a wildly popular cookbook. Now he is dead and Giovanni’s life is about to turn upside down. He had been his uncle’s apprentice for 11 years and had known the man as a father figure for all of his life. When Scappi’s will is read, everything is left to Giovanni, ... Read More...
