The Paper House by Barbara Josselsohn

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Publication September 2, 2026-Bookouture-Women’s Fiction-292pp

Book Summary

It was a shop full of wonder; sheets of colorful paper, pots of ink on every surface, and spools of ribbon suspended on gleaming brass hooks. But it was even more magical when it was filled with people. Rumor was that the owner, Tilly, could send letters to long-lost loved ones if you penned them on the long wooden desk…

Everyone on the island would go there, not just to buy writing supplies, but to write these letters. To the people they’d not been able to say goodbye to, to the people they wished would come home. The Paper House was a place for grieving, for remembering, for forgiving.

And now, years later, as Kayla reopens the beautiful front door, and feels the memories of her Great Aunt Tilly come flooding back, it has the chance to become a place for someone who lost everything to finally find herself again. If only Kayla can find the courage to face the ghosts of the past…

A compelling and captivating novel full of heart, imagination and magic, The Paper House is perfect for fans of The Lost Bookshop, The Glass House and The Keeper of Lost Things.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

I’ve read Barbara’s The Secret Orphanage, The Sisters of War series, and the Lake Summer series. All excellent. The Paper House touched my heart in a special way.

Do you treasure bundles of letters tied with ribbon or Christmas cards with personalized messages kept year after year? Then The Paper House, Tilly’s story, is for you! Written with a dual timeline,The Paper House is an absorbing mystery filled with gripping suspense and haunting life lessons. Central to the novel is the theme of “Choose life-giving in, giving up, or turning away is not a choice.” Josselsohn develops characters, Tilly and Kayla, through chilling accounts of the past, misgivings, secrets, and learned lessons. At the heart of the mysterious timelines is a baby cradle in the attic of Tilly’s house and a long-ago life-changing event during Kayla’s summer stay with Tilly.

 Tilly’s Paper House was a haven for people to write to loved ones, whether grieving, asking for forgiveness, or sharing family updates. The long trestle table beckoned patrons to sit and write. Tilly sat and listened. The patrons learned: it is the writing that matters most; physically writing has power. This poignant gift from Tilly reminds readers that writing a letter to another person, whether it’s received or not, makes one immortal.

After reading The Paper House, a trip for stationery may be a delightful beginning to a letter writing revival. Will you write to a friend or loved one from the past, present, or future?

Barbara’s work is marked by richly developed characters, intricate emotional landscapes, and immersive settings that transport readers to the heart of each story. With a talent for blending history and human drama, Barbara’s novels explore complex themes of love, loss, resilience, and the enduring power of secrets. Her storytelling often spans generations, drawing readers into a tapestry of personal and historical struggles. Known for her lush descriptions and evocative prose, Barbara has garnered praise for her ability to bring history to life while crafting deeply emotional, character-driven narratives. Her books resonate with readers who appreciate stories that combine rich details with powerful personal journeys. Currently, Barbara is working on a new World War II novel set in the mountains of southern France.

Meet Me in Paris by Kristin Harmel

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Publication July 28, 2026-Gallery Books-Women’s Fiction-368pp

Book Summary

Nine Americans in Paris. Seven intertwined love stories. One City of Light.

Love Actually meets The Notebook in a tale of love, loss, and finding your way home, all set over the course of one life-changing week in Paris.

Julia Glover has brought her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Piper, to Paris for the first time—but they know it will also be their last trip here together. Julia is dying, and as the mother and daughter desperately try to make memories together as the clock ticks down, the world opens up around them. Piper meets a cute French waiter, who might just understand her better than anyone she’s ever met, and Julia meets a man at a dive bar and struggles with how to tell him the truth about her future.

Rock star Jackson Quick’s glory days are behind him. He had a handful of hit songs thirty years ago, but he hasn’t toured in a decade. This week, he’ll launch his reunion tour in Paris, the city where it all began. But he wants more out of life than being defined by fame. When he meets a woman who finally sees him for who he is at his core, the ground shifts beneath his feet.
Henry McGee has been writing hit songs for decades—including Jackson Quick’s biggest hit, City of Light. But his secret is that every love song he’s ever written is for a woman named Celeste, whom he loved a lifetime ago, when they were both teenagers in Paris during World War II. He has spent eighty years believing she died—but when a letter arrives telling him the opposite, he’s on the first flight to France. Can he break through the haze of her dementia, using the songs he’s written all these years, to remind her of who they once were to each other—and to tell her he came back for her?

Henry’s granddaughter, Melody, has just discovered that her husband of twenty years, Gilles, a French cosmetics executive, is having an affair. When she confronts him, he tearfully apologizes and begs her to forgive him. But can she? And, perhaps even more importantly, does she want to? Or is there a different kind of life out there for her if she chooses to be alone?

These intertwining stories—plus several others—unfold over a few breathtaking spring days, as an unforgettable group of Americans in Paris must find their way to their own versions of happily ever after in the City of Light.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Meet Me in Paris, a vacation between the covers of a novel, is a collection of life stories intertwined and illuminated on the streets of Paris. The City of Light becomes a charming character all its own, as Kristin Harmel creates the magic of Paris for Piper, visiting for the first time with her dying mother, while recreating the world Henry knew when he was first there during World War II as a soldier protected by Celeste and the Resistance.  The love stories of Shelby and her friends attempting a “divorce party,” three Viet Nam veterans returning for a reunion, and Jackson Quick, a “has been” rock star hoping for a successful comeback tour, are all packed into this travelogue. Readers will delight in the streets and bridges, bistros and bars, museums and memories as seven love stories of Americans from different walks of life rendezvous in the City of Light. The heartache of losing love and the joy of finding love; Meet Me in Paris is the pièce de résistance.  

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, The Paris Daughter, The Book of Lost Names, The Winemaker’s Wife, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into more than 35 languages and are sold all over the world.  After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and son. A breast cancer survivor, she is also the co-founder and co-host of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.

A Love Once Lost- Bridwells’ Grand Tour Series by Jennie Goutet

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Publication June 23, 2026-Haven Historical Fiction, Romance-

Book Summary

Amy Bridwell reluctantly accompanies her family on a Grand Tour of the Continent–the very trip her former sweetheart proposed they take as newlyweds. Receiving no suitable marriage offer in the six years since and with her heart still guarded by regret, Amy has no choice but to go along with her widower father and younger sisters to ensure their travels proceed smoothly. 
 
James Fletcher has built a successful practice as a physician in the fashionable resort town of Spa. Though he came to the Netherlands with a wounded heart, seeking distance from Amy’s rejection, he’s managed to build a respectable life and is now engaged to a woman who will ensure his professional future. If only he could be certain that his betrothed’s heart is truly his. 
 
When the Bridwells arrive at their first destination, Amy is stunned to encounter James again. He is promised to another, and as old feelings resurface, Amy must confront the choice she made six years ago, facing the possibility that her heart has never truly moved on. 
 
Bestselling historical romance author Jennie Goutet weaves a story of lost love and second chances against the scenic backdrop of Georgian-era Europe.

Grateful Reader Book Review by Dorothy Schwab

A Love Once Lost is an 18th century, second-chance romance set in Spa, Belgium,1770. Spa is the town that launched the global self-care industry we know today. Springs of acidic, iron-rich water drew visitors to evaluate the health benefits, so the area was first known for “drinking therapy” rather than bathing in the thermal waters. Jennie Goutet introduces readers and the Bridwell family to Spa as the first stop on their Grand Tour, in hopes that drinking the mineral waters will help Mr. Bridwell.

Jennie Goutet’s diligent research has provided insight into society’s daily living, social expectations and, through James Fletcher, the possibilities for economic growth due to the healing waters. Amy, the oldest of the three sisters, is devoted to her eccentric father, and Goutet shows great discernment in Amy’s feelings of responsibility, self-doubt, and expectations regarding her sisters’ futures.

Goutet explores several relationships, their heartaches, and challenges. I felt empathy for James, and even frustration due to the acceptable social mores of the Georgian era. The well-drawn supporting characters gain readers’ confidence, disdain, or interest in the outcome of their relationships. A Russian princess, visiting Spa incognito, is my favorite. In the princess’s request for Amy’s help to improve her English, Goutet revealed the Russian’s direct nature and desire for human connection.

The best news is that after readers have experienced A Love Once Lost, Book One in Bridwells’ Grand Tour Series, the next in the series is coming summer 2027.

Jennie Goutet is the best-selling author of eighteen historical romances, including the Clavering Chronicles, Memorable Proposals, and The ‘Bridwells’ Grand Tour series. Jennie is an American-born Anglophile who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside of Paris, but her imagination resides in Georgian England, where her proper historical romances are set.

Shortbread in the Highlands by Robin Jones Gunn

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Publication June 23, 2026-Revell- Christian, Women’s Fiction-299pp

Book Summary

Cousins Nora and Allie are sent to Scotland to claim an inheritance but are hindered by delayed flights and canceled reservations before settling into a picture-perfect cottage. Surprised by an encounter with a man in a kilt and a visit from a nosy neighbor and her five Scottie dogs, the cousins begin to experience life in the village where their grandmother grew up. But a brewing mystery along with more delays make this adventure far different than they expected.

Undaunted, the Suitcase Sisters stock up on shortbread from the village bakery and explore the beauty of Scotland in autumn, beginning with a leisurely boat ride on Loch Lomond. Buoyed by laughter and shared childhood memories, they head to the Highlands for a tour of their ancestral castle and a luxurious stay at a resort.

An enchanting train ride returns them to the village, where a secret their sweet Gran hid from them all these years comes to light, and a final stop in Edinburgh holds more life-changing revelations for them.

On this armchair trek to Scotland, readers will experience a journey of surprises brimming with God’s mysterious ways and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Lads and Lassies- This armchair trek through Scotland is filled with clans, castles, and shortbread! Robin Jones Gunn captures Scotland’s beauty and the quest for Gran’s diary through the eyes of Nora and her cousin Allie. Gunn’s story of the mystery of the diary, its importance, and the revealing story of Edward, (Another Edward, not their grandfather Edward)- provides the opportunity to weave in some Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, and Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Having lived in Scotland, I can attest to the vivid descriptions in Nora’s journal while traveling by train and car to Kildegren, Inverness, Glasgow; visiting Dunrobin Castle and St. Giles Cathedral.  Scottish sayings from poets and authors also add a heartwarming opening to each chapter.

The “suitcase sisters” learn about the Sutherland and Campbell clans, tartans, and mottos. As Allie and Nora explore Gran’s home village of Kildegren and Bird’s Nest House, they learn about themselves, their cousin relationship, and most importantly “to rely on the creative purposes of God.” The theme of “letting go” is carried through the characters Allie and Nora meet along their journey and through their personal disclosures. Robin Jones Gunn has done a “bonnie” job of Scottish storytelling in this tale of family heritage and love.

Libraries, rare books, shortbread, scones and if you’re brave, some haggis! Well, maybe just some fish ‘n chips and a copy of Shortbread in the Highlands.

Robin’s stories invite you into a world where the characters feel like your new best friends. Her non-fiction nudges you along in your faith as she opens her heart and shares her love for God. Robin’s novels have been adapted into four Christmas movies, and you can listen to her podcasts! Listen to the Women Worth Knowing podcast hosted by Cheryl Brodersen and Robin Jones Gunn. Each week Robin and Cheryl tell the stories of ordinary women who lived extraordinary lives.

The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

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Publication June2, 2026-Ballantine-Women’s Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

A sheltered young woman living at the Chateau Marmont falls under the spell of a scandalous, secretive man as all of Hollywood’s glamour swirls around her—a stunning feminist reimagining of Jane Eyre from the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress.

In 1957, newly orphaned Aria Jones is sent to live with her aunt, a fading star who hides away in Hollywood’s infamous Chateau Marmont. There, two aspiring actresses, Calliope and Flitter, take grieving Aria under their wing.

But the Marmont isn’t meant for small girls with big hearts, and Aria’s first few nights reveal an insidious secret that continues to haunt her as she grows up in the hotel’s halls, where the bright lights of Hollywood cast even darker shadows. If Aria can just stay invisible and invite no trouble as she saves money, then she can leave the Marmont and live life on her own terms—alone, but free. 

All her carefully laid plans are shattered when the hotel is bought by Theo Winchester: a reclusive rockstar turned unexpected caretaker of his daughter Adele, and unlike any man Aria has met before. To earn the last bit of money she needs to escape, Aria becomes Adele’s tutor, which brings Aria closer to Theo and ignites a passion she never expected. 

Suddenly, Aria finds herself wondering if she still wants to remain invisible—and if inviting trouble is a risk she’s willing to take to pursue what she truly desires.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Natasha Lester’s dual timeline is set at the famous Hollywood hangout, the Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles. Alternating between 1957 and 1964, the Chateau is a character that plays a key role in determining the paths of the inhabitants. The main roles in Lester’s Jane Eyre reimagining include “Three Sisters”- Calliope, Flitter and Aria Jones, former star, Miss Devine Rey, Director Bob Ashenhurst-King of Hollywood and Theo Winchester-Rockstar & new owner of the Chateau. This backdrop of ambitious starlets, the control and manipulation of starlets by directors, along with the addictions and overindulgences of the Chateau’s residents set the stage for Part 1. I viewed the 2011 Jane Eyre movie as a reminder of key elements: unusual noises, screams, rooftop death, a wedding, and fire-all of which are monumental in Lester’s reimagining.

Part II, in Italy, focuses on Aria’s fears, suffering, and dreams; searching for a skill to make her smile. Perhaps a typewriter? The influence of new characters and Aria’s personal discoveries add to the suspense of whether dreams come true for Aria, Calliope, Flitter, and the fading, addicted, Miss Devine Rey. I found part II very compelling as Lester unravels the plot line which involves a Hollywood remake of Jane Eyre. Speaking of divine- that describes Lester’s use of symbolism-stars, night, flames, fire, and the sea.

Whether it’s a poolside cabana at the Chateau or on a stool at the soda fountain in Schwab’s Drugstore-The Chateau on Sunset is the quintessential summer read filled with 1950-60’s Hollywood atmosphere and energy.

The Chateau Marmont at 8221 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, was renowned in the 1960s and 1970s as a place that attracted visitors from Hollywood such as Roman Polanski and Donald Cammell; and celebrities from the music industry, such as the singer Ray Charles and the music producer Denny Cordell. This was not however the only era in which it was well-known: it has had a long and exciting history. Read more about the Chateau! https://www.theswinging60s.com/places/chateau-marmont/

Schwab’s Pharmacy was a drugstore located at 8024 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California, and was a popular hangout for movie actors and movie industry dealmakers from the 1930s through the 1950s. Opened in 1932 by the Schwab brothers, Schwab’s Pharmacy in Hollywood became the most famous and longest-operating outlet of their small retail chain.[2] Like many drug stores in the United States during the mid-twentieth century, Schwab’s sold medicines and had a counter serving ice cream dishes and light meals. In the 1930s, Schwab’s was the inspiration for songwriter Harold Arlen to write the music for the song “Over the Rainbow” for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwab%27s_Pharmacy#History

The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

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Publication June 2, 2026-Ballantine, Delacorte Press-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

A scandalous affair. A power struggle for the throne. A sensational rivalry between an English queen and an American social climber. In this electrifying novel, the New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue tells the story of the Abdication of Edward VIII—and the two women at the center of it all.

Feuding Windsor brothers and their wives—some things, it seems, never change. The Men: Edward David Windsor, heir to the British throne, and younger brother Albert, aka Bertie, “the spare.” The Women: Edward’s wife Wallis, an American divorcée, and Bertie’s wife Elizabeth, daughter of Scottish nobility. The Feud: a rivalry that will last all their lives, make headlines, and still fuel gossip pages a century later.

The Windsor Affair recreates the cataclysmic events that nearly toppled the monarchy and incited the power struggle between Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen-to-be, and Wallis Simpson, aka “That Woman,” who fell into a calculated love affair with Prince Edward. Told from the perspective of both women, the novel propels readers into the fabulous world of the debonair Prince of Wales, café society of the 1930s, and the glittering private lives of the Windsors.

The first novel dedicated to the infamous rivalry between these two world-famous women, The Windsor Affair brings us all the gossip and intrigue between the two very different—yet perhaps more similar than they would admit—wives of royals. As Queen, Elizabeth would become the symbol of British pluck and courage during World War II and remain a British institution for the rest of her long life. Wallis would be forever forced to enact the World’s Greatest Love Story even after it sours, as she goes from being admired to vilified and, ultimately, pitied.

Against the backdrop of the Abdication Crisis, World War II, coronations, funerals, births, and deaths, these two women maintain a bitter, biting, sharp-tongued feud—until age and the long arm of history bring about a kind of understanding. For the last communication between these bitter rivals was a simple, surprising message: “In friendship, Elizabeth.”

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

The royal name of Windsor conjures many names and events. Perhaps the most acrimonious is the decades long, ongoing feud between the English Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and the American, Mrs. Ernest Simpson. A royal feud known as the “Windsor Affair!”

Melanie Benjamin opens The Windsor Affair with the theft of the Duchess of Windsor’s jewelry at an estate in the outskirts of London. Benjamin vividly recreates the animosity between Queen Elizabeth I, “Cookie,” and Wallis Simpson, known as “That Woman,” from 1936-1976.  Laced with plenty of British history and details, Benjamin explores the royal feud from several points of view, including the Abdication and the war years, 1940-1945. Royal readers follow the feuding women to London, Scotland, the Bahamas, and Windsor.  Details of Bessie Wallis’ childhood, born without money and privilege, her marriages, her travels to Hong Kong, and her quest to be wealthy, attempt to explain this complex woman.  Likewise, Benjamin covers Elizabeth’s early debutante years, courtships, proposals, and finally marriage to the “spare” Bertie. She adds plenty of queenly maneuvers, conniving conversations, and society gossip to add fuel to the fiery feud!

For the first time in history, the King of England voluntarily abdicated the throne. Also, for the first time, the two women at the center of the abdication come face to face for readers’ examination; saintly or manipulator, victim or heroine? The Windsor Affair has “castles, jewels, the Blitz; scandal and designer clothes!”  A novel for readers with a royal fascination with two “Kingly” brothers; the heir in love with an American divorcée and the spare, the daughter of a Scottish earl. The women become sisters-in-law, but would they ever be friends? An insightful peek behind the royal gates and straight into the breakfast room, dining room, and dressing room conversations of the royal families.

Melanie Benjamin is the New York Times bestselling author of nine works of historical fiction: Alice I Have Been, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb, The Aviator’s Wife, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, The Girls in the Picture, Mistress of the Ritz, The Children’s Blizzard, California Golden and The Windsor Affair. 

Lost in the Summer of ’69 by Eliza Knight-Music + Artists

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Publication June 9, 2026-Sourcebooks Landmark-Women’s Fiction -400pp

Book Summary

Three generations of women, an unforgettable summer of music, and the epic cross-country road trip they’ll never forget.

Summer, 1969: Eleanor Bell doesn’t have anything to lose. According to the doctors, she might not remember how to sing or play guitar soon, so why not head west now? Why not join the music festivals sweeping the country and lose herself in the music again, in a swan song of her own? 

Except she forgets, maybe on purpose, to tell anyone where she’s going. When her daughter, Leanne, discovers her mother missing, she enlists the help of her own daughter, Nora, to help her find Eleanor. The last thing Nora wants to do before starting as one of Yale’s first female undergrads is hit the road. But then Nora hears something strange on the radio—her grandmother’s voice, singing. Nora and Leanne hop in their Chevy for a cross-country road trip, always one step behind Eleanor, who has been dubbed the Dame of Rock n’ Roll by none other than Johnny Carson. 

Full of nostalgia and awash with the warmth of summer, Lost in the Summer of ’69 is an epic celebration of savoring the encore-no matter what the next act may bring. 

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

A poignant return to the music and vibe of rock festivals through the fading memory of sixty-nine-year-old Eleanor Bell; formerly known as the Bell of Wartime Music. With a secret Eleanor’s kept tucked away, along with a forgotten note: “until next time,” Eliza Knight’s Lost in the Summer of’69 bombards the senses with blaring guitars, masses of humanity, the aroma of hot dogs, beer, sweat, and the sting of tear gas. Readers get a guided tour of rock festivals as Eleanor follows her heart and love for the music from coast to coast, ending in Woodstock, New York! Eleanore’s daughter Leanne, struggling with her marriage, and granddaughter, Nora, one of Yale’s first female undergrads, add two generations of perspectives on love and life to this rockin’ jaunt across the country. The music list below includes songs played at the concerts, heard on the radio, and listened to on “turn tables.”

So much music. So many memories. Three generations of love stories. Put on the bell bottom jeans, tie-dyed t-shirt & fringe vest for a real trip, Lost in the Summer of ’69.

MUSIC FROM THE SUMMER OF ’69

Purple Haze-Jimi Hendrix , Abbey Road-Beatles, Proud Mary-Credence Clearwater Revival, With a Little Help from My Friends-The Beatles, Here Comes the Sun-Beatles, Celebrate-Three Dog Night, Bad Moon Rising-Credence Clearwater Revival, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me-Dusty Springfield, Whole Lotta Love-Led Zeppelin, It’s My Party-Lesley Gore, Loretta Lynn, Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay-Otis Redding, Heartbreak Hotel-Elvis, Break on Through to the Other Side-The Doors, Light My Fire-The Doors, Crazy-Patsy Cline, Summertime-Janis Joplin, With a Little Help From My Friends-Joe Cocker, Joni Mitchell

Music in Epilogue & Author’s Note

Please Be Mine-New Kids on the Block, Foxy Lady-Jimi Hendrix, Piece of My Heart-Janis Joplin, Break on Through-The Doors, You Can’t Always Get What You Want-Rolling Stones

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The Queen’s Coronation by Jennifer Ryan

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Publication June 2, 2026-Ballantine Books-Historical Fiction-336pp

Book Summary

As a young Queen Elizabeth II prepares to take the throne, three women in her employ will discover where they belong in a rapidly changing world in this heartwarming novel from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir.

London, 1953. Buckingham Palace and the many employees vital to the smooth running of the monarchy find themselves in bedlam as the Queen’s coronation quickly approaches.

Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the queen, watches the queen finding the strength to rule—a woman taking charge of her future. Meanwhile, Caroline’s life is worn thin by her gambler husband, and she is barely holding on as every penny she earns seems to run out the door. When a trip to Balmoral brings her face-to-face with the man she once loved, she finds herself at a crossroads between what her life is and what her life could be. Can she, like the queen, find the strength to define her own future?

Lucy Jones is a junior wardrobe assistant who positively radiates life—she’s young, idealistic, and eager to become a famous singer. So when a handsome, wealthy man at the palace promises to help her on her way to stardom, she’s over the moon to have such a supportive husband-to-be. And if he’s asking some things of her that she’s not quite sure about, isn’t that just part of the glamorous life?

Miranda Miller has come over from America just in time to help with preparations as a temporary secretary in the palace. The job is a perfect way to gather information for the article she’s writing about the coronation for a magazine back in New York; the article that will keep her boss from firing her because of her gender.

But as all three women discover, just because a woman will soon be sitting upon the throne, it doesn’t mean that society will change overnight—and if they want to carve places for themselves in this world, they’ll have to do it together.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, London1953, is the stunning backdrop for the lives of three women employed at Buckingham Palace. From parade routes, royal carriages, the design and fitting of the Norman Hartnell-designed coronation gown, to the nerve-wracking T.V. rehearsals-readers are submerged in the frenzied day-to-day hubbub of the palace staff-all leading to Coronation Day.

Jennifer Ryan expertly braids intricate coronation plans and history with the point of view of three vastly different women; each trying to ‘break free’ from life as they know it. Caroline Brimstone, with a 13-year-old daughter, is Assistant Dresser to the queen. Caroline needs to break free from the suffocating control of husband, Frank. A Scottish gardener from Balmoral and Caroline’s past, Angus, adds tension and anticipation to this situation.

Second on the royal staff is Miranda Miller, a journalist sent by the New York Gazette to report on coronation happenings. She’s a war widow, independent and ambitious. Miranda’s mask is that of grief; she’s in a rut, using her situation as an excuse. This plot thread threatens to shred friendships with betrayal, putting trust and ambition in the balance.

Lucy Jones, running from life in Cornwall is a third POV. Lucy becomes a wardrobe assistant working for Caroline, while looking for adventure, glamour, romance, and she can sing! Sucked into the world of beauty pageants and prostitution, Lucy becomes involved in the infamous Thursday Lunch Club. While beauty is her strength, her weakness is self-doubt. Ryan incorporates male perspectives and a few known, accepted palace behaviors in this POV.  

Buckingham Palace, Balmoral, Windsor, Westminster Abbey, and the sheer opulence of the royal parade are front and center in Jennifer Ryan’s tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen’s Coronation. A royal treat for royal readers.

Jennifer Ryan is the author of National Bestseller THE CHILBURY LADIES’ CHOIR, THE SPIES OF SHILLING LANE, THE KITCHEN FRONT, THE WEDDING DRESS SEWING CIRCLE, AND THE UNDERGROUND LIBRARY.Previously a book editor with The Economist, DK, and the BBC, she moved from London to Washington, DC after marrying, and she now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children. Her novels are inspired by her grandmother’s tales of the war in Britain.

Missed Connections by Aimie K. Runyan

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Publication May 26, 2026-Harper Muse Romance-Sci-Fi & Fantasy-Women’s Fiction-320pp

Book Summary

What if you had the chance to revisit every choice that mattered?

Sabrina Sorensen is 37, single, and recently let go as general manager of a posh Parisian restaurant. She heads home to California for her younger sister’s engagement party, and it’s an open door for her mother and siblings to prod Sabrina for her itinerate lifestyle and her inability to commit to any of her previous jobs and relationships. What they don’t know is that Sabrina, for fifteen long years, has been building her résumé in hopes of becoming an inspector for the famed MICHELIN guides—a path that has required anonymity and keeping her ambitions hidden. And now, with her career on the downturn, even that is in jeopardy. After her mother’s final clumsy attempt to fix her up with the charming “boy next door,” Sabrina bolts for Burbank Airport.

The problem? She has nowhere to go.

She arrives at the airport, resolved to put the family conflict behind her and focus on her work, but now her mother’s critical voice fills her with doubts. Has she been wasting her life? Faced with the enormity of her next decision, and feeling utterly alone, Sabrina breaks down at the ticket counter. The kind ticket agent ushers her to a private lounge and offers her something far more important than tea and sympathy: the opportunity to revisit some of her key choices, personal and professional, in her past. Sabrina suddenly is given the rare chance to answer the burning question: has she been foolish to sacrifice so much for her dream of becoming a Michelin inspector? Spanning fifteen years and thousands of miles, Sabrina will have the rare opportunity to know for certain if all her choices had led her down the right path.

Grateful Reader Book Review by Dorothy Schwab

Foodies everywhere will appreciate this delicious melding of menus, Michelin stars, and life choices into a tantalizing concoction of fantasy and time travel known as Missed Connections. Sabrina is at a crossroads in her life and needs a friend to help her find the right path. Reminded of bad decisions by traveling back in time, Sabrina has a chance to learn lessons and find out what would’ve happened had she made different choices altogether. Through this foray into contemporary fiction, readers are treated to tantalizing menus and restaurants from coast to coast and beyond, terrifying Michelin agents, sticky front and back of house situations, and an adorable Irish “fairy godmother.” Recipes included! An appetizing exploration of overcoming self-doubt to grow and prosper in the deliciousness of the present. Five Michelin Stars!

Aimie writes fiction, both historical and contemporary, that celebrates the spirit of strong women. In addition to her writing, she is active as a speaker and educator in the writing community. She lives in Colorado with her amazing husband, kids, cats, and pet dragon.

The Hope Keeper by Heather Webb

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Publication May 19, 2026-Sourcebooks Landmark-Historical Fiction-368pp

Book Summary

1919, Washington D.C. Elisabeth Beaumont comes from a renowned jeweler family, but after the untimely death of her twin brother, she’s left on her own to run the failing family business. Desperate for work, she approaches the affluent crowd her brother Julien once courted to expand Beaumont Jewelers. Their ringleader is wealthy socialite Evalyn McLean, owner of the world’s most infamous gemstone, rumored to curse all who travel within its orbit. The Hope Diamond.

As Elisabeth is swept into Evalyn’s toxic world of dark opulence, the lines defining who she is and where she belongs begin to blur, leading Elisabeth to question all she once believed. She’s no longer certain she wants to take over the family business and be beholden to the wealthy elite of D.C. But she can’t fathom leaving her father in the lurch. There’s also Evalyn to consider, and the Hope Diamond, which beckons Elisabeth to admire it, touch it, care for it, despite every warning she’s been told.

When tragedy strikes one night, not only is Elisabeth’s fragile friendship with Evalyn put to the test, but her carefully constructed glamorous new life comes crashing down. Now Elisabeth must face the truth about her brother’s death and decide what matters most. 

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab-First Published Historical Novels Review May 2026 -EDITORS’ CHOICE

     This historical mystery set in early 20th century Washington D.C. is as captivating as the legend of the Hope Diamond. Based on real life Evalyn McNeal, her world acclaimed jewelry collection and conniving socialite friends, Webb melds high society “mean girl” antics and secrets with the untimely death of charismatic jeweler, Julian Beaumont.  Brimming with mysterious accidents, The Hope Keeper follows the questionably lucky or unlucky lives of owners and the legendary curse of the Hope Diamond.

     Struggling to save the family business after Julian’s death, Elisabeth Beaumont, Lizzie, becomes the caretaker of Evelyn McNeal’s jewelry collection.  Webb’s character development in critical social situations glistens with glares and acerbic dialogue tangled with shallow attitudes and frivolous conversations, creating animosity and doubt among the socialites. Inhibited, mousey Lizzie is lured into accepting Evie’s amazing generosity, though the friendship does provide access to a whole new group of friends and business possibilities. Even as Lizzie ingratiates herself with the higher echelons of D.C. society, mimicking Evie’s mannerisms and attitudes, she blossoms and wisely discerns society’s games and exactly how to play. Webb expertly unveils the universal human trait of insecurity while seeking acceptance and approval, creating extremely relatable characters.  She masterfully blends self-discovery from the absence of a loved one with Lizzie’s growth in confidence after losing her twin brother.

     The suspenseful plot is pleated with secrets and suspicions between couples and friends nestled snuggly against sparkling jewelry design and scientific gemstone research. An occasional first-person account of the Hope Diamond’s historic travels and feelings is charmingly mingled into the plot. Historic details of cherry blossoms in Potomac Park, the Washington Monument, and women employed at the Smithsonian add to the world building in the unfolding captivating mystery of The Hope Keeper.  Highly recommended.

HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE MAY 2026

Heather Webb is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of eleven historical novels. Her most recent include The Next Ship Home, Christmas with the Queen, and Queens of London. In 2015, Rodin’s Lover was a Goodread’s Top Pick, and in 2018, Last Christmas in Paris won the Women’s Fiction Writers Association STAR Award. Meet Me in Monaco, was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Goldsboro RNA award in the UK, as well as the 2019 Digital Book World’s Fiction prize. To date, her novels have been translated to 18 languages. She lives in New England with her family and two mischievous cats.

The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michelle Richardson

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Publication April 21, 2026-Sourcebooks Landmark-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

In this standalone and companion novel to the The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, our heroine for the ages, legendary book woman, Cussy Lovett, returns home. A powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the printed word, The Mountains We Call Home is wrapped into a vivid portrait of Kentucky life: examining incarceration and criminalization, exploring the effects on the poor and powerless, and tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds, along with nostalgic glimpses of a bustling, multifaceted Louisville, and heartwarming portraits of reading efforts in every facet of life. 

Meticulously researched and richly detailed with a new cast of absorbing and complex characters, this beautifully rendered, authentic Kentucky tale is gritty and heartbreaking and infused with hope, spirit, and courage known only to those with no way out.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab First Published in Historical Novels Review May 2026

     The Mountains We Call Home is third in the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series. Cussy, the beloved Kentucky “book woman” and her mule, Junia, introduced readers to the Pack Horse Librarians and their lifechanging journeys through the Appalachian mountains. Now the early 1950’s, Kentucky Blue Cussy, is married to white man Jackson Lovett, and they have been arrested and incarcerated for miscegenation. The Mountains We Call Home is Cussy’s story of survival and a testament to the courage and strength she possesses as she brings books to heal those in prison.

     Kim Michele Richardson brings an unsettling depth of understanding to the mostly new cast of characters based on her own background of poverty and homelessness. Chosen to be the Book Woman in the prison, Cussy’s gift of matching books to readers wins the hearts and souls of the women, the warden and the guards. Cussy brings hope to the women in the Geriatric ward when she movingly reads chapters aloud from Charlotte’s Web. The women make astonishing changes showing the power of the written word on their relationships and outlook.  As Cussy appears with books, ward by ward, KMR slowly reveals the humanity and worth of those imprisoned.

     This well-researched novel shines a dark light on treatment of incarcerated women, medical experiments with lobotomies, and later the costs of urban renewal. Up and over the trails of Troublesome Creek, tragedy in Louisville, and finding a new life teaching women to read and write, Cussy Lovett’s saga imparts the immense pride and the power reading the printed word has on all lives. An eye-opening, heartwarming denouement. Highly recommended.

A native-born Kentuckian, Kim Michele Richardson is the New York Times, L.A. Times, USA Today bestselling author who has written six novels, a memoir and most recently, two children’s picture books The works have been published in more than 18 languages, and she is a two-time Southern Book Prize finalist. Her novel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms and has been adopted as a Common Read selection by states, cities, and colleges across the country and abroad.

Beyond the Clouds by Elizabeth Camden

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Publication Jan. 2025-Bethany House-Christian-Historical Romance-368pp

Book Summary

They lost each other once before; now the clouds of war may give them a second chance.
     As teenagers, Delia Byrne and Finn Delaney fell in love while flying kites and dreaming of a future together–until betrayal tore them apart. Now, as America enters World War I, Delia works for peace as a paralegal and pacifist. Her values forbid her from supporting the war effort, but she volunteers for a relief organization trying to save millions of lives in famine-stricken Belgium.
     Returning to America as a decorated war hero, Finn is eager to get back to the front but is assigned to use his fame to raise funds instead. To his surprise, this mission will bring him face-to-face with Delia, the only woman he ever loved and once hoped to marry. As their shared mission draws them together, old sparks of romance begin to stir–until duty sends them behind enemy lines in occupied Belgium. Will the greatest danger be the conflict raging around them–or the possibility of falling in love again?

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab First Published in Historical Novels Review May 2026 Issue

     Beyond the Clouds, third in the Women of Midtown Series, combines well researched history of pre-World War I America and 1917 occupied Belgium with a post war relationship challenged by sense of duty, courage, and fear.

     Elizabeth Camden expertly weaves teenagers Finn Delaney and Delia Byrne’s backstory before World War I with their present-day situation, hopes, and fears. Years later after a betrayal, conflict ensues as war hero Finn returns to the U.S. and pacifist, Delia is working as a paralegal. The descriptions and details of Delia’s life in New York City sink readers into the social dilemmas faced by working women and the political climate in the United States pre and post-World War I.  

     From the initial description of Finn’s plane crash, the novel quickly draws readers into occupied Belgium, while contrasting the social and political turmoil here in the U.S. Camden focuses attention on compelling historical details of Herbert Hoover’s creation of the CRB, Commission for Relief of Belgium. A strong sense of the U. S. economic climate is provided by Finn’s experiences contacting wealthy Americans for contributions, such as Randolph Hearst, past president, Howard Taft, and many others.

     A Christian romance, Beyond the Clouds spans just over a decade. From a 1917 plane crash in occupied Belgium to 1928, Times Square, New York City, this is a splendid exploration of fear, courage, duty, and love; filled with hope and possibility.

"Historical romance of second chances, sacrifice, and redemption set against World War I Belgium."

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her engaging romance novels featuring clever heroines with richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband, who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.



Peg, Unhinged by Teri M. Brown

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Publication April 21, 2026=Atmosphere Press-Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Book Summary

Peg is good at a lot of things. Selling beachfront homes. Raising two kids. Holding her life together with duct tape and dark humor. What she is not good at is menopause, divorce, or watching her soon-to-be ex flirt with women half her age, especially when one of them works in her office.

As hot flashes, brain fog, and emotional landmines take over, Peg finds herself unraveling in increasingly hilarious and inconvenient ways. Her kids are drifting away. Her marriage is in ruins. Her once-unshakable confidence is cracking. And yet, somewhere between a screaming meltdown on the beach and a disastrous real estate showing, Peg starts to realize something unexpected: this breakdown might also be a breakthrough.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Finding humor and wisdom amid life changing events is the frame around Peg’s unhinged state of mind. Teri Brown develops Peg into a relatable character readers will empathize with and cheer on to discovering her strengths and coming to grips with weaknesses, as she navigates divorce and job stress. The change in Peg’s lifestyle also spurs changes in friendships, which are always difficult to accept. Brown shows discernment in showcasing old friends’ actions and realistic dialogue demonstrating how loving, heartfelt intervention or expressing opinions doesn’t necessarily help. Peg’s new friend, Beth, is an optimistic breath of fresh beach air as she listens and shares thoughtful insights with Peg. Beth’s comments, “change still requires a bit of grieving, you’ll feel better with a little movement, and we can think about next moves,” are so apt for the moment and totally applicable in so many of our own situations.   One of Peg’s clients relates that his mother came out of her shell when she felt needed. This is a time-honored truth and can never be repeated too often. Brown inserts letters to God from Peg, shining a light on many confessions, life lessons and insights.

Wisdom and humor are scattered like seashells on the beach. During strolls with friends or the interactions at the women’s shelter, in all instances, the lessons in Peg Unhinged are collectible treasures. Entertaining while enriching read.

Teri’s debut novel, “Sunflowers Beneath the Snow,” was published in 2022 and is set in Ukraine. This was followed by “An Enemy Like Me,” which takes place during World War II, and “Daughters of Green Mountain Gap,” a generational story about Appalachian healers. Her writing often explores complex themes such as family dynamics, racism, and personal growth, aiming to introduce readers to characters they would love to invite to lunch .She also hosts a podcast called “Online for Authors,” where she shares insights and interviews with other authors

Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey

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Publication May 5, 2026-Gallery Books-Women’s Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

“a heartfelt escape to coastal Carolina.
After the worst day in her professional life, burnt-out NICU nurse Daisy Stevens runs to Cape Carolina, North Carolina, looking for a new life—and possibly new romance. On her first day at her “simpler” job, high school baseball coach Mason Thaysden discovers an abandoned baby, sending ripples through the entire tight-knit town of Cape Carolina.

Mason is still struggling to reconcile the scars of the injury that kept him out of the big leagues, stuck in his hometown, and searching for a way out. This newcomer and the child they’ve saved together might be just the motivation he needs to stay put. Sparks fly as Mason acquaints Daisy with Cape Carolina, introducing her to his friends and family, including his batty Aunt Tilley, who is looking for relief from long-buried family secrets and her own fresh start.

But as Daisy becomes increasingly attached to this abandoned child, and begins facing her own demons in the process, a startling discovery is made that threatens to rip the entire town of Cape Carolina apart, placing Daisy, Mason, and Tilley in the center of the storm. In a novel that proves that “Kristy Woodson Harvey is (the) go-to for elevated beach reads” (People), they will each learn that with love, understanding—and a community theater production of Hello, Dolly!—sometimes life conspires to bring us just exactly where we belong.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Get set for a cast of characters living in the past, hiding secrets, and in search of purpose. Kristy Woodson Harvey delivers a complicated family saga set on the coast of North Carolina that engages readers on emotional levels that erupt in unexpected ways. Nurse Daisy, Coach Mason, and “batty” Aunt Tilley each have a different quest but as the line from Hello Dolly says they all need to get “some life back in their life!” The decisions and responsibilities being faced will provide many opportunities to do the “right thing” and for readers to make choices and predictions as well. These dilemmas are what keep the twists and turns of the emotional roller coaster on the track and pages flipping! Excitement, suspense and a grand gesture lead to a standing ovation and much cheering! No matter the location, readers will be in a Summer State of Mind. Available for beach bags now!

A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate with Honors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Southern Living, Parade, Traditional Home, USA Today, and many more. She also holds a master’s in English from East Carolina University, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature.

Kristy is the co-creator and co-host of the hit weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction with fellow New York Times Bestselling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, and Patti Callahan Henry, which boasts more than three hundred thousand members. She is also the co-founder of the award-winning interiors site Design Chic, with her mom, Beth Woodson.

She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband, son, and dog, Salt, where she is (always!) working on her next novel.

The Parisian Chapter by Janet Skeslien Charles

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Publication May 5, 2026-Atria Books-Historical Fiction-240pp

Book Summary

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, a charming and cinematic novel following a young woman from Montana who takes a job in the American Library in Paris, where she discovers the power of storytelling and her own dreams.

Paris, 1995: It’s been five years since Lily Jacobsen and her best friend Mary Louise arrived in Paris from their small town of Froid, Montana. Determined to establish themselves as artists—Lily, a novelist, and Mary Louise, a painter—they share a tiny walkup and survive on brie and baguettes.

When Mary Louise abruptly moves out, Lily feels alone in the city of light for the first time and must find a new way to support herself. She lands a job as a programs manager at the American Library in Paris, following in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved French neighbor in Montana who told her stories of heroic World War II librarians when Lily was growing up.

Here in the storied halls of the ALP, she meets an incredible cast of characters—her favorite author, quirky coworkers, broke students, trailing spouses, haughty trustees, and devoted volunteers—each with their own stories… and agendas. Lily often seeks solace in the Afterlife, the library’s attic that’s home to hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, and there, she discovers a box of archives that may be a link to the past: to Odile’s own Parisian chapter.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

This ode to librarians, libraries, and friendship connects characters from all three novels in the Paris Library Series; Odile and Lily from The Paris Library and Jessie Carson and the CARDS in WWI, from Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade. Lily finds herself at the famous American Library in Paris (ALP) in 1995, where Odile had so courageously served during World War II.

Janet Skeslien Charles does a magnificent job filling in the backstory from the first two books in the series. I enjoyed The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, and highly recommend reading these first, but certainly not necessary. JSC takes readers on a tour of the ALP, month by month, while developing characters: volunteers, patrons, trustees & board members, staff, a secret boarder and even a love interest with a Texas connection. All are book mates of the dearest kind. Another thread, along with saving the ALP, is the friendship between Lily and Mary Louise. Both young girls have much to learn about themselves and how to navigate moving from Montanna to Paris-no small feat. Readers see a different side of program manager, Lily.

From Jessie Carson’s children’s libraries in France-WWI, to Odile’s journey as a war bride in Montanna-WWII, then Lily’s challenges & accomplishments in Paris in 1995-Janet Skeslien Charles’ Paris Library Series is a glorious tribute to libraries and librarians across the world.

A rewarding dedication of gratitude to book lovers everywhere.

Janet Skeslien Charles is the New York Times, USA Today, and #1 international bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade (called The Librarians of Rue de Picardie in the UK and Commonwealth), and the audiobook The Parisian Chapter. Her essays and short stories have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and the anthology Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. Janet was born and raised in Montana. After graduating from the University of Montana, she got a job teaching English in Ukraine. She later went to France intending to teach for a year, and has been there ever since. Place is at the heart of every story she has ever written. She loves traveling, spending time with friends and family, and researching stories of forgotten people and places. 

A Founding Mother- A Novel of Abigail Adams By Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

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Publication May 5, 2026-William Morrow-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

     In time for the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the United States comes a sweeping, intimate portrayal of Abigail Adams—wife of one president and mother to another—whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic. A stunning historical novel with modern-day implications from the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton.

     In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to “remember the ladies” in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally.

     When peace is secured, Abigail steps onto the world stage—exchanging ideas with Thomas Jefferson in the French countryside, navigating court life as the wife of the Minister to Great Britain, and presiding over the parlor politics of the early American republic in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans. From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time—one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab-

First Published by Historical Novels Review May 2026-

“Editors’ Choice Award”

Abigail Adams, astonishing “President’s Lady,” tells her story just in time for America’s 250th anniversary. Abigail forges her place as a founding mother; wife to second president of the United States, John Adams, and mother of sixth president, John Quincy Adams,  

     As Abigai tells her life story, she transports readers from Massachusetts Bay Colony 1765, across oceans and continents, into palaces, riots, and revolutions. She raises her family, endures sacrifices and separations in fifty years of marriage, and sets an example for future presidential wives. Dray and Kamoie have researched tomes of our rich history to provide a masterful retelling of America’s birth as a nation. Opening in 1814 with Washington ablaze and President Madison in hiding, Abigail looks back on her life as a wife, mother, entrepreneur, diplomat, and friend.

      Abigail realized “extraordinary times called for her to be an extraordinary wife and mother!”  Abigail is portrayed as a saucy, patient wife, a valuable conversationalist and diplomat, independently wealthy with an enterprising spirit and a voracious advocate for her children. Relatable to women in today’s world, Abigail balances family demands with those of her role as a “founding mother.”

     As John travels the Colonies and Europe, Abigail’s resolve comes boldly to the surface as she is abandoned with children to raise, a farm to supervise, and finances to manage. She moves households many times, always with determination to make the best of each location and situation. This domestic thread is seamlessly woven with John Adams’ burgeoning career, the political machinations of Hamilton, Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Hurray for patriotic, cheer worthy, engaging historical fiction!

STEPHANIE DRAY is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical women’s fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into many languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, cats, and history books.

A Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller, LAURA KAMOIE has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. Writing with co-author Stephanie Dray allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

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Publication March 24, 2026-St. Martin’s Press-Historical Fiction-330pp

Book Summary

Known for her “delightful blend of historical fiction and suspense” (People), New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict, returns with a sweeping tale of a young woman who unearths the truth about a forgotten Pharoah—rewriting both of their legacies forever.

In the 1920s, archeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle made headlines around the world with the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun. But behind it all stood Lady Evelyn Herbert—daughter of Lord Carnarvon—whose daring spirit and relentless curiosity made the momentous find possible.

Nearly 3,000 years earlier, another woman defied the expectations of her time: Hatshepsut, Egypt’s lost pharaoh. Her reign was bold, visionary—and nearly erased from history.

When Evelyn becomes obsessed with finding Hatshepsut’s secret tomb, she risks everything to uncover the truth about her reign and keep valued artifacts in Egypt, their rightful home. But as danger closes in and political tensions rise, she must make an impossible choice: protect her father’s legacy—or forge her own.

Propelled by high adventure and deadly intrigue, Daughter of Egypt is the story of two ambitious women who lived centuries apart. Both were forced to hide who they were during their lifetimes yet ultimately changed history forever.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Enter the worlds of Highclere Castle, England and Cairo, Egypt in the 1920’s. The settings become beguiling characters each on their own. Highclere Castle’s famous long drive graciously beckons readers into Daughter of Egypt, as readers are swept straightaway into the magic and music of the Highclere Castle Ball, the first after the Great War. Fans of Downton Abbey will easily visualize the library, dining room, and the secret entrance to the music room! Lady Evelyn, Eve, has always been interested in Egyptology, and cherishes time with her father, Lord Carnarvon and his associate, archaeologist Howard Carter, over attending teas and balls as a debutante. She much prefers the excavation season digging for antiquities over the socialite’s season seeking a match. The alternate setting is Egypt: Cairo’s luxurious Shepheard’s Hotel, the Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor, the Nile, and the stately, sandy sites Howard and Eve choose for digs.  

Beginning with the introduction Marie Benedict incorporates an immense amount of Great Britain’s history of Colonial Egypt, the Great War, and the return of archaeology to the Valley of the Kings. The plot alternates between Hatshepsut’s life of Princess to Pharoh, and Lady Evelyn’s from debutante to archaeologist, transporting readers between Highclere Castle and Egypt with history, lavish descriptions, and even love stories.  Lady Evelyn’s mission is to unearth the mystery of Hatshepsut’s erasure from history. This drives her personal journey to discover more about Hatshepsut-whose tomb has never been found.

Benedict’s character development of Hatshepsut glows with her brilliance, foresight and humanness. The young Egyptian queen dazzles like sun on sand, as Benedict reveals Hatshepsut’s relatable emotions as a mother, a daughter, and a ruler. Eve is portrayed as driven by her own passions and having the fortitude to face up to her mother and the ambition to follow her archaeological dreams, which keeps the plot moving! Marie Benedict, known for her well researched novels, delivers a detailed, well-balanced view of Egypt as Lord Carnarvon, Howard Carter, and Lady Eve navigate the volatile political and complex social climate in the years after WWI. Fans of historical fiction will be joyously immersed in England and Egypt as the stories, history, and legacy of two strong women triumphantly emerge in Daughter of Egypt.   

Don your khakis and get ready to dig! Treasure is guaranteed.

Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Queens of Crime, The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies.

Recipe for Joy by Monica Comas

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Published March 24, 2026-Lake Union Publishing-Women’s Fiction-331pp.

Book Summary

A grieving woman finds healing and purpose through her late grandmother’s cherished recipes in a poignant and hopeful novel about rediscovering the comfort of family in the most trying of times.

Belle Sutton is a little lost these days. She has a stalled career, a New York apartment she can’t afford, and her sister, Lexie, is more estranged with each passing year. Belle’s one true consolation is her beloved grandmother, who’s powered through her own broken family ties with a tenacious zest for life and a passion for cooking. But when her grandmother suddenly passes away, a grieving Belle feels her only connection to the past is gone forever.

That’s when Belle receives a series of letters, along with a cookbook, photographs of Belle and Lexie when they were young and happy, and her grandmother’s last wish that the sisters mend severed ties before it’s too late. For the love of Gran, a challenge is met that sets Belle and Lexie on a journey of hope, reconciliation, surprising discoveries, and the nourishing power of family, forgiveness, and tradition. All they have to do is follow the directions.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Recipe for Joy is an antidote for grief. In her debut novel Monica Comas pens a love letter to her own place of grief, honoring her beloved mother. Separated into five tasty parts, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Sweet, Savory, readers experience the emotions of estranged sisters of two generations. Descriptions and analogies transport readers from NYC to the east side of Cleveland, Gates Mills, a place “where the houses stood close like a family gathered near the road in a companionable line.”

After Gran passes, the letters, pictures, and recipes that Belle and Lexie receive, deliver a level of suspense along with heartwarming memories revealed through treasured recipes and commentary. Comas’ gut felt, spot on descriptions of emotions bubbling up truly get to the heart of the relationship between Belle and her sister.

Feelings and emotions we’ve all felt are explained through the senses of fragrant aromas from the kitchen to contrasting sights and sounds of NYC and Gates Mills. The conundrum of different men Belle meets, her self-doubt, and self-talk, make her totally relatable. Belle lost her mom when very young, and now her Gran. As a friend tells Belle, “You’re a grieving train wreck!” The letters and cookbook are meant to reconnect Lexie and Belle. But what Belle needs is a manual for putting herself back together! She must reinvent herself, find a calling and move forward! This is the compelling ingredient!

Grief folded in mystery, with heaping tablespoons of heartfelt, gut-wrenching emotions, add a wise grandmother’s love of cooking – the sublime formula for Recipe for Joy.

Monica Comas was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from The Ohio State University and a master’s in journalism from New York University. She’s worked as a newspaper reporter, a journalist covering stocks and the economy, and a financial editor. But fiction has always been her true love. Monica lives in New York with her husband, John, and their tiny shih tzu, Poirot. https://monicacomas.com/

Moonshine Women by Michelle Collins Anderson

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Publication March 31, 2026-Kensington Books-Historical Fiction-1920’s-1930’s

“A Prohibition-Era story of sisterhood, reinvention and the alchemy of love.”

Book Summary

In the Prohibition-era Missouri Ozarks, three sisters take over their father’s moonshine business in an evocative story of reinvention, sisterhood, and the alchemy of love for readers of Jeannette Walls, Fannie Flagg, Sue Monk Kidd, and Donna Everhart.

Every batch of Strong moonshine has its own special flavor, thanks to the secret ingredients that matriarch Lidy Strong adds to the barrels of fermenting corn mash. Whether a bucketful of golden peaches, a ripe melon or juicy, jewel-toned berries, that extra “something something” is what makes the Strong “shine” so prized—and allows the family to survive after crop prices plummeted in the wake of the Great War.

Each of the Strong sisters, too, is distinct. Stoic, steadfast Rebecca would rather be with her beloved farm animals or off hunting in the woods than socializing. Middle sister Elsie is kindhearted, beautiful—and itching for a life more thrilling than the farm can offer. Jace, the youngest, is known far and wide as “Shine,” a name that suits her fiery personality and flaming red hair as much as her innate skill with a still.

Their father, Hiram, has been drowning himself in grief and liquor ever since his wife died. But the moonshine business is unforgiving, especially with Prohibition agents turning up in every creek and holler. When tragedy strikes, it falls to the Strong women to keep the still running, the family together, and hope burning on the horizon.

From the Ozark mountains edged in oak and pine, to the outlaw paradise of Hot Springs, Arkansas—where gangsters like Al Capone line the bar at the Southern Club—the sisters’ quests for vengeance, healing, and love will drive them forward, in search of a future as transformative and powerful as the purest Strong moonshine.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

A fiery, potent experience. In Moonshine Women, Michelle Collins Anderson has blended the Strong family, their close-knit Ozark community, and the Prohibition Era, into, as Al Capone claimed of Shine’s drink, “a damn good” concoction. Moonshine Women is a mixture of secrets and steely women, muddled with two devastating crashes – one a car, two the stock market-and a heavy dash of revenge.

The hills of Missouri and Hot Springs, Arkansas become the backdrop for illegal stills, the saga of the Strong family, and how Shine, the youngest Strong sister attempts to save the family moonshine business on the banks of Kinney Creek. Anderson uses the stages of distilling moonshine to divide this haunting tale of survival into parts: Foreshots, Heads, Hearts, and Tails! Each main character gets his/her own repeating chapters where Anderson develops each unique personality and deftly explores family relationships, beliefs, and what drives each of them.  She laces the saga with history going back to the Louisiana Purchase and Native American tribes, along with stunning descriptions of the Ozark Mountains and the majestic rows of bath houses in Hot Springs. Themes of regret, guilt, revenge, forgiveness and commitment are stirred together to examine the complicated ways families are “created, tested, and constantly changed.”

Years of bootlegging, family battles, and motherless babies; a recipe for adventure and redemption in the Ozarks. Like Lidy’s batches of moonshine, this book has a special “something something.”

Michelle Collins Anderson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up on a farm in the Missouri Ozarks — a place and a way of life that has shaped her writing. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism degree and spent the next fifteen years as a copywriter in advertising and public relations agencies in St. Louis, Palo Alto, Denver and Houston before pursuing a freelance career and teaching at the University of Missouri and Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. In 2013, she graduated with an MFA in Fiction from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. Michelle and her husband, Clay, have three adult children and live in a 1907 brick row house in St. Louis, Missouri, with two cats and a border collie. THE FLOWER SISTERS is her first novel.

Under Two Flags A Novel of World War I

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By Janis Robinson Daly

Published March 26, 2026-Black Rose Writing-Historical Fiction- 281pp

Book Summary

When dreams collide with war, survival becomes the ultimate performance. In October 1916, eighteen-year-old Josephine Therese Marzynski leaves Boston for Berlin to pursue her dream of studying opera at Germany’s most prestigious music conservatory. Living with family friends and immersing herself in German culture, she finds unexpected beauty and friendship in the heart of enemy territory.

But when America enters the Great War in April 1917, Josephine’s world transforms overnight-from welcomed student to enemy of the state. Trapped in Berlin as rationing tightens and suspicion mounts, Josephine must navigate daily police check-ins, bureaucratic interrogations, and the constant threat of internment. Her survival depends on German friends who risk their own safety to protect her, while she struggles with divided loyalties between her American identity and the people who have become her chosen family.

Based on the true story from Josephine’s memoir and set against the backdrop of a city slowly starving under the weight of war, Under Two Flags is a gripping tale of resilience, moral complexity, and the transformative power of music in humanity’s darkest hours. As Josephine fights to secure passage home, she confronts impossible choices that will test everything she believes about loyalty, survival, and the true meaning of patriotism.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Under Two Flags is the retelling of the memoir of Josephine Therese Marzynski, an American woman studying opera in Berlin, 1916-1917. Janis Robinson Daly ‘s grandfather, Eliot Harlow Robinson, Sr., was the ghostwriter for Josephine’s first-hand account, With Old Glory in Berlin, published in 1918. Now Daly has recreated this riveting story, focusing on Josephine, a spunky, young Jewish girl from Boston, with an overriding desire to follow her dreams.

Janis Robinson Daly composed and directed this thrilling account of the 18-year-old opera singer’s 13-month study at the Konservatorium der Musik in 1916, before the United States entered World War I. Daly’s composition is filled with realistic emotion and immersive descriptions of the German people, their militaristic attitudes, and the exquisite scenery. The details of rationing and dwindling of necessities sink readers deep into the passions of a people experiencing war. Emotion pours through Daly’s words the way emotion pours through Josephine’s voice. Family, neighbors, classmates, Berliners and German soldiers. All are portrayed through the lens of a young woman, far away from her family, stuck in a country at war. Josephine’s patriotic, homesick sharing of an emotional July 4 with a neighbor in 1917 is a favorite.

Under Two Flags is presented in the format of an opera: an overture, acts, scenes, an intermission, and the finale. This format is the perfect stage for Daly’s enlightening use of similes to describe characters and situations by making comparisons to scenes from various operas, a charming. compelling addition to the prose.  

Brava! A piercing operatic light on a driven young woman in a chaotic, uncertain time in history. Suspenseful. Dramatic. Rewarding. Highly recommended.

Daly’s first novel, The Unlocked Path, celebrates pioneering women doctors at the turn of the 20th Century. Its sequel, The Path Beneath Her Feet, honors the work of the American Women’s Hospitals in rural America during the 1930s.

It Girl by Allison Pataki

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Published March 10, 2026-Ballantine-Historical Fiction

Book Summary

New York, 1900. At the dawn of a new century, the city’s streets teem with change: electricity, automobiles, a brash young President Teddy Roosevelt—and the It Girls. As artist’s 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 young shopgirl,  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, a “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 premiere “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.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

The face of the fresh century, 1901, New York City.  Evelyn is giving one of her most risqué performances, Salome, at Mrs. Vanderbilt’s with Mrs. Astor and the top of society in attendance. Her dance leaves them shocked and horrified! Such a surprising opening, it begs you to keep reading! Enter the alluring world of men that create, promote, and manipulate Evelyn Talbot, the “It” girl. All of them, maddening!

Travel with Eve from artist’s model to Broadway and Gibson Girl, and on to London, Paris, and Pittsburg. Allison Pataki adds delicious and impeccably researched details of all these settings, sinking readers into Eve’s world of wealth and indulgence.  Her rise to fame, the decadent world she lives in, the evil men and the despicable mother she endures, is absolutely mind boggling. The millionaire rivals for Eve’s attention are involved in “The Crime of the Century,” but America’s Eve writes her own ending – a shocking, roller coaster, heart stopping read.   

Allison Pataki is the multiple New York Times bestselling author of eleven books of historical fiction, children’s books and memoir, including the instant bestseller The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post and the critically acclaimed Finding Margaret Fuller.

Patriot of the Lowcountry: Eliza Wilkinson and the Fall of Charleton

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A Ladies of the Revolution Novel by Tracy Lawson

Publication March 19, 2026-Gray Lion Books-Historical Fiction-

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Book Summary

     Eliza is no stranger to both privilege and heartbreak. Widowed at eighteen, she gained self-sufficiency while managing one of her father’s plantations. Now, at age twenty-two, marauding Redcoats destroy her home and hard-won independence. With her family’s properties in ruins and their financial future threatened, Eliza’s father insists she seeks the stability of a new marriage. As she reluctantly navigates the romance and intrigue of Charles Town’s social season, two very different men vie for her attention.  The Season’s revelries come to an end amid the chaos and terror of siege, and when the city falls to the British, Eliza joins other rebel ladies in relief work, intelligence gathering, and sabotage. Danger mounts as the British banish and imprison patriots to quell civil unrest. Eliza learns of a military operation that could spell disaster for General Francis Marion, commander of the only significant rebel force left in South Carolina. Can she locate the elusive Swamp Fox and deliver a message of warning in time?

     Based on Eliza Yonge Wilkinson’s letters that recount her experiences during the American Revolution.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Tracy Lawson introduces “Lady of the Revolution,” Eliza Wilkinson; a “Rebel Lady” with a whale of a story. This addition to the series is a rewarding balance between the siege of Charles Town during the American Revolution and the patriotic efforts of Eliza Wilkinson, her commitment to family legacy, the enslaved, and duty to her country.

Lawson’s compassionate analysis of Eliza’s published letters gives readers a glimpse into the heart and soul of Eliza and her husband, Joseph. Having grown up in luxury she is a planter’s widow at 18 years old. Her short marriage to Joseph, his death, and the death of their infant son a few days later, is the bedrock of Eliza’s fortitude to carry on her family’s legacy.

From tidal marshes to Oak lined avenues, Lawson sets the scene and tone for Eliza’s re-entry into society with luscious descriptions of a forgotten world. At her father’s suggestion to remarry for the sake of the family, Lawson gently introduces readers to this possibility at a Christmas Eve ball. Eliza intrudes upon Peter Porcher’s reverie and solitude in the well-stocked library, meeting the reserved, gallant gentleman who suggests to readers and Eliza, that her grieving may have come to an end. Peter comes with an overbearing match-making mother and a pitiful, anxious sister, Mary.  Mary’s naiveté and trust in Eliza provide opportunities for education and enlightenment, revealing Eliza’s compassionate, servant heart. Mentoring Mary and the burgeoning relationship with Peter and his call to duty weave a lovely romantic but tangled web of conflict for Eliza.

As an Abolitionist, Eliza is filled with passion for her family land, the enslaved, and duty to her country. The siege of Charles Town, the British skirmishes, and coded letters keep Eliza’s involvement at the forefront of the plot. Charity work is where Eliza crosses paths with Polly Brewton. Seemingly opposites in personality, a clash ensues and Eliza admits being a friend to Polly could be social suicide. This is an excellent use of foreshadowing, leaving the reader to make predictions as harrowing schemes of sabotage take over the suspenseful plot.  

The Author’s Note is treasured in historical fiction. Tracy Lawson includes valuable information on locations, descriptions, and owners of Toogoodoo, Plainsfield and Pawletts plantations and Eliza’s family. Also included is an excellent collection of quotes from Eliza’s letters and a list of further reading.

Lawson’s Patriot of the Low Country is an excellent cocktail: equal parts history and sabotage with a splash of romance. Drink up!

Tracy Lawson’s “first” career in dance and educational theater spanned thirty-five years. She has been a teacher, a studio owner, and has choreographed thirty-seven musicals for middle- and high school students. When her family made a cross-country move for her husband’s job in 2013, Tracy also made a career change–and now has six novels, four books for children, and three nonfiction books to her credit, with another novel and another children’s book in the pipeline. The common thread that connects all her books is her characters’ pursuit of individual liberty.

 Tracy is married with one grown daughter and two spoiled cats. She and her husband Bob live outside Dallas.

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Taming Lady Temperance By Karen Witemeyer

Publication February 17, 2026-Bethany House Publishing-Christian Historical Romance-336pp

Book Summary

When passion for justice conflicts with the heart, which will prevail?
Noreen O’Sullivan is an enthusiastic member of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union and believes herself called to defend the cause of prohibition. When she’s invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, Noreen jumps at the chance to rally others to her movement and shut down the local saloon for good. However, her passionate campaigning often puts her at odds with the men around her–including the local deputy.

Deputy James Paxton believes in preserving the peace, but Miss O’Sullivan has been disturbing his peace for months. If James wants to be elected sheriff, he can’t afford to be seen as her ally. But when Noreen ropes him into helping her plan a temperance march, their growing closeness sparks unexpected feelings. Then tensions escalate at the saloon and accusations fly. James must choose between upholding his badge and protecting the woman who’s captured his heart–knowing either choice could cost him everything.

Karen Witemeyer presents a swoony Western romance with a determined heroine, cowboys, prohibition, and the rivals-to-lovers and duty vs. desire tropes. Fans of Mary Connealy and frontier romances set in the Old West will savor this clean, historical read.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Fans of “rivals to lovers” Old West historical reads will be enamored with Book #1 in Karen Witemeyer’s newest series, The Secret Society of Spinsters. This clean Western set in Albany, Texas, features a feisty heroine and a discerning deputy. In 1894, Noreen is an active member of the Woman’s Temperance Union and the newly formed, Secret Society of Spinsters.  James Paxton is a deputy aspiring to one day be sheriff. The characters surrounding Noreen in the Temperance Union and the spinsters are well developed, with memorable backgrounds and all the typical skills of capable frontier women. Readers should be apprised that themes of alcohol addiction and family abuse are possible triggers. But be assured the characters and readers are constantly reminded of God’s grace and forgiveness throughout the novel. James is portrayed as a compassionate, patient deputy with a strong sense of justice and excellent listening skills! A rare, treasured commodity. Noreen’s mother-daughter relationship, along with 15-year-old Luella’s family situation, adds to the impact and suspense of tragic events in this West Texas town. Karen Witemeyer’s bold, determined characters are learning to overcome guilt and regain trust, relatable themes developed in Taming Lady Temperance.

Taming Lady Temperance is Book #1 in The Secret Society of Spinsters Series. Book #2, Wooing the Wallflower, set in Tyler, East Texas, is due in February 2027. Karen Witemeyer, a Christy Award winner, writes historical romance with happily-ever- after endings.

“Happy Trails to you, until we meet again!”

When We Were Brilliant by Lynn Cullen

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Publication January 20,2026-Berkley-Historical Fiction-448pp

Book Summary

They were an unlikely pair—a blond bombshell and a photographer determined to be taken seriously—but Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold would make a deal that would change their lives in this dazzling new novel from the national bestselling author of Mrs. Poe and The Woman with the Cure.

     In 1952, Norma Jeane Baker follows documentary photographer Eve Arnold into a powder room on the night they first meet. She has a proposition for her. Norma Jeane created Marilyn Monroe to be photographed, and she wants Eve to do it. Eve is better than anyone she’s seen at revealing a person’s inner truth. Together they can help each other. Together, she says, they can make something brilliant.
     Skeptical of this cipher of a young woman, Eve demurs. She’s looking for more serious subjects than this ambitious starlet. But she keeps getting drawn back into Marilyn’s orbit, and the women come to recognize something in each other—something fundamental. Nothing will get in the way of what they want, and when Marilyn’s star takes off to teetering heights, neither will ever be the same.
     A lavish and transporting novel, When We Were Brilliant captures the halcyon days of an icon and the grit of women determining their own futures as it explores the exceptional and complicated friendship between Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

First Published on BookBrowse for First Impressions

From Marilyn Monroe admitting, “I don’t really know who I am,” to photographer Eve Arnold’s ability to distill truth and communicate vulnerability through her lens, Lynn Cullen pulls back the curtain to show Marilyn’s fortitude in confronting chronic pain and heartbreak. In this respectful look at friendship, Cullen explores what the lives of Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold “might say to us about being human.”  This is an insightful, compelling character study of “dirty girl” Norma Jeane, who became the super star that we know as Marilyn Monroe. Eve Arnold, Norma Jeane’s only real friend, manages to illuminate her soul through photography. Marilyn Monroe: An Appreciation holds the treasured photographs and was the springboard for this novel. Lynn Cullen spotlights Marilyn’s marketing genius combined with Eve’s powerful photography in When We Were BRILLIANT. As Norma Jeane would say, “Imagine!”

History has never meant a dull recounting of dates and wars for Lynn Cullen. She was trained to love the subject as a child, when her father led his large family on camping trips across the United States every summer, excursions that centered around learning about the lives of the women and men who shaped the world. By visiting their childhood homes or the places where they struggled to make their mark, Cullen was taught at an early age to seek the real people behind their legend. Continue : https://lynncullen.com/about/

Marilyn Monroe: An Appreciation is a book by photographer Eve Arnold, first published in 1987, that offers an intimate look at Marilyn Monroe through Arnold’s photographs and personal commentary. The book chronicles their unique relationship, developed over a decade of photo sessions, and showcases both the public and private sides of the star, revealing the insecurity and pain behind her famous smile. It’s known for its tender, witty, and insightful images, including previously unpublished photos, and serves as a historical testament to Monroe’s life and career. http://marilyn monroe an appreciation by eve arnold

The Book Binder’s Secret by A. D. Bell

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Publication January 13, 2026=St. Martin’s Publishing-Historical Fiction-400pp

Book Summary

Every book tells a story. This one tells a secret.
A young bookbinder begins a hunt for the truth when a confession hidden beneath the binding of a burned book reveals a story of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.

      Lilian (“Lily”) Delaney, apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901, chafes at the confines of her life. She is trapped between the oppressiveness of her father’s failing bookshop and still being an apprentice in a man’s profession. But when she’s given a burned book during a visit to a collector, she finds, hidden beneath the binding, a fifty-year-old letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder.
     Lily is pulled into the mystery of the young lovers, a story of forbidden love, and discovers there are more books and more hidden pages telling their story. Lilian becomes obsessed with the story but she is not the only one looking for the remaining books and what began as a diverting intrigue quickly becomes a very dangerous pursuit.
     Lily’s search leads her from the eccentric booksellers of London to the private libraries of unscrupulous collectors and the dusty archives of society papers, deep into the heart of the mystery. But with sinister forces closing in, willing to do anything for the books, Lilian’s world begins to fall apart and she must decide if uncovering the truth is worth the risk to her own life.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Want to know a secret? This novel pulls the reader right into the world of collecting and restoring books in Oxford,1901. Lily, who doesn’t go anywhere without a book, narrates the tale of secrets and mysteries with a story of forbidden love hidden in a series of books. Lily has always been able to focus on a project to the point of obsession-which is exactly what happens when she discovers a letter hidden under the binding of a partially burned book.

Bell’s use of foreshadowing reveals that as Lily is drawn into the search for more books in the series with possibly more letters, her own past and the future she’s been hoping for, might be slipping away. Bell keeps up a fast-paced plot with Lily’s harrowing situations, shady dealings on train platforms, and escaping down crowded alleyways. Lily’s real-life search for the books and letters is alternated with the saga of forbidden love, an unclaimed fortune, and the fate of a missing baby sewn into the bindings.

 Lily, a lady bookbinder trying to save her father’s bookstore, is frantically following all the clues, but collectors, booksellers, lovers, and authors all have secrets. Hidden pages, juicy stories and confessions make The Bookbinder’s Secret perfect for readers searching for “that particular perfume…, the aroma of imagination, of knowledge waiting.” The secrets keep the pages turning.



Anneke Jans in the New World by Sandra Freels

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Publication January 6, 2026-She Writes Press-Historical Fiction-256pp

Book Summary

It’s 1630, and Anneke Jans has just arrived in the fledgling colony of New Netherland with her husband, Roelof, and their two young daughters to create a new life for herself and her family. One of very few women in the colony, Anneke quickly realizes that she will need to make her own rules if she is to survive.

When Roelof dies, Anneke marries Everardus Bogardus, the flamboyant minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. With this marriage, Anneke joins the elites of the colony—but when the colony’s new director provokes war with the region’s American Indians and her new husband emerges as the head of the anti-war opposition, she also finds herself in the midst of political turmoil. As difficulties mount, she must rely more than ever on her quick wits to protect herself and her growing family.

Based on real events, Anneke Jans in the New World tells the story of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Anneke’s life story is a perfect read to celebrate the 400th birthday of New York state. Author Sandra Freels ,a descendant of Anneke Jans, sinks readers into 1630’s New Amsterdam, the dangerous, intimidating forests and rivers we now know as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut and Delaware.

Upon her arrival Anneke realized she was in a country of young men; she’d have “to make her own rules, be quick witted, and careful,” to survive.  Anneke’s life story is both amazing and inspiring. This compelling narrative of her survival is a history lesson packed with early Colonial terminology, ingenious agricultural methods, marriage laws, and Indian Wars. Details of the Mohicans, the Dutch West India Company, governing bodies, and peace treaties pepper Anneke’s life story. Two marriages, ten children and even the initial making and serving of coffee will keep readers anxious to learn of Anneke Jans in the New World.

At Morning’s Light by Lauraine Snelling

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Pub Date Dec. 2, 2025-Bethany House Publishing-Christian Historical Fiction, Frontier Romance-320pp

Book Summary

In her new homeland of Iowa, she must risk heartbreak and uncertainty for her dreams to flourish.

Maya Bredesen and her husband plan to journey from Norway to a new life at her cousin’s boardinghouse in America, but on one last fateful fishing trip, a fierce winter storm steals away her husband. With her dreams for the future crushed, Maya is left grieving on the voyage to Iowa, accompanied instead by her brother, who plans to finish his seminary degree.

Arriving at a boardinghouse spilling over with orphans and a newly married couple, Maya struggles to find her place amid the chaos. A new friendship develops between her and Eben Miller, the reserved, kind farmer next door, but just as Maya begins to recover from her wounded heart, more tragedy engulfs her. As she and Eben weather trials together, can they overcome the difficulties this new land holds when it seems so far from becoming home?

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

At Morning Light is a tender look at family life on a farm in Iowa,1890. Book #2 in the Home to Green Creek Series continues the immigration story of Amelia Gunderson and fiancé, Absalom. Readers easily pick up the back story from Book #1, Land of Dreams, with richly developed characters and excellent plot pacing, with each chapter ending in hopeful suspense! The main characters share relatable struggles and hurdles; finding jobs and learning English, while readers bond easily through blossoming relationships in this growing Norwegian community.

Snelling’s detailed descriptions of the endless boarding house chores and cooking along with gardening and the ‘never ending” processing of fruits and vegetables adds a marvelous layer to the richly expressed community pride exhibited in church picnics, hayrides, home building, and neighbors helping neighbors. Snelling’s ability to express the gratitude of family members seeps right into the hearts of readers.  

Amelia leads her family with faith and trust in God to overcome fears and guilt. An uplifting, comforting reminder that God’s love is constant and new each day, At Morning’s Light.

Author Bio: Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books, fiction and nonfiction, for adults and young adults. Her books have sold more than five million copies. She makes her home in Tehachapi, California. Learn more at LauraineSnelling.com..

Murder in Manhattan by Julie Mulhern

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Publication Dec. 9, 2025-Forever, Grand Central Publishing-Historical Mystery-352pp

Book Summary

Inspired by one of the first real-life female columnists at the New Yorker, this enticing historical mystery follows Freddie Archer as she solves crimes while reporting on the glamorous world of the rich and famous in 1920s Manhattan.

This writer just found her next scoop . . . and it’s deadly.

New York, 1925 – Freddie Archer frequents speakeasies and wild parties with her friends Dorothy Parker and Tallulah Bankhead. And the best part is that it’s all in a day’s work. Freddie loves her job writing the nightlife column for Gotham Magazine.

But Freddie’s latest piece just won her a bit more attention than she bargained for—from the police. A man mentioned in her column has been murdered. And Freddie is asked to keep an eye out for his fashionable female dinner companion. She’s told in no uncertain terms to stay out of the case herself.

So naturally, Freddie throws herself into an investigation that takes her from the elegant stores that line Fifth Avenue to the tenements south of Houston Street. Now between sipping gin rickeys with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and casting Broadway shows with Groucho Marx, she’s dodging bullets and dating a potentially dangerous bootlegger.

Freddie wanted adventure and excitement. But will she survive it?

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

If you’re like Freddie Archer, seeking adventure and excitement, this is the historical mystery for you! It’s New York,1925. This riveting trek takes readers from ritzy speakeasies and chic designer boutiques to the warehouses of the Lower Eastside. Freddie pals around with the famous author, critic, Dorothy Parker; readers can count on her for witty wisdom. Tallulah Bankhead, a twenty-three-year-old actress, already living at the famous Algonquin, hotspot of the literary and artistic elite, is also a frequent flyer in Freddie’s nightly jaunts to restaurants, plays, and clubs, searching for juicy gossip for her nightlife column. I loved that Freddie could write a column in her head as she sped around Manhattan in cabs following leads. Freddie consorts with Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, and even Grouch Marx makes an appearance in an unexpected way. Freddie shows up, Chanel ensemble and chic bobbed hair, sticking her detective nose into situations she’s been told, in no uncertain terms, to stay out of. Julie Mulhern has created predicaments that are humorous, harrowing, and downright spine tingling. Grab a gin rickey or a champagne cocktail to follow the clues in Murder in Manhattan, but in the complete safety of your own living room. Did I mention bootleggers and kidnapping?

Murder at Donwell Abbey -An Emma Knightley Mystery by Vanessa Kelly

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Publication November 25, 2025-Kensington Books-Historical Fiction, Mystery-Thriller=416pp

Book Summary

This latest Regency-era mystery from USA Today bestselling author Vanessa Kelly finds Jane Austen’s clever Emma Knightley (nee Woodhouse) as an amateur sleuth, navigating shocking changes in her family—while meeting her match in a deadly adversary . . .

Emma’s spirits are elevated after she and husband George Knightley host a joyful holiday celebration at the Hartfield estate. But it’s instantly a bitter January when her father makes an unexpected announcement—he and Miss Hetty Bates have decided to marry. Not only must Emma relinquish her role as mistress of the household, but also accept the reality that the excitable Miss Bates will become her stepmother . . .

More unwanted news arrives during an extravagant betrothal ball at Donwell Abbey, the grand Knightley estate where Emma and George will soon permanently reside. Nearly every villager in Highbury revels in the dazzling affair—except Emma’s hardworking lady’s maid, Prudence Parr. To Emma’s horror, Prudence is found dead, sprawled across the stones of the library terrace . . .

The woman’s tragic fall is quickly ruled a terrible accident and whispers circulate around personal troubles leading up to her untimely demise. But Emma’s instincts tell her that something far more sinister is at play. Now, Highbury’s matchmaker-turned-sleuth vows to outwit a cunning criminal before an innocent man loses his freedom—or Donwell Abbey plunges into a darker mystery . . .

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

In this sequel to Murder in Highbury the peace and quiet that had settled after the events of the past year has ended for George and Emma Knightley. Emma’s father has announced his engagement to Miss Bates and requested a proper ball to celebrate the coming nuptials.

Vanessa Kelly has populated Murder at Donwell Abbey with a delightful cast of characters. The families of sisters Emma and Isabella, their husbands, brothers George and John Knightley, and the house staff with their many attributes are introduced as the plans for the big event proceed. Donwell Abbey and the ball are the scene for The shocking discovery that sets the cozy mystery into motion. The manners and social mores of 1816 Regency England are a fertile garden for Emma’s brilliant, bold detective inclinations to blossom, once again. Due to the investigative skills of Emma, the plot takes twists and turns down unlikely alleys and pathways. Kelly reveals the newly married relationship of George and Emma with witty banter, humorous exchanges, and even romantic suggestions, which make her discoveries even more satisfying.

Kelly’s Murder at Donwell Abbey leaves readers anxiously anticipating another invitation to tea with Emma and another mystery to solve.

A Dark and Deadly Journey- An Evelyne Redfern Mystery by Julia Kelly

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Publication September 23, 2025-St. Martin’s Press-Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers-304pp

Book Summary

Evelyne Redfern returns in A Dark and Deadly Journey, the next book in international bestselling author Julia Kelly’s captivating historical mystery series.

After being sidelined for a pesky gunshot wound, typist-turned-field agent Evelyne Redfern is ready for her next assignment with Britain’s secretive Special Investigations Unit. When a British Intelligence informant in Portugal mysteriously disappears just after hinting that he has vital information about German plans that could tip the balance of World War Two, Evelyne and her dashingly irksome partner, David Poole, are sent headed to Lisbon to find him.

Once they land, Evelyne and David aren’t even able to leave the airport, before she discovers one of their fellow aeroplane passengers murdered and uncovers a diary with a clear link between the victim and their missing informant. With their mission in jeopardy before it can truly begin, Evelyne and David fight to keep their cover intact as they descend deeper into the shadows that surround Lisbon’s glittering collection of wealthy expats and dangerous spies. This case will test Evelyne and David’s training, charm, and wit—and their growing attraction for one another.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab First Published in Historical Novels Review Magazine, Nov.1, 2025 Issue

     This newest installment in the Evelyn Redfern Mysteries presents fans of historical mystery novels with a fast-paced trek following British Special Investigation Unit agents Evelyn Redfern and partner David Poole to Portugal,1940.  Kelly’s vivid details of politically charged Lisbon, filled with wealthy expats, sparkling jewels and a throng of spies, is the perfect setting for A Dark and Deadly Journey. The disappearance of a British intelligence informant leads Evelyn and David to Princes Petrova’s soirees, the Hotel Metropol, casinos, bars, and jewelry shops as they piece together the giant jigsaw puzzle.

     Julia Kelly easily connects readers by revisiting Evelyn’s famous childhood as the “Paris Orphan” leading to the estrangement of her father, Sir Reginald. He has suddenly contacted her with a surprising request which strangely coincides with her new mission as an SIU agent. Disguised as a wine buyer and his secretary, David and Evelyn work with Phillips, head of the intelligence branch in Lisbon, tracking an informant who supposedly has knowledge that could shift Portugal’s neutrality in the war.  Sir Reginald, Phillips, Princess Petrova; and many more intriguing characters are involved in unexpected plot twists at every turn in the crowded Lisbon streets. Kelly interjects Evelyn’s smartly induced theories to keep readers analyzing the clues as the search for the missing informant progresses.

      With each new installment Kelly adds a touch of romance as Evelyn and David’s growing attraction is coyly revealed in details of private moments and memories of their previous assignments as SIU agents.  Be forewarned of an unexpected, jaw-dropping ending. Suspenseful. Highly recommended. Awaiting the next adventure in the Evelyn Redfern Mysteries with great anticipation.   

Christy Award -Historical Fiction 2025: Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes

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Publication June 18, 2024-Bethany House-Christian-Historical Fiction-416pp

Book Summary

A lost treasure. A riddled quest. The healing power of friendship.

Legends are tucked into every fold of the Colorado mountains surrounding the quaint town of Mercy Peak, where residents are the stuff of tall tales, the peaks are taller still, and a lost treasure has etched mystery into the very terrain.

In 1948, when outsider Mercy Windsor arrives after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood’s beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood, an abandoned estate with a haunting history, and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of the mountain’s lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Railcar No. 8, which vanished years ago–along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention the fabled treasure that–if found–could right so many wrongs.

Among the towering mountains that stand as silent witnesses, the ghosts of the past entangle with the courage of the present to find a place where healing, friendship, and hope can abide amid a world forever changed.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab First Reviewed for Historical Novel Society-August 1, 2024

Mountain lore, a mystery, and mending of hearts are like the veins of gold in Colorado’s San Juan Mountain Range in Amanda Dyke’s dual timeline. A Blood Moon Pact between four ten-year-olds, heartfelt, girlish letters between pen-pals Rusty Bright and Marybeth Spatts in 1928, and the 1948 arrival of a fallen movie star in Mercy Peak, Colorado, sets the narrative in motion.

Like the “Galloping Geese,” hybrid train/automobiles used to climb the mountains, the pace of the novel transports readers slowly and deliberately to reach the peaks, then builds speed toward the station with a satisfying, uplifting arrival.  Dykes’ narrative, somewhat epistolary through the pen pal letters, is also layered with newspaper articles, movie scripts, and interviews which reveal personal emotions and feelings, lending a realistic, captivating element. A riveting treasure hunt with ingenious clues and patterns along with the search for the Galloping Goose #8 leads readers to a fascinating discovery.  The train’s mysterious disappearance and its missing mail bag adds suspense and personal connections to Mercy Peak’s citizens, some waiting years for life altering news. Throughout the narrative Dykes connects Mercy Peak’s residents of the present to the past through the possibilities of the mail bag’s contents. Also known for her love of symbolism, the mountains are cast as a character, representing life and the treasure they hold.

Themes of friendship, finding purpose, and hope are painted onto the canvas, Born of Gilded Mountains. The landscape, with glorious descriptions of mountain peaks and verdant valleys, is enhanced by the lure of the poignant tales and visions of those residing in the charming village of Mercy Peaks; filled with forgiveness, grace, courage and adventure. A soul-stirring, rewarding journey.  

Read more about Amanda’s books here on her website: https://amandadykes.com/mybooks/

Last Call at the Savoy by Brisa Carleton

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Publication Nov. 4, 2025-Grand Central Publishing-Historical Fiction-304pp

Book Summary

Set amongst the glittering backdrop of London’s iconic Savoy hotel, a young woman is forced to confront her troubled past as she uncovers the story of the hotel’s first female bartender who has been erased from the history books—”an exhilarating, tender read that will leave you smiling” (Fiona Jackson, bestselling author).
      Six years ago, Cinnamon Scott was a young writer on the rise in New York City. But since the sudden loss of her parents, she’s been stuck in place, retreating to a life of endless partying—made possible by the massive fortune she’s inherited. Despite their tragic loss, she and her older sister Rosemary have always had each other to lean on. But now, with Rosie living in London and about to give birth to twins, Cinnamon feels more lost than ever.
     When Rosie is put on bed rest, Cinnamon flies to her sister’s side, where she’s temporarily living at The Savoy. Immediately swept away by the beauty and history of the legendary hotel and its famed American Bar, Cinnamon finds ample opportunity to distract herself. When the late shift bartender tells her the story of Ada Coleman, the woman who crafted the cocktail recipes The Savoy popularized in its famous handbook a century ago, Cinnamon is inspired by the bartender’s vivid stories of Ada’s fearlessness and can’t understand why Ada’s name is nowhere to be found. After meeting a handsome historian researching the hotel and realizing that Ada is likely to be once again overlooked, Cinnamon must decide if she can overcome her demons and stand up for Ada’s story. And, along the way, she might just save her own story too.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

A perfect book cocktail: One book filled with the story of Ada Coleman, first female bartender at the London Savoy Hotel and her cocktail recipes, add two sisters, one pregnant with twins and one stuck in a guilt ridden past, stir in a handsome historian, sprinkle with the rich and famous-Voila!

In this dual timeline Brisa Carleton blends the history of the Savoy and its residents seamlessly with an equal amount of present-day trauma and guilt carried by sisters, Cinnamon and Rosemary. I found both timelines compelling; the Ada Coleman portion was filled with the mystery of what happened to the well-known bartender and the Savoy Cocktail Book; and what would become of the sisters dealing with inheritance, guilt, and twins? I savored the stories of famous people residing or being served at the American Bar in the Savoy -Harry Selfridge, Cesar Ritz, Marconi, Gucci, told to Cinnamon by Joe the late-night bartender.  The addition of historian Christopher Clark adds a writer mentor, possible love interest for Cinnamon, as she becomes a “girl detective.”  

Which is better? Sipping a Manhattan at the American Bar while Joe tells stories-wondering why Ada Coleman has been erased from the cocktail book or delving into the history of the Savoy over afternoon tea with Christopher Clark, wondering what it would be like to be a writer? Read Last Call at the Savoy to enjoy both!

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree-A Festive Guide to Celebrating the Holidays

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Publication September 23, 2025-Harper Celebrates-176pp-Cooking, Crafts, Entertainment, Pop Culture

Book Summary

Get the most out of your Yuletide celebrations and let the Christmas spirit ring with this full-color festive handbook to all things holiday! You will rock around your Christmas tree this season with the beloved, nostalgic #1 chart-topping song as your guide to a host of holiday fun, from recipes and crafts to party games, decor ideas, and more!

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Christmas arrives when we first hear Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee! This guide is a delightful collection of ideas to “decorate, dance, bake and celebrate” the holiday season. The lyrics of the famous song form the table of contents! So ingenious and a festive start for getting into the spirit of entertaining family and friends. The book opens with the background of Brenda Lee and Johnny Marks and the history of their music. The collection is filled with recipes, tablescape ideas, and party themes. Whether given as a gift to a Brenda Lee fan or for personal enjoyment, one can always use hosting tips, a holiday couple’s quiz, or a little mistletoe magic! Happy Holidays!

The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan

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Publication October 14, 2025-William & Morrow- Mystery, 320pp

Book Summary

A new holiday story set in the Scottish Highlands to warm booklovers’ hearts by Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop.

Mirren Sutherland stumbled into a career as an antiquarian book hunter after finding a priceless antique book in her great aunt’s attic. Now, as Christmas approaches, she’s been hired by Jamie McPherson, the surprisingly young and handsome laird of a Highland clan whose ancestral holdings include a vast crumbling castle. Family lore suggests that the McPherson family’s collection includes a rare book so valuable that it could save the entire estate—if they only knew where it was. Jamie needs Mirren to help him track down this treasure, which he believes is hidden in his own home.

But on the train to the Highlands, Mirren runs into rival book hunter Theo Palliser, and instantly knows that it’s not a chance meeting. She’s all too familiar with Theo’s good looks and smooth talk, and his uncanny ability to appear whenever there’s a treasure that needs locating.

Almost as soon as Mirren and Theo arrive at the castle, a deep snow blankets the Highlands, cutting off the outside world. Stuck inside, the three of them plot their search as the wind whistles outside. Mirren knows that Jamie’s grandfather, the castle’s most recent laird, had been a book collector, a hoarder, and a great lover of treasure hunts. Now they must unpuzzle his clues, discovering the secrets of the house—forming and breaking alliances in a race against time.

A treat for booklovers and treasure hunters alike, The Secret Christmas Library serves up a delicious mystery with a hint of romance, and plenty of holiday spirit!

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

A treasure hunt that starts in the British Museum in Bloomsbury, the elegant area of London devoted to libraries, books, and studies. What could be better?  Jenny Colgan incorporates the sheer cliffs of the Scottish Highlands, secret passageways in a crumbling castle, and the search for a valuable book that could save an estate into this gem of novel set in Scotland at Christmas time.  

Jenny Colgan truly lives in a castle in Scotland, so her descriptions vividly depict the views of the spacious grounds and cottages, the biting cold inside and out, and the long, dark corridors leading to the libraries and bedrooms. The main characters are well developed with realistic doubts and fears, expectations and hopes, and family concerns and secrets. All these feelings play into the quandary of how to save the castle that’s been in Jamie McKinnon’s family for over 500 years! Jamie’s grandfather had always been obsessed with books, puzzles, and crosswords, so no one was surprised when his only hint as to the whereabouts of the valuable book came in the form of a poem. Mirren and Theo, antiquarian booksellers, Bonnie, an amazing cook on staff, and the laird himself, Jamie; are snowed in along with Jamie’s sister, Esme, all hoping to sort through the mystery and find the book. The logic and analysis of the poem, following the clues, and the relationships that develop, all add to the suspense. If Mirren was looking for a change in her life, for an adventure? She got one!  

The Secret Christmas Library is a suspenseful, mysterious tale – a stocking stuffer with a bit of spicy romance, soul-searching, and splendid holiday discoveries. Cozy up in front of the fire for that shivery, excited feeling when opening the pages of the perfect Scottish tale.

Sweet & Salty-Cookbook for Young Bakers

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Publication September 30, 2025-Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers-Nonfiction-Cooking-280pp.

Book Summary

From the most trusted American baking resource comes a collection of over eighty sweet, salty, and very, very tasty recipes that will have bakers of all ages rolling up their sleeves and breaking out their rolling pins!

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Not everyone grows up learning to bake from scratch like I did-thanks, Mom. Here’s your “teacher!” This is a step-by-step book for parents and kids who want to create in the kitchen! The Table of Contents is well designed and divided into categories for quick reference, and the recipes are leveled as Easy, Medium, or Project-an adult should help on the first attempt. The introductory pages with tips and tools are informative and include plenty of photos, without detaining “anxious to start” bakers. The sidebars are presented with explanations packed with chemistry and math; knowledge of why ingredients work-chemistry; measuring hints-math, which kids learn best in practical ways. Sweet & Salty is PERFECT for a family cookbook collection. Cue the sprinkles!    

The President’s Wife by Anna Stuart

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Publication September 23, 2025-Bookouture-Historical Fiction-382pp

Book Summary

December 1941: ‘Pearl Harbor has been bombed.’ My husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s, voice shakes as he tells me the devastating news. In this heart-stopping moment, I’m determined to do whatever it takes to protect America, but will it be enough?

Eleanor Roosevelt takes a deep breath. She knew this day was coming but now that it’s here she needs every ounce of courage to face it. She’s stood by Franklin’s side through thirty years of marriage and three terms in the White House but entering the war that’s been raging across the world will be their greatest challenge yet.

Eleanor watches thousands of women as they embrace their husbands for what could be the last time before they go off to war. She knows she needs to put aside the troubles in her own relationship for the sake of the country. But will the latest threat to her marriage finally tear her and Franklin apart? 

The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been. This is a moment that history will never forget, and all eyes are on them. Will Eleanor succeed in her role as the president’s wife and help to save her beloved country as well as her marriage? Or will tragedy strike before the war is won…?

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

A well-researched, poignant portrait of the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt; the political and private life from the First Lady’s point of view.

The novel opens as the Roosevelts move into the White House in 1933, fulfilling Franklin’s lifelong dream of becoming the President.  In this dual timeline, Eleanor’s reflections take the reader from meeting Franklin at a party in 1902 to visiting his gravesite in 1948. Stuart covers America’s political climate from before the bombing of Pearl Harbor through the end of World War II. That’s a lot of campaigning, train trips, and elections! Franklin and Eleanor’s political views and news is kept front and center: fireside chats, Eleanor’s daily news column, speaking engagements, and myriad women’s groups. Eleanor’s heart for freedom and justice for all Americans is revealed repeatedly as she makes unbelievable personal sacrifices for the good of Franklin’s career and the country.

Told from Eleanor’s perspective Stuart portrays the couple’s great respect and love for each other with compassion and candor.  Eleanor’s discovery of a bundle of violet scented letters creates a great divide in the Roosevelt marriage. Stuart shows discernment and sympathy for Eleanor’s true heart in her bold demand of two marriage conditions rather than divorce, while highlighting family relationships, the separate residences, and Eleanor’s own friends she called ‘intimates’.

Known as First Lady, but also as a writer, broadcaster, campaigner, and friend. This novel celebrates Eleanor’s cerebral bond with Franklin, her uncanny gift of being a great listener and her lifelong stand against prejudice.

The President’s Wife is a stunning jewel in Anna Stuart’s author crown.

The Last Assignment by Erika Robuck

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Publication August 19, 2025-Source Books-Historical Fiction-448pp

Book Summary

From bestselling author Erika Robuck comes the perilous and awe-inspiring true story
of award-winning photojournalist Dickey Chapelle as she risks everything to show the
American people the price of war through the lens of her camera.
Manhattan, 1956.
Since her arrest for disobeying orders and going ashore at Iwo Jima almost a decade earlier,
combat correspondent Georgette “Dickey” Chapelle has been unmoored. Her military
accreditation revoked, her marriage failing, and her savings dwindling, Dickey jumps at an
opportunity to work with an international refugee association—one with intelligence ties.
the aftermath of a refugee rescue that goes wrong, a flame is lit deep inside Dickey— to
survive in order to be the world’s witness to war from the front lines.
Never content to report on battles unless her own boots are on the ground, Dickey and her
camera journey with American and international soldiers from frozen wastelands, to raging
seas, to luscious jungles, covering the plight of those suffering from humanity’s endless
cycle of violence. Told in an alternating prose and epistolary format, The Last
Assignment takes readers along on Dickey’s missions to the Hungarian Revolution, the
Cuban Revolution, and the earliest days of the war in Vietnam, revealing one woman’s
extraordinary courage and tenacity in the face of discrimination and danger.
And it’s along the way, in Dickey’s desire to save the world, she realizes she might also be saving herself.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

This is the story of female paratrooper and photojournalist, Dickey Chapelle. Erika
Robuck’s extensive research is evident as the narrative of Dickey’s life story plays out on
four different continents. Robuck laces her novel with letters, diary entries, telegrams, and
radio broadcasts based on real life accounts. These add authenticity and suspense to the
novel, which is divided into three main parts, spanning 1954, New York City-to 1965, Viet
Nam. A war correspondent grieving the loss of her parents and her marriage, Dickey
Chapelle’s life story exemplifies her courage, determination and commitment to her life
goal, “making the picture to end all wars.” This is a compelling account which leaves
images etched in one’s memory of scenes written with indelible detail and vivid accuracy.
Filled with tension from prison cell to battlefields, Erika Robuck’s Last Assignment bestows
an honorable tribute worthy of the highest award and a Marine salute: To the life and
accomplishments of Dickey Chapelle. Semper Fi.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

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Publication June 17, 2025-Gallery Books-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

Kristin Harmel, returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.
Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, Annabel: take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.

But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.

Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Kristin Harmel adds another World War II novel to her growing collection. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau centers on the definition of right and wrong and the gray areas that are personal to each reader. The Marceau family legacy of stealing jewelry to rebalance justice is based on the legend of Robin Hood. This moral deliberation is embedded in every jewelry heist and the lives of Annabelle and Colette are the resulting outcomes of very debatable decisions and choices. This theme of morality, combined with survival guilt, self-discovery, and the power of ordinary people makes this novel a treasure trove of discussions for book clubs.

The timeline alternates between the war in Paris, 1942 and Boston, 2018. Kristin Harmel’s mystery puzzle is framed by four corners: Annabel’s family heritage of stealing, Colette’s later life including the Tristan love story, the twin bracelets’ provenance, and the murder of Colette’s little sister, Liliane. The puzzle pieces slowly fall into place, leaving readers in great emotional suspense and anticipation as the complete picture comes into view. We know “diamonds are forever” and Kristin Harmel proves this beautiful sentiment once more in The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Book of Lost Names, The Winemaker’s Wife, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into more than 30 languages and are sold all over the world. Many of her novels have been optioned for film and television. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau is coming this June.

Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan

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Publication May 20, 2025-William Morrow-Romance-Women’s Fiction-352pp

Book Summary

Everyone loves—and hates—a big fancy wedding! From the author of Lost and Found in Paris and The Marriage Sabbatical comes a champagne-sparkling summer read about two very different women planning their children’s wedding in glamorous Montecito, California. You’re invited…to a delightful modern comedy of manners about two moms, the best-laid plans, and one very memorable wedding.

Penelope and Chase make a lovely couple. She’s a bubbly Southern California girl with killer work ethic. Chase is smart and charming and has political aspirations. They’re planning a spectacular California wedding, wrapped in peonies and thousands of little white lights, soaked in custom cocktails and romantic hashtags. Everyone’s excited about Penny and Chase’s wedding­­­­­­—except their mothers.

The Mother of the Bride, suave Greek-born Alexa Diamandis, doesn’t understand why any woman would get married. Ever! Raised in Athens and now perfectly situated in sun-splashed Montecito, California, she raised Penny as single mother by choice, supported by Lord Simon Fox, her old college friend who just happens to be an English aristocrat, and a wealthy circle of lady friends who call themselves the Merry Widows.

The Mother of the Groom, Abigail Blakeman, is a garden club stalwart firmly planted in coastal Connecticut. She thinks the whole enterprise would be so much easier if the wedding was at their golf club. Especially because the Blakeman’s fortunes have taken a turn for the worse—not that you would ever know it by looking at Abigail. Keeping up appearances is exhausting, but it is everything.  

But when a sudden twist of fate calls them into action, these two very different women are forced to take over the wedding planning. Despite their differences, Alexa and Abigail charge in to save the day. How far will two moms go to make their children’s dream wedding a reality?

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Just in time for wedding season! Jump aboard with the MOB, MOG, and the happy couple to check all the boxes for a perfect “near New Year’s Eve” wedding. The countdown to the blissful wedding day of Chase and Penny is told from the point of view of the two mothers instead of the happy couple.

 Alexa, MOB, is from a Greek family, runs her own business-Odyssey Vacations, and is a single mother by choice. She adds a whole new dynamic to the wedding party planning since there is no official FOB. She is surrounded by her wealthy friends in beautiful Montecito, California, who each lend their own opinions, wisdom and skill sets to the “big day.” These “Merry Widows” add a hilarious but heartfelt layer to the friend circle supporting Penny.

Abigail, MOG, clutching her DAR heritage while “keeping up appearances, lives with her husband George in a quietly crumbling Connecticut home with a three-million-dollar view! Her gardens are filled with hydrangeas, my favorite, and through all her self-talk and self-doubt, I was rooting for a Connecticut venue for the wedding.   Lian Dolan keeps readers on the wedding roller coaster known as Operation Butterfly, with chapter titles that give pace to the wedding timeline. “The Call, The Dress, The Engagement Party, Venue Hunting.”” Readers will sense the wedding frenzy as the participants travel from coast to coast!

There are plenty of wedding party guests to raise eyebrows. The mayor of New York City, a Lord with a seat in Parliament, and the groom’s best friend and scientist, Lloyd, each have a surprising part in the wedding story. Then there’s Sarah, the groom’s sister who plays college field hockey and is a perfect contrast in age & personality to the Merry Widows. A wedding gift to readers is Aunt B, Abigail’s friend and social columnist. Her letters, signed Big Kiss & Wedding Bliss, are filled with relationship advice and sprinkled throughout the narrative like bridal confetti.  Who doesn’t like advice and letters???

Lian Dolan’s Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding is the perfect way to experience a wedding while sitting on your own patio with your own cocktail! The Merry Widows would be pleased. Dress for a cool, beach vibe, preferably in blue.

Lian Dolan is a writer and talker. She’s the USA Today Bestselling author of The Marriage Sabbatical, a People Magazine Best Book of the Week, published by  William Morrow in April 2024.  Her other books are Lost and Found in Paris, The Sweeney Sisters, Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife- all LA Times bestsellers. https://www.liandolan.com/about/

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly

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Publication May 27, 2025-Random House Publishing-Ballantine-Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction-336pp

Book Summary

Two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women in this spectacular novel inspired by true events, from the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls.

2016: Thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood is still grieving after her mother’s death as she travels to the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She’s come all the way from California with nothing but a name on a piece of paper: Elizabeth Devereaux, the famous but reclusive Vineyard painter. When Mari makes it to Mrs. Devereaux’s stunning waterfront farm under the guise of taking a painting class with her, Mrs. Devereaux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.

1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard. When Briar spots German U-boats lurking off the island’s shores, and Cadence falls into an unlikely romance with a sworn enemy, their quiet lives are officially upended. In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club, which grows both in members and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore—and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war . . . before it’s too late?

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is inspired by the author’s family history and summers spent on the island off the coast of Massachusetts. Martha Hall Kelly blends the two timelines into a puzzling mystery sketched out for Mari Starwood by the local artist Mrs. Devereaux. The story of sisters Cadence and Briar Smith during 1942 is filled with historical details but the main spotlight is on those left behind on Martha’s Vineyard. The visual, aromatic descriptions of the community of Vineyard Haven, the honeysuckle hedges, and the local lore depict Martha’s special love for the island.  Kelly pays tribute to the bonds of sisterhood, familial relationships, and the profound impacts of war. These impacts are shown through the conflict involving Cadence and Briar, the plight of Tom and Bess, and the life-changing discovery on the North Shore.  

My favorite character is Cadence, whose side hustle is writing summaries and reviews. The wealthy women involved in publishing who visit the island, support Cadence and add an unexpected suspenseful layer to her dreams of working in New York City; it’s an exhilarating but exasperating thread in the novel. Briar, the quirky, independent, brilliant 16-year-old sister is a font of war information for her family and the reader! I enjoyed the precocious banter between “Briar the Liar” and the FBI agent, McManus.

There are several characters who add uncertainty and excitement to the plot. The suspicious activities of Tyson and Sandra, along with the encouraging, pie-baking Gram, and mostly irritating, unlikeable Margaret-a Jane Austen fan, so she earns points there- all have parts in the story being told by Mrs. Devereaux.  MHK has an uncanny sense of ending chapters at a point where one simply must keep reading.

As the title suggests, Martha’s Vineyard Beach & Book Club is at the heart of the book. Like most book clubs, the reading selection and discussion are important, but so is connecting daily lives! I love how Cadence calls impromptu meetings and announces the book choice in her weekly column! It turns out the Putnam yacht, Never Moor, plays a delightful role, a treat for the book club and for readers. Yes, the Putnam that published Edgar Allen Poe-you’ll learn so much and enjoy the club’s fabulous classic book selections!

Classics Mentioned in The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club

Sense and Sensibility- Last of the Mohicans- The Great Gatsby-Ben-Hur -The Song of Bernadette- Great Expectations- Rebecca- Brideshead Revisited

Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner

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Publication May 6, 2025-St. Martin’s Press-Historical Fiction-320pp

Book Summary

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.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

In a nod to Jane Austen’s use of alliteration: Lovers of literature lend me your ear! Austen at Sea is a sublime celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. Like classic Victorian novels, Natalie Jenner divides the novel into four books. Set in Boston and London,1865, Jenner’s novel packs a political punch for women. She craftily lends an eavesdropping feel as seven justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Court discuss Jane Austen’s five novels during summer recess.  Current male viewpoints on women’s right to vote, owning property, and divorce laws, the backbone of Jenner’s novel, are juxtaposed to the main female characters’ refusal to settle for the low expectations of society, including most of the males around them. Jenner’s law degree shines an infuriating light on history and precedent providing ample fodder for discussion groups, possibly necessitating another conversation and another bottle of wine!  

Natalie Jenner creates characters readers would want to spend time with long after the novel ends. Charlotte’s gift for the stage and Henrietta’s quest for research takes readers within a lecture hall and the library of Gore Hall at Harvard. A fabulous scene but also maddening since women weren’t allowed to register nor were they invited to the discussion group after auditing lectures.  The sisters’ determination and endurance in overcoming obstacles continues to develop as their journey extends across the Atlantic. Sara-Beth, vivacious and socially ambitious, sly, independent Constance, and lonely, Louisa May Alcott add different age & class dimension to the plot. Readers get a giant dose of “paternal protection” as Justice William Stevenson agonizes over his daughters’ trip across the Atlantic-without a chaperone! Tension and the male point of view is deftly created through the Nelson brothers, Justice Nash, and of course, the reason for the transatlantic crossing, Sir Francis Austen.

The narrative is rife with references to Jane Austen’s characters. Sir Francis Austen, the last living sibling of Jane, takes on the role of Emma Woodhouse, becoming an adorable, giddy, 90-year-old matchmaker, but also keeper of secrets.  Actions of Jane’s sister Cassandra and the admiral’s youngest daughter and live-in caretaker, Fanny, add an unsettling thread to a plot already laden with relationship angst and courtroom drama. In true Austen fashion Jenner transports readers from the wharves of Boston, on to the decks of the SS China, and through the streets of London. Travels include the grounds of Sir Austen’s Portsdown Lodge with views of his “beloved sea”, and even to the Austen family home and graveyard in Chawton.

Do you fancy letters, manuscripts, antiquarian bookshops, first editions, libraries? Then you know books are a gift. Austen at Sea is a stunning gift for Jane Austen fans from years past and for newfound readers. Thank you, Natalie Jenner, for inspiring another generation of readers through the world’s beloved Jane Austen. Happy 250th Birthday!

Natalie Jenner is the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, Bloomsbury Girls, Every Time We Say Goodbye and Austen at Sea, which have been published in over twenty languages worldwide. https://www.nataliejenner.com/

The Seven O’Clock Club by Amelia Ireland

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Publication April- 2025-Penguin Random House-Women’s Fiction

Book Summary

Four strangers are brought together to participate in an experimental treatment designed to heal broken hearts in this surprising and heartfelt debut novel from author Amelia Ireland.

A PEOPLE MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE WEEK ∙ A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ∙ A ZIBBY OWENS MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2025


Freya, Callum, Mischa, and Victoria have nothing in common–well, except for one thing: they’ve each experienced a deep personal loss that has led them to an unconventional group meeting, every Tuesday night at seven. A meeting they’ve been particularly selected for that will help them finally move on. At least, that’s the claim.

As they warily eye one another and their unnervingly observant group leader, one question hangs over them: why were they chosen? To get the answer, they are going to have to share a whole lot of themselves first. Getting Freya, Callum, Mischa, and Victoria to trust each other is vital–because the real reason they’re connected will shift the ground beneath their feet.

Riveting and wise, The Seven O’Clock Club shows us the courage needed to face your past and the joy that can be found in stepping into your future.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab- First reviewed for BookBrowse-First Impressions- 11/24

Good Grief!

Four strangers, each grieving a loss, are brought together for an experiment conducted by an aspiring young therapist. Each Tuesday at seven o’clock the proverbial onion layers are peeled back to reveal the situations that brought the four together. The therapist begins by asking each wary client to hearken back to a happy childhood memory. Through weekly conversations and outside interactions, bonds are slowly built, showing the power of sharing, trust, and speaking the truth aloud. The revelations are spellbinding, heart wrenching, and believable, making for anxious reader moments awaiting the next meeting. Startling discoveries lead to an unsettling, thought-provoking ending.

The Seven O’ Clock Club is a scientific rather than spiritual approach to grief. Unpacking feelings of guilt, learning to trust, seeking forgiveness, and finding truth, are themes in this soul-searching journey through grief.

The Wandering Season by Aimie K. Runyan

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Publication April 1, 2025-Harper Muse- Romance-Women’s Fiction-368pp.

Book Summary

Unraveling the tangled roots of her family takes her places she never expected. Veronica Stratton, a specialty food broker with a business on the cusp of brilliant success that would change the trajectory of her life, visits her parents in idyllic Estes Park for Christmas. She’s fresh from a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, so she’s eager to reconnect with her beloved family in the mountains and forget about her troubles for a few days. But with the holiday comes a DNA test from her younger sister that confirms her secret suspicions: she’s adopted. Having the truth out in the open leaves her feeling unmoored in ways she didn’t anticipate. With so much of her life in upheaval, Veronica is looking for an escape. Inspired by her best friend, she plans to go to Europe to see four of the places listed on her DNA ancestry report. She treks to County Mayo in Ireland; the Dordogne region of France; the countryside of Lombardy in Italy, and Copenhagen, Denmark. She hopes to learn about where her family lived while also making connections for her rapidly expanding business, but she finds that each stop brings her visions of her ancestors that raise more questions than they answer. And among those pressing questions is how charming Irish castle keeper Niall Callahan will fit into her visions for the future.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

The Wandering Season is to an avid reader what fine dining is to a foodie-perfection on every level! This culinary experience begins with an introduction to Veronica’s situation and family dynamics on Christmas Eve in snow covered Estes Park, Colorado. The wait staff is comprised of fabulous characters: Veronica’s darling, bubbly fashionista sister, Avery, her best friend Stephanie, and the loving, always supportive parents.

The main course or plot is driven by the findings of the DNA test kits given as presents from Avery. Veronica embarks on a journey planned by Avery, through four countries that correlate with her ancestors. Thank goodness for dad’s American Express and Avery’s two steps ahead planning savvy! Food sourcing vendors and new products was Veronica’s mission but visions of generations before helped guide and reveal her family background and history. Runyan’s transitions between reality and dreams fade in and out seamlessly like an adroit waiter anticipating your dining needs at every turn.

Every menu is capped with a fine dessert and so it is in The Wandering Season. Thoughts of the romantic possibility of an alluring Irish castle and its keeper will linger as Veronica explores her roots and finally realizes her own self-worth. The “close your eyes and savor” moment comes when Veronica reveals her new life plan- and the pièce de résistance- her favorite recipes from each country visited!

Aimie K. Runyan’s The Wandering Season is a delicious literary and culinary experience worthy of five Michelin stars.  

Aimie writes fiction, both historical and contemporary, that celebrates the spirit of strong women. In addition to her writing, she is active as a speaker and educator in the writing community. She lives in Colorado with her amazing husband, kids, cats, and pet dragon.

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall

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Publication February 25, 2025-Ballantine Books-Historical Fiction -464pp

Book Summary

An astonishing historical novel of one woman’s dangerous journey through World War II Germany and her life-changing friendship with a young woman decades later—from the #1 international bestselling author of Looking for Jane


Northern England, 2010. After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own.

Berlin, 1938. Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. When a shocking turn of events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during World War II, The Secret History of Audrey James is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

In alternating timelines between London 2010, and Berlin, 1938, Heather Marshall weaves the trauma in the lives of Kate and Audrey with the guilt of survival and complicated relationships.
Audrey, who is at the end of her life, shares her history with Kate, who is looking for a new start. Losses forge a quick bridge as Marshall’s emotionally drawn characters understand terror, guilt, and forgiveness by sharing their stories. Crossing the bridge that connects Audrey and Kate involves Kristallnacht, Resistance cells in Berlin, new identities, lifelong loves, escape plans and assassination attempts. Was Audrey a pianist, an assassin, or a spy? These threads of history intertwine!
This novel takes readers from the rubble of streets in Berlin to the rambling paths and gardens of Oakwood Inn on the Scottish border. The Secret History of Audrey James is an emotional, rewarding journey filled with secrets and survival.

About

Heather Marshall lives near Toronto with her family and their giant golden retriever. She worked in politics and communications before finally turning her attention to her true passion: storytelling.

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

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Publication Feb. 25, 2025-Random House Publishing-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

An immersive historical drama about a young mother who starts a new life with her son in New York after faking their deaths on the Titanic—the U.S. debut of an acclaimed British novelist.
Sometimes it takes a disaster to change your life.
     Marrying above your social class can come with unexpected consequences, as Elinor Coombes discovers when she is swept into a fairy-tale marriage with the son of an aristocratic English family. She soon realizes that it was the appeal of her father’s hard-earned wealth rather than her pretty face that attracted her new husband and his family. Curtailed by rigid social rules that include being allowed to see her nanny-raised infant son for only moments each day, Elinor faces a lonely future. So a present from her father—tickets for the maiden voyage of a luxurious new ship called the Titanic—offers a welcome escape from the cold, controlling atmosphere of her husband’s ancestral home, and some precious time with her little son, Teddy.
       When the ship goes down, Elinor grasps the opportunity to take Teddy and start a new life—if they can disappear completely, listed among the dead. Penniless and using another woman’s name, she must put that terrible night behind her and learn to survive in New York City. But even in a brash new world that couldn’t be more different from her own, secrets have a way of floating to the surface. . . .
      An absorbing historical drama set between the old world of the oppressive English aristocracy and the new world of opportunity and freedom, The Lost Passenger is a grippingly dramatic story about starting over in a brand-new world, triumphing over adversity, and finding hope in the face of great loss.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

This is my first introduction to Frances Quinn’s writing and will definitely not be my last. Though she is well known in the UK, The Lost Passenger is her debut novel here in America and is a Titanic story like no other I’ve read. Main character, Elinor, is manipulated by the charming Frederick into a quick fairy tale wedding with a foreboding mother-in-law. The restrictions of society and the accepted practices of parenting are especially saddening as Elinor is only allowed a few minutes a day with her son, Teddy.  Extremely unhappy and suspicious of Frederick’s attentions, the stage for escape is set when Elinor receives tickets from her wealthy father for the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

The saga that unfolds is filled with astonishing descriptions and entrepreneurial spirit. The character development and pacing of the narrative kept me engaged, hopeful, anxious, and at times panicked! The element of historical fiction that I always appreciate is when the author sinks the reader into the scenes through sensory details. Readers will definitely get the sense of extreme differences between the divinely exorbitant amenities on the Titanic and the deplorable living conditions in the tenements of the Lower East Side of NYC.

Emotional attachments grow to overwhelming proportions as the novel progresses.  A much-disliked mistress from London’s high society crosses the Atlantic and my favorite character Tommy Jenkins from the sinking ship, makes a remarkably emotional plea. The immigrant family squished into the tiny apartment shows fortitude, ingenuity, and Quinn’s pure unbridled handling of their feelings is realistic and truthful.

Can Elinor steal a life by keeping secrets and taking risks? Becoming aware of more than one kind of happy ending is a spellbinding treat for readers of The Lost Passenger.  

Frances Quinn grew up in London and studied English at King’s College, Cambridge. She became a journalist, writing for magazines including Prima, Good Housekeeping, She, Woman’s Weekly, and Ideal Home, and later branched out into copywriting. Upon winning a place on the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course, she started work on her first novel, The Smallest Man. Her second novel is That Bonesetter Woman and The Lost Passenger is her third. She lives in Brighton, England, with her husband and three Tonkinese cats.

The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly

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Publication Feb.18, 2025-Gallery Books-Historical Fiction-384pp

Book Summary

The author of the “enthralling” (Woman’s World) The Lost English Girl returns with a heartfelt new novel about estranged sisters who inherit their late mother’s dress shop in World War II London.
     Isabelle Shelton has always found comfort in the predictable world of her mother’s dressmaking shop, Mrs. Shelton’s Fashions, while her sister Sylvia turned her back on the family years ago to marry a wealthy doctor whom Izzie detests. When their mother dies unexpectedly, the sisters are stunned to find they’ve jointly inherited the family business. Izzie is determined to buy Sylvia out, but when she’s conscripted into the WAAF, she’s forced to seek Sylvia’s help to keep the shop open. Realizing this could be her one chance at reconciliation with her sister, Sylvia is determined to save Mrs. Shelton’s Fashions from closure—and financial ruin.
     Through letters, the sisters begin to confront old wounds, new loves, and the weight of family legacy in order to forge new beginnings in this lyrically moving novel perfect for fans of Genevieve Graham and Lucinda Riley.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

The Dressmakers of London is cut from a perfect pattern, fitting pieces of reconciliation and family history right alongside personal reinvention to create an elegant, delightful outcome. Julia Kelly tailors this World War II novel of two sisters, Sylvia and Izzie learning to trust each other again, with Izzie’s intriguing assignment in a barrage balloon unit in the WAAF-Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

Food rationing and coupons are standard in WWII novels, but Julia Kelly includes fascinating details of cloth rationing that started in 1941 and lasted until four years after the war ended. The Cloth Utility Scheme regulated pleats, hemlines, buttons, and cuffs on trousers. This regulation had a huge impact on Mrs. Shelton’s Fashions and Izzie’s design dreams, which Kelly stitches seamlessly into the suspense of the shop’s survival.

The characters reveal true feelings through letters that move the plot while adding anticipation and hope. Readers learn of war details and the budding relationship from letters between young Izzie and American Staff Sergeant Jack Perry from Iowa. On the “sister front” rebuilding trust occurs slowly as Sylvia and Izzie share personal and quite different memories of their mother after their father died. Sylvia’s marriage to Horrible Hugo is another thread in the unraveled fabric of Izzie’s life; coming of age, sketching her own designs, and running the dress shop. There are some especially poignant revelations in situations between Sylvia’s socialite friends and the wise Lady Winman that knit life lessons into the narrative.

The Dressmakers of London tells of a mother’s bequest that leads to emotional, surprising results and happenings-a deep feeling for legacy and family heritage. Sylvia and Izzie would agree that their story is “an honest to goodness proper triumph!”

Julia Kelly is the international bestselling author of emotional historical fiction about extraordinary women and intriguing historical whodunnit mystery novels. Her books have been translated into 13 languages. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London with her husband. Read about all of Julia’s books here: https://www.juliakellywrites.com/

Come Fly With Me by Camille Di Maio

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Publication Feb. 18. 2025-Lake Union Publishing-Women’s Fiction-347pp

Book Summary

It’s 1962, the dawn of the jet-set era. Hope takes flight for two Pan Am stewardesses navigating an adventurous new life in a novel about love, friendship, and escape by the bestselling author of The Memory of Us and Until We Meet.

Welcome to a glamorous gateway to the jet age.

Judy Goodman and Beverly Caldwell have different reasons for putting continents and oceans between themselves and their disparate pasts, but they have the same desire—to earn a coveted position on an elite team of stewardesses for Pan American Airlines. For Judy, running away from an oppressive marriage in small-town Pennsylvania is a risk she must take. And for Beverly, leaving behind the gilded cage of New York society will allow her to pursue a future of her own making.

Embracing the culture, etiquette, and strict rules of a thrilling and unpredictable new world above the clouds, Judy and Beverly are bound for faraway destinations and opportunities that other women dare only to dream about. But as they build a deep friendship, encounter love and danger, and discover what’s truly important, Judy and Beverly must also confront the secrets that could change their lives all over again—and forever.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Frank Sinatra’s beloved song plays an important role in the plot of Come Fly with Me. The locations named in the lyrics are connected to the goals of main characters, Judy and Beverly, as they become stewardesses for the international airline known as Pan Am.  The details of training and testing add to the suspenseful individual quests of each young girl to escape from current life. Success at Pan Am will secure Judy’s escape from her husband and Beverly’s yearning to find out who she is on her own, without her wealthy father in control. Di Maio garners readers’ empathy for Judy’s desperation through her backstory told to new friend, Beverly. Likewise, Beverly reveals an interesting, mysterious relationship with her mother’s hairdresser. Each an “only child,” but with opposite father figures leaves plenty for readers to discuss. There is comfort in the girls’ developing romantic relationships, even one with Texas ties. There’s always the sinking feeling that plot twists are coming, keeping suspense and anticipation, even a worrisome feeling, hard to tamp down.

In Come Fly with Me, The Golden Years of Air Travel, is itself a character. Remember when people treated flying with sophistication and appreciation? Known as the Jet Set Age, readers are whisked between Miami, San Francisco, Honolulu, and even French Polynesia, while served in first class- along with the Beatles? The stories of flight are filled with ample themes for readers to explore-women friendships, career or lifestyle expectations, roles of mothers, and influence of fathers.

Soar the skies in Camille Di Maio’s long awaited Come Fly With Me. Prepare for takeoff during the early years of international air travel with Pan Am and the blue globe logo lovingly known as The Blue Meatball. Keep you seat belt buckled…

Frank Sinatra lists these places in the song: Hawaii, New York, Paris, Capri, London, Vermont, Mandalay, and Chicago!

Camille’s beautiful website: https://www.camilledimaioauthor.com/

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

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Publication Feb. 11, 2025-St. Martin’s Press-Mystery-304pp.

Book Summary

London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.

May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish into thin air as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there is an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter seeming to implicate an unnamed paramour? Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they’re stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.

Inspired by a true story in Sayers’ own life, New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life the lengths to which five talented women writers will go to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of letters as they unpuzzle a mystery torn from the pages of their own novels.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Five female writers united by the love of mystery writing overcome barriers of age, class, culture, and education to form the Queens of Crime in hopes of joining the male dominated Detection Club. Dorothy Sayers convinces Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham to travel from London to France to piece together the unsolved murder of nurse, May Daniels, in order to become heroes and thus prove their worth.

Keeping in mind that May Daniels was a real person, not a character in one of their novels, the Queens of Crime band together to reconstruct the timeline leading to May’s disappearance. Marie Benedict develops the Queens so accurately through dialogue, attitude, and fashion sense, they each become recognizable and even predictable for readers. Pairing the Queens in different situations according to their individual skill sets as they “leave no stone unturned” along the Rue de Lille sinks the reader into the world of sleuthing in the 1930’s. Benedict reveals the assumptions and expectations of the male detectives and shop keepers of that era, leading them to false conclusions regarding May’s murder.  Leave it to the female mystery writers to connect theater tickets, silk dresses, letters and luggage. All these elements, character, setting, themes, and plot, come together to represent the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Marie Benedict’s Queens of Crime-a truly golden “locked door murder mystery.”  

Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies. 
Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and LibraryReads List. 

The Indigo Heiress by Laura Frantz

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Publication January 21, 2025-Revell Christian-Historical Fiction-Romance-416pp

Book Summary

In 1774, Juliet Catesby lives with her father and sister at Royal Vale, the James River plantation founded by her Virginia family over a century before. Indigo cultivation is her foremost concern, though its export tethers her family to the powerful Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland. When the heir of the Buchanan firm arrives on their shores, Juliet discovers that her father has secretly arranged for one of his daughters to marry the Scot as a means of canceling the family’s debt. Confident it will be her younger, lovelier sister, Juliet is appalled when Leith Buchanan selects her instead.

Despite her initial refusal of him, an ensuing altercation forces Juliet to flee Virginia. Agreeing to marry, she sails with Leith to Scotland, hopeful of a better match for her sister, who accompanies her. But once in Glasgow and faced with the contentious, powerful Buchanan clan, she realizes that the man who saved her from financial ruin and scandal is the very one she must now save in return.

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

My family heritage connecting to Scotland, along with award winning author, Laura Franz, made The Indigo Heiress a highly anticipated novel for this new year. The rumblings of pre-revolutionaries and plantation owners in 1774 Virginia and family intrigue on estates owned by tobacco lords in Scotland add to the dramatic unfolding of the life of Juliet Catesby, the indigo heiress.

Franz includes plenty of descriptions and details of indigo plantings and the processes involved in the harvesting and making of the precious blue dye. The arrival of Lord Leith Buchanan, the handsome Scottish risk taker and tobacco lord adds to the plot twists involving matchmaking, board meetings, and family betrayal. All entertaining elements.

Juliet is rooted to the family’s land in Virginia, making her journey to Scotland even more difficult. Franz eloquently captures Juliet’s emotions through dialogue with her sister, Loveday, private thoughts, and her unselfish matchmaking. Following in their mother’s footsteps, the sisters shun slave labor, concealing and assisting in the freeing of slaves.  These courageous activities are greatly inspiring.

Juliet’s travels take her from Royal Vale, Virginia to Ardraigh Hall in Scotland. Along the way Juliet and Loveday are encouraged to see a change in fortune as a gift, trusting God to make a way forward. The Indigo Heiress is a reminder that “what we once loved can never be lost to us-it is forever.” Laura Franz’s mission of reaching the heart through friendship, romance, and suspense is encouraging and accomplished.  

https://dumfries-house.org.uk/about/history The author chose the restored Dumfries House, near Glasgow , Scotland, now a site for lodging and events, as the basis for Leith Buchanan’s estate named Ardraigh Hall.

Award-winning, bestselling author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying. Proud of her heritage, she is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen

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Publication January 21, 2025-Berkley-Historical Fiction-432pp

Book Summary

She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold new novel by USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen.

When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up.

In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.

As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels—head engineer Jack Ryan who hides his deepest secrets behind his genius and designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein, whose hopes and dreams rest on the success of Barbie’s fashion—she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground.

In the decades to come—through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions— each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy.

Includes a Readers Guide and Exclusive Vintage Barbie Photos!

Grateful Reader Review by Dorothy Schwab

Rene Rosen’s Let’s Call Her Barbie is an enthralling look at Mattel businesswoman Ruth Handler’s mission to create a doll for young girls that would represent what it meant to be a modern, independent woman in the 1950’s. The novel opens in 1956 as Ruth returns from a vacation fired up to create an American version of a German doll. Ruth and her business partner/husband, Elliot, known as the diplomatic one, are at a Mattel company meeting surrounded by Ivy League engineers. Let the “battle for Barbie” begin!

 Rene Rosen has recreated the “World of Barbie” for many who fondly remember the remarkable doll shaped like a woman, her designer clothes collection, and her dreamhouse. Rosen’s real life Raytheon engineer, Jack Ryan and his energy jump off the page as he strives to create while battling “word blindness.” The development of the doll’s design and movement is credited to Ryan’s engineering genius. The trials and tribulations of her engineering, combined with myriad failures in designing molds and finding the right plastics, brings a whole new level of appreciation for the development of Barbie.

Ruth Handler believed the real money for Mattel would be in Barbie’s designer clothes. Designer Charlotte Johnson accepts the challenge of creating clothes on a 1/6 scale including zippers that zip and purses with silk linings that open and close! Rosen’s research includes the intricate patterns and fabric experimentation needed to design the aptly named collections that hit toy store shelves like they were designer runways.

The details of doll engineering, a bold Living Laboratory to interview moms and daughters, and a risky TV commercial aired during the popular Mickey Mouse Club show, combine to unveil the #1 ponytail Barbie in her black & white zebra striped swimsuit!  The mother/daughter interviews reveal vastly differing expectations, and the TV commercial reflects the outcome. A perfect example of Rosen’s attention to the ideals to which mothers were clinging.

The ups and downs of the toy business, family dynamics in the background and Ruth’s health struggles take Barbie fans from the 1959 offices of Mattel to Nieman Marcus in Dallas, 1976. Let’s Call Her Barbie. As the company slogan says,

“You Can Tell It’s Mattel, It’s Swell!”

This site tells the overall history of Barbie’s creator Ruth Handler: https://allthatsinteresting.com/ruth-handler