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Marie Benedict always does a superb job of research bringing little known women to light and for this story she sought co-author Victoria Christopher Murray to bring the proper perspective of what life would be like for light skinned African American Belle in the all white upper crust society and art world of early 1900's New York. The result is a masterpiece that chronicles the important mark that Belle da Costa Greene made as the Personal Librarian to J.P. Morgan and the acquisitions she made for the Pierpont Morgan Library. With very little real experience but a lifelong passion for fine art, Belle finds herself in a coveted position dodging jealous women and family, art dealers and other collectors and Morgan himself to become a respected and formidable businesswoman and helped bring the collections of the Library to worldwide attention. While one door is open to her allowing her access to the rich and powerful that only a handful of women had, another would be closed forever if her secret was revealed and she could be openly proud of her famous family. A fascinating story of yet another powerful and intelligent woman behind the scenes, this will resonate with fans of her other books as well as LIBERTIE and THE ENGINEER'S WIFE. 4 1/2 stars 
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This is my feel good book of the month. Kate heads home to dinky Sea Point leaving her good job and the man who just dumped her behind. Her best friend Ziggy, still single and having a tough time taking over the family plumbing business after his dad died unexpectedly, is thrilled to welcome back Kate and Miles. Miles, dubbed the "Prince of Sea Point", is back to prove to his mom (who basically bankrolls the town) that he is serious about taking over the family business. These three are so lucky to have grown up in this delightful touristy sea town but now the town is in danger of being scooped up and modernized. A lovely little story about coming home and figuring out what you really want out of life. For all those Debby Macomber, Emily Henry and Jenny Colgan fans - great beach read! 4 stars  1969 Jane Quinn has been raised by a family of strong women after her mother left her as a child. She pours her heart out in her music but doesn't trust many people fully. She meets superstar Jesse not backstage but at his home where he is recuperating from an accident and sparks fly. They connect on a personal level but also in their love of music and making music. Touring with Jesse is a dream come true and ignites her solo career. Secrets pull them apart and Jane sees the more treacherous side of the music industry. This is a coming of age story told in music lyrics and will hit the perfect note for readers of DAISY JONES AND THE SIX and A STAR IS BORN. A tribute to the fantastic music of the late 60's and early 70's this sincere debut hit a high note with me and I can't wait to read more. 5 stars  I love a thriller that I can't anticipate the end especially one that misdirects me so many times that my head spins. DREAM GIRL did just that. Gerry Anderson fell and is now bedridden. He is a successful author but not a successful husband or boyfriend. When he starts getting a letter and a series of calls from an unknown woman claiming to have damaging evidence against him, he thinks it must be one of his disgruntled exes. His assistant and the night nurse know nothing about it and he is high as a kite on painkillers most of the time so he dismisses it. The calls keep coming and things happen to amp up his anxiety level. Still he can't think of anyone he has wronged acting as the typical misunderstood middle aged man caught in the snares of the ME TOO movement. Echoes of King's MISERY and a slew of literary references make this the perfect pick for thriller lover and bibliophile. Prepare for a long night because you won't be putting this one down. 4 stars  In 1860 a woman had no rights. Her life was dictated by her father, then husband or another male in the family. Elizabeth Packard was a devout woman, loving mother of six children and the wife of a preacher. She was not meek and shared her views with the congregation and her husband. Because her voice would not be silenced her husband had her committed to an asylum. She had no contact with the outside world and more importantly, her children. Even though Elizabeth began her stay at the Jacksonville asylum on a ward that was quiet and offered a bit more freedom, her cries of protest got her sent to the truly dangerous ward that was barbaric and made her situation even more unjust. Foraging for scraps of paper and pencil nubs she was able to keep a secret diary which later gave her the means for several books and papers. A gifted writer and speaker, when she eventually gained her freedom she was able to support herself and her children which felt like the final "take that" moment. A staunch supporter of women's rights she won legislation to force the courts to hold a trial before anyone was committed which slowed down the process by which so many healthy sane women were being unjustly held. The account is harrowing, the description of the "cures" used in these asylums is barbaric and the telling of Elizabeth Packard's story is riveting. 4 1/2 stars  3 1/2 stars Three generations of women try to deal with the challenges of a failing winery by bonding over a risqué book club begun years before. I learned much about the wine making business and enjoyed the banter between grandma, mother and daughter. The men however, seemed distant and clung to their caveman roots excluding the women from important decisions and discounting their ideas. There is just enough scandal to keep things interesting, light sex scenes and reminders of all those scandalous books of my youth but the main story is how they deal with an age old problem- keep a failing family business alive, sell or pass it to the younger generation. BLUSH is a solid beach read for all those missing the grand old days of Dallas, Dynasty and endless books that you had to hide from your parents. 3 1/2 stars  What would you do to save your child? Mina is having a tough time juggling her life as a mother of a strong willed little girl, a wife in a marriage that is struggling and as her job as a Flight Attendant. She takes on a special flight from London to Sydney only to get a chilling message once they are airborne - follow instructions and nothing will happen to your daughter. Meanwhile, back at home her daughter and husband are dealing with issues of their own. Should Mina succumb to the highjacked's demands endangering the entire plane to save her own child? Are people who do bad things for the right reasons bad people? This is almost a full day of heart stopping action and a strange little twist at the end. Designed to get your heart rate up and make you think - don't read this one on your next plane trip. Fans of DEAR EDWARD, BEFORE THE FALL and true accounts of other highjacking will find much to be excited about. 4 1/2 stars  A series of vignettes which feature young adults navigating the murky waters of relationships, careers and health. The main players in this book are Charles and Sophie (both dancers) who toy with fragile Lionel using sex and emotional manipulation to forge a strange threesome. The stories are all about control over your life, a search for intimacy and failure of the characters to truly connect in a deep way. They explore all types of emotional relationships. Readers of NORMAL PEOPLE and similar books will find much to explore here. 4 stars  From the first paragraph we know we are reading a modern day Greek tragedy. Mariana is a skilled Group Therapist and grieving the death of her husband the previous year. She gets a call from the only family she has left, Zoe ,who is upset over the murder of her best friend at Cambridge. The fact that Mariana is a therapist who attended Cambridge gets her foot in the door. The fact that she is Greek helps her see the clues that tie Greek mythology to the charismatic professor who leads a group of young female fans called "The Maidens". The fact that they think they are so close to catching the killer makes them blind to the danger. Alex Michaelides excels in the twisted "bait and switch" clues and misdirection, sending the reader down one rabbit hole to the next. There is a Hitchcock moment with a nod to his previous book that provides the only opportunity to take a breath. For lovers of tight thrillers that grab your attention and that you can't solve in the first chapter - cancel your appointments and call in sick because you won't be able to put this down until the last page. Book two is as good as his first book. 4 1/2 stars  Twins have that inner sense of what is happening with the other so when Lena goes to Montana to see where her sister Cambry supposedly committed suicide she knows in her gut it isn't true. She finds the state trooper who found her body and knows more than he is letting on. As she digs for the truth she also digs herself into danger. You, dear reader are with her on every hairpin turn, every withheld truth and every second guess. Did she jump? Is Lena safe? I am not telling. Twisted, hold your breath suspense that scared me silly and I loved it. Violence, family relationships, reality vs. perceptions and justice are all explored. 4 stars  |
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