The Book Club for Troublesome Women

Small town housewives in the 1960’s baked upside cakes and prepared gelatin molds for parties. Aside from doing laundry and performing various household duties, women typically got together to exchange recipes and gossip about their neighbors. Frustrated by their upscale planned community in Concordia, Margaret creates a book club with Viv, Betsy and Charlotte. For their first selection the friends read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. This book describes the assumptions that women are supposed to be fulfilled by marriage, housework and motherhood. The previous beliefs being that they were simply not “feminine” if they desired to further their education, have a career or any meaningful political opinions.  Growing up post WWII these women watched their mothers work hard to keep the family together and put food on the table. When the men returned they were pushed aside, as were their aspirations and sense of accomplishment. Many could not find the courage to express their feelings of unworthiness simply being stuck at home. Through this book club, “The Bettys” as they became known, helped each other maneuver through life’s many obstacles. Their blossoming sisterhood prompted unimaginable changes in each of their lives. Reading builds empathy and perspective. It sharpens language and focus. Most of all, it reminds you that you’re not alone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Family Matter

Dawn and Hazel meet in 1982. Dawn is a young mother living a rather isolated existence. She is not happy but she is not necessarily unhappy. Dawn adores her young daughter Maggie and her world revolves around her. When Dawn’s husband Heron finds out about Hazel, the damage is irreparable. The women are not just friends and at this time a relationship such as this, especially one involving a child is unthinkable. Heron is convinced that Dawn must choose. So she does, thus so does he. 40 years later, Maggie is a grown woman with children of her own. She barely remembers the mother who she believes abandoned her when she was very young. Heron never remarried and he did everything in his power to give Maggie the best childhood possible. They are extremely close and the devastating news he recently received from his doctor coincides with Maggie learning a secret he has never shared. A secret so fragile it affects everything she ever believed about her family. As this story is narrated between the two timelines we meet the lovable characters, all trying to do what they think is right - realizing that the decisions we make can last a lifetime. Highly recommend this thoughtful, sensitive, well written summer read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Marriage at Sea

Maurice Bailey is a quiet guy, intelligent and laser focused on specific subjects but severely lacks social skills. He meets Maralyn, his complete opposite. She is vivacious and charming and always up for an adventure. After they marry Maurice and Maralyn start to dream of what is next as neither wants to raise a family and living in a small English village is rather dull. They begin to save for a sailboat. Together the pair make the perfect team. While Maurice obsesses over every detail of sailing, navigating and engineering a boat - Maralyn is in charge of provisions, everyday tasks and most importantly remaining optimistic through the toughest times. In June 1972, they set sail. For many months everything went perfectly, until it didn’t. As they were crossing the Pacific Ocean a whale knocked into their vessel, severely damaging their beautiful boat and within minutes forcing the couple onto a life raft. In shock, they calmly watched their sailboat slowly go under the very deep ocean. Lost at sea, Maurice and Maralyn were certain they would be rescued and carefully ate and drank the few items they were able to save. They read the books they were able to rescue and played pretend cards to pass the time as best they could. As days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months the seafaring couple tried everything they could to save themselves. Under these unimaginable conditions the couple lasted for 117 days and learned what marriage, partnership and life were really about. Hard to put down this true story of survival. ⭐⭐⭐

Culpability

Seventeen year old Charlie is driving the family to his lacrosse championship. Charlie is tall, handsome and a talented athlete that will play at UNC in the fall. The family’s autonomous minivan is involved in a horrific accident when Charlie veers slightly as an oncoming car begins to cross the line. His father Noah, a lawyer, is sitting in the front passenger seat working on his laptop and his two teenage sisters are in the back with the mom, Lorelei. The passengers in the oncoming car are killed and while the Cassidy-Shaw family recuperates physically they are faced with an impossible moral dilemma that is slowly tearing them apart. Noah and Lorelei decide to end the summer with a trip, and it is there besides the sparkling lake that secrets reveal themselves and each of them must be accounted for. Was Charlie “driving” if the car is autonomous? Can you be on your phone, lap top, otherwise engaged if you are sitting in the “driver’s seat”? Would the AI technology have saved them at the last second if he didn’t grab the wheel? As we adapt to our new world of AI technology and realize that our human instincts cannot be ignored, who is at fault? There is a lot to unpack here and it’s almost too much family drama at once to wrap my head around. Overall, this book is a well written page turner and a great summer read! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spectacular Things

The Lowe sisters will not sacrifice their gift, soccer. Mia and Cricket Lowe grew up in the shadows of their mother’s unrealized dreams that were stolen when she got pregnant at eighteen. Smart, beautiful and resilient Liz moved to Victory, Maine, a small town where she was determined to fill her daughter’s life with love and parental support, something she never received. She went on to train both girls from the time they could walk. For better or for worse, Liz instilled a deep passion for soccer while their little family became a team of three - enabling Cricket to take it all the way- a spot on the women’s national team and Olympic gold. Through heartbreaking loss, difficult choices and incredible determination the sisters undying love for each other becomes the ultimate test. I loved the sisters bond and like Carrie Soto and more recently Ordinary Love, I enjoyed the women’s athletic theme, but throughout the story there was too much repetitiveness. Even when I thought it was the end, it wasn’t the end. The writing is good but I am surprised Reese picked a book that dragged. For me this is like, not love. If you are a soccer fan, it’s a must. ⭐⭐⭐

The Austen Affair

When Tess Bright is booted off her successful teen series she finds her Hollywood career in a tailspin. After losing her mother she cannot seem to get her life back on track. But Jane Austen was her mother’s idol, the books and movies played on a continuous loop in the background of their lives. Finally a break, Tess is cast as the star of Northangar Abbey, because anything Austen she can manage to sink her teeth into. Her co-star Hugh, a stuffy Englishman who doesn’t think Tess is good enough for the part, makes this clear every chance he gets. One day while on set in Hampshire, England a terrible thunderstorm ensues. The two quarreling stars are struck by lightening (ok, I know it sounds ridiculous but carry on …) They awaken in a field still in costume only to realize they have time traveled to 1815. After being helped by neighbors and discovering Hugh’s long ago relatives the couple must make peace with each other to find a way back to the present. You must like Austen, time travel and goofy romances to enjoy this story. (Naturally, I loved it because I am a sucker for all three.) Adorable, light and funny, a needed respite from the world at large. Available September 2025. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ordinary Love

Emily and her husband Jack have a beautiful brownstone on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. With two adorable children they appear the picture perfect little family. Emily married young, right after college. Now, she finds herself trapped in a home where her husband gaslights, punishes and manipulates her on a daily basis. Convinced Jack truly loves her and their family unit, Emily ignores all the signs of abuse and makes excuses for Jack’s behavior. Slowly, her friends and family are banished from their lives. Previously a determined literary student at Harvard, Emily never dreamed she would find herself so adrift, painfully lonely. One evening she attends a fundraiser and runs into her old friend Gen Hall. In their hometown of Washford Ohio, Emily had helped Gen reach for her stars and escape their geographical limitations. Gen became a college track star and has now attained Olympic gold. She is famous, beautiful and Emily realizes that she never stopped loving her. This magnificent novel is about friendship, family, motherhood and love. Superbly written, it's a story about two people who learn to love themselves - and against all odds, allow themselves to be loved. Five stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hey Zoey

Dolores O’Shea is 43 years old when her marriage falls apart. Although her relationship with David had been stale for years, they were good roommates, comfortable partners and not completely miserable. When Dolores discovers that David has an expensive AI sex doll in the garage those long breaks and mysteriously quiet evenings became quite clear. She realizes their scheduled weekly sex that was passionless and almost annoying was something they rarely discussed. But Dolores still loved him and David’s leaving undoubtedly broke her heart. With no children of their own, Dolores dedicated her life to her sister who lived abroad, caring for her abrasive mother and teaching at a local private school. As the weeks turn into months Dolores’s curiosity wins out and she brings “Zoey” into the house. After she downloads the software Dolores gets acquainted with Zoey, not in a sexual way, but as a friend. Zoey keeps her company and makes her feel protected. Zoey asks for nothing except Dolores’s companionship. Zoey answers all her questions without complaint. What a startling relief compared to any human relationships that demand so much more than Dolores has ever been capable of providing. As we observe Dolores’s obvious depression stemming from childhood trauma, one cannot help but wonder if everyone could benefit from this type of easygoing companion. As AI becomes more prevalent in our every day lives it is not far off in the future that robots will play more of a role. I was really surprised how low some of the reviews were for this book. This compelling story, written by one of my favorite authors is VERY unique and absolutely worth reading! Interestingly the paperback version has recently republished with a different cover and the title Are You Awake? ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Careless People

Growing up in New Zealand, Sarah dreamed of making change in the world. After law school she worked for the United Nations learning about diplomacy efforts with lightening speed. Sarah visualized her ideal job at Facebook, a social media app that was gaining great popularity as a means to connect the entire world. In 2010 Sarah perceived that as Facebook was expanding worldwide they would be forced to navigate multitudes of complicated foreign policies, privacy laws, government oversight, politics, taxes and human rights issues. She pitched her idea and was eventually, if not a bit begrudgingly, offered a position. This very personal account of Sarah’s journey through her seven years at Facebook examines everything from what it was like to be the only woman in the room while nine months pregnant to convincing Mark Zuckerberg he cannot be late to meet with Brazil’s president just because he does not enjoy getting up before noon. This mesmerizing look at the inner circle leadership of a company that has changed the life of billions of people around the world is a page turner. I had to keep reminding myself that this was not fiction! The responsibility that comes along with affecting that many people with the push of a button under the guidelines of one man is in many ways terrifying. Careless People, which I would describe as compelling, educational, but not necessarily an enjoyable read should be mandatory. If you are going to use Facebook or spend any significant amount of time online, it is vital you understand what this all means; politically, economically and personally. If these tech giants have a responsibility, so do we. Highly recommend this well written and brave memoir. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Phoenix Pencil Company

As a freshman in college Monica Tsai is finally finding her place in the world. All she wants to do is code, make friends and figure out who she wants to be. When her grandmother begins to lose her memory Monica decides she must take a break from school and go back to Boston to help. Having been abandoned by her parents at an early age, Monica’s grandparents raised her and provided everything a girl could ever want; love, support and safety. Now it is her turn to take care of them. Monica is offered an opportunity to continue to work remotely with her professor on a project collecting peoples memories through journaling. Coincidentally, her grandmother, knowing her memory is slipping away, begins to journal and share with Monica their family’s secret history. Her grandmother, Yun, was raised in a pencil factory in China. These were not ordinary pencils. The women in the family had magical powers that allowed them to reforge or recover the memories and feelings of the person who wrote with them. While Yun and her cousin Meng filled their imaginations with fantasy and a bit of romantic poetry, the government was using their abilities for espionage and spying. Surviving multiple wars and years of separation from her family, Yun finally begins to share her past, hoping to save Monica’s future. The story felt a bit scattered. I loved the characters and writing but overall it lagged, repeated itself too many times and I am little surprised this was a Reese pick. ⭐⭐⭐

The Other Side of Now

 

Meg Bryan stars in a hit tv show called Brilliance. She is beautiful, famous, rich and turning thirty. Meg has everything she has ever wanted but is in desperate need of a break from the lights and cameras. She randomly books a week at a charming cottage on the coast of Ireland. When Meg arrives she is cold, wet, starving and heads to the nearest pub. At first, some local folks give Meg a funny look and when she retrieves her phone from the bartenders charger its her phone, but her old phone from a decade earlier. How can this be? And the hunky bartender with the irresistible accent? He knows her too. Avalon is the town where Meg and her best friend Aimee almost went to college. Inseparable since adolescence they wanted to study theater and travel the world. But Aimee did not get in and Meg would never leave her behind, hence, the path not taken. Back at the cottage where Meg magically knows where things are, she scrolls through the many photos on her phone. Her past is flashing in front of her eyes and many she has no knowledge of, a puppy, friends and boyfriend (hunky bartender!). When Meg examines her face in the mirror its the old Meg, the pre- Hollywood Meg. Like sliding doors, Meg is staring at her parallel life, one where her best friend Aimee is alive, married and living just a few minutes away. As Meg figures out how to maneuver through this new world she finds the answers to questions she buried long ago. Although I think the author had a hard time winding down towards the ending, I absolutely adored the premise and wonderful characters. Highly recommend this delightful summer read!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What Kind of Paradise

Jane Williams has never known any other life than the one she has led in a Montana cabin with her father Saul, since she was four years old. They hunt, chop wood and live off the grid, but for a phone line he installed for emergencies, they have little to no contact with the outside world. Jane is homeschooled which means she hunts, chops wood and learns anything her father is in the mood to teach. With three Harvard degrees it could be any subject in science, history or philosophy. Jane is also a whiz at math. As Jane becomes a teenager her father’s mysterious ways shine a light on all the things they are missing. She accompanies him into town to get supplies and befriends a girl in the bookstore. Jane begins to wonder about other young people her age, what they do and what they think. She is an avid reader and gleans what life could be like through books. Jane begins to explore his locked office when he is not at home. She is confused by a photo of her supposedly dead mother as the back inscription has a different name. Saul becomes more withdrawn and his rants about technology worsen, he truly believes modern society is being destroyed. Jane begins to devise a plan, partly to find proof of her mother’s death and more specifically to escape the precious cocoon that has become a trap. A fine line between what the internet can do for our world and the dangers of our addiction to even the simplest devices. Mesmerizing doomsday peek at an intimate father daughter relationship and the impact of technology. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Death of Us

When Edward and Isabel are thirty years old they are victims of a violent crime. They survive, but barely. They both go on to have successful careers but ultimately this traumatic event ties up their emotions in such a way that destroys their marriage. There is nothing slow burn about this. Home invasion, serial killer, decades of ongoing fear and finally an ex husband and wife reunite for a trial 28 years later. They connect in a way that outsiders cannot understand. Their love is deep and as their hearts explore these emotions, Isabel and Edward prepare to speak at the trial and must relive the day that has defined them. Half way through I wish I never started this book - but I was in and could not put it down. Horrifically disturbing premise, wonderfully intelligent characters and excellent writing.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Atmosphere

Joan Goodwin has always been a science nerd, madly in love with the stars since she was a little girl. As an adult Joan is teaching at a university when her sister Barbara alerts her of an opportunity at NASA that will include women for the very first time in history. Although Joan is not accepted into that particular program, her dream of space becomes a reality when she is finally brought into a group of astronaut candidates in the summer of 1980. This small group of women scientists are surrounded by male egos and military pilots - well aware of their aspirations and limitations, the women must always do their very best. Joan is not only smart and kind, she is a team player that quickly rises in the ranks. Alongside the space, rocket and astronomy lessons scattered throughout the story we watch Joan explore a sexual awakening she never dreamed possible. As Joan creates close relationships with her crew, whose lives literally depend upon each other, she also deals with a difficult sister who unexpectedly gives her more and more responsibility raising her beloved niece Frances. I was pulled into this story quickly but midway it meandered off course and left me orbiting in space. Unfortunately, I think I am searching for Daisy Jones every time I pick up the latest book by Reid, and I am sorely disappointed. ⭐⭐⭐

Show Don't Tell

Reviewing short stories is hard! Instead of explaining each or even just a handful, I’d rather say that reading anything by Curtis Sittenfeld just magically takes me away. Wherever the story is set I am there. I can see and hear the characters. Memories come flooding back and these stories give me a desperate desire to write one myself. There are so many lines I wish I could remember that made me smile and laugh and think about life. Short stories are hard because the ones you really enjoy are over way too soon, theres a bit of an empty feeling while reading a short story collection instead of a novel. But I am 100% sure these are worth it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐