This book made me feel both uncomfortable and angry. From childhood, Saoirse (formerly known as Sarah) has been failed by the adults in her life. Her mother had her at age 16 and was ill-equipped to handle a child, especially with a drug addiction. Her stepfather is terrifying, and the “system” didn’t save her. Instead, she saved herself by escaping to Ireland with a stolen passport, and this is where the story begins. Unfortunately, it’s also where she meets Paul on the plane. The book is a series of flashbacks, using Saoirse’s haunting artwork to tell the story. It speaks to the strength this traumatized young woman has to protect those she loves and to move to another country alone while still in her teens.
Hurtubise does a phenomenal job of balancing the suspense of the past Saoirse is hiding, the abuse that leaves its psychological mark on her, a touching romance, and an indictment of the social service programs in the US and the strict, misogynistic laws in Ireland that trap women in terrible relationships where their only potentially safe option is to flee the country.
This would be a wonderful choice for book clubs but also has a number of triggers to be aware of. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Celadon Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
I’ve read other fictionalized accounts of Titanic survivors, but this one is the first where there’s a focus on the PTSD and survivor guilt they endured following the unspeakable tragedy.
Elinor Coombes, believer in true love and happily-ever-afters thanks to the books of Austen and Brontë, was tricked into a loveless marriage with an heir to an earldom so they could get a huge dowry from her industrialist father. Shortly after giving birth to a son and heir, she learns that aristocratic women don’t raise their sons, whose upbringing is left to a nanny and then boarding school by age 7. When she finds out that, in the event of her husband Frederick’s death, her disapproving and hard-hearted in-laws would gain custody, it is an abstract worry since he’s young and healthy; that is, until the Titanic sinks and the worst comes to pass. Desperate to save her son from the cold, callous path set out for him, she assumes a deceased woman’s identity to start a new life, but will she always be looking over her shoulder?
Quinn paints a clear picture of life in the Lower East Side tenements of NYC, putting a human and compassionate face on the squalor and seeming chaos of the poor neighborhood. Her story is a testament to the immigrants who came from Europe for a better life and the hard work they put in to make their dreams a reality and to the human spirit and the strength and courage of women who are underestimated by both men and other women who see them as weak. Finally, it’s a beautiful portrayal of chosen family and the capacity for forgiveness. Fans of Susan Meissner, Fiona Davis, and Beatriz Williams will love this. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Ballantine Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
What a beautiful, heartwarming story! Set in a small town in Australia, it’s about an 82-year-old widower named Fred who is mistaken for a recently deceased nursing home resident named Bernard. Due to their uncanny resemblance and Bernard’s dementia, nobody believes Fred when he tries to correct the misunderstanding, and he finally gives up trying to convince the staff because living as someone else with a comfy room, 3 meals a day, and the friendship of his fellow residents to stave off his crushing loneliness is much better than being homeless, which was his next step had fate not intervened. However, when he learns that Bernard has a daughter he was estranged from for over 30 years, Fred has to make the difficult decision of whether to come clean or try to be a father to this lovely woman who has already lost so much in her life.
Author Johnston has written a unique story that highlights the plight of the elderly which is universal. Although the message is ultimately uplifting and redemptive for Fred, it also illustrates how shamefully inadequate the social safety nets are for some of society’s most vulnerable citizens. Fred is as healthy as an octogenarian can be, with no signs of dementia, but thanks to medical debt he incurred when his late wife was battling cancer, he was forced to sell his home and is eventually evicted with nowhere else to go. More fortunate seniors are able to afford decent nursing homes, but they are still at risk of shabby treatment by staff if oversight is lacking, which is portrayed in this book by a nurse who is barely coping with the dissolution of her marriage by turning to alcohol. Johnston also uses a delightful character named Albert to portray dementia and Fred’s friendship with him to demonstrate the correct way to interact so as to cause the least emotional upset and heartbreak. There is plenty of humor as it relates to the human condition, but also plenty of tears. As someone who witnessed her own mother’s long battle with dementia, this story was sometimes painful to read, but I have no regrets thanks to Johnston’s thoughtful handling of the disease.
If you’ve read and enjoyed Remarkably Bright Creatures, you’ll want to read this book as well. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from William Morrow through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
This book is so incredibly twisted. It’s like a pretzel of grifting, stolen identity, assault, scams, revenge, and murder, all revolving around a Chicago-based critical care nurse named Meghan Miller. I won’t even try to write a synopsis since it’s impossible to do without spoilers. Suffice it to say, it’s a non-stop adrenaline rush, especially all of the times Meghan walks home from work in the dark, knowing there’s a masked man who has been assaulting, robbing, and raping women. Add to that the fact that she and her 16-year-old daughter are living in an apartment with a door that doesn’t properly latch, and you’re just waiting for the worst.
Mystery/thrillers aren’t a genre I usually read, but I chose this for a reading challenge based on a Facebook recommendation, and I’m not sorry. It is absolutely riveting, and I really appreciate it as a window into the way people’s minds work: the lengths people will go to protect themselves and their loved ones, the damage and repercussions of childhood abuse, and people who are just natural-born sociopaths. Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Park Row through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
