Book Review: Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

 

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: July 29, 2025

Publisher: Random House

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: A Hundred Summers,

Husbands & Lovers, The Beach at Summerly, 

The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Cocoa Beach, 

Along the Infinite Sea, Tiny Little Thing, The Summer Wives, 

The Golden Hour, and Her Last Flight

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Audrey Fisher has struggled all her life to emerge from the shadow of her famous mother by forging a career as a world-class chef. Meredith Fisher’s glamorous screen persona disguises the trauma of the tragic accident that haunts her dreams. Neither woman wants to return to the New England island they left behind and its complicated emotional ties, but Meredith has one last chance to sober up and salvage her big comeback, and where else but discreet, moneyed Winthrop Island can a famous actress spend the summer without the intrusion of other people? Until Audrey discovers an old wooden chest among the belongings of her estranged bartender father, Mike Kennedy, and the astonishing contents draw the women deep into Winthrop’s past and its many secrets…attracting the interest of their handsome neighbor, Sedge Peabody. How did a trove of paintings from one of America’s greatest artists wind up in the cellar of the Mohegan Inn? And who is the mysterious woman portrayed on every canvas?

On a stormy November night in 1846, Providence Dare flees Boston and boards the luxury steamship Atlantic one step ahead of the law….or so she believes. But when a catastrophic accident leaves the ship at the mercy of a mighty gale, Providence finds herself trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the one man who knows her real identity—the detective investigating the suspicious death of her employer, the painter Henry Irving. As the Atlantic fights for her life and the rocky shore of Winthrop Island edges closer, a desperate Providence searches for her chance to escape…before the sea swallows her without a trace.

In Under the Stars, the destinies of three women converge across centuries, as a harrowing true disaster at the dawn of the steamship era evokes a complex legacy of family secrets in modern-day New England. Williams has written a timeless epic of mothers and daughters, of love lost and found, and of the truths that echo down generations."

It's 1846, and Providence Dare is on the run after the questionable death of her employer. She finds herself escaping via the Steamship Atlantic, but a detective is following her with a warrant for her arrest. She is the only suspect in the death of her employer, Henry Irving, a famous painter. She was the only servant living in the house with him, and rumor has it their relationship was an unprofessional one. Providence is no longer concerned she might be arrested, as there is a major storm coming their way and the passengers are told there is a good chance that the ship won't survive the night. Jump to the present day, and Audrey Fisher is escorting her famous mother, Meredith, back to her hometown on Winthrop Island. Meredith is escaping the glare of Hollywood to dry out at her family's home, and Audrey hasn't been back since she was a little girl. Audrey is also escaping her life since her husband left her, and she subsequently lost their restaurant and their money when he left, disappearing into thin air. While on the island, Audrey encounters her father, Mike Kennedy, who owns the local bar, and must come to terms with their strained relationship. Meredith also has to come to grips with her past and the events that had her running from Winthrop many years ago. Eventually, both plot lines, although they seem disjointed except for the shared location, make sense as Williams weaves the story together expertly. Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams is a page-turner of a beach read that kept me glued to the pages.

I will admit that I didn't care for Providence's storyline at first in Under the Stars. I felt myself gravitating to Audrey and Meredith's story, but once readers get more background regarding Providence, I feel like her story picks up. Readers end up caring about Providence's future and the ship's fate. Although Providence isn't a real-life character, the Atlantic and its wreck are based on the real-life ship that crashed on Long Island. This added to the suspense of the storyline, especially as the connection builds between Providence to the present-day Winthrop.

I really liked Meredith, Audrey, and Mike in Under the Stars. They were such fun characters that I cared about, even if I felt like they didn't always make the best choices. I adored the setting of Winthrop Island; many of Williams's novels take place there, so it was fun to return, not to mention the fact that many of Williams's previous beloved characters make cameos. Thankfully, Williams provides a family tree at the beginning of the novel so readers can make the connections.

If you are looking for a thoughtful beach read filled with historical details as well as some suspenseful moments, look no further. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as Husbands & Lovers, I really liked Under the Stars, and I think Williams's fans will enjoy her latest summer read. Let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Williams and if you read Under the Stars .

 

Book Review: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Pages: 320

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: March 4, 2025

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love."

 

 

Beth Johnson lives in a small farming community in England in the 1960s. She had high hopes for herself at one time, but now she exists happily on her family's farm. Her husband, Frank, is a good man who loves her deeply and they have known each other since they were kids. They share a son, Bobby, who is the apple of their eye. However, as the years go by, they lose Bobby to a tragic accident, and Beth has never really recovered. Fast forward a few years and Gabriel, Beth's teenage love, shows up back in town with his son, Leo, in tow. Leo instantly reminds Beth of Bobby and it is heartbreaking. As time passes, she can't keep away from Gabriel and even finds herself taking a job working for Gabriel. The story is interspersed with a 1969 murder trial, leaving readers wondering whose murder it is, as well as flashbacks to Gabriel and Beth's courtship, as well as her life with Bobby. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that will tug on readers' heartstrings.
 
While I didn't always agree with Beth's motives, I was deeply invested in her story. The flashbacks to her relationship with Gabriel were so well done. Their chemistry and shared love leaped off the page. Her love for her son did too, which made his tragic fate extra heartbreaking. So, when Gabriel reenters Beth's life, it's not hard to see how despite her best efforts, she would be gravitating towards him and what they used to have. Also, flashbacks fleshed out what went wrong with Beth and Gabriel's relationship initially, how Beth ended up giving up her dream to become a poet at Oxford, and how she ended up with Frank.

My favorite aspects of Broken Country were Hall's descriptions of the farming community. I loved this tight-knit town and Beth's family. I enjoyed the descriptions of the farm, its animals, and its customs. She truly brought that aspect of the story to life. Additionally, I enjoyed the chapters focusing on the murder trial, which also kept me flipping the pages. I just had to know whose murder it was and what went tragically wrong. Slowly, Hall fills readers in and there are some definite twists in Broken Country.

While I don't typically like love triangles in my novels, this one was done well. It was so heartbreaking and moving, so much so, Broken Country will end up being one of my favorite novels of the year.  Have you read Broken Country? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

 

Book Review: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

 

Pages: 400

Genre: Non-fiction

Pub. Date: March 26, 2024

Publisher: Penguin

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A must-read for all parents: the generation-defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood. After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why?

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.

Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the “collective action problems” that trap us, and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood.

Haidt has spent his career speaking truth backed by data in the most difficult landscapes—communities polarized by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the public health emergency faced by Gen Z. We cannot afford to ignore his findings about protecting our children—and ourselves—from the psychological damage of a phone-based life."

 

In the 1980s, children had a play-based childhood. After school and on weekends, they would run outside in their neighborhood, ride bikes, play in a neighbor's yard, explore the park, and there was no way for parents to know where they were. Children simply came back when dusk set in. Childhood looks vastly different for kids today. Parents have trackers on their kids' watches, cell phones, and personal items. Sure, kids today could bike around the neighborhood, but you can track their location and text them in an instant. Then throw in an unhealthy dose of technology, like cell phones and video games and it equals a much different child than a product of the 80s, or even the 90s. Social media changed in 2009 and put people in "defend mode" as there was always an onslaught of opinions. Children are being radically rewired as they interact more with their peers via technology than in actual one-on-one playing outside with the benefits of fresh air and sunshine. Children today are more depressed and anxious than ever before and psychologist Haidt knows why. In The Anxious Generation, he lays out all the reasons why children today are struggling, how technology (mostly the iPhone) has impacted them, and how to avoid it. This book is a must-read for all parents and educators.

 

As a child of the 80s, I see it. I see the changes in kids today, both when I was teaching and as a parent. It's a shame that we don't give children more free reign in their neighborhood (b/c kidnappers! or sexual predators!) but then we let them "run free" on the internet. Haidt argues they should have more freedom to explore outside (discover mode and risky play) and within their neighborhoods than online. He also advises parents to not give their child a phone until high school as it is causing psychological and neurological damage to kids. 

 

On a personal note, I am very against cell phones and probably one of the last moms to not give my twelve-year-old one (I hear I am so not cool and this has made me very unpopular!!), but reading The Anxious Generation is gratifying and validating. Most of my son's friends have phones and this is the problem. When all his friends have them, it's hard for parents to hold out, which is why I was excited to see a new program coming to my younger son's elementary school called Wait Until 8th, where parents vow to not give a phone to their kids until 8th grade. If parents all band together to follow this rule, it will be much easier to hold out and I believe it's due to The Anxious Generation's influence, as well as all the latest research.

 

Haidt also takes a deep dive into all the data to support his claims and lays out how technology has become addicting (even video games) and replaced all the real-life interactions that kids today need. This is especially detrimental during adolescence and when kids go through puberty. The Anxious Generation also covers video games, how social media is harmful (especially to young girls), what is happening to boys' mental health, what schools can do about this, the need for risky play, and how this lack of independence is creating fragile kids. But parents, have no fear because Haidt also explains how to fix this and combat the mental health crisis.

 

I urge every parent and educator to read The Anxious Generation. Yes, it includes a lot of the information that we already know deep down, but it uses data to further illustrate the point and hammer home all the implications. I would recommend reading a physical copy of the book, not the audio, as Haidt includes a lot of charts and helpful graphs.  

 

So, have you read The Anxious Generation? Let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below.

Book Review: Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Pages: 240

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: June 18, 2024

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their humble beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, great meals, and messes of all kinds: emotional, marital, and—thanks to the cottage’s ancient plumbing—septic too.

This year’s vacation, with Rocky sandwiched between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents, promises to be just as delightful as summers past—except, perhaps, for Rocky’s hormonal bouts of rage and melancholy. (Hello, menopause!) Her body is changing—her life is, too. And then a chain of events sends Rocky into the past, reliving both the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers.

It's one precious week: everything is in balance; everything is in flux. And when Rocky comes face to face with her family’s history and future, she is forced to accept that she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves."

 

 

Each year, for the past twenty years, Rocky's family rents a ramshackle  cottage on Cape Cod. They have been doing this since the kids were little and now they are in their twenties. Rocky, in her fifties,  has a lot of thoughts regarding life, marriage, her aging parents, her adult children, and what it means to be a woman. Summer at her favorite beach house is the perfect time to think back to summer's past and the secrets that she is still harboring. One thing Rocky knows is that parenting is all about constant change and this summer reminds her of that even more so. Catherine Newman's Sandwich is one of the best books of  the year and if you are a parent or a woman in your 40s or 50s, it shouldn't be missed. It should be required reading!

I adored Rocky from the start. Her witty sense of humor, her outrage at the injustice of things women must endure, and her dedication to her children made me really enjoy her in Sandwich. I think so many women, whether their children are grown or are still young, can relate to all of Rocky's joys and frustrations. Sandwich is filled with flashbacks to when her children were young, which was so relatable and so very laughable at times. In fact, I found myself absolutely cackling with her observations on menopause, marriage, and young children. It felt therapeutic in the sense that I can say no one has written, that I've read in the past twenty years, as honest and raw about what it means to  be a mother, a daughter, and a wife.

But Sandwich isn't all sunny day on the Cape with your family. It includes Rocky coming to grips with her issues as well as a secret she has kept  hidden for years. So, the novel does tackle some difficult topics, but it covers them so well that it never feels heavy since the hefty topics are in between lighter, laugh-out-loud moments.

Sandwich is easily one of my favorite books of the summer, if not the best book of the summer. Newman's writing is outstanding and it reminded me of Patchett in that she can take a slice of life moment and make it so profound. Sandwich should not be missed and I toggled back and forth between the audio, which was narrated by Nan McNamara, who did not disappoint.

My favorite quote from Sandwich that had me nodding: "And this may be the only reason we were put on this earth. To say to each other, I know how you feel. To say, Same. To say, I understand how hard it is to be a parent, a kid."

Is Sandwich on your summer TBR list? Have you read it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

Book Review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

 

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: June 4, 2024

Publisher: Putnam

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Same Time Next Summer,

and Nora Goes Off Script

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

 

Goodreads says, "Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?"

 

Ali Morris is not in the best place. Her mother died two years ago and she is still grieving. Raising her three kids is difficult, especially when she is going through a divorce from her husband, Pete, who seems to care more about his biking schedule than his kids. She has been in a rut, wearing mostly sweatpants, and hanging out with her geriatric neighbor, until she takes her dog to the dog park and her dog pees on gorgeous Ethan. Ethan and Ali hit it off and this reminds Ali of who she used to be and starts to get her out of her rut. That is until she realizes Ethan is none other than Scooter, her friend's little brother, who was a real pain in the ass in high school. She couldn't possibly date him, right? Scooter seems entirely different than the man before her eyes and he has had a crush on Ali since high school. Ethan is determined to make her take him seriously. Could their romance be something that lasts more than just a summer? Annabel Monaghan's  Summer Romance is beach read gold. I loved every second of this relatable story filled with characters that I actually liked and was rooting for.

Ali is one of my favorite characters of the year. I adored her, along with many of the secondary characters in Summer Romance, which rarely happens in books lately. Most of the characters, other than her ex-husband, were extremely likable. I enjoyed being in Ali's world and as a mom in my 40s, I could relate to her. Monaghan gets women in their late 30s/early 40s better than any writer out there today. How could I not root for Ali and the return to her former self in Summer Romance? I was so happy to watch her relationship unfold with Ethan and for her to gain some confidence back. 

The dialogue was, as usual, done so well and there were some laugh-out-loud moments in Summer Romance. Monaghan's realistic (and hilarious!) dialogue is right up there with Emily Henry and Carley Fortune. Also, Monaghan has created such a happy beach read. I didn't want it to end. Summer Romance is one of my favorite  beach reads of the summer, if not one of my favorite books of the year. I adored Nora Goes Off Script as well as Same Time Next Summer , so it's safe to say Monaghan  is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. If you love a beach read that is happy, sweet, relatable, and is believable, look no further than Summer Romance. I am convinced Monaghan can do no wrong. 

So, do you plan on reading Summer Romance? Are you a fan of Monaghan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Blog Tour: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

 

Pages: 320

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: May 7, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

Other Books By Author: Every Summer After

and Meet Me at the Lake

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different. Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again. If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is."

 

Lucy has spent a lot of time visiting Prince Edward Island as her best friend, Bridget, lives there. What's not to love? A gorgeous island, oysters, sandy cliffs, windswept shores, and Bridget's dreamy brother. It all started when Lucy visited Bridget's family and arrived before Bridget. She went to a restaurant to kill some time and immediately had some major chemistry with the guy shucking oysters. They spend a night together and after the fact, she finds out it's Bridget's brother, who is off limits. Lucy doesn't want to upset Bridget or make their relationship complicated, so she pushes her feelings aside and tries to not let it happen again. As the years go by, and Lucy visits PEI, she finds herself gravitating back to Felix despite their best attempts at staying apart. Lucy could never let their flings be anything real as she pushes Felix away before she gets too close. Fast forward to days before Bridget's wedding and she announces an emergency trip to PEI. Lucy drops her job (she's a florist) and her city life to go to PEI and figure out what is going on with Bridget. Lo and behold, Felix is there to complicate things further. Can their relationship ever be real without sacrificing the great friendship she has with Bridget? Carley Fortune's This Summer Will Be Different is a wonderful summer tale filled with a lot of steamy romance, a gorgeous setting, and a heartwarming story.

I liked Lucy from the start of This Summer Will Be Different. She has a complicated relationship with her own family, so she latches on to her friendship with Bridget as they are more like sisters than friends. I also really liked the fact that she is a florist and all the details surrounding flowers as well as her dreams of owning a flower farm. Also, her relationship with Felix was done so well. The chemistry jumped right off the page and the romance scenes seemed even more steamy than her other novels. I was rooting for Felix and Lucy from the start. Felix is such a great character and one that I really enjoyed. He's pretty much perfect and did I mention he likes books?

The setting of Prince Edward Island was so darn good in This Summer Will Be Different. It made me want to drop everything to book a flight. The seafood, the windswept shores, and not to mention the Anne of Green Gables references---I loved it! I am a huge Anne of Green Gables fan, so this was especially fun, not to mention all the references to Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie's version of Anne and Gilbert---the best there is!

Fans of Fortune won't be disappointed. If you love a good summer romance, look no further. While this wasn't my favorite of Fortune's (Every Summer After is!), I still really enjoyed it. In the comments below let me know if you plan on reading This Summer Will Be Different and if you are a fan of Carley Fortune.

 

Mini Reviews: Non-Fiction Audio Books

You all know I love fictional audio books and getting immersed in the world the author creates, but sometimes I need to switch it up with some non-fiction. Sometimes I find myself really engaged with an non-fiction memoir more than I expected and I get sucked in. Today I'm sharing two non-fiction audio books that I thought were really engrossing, each in their own way. 

The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty by Neal Thompson

Genre: Biography/Audio Book

Pub. Date: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Harper Audio

Source: Library

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Based on genealogical breakthroughs and previously unreleased records, this is the first book to explore the inspiring story of the poor Irish refugee couple who escaped famine, created a life together in a city hostile to Irish, immigrants, and Catholics, and launched the Kennedy dynasty in America.

Their Irish ancestry was a hallmark of the Kennedys’ initial political profile, as JFK leveraged his working-class roots to connect with blue-collar voters. Today, we remember this iconic American family as the vanguard of wealth, power, and style rather than as the descendants of poor immigrants. Here at last, we meet the first American Kennedys, Patrick and Bridget, who arrived as many thousands of others did following the Great Famine—penniless and hungry. Less than a decade after their marriage in Boston, Patrick’s sudden death left Bridget to raise their children single-handedly. Her rise from housemaid to shop owner in the face of rampant poverty and discrimination kept her family intact, allowing her only son P.J. to become a successful saloon owner and businessman. P.J. went on to become the first American Kennedy elected to public office—the first of many.

Written by the grandson of an Irish immigrant couple and based on first-ever access to P.J. Kennedy’s private papers, The First Kennedys is a story of sacrifice and survival, resistance and reinvention: an American story."

 

Most people when they think of the famous Kennedy family think of Joe Kennedy, JFK, RFK, and other influential male Kennedys. However, this book peels back the layers of the Kennedy family. It brings us to Ireland in the 1800s and a woman named Bridget Murphy, JFK's great-grandmother. It starts there with the struggle in Ireland during the Great Famine and their escape to Boston. But while in Boston things weren't easy for any of the Irish immigrants. Bridget married Patrick Kennedy and had many children, but then Patrick died of consumption, like many others, in 1858. She had no choice, but to provide for her family and return to work as a servant with a family member watching her brood. She went from a servant to a hairdresser, to working at a fancy hotel, to becoming a female entrepreneur by opening her grocery store. She ended up being so successful, that she bought the building and surrounding real estate. This is unheard of in the 1800s for a female widow to not only thrive after her husband's death but to become a successful businesswoman. Thompson credits the Kennedy family's success to Bridget's, which is fascinating as most biographies don't even mention her. Bridget's son, PJ, thanks to her success and money, opened his saloon after struggling for a bit. He then became a liquor importer and involved in local politics, which led him to become a Democratic party boss. He ended up being one of the most influential men in Boston and he also paved the way for the Kennedy family. The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty by Neal Thompson is a fascinating look into the Kennedy family as well as all Irish immigrants in the 19th century.

I was completely glued to The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty and blown away by Bridget's grit and determination. What I also really appreciated was Thompson's ability to explain the Kennedy's situation in Boston as an Irish Catholic immigrant, but also relate it to all Irish immigrants during the time. Thompson really highlighted the immigrant experience and while I was aware of a few things, I found all the details about the hardships that they had to endure to be eye-opening. If you have family that also immigrated from Ireland during this time, this is a must-read as it will explain the experience. If you love books about the famed Kennedy family or about the American Dream, look no further.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Genre: Biography/Audio Book

Pub. Date: November 1, 2022

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Source: Library

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.” So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for."

 

Everyone knows Matthew Perry from Friends, but do people know the real Matty? I certainly did not. This memoir was eye-opening. It takes readers through Matthew's childhood, which at times was tumultuous and seems to be something he can't get over. It takes readers to his first drink of alcohol and his breakthrough in Hollywood, the women, the success, and the parties. At first, he was just partying like the rest of the celebrities, but then it became something more and he got hooked on opioids. He certainly tried for years to get clean with many stints in rehab, but he could never seem to completely break away. He had many surgeries, which broke my heart, and after each one, he was offered opioids to help with the pain, which only furthered his addiction cycle. But not all of his stories were sad, as many of the details surrounding Friends and various movie sets were honest and fun. Matthew Perry's memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is heartfelt, self-deprecating, funny, and honest. I am glad I read it and anyone who has an addict in their lives should read it, too.

 

He had such success but was so unlucky at times and my heart felt for him as he fell into his problems again and again. What was so heartbreaking is that he tried for years to break away from drugs. He spent millions on rehabs that didn't completely work. Also, I had no idea that during a few seasons of Friends, he was on the amount of drugs he was on. This was eye-opening and explained addiction to me and how people can function and hide it. I will say Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing hits differently as you listen to his voice narrate the audiobook now that he has passed away. It makes it that much more heartbreaking and haunting because by the end of the memoir, readers think he had it figured out. He was always searching for something to fill that void and it broke my heart that he never found it.

Have you read either biography? I am glad I listened to these two as they really lent themselves to the format of an audio book. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Book Review: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: August 8, 2023

Publisher: Atria

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: I Found You

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast. Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home. But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat. Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?"

 

Josie Fair has lived a tough life. She got married extremely young to a much older man who is controlling. She had two kids, who are grown now, and since then her life has been a bit of a letdown. After coming into an small inheritance, she decides to take her and her husband out to a fancy pub in town to celebrate her 45th birthday. While there, she watches a much more glamorous woman who is celebrating her birthday there as well. In the bathroom, she starts talking to this woman and realizes that it's her "birthday twin" as she was born on the same day and year at the same hospital where she was born. Slowly, Josie starts to become very interested in this woman, Alix, to the point where it's a bit of an obsession. Alix Summers's life is entirely different than Josie's. She is a successful podcaster, married to a businessman, and has two young children. Upon several "chance" meetings orchestrated by Josie, she convinces Alix to start a new podcast series on ordinary women who are about to change their lives. She shares a bit of her backstory with Alix and they realize that they might be on to something. But the more time Alix spends with Josie preparing this podcast, the more things start to get strange. Not only is Josie's life extremely upsetting and dark, she starts to realize that Josie's motives might not be as pure as she thought. Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True is one of, if not the, best psychological thriller I've read this year. 

At first, I felt bad for Josie, because I thought she was a victim as she was only a teenager when she married a forty-year-old man. Cue the nausea. However, as I learned more about Josie, I realized how disturbed she was and she was much more complex than I thought. Jewell reveals this through interviews with other characters, flashbacks, as well as Josie's admissions; however, I was curious as to what was true and what was fiction. That is, essentially, the main conflict in the story. Who is telling the truth? I wanted to believe Alix as she seemed much more together. 

This leads me to Alix in None of This Is True. She is a semi-famous podcaster living a rather comfortable lifestyle which is juxtaposed by Josie's abysmal housing near a bus stop. Josie is immediately attracted to Alix's shiny life. Her successful husband, two adorable kids, and even her slew of supportive sisters. However, the more time Josie spends with Alix, the more Alix's life becomes exposed. Perhaps it isn't so perfect once you peel back the layers? Josie starts to turn the tables on Alix and Alix gets sucked right into Josie's maelstrom.

I love a good psychological thriller in the fall and None of This Is True is so, so good. Jewell had me guessing up until the last second. It was twisty and dark, but nothing too upsetting that would keep me up at night. If you enjoy Gillian Flynn or Alice Feeney, definitely give this book a try. It's going on my "Best of 2023" list for sure. 

Have you read None of This Is True? Are you a fan of Lisa Jewell? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.