Only the Beautiful - Susan Meissner's latest

Only the Beautiful, by Susan Meissner, is a terrific book.  I definitely can't/won't give you any spoilers.  But I will say this...I was bawling at the end.  I know, I know.  You don't think this is anything unusual for me.  And I will admit that I do tear up on a (semi-)regular basis.  But this was actual crying.  That's all I'm going to say about that!

The story starts in 1938 and ultimately ends up in 1957.  Much of the book takes place in Austria.  And since we're talking about 1938 and moving forward, you can imagine that there will be some WWII storylines.  On top of that difficult subject, there's also a fair amount of references to eugenics.  You'll have to read the book to see how that fits in.

Bottom line is that Susan Meissner can flat-out write.  Do yourself a favor and get your copy.  And be warned that, as you would expect, there is some difficult reading.  But keep going.  It will be worth your time.  

The Cheesemaker's Daughter by Kristin Vukovic

The Cheesemaker’s Daughter is about Marina, a 34-year old woman whose family (not surprisingly) produces cheese.  The factory is on the south side of the island of Pag in post-civil war Croatia.  Marina has been living in New York City for many years (having been sent there by her father when she was in her late teens) and has recently split from her husband, who is Croatian and who she met in NYC.  She now finds herself visiting her family.  Does she just stay for a short visit?  Does she extend her time there to help her father?  Does she move back to Croatia?  You’ll have to read it to find out.

This book will definitely grab you.  There’s the ex-partner of her father, who left the south side quite a few years ago and who competitively produces cheese in the northern part of the island.  There’s his son who is Marina’s ex.  There’s Marina’s younger brother who just wants to play soccer.  And there’s even Marina’s Grandmother Badurino, who weighs in on just about every important decision.  You will get caught up in the happenings in the factory.  And you will definitely learn a lot about cheesemaking.

I must tell you I was rolling along in the story until…BOOM!  I was ambushed by my tear ducts!  I think I teared up (doesn’t that sound better than crying my eyes out?) every 3-5 pages until the book ended.  Whether you connect emotionally with the characters or not, you will, for sure, enjoy The Cheesemaker’s Daughter.  

P.S.  The Cheesemaker's Daughter will be available on August 6.

the trail of lost hearts, by Tracey Garvis Graves, Is Definitely a Keeper!

I am on a roll.  The trail of lost hearts, by Tracey Garvis Graves, is a really good book.  It's my 3rd Graves, and they have all been terrific. This one is a romance that is not like any other you have read. Besides being very well written, it combines some very unusual elements, which I can't tell you about because I don't want to give you any spoilers.  Suffice it to say that you might utter "huh?" or "really?" a few times (each!). 

Here's the thing about romances:  They constitute about 50% of all books written.  And I have certainly read quite a few over the years. But it takes a creative mind to put a story together that has the reader wondering "Will they or won't they?"  And even though we typically know how a romance is going to end, this one still makes you wonder. You can't ask for much more than that.  I feel certain that you will enjoy the trail of lost hearts.

The Paris Widow, by Kimberly Belle - Read it!

I have read 4 or 5 of Kimberly Belle's books.  And I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them.  The latest, the Paris Widow, is NOT an exception. It's the story of a love affair between Stella and Adam...and a whole bunch more.   We learn a lot about the antiquities market, and the fact that there are so many archaeological artifacts stolen and replicated. The next time I go to a museum, I will be wondering whether or not what I see is truly the original piece!  It's staggering what goes on in that world.

Kimberly has done a terrific job of combining the personal story with a thorough description of what happens in the antiquities domain.  Even though every once in a while we hear about a piece of art that has been stolen, we rarely hear about statues, vases, and a whole variety of other pieces that have been taken.  And then, when they are found, we now might question whether or not it's the original piece!

Thanks, Kimberly, for educating us. 

P.S.  Please note that the Paris Widow becomes available to purchase on June 11.  

Kate Quinn and Her First Venture with Janie Chang

The Phoenix Crown is my 5th Kate Quinn. But it's the 1st one that she wrote with a co-author.  And that co-author, Janie Chang, was not only able to hold her own with a superstar.  But she matches her page for page.  In fact, I like her and it so much that I have already purchased one of Janie's books so I can immerse myself in her solo efforts.

But how is the book, you might be asking right now.  It's really good. The story begins in San Francisco 13 days before the1906 earthquake. And it centers primarily on 2 women.  One is an opera singer, who is in the city as part of a troupe.  And the other is a young Chinese woman who, because of the business her family has, spends quite a bit of time outside Chinatown.  Each chapter, for a good portion of the book, alternates between the 2 protagonists.

Of course we see what happens when the earthquake hits.  But equally important is what happens to the 2 women, along with 2 other women that are a big part of their group. in the 5 years that follow. This is historical fiction at its best.  Even if you didn't grow up in the San Francisco Bay Area, you certainly have heard about the earthquake.  Kate and Janie create a very detailed picture of when it happened and its aftermath.  Bravo to these 2 fine authors!

 

Heather Webb Does It Again

Queens of London is my 3rd Heather Webb Historical Fiction novel. The 1st one, Three Words for Goodbye, she wrote with Hazel Gaynor. The 2nd one, The Last Ship Home, was solo.  And so is QofL.  Here's the thing...they are all really good.  She has a lot more that I hope to get to one day.  But, for now, let's talk about Queens of London.

Alice Diamond, known as "Diamond Annie," is the head of an all-woman group in 1925 London.  Their mission is to basically take over the city.  And they do this by robbing department stores, among other places.  They appear to be unstoppable.  But there are 3 other very important females in the story.  One is a police detective, working for Scotland Yard, who is trying very hard to overcome the prejudice against female police officers.  One is an employee at a major department store.  And one is a very young Indian girl who is all by herself.  These 4 characters come together to create a very intense, well-crafted, extremely interesting book.  All I can say to Heather is..."Keep 'em comin'!"   

Another Excellent Kristin Hannah!

I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that Kristin Hannah's latest book, The Women, is absolutely terrific.  Out of 25 books that Kristin has written, I've read 5 - The Nightingale, The Four Winds, The Great Alone, Home Front, and, now, The Women.  This one really got to me. It's about a woman who volunteers to go to Vietnam during that conflict in the late 60s.  It just so happens that I got caught up in that war too.  I was going to Cal in 1969 when the government took away college students' deferments.  I immediately joined the Army Reserve because I did NOT want to get drafted.  As it turned out, my number, 152, was called up.  It wasn't fun to have 5 months of active duty (at least it was stateside!) and 5+ years of one weekend per month and 2 weeks of commitment every summer.  But it sure beat the heck out of the alternative!

But enough about me.  You don't have to have my kind of connection to be very glad you read this book.  Like all of the others, it's just flat-out good.  Of course there is so much more to the story than her time in Vietnam.  And I can vouch for how she depicted the way the soldiers were treated when they came home.  You will know that Kristin is accurate in how she tells us all about how the Vietnam War created so much animosity back here in the U.S.

Finally, I will just tell you this - If Kristin Hannah writes it, you will be glad you read it.  And as for The Women, just ask the 165,000+ who rated The Women 4.70/5!  That is absolutely unheard of.  But there you have it.