Open Book with Rochelle B. Weinstein

I am back in 2020 with new ideas and new books!  To kick off the UPDATED and FRESH “Open Book” we have Rochelle B. Weinstein.  Her latest, out now, This is Not How is Ends is the perfect love story to being your 2020 reading!  This is a must read for your TBR pile or Goodreads challenge.  I am thrilled Rochelle is my first of the year!

via Amazon~

From USA Today bestselling author Rochelle B. Weinstein comes a moving novel of hearts lost and found, and of one woman torn between two love stories.

When Charlotte and Philip meet, the pair form a deep and instant connection. Soon they’re settled in the Florida Keys with plans to marry. But just as they should be getting closer, Charlotte feels Philip slipping away.

Second-guessing their love is something Charlotte never imagined, but with Philip’s excessive absences, she finds herself yearning for more. When she meets Ben, she ignores the pull, but the supportive single dad is there for her in ways she never knew she desired. Soon Charlotte finds herself torn between the love she thought she wanted and the one she knows she needs.

As a hurricane passes through Islamorada, stunning revelations challenge Charlotte’s loyalties and upend her life. Forced to reexamine the choices she’s made, and has yet to make, Charlotte embarks on an emotional journey of friendship, love, and sacrifice—knowing that forgiveness is a gift, and the best-laid plans can change in a heartbeat.

This Is Not How It Ends is a tender, moving story of heartbreak and healing that asks the question: Which takes more courage—holding on or letting go?

 

What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with? 

Judy Blume

Kevin Costner

Anderson Cooper

 

Current binge series?

Mrs. Fletcher

 

Last favorite book?

The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani

 

What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

Tahiti/Bora Bora

Books!

Sunscreen

My family

 

Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

Sunday NYT

 

Last movie you saw?

Art Of Racing In The Rain

 

Book you read that you wished you wrote?

The Heart’s Invisible Furies. Reading right now and WOW!

 

Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

YES, my mother, Ruth Berger.

 

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

Rarely. 

 

Describe your writing space?

While I have a home office complete with a standing desk, I tend to write in my kitchen or family room surrounded by my dogs. One on each side of me.

 

Tell me your coffee/tea order?

I have never had either. 

 

Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

The Alchemist

 

Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Daisy Jones & The Six! And they are!

What a visual book. It should translate to screen beautifully.

 

If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

For every curve ball I’ve been thrown, for every challenge, I just keep on keeping on.  There’s no other option.

 

Must have beauty product?

CE Ferulic by Skinceuticals

But I can’t leave the house without Estee Lauder black eyeliner and Dr. Hauschka Lip Balm

 

Royals- yes or no?  If so, who is your favorite? 

No🙈

 

Favorite Instagram account?

@ElyssaFriedland

She ALWAYS makes me laugh. Not at her, of course. 

 

If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

The Kiss Quotient

SIZZLING HOT PINK

 

Current #TBR pile?

Camille Di Maio -The First Emma

Samantha Bailey – Woman On The Edge

M.J. Rose – Cartier’s Hope

Mary Beth Keane – Ask Again, Yes

Kaira Rouda – The Favorite Daughter

Therese Anne Fowler – A Good Neighborhood

To name a few…..my stack is high!

 

 Best advice you’ve ever received?

Listen when others are talking. Really listen. Trust your instincts. Be patient. Give back. Always support others. Choose kind. And never give up. 

 

Follow Rochelle:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

 

 

Open Book with Milly Johnson

 Back from across the pond, I am completely inspired and in love with London! The city, the people and oh the royals! I am thrilled my first Open Book back, is to support Milly Johnson, British fiction author queen! Her latest, The Magnificent Mrs. Mayhew is out now and completely perfect for a cozy fall read ❤ See below for her fabulous responses and make sure to take a look at her back catalog 😉

via Amazon ~

Milly Johnson, the Queen of Feel-Good Fiction and The Sunday Times bestselling author, is back with a “glorious, heartfelt novel” (Rowan Coleman, New York Times bestselling author) about a woman trying to find her own place in the world, who through love, loss, and the kindness of strangers, discovers everything she needs in a village by the sea.

Behind every successful man is a woman.
Behind the fall of every successful man is usually another woman.

Sophie Mayhew seems to have the perfect life. The glamourous wife of a rising political star who is one step away from the highest position in the government, she matches her husband in looks, pedigree, and money. But he has made some stupid mistakes on his way to the top, and some of those mistakes are just now threatening to emerge. Still, this can all be swept under the rug so long as Sophie the Trophy plays her part in front of the cameras. But the words that tumble out of Sophie’s mouth one morning on the doorstep of their country house are not the words the spin doctors drilled into her head.

Bursting out of the restrictive mold that has been tightening around her since birth, Sophie flees to a small village on the coast, a safe haven from her childhood days, where she intends to be alone. But once there, she finds a community that warms her soul and makes her feel as if she is breathing properly for the first time in her life. Sophie knows she won’t be left in peace for long, though, so she must decide: where does her real future lie?

 

 What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

Stephen King, Catherine Cookson and Henry Viii.  There’s a mixed bunch for you.  I think we’d all have a hoot and some really interesting discussions

Current binge series?

The Staircase.

 Last favorite book?

Exquisite by Sarah Stovell.  I couldn’t put it down.  It’s the story of obsessive lust.

 What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

I love cruising in the Mediterranean so much.  That way I get to see a lot of places in two weeks and not just one destination.  I’m particularly fond of the Greek Islands so… a book to read in the sunshine. A red lipstick that doesn’t wear off so I can look glamorous at all times and a dress that is loose fitting – you can’t have anything tight fitting when you’re on a cruise – the food is too hard to resist. 

 Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

US Weekly!

 Last person you sent a text message to?

My son, who is on holiday with his friends.  Just to check in that he’s okay. 

 Book you read that you wished you wrote?

Bridget Jones’ diary. 

 Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

I had an amazing English teacher at college who made me love writers I hadn’t really understood that much like Jane Austen.  I didn’t really tell anyone that I wanted to write books then, I didn’t  have the confidence I’d be able to do it, but I wish I had told her because she would have encouraged me, I absolutely know it.  She was fantastic.

 Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

I need complete silence when I write.  I even wear noise cancelling headphones when there is no one else in the house. 

 Describe your writing space?

It’s a large office with a very old massive desk with lots of drawers in it.  I have wooden shelves full of books all around the room and a rocking chair where one of my cats likes to sleep.  The other one sits on top of the printer. I have things that look like books but aren’t books everywhere – like a coffee table and storage boxes, old tins – my partner, who is an antiques dealer, finds them for me.

 Coffee or tea?

Coffee.  Strong with a dash of milk.

 Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

Yes it’s called ‘The Tent, the Bucket and Me’ by Emma Kennedy.  It’s one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.

 Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Mine – Here Come the Girls – it’s about a group of friends who go on a cruise together.

 If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles.  It was written on a sunny day and fills me with the feeling that however bad life is, the sunshine is still there behind the clouds.  That’s me – hopeful!

 What/Who inspires you?

Barbara Taylor-Bradford, a woman from Yorkshire who set the world alight with her stories.  I met her a couple of years ago and she was so wise and glamorous and funny.  She made her dream of becoming an author reality – and how!

 Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

Not for me

 Favorite Instagram account?

@auntyacidofficial 

If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be?   

Deep, beautiful red and I’d call it ‘Rebecca’

Current #TBR pile?

Saving lots of books for my holidays.  I love crime and psychological thrillers:  I have Mark Billingham’s ‘Their Little Secret’ at the top and an advance copy of Nicci French’s ‘The Lying Room’ – I’m lucky because as authors we get a lot of free books.

 Best advice you’ve ever received?

‘There is no pot of gold in a comfort zone.’  Sometimes you just need to be brave, feel the fear and go for it.

Follow Milly:

Facebook

Instagram

Double Feature ~ Hannah Orenstein

Another summer DOUBLE feature this time with Hannah Orenstein!  Her latest Love at First Like is out now and the perfect summer rom com read!  I love a gal who loves lipstick, Bravo and Reese!  Read below for her fun, fabulous responses ❤

via Amazon ~

Named a Best Book of Summer by Glamour, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, and many more!

From the author of Playing with Matches, the rollicking tale of a young jewelry shop owner who accidentally leads her Instagram followers to believe that she’s engaged—and then decides to keep up the ruse.

Eliza Roth and her sister Sophie co-own a jewelry shop in Brooklyn. One night, after learning of an ex’s engagement, Eliza accidentally posts a photo of herself wearing a diamond ring on that finger to her Instagram account beloved by 100,000 followers. Sales skyrocket, press rolls in, and Eliza learns that her personal life is good for business. So she has a choice: continue the ruse or clear up the misunderstanding. With mounting financial pressure, Eliza sets off to find a fake fiancé.

Fellow entrepreneur Blake seems like the perfect match on paper. And in real life he shows promise, too. He would be perfect, if only Eliza didn’t feel also drawn to someone else. But Blake doesn’t know Eliza is “engaged”; Sophie asks Eliza for an impossible sum of money; and Eliza’s lies start to spiral out of control. She can either stay engaged online or fall in love in real life.

Written with singular charm and style, Love at First Like is for anyone growing up and settling down in the digital age.

 

What’s in my Bookish {Beauty} Bag? ~

What is your bag of choice?- purse/tote/backpack and brand that you have?

Currently, I’m carrying a bright turquoise, quilted leather bag that I bought while on vacation with two of my best friends in Venice. It always reminds me of that trip and I love that it matches the cover of Love at First Like!

What are your top favorite beauty picks?  

I’m obsessed with Bite lipstick. The color is so saturated and the formula never dries out your skin. Sour Cherry is a really fun, punchy red, and Sweet Cream is my go-to for a neutral with pink undertones. 

What do you always carry in your bag/purse/carry-on for beauty products?  

Chapstick and two tubes of Bite lipstick!

What are you currently reading (can be books/magazines)

The Roxy Letters by Mary Pauline Lowry, out in 2020. The narrator has more voice and personality than the last 30 people I’ve spoken to combined. I love Roxy. 

And any other fun item/must-have that you always have with you 🙂

I try to travel super light (who likes to lug around a million things?). But I always have sentimental jewelry on me: the diamond pendant I bought myself to celebrate my first book, a ruby ring that belonged to my great-grandmother, a silver ring that my sister and I both wear daily, and a bracelet I made earlier this summer at Brooklyn Charm — it has a charm in the shape of Maine, which is where I spend time with my family. Clearly, my love of jewelry inspired Eliza’s profession in Love at First Like! 

Open Book ~

What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a book club with?

Reese Witherspoon, Jasmine Guillory, and Dana Schwartz!

Current binge series?

I’m finally catching up on Suits in a Meghan Markle-inspired binge.  

 Last favorite book?

I had to put down Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston every few pages to internally fangirl over the flirty banter between the son of the first female president and the prince of England. Such a charming, swoonworthy, uplifting story with so many memorable characters!

What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

I’d head to Greece to sunbathe on the beach, explore ancient sites, and of course, eat well! I’d want a stack of books, a leopard-print bikini, and WiFi… so my cat-sitter can send me photos of my cat, Eloise. 

Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

One of my favorite weekend routines is catching up on the New York Times‘ Real Estate section on Saturdays and Styles section on Sundays.  

Last person you sent a text message to?

I sent my boyfriend two photos of an adorable baby cow I spotted on Twitter — the cow is lounging in a bathtub in one and wrapped in a fluffy towel in the other. We’ll see if I can convince him to let us get one. 

Book you read that you wished you wrote?

I’d want to time-travel back to 1973 and write Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying.  

Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

Yes! Thank you to Rob Flaggert at Needham High School, who encouraged me to pursue journalism.  

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

Music with lyrics trips me up, so I tend to go for ambient electronic playlists or really intense classical symphonies, depending on the scene. 

Describe your writing space?

 My kitchen table or couch, surrounded by 100 cups of coffee. I have to hide my phone to avoid distractions. 

Coffee or tea?

 Coffee! 

Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

 No, but that sounds like a lovely idea! The last book I gave as a gift was Educated by Tara Westover. 

Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

 Andrea Dunlop’s She Regrets Nothing and We Came Here To Forget would be ridiculously excellent movies. 

If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

I’ve always listened to KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” from The Devil Wears Prada during major moments in my career as a writer and editor. It still gives me butterflies. 

What/Who inspires you?

I’ve met so many wonderful people through the book world — authors, readers, and more — and I find their energy inspiring. It’s hard to leave a book signing or author support group (they exist!) and not want to scribble down another idea. 

Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

 Let me say this as a girl who has eaten goat cheese balls in the alley behind SUR: Yes.

Favorite Instagram account?

@moomoi makes the most gorgeous art that combines fashion illustration and actual flowers. Definitely a fave!

If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be?

Sex and the City would be fun, right? I’m picturing it as a soft pink — perfect to pair with a naked dress and Manolos. 

Current #TBR pile?

Next up: Breathe In, Cash Out by Madeleine Henry. 

Best advice you’ve ever received?

From my first boss, E. Jean Carroll: “Fortune favors the bold.” It inspires me to take risks. 

 

Follow Hannah:

Twitter

Instagram

 

Open Book with Laurie Gelman

Attention all Mom’s!  You know school is just around that corner and that means lunches, homework, school politics!  Laurie Gelman is back again with You’ve Been Volunteered, another chapter for her heroine Jen Dixon!  Jen is the girl we all want to be “Mom” besties with and this book is the perfect anecdote to the back to school blues.  I am psyched Laurie took the time to be my latest Open Book!  When you see her Celeb Book Club picks, you will understand that really no explanation is necessary ❤

via Amazon ~

In the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Laurie Gelman’s “irreverent and hilarious” (The New York Post) hit Class Mom, brash, lovable Jen Dixon is back with a new class and her work cut out for her

If you’ve ever been a room parent or school volunteer, Jen Dixon is your hero. She says what every class mom is really thinking, whether in her notoriously frank emails or standup-worthy interactions with the micromanaging PTA President and the gamut of difficult parents. Luckily, she has the charm and wit to get away with it―most of the time. Jen is sassier than ever but dealing with a whole new set of challenges, in the world of parental politics and at home.

She’s been roped into room-parenting yet again, for her son Max’s third grade class, but as her husband buries himself in work, her older daughters navigate adulthood, and Jen’s own aging parents start to need some parenting themselves, Jen gets pulled in more directions than any one mom, or superhero, can handle.

Refreshingly down-to-earth and brimming with warmth, Dixon’s next chapter will keep you turning the pages to find out what’s really going on under the veneer of polite parent interactions, and have you laughing along with her the whole way.

 

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with? Tina Fey, Norah Ephron and Phyllis Diller. I don’t believe an explanation is necessary.

 

2. Current binge series? Broadchurch!! Three seasons in five days.

 

3. Last favorite book? The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 

4. What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

 My Kindle, my favorite sun hat and sunscreen so I can enjoy my vacation on a remote, beautiful beach where it’s always sunny but never too hot. If you know of a place like that, please tell me!

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly? After the week I’ve had? US Weekly Baby.

 

6. Last person you sent a text message to? My daughter confirming I will pick her up in front of the movie theatre. My other job is Uber driver.

 

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote? The Nightingale By Kristin Hannah

 

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer? Yes, my high school journalism teacher, Jane Rowe not only encouraged me to write, but she also gave me my first writing job at her family’s local golf magazine. My fiction writing came much later and absolutely no one encouraged me to do that!

 

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who? I generally don’t listen to music, but if I do I just ask Pandora to play classical music. Listening to lyrics messes  me up.

 

10. Describe your writing space? It changes. In the summer I find writing on a quiet beach very inspiring. But I also like to write in shared workspace places like Spacious because I feel less alone. Writing can be a lonely business.

 

11. Coffee or tea? Tea. English Breakfast in the morning and iced green tea from Starbucks in the afternoon.

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift? I love to give Time and Again by Jack Finney and The House On The Strand by Daphne DuMaurier. They are my two favorite time travel books.

 

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of? I spend most of my time wishing they wouldn’t turn books into films…except mine of course. If anyone wants to do that, I’m all for it!

 

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Feeling Good by Nina Simone. Its slow, soulful beat and jazzy trumpets make me feel like a total badass in some sort of action movie. And, the title is a nice thing to always aspire to.

15. What/Who inspires you? Any woman of a certain age who is brave enough to try something new. They give me courage every day to do the same.

 

16. Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

No! The only Bravo show I watch is “What What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.” He’s my spirit animal.

17. Favorite Instagram account?

@AnimalsDoingThings. It makes me laugh every time.

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

I would make a lipstick duo called Pride and Prejudice. Pride would be a light pinky beige shade and prejudice a darker purple.

19. Current #TBR pile?

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Disclaimers, The Year Of Needy Girls

 

20. Best advice you’ve ever received? Keep your eye on the prize, but don’t let it stop you from enjoying the journey.

Follow Laurie:

Instagram

Twitter

 

Lit Ladies Double Feature: Open Book with Elyssa Friedland and Liz and Lisa

Three of my favorite ladies had book birthdays yesterday and I am thrilled they are on the blog today to celebrate!  Both books are perfect summer reads and their back catalogs are musts as well.  Elyssa Friedland’s latest, The Floating Feldmans is a family comedy/drama on the high seas and is a top pick of summer in multiple outlets.   The fab duo of Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, their latest, The Two Lila Bennetts is a summer thriller with Sliding Door vibes and a top pick as well.  The amount of fun in all of their Open Book responses is too much and these three are the ones that you want to grab a drink with have as your next BFF ❤

via Amazon ~

A family vacation dredges up a boatload of trouble in the next witty, insightful novel from the acclaimed author of The Intermission.

“An irresistible drama filled with humor and heart-tugging emotion about family and what it means to belong. I absolutely adore Friedland’s warm, witty writing!”—Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted

Sink or swim. Or at least that’s what Annette Feldman tells herself when she books a cruise for her entire family. It’s been over a decade since the Feldman clan has spent more than twenty-four hours under the same roof, but Annette is determined to celebrate her seventieth birthday the right way. Just this once, they are going to behave like an actual family.

Too bad her kids didn’t get the memo.

Between the troublesome family secrets, old sibling rivalries, and her two teenage grandkids, Annette’s birthday vacation is looking more and more like the perfect storm. Adrift together on the open seas, the Feldmans will each face the truths they’ve been ignoring—and learn that the people they once thought most likely to sink them are actually the ones who help them stay afloat.

What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

-Ernest Hemingway

-Oprah

-Meryl Streep

 

Current binge series?

Wentworth (fictional series on Netflix about a women’s prison in Australia. SOOOOOOOO good!)

 

Last favorite book?

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

 

What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

-Bikini

-Many pairs of sunglasses because I always lose them

-Kindle

 

Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

Sunday NYT

 

Last person you sent a text message to?

Ali Winter, one of my best friends.

 

Book you read that you wished you wrote?

The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

 

Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

Mr. Baker! I had him twice. Seventh grade and ninth grade. He really pushed my writing.

 

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

-No. I don’t need total quiet and I often have my children around while I write, but for some reason I find music distracting.

 

Describe your writing space?

It’s anywhere my laptop is. That can mean my bed, my desk, a coffee shop, the library, the chaise lounge by my pool. I’m very flexible.

 

Coffee or tea?

Coffee. A ton of it. With almond milk.

 

Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

I like to give cookbooks and photography books. I think taste in novels is so personal and specific I don’t love to give them out as gifts.

 

Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Cutting for Stone.

 

If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Just Another Manic Monday. I’m always overcommitted and frantic and can be disorganized.

 

What/Who inspires you?

Any female CEO. I’m not entrepreneurial and I truly admire that quality

 

Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

No. It just feels too fake to me.

 

Favorite Instagram account?

I love Gary Janetti, who makes fun of the royal family.

 

If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

Fifty Shades of Pink. It’s my favorite color and I really want to move on from the Fifty Shades of Grey obsession. Those books just didn’t do it for me.

 

Current #TBR pile?A NOVEL

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

Best advice you’ve ever received?

You can’t dance at every wedding. My mom told me that and she’s right. I have to say no to some opportunities. I really struggle with that. I want to do everything and be everywhere.

 

Follow Elyssa:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

 

via Amazon ~

“One fateful decision. Two unexpected endings. A perfect summer read!” —Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before

Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over.

What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

 Judy Blume

Elizabeth Gilbert

Cheryl Strayed

Current binge series?

 Liz: I’m re-watching The Office

Lisa: Million Dollar Listing New York

Last favorite book?

 Liz: Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle

Lisa: Recursion by Blake Crouch

What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

 Liz: I’m going to Paris! In my bag will be a wonder cloth to keep my face soft and clean, Alastin tinted moisturizer and Violets face serum!

Lisa: My next dream vacation would be to China! In my bag, I will pack at least three books, Sun Bum sunscreen and my new favorite derby hat.

 

Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

 Liz: US Weekly

 Lisa: US Weekly

Last person you sent a text message to?

  To each other! (of course!)

 

Book you read that you wished you wrote?

 Liz: Everything I Never Told you by Celeste Ng

Lisa: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

  Liz: In 7^th grade—Mrs. Adams!

Lisa: Not that I can remember! But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. J

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

  Liz: Always! I love moody music! Sia is my favorite.

  Lisa: Yes. I mix it up. Everyone from Kenny Chesney to Lionel Richie

Describe your writing space?

  Liz: My office is light and airy with soft tones. I have a light fixture adorned with glass stars. I love it!

   Lisa: My office has a port hole style window where the light flows in. I have a midcentury modern desk and a white soft chair with gold accents. I am surrounded by books of course, including all of the ones we’ve written. This is a reminder of what we’ve accomplished and how far we want to go.

Coffee or tea?

    Both of us are COFFEE!!!

 

Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

          Liz: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

          Lisa: Eat Pray Love by Liz Gilbert

 

Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

          Liz: I recently finished The Seven Days of Us and think it would make a great movie!

          Lisa: The Two Lila Bennetts!  (Too self-promotional?)

 

If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

          Liz: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. I’m generally optimistic and believe the best in people. I don’t ever want to change!

          Lisa: Shake It Off by Taylor Swift. You can’t worry about what people think! You can’t let bad things get you down. Just keep moving forward! Don’t sweat the small stuff. All advice I do my best to live by!

 

What/Who inspires you?

          We inspire each other in so many ways. Being lifelong friends and business partners gives us so many opportunities to be motivated by one another.

 

Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

     Um, YES!

 

Favorite Instagram account?

     There are so many good ones! We love Busy Phillips’ and Reese Witherspoon’s!

 

If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

 Red, White & Royal Blue—and it would be a combo of all three colors!

Current #TBR pile?A NOVEL

          Liz: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, The Library book by Susan Orlean, Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison and The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin.

          Lisa: Whisper Network by Chandler Baker, Evvie Drake Starts over by Linda Holmes, Very Nice by Marcy Dermansky, Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory, Normal People by Sally Rooney, The Last Book Party by Karen Dukess, Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo and Pretty Guilty Women by Gina Lamanna.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

          Keep writing. No matter what!

 

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Madeleine Henry ~ Double Feature

We have a debut double feature that is the quintessential Bliss, Beauty and Books theme! Bliss- Madeleine Henry, debut author, Yogini.  Beauty- she is my latest Bookish {Beauty} Bag, sharing her love for Bobbi Brown corrector- it’s the bomb.  Books- her debut novel, Breathe in, Cash Out is the latest “it” book of the summer and she also is my latest Open Book so lucky us!  Double feature of the best kind!!! ❤

via Amazon ~

In this sizzling debut for fans of The Devil Wears Prada, Wall Street banking analyst Allegra Cobb plans to quit the minute her year-end bonus hits her account, finally pursuing her yoga career full-time. But when she forms an intense relationship with the #InstaFamous guru who may hold the ticket to the life Allegra’s always wanted—she’s not sure if she’ll be able to keep her sanity intact (and her chakras aligned) until bonus day.

Allegra Cobb’s resume: Straight-A Princeton grad, second-year analyst at a top-tier bank, one-time American Yoga National Competition Champion. Allegra Cobb’s reality: Spends twenty-four hours a day changing the colors on bar charts, overusing the word “team,” and daydreaming about quitting the minute her year-end bonus hits her account. She has no interest in the cutthroat banking world—she’s going to launch her very own yoga practice.

But her plan isn’t quite as perfect as the beachfront yoga pictures she double-taps on Instagram. On top of the 100 emails an hour and coworkers already suspicious of her escape plan, Allegra’s hard-driving single father has always expected fiercely high achievement above all else. That his daughter works on Wall Street means everything to him. Still, she marches on, taking it day by extremely caffeinated day.

But after (1) unknowingly sleeping with the man now leading her banking cohort on one of their biggest deals to date and (2) meeting the #blessed yoga guru who might just be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted, it really hits her: her happy-ever-after will be harder to manifest than she thought.

Fast-paced, laugh-out-loud funny, and totally irresistible, this is the story of a fearless young woman determined to center herself in the life she truly wants.

 

What’s in My Bookish {Beauty} Bag?

 

What is your bag of choice?- purse/tote/backpack and brand that you have?

I LOVE my Coach crossbody purse. 

What are your top favorite beauty picks?  

• Bisque corrector by Bobbi Brown (to hide undereye circles)
• Flynn lip color by Tom Ford (bright pink lipstick)

What do you always carry in your bag/purse/carry-on for beauty products?  

• Corrector & Flynn lip color
• Extended Play Lash mascara by MAC in black
• Lip gloss by Bobbi Brown

What are you currently reading (can be books/magazines)

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner

And any other fun item/must-have that you always have with you 🙂

• AirPods 
• Whole Earth Sweetener packets

 

Open Book

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures, living or dead, would you want to have a book club with?

• Sjana Elise Earp (yogi)
• Ocean Vuong
• Paulo Coelho 

 

2. Current binge series?

“Portlandia” on Netflix: “The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland… Portland… Portland…”

 

3. Last favorite book?

The Alchemist 

 

4. What 3 things do you pack in your bag for your dream vacation? Where is it?

Peony sunsuit from LoveShackFancy

Alexia dress from LoveShackFancy

Espadrilles

To the Bahamas ☺ 

 

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

NYT for the crossword!

 

6. Last person you sent a text message to?

My boyfriend

 

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote?

The Bridges of Madison County

 

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

All of my English teachers! Especially Professor Alfred Guy at Yale 

 

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

No way! Writing takes all of my focus.

 

10. Describe your writing space?

Three main spaces:

1 – At the kitchen island in my apartment, on a counter-height chair, on my lap top

2 – Lying down on the sofa in my apartment, on my lap top

3 – On walks outside, or in transit on the subway, on my phone

 

11. Coffee or tea?

 Coffee in the morning, tea at night 

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

The Magic Path of Intuition by Florence Scovel Shinn, Introduction by Louise Hay

 

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Infinite Jest… So I could find out how it ends ☺ 

 

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

“I’m Good” by The Mowgli’s because it’s happy!

 

15. What/Who inspires you?

Being the best version of myself

 

16. Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

No, sorry

 

17. Favorite Instagram account?

@DylanWernerYoga

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

Me Before You – bubblegum pink

 

19. Current #TBR pile?

 Where the Crawdads Sing

Hotbox: Inside Catering, the Food World’s Riskiest Business by Matt Lee and Ted Lee

32 Yolks: From my Mother’s Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert

 

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

“Never give up.” 

 

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Open Book with Minnie Darke

Still celebrating all things rom com, I thought only fitting to celebrate one of the best rom com books of the season!  Minnie Darke’s fictional debut, Star Crossed has gotten lovely accolades and high praise from readers and authors alike.  I am thrilled to host Minnie as my latest Open Book, all the way from down under!  Hollywood are you listening, this book is a movie in the making ❤

via Amazon ~

A sparkling romantic comedy about one woman’s decision to tinker with the horoscopes of the man of her dreams—with far-reaching consequences

“A bright, brilliant, joyful love story.”—Josie Silver, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Day in December

When childhood sweethearts Justine (Sagittarius and serious skeptic) and Nick (Aquarius and true believer) bump into each other as adults, a life-changing love affair seems inevitable. To Justine, anyway. Especially when she learns Nick is an astrological devotee, whose decisions are guided by the stars, and more specifically, by the horoscopes in his favorite magazine. The same magazine Justine happens to write for. As Nick continues to not fall headlong in love with her, Justine decides to take Nick’s horoscope, and Fate itself, into her own hands. But, of course, Nick is not the only Aquarius making important life choices according to what is written in the stars.

Charting the ripple effects of Justine’s astrological meddling, Star-Crossed is a delicious, intelligent, and affecting love story about friendship, chance, and how we all navigate the kinds of choices that are hard to face alone.

Advance praise for Star-Crossed

“Swoon-worthy . . . a smart, sweet love story about friendship, destiny, and the power of choice.”―Bustle

“[A] juicy romance novel.”―Good Housekeeping

“This cleverly structured first outing from the pseudonymous Darke will appeal to fans of romantic comedy, astrology, and chaos. Utterly charming and ripe for development as a film.”―Booklist

“Winning . . . Unpretentious, well-drawn characters and the fresh twist on the childhood sweethearts reunited setup make this perfect for fans of romantic comedies.”―Publishers Weekly

“Darke creates a world of stargazers whose destinies eventually collide. . . . Funny and enticing.”―Library Journal

 

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?

All dead, I’m afraid: Angela Carter, fairy tale re-teller, Anthony Minghella, one of the creators of Jim Henson’s Storyteller, and Sylvia Plath, poet.

 

2. Current binge series?

I am one of the world’s most immoderate narrative junkies, which makes binge watching a particular danger for me. I don’t binge when I’m working on a new novel – it’s a recipe for getting derailed, but I’m very much hoping that finishing my book coincides nicely with the release of season three of Stranger Things.I have loved Winona Ryder since I was a teenager.

 

3. Last favorite book?

The Bitterwood Bible by Australian fairy-tale retailer Angela Slatter.

 

4. What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

A jar of Vegemite (not a tube – it’s different), and a brand new diary and a seriously warm coat. I would go to all the Scandinavian countries, maybe for some of the time on a cruise boat. And, on the way home – because everywhere is on the way home when you’re Australian – I would go everywhere Canada’s Atlantic provinces, including revisiting Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton Island and going to Newfoundland for the first time.

 

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

Ah … Australia’s Radio National?

 

6. Last person you sent a text message to?

My friend and sometime co-writer Heather Rose – she’s an amazing and award-winning Australian writer and we write children’s novels together as Angelica Banks.

 

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote?

Uprooted, by Naomi Novik. It’s about a young woman sent to be a companion to a wizard in a tower, only to find she has powers of her own. I love the world Novik creates, and the way she writes about different types of magic – male and female magic, high and low.

 

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

Oh, yes. Yes and yes. My teacher in Grade Five and Six was Peter Jerrim, himself a writer, but also a generous, creative, beautifu person who read to our class every day, and allowed me to fill exercise after exercise book with writing. I was thrilled that Peter was able to launch Star-crossed.

 

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

Not while I write, but immediately and after. Music is the ultimate in medication and mood creation. My tastes swing from 1980s music like The Stone Roses and the Cocteau Twins, to beautiful Australian singers like Sophie Koh and Lucy Wise, and Canadian folk bands like the East Pointers and the Small Glories. Actually, my next book is about music and the impact it has on us.

 

10. Describe your writing space?

My writing space is a bespoke timber caravan with sloping walls and a curved roof, headlight windows featuring sunflowers, and a cork board that I can use as an inspiration board. It has a tap on the porch so I can fill the kettle and rinse my tea cup. Inside, it had an antique desk with a green leather top, two heaters (this is Tasmania), a selection of slippers and fingerless gloves, framed photos by the fairy tale photographer Lorena Carrington, and a bookshelf filled with a tiny fraction of my TBR pile. On my desk are my guardians. Two of them are rag dolls – one called Patience, and one called Enthusiasm – and the other is a Yoda figurine.

 

11. Coffee or tea?

Tea. And I quote Colley Cibber: “Tea! Thou soft, thou sober, sage and venerable liquid … to whose glorious insipidity, I owe the happiest moments of my life, let me fall prostrate.”

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

I am always buying books for children, and lately I have given several copies of Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor, which I think is magnificent.

 

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss.

 

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

Defying Gravity, from Wicked

 

15. What/Who inspires you?

Almost everything inspires me, to be honest. I love wit and whimsy – those are vital cordials for my creativity – but in truth inspiration often comes from the smallest things – something overheard when eavesdropping, something seen in passing, a thought bubble, a line of text.

 

16. Bravo reality TV- yes or no?

Pass on the basis of being Australian.

 

17. Favorite Instagram account?

I confess to being something of an Instagram avoider. My webmistress (a man, incidentally) and my teenage daughter take care of this for me. They let me know when it’s time for me to provide them with copy, or when I need to send personal replies.

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? 

Infinite Jest, and it would be a multicoloured shade – a mosaic of coral red, aqua blue, pale green, lemon yellow and pink – a bit like a packet of Fruit Tingles.

 

19. Current #TBR pile?

Infinity x 10

 

20. Best advice you’ve ever received?

There’s no such thing as biting off more than you can chew. You just take a big bite and chew like hell. (As well as being the best, this is also possibly the worst advice I’ve ever received!)

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What’s in my “Bookish” Beauty Bag? ~ Lisa Barr

Probably the BEST thing about book blogging is being able to support authors.  They are celebrating the birthday of their new novels and all of the hard work and dedication it took to create the gem of the book we as readers are gifted.  The Unbreakables by Lisa Barr is just that, a gem.  I am thrilled she took the time to let us peak at her gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff tote filled to the brim with beauty musts.  I want to come visit Casa Sephora 🙂  Her book is a must for YOUR beach beauty tote this summer and let’s all take a cue from Lisa- always carry beauty musts with you because you never know what beauty situation you may be in ❤

via Amazon ~

A delicious, sharp novel about a woman who jets off to France after her perfect marriage collapses, putting the broken pieces of herself back together while rediscovering her own joie de vivre—a lust for life, art, and steamy sex.

“Artful, feminist, and emotionally gripping. The Unbreakables is a remarkable tribute to a woman’s strength in the face of heartbreak and adversity.” — Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient

The worst birthday ever might just be the gift of a lifetime…

It’s Sophie Bloom’s forty-second birthday, and she’s ready for a night of celebration with Gabe, her longtime, devoted husband, and her two besties and their spouses. Dinner is served with a side of delicious gossip, including which North Grove residents were caught with their pants down on Ashley Madison after the secret on-line dating site for married and committed couples was hacked. Thirty-two million cheaters worldwide have been exposed…including Sophie’s “perfect” husband. To add insult to injury, she learns Gabe is the top cheater in their town.

Humiliated and directionless, Sophie jumps into the unknown and flees to France to meet up with her teenage daughter who is studying abroad and nursing her own heartbreak. After a brief visit to Paris, Sophie heads out to the artist enclave of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. There, for the first time in a long time, Sophie acknowledges her own desires—not her husband’s, not her daughter’s—and rediscovers her essence with painful honesty and humor, reawakening both her sensuality and ambitions as a sculptor.

As she sheds her past and travels the obstacle-filled off beaten path, Sophie Bloom is determined to blossom. Allowing her true self to emerge in the postcard beauty of Provence, Sophie must decide what is broken forever…and what it means to be truly unbreakable.

 

 

 

What is your bag of choice?

I’m obsessed with my Rebecca Minkoff tote, and here’s why: it fits my extra-large laptop (with its versatile expander … yes, it’s a thing), and all my beauty must-haves.

What are your top favorite beauty picks?

I have three daughters, so we are basically Casa Sephora. We try every new item out there, and one of my daughters does make-up for all her friends (just picture the amount of Neutrogena makeup wipes and multiply by 10). We live in the Chicago area, which ranges from humid in the summer to dry/freezing/chapped in winter. So creams, creams, AND more creams. We have an entire shelf dedicated to face/body/hand creams. But I can’t live without my Skin Medica serum and my GOOP exfoliator. I’m a big fan of Benefit’s “Gimme Brow” eyebrow filler, L’Oreal Infallible black eye pencil, Younique Moodstruck Epic 4 D Mascara, and Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic & Retinol eye cream. I love lipstick and gloss (back in the day, all my allowance went to Bonne Bell flavored lip gloss). I usually wear natural shades or the rose family. My lipstick du jour is YSL #66 topped with Younique’s Moodstruck’s “Hottie” lip plumper. And before I dash out the door, I always spritz on a little Jo Malone.

What do you always carry on for beauty products for travel?

I bring a little bag inside my big bag filled with mini goodies: Beauty Counter Plumping & Peony facial mist, Lancome Genifique serum for my eyes, Kiehl’s facial cream with hyaluronic acid. Also, I have really curly, frizzy hair that I tame. If I land in humidity — look out! So a black scrunchie is my hot-ticket item.

What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading my friend Jamie Brenner’s fab new novel, DRAWING HOME. She’s so talented, and we are part of a small Literary Mama group called #BocaBookBitches. I admit it: We hash-tagged ourselves.

And any other fun item/must-have that you always have with you?

I always carry a picture of my kids (the real deal not just the cell-phone garden variety), and I don’t leave anywhere without a small journal. I always carry a black sharpie and a copy of my book. Whenever my husband and I travel together, we give one signed book to someone special on our journey. It’s become our little tradition – the key is we both have to agree on the person, and state our case … (shhh, don’t tell anyone – but I usually win on this one).

 

 

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Open Book with Kristy Woodson Harvey

The sun is out and beach reads are here!  One of my all time-favorite poolside writing queens, Kristy Harvey Woodson, has a new book out and her back catalog always should be mandatory summer reading.  Her latest is the third installment in her Peachtree Bluff Series and at its core is the continuation of Ansley and her three daughters with that deeply woven thread of southern charm that makes it so magical.  I am thrilled to have Kristy on the blog today talking ALL of my favorite things- Bravo, Reese, Oprah, Mindy, the beach and Daisy Jones!  If she wasn’t my spirit friend then I don’t know who is?! ❤

via Amazon ~

From internationally bestselling author and “rising star of Southern fiction” (Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author) Kristy Woodson Harvey comes the third novel in her Peachtree Bluff series, in which a secret threatens the tight-knit bond between a trio of sisters and their mother.

With the man of her dreams back in her life and all three of her daughters happy, Ansley Murphy should be content. But she can’t help but feel like it’s all a little too good to be true.

Meanwhile, youngest daughter and actress Emerson, who is recently engaged and has just landed the role of a lifetime, seemingly has the world by the tail. Only, something she can’t quite put her finger on is worrying her—and it has nothing to do with her recent health scare.

When two new women arrive in Peachtree Bluff—one who has the potential to wreck Ansley’s happiness and one who could tear Emerson’s world apart—everything is put in perspective. And after secrets that were never meant to be told come to light, the powerful bond between the Murphy sisters and their mother comes crumbling down, testing their devotion to each other and forcing them to evaluate the meaning of family.

With Kristy Woodson Harvey’s signature charm, wit, and heart, The Southern Side of Paradise is another masterful Peachtree Bluff novel that proves she is a “Southern writer with staying power” (Booklist).

 

1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with? Reese Witherspoon, Oprah and Jennifer Weiner

 

2. Current binge series? The Mindy Project

 

3. Last favorite book? I’m Fine and Neither are You, Camille Pagán

 

4. What 3 things to you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it? Bikini, sunscreen, book! The British Virgin Islands. It is my most favorite vacation spot and I am so hoping it has recovered from all the hurricane devastation by next winter. 

 

5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly? Both!

 

6. Last person you sent a text message to? Group text about a friend’s birthday party!

 

7. Book you read that you wished you wrote? DAISY JONES AND THE SIX, Taylor Jenkins Reid. 

 

8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer? Yes! Two. Michelle Reinhardt-Cline and Chris Myers, my high school English and history teachers. They both influenced my writing but, really, they were the kind of teachers that encouraged students to go for their dreams. And that is huge!

 

9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who? Not usually but if I do I listen to either James Taylor or Jason Mraz because I know all their songs so well they don’t distract me!

 

10. Describe your writing space? I am building a new one right now and am SO EXCITED. As for right now, I write in the corner of my bedroom on this gorgeous mirrored desk I was pining for that my husband surprised me with. It has the most beautiful water view and is all-around relaxing and lovely.

 

11. Coffee or tea? Tea. 

 

12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift? A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN. It is my all-time favorite book.

 

13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of? Can I say mine? Just kidding! I just finished COURTING MR. LINCOLN and I loved it so much. I’m kind of a history nerd, and I would love to see the tension in Lincoln’s relationships with Mary Todd and Joshua Speed play out on the big screen. 

 

14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why? Carolina in my Mind by James Taylor. I am, ironically, a huge homebody. I am leaving tomorrow for a five-week book tour as I type this, but I love being at home, on the Carolina coast, more than most anyone I know! Don’t get me wrong, I love being out meeting readers. It fulfills me big time. But I travel a ton now, all year long, which is not something I ever would have imagined. 

 

15. What/Who inspires you? The water. My son. Free time, which is perhaps the largest luxury in my life right now! (As in, it is scarce!)

 

16. Bravo reality TV- yes or no? Obviously. Real Housewives of New York is my favorite! And I know it isn’t Bravo, but I have watched The Bachelor since its first season. I am a huge reader, of course, but sometimes I need that totally mindless time.

 

17. Favorite Instagram account? @jeannemckayhartmann  Jeanne is an artist and illustrator who has painted several of my book covers and other pretty illustrations. Her art is gorgeous and she paints something new almost every day. It’s super inspiring.

 

18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be? I’d name it “Slightly South” and it would be a very avant-garde haint blue. People could wear it to UNC games and have Carolina blue lips. (This is why no one has asked me to create a make-up line…)

19. Current #TBR pile? THE TWO LILA BENNETTS, Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, HOW COULD SHE, Lauren Mechling, UNDER CURRENTS, Nora Roberts, TIDELANDS, Philippa Gregory 

 

20. Best advice you’ve ever received? It has to be someone. It might as well be you. My husband used to say that to me all the time when I was too scared to go for getting an agent, getting published etc. I think about that all the time now, instead of that it couldn’t be me, why not me? I mean, really. Why not you, too?

 

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Open Book with Sally Hepworth

Thrilled to have the legendary and most fabulous Sally Hepworth on the blog today!  I adore her and her books (she has been a past Bookish Beauty gal) and am honored to be celebrating the book birthday of her latest novel, The Mother-In-Law.  Read below about this domestic thriller that is perfect for your spring break as well as Sally’s dream book club (its AMAZE), latest reads and favorite Insta account 🙂

via Amazon ~

A twisty, compelling new novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in death…

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son. Exquisitely polite, friendly, and always generous, Diana nonetheless kept Lucy at arm’s length despite her desperate attempts to win her over. And as a pillar in the community, an advocate for female refugees, and a woman happily married for decades, no one had a bad word to say about Diana…except Lucy.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana is dead, a suicide note found near her body claiming that she longer wanted to live because of the cancer wreaking havoc inside her body.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.

It does find traces of poison, and evidence of suffocation.

Who could possibly want Diana dead? Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her children, and their spouses? And what does it mean that Lucy isn’t exactly sad she’s gone?

Fractured relationships and deep family secrets grow more compelling with every page in this twisty, captivating new novel from Sally Hepworth.

Praise for Sally Hepworth:

“With jaw-dropping discoveries, and realistic consequences, this novel is not to be missed. Perfect for lovers of Big Little Lies.” ―Library Journal, starred review

“Hepworth deftly keeps the reader turning pages and looking for clues, all the while building multilayered characters and carefully doling out bits of their motivations.” ―Booklist

 

What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a book club with?

Oprah, Ellen Degeneres, Reese Witherspoon – can you even imagine this book club?

Current binge series?

I have been bingeing on books! (The Silent Patient, Daisy Jones and the Six, An Anonymous Girl)

Last favorite book?

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. And The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer.

What 3 things do you pack in your bag for your dream vacation?  Where is it?

I am a homebody. My dream vacation would be a week at home alone, so no packing required!

Sunday NYT or US Weekly?

Neither! I read books!

Last person you sent a text message to?

My friend, Ange, who reminded me that it was school photos today (thank goodness as my daughter’s hair looked like a bird’s nest).

Book you read that you wished you wrote?

Where the Crawdads Sing.

Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?

Yes. My third and seventh grade English teachers were both incredibly encouraging.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?

No. I work at the library so I listen to the quiet chatter of people in the aisles, or people asking librarians for recommendations. Best music in the world.

Describe your writing space?

I write at the library, so I have a little desk that faces a window that looks out onto a parking lot. Not especially inspiring, but it stops me from getting distracted.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee.

Do you have a favorite book that you gift?

I tend to choose specific books that I think certain people would like, so it’s different for everyone. Though I will say, I’ve bought Where the Crawdads Sing for several people lately.

Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?

Where the Crawdads Sing. And Reese Witherspoon IS making a movie out of it. YAY!

If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?

I’ve Done All The Dumb Things by Paul Kelly

What/Who inspires you?

Women. Especially young women. My daughters inspire me. It is such a wonderful time to be a woman right now, and I’m excited about what the next generation will achieve for feminism.

Bravo reality TV – yes or no?

I’m not sure what this is?

Favorite Instagram account?

Dr. Pimple Popper.

If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be?

The Other Woman.

Current #TBR pile?

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

Do yoga, read books, and have as many children as you can afford (from my Mum).

 

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