We may be saying good bye to summer but it’s not really official until end of September so keep on with the delectable summer reads! Rea Freys’ debut fiction novel is one for your must-read lists! Not Her Daughter, already optioned for film, is the perfect read to enjoy by a fire pit on these indian summer nights. Missing child, unsure mother and successful kidnapper are all the key ingredients in this page-turner. I was thrilled when Rea answered a few questions for my latest “Open Book”. She might just be the book BFF I didn’t know I needed 🙂 Very Cavallari, wine and US Weekly and a #tbr pile of some of my favorites- Rea, call me ❤
via Amazon ~
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
PopSugar – The Summer’s Hottest Books * Refinery 29 – Best Summer Thrillers * US Weekly – Summer’s Best Send-Offs * Parade – 20 Chilling Thrillers by Women to Read This Year * Brit + Co – 15 New Thrillers by Women That Will Give You Chills This Summer * The Zoe Report – 20 Books to Read this Summer * She Reads – New Summer Thrillers to Get Your Heart Racing * Working Mother – 15 Hot New Summer Beach Reads * Culturalist – Top Ten Domestic Thrillers That Will Make You Question Everything * Crime Reads – 5 Debut Crime Novels to Read This August
“Brings to mind Jodi Picoult…thought-provoking domestic drama.” – Booklist
“Will make you miss your bedtime, guaranteed.” – Bestselling author Kimberly Belle
Gripping, emotional, and wire-taut, Not Her Daughter raises the question of what it means to be a mother—and how far someone will go to keep a child safe.
Emma Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes, brown hair. Missing since June.
Emma is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.
Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Kidnapper.
Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal. When a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her—far away from home. But if it’s to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?
Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure whether she wants her daughter back.
Amy’s life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now Emma is gone without a trace.
As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But what about Emma’s real mother, back at home?
Praise for Not Her Daughter
“The plot twists here are brave, the themes are both poignant and unsettling, and the resolution is deeply resonant. A page-turner with heart!” – New York Times bestselling author Kate Moretti
“A cleverly constructed novel that will have you questioning everything you believe about right or wrong.” – New York Times bestselling author Chevy Stevens
“Engrossing and suspenseful, Frey writes her characters with depth and compassion, challenging readers to question their own code of ethics.” – Zoje Stage, author of Baby Teeth
“An emotional ride where the line between right and wrong begins to fade…pulls you in from the very first page, and unlike most in its genre, you won’t know how you want it to end until it does.” – Wendy Walker, author of Emma in the Night
1. What three celebrities/authors/figures- living or dead, would you want to have a bookclub with?
Maya Angelou, James Joyce, and Sylvia Plath. Can’t you just imagine that conversation?
2. Current binge series?
Very Cavallari. It follows Kristin Cavallari on her journey to open her accessory store, Uncommon James. It takes place in Nashville (where I live), and I CAN’T STOP WATCHING IT.
3. Last favorite book?
Three Days Missing by Kimberly Belle
4. What 3 things do you pack in your bag for your dream vacation? Where is it?
Book, workout clothes, journal. My dream vacation is in the mountains, near water, where I can hike, write, and eat my face off.
5. Sunday NYT or US Weekly?
I should say NYT, right? Smart people say NYT. But I’m an US WEEKLY gal all the way. It’s my unwind go-to read with a glass of wine and a big old bubble bath.
6. Last person you sent a text message to?
My husband
7. Book you read that you wished you wrote?
To Kill a Mockingbird
8. Do you have a teacher who encouraged you to become a writer?
Yes! My father, for starters. He is a magnificent writer, and from the time I was young, he taught me the love of reading (through TV Guides, of all things), writing poetry, and storytelling. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Seard, was instrumental in helping me craft stories. I also had a wonderful AP English teacher in high school, Mrs. Johnson, who let me write to my heart’s content and helped me craft my writing portfolio to submit to college writing programs. I went to Columbia for fiction writing, so, you know, all the teachers there were beyond helpful.
9. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who?
Not always, but if I do, it’s actually Billie Holiday, classical, Son Lux, or a mellow playlist on Spotify.
10. Describe your writing space?
I actually share a desk with my husband, but he made the desk, so I suppose he can use it too. It’s an eight-foot long slab of wood. I have the left side, he has the right. (He’s a designer, so we are often sketching and writing together, which is nice.) I like a minimalistic space, so I have flowers, my laptop, a stack of advance reader copies, and oh so many pens.
11. Coffee or tea?
Coffee. I don’t trust tea drinkers…
12. Do you have a favorite book that you gift?
I absolutely love Pam Grout’s books. E2 and E3 are life changers. In terms of writing, Story Genius by Lisa Cron. I have recommended this book more times than I can count!
13. Book that you wished they would make a movie out of?
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
14. If you could have one song as the theme song of your life what would it be and why?
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley. I love this song. I’ve made love to this song. I’ve cried to this song. I’ve broken up to this song. I got married to this song. It showcases the struggles we all face. It’s romantic, and tragic, and hopeful at the same time, much like life.
15. What/Who inspires you?
My daughter inspires me every single day. She’s only six years old, but she has it all figured out. (Seriously, children are the best teachers, aren’t they?) She reminds me to step away from my computer, to put the damn phone down, to play, to laugh, and to not take everything so seriously. She literally insists I go jump on the trampoline if I’ve been sitting too long. She’s my hero.
16. Bravo reality TV- yes or no?
Nope
17. Favorite Instagram account?
I love Instagram so much, and though I’ve only been on it for a little over a year, I find the “audience” there to be so supportive and authentic. Ironically, my favorite account is a brand new one: @manifesting.through.the.mess, which is all about navigating the mess of motherhood and reclaiming yourself along the way. Elizabeth Pearson is going to do big things, y’all. You should follow her.
18. If you could name just one lipstick after a book, what would you call it and what shade would it be?
You are a Badass: hot pink
19. Current #TBR pile?
Holy shit, my list is like a mile high. (No, really, I can show you.) In no particular order:
The Darkest Time of Night by Jeremy Finley
Ghosted by Rosie Walsh
The Bucket List by Georgia Clark
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
It’s Always the Husband by Michele Campbell
Other People’s Houses by Abbi Waxman
When Katie Met Cassidy by Camille Perri
And the list continues…
20. Best advice you’ve ever received?
There is no right time. Now is the right time.
We live in such an if/then society. We’re scared to take risks, to burst out of the norm, to do what we want when we want. We think there’s a perfect time to do the things we really want. When you get enough money. When you have the steady job. When the kids go to school. When all the shit gets done. When you’re not so tired. But there isn’t any magical time to follow your own path. LIFE is the time, and it’s right now. I think waiting is one of the biggest detriments to being happy and living a more fulfilled life.
Follow Rea:
blissbeautyandbeyond.wordpress.com 