SO GOOD. If you like any of the following, you probably should read this book: Scarlet Pimpernel exploits, timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly Doctor Who shenaniSO GOOD. If you like any of the following, you probably should read this book: Scarlet Pimpernel exploits, timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly Doctor Who shenanigans, sweet but not cloying romance, found family, or Poldark (it’s not Cornwall but I was still getting vibes!).
(Textual note: Characters speak with some grammatical idiosyncrasies that could be jarring if you’re not familiar with them. Swapping around “she� and “her�, “us and we,� etc. But it’s accurate for the time and is also explained in-story.)
As someone who has reveled in the discovery the last few years that yes, there were other great women writers before and during the time of Jane AusteAs someone who has reveled in the discovery the last few years that yes, there were other great women writers before and during the time of Jane Austen, I enjoyed this book tremendously! It devotes a chapter each to eight of Austen's "colleagues" � that is, women writers she definitely read and appreciated. A well-researched work like this really helps open up an era of history that can otherwise feel like it sits two-dimensionally in the pages of only its most famous writers. That is far from the truth, as revealed in this book. There is much to learn and so many real and complicated individuals that are not lost to history, especially thanks to the current ease of access to public domain books on the Internet....more
This was one of the slowest-burn books ever, and kind of frustrating for that reason, but in its favor I have to admit that I read like 80% of it in oThis was one of the slowest-burn books ever, and kind of frustrating for that reason, but in its favor I have to admit that I read like 80% of it in one sitting and had to restrain myself from staying up super late to finish it. Sarah Eden makes the pages fly by! She’s SO good at this genre!...more
Seriously loved, loved, loved this book. Although parenting is implicit in the title, I highly recommend it also to non-parents like me, because awe trSeriously loved, loved, loved this book. Although parenting is implicit in the title, I highly recommend it also to non-parents like me, because awe truly is one of the most important human experiences there is. This book did a beautiful job of exploring what kinds of awe we can tap into as individuals or families and what impact they have on our well-being, whether it be emotional, mental, or even physical. Perhaps you, like me, can readily name nature, the universe, and perhaps music and art, as sources of awe. This book goes a little further into other parts of life and humanity that can elicit awe in us, things that I hadn't necessarily thought about but that really resonated with me. I was so reflective and enjoyably focused while reading this book that it almost came as a shock to me when it was finished. It would be worth revisiting - it's a beautiful subject to spend some time with.
Thanks to NetGalley and Free Spirit Publishing for this advance review copy. This title publishes May 27, 2025, and I hope you put it on your TBR for a dose of truly inspiring reading!...more
If you like contemporary rom-coms that check the boxes of travel, found family, historical costuming, and unsought quirky mishaps, this will be right If you like contemporary rom-coms that check the boxes of travel, found family, historical costuming, and unsought quirky mishaps, this will be right up your alley.
For me, it wasn't a complete success because first-person dual point-of-view is always a hard sell for me. It also had a number of romance conventions that, while very common, don't land that well with me -- a lot of repetitive lingering over physical attraction and a fairly cardboard "villain" that didn't add much to the plot.
That said, it was clean and cute, and if you unreservedly enjoy the genre, this one will probably be a good choice.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this advance review copy....more
I appreciated the middle-of-the-road approach this book encourages to life, plans, goals, housekeeping, socializing, and so forth, which is: don’t tryI appreciated the middle-of-the-road approach this book encourages to life, plans, goals, housekeeping, socializing, and so forth, which is: don’t try to do everything perfectly (the “genius� way) but also don’t give up on things that matter to you in a spiral of defeatist thinking (the “lazy� way). It does a pretty good job of giving the reader the freedom to decide what matters most on a list of priorities, and some principles for how to make life easier. That said, it felt like it was treading some very similar ground to other advice books out there, especially “How to Keep House While Drowning,� which I found personally to be a more resonant read. The tone of this book was very kind, and the author is easy to follow. It just didn’t feel as profound or fresh to me as it might to some.
Thanks to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah for this digital review copy....more
2.5 stars. I liked the antiques business stuff and the ending was pretty cute, but I don't like plots where one of the characters is engaged to someon2.5 stars. I liked the antiques business stuff and the ending was pretty cute, but I don't like plots where one of the characters is engaged to someone else for practically the entire book. Also, for a book written in 1999, the idea of it being ok for a girl to break off an engagement but dishonorable for a guy to do so just seems wildly outdated....more
This memoir was written in the early 20th century, not too long after Charlotte Bronte’s letters to Monsieur Heger were brought to light. The author waThis memoir was written in the early 20th century, not too long after Charlotte Bronte’s letters to Monsieur Heger were brought to light. The author was a pupil at the same school in Brussels, about 20 years after Charlotte lived there, and so she knew Monsieur and Madame Heger personally. This puts the author in the rare position of being able to hold a mirror up to Villette and tell us what parts about the school were true, what parts were true-ish, and what parts were pure imagination.
Overall, it seems that Charlotte mostly nailed the character of Monsieur Heger, in her creation of “Paul Emanuel,� with his irate moods and larger than life classroom presence.
The real-life Madame of the school, however, is presented with a considerably softer touch than Madame Beck gets in Villette.
I was pleased to see the respect that Charlotte was treated with in this book, because the publication of her private letters to Heger could have tarnished her legacy in some minds� and yet her feelings about the man had a lot of complicated background, and also she asked for nothing from him.
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