Tricia Nelson

I read this book for book club, and I chose it because of the link to the NY Public Library and the bookish themes throughout. I truly enjoyed this story split between 1913 and 1993, with two characters from the same family of a fictional famous writer. The 1913 storyline touches on the restrictive role of women during that time, and the groups in NYC at that time trying to change things. The 1993 storyline also examines choices women have available to them, nearly a century later. There are also book thefts in both time periods and complicated relationships. I wish Goodreads would allow me to give half stars because this is a solid 3.5 star rating for me - very much worth my time and very much a good story. Can't wait to discuss with my book club friends!

We read this as part of book club, and I'm glad I read it, though I'm not sure I would have picked it up otherwise. This author has been on my radar for a while and the acclaim made me want to read something of hers. This book is well written, but may not have been for me right now with the world feeling so heavy. I had to take my time reading it and can appreciate the author's craft and ability to bring you right into the thoughts of the main character. It's gritty and thought-provoking and uncomfortable and very well done. It also impresses me that a book in translation still reads so well. This may be one of the book club choices I look back on and I'm glad it was chosen because it took me out of my comfort zone.

I suspect I read this at the wrong time. This was well-written, with characters I came to know and understand, if not like (duh- it's Jane Austen), but it was a challenge to read at this stressful time. This was our classic choice for book club this year, and I am looking forward to the discussion. I will re-read this in the future, and suspect I will appreciate it much more when I do. :)

I liked this book! I wish I could give half stars because for me it's really more of a 3.5. While I understand why the author gave us the flashbacks to provide background on Maisie, particularly since this is the first book in the series, I felt like it broke up the mystery story and detracted from it. I'm looking forward to reading another in the series to see how the mystery plays out without the interruption of the flashback.

A few months ago I was fortunate to attend an event at an area library with this author for the release of her latest in her Tradd Street series. I realized that I'd probably enjoy them more if I read them in order, so I started with this book. It was a very fast read, even at almost 400 pages, with great characters and twists and turns in the plot. I saw some of them coming, but some I did not. I was a little frustrated at the beginning of the book when all these people (primarily men) were telling the main character what to do and kind of railroading her instead of her having control over her own life. By the end of the book, she has taken much more control of things, and is a stronger character. This book was written 12 years ago, which may have played into that part of the plot. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it though - I really enjoyed it, and having been to Charleston a few times, it was fun to read about places and restaurants that I'm familiar with. Charleston is indeed an old city with a rich history and a lot of spirits!

This book is AMAZING. I wish I could pick just one thing I highlighted, or just one takeaway, but there were too many to choose just one. This is a book that steps you through figuring out what you want, what is important to you, and how to set yourself up to get there. How to go from overwhelmed to happy on your individual journey, your story. This is a book I will read again, and keep on the shelf. It's already marked up, and that's before all the extra resources (videos/podcasts) that come with the book. No matter where you are in your journey or life story, this is worth reading. I was fortunate to be able to read this book early (Thank you Harper Collins!) and be part of the launch team. The book comes out 10/1, and there are some great preorder bonuses if you are interested.

I loved this book. The premise is interesting - what if there was a cafe that enabled you to travel through time, but only until your coffee gets cold? The book delivered on the premise, and so much more. What the characters find in their travels and learn about themselves make this a story that will stick with me and that I will think about for a while. Highly recommend!

This was a wild ride! The story at times made me cringe, hold my breath, laugh out loud, picture people I know, and clench my jaw in anger, but it was a great book to get lost in! In addition to be a very readable book, there are so many things to discuss that it would make a great book club choice.

An adorable love story about a girl who saves up for an incredible Alaskan vacation and finds more than she thought she would in the little town of Moose Springs. It's also a story about a small town that is struggling to stay afloat without tourism, and finding a way to come to terms with changes that the town may need. There is even an adorable dog and (of course) a love-sick moose. Perfect read to distract me from world events right now.

This book is terrific! It is a very well done thriller that kept me guessing. I can honestly say that every time I thought I had figured things out, I was surprised again. When you start the book, you are instantly drawn into the story and guessing about what has happened and who can be trusted. I can't say a lot without revealing too much about the story, and this is one book that shouldn't be ruined for anyone. In addition to the suspenseful plot, the issues about relationships, parenting, technology, and more had me thinking about these topics and I can't wait to discuss this with friends! This would make for an amazing book club selection, as there is a LOT to discuss. The author does a wonderful job of giving clues to what happened without giving too much away. Once you finish the story, the clues given all make sense and you find yourself thinking “Aha!”. For the record, I didn't guess the end of the story, and that made me like this book even more.

This book is a quick read that carries the reader on a journey to find out who killed a man. The story is told in three parts, from three different perspectives, and I was completely drawn in and compelled to finish to find out what really happened. Just when I thought I knew what the truth was, that knowledge was challenged and more information came to light that made me wonder again. The primary themes for me that stood out were about what would you be willing to do for a loved one? for a child? for a friend? and what is a life worth? a good person's life? a bad person's life? This is a well-written and well-translated book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I won an advance copy of this book from Goodreads and it is so good! What a great summer read, with great characters, twists and surprises, and more. What I loved the most, though was the setting in Scotland where my grandparents were born. It was great to ‘visit' there for a few days while I dove into this story. Highly recommend!

I was really looking forward to reading this, based on some reviews I saw online, and it being included in the Modern Mrs. Darcy summer reading guide, and I wasn't disappointed! This story is about family relationships and expectations, misunderstandings when too many things are left unsaid, and secrets that come to the surface over time. This is a very well-written book - the author is very talented and reading this was a pleasure. The proverbs referred to had me bookmarking far too many pages; the dialogue written in a voice of a character where English is not the first or even second language, and the plot development and revelation were done so so well. I would love to see this developed into a film but only if they keep much of the dialogue, because it was one of my favorite parts.

Fun story! Love is love!

Really liked this book! The author tells a story of a resilient and strong woman who carries scars from her past and finds ways to heal from them and get to know herself more completely. The book made me laugh and cry, and think about my own experiences and love and forgiveness and strength. It grabs the reader's attention right away and brings them along for a ride.

I picked this up from the library after seeing it recommended online, and I'm glad I did. I wanted a lighter read after finishing up the last book, and this seemed to fit the bill. Quirky love story, a ‘meet-cute' and a blurb calling this author the new Jojo Moyes all made me want to pick it up. It delivered on all of that and more. There are a few additional storylines running through the book that had a more serious note, but they were handled well and added to the depth of the characters. I particularly loved how friendships were used to prop up and help someone heal on their own time, on their own terms, and by doing that the person healing got stronger.

I read this book with friends over the course of two months, and it was good that I had so long to read it. It's a dense story, in length and events and characters and history, and it is also a story that you can become immersed in. The page edges on my copy are covered with book darts to mark quotes or important themes throughout, and there is much to discuss about the story.

I really enjoyed this book. Even though it is a long book, it drew me in and kept my attention. The character development is so well done that even though there are a lot of characters, I never once had to back up to figure out who was who, or what their relationship was. This was highlighted when I picked up another book right away and was instantly struggling with who was who. This is a character driven AND plot driven novel that is well researched and well written. The story is of the fall of the tsar and the aristocracy in Russia around the first world war, told by viewpoints of those in that aristocrasy, some in the poorer class and some Americans. It made me feel frustrated by the inability of the upper class to even have a hint of a clue of what the working class dealt with on a daily basis, but the characters were still likeable. There was a theme of family and motherhood that is universal. I would highly recommend this book. You'll enjoy it even more once you read the Author's notes at the end and find out how many of the characters are historical figures.

I quite enjoyed this author's previous book ‘Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows' last year, and was excited to read this new book. It did not disappoint! I couldn't wait to find out what happened with the storylines about three sisters who grew up in a culture and religion different from mine, and along with it expectations and rules that are in some ways completely foreign to me and in others completely familiar. It is a well-written story that brings you along for the ride as all three very different women/sisters figure out what their path should be, by listening to their inner selves even when that is in conflict with those around them and each other. I loved these characters, and loved this book.

This is a well-written book about a culture and a place that I was completely unaware of, and a story about friendship and community that is common to all women. We were so lucky to be able to chat with the author when we discussed this book in my book club. Ms. See shared with me ahead of time about her friend's tea company and I was able to enhance our book club with a tea tasting and some Korean sweets. It was really fun! (https://www.banateacompany.com/pages/book-club-tea-tasting-kit-korean.html)
This story follows some characters through a lifetime of change - cultural, societal, technological and governmental change. It deals with loss in many ways - death, loss of friendship, loss of a way of life. It was compelling to learn about a society of women Haenyeo who provide so much to each other in a group setting and dynamic that will be familiar to any woman in any culture. The Haenyeo provide protection, food, knowledge, power, purpose, friendship, community, feedback, accountability, laughter and love to each other. It's hard to say what struck me the most about The Island of Sea Women, but perhaps it is the author's skill that wove together a part of history that was new to me with a story about relationships that will resonate with many. This also made this a wonderful book club choice, because there was so much to discuss.

I received a copy of this book to review from NetGalley, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This debut novel is categorized as a romance and ‘chick lit', and it is, but it's more. It's about friendships, redemption, forgiveness of yourself and others, secrets, witty banter, and figuring out your path when you are an adult who has to find a new one. The main characters do fall in love (this is not a huge plot spoiler), but they also do the work to find themselves first, and I liked that. Great book! Great summer read! Would also be a good book club choice as there is a good amount to discuss.

This is a well-done story that kept me guessing until the end. There were some twists and turns that I saw coming that were satisfying, and some that completely caught me by surprise! I liked it, and didn't realize until close to the end that this was the same author that I read a few years back and enjoyed what was the first book in this series!
This story hit me with all of the “Mom” feels - worrying about your children, even as they grow older, praying they don't find themselves in dangerous situations they can't walk away from, all of it. It is a quick read and even though I'm quite tired of the current trend to have a story jump back and forth in time, this author does a great job with it so that the reader doesn't feel whiplash. The story flowed nicely. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read with characters that are well developed and somewhat relatable.

This book is well done, and I liked it. The author did an amazing job of describing both the setting and the events of the story in a way that drew me in and kept me in the story. The story itself is a page-turner with the right amount of description so that you understand what is going on and what the characters are feeling. Great book, would make for great book club discussions I think, as the characters dealt with so much and had quite a few moral dilemmas and decisions to make.

I really enjoyed reading this! It was an optional summer pick for our book club, and my expectations before I really knew anything but the title and subject was that it was just another WWII story, this time set in Italy. While that is true, it is also a story that is crafted around the characters, and you come to love those characters. The city of Rome even becomes a character in the story, and there are so many places on my t0-see list now because of this book. The author does a great job of taking some actual events that happened and interweaving them with a fictional story that keeps your interest. The author's website also has a bunch of videos (without spoilers) that not only generate excitement to read the book, but also show you footage of her time in Rome doing research and her inspiration for some plot points and places in the book. Highly recommend!

Loved this book! The story was well told and the mystery wasn't revealed too soon, in fact I found myself thinking “What just happened???!!!” when it was revealed. Excellent read - can't wait to discuss with book club!