The Secret Life of Violet Grant

Loved this book too damn much. Incomparable story and the most gratifying conclusion. May just be my new fave! Would recommend 100%.

This book is a real page-turner that doesn't really stand up to close inspection, but while you're in the midst of the experience you will definitely enjoy yourself. I just loved Vivian Grant - tough, wisecracking, ambitious, but vulnerable to the right man. Her personality just jumps off the pages of the novel.

The big question is whether or not Vivian's alleged true love is worthy of her affection. Without any spoilers, I will just say that I had my doubts, despite a fabulous meet-cute and incendiary chemistry. Based on this hero and the less than strong one from One Hundred Summers (who makes a cameo appearance here along with his wife), it is apparent that Beatriz Williams still needs to work on her heroes. I like them flawed, but the flaws she bestows on them are creeping towards inexcusable.

Violet Grant is a more problematic heroine than Vivian. A lot of things happen to her, but she remains passive and bossed around by the men in her life throughout the novel, even the love of her life. You can chalk it up to the time frame, but considering the author makes such a point of how much courage Violet displayed to have sought a career in science in the early 20th century, I was expecting her to take charge of her own life much more than she did.

I have now read all of Ms. Williams' three novels, and she is a talented writer of what I can only call literary beach reads that thoroughly entertain without insulting the reader's intelligence.