Book Club September 2021- One Two Three

By: Laurie Frankel
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Pages: 416

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Everyone knows everyone in the tiny town of Bourne, but the Mitchell triplets are especially beloved. Mirabel is the smartest person anyone knows, and no one doubts it just because she can’t speak. Monday is the town’s purveyor of books now that the library’s closed―tell her the book you think you want, and she’ll pull the one you actually do from the microwave or her sock drawer. Mab’s job is hardest of all: get good grades, get into college, get out of Bourne.

For a few weeks seventeen years ago, Bourne was national news when its water turned green. The girls have come of age watching their mother’s endless fight for justice. But just when it seems life might go on the same forever, the first moving truck anyone’s seen in years pulls up and unloads new residents and old secrets. Soon, the Mitchell sisters are taking on a system stacked against them and uncovering mysteries buried longer than they’ve been alive. Because it's hard to let go of the past when the past won't let go of you.

Three unforgettable narrators join together here to tell a spellbinding story with wit, wonder, and deep affection. As she did in This Is How It Always Is, Laurie Frankel has written a laugh-out-loud-on-one-page-grab-a-tissue-the-next novel, as only she can, about how expanding our notions of normal makes the world a better place for everyone and how when days are darkest, it’s our daughters who will save us all.

What I thought

I didn’t know what to expect based off of the cover and the summary but I was pleasantly surprised.

Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are triplets who refer to themselves and One, Two, and Three (hence the title). The story is told in alternating perspectives of the triplets and the chapters are labeled according to their birth order. Their hometown of Bourne was poisoned by the chemical company Belsum 16 years ago and their mother has been fighting that battle every since. Then suddenly, the family that owns the company moves back to town with plans to reopen the company.

The premise sounds very boring but trust me, it’s not. I did have a discussion with one of my friends asking why this book isn’t considered a YA since it’s told from the perspective of three 16 year olds and honestly, we still haven’t come up with an answer. Maybe it’s because they are dealing with adult problems and speak with an adult tone? Not so sure.

I was definitely a little confused at the beginning of the story, even though I was sucked in immediately. You get thrown right into the middle of Bourne without knowing any of their history or current events and as they unfold you begin to understand what the story is about.

The triplet’s mom Nora is the one who is heading the lawsuit against Belsum and has been working on it for 16 years without getting anywhere. Everyone’s lives are turned upside down when the Templetons move to Bourne. Their plan to reopen the plant isn’t even originally known but then that upturns the town as well.

I loved all of the different voices the triplets have. They are so unique and even without the continual rotation of the order of perspectives I would have been able to tell who was telling the story. The town of Bourne was exposed to a chemical that caused a lot of birth defects so each of the triplets is different. I think the way the town adapts and handles each of these disabilities is fascinating. There are ways in which the town goes above and beyond in a good way and ways that they go above and beyond in harmful ways. Regardless, the fact that so many people have disabilities in one town changes their perspectives and I enjoyed that part of the story.

The one part I struggled with this book was in the middle. It seemed like it got very wordy and descriptive and it didn’t feel that way at the beginning. I don’t know if it was because I was waiting for something to happen and to get to the action or if it truly got wordier in the middle but if I hadn’t been trying to get through this quickly it might’ve made me put the book down for a little bit just because the pace slowed down so much.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. While the story may sound like one you’ve read or seen before, it definitely isn’t. I look forward to discussing it at book club and I think it sheds light on a lot of different things in life. It tackles disabilities, diversity, monetary status, and just life struggles. I’ve only read one of Frankel’s other books but this one is definitely making me want to go back and read more of her novels.

Unfortunately, due to some personal reasons we weren’t ale to discuss the book as a group this month, but I still wanted to post my review about it. I think it will make for a good discussion once we’re able to get around to it so I do recommend it as a book club book.

Last Chance Library

By: Freya Sampson
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way.

Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother.

Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer's feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won't believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way.

To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she's determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too.

First Impressions

The colors and the title of the book definitely caught my eye. I won’t say the cover is my favorite but it’s very eye catching and is fun to look back at after reading. I also tend to be a sucker for books about libraries.

What I thought

This is a fun book about a small town with a quirky cast of characters.

June is 28 years old and has never lived anywhere outside of her small town. After her mom passed away, she took over working as a librarian’s assistant and live in her mother’s house alone. When the library is threatened with being shut down, June is forced to face some of her fears and figure out how to grow as a person.

I’m going to start off with the aspects of the book that I enjoyed, and then I will share some of the bits I wasn’t as crazy about. I’m a sucker for fun side characters and this book had them in abundance. All of the frequent library patrons were colorful and they made the desire to save the library feel real. I also appreciated how the fight for the library went down. It felt realistic to me, even if there were some moments that were a bit silly, it never got too over the top.

The unfortunate thing is that I didn’t love June. I liked parts of her character but found her to be annoying overall. She is painfully shy and it started to grate on my nerves. I needed someone to smack her upside the head and tell her to get over herself. There was a scene when she goes to a hen do (British for bachelorette party) and they’re playing Never Have I Ever. June doesn’t raise a glass for having done anything. At all. I get that she’s been a bit shy and sheltered but this goes full on recluse status and just made me roll my eyes.

I enjoyed watching her growth but would’ve appreciated it happening maybe a little quicker. I found the romance storyline to be a little bit rushed and, honestly a little unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Alex’s character but I almost with there wasn’t that aspect of June needing a man to help her feel complete.

It was a cute, quick book with some well written characters. I liked the overall story but because I wasn’t in love with the main character it didn’t fully connect with me. It’s not that it was a bad book by any means, but will likely be one I forget about quickly.

When Sparks Fly

By: Helena Hunt
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 320

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I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this story.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Spark’s lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she's happy.

But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.

Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she'd dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.

First Impressions

The cover was bright and cute and looked like a great summer romance read. I loved the idea of the friendship to lovers trope and was intrigued as to how it was going to play out.

What I thought

I started this book on a plane ride, completely forgetting what the synopsis was and just remembering that it was a romance. I enjoyed the book in the beginning but about halfway through got very annoyed with the characters and it lost a lot for me.

Avery and Declan are best friends who live together. They’re supposed to drive together to their alumni association but Declan screws up and backs out at the last minute, leaving Avery to drive herself. On the way, she gets into a very bad car accident, leaving her unable to take care of herself. As Declan turns from best friend to caregiver, they start to cross the line into something more.

Since I had forgotten what this book was about, I was taken aback but the car crash at the beginning. Avery gets herself injured pretty badly. Declan immediately feels guilty and volunteers to take care of her. Their attraction sparks pretty quickly and I wasn’t a huge fan of what finally made them cross the line. It felt more awkward and embarrassing to me than romantic.

I also ended up getting very annoyed with Avery’s sister London. Avery and her two sisters run a B&B/Event business that is struggling a little bit. Apparently, Avery had a deal in progress with the Alumni Association but then when she got injured they backed out. As a result, London tries to get another company to sponsor their business but then Avery, while she’s injured, messes that one up too. London, obviously, gets very upset but then she basically yells at Avery and accuses her of doing nothing and that everyone is pandering to her. Like what? The girl has a broken arm, a broken leg, and rib fractures and it hasn’t even been 6 weeks! And also Avery has been wanting to come back to work since day 1 but everyone is telling her to take it slowly. Irritated the heck out of me.

Add that to the constant whining of Declan about how he’s never been a relationship before and he’s going to mess everything up and by the middle of the book I was just over it. The big conflict came about in a slightly unexpected way. Like, I knew their relationship was going to implode but seeing what was the igniting factor was interesting.

Not one of my favorite romance novels. I liked Avery and Declan together when they were friends but would’ve preferred more of a slow burn build to them finally connecting. I also did like the way they resolved their conflict in the end, but it took a little while and again, came off a bit whiney. I think maybe the writing just didn’t work for me? I’m not quite sure, but either way there are other contemporary romances that I love much much more.

XOXO

By: Axie Oh
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 352

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Summary (provided by Goodreads): Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar, it’s clear he’s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure…before he disappears without a word.

Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester. And he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating.

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.

First Impressions

This cover got me good! Then I read the summary and it jumped to the top of my list of summer reads. I am a sucker for romances with popstars and through in a secret aspect behind it and you’ve got me hooked.

What I thought

I loved this book!

Jenny meets a mysterious Korean hottie in her Uncles karaoke bar. They have one night of fun and then he goes back to Korea and she never hears from him again. When her mom announces that she needs to move to Korea for 5 months to take care of her grandmother, Jenny applies to an international performing arts school so that she can join her. Once she gets to Korea she finds out that the boy she met in LA is actually a huge Kpop star who just so happens to go to her school.

Jenny and Jaewoo were adorable. I also loved all of her friends and all of the bandmates. It was so fascinating learning about how the Kpop world works. I had only a vague idea of how they were trained and put together but didn’t realize that they were trained from such a young age and that so much relied on their public persona.

I also really liked Jenny. She was a strong teenager and I appreciated that she didn’t fall for some of the games Jaewoo tried to play even though she liked him. It was refreshing to hear a teenager realize that a guy asking you to be their secret friend is not romantic.

Jenny is also a bit of a perfectionist which I related to. She knows that she wants to be a cellist and knows she wants to go to the Manhattan School of Music, but she doesn’t know how to relax or really act like a teenager. Her time in Korea helps her find that. I did get a bit anxious knowing that there was going to come a time when Jenny and Jaewoo were found out and it took forever to get there. I did really like how it played out though. While I expected it to happen, it played out a little differently than I have seen it done in the past.

This was a great summer YA. If you are into popstar romances like I am I highly recommend checking it out. I need an entire series with each book focusing on the different band members. I’m also looking forward to more contemporary novels by Oh. Every character was likable and I love the growth and the story as a whole.

Book Club August 2021- Dial A for Aunties

By: Jesse Q Sutanto
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 299

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?

First Impression

This cover is everything! The bright colors, the art, the title. It immediately caught my eye over and over again. When I finally read the summary I was intrigued. Maybe not completely in love at first but then a few more times and a few reviews I definitely knew I needed to read this book and that it would (hopefully) be a blast).

What I thought

Oh my goodness. This was one of the most fun books I’ve read in a long time. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and I flew through this book in a little over a day.

Meddeline (Meddy) works as a photographer for her family’s wedding planning business which is owned by her mother and her 3 aunties. Meddy and her Aunties are Chinese-Indonesian and are of course, overbearing and meddlesome (all with good intentions of course). When Meddy accidentally murders her blind date on the eve of the biggest wedding that the family has, she calls her mom who calls her aunties to help. Things get even more complicated when the body ends up at the resort and things start going wrong with the wedding.

Admittedly, I was a bit tentative when I started this book. How do you accidentally murder someone? How do you cover up something like that realistically and get away with it?? How is this book going to make any sense? But someone, Sutanto doesn’t just pull it off but makes it fun and enjoyable.

Meddy and her aunties are a blast. I’ve read a few books that involve very involved aunties and sometimes they can cross a line from being involved because they love you to being controlling. I never felt that way with Meddy’s aunties. Like yes, obviously they cross some privacy boundaries, but I never once got the feeling that they wanted anything but the best for Meddy and were fully supportive of her and who she was.

I also never was able to figure out where this book was going next. It was one wild ride and I couldn’t put this book down. I had a smile on my face for the majority of this read. Was it a little bit ridiculous at times? I don’t think you could have a book like this without some ridiculousness. But, I absolutely love a good shenanigan and, like I keep saying, it was done so well. The shenanigans made sense to me so it helped a lot.

This was such a fun book and perfect for a summer read. I flew through it. I loved the story, the characters, the writing. Everything about it was a joy. When I got to the end I also discovered that there is going to be a sequel! I can’t wait to be reunited with Meddy and her Aunties.

What Book Club Thought

The funny thing about this book was that I read it, loved it so much, that Denise picked it as her book club choice. I was a bit surprised by how oddly divisive this book was! Three of us loved it and absolutely flew through it, two people had a bit more of a struggle. One gave up on it completely, the other said she may try to push her way through. It shocked me because I loved this book so much!

It was funny because we all had some moral issues with the story so we were able to discuss that. There also is going to be a sequel and the summary finally came out so we read that. The three of us who enjoyed the book all got very excited after reading the sequel for more Auntie shenanigans.

It seems like most of Book Club struggled a little through the first part of the book where Meddy has a lot of flashbacks and it’s not as silly. Once the shenanigans begin and the silliness takes hold, it’s very easy to fly through. I liked discussing the jokes and the things that made me laugh with all of the girls and I think it made a fun and slightly different Book Club choice

The Other Black Girl

By: Zakiya Dalila Harris
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 357

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Get Out meets The Stepford Wives in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing.

Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.

Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.

It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career.

A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.

First Impressions

I saw this on a list in January of books to look out for in 2021. The cover immediately caught my eye (the hair!) and then the summary sealed the deal. Being compared to Get Out and Devil Wears Prada just sounded so intriguing it immediately became one of the top books I was looking forward to this year.

What I thought

This was definitely as described and I enjoyed every minute of it, even if the ending felt a bit unsatisfying to me.

Nella is the only Black girl working at Wagner publishing house until Hazel gets hired. Nella thinks that she and Hazel will be able to band together and improve the environment at Wagner. She has dreams of hiring more Black girls and even publishing more Black authors that she can edit. But Hazel isn’t as she appears and Nella starts to question everything when she receives an anonymous note on her desk telling her to leave.

This book definitely made me a little anxious because I knew that there was something twisty that was coming, but it also kept me intrigued from the beginning. I admittedly wasn’t crazy about Nella. I found her to be a little bit naïve and ignorant and it grated on my nerves a little. Not in a “she got what she deserved” kind of way, but more of a “omg what can’t you see what’s in front of you?!?!?!” kind of way.

I really liked her friend Malakia and wish there was a little more of their interactions. I also wish there had been a little more of her boyfriend Owen. Hazel was irritating from the very beginning and I didn’t understand why Nella would want to be friends with her besides the fact that they were the same race and working in the same office.

The Get Out part of the storyline was definitely intriguing. I know it won’t be for everyone because it’s a bit fantastical but I thought it was interesting and could prompt a lot of conversations if you were reading this book for a book club. This book does have a lot of social perspective which I shouldn’t let get overshadowed. It talks a lot about race in the work environment and how Black people have to modify their behaviors to make white people feel more comfortable. I think this book gives a really interesting and helpful perspective that, hopefully, through the contemporary and unique storyline will reach people that wouldn’t typically read a book that targets such difficult topics.

My biggest gripe with this book was the ending. It left me unsatisfied. I am someone who likes when things are tied up in a bow and this book definitely was not. Maybe there will be a sequel?

This book was unique, well written, and though provoking. It was a quick read (I won’t say easy because there are a lot of difficult topics) and I enjoyed it from start to finish. If you’re looking for something that addresses very current topics but you also like some mystery, I highly recommend this book.

Love & Olives

By: Jenna Evans Welsch
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 506

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Santorini felt like an island holding its breath. As if it were keeping in a secret...

Liv Varanakis doesn’t like to think about her father much, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight, leaving her with just a few painful memories of their shared love for the lost city of Atlantis. So when teenage Liv suddenly receives a postcard from her father, who explains that National Geographic is supporting a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and asks if she will fly out to Greece and help—Liv is less than thrilled.

When she arrives in gorgeous Santorini, things are just as awkward as she'd imagined. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. Liv doesn’t want to get sucked back into her father's world. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo, her father’s charismatic so-called protégé, to witness her struggle.

Even so, she can't help but be charmed by everything Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the sun-drenched villages, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Liv slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.

First Impressions

This is technically the third book in a series, but the books are all standalone novels. I was really excited wen I saw this was coming out because I had really enjoyed the two previous stories (Love & Gelato and Love & Luck). The cover fits right in with the others and I was excited about a story that took place in Greece.

What I thought

Holy cow this book was long. This book was about 500 pages and, unfortunately, felt like it.

Olive/Liv is in the summer before her senior year of high school. Everything is perfectly planned from applying to college to going on a summer trip with her boyfriend, until she receives a postcard from her father who left 9 years ago, asking her to come help him in Greece. Her mom insists she goes, and all of a sudden she’s on a plane to Santorini.

First and foremost, I appreciate that while Liv did have some protest about going she wasn’t whiney about it. It’s always hard for me to read books where teenage characters are forced abroad and they’re just so angry about it. I understand some of the frustration and disappointment, especially for those characters that have plans, but I would’ve killed to be sent abroad as a teenager so it often comes across as selfish and privileged. Luckily, Liv never came off that way to me.

I truly enjoyed this story, I just felt like it was a bit long. I would’ve liked it much more if about 100-150 pages had been trimmed out. The first 200-300 pages I was very into it and wanted to follow Liv, Theo, and her dad on their adventure to find Atlantis. But then it just felt like, are we there yet? So the last 200 pages of the book I found myself skimming a lot and, honestly, the last 100 pages the story was really good. But at that point I just found myself a little over it.

Like I mentioned, I did enjoy Liv. I liked learning about her dad and the reason why her dad left. The book followed a 26 chapter format where each chapter started with an object that Liv’s dad left behind when he left. I really liked that idea and looked forward to the beginning of each new chapter because of that. I do wish they had worked on their issues a little sooner, but again, I think this was because of the length of the book. I did, however, enjoy the slow burn of the friendship of Liv and Theo.

This is a cute, classic summer YA tale of growth and finding oneself. I didn’t like it as much as I remember liking the first two, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad in any way. It also probably didn’t help that I started this book just after finishing a book I loved. The writing was good, the characters enjoyable, and the story, while predictable still felt fresh and fun. If only it had been about 150 pages shorter I think I would’ve loved it. I’m looking forward to more books in this series and can’t wait to see where we travel to next.

Book Club July 2021- The Rose Code

By: Kate Quinn
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages: 624

This month’s selection was made by me. I had originally checked this book out of the library in March (right after it was published) and then realized it was over 600 pages, so I decided to save it for a book club pick. A few years ago I had picked The Alice Network by Quinn as a book club choice and we all loved it. I then read The Huntress on my own, so I knew this was going to be a solid choice.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): 1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer...

What I thought

Quinn just has a special way of writing to bring you right back into time and into the story that she’s telling.

The Rose Code follows three women during the 1940s in England. Each woman is working for the country in the form of code breaking, however, they all work in different departments. Having come from different walks of life, their friendship is a bit of an odd one, until one of them is betrayed by the others towards the end of the war. The story also takes place in 1947, about two weeks before Queen Elizabeth’s wedding to Prince Phillip. During that time, the women are forced to work together again to help fix the betrayal that occurred 3 years prior.

This book was so good. It is a slower book but worth every minute. It is best read slowly, with the same pace and care of the codebreakers within the novel. That doesn’t mean it is a boring novel, just one that you need to take your time with.

It took a little bit to get used to the back and forth between the earlier 1940s and getting to know Osla, Mab, and Beth, and the jumping forward to 1947 where we are only with Osla. Part of me wishes I could say this book could’ve been made shorter by cutting out unnecessary storylines because, let’s be honest, 600+ pages is a lot. But I don’t feel like I can! Every story had to be told to make the rest of the story make sense.

It was fascinating to read and learn about Bletchley Park which was where all of the work on the Enigma machines during World War 2 happened. I knew a little bit about it from watching The Imitation Game about Alan Turing, but had no idea about the massive scale of the facility as well as how many women worked there. Reading about Osla, Mab, and Beth overcoming the helpless female stereotypes of the 1940s was inspiring. I also loved the mystery storyline of the “present day” in 1947.

Oh! And did I mention there’s romance? Not the central storyline, but still done so well. It was lovely and heartbreaking and gave, what I feel, a true look into wartime romance. I also had no idea that Prince Phillip had a wartime girlfriend so, while I know a lot of it was fictionalized, it was still fun to read and learn about that.

Overall, I think because of the pace of the book, it’s not my favorite of Quinn’s but it was still a wonderful book. I think a lot of people won’t see this one through because of that which is unfortunate because every minute of this book was very well done.

What Book Club Thought

Everyone loved the book! We all agreed that the pacing was a bit slow. That didn’t stop us from loving it. We had a long discussion about everything which I think makes it a successful book club book. It also piqued all of our interests about Bletchley Park which I think makes it a successful historical fiction novel. We talked about how we each enjoyed the female characters, which Quinn writes so well. We also discussed how this book made us think about different aspects of the war we hadn’t considered, such as men who are physically able to enlist but are needed for their brains and how, since no one knew they were doing war work, they were harassed. Or even the little storyline about Prince Phillip. Such a good book and I highly recommend checking it out, not just as a book on your own, but if you have a book club as a book club choice.