Reading With Rochelle Weinstein: August
Hello, Readers & Friends!
July was a fantastic month for books—I feel as though I say that every month, but I’m amazed every time I finish a wonderful story and the amount of talent out there. Here are my latest reads as well as this August’s picks featured on NBC 6 in The Mix:
The Beach Trap by Ali Brady, Paperback
What do you do when you find out your camp BFF is really your half-sister? Kat Steiner and Blake O’Neill are shocked at the news, and the revelation tears them apart. Fifteen years later, they’re reunited when their father dies, leaving them a dilapidated beach home.
What to expect: A perfect beach read, the push and pull of sisterly bonds, and just the right amount of romance.
Honor by Thirty Umigar, Hardcover
Indian American journalist Smita returns to India to cover a heinous crime. Meena, a Hindu woman, is attacked by her own people when she marries a Muslim man. Now Smita finds herself drawn to Mohan, an Indian man, all while she faces the reasons she fled India in the first place.
What to expect: Family betrayal and sacrifice, following tradition or true love, and two, brave, unforgettable women.
When Casey’s brother is accused of rape, the twenty-three-year-old is sure of one thing, he’s innocent. But as the trial begins, this unconventional family is put to the test, while startling revelations come to light.
What to expect: I read this book in one day. Razor-sharp writing that keeps you turning pages. Tough subjects and an ending that book clubs will debate.
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub, Hardcover
Forty-year-old Alice is taking stock of her life. Her ailing father weighs heavily on her mind, so when she wakes up and it’s 1996 and she’s re-living her sixteenth birthday, she wonders if she can change the past—and her future.
What to expect: Straub’s brilliant prose, a nostalgic journey, and the power of perspective.
Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer, Digital ARC
Meltzer dazzles in her latest novel. Dara Rabinowitz, a third-generation matchmaker who owns J-Mate, a Jewish matchmaking dating app, has very specific criteria for her perfect match. Enter TV personality Chris Steadfast, and Dara’s perfect list is not so perfect. Releases 8/9.
What to expect: Following one’s heart, a delightful romantic comedy, and Jewish charm.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Hardcover
Sam and Sadie meet as young children and the friendship spans thirty years and through their shared success as video game creators. Thread within the pages of ambition and success is a story of friendship, love, and ultimately forgiveness.
What to expect: Lots of gaming references but a jewel of a novel about friendship at its very core.
The Real Mrs. Tobias by Sally Koslow, Paperback ARC
Koslow channels literary greats Claire Lombardo and Elizabeth Strout with exquisite prose and a lush blend of humor and humanity. The novel brilliantly captures the nuances of mothers and mothers-in-law with insight and a lot of heart. Releases 9/13.
What to expect: Literary fiction with Koslow’s sharp wit.
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, Hardcover
Hannah is a bodyguard (go, girl power!) and her latest assignment is to protect the famous (and gorgeous) actor, Jack Stapleton. Only, in order to keep their arrangement under wraps, Hannah must pose as his girlfriend.
What to expect: Summer romcom at its best! A female bodyguard, a lovely, welcoming family, and a sexy romance.
The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger, Audible
When a category 6 hurricane decimates South Florida, the Larsen-Hall family loses everything, landing in a FEMA megashelter miles away. With family members missing and harsh truths coming to light, the characters must wade through the unthinkable.
What to expect: Resiliency in the face of adversity. A fast-paced thriller both terrifying and unputdownable.
She’s Up To No Good by Sara Goodman Confino, eBook
Jenna’s husband asks for a divorce, upending her life, so she decides to road trip with her eccentric grandmother to her seaside Massachusetts hometown. As Jenna and Evelyn make the journey home, Evelyn shares the story of the boy who got away, and Jenna opens herself up to a second chance.
What to expect: To fall in love with feisty grandmother, Evelyn. Fabulous summer read of healing and closure.
This Place of Wonder by Barbara O’Neal, eBook
Famed chef Augustus Beauvais has died, leaving the four women in his life intricately bonded together. Ex-wife Meadow, daughters, Maya and Rory, and Augustus’ current lover, Norah, must come to terms with loss, grief and expectations while finding the strength and courage to start anew.
What to expect: O’Neal’s knack for creating compelling characters, lush landscapes, and complex family relationships.
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, Audible
In 1950s America, eighteen-year-old Emmett is released from a juvenile work farm and ready to travel the Lincoln Highway with his little brother Billy. When unexpected guests arrive and divert their plans, the boys, and the reader, are taken on a different, worthwhile journey.
What to expect: Towles’ brilliant story-telling and bold, complex characters.
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Rochelle B. Weinstein is the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of six women’s fiction novels. Rochelle spent her early years, always with a book in hand, raised by the likes of Sidney Sheldon and Judy Blume. A former entertainment industry executive, she splits her time between sunny South Florida and the mountains of North Carolina. When she’s not writing, Rochelle can be found hiking, reading, and searching for the world’s best nachos. Her seventh novel releases Spring 2023. Please visit her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or subscribe to her newsletter at www.rochelleweinstein.com.
Category: On Writing
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