Book Review: "Perfection" by Vincenzo Latronico

Hmm. I’m honestly not too sure what I think about this book. I’ll admit I considered DNFing it a few times, but I kept waiting for something significant to happen. I will say that the book definitely made me feel old and uncool, lol.

Tom and Anna are freelance creatives and millennial expats living in Berlin. Like most of their peers, they are energized by taking advantage of all the city has to offer them, and of course, documenting their activities on social media.

The book follows them as they drift through life, friends, jobs, sex, political activism, and ambition. At times they want more than they have; other times they’re overwhelmed by it all. Should they consider polyamory? Should they move somewhere other than Berlin?

As they grow older and their friends follow different paths, they start to wonder about what their futures hold. And they realize that the things they are starting to dislike about Berlin and their lives are partially the fault of their generation.

“They realized they had contributed to the problem that was starting to affect them, but they knew it in an unacknowledged, almost imperceptible way, like smokers when they think about cancer…Gentrification, as they understood it, was something other people did.

This was on the shortlist for the Booker Prize last year. Vincenzo Latronico’s prose is beautiful, but often the story has paragraph after paragraph of description, to echo the characters’ obsession with conspicuous consumption. It definitely made me think, even as I didn’t really warm to it.

Book Review: "Augustin Station" by Justin Greak

“…sometimes we have to lose ourselves a little to find ourselves. Move away from everything familiar to see what remains when all the external expectations fall away.”

I don’t know if I could recreate the online path I followed which led to my stumbling upon this exquisitely moving book. This is one of those unsung gems you hope to find and you feel fortunate you did.

Owen and his wife are American expats living in Sweden, where he works as a teacher. In need of a solo getaway, he takes a quick trip to Romania, hoping to get some good hiking in and clear his chaotic brain. But on his first full day, he boards the wrong train and winds up in a small village where tourists don’t usually stop.

Owen has spent his life pretending to be something that he isn’t. He’s hidden his real desires and dreams away to do the “right” thing. But his yearning for authenticity, for the freedom to stop worrying about how he speaks and acts, is beginning to wear on him. And as he has a long wait until another train comes, two separate instances of hospitality and insightful conversation make him realize he needs to be honest—especially with himself.

“Sometimes getting lost is the only way to find where you’re supposed to be.”

This was a tremendously powerful and poignant book that really struck a chord with me. I definitely felt the pressures that Owen did but realized I had to live my life the way I wanted to. It’s not an easy thing to do, and this book captured that internal struggle that so many people deal with. I’ll think about this book for a long while!

Book Review: "Loved One" by Aisha Muharrar

Poignant and powerful, Aisha Muharrar’s debut novel will stay in my mind for a long while.

“There was a queasy unease to treading new waters, building the compass as you sailed, every choice a guess. Except it was worse now. Because it was expected at eighteen, or even twenty-five, but at thirty, it was embarrassing.”

Gabe was Julia’s first love. They met as high school students in Barcelona and had a wonderful summer. But Gabe wanted to be a musician, and he didn’t want a relationship to interfere with his career, so they went their separate ways.

From time to time, they would run into each other in Los Angeles. Gabe became a popular indie musician and Julia became a sought-after jewelry designer. Their old feelings would resurface on occasion, but they always seemed to tamp them down. And then, tragically, Gabe died accidentally when he was 29.

Julia is overcome by the waves of grief she feels, especially since their relationship was left at loose ends before he died. As a favor to Gabe’s mother, she travels to London to meet the last woman he loved, to see if she could reclaim some of his belongings. But upon meeting Elizabeth, an icy, guarded restaurateur, both women become protective over their memories of Gabe and the secrets each holds.

The narrative shifts between the present and various memories of Gabe and Julia’s encounters. There is an elegiacal sadness in this book but it’s never maudlin. It captures the frustrations we might have when we wish we had said, or did, something to a loved one whom we’ve lost. This was simply gorgeous.

Book Review: "Fake Dating the Prince" by Ashlyn Kane

Simply put, I loved this book so much. It was playful, romantic, sweet, and sexy, and it made me so happy. This is the second book by Ashlyn Kane that I’ve read this week, and she’s already becoming a favorite of mine.

Brayden is a Canadian flight attendant who has a great rapport with his passengers in first class. He and one frequent passenger even have developed a bit of a flirtation over time. And on one flight, this passenger asks Brayden to be his date to a fancy charity ball.

What Brayden doesn’t know is that this passenger is His Highness Prince Antoine-Philippe (“Flip”), heir to the throne of the small European nation of Lyngria. Being gay and half-Indian, Flip faces a lot of scrutiny, so he asks Brayden to pretend to be his boyfriend, just for the ball.

With Brayden at his side, Flip is truly able to enjoy himself. He’s a hit with Flip’s family and knows how to be the perfect date. And while the plan was for them to end the charade after the ball, when the country’s paparazzi latches onto their relationship, Flip asks Brayden to stay in the palace with him.

The more time they spend together, the more they both wish their relationship was real. As their connection strengthens both physically and emotionally, can they have a happy ever after, or will they need to go their separate ways?

While the book invites some comparisons to Red White and Royal Blue, this is different in many ways. All of the characters are so appealing and entertaining, and I found myself rooting for Flip and Brayden’s happy ending.

Book Review: "What If I Never Get Over You" by Paige Toon

Thanks so much to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy of Paige Toon’s newest! I’ve become an enormous fan of hers the last year or two.

Ellie has been interrailing through Europe, something she had been looking forward to for years. But traveling by herself was starting to get her down, so she made the decision to cut her trip short. So of course, just before she was ready to leave Lisbon, she meets Ash.

Ash is from Wales, has a fantastic accent and a carefree spirit that appeals to Ellie, who’s always done the right things. (It doesn’t hurt that he’s sexy as hell, too.) They so enjoy each other’s company and feel such an intense connection that they spend Ellie’s last few days in Europe together. And while she is expected to fly home with her parents, Ellie and Ash decide to meet in Spain one week later.

When Ellie’s arrival in Madrid is delayed a bit, she worries Ash might think she changed her mind. When she finally arrives at their designated meeting place, he’s nowhere to be found. She can’t figure out why he didn’t show—maybe the intense feelings she had weren’t reciprocated? Crushed, she decides to move on with her life.

Six years later, Ellie gets a job as a gardener at a 500-year-old estate in Wales. Working with gardens had always been her dream, and doing so on such a vast property is amazing. When Ash re-enters her life, she is completely thrown, and she realizes how little she actually knew about him. But their feelings for one another are just as intense.

This book really captured my heart. I loved the beginning section, where Ellie and Ash meet, and while the story slows a bit in the middle, I really rooted for them to find happiness. Toon definitely knows how to create an emotional story!

The book will publish 4/15.

Book Review: "The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley

I always am a bit worried that a sequel won’t live up to its predecessor. In the case of The Guncle Abroad, my fears were completely unwarranted: it had all of the humor, emotion, and heart that the original did.

Five years have passed since Patrick took care of Maisie and Grant, his niece and nephew, following the death of his sister-in-law, who was also Patrick’s best friend. During this time, Patrick has relaunched his acting career and moved to New York City, while the kids are back at home in Connecticut with their father, Greg.

When Greg decides to get married to an Italian woman, he once again enlists his brother’s help, because the kids—particularly Maisie—are vehemently opposed to the marriage. Patrick agrees to travel with the kids through Europe, with their final destination being Lake Como, where the wedding will take place.

“That was the thing about grief, none of us wanted to travel with it, exactly, but the suggestion that we would or should be over it was somehow an even more unwelcome passenger.”

As they make their way through London, Paris, and Salzburg, en route to Venice and Lake Como, Patrick tries to provide Maisie and Grant with more “Guncle Rules” to help them process the changes coming to their lives. At the same time, Patrick is dealing with his own questions about his recently ended relationship as well as the grief he still feels for Sara. But most of all, he wants to make the kids happy—mostly with him.

There are some uproariously funny moments in this book with several of the supporting characters. There also are moments of true poignancy which made me tear up. This is a book about all kinds of love—romantic, filial, familial—as well as the balance between moving on and holding on to memories. I loved this so much!!

Book Review: "The Pairing" by Casey McQuiston

There’s always that sense of anticipation I feel when I pick up the latest release from an author whose work I enjoy. Sadly, the upcoming book by Casey McQuiston (author of my all-time fave, Red White & Royal Blue), resulted in disappointment for me. There were definitely things I liked, but overall, I just didn’t enjoy it.

Kit and Theo were childhood best friends who became lovers, until their relationship disintegrated on a plane to Europe. The breakup led to their canceling a European food and wine tour, and after all their history, they were out of each other’s lives for good.

After 4 years apart, both have moved on. Theo is a bartender who is studying to be a sommelier; Kit went to pastry school, and he now bakes at a fancy Parisian restaurant. When both decide to use their tour cancellation vouchers at the last possible opportunity, they see each other for the first time in 4 years.

Both Theo and Kit haven’t been lacking for sexual relationships during their time apart; both have had male and female lovers. While neither likes watching the other flirt during the tour, they’re both over each other, so why not challenge each other to see who can hook up with more people?

As both throw themselves into the challenge, of course, they realize they’ve never stopped loving each other. But have they truly changed in four years?

One of the things I dislike most in romances is miscommunication. So much of the plot hinged on their inability to express their feelings to one another or discuss what went wrong between them. And while I enjoyed the sumptuous, detailed descriptions of food, wine, and tourist attractions, neither character really appealed to me, and I never believed they really loved each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy! The book will publish 8/6.

Book Review: "The Bait" by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

Happy to get my hands on another fun, twisty story of greed and revenge among the rich and famous with The Bait!

This follow-up to The Steal (which you should read first) takes place in late 1958, one year later. Ania Throne, head of her family’s jewelry empire, is still angry about the sizable theft which occurred in Cannes. She’s determined to teach the perpetrator—believed to be the notorious jewelry thief the Leopard—a lesson.

Ania plans a heist of her own during the Venetian Carnival, hoping to flush out the Leopard. And while her lover, former insurance investigator Jerome Curtis, is in on the heist, he’s struggling to understand exactly where he fits in her glamorous world. But when things go awry with the scheme, they both realize that they’re playing a more complicated and dangerous game than they thought.

As a stranger to the circles in which Ania moves, Jerome is quickly eyed with suspicion for the crime. He’s going to need all of his wits about him to save himself—but is Ania on his side or off on her own?

I love the feel of these books and these characters fascinate me. I’m always up for a good heist story, the time period is right in my wheelhouse, and C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose really make the setting so evocative.

This ends with a serious cliffhanger, but luckily the third book, The Heist, comes out in August! (See my review for The Steal here.)

Book Review: "Mayflies" by Andrew O'Hagan

Andrew O'Hagan's Mayflies is a powerful and poignant look at friendship and how far we will go to help a friend.

James and Tully met in a small Scottish town in 1986. They are drawn to one another by their love of music and film, their difficult relationships with their fathers, and their devil-may-care attitude, although the 20-year-old Tully embodies that far more than James. But theirs is a fierce, loyal friendship.

“He had innate charisma, a brilliant record collection, complete fearlessness in political argument, and he knew how to love you more than anybody else. Other guys were funny and brilliant and better and this and that, but Tully loved you.”

Along with some friends, they make an epic trip to Manchester that summer to see one of their favorite bands, The Sex Pistols. On that trip they vow to always go at life differently.

In 2017, James learns that Tully is dying. As always, Tully wants to live—and leave—life on his own terms, so he asks James for help. Can a friendship be so strong you’d truly do anything for your friend?

Mayflies is a book in two parts, really—it’s ebullient and buzzing with energy at the start, and it’s moving and tremendously thought-provoking at the end. I’ll admit I struggled with the dialect in which the story was told, which put me at a bit of a disconnect, but this is still so moving. With one of my friends currently at the end of his life, I can only wonder how I’d react in the same situation as the book describes.

NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada provided me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Book Review: "Meet Me in Madrid" by Verity Lowell

In Verity Lowell's Meet Me in Madrid, two career-minded women embark on a long-distance relationship and encounter obstacles along the way.

Charlotte’s job as a museum courier gives her the opportunity to travel the world, but honestly not see much of it in the process. So when complications strand her in Madrid, she’s excited to extend her stay. If only she knew someone to spend her time with.

And then she remembers: Adrianna, who was a few years ahead of her in school when they were both PhD candidates, lives and works in Madrid. Adrianna, the thought of whom makes Charlotte a little weak in the knees. When the two reconnect, sparks fly, and Adrianna offers Charlotte the opportunity to stay with her during her time in Madrid.

It’s not long before they’re head over heels for each other and figuring out how to make a long-distance relationship work. But if that’s not enough of a challenge, when Charlotte finally finds a way back into academia, Adrianna’s latest career move may be the biggest obstacle of all for the two of them.

While the romantic component of Meet Me in Madrid is sweet and interesting, what I thought was best about the book was its discussion of the prejudices and racism that people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and women face in academia.

I haven’t read a lot of F/F romance but Carina Adores definitely has a number of titles I’d like to check out!

Book Review: "Swimming in the Dark" by Tomasz Jedrowski

Swimming in the Dark is a gorgeous story about love, longing, sacrifice, and secrets.

Ludwik and Janusz first meet at a Polish summer work camp in the early 1980s. Ludwik is mesmerized by Janusz’s carefree manner, his bravado, and his handsomeness, all of which awaken a longing which frightens him. The two connect by chance one night at the river, and they quickly fall into an intense relationship.

When their time in camp is done, they spend a few weeks alone together, camping in the wilderness, living a romantic and dreamy existence that they know is impossible upon their return to the repression of their “real world.” Ludwik, the dreamer, tries to encourage Janusz to leave Poland with him, but Janusz knows that isn’t realistic.

Soon after they return home, the divide between them grows. Janusz gets a job working for the Party, while Ludwik wants to pursue a doctorate. They spend time together in brief, furtive encounters, yet Ludwik isn’t content with living a secret life forever. But what sacrifices is he willing to make, and what will they mean to him and Ludwik?

"...people can't always give us what we want from them; that you can't ask them to love you the way you want."

Lyrical, gorgeously told, and powerfully emotional, this quiet book packs a punch. It’s a tremendous exploration of a time and a culture where getting what you wanted often meant compromising yourself, and not everyone was willing to do this. Tomasz Jedrowski is an exceptionally talented storyteller.

God, this book was really beautiful.

Book Review: "Cleanness" by Garth Greenwell

Poetic and powerful, Cleanness is demonstration of a writer at the top of his game.

In his second novel, which is more a collection of interconnected short stories, Garth Greenwell continues his exploration of sexuality, intimacy, desire, and the connections we make and lose.

In Sofia, Bulgaria, the unnamed narrator, an American teacher, prepares to return home after a number of years abroad. He reflects on encounters and memories which affected him—the confessions of a student about his own sexuality and feelings about a friend, an experiment with sadomasochism, memories of a lost love, and connecting with another expatriate.

Greenwell’s writing is lyrical, almost poetic, and sexually frank at times. He provides such an authentic sense of time and place. His words evoke passion, love, loss, and eroticism.

"They could make a whole life, I thought, surprised to think it, these moments that filled me up with sweetness, that had changed the texture of existence for me. I had never thought anything like it before."

Greenwell’s first novel, What Belongs to You, was also powerful and beautifully written. He is definitely an author worthy of recognition, but more importantly, worthy of being read.

Book Review: "Love & Luck" by Jenna Evans Welch

There’s nothing like the beauty of Ireland and some chaotic travel to help ease the pain of a heartbreak!

In Love & Luck, Addie has just suffered a major heartbreak and betrayal for the first time, and what’s worse is, her older brother Ian knows about it, and it’s not long before others do, too. But she and her family are in Ireland for her aunt’s destination wedding so Addie just wants to pretend it never happened—for now.

Ian keeps urging, even threatening, Addie to tell their mother what happened before it’s too late. His nagging reminders push Addie to her breaking point, a fistfight during their aunt’s wedding. Their mother is mortified and angry, and gives the siblings an ultimatum: they can still take their planned trip to Italy to see Addie’s best friend, but if she hears anything about their fighting or arguing, they’ll have to quit their sport teams when they return home.

So with that plan in mind, how is it that instead of Italy Addie is driving around Ireland in a dilapidated car with Ian and Rowan, Ian’s (handsome) Irish friend? Will the copy of Ireland for the Heartbroken that she took from the hotel library and Rowan’s presence help her recover?

"You opened this book because your heart was broken and you wanted it fixed. But that was never the cosmic plan. Hell, it was never my plan. Hearts break open until they stay open. It's what they were made to do. The pain? It's part of the deal. A small exchange for the wild, joyful mess you'll be handed in return."

This was a sweet and charming book, and it definitely entertained me. The whole plot line with Addie’s secret was dragged out a little too long for me, but I really enjoy the way Jenna Evans Welch writes and the characters she creates. Her first book in this series, Love & Gelato, really was terrific, and I'm eagerly awaiting the third book, Love & Olives.

Side effect of reading this book: I want to go to Ireland now!!

Book Review: "Royal Holiday" by Jasmine Guillory

Okay, now how long do I have to wait for Jasmine Guillory's next book?

It’s crazy to think at this time last year while I had heard of Guillory I hadn’t read any of her books, and now here I am having read all four.

Maddie (a main character in Guillory's last book, The Wedding Party) is a stylist who gets an incredible opportunity to dress a royal duchess in England for the holidays. She takes her mother, Vivian, along, as she rarely does anything for herself and has never been out of the country.

Vivian quickly becomes enamored of Sandringham, the royal estate where they are staying, not to mention the scones baked by the cottage's chef. She becomes even more charmed when she meets Malcolm, the Queen’s private secretary. They form a quick friendship that surprises both of them, as does the intensity of their attraction to one another. Both are willing to step outside their comfort zones for perhaps the first time in a long time, to positive results.

And although Vivian is falling for Malcolm she is always practical and knows that a relationship like this—at their age and given the fact that she lives in California—will never be more than a fling. Malcolm knows the same, but it’s rare that he’s opened himself up to someone, particularly so quickly. They also realize that they are two very different yet similar people in many ways, and that's both a positive and a negative.

When you’re a practical person, do you throw caution to the wind and let your heart do what it wants, even if you know it probably won’t work? Can you teach yourself to be as impulsive as your heart instead?

Guillory brings her signature charm to this book, once again creating characters you root for. I love the fact that all four of her books are interconnected in that they share characters, yet you don't have to read them in order. And while this book seems a little more fairytale-like (read: unrealistic) than the others, I like that she dealt with more mature characters who had lifetimes of baggage to deal with.

If you're a fan of rom-coms, you should check out Guillory's books. They're fun, charming, and heartwarming.

Now I go through withdrawal until her next book!!

Book Review: "The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy" by Mackenzi Lee

It was so good to get back into this series! I loved The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (see my review), Mackenzi Lee's first book in this series, and I hadn't realized how much I missed these characters until I began her new book. Once again, I am so taken by the originality of her ideas, and the way she makes books set in the 18th century feel so modern.

"It would be so much easier if I did not want to know everything so badly. If I did not want so badly to be reliant upon no soul but myself."

For most of her life, Felicity Montague has dreamed of nothing more than a career in medicine, as a doctor or surgeon. Rather than fuss over parties or fashion or social standing, she is most comfortable with her medical texts and science books, where she can learn new things instead of being forced to make small talk. Yet this path is closed off to her as a woman—her family barely cares about her if she's not willing to be married off, and no hospital or medical school will give her an audience, let alone an opportunity to study.

After spending time in Edinburgh, where she hoped to enroll in the city's newly minted medical school, she discovers she is no closer to achieving her ambitions than before. And worse, she must dampen the affections of a kind baker with whom she has worked, as he wants to marry her and essentially "save" her from worrying about her ambitions.

"There are far worse things for a woman to be than a kind man's wife. It would be so much easier than being a single-minded woman with a chalk drawing on the floor of her boardinghouse bedroom mapping out every vein and nerve and artery and organ she reads about, adding notations about the size and properties of each."

With nowhere to turn, Felicity learns that a doctor she idolizes is marrying her childhood friend (from whom she has been estranged since a nasty argument a few years before) in Germany, and there is a chance that this somewhat-unorthodox doctor might have a place for her on his team. She agrees to travel to Stuttgart with a mysterious young woman named Sim, who promises to fund Felicity's travel to the wedding if she can pose as her maid. Despite the fact that Felicity isn't quite sure of Sim's motives, she readies herself to be reunited with her old friend, and hopes her life will change when she meets Dr. Platt.

But when Sim's true reasons for wanting to accompany Felicity are revealed, it upends her plans to get a job, threatens her still-shaky relationship with Johanna, and more importantly, endangers her life, as she becomes mired in a plot to recover scientific artifacts which have effects both sentimental and possibly life-changing. Her involvement pulls her from Germany to Switzerland to Algiers and Gibraltar, and what she sees and experiences toughens her resolve, leads her to some important self-discovery, and opens her eyes to some things she never imagined existed.

"You deserve to be here. You deserve to exist. You deserve to take up space in this world of men."

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy is truly a literary jaunt. It's a novel full of adventure, suspense, and some danger, but at the same time, it's a powerful commentary on equality, feminism, gender roles, sexuality, self-belief, and friendship. Yet to have a book explore modern issues against an historic backdrop never seems incongruous, and while at times it feels strange that many of the characters are teenagers given their maturity, I'm reminded of how younger people were considered adults much earlier in those times.

Lee is a fantastic, creative storyteller, and she pays attention to every last detail. I don't know if I loved these characters quite as much as I did Monty and Percy from the first book, mainly because these characters seemed a little less open and accessible emotionally, but I was hooked from start to finish. This is one of those books that is easy to love and not easy to forget.

I hope there's another book in this series coming along sometime soon!!

Book Review: "The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue" by Mackenzi Lee

Just when you think that no one is writing anything original, along comes a book that is so different in many ways that you wonder how the author came up with the idea in the first place, and how they were able to sell it to a publisher. Mackenzi Lee's The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is one of those books. What a sensational story, with characters I won't soon forget!

In 18th century England, Henry "Monty" Montague has grown up a son of privilege. His father is a lord with a sizable estate and business concerns, all of which he expects Monty to take over sometime soon. The thing is, Monty is more than a bit of a rake—a lovable one at times, but a rake nonetheless—one who is far too fond of carousing, drinking, causing trouble, and finding himself in romantic situations with a large number of young men...and women. All of this and he's not quite 18 yet!

Monty and his best friend, Percy (with whom Monty is more than a little besotted) are scheduled to have one last hurrah—a Grand Tour of Europe, where they will see the sites and have their last gasps of fun, after which Monty will begin working alongside his father and becoming a responsible adult, while Percy will leave for law school in Holland. But Monty's father has tired of his son's escapades and sharply curtails what his son has planned, sending along a teacher/chaperone of sorts who will monitor all of their activities. And then his father makes the ultimate threat—embarrass the family one more time, or get caught with another young man, and Monty will be disinherited.

"I'm too useless to make a life on my own, no matter how odious the one selected for me is. I'm well shackled to my father, no way to escape or want things for myself."

While at first his father's restrictions put a damper on the Grand Tour, it's not long before Monty and Percy begin to sneak away and enjoy themselves, under the watchful and jealous eye of Monty's younger sister, Felicity, who is supposed to be dropped off at finishing school along the way, despite her desire to pursue an educational and career path open only to men in those days.

"It occurs to me then that perhaps getting my little sister drunk and explaining why I screw boys is not the most responsible move on my part."

The more time Monty and Percy spend together, the more he wants to divulge his feelings for his best friend, despite his father's warnings. Yet one of the many things Monty is clumsy at is expressing his feelings, and more often than not, he winds up pushing Percy away, which is precisely what he doesn't want. One night, in a pique of jealousy and mischief, Monty makes a rash decision that puts the trio in danger, and sends them fleeing through France into Spain and Italy, throwing them into untenable situation after untenable situation, and forcing them to do—and say—things they never thought they would.

Along the way they will reveal and uncover secrets about one another which may forever change their relationships and their futures, and Monty, in particular, will finally begin to understand what life is like for those not born into privilege. But will these discoveries be enough to free them from danger and change the course of their lives?

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is both a rollicking adventure and an emotional book about finding what makes you happy (or whom), and accepting who you are and where your life should lead. It's also a book about coming to terms with the world around you and finally acting like an adult when you've been coddled and indulged for far too long to really understand the challenges other people face. Despite the setting and the characters' backgrounds, this is book with universal themes, and one that is just so wonderfully told that it made me laugh, smile, and, of course, get a little teary-eyed more than a few times, too.

I seriously loved this book. The characters Lee has created, from Monty, Percy, and Felicity to those they encounter along the way, are all fascinating in different ways. Monty does get annoying from time to time, and you wish he'd just do and say what he needs to, but I just couldn't get enough of him. I would love to see this as a movie, because I think these characters and their story would be as fascinating to watch unfold as it was to read. I can't wait to see what Lee comes up with next.

I really don't have any more words to express how I felt about this book. Maybe Meryl Streep can help.