Book Review: "The Lowe Job" by Grace Alexander

I thought this was absolutely great. Such gossipy, soapy fun, but with some serious themes thrown in. Grace Alexander hit her debut novel out of the park!⁣

⁣ “It started with a blow job. They had aspirations for it to become the most notorious blow job of all time. It was a lofty aim. They knew that realistically they were never going to beat that blow job—you know the one—but the least they could do is try.”⁣

⁣ Lili Lowe is a beautiful and intelligent young woman who wants a career in politics. Her intelligence is often discounted because of her looks, and she is valued by her boss, who is a member of Parliament. One day she is caught by the paparazzi giving her boss a blow job in his car. A scandal erupts that threatens to ruin her life, while her boss seems to escape reasonably unscathed.⁣

⁣ But Lili has a hidden asset: her mother, Lydia. Once a ruthless talent agent, Lydia has a plan to milk the scandal for all it’s worth. Her machinations lead to media opportunities, endorsement deals, and a reality show called The Lowe Job. Lili, Lydia, and her three other daughters become household names—whether they want to or not.⁣

The book follows the Lowe women through the ups and downs of post-scandal life, and also traces the past of each of them. Lili’s three sisters—ambitious Stevie, ethereal Iris, and distraught teenage Katie—each have their own reactions to their newfound fame, and each has their own issues to deal with.⁣

⁣ I really couldn’t get enough of this book. It definitely had some very pointed commentary about the double standard that exists between men and women when a sex scandal erupts. These are not totally likable characters, but I was hooked on their stories.

The book will publish 6/16.⁣

Book Review: "Cash Hooper Saves A Life" by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey

This series makes my heart melt. I discovered it last year and get so excited when I see another book will be published. I’m not at all ready to say goodbye to Goose Run or these characters.

Cash has a great deal of trauma from the horrible abuse he and his twin brother Chase dealt with during childhood. He is a sweet, kind man who doesn’t feel comfortable talking much, even with those he’s known for a while. His life is fairly routine and he likes it that way.

One night he finds a dog chained to a tree, bleeding and in obvious pain. Cash takes the dog and rushes it to the local vet. But when he arrives he finds that the usual vet is on vacation and his nephew, Mason, is filling in.

Mason is intrigued by the handsome man bringing an injured dog to his uncle’s office late at night. Clearly the man cares about the dog—and he can’t stand the sight of blood, because he faints. Mason now has two patients, and he doesn’t mind caring for either of them.

As Mason and Cash spend more time together, they become the bright spot in each other’s day. Mason is attracted to Cash but he’s only in town until his uncle returns. Cash has never been attracted to anyone, and has never let anyone get close to him except his brother. But Mason makes him want to change.

I’ve loved the glimpses of Cash’s character I’ve gotten in previous books, but I wanted to hug him so hard after this one. Mason, too, has a lot of emotional baggage to deal with, so they really are a perfect couple. Plus any book with cute dogs and kittens is a hit for me! I look forward to Book 5!

Book Review: "The Delivery" by Gregg Hurwitz

“What if you could have something that knows everything about you, everything you want, and could get it for you? While staying totally under your control?”

File this under “careful what you wish for, you just might get it!” This was a bit creepy and compelling, one of Amazon’s First Reads for June.

Rebecca and Mark have been trying to get out from under the grief following a miscarriage. But with pressure mounting from Mark’s boss and the needs of Maddy, their neurodivergent daughter, neither feels like they have a handle on their lives. So when they’re offered an opportunity to purchase a solution developed by a technology company, they take the leap.

Several months later, they take delivery of “Mr. Man,” an AI companion who looks surprisingly human. Mr. Man was grown from their family’s DNA, and he can anticipate their every need. At first, it’s a complete pleasure: laundry is done, dishes are washed, meals are prepared…

But then, as tragedies start occurring, they realize that Mr. Man not only fulfills requests, but he also takes care of things they’ve only talked about in passing. In some cases, they haven’t even clearly said anything, but it appears Mr. Man’s job is to protect them. No matter what.

Gregg Hurwitz is one of my favorite thriller writers, but I realized that I’ve only read his Orphan X series. So to experience his writing in a different genre was definitely a pleasure. I know sometimes I wish I had some help, but I’m good without an AI companion! (Trigger warning: animal cruelty but you can skim over it.)

This will publish 7/1/2026.

Book Review: "Make Nice" by Ryan Effgen

I love dysfunctional families. (Fictional dysfunctional families.) There’s just so much fodder for drama and confrontation. Ryan Effgen’s debut novel takes one such family on vacation—what could go wrong? Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the advance copy!

The Pickford family is gathering at The Grand Hotel, a ritzy resort on an island in Lake Michigan. It’s been three months since their mother died, and their father has decided that they all should vacation together. No one is exactly sure why.

Viv is fairly sure her marriage is over, what with the recent discovery that her husband is gay. But she’s determined to pretend everything is fine, especially to her teenage daughter, Ash (don’t call her Ashley). Pete is a scientist, recently referred to as the nation’s foremost expert on gastropods.

And then there’s Corey, the black sheep of the family. Corey didn’t attend their mother’s funeral, and in fact, Pete and Viv didn’t even know their father invited him. But Corey isn’t the type of person to shrink under scrutiny—he almost seems to relish his role as family outcast. However, he’s ready to take control of his life—and he has five pounds of cocaine he plans to sell to the rich tourists, which should give him a good start.

Of course, you bring a family together, and there are always secrets to be revealed, old wounds to be reopened, and lots of emotions. Why did their father summon them to the island? Can peace and love be found amidst the fudge and ice cream shops and the horse-drawn carriages?

The book is billed as a cross between Sandwich and The Wedding People. There are certainly similarities but I didn’t feel as connected to the characters in this book as I did in those others. This was enjoyable but not necessarily unique in any way.

The book publishes 7/14.

Book Review: "Marion" by Leah Rowan

“People do wild things when they think they’re going to lose the person they love most in the world.”

This book was so good! You’ve probably seen that I’m a fan of retellings or books that give a different slant (sometimes radically different) from the original. And while this is a retelling of Psycho, it’s so different that you can read this without having seen the movie and you won’t be at a disadvantage.

When Marion discovers that her older sister Lauren has been abused by her husband, she immediately goes into protective mode. Their mother had worked with abused women for years, and tried helping them escape their situations. But when Lauren downplays the abuse and goes home to her husband, Marion knows she needs to protect her.

She heads to Saratoga Springs with plans of getting Lauren out of her marriage. (Her plans are bolstered by the $100,000 dollars she took from work.) Yet on the way upstate, her bus breaks down in New Paltz fairly late at night. The only place in town with a vacancy is the Billings Motel, an outdated place run by a quiet, handsome man named Norman.

Norman is charming, and he even cooks Marion a meal. When she gets back to her room, she decides to take a shower…and then the curtain pulls back to reveal Norman…with a knife. Marion refuses to be the victim in this situation, and she fights back—hard. After stabbing him to death, she realizes she has to clean up her mess and get up to her sister’s. But that plan gets waylaid quite a bit.

There are lots of twists in this book that I didn’t see coming. Marion is a fascinating character—part vigilante and part victim. I wondered how things would get tied up and I was fairly satisfied with the ending. I can’t wait to see what Leah Rowan does next!!

Book Review: "Second Helpings" by Dylan Morrison

Y’all, this book had a dog named Pastrami! I thought this was really sweet, but it had me at Pastrami.

Sam has been a part of Silverman’s Deli, his family’s restaurant, for as long as he can remember. It’s been an institution in Cleveland for 75 years. He’s now the manager and he loves every aspect of the job.

But things have been dicey since the restaurant got a scathing review by a well-known columnist. Sam and his staff question the authenticity of the review, because there are a lot of criticisms that seem completely false. Regardless, the number of customers who have been coming in has reduced sharply, and Sam isn’t sure he can keep the deli afloat for much longer.

To top things off, one day Jake walks into the deli. Jake was Sam’s high school boyfriend until a tragedy ripped them apart. They’ve not seen each other in 12 years, and although their first few encounters are awkward, they quickly realize how much they’ve missed one another.

Having Jake around helps Sam’s anxiety about the deli, and Sam gets to cook for him, which is definitely one of his favorite things. But as they draw closer, they need to confront the event that tore them apart, and there are other secrets that Jake needs to share.

I enjoyed another book by Dylan Morrison so I had a feeling I’d like this one too. I’m a big fan of second-chance romances and I thought that Sam and Jake had great chemistry. And now I’m going to lament that there are no good delis around here…

Book Review: "Whistler" by Ann Patchett

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Whistler since I first saw it pop up sometime late last year. Ann Patchett is one of my absolute favorites, so needless to say, I snapped this one up with a preorder!!

“She would say it was because childhood never leaves us. We seal the room up and cover it in sheetrock. We dry and sand and paint, but the pocket of history remains, and sooner or later someone always winds up tapping on the wall, commenting on the way it sounds strangely hollow in there, and then the whole thing comes tumbling down.”

Daphne and her husband Jonathan are spending an afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As they walk through the museum, Jonathan notices that an older man is staring at Daphne and is following them. She doesn’t recognize the man at all.

It turns out the man is Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather. Eddie was married to Daphne’s mother for about a year when she was 9, about 45 years ago. While Daphne had long forgotten about Eddie, seeing him triggers her emotions. He was very special to her (and her to him), and despite being in each other’s lives for a short time, both played impactful roles.

Eddie is thrilled that Daphne is happy to see him, and it’s clear from their first few minutes together that they intend to rekindle their connection with one another. They share some special—and traumatic—memories, but they also learn the full truth of why Eddie’s marriage ended and what Daphne and her younger sister knew about it all. This renewed relationship brings joy to both of them.

Patchett has an uncanny talent to wring complex emotions out of what initially seemed like a simple reunion. I knew how I wanted the story to go, and I was pleased she didn’t take it down any overly melodramatic paths. This is a beautiful story of love, bravery, family, reconnection, and the warmth of memory. I absolutely loved it.

Book Review: "The Midnight Train" by Matt Haig

Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library was a profoundly moving book, and one of my favorite books of 2020. This book is in the same world but isn’t a sequel, so either can be read as a standalone.

“I think the trouble with life is we do things because we should. We act for outside eyes. I’m trying to live it the other way round. To do what feels right deep down even if it shouldn’t be.”

Wilbur is in his eighties when he dies. He was once a business tycoon, with bookstores all over the world. He was an adviser to prime ministers and sought after as a speaker and consultant. It was quite a journey from being raised poor in post-World War II England.

Moments after he dies, the Midnight Train comes to pick up his ghost. The Midnight Train can take you back to your past, giving you the chance to relive the moments that meant most. To see what kind of person you really were.

Wilbur knows he was happiest on his honeymoon in Venice with his wife, Maggie, whom he loved since they were children. But as the train takes him through his life, he sees all of the moments he’s squandered, the things that were unsaid to loved ones, and the things that should never have been said or done. Can he help the Wilbur he sees in these memories change course without completely ruining the future?

I loved the concept of this book. I definitely found many moments that spoke to me and made me realize the importance of being a good person, saying the things I want to the people who matter. I didn’t find this book as emotional as The Midnight Library, but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the book.

Book Review: "Nerve Damage" by Annakeara Stinson

“Is it love if it does more harm than good in the end?”

Clarice and her boyfriend have had a rocky one-year relationship. There certainly have been good times but there have been a lot of fights as well. Clarice has broken up with P.T. more than a few times, but she’s always taken him back.

One night he admits that he cheated on her when he was angry at her. This was the last straw. She broke up with him and told him to never contact her again. But shortly thereafter, P.T. started bombarding her with texts from burner phones and emails from fake accounts. He apologized and begged her to take him back. When she refused, he started sending gifts, hanging outside her office with flowers, and showing up everywhere she went. She had no choice to get a restraining order, and then moved across the country to escape.

Three years later—the day the restraining order expired—Clarice swears she sees P.T. at a bar in Los Angeles, where she lives now. Her best friend thinks she must’ve hallucinated it; her therapist is worried about all the anger and anxiety she’s kept bottled up; her mother is planning her fourth wedding; and her father, from whom she’s been estranged, keeps calling.

She really doesn’t know what to do. If it really is P.T., should she ignore him? Confront him? Go back to court? As she gets more and more anxious, she decides to track him down. But her methods are a bit, well, stalkerish…

This was definitely a tension-filled book because I had no idea what was going to happen. The narrative shifts between different incidents in the past and the current time. Clarice is a fascinating, slightly unhinged character, and I could totally see her causing trouble.

Book Review: "Frat Around and Find Out" by Devon McCormack

I like reading “important” books that challenge me as much as the next person. But sometimes I need a smutty M/M romance. This hit the spot and actually had more emotional complexity than I was expecting.

Sigma Alpha and Alpha Theta Mu are two rival fraternities. They’re constantly trying to one up each other, and when the annual TaskFrat challenges come around, the two are always neck and neck until the very end.

Lance is the president of Alpha Theta Mu. He takes his responsibilities seriously, especially when it comes to battling their foes. And he has a worthy rival in Ty, the Sigma Alpha president.

Ty is supremely confident about everything, including his prowess with women. He’s the type to love ‘em and leave ‘em, and he teases Lance for focusing more on feelings than conquests. But he also can’t seem to get Lance out of his mind, and not for competitive reasons. What’s that about?

Lance, too, realizes that Ty has an inexplicable hold over him. Is it possible that he’s crushing on his rival? The more they’re pushed together, the more they’re drawn to each other. Is this just a curiosity thing for the both of them, or are there feelings behind the attraction? And how will the brothers of both of their frats handle this?

I’m excited that this is the first book in a series, because I really enjoyed it. Both Ty and Lance are dealing with grief-related issues, and it was nice to see how each helped the other. (And in case you were wondering, the steam was pretty hot.)

Book Review: "Patient, Female" by Julie Schumacher

I first discovered Julie Schumacher when I read her absolutely hilarious book Dear Committee Members. In that book (and a few others afterward) she created a pompous college professor adrift and amidst bureaucracy.

Her latest book is a short story collection, and it really demonstrated the depth of her talent. While one story made me laugh out loud and a few others had flashes of sly humor, most of the stories had more of an emotional pull.

In “Passengers,” an overprotective mother worries about her daughter after an incident at school. “Hospital Bridge” is the story of a middle-school student who, after being forced into volunteering at a nursing home, starts gambling on bridge games with the residents. “How My Light is Spent” follows an instructor at a community college and her short story writing class.

Some of my favorite stories in the collection were “Slow Learner,” which told of a woman’s fascination at the connection between her autistic son and her dying mother; “Your Better Self,” about a couple who get gifted a trip to a wellness spa by their late neighbor; “Syllabus,” a hilarious story written as a syllabus; “Spin,” in which four friends play a game with real-life implications; and the title story, in which a professional patient runs into someone she used to know.

As with most collections, not every story is a home run. But Schumacher creates such vivid characters, and I know I’ll have a few of these stories running through my mind for a while.

Book Review: "Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It" by Brooke Avelar

I believe the last few years have seen more phenomenal debut novels than ever before. I love reading books from my auto-buy authors, but I get so excited when the book I’m loving is a debut. Add this one to the list—it was great!!

“There were approximately one hundred and fifty boys in my grade at Manhasset Central Middle School. By the time I turned twelve, I had been in love with at least one hundred and twenty-five of them. If I didn’t have a crush, I didn’t see the point of getting out of bed in the morning.”

Phoebe is in love with love. She’s been reading romances since she was young, hiding the smuttier ones under her bed. In seventh grade she was more than ready for her first kiss—but the expectation led to anxiety, which led to, well, a disastrous reaction. Since that moment, getting close to a guy makes her so nervous that she usually cancels dates.

But now, a month from her 30th birthday, Phoebe is still a virgin. She’s determined to change that, so being the overly organized teacher that she is, she puts together a checklist on losing her virginity in 30 days. (And she laminates it.)

As she starts making her plans, she unexpectedly winds up with three potential suitors. There’s Finn, the hot new 4th grade teacher; Matthew, a former high school classmate with whom she competes in Wordle and Words with Friends; and then there’s her roommate, Jonathan, who has been one of her best friends since college. Will one of these men help her achieve her goal?

This was a fun book, with lots of banter between the characters. And while Phoebe’s plight is definitely amusing, I loved the way this book dealt with her anxiety and other mental health issues. As Brooke Averick says in her author’s note, we rarely see this side of a character in a romance, and I’m so glad that we did!

Book Review: "Dolly All the Time" by Annabel Monaghan

Annabel Monaghan is an absolute auto-buy author for me. Her characters are always so well-drawn, and her books have such an emotional richness to them. I’ve loved every one of her books, but Dolly All The Time may be my new favorite.

When a small fire occurs one night in her childhood home, Dolly and her teenage son Gus leave their lives in Boston and head back to her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island. Ever since her mother left their family when Dolly was 12, she’s been the one who has taken care of everything—for her father and her two younger siblings.

Dolly loves being back in Whitfield and quickly assumes the caretaking role once again. One day after working at the family’s fish house, she comes across Stewart Whitfield, the handsome heir to the Whitfield fortune. (Their hometown is named for his family.) Stewart’s car has a flat tire and he has no idea how to fix it. Dolly shows him how, and the press takes an impromptu picture of them, as Stewart’s engagement has just ended in a scandal.

Stewart is desperate to close the deal on his becoming the company’s new. The one drawback is that his parents think he’s too much of a workaholic to succeed. So Stewart asks Dolly to be his fake girlfriend, a challenge she accepts. Suddenly she is attending benefits and client dinners, and bringing out a whole different side of Stewart.

I’ve read tons of romances and rom-coms that have fake dating at their core. Even though the approach is familiar, the way the relationship between Dolly and Stewart unfolds is just lovely.

I absolutely loved this book. Not only were the main characters totally appealing, but the supporting characters rocked also. There was banter, steam, self-discovery, happiness, sadness, and humor. It was exactly what I needed!

Book Review: "Prestige Drama" by Séamas O'Reilly

The townspeople in the Irish town of Derry are excited, which doesn’t happen that often. A show about the Troubles in Northern Ireland is going to be filmed in town. Then it is announced that famous American actress Monica Logue is going to play the lead, and the excitement reaches a fever pitch.

Not long after Monica’s arrival in Derry, where she rubs shoulders with the locals, she disappears without a trace. Everyone in town has a theory on what happened and where she could have gone. But her disappearance throws the future of the show into doubt, which could prove disappointing to many in town.

This is one of those books with multiple narrators—some that are recurring, some we hear from only once. Everyone has their own perspectives, on the Troubles, on the show, and, of course, Monica’s disappearance. And when you have multiple people sharing their views, you don’t know who’s telling the truth.

We hear from the alcoholic screenwriter, trying for one last chance at success; the woman who lost her teenage son during the Troubles and is now the focal point of the script; a local man hoping to have a part in the show; and a woman whose house is going to be used for some of the filming, among others. Each person has their own unique voice.

This was an entertaining book, because you get to shape the plot based on how you saw the characters and what they said. There are some surprises which slowly unfold, and that made the narrative a bit richer.

Book Review: "Conflict of Interest" by C.G. Macington

I read and loved the first book in this series so I had to get to the second book quickly. While you could read this as a standalone, I definitely recommend starting with Bedside Manner.

Preston York is the younger son in the family, known as “the Spare.” His brother Max is Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the hospital his family owns; Preston is just expected to be a smiling host at parties and look good in a tuxedo. Which he does, but he’s bored.

When Max mocks Preston’s dilettante life, saying he wouldn’t last a week in the hospital trenches, Preston rises to the occasion. He goes to medical school and then starts his residency at the hospital. He’s ready to prove his brother wrong—he’s just not ready to give up his Gucci loafers.

To the surprise of everyone, Preston is impressive as a resident, taking everything thrown at him and succeeding. No one is more surprised than his boss, Chief Resident Lucas Silva. Luke works his ass off, with a huge chip on his shoulder due to his modest upbringing and his mother’s sacrifices. The last thing Luke wants to do is to tend to someone playing doctor, someone who will be gone once he’s had his fun.

But while he tries to show disdain, he’s actually impressed with Preston. When Preston works with him to save a patient, his respect turns to attraction. But when the hospital director wants to make an example of Preston and Luke, will Preston stand by his man or will he return to the board room instead of the ER?

I really love these characters that C.G. Macington has created. While Max and Jax have my heart a bit more, I enjoyed this book’s banter, steam, romance, and humor just as much. Book 3 will be read soon, that's for sure!!

Book Review: "Reality Bites" by Amy Mass

I love rom-coms so much. I know that when I need a book to lighten my mood or just make my heart melt, there are plenty of rom-coms out there. And this debut novel definitely hit the spot.

Grace is a scientist who has been working to save the Southern Mountain yellow-legged frog from extinction. She’s pretty focused on helping any animal that can’t help itself, and she’s always busy, so she never has time to date. And the fact is, she’s not really interested anyway.

She’s definitely an outlier from the rest of her family, who are all social media influencers. Her mother is a decorating influencer, her father has run a Power Yoga for Men YouTube channel for years, one brother is a TikTok thirst trap, and the other broadcasts on Twitch. Grace doesn’t have a social media channel.

When Grace finds out that her mother signed her up to be on the hit dating reality show Love Shack, she hits the roof. She’s never seen a reality show and has no desire to date people while the world watches. But when she learns the grand prize is enough to save her lab’s funding, she reluctantly puts on fake glasses and inhabits the role of “Sexy Scientist.”

She’s completely unprepared by the constant pressure of a reality show and having to be “on” all the time. She also can’t help stirring up trouble when she sees a cause worth championing, which puts her in the crosshairs of Andrew, the show’s sexy lawyer. The more they fight over breaking rules, the hotter their attraction burns.

I thought these characters were all so much fun, and there was more depth to them than at first glance. This was a fun book, full of banter, some steam, and lots of enjoyment and romance. Not bad for a debut novel!

Book Review: "Look What You Made Me Do" by John Lanchester

Jack and Kate have been together more than 30 years, since meeting in college. They both have the roles they usually play in life, Jack is a successful architect prone to pontificating, Kate has various charitable and community projects she works on.

Phoebe is a screenwriter who doesn’t care who likes her and who doesn’t, at least personally. She has a difficult, narcissistic mother and a handsome, somewhat flaky partner, Tony.

Phoebe finally hits it big with Cheating, a television series that seems to hold the whole country in its thrall. But when Kate sees it, she recognizes details of her life and her relationship with Jack mirrored back at her. Even pet names he used to call her are used in the series.

Kate is distraught. Was Jack cheating on her? Was he treating his lover the exact same way he treated Kate, using the same seduction techniques, everything? She’s determined to figure out the truth behind the creation of the series.

The book flashes back and forth, tracing Kate and Phoebe’s lives. We see the history of Kate and Jack’s relationship, and we see the issues Phoebe has dealt with all her life, particularly with her mother. And we’re captivated by how both women react to what’s in front of them.

This was definitely a slow burn, but I found the book to be a captivating story of love, betrayal, survival, and even a little bit of revenge. I really enjoyed the way things unfolded and the little twists John Lanchester threw in along the way.

Book Review: "Enormous Wings" by Laurie Frankel

Every time I read a book by Laurie Frankel I’m tremendously moved but I’m also changed. Her books make me think beyond my worldview and they challenge me both intellectually and emotionally. Her newest book is no exception.

“People like their old ladies polite and demure, but as one ages, things get more fucked-up, not less, and it seems important to say so.”

Pepper is a feisty, independent 77-year-old whose children force her to move to an independent living community in Austin, Texas. She’s not happy about it but she quickly finds a group of friends and, much to her surprise, starts up a relationship with her next door neighbor, Moth.

Not long after they sleep together, Pepper starts feeling sick—woozy, nauseous, tired, and sometimes disoriented. She starts to worry that there’s something seriously wrong with her. But the doctor reveals an even more surprising diagnosis: Pepper is pregnant.

She cannot believe that some 40-plus years after her last child was born that she’s pregnant again. The doctors don’t expect the pregnancy to be viable for long, but as the months go on, Pepper is faced with some serious decisions. But living in Texas, abortion is illegal, and once the press gets ahold of her news, she is approached by groups on both sides of the issue. Her life is turned inside out, and the facility where she lives is overrun with media.

I loved this book because while it focuses on the issue of bodily autonomy and women’s rights, it’s also a very human story. I love how Frankel focused on the emotions everyone felt over Pepper’s pregnancy more than the morality and politics, even though that needed to be addressed as well.

Book Review: "Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond" by Eve Plumb with Marcia Wilkie

The Brady Bunch has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Funnily enough, however, I’ve only seen the original show in reruns for 50 or so years. But there used to be a time where I could accurately name the episode within 20 seconds of it starting.

I’ve read lots of books about the series, including memoirs by Barry Williams and Maureen McCormick. But Eve Plumb has always been a bit of an enigma to me, so I was excited to read her memoir.

She gets a bit of a bad rap because she didn’t do the ill-fated variety show back in the day. But the truth is, she loved doing the original series and feels grateful it’s still part of the cultural vernacular. And she and her five television “siblings” still text each other all the time.

If you’re looking for catty gossip about the show or its stars, you won’t find that here. This is a look not just at The Brady Bunch, but also her acting career before and after the show, her family life, and her personal life. Sure, she has some regrets, but she’s pretty happy with the course her life has taken.

This was a very nostalgic look back at acting in the 1960s and 1970s. I remember other programs she appeared in, and the public reactions at the time. Truthfully, I’m glad this was a largely positive book, because I can’t take too much scandal among the Bradys.

Book Review: "The Pink" by Marshall Thornton

I think May is going to be remembered for how many terrific books I found randomly and loved. As a mood reader, sometimes I stare at the books I haven’t read yet and feel unmotivated, so that’s when I start looking for something new. And The Pink is another unexpectedly terrific book I found.

In 1913, 22-year-old Lewis lives with his mother in Chicago. He is studying physiognomy, and dreams of an academic life, in the company of his friend and mentor, Josiah. But his mother unexpectedly turns the tables on his dreams. Claiming sudden financial woes, she tells Lewis it’s time to get a job.

But knowing her son all too well, she gets him an interview at the famed (and infamous) Pinkerton Detective Agency. It’s where his father once worked. And while the last place Lewis wants to work is the company known for busting unions, he’s drawn to detective work. He proves to be quite good at it, as well.

Lewis’ mother is also determined to find him a wife. As a supporter of the Temperance movement, she lands upon a woman she finds suitable for Lewis—Edna, an intelligent, outspoken heiress. While getting married is not among Lewis’ desires, Edna intrigues him, and offers him a chance for something he had never thought of for himself.

Meanwhile, his star is on the rise at Pinkerton. When he unwittingly thwarts a burglary by inadvertently shooting the culprit, he surprises his colleagues—and himself. But an insurance investigation proves to be more complex—and more dangerous—than he expects.

I devoured this book in one sitting. I thought Lewis was a great character—naive in the ways of love but set on what he wanted—and he was a natural detective. I loved the setting and his constant battles with his mother. Might there be another book or two with Lewis at the helm?