Tag Archives: publishing

Book Lovers

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book lovers jacket

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Two driven, bookish New Yorkers meet their match in the small town of Sunshine Falls, North Carolina. Literary agent Nora Stephens is worried about her younger sister Libby, pregnant with her third child. When Libby suggests they spend August in Sunshine Falls, Nora agrees. One of her clients set a popular book there, and Libby has a list of small town activities, covering every romantic comedy trope. Nora is still busy with work, and when searching for a spot with good wi-fi, runs into Charlie Lastra, a book editor she dislikes. Charlie is helping his mother run the local bookstore, while also working remotely as an editor. Nora and Charlie reluctantly spend a lot of time together, gradually bonding over their love of books and publishing, striking plenty of sparks.

The focus of the story is partly on Nora and Charlie but also on the sibling relationship of Nora and Libby. Libby wants a sister, not another mother figure, and encourages Nora to relax and enjoy life a bit more. There is plenty of humor, witty banter, and the acknowledgement that workaholic city women deserve happiness too. The characters are realistically flawed yet still appealing. While there’s no diversity here, this engaging novel is a compelling, entertaining read. Readalikes include The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley, Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson, and Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan.

Brenda

A Bed of Scorpions

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scorpions jacketA Bed of Scorpions by Judith Flanders

A clever, satisfying mystery, the second to feature London book editor Samantha Clair. When Aidan, an old flame, asks Sam to lunch, she is shocked to learn that the gallery owner’s partner Frank has been found dead. Sam, along with her new boyfriend, DI Jake Field, begins investigating. Sam’s knowledge of the publishing world turns out to be both helpful and dangerous. The plotting is smart, the dialogue witty, and Sam can be very funny, especially when she kicks a snob at a dinner party or reacts after a bike accident. Sam’s older neighbor, her assistant Miranda, and her mother Helena, a solicitor, are all good company and do their bit to help Sam and Jake solve the mystery. I’m always happy to find a good new mystery author to recommend. My review of the first book, A Murder of Magpies, is here. There is a third book, but it’s just out in Great Britain, and will probably appear in the U.S. next spring.

Brenda

A Murder of Magpies

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murder of magpies jacketA Murder of Magpies by Judith Flanders

Sam Clair, 40, is a book editor for Timmins and Ross in London. She lives alone, and likes it. Sam dislikes the frequent meetings with the other editors, and edits mostly women’s fiction. When her star author delivers a very different book than expected and a police inspector interviews her about a missed delivery, life gets more interesting. A break-in at her flat leads to an acquaintance with her reclusive upstairs neighbor, and increased attention from the attractive inspector, Jake Fields. Even Sam’s mother, Helena, a solicitor, gets involved when Sam’s author and friend Kit Lovell goes missing. Kit has just sent Sam his new manuscript, a tell-all about a fashion icon’s death that may be libelous. A fascinating look at the world of London book publishing, where Sam has both too much work and too many parties to attend, and hopes that her newest assistant, Miranda, might stay for longer than a couple of months. A cozy mystery with humor and a touch of romance, I enjoyed the fast pace and the lack of predictability. This is the first novel from a former book editor who writes articles about the arts and books about Victorian life.
Brenda