Synopsis

 

Two estranged sisters find that forgiveness never goes out of style when they inherit their mother’s vintage jackets, purses… and pearls of wisdom

Estranged half-sisters Gabrielle Winslow and Lulu Quattro have only two things in common: mounds of debt and coils of unresolved enmity toward Bette Bradford, their controlling and imperious recently deceased mother.

Gabrielle, the firstborn, was raised in relative luxury on Manhattan’s rarefied Upper East Side. Now, at fifty-five, her life as a Broadway costume designer married to a heralded Broadway producer has exploded in divorce.

Lulu, who spent half her childhood under the tutelage of her working-class Brooklyn grandparents, is a grieving widow at forty-eight. With her two sons grown, her life feels reduced to her work at the Ditmas Park bakery owned by her late husband’s family.

The two sisters arrive for the reading of their mother’s will, expecting to divide a sizable inheritance, pay off their debts, and then again turn their backs on each other.

But to their shock, what they have been left is their mother’s secret walk-in closet jammed with high-end current and vintage designer clothes and accessories— most from Chanel.

Contemplating the scale of their mother’s self-indulgence, the sisters can’t help but wonder if Lauren Weisberger had it wrong: because it seems, in fact, that the devil wore Chanel. But as they being to explore their mother’s collection, meet and fall in love with her group of warm, wonderful friends, and magically find inspiring messages tucked away in her treasures — it seems as though their mother is advising Lulu and Gabrielle from the beyond — helping them rediscover themselves and restore their relationship with each other.

 

 

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Review

 

What would you do if your mom left you a collection of vintage clothing by Coco Chanel? You might be tempted to sell it off or find another way to cash in, which is what at least one of the sisters wants to do, but there are restrictions and an attorney has the final say on what they do with that collection. This book is more than just about clothing by Chanel, it is about sisters finding their way back to one another and learning how to open up and let others into their life.

Gabrielle and Lulu were once close, but time and circumstances have caused a rift between the two. Plus these sisters couldn’t be any more different and you wonder how that could have possibly happened. Lulu is more of a free spirit and really doesn’t care much about fashion. Gabrielle has, and wants more, of the finer things in life. Both have endured some tragedies in their lives, Lulu’s husband passed away and Gabrielle went through a trying divorce. However, both are a little short-sighted and mired in their own grief to look outside of their little world.

This story might resonate with many readers especially when it comes to the loss of a parent. Or perhaps it will be the sibling relationship and what caused a rift so that you aren’t as close anymore. Then there is the merry band of women, friends of Bette (the mother), and the challenges they face as they grow older and want to leave a legacy behind. This doesn’t even include Thea, the bookshop owner that employs Gabrielle, and has her own set of issues with a son that has become greedy over what he might inherit from his mother…but that is a whole other story that you will discover within the pages.

I enjoyed the story even thought Lulu and Gabrielle could get on my nerves with their lack of communication and expressing their needs. Family is family, and while they might be afraid, if they don’t speak up worse things could happen in their lives. I loved Lulu’s kids and their spouses. They were not afraid to jump in and help at various times. Gus even has a love for baking and has all sorts of ideas for the family bakery.

The ending just proves that communication and love will go far in your life, you just have to be able to express it to others.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Randy Susan Meyers‘ internationally bestselling novels are informed by years working with families impacted by family violence— and a long journey from idolizing bad boys to loving a good man.

After years working in social service and criminal justice, Meyers published her first novel, The Murderer’s Daughters—a story of the aftermath of domestic violence—a Target Pick for the country. Her novels have twice been chosen by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, as “Must Read Fiction,” who wrote, “The clear and distinctive voice of Randy Susan Meyers will have you enraptured and wanting more.”

Meyers and her husband live in Jamaica Plain, Boston, where she teaches writing at Grub Street Writer’s Center.

 

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New York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice… books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

Her most recent novel, The Last Tiara, will be published Feb 2, 2021

Rose’s work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors – Authorbuzz.com

The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose’s novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization’s co-president.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill meets Younger in a heartfelt debut following a young woman who discovers she’ll have to ditch the “dream job” and write her own story to find her happy ending.

Meet Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now.

When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.

With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parsons is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet…and maybe poach some Parsons’ authors along the way.

But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or…herself and her future.

 

 

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Review

 

Just by the title alone, I knew I needed to read this book. I love books and wanted to discover what was in store for Nora.

I felt for Nora. She was in a company that was downsizing and all of her favorite people had been let go. Her workload had increased but her pay decreased. This was all having a negative impact on her mental state but she didn’t realize it until much later. I could relate to her situation, I have worked for companies that things changed or the work environment became toxic and the best thing to do was leave. But it wasn’t until years later that I realized all of this. Nora doesn’t go about trying to fix her situation the right way, but she did what she thought she needed to do at that moment in time.

Andrew is an author that has other ideas about his newest book. However, he isn’t sure if Parson’s is the right publishing house for him. The friendship that he builds with Nora can be a positive one for both of them if they can just tell each other the truth. They aren’t lying per se, but perhaps not telling each other the full story. But I enjoy their banter and watching their friendship develop.

I think we have all been in a situation similar to Nora, not knowing what we want to do with our lives. I like how she uses a book that we have all heard of to help guide her when times get tough. It is never easy to articulate what we want from life and sometimes it takes friends to help push us in the right direction.

This was an enjoyable debut novel and I look forward to more books from this author. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Shauna Robinson’s love of books led her to try a career in publishing before deciding she’d rather write books instead. Originally from San Diego, she now lives in Virginia with her husband and their sleepy greyhound. Shauna is an introvert at heart—she spends most of her time reading, baking, and figuring out the politest way to avoid social interaction. Must Love Books is her debut novel.

 

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Synopsis

 

The genie is out of the bottle. After decades of secrecy, Stella has finally made her resort’s natural hot springs available to guests. Little does she know, the waters have magical healing powers. Not only do the springs cure physical ailments, but matters of the heart as well. When word gets out, she has a riot of opportunity seekers on her hands.

Presley could use a bit of that healing magic. She returns to the inn for an unexpected visit, pregnant, planning to stay for the summer, and refusing to talk about her new husband. Did she leave Everett’s concert tour because of the pregnancy? Or is there trouble in paradise already?

Also on a collision course are Cecily and Lyle who’ve been living together for six months. Things aren’t working out as they’d hoped. Their separate roads in life rarely cross. Cecily knows she may have to yield if their paths are to merge. But at what cost? Is she willing to give up the career she’s worked so hard for?

Ollie is new on staff, hired by Stella to manage the Wellness Center. After a messy divorce and losing her family’s vineyard in a fire, she’s moved from California to Hope Springs in search of a fresh start. Most newcomers to Hope Springs are running, hiding, or searching. In Ollie’s case, it’s all three.

The magical healing waters of Hope Springs are powerful. But are they enough to set this group of sojourners on the paths that will lead to their ultimate happiness?

 

 

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Review

 

It is time to journey back to Hope Springs Farm and discover what the ladies are up to at the resort.

This series has all the feels and deals with many life-altering issues and how some might handle the various situations. The book is told from multiple points of view and we get a look into what each woman is dealing with outside of her job at Hope Springs Farm.

Ollie is running from a tragic accident that happened at the family home in California and it is causing her massive anxiety. I like that Ollie tries to find other ways to handle the anxiety outside of prescriptions. She is put in a situation near the end that reveals a lot about what happened previously that is causing all of this anxiety. I wasn’t too surprised at how one part of her story turned out because I suspected something wasn’t quite right with what happened in California and there was more to the story than we knew.

Presley has returned to be around friends and family while her husband is on the road performing. Since she is pregnant, I totally understand how traveling with a musician could be hard on her and not the best way to go through a pregnancy. Both Presley and Everett need to learn to compromise and figure out the best way to be married, have a child, and not let life rip them apart. I think there is more to come in their story because it is not resolved in this book. She is also trying to reconnect with her birth mother but that is not going well for the most part.

Cecily is passionate about her career as a chef, but I don’t think her fiance Lyle understands. We learn more about their relationship and why it isn’t working. You have to be on the same page in all areas of life to really have a successful relationship. I won’t spoil what happens but it is a good thing!

Stella has worked hard to bring this resort back to life and she is nearing the end of the renovations and this has her a little stir crazy. Plus, she is discovering information about the mineral baths that she didn’t know and it is causing a frenzy that is about to drive everyone crazy. I love how we get a peek at some journals from the past that gives us more details about the resort.

This book felt a little heavier than the others because all of these women are dealing with issues that are weighing them down. Some are resolved in this book and I imagine the rest will be resolved in the final book due out a little later this year. Despite the seriousness of some of the issues, I still found myself engrossed in the story and I felt like I was right there at the resort with these ladies. There are some funny moments with a bridezilla, but heartwarming as well when this bride realizes that life is about to change and she needs to go with the flow.

I always love the wisdom that comes from Opal and Jack, they are such wise souls and help ground these women when they need it.

I love this series and do recommend reading it in order to follow the paths of these women. I can’t wait for the final book in this series, but I will also be a little sad because it means no more looks into the going on’s at Hope Springs Farm.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her bestselling Sweeney Sisters series has touched the lives of many.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she’s lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, a piece of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, where she still calls home. Through the eyes of her characters, she captures the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kindhearted folk with lazy drawls that make the area so unique.

 

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Title: DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION: A LIFETIME OF UNBROKEN BONDS

Author: Maria J. Andrade

Publisher: Clara Publishing

Pages: 250

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Historical Fiction/Magical Realism

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Based on a true story, Defiance and Redemption, A Lifetime of Unbroken Bonds, brings to life the joys, dramas, and triumphs of two sisters, Eva and Victoria Alisio and their loyal friend Marta. The sisters are raised by their atheist Grandfather Marcus and religious Grandmother Maria Luisa. Eva, a proud and strong-willed young woman defies her family, society, and culture, faces scandal and disgrace, for her forbidden love affair. Victoria finds herself in the center of a multigenerational conflict as her benefactor bestows a great inheritance on her excluding the rightful heirs. Marta, loyal to the childhood bond with the Alisio sisters, brings humor and support to their twists and turns of fortune. The young women’s bond of love, and perseverance, carries them through ordinary and extraordinary losses, triumphs, and ultimately to their destiny in the United States.

An important novel about 20th Century women, Defiance and Redemption, is an absorbing epic that moves through decades and destinies. It blends personal and historical events into a collective tale of self-determination, love, and sisterhood.

 

 

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Praise

 

“This book is an engrossing page turner which will pull you in and keep you cheering for your favorite actors until the very end! Defiance and Redemption is a unique book that tells a story that is both particular to a given time in Ecuador, but also universal in its themes of love, betrayal and survival.” – Nancy Mintie, Founder of Uncommon Good

 

“Reading Defiance and Redemption reminded me of a distant time when I read Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Like these writers, Maria Andrade took me through a captivating journey of love and deep passion. Being gripped by the strong emotions that the characters possess and what they did in the end moved me profoundly.” – Maria Donovan, Retired Verizon Executive

 

“In Defiance and Redemption, Maria Andrade weaves together history, biography, and fiction into a romantic love and a story of three women that defy the ability of patriarchal culture to define them. We see the young women grow up to rise above the shame that tries to silence and limit them. They learn to find their voices and make sacrifices to be true to themselves as women. They leave behind all that they knew to make a better life for themselves and their daughters. This is a book to remind women of all ages where we came from, and what it took to break out and thrive nearly a century ago. Women like these paved the way for all who came after and have the rights we have today.” – Nancy Poitou, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

 

 

Excerpt

 

Chapter 1

WAIT FOR ME

 

 

The national swimming champion, Eduardo Velasquez, lay dying in a hospital bed in Ecuador, South America. His stomach was filled with cancer. He had always lived for the present, so he rarely ever thought of his death, least of all at fifty-two. In the hospital room were six of his children. The eldest, Amalia, was standing close by his bedside. She was the product of his relationship with the great passion of his life, Eva, a woman he had loved and lost.

At the foot of the bed, across the room, was Dolores, his wife of twenty years, and her adolescent children. On the other side of his bed, seated by the wall, were two young adult children from his extramarital affairs. He had brought these children to his wife to raise when they were infants.

Many miles away, two more of his illegitimate children would leave their jungle home and arrive in threadbare clothing the following day to attend his funeral at La Immaculada Concepción church. The two would enter the church, misspell their last name on the guest roster and weep in each other’s arms. At the church, they would find well-known sports figures, celebrities from the world of entertainment, politicians, and the news media from various parts of South America. Many of the citizens of Guayaquil would be there to file through the church and pay their respects to their hero and champion.

Few in Eduardo’s family would notice the two offspring until later. When their identities were discovered, many would be shocked and outraged. Many, but not his daughter Amalia. She loved her father with the bittersweet adoration her mother had imbued in her. She loved him with blindness, which forgave him everything, his extramarital affairs, his illegitimate children, even the fact that he had spent little time in her life.

But Dolores, his wife, could not forgive him. She had suffered too many of his infidelities. Through the years, her resentment had turned into bitterness and eventually a weary resignation. Yet, she often comforted herself with the rationalization that she was his wife. The other women had been mere interludes in his life. Her position in society was clearly defined and well regarded.

In her culture, it was common and even expected that men would misbehave and that the consequences might be illegitimate children. That was nothing new. Yet sometimes, as the men aged, they settled down. They would then spend their older years in the company of their patient wives and beloved grandchildren. This had long been Dolores’ hope, a hope that died when Eduardo’s cancer was discovered three months earlier.

Now, she felt the ultimate betrayal. He would abandon her once again, this time, forever. Not only was this fatal reality approaching, but he also was dying without a will, a fact that further complicated her life. She had her attorney fashion a will making her and her children universal heirs, but Eduardo would not sign it. No matter how many times she placed his weak hand on the document, his eyes would look at it, he’d whisper, “no,” and he would drop the pen. Eduardo examined his life with Dolores. He had only loved once, but it was not her whom he loved. Dolores knew when she met him, he would not be faithful. But he vowed never to leave her. She had chosen to live with him and raise their children, even those who were not hers. He was grateful, and he would leave no will so she and the children could all own the land.

His father, Don Miguel Velasquez, had also not left a will when he died, yet Eduardo and his half-brother Bolivar inherited La Perla Negra, the Black Pearl, a large hacienda that stood between two rivers. The two brothers fulfilled their father’s wish. They honored each other and held title to the land equally, though their mothers never accepted this. Until Bolivar died, he and his brother worked side by side, caring for the estate on thousands of acres of rich, dark, volcanic soil. On it was a farm with an abundant market of fruits and vegetables, but the most commercial crop was the large, sweet bananas, sold nationally and internationally. On either side of the property were two rivers flowing in opposite directions, each one producing fresh fish, and on the land were thousands of head of cattle and over a hundred fine horses. Eduardo expected his children to follow in his footsteps to love and work the land together. No one would be disinherited.

Dolores observed her dying husband resentfully and determined her ultimate revenge would be to see that only she and her children got La Perla Negra, not his other bastards. She had accepted the humiliation of his misdeeds with other women for two decades. She had raised other women’s children not with kindness but expecting that she would one day win his love and loyalty. Now he would fail her again by not granting her sole ownership of his estate. She resented his eldest daughter.

Dolores imagined Amalia had crossed a continent only to partake in his inheritance. She looked at Amalia with disdain and refused to address her.

Amalia took little notice. She watched with curiosity as her father periodically lifted his hands before him, intent on studying them front and back. His body was dying, but his hands, tan and strong, were still alive. He reviewed them carefully as if assuring himself for the last time that he yet existed. He studied them as if they were a mirror holding the memory of his sensuous past.

Eduardo’s hands had caressed many women, shaken hands with friends and enemies. They had played and glided through the silky warmth or the chill in the depth of waters. Since he was a boy, he had dived into rivers, lakes, and oceans to become a swimmer his country would not soon forget.

His hands had also worked hard alongside the campesinos, planting, harvesting, branding cattle, corralling, and riding horses, building fences, and performing the countless repetitive tasks that filled his days and nights. He had given the land his fidelity and more. He had given what every young laborer gives, his strength, youth, and time, which is sold for a price but is priceless and unrecoverable. He had given generously year by year to the point of exhaustion in the unforgiving environment of heat, torrential rains, mud, insects, and reptiles.

He had tended his piece of earth, and like his ancestors, he had made a covenant with the land. He had become the thing he loved. He and the land were wed to each other, and only death would separate them.

His eyes swelled with tears realizing he would never see the Black Pearl again. He looked at his hands once more before letting them fall to his sides feeling listless, aware he was leaving his life and all that he loved.

Amalia stood by her father’s side at last, after waiting years to be with him. She wiped the tears gently from his face and kissed him on the cheek. Brief had been their encounter, and soon she would never see him again. She stared at him for long periods with love, sorrow, and concentration, to remember his countenance and take with her the essence of his spirit.

He smiled up at her, and she observed his eyes more closely, deep-set and caramel colored. His life ebbed away, yet his skin was golden, his brow as beautiful as her mother had always described it. He reached for her, and his hands showed the years of toil, but his touch was tender.

“Give me your hand,” he said, and their fingers interlaced. “This will be the bridge we build between us, which nothing will ever destroy.” He looked into her eyes, but he could barely see her.

Softly he whispered his last thoughts, “Eva,” he said lovingly, “I knew you would return. I have waited for you.”

He was calling her mother’s name! Dolores, who had approached his bedside, heard him. She turned away furiously and stormed out of the room with her children following.

“I am here, beloved,” the daughter responded, trying to fulfill the dying man’s last wish. Hearing her words, Eduardo smiled, exhaled, and was gone.

Amalia said the Lord’s Prayer as she placed her hand on his chest, but there was no heartbeat. She imagined his spirit lifting upward out of his body and away into the sky. The sun was setting. She thought of her mother in another continent and wished that Eva was there instead of herself. Then she realized once more that her father had been right. Eva was present through her.

 

* * *

 

She had heard the story of her parents’ love for each other all her life. Now more than ever, she wondered how her mother ever had the strength to face disgrace in order to gain the love of this man. Why did she part from him, whom she loved so much? How had a woman with two small children find the courage to leave her country and become a stranger in a strange land? What kind of fierce determination possessed her to become an immigrant who would set out with no resources, no employable skills, and embark on such a risky venture?

It had been over two decades since Eva left with her two daughters. Yet only now, in the country of her birth, did Amalia begin to grasp the pieces of the world that had shaped her mother. It was a world that now barely existed. She wanted to see it, catch it, one day describe it to her children before it disappeared, for, like all the moments we live, it was foam on a receding wave.

 

 

About the Author

 

Maria J. Andrade was born in Ecuador, South America, and raised in New York and California. She has a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. As a licensed therapist and writer, Maria has been diving into other people’s minds and her own, through dreams, poetry, and books for over three decades. She traveled with the Four Winds Society where she studied and was initiated into Andean shamanism in 1990.

Before Maria retired as a therapist, she specialized in women’s issues and founded the Wise Women’s Circle a ritualistic and transpersonal study group that continues today. The women support each other through life’s challenges and in the growth of mind, body, and spirit.

Maria Andrade’s books for children and adults are found in a variety of genres. This is an unforgettable first novel that reflects her imagination and creative storytelling.

Defiance and Redemption is her latest release.

 

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Synopsis

 

An unlikely friendship between a septuagenarian and a younger woman becomes a story of broken trust, lost love, and the unexpected blooming of hope against the longest odds.

“You trying to kill yourself, or are you just stupid?”

Marcie Malone didn’t think she was either, but when she drives from Georgia to the southwestern shore of Florida without a plan and wakes up in a stranger’s home, she doesn’t seem to know anymore. Despondent and heartbroken over an unexpected loss and the man she thought she could count on, Marcie leaves him behind, along with her job and her whole life, and finds she has nowhere to go.

Herman Flint has seen just about everything in his seventy years living in a fading, blue-collar Florida town, but the body collapsed on the beach outside his window is something new. The woman is clearly in some kind of trouble and Flint wants no part of it—he’s learned to live on his own just fine, without the hassle of worrying about others. But against his better judgment he takes Marcie in and lets her stay until she’s on her feet on the condition she keeps out of his way.

As the unlikely pair slowly copes with the damage life has wrought, Marcie and Flint have to decide whether to face up to the past they’ve each been running from, and find a way to move forward with the people they care about most.

 

 

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Review

 

This story was heartwarming, sad, and hopeful. There are so many different emotions that engage the reader and will keep them engrossed in the story.

Marcie takes off driving after an incident that brings her to her knees. She doesn’t know where she is going or where she will end up but she just knows she has to get away from her life to be able to breathe. She ends up in Florida, broken and lost, but perhaps that is exactly where she needed to be to heal and figure out what she wants from life.

Flint is a curmudgeon that lives on the beach who has his own set of issues. We learn more about him as the story develops and considering where his life was heading, maybe it is a good thing that Marcie ends up crashing his life. Actually, they are both good for each other as we discover throughout the book. Each brings out the best, and maybe the worst as well.

These two are unlikely housemates, but Flint takes pity on Marcie and realizes that she could have been taken advantage of in the beginning, and perhaps she needs to sort out her own demons before heading back to her real life. Marcie is a lost soul and this journey is the perfect time for her to reflect on what she wants or needs from life, her husband, and her marriage.

As the story progresses, we see both Flint and Marcie take stock of their life and realize that maybe there is more than what they have right now. I enjoyed watching them grow and become more comfortable in their own skin. There are moments of levity especially when it comes to the company holding Marcie’s car hostage in the impound lot. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the portions with the sea turtles and everything that they did to save the eggs so that they could experience life. I’m not sure a lot of people would go to that much work for turtle eggs.

This was a lovely story and I enjoyed every word. I felt like each character realized their own worth and took measures to ensure that life would only improve from that point. We should all be so lucky to have that sort of time to reflect.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Phoebe Fox is the author of the Breakup Doctor series (The Breakup Doctor, Bedside Manners, Heart Conditions, Out of Practice) and has been a contributor or regular columnist for a number of national, regional, and local publications, including The Huffington Post, Elite Daily, and SheKnows. A former actor on stage and screen, Phoebe has been dangled from wires as a mall fairy; was accidentally concussed by a blank gun, and hosted a short-lived game show. She has been a relationship columnist; a movie, theater, and book reviewer; and a radio personality, and currently lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two excellent dogs.

 

 

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Synopsis

 

It can take less than a minute to get fired. Less than a minute to hear the words that change your life as you’ve known it. You’re stunned, shocked, humiliated—because your career has defined your life and you’ve been blindsided. You’re a company Loyalist with a capital L, and you’ve been sucker-punched professionally. How do you even talk about this?

Countless books focus on leadership and resilience, but none of them take you through what actually happens to women leaders who are suddenly let go, or who endure untenable circumstances and ultimately fire themselves. None of them take you, step by step, through the emotional process of acceptance and beginning again. And that’s where Involuntary Exit comes in.

With advice for every unexpected twist, turn, and emotional trigger, this book is based on author Robin Merle’s experience at the top of billion-dollar organizations, as well as her interviews with accomplished women who were suddenly severed from their organizations and navigated their way back to success. The real-life examples she offers in these pages prove that you’re not alone—and that you, too, will get through this. Whether you’ve been fired or need to move on, Involuntary Exit will help you rediscover your value and emerge as a stronger leader on your own terms.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

 

Preface to Involuntary Exit

 

By Robin Merle

 

 

I wrote this book over two years ago, before the pandemic changed our world and levied a crushing blow to our sense of normalcy. I wrote it before unemployment was at historic highs, with nearly fifteen million people in the US unable to work because their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic. I listened to women’s heartbreaking stories before the advent of Zoom firings, and thousands of people from Weight Watchers were told that they lost their jobs, while they were muted, during a three-minute virtual meeting. Pre-pandemic, when I wrote about professional women being fired, sudden job loss and its traumatic impact was a private phenomenon. We talked about it in huddles with best friends or with people we trusted enough to help us, or we didn’t talk about it at all.

COVID-19 changed all that. Stories about unemployed workers filled headlines. About a month after New York City went into lockdown, the New York Times introduced an At Home section to help people get through the novelty of a life not circumscribed by work and routine but filled with uncertainty. Uncertainty was the yeast that rose steadily under the heat of the virus. Not knowing what was to come was as threatening as the virus itself. Did it make people feel more isolated? Throw them into a rage? Go up and down the seesaw of emotions until they landed at some balance of acceptance and anxiety?

Being thrust into the unknown, without bringing it on yourself, was a broad theme for all of the women interviewed for this book. They lost their jobs, or exited involuntarily at a time of stability in the world, but for them the world was not stable. All of the markers they’d known to define who they were and the purpose they had lived for were gone. Their sense of identity, so wrapped up in their positions, became a sense of loss, and at first they struggled to find a way to redefine themselves outside of their jobs. Is this happening now because of COVID-19? Are people questioning their identities and their journeys? How has the pandemic shifted our tolerance for uncertainty?

I asked these questions of Megan Marzo, a licensed clinical social worker with the Weill Cornell Psychiatry Collaborative Care Center, who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. She told me that, as a group, the people she is seeing in her practice are more uncomfortable with uncertainty than people have ever been because of how our society has evolved. “If we can’t find the answer, we blame ourselves and think something is wrong with us. When we look at the immediate future, it’s not clear. We’re existing without knowing where we’re going to be working or not working—it’s destabilizing. Losing a job has people reeling.”

These are the feelings that I explored pre-pandemic when the act of being fired was something to be dealt with by entities that now seem quaint, like an outplacement agency or any number of cottage industry specialists that were (1) employed and (2) had little to no training for dealing with the shame and trauma of job loss, no less night sweats about identity and purpose. “Our jobs are the thing we orient our identity around,” says Marzo. “There’s a newer phenomenon where our job isn’t just about gaining resources, it’s about who we are, so when we lose that, we feel we’re failing at the purpose we decided upon.”

The good news is that almost all of the women in this book did step back, reflect, and reinvent themselves after being fired. They did so in their unique ways, which are not so much novel as workable for them. Marzo says she sees a COVID silver lining of people “adapting in beautiful ways. We’re hearing people reevaluate priorities as we acknowledge that job loss is often an identity loss. The pandemic has led people to take a step back and question, ‘Why is my identity my job? Do I like this? Why am I doing this? Is working hard good?’ As behavioral therapists, our goal is to disentangle fact and the story you’re telling yourselves about the event. You can challenge your stories and see that a lot of them are changeable and not true.”

COVID-19 has taught us many scalding and tragic lessons, but it’s also shown us that we have a lot more choices than we could see when we were chugging along day after day. “After the initial shock of trauma and absorption, there is a new forum for growth and opportunity,” says Marzo. This is my overarching message to all of you who pick up this book. Whether you’ve been fired, laid off, been the casualty of a business closure, or simply need to move on, my hope is that you’ll emerge with a new set of positive beliefs about your future and your power to change your course however it benefits you. Growth, opportunity, hope. Let’s hold on to that.

 

– December 2020

 

 

About the Author

 

Robin Merle has been a senior executive for billion-dollar organizations. She is a veteran of the power, value, and identity wars at the top ranks; has raised more than a half-billion dollars in philanthropy during her decades working with nonprofit organizations; has served as a board member for three nonprofits in New York City; and has been the vice chair of National Philanthropy Day in New York for three consecutive years. In 2017, she was named Woman of Achievement by Women In Development (WID) for her leadership in fundraising and commitment to women in the field. Robin is a frequent speaker at national conferences on fundraising and leadership. Her short fiction has been published in various literary magazines. Involuntary Exit is her first nonfiction book. Robin splits her time between New York City and North Conway, New Hampshire and Maine.

 

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Synopsis

 

April 18, 1906 – A devastating earthquake rocks San Francisco and Templeton Morehouse fears her husband is lost forever. A powerful and compelling story from
USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby

Chances were a million to one that a girl born and raised in Philadelphia would encounter a stranger from California on the trolley and fall madly in love, but that’s what happened. Templeton was not only taken with John Morehouse, but also with his tales of life in San Francisco. As an aspiring fashion designer, the dazzle of a city called the Paris of the West, with its towering department stores and European couture was too much to resist.

Despite her family’s objections, she and John are married and, on their way back to California, before the month is out. To ease the heartbreak of such a move, Templeton promises to return for a visit every summer. She intends to keep that promise, but when her design business grows more demanding, the trips back to Philadelphia become less frequent and she makes foolish choices she will come to regret.

Now, when she is on the verge of having everything she’s ever wanted, a devastating earthquake tears across San Francisco and she discovers the father of her baby is missing.

 

 

 

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Review

 

There are a few authors that never disappoint and Bette is one of them. She weaves a tale of perseverance, strength, hope, and happiness of women.

Templeton is not your average young woman for the times. She has dreamed of becoming a designer since she was a young girl. She never expected to meet a man and fall in love and have those dreams tested. That is until she met John on a streetcar and they had a whirlwind romance that has them married within a few weeks and moving to CA from PA because that is where his business is located, specifically San Francisco. It is here that Templeton realizes that it is hard for a woman to do it all – have a successful career and a family. She does her best to balance work and her life with John, but she becomes consumed with her designs and calling on stores to carry her designs. John loves her, but he becomes increasingly frustrated with her. While I understand his frustration, he knew who she was and what she was like when he married her.

This story is fraught with emotion, decisions, mistakes, and most importantly love. Despite everything, the couple does have a deep love for each other and it is a matter of finding the right balance to make their relationship work. They are both tested when John returns home after a visit to Templeton’s family and the devastating earthquake hits. We don’t know if he survives or not until much later as we learn how Templeton reacts to the news especially since she has discovered she is pregnant. As we read about the devastation in the area and what people went through, it is not hard to sympathize with the characters and all that they endured.

I like how real the characters felt and that they didn’t always do the right thing for themselves or others, but were true to who they were. I feel like the historical aspects were well researched and added depth to the story and what they endured.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today Bestselling Author and Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.

 

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Synopsis

 

All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She’s stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation.

Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, magnetic Sophie, who takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That’s how Sophie lives. Annie can’t help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, despite the fact that the rest of the townsfolk seem…a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie’s appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power…but she couldn’t be…could she?

 

 

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Review

 

This was quite an interesting tale. It was promoted as dark and frightening, but I don’t think it was either of those. It is a little spooky so a great read for October!

Annie is a bit lost in her life after her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her. So she decides to start over in a small town in upstate NY. I don’t think she is very happy there, but then I think she doesn’t know what in her life will make her happy. She admits to focusing all of her energy on the relationship she is in versus having her own interests and hobbies. I think we might all be able to relate to that to some degree.

However, Annie does meet Sophie and from the beginning, I wondered about her. Something seems a little off. She doesn’t drive, doesn’t have a phone or any sort of technology, lives in a massive home. She is off the grid without being off the grid if that makes sense. Sophie does see something in Annie, a better woman and one that is not so obsessed with finding a relationship to lose herself in. She works hard to bring out the best in Annie and is met with some resistance because Annie can’t seem to let go of Sam (the ex).

The citizens of the town act strangely towards Sophie and once you discover why it makes sense. Should they treat her that way? Maybe. But perhaps they can look past their pain and to the future just like Annie? Only time will tell.

While I am not a big fan of spiders, the ones in this book are cute and the personalities are so much more than the spider. This doesn’t mean I won’t try to relocate spiders I find in my own home!

This book is about finding yourself and becoming the best version of yourself that you can be and exploring the paths set in front of you.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Rachel Harrison was born and raised in the weird state of New Jersey. She received her bachelor’s in writing for film and television from Emerson College. After graduating, she worked on TV game shows, in publishing, and for a big bank. She lives in western New York, with her husband and their cat/overlord.

 

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Synopsis

 

A knitting group’s change of scenery changes lives in unexpected ways

Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran had a good thing going: meet every week in the quiet of their peaceful chapel and knit prayer shawls. No muss, just ministry. That is, until their pastor boots them out of the church in his last-ditch effort to revive the dwindling congregation.

Uptight Margaret isn’t having it. Knitting prayer shawls where people can watch is the most ridiculous idea she’s ever heard of, and she’s heard plenty. Prayer belongs in the church, not out among the heathen masses. How are they supposed to knit holiness into these shawls if they’re constantly distracted by the public? But with no choice, the others embrace the challenge. They pack their knitting bags and drag Margaret—grumbling the whole way—to the mall with them. She can’t wait to prove them all wrong when it fails miserably, and show the pastor that she always knows best.

Without the familiar mold, the group has been stuck in, their own losses, pain, and struggles rise to the surface. And the people and situations they encounter every time they try to sit quietly and knit are taking them a lot further out of their comfort zone than they ever imagined. Can they find the courage to tackle the increasing number of knotty issues they learn about in the community–or will the tangle be too much to unravel?

Sharon J. Mondragon’s debut is warm and delightful, full of real laughter, grief, and personality. It beautifully illustrates the power of women across generations to reach people for Christ.

 

 

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Praise

 

“The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a delight! With scenes as vivid and lively as a cozy PBS drama and characters so real they feel more like neighbors than anything else, this book was a joy every moment I spent with it. More than once, I found myself so absorbed in the story that I completely forgot I was reading. Laced with mercy, encouragement, and hope, this novel is a brilliant and lovingly written debut.”  ~ Susie Finkbeiner, author of The Nature of Small Birds and the Pearl Spence novels

 

“I love this book. Extraordinary things happen when ordinary knitters reluctantly move a congregation’s prayer shawl ministry from a quiet chapel to a busy mall. Their encounters with people they would not normally meet made me chuckle, occasionally weep, and finish the story feeling a gentle nudge from the author to ‘go and do likewise.’”  ~ Patricia Sprinkle, author of Hold Up the Sky

 

 

Review

 

I loved this book and devoured it pretty quickly. Sometimes a book just hits you at the right time and that was this book for me.

Four women make up the prayer shawl ministry at a local church and their pastor has set them out into the community to knit their shawls while the chapel is being repainted. Needless to say, Margaret is not pleased with this change. Margaret is something of a control freak and this upsets her strict routine and feels that knitting in public will not allow them to pray over these shawls for those that will eventually receive them. I think we all know a Margaret in our lives and sometimes change is good. The other ladies are more flexible and they don’t let Margaret try and run roughshod over them and change the date or make it a more private location.

While Margaret is the driving force, the other ladies, Fran, Rose, and Jane, are a solid contribution to the group and the story. All four of these women have their own demons to battle and those play into the story and how it brings people to them and how they can all make a difference one person at a time.

I loved how these ladies end up at the mall doing their knitting and that while they may think that they do not bring attention to themselves, they really do and others are curious about what they are doing and why. What these ladies don’t realize is that they did bring their ministry to the people and they were receptive to prayers and even being brought into the prayer shawl ministry circle.  I was encouraged at how they were accepted by the number of prayer requests they received from employees at the mall and it reminds us that even a small change can bring bigger changes to our lives.

The story flows and while there are some “tense” moments between characters, it also shows us grace and mercy, that forgiveness is powerful, and that we all need someone in our lives to be in our corner and root for us whether we know it or not. There are some sparks of love, protectiveness of parents, and getting through to one Dragon Lady that life is too short to hold onto anger and fear and that feelings need to be shared now and not later when it is too late.

This is a feel-good book that will be enjoyed by many. And if you are a knitter, there is even a pattern at the end if you want to give it a whirl. I have to say, this book made me want to try my hand at knitting!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Sharon J. Mondragón writes about the place where kindness and courage meet. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady (originally titled The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) was the 2017 winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award in the Short Novel Category, and she has also been recognized by The Saturday Evening Post where her short story, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” was an Honorable Mention Awardee in the 2014 their Great American Fiction Contest.

Mondragón has been active in prayer shawl ministry since 2008 and currently serves as facilitator for the prayer shawl ministry at her church, St. Paul Episcopal in Waxahachie, TX. She also knits with the Circle of Healing at Red Oak United Methodist Church. She is a Level 2 Certified Knitting Instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and teaches beginning knitting at a local yarn store.

Mondragón is the mother of five grown children and has four grandchildren. After 26 years as an Army wife, she has settled in Midlothian, TX with her hero/husband, her laptop, and her yarn stash.

 

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Book Title: What’s Not True by Valerie Taylor

 

Category: Adult Fiction 18+

 

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

 

Publisher: She Writes Press, 321 pages

 

Release date: August 2021

 

 

Synopsis

 

With her court date set for her divorce and her plans with the younger man in the rearview mirror, Kassie O’Callaghan shifts attention to reviving her stalled career. But things get complicated when she unexpectedly rendezvous with her former lover in Paris. After a chance meeting there with a colleague and a stroll along Pont Neuf, Kassie receives two compelling proposals. Can she accept them both?

But Kassie’s decision process screeches to a halt when her soon-to-be ex-husband has a heart attack, forcing her to fly home to Boston. There, she confronts his conniving and deceitful fiancée—a woman who wants not just a ring on her finger but everything that belongs to Kassie. In the ensuing battle to protect what’s legally and rightfully hers, Kassie discovers that sometimes it’s what’s not true that can set you free.

 

 

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Praise

 

“What’s Not True…is an enthralling, character-driven story that will appeal irresistibly to fans of women’s fiction…Taylor’s prose is crystalline…she does not waste words, rather using them to create a tense, nerve-shredder that offers full entertainment to readers.” — Readers’ Favorite 5-star review

 

 

Guest Post

 

 

Why I Read Stephen King

 

By Valerie Taylor

 

Author of What’s Not Said (She Writes Press, 2020) and What’s Not True (She Writes Press, August 2021)

 

 

A question I get often is: Who is your favorite author? You’d think that would be easy for any author to answer. But there are so many great authors, and so little time!

That said, growing up, I remember cozying up in bed or on the beach with Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew and, of course, Agatha Christie, mysteries. When I think back on that now, I’m surprised I ended up writing women’s fiction instead of mysteries. As an adult, my interests shifted or expanded to historical fiction, the latest New York Times best sellers, and non-fiction business and self-help books.

Nevertheless, throughout the years, one author’s latest thrillers and horror stories have found their way consistently to the top of my to-be-read pile. That would be Stephen King. How could this happen, when I am not a regular reader of other horror fiction authors, like Dean Koontz, Bram Stroker, Peter Straub, or a host of others? It’s just Stephen King.

And more than a dozen years ago, I made a commitment to be sure I read at least one of King’s books a year, no matter what other career or book club selections competed for my eyeballs. Choosing which King book I’d read seemed like buying myself a gift. While putting in long days, I had my cherished King book to look forward to late at night.

What makes King so compelling to me personally as a writer is his storytelling prowess. There really is no one better. I find his main characters deeply flawed, yet worthy of being saved. His worldbuilding sucks you in, and sometimes down, to a place you could never imagine even after binging on your favorite booze. The stakes are always the highest, and the conflict and tension never subsides even after the last page! The story lingers well into the night and the next day.

King freaks us out because he writes about things we’re familiar with: a cell phone, a prom, a hotel, JFK’s death…to name just a few examples.

Most of all I’m enthralled by and admire King’s actual writing. His sentences aren’t overly complex, but he tells the story with the best words. In essence, that’s why I read Stephen King. Because I learn about writing and storytelling. It’s as simple as that.

Which reminds me of my second favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, who has inspired me to write that one perfect sentence.

I’m afraid I never will.

 

 

About the Author

 

Valerie Taylor was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. She earned a B.S. Marketing degree and an MBA from Sacred Heart University, as well as a graduate certificate in health care administration from Simmons University (formerly Simmons College). She had a thirty-year career in the financial services industry as a marketer and writer. Valerie is a published book reviewer with BookTrib.com; and a member of Westport Writers’ Workshop, Independent Book Publishers Association, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She enjoys practicing tai chi and being an expert sports spectator.

 

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Giveaway

 

Enter to win an ebook of WHAT’S NOT SAID, plus 1 of 5 print or 1 of 5 ebooks of WHAT’S NOT TRUE or a $20 Amazon Gift Card! (11 winners/USA only)(ends Oct 19)

WHAT’S NOT TRUE Book Tour Giveaway