Dear Mr. Hemingway Logo

read what you love • love what you read

NEW RELEASE FUN

Wednesdays At One by Sandra A. Miller (Zibby Books), Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renee Rosen (Berkley Publishing), & Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier (Berkley Publishing)

July 30, 2023

Dear Book Lovers,

There is a solid month left of summer here in the northeast, which leaves plenty of time to get your hands on some of the latest 2023 books. Today I am sharing a lovely mix of mystery, glamour and rich people behaving badly. Fill your beach bag up with these new releases and get reading.

Cheers to Summer Reading!

xoxo,

Kelly

Click on the book pic to purchase!

Rosen’s latest historical fiction tale combines Estee Lauder’s rise to cosmetic fame during the late 1930s/40s and her friend Gloria Downing’s great success as cosmetic saleswomen turn assistant cosmetic buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue. This was the ultimate “Kelly” book! I love reading about women who went against society’s grain during a time when their proper place was standing beside their husbands as dignified wives and homemakers with no brain of their own. Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl is filled with all the dreamy lotions and potions that I adore. It made me want to dust an outrageous eyeshadow color on my eyelids, brighten my cheeks with rouge, and swipe the quintessential candy apple red lipstick on my lips. This book is about hardworking women in a male-dominated world who didn’t take no for an answer. It has love and loss, family secrets and conundrums, and best of all—Sparkle and pizzazz! My next trip to the Estee Lauder makeup counter will never be the same again!
Make this book happen! It is a delight!

Click on the book pic to purchase!

Wednesdays at One is a slow burn psychological mystery. Dr. Gregory Weber has a successful psychiatric practice and lives in the Boston suburbs with his wife and two kids. Despite how good he looks on paper, he carries a deep dark secret from his past that riddles him with guilt. His past comes back to haunt him when a new patient named Mira starts attending therapy with him every Wednesday at 1pm. This mystery woman becomes more than a weekly client—disrupting his innermost thoughts, family life, and professional boundaries. Who is this woman and why is she here?? 

Miller’s writing is strong and catchy! She created a thick layer of remorse that was truly palpable. She hints at Gregory’s past often and I longed to learn his deep dark secret. She tapped into her characters on a psychological level filled with deep emotion and tremendous intrigue. I will note that I would not put this story in a traditional “thriller” category. There is however, a unique psychological mystery that builds from the beginning making you want to turn the pages. 

If you enjoy reading about characters grappling with moral dilemmas, family emotional drama, and endings with a twisty vibe…Wednesdays at One is for you! 

Click on the book pic to purchase!

GIDDY-UP!!!!!!! I grew up riding horses. I can still remember the distinct smell of the barn, the stiffness of my saddle, the clip-clop sound of the horses walking AND my riding instructor chain smoking Marlboro Reds during our class (can you even imagine?). It wasn’t elite by any means, but it was a place where I learned to love, ride, and respect these magical creatures. 

Girls and their Horses dives into the competitive world of horseback riding. Say goodbye to the local barn up the street where generic rubber riding boots are the style, your parents wait in the car until your lesson is done, and everyone gets a ribbon for participating in the show. Its time to say HELLO to beguiling showjumping, crazy-ass moms, and epic stables where riders stop at nothing to win it all. Dead body anyone?

Heather Parker moves to an exclusive part of Southern California for a chance to give her daughters everything she never had, including a prestigious riding career. With all the money you can dream of and a bit of determination, she sets up her family in the the most sought after equestrian community. She will stop at NOTHING to make her daughters the best of the best! The stakes are high and she is not the only cutthroat one—the girls are just as devious with an extra helping of backstabbing. 

From sports, to academics, to musical endeavors—moms who will do anything to ensure success for their kids are WILD to read about. Brazier trades “dance-mom ” for “barn-mom” in the best possible way. Her story is fresh and entertaining with a novel subculture I have not come across in my fiction reading. I was immersed in all that goes into competitive horseback riding. Brazier captures the equestrian world with precision and ease making her story uber believable. High end boots and stylish breeches, a famous coach and overpriced horses, and rich people behaving very badly—ALL THE INCREDIBLE DETAILS ARE ON POINT. Throw in supreme family drama, an endless supply of a cash, and a whole bunch of fabulous, yet unreliable characters, and you have yourself a posh murder mystery to be solved. Toss this bad boy in your beach bag and get reading!

*Dear Mr. Hemingway, LLC receives a variety of advance reader copies of books from publishers and authors throughout the year in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own. If I don’t like it…I don’t share it! 

*Book links provided in today’s post are affiliate links. Dear Mr. Hemingway makes a tiny commission through books purchased in our storefront. Even better, 20% of purchases made through the Dear Mr. Hemingway storefront go towards an independent bookstore. Thank you so much for all of your support!

Super Bloom

Super Bloom by Megan Tady (Zibby Books)

May 2, 2023

Hello Sweet Reading Friends,

Happy May! I am hoping that all of the April showers are going to deliver on those May flowers because this bibliophile is ready for some spring reading. Today is new book Tuesday, and I am wishing a very Happy Pub Day to Megan Tady’s debut novel, Super Bloom. ⁣

Megan Tady’s debut novel takes place at a luxury spa in Vermont. Massage therapist Joan is stumbling through life, grieving the accidental death of her boyfriend two years ago. Her misery impacts her job and friendships, and she can’t find a way to move forward. ⁣

Everything changes when Carmen, an uber-famous romance author, comes to the spa and offers Joan a unique opportunity. She will pay a handsome sum in exchange for all the inside spa drama and “dirt” to include in her next best seller. What starts out as a way to earn extra money quickly turns into much more. Joan reignites what she thought was an outdated passion for writing. Her writing obligation to Carmen not only becomes the ultimate gateway to healing but a love story for all the world to read. ⁣

As a Mainer, I enjoyed the New England setting and adored all the eclectic “spa talk” and humorous tales from the massage table. Sprinkle in some maple-scented lotions, crisp fall leaves, and a chakra bowl or two, and I just found heaven. ⁣

I love a mixture of drama and comedy in my books, and 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮 delivered on this dramedy front. My heart had a weeping moment or two over Joan’s need to seek closure for the death of her Samual. The circumstances of his death and Joan’s “relationship” with his family tugged at a few loose heartstrings. But no worries, Tady balanced out my emotions with lots of giggles along the way. My cheeks hurt from all the goofy smiles her writing gave me. ⁣

Tady penned her tale with the softest touch making Super Bloom easy-peasy to read. The wicked cool spa backdrop and quirky characters made this a delight to read. And let’s face it, a book that has an author publishing a novel embedded in the story is always a win.

𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟, 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬, 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. New beginnings are on the horizon for Joan, and I am so glad I followed along on her journey. ⁣

Happy Reading!

xoxo,

Kelly


Click on the book pic to purchase!

*I received an advance reader of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are 100% my own. If I don’t like it…I don’t share it! 

*Book links provided in today’s post are affiliate links. Dear Mr. Hemingway makes a tiny commission through books purchased in our storefront. Even better, 20% of purchases made through the Dear Mr. Hemingway storefront go towards an independent bookstore. Thank you so much for all of your support!

My What If Year 1/22/23

My What If Year: A Memoir by Alisha Fernandez Miranda (Zibby Books)

Dear Book Family!

I am so excited to share the first book to be published by ZIBBY BOOKS. 𝘔𝘺 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐𝘧 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳: 𝘈 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘪𝘳 comes out on 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟕𝐭𝐡. Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. ⁣

I loved my first career, married a fabulous guy, and gave birth to three bouncing baby boys. Now that I am deep into my 40s, though, I can honestly say I sometimes miss when I was younger, and the future felt “wide-open”—endless possibilities. Alisha’s memoir is a grand reminder that those days actually still exist, and it’s never too late to make a change. The future is as bright as you make it, and it’s time to seize the day! ⁣

Alisha is happily married and a mom to twins while being the CEO of her own company…That was until she decided to shake things up. Like so many of us, Alisha hit a wall. She was exhausted from balancing the daily grind of work with raising a family. The spark she once felt for making the grade disappeared, and she found herself at a crossroads. Stay the same but without any shine or take a leap of faith and discover what brings her joy. Alisha decided to spring forward, hit pause on her successful career, and embark on an experimental year working as an intern in four different areas. Each one of these experiences put an end to the lingering question— “What if?” and gave the idea of “success” a brand new meaning. ⁣

Alisha’s openness and honesty reveal that human growth, happiness, and experiences never stop evolving…even after you turn 40. I connected with her writing because it felt like we were a couple of mom friends having a cup of coffee in the middle of the day, processing our lives out loud. Alisha’s story is about pushing through uncertainty to see what could happen. I loved how I laughed my butt off and pondered my future all at the same time. 

I adored reading 𝘔𝘺 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐𝘧 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳. It was a much-needed chat with a good friend at the end of a l-o-n-g week. Alisha’s memoir is the ultimate travel guide to second chances, a much-appreciated ode to self-care, and a classic nod & wink to reignite the joy in your life at any time. Make this book happen! 

xoxo,
Kelly⁣

Click on the pic to Pre-order

*I received an advance copy of My What If Year: A Memoir from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are 100% my own. If I don’t like it…I don’t share it!

*Book links provided in today’s post are affiliate links. Dear Mr. Hemingway makes a tiny commission through books purchased in our storefront. Even better, 20% of purchases made through the Dear Mr. Hemingway storefront go towards an independent bookstore. Thank you so much for all of your support!

ZIBBY BOOKS SPRING 2023

October 10, 2022

Dear Book Family,

Happy Monday! As you may already know, I am a proud ZIBBY BOOKS Book Ambassador. ZIBBY BOOKS is a beautiful publishing home for fiction and memoir founded by the lovely Zibby Owens. Today I am giving you a sneak peek at some of the GORGEOUS books coming your way in Spring 2023. I can not wait to get my hands on these beauties. Be sure to get your pre-orders in. They are so helpful to the talented authors.

xoxo,

Kelly

February 7, 2023~Click on the book pic to pre-order

From the Publisher:

An exuberant, hilarious memoir about a woman who pauses her successful career for a year and explores the “What If” jobs of her dreams.

On the cusp of turning forty, Alisha Fernandez Miranda has climbed to the peak of personal and professional success, but at a price; she’s overworked and exhausted.

Bravely, Miranda decides to give herself a break, temporarily pausing her stressful career as the CEO of her own consulting firm. With the tentative blessing of her husband and eight-year-old twins, she leaves her home in London to spend one year exploring the dream jobs of her youth, seeking answers to the question, “What If?”

What follows is a spirited and hilarious journey for Alisha – and the reader. Contending with her lack of experience (and the onset of a global pandemic), Alisha gofers for two high-profile Broadway productions (and nearly tramples Stephan Sondheim), attempts to master a fitness regimen called Voga (a cross between yoga and “voguing”), feigns confidence while handling multi-million-dollar artwork at Christie’s, and literally sets her shirt on fire while serving rack of lamb in a posh hotel on Scotland’s remote Isle of Skye. Her experiences are at once challenging and humbling, and push the boundaries of what Alisha thought she was physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of. Alisha’s “What If” year reveals that she can achieve success on her own terms by embodying the spirit of the intern: never stop learning, be flexible, and understand that failure is a prerequisite for growth.

For anyone who’s ever felt stuck in a rut, My What If Year proves that it’s never too late to say yes to second chances and explore the roads untraveled throughout your life.”

March 7, 2023~Clcick on the book pic to pre-order

From the Publisher:

“In this wildly addictive novel, two overlooked single moms take on the manipulative, charming tech CEO who wrote them out of history. Set in Seattle, this suspenseful, complex novel follows the story of two women who have been erased from a billion-dollar tech company by its founder. As the company prepares to go public, the damning secret behind it threatens to ruin everything, including the futures of three intertwined families. Anna Sarnoff is still reeling from her quickie divorce from tech wunderkind Jake Sarnoff. Forced out of the company she helped Jake build, Anna is trying to pick up the pieces of her life, navigating the waters of solo parenting their two teenage boys and adapting to her new role of ex-wife. To make things more complicated, Jake seems to want her back…and she’s tempted to say yes. Across town, the brilliant and striking Samanta Flores-Walsh, Jake’s college girlfriend, is busy raising her daughter and running a thriving yoga studio. While their relationship ended years ago, unanswered questions from their time together continue to gnaw at her, and when she learns that Jake is planning to take his billion dollar company public, she starts to wonder if perhaps it isn’t too late for justice. And then there’s Jake’s much younger new wife, Jessica, struggling to stay afloat as a new mom while her high-profile husband grows increasingly absent. The three women’s lives grow entangled as long-held secrets are forced to the surface, threatening to destroy their families. Written with razor-sharp intelligence and heart, Women Are The Fiercest Creatures is a searing look at the complexities of family and the obstacles women navigate in every aspect of their existence.”

April 4, 2023~Click on the book pic to pre-order

From the Publisher:

“An arresting debut novel from the award-winning author of Yes, Yes, Cherries (“Amazing” –Lorrie Moore) that explores the relationship complexities between mothers and daughters, the desire to escape, and the longing to connect. Viva has always found ways to manage her mother’s impulsive, eccentric, and addictive personality. She’s had to–for her entire life, it has always been Viva and Charlotte against the world. After accidentally discovering an innate ability for dance, Viva chases her new passion with the same fervor with which her mother chases the bottle. Over the years, Viva’s talent becomes a ticket to a life of her own, and as she moves further away from home to pursue her dream, Charlotte struggles to make peace with her own past as a failed artist and the effects of her addiction. When tragedy strikes, Viva begins a downward spiral and must decide whether she will repeat her mother’s mistakes or finally take control of her life. Told from interwoven perspectives with lyrical prose as deft as a choreographed dance, award-winning author Mary Otis of Yes, Yes, Cherries (“Funny, brave, and amazing” –Lorrie Moore) delivers an arresting debut novel that explores the relationship complexities between mothers and daughters, the desire to escape, and the longing to connect.”

May 2, 2023~Click on the book pic to pre-order

From the Publisher:

“If only there was a spa treatment for heartbreak. In this sparkling, heart-warming debut set at a luxury Vermont spa, massage therapist Joan Johnston is wallowing in grief over the accidental death of her boyfriend, Samuel, and it’s now seriously jeopardizing her job and her friendships. Will she ever be able to move on? Enter Carmen Bronze, a hotheaded bestselling romance novelist and the most demanding massage client Joan’s ever faced. When Carmen offers Joan a chance to pay down her debt and save her job, it’s hard to say no–even though it means funneling Carmen inside dirt on the spa for her next novel. The task unexpectedly reawakens a dormant talent in Joan, and she’s irresistibly drawn to writing her own romance novel based on her relationship with Samuel that stretches into the bright future they didn’t get to share. Writing proves to be the therapy Joan desperately needs, and her heart begins to open to new romance… and even the possibility of becoming a successful author herself. But none of this is easy, not with a lunatic like Carmen breathing down her neck and threatening to steal Joan’s manuscript. A heartfelt, hilarious look at taking second chances, in life and in love, Tady’s uplifting debut will have readers rooting for Joan on every page–and laughing out loud at her one-of-a-kind wit.”

June 6, 2023~Click on the book pic to pre-order

From the Publisher:

“An unforgettable story about the conflicts of motherhood and female desire from award-winning author Jane Delury. Maud is a brilliant garden historian and devoted mom to daughters Ella and Louise. She’s accepted a dreamy summer job across the country from their family’s Bay Area home, restoring the gardens of historic Montgomery Place. The problem: Her husband Peter, simmering with resentment over their trial separation, will barely speak to her. That summer, reveling in her temporary independence, Maud strikes a friendship with project archeologist Gabriel Crews, sharing dinners with him after days of satisfying work. As their relationship grows more intimate, Maud dares to imagine a future outside of her stifling marriage to Peter. But when 13-year-old Ella and 8-year-old Louise join her to spend a few weeks at Montgomery Place, Maud is caught between her desire to be with Gabriel and the intensity of Ella’s dark moods. Is Ella acting out because she senses that Maud and Gabriel have fallen in love? What happens next is a seismic shock that will continue to reverberate back home in the Bay Area and will ultimately upend Maud’s life, as well as the lives of everyone she cares about. Deeply moving and impossible to put down, Hedge is an unforgettable portrait of a woman’s longing to be a good mother while still answering the call of her formidable soul and mind.”

*Book links provided in today’s post are affiliate links. Dear Mr. Hemingway makes a tiny commission through books purchased in our storefront. Even better, 20% of purchases made through the Dear Mr. Hemingway storefront go towards an independent bookstore. Thank you so much for all of your support!

Join my mailing list!

and never miss a blog post