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The Shark Club
by Ann Kidd Taylor
Nearly two decades after surviving a shark attack in the Gulf of Mexico, a world-traveling marine biologist and respected "shark whisperer" harbors private insecurities that compel her to return to her Florida coast home to explore old and new relationships. A first novel by the best-selling co-author of Traveling With Pomegranates.
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Class Mom : A Novel
by Laurie Gelman
Frowned upon by conservative fellow PTA members for her past as a single parent, Jen reluctantly agrees to become class mom during her youngest child's kindergarten year, a role that is challenged by parent drama, hypersensitive allergies and a former flame. A first novel.
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The Seventh Function of Language
by Laurent Binet
The suspicious death of a literary critic in 1980 Paris reveals the madcap secret history of the French intelligentsia, plunging a hapless police detective into the depths of literary theory as it was documented in a famed linguist's lost manuscript. By the award-winning author of HHhH
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A Boy in Winter : A Novel
by Rachel Seiffert
Otto Pohl, an engineer overseeing construction of a German road in Ukraine,awakens to the unexpected sight of SS men herding hundreds of Jews into an old brick factory. Inside the factory, Ephraim anxiously scans the growing crowd, looking for his two sons. As anxious questions swirl around him--"Where are they taking us? How long will we be gone?"--he can't quell the suspicion that it would be just like his oldest son to hole up somewhere instead of lining up for the Germans, and just like his youngest to follow. Yasia, a farmer's daughter who has come into town to sell produce, sees two young boys slinking through the shadows of the deserted streets and decides to offer them shelter.
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Midwinter Break
by Bernard MacLaverty
A retired couple struggling with his dogmatic forgetfulness and her religious faith attempt to repair their marriage during a vacation in Amsterdam, where they confront painful memories of a troubled time in their native Ireland. By the award-winning author of Grace Notes.
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The Mountain : Stories
by Paul Yoon
The award-winning author of Snow Hunters presents a collection of six thematically linked stories set in locales ranging from the Hudson Valley to the Russian Far East in the tumultuous years following World War II.
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| The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidHollywood icon Evelyn Hugo was born Evelyn Herrera, but she hid her Cuban roots in order to get acting jobs. Now 79, she has chosen to tell her life story -- and the story of her seven husbands -- to inexperienced journalist Monique Grant. But why? The fully developed characters, details of movie-making in the 1950s, and the complications of the decisions that Evelyn makes to improve her life will captivate fans of Beatriz Williams' equally complex Schuyler sister stories, like Along the Infinite Sea. |
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How to Behave in a Crowd
by Camille Bordas
A misfit youngest child in a large French family of overachievers makes quiet observations about his world and becomes the only family member brave enough to help the others through their grief in the wake of a devastating tragedy.
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Girl in Snow : A Novel
by Danya Kukafka
When a beloved high school student is found murdered, a boy who loved her, a girl who envied her and the officer investigating the case are challenged to confront their darkest secrets in order to find the truth. A first novel.
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See What I Have Done
by Sarah Schmidt
A reimagining of the infamous Lizzie Borden murder case profiles a volatile and loveless Borden home where the events surrounding the shocking murders of the parents are presented from the viewpoints of Lizzie, her elder sister, their housemaid and an enigmatic stranger. A first novel.
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The Locals : A Novel
by Jonathan Dee
A rural, working-class town in New England elects as its mayor a New York hedge fund millionaire who slowly transforms the community in his image, triggering unexpected changes in the life of a financially strapped contractor and his extended family. By the Pulitzer Prize-finalist author of The Privileges.
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The Resurrection of Joan Ashby
by Cherise Wolas
A once-dedicated literary prodigy and career woman struggles with the sacrifices required by her marriage and motherhood before an unthinkable betrayal confirms her deepest fears two decades later. A first novel.
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Home Away from Home: Hotels, Motels, and Inns
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| Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill CleggAfter losing her entire family in a house fire the night before her daughter's wedding, June Reid is nearly catatonic, hiding out in a motel room thousands of miles from her hometown. Told from her point of view as well as others affected by the fire (some tangentially, as with the wedding florist), this "ineffably sad" (Booklist) fiction debut is also incredibly moving and deftly written; for a similar feel, try Per Petterson's tale of survivor's guilt, In the Wake. |
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| Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-BennThough the cover suggests a light and sunny read, this complex, character-driven debut addresses topics of class and identity, sex and social status in stark and emotional terms. Set in Jamaica, where lavish resorts displace existing communities and exploit poor black residents, it revolves around two sisters and their abusive mother. Though Margot has a prestigious hotel job, she also has a sideline in sex work to earn money to provide a better life for her sister, Thandi. Thandi, however, isn't interested in Margot's vision for her future. Jamaican patois may slow down some readers, but vibrant characters make for a deep and often heartbreaking read. |
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| Sweet Tomorrows: A Rose Harbor Novel by Debbie MacomberIn this conclusion to the heartwarming five-book Rose Harbor series, innkeeper Jo Marie is torn between two romantic relationships. Her boarder Emily is starting over in a new town, heartbroken but ready to begin chasing her dreams. While reading the previous four books would be helpful (especially in understanding why Jo Marie's decision is so painful), even newcomers to the series will be soothed by its themes of hope and healing. (Purists can start with The Inn at Rose Harbor). |
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| The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise MillerAfter pastry chef Livvy Rawlings accidentally sets fire to the ritzy Boston club that employs her, she flees to Vermont to lick her wounds, landing a job at an inn. Though it wouldn't seem likely that a James Beard-nominated chef would find a home in rural Vermont, she soon does just that, joining a local contra dance band and forming strong new friendships. With memorable characters and descriptive writing (especially about food and music!) this debut novel about starting over is a charmer. |
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| The Rocks by Peter NicholsThough they live on the same island (gorgeous, windswept Mallorca), Gerald and Lulu have managed to avoid each other since their brief marriage dissolved more than 60 years ago. But the book opens with the two of them meeting by chance on the cliff near Lulu's seaside hotel -- and falling to their deaths together. Moving backwards through time, The Rocks explores the rift between them, as well as the curious nature of the relationship between Lulu's son and Gerald's daughter. More tragic than romantic, this novel nevertheless "melds comedy and compassion" (Booklist). |
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| Beautiful Ruins by Jess WalterThough not strictly historical fiction, for half the book takes place in present-day L.A., this romantic, enjoyable novel will delight those yearning for the good old days of Hollywood glamour. It follows a young Italian who, in 1962, hosts a beautiful American starlet in his mediocre hotel. Pasquale is immediately smitten by Dee Moray, who's in hiding; her costar Richard Burton also appears, while an oily publicist takes pains to keep Dee hidden from view. Zipping between past and present, author Jess Walter offers both a twisty narrative and writing that is "funny, brash, [and] witty" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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