NOVEMBER 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, First Lie Wins, Ashley Elston

NOVEMBER 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS

First Lie Wins, Ashley Elston

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything,” Mark Twain

25 Bookers met at the home of Susan Cunyus on Veterans’ Day to discuss this month’s read in hopes of a lively conversation and we were not disappointed, some in attendance no doubt asking what planet the selection committee was on when we chose this one. All kidding aside, there’s a method to our madness – to explore different genres that challenge us to read outside our comfort zone – mission accomplished. As always, member input is welcomed, so if you have a recommendation that you think might be a good Bookers’ book, please pass it on to me, Jane Shaw, Patty Evans, and/or Kat Mackey! Also, FYI, Bookish has chosen a novella, A Carol for Mrs. Dickens by Rebecca Connolly for their December book club. You might enjoy this one if you find time during the holidays.

It was good to see Chris Vaughn again and to welcome new member, Danah Peterson, and a special treat, the very well-behaved three-month old Beretta, a micro teacup Schnauzer in the arms of Mama Russo.

Sunshine:

We are saddened to learn of the passing of one of Bookers’ charter members, Pat Faherty, on October 21, 2025. She was our own St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, who believed in the eyes of an animal, we find a reflection of our own compassion. Pat often volunteered with The Friends of the Animals at Cedar Creek Lake assisting in their spay and neutering procedures. Her family has requested donations in her name to www.friendsoftheanimals.org. As no one had an objection, I’ll be contributing $100.00 from our slush fund in PWC Bookers’ name in her honor.  

Business:

Our December 9^th meeting will be our holiday party at the home of Suzy Penner, 119 St. Andrews Drive, Pinnacle Golf Club. Rebecca Robinson, our food and beverage czar, will be in charge of coordinating what volunteers bring to share for this meeting. Stay tuned for an email soon. We will be discussing The Shack, by William Paul Young, a revisit from Bookers 2008, a story about the realities of this world and the hope of the next – the author’s goal – not to tell people how to get to heaven, just inspire them to want to go there.

About the Author:

Elston, a Louisiana-based author and avid reader, was a wedding photographer with three young boys who were starting to play sports and hated that her weekends were consumed with work, so she took a step back from her job and started following her passion. She describes her first book as terrible, but persevered and the next one was published and sold declaring no one was more surprised than her. She’s written six successful young adult novels and First Lie Wins is her adult debut selected by Reese Witherspoon’s book club and is now being adapted into a Hulu series starring Octavia Spencer, which Ashley describes as another pinch-me-moment.

Being a visual person because of her photography background, the inspiration for this novel began seeing a group of people sitting around a table imagining what they were discussing and thinking…what if someone was there that shouldn’t be and then continued to “what if” as the story progressed until the plot had developed. Louisiana became its own character through her descriptions and southern culture was dominant like her references of the characters attending a Kentucky Derby watch party – which most likely would not happen north of the Mason-Dixon line. She’s currently in the very early stages of writing a new book.

Synopsis:

First Lie Wins refers to the old saying that the initial lie told often sets the narrative and influences what people believe to be true and once established it can shape perceptions and control the truth for a period of time – the concept suggesting the first untruth can lead to further dishonesty and complicate the situation. In Ashley Elston’s cat and mouse type suspense novel, it proves that the first lie is a game changer. The story involves a mysterious woman, Evie Porter, with a fake identity who is trying to stay one step ahead of her past when she realizes there’s something suspicious going on that she’s involved in. Instead of a psychological thriller where people mess with each other’s heads, this novel turns out to be an “I’m-going-to-break-all-your-fingers-and-blackmail-you-type thriller.” The story unravels slowly, with flashback chapters sprinkled in to help flesh out her past and explain who Evie really is and what she’s up to.  

Evie has a handsome, caring boyfriend named Ryan Sumner, the perfect house, and a group of fun friends. What could possibly be wrong with her life – as it turns out Evie isn’t actually real. Her name is Lucca Marino and she’s pulling a con, and the target is her lover. She’s been hired by the mysterious Mr. Smith to carry out several jobs including retrieving sensitive information to blackmail clients; however, she turns the tide in her favor eventually gaining the advantage over her boss.

In all sorts of twists and turns, readers find out what Ryan was really doing with his “legitimate” trucking business; the real identity of Mr. Smith; the surprising role Amy Holder played in the schemes; who ordered the fake Lucca and James to die and why it was necessary; why Evie Porter does not reclaim her real name; and why Evie and Ryan connected in the first place and his role working with Mr. Smith. In the end, the pair decide to stay together with a little wink and a nod as neither are squeaky clean characters, but both are likeable crooks and perfect for each other.  

Our discussion:

Before we begin our rating system, let’s address a couple of questions. Both Evie and Ryan are morally gray but despite her life of crime, there were a few lines she would not cross – refusing to leave Miles unattended after his mother was injured; giving financial advice to Tyron; changing critical information about Ryan’s business so Mr. Smith wouldn’t be able to take it from him. Does this redeem her in any way? We’ve got a tough crowd – overwhelmingly No.

The story alternates between the present and a series of flashbacks – the purpose being to give readers insights into Evie’s actions or thought processes in the present…what happened in the past driving both. Did you find these distracting and slow the pace of the novel down? Some thought it did impact the pace especially in the middle of the book where some of the flashbacks went on too long. Having said that, without these references, her motivation would be muddled. “All Evie’s jobs in the past were short cons, but this was a long con that would not have made sense without the flashbacks,” said two astute Bookers!

Evie left behind origami swans after each job was completed…it was her calling card and an art she learned from her mother. In Japanese culture, this gesture wishes the recipient good luck, prosperity and longevity, a happy and healthy life. The character, Mr. Smith, proved to be the exception.

At the end, Evie is set to take over Mr. Smith’s business. Many hoped she would give up her life of revenge and crime and settle into an ordinary relationship with Ryan. But that Pollyanna outlook probably would not fit with her character profile – once a con always a con.

Life is full of “firsts” and Bookers experienced that today as we began offering our assessments of the novel using our rating system. Leading us off a couple of members created a new category, 0 to 0.5: which must be a slight step below “put your money back in the piggy bank,” the issues being the alternating chapters (at least the author titled whether the chapter was present day or a flashback – otherwise it would be difficult to keep up with the storyline) – the back and forth was annoying, the ending was flat, and overall they just didn’t enjoy the book – the only positive comment was kudos to the author for her knowledge in creating the intricate plans. The two’s (borrow don’t buy) thought it was fun but silly with unrealistic and underdeveloped characters and couldn’t wait to turn the last page. The majority chose three (good beach read) as it was clever, a page-turner, good characters, twists and turns at every chapter; looking forward to the movie; some redeeming qualities at the end but most didn’t like the way it ended – would rather Evie and Ryan give up the cloak and dagger lifestyle and just be regular newlyweds. Our two fours loved a good con artist and a page-turner, and no one felt the urgency to include this one in their will.

Jane Shaw shared with us that on a recent river cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, she visited the ship’s library to find only one book in English – First Lie Wins. Kinda’ like one of those woo-hoo moments when the unexpected happens. And to close out our meeting our unofficial “official” photojournalist, Karla Lawson, placed her phone on the mantel for a group photo when it fell behind the glass door of the fireplace below, giving an all-new meaning to the “find my phone” option whereby our hostess’ husband had to be summoned to save the day. Thank you, Ronnie!

Happy Reading,

JoDee 

OCTOBER 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, Editorial License, E.W. Johnson, M.D.

 The mind is like an iceberg…the conscious mind is the visible part above water, while the unconscious mind is submerged and hidden. Sigmund Freud

18 Bookers gathered at the home of Debbie Yarger to discuss this month’s selection anticipating a lively conversation about this novel and especially deciphering the ending, and our group did not disappoint. Although we all read the same book, many offered a different take on the storyline and the characters and often we saw parts of ourselves or our experiences inside the pages.

Sadly, we are losing one of our great friends and Bookers’ member, Judy Koslo, who will be moving to Kiawah Island, South Carolina soon. We wish her the best on her new journey. Wouldn’t a Bookers’ road trip to visit be a fun outing! She has asked to remain on our email list so she can keep up with what we are reading.

The author has written fifteen books, mostly in his Dr. Sean Nolan Mysteries series and two standalone novels. He has an author page on Facebook, but very little information is available about him. Is he an enigma or use an alias when writing….? I’ll let you know if he responds to my message on his page…don’t hold your breath.

 Synopsis:

Flying home from a book tour to be with his wife and daughter over the holidays, Kian Atwood's life seems perfect. With his third novel on top of the New York Times best-seller list, his future is filled with endless possibilities. In a few hours his family will be gone, most of his memories will be erased, and the world he wakes up in will only be defined by what others tell him. Of all the unanswered questions that plague him, two are the most haunting: How can he rebuild his life, and is there really any reason to try?

Opening Poem:

The author chose to open the novel with “If I Could Tell You” by W.H. Auden, a poet known for writing a blend of contemporary events with everyday language covering a variety of themes. It explores unspoken truths and the limitations of language in the face of time’s inevitable march. A central theme is the inability to express the depth of love… “Because I love you more than I can say, If I could tell you, I would let you know.” The relentless presence of time – an unyielding judge – saying “I told you so” suggests regardless of our actions or emotions, time will ultimately validate its own grim prophecies.

From a dog’s perspective:

I hadn’t planned on saving a man’s life in the chill of sunrise that morning, but I did, and he saved mine at the same time. Before that day on the beach my Golden Retriever’s life revolved around dancing in and out of the surf. I saw a man floating in the water…his feet were not touching, and the waves were beginning to wash over his head. I thought he wanted to play, so I leaped in the water with my driftwood stick and began swimming around him. Back on the beach I dropped my stick at his feet and smiled at him; he named me Wilson as a nod to Tom Hank’s movie “Cast Away” about a FedEx bigwig who befriends a volleyball named Wilson while stranded on a deserted island. I proved that I have so much more personality than a rubber ball.

I learned my new friend turns out to be a famous author who’s trying to hide from life and write a new novel. His family died in a car accident, but he survived. The doctor said he had retrograde amnesia – with no recollection of anything including the accident – except a recurring dream of a car traveling along a mountain road, first snow falling lightly, his wife behind the wheel, and his daughter in her car seat next to her. In slow motion he saw the rear tires lose traction, wheels locked up, and the back of the car slid over the bank…he heard his wife scream and the car flipped on its side somersaulting over a rock cliff…a silence… then an explosion when the gas tank ignited.

I became his therapy dog. He told me about his headaches, and we had many discussions about whether I saw him as a friend, an entertaining human, a playmate, or a source of food. Multiple choice questions were never my forte, so I just listened while he explained his life as a money-making machine. Dr. Os said he wasn’t a nihilist – I had to look that up – one who rejected all religions and moral principles…often believing life is meaningless – how could he be one of those when I was a big part of his life?... at least during the day. He also wanted my perspective on a philosophical point as a member of the canine community saying my world is viewed through a dichromatic lens – I looked that up too – we only perceive shades of blue, yellow, brown, and gray – so his question was if he gave me a book with answers to every unknown in the universe bound in a flaming red cover, how would I describe it to other canines? I pondered, but he furnished the answer…I’d say what it wasn’t rather than what it was…gaining the same value as a doorstop. Belly rubs were more interesting, and I followed him up the steps to his house, shared a bowl of Rice Krispies, and curled up on the floor next to him. Our relationship sealed with a common interest – we needed each other. After Kian’s new book was complete, he teased he might put me on the dedication page, which I thought was very fitting as my role in this process deserved recognition.

The Ending:

Dr. Os exclaimed Kian was “writing us” – the dog, the little girl and her mother next door – all fiction or at least it started that way. He had no memories to keep him grounded in real time, so he built his own reality from his childhood…the dog was first saving him from committing suicide and was the only one real to him and was the key to the rest of the story. After hearing the accident report, Kian started rewriting it over and over, each time changing the scenario and sequence of events…when he finally managed to save his daughter, the little girl from next door appeared…when he found a way to save his wife, the girl’s mother arrived who was an OB nurse as was Kian’s wife…when Paul had the heart attack, he was bringing back the father he lost as a teenager. He couldn’t change his past, but he could find a way to save them from the same fate. The book became a way to rewrite his life – he was looking at the “footprints of a man and woman walking on the sand with a child between them” … Kian found his way home.

And then we have Chapter 26:

Set in Evergreen Neuropsychiatric Hospital near Seattle, in an exclusive twenty-two-room clinic monitored by televisions housed one celebrity – best-selling author Kian Atwood – who had been there for eight weeks care flighted to the Neuro Trauma Ward to evacuate a subdural hematoma (bleeding near the brain) after his car went off and over a cliff. He was still in a coma but taking small steps toward recovery. His wife, daughter and dog visited every day at nine a.m. When the visitor bell rang, a golden retriever named Wilson bounded into the hall at full speed, jumping on Kian’s bed, followed by a young girl named Skylar, and her mom, Shay Atwood. Skylar was reading “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” her dad’s favorite part about Tweedledum and Tweedledee – then her voice fell silent - he had just squeezed her hand.

The wind just shifted – you could have knocked me over with a feather!

Our discussion:

The title should have spoken volumes – Editorial License – an editor has full control over design, layout, deadlines, and all words, sentences, paragraphs and opinions. Dr. Johnson used not only his medical license but his editorial one as well. Barbara Creach commented in an email to me, “Oh Crap…we have another “Life of Pi.” Good analogy.

Using the rating system (1-don’t bother) (2-borrow, don’t buy) (3-good beach read) (4-borders on your favorite) and (5-order now, include in your will) our group’s evaluations ranged from 2 (a bit messy) to 4-1/2 (loved it!) In between these ratings were a couple of typos; rereading parts to understand what was really happening – some to no avail; an easy read but complicated storyline; discussion of the ending seen as a culmination of a dream with all the characters in the protagonists life reassigned in the dream…the presence of Wilson was reinforced by the mention of dog hair on his bed; and a discussion of the levels of consciousness which refers to the different states of awareness, conscious (all thoughts, memories, feelings and wishes that we are currently aware of; preconscious (thoughts and memories not currently in awareness, but can be easily brought to consciousness; and unconscious (the largest part of the mind containing feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness which influences our behavior and experiences although we are not directly aware of it.) Our resident doctor, Ms. Carla, pointed out how comatose patients can experience varying degrees of awareness and memory, some remembering conversations between the medical staff while being treated and being able to recall them after they regain consciousness.

Happy Reading!

JoDee 

SEPTEMBER 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, The Women, Kristin Hannah

SEPTEMBER 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS

The Women, Kristin Hannah

“I just want … I don’t know…for someone to care that I’m home. That I went.” Frankie

“They learned to breath, and then to talk, and then, if they were lucky, to hope”

23 met at the home of Jane Shaw. to kick off Year 22 of Bookers. We were excited to welcome new members, Jeanette Brown, Chris Vaughn, Suzy Penner and Joellyn Martin and hope they enjoyed themselves and will return next month. I’ve added their email addresses to my Bookers list.

Sunshine:

Gayle and John Brummett lived in Pinnacle for many years before relocating to the Dallas area. Sadly, John passed away on September 5^th. Both were very involved in the community and golf and those who knew them are saddened at the news. Please keep the family in your prayers as they maneuver through the grief of losing a loved one.

Business:

Jane, on behalf of our selection committee, announced the books for the upcoming year and the list will be attached to the Minutes email. We are again partnering with Jen Sherman of Bookish in Malakoff to purchase books from her and again she’s offering a 10% discount to our group. I will be coordinating this with her, will pay for, and pick up the books when they arrive. If you were not at the meeting and are interested in supporting this effort, please let me know your choices and I’ll add your name to the list. I’ll let you know what you owe as soon as I get a price list from Jen. Many thanks to all who volunteered to host our meetings for the rest of the year. We’re all full until we begin Year 23 in September 2026.

 Rebecca Robinson volunteered to take over the food and beverage czarship from Kim Nalls who has done a wonderful job for the past two years. And many thanks to all who donated to this year’s “slush fund” which is used for out-of-pocket expenses throughout the year and for Bookers’ donations to worthwhile causes.

Note from the author:

She first conceived the idea for this book in 1997 but as a young writer – 37 at the time – she realized she lacked the skill or maturity to tackle such an important and complex subject. She was in elementary or middle school for most of the war but vividly remembers the protests, how the story was broadcast by the media, and particularly how the veterans – many fathers of her friends – were treated upon returning home. Originally, she created fictional towns and evacuation hospitals to give herself some latitude in telling the story, but her Vietnam veteran readers felt strongly she should name the places accurately; therefore, the hospitals and towns are real. Kristin considers it an honor to tell the stories of the women – both military and civilian – especially since being told there ‘were no women in Vietnam.’

About the author:

Kristin Hannah was born September 25, 1960, in Garden Grove, California, later moving to Western Washington at the age of eight. She graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Washington in 1983, later earning her law degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1986. Before becoming a full-time writer in 1991she practiced law in Seattle and worked in an advertising agency. She’s published over twenty novels, with her bestselling work, The Nightengale, set in France during the Nazi occupation, has sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide and translated in 45 languages and will be released in theaters February 12, 2027. The Women has been picked up by Warner Brothers. Stay tuned. She lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington with her husband and their son.

Synopsis:

My name is Frances Grace McGrath, but everyone calls me Frankie. Our family lives in an estate on Coronado Beach in Southern California about a ten-minute drive across the bridge over San Diego Bay. I’m just twenty years old in May of 1966 living a debutant-type life when the story begins. Generations of men in my family served in the military and were highly decorated except for my father, a successful real estate developer, whose claim to fame was building affordable housing for returning veterans which he considered his contribution to the war effort, and my mother was a product of ‘old money’ – the silver spoons always needing polishing.  My brother Finley, and his best friend, Rye Walsh, just joined the Navy and shipped out to Vietnam. I fast-tracked my nursing training, graduating as a registered nurse and was bent on using my skills in the best way, so I joined the Army Nurse Corps to be deployed to Vietnam much to the chagrin of my parents, especially after the news that Finley was killed in action.

I remembered a quote from Clara Barton, a nurse, educator, and founder of the American Red Cross about being compelled to face danger, but never fear it, and while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them. My fellow nurses, Barb and Ethel, kept me upright and after becoming a surgical nurse, I met the love of my life, Dr. Jamie Callahan. War is brutal and falling in love during war is insane. I learned that lesson when Jamie’s helicopter was shot down and he was presumed dead. I reupped and am reunited with Finley’s friend, Rye Walsh. Another thing you shouldn’t do during war is believe anything…case in point, he was engaged, then unengaged, then married with a child, then reported killed in action, only to reappear when the POWs are released, and while professing his love for me, Rye and his wife have another child while I’m in his arms.

I’m on a destructive path between nightmares, anger, getting fired, having a mental breakdown, drug and alcohol addiction, losing my nursing license, driving drunk and almost killing a bicycle rider, causing a deep divide from my parents, becoming engaged to a nice man that I didn’t love, but was pregnant with his child until I miscarried, and accidently overdosing on pills. But thanks to my nursing buddies, Barb and Ethel, they picked me up off the ground and provided some sanity to my existence.  Finally, there’s a name attached to my suffering and erratic behavior – post-traumatic stress disorder – from my time in Vietnam. My new life revolves around my ranch, the Last Best Place, that serves as a refuge for women who served in Vietnam. While searching the names listed on the Vietnam War Memorial in hopes of finding Jamie’s name, he stood in front of me…alive, divorced, and holding the smooth stone I gave him – on one side I had written ‘You Fight’ and on the other, ‘McGrath.’ My story confirms there were women in Vietnam. My Army Nurse Corps pin says it all. When one of our success stories came home to their loved ones, their children and grandchildren returned to us the pieces of our heart because we saved their lives.

Personal Stories:

There were few dry eyes as Bookers shared personal stories of Vietnam. Most everyone in our generation knew someone who served in this war and their heartfelt stories touched many of us. It’s difficult to fully understand what these servicemen encountered but most returned to their homeland not to hero parades and gratitude, but to hostility within a divided country. Those who shared ensured that these men and women are not forgotten. On a positive note, Kat Mackey, our own retired military veteran, reported that those who served in Vietnam are now treated with respect and reverence that was non-existent when they came home.

Bookers’ input:

Any 1-star ratings (put your money back in the piggy bank) - no

Any 2-star ratings (borrow don’t buy) - no

Any 3-star ratings (good beach read) – no

The 4-star ratings – (borders on favorite book ever) mostly 4.5’s those citing, although well-written, it was difficult to read with the gory details of the war, the emergency operating rooms, and the heartbreaking compassion shown for soldiers without limbs and/or on their deathbeds, and how the troops stationed there were able to navigate through twenty-four hour days that felt like forty-eight. It was a war zone and painted accurately, although hard to imagine the horror of it all and Ms. Hannah painted a clear picture of what it must have been like. One of our new members commented that the scenario that a person living in the lap of luxury, the entitled Frankie, was unrealistic given her upbringing questioning who in that situation would volunteer to go to war.

The 5-star ratings (order now. Include in your will) praised the writing, the reality of war, accurately reflected the Vietnam timeline, and most loving the characters and applauding their development. The author recited a horrible segment of history and how these young men returned home almost as if traitors – shameful. It showed us that women can be heroes and how friendships can run deep even amid chaos and the destruction of war. Hannah walked us through Frankie’s maturity, from the naïve twenty-one-year-old in a war zone who put herself in harm’s way every day to a veteran coming home where the battle raged internally and on street corners. It was pointed out that the author didn’t feel as though she was mature enough to write this story when she first started her career, but also the world was not ready to hear this story.  

At the end of our meeting Joellyn talked about the author collaboration project, the history behind the effort, and the satisfaction it gives to be an author involved in these books. Volume 6, 365 Days of Resilience is due out by Christmas and there are opportunities to submit your story to be included in the book. If you’ve always wanted to be an author and you’re interested in being a part of this, please contact Joellyn for more details @ joellynw.martin@gmail.com.  

Happy Reading,

JoDee

 

  

MAY 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, Life's too Short, Abby Jimenez

 

MAY 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS

Life’s too Short, Abby Jimenez

“Sloan Monroe” Painting, copper-colored dog on the shore of a lake…

20 Bookers met for our annual “wine & cheese” evening meeting to toast the end of our 21^st year at the home of Debbie Yarger who came to the rescue when Jane Shaw was feeling under the weather. We hope she feels better and stronger every day and are so appreciative of Debbie for opening her home to our group. Many thanks to Kim Nalls for coordinating our hearty food items to soak up our spirits. We’re happy that Jeana Cunningham decided to celebrate her birthday with us tonight!

Sunshine:

Barbara Creach had another successful hip replacement surgery and is doing well. We now have our own bionic Booker with two new knees and hips, and we hope Melba Holt is recovering from her recent knee replacement surgery as well.

Business

The Tri-County Library, 132 E. Market Street, Mabank has three little free library locations and are always in need of books to stock them. If you can donate, please drop them by the library during their business hours – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday 8:30-4:30; Thursday, 8:30-6:30; Saturday, 9:00-1:00. Also, Malakoff Elementary is in need of age-appropriate books to restock their “vending-machine” type library.

We will begin our 22^nd year on September 9^th where we will discuss our summer read, The Women, by Kristin Hannah. The selection committee will have met over our break to choose our books for the 2025-2026 year. If you have a book to recommend, please let Jane Shaw, Patty Evans, Kat Mackey or me know. Our criteria is simple – it must be well-written and capable of fostering discussion.

A note from Abby Jimenez

While Vanessa’s character is fictional, Jimenez says she went into this book in awe of the inspirational real-life activist and YouTuber, Claire Wineland who lived with cystic fibrosis, an illness she refused to let define her. She used her platform to inspire and educate, traveling the world encouraging those with chronic illnesses to find fulfillment and live proudly. She passed away in 2018 at twenty-one from complications after a lung transplant and donated her organs to those in need.

About the author:

Abby, a resident of Minnesota, took a complete leap of faith and founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen in 2007, which is now recognized as an award-winning cupcake shop and custom cake studio completing her lifelong passion for baking and a love for beautiful desserts. https://www.nadiacakes.com

While pregnant with her third baby, Abby decided to take cake decorating classes at a local craft store. Although her baby arrived before she could finish the classes, she took what she had learned and started making free cakes for family and friends which were a big hit and in high demand prompting her to quit her full-time job to start her own business.

With a newborn, a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old, all in diapers, Abby set out on two of the most challenging years of her life. She not only survived those years, but experienced success and opened a beautiful cake shop in the fall of 2009. It was so well received that just two months later, Carlos, Abby's husband, quit his full-time job and joined the family business as CFO. She won the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and was featured in two seasons of Fabulous Cakes on TLC, a British pay-television channel. She is now an international bestselling contemporary romance novelist who has penned two three-book series novels and four standalones.

Synopsis

My name is Vanessa Price, and I don’t live my life like there’ll always be one more day because I may have the same genetic disease, ALS, as my grandmother, sister, aunt, and mother although she was killed in a car wreck before experiencing any symptoms of this death sentence disease. Tomorrow is not a word in my vocabulary. My career as a famous traveling YouTuber came to a screeching halt when my addicted half-sister abandoned her newborn on my doorstep and suddenly, I was this child’s guardian and there didn’t seem to be an instructional manual included in the package. When this precious bundle began to wail in the wee hours of the morning, my hunky lawyer-neighbor, Adrian Copeland, came to the rescue using his innate baby-whispering skills to soothe the child’s despair within seconds beginning an unfathomable relationship between two polar opposites – he needs structure…I need a carefree lifestyle.

Do not feel sorry for me because I’ve been dealt some shitty cards in life. Even though I most likely will not live past the age of thirty, I’ve witnessed my sister consumed by the illness, my other sister falling into drugs, and my father becoming a hoarder, it’s not in my nature to tuck in my tail and give up. I’m a fighter. Adrian is a workaholic who seldom relaxes or takes time off for himself… was I the reason he found there was more to life than work? I like to think so. We have chemistry far beyond a romantic one. As our story unfolds, my hope is that you will be able to laugh and cry in the same scene and follow our lead by living each day to the fullest.

Bookers’ input

We all have our “go-to” genres that satisfy our reading experiences, and it is the goal of our selection committee to offer a variety of books for us to read. For this meeting we tested a new format asking each person to rate the novel using the criteria listed below and tell us why they chose the rating. (Thank you MN!)

            5 stars:  Order now. Include in your will

            4 stars:  Borders on your favorite book ever

            3 stars:  Good beach read

            2 stars:  Borrow, don’t buy

            1 star:   Put your money back in the piggy bank.

Our lowest rating was a 2 – the reason was Vanessa’s life philosophy and not knowing if she had ALS, she made some extreme decisions like having her tubes tied and didn’t even consider investigating her hand weakness, assuming it might be a symptom of the disease. Another rated it between 2 and 3 because it was a little too fluffy and there were too many “I’s,” although it was a first-person narrative, and Adrian’s character was a little unrealistic…no one is that perfect. The 3-rating captured 15 votes ranging from a solid 3 to 3.2, 3.4, and 3.5. The 3’s, including me, were entertained, would read again if needed a good laugh-out-loud contemporary romance novel with substance. The humor was infectious, the plot development was well-executed, and the ending, although predictable, was open-ended leaving the reader to fill in the blanks. The 3.2’s liked the humor, learning about vlogging (video blogging), and took to heart Vanessa’s advice to Adrian about his fear of flying – only worry about it on the plane, not before – a good practice for all who endlessly fret about things; and they liked that love won in the end. Our 3.4’s and 3.5’s thought it a bit “Hallmarky” although an enjoyable read – except for the overuse of the word, snorted…Adrian snorted 34 times in the novel…there are synonyms the author could have used! Another 3.5 loved the reference to The Office television show and thought the dialogue was snarky…in a positive funny way. Page 260 was brought to our attention…and for good reason…as Debbie reluctantly read it out loud with only a slight blush creeping across her face – well done! Our highest rating was a 4 as it was an easy read and she related to parts of the storyline. One question was asked…would you hand over a baby in the middle of the night to a complete stranger? Although Vanessa had never met her hunky-lawyer neighbor, she knew he owned the building, so most likely he wasn’t a serial killer stalking the hallways for his next prey. If you enjoyed this novel, you might like the rest of the series: Book 1, The Friend Zone; Book 2, The Happy Ever After Playlist (being developed for a movie.)

Summertime cheers our souls and refreshes our minds. Enjoy our break from meeting, not reading.

JoDee

APRIL 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS, The Keeper of Happy Endings, Barbara Davis

APRIL 2025 BOOKERS MINUTES & MUSINGS

The Keeper of Happy Endings, Barbara Davis

“The magic is as wide as a smile and as narrow as a wink, loud as laughter and quiet as a tear, tall as a tale and deep as emotion. So strong, it can lift the spirit. So gentle, it can touch the heart. It is the magic that begins the happily ever after.” Walt Disney

17 Bookers met at the home of Debby Stein on April 8^th to discuss this month’s selection. We welcomed two new members, Rita Brei and Ellie Bomar, to the group and hope to see them again next month.

Please note our annual “Wine & Cheese” evening May meeting has been moved to Tuesday, May 20^th, 5:30 p.m. at the home of Jane Shaw, 116 White Cap Lane, Pinnacle Golf Club. Our food and beverage coordinator, Kim Nalls, was not here today but she sent me an email suggesting we ask everyone to bring their favorite “heavy appetizer” and their drink of choice. After the first round of sign-ups, she may ask for other things to complement the selections and/or we can add extras like fruit or desserts at the appropriate time. Kim will be sending an email soon. Any questions should be directed to her @ kimLnalls01@gmail.com.

Business

Bookers has a table for eight (Tonya Guillamun, Jane Shaw, Patty Evans, Kat Mackey, Virginia Gandy, Janet Starkweather, Sherry Wood, and me) reserved for the Books and Bloom event ($62.50 each) on April 25^th, at Athens Country Club. Kat has taken the lead on creating our tablescape for the event and we’ll be meeting soon to coordinate how we want to decorate. Stay tuned.

We received a thank you letter from The Center for the Arts & Sciences for our $50.00 donation which will be added to the Brazosport Fine Arts Council’s Endowment Fund in memory of Marcie Allen.

Sunshine

It was good to see Lee McFarlane today and we are glad her health is improving and hope our hostess today, Debbie Stein, continues to make progress after her recent knee surgery. Patty Evans was also able to attend as hubby, Barry, is now home recuperating from pancreatitis.

Synopsis

Soline Roussel is well schooled in the business of happy endings. For generations her family has kept an exclusive bridal salon in Paris, where magic is worked with needle and thread. It’s said that the bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. But devastating losses during World War II leave Soline’s world and heart in ruins and her faith in love shaken. She boxes up her memories, stowing them away, along with her broken dreams, determined to forget.

Decades later, while coping with her own tragic loss, aspiring gallery owner Rory Grant leases Soline’s old property and discovers a box containing letters, a man’s monogrammed shaving kit, and a vintage wedding dress, never worn. When Rory returns the mementos, an unlikely friendship develops, and eerie parallels in Rory’s and Soline’s lives begin to surface. It’s clear that they were destined to meet—and that Rory may hold the key to righting a forty-year wrong and opening the door to shared healing and, perhaps, a little magic.

This is a beautiful story of two heartbroken women whose lives are magically woven together when their worlds meet at a crucial time in each of their lives. Soline and Rory reach out from the pages and touch the hearts of readers in an uplifting novel that explores the importance of hope, the magic of storytelling, and the transformative power of literature.

About the Author

Barbara Davis is a Jersey girl raised in the south, now living and writing in New England and living her dream. After fifteen years of wearing heels and schlepping a briefcase as an executive in the jewelry industry, she traded in her pinstripes for a little peace of mind and decided to follow her dream of becoming a women’s fiction author. Six books later, she’s still pinching herself maybe because she believes in miracles, in happy endings and new beginnings.

She’s blessed to be married to her best friend and soul mate, Tom, who sets the bar pretty high for her on-page heroes. They have a lovely twenty-year-old ginger cat named Simon who she says is “wretchedly spoiled and doesn’t give a fig if she’s on deadline or not.” When not making up stories she can be found reading, cooking, and watching college football. (Go Gators!)

Author Insights into the writing of this novel

She says her source of inspiration for writing this novel initially was to focus on wedding dresses and the role they play in the wearers happily-ever-after. That evolved further into a family of women whose calling it was to make dresses that guaranteed their brides happy endings while continuously being denied their own, and it details how often women are conditioned to repeat their mother’s stories and what it might be like to break that mold.

Paris was a natural setting for exclusive wedding dress salons and including the American Hospital there which remained open throughout the war and played a vital role in the resistance movement was a fitting backdrop for a love affair between Soline and Anson. A little-known heroic story of a real-life Maine born physician – Dr. Sumner Jackson – vowed no German soldier would be cared for on his watch and he kept his word while smuggling downed French and Allied airmen to safety via the underground. The author put Soline and Anson in this hospital to shine a light on his heroic actions.

The American Field Service drivers during WWII were not soldiers and rarely carried weapons. They were required to pay their own way, supply their own uniforms and equipment and at times even buy their own ambulances and perform their own vehicle maintenance. Because of these financial burdens, most volunteers were young men from wealthy families who abandoned their academic careers to volunteer. Anson’s character fits this profile to a tee. Another entity that were often in areas of armed conflict, natural disasters and areas of unrest, Doctors Without Borders, was accurately portrayed with Hux’s character and the inability to locate his whereabouts mirrored the difficulty in communication infrastructure, often relying on trustworthy locals to find and negotiate the release of hostages.

She also knew the exact building in Boston she wanted for Soline’s bridal shop/Rory’s gallery. None of the characters were based on real people. She creates a “base” character profile and discovers who they are as the story unfolds. From personal knowledge, parts of the story that deals with women often falling into the patterns of the women who raised them was based on her experiences. “We’re not always taught to want more, expect more, believe in the idea that we could actually have more…but worse, we’re rarely taught that we deserve more.” In her family, women were subservient…existing only to obey and produce, to marry and raise children, and let the man make the decisions. She was the first woman to break that mold and was met with stiff resistance as she moved further out of her and their comfort zones. Each female character in The Keeper of Happy Endings dealt with similar resistance and each had to make a conscious decision to pursue the life they wanted for themselves.

Discussion

Most read and finished the novel and either liked or loved it with a few on the fence. The character’s names, Soline and Aurora (Rory) complemented each other as both signify new beginnings – Soline meaning sunbeam and Aurora meaning dawn – both conjuring images of warmth, brightness and joy as each evolved to discover their happy endings. We talked about our favorite and least liked characters and how each one developed throughout the story. One of the themes of the novel was hope. Soline lost all hope when Anson was presumed dead; their child dying shortly after she was born; and the fire that robbed her of the ability to pursue dressmaking because of severe burns to her hands. The dance between fate and free will was a prevalent thread as fate threw Soline into the lives of Camilla and Rory to broker peace. Our conversation turned to the relationship between mother and daughter (Camilla and Rory), what caused each to react to the other as they navigated through an emotional roller-coaster, and the happy-ever-after conclusion to their story. As an artist herself Rory dreamed of owning a gallery where she could display the works of unknown artists. She created textile art – a combination of sculpture and painting done with bits of fabric carefully layered to create a sense of movement and depth – a skill our Bookers’ hostess was very familiar with. Was karma involved in selecting this novel and meeting at her home? Ten days before the opening of Rory’s gallery one of the vendors pulled out leaving a blank wall and Rory’s own creations were finally out of the storeroom and in a place they deserved. When time came to open the doors, “Blackbird,” a song written by Paul McCartney played in the background, the lyrics originally symbolizing the struggle of Black women in the South, but the author’s use of this spoke to Camilla, Soline, and Rory, their pasts, their presents, and their futures. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night; take those broken wings and learn to fly; all your life you were only waiting for this moment to arise.” Mother Camilla was a complicated “mess” stating it was her job to shape Rory – to keep her from making the same mistakes she did. We learn the Lowell’s were not known for stellar marriages but looked good on the society pages and that Camilla had known since she was ten she was adopted; her mother gave her up because she was pregnant and unmarried; her father told her that her mother had lost three babies and was ashamed of being childless so he arranged for the adoption and Camilla “was the consolation prize.” No wonder she was a “mess.”

We spoke of what defined a signature Roussel wedding dress and what three things were required for a bride to qualify to wear one as the creators looked for a sign that the betrothed couple’s echoes matched – each one half of a perfect whole seeking the other half. The significance of the contents of Soline’s gray cardboard box that miraculously survived the fire was in essence the foundation for a reunion of family – a family at the time, unknown to any of the characters. Soline and Rory’s stories mirrored each other – their bond, heartache which developed into trust and friendship, their passion for creativity, their lost loves, and their penchant for withdrawing from the world. The love story between Soline and Anson was fairy-tale-like, except for being set amid the Nazi occupation of France – their separation was fraught with despair and loss, but the long-awaiting reunion was emotional filling readers with the satisfaction that even the direst situations can have a happy ending. Anson’s father, Owen, was a complicated character with tinges of humanity and decency but perhaps his addiction to alcohol drove many of his knee-jerk reactions as he sought to control every aspect of everyone’s lives. The shock of seeing a man she thought was dead sent Soline into a tailspin and although Anson had been poisoned against her from reports from the private detective he hired to find her, their love somehow survived with their own happy-ever-after ending, forty years in the making. Rory had Hux back in her life and Camilla finally had the family she longed for.

Happy Reading,

JoDee