Lady X by Molly Fader

A special thank you to the publisher, Dutton/Penguin Random House Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Los Angeles, 2024. After learning that her A-List actor husband sent explicit photos to multiple girls on social media, Margot Cooper runs away from the world—and the paparazzi—by fleeing to her childhood home with her teenage daughter in tow.

But home isn’t the sanctuary Margot was hoping for. In a cardboard box in the corner of the attic, she finds damning evidence of an infamous urban legend, the mysterious vigilante “Lady X”—including a blurry newspaper photo of a woman who looks an awful lot like Margot’s mother.

New York City, 1977. In the midst of an infamous summer, Ginger Daughtry and her two beloved roommates are able to shield each other from the chaos—until one of them is assaulted. Astounded by the lack of response from police, the young women decide to engage in some light payback, signing their handiwork as “Lady X.”

Soon copycats appear, and a movement inspired by acts of vandalism against terrible men spirals out of control, with criminals running amok under the guise of the enigmatic “Lady X.” When a body is found fallen—or pushed—from five stories high, the hunt reaches a boiling point.

But Lady X has vanished into thin air.

Lady X is a timely tale of female rage and revenge. Part historical fiction/part mystery, Fader's latest is a dual timeline tour de force—she juxtaposes gritty 1970s New York against a modern-day Hollywood scandal. 

The mystery is grounded in real historical events, yet equally riveting is the present day storyline that is ripe with drama and celebrity culture. With its fully fleshed-out characters and atmospheric setting, this novel is immersive and unforgettable.

If you enjoy themes of sisterhood—both found and biological—feminism, and complex protagonists, this book is for you. Sassy, strong, and satisfying, Lady X perfectly personifies feminine rage and fearlessness.

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MOLLY FADER is the author of The McAvoy Sister’s Book Of Secrets, The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season, The Sunshine Girls, and Lady X. As Molly O’Keefe, she is the USA Today Bestselling author of over 50 contemporary romances. 

Fader resides in Toronto with her husband, two kids, and rescue dog.

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Q & A with Molly Fader*

GWR: Can you talk about your writing process? Are you a pantser/gardner or a plotter/architect? 

MF: What is this gardener/architect you speak of? I am so intrigued! I wish I could say yes to both?? Mostly I am a plotter—I need to know where I’m going before I sit down to work on a book. And in the day to day of writing, I like to spend a few minutes every morning making my plan for the day so I’m not just sitting there thinking about scrolling Instagram :) The tricky part is leaving enough room in my plot/plan for magic to happen. For characters to surprise me. I find that if I can get that balance right—the book really comes alive for me and the process is very joyful.  

GWR: Being a seasoned author, what is your favourite part of the publishing process? Is there anything that you still find difficult?

MF: Editing. Hands down. I love editing. When a book is done and I can see the whole project and I can go back and make changes that hopefully pull together themes and create places where the reader will be surprised. But then when an editor gets a hold of the book and sees it with fresh eyes and enthusiasm and says “but what about this?” and everything takes on a new life—I love it. I love it so much. The most difficult part of writing is the months of drafting after the heady rush of the beginning is over and before the thrilling down hill race to the end. That middle part - hard work.

GWR: What sparked the idea for Lady X?

MF: Whenever I’m thinking of a new book, I walk around for a few months with some general vibes or themes I want to explore and then I wait for the lightning strike idea that brings them together into a story idea. So on the one hand, over the last few years I’ve watched men go unpunished for terrible crimes against women and have felt nothing but rage and a kind of helplessness. At the same time I am raising a young woman who, with almost no help from me, is pushing back on the idea of being “nice” and making herself uncomfortable so men can feel more comfortable. So, I was walking around with those two ideas, and then during the pandemic, Taylor Swift released the Midnights album with the song "Vigilante Shit" on it, and that was my lightening strike. Lady X was born. 

GWR: What are some of the central questions in your novels and how does Lady X fit into your body of work?

MF: I wrote romance for years and I love romance as a reader and a writer. Sex and love were incredible and are incredible vehicles for telling women’s stories. But as I’ve gotten older (and angrier :)) there are other relationships that are just as compelling to me. So, I started to write about estranged families and deep female friendships. Lady X is a departure for me—it has more of a mystery driving the plot, but at it’s heart it’s about women lifting other women up and helping them through their darkest days. And revenge. It’s mostly about revenge :) 

GWR: In this book you introduce a highly varied cast of characters. Who was your favourite character to write? Which one would you most likely want to grab a drink with? 

MF: Margot—the woman in the present timeline whose famous husband humiliates her by being disgusting on the internet—was my favourite character to write. And she’s very polarizing—people either love or hate her, but she resonated with me A LOT. Maybe because we’re the same age with kids and the instinct to burn her life down didn’t come naturally to her. She had to get angry instead of sad and scared and that was a very fun process to write. The two scenes when she loses it were my favourite scene.  I have a podcast series called Day Drinking With Authors where I pick a book the author picks a drink and we discuss both and I would love to have Julia, Margot’s sister on the podcast. She is unfiltered and in touch with some of the sharper sides of herself in a way I am envious and fascinated by. Faye would be interesting to talk to—but I don’t think she’d be very forthcoming—but if she was there with Rachel and Ginger, now that would be FUN!

GWR: This novel explores the power of female relationships as well as female resistance—why was it important for you to write about these themes?

MF: Writing this book I thought a lot about the friendships women make in their early twenties. Those first adult friends as you’re really starting to know who you are and how the chemistry of those friendships can be a lot like falling in love. So intense. So revealing. I am also always fascinated by the friendships you make under duress. Bad jobs, bad apartments, hard situations—the kind of forged in fire bonds that aren’t like any other relationship. The three room mates in NYC—Ginger, Faye and Rachel—have that energy.  As for resistance, we’ve been watching it play out in real time the last few years. Just so many women fighting so hard to get autonomy and justice—it’s been so inspiring. 

GWR: Tell me about the research you did for the novel. Did any real events influence the story? And how did you recreate the social and political atmosphere of the 70s?

MF: Deciding to set the novel in 1977 NYC was a bold and terrifying decision. There was SO MUCH going on that summer. Son of Sam, the black out, the crime, Studio 54, the city was bankrupt. So much. I knew I needed a reason why Lady X faded into obscurity and so I used the press and the city’s obsession with Son of Sam as that reason. The black out and all the chaos that happened in those hours gave me the best setting for the climactic ending. As for research, I was working on this book during the pandemic and there was a NYC walking tour company that did zoom tours around the city. And they were incredibly helpful. 

GWR: Can you talk about the structure of the book? How did you balance the contemporary story with the 1970s New York setting? 

MF: I love dual timeline books and I know the biggest pitfall of them is having one timeline be more exciting than the other so I wanted there to be very high stakes in both timelines. Margot and her jerk husband, and her relationship with her daughter, and finding out that her mother may have been a part of a vigilante girl gang, all kept the current timeline moving—but I also wanted to show how in a lot of cases, women are still fighting the same fights. And Lady X is as relevant now as she was in the 70s. The hardest part were the interstitials between the timelines—using press clippings and podcast excerpts to build the lore of Lady X while not giving anything away—so hard. But I’ve gotten a lot of messages from people saying that they looked up Lady X because they were sure she was real! 

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from Lady X? 

MF: The time to be nice to men who make us uncomfortable is over. We’re not here to smooth the way or apologize for men’s terrible behaviour. We need each other now more than ever and cherish the friends who will engage in revenge with you :)

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

MF: Oh, a Manhattan. Sweet, with a powerful kick. 

GWR: What are you working on now? 

MF: I am working on a book set in 1980’s Nashville about women and ambition and an infamous country band called The Thorns.

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

Leave and Come Back by Lavanya Lakshmi

A special thank you to the publisher, Doubleday Canada, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You’re invited to the most romantic, chaotic wedding of the season.

For the first time, Simran Gopal is living out her own swoon-worthy romance to rival the beloved Bollywood films of her childhood...until she receives her cousin’s wedding invitation. Now, Simran finds herself returning to the family home she’s been avoiding for the last seven years to take part in a two-week long Indian wedding.

Family drama is already at a high when Leo Bridgers, Simran’s new boyfriend, accidentally crashes the engagement party. To avoid full crisis mode and provoking the ire of Veena perima, Simran’s aunt and judgmental family matriarch, the cousins need to rally. Operation DDLJ.

Following the lead of their favorite Bollywood movie, they need to trick Veena into adoring Leo. In a mess of misdirection and chaotic hijinks, Leo must prove himself to be the most charming, helpful wedding guest imaginable, and he certainly can’t give away that he’s ever met—let alone is currently in love with—Simran.

For Simran, being back with her family also brings memories of the difficult years after her parents died. As old grievances and new secrets arise—along with nosy aunties—will Simran be able to finally have her own love story, and find the closure she’s been looking for on her past?

Leave and Come Back is a heartfelt debut that balances the quest for a "happily ever after" with a moving exploration of family, culture, and grief. 

Lakshmi expertly weaves the chaos of wedding festivities and Simran and Leo's budding romance with deeper themes of cultural expectations, estrangement, and grief. Through the use of Bollywood and romance tropes—and  “Operation DDLJ” to outsmart a meddling aunty—she keeps the story nostalgic and fun without sacrificing its emotional depth. Although there is plenty of humour and romance, the real heart of the story is Simran’s healing journey from her past trauma, and of being true to herself and her heritage. 

Part rom-com and part family drama, this charming story is as effervescent as a glass of champagne.

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LAVANYA LAKSHMI has a Master’s degree from NYU and lived in New York City for nine years before moving to Toronto, where she currently resides, despite being a very vocal hater of cold weather. She has worked in and around book publishing her whole career. Leave and Come Back is her first novel.

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Q & A with Lavanya Lakshmi*

GWR: Is there a particular author/work that inspired you to become a writer or the way you write?   

LL: No, I don’t think there is a single author that has inspired me. I read really widely and across genres deliberately. I like to learn a little from every book I read—a little crash course on craft, in addition to reading for pleasure! That said, I think I wouldn’t be a writer if I wasn’t a reader and my love of reading started when I was young—Judy Blume’s books were always my favourite! Her humour was a huge influence on me. And when I was eighteen, I was in an AP English class that changed the way I looked at literature (teachers are so important!). There were so many books I read that year but I’ll note that Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things is my favourite book of all time, even though my books are nothing like hers. 

GWR: What sparked the idea for Leave and Come Back?

LL: I’ve loved DDLJ, the Bollywood movie that inspired Leave and Come Back and is heavily referenced in it, since I first saw it as a teenager. I always found it to be such a charming romance, but it also had so many layers. That said, its viewpoints didn’t always line up with mine (and it’s also over three decades old!) so I loved the idea of being able to pay homage to this formative influence on me while retelling in a way that reflected my background and my outlook on the world. The movie is definitive for so many, but I think the version of the story I wrote in this book will also speak to many people! 

GWR: Give us your best Bollywood pitch for the book.

LL: Simran is returning to her estranged family home for the first time in seven years for her cousin’s big wedding, so drama is already at a high—and that’s before the love of her life, Leo, crashes the engagement party and gets on the wrong side of the disapproving family matriarch, Veena! So she and her cousins come up with a scheme, lifted straight from their favourite Bollywood movie, DDLJ—Simran and Leo will pretend to be strangers, while he is the most helpful, charming wedding guest ever and wins everyone over. Only then will they reveal they’re together. Shockingly, things to do not go according to this one-hundred-percent flaw-free plan! There’s hijinks and hilarity as Leo stumbles his way through well, everything—but also a lot of heartache as Simran’s absence and the wounds around it come to the surface, all in the middle of this two week long, multi-event, four hundred attendee wedding!

GWR: What role did setting have when constructing the romance? (Shout out to Toronto.)

LL: Simran lives in Toronto at the start of the novel and journeys back to her aunt and uncle’s home in New Jersey. It was really important that she have a life she loves here—with friends and her boyfriend, Leo—so that going back to New Jersey was extra difficult. I wanted to make sure I shouted out Toronto because I live here and it’s a great city! 

Going back to her family home would induce a lot of emotion on a normal day—going back during this big wedding adds a level of chaos, a bunch of rubberneckers, and the elaborate outfits that take it to eleven! To me, setting this book at a wedding was writing what I know as I’ve been to a lot of Indian weddings. But even as everyone enjoys the wedding celebrations, the wedding also makes things a little harder for the characters to get what they think they want, which is what the best settings do. 

GWR: Familial love is just as important as romantic love in this book. What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Simran and Kavitha’s relationship to have? What about Simran and Leo?

LL: With Simran and Leo, I wanted them to be a couple the reader would root for –it was key that people wanted them to be together, that you could see why they like each other so much, and why they’re good for each other. Having them be friends for a long time who danced around their feelings helped that because they know each other so well, which was so important as they get thrown into a brand new situation. 

With Kavitha and Simran, I wanted it to feel like sisterhood interrupted. Kavitha is Simran’s favourite person and when she left, she broke their bond. I wanted to explore how it felt to navigate a relationship where there is so much love and fondness but also a fundamental fissure and betrayal. It was also important that the reader sees—and feels—just how much history and fun they have together.   

GWR: What is your favourite trope to write and what is your favourite to read?

LL: I love when love interests are very different from each other—so maybe that’s the opposites-attract trope! I like writing the friction of how they’re different and the spark when they have something in common or realize something about the other that changes their feelings. And to read—it’s a less common one but I love a marriage of convenience, when characters are spouses for a reason other than love (but of course, eventually fall in love!) 

GWR: You used depth through the inclusion of grief, family dynamics, and culture as a counterbalance to the romance, why was it important to include these elements?

LL: I always knew I wanted the romantic relationship between Simran and Leo to be quite steady and strong because that mirrored my favourite parts of DDLJ. So the conflict needed to come from elsewhere—and that’s where Leo’s fish-out-of-water element came in. It also became a stronger story if it wasn’t just Leo who was out of place in the family dynamic—if Simran was too, that would make her return all the more difficult and create lots of friction and drama. The grief element was something that felt powerful and deep enough that it couldn’t be brushed away; these were the kind of wounds that families split over and so it set the stage perfectly for Simran’s return.  

GWR: Leave and Come Back is told from a dual, third-person point of view—did you always intent to write it this way or did this happen organically? 

LL: Actually, my first draft of the book was a dual POV-first person! It was fine but I could tell something wasn’t quite clicking, even though I didn’t know what it was yet. Then I took that crucial break between finishing your first draft and starting your second and I read a bunch of books. I happened to read two or three in a row that were third person and it hit me. I realized I should be writing in third person—the voice of the novel immediately flowed and it worked better with the story I was trying to tell, especially with an ensemble cast.

I always knew I wanted Leo’s point of view in there because Simran has a lot of baggage she’s carrying into the story. Seeing things through Leo’s eyes, as an outsider and a newcomer, put a lot more in context and I think it helped illuminate what Simran couldn’t see, which is so true with family—we’re often the least able to see past things with the people we’re closest to. 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

LL: Oh, definitely a perfectly poured cup of chai—the tea would be brewed strongly but softened by the milk (aka the romance) and it would have distinct notes: cardamom, ginger, clove and more. All are assertive and separate flavours, but they come together harmoniously!

GWR: Can you share what are you working on now?

LL: I’m a little superstitious about sharing my work when it’s in progress! But I will say that I am working on my next novel and its major theme is female friendship, alongside a rivals-to-lovers romance. 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

City of the Muse by Kate Hilton

A special thank you to the author, Kate Hilton, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An ill-fated dig. An ancient city believed to be cursed. And a century-old mystery at the heart of it all.

Egypt, 1903: When renowned papyrologist Helen Gardiner arrives at an excavation site in the ancient city of Calliopolis, she learns that she has been given the job because her predecessor has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. One of the only women on the dig, Helen—tasked with restoring and cataloguing the thousands of papyrus fragments recovered at the site—soon discovers that there’s more to Calliopolis than meets the eye. The archaeologists on the dig, mostly men, all have not only their own towering egos, but their own agendas, including secrets they might kill to protect.

Toronto, 2019: Archivist Maddie Sloan is at a dead she feels like her academic career is stalled, and she’s still healing from her recent breakup with her former partner, Ben. To make matters worse, Ben still works with Maddie’s father, a famous archaeologist, and with whom Maddie has had a major falling out. It feels like her father has chosen Ben over her.

When famous TV archaeologist Peter Bahar arrives at the Toronto Archaeological Museum to verify the provenance of objects from their Egyptian collection believed to be from Calliopolis, Maddie jumps at the opportunity. After all, she has her own ties to the Cursed City of Calliopolis through her grandmother, Iris, who worked at the site. As Maddie and Peter begin digging into the objects and circumstances surrounding the excavation, they learn that two papyrologists seem to have abruptly disappeared from the dig without explanation. Suddenly, a search for providence becomes a quest to uncover a history shrouded in secrets and lies—and a murder that has been covered up for more than a century.

City of the Muse is a sweeping, dual timeline novel that is part historical fiction and part mystery, with a dash of mysticism. Atmospheric, layered, and beautifully written, Hilton's latest takes a deep dive into the world of papyrus—her meticulous attention to detail elevates the reading experience. 

With its feminist themes, strong atmosphere, and compelling narratives, this is the perfect summer read!

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KATE HILTON is the bestselling author of The Hole in the Middle, Just Like Family, and Better Luck Next Time. She is also the coauthor, with Elizabeth Renzetti, of the Quill and Packet mystery series: Bury the Lead, Widows and Orphans, and the forthcoming Put It to Bed. When not writing, Kate works as a psychotherapist in private practice, with a focus on personal reinvention and life transitions. 

Hilton lives with her family in Toronto.

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Q & A with Kate Hilton*

GWR: How did you start writing/become a writer?   

KH: I started writing just before my 40th birthday. I suddenly noticed that everyone I knew was training for a marathon. I had exactly zero interest in running but I began wondering what the equivalent might be for me. The answer (write a novel!) popped into my head so quickly that I realized my first book had been waiting for me to be ready for it.

GWR: Are you a pantser/gardener or a plotter/architect? What does your writing process look like?  

KH: I’m a bit of both. I used to be firmly in the plotter/architect camp, and I still begin a book project with a detailed outline. But as I’ve grown in confidence as a writer, I find that I’m less worried about sticking to the blueprints. I come back, but I might plant a few flowers along the way. An outline is also important because my writing time is limited. I split my professional life between fiction writing and private practice as a psychotherapist, so I have to make the hours count. 

GWR: How did you come up with the concept for City of the Muse?

KH: The original spark was a headline about an Oxford professor who was being investigated for stealing ancient papyrus fragments from the university’s collection and selling them to an American collector. It was a bizarre story that had all kinds of appealing elements from my perspective: ivory-tower crime, ancient books, Egyptology, billionaire skulduggery. I was hooked. 

GWR: What do you have more fun with, character development or plot?

KH: It’s not fashionable, but I like plot. Designing a satisfying story that keeps the reader turning pages is the kind of intellectual puzzle that I enjoy.

GWR: In this novel you introduce a varied cast of characters—who was your favourite to write? Did any minor players become major characters as the story unfolded? 

KH: Helen Gardiner was my favourite to write, and she was also the character who showed up in my brain before the others. She has such a clear sense of herself in the world, as well as a powerful dedication to her art (the restoration and translation of ancient papyrus). Another character, Nora Alcott, was supposed to have a smaller role, but she elbowed her way into a position of importance in the story. 

GWR: Can you speak to the role that women have played in the filed of archeology and how you captured this through your characters?

KH: Women have been hugely important in archaeology, as excavators and scholars and even funders. The earliest university program in archaeology was funded by a female Egyptologist, and she insisted as a condition of her gift that female students be admitted and granted degrees. Helen, along with her friend Iris, represent this generation of women and the contributions they made to the field, sadly overlooked in the historical record until recently.

GWR: Did anything from your research surprise you or change the direction of the story?

KH: I was probably most surprised to learn that there had been a “papyrus craze” in Egyptology, during which many of the funded excavations were focused on recovering ancient papyrus. I’ll be honest and say that I had no prior knowledge about this archaeological moment, even though I’ve been obsessed with Egypt since childhood. But now that I understand how incredibly valuable these papyri are (monetarily, historically, intellectually, artistically), it isn’t hard to see why people spent fortunes trying to find them. 

GWR: How did you balance crafting a good story against historical accuracy?

KH: With many drafts! There is always a risk of writing a textbook when you get enthusiastic about a historical subject. But with fiction, the story comes first. Only a small portion of the research ends up in the finished novel, just enough to let the reader feel as if they are transported, but not enough to be distracting. 

GWR: What made you decide to write the book from a dual timeline (present day Toronto and the ancient city of Calliopolis)? And why it was important to you to feature your home city of Toronto?

KH: I wanted the reader to have the experience that I’d had, slowly learning more about papyrus excavation and the art and science of restoration and translation. It seemed to me that the best way to do that would be to bring the reader on a journey with a present-day character, Maddie, who was being introduced to the field, and the (fictional) history of Calliopolis, along with them. As for Toronto, I love to show it off whenever I have a chance. It’s such a wonderful city, full of cultural treasures. I’ve spent many happy hours in Toronto’s museums throughout my life. 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

KH: A Gimlet. I’m sure they were popular at the bar at Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo during the papyrus excavations.

GWR: What are you working on now?

KH: I write the Quill & Packet mystery series with my friend, Elizabeth Renzetti. We’ll be doing edits on the third book in the series over the summer. And I’m doing some archaeology research for my next historical novel. 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada. 

Mother is Watching by Karma Brown

A special thank you to Dutton/Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Mathilde “Tilly” Crewson, a thirty-nine-year-old mother and art conservator, is tasked with restoring The Mother. The painting, believed to be the work of a female surgeon-turned-artist after a personal tragedy, is the rumored fourth piece in a collection of only three known works. But this newly discovered painting, scarred by fire, holds more than meets the eye.

Soon after receiving the painting, Tilly discovers she’s unexpectedly pregnant. But almost immediately, strange, inexplicable things begin to terrifying insect swarms, eerie visits from her long-deceased mother, and sinister whispers that invade her mind. As these malevolent forces intensify, Tilly comes to a harrowing the only way to sever the perilous bond she shares with the painting is to destroy it. But The Mother has plans of her own—and they’re darker than Tilly could ever imagine…

Set in near-future Georgia, Mother is Watching is compulsive, deeply atmospheric, and is as sinister as it is smart. Brown's horror debut delves into themes of bodily autonomy, female agency, and fractured identity. With its canvas of horror, feminist fiction, and dystopia, this is a masterpiece!

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KARMA BROWN is an award-winning journalist and author of the bestsellers Come Away With Me, The Choices We Make, In This Moment, The Life Lucy Knew, and Recipe for a Perfect Wife. Her first non-fiction book, The 4% Fix, published in 2020. Karma's writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine. She’s also one half of the writing duo behind The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox and writes under the pen name Kristine Winters (The Christmas Cure). 

Brown lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband, daughter, and their adorably handsome labradoodle, Fred.

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Q & A with Karma Brown*

GWR: Being a seasoned author, what is your favourite part of the publishing process? Is there anything that you still find difficult?

KB: I have two favourite parts, and two least favourite parts—balance! The hardest and most challenging aspects are the first draft, because I love editing and won’t let myself edit at that stage, and promotion. Meeting readers and having great conversations about the book are highlights, but as an 85/15 introvert/extrovert, I’m more comfortable behind my desk and laptop. The best stages are brainstorming the idea and gathering research, followed by editing, which is hands-down the phase I love the most. 


GWR: This is your first foray into horror. What attracted you to the genre? 

KB: I’m a lifelong horror fan—ghost stories by the cottage campfire, devouring Stephen King’s Pet Sematary when I was about 10, and watching iconic ‘80s movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween and Poltergeist at sleepovers. Looking back, I realize the sensation of controlled fear—knowing it lived on the page or on the screen, but not in my real life—was as cathartic as it was entertaining. As an adult, horror is the genre I lean into when I need that catharsis, as well as escape, and it never fails me. It’s a safe way to work through fear. And creatively, I love the world-building in the horror genre. It pushes the boundaries of what you’re willing to accept and believe.

GWR: What’s are some of the key elements that are a must in a horror novel?

KB: I’m not sure there’s a right answer, so I’ll offer my personal ‘musts.’ First, a truly scary “monster in the house” (as Jamie Nash describes in Save the Cat! Writes Horror), though I’m flexible about what constitutes a “house.” As long as the premise fills me with dread, I’m in. Second, a protagonist I’m deeply invested in and am rooting for. Horror is full of emotional depth, which can be overlooked by readers who dismiss the genre as simply “scary.” Finally, I love an ambiguous ending. Our imaginations can be far scarier than anything resolved neatly on the page. 


GWR: The conservation of a painting is a unique take on the “spooky painting” horror trope. Can you talk about the research that you did?

KB: I was incredibly lucky to connect with a conservator at the Art Gallery of Ontario who specializes in paintings and was willing to talk with me. She prefers to stay backstage, so I won’t name her here, but she generously answered endless questions and emails, and even read an early draft of the book. She also took me behind the scenes on several occasions, giving me a first-hand look at how the work is done, and the scope of the job. We had many conversations over coffee about art, conservation, and being a young woman in the field. It was an unprecedented level of access, and I truly couldn’t have written this book without her. She helped me bring Tilly—and The Mother—to life, and it’s the most fascinating research I’ve ever done for a book.

GWR: How do you balance genuine fear with plot?

KB: For me, fear has to serve the story. If something is scary but doesn’t move the plot forward or deepen the characters, it loses its impact. A well-placed scare can absolutely ratchet up the tension, but it has to feel earned, otherwise it risks pulling the reader out of the story.  


GWR: Mother is Watching straddles the line between sci-fi and horror, with a utopian/dystopian overlay—how did this come about? 

KB: Initially I felt like a kid in a candy store. It was my first foray into writing horror, and I had so many beloved horror tropes and world-building ideas that it took time to whittle them down into a cohesive vision. I wanted the world to feel both utopian and dystopian, with feminist themes threading through the story, a protagonist with a fascinating job, and a unique “monster.” I also wanted to explore horror that feels plausible—where the terror comes not just from something supernatural, but from systems, technology, and ideas we already live with. I’m endlessly curious about what the future holds, and I have a healthy dose of fear about the unknown. This novel gave me space to explore all of that.    


GWR: Did you use any real-life fears as inspiration?

KB: Absolutely. The idea of possession has always terrified me. What would you do if someone was trying to take over your body and life, but no one else noticed? Losing my mind is right up there as well. And metaphorically, when I first became a mother I feared losing myself—and my ambition—to the label. Society places enormous pressure on women through the concept of the “good mother,” and some of those fears found their way into the story.


GWR: What questions did you ask yourself in the work? 

KB: One question I kept returning to was a simple one: Does this scare me?

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

KB: A Long Black. It’s made by pouring a double shot of espresso over hot water—unlike an Americano, where hot water is added to the espresso. The crema stays intact on top, but beneath that creamy, silky layer is something strong and dark. 


GWR: What are you working on now?

KB: More horror. Stay tuned!

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding

A special thank you to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sydney Lowe’s life in New York is shattered when her husband, Curtis, admits to a meaningless affair with a client. Begging for forgiveness and vowing to prove his devotion, Curtis suggests the couple retreat to a remote hilltop house in Spain to repair their marriage.

High above the Mediterranean, Sydney and Curtis are working on the isolated property and their relationship when a pair of Australian travellers turns up at their door in dire need of help. Lonely for companionship and desperate for free labor, Sydney and Curtis invite the attractive young couple to stay. But as the days pass, dark secrets come to light, the Lowes’ bond is tested, and not everyone will leave the villa alive. 

Harding's latest is a tightly constructed psychological thriller that utilizes shifting third-person perspectives and a two-part narrative. She masterfully blends escapism with entrapment to create a setting that's both atmospheric and suffocating. The short, punchy chapters—with cliffhangers aplenty—ratchet up the tension, making this book impossible to put down. 

Brimming with sharp twists, devastating secrets, and shocking revelations, Strangers in the Villa is a knockout from start to finish! 

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ROBYN HARDING is the author of fourteen novels including The Swap, The Party, Her Pretty Face, The Arrangement, The Drowning Woman, and The Haters. She has also written and executive produced an independent film.

Harding lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and two cute but deadly rescue chihuahuas. 

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Q & A with Robyn Harding*

GWR: Being a seasoned author, what is your favourite part of the publishing process? Is there anything that you still find difficult?

RH: My favourite part is all the support and cheerleading I get from readers, influencers, booksellers, and other authors. It’s such a supportive community! But I still feel the pressure of whether a book will be well received and sell well or not. 

GWR: What was the inspiration for the novel?

RH: We took an amazing trip to Spain a few years ago and met an Aussie couple who had moved to a remote house in the hills above the Costa Brava. They were living their dream life, but my brain went: How could that go horribly wrong? 

GWR: Can you talk a little about your character development—do you let your characters tell you who they are, or do you decide their characteristics? 

RH: I start by writing character profiles so that I really know who they are. How did they grow up? What’s their relationship history? What are their strengths and insecurities? This background informs how they behave as they move through the plot.


GWR: Tell us a little bit about your writing process. Do you hear your words as dialogue, or do you visualize the scenes? 

RH: I love this question! When I write, I’m almost like an actor in a film. I’m inside my characters, feeling what they feel, and seeing through their eyes.

GWR: Intuition verses craft—when do you know to make the hard turns?

RH: I use screenplay structure to make sure I’m hitting the write beats and keeping up the pacing, but I don’t outline in detail. I do a lot of re-reading as I go to intuitively know what needs to be revealed and when.

GWR: How do you write an effective red herring when you are so close to the material?

RH: Sometimes I don’t even know who the guilty party is until I’m well into the novel. Other times I know from the outset. I think knowing your characters well allows you to create red herrings.   

GWR: Strangers in the Villa is a tightly constructed psychological thriller that uses shifting third-person perspectives and a two-part narrative. How did this structure come about? 

RH: As a writer, I like to stay interested and challenged, and telling a story in unique ways is so much fun for me. I love getting excited different characters’ heads and telling the story through their voices. I’m really inspired by filmmakers who make movies in unusual or unexpected ways. 

GWR: The villa was the perfect setting with its idyllic location and winery potential that was juxtaposed with the physical remoteness and claustrophobic isolation. Why did you choose Spain?

RH: physical remoteness and claustrophobic isolation. Why did you choose Spain?

I’d spent about ten days in this exact location. It was so gorgeous and idyllic, but also very isolated and removed from my real life. Not knowing the language and customs seemed like a good way to add a layer of tension. 

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

RH: Spanish Vermut!


GWR: What are you working on now?

RH: I’m writing another thriller set on a private island in the Pacific Northwest. I’m having a lot of fun with it! 

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.

The Book Tour by Emily Ohanjanians

A special thank you to the publisher, Dell, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Despite her popular podcast and sold-out speaking events, Ana Movilian still feels like she has to prove herself. To her family, who can't believe she quit med school to build an influencer career, and to literary snobs, who decry her buzzy self-help book. Happily, her upcoming book tour is the perfect chance to show the world just how bright her star can shine.

That is, until her beloved publicist resigns the night before their plane is set to take off, announcing that her replacement is none other than Ryan bleeping Grant.

Ryan specializes in highbrow, "important" books, and his perma-scowl in every interaction with Ana makes one thing clear: he does not get her book. Or her. He’s the last person who should be promoting her work, the last person she should be stuck with for two weeks . . . and the last person who should look that damn good in business casual.

As they travel from city to city, however, Ana's assumptions about Ryan take new shape. A decidedly more appealing shape. Soon, their growing attraction starts to feel like a ticking time bomb. But crossing that line could derail each of their careers faster than you can say "conflict of interest," and they both have bigger dreams at stake than the bestseller list.

Editor Ohanjanians offers a glimpse into publishing industry in her stellar debut. 

Written from Ana's point of view, this novel checks all the boxes—grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, forbidden romance, opposites attract, and a healthy dose of steam! (This is an open door romance.) Also refreshing is Ohanjanians' leading lady. Ana, a second-generation Armenian, is intelligent, self-sufficient, and feisty. She experiences tremendous personal growth while navigating grief and managing cultural/familiar expectations. Also refreshing, Ana and Maral's relationship is just as important as the romance.    

The Book Tour will have readers swooning with its sizzling chemistry, smart banter, and steamy scenes.

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EMILY OHANJANIANS lives with her family in Toronto, Canada, where she works as a professional book editor. After many years on the other side of the desk, she decided to parlay a lifelong love of joyous, escapist, romantic stories into her own writing. The Book Tour is her first novel. 

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Q & A with Emily Ohanjanians*

GWR: Are you a pantser/gardener or a plotter/architect?

EO: I’m about as plotter as it gets. I applaud anybody who can pants their way through a story, it feels like absolute witchcraft to me! My brain just doesn’t work that way—I need a map to follow.

GWR: As a publishing professional, what is your favourite part of the process? Was there anything you found surprising being on the author side? 

EO: My first love is editing. Working with an author to help their story reach its full potential is just so fulfilling. Now on the author side, I still find that editing is my favourite part! I wouldn’t say I was surprised at how challenging drafting is, but I definitely find that blank page intimidating. Revising and editing that draft afterwards is where I really come alive—and so does the story. I’m also lucky to be able to work with incredible editors whose insights help make my work so much better.

GWR: What advice would you give to Ana if you were her editor? 

EO: Chill. LOL. Maybe more like, harness the chaos. Ana is full of energy and ideas, and my job as her editor would be to help streamline her storytelling into a cohesive narrative. 

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for the book.

EO: A lively debut author is forced to go on a two-week national book tour with her grumpy publicist, aka the last person on earth she’d ever choose to promote her work—only for very inconvenient sparks to fly between them.  

GWR: Do you let your characters tell you who they are, or do you decide their attributes? 

EO: I decide who I want them to be upfront, but as the story develops they definitely evolve and I have to rethink some of those initial attributes! The core of who they are remains the same but details may shift and recalibrate as I draft and revise.

GWR: This novel is as much about a romantic relationship as it is about female connection. What were the most important characteristics and dynamics that you wanted Ana and Ryan’s relationship to have, as well as Ana’s with Maral?

EO: Story is about character evolution, and I knew that the dynamic between the characters would have to serve each of those characters’ specific transformations within the story. Maral and Ryan are both grounding forces for Ana, who operates at a very different energy level than them—they make her feel safe and accepted and allow her to see that she doesn’t have to perform a persona at all times. She can just be herself. In turn, Ana is the ultimate hype woman, and knowing her gives Maral and Ryan each the push they need to pursue life on their own terms.  

GWR: The Book Tour features some of the best romance tropes—grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, forbidden romance—what is your favourite trope to write and what is your favourite to read?

EO: I love tension and chemistry, so forced proximity offers a lot of opportunity to explore those elements in a really fun way. I’m always drawn to fake-relationship stories, though I haven’t written one myself yet. My ultimate favourite to read and write may be he falls first—I’m just a sucker for it, and will likely find some way to work that into any book I write!

GWR: You used depth through the inclusion of grief, as well as Ana navigating cultural expectations, as a counterbalance to the romance—why was it important to include these elements in the story?

EO: I wanted Ana’s internal conflict to be at once personally and universally relatable. Whether people grow up in an immigrant household or not, everyone has experienced some level of expectation that puts pressure on their choices. We all play different roles in different spheres of our lives, so I thought that “foot in two worlds” experience may resonate broadly with readers. Ana’s grief is an unresolved trauma that continues to colour her perception of love. If the people who claim to love you don’t “allow” your big emotions, then you can’t bring your whole self into that relationship. One of Ana’s big lessons in the story is that someone who loves you the way you deserve to be loved will accept all of you.

GWR: If your book was a beverage, what would it be? 

EO: Dark roast coffee, of course. IYKYK.

GWR: What are you working on now?

EO: My second novel is a sports romance set in the professional tennis world, about two pro tennis players who have to pair up to play mixed doubles at Wimbledon. It’s swoony and romantic and has a lot of delicious forced-proximity tension!

*A version of this post was published on STYLE Canada.