Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

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

Once upon a time, teenage Aurora Evans met a hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. And soon, he was the perfect fake boyfriend, a get-out-of-jail-free card for all kinds of sticky situations. I can't go to prom. I'm going to be visiting my boyfriend in Canada. He was just what she needed to cover her social awkwardness. He never had to know. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him again…

Years later, Aurora is teaching kids’ dance classes and battling panic and eating disorders—souvenirs from her failed ballet career—when pro hockey player Mike Martin walks in with his daughter. Mike’s honesty about his struggles with widowhood helps Aurora confront some of her own demons, and the two forge an unlikely friendship. There’s just one problem: Mike is the boy she spent years pretending was her “Canadian boyfriend.”

The longer she keeps her secret, the more she knows it will shatter the trust between them. But to have the life she wants, she needs to tackle the most important thing of all—believing in herself. 

Told in alternating perspectives with some epistolary elements, this is a novel about taking risks, finding joy, and second chances. Canadian Boyfriend is also a fresh take on the fake dating trope—Mike Martin doesn't know that he's Rory's fake boyfriend. 

Holiday doesn't shy away from sensitive topics—eating disorders, mental health, death of a parent—and writes them with care, compassion, and purpose. The narrative is lightened with Canadiana and humour. 

Rory and Mike are working through their own issues, yet are still present in communicating with one another and are committed to being friends first. Holiday has an impeccable ear for dialogue made apparent by both the witty banter and the touching conversations. 

Canadian Boyfriend is heartwarming, emotional, and therapeutic.  

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JENNY HOLIDAY is a USA Today-bestselling author whose books have been featured in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and The Washington Post. She grew up in Minnesota and started writing when her fourth-grade teacher gave her a notebook to fill with stories. When she’s not working on her next book, she likes to hike, throw theme parties, and watch other people sing karaoke. 

Holiday lives in London, Ontario, Canada.

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Q & A with Jenny Holiday*

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

 

JH: I guess it depends how you define writing. I have been writing stories since elementary school (oddly, those were usually horror stories!). And I had a whole professional career as a writer and editor in the non-profit sector, which I did for many years before writing books and then in parallel with writing books until I was able to ditch the day job. So I some ways I think I’ve been a writer my whole life. I feel like I’ve been writing as long as I’ve been thinking. 

 

But if you’re asking about book writing specifically: I was a late-comer to the romance genre as a reader, but when I discovered it, I went all in. Eventually, I started thinking, “I wonder if I could write a book? How hard can it be?” (The joke was on me because it was in fact very hard!) 

 

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

 

JH: I think I probably fall somewhere in the middle. I don’t outline my books, but I usually have a pretty good idea about the emotional core of the story and how it’s going to get resolved. I definitely don’t plot in terms of what is going to happen in a literal sense, but I like to know who my characters are and what they need to learn or how they need to grow by the end of the book.  

 

I usually write pretty linearly, but I get snippets and flashes of stuff I think will go later in the book, and I quick write those at the end of my document. So the closer I get to the end, the more I have fragments already there that I can weave in (or trash!).

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for Canadian Boyfriend. And who would you cast? 

 

JH: The pitch: an teenage American ballerina having a tough time socially has a passing encounter with a hockey play at the Mall of America and goes on to pretend that he’s her long-distance boyfriend. Years later, she meets him again, and in a more lasting way, and has to grapple with the ways in which he is and isn’t like her imaginary “Canadian Boyfriend.” 

 

Casting: I usually have trouble answering this question, because I am not a visual thinker. I typically don’t even have that great an image of what my fictional people look like, much less who in Hollywood might play them. But this book is an exception, at least when it comes to Mike. For him, I would cast Joshua Jackson, one of the quintessential literal Canadian boyfriends (even though he is technically a tad too old…aren’t we all?!). For Rory, I didn’t have an immediate actress in mind, but sitting here thinking about it, I would cast Jenna Dewan—because she’s a dancer, obviously, but also because I think she has a certain vulnerability mixed with strength that would suit the character.

GWR: Did any minor characters become major characters over the course of writing the novel? 

JH: Not really, but I did enjoy the character of Sansa’s mom. Super minor, but I love a dance mom. They loom large regardless of the actual size or scope of their intended role. 

 

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Rory and Mike Martin's relationship to have? What about Mike and Olivia's? 

 

JH: I wanted Mike and Rory to be true friends who grow to trust each other and who then feel like their romantic feelings sort of sneak up on them. Their initial connection is born from them helping each other, striking a mutually-supportive arrangement. I wanted that sense of them having each other’s backs to extend throughout the book, even as their relationship changes. 

 

I wanted Mike and Olivia’s relationship to be uncomplicated. I don’t meant that literally, I suppose. Their relationship is complicated by the fact that Olivia’s mom died and Mike is “only” her stepdad. But I wanted him to be unwavering in his love for her and his determination to support her, even when she is being a typically pissy tween. Mike might make mistakes, but he doesn’t make them with Olivia.

GWR: This book takes a deep dive into other issues—death/grief, eating disorders, mental health—why was it important to include these elements specifically? 

 

JH: I didn’t set out to include them. They emerged from the story rather than vice-versa.

GWR: What made you decide to write the book from a dual point of view? Was it easier or more challenging to explore the parallel storyline? 

JH: This is how all my books are. It’s the default for me, so in that sense this was my comfort zone. I love dual point of view for many reasons, but a big one is the delicious dissonance between what one character thinks is happening with the other and what is actually happening. When done well, it can feel like that we as readers are in on a kind of secret, and part of the joy of those books is (im)patiently waiting for the character(s) to catch up with reality. 

 

GWR: The Canadian representation was so refreshing and well done! Not having grown up here, what is the most surprising thing you have learned about Canada/Canadians? And what are some of your favourite Canadian things? 

 

JH: I feel like I’m pretty Canadianized, but the fact that I didn’t grow up here comes up—mostly when people get nostalgic about their childhoods. I have never seen Mr. Dressup, for example! 

 

In a superficial sense, my favourite Canadian things include the fact that vinegar on fries is normal and widely available at restaurants, Blue Rodeo, and our vibrant, safe, diverse cities. 

 

In a deeper sense, and at the risk of sounding schmoopy, I deeply love Canada and I think my most favorite thing about it is what I would call our national personality: a kind of self-deprecating humour mixed with quiet progressivism.  

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

JH: Maybe a crisp, dry champagne, like Rory and Mike drink with their McDonalds on Christmas Eve. Fizzy and refreshing but with a hidden depth. 

 

GWR: What are you working on now? 

 

JH: I have a book coming out in April called Earls Trip. It’s the start of a Regency rom-com series inspired by Ted Lasso. A group of earlfriends takes an annual trip and shenanigans ensue. At the moment I’m working on the second book in that series. It’s called Manic Pixie Dream Earl, and it comes out spring 2025. 

An Unexpected Path by Megan McSpadden

A special thank you to the author, Megan McSpadden, for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes unexpected paths lead to the best destinations.

Highly sought after conflict photographer, relationship-averse Marley Cunningham thrives on adrenaline and the chaos of her nomadic life. But when the passion for her career starts to wane, she decides a hike far from the noise of life is the best way to shake the doubts from her mind and focus on what she wants. Spraining her ankle and being rescued by a handsome stranger and his pack of dogs is not part of the plan. 

Big-hearted, reclusive Bennett Morgan has spent his life with two main goals: play professional football for a few years and then pursue medicine. Shortly after his football career begins, a catastrophic diagnosis shatters both goals in one fell swoop. Feeling lost for the first time, he packs up his life and two dogs and returns to the home he couldn’t wait to leave. It’s in the shadow of his past that he finds joy in starting a dog sanctuary. 

After a rainstorm washes away the road to Bennett’s home, he is shocked to find Marley injured and alone on the secluded trail where he walks the dogs. From the moment she is hoisted onto his back, Marley is drawn in by Bennett’s kindness, strength, and calm nature. Bennett quickly realizes that a bit more human connection in his life might not be such a bad thing, especially when that human is beautiful, courageous, complicated Marley. 

Through the patience and care of Bennett, Marley begins to explore her feelings for not just her career but to her shock, the man who rescued her. Bennett, on the other hand, must decide if embracing the present with Marley is worth it, even if the future is uncertain.

Told in alternating perspectives, this is a novel about embracing the unexpected, learning to love, and finding your own path. 

Marley and Bennett are well-developed characters with incredible depth; Marley is complicated, fiercely independent, and deflects with sarcasm and humour while Bennett is kind, compassionate, and humble. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable. Equally satisfying—and hilarious—are the supporting characters. And be warned, there is a scene-stealing dog...

The novel takes a more serious turn when Marley goes back to her everyday life—her career as a conflict photographer is fascinating and harrowing. This is some of McSpadden's best and beautiful work. 

An Unexpected Path is filled with witty banter, dogs, and all the feels.  

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MEGAN MCSPADDEN enjoys writing romance that will make you laugh one minute only to cry the next. When not writing she can usually be found photographing families, yelling at her beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, dreaming of travelling somewhere else, or cooking something her husband will ask her to make again but knows she won’t because Megan doesn’t do recipes.

McSpadden lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her husband, two dogs, two cats and unruly garden.

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Q & A with Megan McSpadden*

GWR: What was the inspiration for An Unexpected Path?

MM: I’ve always wanted to write a book featuring a photographer. But Bennett’s world came to me first after seeing a story on The Dodo’s YouTube channel about a guy who runs a dog sanctuary in the U.S., I thought hmmm that would be a good starting point! This giant guy alone on this big property with all these dogs. Things sort of flowed from there.

GWR: What came to you first—the overall idea or the characters?  

MM: I went in with a basic idea of what I wanted and then I just started to write. I typed Marley and Bennett as I went and that was that. I wish I could say I had things all planned out but I literally had no plan from one page to the next. It just happened.

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

MM: Characters for sure. The first draft was decent but as I reworked things the characters were my favourite part to build up more. Developing their back stories and reasons for the way they are both apart and together. The secondary characters in particular were a blast to write which surprised me. Plot is stressful.

GWR: You and Marley are both photographers although Marley’s profession differs from yours. Can you explain what a conflict photographer is/does?

MM: Conflict photography or war photography is a field of photojournalism that takes place in areas of unrest and upheaval. So warzones, riots, places where violence is likely. They often put their lives and sanity at risk to capture important world events. It’s not a career for the faint of heart. At one point it was a career path I thought I wanted—I studied international relations in university so between my interest in the world and my love of photography it made sense. But I’ve come to realize that I likely would not have lasted long. I have spent years reading articles and books about conflict photographers as well as watching documentaries. It’s the only field of photography I find myself endlessly intrigued by. I just hope I did it justice through Marley.

GWR: Do you have a favourite character, and why is it Yogurt?

MM: Yogurt is certainly a favourite but for me it’s Marley. She’s basically my alter ego and I loved exploring a different path from my own through her.We share a sense of humour, PTSD, a chemical burn scar, and inner monologue style, although not family life, thankfully. While chatting with my editor I actually realized I wrote Bennett with a lot of the same characteristics as my husband, so she’s probably more me than I realized.

GWR: What made you decide to write the book from a dual point of view? Was it easier or more challenging to explore the parallel storyline?

MM: Marley’s voice was incredibly easy, as I mentioned, she’s very me. Bennett was more challenging but I wanted to balance Marley’s arc with a character that was a bit more settled. Bennett’s path had been altered before the book began while Marley’s started to change just before she met Bennett and then took a hard right the minute she looked up and saw him. The most challenging part was giving the reader enough Bennett even when his voice wasn’t as loud in my head, which sounds a bit odd perhaps. But just as he is in the book he seemed fine with me taking things at my own pace. Marley, on the other hand, wouldn't shut up!

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Bennett and Marley’s relationship to have?

MM: It was important to me that both characters saw the other perhaps better than they saw themselves. Even knowing one another for such a short time they really see each other. They are each so supportive of the other and I think when you have two people who are constantly caring about others, it’s important for them each to have that person that cares for them with the same intensity. There is very much a sense of “If you love something let it go” in the book.

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from An Unexpected Path?

MM: That not all photographers want to take pictures at every social function they are a guest at. I’m kidding, sort of. I’d love for readers to finish with a sense of hope and the realization that not every path we plan to travel down ends up where we expect it to, and that’s not always a bad thing.

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

MM: Something warm and spiced like a hot apple cider.

GWR: What are you working on now?

MM: Books 2 & 3! Nellie and Teddy’s story and Sophie and Foster. I’ve introduced everyone except Foster so far, but he may be my favourite.

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

It Happened One Christmas by Chantel Guertin

A special thank you to the author, Chantel Guertin, for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Will her Christmas wish come true?

Zoey Andrews lives and breathes Christmas. She loves everything about the season, and after years of directing countless holiday movies, she certainly knows her way around a festive tale. So, when she finally gets the chance to bring her own script to life, she isn't about to let anything, or anyone, stand in her way—not even the stupidly sexy, utterly frustrating plaid-clad tree farmer Benoît Deschamps. Moonlighting as mayor of Chelsea—the cozy Quebec hamlet at the centre of Zoey's screenplay—Ben maddeningly refuses to grant her a film permit in his enchanting town.

With just four days left before Christmas, Zoey must change Ben's mind, but not before an unscripted ice storm leaves them stranded in the middle of nowhere, with nothing except . . . each other.

Will Ben's chilly resolve shatter Zoey's Christmas movie wish? Or will Zoey be able to melt his stubbornness and maybe even his heart?

Not having much luck in her romantic life, Zoe writes her own holiday movie with a HEA. Her love for Christmas is only rivalled by her tenacity to get her film made.   

The grumpy/sunshine and forced proximity tropes work incredibly well. Geurtin has an impeccable ear for dialogue which is made apparent by both the cheeky banter and touching conversations. Zoe and Ben have interesting backstories that provide depth and insight into their characters and account for some of the more heartwarming scenes of the story. 

Much like Zoey, readers will feel an instant connection to Chelsea, Quebec. With its cozy shops, Christmas tree farm, and ties to Zoey's childhood, the setting becomes as much of a character as those that live there. It is also the perfect vehicle for Chantel to share her French-Canadian Christmas traditions with her readers.

With all of the charm and sparkle of a Christmas movie, It Happened One Christmas is the quintessential holiday rom-com.

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CHANTEL GUERTIN is the bestselling author of nine novels—five for adults and four for teens. 

Guertin lives in Toronto with her family.

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Q & A with Chantel Guertin*

GWR: This is your first holiday romcom, did you approach writing this book the same as your other novels? 

CG: This book had a super-tight deadline so that it could come out this Christmas. I had 2 months to write the book! So the outline was really important to make sure I knew the plot inside and out and didn’t stray off course. I always spend time in the setting of the book, but in this case, I used the trip to Chelsea, Quebec (where the book is set) as the kickoff session to write the book—and wrote the first half in a weekend. From there, I wrote at least 1,000 words a day to complete the first draft on time. I enjoyed this process because I proved to myself that I could do it, and meet my deadline. And the deadline made sure I didn’t indulge insecurities that I think most writers get, like “Is this terrible?” I had to believe that, given this is my 9th book, I know what I’m doing, and I could write the kind of book you can imagine being a holiday movie. And I think that I succeeded.

GWR: What was the inspiration for It Happened One Christmas?

CG: I wanted to set the book in Canada, since so many holiday romances are set in the US. My background is French-Canadian, and I’ve never read a English holiday romance set in Quebec, so I wanted to be able to add in all those delicious elements like la tire (maple syrup on snow), tourtière (meat pie), and Revéillon (the Christmas Eve celebrations). And aside from The Ice Storm (that 90s movie with Christina Ricci), I hadn’t experienced a movie or book set during an ice storm, which many Canadians have experienced. And that’s how the idea was born.

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for the book and who would you cast?

CG: An LA film director must convince the sexy—yet grumpy—mayor of a small town to give her the permit to shoot her Christmas move in his idyllic hometown. Starring Ana de Armas and Chris Evans.

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Zoey and Ben’s relationship to have? 

CG: I wanted Zoey and Ben to be complex characters who are both driven individuals, fighting for what’s important to them, and thinking about their futures, while holding on to their pasts. This struggle influences their every action and interaction. This is more than a holiday romance, it’s a story about how to move forward and carve out your future without letting go of who you are and where you came from.  

GWR: Do you have a favourite romance trope?

CG: Enemies to lovers. There’s so much space for witty banter!

GWR: What are some of your holiday traditions and did you incorporate any of them in the story?

CG: My father is French-Canadian, so growing up, we would always have a big celebration on Christmas Eve. My dad always made my grandmother’s tourtiere recipe from scratch, and we would open one gift before bed (pajamas). We’ve continued this tradition, so now my husband and children and I spend Christmas eve with my side of the family, and then back at home before bed, we all open our pajamas. It’s such a fun tradition, and everyone loves it.

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

CG: Hot chocolate with marshmallows. And maybe a splash of Bailey’s, because, why not?

GWR: Can you tell us what you are working on?

CG: After two books out in one year, I’m taking my time with the next idea, but I’m excited about it!

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

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

A special thank you to the author team and Viking Canada for an ARC, and Libro.fm for an ALC, in exchange for an honest review.

Three times the holiday magic. Three times the chaos. 

As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays—Maryam to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family for the first time—neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they’ll never see each other again. And the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, wasn’t sitting two rows behind them hearing it all. Oops. 

An emergency landing finds Anna, Saif, Maryam, and her sister’s entire bridal party snowbound at the quirky Snow Falls Inn in a picture-perfect town, where fate has Anna’s actor-crush filming a holiday romance. As Maryam finds the courage to open her heart to Saif, and Anna feels the magic of being snowbound with an unexpected new love—both women soon realize there’s no place they’d rather be for the holidays.

Told from alternating viewpoints, Three Holidays and a Wedding is a charming, feel-good holiday rom-com that opens with an epic friend meet-cute. 

The premise is delightful, as are the diverse cast of characters. Maryam and Anna are complex, yet are relatable. Readers will resonate with the challenges and expectations that are placed upon them whether they are cultural, societal, or familial. Both arcs are equally compelling and their personal growth become the focus of the story—Anna's self-worth and Maryam's second chance at love. Also a bit of departure for a romance novel is that Maryam and Anna's friendship is just as important as their romantic relationships.  

Filled with festive cheer, tropes, and family drama, Three Holidays and a Wedding is Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan all wrapped up into a sparking and festive package!

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UZMA JALALUDDIN is a teacher and also writes a funny parenting column named 'Samosas and Maple Syrup' for the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper.

She resides in Toronto with her husband and children.

MARISSA STAPLEY is a journalist and the bestselling author of Mating for Life, Things to Do When It's Raining, The Last Resort, and Lucky which has been optioned for television. 

Stapley lives in Toronto with her family.

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Q & A with Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley*

GWR: How did the partnership come about?

Marissa: A few years ago, we were chatting and commiserating about some of the film/tv options for our various books, and how we’d love to someday write our own screenplay. Uzma mentioned an idea she’d had about the confluence of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan, something that happens every thirty years—and happened most recently in 2000. As she talked about how the stores were full of shoppers, the markets were empty of baking ingredients, and the airports were jammed, an idea began to take shape. It percolated for a long while before we reconnected on it and decided we’d like to write a novel that could be easily adapated into a classic multi-holiday film! 

Uzma: When Marissa first broached the idea of turning my idea of a multifaith holiday romcom movie into a novel, I was intrigued but also surprised. I had never thought about it, though in hindsight I should have, as it was a great idea! I was in the middle of finishing edits on my last novel, Much Ado About Nada while also teaching high school, so I asked her for some time to think about it—two weeks, I think. When I had a minute to consider, I realized it would be a lot of fun, with real potential to do something different in the genre. Marissa had written holiday romcoms before, so I knew we would be in good hands. 



GWR: Were you inspired by any holiday movies or other holiday rom-coms?

Marissa: I think we first imagined it as a sort of multifaith Love, Actually or Let it Snow! I think all the holiday (and Bollywood!) films we’ve ever seen inspired our sweet, inclusive, very fun story. We knew we wanted to have fun, and we knew we wanted to make people from many cultures and faiths feel seen. Personally, I was also inspired to write a book like this because I was raised in multifaith homes, with a Jewish stepmother, two Jewish half-brothers, and a Christian minister stepfather. We always celebrated both Christmas and Hannukah, and this has always added such a richness to the fabric of my life, and an understanding that there can be more to the holiday season than Christmas celebrations.

Uzma: I love holiday movies, but they always came from a very specific, very Christmas focused perspective. I’ve learned so much about Christmas from watching holiday movies, and I thought—why not make them more inclusive by adding other holidays that are important to other faiths? Growing up in a Muslim household, the month of Ramadan, and the celebration of Eid that follows, is an incredibly special time of year. There’s so much food, sharing, acts of charity, and joy at this time of year, with the same quintessential quirks that are part of any holiday tradition. I would have loved to read a book, or watch a movie, that included some of those special traditions that made the holidays I celebrate unique. 

GWR: Tell us about the writing process—with two main characters, did you each tackle one? 

Marissa: Yes, I wrote the Anna character, who, like me, celebrated Christmas and Hannukah growing up. It was a lovely experience to write this character alongside Uzma’s Maryam, and learn so much about the Muslim faith and the meaningful celebrations of Ramadan. I even fasted for a day—and Uzma patiently fielded my many hungry texts, while also guiding me toward an understanding of the reason behind the fasting, what it’s like not to have sustenance, and the acts of charity this can promote. I was also moved by the idea of community so prevalent in the Muslim faith, which made me reflect on my own customs, beliefs and background. What I noted in the end was the throughline: as our epigraph in the novel says, it’s all “just one light.” No matter your faith or background, coming together is possible if you’re willing to listen, learn and accept both differences and similarities. 

Uzma: This novel was my first foray into a writing partnership, and I learned a lot! It was fun to have the immediate feedback from a fellow seasoned writer. We made ourselves laugh so often, and the entire process was truly joyful. I also realized that both Christmas and South Asian culture shares a colour scheme of red and green. Writing can be a lonely profession, so for the time we worked on this novel together, it felt like I had a partner in the trenches. We both were the experts, and respected each other’s approach while providing feedback. It was intense and whirlwind—just like the holidays! 

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

UJ & MS: A multi-faith holiday rom-com about the delightful havoc that occurs when Christmas, Ramadan, and Hanukkah all fall at the same time, and two strangers-turned-friends are snowbound in the small, charming town of Snow Falls along with the cast and crew of a holiday romance movie, nosy family members, and their lifelong crushes.

Also, we’ve done some dream-casting! 

Maryam: Mehwish Hayat

Saif: Fawad Khan

Anna: Lily Collins

Josh/Chase: Justin Baldoni



GWR: What are some of the most important characteristics and dynamics that you wanted the relationships (romantic/friend/familial) in the story to have? 

Marissa: I love including friendships in the rom-coms I write, and I loved the way the friendship between Anna and Maryam, which seemed unlikely at first since they had such different personalities and backgrounds, blossomed and grew throughout the story. To me, their relationship was just as important as the romantic ones! I also love family dynamics, and we made plenty of space for that here. Although Anna’s family was not as present in the story as Maryam’s, they still cast a long shadow and affected her deeply—which I think is so true to life; our backgrounds and roots are always so important to who we become. 

Uzma: I can’t seem to stop myself from including lots of family dynamics in all the stories I write. This is likely a result of growing up in a large South Asian family scattered all over the world. I wanted to include the joys and havoc of family in our book, and make sure to include multi-generational storylines. I have a feeling readers will fall in love with Dadu, Maryam’s grandfather, a retired Bollywood film director and a total romantic! I also wanted to explore the sense of responsibility and loyalty that eldest daughters of immigrants carry in their families (speaking from personal experience!) which are a result of a deep sense of love and loyalty. The friendship that organically grows between Maryam and Anna is also very special, as is the sisterly bond between Maryam and Saima. 



GWR: Can you speak to what holiday traditions mean to you and if you incorporated them into the story?

Marissa: I really enjoyed incorporating some of the holiday foods I enjoyed as a child and teen—such as rugelach, brisket, and especially potato latkes—plus Christmas cookies and other holiday baking.  And then, everything I love most about Christmas was included, too: most especially, candlelight Christmas eve services, which have long been an important family tradition and are all the more special because they take place at my stepdad’s church; Christmas pageants; and the general, joyful spirit of love and giving that is the spirit of the season. These traditions are mine and my family’s north stars in so many ways, and repeating them every year is such a comfort. 

Uzma: Special foods are integral to every holiday, and Ramadan is no different. Since this is a month of fasting, families typically eat together early in the morning, before the sun rises, and then break fast together at sunset. I enjoyed including descriptions of chai, samosas, and special desserts that a typical Hyderabadi Indian family would make for this time of year. In addition, Maryam’s family finds a tiny mosque in the small town, where they attend evening prayers that are important to them. And since her grandfather is a retired Bollywood director, they also watch movies together!

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from Three Holidays and a Wedding?

Marissa: I return to the epigraph of the novel, the idea that although the world is full of many cultures, traditions, faiths and backgrounds that make us different, we are all human and – if we’re doing it right – we are all committed to peace, love, and inclusiveness. Especially in the age we’re living in, where world events have caused such divisiveness and there is much darkness and pain around the world, some of the concepts this book puts forth might seem idealistic, but I want to believe a world like Snow Falls can be possible, one where many faiths and cultures co-exist, make space for each other, are not threatened by each other, and seek to listen and learn from each other. I also hope the takeaway is, quite simply, joy! This book was a true pleasure to write, and a collaboration I won’t soon forget. In fact, I hope as a writer I get to return to Snow Falls one day! It’s a book that’s meant to make people feel happy. I think we’ve definitely accomplished that with this charming tale. 

Uzma: Representation of different people and experiences is always important to me. I hope through this story, my readers will feel the comfort of recognizing their own authentic experiences on the page, or perhaps learn something new. We are all different, even when we belong to the same culture or ethnicity, and yet one thing we share is the need to be loved and accepted. I hope readers who pick up our special book will enjoy watching such disparate people find joy in each other’s company, despite their differences – or maybe because of them!



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

Marissa: A chai-spiced hot chocolate with extra whip?

Uzma: Nothing beats a cup of chai, leave out the hot chocolate for me!

GWR: 

What’s next for you both?

Marissa: My next solo novel, The Lightning Bottles (Simon & Schuster, October 2024), takes place in the 90s and is about an alternative music megastar (think Kurt Cobain) who goes missing at the height of his fame. The story follows his wife (who is also his bandmate) as she embarks on a life-changing European road trip to find out if he’s still alive—and if they can reconcile after all they’ve been through.  But I’ve also got more holiday rom coms coming, under the new pen name Julia McKay. Next fall, I’ll be releasing The Holiday Honeymoon Switch (Putnam/Penguin Canada) for fans of The Holiday Swap and The Unhoneymooners, about best friends who trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian honeymoon after she’s left at the altar—and both find love they weren’t expecting. 

Uzma: My next solo project is a bit of a departure for me, but something I’ve been wanting to write for years—a mystery! I’m a big fan of the genre, ever since I picked up my first Agatha Christie novel as a teenager, and I’ve been wanting to try writing my own ever since. Right now, I’m in the early stages of drafting. My first adult mystery features an older woman, a South Asian detective who solves crimes in her Toronto community. A sort of desi Miss Marple, except I plan to tackle a lot of social issues including organized crime, family dynamics, grief, gentrification, identity and immigration, alongside the mystery-solving. But at its heart, the novels will be about the many ways ambition is limited by personal circumstance, and the fun of following along as an older woman who thought life had passed her by, figures out her next act! 

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

Jean Kwok in Conversation

Photo credit: Girl Well Read. Do not use without permission.

Jean Kwok visited the North York Central Library in Toronto to talk about her new book, The Leftover Woman. 

A young Chinese woman gives birth to a baby girl and is told shortly after delivery that the baby has died. Jasmine grieves deeply for her daughter. A few years later she learns that her husband put their baby up for adoption—another casualty of China’s One Child Policy. Jasmine flees from her controlling husband to track down her daughter in New York City. The parallel narrative also involves the adoptive mother, Rebecca. She is a wealthy white woman who has a doting husband, high-profile career, and beautiful home. 

Publishing plays a paramount role in the story. Rebecca is an editor-in-chief at a legacy publisher who is dealing with an imminent scandal in order to save her career. Kwok gives her readers a glimpse of the world of publishing and uses it as one of the bridges to the theme of the patriarchy which Jasmine also faces in both China and the west.  

Jean explained that the title of the book is a play on the term “leftover woman” which refers to the women in China who are in their late twenties and are unmarried. It carries a negative connotation as it implies that they are somehow “leftover,” or undesirable. Jasmine: “In China, I'd seen posters warning girls of the danger of becoming leftover women, women that no one wanted. Leftover like scraps on a table, uneaten food, both a sacrilege and wasteful, something that should have nourished our country squandered and turned into rubbish: unwarned, purposeless, of no use to anyone. I was a leftover woman, I realized. After everyone else had carved away what they wanted to see in me and taken what they desired, I was all that was left." 

Kwok's writing is often praised for its authentic portrayal of the immigrant experience and the complexities of navigating different cultures. She often brings her own experiences into her books having come from a very traditional Chinese family where she is the youngest of seven. In terms of gender and age, she is at the bottom of her family hierarchy much like Jasmine. Jean also said that there is a lot of her in Rebecca as well—a modern woman trying to do it all. 

The Leftover Woman is about two mothers, two worlds, and one impossible choice.

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JEAN KWOK is the author of the bestselling Girl in Translation, Mambo in Chinatown, and Searching for Sylvie Lee, which was chosen as The Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick. Jean received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard and completed an MFA in fiction at Columbia. She worked as an English teacher and Dutch-English translator at Leiden University in the Netherlands, and now writes full-time.

Kwok was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Brooklyn as a young girl. 

The Christmas Wager by Holly Cassidy

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

One rivalry. Eight days until Christmas. Let the holiday games begin.

When LA-based real estate developer Bella Ross arrives in the sleepy, mountain town of Maple Falls, she has one mission: to acquire the local failing Christmas shop, Always Noelle, securing the promotion of her dreams. Nothing can get in her way. Except the shop owner's stubborn grandson, Jesse Harrison.

Both refuse to budge, until an unlikely wager is struck: Bella and Jesse will compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, an annual tradition of eccentric feats of strength and skills. Winner decides the selling price. They'll give each other a run for their money, but as the competition heats up, Bella and Jesse's icy feelings toward each other begin to thaw. It'll take a Christmas miracle for them to admit there's a spark, but what if it's just another game?

The Christmas Wager is not your typical rom-com, it's a rom-competition. 

Told from alternating perspectives, the story is perfectly-paced by the holiday games. In this enemies-to-lovers tale, Bella and Jesse have incredible chemistry—readers won't know who to root for. Cassidy strikes the perfect balance between wit and romance.

Maple Falls is just as charming as the supporting cast. The secondary characters are not only endearing, but they really bolster the themes of community and family. 

This sparkling Christmas romance has it all—charm, banter, clever games, and all the small-town feels. The Christmas Wager is the perfect holiday read! 

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HOLLY CASSIDY/HANNAH MARY MCKINNON was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland, and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favour of writing.

She now lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons.

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Q & A with Holly Cassidy*

GWR: As an author of both rom-com’s and thrillers, does your writing process differ, or do you approach each the same way?

HC: In thrillers, the pressure of coming up with a twist at the end that nobody will see coming is immense. That pressure fell away, which felt great…until I realized while the expectation would be for my characters to end up together, I had to find unique obstacles (literally in this case) to pepper their journey with. Writing romance isn’t easy, either!

Other than that, I approached this book the same way I did my others—with a detailed outline, character interviews, and an approximate sketch of Maple Falls. I can’t write until I know (or think I know) the major plot points and the ending. Without those I meander around like a person in the forest with no map, wondering where I’m headed.

GWR: What was the inspiration for The Christmas Wager? 

HC: In short: the year 2020. My mum passed away a couple of months after the pandemic hit and I couldn’t get to Switzerland to say goodbye. It was one of the most gut-wrenching, guilt-inducing experiences of my life. During that time, I worked on my sixth book, the thriller Never Coming Home under my real name, Hannah Mary McKinnon. Although it’s crime fiction, it turned out to be funny (dark and twisted humour, but humour nonetheless) and that happened because I needed to escape someplace where I could laugh when everything else felt so desperate.

I enjoyed writing the humor so much, it got me thinking—could I go back to my romantic-comedy roots (my first book, Time After Time, was a rom-com). If so, how, and when would I do that? I didn’t want to stop writing thrillers but do both if possible, so I played around with a few ideas. To be honest, I didn’t do much with them until my agent asked if I’d thought about writing a romantic-comedy. Now that’s what I call serendipitous! I had so much fun working on The Christmas Wager and bringing Bella and Jesse together. It was truly a delight to explore the lighter side of life before going back to my fictional murderous ways. Writing crime and romantic-comedies has turned out to be a great balance for me.

GWR: Maple Falls sounds like the perfect place to spend the holidays—was this inspired by somewhere you have lived and/or visited?

HC: Gosh, I wish it were real because I’d visit all the time…or I’d live there. I grew up in Interlaken, Switzerland, and drew on my thirty-five-plus years of experience skiing in the Swiss Alps. Maple Falls is an amalgamation of the towns and villages I’ve visited there: Grindelwald, Saas-Fee, Verbier, Wengen, and Zermatt, to name only a few. There’s also a lesser-known place called Schwarzsee, which is at the end of a valley and has a lake, exactly like Maple Falls. It’s so beautiful, and I can’t wait to return to the mountains.

GWR: Do you have a favourite character in the book?

HC: Other than Bella, Jesse, and Pops, Gladys from the Merryatrics made me laugh so much. I want to be like her when I grow up. Full of mischief and mayhem! Ooh, and Buddy the Belgian shepherd was a firm favorite. I based him on my childhood pet.

GWR: Can we just take a moment to appreciate the Holiday Games… How did you come up with these? Have you played any of them before?

HC: Back in Switzerland, when I worked for an IT recruitment company, we held annual Christmas parties. One year we decided “just” having dinner wasn’t enough fun, so we added team games. When we played the Human Singing Christmas Tree, everyone had such a great time and it turned out to be our best party in a decade. Thankfully, I didn’t have to sing because I’d have been worse than Bella, but that game was definitely my favourite to write.

As for choosing the games, I love to bake so Munchable Movie Magic was a quick decision. I imagined other outdoor events because Maple Falls is so pretty, and because I’ve participated in a winter obstacle course called Polar Rush a couple of times. It was hilarious…and freezing. The one game I’d like to try is Dead Dead Snowman as it would satisfy the crime writer in me, ha ha.

GWR: Christmas is a holiday that is steeped in tradition—what are some of your favourites and did you incorporate any of them into the book? 

HC: When our sons were younger, we’d leave cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots for Rudolph, of course. Seeing the excitement in their eyes was magical and we tried to keep them believing for as long as possible. I adore Christmas Eve and it’s my favourite holiday. Unfortunately, we don’t have any family close by, so typically the five of us (we have three sons) eat dinner, play card games, and watch a movie before opening one gift each. On Christmas Day we forgo the turkey and have raclette, a Swiss meal of melted cheese, potatoes, pickles, and salads. Yum! These traditions have been passed down from our families. My husband, Rob, opened a gift on Christmas Eve with his, and I played card games and ate raclette on Christmas Day with mine. I hope our sons will continue them, as traditions also help us remember those we’ve lost, and who hold a special place in our hearts.

The one family tradition I included in the book is a home-made Advent calendar, which also happened to be the inspiration for the next Holly Cassidy book!

GWR: Is there significance to your pen name? And can you tell us about the next Holly Cassidy book?

HC: That’s an easy one. Holly for the holidays. Cassidy because it means “curly-haired” (if you look at my author photo, you’ll see why we chose it) and HC stands for Happy Christmas. Yes! I’m excited to share that there’s another Holly Cassidy book in the works for 2024. I can’t wait to share more details about my new couple, Callie and Marco—and the very special cat Dazey Rocket.

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

HC: It’s got to be a hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream! Sweet, fun, and indulgent.

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

HC: My ninth book (as yet untitled) is another Hannah Mary McKinnon thriller about the rise and violent demise of the all-female pop-rock band called The Bittersweet, and is set to publish in July 2024. It’s written from the drummer, Vienna’s point of view and it’s a dark and twisted tale. I’d say it’s my most ambitious suspense novel yet, not only because it features two distinct parts, blog posts, radio interview transcripts, and newspaper articles, but because it’s about the music industry, which was a world I didn’t know well at all. It was such fun to research and write, and I can’t wait for the release.

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

What Wild Women Do by Karma Brown

 A special thank you to Viking Canada/Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review..

Rowan is stuck. Her dreams of becoming a screenwriter are stalled, along with her bank account, as she and her fiancé Seth try to make sense of what's next for them after leaving LA. But when the couple takes a trip to a cabin in the Adirondacks, hoping the change will provide inspiration for Seth's novel-in-progress, Rowan finds herself drawn into a story greater than her own—that of socialite-turned-feminist-crusader Eddie Calloway, who vanished one day in 1975 and was never found or heard from again. In a handbook left behind in the abandoned ruins of a once great camp, Rowan starts to discover clues to what happened to Eddie.

As Rowan delves deeper into the mystery, we meet Eddie herself, a fierce and loving woman whose greatest wish was to host women at her camp and unlock their "wildness." However, Eddie's wild ways aren't welcomed by everyone, and rifts between camp owners threaten her mission. When Rowan gets closer to the truth of Eddie's disappearance, she realizes that it may hold the key to unlocking her own ambition and future

Much like its strong female characters, What Wild Women Do is a force. Told in dual timelines/perspectives, Brown's latest offering is a comment on social media, the pressures of societal expectations on women, and finding one's purpose. 

Although Rowan and Eddie are from different decades, they have a lot in common—they are passionate, strong, and resilient. Both storylines are equally captivating and an ode to women. Brown elevates the novel with added layers of mystery and self-discovery. 

Atmospheric, mysterious, and compelling, What Wild Women Do is a must read.

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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. 

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: This is your sixth fiction novel, do you approach each the same way or has your writing process changed? 

KB: Some things are always the same, like writing a detailed synopsis before a single page of the manuscript, and doing research and brainstorming ahead of drafting. I find a first draft (my least favourite part of the process) comes out more easily if I do this work first. You’re going to have to do the fiddly stuff at some point, and the “when” simply comes down to style and personal preference. However, I did something with this book that I haven’t before. Instead of writing the chapters consecutively, alternating between characters and timelines, I wrote Rowan’s (modern protagonist) storyline first, then switched to Eddie’s (1970s protagonist). That wasn’t my plan going in, but it’s what made sense for this book. So even though some things stay the same with my process, I’m always open to new strategies—every book is its own journey!

GWR: 
Being a screenwriter, Rowan would know how to pitch the book, but what do you think Eddie would say about it? 

KB: Eddie offers a lot of wisdom throughout the story, but I think she would keep it simple. Something like, “This book is about learning, and trusting, your personal truths. Nothing else matters!” After that she’d take a big sip of her beloved chocolate milk, and give a raised eyebrow look, as if to say, “Prove me wrong.”



GWR: Jess and Aidan live completely off the grid—is this something you think you could do? 

KB: Is it something I dream of doing? Yes. Is it something I think I could do…probably not. I am that person who wants to sit under a mother tree in a forest of mother trees, with a morning mug of coffee listening to birdsongs, and have nothing but wilderness surrounding me. But I’m also grateful that I can get next-day delivery without leaving my house, and I’m a big fan of indoor plumbing. 



GWR: The themes of this book—female relationships, societal pressures on women, the impact of social media—are all relatable, yet your take is fresh and also has an added element of mystery. Where did you draw inspiration from?

KB: I love setting a book in an isolated place, and the vast woods felt perfect for this story. When I was a child my parents took me and my younger sister to Camp Sagamore in the Adirondacks. It was the 1970s, we were the children of hippies and so well-versed in exploring wide open spaces and spending time in nature. Camp Sagamore had originally belonged to the gilded Vanderbilt family—these great camps were compounds built in the woods for these families to escape city life—and we stayed in Gloria Vanderbilt’s cabin, which was exciting! We spent our days exploring the woods, making plaster casts of animal paw prints, eating communally in the large, wooden beamed dining hall, and bowling for hours in the open-air alley. It was magical, and all these years later, it was that visit that inspired the setting for this book. But an isolated forest also lends itself well to mystery and disappearances…the trees are great secret keepers. 

GWR: 

Strong women are central to your books. Who are some other authors you would recommend that also write strong female characters well? 

KB: This is a tough question to answer, not only because there are many authors to recommend, but also because what makes a female character “strong” depends on context, and perspective. However, some of my favourite female characters—who I think embody that adjective—are: Carrie Soto (Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid); Joanna Eberhart (The Stepford Wives, Ira Levin); Dr. Marina Singh (State of Wonder, Ann Patchett); Harriett Osborne (The Change, Kirsten Miller); and Carlota Moreau (The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, Silvia Moreno-Garcia). 

GWR: 

What are some great books you’ve read this summer?

KB: This summer was a busy one, and I didn’t get as much time to read as I wanted to. So, here’s a sampling of a few great books I’ve read this year (so far): How to Sell a Haunted House, by Grady Hendrix; Weyward, by Emilia Hart; The Whispers, by Ashley Audrain; Nightbitch, by Rachel Yoder; The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, by Colleen Oakley; Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. 

GWR: 

What do you hope readers will take away from What Wild Women Do?

KB: I hope readers see, through Eddie and Rowan’s stories, that bravery, courage and resiliency arrive in both bold and quiet ways. Also, to remember that we only get this one life…so, how do you want to spend it?  

GWR: 

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

KB: I have no clue! Why is this the hardest question of them all?

Maybe a dark-roast, piping hot coffee, with a generous pour of organic soy milk, cinnamon and fresh nutmeg sprinkled on top. Strong, slightly out of the ordinary, a touch sweet and spicy. 



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

KB: All I can say at the moment is that I’m actively drafting a new story—one that veers into a different genre from what I’ve written before—and that I am having the most fun writing it! Stay tuned for more ☺ 

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

Asking for a Friend by Kerry Clare

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

The bottom of Jess’s world is falling out. Cocooned in her dorm in the winter of 1998, she’s reeling, and wants to be left alone. But a chance encounter with the older, otherworldly, elusive Clara has Jess awestruck. Clara, newly returned from a two-year trek drifting around the world, is taking a stab at normalcy for once, and the place she starts is university, where she struggles to fit in. Upon meeting Jess, though, Clara feels an instant connection, and everything seems brighter. Soon, the two are inseparable, undeniable necessities in each other’s lives. But when tragedy strikes, they are unceremoniously torn apart, sent tumbling down different paths. And with each passing day, their unbreakable bond is tested more and more.

As they endure love and heartbreak, marriage, anxiety and isolation, and the complicated existence of motherhood, Jess and Clara must learn how to love each other through it all—and whether growing up inevitably means growing apart.

Asking for a Friend is an ode to friendships and the importance of connection. Claire's novel is both heartbreaking and uplifting—she perfectly captures how sustaining female relationships are.

Told in shifting perspectives and spanning two decades, this novel explores some weightier topics: abortion, pregnancy loss, women's reproductive rights, the challenges of motherhood, and women's roles. Jess and Clara have an unbreakable bond that sees them through the highs and lows of friendship, and their life choices yet through it all, they always find their way back to each another. 

With its incredible depth, this book is the perfect choice for book clubs and to celebrate the women in your life.

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KERRY CLARE is a blogger, the author of Waiting for a Star to Fall and Mitzi Bytes, editor of The M Word: Conversations About Motherhood, a National Magazine Award-nominated essayist, and editor 49thShelf.com, a Canadian books website. 

Clare lives in Toronto with her husband and children.

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Q & A with Kerry Clare*

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

KC: I've loved books my whole life and have wanted to be a writer since Grade 3 when I wrote a poem about Remembrance Day that, if I may boast a bit, was kind of a big deal around the school assembly that year. What a wondrous thing it was to write *and to be read,* and I've been chasing that high ever since, and am fortunate to have moved through the school system with many teachers who nurtured my creativity. I "became a writer" officially when my first child was born in 2009 and I left my understimulating job with vague plans of becoming a freelance writer, and I'm so grateful that it actually worked out. 

GWR: What was the inspiration for Asking for a Friend?

KC: The inspirations for the novel were the women friends who've been among the great loves of my life, and I wanted to honour those relationships and acknowledge how fundamental they've been to who I am today. 

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

KC: Character is where it all starts for me, and discovering who Jess and Clara really were, and who they were in the process of becoming as the story progressed was such a fascinating process. I was also really interested in how a friendship is not a parallel journey, that characters weave in and out of each other's life—that sometimes Jess and Clara need each other and other times their connection is just too much to be withstood. And the plot comes from that, these little earthquakes that can break worlds apart or bring them back together again. 

GWR: Why did you decide to write the book third person perspective? Was it easier or more challenging to write it this way?

KC: Third person was the only way it ever was! I think a bit of distance from each character was necessary in order to show that this whole novel belongs to both of them, always, even though the chapters alternate between their different points of view. 

GWR: I loved the nod to Summer Sisters—what significance does that book hold for you?

KC: I still have my original hardcover copy, and my mom and my sister have theirs too. It was very much a book we read together, a bonding experience, and when I reread it during the summer of 2022, I was thrilled that it still holds up. I'm quite excited that it's having a moment with a rerelease and celebration as a "Read with Jenna" book selection! There is something so ephemeral and yet ETERNAL about summer, and stories of friendship in a summer setting, and while I didn't set out to write a book that had such a structure, there turned out to be some real commonalities! 

GWR: You’ve captured many facets and types of relationships—heartbreak, isolation, love, growing apart, marriage, motherhood, friendship—why were these connections important to write about? What do your female relationships mean to you? 

KC: I was really interested in the ways that experiences of motherhood and maternity—and just even having the capacity to get pregnant—can draw friends together and also drive them apart. We hear a lot about a divide between women who have children and those who don't, but it's even much more complicated and nuanced than that. And even among women who do become pregnant, there exist an infinite number of different choices, possibilities and outcomes for how things turn out. Some of it is about choices, so much of it isn't, and it all results in inevitable tension that's just ripe for exploring in fiction. I am grateful to have had long friendships that haven't meant everything to me, and I'm also grateful to be twenty years past the tumult of our 20s, which were filled with so many changes and when every decision or choice felt impossibly weighted (and personal, even when those choices or decision were somebody else's!). I'm happy to be older, more confident and wise enough to know that there are so many different ways to a build a life. It's all just a little bit easier now. 

GWR: What other authors write female friendships well?

KC: Well, Judy Blume, obviously! What's wonderful about Summer Sisters is that we get her incredible insight about friendship (as demonstrated in books like Just as Long as We're Together, Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, Blubber, and others) but in a story that moves from girlhood to adulthood. I also love the way that Margaret Drabble writes about friendship in her 1987 novel The Radiant Way. And I LOVE Attachments, by Rainbow Rowell so very much. And absolutely beautiful (and sad!) memoir about friendship is Anita Lahey's recent book, The Last Goldfish. 

GWR: What do you hope readers take away from Asking for a Friend?

KC: I hope that every reader has a friend that the book puts them in mind of, and that they might be inspired to get in touch again if it's been a while, and—even if it hasn't been—maybe send that friend a copy! 

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

KC: It would be a warm cup of ginger tea served in a beloved mug. (Thank goodness for editors—I had so many notes in earlier drafts about sips of tea my characters took that would definitely have burned their tongues. In the final version, Jess and Clara take a bit more time to get their tea cool...) 

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

KC: I was fortunate to get to answer your questions before way back when my previous novel came out in 2020, and I remember letting you know I was working on a project called Asking for a Friend, which seemed scary to actually type and put out into the world with no real certainty that it would ever see the light of day. AND HERE WE ARE! So I'll cross my fingers, hope for the best, and let you know that I've been working on a novel that's like if an Emily Henry book had a baby with a Katherine Heiny book, and its spinster aunt was Barbara Pym. 

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

The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

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

Lee Gulliver never thought she’d find herself living on the streets—no one ever does—but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move—until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life.

Out of options, Hazel retreats to her gilded cage, and Lee thinks she’s seen the last of her, until her unexpected return the next morning. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.

This psychological thriller about friendship and betrayal is a masterclass in suspense. Robyn Harding's writing is intricate, twisty, and propulsive—readers won't know who to believe and who to root for. 

Harding explores some of the social issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic—homelessness, financial instability, and domestic violence—and how women were affected. With their different social statuses (Lee being homeless and Hazel living in an affluent neighbourhood) it appears that the women don't have much in common, but in actuality, they were equally impacted by the fallout from COVID-19.  

The Drowning Woman is a bit of a departure for Harding in the way that it is structured—although the story is told from alternating perspectives, it is actually done by parts verses chapters. Part one is told from Lee's point of view and then in part two, it switches to Hazel's perspective which gives the reader insight into her life. The novel goes back and forth one more time before the epilogue. 

Expertly plotted and perfectly paced, The Drowning Woman is completely binge-worthy. Highly recommend!

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

Harding lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband and two children. 

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Q & A with Robyn Harding*

GWR: If you could tell your younger self something about writing and becoming an author, what would it be?

 RH: I’d tell myself that this career is a roller coaster and not to expect a steady upward trajectory. 

GWR: You have published 13 books to date. Are you still learning? Do you approach each book the same way?

RH: I’m always learning! And I love to challenge myself and to try new things with my writing. While I approach each book in a similar way (I start with a premise, beat out the plot structure, and then create the  characters), I experiment with perspective, the style of narration, and the way into a story. 

GWR: Give us your best Hollywood pitch for The Drowning Woman.

RH: When a homeless woman fleeing a dangerous past saves a wealthy society wife from drowning, she’s drawn into a dark web of secrets, lies, and murder.  

GWR: Where did you come up with the concept for the novel? 

RH: I was really moved by how women were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. Businesses owned by women were more likely to fail, female rates of anxiety and depression spiked, and domestic abuse skyrocketed. I wanted to explore two characters who had lost so much of themselves and tell a story of their resilience…with some murder thrown in, of course.

GWR: The Drowning Woman is told from both Lee and Hazel’s perspective—was it easier or more challenging to explore the parallel storylines?

RH: It was a challenge, but such a fun one! This book has a unique structure that I’ve never used before. Part one offers Lee’s point of view and in part two, I switch to Hazel’s POV so readers see what was happening behind the scenes. This continues through parts three and four. I’ve loved this storytelling device in film and TV and wanted to try it in a novel. 

GWR: Did the story end the way you’d initially thought?

RH: I knew the ending when I started, but some of the twists along the way came unexpectedly. Because I wrote this book without a contract, I had more time and more freedom to take chances. If I’d had a deadline and an editor breathing down my neck, I think I would have gone a safer, more expected route.

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

RH: Whiskey neat.

GWR: Who has been your favourite character to write (from any of your books)? 

RH: I think I had the most fun writing Low Morrison from The Swap. She has such a unique, dry, humorous outlook on life.

GWR: What’s the one element of a thriller that is a must? 

RH: A sense of menace!

GWR: What are you working on now?

RH: My next novel is called The Haters. It’s about high school counsellor Camryn Lane who publishes her first novel to great acclaim. She’s over the moon, until she receives an anonymous email accusing her of exploiting her students and writing about their private issues. She pushes it aside, but the accusations bloom on social media and soon disturbing incidents invade her personal life. Is this the work of random trolls? Or is the abuse coming from closer to home? Camryn must find out who is behind these attacks before they destroy her career, her relationships, and threaten her very life.

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

The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnbull

A special thank you to HarperCollins Canada for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Art restorer Sophie Dixon fled Stuttgart with her brother as the Nazi regime gained power in Germany. Three years later, she returns to Berlin in horror to witness Entartete Kunst, the government-sanctioned exhibition and destruction of Germany’s modern art. When her adopted home city of Paris is conquered by the Nazis, Sophie reluctantly accepts an offer to continue her work at the Jeu de Paume Museum under the supervision of the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, a German art commission that uses the museum as a repository for art they’ve looted from Jewish families.

Fabienne Brandt was a rising star in the Parisian bohemian arts movement until the Nazis put a stop to so-called “degenerate art”. Still mourning the loss of her firebrand husband, she’s resolved to muddle her way through the occupation in whatever way she can—until her estranged sister-in-law Sophie arrives at her door with a stolen painting in hand. Realizing that Paris’s modern art might soon meet the same fate as their counterparts in Entartete Kunst, the two women embark upon a plan to save Paris’s “degenerates”, working beneath the noses of Germany’s top art connoisseurs to replace the paintings in the Jeu de Paume with skillful forgeries—but when Hermann Goering’s handpicked art dealer devises his own plan for the modern artwork in the Jeu de Paume, how long can Sophie and Fabienne sustain their masterful illusion?

Fascinating and meticulously researched, Bryn Turnbull's latest offering isn't just a story about World War II and the resistance—this book highlights the impact on the art community where it is estimated that during the Second World War, the Nazis looted some 600,000 paintings from Jews. This staggering number makes up almost 20 percent of all of the art in Europe and there are at least 100,000 of which that are still missing today. Hitler’s cleansing of modern art was not only designed to enrich the Third Reich, but also integral to the Holocaust’s goal of eliminating all traces of Jewish identity and culture. 

The Paris Deception is told told from the dual perspectives of sisters-in-law who—despite their fragile relationship—have banded together in order to save the modern masterpieces from the Nazis. Turnbull strikes the right balance between fact and fiction with her immersive and compelling writing. The attention to detail is as intricate as one of Fabienne’s forgeries.

This story about bravery, the bonds of friendship, and lost loves is a must read for any historical fiction lover. The Paris Deception sparkles like champagne—highly recommend!

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BRYN TURNBULL is an internationally bestselling author of historical fiction. Equipped with a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from the University of St. Andrews, a Master of Professional Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from McGill University, Bryn focuses on finding stories of women lost within the cracks of the historical record. 

Her debut novel, The Woman Before Wallis, was named one of the top ten bestselling works of Canadian fiction for 2020 and became an international bestseller. Her second, The Last Grand Duchess, came out in February 2022 and spent eight weeks on the Globe & Mail and Toronto Star bestseller lists. The Paris Deception is her third novel. 

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Q & A with Bryn Turnbull*

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

BT: My family would tell you that I’ve always been a writer. I honestly don’t remember a time where I wasn’t jotting down a story or character ideas in some notebook or another. I became a writer in earnest in 2015, when I came across the person who would become the subject of my first novel, Thelma Furness. At the time I was working in corporate communications, and I felt so strongly about writing that novel that I quit my job and moved to Scotland for a year to write what became The Woman Before Wallis. The rest, as they say, is history.

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

BT: I’m a plotter, for sure—the first few months of my process involves creating long, elaborate Excel spreadsheets which break the book down scene by scene in as much detail as I can muster, then going back and refining those scene breakdowns so they flow together properly. I also do lots of research for my books, diving deep into the socio-political historical and context of my chosen setting month by month and year by year so my characters can play against that context properly.

GWR: Can you tell us about the research process for The Paris Deception—what did you enjoy most about it and was there anything you discovered that surprised you? 

BT: This was such a fascinating book to research because not only was I putting my characters within a context I’d been wanting to write about for years—the impact of the Second World War on Europe’s art community—but also because I got to give my characters very specialized jobs: one is an art conservator, one is an art forger, and another is a champagne maker. Needless to say, I went down some great research rabbit holes with each of them: for my conservator character, Sophie, I was able to tour the laboratories of some incredible modern day conservators, and for Fabienne I was able to meet a real-life art forger who walked me through some of the methods they used to forge art. I was also able to travel to France to research this book, and spent days in the Jardin des Tuileries planning an art heist before heading to Reims to tour champagne houses… all in the name of research, of course!

GWR: What was the genesis of the novel? 

BT: The novel came out of a challenge set to me by my brother, who wanted me to write a book that he would like better than his favourite movie, The Thomas Crown Affair. Needless to say, it was a tall order, but the idea of writing a book about an art heist piqued my interest. I recalled the case of a forger in 1943 who sold a fake Vermeer to Hermann Goering in 1943, and the two ideas merged together in my mind: a book about an art heist, set during the Second World War. 

GWR: What comes first for you—the overall idea or the characters?   

BT: When I wrote my first two novels, the character came first, because both books were based on actual historical heroines. With this novel, the main characters are fictional so I built them around the book’s setting. I knew I needed a character with the kind of specialized skill set that would enable her to avoid being dismissed by the Germans when they take over the museum, so it felt appropriate to make Sophie an art conservator, and the idea of making her German—of making her a conscientious objector to Hitler’s regime, who feels a sense of responsibility to set things right in what way she could, felt like it would be an interesting dynamic to include in the novel. Fabienne was also born out of context: I needed a skilled artist with access to a different setting that would provide the backdrop for a compelling secondary storyline.  

GWR: How did you balance crafting a good story against historical accuracy? Did you take any creative liberties?

BT: Historical fiction tends to lie somewhere along a spectrum between complete historical accuracy and complete fiction, and where possible I like to set my novels closer to the historical record than not. With this novel, I’ve put fictional characters—and a fictional mission—in an all too real historical context: the looting of priceless collections of art from Jewish families across Nazi-occupied Europe. The museum where the action takes place—the Jeu de Paume—was indeed used by a Nazi art commission called the ERR as a storehouse for plundered artwork, and as a gallery for high-ranking Nazis like Hermann Goering to select the choicest works to send into Germany.

The history of the Room of Martyrs, and of so-called “degenerate” art in Nazi-occupied territories is also sadly accurate. Many works of modern art by artists including Van Gogh, Picasso, Dali, Cezanne, Kirchner and Klee were either destroyed by the Nazis or exchanged with dealers who sold them on to clients who either didn’t know or care that the paintings had been stolen from their rightful owners.

GWR: What made you decide to write the book from a dual point of view? Was it easier or more challenging to explore the parallel storyline?

BT: I loved writing from a dual perspective. I felt that having two main characters allowed me to open up the scope of the novel and explore different aspects of occupied France, as well as allowing me to layer in a few different emotional threads that would have been difficult to include with Sophie alone—she already had so much on her plate!

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from The Paris Deception?

BT: When I wrote this novel I was fascinated by the notion of what resistance looked like for those who couldn’t or didn’t join the “capital-R” Resistance. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems so simple to say that if we were in occupied France we would do the right thing and stand up against tyranny, but not everyone could become a radio operator or blow up railway lines in the name of freedom. What did resistance look like on an individual level? How did people resist within their own sphere of influence?

I hope that people take away the idea that there are so many different ways to stand up for your principles, and to do the right thing—that individual resistance, small-scale resistance, can still make a meaningful difference.

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

BT: I’m moving a few decades forward in history (and a bit further northeast) to write about a couple that gets separated by the Berlin Wall. 

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