A Good Marriage: A Novel by Kimberly McCreight

A special thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isn't it always the husband?

Lizzie Kitsakis is a senior associate at the prestigious Manhattan law firm of Young & Crane. While working late one evening, Lizzie receives a collect call from a New York State correctional facility asking if she will accept a call from an inmate. Zach Grayson, her former college friend, is being held at Rikers for the assault of a police officer. But he also reveals that his wife was found dead at their upscale brownstone and he is the prime suspect. Zach maintains he didn't kill Amanda, and begs for Lizzie's help.

Diving deeper into the gossipy events leading up to Amanda's death, Lizzie discovers a series of journals. In these pages, Amanda details the abuse she endured as a child, as well the fact that she is in a loveless marriage. Lizzie also uncovers that there is a lot more that meets the eye with the Grayson's friend group, the fellow parents from their son's private school. And even Lizzie has secrets of her own. Her alcoholic husband, Sam, was involved in a car accident and has to pay a large settlement. This is why she had to give up her lower-paying job that she loved as a federal prosecutor and the reason that she lied on the financial disclosure form to get the job at Young & Crane.

Lizzie's worlds collide when she finds an earring that belonged to the victim in the pocket of Sam's messenger bag. She begins to question everything she thinks she knows as well as her own marriage.

Marketed as Big Little Lies meets Presumed Innocent, this spellbinding new novel from Kimberly McCreight is a clever—part legal and part psychological—thriller. The book opens with the most genius prologue. I'm not going to give away who is narrating, but what I can tell you is that after you finish, you will go back to the beginning and read it again! And can we just take a moment to appreciate the cover? Do you see the guy? I literally gasped when I saw him.

Character and plot are so intertwined. An author needs to develop both, because if they get it wrong, it can simply ruin the book. A Good Marriage definitely strikes this balance. It is a high-concept novel with strong pacing and deliciously complex characters.

The story is told by Lizzie in the present day, from Amanda's perspective in the days leading up to the murder, as well as through additional testimony and evidence. The two narrators are incredibly effective as the perfect mirror image of one another. I also loved how the whole book is a comment on marriage: the different types of marriages—open, traditional, of convenience—as well as the compromises that couples make, or the secrets they keep, in order to stay married.

Congratulations, Kimberly, on this fantastic book!

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KIMBERLY MCCREIGHT is the New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia (which has also been optioned for film by HBO and Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films), Where They Found Her, and the teen trilogy The Outliers (optioned for film by Lionsgate, Mandeville, and Reese Witherspoon's Pacific Standard).

McCreight lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters by Anita Kushwaha

A special thank you to the author, Anita Kushwaha, and HarperCollins Canada for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

After her eighteenth birthday, Asha is devastated to learn that she was adopted. Her birth mother died when she was a baby from a mysterious illness. She left Asha a letter that leaves her with more questions than answers.

Nandini, Asha’s adoptive mother, has always feared the truth because she knows that it would come between her and her daughter.

Veena, a recent widow, is worried about her daughter Mala’s future. She is still in shock from the death of her husband and is pushing her daughter into marriage to secure her future.

Mala is struggling to balance what she wants to be against what her mother wants for her. She also has a secret that is threatening her very life.

Kushwaha is a beautiful storyteller. In Secret Lives of Mothers & Daughters she intersects the stories of Veena, Mala, and Nandidi. At the centre of this powerful story is Asha—the girl that connects them all.

Each of the women have cultural obligations as well as expectations that have been placed on them. They also have a secret, one that that is born out of love and that will impact not only their lives, but also the lives of their daughters—the risk of telling the truth is too great, as are the consequences. What unfolds is an emotional and powerful story about family, obligations, and the choices we make for those we love.

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ANITA KUSHWAHA studied human geography at Carleton University and earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. She is also a graduate of the Humber School for Writers creative writing program. Her first novel, Side by Side, won the silver medal for multicultural fiction from the Independent Publisher Book Awards in 2019. She is also the author of the novella The Escape Artist.

Kushwaha lives in Ottawa.

Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh

A special thank you to Edelweiss and Doubleday for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Calla hits puberty, she is taken to a lottery station where girls learn what kind of women they will become. You are relived of making the choice. A white ticket gives you children. A blue ticket gives you an IUD and your freedom. Once you have your ticket, your fate is determined—there's no going back.

But what if the life you're given is not the life you want?

Can we just take a moment to appreciate this cover? Mackintosh's sophomore effort is uncomfortable, unapologetic, and will definitely find its audience. Unfortunately, it was a little too far into its niche and ultimately left me feeling claustrophobic.

Blue Ticket is a devastating and shocking look into free will, human longing, animal instinct, and lengths one will go to in order to become a mother. It is a provocative work of dystopian feminism that lives in the space between female identity and the constraints of the patriarchy. 

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SOPHIE MACKINTOSH is the author of The Water Cure, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2018. She also won the 2016 White Review Short Story Prize and the 2016 Virago/Stylist Short Story competition. Blue Ticket is her second novel.

Mackintosh currently resides in London, England.

Wine Girl by Victoria James

A special thank you to HarperCollins Canada for a copy of the book and Victoria James for the wine tasting experience and for signing my copy.

At the age of 21, Victoria James became the youngest certified sommelier. Arriving at this distinction was no easy task—she endured sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and lower pay than her male counterparts.

Even though she was a certified sommelier, James was still continuously belated for her age and gender and still faced sexism and the abuse of power from not only her employers, but also her patrons.

Taking a step back from the years of humiliation in the restaurant industry—even from those that were of the highest regard—Victoria visited France to experience what she envisioned as the life of a sommelier. She experienced an authentic experience and discovered her true sense of purpose.

James is now a co-owner and Beverage Director of Cote, a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City, where they have a zero-tolerance policy. The majority of hospitality workers are women and minorities and James asked the question: why isn't the industry's top tier management, community of wine buyers, and corporate leadership represented with the same diversity? To address this, she founded the non-profit educational organization, Wine Empowered, that provides tuition-free wine classes to women and minorities in the hospitality industry.

Wine Girl is incredibly well-written and captivating. Victoria shares her passion and love of wine, her knowledge is vast and nothing short of impressive and inspiring. Although there are many experiences that are traumatic and horrific, including her upbringing, James triumphs. This book is truly a gift that shines a much needed spotlight on the toxic male-dominated culture that exists in the hospitality industry. Bravo, Victoria. And cheers!

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VICTORIA JAMES has worked in the restaurant industry since she was thirteen. Becoming the youngest certified sommelier in the country at age 21, Victoria has appeared on both Forbes and Zagat’s “30 Under 30” lists. She is also the author of Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé, which Harper Design published in 2017.

Victoria has worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York City, including Marea and Aureole. Currently, she is the Beverage Director and partner at Cote, a Michelin-starred hot spot in the Flatiron district.

James currently resides in NYC with her husband and dog, Rocco.

The Roxy Letters by Mary Pauline Lowry

A special thank you to Libro.fm Audiobooks and Simon & Schuster Audio for an audiobook listening copy.

The Roxy Letters is a series of letters that are penned to our heroine's dud ex-boyfriend, Everett. He also happens to be her roommate because of her financial straits. At first, Roxy is using the notes to establish rules and remind Everett of his overdue rent payments. But as time goes on, her letters become less about the rent and more about the shambles of her life—how did things get so messy?

Fed up with being a deli maid at Whole Foods, her dismal love life, and the corporatization of her beloved Austin, Roxy decides that it is time to become the heroine of her own story. Enlisting the help of her two best friends, Anna and Artemis, she sets her sights on taking down Lululemon. And on top of that, she also trying to stay employed, spark a romance with Patrick from Beer Alley, and keep her dog safe from her meth head neighbours.

Will Roxy ever figure out her life's purpose and get her groove back?

Epistolary novels are usually my bag—I love the format and find them a refreshing change—but I struggled with The Roxy Letters. At first I thought Roxy was hilarious and had this book pegged as my new favourite, but then it started to become rather ridiculous. The letters were sometimes rant-y, sometimes hilarious, and sometimes completely cringe-worthy. Ahem, the sex cult. Not being judgemental, and I'm certainly no prude, but this was weird. And so not necessary.

Lowry is a great writer, she's engaging and funny, but ultimately lost the plot on several occasions when things became overly manic with Roxy.

This is no Bridget Jones' Diary. Bridge is completely relatable and you are rooting so hard for her whereas Roxy is a rambling hot mess—I mean how many ridiculous situations can she get herself into?

I know like it sounds like I didn't like this book, but I did, and would rate it a solid three stars. If Lowry had tightened up the rambling speech, cut out the sex cult stuff, and injected more Artemus and Annie, this would have easily been four stars.

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MARY PAULINE LOWRY received her MFA from Boise State University. She is the author of the novels The Roxy Letters and Wildfire, she’s also a regular contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, The Millions, and other publications.

Lowry is a native of Austin, Texas.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

A special thank you to Libro.fm, Edelweiss, HarperAudio, and HarperCollins Canada for an ARC/audiobook listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

In this modern take of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Lucy Foley creates a guest list that no one will want to be on.

On an eerie remote island off the coast of Ireland, the family and friends of Jules and Will gather for their wedding. Jules is a beautiful and successful magazine publisher and Will is a handsome and charming reality TV star. Their wedding will be magazine-worthy: designer gown, boutique liquor, private remote location, majestic marquees, exquisite cake, Irish band, and personalized luxe favours for the guests. Expertly planned with meticulous detail, the festivities will be overseen by Aoife, the wedding planner, and her chef husband, Freddy. The stakes are high for the couple since it is their first wedding on the island.

With the celebrations underway, things begin to unravel with the help of too much champagne and the surfacing resentments and jealousies circulating amongst the guests. And then someone turns up dead.

The Guest List is a classic whodunit told from several different characters' perspectives—each with a different secret—from the days before the wedding and from the present wedding scene, with a few scattered flash flashbacks dispersed throughout.

Foley expertly builds tension through brilliant pacing, a creepy setting, and from an eclectic and vibrant cast of characters who are fuelled by the festivities, their motives, and alcohol. Resentments are building, as are lies, and motives to kill. There is also a literal storm brewing, as well as a figurative one, in which the island becomes even more isolated and threatening.

Foley gives just enough away and then pulls back the curtain for the stunning conclusion of this wicked and atmospheric thriller. The Guest List is completely enthralling, completely sublime, and completely addictive.

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LUCY FOLEY studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of The Book of Lost and Found, The Invitation, and The Hunting Party.

Foley lives in London.