Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young

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

High school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood have always been a sure thing. For the past seventeen years, they have had each other’s backs through all of life’s ups and downs, achievements, losses, stages, and phases.

But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?

When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.

That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.

The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?

In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a gruelling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.

What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.

Bonam-Young's companion novel to Out on a Limb features a marriage in trouble trope that's skewered with young love. Told in a dual timeline, it is an exploration of Sarah and Caleb's relationship as well as grief—how paralyzing loss can be. 

Out of the Woods tackles some weightier topics that Bonam-Young balances with witty banter and her exceptional supporting cast. Centred around loss, it is a novel that has incredible depth with a side of spice.

Readers will love the cameos from some beloved characters—Win, Bo, and Gus—and will be rooting for Sarah and Caleb.

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HANNAH BONAM-YOUNG is the author of Next of Kin, Next to You, Out on a Limb, and Out of the Woods. Hannah writes romances featuring a cast of diverse, disabled, marginalized, and LGBTQIA+ folks wherein swoon-worthy storylines blend with the beautiful, messy, and challenging realities of life. When not reading or writing romance you can find her having living room dance parties with her kids or planning any occasion that warrants a cheese board. 

Bonam-Young lives with her childhood friend turned husband, Ben, two kids, and bulldog near Niagara Falls on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.

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Q & A with Hannah Bonam-Young-Young*

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

HBY: It sounds so cliche but I've been writing as long as I can remember! I was the kid with her nose stuck in a book or a journal and often found my imagination a nicer place to exist than in the real world. It wasn't until the pandemic that I started writing again in a more serious, structured sense. I had two toddlers at home with me, while trying to work part-time from home as well, and I needed something in my day that was just for me. After a year or so, I wrote a book called Next of Kin that I felt pretty proud of. I sent it off to some family and friends and they all supported me in the decision to do something with it! Eventually that became self-publishing! After self-publishing my first three books (and a novella) I made the transition over to traditional publishing when I signed a book deal with Penguin Random House. Now, I get the pleasure of writing and releasing books with them!

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

HBY: I don't know if I would call myself a seasoned author just yet but thank you for the compliment, ha! My favourite part of the publishing process is definitely seeing the fully finished cover for the first time. It always feels like a puzzle piece clicking into place. 

I think what surprised me the most was that in traditional publishing there are so many folks working to make the book a reality! I was a one-woman team for the most part before, so it's very cool to have a team of people working towards a common goal of making each book the very best it can be.

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

HBY: Usually the idea is very vague, but necessary for me to start daydreaming, and then the characters are what sell me on whether I think the book is worth writing or not. If they are interesting to me or easy to reach, I'll always want to write their story! Often the idea becomes totally different too, once I get to know whose story it is.

GWR: Did you always want to tell Sarah and Caleb’s story? (Sarah and Caleb are introduced in Out on a Limb—this is a companion novel, but it is not necessary to read Out on a Limb first.) 

HBY: I did! I didn't necessarily think I would, because I wasn't convinced that Out on a Limb would do "well" enough to keep readers interested enough for a follow-up novel, but I did hope for the chance to write their story.

GWR: Out of the Woods features young love and marriage in crisis tropes—what is your favourite trope to write and what is your favourite trope to read?

HBY: My favourite trope to write, that I've written so far, is friends-to-lovers. I love reading it too! I think it's just so wholesome and messy and FUN.

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Sarah and Caleb’s relationship to have? I love that you also celebrate female friendship, so I’ll ask the same question about Sarah and Win’s relationship.

HBY: What was most important to me about Sarah and Caleb's dynamic was that they remained in love for the duration of the book. There's not a moment in Out of the Woods, or at least I hope there isn't, that the reader will doubt these two are very much in love and wanting to work on things. They have a really deep, layered, fundamental bond that isn't easily broken and while they have a lot of progress to make, they do love each other throughout it all. 

For Sarah and Win, their relationship is so pivotal to each of their individual character arcs. I love to say this but I found a lot of comfort in the fact that Win would have been totally fine in Out on a Limb if Bo had never met her for coffee—because she had Sarah! And if Sarah had needed to leave her marriage, Win would have helped her through it. They will always be there for each other.

GWR: How do you balance complex subject matter—loss, grief, toxic parental relationships, mental health—with the lighter elements of a romance novel? 

HBY: I think it's just about keeping things grounded in reality. Humans experience all of these heavier, "negative" emotions day after day—but we still feel joy amongst it! Having characters processing all of these very difficult things while simultaneously feeling hope is so necessary to me—because that's life. And hope can come through in many different forms... Sometimes it's silly, goofy banter. Sometimes it's sex. Sometimes it's light-hearted conversations to remind them that there's still more happiness to come. Without that balance, the story wouldn't feel worthwhile to me. Or, I'd get too sad writing it to keep going.

GWR: Which subjects do you wish more authors would write about?

HBY: I honestly don't know! I would love to see more limb difference representation, obviously. But every author has to figure out what story they want to tell, and we're being fed a lot of incredible books these days so I don't feel like I'm missing out! 

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from Out of the Woods?  

HBY: That you can reinvent yourself at any stage of life. That it's never too late to figure out who you are and what you want! And, if you do have a partner, they should go on that discovery journey alongside you and support you through it.

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

HBY: If Out of the Woods was a beverage it would be black coffee from a thermos. Bitter, but comforting!

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

HBY: I'm finishing up copy edits on my upcoming September release, People Watching, while also writing my sixth book, People Pleasing. I cannot wait to share more about them! 

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

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

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

When doppelgänger best friends trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian would’ve-been-honeymoon, both might just find love they weren’t expecting.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bedless, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet. 

For fans of The Holiday and Hallmark movies, The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a best friends, dual point of view, new chance at love in the most opposite of settings. This is the perfect read to kick off your holiday season.

JULIA McKAY/MARISSA STAPLEY is a journalist and the bestselling author of Lucky, The Last Resort, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and Mating for Life. She co-authored All I Want for Christmas and The Holiday Swap with Karma Brown as Maggie Knox, and Three Holidays and a Wedding with Uzma Jalaluddin. 

Stapley lives in Toronto with her family.

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Q & A with Julia McKay*

GWR: How long did it take you to write The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, and how many drafts were there before publication?

JM: The timelines are really tight with my holiday romance novels—given that there is no leeway, and they must come out before the holiday season! So, I tend to write them in more concentrated bursts. It took me about five months to complete the first draft, and then there were two faster drafts after that before we got to copyedits. 

GWR: Is there any significance to the name Julia McKay?

JM: Julia is my middle name; McKay is my Grannie Maggie’s maiden name—and she was a writer, freelancing for many Canadian newspapers and magazines over the years and penning short stories as well. 

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

JM: I was inspired by one of my favourite movies, The Holiday, as well as one of my favourite rom coms, The Unhoneymooners! 

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

JM: For fans of The Holiday, but make them besties … When Holly gets left at the altar of her Christmas themed wedding, she swaps holidays with her best friend, Ivy—and, out of heartache,  both friends find unexpected love beyond their wildest dreams. 

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

JM: It always depends. Sometimes a situation or plot will come to me first, sometimes the main characters. In the case of The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, Holly and Ivy appeared first, and I knew these were characters I wanted to work with. Then I had to take some time to sort out the kind of journey I was going to take them on. 

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

JM: I have a lot of fun with both. It’s really exciting to get to know your characters during the early stages of book conceptualizing—almost like meeting a new friend! I always use questionnaires to learn about my characters, such as the Proust questionnaire or the one in Save the Cat Writes a Novel, and it’s so entertaining to come up with answers for a person who doesn’t really exist. But I also adore plotting and planning. I feel such a rush when I’m writing an outline, even if I know things are likely to change somewhat once I get to the writing stage. 

GWR: This novel is as much about romantic relationships as it is about friendship. What were the most important characteristics and dynamics that you wanted Holly and Aiden’s/Ivy and Oliver’s relationships to have, as well as Holly and Ivy’s friendship? 

JM: It is very important to me that my characters have agency, and full lives outside of their romantic relationships. So, in this case, it was key that any relationship either character ended up in would work with her best friendship. I wanted both male leads to be secure and confident, with some baggage but not the sort that would get in the way of outside relationships. And I also thought it would be good if they were both a little isolated in their lives and really in the market for a bromance, which is definitely what I see happening between them after the final pages of the novel, by the way!  

As far as Holly and Ivy’s friendship goes, if you’re lucky enough to have this kind of friend then you know what it’s like. It’s such a gift to have someone you can truly be yourself with, someone who accepts you for who you are even if you aren’t always perfect—because no one is—supports and brings out the best in you, and is there for you no matter what. I feel lucky to have a best friend I know I can call in any crisis, and who will also be unconditionally happy for my successes. I didn’t find this friend until I was in my forties; it’s completely okay to hold out. But I love that Holly and Ivy met in university. 

GWR: What do you hope readers will take away from The Holiday Honeymoon Switch? 

JM: That it’s okay to take risks in the pursuit of happiness. That safety and responsibility are good, but following your heart is, too. That love comes in many forms, and the love you have for a friend is just as important as the love you have for a romantic partner. 

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

JM: Since there are two love stories, there would have to be, two! A Hawaiian Bonfire cocktail for Ivy, a peppermint mocha with extra whip for Holly. 

GWR: Will there be another Julia McKay book or holiday novel with one of your other partnerships?

JM: Although Uzma and I would love to write together again once we find the time and the right idea, Julia McKay is here to stay. A second novel will be out next holiday season, and I’ll be sharing news on that soon. 

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

The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy

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

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She's still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

Full of Advent activities—carolling, sledding, hot chocolate, eggnog, and even ugly Christmas sweaters—this holiday rom-com will you have you decking your halls and jingling your bells. The Christmas Countdown is the perfect gift!

HOLLY CASSIDY is the pen name for internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon. Her suspense novels include The Neighbors, Her Secret Son, Sister Dear, You Will Remember Me, Never Coming Home, The Revenge List, and Only One Survives. 

McKinnon was born in England, grew up in Switzerland, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three sons. 

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Q & A with Holly Cassidy*

GWR: How long did it take you to write The Christmas Countdown, and how many drafts were there before publication? 

HC: It took about 4 months to write and self-edit the first draft I shared with my editors. After that we had a large round of structural edits, followed by two smaller ones. Once those were done, we went through another few rounds to cover line, copy, and proof edits. I’m so happy with the result and adore Callie and Marco’s story.

GWR: What was the inspiration for the novel? 

HC: At the end of my first Holly Cassidy rom-com, The Christmas Wager, the protagonist Bella describes a homemade calendar she has prepared for her boyfriend, Jesse. That tiny segment was the inspiration for The Christmas Countdown although the books are standalones and feature a new setting and an entire new cast of characters. It was fun to have one of my books inspire another.

GRW: Do you have a favourite chapter or scene? 

HC: I loved the carolling and sledding scenes—and of course the one where Callie follows Dazey Rocket onto the roof, which made me laugh out loud. I adored everything that touched on Switzerland. I grew up in Interlaken and lived in Switzerland for decades before coming to Canada in 2010. Incorporating my heritage was wonderful. For example, the Mailänderli and Basler Brunsli cookie recipes are straight from my high school home economics book, which I still have and use.

GWR: What were the most important characteristics and dynamic that you wanted Callie and Marco’s relationship to have? What about Callie and Anita’s?

HC: I wanted the relationship between Callie and Marco to be a friends-to-lovers arc with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. They’ve both been hurt by other people and are wary of opening their hearts to anyone. It was important for me to demonstrate those vulnerabilities, and how they can affect us. 

Regarding Callie and her sister, Anita, I wanted to show a different side of Callie, not only her romantic one. She and Anita get along well, but like most siblings, there’s friction at times. Anita’s far more outgoing and spontaneous and thinks Callie should move on from her ex, stat. It was interesting to have siblings who are so different yet have a close and ten­der bond. It gave the story and the characters more depth.

GWR: The advent calendar was so creative—where did you get the ideas?

HC: It’s based on an Advent calendar I made for our three sons when they were young. Each year, I’d syphon off Halloween candy, which I’d pop into twenty-four little bags I’d string up on the banister. I’d add one little note to the bags, always alternating between a task and a treat. A task would be things for the boys to do such as laying the table or paying someone a compliment. A treat would be us reading an extra bedtime story together or them staying up 15 minutes later. This became the basis for the Advent calendar Callie and Anita’s mum made for them when they were small, and which Anita levelled-up to help Callie find her zest for life again. It was a lot of fun taking something so simple for my past and building an entire world around it.

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

HC: Oh, fun question. How about the “Grinch Cocktail” mentioned in the book, made from midori liqueur, rum, lemon lime soda, and maraschino cherries? Delicious!

GWR: What are you working on now?

HC: My next Hannah Mary McKinnon thriller is tentatively called A Killer Motive and slated for publication in the fall of 2025. It’s about a guilt-ridden true crime podcaster, Stella Dixon, who promotes her show A Killer Motive on the radio. A disgruntled listener asks why there hasn’t been another podcast episode about her brother, Max, who vanished from a beach party Stella took him to six years ago. Days later, Max’s alleged abductor contacts Stella, and after she dismisses him as a crank, Max’s best friend disappears. The abductor challenges Stella to find him or he dies. If she succeeds, she’ll finally learn the truth about Max’s whereabouts…but she can’t breathe a word to anyone. I think it features my most twisted protagonist yet!

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

Heart on My Sleeve by Jeanne Beker

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

Jeanne Beker’s name is synonymous with style and grace in fashion. Recognized by many as the beloved host of Fashion Television and the The NewMusic, Jeanne has spent an entire career interviewing celebrities and uncovering their most private selves. Now, in Heart on My Sleeve, Jeanne reveals who she is in an all-new way.

This is not just a memoir but a wardrobe of memory. Jeanne walks us through her recollections of specific pieces of clothing and jewelry, precious items that have made an indelible impact on her. She invites readers to think more deeply about how what we wear—whether it’s a thrift-store find or high-end couture—acts as a touchstone to our most treasured recollections, reminding us of who we once were or of loved ones we hold dear.

With Jeanne as our style guide, we get up-close and personal with a star-studded cast, including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld, Kate Moss, Oscar de la Renta, Beyoncé, and Keith Richards. But equally important, Jeanne introduces us to the family members and loved ones who form her closest entourage—including her wise Yiddish mother and her industrious father, both Holocaust survivors; her childhood neighbour Mrs. Jaskolka, a style maven ahead of her time; her two trailblazing daughters; and her many warm and exuberant friends who have seen her through the best and worst of times.

Jeanne proves that a life lived with style and substance is always in fashion. Bold, colourful, and authentic, this is Jeanne Beker at her very best and brightest. 

Style maven Jeanne Beker delivers an uplifting and inspiring memoir that is a love letter to fashion as well as a chronicle of not only some of her incredible pieces, but of her experiences and wisdom. Beker's writing is candid, engaging, and authentic. 

Heart on my Sleeve is more than an account of Jeanne's many successes and accolades. It is also a testament to her perseverance, resilience, and spirit. You will enjoy her company immensely—it is as much of a treasure as she is.

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JEANNE BEKER was the host of the hit show Fashion Television, which aired in over 130 countries for twenty-seven years and was one of the most successful shows in Canadian TV history. Prior to that, she hosted the groundbreaking show The NewMusic and was a founding member of MuchMusic. A seasoned newspaper and magazine columnist, Jeanne was editor-in-chief of FQ and SIR magazines from 2003 to 2009. Currently, she is a frequent keynote speaker and style editor for TSC, where she hosts her eponymous show Style Matters. 

Beker has received honorary doctorates from St. Mary’s University and OCAD University. She was named to the Order of Canada in 2013, inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Hall of Legends in 2015, and received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2016. 

Jeanne lives in Toronto, Canada. 

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Q & A with Jeanne Beker*

GWR: You were a pioneer in music and fashion journalism—what was this like to be such a trailblazer in Canadian television? 

JB: We were flying by the seat of our pants, no question, making it up as we went along. We didn’t really think of it as trail blazing at the time—we were just hell bent on being original and making great TV. We had no role models, of course, and it certainly was liberating to be able to be that unconventional. But it wasn’t always easy because not everyone understood what we were doing—or trying to do. 

GWR: When it comes to fashion, you have covered the gamut. What was your favourite trend? Do you have a least favourite? 

JB: I’m not really a big fan of the notion of “trends” to begin with, though I realize they often dictate the way people choose to dress. But in the early 90’s, the idea of “doing your own thing” came on strong again—the way it did in the ‘70s—and it was wonderful to see so many fashion enthusiasts break rules, and not worry about what everybody else was wearing. Once upon a time, fashion was definitely about doing what everybody else was doing—but self expression came into play in a big way, and that, to me, was the absolute healthiest direction to take. We saw a lot of exuberance in fashion in the ‘90s because of that mindset—and happily, it’s a kind of “trend” that never did really go away. I’ve also always loved the vintage vibe, and vintage dressing is certainly a wonderfully sustainable way to go. 

In terms of “least favourite” trend—well, that’s a tough one because I’m one of those people who never says never. Certain things are jarring when they’re first introduced, but our eye gets very used to some of these things very quickly, so I’m good with all of it!!! 

GWR: What are some of your wardrobe staples?

JB: Several pair of great fitting black pants, in a variety of fabrics, that can be dressed up or down; a well tailored black jacket; a few colourful silk shirts; a few little black cocktail dresses (sorry for all the black! LOL); as many cashmere sweaters as I can get my hands on; a great fitting pair of blue jeans; a leather moto jacket; a handful of silk scarves; high heels that are relatively comfy to wear (because nothing makes me feel as sexy as a pair of heels!); and empowering accessories—whether they’re bold, or sentimental, or whimsical, or just beautifully designed.  

GWR: In Heart on my Sleeve, you thread together moments from your life by writing about pieces from your wardrobe that have special meaning, weaving in life lessons and experiences. How did you come up with the concept of telling your story through the lens of fashion?

JB: Although I appreciate being known for many things, I guess “fashion” is what most people associate me with, because SO many people grew up watching me on Fashion Television! But I was thinking of a way to get into my story-telling, and I thought about how my own wardrobe was so rife with so many memories. For some crazy reason, I almost always remember exactly what I was wearing on any adventure. Maybe it’s because I often look at what we wear as “costume”—the way we dress can help us feel our best, most authentic selves, and communicate so much about who we are to both others, and ourselves. I thought that by reminiscing about my cherished wardrobe pieces, I might encourage others to do the same. At any rate, all these pieces served as great springboards for my story telling, and gave me—and hopefully will give my readers—some fun insights into past eras, and the role fashion often played. 

GWR: How did you decide on which items to feature? 

JB: Well I felt I had to have a pretty good story to offer with each piece. There have been untold cherished pieces in my wardrobe over the years, but not all were worthy of featuring because they didn’t have a particularly compelling story to go along with them. Many of the pieces I wrote about I still actually own! Some are relegated to mere memories….and some I still have photos of. My talented daughter Bekky O’Neil did the illustrations in the book, so you’ll at least get an idea of what all these wonderful pieces looked like. And there are several old photos in the book as well, to really take you back. 

GWR: Heart on my Sleeve is not a chronicling of your successes but rather a testament to your resilience, your spirit, and your perseverance. Why did you choose to write it this way? 

JB: I feel that at this time in my life it’s really important to share as many life lessons as possible. The stories in this memoir, which are not in any chronological order, hopefully all offer some kind of lesson— from having faith, confidence, and compassion, to dreaming big, fearlessness, and the power of positivity. 

GWR: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received? 

JB: The advice my dad always gave me, which was his personal motto:  Don’t be afraid.  And never give up. 

GWR: What do you hope readers take away from Heart on my Sleeve?  

JB: I hope they understand how a little girl with stars in her eyes, who always kept an open mind and an open heart—and worked extremely hard—managed to realize countless fantasies during a brilliantly exciting era in pop culture. I hope readers will understand the role authenticity has played in my life, and how fashion, as superficial as it often is, can be a catalyst for self discovery and great communication.   

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

JB: A cross between hot ginger tea and a vodka martini, straight up, with olives!

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

JB: I’m co-curating a huge, fashion-themed exhibit with Canadian designer Paul Hardy which will be presented at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum (currently under renovation) when it re-opens in 2026. Incredibly exciting for sure! Details will be announced in the next few weeks.  

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

The Lightening Bottles by Marissa Stapley

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

He was the troubled face of rock ‘n’ roll…until he suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock ‘n’ roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she’s perhaps the most hated—and least understood—woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart—even if Jane was the one who wrote the songs that catapulted the Lightning Bottles to instant, dizzying fame, first in the Seattle grunge scene, then around the world.

But ever since Elijah disappeared five years earlier and the band’s meteoric rise to fame came crashing down, the public hatred of Jane has taken on new levels, and all she wants to do is retreat. What she doesn’t anticipate is the bombshell that awaits her at her new home in the German countryside: the sullen teenaged girl next door—a Lightning Bottles superfan—who claims to have proof that not only is Elijah still alive, he’s also been leaving secret messages for Jane. And they need to find them right away.

Told in both the past and the present, Stapley's latest is a gritty account of a famous band torn apart by addiction and fame. Her writing is complex, as are her characters, and she hits all the right notes in this atmospheric ode to the 90s. The Lightening Bottles is a visceral and searing portrait of addiction, love, loss, and the price of fame.

Part mystery, part romance, and part love letter to one of rock music's most influential decades, The Lightening Bottles is a smash. 

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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 Marissa Stapley*

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

MS: I was a journalist for many years, writing in-house and freelance for several newspapers and magazines—but I always knew I wanted to write creatively. The key to starting to write is to just…start! It’s that simple, and that impossible. I finally sat down and started working on a novel which would eventually become my first. I managed to get an agent and sell it to a small Canadian publisher, but sadly that publisher went out of business before the book came out. There were a few years of false starts and challenges but I kept at it, and eventually wrote Mating for Life, my debut novel which truly kickstarted my career as an author. 

GWR: You have written nine books (Marissa is also the author of: Lucky, The Last Resort, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and Mating for Life; co-authored as Maggie Knox All I Want for Christmas and The Holiday Swap with Karma Brown; co-authored Three Holidays and a Wedding with Uzma Jalaluddin; and has a new holiday novel, The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, writing as Julia McKay). Do you approach each the same way, or does your process differ based on genre?

MS: My process is only different now because of how many deadlines I have. I used to “pants” my way through a fairly lean first draft of each book, and then go back and do a sort of retroactive outline. That may be a slightly more fun and exciting way to work, but it’s not entirely predictable. Meaning that now I have become a plotter, and I’ll probably never go back. (Then again, never say never!) I tend to come up with an idea, write a one page pitch that I’ll share with my agent. We’ll discuss it, I’ll think about it for  a while, and then I’ll come up with a detailed outline. I actually adore outlining. Uzma always used to tell me when we were writing together that outlining is my super power. I do think I’m very good at taking ideas and running with them, and creating detailed road maps are now one of my favourite parts of the writing process. I do this with every novel, whether it’s one of the novels I publish under my own name, or a holiday rom-com. 

And I certainly take all my books seriously, no matter the genre. The rom-coms may be more fun, but it is just as important to me to get everything about them right.I always say easy reading is absolutely NOT easy writing. In fact, it can often be the opposite. And just because I'm always heading towards a happy ending with those books doesn’t mean I can’t delve into serious topics or take my characters to interesting, thought-provoking places.  I look forward to doing so much more of that in the future. 

GWR: What was the inspiration for The Lightning Bottles?

MS: I’ve been calling this novel the book of my heart. It is inspired by who I was as a teenager: music obsessed, and especially fixated on the world of grunge and alternative music. But that music scene had so much tragedy—not to mention a lot of misogyny.  Far too many artists were lost  too young, and far too many female artists did not get the credit they deserved.  I started to wonder what it would feel like to rewrite the history I lived through--and the idea for this book was born. 

GWR: Jane is a strong female and is perceived as being difficult and not overly liked by her peers and higher ups in the industry. Why do you think that women in music, especially during that time, were thought of as such, rather than as influential and/or creative? 

MS: I really don’t understand why any of this happens. Why was Yoko Ono seen as less than, when in truth she was integral to John Lennon’s art, so much so that the words to ‘Imagine’ came from  her poetry, and this was only acknowledged later—and still not really talked about? Why did she bear the blame for the Beatles break up? Why was Courtney Love accused of everything from killing her husband when he clearly took his own life, to not writing her own music when she is clearly a talented musician herself? Why have rockstars historically been able to get away with heinous acts (such as staggering amounts of statutory rape, casually detailed in a sickening number of rock memoirs) but Sinead O’Connor stood up against child abuse and was erased for it? I think there is still a fight to be had when it comes to equality and that we need to keep doing the hard work. Which means, for example, that when a female artist like Chappell Roan stands up and asks for boundaries and refuses to smile and be nice when she’s being treated horribly by the paparazzi we need to allow that, not vilify it. We cannot allow “the way things have always been” to dictate what our future looks like or we will always be stuck in the dark ages. 

GWR: This book takes a deep dive into other issues—mental health, addiction, toxic relationships—why was it important to include these elements in the story?

MS: I could not possibly have been true to the realities of the grunge music era without delving into those issues.  I did so much research on addiction and mental health and also drew from personal experience, as I have supported family members and friends through both. These are not easy topics. I remember thinking as I did my research that for addicts—such as Kurt Cobain—and those dealing with mental health issues—such as Jeff Buckley—fame just made it all so much worse. I started thinking that escape would have been the only option for them to ever get to a place where recovery was possible. This really informed the story. As far as toxic relationships, I wanted to try to see what would happen, fictionally, at least, if the characters in such toxic relationships were perhaps able to grow and learn from their experiences and hardships. So again, this informed the course of the story greatly. 

GWR: Tell me about the research you did for the novel?

MS: I’ve said many times that the books I read as research for this novel would stack all the way up to my office ceiling—and I have a high ceiling! I thought I knew the grunge and alternative music world inside and out, having come of age during that time. But there was so much research I needed to do to understand the inner workings of the music world, as well as song-writing—not to mention the harsh realities of addiction and mental health. I read endlessly. Music memoirs, addiction memoirs, books about songwriting, books about music. I also spoke with many industry experts, such as the great Alan Cross, to really get the story right. 

GWR: Why did you choose a third person perspective and a dual timeline?

MS: The dual timeline was really the only way to tell this story. We had to start at the beginning—which was also sort of the end—and work back. As far as third person, I don’t think Jane is the type of character who would have allowed first person, if that makes sense. She is far too closed and self-protective, and it would have been really challenging as an author to try to get in as close as first person writing requires. I don’t know that there’s ever a conscious, 'I am going to sit down and write this story in this exact way’ moment, at least not for me. I have my idea, and once I get past the conceptualizing stage and sit down to write, it just begins when it does and comes out the way it comes out. I might get a few chapters in and realize the story needs to be first person but I’m writing in third, or that I need to tell the story in a linear way when I’ve started it as dual timeline, but that’s usually the sort of thing I figure out pretty early. 

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

MS: A shot of Chartreuse, straight from the bottle. 

GWR: What are you working on now?

MS: My second holiday rom com, writing as Julia McKay, which is out next fall and I’ll have more news on soon. And two screen adaptation projects. 

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

The Offing by Roz Nay

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

Ivy is in trouble. A recent break-up has left her humiliated and raw, so when her best friend, Regan, offers her a month-long escape in the form of a trip to Australia, it feels like a lifeline, one that Ivy grabs with both hands.

Regan is everything Ivy’s not—confident, free-spirited, charismatic—and a natural at backpacker fun. But Ivy is drawn to a calmer type of holiday, so when she spots an ad for crewmembers on a small yacht being sailed by a doting father and his daughter, the girls decide to take the job. Together with a handsome third crewmember, they set off north into tropical heat, but it's not long before doubts start to creep in. Are the girls simply claustrophobic on the boat, or have they stumbled into something they don't understand? 

Tensions rise as the past threatens to catch up with them, and dark secrets emerge that will change everything. A dangerous cat-and-mouse game on land and at sea, this fast-paced, twisty thriller keeps you guessing until the very last page.

Two young women are trapped in a deadly chase through the beautiful, dangerous waters around Australia. Drawing on her own crew experience, Nay is an expert guide to reader. 

Perfectly paced and expertly plotted, The Offing is a claustrophobic, high-octane thriller that can easily be devoured in one sitting. It is slick and propulsive and full of shocking twists. This escapist novel is as menacing as it is beautiful—a must-read this summer. 

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

ROZ NAY is the award winning bestselling author of Our Little Secret, Hurry Home, and The Hunted.

Nay has lived and worked in Africa, Australia, the US, and the UK. She lives in British Columbia, Canada with her husband and two children.

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Q & A with Roz Nay*

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

RN: I always wrote stories as a child and remember being sent out of English to a music lesson in fifth grade, only to return early and find the teacher reading my work to the class. I was mortified! (That hasn't changed.) Beyond that, my husband signed me up for a writing class as a hobby after we had kids. I loved that class and it kind of snowballed from there.

GWR: How long did it take you to write The Offing, and how many drafts were there before publication?

RN: From start to finish, it took me about a year to write this one, but the early drafts took a while to pin down. Sometimes I'm impatient with the characters and think I know them before I really do. I find that I write scenes that don't make the second draft, because once I'm deeper into knowing who these messy people are, I can spot all the moments that don't quite ring true.

GWR: What was the genesis of the novel?

RN: The Offing is actually frighteningly autobiographical. When I was 27, I went backpacking on my own to Australia, and took a job on a whim as crew on a family-owned yacht. The boat in the story is an exact replica of the real one, along with the journey, the dad, the daughter, and the cat. Obviously in my version, there's less murder and more of a successful finish line, but I'm ashamed to say that I did all of the stupid and dangerous things these girls did, which is why it was easy for me to write about them.

GWR: Do you pair your characters to the book—what characters would survive the scenario—or do you write them situationally?

RN: With this one, I had the boat, the skipper, the daughter, and the cat first, because they were in the original true version. I also knew the setting, including how claustrophobic the boat was, so that part was also in place. After that, I had to figure out where the danger was coming from, and who might be running from it. I wanted to explore female friendship, too, so I knew I needed two young backpackers who knew each other but not that well... In a sense, with The Offing, the main characters came late to the cast list, but I think that's because I lived this story and had some characters ready to go. 

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

RN: Again, with every book it's different but with The Offing, I liked how I was pushing myself structurally as a writer. The book has several worlds running concurrently—that of the boat itself (which feels present but isn't), the police interviews (which are present), and anything that might have happened prior to the girls climbing on board. I also had to solve the problem, plot-wise, of creating a thriller on a boat but not letting the girls feel so freaked out that they'd simply get off at the next stop. That's more complicated than it sounds and I enjoyed the challenge of it. 

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

RN: Menace. I think you can create compelling characters, a cool setting, some hooky love interest, a good twist - but unless you have a pervasive sense of dread and menace right from the outset, you'll lose your thriller reader to the TBR pile. It's a busy genre and you have to keep them turning pages.

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

RN: By the time I've finished a first draft, I've got my red herrings in place—and in fact, they present themselves quite quickly once the plot is watertight. What I do in the second draft—now that I've told myself the story—is make sure I'm not overcooking them. The trick is to keep readers unsure for as long as possible, so that those blind alleys remain tempting and don't feel like too obvious a decoy.

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

RN: Yes, although the body count stacked up a bit. I didn't have all the outcomes for the villain(s), but I knew who'd done what and to whom.

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

RN: I'm going to say it's a Negroni because it's layered—it has solid gin that you can trust, but then that complex, bitter Campari, and can you really rely on the sweetness of the Vermouth? 

GWR: What are you working on now?

RN: I'm writing my fifth thriller which is about a house swap that takes place between a woman in the UK and a man in the USA. It's like the movie The Holiday, but the thriller version. So, you know. Creepy plotline and no Jude Law.

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