The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak
MIRA (September 17, 2024)
She left her hometown following a scandal—but family loyalty is dragging her back…
Despite their strained relationship, when Gia Rossi’s sister, Margot, begs her to come home to Wakefield, Iowa, to help with their ailing mother, Gia knows she has no choice. After her rebellious and at-times-tumultuous teen years, Gia left town with little reason to look back. But she knows Margot’s borne the brunt of their mother’s care and now it’s Gia’s turn to help, even if it means opening old wounds.
As expected, Gia’s homecoming is far from welcome. There’s the Banned Books Club she started after the PTA overzealously slashed the high school reading list, which is right where she left it. But there is also Mr. Hart, her former favorite teacher. The one who was fired after Gia publicly and painfully accused him of sexual misconduct. The one who prompted Gia to leave behind a very conflicted town the minute she turned eighteen. The one person she hoped never to see again.
When Margot leaves town without explanation, Gia sees the cracks in her sister’s “perfect” life for the first time and plans to offer support. But as the town, including members of the book club, takes sides between Gia and Mr. Hart, everything gets harder. Fortunately, she learns that there are people she can depend on. And by standing up for the truth, she finds love and a future in the town she thought had rejected her.
EXCERPT AND BUY LINKS:
The Banned Books Club | Brenda Novak
REVIEW
Forgiveness and new beginnings
A bit of a mystery, who’s telling the truth; and a bit of romance. Multi-layered plot, righting wrongs, and healing. Realistic characters and domestic setting. I liked the characters, especially the direct and feisty Gia, and Cormac was such a stand up guy. Part mystery (who’s telling the truth) and bit of romance. Highly recommend.
Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (August 5, 2024)
eARC provided via Netgalley; Purchased signed copy via Brenda Novak Monthly Book Box (October)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brenda Novak, a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, has penned over sixty novels. She is a five-time nominee for the RITA Award and has won the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Bookbuyer’s Best, and many other awards. She also runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity to raise money for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.5 million. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com.
TWITTER: @Brenda_Novak
Insta: @authorbrendanovak
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