Everything I Read This Month: July 2023

Described as a comedy, Lessons in Chemistry is a complicated novel that shouldn’t be oversimplified. It is funny at times, yes, but, more than anything, the novel holds a mirror to society in revealing ways.

Lessons in Chemistry follows Elizabeth Zott, an accomplished scientist in the 1960s dealing with constant gender discrimination in her work. She falls in love with Calvin Evans, a giant in the chemistry community, and, together, they are a chemistry dream team.

After Evans’ untimely death, though, Elizabeth finds herself a single mother and jobless. Through a series of strange events, Elizabeth becomes the host of a daily afternoon cooking show (you have to read the book, it makes sense, I’m skipping a lot of detail here). Chaos ensues.

(P.S. Brie Larson will play Elizabeth Lott in an upcoming drama series based on the book.)

(P.P.S. Mild spoiler alert: There is a dog in the book. The dog does NOT die.)

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is available from from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

A light-hearted and delightful rom-com of a book, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love is ideal for lovers of Arthurian legend and movies like A Knight’s Tale and 10 Things I Hate About You.

The book takes place well after King Arthur’s time, but plays off of the legend both through the characters’ names (Gwen and Art, for example) and the overarching plot. However, it incorporates some clever contemporary tropes, and coming-of-age archetypes for LGBTQ teens. It’s like an enemies-to-lovers book, but, instead, it’s enemies-to-friends — friends who help each other be with the people they truly want to be with.

What can I say? I love an Arthurian retelling, and this one is super fresh and engaging. Definitely give it a pre-order! You’ll thank yourself when it shows up on your door.

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher is available for pre-order from Amazon and Bookshop.org. It will be released on. November 28, 2023.

Kristin Harmel’s The Book of Lost Names caught my eye at my favorite local bookstore in Winter Park. Funnily enough, the main character starts the novel as a semi-retired librarian, Eva, in the same central Florida city. From that point, I knew I would enjoy the novel.

Local ties aside, The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel is a powerful novel, full of human drama and espionage during World War II. Telling the story of the semi-retired librarian’s early work as part of the resistance in WWII France, this novel offers groundswells of emotion, as Eva maneuvers through forging official documents to get Jewish children out of France.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book five of eight in the Bridgerton book series, To Sir Phillip, With Love follows the story of Eloise Bridgerton, the fifth eldest child in the Bridgerton family.

For lovers of the Netflix series, you may find this Eloise to be rather…different…from her on screen portrayal. It was a bit disappointing for me, I have to say, because I really enjoy Eloise in the show. In the novel, Eloise lacks much of the boisterous intellectualism that the show’s character has. But, if you go into it knowing that they’re vastly different, you might not mind so much.

In all, it’s cute, entertaining enough, and full of Julia Quinn’s trademark regency romance. Not my favorite of the Bridgerton books, but certainly won’t stop me from reading the remaining volumes!

To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book one of seven in Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock Historical Mysteries series, A Study in Scarlet Women sets the stage for Charlotte Holmes’ story.

This novel introduces us to Charlotte Holmes, an inquisitive young woman who rebels against what is expected of her in upper class London Victorian society.

When London experiences a series of murders, with suspicion falling on Charlotte’s sister and father, she takes it upon herself to discover the culprit and clear her family members’ names. How does she do this? Well, by creating a reclusive alter ego called Sherlock Holmes.

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book two of seven in Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock Historical Mysteries series, A Conspiracy in Belgravia describes Charlotte’s — or, rather, Sherlock’s — foray into hired detective work.

With the help of her friend and benefactress, Mrs. Watson, Charlotte takes on a case close to home. But the game is afoot, as Sherlock Holmes would say, and nothing in this case is quite as it seems.

Victorian melodrama and marriage proposals ensue, with Charlotte playing the long game to get the answers she needs most.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Picking up where A Conspiracy in Belgravia ends, book three of seven in Sherry Thomas’ Lady Sherlock Historical Mysteries series, The Hollow of Fear shows Sherry Thomas’ heroine in a vulnerable state, as she works to solve a murder case a little close to home.

Charlotte has to revamp her investigative ways — and her stage craft — in order to clear the name of her friend (and possible love interest), Lord Ingram. Using all the tools at her disposal, she has to find answers before Scotland Yard (and Moriarty) close in.

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

A multi-generational story of great depth, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester tells the story of three generations of Bricard woman. Spanning from the early 20th century to today, the novel centers on Mizza Bricard, the infamous “muse” for Christian Dior, who is more than history gives her credit for.

Mizza’s strained relationship with her daughter Astrid leads to some complex inter-generational trauma, which lands squarely on Astrid’s daughter, Blythe’s, shoulders.

Taking place in the competitive fashion world, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a gripping family drama set amongst an intriguing — and, at times, infuriatingly misogynistic — cast of characters. To be honest, though, what I enjoyed most was the stories of the ties between the three women, above and beyond the fashion component. In that family drama aspect, Natasha Lester’s work shines.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester is available for preorder from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Read my full review of Natasha Lester’s novel here.

If you’re a lover of female-forward ancient historical fiction, do yourself a favor and go ahead and order Neferura by Malayna Evans.

I devoured this book. Like Michelle Moran’s Egyptian Royals Collection, Evans’ Neferura gives life to the humanity of its protagonist. The daughter of Hatshepsut and Thuthmosis II, Neferure is a mysterious figure in Egyptian history. There are lots of uncertainties around her life and her death. In this novel, Evans makes use of those ambiguities to create a compelling and heart wrenching story of a woman trying to maintain her autonomy (and her life) in a demanding and backstabbing court.

Neferura by Malayna Evans is available for pre-order from Amazon and Bookshop.org. It will be released on February 13, 2024.

The latest release in Cleeton’s Cuba Saga, The Cuban Heiress moves away from the Perez family to tell the story of the Morro Castle pleasure voyage. Part romance, part murder mystery, The Cuban Heiress allows two female protagonists to join forces against a would-be murderer.

This novel really could be a stand-alone volume, not part of the Cuba Saga, but it certainly follows the themes of the previous novels. There is less about Cuban history as a whole here, and more social history. All in all, an interesting glimpse into a unique point in history.

The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

This book is part of Chanel Cleeton’s Cuba Saga series, which you can learn more about here.

David Stokes’ King Alfred’s Daughter picks up after the death of the king, as challenges to his son’s succession begin to amount. The novel follows Aethelflaed, Alfred’s first daughter, who ultimately becomes the Lady of Mercia.

Ultimately, I wanted to like the book more than I did — nothing about it really stands out. If you’re interested in early British history, or are a fan of series like The Last Kingdom, this is a great book to check out. It’s interesting to see another fictional portrayal of Aethelflaed, a fascinating historical figure that seems to be often overlooked.

King Alfred’s Daughter by David Stokes is available from Amazon.

In this winding novel, Jane Loeb Rubin creates a suspenseful narrative around the history of women’s reproductive rights and modern medicine. In the Hands of Women follows Hannah Isaacson as she trains to be an obstetrician in turn-of-the-century New York City. The novel follows her through residency and into her practice, where she repeatedly runs into roadblocks when it comes to family planning and simple female health care.

Overall, this is a strong novel that conveys some important points about women’s medical history that resonate today. There are points where the writing is rather heavy handed, and points where the reader may find the protagonist rather frustrating in her naivety. Regardless, for the historical aspect alone, I would say this book is worth a read.

In the Hands of Women by Jane Loeb Rubin is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.