JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent

Have you ever imagined running away from your life? Well Birdy Finch didn’t just imagine it. She did it. Which might’ve been an error.

And the life she’s run into? Her best friend, Heather’s. The only problem is, she hasn’t told Heather. Actually there are a few other problems…

Can Birdy carry off a summer pretending to be her best friend (who incidentally is a world-class wine expert)?

And can she stop herself from falling for the first man she’s ever actually liked (but who thinks she’s someone else)?

Funny and witty, The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent is an incredibly fun read. Full of heart and humour, I devoured this book in one day, savouring the story and the characters and relishing each chapter.

When Birdy Finch’s roommate — a world-renowned sommelier and wine expert — turns down a summer job in Scotland to spend the summer in Italy with her boyfriend, Birdy thinks it’ll be fun to take her place at the Michelin star restaurant. Birdy’s just found herself job-free, her ‘relationship’ doesn’t seem to have much promise, and she could use the escape. But what starts as a joke and something to pass the time, soon turns into a venture that overwhelms Birdy and it’s clear she’s way out of her depth. After all, Birdy knows nothing about wine.

“That’s the problem with ten hours of uninterrupted sleep — rigor mortis begins to set in. So much for brushing up on my wine knowledge; I could barely type the word ‘wine’ into Google, I was so exhausted.”

The plot is something a lot of young readers will be able to relate to — Birdy has absolutely no idea what she’s doing with her life, both in a personal sense and a professional one. And when she pretends to be her housemate Heather — who has no idea she’s done this — the ‘joke’ quickly envelopes her and Birdy finds herself in over her head.

With gorgeous scenery and a well-captured setting, The Summer Job is a breath of fresh air — an absolute gem of a novel. It’s an uplifting rom-com, full of wit. The dialogue is quick and clever, and the story is heartwarming and enjoyable. The storyline contains character growth, emotional depth, and the possibility of redemption.

“Her voice trails off and she looks across at me, her face contorted with a mixture of concern and confusion. Concern, I think, that a human being in real life — and not in a black-and-white slapstick film — had pointed a bottle of champagne at her face while trying to loosen an extremely stubborn cork.”

The first person POV allows an intimate insight into how Birdy is struggling with the direction of her life. Her parents are conspiracy theorists, her father an alcoholic, and she’s never had a stable relationship. When she meets James, and the other wonderful people who work at the Scotland restaurant, she starts to feel like she belongs. But she’s living a lie — how is she going to weave her way out of this? The novel builds slowly, taking readers to a rather tense, climactic ending.

Birdy’s voice is instantly inviting. She’s warm, charming and quick-witted, but she also possesses a certain level of maturity that allows her to reflect on her situation and understand how to survive in it.

I did find the final couple of chapters a little disappointing. There’s a big confrontation, and then most of the resulting chapters skip ahead in time. I almost felt like there was 50 pages missing — an entire chunk of the book that got condensed into mere pages. But I guess wanting more pages in a book is a good sign.

“She gives the impression that nothing is ever a secret around her, and if it was, it would be sensible to fess up straight away. She stands up and wanders over to the wine rack, reaches behind one of the bottles and pulls out a packet of Marlboro.”

Fabulous, escapist and fun, The Summer Job is one of my favourite reads of 2021. Highly recommended alongside a nice glass of red. Readership skews female, 25+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Job
Lizzy Dent
April 2021
Penguin Random House Publishers

The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn

Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, navigating treacherous roads and dodging hostile gunfire, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own.

Oxford, 1976. A woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.

London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband’s collection of Japanese art. Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year’s Eve party, deep in the Irish countryside, where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.

Inspired by the heroic servicewomen who served in the ‘forgotten war’ in Burma, Kayte Nunn’s The Last Reunion alternates between dual timelines and centres around a valuable netsuke from WWII that is stolen from a museum. In 1999, it resurfaces, along with the story of how it came to be in that museum, and its origins.

Whilst the novel opens with the theft in 1976, we never return to that storyline. It merely sets up the mystery of the novel, and draws the reader in.

Written in third person, The Last Reunion switches between 1945 and 1999. In 1945, we mainly follow the determined Bea as she signs up as volunteer for a mobile canteen with a group of other women. In 1999, young art dealer Olivia tracks down an elderly Bea in an effort to find out what happened to the famous — but missing — fox-girl netsuke.

“Bea turned away, her hand to her face. Death was all around them — she wasn’t so naive as to think otherwise — but to see it up close, and one so pointless, was somehow more shocking than reading the lists of soldiers who died in battle every day.”

Alongside many other elements, The Last Reunion explores female friendship, family and sacrifice, and how in the toughest of times, we find ourselves drawn to those who may be very different from us.

The Last Reunion feels like a fresh addition to the historical fiction genre.I’ve read many novels set during WWII and this was an aspect to the battle that I hadn’t heard or read about. This new perspective will appeal to seasoned historical fiction readers like myself.

Another strength lies in Kayte’s detailed descriptions of setting, characters and objects – particularly the netsukes. Each character feels unique, their voice distinct. Additionally, you felt like you were experiencing the war alongside these women, particularly with such vivid descriptions of weather — the rain, the floods, the heat. The writing is so visceral, scenes lift from the page.

“Olivia hesitated; it seemed like such an odd request, to accompany an old woman to a reunion, but she would love to visit Ireland; it had always seemed to her to be such an appealing country; the accents alone were utterly beguiling.”

Admittedly, there were elements to the ending that felt a little rushed, as if the motivations or thoughts behind certain actions happened too suddenly to feel authentic. For example, when Plum comes to her senses about her husband, and also when a career opportunity conveniently lands in Olivia’s lap.

“Bea was familiar with the sight of her father’s service revolver, had watched him clean and oil it, but though he had explained its workings to Archie when he was still a boy, Bea had never been allowed anywhere near it. Guns, the unspoken message had been, were for men and boys, not the business of women and girls.”

A story of friendship and family, but also loss and betrayal, The Last Reunion is recommended for readers of historical fiction, war stories, and family sagas. Readership skews female.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Reunion
Kayte Nunn
April 2021
Hachette Book Publishers

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur – Minos’s greatest shame and Ariadne’s brother – demands blood every year.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods – drawing their attention can cost you everything.

In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne’s decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover’s ambition?

ARIADNE gives a voice to the forgotten women of one of the most famous Greek myths, and speaks to their strength in the face of angry, petulant Gods. Beautifully written and completely immersive, this is an exceptional debut novel.

An enchanting retelling of ancient Greek myth, Jennifer Saint’s Ariadne is an absorbing, dual POV tale of two forgotten Greek sisters — Adriadne and Phaedra, daughters of the cruel and malevolent King Minos.

Infatuated and desperately in love with the handsome Theseus (Prince of Athens), the young and naive Ariadne betrays her father and passes along the secret to defeating her brother, the Minotaur. Afterwards, Theseus’ promise to whisk her away to Athens turns out to be a falsity, and Ariadne soon finds herself abandoned on the island of Naxos. Elsewhere, we follow Ariadne’s sister Phaedra, who also comes to experience Theseus’ deception and betrayal.

“Later, would I want to claim that I was possessed of a madness, that I didn’t know what I was doing? That I moved through my story as the Fates directed, that I bore no responsibility for it myself?”

Ariadne positions its lens on forgotten women of Ancient Greece. Some readers may recognise or be aware of Ariadne and her sister Phaedra, but most will not. Their stories are often wrapped up within the tales of heroic men — other tales of might. This time, Jennifer is shining the spotlight on the sisters.

Both sisters are fierce and determined, and grow into adulthood with confidence. Ariadne takes control of her story and learns of her own strength, refusing to accept what’s expected of her. When Theseus betrays her, she finds a life for herself that makes her far happier and full of purpose than his love ever would’ve given her.

Phaedra may be more reserved and timid, but she knows when to pick her battles. She takes refuge in the shadows, protecting herself and collecting information. She builds on her suspicions about Theseus. Over time, she grows into a headstrong character who is determined to pursue her true desires, rather than simply accept the life she has.

Side note: this book has a gorgeous, gold-foiled cover that shines on a bookshelf.

“What could I say that would ever make him listen? That would ever turn his head and yank his attention sharply away from his important preoccupations — the affairs of the court, the rule of the peasants, his cool calculations that whirred away in his brain, endlessly weighing up the options before him to find what would bring him the greatest value.”

Whilst this novel far outshines criticism, there are a few faults of note.

The novel has a beautiful slow build, and readers will appreciate the character development and plot progression — the whimsical, magical feel of the story and its contents. The ending, however, feels very rushed, particularly around the conclusion of Phaedra’s story. It felt brief and sudden, and I couldn’t help but feel a little cheated.

Additionally, and I have seen this noted in many reviews, but there is a lot of info-dumping in the novel. Mostly through dialogue. Great long historical tales that go for pages and don’t feel natural in discussion. It contributed to a rather stiff and silted dialogue at times, and I found myself skimming those parts, or skipping them altogether.

“Where would one find the courage to do such a thing? I wondered. To cast away a life of riches and power and anything he desired; to give his life in the very prime of his youth for his people. To go knowingly and willingly into the snaking coils of our dungeon as living meat for our monster.”

Lyrical and gorgeously written, Ariadne will please fans of historical and mythological fiction. The novel will leave a lasting impressing on its readers.

Readership skews female.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ariadne
Jennifer Saint
April 2021
Hachette Book Publishers

The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird

Welcome to The Emporium of Imagination, a most unusual shop that travels the world offering vintage gifts to repair broken dreams and extraordinary phones to contact lost loved ones.

But, on arrival in the tiny township of Boonah, the store’s long-time custodian, Earlatidge Hubert Umbray, makes a shocking realisation. He is dying . . .

The clock is now ticking to find his replacement, because the people of Boonah are clearly in need of some restorative magic.

Like Enoch Rayne – a heartbroken ten-year-old boy mourning the loss of his father, while nurturing a guilty secret.

Like Ann Harlow, who has come to the town to be close to her dying grandmother. Though it’s Enoch’s father who dominates her thoughts – and regrets . . .

Even Earlatidge in his final days will experience the store as never before – and have the chance to face up to his own tragedy . . .

Enchanting and evocative, Tabitha Bird’s The Emporium of Imagination is a heartwarming story about confronting past mistakes, missed conversations, and lost loved ones. Set over a period of 21 days, we glimpse into a magical world of possibility, within the four walls of an impossible store.

Set in the rural town of Boonah, Queensland, we meet Earlatidge Hubert Umbray as he’s setting up the new Emporium store one evening. He’s the custodian of the magical shop, which among other wonderful things, allows visitors to receive phone calls from family and friends who are either deceased or astray. It allows visitors to confront and overcome long-held secrets and anxieties.

As we soon learn, Earlatidge’s time as custodian is almost over, and he must find someone new to take over his work.

“I want to scream that word all over the house. Yell it at the walls that are scuffed up because he let us play soccer in the hallway. Yell it in the backyard where we used to wrestle and where he rescued Nipper from the top of the water tank. Yell it in his empty bedroom…”

A sweet tale with a gorgeous cast of characters. We meet three boys grappling with the recent death of their father, and their exhausted grandmother who is desperately trying to raise these boys the best she can. We meet a woman who has recently lost a close friend and is about to lose her beloved grandmother, and we come to understand Earlatidge’s story and how — through great loss — he came to be custodian of the Emporium store.

Anyone who has lost someone, or lost touch with someone, will be able to relate to this story. It’s beautiful and moving, but it’s also quite heartbreaking. We meet characters when they’re at their lowest point — they’re in desperate need of some guidance and direction, some wise words. The store offers them that.

“The key. A cantankerous key. Over the years, it has appeared in ordinary places like pockets, under doormats, in letterboxes and inside his shoe. But it has also hidden in more unusual places like the bottom of a maple syrup bottle in Canada or inside a pint of Guinness. Until the key makes an appearance, Earlatidge is always careful not to gulp his drinks.”

The Emporium of Imagination is about grasping the life you have left, and pursuing what you really want. It’s about accepting the past is in the past and moving on, but acknowledging the importance and necessity of grieving. It’s about the comfort you can find in those around you. With a little magic and imagination, you’ll get the answers you seek.

This book is reminiscent of children’s fairytales — whimsical, hopeful and enchanting. It’s a novel that will wrap you up and engage you until you’ve read the final page. Tabitha’s writing is descriptive and full of beautiful prose and general wonderment.

“Earlatidge is right about the note. No matter what I do with the phone invitation, it keeps coming back like a determined stray animal. I find it in my jeans pocket, on my bedside table and under the blankets. It even blocks the water coming out of my tap as I’m trying to brush my teeth. Reluctantly, I keep it.”

An enduring tale alive with possibilities, The Emporium of Imagination is recommended for fans of magical realism, family saga and literary novels. Readership skews female, 30+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Emporium of Imagination
Tabitha Bird
April 2021
Penguin Random House Book Publishers

The French Gift by Kirsty Manning

A forgotten manuscript threatens to unravel the past …

Fresnes Prison, 1940: Margot Bisset, a former maid from the Riviera, finds herself in a prison cell with writer and French Resistance fighter, Josephine Murant. Together, they are transferred to a work camp in Germany, where the secrets they share will bind them for generations to come.

Present-day Paris: Evie Black lives above her botanical bookshop with her teenage son, Hugo. Nursing a broken heart, Evie receives an unexpected letter; she clutches at an opportunity to spend a magical summer with Hugo on the Cote d’Azur.

It’s here, on the Riviera, that the past envelops them and Evie attempts to unravel the official story of a famous novelist. If she succeeds, a murder from a lifetime ago may be solved.

Inspired by a true story of iconic French Resistance fighter, Agnes Humbert, whose secret journal shed light on a little-known aspect of World War II, The French Gift will captivate readers from beginning to unforgettable end.

Kirsty Manning’s The French Gift is a captivating, female-driven World War II story that switches between 1940s Europe and present-day Paris. The quest to discover a hidden manuscript by a world famous crime writer unravels a decades-long secret between the unlikeliest of friends.

Written in third person, The French Gift switches POV between three women. In present-day Paris, we meet Evie. Still grieving the sudden death of her husband, she is working to showcase an exhibition about her husband’s reclusive and recently deceased relative Josephine Murant. Over the course of the novel, we spend time in Josephine’s POV as she spends time in a French prison during the second World War. There, she meets fellow prisoner and cellmate Margot Bisset, a maid wrongfully imprisoned for murder.

“Laughter and the clink of crystal flowed through the open doors, and gauze curtains billowed in the breeze. Usually she would tie them back, but Madame had instructed her to stay in position. It wasn’t her place to disobey.”

Inspired by true events and meticulously researched, The French Gift has a cracking premise and opening chapter — Margot believes she’s participating in a murder ‘game’ at an elite 1940s party. But when the ‘victim’ actually does get shot, Margot is presumed guilty and immediately arrested.

The French Gift is about the perseverance and resilience of women, and their courage, strength and determination when faced with immense difficulties. Josephine and Margot form a strong friendship over the years that they’re imprisoned, and despite the horrible conditions of their imprisonment, their kinship is a very heartwarming aspect of the novel.

“Until today, Evie had seen this exhibition as a necessary task — like tax, probate, Foundation guidelines and pelvic floor exercises. She needed to seize this opportunity to honour Josephine, and Raph would have wanted her to — of that she was certain.”

Set against the backdrop of World War II, Josephine and Margot’s storyline is immediately captivating. Evie’s storyline is admittedly not as interesting, and I was pleased that the budding relationship in her life took a mostly backseat role in her storyline.

Truthfully, I think Evie was a bit lost in this story. Her storyline didn’t seem as engaging. Even the predictable twist at the end, which is signposted a bit too heavily throughout the novel (the facial scars and the head scarves, as well as the immense reclusively of Josephine kind of gave it away) wasn’t enough to increase my interest in her character.

“She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to right this wrong. The counselling was definitely helping, but he needed time to find his own path through the heavy fog that sometimes seeped in and threatened to smother his days.”

Tender and heartfelt, The French Gift is recommended for fans of historical fiction. Readership skews female, 30+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The French Gift
Kirsty Manning
April 2021
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers