Tag: marriage

A Deal with a Debutante Book Review

For most of history, marriage was about status or who one was connected to. Love, or even compatibility, was not even an option.

A Deal with a Debutante, by Chelsea Bobulski, was published earlier this month. It is the first book in the London’s Most Eligible series. American heiress Calliope Hart is originally from New York City. She has been dragged across the pond by her mother to find an aristocratic husband. To say that the experience so far is neither happy nor fruitful is an understatement.

Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, has a title, but not the fortune to maintain the properties and the land. Therefore, he must marry well. His first proposal to Calliope goes over like a lead balloon. The last thing she wants or needs is a marriage of convenience.

Hoping to encourage her to change her mind, Edward plays tour guide around London and invites her and her mother to his country estate. As their week together begins to wind down, each has to face their own anxiety. Edward needs to convince Calliope that he is not a fortune hunter, and Calliope has to believe that she can trust him with her love.

A Deal with a Debutante is one of my favorite books of the year so far. It has all of the hallmarks of the genre and then some. If the other books in the series are this good, then this author has a fan for life.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

A Deal with a Debutante is available wherever books are sold.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies Book Review

Money can buy a lot of things. But can it buy happiness? Not always.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies, by Laura Thompson, was published in 2022. The book follows the lives of six women. They were born into wealth that many of us can only imagine. Materially, they wanted for nothing. But their lives were difficult. Several were forced into unhappy marriages, or later discovered that their husbands were not always on the up and up. Others broke out of their golden cages and found a life outside of what was expected.

I enjoyed this book. The author allows each subject to go beyond the “poor little rich girl” stereotype. What I took away from it is that in the end, their status was actually a hindrance and not a help.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies is available wherever books are sold.

The End of Romance Book Review

Falling in love and (hopefully) spending your life with the right person can be a transformational experience.

The End of Romance, by Lily Meyer, was published earlier this year. Sylvie Broder grew up in an emotionally severe home. She learned joy from her late survivor grandparents, who believed in enjoying life to the fullest. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, she finds a way out via grad school.

Sylvie is not afraid to step back into the dating world. But love and sex are two different things entirely. Her philosophy is tested by two men whose personalities are on opposite ends of the spectrum: Robbie and Abie. Her resolve starts to chip away, forcing Sylvie to realize that she may have inadvertently opened the door to love after all.

What I liked about this book is that it wasn’t the goopy, dopey romance novel it could have been. The characters felt real. Sylvie’s arc wasn’t just about giving her heart away. It was about realizing that it was ok to have a relationship in which she could be herself and not submit herself to the point where her needs were never met.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The End of Romance is available wherever books are sold.

Seeking Persephone Television Review

When we are hurting, it is easier to stay locked within ourselves. It takes courage to reveal our true selves, even those parts of us that are unhealed.

The new four-part series, Seeking Persephone, is based on the book of the same name by Sarah M. Eden (who also wrote the screenplay). Adam Boyce, Duke of Kielder (Jake Stormoen), is in a bind. Unless he marries and has children, his title and property will pass to a distant cousin upon his passing. The problem is that his reputation does not exactly lend itself to young ladies and their mothers breaking down the door.

Persephone Lancaster (Ryann Bailey) has her own issues. Since losing her mother several years before, she was forced to grow up early and take care of her family. Living in genteel poverty, the chances of her catching the eye of an eligible gentleman are little to none at best.

Their relationship starts as a marriage of convenience. As they get to know one another, the walls start to crumble. But is it enough for a happy ending, or will Adam’s insecurities get in the way?

Bailey and Stormoen have superb chemistry. From the moment their characters met on screen, there was an electricity between them. With Eden writing the screenplay, this screen adaptation was not word-for-word copied from the text. But it was enough that anyone who has read the novel can easily follow along.

I have heard that some have referred to this story as a mashup of Pride and Prejudice and Beauty and the Beast. I would also add Jane Eyre to the list. Adam has a bit of Edward Rochester in him, adding new layers to his arc.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Seeking Persephone is available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Fandago.

No One Saw Us Leave Review

When a marriage falls apart, and there are minor children, I would hope that the adults put their animosity aside long enough to remember that little ears are listening and little eyes are watching.

No One Saw Us Leave/Nadie nos vio partir was released on Netflix last fall. It is based on the book of the same name by Tamara Trottner. In 1968, Leo Salzman (Emiliano Zurita) had secreted his children away from his wife, Valaria (Tessa Ia). Their time as a couple is coming to an end. As their Mexican Jewish families vie for sympathy and power in the community, the only thing that Valaria wants is her babies.

A former Mossad agent is hired to locate them and bring them home to Mexico.

This is a heart-stopping, true crime drama. I felt for Leo and Valaria. They only wanted what was best for their offspring. The problem is the expectations of their relationship vs the reality of what is in front of them.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

No One Saw Us Leave is available for streaming on Netflix.

Hamnet Book Review

The premature loss of a child has the power to destroy a marriage and pull a family apart.

Hamnet, by Maggie O’Farrell, was published in 2020. In the late 16th century, Agnes inherited unusual abilities from her late mother. She married her unnamed husband (alluded to as William Shakespeare), and they have three children: Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet. Hamnet dies young, leaving a hole in the family that will never be filled. Four years after his death, the husband writes a play called Hamlet, forever eulogizing his lost child in fiction.

Having seen the film first, I expected that there would be changes from the page to the screen. The only difference is the narrative’s format. Other than that, it is essentially the same story. The book is everything I expected it to be. It encompasses heart, humanity, love, loss, darkness, and more. By the time I finished it, I was left in a state that I can’t quite explain. Hamnet is that good.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Hamnet is available wherever books are sold.

Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom Book Review

In a culture where marriage is everything, a woman choosing to walk away from an unhappy relationship does more than put herself first. Her actions allow other women to realize that there are other options beyond what is “suitable”.

Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom, by Christine Brown Woolley, was published in September. Born into a Mormon family that practiced polygamy, the author became famous via the TLC reality show Sister Wives. Marrying Kody Brown in 1994, she became his third wife. Eventually, the family would grow to four wives and 18 children.

Through the show, Brown Woolley hoped that it would dispel the rumors about her faith and the relationships with her husband and the women she shared him with. As their lives became water-cooler conversations, she began to ask herself if this was the right path for her.

We still live in a society where a female is expected to marry and pop out a kid or two. Given the world she grew up in, it would have been far easier to stay with Kody and pretend that everything was fine. But she had the strength to know that her happiness was elsewhere and took the necessary steps to make it happen.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom is available wherever books are sold.

Freakier Friday Movie Review

It sounds cliché, but you can truly not know another person until you have walked (literally or figuratively) in their shoes.

Freakier Friday hit theaters on August 8. It is the sequel to Freaky Friday (2003). Dr. Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) have long since mended their relationship. In addition to her career as a psychiatrist, Tess is also a podcaster and author. Anna has given up a career as a musician to raise her now teenage daughter, Harper (Julia Butters), and manage up-and-coming artist Ella (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan).

At school, Harper is clashing with her new classmate Lily (Sophia Hammons). Their rivalry goes from 0 to 60 when Lily’s father, Eric (Manny Jacinto), announces his engagement to Anna. With the wedding coming up fast, the girls will do anything to break up the relationship. After the magic hits again, Tess and Anna go into Lily and Harper’s bodies and visa versa. While figuring out how to break the curse, Lily and Harper use Anna’s ex, Jake (Chad Michael Murray), to stop the ceremony. Only it doesn’t go as planned.

There are some sequels in which one can go in blind and understand what is going on. Freakier Friday is not one of the films. It helps to have seen its predecessor. That being said, I enjoyed this movie. The actors enjoyed the work and each other’s company.

Curtis and Lohan, as they did 22 years ago, still have the same on-screen mother/daughter chemistry. The only problem is that I sometimes got confused when it came to the body switch of the four leads. It’s not the greatest narrative that has been seen on the big screen. But it is fun to watch and a nice break from reality.

Do I recommend it? I am leaning toward yes.

Freaky Friday is presently in theaters.

Sisters of Fortune Book Review

There is no relationship like the one with our siblings. They know us as few people do.

Sisters of Fortune, by Esther Chehebar, was published in July. The Cohen sisters are part of a tight-knit Syrian Jewish community in South Brooklyn. Each is wrestling with the choices before her. Oldest sister Nina is eager to spread her wings outside of the neighborhood. The opportunity comes via a former classmate. At the ripe old age of 26, she remains shockingly single, with no relationship in sight.

Middle sister Fortune works with their father and is getting married in a few months. On paper, her fiancé is everything she should want in a husband. But there is a niggling feeling that perhaps her future is elsewhere. Youngest sister Lucy is months from her high school graduation and has a mysterious new boyfriend who has tongues wagging.

It is a choice between living in the modern world and the traditions they grew up with. Do they follow their instinct or walk the path that is expected?

Sisters of Fortune is one of my favorite books of the year. It is one of those titles that anyone can relate to. It is dramatic, entertaining, and an emotional rollercoaster. Someone (I can’t remember who) compared it to Pride and Prejudice. I couldn’t agree more.

This is the author’s debut novel. With this kind of literary take-off, I can’t wait to read what she will write next.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Sisters of Fortune is available wherever books are sold.

Throwback Thursday: Blue Valentine (2010)

In the lifetime of any relationship, there will be ups and downs.

The 2010 film Blue Valentine follows the life of the marriage of Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams). Moving between the past and present, the narrative sees them dealing with life, children, and other bumps in the road.

Blue Valentine should have been a great film. Gosling and Williams are two of the finest actors of their generation. But it did nothing for me.

Do I recommend it? No.

Blue Valentine is available for streaming on Netflix.

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