Authors with ties to the North Shore pen sizzling new readings that provide the perfect distraction for sunny summer afternoons.
WOMAN ON FIRE
by Lisa Barr
From New York Times bestselling author of Fleeting colors and The unbreakable— woman on fire is the gripping story of a savvy young Chicago journalist embroiled in an international arts scandal centered on a Nazi-looted masterpiece, forcing the ultimate clash between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth. Promising young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual mission: to find a painting stolen by the Nazis: the most famous work of legendary expressionist artist Ernst Engel, woman on fire. Meanwhile, Laurent’s powerful Margaux is also looking for the paint. Heir to millions in her family of art collectors, Margaux is a cunning gallery owner who gets whatever she wants. A thrilling story of secrets, love and sacrifice that highlights the destructive cruelty of war and greed and the triumphant power of beauty and love.
THE ADVENTURES OF HERBIE COHEN
by Rich Cohen
Meet Herbie Cohen, the World’s Greatest Negotiator: Negotiator; risk taker; storyteller; advisor to presidents and corporations; hostage and arms negotiator; giver of lessons and seeker of justice; author of the classic practical business You can negotiate everything. And of course, The New York Times The father of bestselling author Rich Cohen. The novel follows our youthful hero running around Brooklyn with his pals Sandy Koufax, Larry King, Who Ha, Inky and Ben the Worrier; to his days as an army basketball coach in Europe; to his years as a dedicated and unconventional husband, father and independent guru crossing the country lecturing, settling disputes and honing the art of success while finding meaning in this strange and fun world. This book, a bildungsroman, a collection of tall tales, the unfolding of a unique biography wrapped around Herbie’s great insight and guiding principle: the secret of life is to care, but not this a lot.
WHEN WE LET GO
by Rochelle B. Weinstein
From USA today bestselling author of That’s not how it ends, it is a moving novel of family and forgiveness and hope and healing. When Avery Beckett is proposed in marriage by Jude Masters, a widowed father and the man she loves, it should be a moment of great joy. Instead, she’s on edge and too scared to take the plunge. It’s the kind of fear that comes with having secrets. Before Avery commits, she must come to terms with the life she left behind. When she returns to her childhood farm, she is surprised to find herself struggling with a companion: Jude’s teenage daughter who is dealing with the loss of her mother and the complicated emotions of first love. When we let go talks about the lessons that come from grief and the healing it takes to embrace the joy of a second chance.
GOLDEN
by Jamie Brenner
The acclaimed author of To blush presents a captivating romance about a jewelry dynasty. The Pavlin family has built an empire on love. As the first jewelers to sell diamond rings exclusively for proposals, they started an engagement tradition. But when a publicity stunt pits the three Pavlin sisters against each other, their bond is severed and one of the sisters dies. Now, over a decade later, Gemma Maybrook is still coming to terms with the reality of her mother’s death. Orphaned and driven out by her family, Gemma is ready to reclaim what should have been hers. From Manhattan’s Tony Fifth Avenue to the bustling sands of Provincetown, Golden follows the Pavlin women as they are forced to confront the past if they have any hope of finding love and happiness on their own.
METROPOLIS
by BA Shapiro
This masterful novel of psychological suspense from the New York Times bestselling author of The art forger follows a cast of unforgettable characters whose lives intersect when a harrowing accident occurs at the Metropolis Storage Warehouse in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But was it an accident? Was it suicidal? A murder ? Six mysterious characters, who rent units or are connected to the self-storage facility, must now reevaluate their lives. The characters have various origins: they are different races; they practice different religions; they are young and they are not so young; they are rich, poor and somewhere in between. As the characters move in and out of each other’s lives, battle circumstances that are within their control but also out of their control, and attempt to uncover the details of the accident, Shapiro both dismantles the myth of the American Dream and builds tension to an exciting climax. Metropolis is a haunting story of what we cling to, what we might need to let go of, and how unexpected events can lead us to discover our true selves.
All books are available at the Lake Forest Book Store, Winnetka’s The Book Stall or on amazon.com.