Three captivating novels explore the intricacies of personal growth, resilience, and complex relationships. “Chick Singer” by Lorraine Devon Wilke follows former ’80s rock star Libby Conlin, whose mysterious past resurfaces. Grace Helena Waltz’s “Southern By Design” is about balancing life as a single mother, family secrets, and a lost love. Clare Leslie Hall’s “Broken Country” presents a sweeping historical tale of love, loss, and moral dilemmas. Each story blends emotional depth, charm, and suspense, making them unforgettable reads.

 “A Captivating Gem”

I don’t usually read during the day (I tend to fall asleep,) but wow, oh wow, I read “Chick Singer” written by Lorraine Devon Wilke, in just two sittings. And I stayed wide awake. “Chick Singer” is a gem of a novel that is captivating, heartfelt with rich elegant storytelling that flows beautifully while the clearly defined characters are deeply relatable with a powerful message.

A former ‘80s rock singer, Libby Conlin, is forced to excavate her mysterious past when her boomeranging adult daughter secretly — and successfully — posts her old music online. Libby’s glamorous 80’s stardom and her mysterious past—and all its dark secrets—comes roaring into the present. Chick Singer explores a complex mother/daughter relationship against the backdrop of music, dreams, and love—and the art of redefining all three.

Lorraine draws readers into a world where complex women’s journeys—both personal and professional—unfold with nuance, wit, and emotional depth. One of the most compelling aspects of Chick Singer is its story’s evolution and the character’s self-acceptance and personal growth. It’s a story about finding a home within oneself, embracing one’s identity, and recognizing one’s worth. Hey, there’s even romance that is woven in seamlessly. Brava! You will love this new novel from Lorraine Devon Wilke, Tomatoes! GET THE BOOK.

~Debbie Zipp, LA Life Editor

A Wonderful New Voice in Women’s South Fiction

Grace Helena Waltz’s debut novel Southern By Design is a delightful blend of charm, resilience and second chances.  This story is set in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina one of my personal favorite cities.  The story is about Magnolia “Mack” Bishop as she is learning to navigate the challenges of being a single mother, professional setbacks and some complicated family dynamics.  Waltz has beautifully captured the very essence of Southern culture while weaving in themes of historic preservation and personal reinvention.

Mack’s life is both heartwarming and relatable, as she strives to prove herself in the competitive world of design.  She is also dealing with an overbearing and very controlling Mother.  As an only child, Mack has always tried to please her mother even at the expense of her own happiness.  Her mother has never shared with her who her father is, this has always bothered Mack.  Now, Mack must deal with the reappearance of a long- lost love, Lincoln Kelly arriving back in town.  He has purchased the home next door to where Mack is living.  Mack and Lincoln’s children become fast friends. I thought the friendship between the children was a very special part of the story.

Waltz is a master at transporting the reader to the Lowcountry with its rich descriptions and authentic dialogue.  The novel’s blend of personal growth, family secrets and professional ambition ensures that it resonates on multiple levels.

When I heard this novel was set in Charleston, South Carolina, I knew I had to read it as soon as it came out.  This debut author did not disappoint either.  This is a five-star read I highly recommend, with its gorgeous cover. Do not miss reading this book by a wonderful new voice in women’s southern fiction.  GET THE BOOK.

~ Francene Katzen, Richmond, Va, advocate for parents of children with drug addictions

An Elegantly Written Historical Novel with a Few Clever Twists

A sweeping love story with the pulse of a thriller, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences. Toggling between the past and the present, the “before” and the “after,” Hall also shifts between the lasting fervency of first love and the convenience of a comfortable marriage.

The “before” is set in 1955 when the protagonist Beth was 17 and first met Gabriel. Over that heady, intense summer, he enlarged her world as she fell in love with him. When Gabriel left their small English farming village to be educated at Oxford and become the person his family expected him to be, Beth was eventually left behind, hopes of her own elite education shattered and first love broken.

It was Frank who had always quietly loved her in the background who picked up the pieces and embraced her as his wife.  Together they built a home very different from the one she imagined with Gabriel and raised a young son who was tragically killed in an accident. Although mourning the loss of her son, Beth made peace with being a farmer’s wife and felt surely that this was the life she was supposed to lead.

But when Gabriel comes back, all Beth’s certainty about who she is and what she wants crumbles. Even after 10 years, she is hopelessly attracted to him, knowing it’s wrong and that people could get hurt – her husband Frank, a reliable and compassionate man, and their close-knit network of family and friends. Indeed, an ominous cloud hangs over the entire novel.

In addition to the scenes from 1955, Hall intersperses scenes set at a 1969 murder trial, intentionally obscuring the identities of the victim and the suspect until the climax. We have a sense of impending heartbreak as Beth and Gabriel fall toward each other in two timelines, and I couldn’t help but wonder about Beth’s choices: Is she a simple woman with a complicated life, or a complicated woman with a simple life?

Hall’s prose is so transportive that it’s impossible not to hang on and hold out hope for Beth, Frank, Gabriel and the people they love. It’s an elegantly written historical novel with a compelling love triangle and more than a few clever twists. GET THE DETAILS.

~ Joan Pagano, NYC, CEO Joan Pagano Fitness