Women’s Fiction Roundup (3/12/24)

This week, we are spotlighting the stories of women–from romance and mystery to everything in between, these works encompass a wide range. Today’s titles feature an unlikely heroine whose memories begin to unravel in a delightful debut novel; a follow-up for historical fiction fans set in 1950s Europe; a summer read filled with sun, sand, and suspense; and a contemplation on marriage, love, and what it means to be a woman.

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER  BY KERRYN MAYNE

Available for download on Edelweiss. LibraryReads votes due by June 1st.

Lenny Marks is excellent at not having a life.

She bikes home from work at exactly 4pm each day, buys the same groceries for the same meals every week, and owns thirty-six copies of The Hobbit (currently arranged by height). The closest thing she has to a friendship is playing Scrabble against an imaginary Monica Gellar while watching Friends reruns.

And Lenny Marks is very, very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. The day a voice in the back of her mind started whispering, You did this.

Until a letter from the parole board arrives in the mail–and when her desperate attempts to ignore it fail, Lenny starts to unravel. As long-buried memories come to the surface, Lenny’s careful routines fall apart. For the first time, she finds herself forced to connect with the community around her, and unexpected new relationships begin to bloom. Lenny Marks may finally get a life–but what if her past catches up to her first?

Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, Kerryn Mayne’s stunning debut is an irresistible novel about truth, secrets, vengeance, and family lost and found, with a heroine who’s simply unforgettable.

EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE BY NATALIE JENNER

Available for download on Edelweiss. LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.

“Jenner picks up where BLOOMSBURY GIRLS left off as protagonist Vivien Lowry pivots from bookselling to a new career as a playwright in 1950s London… Jenner provides an insightful view into Italy’s postwar reckoning, and she imbues the novel’s many celebrity cameos—including actresses Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida—with authentic flair. Jenner’s fans will love this.”—Publishers Weekly

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT BY MARY KAY ANDREWS

Available for download on Edelweiss. LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.

“Andrews’s expert exploration of complex family dynamics, hidden secrets, and class divisions in a small resort town add authenticity to the gripping mystery and swoony romance. Series fans and newcomers alike will be riveted.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

THE WEDDING PEOPLE BY ALISON ESPACH

Available for download on Edelweiss. LibraryReads votes due by June 1st.

“Witty dialogue is just a bonus in this engrossing read centering on complex women making life-changing decisions. Recommend to readers who enjoy Sally Rooney, Curtis Sittenfeld, or Elizabeth Berg.”—Library Journal (starred review)

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER, by Kerryn Mayne; 9781250340108; 7/9/24
EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE by Natalie Jenner; 9781250285188; 5/14/24
SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews; 9781250278388; 5/7/24
THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach; 9781250899576; 7/30/24