Sake!? Mary Alice's secrets come out early in this interview! And what an amazing interview with one of my all-time favorite authors about a book that feels very much in the Mary Alice Monroe wheelhouse but is SO different. It's historical, it's in first person and it's a CLIFFHANGER! We talk about the challenges and joys of taking on all those variations in her process. The historical ramifications and stretching a story across a hundred years.

It's impossible to talk about a Mary Alice Monroe book and NOT talk about setting - and the setting in Where The Rivers Merge is peak Monroe. It's deeply personal and resonates on an environmental level. I loved this book, my mom is going to love this book, so will my Aunt Cherie and so will all of you - get it now. Well, listen to the podcast and then go get it.

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe comes her highly anticipated Where the Rivers Merge, the first of two epic and triumphant novels celebrating one intrepid woman's life across multiple generations in the American South.

1908: The Lowcountry of South Carolina is at the cusp of change. Mayfield, the grand estate held for generations by the Rivers family, is the treasured home of young Eliza. A free spirit, she refuses to be confined by societal norms and spends her days exploring the vast property, observing wildlife, and riding horses. But the Great War, coastal storms, and family turmoil bring unexpected challenges to Eliza, putting her on a collision course with the patriarchal traditions of a bygone era.

1988: At 88, Eliza is the scion of the Rivers/DeLancey family. She’s fought a lifetime to save her beloved Mayfield and is too independent and committed to quietly retire and leave the fate of the estate to her greedy son. She must make decisions that will assure the future of the land and her family—or watch them both be split apart.

Set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century Lowcountry, Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.

Find Mary Alice Here

Want more fascinating conversations with authors about their books and their favorite drinks?

Join the Newsletter!

Join the Facebook Group!

Email Molly

Not only is an Aperol Spritz one of my favorite drinks of all time - I have not stopped talking about this book. I told my mom. My friends. I told my teenage son about this book. There is something about the world Elisabeth makes up and the world she reveals - that has completely captured my attention. Part of it, is that the books feels a little bit like a Stephanie Plum mystery but with a more heart-breaking mystery at it's center. Please - everyone read about this so I can talk about it with someone!!

A sharply funny and moving debut in which a young woman accepts a job that takes her though the Italian Dolomites and into an international mystery far greater—and more personal—than she could have ever expected.

For someone who hates secrets, Las Vegas hairdresser Lucy Rey is about to be faced with a whole bunch of them. After discovering that her fiancé has been cheating on her with someone from his improv class, she finds herself short on funds and desperate for a change of scenery. Enter a most unusual job opportunity: a Bearer of Bad News.

Sure, it’s a little weird—the job description has few details, and the bad news is more like a vaguely worded threat—but Lucy can’t say no to the perks: an all-expenses-paid trip to the Italian Dolomites, plus a generous bonus if she proves she’s delivered the message. Then she learns that her task is just the tip of the iceberg.

Launched into a world of betrayal and greed involving eighty-year-old secrets, stolen jewels, and a World War II–era mystery, Lucy is in over her head. And she’s connected to her mission in ways she never saw coming.

For fans of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Kirstin Chen’s Counterfeit, Bearer of Bad News is an exhilarating romp that deftly explores the weight of secrets, the power of friendship, and how, by healing the wounds of the past, we can build a brighter tomorrow.

Website: http://www.elisabethdini.com

Instagram:

@elisabethdiniauthor
@simonandschuster

Want more fascinating conversations with authors about their books and their favorite drinks?

Join the Newsletter!

Join the Facebook Group!

Email Molly

This happened. This really happened. I got to talk to Jennifer Weiner about her latest release The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. We talked about everything - everything. How we celebrate -or don't celebrate! Her musical inspirations for this new release, she gave me some insider knowledge on how she writes men and we talked a lot about the toxic '90's in pop culture. I managed to keep my cool...sort of. She is of course exactly as warm and smart and engaged as you think she is. Check out her latest - The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits, a deeply moving novel set against the glitz and chaos of early 2000s pop stardom. Equal parts heartfelt family saga and behind-the-scenes look at fame, this is a story about sisters, secrets, and the power of second chances.

Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were thrust into the spotlight as The Griffin Sisters, a pop duo that defined the aughts. Together, they skyrocketed to the top, gracing MTV, SNL, and the cover ofRolling Stone. Cassie, a musical genius who never felt at ease in her own skin, preferred to stay in the shadows. Zoe, full of confidence and craving fame, lived for the stage. But fame has a price, and after one turbulent year, the band abruptly broke up.

Now, two decades later, the sisters couldn’t be further apart. Zoe is a suburban mom warning her daughter Cherry to avoid the spotlight, while Cassie has disappeared from public life entirely. But when Cherry begins unearthing the truth behind their breathtaking rise and infamous breakup, long-buried secrets surface, forcing all three women to confront their choices, their desires, and their complicated bonds.

With richly developed characters, a nostalgic nod to the pop culture of the 2000s, and a resonant tale of ambition, forgiveness, and family, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits will captivate readers from the first note to the final encore. Whether you’ve followed Jennifer Weiner for years or are discovering her for the first time, this book is a must-read for music lovers, fans of sisterly dramas, and anyone who cherishes a great story of second chances.

Find more about Jennifer here: https://www.jenniferweiner.com/

Want more fascinating conversations with authors about their books and their favorite drinks?

Join the Newsletter!

Join the Facebook Group!

Email Molly