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First For Women
FIRST Book Club Recommends Frieda McFadden’s Trilogy Thriller and More for September 13 to September 26
18 hours ago
On the hunt for a good book? We're here to help! Whether you're curling up on the weekend, heading on a roadtrip or picking the next read for your book club, we've got something for everyone. Here, FIRST Book Club (aka FFW Book Club) has rounded up a collection of unputdownable books for the weeks of September 13 to September 26.
Dive into a heart-racing tale in The Housemaid Is Watching by Frieda McFadden. Or if you're ready to chuckle and get a behind the scenes look at the book publishing industry, try Blank by Zibby Owens, which is described as "a delightful gift to book lovers." More of a romance reader? The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey is a steamy, swoon-worthy story that sweeps readers off their feet. For historical fiction fans, we suggest Long Island by Colm Tóibín or Meet Me at the Starlight by Rachel Hauck. The latter is "steeped in nostalgia" and explores how significant locations always hold a special place in our memories.
Keep scrolling for the entire list of FFW Book Club must-read recommendations for the weeks of September 13 to September 26.
“Last month, my book club read this debut novel after we heard it described as a ‘delightful gift to book lovers,’” says Melissa D’Agnese , FIRST Senior Editor. “And it had me chuckling by the first few lines!” The plot follows Pippa Jones, a 40ish former literary success who worries she’s a one-hit wonder. After her second novel is scrapped, she’s dealing with a bout of writer’s block—one that includes staring at a blank page for months. So when her daughter pitches an outlandish idea for her new novel, she wonders if she can pull it off. Then, her publisher gets involved and things get trickier. As Pippa races time, she uncovers a host of secrets and betrayals along the way. “This book gave a fun behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world,” says Melissa. “And Pippa’s struggle with her inner critic was very relatable!” ( Little A, 2024 )
“Between her solid character development and steamy love stories, Tessa Bailey is already a go-to author of mine, but when I saw she wrote her first-ever hockey romance, I couldn’t download it fast enough,” laughs Courtney Shapiro , FIRST Digital Associate Editor. Tallulah is studying to be a marine biologist, while Burgess is a surly hockey player and single dad. They couldn’t be more opposite, but when Tallulah gets a job as his nanny in the hopes of securing some extra cash, they find themselves drawn to each other. The chemistry is undeniable, but is their attraction love or lust? “This book was a lovely example of the ‘grumpy sunshine’ romance trope and I couldn’t help but root for their relationship,” says Courtney. “I found myself kicking my feet and smiling incessantly while reading.” ( Avon, 2024 )
“Everyone was talking about this book, a follow-up to Brooklyn, Tóibín’s first book about Eilis Lacey, and even though I never read Brooklyn, I decided to pick this one up,” says Tara Hans, FIRST Managing Editor. The book tells the story of Eilis Lacey, an Irish woman in her 40s living in Long Island in 1976 with her husband, Tony, and their two teenage kids, in the same neighborhood as Tony’s parents and brothers. When a stranger comes to the door one afternoon and tells Eilis his wife is pregnant with Tony’s child and that he expects Eilis and Tony to raise the baby, Eilis steadfastly refuses. Before the baby is born, Eilis returns to Ireland to visit her mother, who she hasn’t seen in 20 years, and to reflect on the choices she has made and figure out her plans for the future. While in the small town she grew up in, she tells no one of her issues at home and reconnects with her old best friend, Nancy, and Jim, the man whose heart Eilis broke many years earlier. Unbeknownst to Eilis, Nancy and Jim are planning to marry, and Eilis’ visit brings up unresolved feelings for all of them “This book, with its multitudes of long-held secrets, complex family dynamics and expectations, gave me so much to think about,” says Tara. “And the ending left me wanting more!” ( Scribner, 2024 )
“Steeped in nostalgia, this heartwarming story is built on the idea that locations hold deep memories,” says Sienna Sullivan, FIRST Editorial Assistant. Our main characters, Hollywood stars Matt and Harlow, team up to save their Florida town’s century-old skating rink, the Starlight, owned by Matt’s grandmother, Tuesday. The narration jumps between the present and the past, back to when Tuesday founded the Starlight. “This is a fabulous tale that will be easy to visualize for frequent Florida visitors,” says Sienna. ( Bethany House, 2024 )
“When a friend compared this novel to The Rosie Project, one of my favorite books with a neurodivergent male character, I knew I had to read it,” says Patty Bontekoe , FIRST Executive Editor. Joe-Nathan likes his schedule, and it rarely changes. His mom has written down tips to help Joe become more independent. But as he begins stepping outside his comfort zone, he learns that sometimes, you have to adapt. “Joe-Nathan’s experiences with empathy, friendships, grief and more kept me turning the page,” says Patty. ( Gallery, 2024 )
“I just love novels with characters who are writers or movie stars—and this story had both,” says Julianne MacNeill, FIRST Assistant Digital Editor. Nora Hamilton, a romance writer for the big screen, turns her ruined relationship into her best script yet. When major movie star Leo Vance is cast to play her ex-husband, sparks fly between them—and a whirlwind romance ignites. Says Julianne, “Full of hilarious quips and an unforeseen romance, this dreamy tale had it all.” ( G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2022 )
“The cute kitty on this cover drew me right in,” says Shay Trotter, FIRST Associate Editor. Librarian Charlie Harris is in the midst of preparing for his wedding to Helen Louise when Tara Martin, a shy woman who works part-time at the library archive, ends up in a coma after being attacked. Charlie, along with the help of his cat Diesel, takes it upon himself to catch the person behind the crime. Says Shay, “Solving this puzzle helped me unwind with my own cat, who was by my side as I read!” ( Berkley, 2024 )
“I devoured Freida McFadden’s first two books in The Housemaid series, so when I saw another in the series, I dove in,” says Carissa Mosness , FIRST Assistant Digital Editor. This tale takes readers 11 years into the future, where Millie is now happily married with children. Soon, though, her son begins acting weird, her husband gets too friendly with their neighbor and someone ends up dead. Now, Millie must find a way to save her family. “I was gripping the pages, scared to see what would happen next,” says Carissa. ( Poisoned Pen Press, 2024 )
For more book club recommendations, keep scrolling!
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