Golden Boy by A. J. Symon

GOLDEN BOY by A. J. Symon is a young adult novel with a strange supposition. It has a wonderful cover which mirrors the story of a dog (Hudson) being turned into a high school boy (Bud Golden). Emma Branch is a lonely high school student who ended up taking care of her brothers (Chip and Buckhead – who act like their names) and her rather obnoxious, opinionated, and prejudiced father, Wayman, after her mother dies. Emma’s dream is to study science, and she has developed an injection to prolong the life of fruit flies. No one is really interested, though, until in desperation she injects her dog. Suddenly there’s a star player for the football team that Wayman coaches, and the adventure (filled with deception) begins. There is some suspense and high school relationship drama which could appeal to readers. As all gets resolved, the author is not afraid of explicitly highlighting the value of scientific experimentation (“Flying machines. The telephone. Landing on the moon. All crazy ideas until they weren't. Magic is just science no one can explain yet.”) and quality parenting (“It's amazing what a kind word from a parent will do.”). Thankfully, the father character does mature, but it’s not a subtle transformation. School Library Journal (starred review) and Booklist suggest GOLDEN BOY for grades 6 thru 10, and these less mature students may appreciate the hijinks, although the animal experimentation could be triggering for some. I am more apt to agree with Kirkus: “An interesting premise that suffers from clumsy execution.”

Human Raised by Dana Suskind

HUMAN RAISED by Dana Suskind should be on your reading list. It is on several others, including an appearance as the notable non-fiction choice on the LibraryReads July 2026 selections and on the Next Big Idea Club’s summary of July 2026 Must Read Books. Suskind, an MD who writes extensively and is a professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Chicago, focuses this new book on “Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, & Lifelong Learning in the Age of AI.” In chapters with titles like “The Human Edge,” “How Parents Build a Child’s Brain,” or “Robots in the Classroom,” she makes several very compelling and interesting arguments. For example, Suskind writes, “I believe that the relationship between child development and artificial intelligence is one of the most critical and overlooked challenges of our time, one that has the potential to transform childhood, family structures, and ultimately nothing less than our future as a species. And it's up to us as parents and caregivers to decide how these intelligent tools will shape our children's lives.” I found her sharing of Hinton’s comments on embedding maternal instincts in AI models to be quite thought-provoking. And, like many of us, she expressed  concerns about the pervasiveness of AI, asking, “Will a primarily or entirely human-raised childhood be a luxury experience, like a farm-raised diet?” Parents, grandparents, caregivers and educators will find much to consider and discuss in HUMAN RAISED. This book is not anti-technology; rather Suskind is encouraging us to act and to shape the future; she eloquently points out, “In Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, … the birds that no longer sang weren't the tragedy. They were …. a warning that something essential was dying. I hear a similar warning now in a different kind of silence: the eerie, algorithm-induced quiet of children transfixed by technology.” Suskind stresses four guiding principles (HOPE) for raising children alongside AI:  Human connection is irreplaceable; Own your imperfections; Protect the early years; and Enhance—don’t replace—connection. Highly recommended.

Dad Brain by Darby Saxbe

DAD BRAIN by Darby Saxbe describes “The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men's Lives.” Saxbe, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, splits her book into two sections: the Science of Fatherhood and the Practice of Fatherhood. It’s truly interesting to realize that Saxbe is “one of the only researchers in the world to have collected longitudinal neuroimaging research on men as they become fathers,” due in large part to the limited research on men as parents. Still, she points out how fatherhood can benefit society, partners, children, and the men themselves, thanks especially to greater social connection and opportunities for improved mental health. Frequently showcasing a collection of related facts, Saxbe points, for example, to research that shows younger-looking brains for both fathers and mothers and describes some theories as to why this greater cognitive functioning occurs. She offers suggestions for several areas of additional research, and I look forward to seeing more from her. An Appendix with suggested resources, plus an Index and Notes comprise close to twenty percent of the text. 

Read an excellent overview of Saxbe’s thinking in her recent opinion piece at The New York Times: “Ultimately, the traits of a good dad are also the traits of a good man: strength coupled with a willingness to look out for the young and vulnerable, to teach but also listen, to lead by example, to tackle daunting challenges and to persevere with grit.” Happy Father's Day to all!!

Mom Needs A Moment by Cassidy Freitas

MOM NEEDS A MOMENT by Cassidy Freitas explores “How to Stop Your Reaction Before It Starts... and Become a Calmer, Happier, More Connected Parent.” Dr. Freitas is a licensed family and marriage counselor and host of the weekly Holding Space podcast. In chapters titled Traumas and Triggers, All the Feelings, Being in the Moment, etc., she writes here about emotions related to being a parent, especially a Mom. Freitas is excellent at describing the range of reactions: “A hypervigilant part trying to anticipate every need before it exploded into chaos; A perfectionist part desperate to keep it all together; A wounded part still aching from past moments when asking for help led to disappointment or shame. ... All I knew was that I felt broken. And alone.” Admitting her own concerns and needs regarding motherhood, she writes about magic in the margins: “These are the spaces where your body can exhale and you can come back to yourself, where you can remember that you don't have to live in constant reaction mode, that you have choices. … They allow me to slow down, to notice, to be present.” In a calm and helpful way, she offers insights regarding the difficulty of changing patterns based on generational cycles that show up in everyday parenting. Understanding her audience, she provides notes at the end of each chapter, with “major themes, tools, and actionable next steps described.” Reading MOM NEEDS A MOMENT will benefit Moms, caregivers, and grandparents alike. 

Does My Child Need Me to Lead or to Follow?

DOES MY CHILD NEED ME TO LEAD OR TO FOLLOW? by Claudia Schwarzlmüller is an international best-seller which covers “A Radically Simple Way to Parent Children from Infancy Through Age 6.” Schwarzlmüller is a child psychologist with over twenty years of experience. Her tone is wonderful – calm, compassionate, nonjudgmental, and definitely striving to represent the child’s viewpoint. For example, in the Your Toddler section, she describes behavior which is SO familiar (e.g., a toddler “loves taking things out and putting them away”… and “needs to repeat behaviors many times in order to learn … repetition is the name of the game”). She discusses thinking and playing (when a child “learns about objects by putting them in his mouth, banging them against something else, studying, turning, rubbing, or throwing them”), as well as feelings and relationships, movement, and speech. To me (a relatively new grandmother), the insights Schwarzlmüller offers are spot-on, valuable and actionable (e.g., she lists a series of play schemas and what your child learns from practice like Positioning (a sense of length, height, distance), Transforming, Connecting, Enveloping, Transporting, Dividing/Scattering (geometry/math, quantity, shapes, volume), Sorting, Filling, and Orientation). She writes about allowing your child to lead (“give them the freedom to try things out and as much free time to play as possible”), but also notes, “Children need to find their bearings and to feel safe. You are the missing partner in this social dance if you don't assume your role in moments of leading. Your child is searching for balance between moments of leading and moments of play, just like the rest of us.” Additional parts of the book deal with Your Baby, From Toddler to Preschooler, From Preschooler to Kindergartener to First Grader, plus introductory material, a list of references, and further reading suggestions. Publishers Weekly called this text “a valuable resource for parents of young children [in which] research-based insight meets practical guidance.” I heartily concur and I am highly recommending DOES MY CHILD NEED ME TO LEAD OR TO FOLLOW?

THE MIXED + MULTIRACIAL GUIDE TO WELLBEING by Namalee Bolle is subtitled “Navigating Family, Identity + Healing.” Bolle divides the text into three parts: Unpack, Discover and Thrive. She describes her own history (British born of Sri-Lankan and Dutch-Jewish heritage) and that of other multi-racial people as she encourages readers to reflect on their unique situations. It felt at points as though this text was more about therapy-type exercises and less about actual research findings (of which there may not be many). However, I did gain insights from reading about children who are multiracial – as she says, they are racially different to both parents. That may seem obvious, but it is worth pausing and contemplating that idea along with how difficult it is for all of us to find our identities as adolescents and how these children must learn to recognize/accept that “I am this and this and that.” I plan to look into the children’s books that she recommended (e.g., The Truth about Dragons) and also to watch 1000% Me, an HBO/Max documentary. Overall, an interesting starting point for more discussion and research.

Parenting Anxiety by Meredith Elkins

PARENTING ANXIETY by Meredith Elkins is about “Breaking the Cycle of Worry and Raising Resilient Kids.” Elkins, a clinical psychologist, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and the co-program director at the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program (MAMP) at McLean Hospital, is well-regarded in her field. She draws on her work and education as well as her personal experience as a parent. Elkins appeared recently at a FAN (Family Action Network) session where she was interviewed for an hour by a local school superintendent. There, she repeatedly pointed to the idea that well-intentioned attempts to “protect” children can instead foster an environment where anxiety is allowed to thrive. As in her book, she encouraged parents and educators to approach, rather that avoid, uncomfortableness. Other chapters explore concepts such as Overparenting, Exposure Therapy, and “Finding Your Way.” At the end of each chapter is a helpful set of bullet points “to take home with you.” Over the years, we have commented on numerous books dealing with anxiety, particularly as relates to teens, although Elkins’ work applies to children of all ages. A glossary, list of resources, and notes make up over ten percent of PARENTING ANXIETY and there is also a lengthy appendix which covers “Decoding Diagnoses.”

The Last Letters of Sally and Walter

THE LAST LETTERS OF SALLY AND WALTER by Cammie McGovern is a charming but very sad novel about two older people who find a connection through Scrabble (offering much wordplay and many new vocabulary words along the way). Walter and Sally live in an independent living facility named Golden Grove where everyone “is superficially friendly and no one is really friends.” They, however, gradually form a deep friendship where each can be vulnerable enough to share their personal stories and concerns. McGovern’s previous works for middle grade students and young adults all featured characters with disabilities. In her latest, Sally has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and learns to cope with its limitations while Walter also has a health setback. Despite these circumstances, there is hope woven throughout this book, as when Walter notes,  “These are the facts of our lives now. We both have our younger selves sitting inside of us, horrified by these developments, but I'm hoping we also have the wisdom of age. We are not defined by the limitations our bodies have imposed on us.” Both Walter and Sally experience emotional distance from and somewhat difficult relationships with their adult children who, in turn, are dealing with their own stressors related to work and family life. THE LAST LETTERS OF SALLY AND WALTER provides a unique window into a crucial time of life as when Sally gently points out, “the hardest part of aging … wasn’t the battle to retain your abilities, it was the absence of a chance to develop new ones.” This poignant novel will have readers reflecting about their own relatives and life choices. Scheduled to be Published April 7, 2026.

Best Laid Plans by Sarah Hart-Unger

BEST LAID PLANS by Sarah Hart-Unger offers “A Simple Planning System for Living a Life That You Love.” Hart-Unger is a pediatric endocrinologist and podcaster (Best Laid Plans) and seems to be a very high energy person with tons of enthusiasm, particularly regarding time management (“more proactivity means less reactivity”). She begins by suggesting three fundamental tools: an accurate and complete calendar system, nested goal-making, and airtight task management. Those comments (developed in subsequent chapters) are all very helpful and rather inspiring. I would like to see a print copy of this book to get a sense of whether there are diagrams, charts, and/or bullet point summaries, all of which I think could be beneficial. I also wonder to what extent follow-through could be an issue as this process definitely seemed like something to share with a friend (Hart-Unger encourages planning with others) so that you could try to hold each other accountable. One advantage which the author has - and may not fully appreciate in the planning context - is that she works three days a week as a doctor and has two other weekdays to pursue her business and creative interests. Having control over one’s schedule, along with big blocks of time to devote to specific tasks, would lead to a sense of accomplishment, further reinforcing the planning habit. Hart-Unger is wise enough to realize that we can all feel overwhelmed and devotes a chapter to feeling stuck, “Burnout, Overload, Big Project Intimidation, and Procrastination;” another chapter focuses on challenges (e.g., learning curve, perfectionism, and time sucks). These are followed by a final chapter filled with examples of the specifics used by a variety of “peaceful planners.” BEST LAID PLANS has ideas for everyone from truly disorganized to the frequent list-maker. I hope she sets a goal to adapt (further simplify) her text for high school and/or college students – they could benefit from practicing and establishing these habits early in life.

Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe

FALLING APART AND OTHER GIFTS FROM THE UNIVERSE by New York Times best-selling author Catherine Ryan Hyde offers a story of found family. It centers on Addie, a former soldier and law enforcement official who has been sober for close to eight years but still struggles with finding a purpose in her life. That changes when (while working as a night security guard) she meets Jonathan, a young homeless man who is squatting at an abandoned warehouse. This is a powerful book with both Addie and Jonathan dealing with trauma and eventually finding solace in the grandmother-grandson type relationship they form. As their journeys progress, Hyde forces her readers to consider their own prejudices, especially regarding addicts, mental health, and the unhoused. A couple of key insights: “Resistance is always a red flag. When you resist going somewhere, you know it's a place you need to go.” And “You can waste your whole damn life sitting in your room waiting to feel like you can do better. But the actions change the feelings, not the other way around.”

Wreck by Catherine Newman

WRECK by Catherine Newman continues the story of the wonderful characters readers met in Newman’s bestseller Sandwich. Once again, middle-aged Rocky is dealing with all that life imparts for her family, including husband Nicky, grown children Willa and Jaime, and her newly widowed father who is temporarily living in the in-law apartment in her backyard. As Newman says in her author notes, it is that father who gets “all the funniest lines,” but every character, especially Rocky, contributes to the humor and wisdom that Newman’s story conveys. I love, for example, how Rocky contrasts herself with her husband: “His personality is very cross that bridge when you come to it. Mine is very apply to engineering school in case there's a bridge that might need crossing but it hasn't been designed yet.” By including daily events and an underlying sense of anxiety about mental and physical health as well as some ethical employment issues, Rocky and her family touch all of us in a memorable, relatable way. WRECK is a LibraryReads selection for October and received starred reviews from Kirkus (‘’Newman excels at showing how sorrow and joy coexist in everyday life.”) and Library Journal (“A welcome return …. Here’s hoping for more …”). Highly recommended.

Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne

SNOW KISSED by best-selling author RaeAnne Thayne is a sweet romance filled with the spirit of the Christmas season. Hard-working proprietor of a flower shop, Holly(!) is a single Mom to five-year-old Lydia who has special needs. Shortly before the holidays she meets Ryan, a military helicopter pilot and brother to one of her employees. As they say, “sparks fly” and their mutual attraction grows quickly even though he will have to return to his base in San Diego. There’s drama with an ex-husband and extended family, but the real focus of the story is how Holly and Ryan come to care for and respect each other. This is a terrific holiday tale (set in small town Idaho so plenty of seasonal snow) and will certainly appeal to Thayne’s many fans as well as readers of authors like Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Fern Michaels, Nora Roberts, and Susan Wiggs.

Crochet a Quiet Book by Ariana Wimsett

CROCHET A QUIET BOOK by Ariana Wimsett is designed to “Create a Soft Book Full of Playful Pages.” Wimsett is a crochet designer and blogger who runs the Crafting Happiness website and YouTube channel. What a variety of cute projects! I especially like the 3 in 1 baby blankets on her site – my great-grandmother crocheted a baby blanket for me decades ago! Wimsett’s recent book is just 48 pages, but it is filled with pictures, charts, and helpful instructions to crochet a book/toy for a favorite baby. In addition to turning pages to look at the animals, the baby will have some wonderful tactile experiences – feeling a horse’s mane, moving a duck up and down, or flying some “busy” bees. The creation does not appear to be too difficult, and the colorful book could make a memorable family keepsake, too.

10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World

10 RULES FOR RAISING KIDS IN A HIGH-TECH WORLD is the latest by professor of psychology at San Diego State University, Jean M. Twenge (iGen). Here, she writes about “How Parents Can Stop Smartphones, Social Media, and Gaming from Taking Over Their Children's Lives.” Building on her own research and that conducted with Jonathan Haidt (Anxious Generation). Twenge offers statistics and graphs to support her arguments, and she also pulls in real life examples from her own family’s experiences. While some of her rules seem reasonable and doable (e.g., no electronic devices in the bedroom overnight), others seem rather harsh and unrealistic (no social media until sixteen – or later). Still, she has a very important message to convey (covered recently in both The New York Times and The Washington Post) and does so in an accessible way. As more parents listen to this and encourage more schools to limit cellphone use, we will hopefully see some changes in behavior, with increased face-to-face interaction and improved mental health for adolescents. The Post’s book reviewer, Ron Charles, says his favorite part of 10 RULES FOR RAISING KIDS IN A HIGH-TECH WORLD is that “each chapter includes your kids’ best arguments — e.g. ‘If I don’t have social media, I won’t know what my friends are talking about’ — and how you should respond.” He also recommends “the cool, understanding friend of Twenge’s book…. designed specifically for kids and teens:” Do Not Disturb: How to Say No to Your Phone by Brad Marshall and Lindsay Hassock. School Library Journal recommends that short (96 page) text for grades five and up and Kirkus says, “Put down your phone and pick up this valuable and accessible read for everyone navigating the digital age.” Have a look at these and spark some conversations in your family and school community.

The Lifeguards by Amanda Eyre Ward

THE LIFEGUARDS by Amanda Eyre Ward is by a local Texas author and has an Austin (Barton Springs and Zilker Park) setting. The story revolves around the title characters - three fifteen-year-old boys - and their parents. Sadly, none of the adult characters are especially likeable and everyone makes poor choices again and again. A body is found, bringing suspicion onto the trio and soon both police and lawyers are involved. The sense of entitlement and false friendship is almost nauseating; unfortunately, it is not unique to Austin and this could have taken place in any affluent, privileged community. What are we modeling for our children when they seem wiser than the parents? The adult insecurities and immaturity are captured perfectly and Ward adds an extra twist before quickly resolving the plot. This is the second novel I read by her and they seem to have a dark, menacing aspect, although I found The Same Sky to be more issue-oriented.

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

THE LOST STORY OF EVA FUENTES by Chanel Cleeton is one of my favorite reads of the year so far. The story takes place in three distinct time periods: 1900 when Eva, a Cuban school teacher, travels on an exchange program to the United States; 1966, when librarian Pilar and her husband, Enrique, struggle with the changes and oppression of the Cuban revolution; and 2024 when Margo and her ex-husband Luke combine efforts to locate a missing book originally written by Eva. Cleeton does a good job of evoking the characters and their respective time periods, but I would have liked to have learned even more. The mystery involving the lost story and a violent murder were well done with a twist at the end. But the aspect which I truly enjoyed was the way in which Cleeton repeatedly spoke to her readers about lost love, emotions like grief, and about the value of books and stories. She writes, “If the roles had been reversed, if something had happened to her, Enrique would have taken solace in the company of others. She took hers in the cocoon she placed around herself that kept the world at bay” … “Fear and anger wound their way through her like twin snakes, and in her grief, she did the only thing she knew to do. She read.” Another example: “The reader was promised the possibility of sinking into another world, of escaping their problems, the weight of life subsiding for minutes, hours, days at a time. They were promised a story, a fiction, a sleight of hand, a shuffling of letters that altered reality. And yet, in that make believe world the reader looked for truth - for the words on the page to resonate, for the characters in the scene to make them feel seen, for a thread that they could hold on to, for the book to sink its hooks into them and carry them on an unforgettable adventure.” 

Having It All by Corinne Low

HAVING IT ALL by Corinne Low, an associate professor of business economics and public policy at the Wharton School, is subtitled “What Data Tells Us About Women's Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours.” In her Introduction, Low says, “I reject the premise that the barrier preventing women from living optimally - or even just happily - is our failure to try hard enough to have it all or do it all.” She further states, “Women today face unsustainable demands on our time and efforts largely because economic forces have created an environment where gender roles have converged in the workplace and yet have not converged at home.” Low’s research seems to back up the idea that although men think they are carrying their weight, they really aren’t. So, how does one shift that paradigm without creating resentment or greater chaos in a relationship? Low seems to argue to take time for yourself and put yourself first which, of course, is difficult (perhaps totally unrealistic) to do as a parent. She encourages readers to delve into identifying their personal utility function and to explore ways (e.g., car-pooling) to free up more time. Low is a strident voice for women and her writing is research-based (approximately fifteen percent of the text is devoted to Notes); it’s just unclear how viable her action steps (e.g., levelling up vs. leaning in) really are. Family Action Network (FAN) recently hosted Dr. Low to speak about HAVING IT ALL. Learn more here:

Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley

SISTERS IN THE WIND by Angeline Boulley (Firekeeper's Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed) received an impressive six starred reviews. It is a rather tragic tale of Lucy, a young girl whose father dies when she is just 13 and who spends the next five years mostly in foster care. Some of her placements are heart-warming but most are heart-wrenching, and she develops resilience and self-reliance while also forming bonds with fellow foster care teens. Like many of Boulley’s characters, Lucy has Native American heritage. She encounters racism, human trafficking, drug use, even murder. The writing is excellent (even with the frequent flashbacks), but this is a difficult story to read at times: Publishers Weekly describes it as “a devastating yet gripping tale of finding family, recontextualizing faith, and reclaiming ancestry that serves as a searing critique of the ways that systems can fail vulnerable youth.” School Library Journal calls SISTERS IN THE WIND “a gritty story of trust and betrayal” and Booklist says, “this unforgettable novel is impossible to put down.” While this story works as a standalone, Boulley chronicles events between her two previous novels and has incorporated many of those characters. All three mysteries are excellent. 

Dream School by Jeffrey Selingo

DREAM SCHOOL by Jeffrey Selingo (Who Gets In and Why) is the latest round in his writings about “Finding the College That's Right for You.” Here, Selingo leverages his decades long experience plus surveys with thousands of parents collected during two years of research; he once again stresses the benefit of looking beyond super selective schools. The book is divided into three main sections which outline often faulty assumptions, the “new admissions landscape,” and what to look for in a dream school. An appendix lists specific colleges (Hidden Values, Breakout Regionals, and Large Leaders), with a brief description and anecdotal standout factor for each. Learning about and choosing between schools is a difficult task, filled with emotion and incomplete information. Called a “refreshingly practical approach to choosing where to apply” by Lisa Damour, resources like Selingo’s offer a helpful perspective to both students and parents. DREAM SCHOOL received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was the subject of a recent Family Action Network session with Frank Bruni (scroll to bottom of that page for video).

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb is a work of non-friction which was recommended by my cousin and which received a starred review from Kirkus who called it “A vivacious portrait of a therapist from both sides of the couch.” The author is a mid-40s single mother who also writes a column for The Atlantic called “Dear Therapist.” She shares anonymous stories from some of her patients as well as her own struggles with a breakup when The Boyfriend decides he does not want to live with her young son. There are many poignant moments as she counsels others (like Julie, the young woman who recieves a devastating cancer diagnosis) and narrates her internal thoughts during her own sessions with a therapist. Did you ever see Shrinking (on Apple TV) with Harrison Ford? This is not as hilarious, but it also takes you into the real lives of a therapist with her own issues and wry sense of humor. MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE deals with feelings, parenting, and other relationships, as Kirkus (again) says: “Saturated with self-awareness and compassion, this is an irresistibly addictive tour of the human condition.” One of my favorite sections mentions “Welcome to Holland” and notes that “Julie started to see that we're all in Holland, because most people don't have lives that go exactly as planned. Even if you're lucky enough to be traveling to Italy, you might experience canceled flights and horrible weather.”

Far and Away by Amy Poeppel

FAR AND AWAY by Amy Poeppel is a very clever, fun read even though the situation seems quite implausible at first… who gets drunk (or almost drunk) and agrees to an international house swap without a pretty thorough vetting? Well, readers should let that go and just enjoy the antics of the many characters in this delightful commentary on family life, motherhood, and marriage as well as the cultural differences between the United States (especially Dallas) and Germany (Berlin). The house swap is agreed between Greta (art curator, wife to an underappreciated German scientist named Otto, and mother to Emmi, about to head off to an internship in New York and then to college) and Lucy, (interior designer, wife to Max, a NASA scientist temporarily incommunicado, and mother to high school senior Jack and 8-year old twins Alice and Zoe). The cast would not be complete, though, without the in-laws, neighbors, and co-workers, all of whom contribute to misunderstandings in this “comedy of errors” where “it means there can be more than one version of the same story.” FAR AND AWAY is a truly heart-warming tale that will have readers looking for more titles by Amy Poeppel. An amusing and charming summer read! 

One note: I am glad that I read the preview as an eBook and could easily translate German phrases (e.g., So schnell wie möglich, bitte or Du machst keinen Sinn) even though the author gives context clues. In a recent interview Poeppel explained her choice of locales: “This was a chance for me to write a little love letter to Dallas and to Berlin… to just express some of the things that I love the most about both places and what I miss the most ...”