An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton

Suspenseful and with a surprising ending, AN INFINITE LOVE STORY by Chanel Cleeton (The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes) is a work of historical fiction and set in the 1960s. The emphasis is on the nascent space program and the lives of test pilots, early astronauts and their families. Cleeton begins with the facts that divorces in the United States at that time were 2.9 for every 1,000 marriages; while “there were thirty-nine married astronauts in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. Twenty of those marriages ultimately ended in divorce.” And, then she shifts to fiction and the news of a missing spaceship in 1968. Employing frequent flashbacks, she introduces readers to the main characters: Vivian, an aspiring journalist, and Joe, a fighter pilot who has dreams of travelling in space. The most memorable element of this book is the devotion which Viv and Joe have for each other. For the most part, that is beautifully written, but it becomes somewhat repetitive as Cleeton continually emphasizes the tension: “It must be an extraordinary thing to be loved by a man who felt things so deeply, so passionately, that he devoted his life to a vocation with such singularity. Or was his love for flying, for his dreams of space, so great that there was room for little else?” Still, AN INFINITE LOVE STORY not only conveys the love between two people, the historical events and details also invoke many memories of rocket launches and a country’s love affair with space travel in a more hopeful, inspiring time. Discussion questions are included as are references to relevant works like The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, A Man on the Moon by Andrew Chaikin, Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger, and Rocket Men by Robert Kurson. Publishers Weekly gave AN INFINITE LOVE STORY a starred review, saying, “Readers won’t want to miss this.”

Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson

MOST ARDENTLY YOURS by Freya Sampson is another rom-com of sorts from this creative author (Nosy Neighbors, The Busybody Book Club) and a LibraryReads selection for July. My favorite of Sampson’s titles, The Lost Ticket, also took place in London and dealt with issues that happened decades earlier. In her latest, Sampson draws on events from centuries earlier … and fictional ones at that. Imagine avid romance reader Zoe Knight’s surprise when a man appearing to be Mr. Darcy arrives at the café where she works in modern day London. She convinces him that he has time traveled there - rather than being summoned by magic related to a copy of Pride and Prejudice which Zoe stole from the grumpy, but handsome bookstore owner, Nick Baskerville. See where this may be going? Library Journal says, “The many book lovers who have dreamed that their favorite fictional characters could leave the pages of a novel and join them in the real world will want to pick up Sampson's latest.” Perhaps, but only if they are willing to endure Zoe’s almost constant crisis of self-worth. Publishers Weekly calls MOST ARDENTLY YOURS “a charmer,” citing Darcy’s amusing reactions to present day culture. In addition, there are numerous references to romance novelists and the plot of Pride and Prejudice. A reading group guide and author interview are included.

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart

DETOUR by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart (The Warehouse) is about a space mission to Titan, one of the moons near Saturn. There are six astronauts who travel together for two years: family man and cop Ryan Crane; artist and lottery winner Stitch Smith, scientist Padma Singh (whose ex-boyfriend Brett also works for NASA), and three astronauts who all have personal issues to deal with: Mike Seaver (an alcoholic), Della Jameson (mother of twins, but separated from her husband), and Alonso Cardona (closeted bisexual). It already strains credibility to think that NASA would agree to send a crew with three relatively inexperienced and untrained civilians, but using limited payload to send wine and beer into space? There are many more questions that arise, particularly when the crew eventually returns to Earth. That is where the writing really takes off (almost like the first half of the book, including the space flight, was just introducing characters, including a rich businessman and possibly corrupt politician, John Ward). The story is told from different perspectives and locations so there is quite a bit to track. I also admit that I missed where the publisher described DETOUR as “the FIRST book of this emotional, mind-bending thriller series.” I agree that it is mind-bending, but I was disappointed in the abruptness of the ending and having to wait for a sequel. 

The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

THE FROZEN PEOPLE by Elly Griffiths is the start of a new mystery series which features Ali Dawson who has the extraordinary capability to travel in time. She leaves the modern day to go to 1850 London in an attempt to find out whether the ancestor of a government official is guilty of murder. But, something goes wrong, and she is trapped there while a modern-day murder results in her son being arrested. Ali’s colleagues frantically try to return her so that she can apply her crime-solving skills to her son’s case. This series is quite different from the historical mysteries and police procedurals that Griffiths’ fans have come to enjoy, but it does convey a dark feeling of menace and readers will be engaged. Kirkus says, “Murder on several time planes is a fascinating premise enhanced by an enthralling look at Victorian London.” Griffiths herself notes, “Even though the plot is somewhat fantastical, I wanted to make the details as convincing as possible.” Her research and clever writing shine through.

Twice by Mitch Albom

TWICE by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie and The Stranger in the Lifeboat) is his latest take on the choices we make. This story asks, “what if you got to do everything in your life – again?” The main character, Alfie Logan, has the inherited ability to transport himself back in time and therefore change most future events. It is a tempting proposition and one which takes time and development of some self-restraint to use wisely. Overall, the story opened quite slowly as readers are introduced to the concept and learn more about its nuances. These happenings are contrasted with a police investigation of a possible casino swindle which is not resolved until the final pages. Despite his unique abilities, Alfie is not a particularly likeable character and he has many regrets, especially regarding the woman he loves. He says, “The truth is, you never do as much good as you could.” She says, “I figure every little thing that happens is part of life or fate or God or whatever leading me to where I'm supposed to be.” Albom will once again have readers examining their own life decisions. TWICE received a starred review from Booklist who recommended it for “fans of Matt Haig and Nikki Erlick.”

The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard

THE OTHER VALLEY by Scott Alexander Howard is a well-written, but sad and melancholy book. It has been very positively reviewed, receiving starred reviews from Booklist (“A thought-provoking exploration”), Kirkus (“perfect for fans of Ishiguro and McEwan”), and Library Journal (“wonderful book club discussions”). In addition, this speculative fiction work is a March 2024 Indie Next Pick and featured in an author interview here. Goodreads labeled it as one of the Most Anticipated Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror Books of 2024. The main character, Odile, is a young girl who struggles … and struggles again … with life choices. Due to an important time travel element, readers will come to know this character in middle age and as an older woman, also. There are numerous questions of ethics, identity, parent-child relationships, and societal expectations. Apt descriptors, though, are eerie, ominous, secretive, and complex. I initially mentioned all of those accolades because although this book was too dark for me personally, it will have definite appeal for certain readers.