6.22.2014

# A Place at the Table # Books

Summer Reading 2014 + A Place At the Table Giveaway



Today I'm sharing my summer reading list with you. I just love a good, juicy read during the warmer months don't you? My lovely editor/ kindred spirit, Trish Todd, knows my interests so well and sent me a goody box with some of Simon & Schuster's most interesting summer reads.



Watch this week's video to hear more about the books. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Here are the (clickable) titles and book descriptions:

A Place at the Table by Susan Rebecca White

From Susan Rebecca White, award-winning author of A Soft Place to Land and Bound South, comes a breathtaking story of three richly nuanced outcasts whose paths converge in a chic Manhattan café as they realize they must give up everything they thought they knew to find a home at last.

Alice Stone is famous for the homemade southern cuisine she serves at Café Andres and her groundbreaking cookbook, but her past is a mystery to all who know her. Upon Alice’s retirement, Bobby Banks, a young gay man ostracized by his family in Georgia, sets out to revive the aging café with his new brand of southern cooking while he struggles with heartbreak like he’s never known. Seeking respite from the breakup of her marriage, wealthy divorcée Amelia Brighton finds solace in the company and food at Café Andres, until a family secret comes to light in the pages of Alice’s cookbook and threatens to upend her life.

In her most accomplished novel yet, Susan Rebecca White braids together the stories of these three unforgettable characters who must learn that when you embrace the thing that makes you different, you become whole.


The Summer House by Santa Montefiore

When Lord Frampton dies in a skiing accident, a beautiful young woman named Phaedra appears at his funeral—claiming to be the Lord’s illegitimate daughter. In his will, Lord Frampton has left the priceless Frampton suite of sapphires to this interloper, confirming her claim and outraging his three adult sons and widow. Eventually, however, Phaedra’s sweet nature thaws the frosty relationships. She becomes the daughter that Antoinette Frampton never had and a wise and compassionate granddaughter to the formidable Dowager Lady Frampton. But an attraction grows between Phaedra and the eldest son, David. It seems an impossible love—blocked by their blood connection and by the fury of one family member who is determined to expose Phaedra as a fraud.

Filled with the luscious scenery and enchanting characters her fans adore, Santa Montefiore’s Summer House is an unforgettable story about family, forgiveness, and the power of love.


Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore (release date August 5, 2014)

Set in Ireland on the wild coast of Connemara, this hauntingly romantic novel tells the story of a young woman who goes in search of her family’s past and ends up discovering her future.

Ellen Trawton is running away from it all. She hates her job, she doesn’t love the aristocratic man to whom she is engaged, and her relationship with her controlling mother is becoming increasingly strained. So Ellen leaves London, fleeing to the one place she knows her mother won’t find her, her aunt’s cottage in Connemara. Cutting all her ties with chic London society, Ellen gives in to Ireland’s charm and warmth, thinking her future may lie where so much of her past has been hidden. Her imagination is soon captured by the compelling ruins of a lighthouse where, five years earlier, a young mother died in a fire.

The ghost of the young wife, Caitlin, haunts the nearby castle, mourning the future she can never have there. Unable to move on, she watches her husband and children, hoping they might see her and feel her love once more. But she doesn’t anticipate her husband falling in love again. Can she prevent it? Or can she let go and find a way to freedom and happiness?

The ruggedly beautiful Connemara coastline with its tightknit community of unforgettable characters provides the backdrop for this poignant story of two women seeking the peace and love they desperately need. For each, the key will be found in the secrets of the past, illuminated by the lighthouse.


Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle (release date July 8, 2014)

From the author of Queen’s Gambit, which People magazine called, “A must-read for Philippa Gregory fans,” a gripping historical novel about two sisters who tread as dangerously close to the crown as their tragic sister, Lady Jane Grey, executed after just nine days on the throne.

Early in Mary Tudor’s turbulent reign, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary Grey are reeling after the brutal execution of their elder seventeen-year-old sister, Lady Jane Grey, and the succession is by no means stable. In Sisters of Treason, Elizabeth Freemantle brings these young women to life in a spellbinding Tudor tale of love and politics.

Neither sister is well suited to a dangerous life at court. Flirtatious Lady Catherine, thought to be the true heir, cannot control her compulsion to love and be loved. Her sister, clever Lady Mary, has a crooked spine and a tiny stature in an age when physical perfection equates to goodness—and both girls have inherited the Tudor blood that is more curse than blessing. For either girl to marry without royal permission would be a potentially fatal political act. It is the royal portrait painter, Levina Teerlinc, who helps the girls survive these troubled times. She becomes their mentor and confidante, but when the Queen’s sister, the hot-headed Elizabeth, inherits the crown, life at court becomes increasingly treacherous for the surviving Grey sisters. Ultimately each young woman must decide how far she will go to defy her Queen, risk her life, and find the safety and love she longs for.

From “a brilliant new player in the court of royal fiction,” (People) Sisters of Treason brings to vivid life the perilous and romantic lives of two little known young women who played a major role in the complex politics of their day.


Delancey by Molly Wizenberg


In this funny, frank, tender memoir and New York Times bestseller, the author of A Homemade Life and the blog Orangette recounts how opening a restaurant sparked the first crisis of her young marriage.

When Molly Wizenberg married Brandon Pettit, he was a trained composer with a handful of offbeat interests: espresso machines, wooden boats, violin-building, and ice cream–making. So when Brandon decided to open a pizza restaurant, Molly was supportive—not because she wanted him to do it, but because the idea was so far-fetched that she didn’t think he would. Before she knew it, he’d signed a lease on a space. The restaurant, Delancey, was going to be a reality, and all of Molly’s assumptions about her marriage were about to change.

Together they built Delancey: gutting and renovating the space on a cobbled-together budget, developing a menu, hiring staff, and passing inspections. Delancey became a success, and Molly tried to convince herself that she was happy in their new life until—in the heat and pressure of the restaurant kitchen—she realized that she hadn’t been honest with herself or Brandon.

With evocative photos by Molly and twenty new recipes for the kind of simple, delicious food that chefs eat at home, Delancey is a moving and honest account of two young people learning to give in and let go in order to grow together.


A Place at the Table Giveaway



I am kicking off a summer of book giveaways with Susan Rebecca White's A Place at the Table. We are giving away 3 copies to readers of the Daily Connoisseur. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (terms set by Simon & Schuster). Please enter via the rafflecopter widget below. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


For more on Susan Rebecca White visit www.susanrebeccawhite.com

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought

Virginia Johnson's delightful illustration in Lessons from Madame Chic


Last week I took my daughter to see a play and came home to unexpectedly hear the rehearsal of a choir coming from a neighbor's apartment. I can't imagine life without the arts... The arts feed our soul. Do what you can to seek out the arts and allow them to enrich your (often too busy) life. Seeing a play, attending a concert, listening to a church choir, visiting a museum, these are all palate cleansers that recharge our battery as we jump back into the fray of everyday life. #SeekOutTheArts

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See you soon! xx

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35 comments:

katooshie said...

What a lovely book review! You look amazing. I'd love to enter your contest and win a copy of this delightful book, but I am in Canada. :) Have a wonderful Sunday, darling Jennifer. :) Katooshie

EFC said...

All these books sound like great summer reads!

Ann said...

I am not sure if I entered correctly...but kudos to you for promoting summer reading. I loved your first book and an anxious to read the next. As a Middle School librarian I encourage my students to take the library books home for the summer, don't leave them on the shelves....over 2,500 went out ! Favorite summer read was Stephen King's 11.22.93....and The Paris House !

Casey said...

I always ramp up my reading in the summer - it's all those years of doing the summer reading program at the library. Now I do the adult program with weekly drawings and a Grand Prize of a $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble. I do have a stack of books waiting for me. I just have to finish 'America in 1492 - The World of the Indian Peoples before the arrival of Columbus' first. It's very interesting, but long and sometimes tedious. Time's a wasting - I've already missed two weeks of the program with no entries!

elizgonz said...

These books have moved to the top of my summer reading list. Thanks!

Michelle said...

I'm unsure if it was my favorite summer read of all time, but reading "Inferno" by Dan Brown enriched my summer beach vacation last year. It is such a page turner! Plus, I love books set in Italy.

I just placed a hold on the eBook "We'll Always Have Paris" by Jennifer Coburn through my library system. I heard about it from the blogger the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow.

"A Place at the Table" piques my interest. It sounds like another book, one set in Paris at that, "Hidden in Paris" by Corine Gantz. I think you'd like it, Jennifer!

Michelle

Nina said...

My favorite summer read/book of all time is Possession by AS Byatt. The books you mention all sound great - I'm also looking forward to Cibola Burning (SciFi) and Galbraith's new mystery.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the book review. I can't wait to check these out!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the reminder. My summer reading list is hopefully getting through the 8th in a series, Written In My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon and the recommendation from you of The Lost Art of Dress.

My favorite summer read was Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and The Tenant at Wildfell Hall

Sam said...

Hi Jennifer! I so enjoy your posts and YouTube Channel. Your book was a lovely and inspirational read as well. There is an award done amongst bloggers just for fun, the Liebster Award, that I have nominated you for. To learn more you can check out my post on it here >http://beautifuldreamerami.blogspot.com/2014/06/liebster-award-strikes-again.html

If you have the time, and interest, it would be lovely of you to participate.

A Big Fan,
Sam

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing! I'm always looking for good summer reads and have added these to my list.

Holly said...

Delancey was great. I'm enjoying Sagan 1954 right now and looking forward to A Dual Inheritance. Erica Jong's books are my favorite summer reads though!

Unknown said...

Hi Jennifer, I know you'd like to watch THÉRÈSE DESQUEYROUX with Audrey, but have you seen the version from 1962 with Emanuelle Riva ? I've just watched it on youtube and I love it.

Gam said...

Love the book give away! Love your recommendations!

martaz said...

Delancey and A Place at the the Table sound really good. Hope you get lots of time this summer for reading!

Angi said...

All of these books look great! I will have to add them to my book list. In the past, I have really enjoyed Lea Wait's Antique Print Mystery series. Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews is also a fun Summer read.

rhonda said...

Thanks for interesting l my tbr list keeps growing,

Sarah Extance Garcia said...

I highly recommend reading anything by Paullina Simons, but especially her Tatiana and Alexander trilogy starting with "The Bronze Horseman." The novel is set in Russian during the 1942 Siege of Leningrad.It is a sweeping, epic love story. set during some of the 20th century's darkest moments.
And if you are looking for something a little lighter, fun and charming - the "Little Lady Agency" (and sequels) by Hester Browne is a delight.
For my summer reading, I'm half way through Eleanor Catton's "The Luminaries," which won the 2013 Man Booker prize. It is a large novel - over 800 pages. I love it because it is set in my homeland, New Zealand during the 1860 Gold Rush days. The novel is a mysterious who done it.

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

I love The Scent of Rain and Lightning!

DeannaS said...

I love your Daily Connoisseur. I'm reading Delancey now an fit is truly delightful. I've also read Molly's first book "A Homemade Life" and it was very sweet with lots of great recipes. Thanks for your book review.

R. Nesbit said...

I've only recently discovered your blog (it's my new favorite) and just finished your book this past week. Your recommendations are always spot on. I'm looking forward to reading these and hearing your reviews as well.

wildnettle said...

I like to read in the winter ;)

Cari said...

A box of brand new books is such a fabulous gift! They all sound very interesting. Enjoy!

juliealert said...

I am looking forward to reading Perfectly Miserable!

Ginger said...

Thank you for your lovely book recommendations!

Diana said...

I love J. Courtney Sullivan for summer reads. The characters are well developed, relatable and the settings are always beachy or lend a country home feel :)

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing those great book ideas. They sound perfect for my summer reading.

dianespainting said...

My favourite summer read has to be To Kill a Mockingbird, which I reread last summer.
This summer, my upcoming reads are The Razor's Edge and The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou.
Love your blog and your book....I am very much looking forward to your new book coming out!

Unknown said...

Great recommendations! Thanks Jennifer!

Kitri said...

Susan Rebecca White is a wonderful author! She spoke to my book club about her book Bound South. I love seeing her new novel on your summer reading list! I am currently reading The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy. Cheers and happy reading!

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Another Stephen King fan here ... my fave summer read was THE STAND. Very near the top of this year's summer TBR pile is his MR. MERCEDES.

Unknown said...

Under the Tuscan Sun is definitely a favorite summer read of mine. This year I'm reading books related to New Orleans as my sister is moving there soon so I am familiarizing myself with the area and culture. It's so inspiring to read about places I know very little about!

Unknown said...

As a child, I devoured the Nancy Drew mysteries during the summer months. My current read in The Man Who Was Thursday by Chesterton. Very entertaining!
Christina C.

Nana said...

Great tips!
I love good books too.
Kisses and God bless you.
Nana
procurandoamigosvirtuais.blogspot.com.br