Jillian Cantor

I finished this book, but there were many things that bothered me. Reading a pre- WWII book dealing with antisemitism and Hitler’s race and anti-Jewish laws in Germany in a moment when there is rising antisemitism in our time is probably what kept me glued to it right now. But the romance didn’t appeal as much when Max and Hannah kept so many secrets from one another. And the “worm hole” closet and time travel aspect of the book seemed out of place in this historical novel. It’s also one of those novels that seems so prevalent right now that jumps around in time from chapter to chapter. Just didn’t work for me…… (more)

This was such a cute read. I related to the main character, Emma, so much and really enjoyed seeing her grow throughout the novel. She became comfortable in her own skin and was not embarrassed by who she is.
Emma is a flawed character and she also admits that she knows what her struggles are. She works on them and pushes herself.
The first third was a bit slow but it quickly picked up speed from there.
If you like light contemporary with a message, The Code for Love and Heartbreak would be a great pick.
Rating: 5/5
Crude Language: N/A
Romance: 5/5
Spiritual: N/A
Violence: N/A
*I received a copy from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.… (more)

I am a big fan of novels that retell or reframe a classic- Ann Napolitano's Hello Beautiful (Little Women) and Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible (Pride & Prejudice) are two of my favorites- so when I heard that Jillian Cantor's new novel The Fiction Writer paid homage to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, I was intrigued.

Writer Olivia Fitzgerald is having a bad year. After the success of her first novel, her second novel (a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca) doesn't sell well at all. Her live-in boyfriend moves out, and her editor is not excited about her next effort.

Her editor says that billionaire and People's Sexiest Man Alive Ash Asherwood has requested that Olivia ghost-write a book with him about his grandmother and her relationship with Daphne du Maurier. The money is too good to turn down, so off Olivia goes to Malibu.

Ash is a widower, his wife perished in a car accident (was it an accident?) and he is reclusive. His housekeeper seems to be very attached to him and is hostile to Olivia.

While Olivia is becoming accustomed to life in Ash's beautiful ocean front home, Ash is pulling her more into his orbit. But when Olivia tries to get down to work discovering what exactly his grandmother and Daphne du Maurier's secret is, Ash becomes cagey and puts her off.

Olivia decides to investigate on her own, and discovers that Ash has not been truthful with her. What is he hiding and what is his real purpose for bringing Olivia to Malibu?

Fans of Rebecca will enjoy The Fiction Writer on a deeper level, and the controversy around Daphne du Maurier's novel (other people claimed that she stole their story) adds an interesting aspect to the story. Pairing a nice copy of Rebecca with The Fiction Writer would make a great gift for the classic literature lover on your holiday list.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Fall 2023 Blog Tours.… (more)