Maggie

What an exquisite gem of a book. Throw the “writer rules” out the window - in the hands of a master like Cunningham it doesn't matter if you head-hop, if your pace is slow and wandering, if your characters are not always totally relatable or sympathetic because you're caught in the writer's spell - willing to go where he takes you, knowing you'll be richer for it when you come out the other side. I loved the family, the willingness to incorporate the pandemic into the narrative, the different age groups and family dynamics. I was sad to leave this world when the book was done.

My thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the book for review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 5. I was a bit let down by this book - it's certainly well-researched but I felt it dwelled excessively on Arthur Laurent and the ins and outs of his life and career more than it focused on the movie and its challenges. I enjoyed learning about how both Streisand and Redford approached the narrative, how Pollack struggled to keep all the pieces moving in the right direction, and how Ray Stark fit into the picture but sometimes the data Hofler had gathered about Laurent felt forced into the novel rather than flowing organically. This is one of my favorite romance stories and it was fascinating to hear the behind-the-scenes machinations that went into crucial scenes, lines that were dropped, sub-plots that got left on the cutting room floor. The insight into how a film gets edited and changed during production and even afterwards, makes this an interesting read for cinema buffs but again, I wished more time had been spent on the actual movie than Laurent who lived a fascinating life but ultimately came off as an egotist who harmed more than helped the making of this classic film.

Many thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy

A perfect little gem of a book - a writer who revealed his small hometown's secrets in his debut novel comes back to town 18 years later when his father falls ill. The story follows his coming to terms with the fallout of his revelations, reconnecting with his family, his HS friends, and his true love and maybe, along the way, discovering the true path to happiness. And bravo to Tropper for a perfect ending.

Very relatable characters and a solid plot. I'll be reading more of Chamberlain's novels - she hits the sweet spot between literary and women's fiction that I enjoy the most

A few good hints but a lot is outdated and a lot is fairly obvious stuff.