What we’re reading – beach reads!

It’s already the beginning of August, so I thought this would be a good time to share some ideas for end-of-summer reading. These two novels are both very entertaining and interesting – great “beach reads”!

If you’ve ever seen the bingeworthy series Anatomy of a Scandal, you may not have realized that it’s based on a novel by Sarah Vaughan. I highly recommend Vaughn’s most recent book Reputation. The main character Emma Webster is a single mom and MP (Member of Parliament) in present day London. Emma is well-known for focusing on women’s issues, which brings her both positive and also very negative attention. She is increasingly trolled and harassed online, as well as aggressively accosted in public – to the point where she becomes anxious about her own well-being. When Emma’s life as a mom gets entangled with her professional and romantic lives in a very public way, things take an unexpected turn for the worse.  Reputation is a mystery/thriller combined with an informative look at the current challenges facing women. Another bingeworthy story!

Cover Story is a slightly less serious, but fun read by Susan Rigetti. She tells the story of Lora Ricci, a naive young intern at a glossy fashion magazine. Lora becomes close friends with a coworker, Cat Wolff, who is a mysterious and glamorous European heiress. Cat has an unidentifiable European accent and seemingly unlimited funds and important connections in New York City. If this sounds like the story of Anna Delvey in the Netflix series Inventing Anna, it is… until it’s not! Follow the plot twists and turns by reading the fictional FBI reports, journal entries, emails and text messages written by both characters. The novel is entertaining, humorous at times, and hard to put down – perfect for summer!