Five Irresistible Reads for June

Drop everything and start reading! These hot new novels are perfect for summer relaxing on the beach, in the garden or at the cottage. Grab a cool drink and dive in.

 

 

SUMMER HOUSE WITH SWIMMING POOL by Herman Koch

BASED ON A TRUE STORY by Elizabeth Renzetti

Elizabeth Renzetti’s witty debut is a wild, rollicking tale of celebrity culture, reinvention in mid-life, addiction, ambition, motherhood, and confronting past regrets. Augusta Price is a larger than life actress in her mid-50s, famous in England for playing a barmaid on a popular nighttime soap opera. But a life of booze and drugs has caught up with her and she finds herself short on both money and work. When Augusta discovers an ex-lover is about to publish a tell-all book about their relationship, she embarks on a trans-Atlantic journey from London to California to dish out a little revenge of her own. A columnist for the Globe & Mail (and Zoomer contributor), Renzetti found inspiration for the book from her own career in journalism.

THE RISE & FALL OF GREAT POWERS by Tom Rachman

Following his critically acclaimed debut The Imperfectionists, Canadian Tom Rachman’s new book follows one woman’s whirlwind journey to unravel the mysteries of her past. Tooly Zylerberg, an American bookstore owner living in the Welsh countryside, finds her life turned upside when an old boyfriend contacts her on Facebook. It’s a whimsical, charming book about the rise and inevitable fall of childhood idols and ideals.

BALANCING ACT by Joanna Trollope

In her nineteenth novel, best-selling author Joanna Trollope continues her tradition of creating wise, heartfelt stories about complex family relationships. Her new book follows wildly successful Zoomer entrepreneur Susie Moran, who created a multi-million-dollar pottery company, and her three grown daughters as they strive to follow in her perfect footsteps and at the same time, find their own way. Brimming with her trademark British charm, Balancing Act is classic Trollope.

A PERFECT HERITAGE by Penny Vincenzi

British writer Penny Vincenzi’s hefty multigenerational novels are, perhaps, the classic summer read. A Perfect Heritage follows the once glorious House of Farrell, an iconic cosmetics business that in recent years has been eclipsed by more modern and fashionable brands. When the bank forces her hand, Farell’s legendary founder, Athina Farell, must bring in an outsider – formidable business woman Bianca Bailey – to help turn things around, setting up a dishy clash of womanly wiles and wills.