First and foremost, a big thank you to NetGalley and Meryl Moss Media for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
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“Words arrive at my doorstep. Raw. Awake. Alive.
What can I offer to make them stay? A clean room, plush towels - a soft bed?

No, they whisper. You are the room we want. Weave us into your soul.
Let us become your breath, blood, bones.
Conjured, infused and enmeshed…”
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Some books will make you cry, some will make you laugh, some will simply touch your heart, some will teach you, and some will give you a new perspective. This one does everything!

It's one of the most beautiful books I've read in a long time. This book went straight through me. It was like a breath of fresh air. The story sunk so deep in me, that I kind of wished it never end.
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Sara Grayson, who lives with her dog Gatsby, is faced with the most difficult assignment of her life when her mother succumbs to cancer. Her mother, a well-known author with a large fan base, wishes for her daughter, Sara, to finish the bestselling series she began, citing this as her dying wish in her will.

Sara, torn between her mother's dying wish and her own fears of writing, spirals out of control. She must confront her fears and uncertainties and devote her whole being to this novel. However, with an impossible timeline and a publisher who is sabotaging her every move, Sara discovers that moving into her mother's shoes will not only be a life-changing and exhilarating experience for her, but would also risk unearthing family secrets she was never meant to discover—secrets that would jeopardize her mother's legacy and the very book she is attempting to write.
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The book has all the elements, from wonderful dynamic between the characters to an engrossing story line. It’s a story within a story, with exciting plot twists at every turn. The process of discovering oneself through the process of writing, was well-depicted and was extremely reviving. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter seemed so apt and brought a special touch to the novel. The writing is lucid, ingenious and vivid.

A small part of the plot was left unanswered, and the end seemed sudden; part of me hoped it didn't end at all. My emotions were all over the place. I laughed. I cried. I applauded. It’s a beautiful novel. This book is enlivening and inspiring, teaching us to confront and overcome our fears in order to live audaciously, to "Man up!". The bond Sara and her sister Anna shared was absolutely wonderful. The romantic bits were heartwarming and emotional. I sincerely hope there will be a sequel. I'm curious what comes next in Sara's life. What did their mother leave behind for her and her sister, Ann?

I'm waiting to get my hands on a physical copy. This is one of the best works I've read this year! I guess I have pledged to read everything the author writes henceforth!

This book was so good! I am so glad I took that chance and asked to review it!

The very beginning starts off sad, with a death - Sara's mom, one of the biggest authors in the world passes away - but kicker is it's just before her book 5 of a very popular series is due to be written and published. Sara, of course, like her mother and father is a writer but hasn't published anything. In her mothers will, she finds out that she is now responsible for book 5. After a lot of soul searching she decides she will write it, with the assistance of Phil, the owner of the publishing house - as well as her mom's companion. He leads her to Maine, where she eventually finds the direction and all the answers she needs. A very surprising ending, leaving you wanting more!! I give it 5 stars, thank you for allowing me to review this in exchange for an ARC via Netgalley

Sara Grayson is daughter of a famous author with a hugely popular series. Sara herself is a writing instructor but she is completely shocked when her mother dies and Sara is who she named to finish the last book in her best selling series.

I really enjoyed Sara. Honestly, only saying yes because of Jane wanting to have somebody else write it is sounds like something I would do.. and then regret.

I won’t lie, when I first started this, I thought I was going to struggle to get interested but it turned out I couldn’t put it down. I read the second half of it in one sitting when I couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night. It was a nice, inspiring read, and a nice change of pace from what I’ve been reading lately.

Honestly, I cannot imagine being an author. Part of me wants to write but I just cannot find any words. Maybe I haven’t found the right place yet, like Sara found.

Anyway, super grateful for this arc! Thank you NetGalley and Post Hill Press!

The Audacity of Sara Grayson by Joani Elliott is a book for anyone who wants a great story with a celebration of words and a peek into the writing and publishing process. Ms. Elliott created a page turner with a story about a daughter, Sara, lacking self-confidence as a writer who is bequeathed the daunting job of finishing her deceased mother's final book in a very popular series. Sara is relatable, fallible and loveable with an intriguing family and a challenging and complicated publisher. I benefitted so much not only from the story of overcoming odds, but also from the concrete description of what goes into writing a book and all of the players required to support its success. Thank you to NetGalley and the Post Hill Press for the opportunity to review this advanced copy.

First off, I’ll start with what drew me to this book. I loved the cover of the book. A girl lying down with a book fallen on her face just gives you an idea of what to expect in the book.Some impossible-looking task, a frustrated woman, and plenty of fun and drama. Well, the book delivers all that and more.
Sara Grayson is the central character tasked with writing her mother’s book, and yet I fell in love with two other characters of the book, Sara’s sister Anna-Kath and Phil’s son, Nik. They were so adorable and so sweet.
I even loved the pace of the plot and the simple writing that made the story very easy to follow, and the little titbits of humor strewn all over the story. The quotes by famous writers about writing before every chapter were my favorite part. They were so unique and fit almost perfectly. I highlighted nearly all of them.
Another aspect I appreciated in the story was that the book didn’t end with showing the readers how phenomenally successful the book went on to become and sell a million copies. That would’ve been too cliché.
We are taken through several cities, starting with Maryland, then New York, then Maine, and finally, of all places, London. I think there was even DC. That felt a little too extravagant and a little unbelievable for me.
But that didn’t in any way take away from the enjoyable experience of this wonderful, and light-read. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to readers looking for a light-hearted women’s fiction read.

Sara Greyson teaches writing but only writes greeting cards and couponing. Her mother’s parting wish is that she finish her popular suspense series. Sara’s journey becomes much more of one of discovery of herself and also hidden family secrets.

I really enjoyed this book. Sara’s journey is inspiring, and the book is a great vacation read as we head into summer. The only reason it fell short of 5 stars for me is that I had a bit of trouble getting into the book. I felt the beginning was a bit repetitive and the main character, Sara, was not entirely likable at first. That quickly changes though and I found myself staying up late to read on more than one occasion.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a fun summer read. Though the beginning of the novel starts with Sara's mother's passing, it is not a heavy read. It is perfect for pandemic reading.

If you love books about books, the love of writing and reading, authors and the publishing world - this is a novel that should not be missed. I love when the characters grow throughout the novel, and this one was just that. In this novel, Sara has been tasked with finishing a series created by her famous mother. Her mother had a successful career, so no pressure for Sara right?! Along the way, Sara discovers secrets from her family's past. It makes me wonder when a loved one is gone, why did they keep some monumental secrets hidden from their family? Was it because they were ashamed or did not feel it was important to tell their family?

I felt empathy for Sara, as she was tasked with publishing her first novel, amidst grieving the loss of her mother (and not to mention, the loss of her second parent at a young age). It was no easy feat, and the author did a good job of portraying that it did not come without issues for Sara. It is worth mentioning that Sara had her own past prior to her mother's passing and she was thankfully able to work through them and was stronger in the end. While she was discovering her family history, it was apparent her growth as a writer worked hand in hand, which was fitting for this story.

I highly recommend this debut novel by Joani Elliot, and I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

It was bittersweet that this book is a debut novel. Joani Elliott did a great job on this debut title, but now I'll have to wait to read something else from her. When Sara's mom, prolific novelist Cassandra Bond passed away, she left instructions for Sara, a struggling writer, to finish her final book. One of the best parts was that each chapter of this book began with a quote from a writer. I highlighted so many of them. Sara has to push forward, through grief and through her own self-doubt, to do the best job to honor her mom. She learns about herself, about her mom, and the other relationships in her life. Highly recommended.. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, in return for my honest review.

Such a fun romp of a read!!
Loved the main character so much.
This book had me laughing so incredibly hard on some parts.
If you need a fun light read definitely check this one out.⭐⭐⭐⭐

This novel is an homage to writers everywhere. It’s a journey of self-discovery and growth for Sara so beautifully written, you know you’re experiencing the adventure of a writer herself. ⁠⁠
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Loves:⁠⁠
✨The quotes at the beginning of every chapter were inspiring and helped represent where in the writing process Sara was. ⁠⁠
✨The romance aspect with Nik was subtle and didn’t detract from the journey. He wasn’t the main goal of the story, but rather necessary support that boosted her and set her on the correct path.⁠⁠
✨Her. Sister. I LOVED how wonderful Anna-Katherine was, (can I say supportive one more time?) the best big sister ever.⁠⁠
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Could have loved more:⁠⁠
✨The novel was slow-medium paced, at times it felt like it was dragging but then it would speed up. Once I got to the end I wanted more of Sara’s story as her own author. ⁠⁠
✨Phil was so cantankerous. Ugh, I see why he was necessary but he seemed like a constant barrier to Sara.⁠⁠
✨I would get so frustrated at Sara sometimes, especially at the beginning. She would block herself and be repeatedly refusing to grow and push herself even when she wasn’t at a good place in her life. I definitely saw the growth throughout, but I still wanted to slap her. ⁠⁠
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Triggers: parental death (cancer), mental health issues⁠⁠
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3 / 5 stars⁠⁠
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Thanks to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for providing me with the eARC and the opportunity to read this work of art and for letting me meet an amazing author.⁠⁠
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Sara Grayson, a writing instructor, is the daughter of a famous author of a best-selling series (think Hunger Games, etc) who has recently passed away. Sara discovers that her mother has named her to write the final book in this blockbuster series. Sara has written one book before, but is intimidated by this assignment, and doesn't trust herself as a writer. Nor does her mom's publishing house, which also causes drama. Along the way, Sara and her sister discover many mysteries about her family's history, that are tied up a bit too neatly, but not necessarily in an obvious way.

The relationships among the characters are complex and interesting, and they are well-written. That Sara's adventures in writing take her to different locations was also a nice touch, and offered a vantage of how creativity is inspired in different locations. Watching the struggle of an author, written by an author can be done poorly, but in this case, it seemed both realistic about the process, and made one curious about being a writer.

This will be a great curl-up-and-read or vacation read this summer. I really enjoyed this book!

One thing that I noticed was that many of the places mentioned came across as close, but not quite right. For example, a book team from NYC wouldn't dine in Georgetown, and certainly not at a chain like Clydes, but rather downtown DC. Perhaps at the Mayflower, or even the Iron Gate or BLT Steak. It did make me wonder if these were small things that could be improved, or if it was meant to be a suburban view of DC, in which case the appeal of the DC locations would make perfect sense. And perhaps the book editor in NYC would live in Hell's Kitchen (or his he more Chelsea or UWS?), instead of the theater district. These are just small details that could add authenticity to the already good writing.

The premise is good and the overall story and conclusion is satisfying, but it took so long to get there and I got bogged down in the angst of the main character as she struggles to follow her mother’s last wish to finish her bestselling novel series. The plot just didn’t propel itself fast enough to hold my attention but I liked the idea and the structure of the book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

After seeing multiple reviews for Sara Grayson that suggested a feel-good read with likable characters, I dove In, and thankfully was not disappointed. In addition to feeling connected to Sara in her exploration of her family history and the grief of losing a mother, I enjoyed that the book included multiple interconnecting story lines that kept me engaged and curious about the lives of the characters. I found Myself rooting for Sara to succeed and finished the book satisfied with the ending.

Sara Grayson's mother is the bestselling writer of a much-loved series of books. When her mother dies, she discovers it is stipulated in her will that Sara needs to write the next book in the series- something that millions of people are waiting for. I thought this was a really interesting idea but just didn't connect with the characters at all. It was a quick read otherwise I might have given up around halfway through but it just wasn't for me at all.

4.5 Stars.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While Sara's mother is a famous author, Sara herself has a complicated and disappointing relationship with writing. Shortly after her mother's death, Sara finds that her mother has specifically requested that she author the final book of her mother's much acclaimed series.

This book is the story of Sara's journey of self discovery and growth, but it's also the story of family and love and uncovering secrets. It's about learning to take risks and living audaciously. As a bonus— It's filled with insight on (and quotes about) the writing process. The chapters were short and the storyline was intriguing. I only wish there had been an epilogue, as there was one final question that was unanswered.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, which I'm always happy to give. My thanks to author Joani Elliott, publisher Post Hill Press, and #NetGalley for the opportunity. #TheAudacityOfSaraGrayson

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.
5 Stars! I highly recommend this book.
The Audacity of Sara Grayson is by far one of the best books I have ever read.
Definately a feel good book that stays with you after you've finished the book. A great book for when you've had enough of life and need to read something uplifting, inspirational, light and fun. This story has humor, drama, mystery and jaw dropping moments.

I thought the premise of this book was really interesting. A famous author dies and leaves her daughter (Sara) in charge of finishing the much anticipated final novel in her series. If this happened to me...I don't know what I would do. That kind of pressure is too much for me! I love that Sara's mom anticipated that Sara would need something to help her cope with her grief. She knew exactly what she would need to grow into a better person.

This book goes to a few different locations. It brought back my desire to go to Maine. Sara's little cottage that she retreats to sounds lovely. For the majority of my read I was leaning toward a 3-3.5 rating, but the end pushed it up for me! The book comes full circle in a way that both made me cry and made my heart swell.

Thank you to Joani Elliott, Post Hill Press, and NetGalley for the ARC which did not influence my review.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a well developed book with that draws you in from the start. Sara Grayson is a 32 year old greeting card writer. She has been married to someone that seems to control their activities until one day he decides that he is going to leave and have a personal journey that is similar to Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. To further impact her life, her world famous author Mother dies. Three weeks after her Mother's death, she finds out that her mother has left instructions that she finish the 5th book in her series. Sara had written a novel years ago but was so upset at the criticism of her book by her mothers editor that she felt that she was not a good writer. She decides that she is not good enough to finish her mothers series and tells the Editor this at the meeting to discuss it. The Editor immediately made it know that she thought Sara wasn't capable and immediately talked of getting someone else. This made Sara change her mind and insist that she was going to write the book. The Editor appears to be trying to make Sara fail by switching her contact person to someone that knows nothing of that genre of books.

Sara contacts her months boyfriend, Phil, who had one time been her mother editor. He helps Sara make progress with the book. He feels that she definitely has talent but needs direction. At the time she is trying to write the book, she discovers some family secrets that she becomes obsessed with finding the answers to. Phil tells her that he is unable to give her the answers to the secrets and he pushes her to keep writing to meet the close deadline for the book. She decides to go to Maine to write the book as that is where her mother did her writing, Phil offers his cottage for her to stay in while in Maine. Sara learns more about her mother in this town that her mother loved. This book really makes you feel the attraction to Maine and its beauty. Throughout Sara's journey journey of writing and discovering herself, she finds answers to the secrets and to what she wants in life. I highly recommend this book..

I was originally tempted by the blurb of this book - it looked light but interesting. And in fact, that's exactly what this was. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the story. Sara is a flawed heroine, but feels surprisingly human, as does her grief.

My only critiques really are that the story lags a bit in the middle, and the supporting cast of characters could do with a little bit more fleshing out. Also the tea. Too much about the tea...

That being said, I really enjoyed my week of reading this story and it's certainly something I could imagine as a tv mini-series in time.

I just finished this book, and I find myself smiling at this touching story of a woman discovering the potential within herself to be a writer. It's an idea that's very close to my heart, one with which I resonated as I read Joani Elliott's pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Post Hill Press for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, this is a 5-star concept, as I absolutely loved the premise, but there were a few things that only made it a 3.5-star read for me. While there's a certain kind of ironic beauty in that I felt the author really hit her stride about halfway through the book, it didn't take away from the fact that it took me about that long to really "get there." As an editor myself, I try not to let myself get too caught up in others' stylistic choices, but I found myself distracted by the choppiness of the sentence stucture more often than not. It often felt that I was being told the story more than shown the story, and it wasn't until the second half of the book that I felt truly immersed in the narrative.

That said, there was so much I loved! The multimedia components were great and so relevant, and I really enjoyed the dialogue—so much so that I think it actually carried the book and kept me reading. Sara Grayson's witty self-deprecation is hilarious and relatable, and I loved Phil Dvornik's dry crankiness; he's how I imagine Simon Cowell and Benjamin Dreyer's love child.

Overall, the book gave me major Emily Belden vibes (which I love!), and I loved how everything wrapped up nicely at the end. There were a few things I wanted to know more about, like *spoiler* what was in the box (though I've a pretty good guess!), and I would have liked to see a little more self-awareness on Sara Grayson's part regarding the way she's missed so much of her mother's and sister's lives.

I would definitely read more from this author!