DNF -did not finish. I decided not to keep reading this novel because I did not connect with the writing and plot. Thank you, netgalley and publisher for the early copy.

Can you imagine having a mother who was a famous author? When Sara's mother dies, the fifth and last book in her series is incomplete. In her will she leaves instructions for Sara to write the last book and finish the series. Sara is baffled and also discovers a settlement in her mother's name against another woman. Sara now must struggle with a deadline, writer's block, a new love interest, family drama and secrets until she can fully understand everything. I enjoyed this novel and the characters.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was fun and refreshing and felt authentic in how it depicted grief. Sarah was also super relatable and easy to root for. The ending did feel a bit rushed to me and I wanted more! Mostly, I needed to know how the book did and more about Sarah's life after finishing it.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

A lovely story about the journey of life, and ones grit and persistence. When Sara’s mother passes away before finishing her next novel, her request is that Sara finishes it.

Seeing Sara’s journey and development through out was very sweet and endearing. Overall, an enjoyable read.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and Meryl Moss Media for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. When I requested it I thought it would be a romcom but it was so much more than that. Sara’s mom is a famous author who dies before the fifth and last book in the series she’s been writing comes out. In Sara’s Mom’s will, Sara finds out that her mother’s wish is that she finish the series for her. Sara who has no confidence in herself is about to turn it down when at the last minute blurts out that she’ll do it. Surprising not only herself but every one else.

I love the journey that Sara goes on to find her story. The confidence she gains and how she discovers who her parents really are.

This was a great read. I really enjoyed the story line and how Sara came into herself. She really developed a long the way and found out she had to find herself to be able to relate to the character in the book.

This was a new to me author and I’d love to read more.

God I hated this book. It was a slog. About 10% of that is the formatting of the ARC isn’t good, but the book itself is worse than the formatting. None of the characters make sense - and honestly? The AUDACITY of Sara - she’s the most myopic and selfish character I’ve been expected to empathize with since the last time I read a book about a straight white man. Sara treats Nik the exact same way she was treated earlier in the book, but he is charmed by it whereas she’s horrified?

This is the first novel I've read by this author. I really enjoyed it. The characters were well developed and the plot line wasn't completed what I expected. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Oh, the Audacity, the grit, the perseverance! I really felt for Sara Grayson and her coming to terms with her mother's dying wish for her to finish writing a famous series of books. We really got into Sara's head and how hard it was for her to write.
Sara's sister Kath, her aging editor who had been her mother's editor, and the publisher were all characters worth getting to know. I love character driven books and this one succeeds in that.
But most of the book deals with Sara's struggle to get into the groove of writing and trying to find her voice, her words. The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a great insight into what it takes to write a book. I have always respected writers, but even more after reading this book.
Each chapter started with a quote from a well-known author and the depths they go to writing their books, I actually looked forward to the start of each chapter just to read the next quote, a really fun addition to the book.

Good storyline. Enjoyed getting to know these characters. Story was well developed and amusing. Quick read, good for vacation reads.

An entertaining story about a woman who loses her famous writer mother to cancer and is given the chance to write the final book her mother didn't have time finish. Along the way she finds her own voice and a little romance too. For fans of Talk Bookish to me. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson
Joani Elliott

There is a lot happening in this novel. Sara and Anna Kath are sisters who have just lost their mother, the famous author Cassandra Bond.

She left book five unwritten, with the clause written into her will that her daughter Sara be the writer of book five. Sara thought of herself as a writer at one point, but even she feels that the final installment of the Ellery series should not be left up to her.

This book kept me engaged, interested, and I found a new fictional crush in Nik. A poet, college professor, who teaches Sara how to find herself in nature? Yes, please!

This book had a lot of information about the the publishing world, as well as the writing process, which I thought was really interesting. Really though, this book is about family, relationships, a little bit of imposter syndrome, and overcoming the things that are holding us back, whether real or perceived. It’s also about the secrets we keep from each other and for each other.

This is kind of a coming of age novel, even though Sara is a fully grown adult. She starts off so unsure of herself and unhappy after her divorce. Throughout the book she finds her strength, and her confidence, and maybe most importantly as a writer, her voice.

I was so engrossed in this book, I could barely put it down. My only criticism is regarding the ending. I felt that there were a couple far fetched “conveniences” that were unnecessary. Other than that, I fully loved this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Don’t be fooled by the cover of The Audacity of Sara Grayson, this book is not a light romp or rom-com. It is a sweet book about a serious matter with some romance thrown in. Audacity is defined as “a willingness to take bold risks.” Sara has been a divorced underachiever for most of her entire life. Sara’s widowed mother on the other hand is an acclaimed writer of multiple serial novels that are tremendous best sellers. Think Louise Penny. Sara dabbles in writing commercial copy and coupon ads but even this endeavor renders her inept and lacking ambition. In short, Sara lacks purpose in life. Her mother has been keeping a big secret from her two daughters, she is dying of pancreatic cancer and they don’t find out until she has weeks to live as she has taken great pains to keep it confidential. Mom has a reason; her 5th and final book of her most successful series is due for release in a year and the public can’t know of her illness. Eventually, it can’t be put off, (she dies), and her 5th novel is incomplete. In her Mom’s will and publishing contract, she nominates Sara to finish the 5th and final book. This shocks everyone because Sara has never published anything. In the process of undertaking this monumental task, she undercovers secrets, fear, grief, lost relatives, romance, compassion, purpose, confidence, and love. This book was exceptional, and I want it to receive more attention. I could NOT put this book down. The cover looks comical and I wish the publisher had not used this type of artwork. The book is inspiring and also a good education on the art of writing. I hope you will read it; It’s that good. #writer #wrting @joani.elliott #joanielliott #theaudicityofsaragrayson @netgalley @posthillpress
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The Audacity of Sara Grayson is Joani Elliott's debut novel, and what a way to enter the literary scene.

A quick rundown: Sara Grayson is trying to be content with her life. While her job as a greeting card writer isn't everything she hoped for, it is satisfactory enough at keeping her afloat. When her mother, the world-famous novelist, dies it comes as an unexpected blow and it sends Sara on an unexpected tailwind. Sara learns that her mother's dying wish was for Sara to finish the series her mother spent her life on, Sara is terrified. After her mother's death, Sara Grayson's only companion is her dog (Gatsby). Her husband walking out with her favorite piece of cookware (a waffle maker) shreds her remaining confidence and hope, leaving her to feel inadequate and panicked. Despite her negative feelings, she agrees to the rapidly approaching deadline. Her work on this novel leads her to a partnership with a less than trustworthy publisher and a heap of secrets that she was never meant to learn.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. Elliot's exploration of imposter syndrome was incredibly realistic and had me feeling like I was Sara. I loved how no matter what obstacle, Sara continued to prove her own resilience. Elliott created a completely engrossing narrative. It doesn't even feel like you're reading, it feels like you're experiencing the plot with Sara. This book is longer than your typical "beach read," so if you're on vacation, I think that this would the perfect read to curl up and just forget real life for a bit. I think there might have been one or two plot points that weren't resolved as clearly or fully as I wanted, but it wasn't so noticeable that it ruined my enjoyment. I highly recommend reading this book, especially if you feel out of place or have experience with imposter syndrome.

Overall rating: 4/5

The Audacity of Sara Grayson is available for purchase now. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf. Also, be sure to check out Joani Elliott’s website!
I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Remember that lost phase you have? This book is just it. The whole lost life of Sara Grayson which could really relate to now.

Sara Grayson’s mom is a well know write who unexpectedly does. Her dying wish is that Sara finishes her best selling book series! No pressure!

It was all ways a dream of Sara’s but she had never published her own book. As she is thrown into a world of writing and finding the words to write a book she somehow finds herself too.

This book has me smiling from ear to ear! It was filled with love and laughter but also sorrow and loss, with a side of mystery!

This is such a feel good book and you won’t regret reading! Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this eARC!

I missed the date and I know apologies won't make up for it. But, hey, if you are coming across this review. Read the book. It's fun and hilarious, the blurb is the USP. I would say, that some parts were repetitive but I enjoyed reading this book so so much. Absolutely loved it.

Joani Elliott, you are one of my new favorite authors. This novel was so much fun and had such heart. The characters and their issues were real. People said, “I’m sorry”, people cried, and the protagonist made comments like, “Did coconut count as a fruit or a vegetable?” (Elliott, 2021). Our heroine, Sara Grayson is 32-year-old divorced professor at the University of Maryland, who is pursuing a career in greeting card writing since her novel got shredded to bits by her mom’s editor boyfriend. Life has lost its radiance for Sara. Her mother, a dynamite fiction author, passes away suddenly and stipulates in her will that she wants Sara to finish her popular Ellery Dawson series. Sara does not want to write her mom’s novel, dreads it, hates the idea of it, but finds the grit and audacity within her that her family already sees. Along her journey of writing her mother’s novel, Sara discovers answers to some hidden family secrets and learns a thing or two about herself.

This was fantastic novel. It could be read at the beach or analyzed for deeper meaning. Sara’s mom, Cassandra says, “‘I have no idea—yet.’” and that is the growth mindset we see starting to form in Sara (Elliott, 2021). Life might be crappy, but there’s hope, yet, for Sara. There are growing pains, there are rewrites, there are markers thrown! But our sometimes feisty, sometimes frozen food junkie, is like us—sometimes we stand up and sometimes we fall.

One thing I enjoyed most were the relationships between the characters. Sara and her sister were hilarious. If I had a sister, that’s how we would act. Sara’s relationship with her editor, who also happens to be her mom’s former editor and boyfriend was delightful (I know plenty of crusty men like Phil). I don’t want to give anything away, but everyone was wonderful. Sara’s journey of self-discovery is beautiful. She works her to a better and empowered version of herself, finds her worth, and embraces it.

Elliott’s writing is fantastic! Hilarious, beautiful, poignant, heart wrenching—it was the total package.

“[Sara] was clearly the only “community member” until a wiry old man with a full, gray beard walked in. He looked like someone straight out of a Jack London novel, someone who could survive inside a tree for winter and talk to wolves for emotional support. Maybe this was the professor. Sara smiled and said hello. He ignored her, grabbed a couple of chairs, and walked out. Maybe the chairs would be firewood to cook his dinner.” (Elliott, 2021)

Elliott balances her wit and her emotions well. I never felt that Sara was a cookie cutter protagonist—she felt real. Things she thought, I would think in the same situation. Her anxiety and fears are issues many of us have dealt with. In the end, Sara finds out that “maybe life was all the more beautiful because of that struggle” and that “her loss of self was so much more than that: she understood now that the moment she stopped creating was the moment she stopped living”(Elliott, 2021).

Do yourself a favor and read this book. Bask in its wisdom and humor. Embrace the longing to be who you were meant to be and take hold of it.

Trigger warnings: There is a moment in the book where a character talks about how his two-year-old son passed away.

Thank you to NetGalley and Post Hill Press for an ARC.

3.5 stars rounded up. This is a novel about novelists. I liked many of the supporting characters but had a hard time warming to the main character. I had hoped for more growth in her by the end of the book. There were many layers to this story, which kept me reading, and I'm still unsure if I felt the story resolved well. I would have liked to read this with a book group so I could discuss it!

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of this book. I received it a an ARC and completely missed the date! Let me tell you, this book is gorgeous! When I hit the half way mark, I couldn't put it down. It draws you in. This book is beautiful. It makes you feel all kinds of things, give it a try, you won't regret it.

So interesting that this is another well written book about the publishing industry also sort of another Who owns the story? story. Loved Sara and her family.

Very good narrator on the audiobook too.

Thanks to Netgalley and Meryl Moss Media for the free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. I did end up purchasing the audiobook also.