What happens when your mother’s dying wish becomes your worst nightmare?

What happens when a literary icon dies before she finishes the final book in her best-selling series?

And what happens when she leaves that book in the hands of her distracted, neurotic daughter who swears she’s not a real writer?

Three weeks after her mother’s death, greeting card writer Sara finds out she needs to write the grand finale to her mother’s hugely popular series. That’s about as much terror as you are going to get in this charming and delightful read. As someone who reads lots of darker books, I am very grateful to be able to indulge in a change of pace.

Joining Sara in her angst-ridden journey to publication are a cast of characters that are bound to entertain. A curmudgeonly retired editor who may or may not have lusted after her mother; a sweet and steady older sister who talks her off the ledge; a couple of quirky friends, and best of all, a hot neighbour. And this hotty is a handyman and a poet. Be still my heart!

It must be said that this book cover is awesome! It really captures the essence of Sara.

This feel good journey as a daughter finds herself, the ability to be creative and answers to questions she didn't even know she has really had me hooked. I found the plot a bit slow to start, and struggled to really engage with some of the characters, but as I read I found everything really picking up. I ran through the last half of this book and really enjoyed the read!

Sara is left a monumental task, when her best-selling author mother dies, asking Sara to complete the final book in her best-selling series. The book really deals with the creative process, alongside the true emotions of grief and guilt and loyalty as Sara juggles what she thinks is best vs what her mother has asked of her. Along with a colourful parade of characters, and multiple settings, Sara has the audacity to take on this challenge unapologetically and wholeheartedly.

I would have preferred to get some more detail about some of the characters, Anna-Kath for example, and some of the explanation at the end did feel a bit underwhelming, but that being said, it was an interesting debut and the story is interesting and not one I have found myself reading before.

A solid 3.5/5 for me on this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a sweet, feel-good book, with lots of twists to keep it interesting, while remaining a relatively light and breezy read. The book is about a woman finding her way -- independently, as a daughter, sister, woman, and professional. Sara Grayson has struggled to establish herself in a world where everyone she knows has well-defined roles. She is recently divorced, having only witnessed her parents' dedicated marriage. She's floundering in her career, compared to her mother's JK Rowling-level fame as a writer. She's decidedly type-B to her sister's A+, and so it goes. When her mother dies before publishing a long-awaited series finale, it becomes Sara's challenge. In finishing the series, Sara not only needs to find herself as a writer and wrap up the book's loose ends, but come to grips with so many outstanding questions and challenges in her life: facing her ex, meeting someone new, understanding her parents' relationship, coming to grips with her mother's companion, facing professional discouragement, and just generally finding herself. It's a twisty road, but fun to follow and ultimately, it feels good.

The first thing that drew me into this book was the cover. It screamed "exasperated woman on the verge!" and gave me serious Bridget Jones/Shopaholic vibes (two books/series that set the standard for me when it comes to "hilarious story with strong female lead"). When I read contemporary humorous women's fiction (is that a thing?), first and foremost I want humor, a fast pace, and good writing. I don't need the flowery language of literary fiction, but I don't want to cringe as I read. The second thing I want is a likable female lead that I find myself rooting for. I can handle a few missteps - heck, that's generally a good chunk of the premise of the book - but repeated bad decisions and/or blatant affirmation of gender norms (he cheated over and over but I forgive him, the rascal! I'm hugely successful but I must give up all of my personal fulfilment to marry and have children!) is going to get a hard no from me.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson hits the mark in both areas. I mean, it starts strong - neurotic, 30-something daughter of mega-star novelist who writes coupons and greeting cards and is left by her husband must suddenly finish her mother's best-selling book series? Ah, yes please. Sara Grayson is so relatable - who among us doesn't feel awkward some (most? all?) of the time? Who hasn't felt like, at least every now and again, that we haven't accomplished what we planned to when we dreamed of "growing up? Sara's somewhat disaster of a life is hilarious, and her decision to step up and honor her mother's dying wish - oh, and to *believe in herself* - made me cheer.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Post Hill Press, and the author for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

After acclaimed author Charlotte Bond dies, her will states that she wants her daughter Sara, a greeting card/coupon writer, to finish her long-awaited final book in her popular series. No one is more shocked than Charlotte with this audacious request.

Much of the first half of the book is spent with Sara dealing with her loss, her struggling writing process, and her rampant feelings of self-doubt about whether she's up to the task of writing the book. Initially, I liked the behind-the-scenes look at the life of an author and the editing process, but the repetitive day-to-day writing struggles took their toll on the pacing of the story. I think 32-year-old Sara was supposed to induce sympathy with the reader, but I found she was a hard character to like due to her incessant insecurities and immaturity with her whining and lack of basic life skills.

Things pick up around halfway when a family mystery is introduced (and a mild romance). The build-up for the mystery kept me turning pages but I thought the reveal of the family secret was overly complicated and had too many forced, serendipitous connections. What will stand out for me with this book was the positive and supportive bond between Sara, her sister Anna-Kath (who for some reason also goes by Ann) and their mother, who was the most fascinating character of the bunch.

I expected a different book based on the cover and the blurb and I think this is an impressive debut, but I had hoped to like this book more. Some parts were quite well written and if I step back, I liked the premise of the story and getting a glimpse into the life of a new author. But when you're in the thick of things, I think this book may have been a bit too audacious for its own good as it tried to be too many things.

Thank you NetGally and the publishers for providing me this ARC for an honest review.

3.5/4 stars. This was a cute story about proving people wrong. Sara was a very relatable character and you felt her struggles and also her wins through the story. I would definitely recommend this as a vacation read.

First and foremost thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love books about books, about authors and the process of writing, I think it takes a special author to really capture this and Joani Elliot did.

This book was so full of heart, our MC went on an incredible journey of self discovery, probably one of the easiest heroines to root for and her development was so well executed.

This is a great read for summer, it will warm your heart, it’s serious enough that the story doesn’t feel silly and full of good humour, romance and mystery to keep the reader engaged all the way through.

I guarantee that my synopsis below of the plot of The Audacity of Sara Grayson doesn’t do the book justice. I absolutely adored this book! It was much more than the sum of its parts. It gave me the same good feelings as The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. Though the plots are totally different, the love of books and the power of relationships shine throughout both books.

Sara’s mother is the famous author, Cassandra Bond. When Cassandra dies, her dying wish in her will is for Sara to write the conclusion of her famous series, Ellery Dawson. Sara has only written one, unpublished, book before. Harshly critiqued by her mom’s editor, Phil, Sara quit writing and became an English teacher. Now, her mom wants her to write one of the most anticipated series conclusions ever. Sara is ready to say no way. However, when the new Managing Editor of the series’ publishing house, Jane, rubs Sara the wrong way, Sara agrees to write the book.

As I said before, the love of books shines throughout The Audacity of Sara Grayson. It also shows how difficult, but how rewarding, the act of writing ultimately is in the end. I love the writer’s quotes at the beginning of each chapter.

“I know my stuff looks like it was rattled off in 28 seconds, but every word is a struggle and every sentence is like the pangs of birth.—Dr. Seuss”

The Audacity of Sara Grayson is one of my favorite books this year. 5 stars!

Thanks to Post Hill Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Maybe it’s because the craft of writing fascinates me or perhaps it’s the charming way Joani Elliot writes, regardless of the reason, The Audacity of Sara Grayson captivated me from page one. Do not misunderstand me. This felt more like a character study novel, so it was not a page-turner, by any means.

I adored the main character, Sara Grayson, and the way Joani Elliot portrayed Sara’s constant battle with the art of writing. Moreover, I appreciated witnessing the protagonist’s evolution as a writer and person. The Audacity of Sara Grayson is well worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sara Grayson kind of a mess. Recently divorced, she finds out her mother is sick and doesn't have long. Within weeks her mother is gone and she is left with a task; finish the last book in a series that is her mother's most popular series ever. There is even a TV show based on this book series. Millions of fans are waiting with bated breath to see how this one ends and Sara has never published a book. Yes, she has written a book, but was told it was garbage so she gave up on her writing career and stuck with things that were safe.
It's not until the day she goes into the publishing house and is told that she shouldn't do it and should let a more seasoned author take over, that she starts to believe in herself, even just a little bit. Sara has a sister and a best friend that are her biggest champions, but her most prized ally comes in the form of a man who told her she didn't have what it takes years ago.
Phil, her mother's editor and very close friend, is the bane of Sara's existence. He read her first book and told her it wasn't publishable so since then she has held him at arms length and not spoken to him. When she realizes she will have to work closely with him to get this book done, she uncovers so many truths she wasn't prepared to uncover. She travels all around to her mother's favorite writing spots hoping to find inspiration for the beloved character. Sara begins to believe she can actually do this, but there are many challenges along the way. Uncovering truths about her parents and her family help to open her mind and fuel her journey. The friendship of Phil's son, Nik, doesn't hurt.
I really enjoyed the journey Sara took to finally believing in herself the way her mother did when she left the task to her as her last wish. It goes to show us that every family has secrets and things are not always what they seem. You might find your biggest champion was always your biggest critic for a reason.
Thank you to Meryl Moss, Joani Elliott and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.

When bestselling author Cassandra Bond passes away, her popular suspense series is left on a cliffhanger that has the whole world wondering who will pick up the mantle and finish the final book. Her daughter Sara, an English professor whose best known published works are a series of greeting cards, never expected to be named in the will as her designated writer. But if Sara can't finish the book in time, her mother's publisher will give the book deal to the sceenwriter who adapted her mother's books into film. Overwhelmed by crippling self-doubt, Sara embarks on a journey of self-discovery and delving into big family secrets.

This was a very quick read and thoroughly enjoyable. Sara is so relatable, suffering alternately from imposter syndrome and writer's block, frequently on the verge of just giving up and yet continuing on. We see the conflict between the pressure of a parent's expectations and simultaneous support of a parent's complete belief in their child's abilities. As the suspense rises in the narrative Sara is wroting, so do the tensions in the world around her. Will Sara finish the book in time? Will it be a worthy tribute to her mother's body of work? Did her mother secretly finish the manuscript?

I received an advance reader's copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“What happens when your mother’s dying wish becomes your worst nightmare”


I would never have thought it possible that I would be awarding a book from the genre of Contemporary Women’s Fiction 5 out of 5 stars, let alone adding it to my Goodreads ‘Favourites’ list! But how could I not, when I became so invested in both the storyline and characters, that I simply didn’t want for it to be over, so that I would have to stop reading!

As a debut book by a new author, Joani Elliott writes with complete confidence, consummate ease and total authority, as I was led by the hand in exactly the direction she needed me to travel, whilst she stimulated all the myriad of emotions she wanted me to feel along the way.

There were so many more great snippets and words I wanted to share from the story, however some of them might have given away too many hints of ‘spoilers’, and to be honest, I was too busy reading, that I simply forgot to pause and take stock. Besides which, the writing was just so good, that I wouldn’t have known where to stop with the featured lines!

Those opening lines and quirky cover art, lured me into a book, equally strong in both storyline and characterisations, which hit the ground running, and then never let up on the pace until that last word of the final page really did mean it was all over and I could breathe again. The well signposted chapters were short and punchy, which was a real antidote to counteract some of the very muddled and confused thinking of our troubled lead protagonist, Sara Grayson, and kept everything moving along fluidly and seamlessly. The chapters also each began with a quote from many different well-known authors, carefully chosen to invoke a real feeling of time and place, thus setting the scene for what was to follow and all adding to the richness of the assured, observational and descriptive narrative, together with some excellent conversational dialogue.

A well structured, multi-genre, multi-layered story, beautifully textured, written with desperate intensity, yet with genuine heart and balanced with some real moments of laugh-out-loud humour. I followed Sara as she strived to unravel and make sense of, the complicated life her family had led, unbeknownst to her, and the blind and binding faith placed firmly and squarely on her shoulders by her deceased mother, to complete the final book of her unfinished series, with the instruction to be audacious!

Part love story, part mystery, part self-actualization, this is a story to indulge in and escape into, although I was never totally at ease, as I really felt for Sara throughout her challenging and often agonising journey of self-doubt and low esteem, knowing from personal experience, exactly how she was feeling. The realization that much of what she had assumed about her family history hadn’t quite been as black and white as she had thought, opened the floodgates of emotion, as lies followed half-truths; fiercely guarded secrets led to self-doubt and jealous accusations; complex family dynamics caused uncontrollable angst and trauma. Ultimately however, these experiences, shared with people she both loved and respected, opened heart and mind, thankfully resulting in Sara becoming the self-assured person and intuitive writer her mother had always known was buried deep within her.

An authentic cast of wonderfully defined and drawn characters, joined Sara on her journey of self-discovery and filled the pages with some larger than life actions, amusing anecdotes and complex dynamics. I found myself relating to each and every one of them, despite, or maybe because of, their many raw and passionate vulnerabilities, which only added to their genuine and believable interactions.

If you enjoy books about books, bookish people, authors, the writing process, and the publishing world, then you are sure to enjoy this one as much as I did. It almost made me feel that I wanted and more importantly, was skilled enough, to write a book of my own – Okay, only for a few moments, but that’s alright by me 🙂

“Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”

Thank you to Post Hill Press and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a humorous book about a woman who has to take over writing duties when her mother, who is a bestselling author, passes away before she can complete the final book in a series. When I saw the cover, I thought that this was a rom-com; it turns out that it's just a comedy, but I still enjoyed it. My favorite rom-coms are about books and the writing process. I loved Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella (as well as anything else by her), and I also recently enjoyed Plot Twist, which will come out later this year.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. I often wonder about what will happen if a successful writer dies before they can finish a series. A Song of Ice and Fire comes to mind, for example. Or, for an actual example, perhaps Tolkien would work, since his son had to finish some of his works based on unfinished drafts and outlines. Of course, the fans of the author will want to see the series completed. But if I, someone with no writing experience, were tasked with completing it, I would be so scared of messing up the book and ruining the legacy of the author. That is the predicament that our heroine, Sara Grayson, finds herself in.

Here is an excerpt from an opening chapter that reveals Sara's relationship with her mother before her death:

"Her mother never seemed to mind. She wore Versace in red silk that night, her dark hair tucked loosely in an elegant chignon. Hardly the lonely author in sweatpants, Cassandra Bond looked like a movie star who decided to write a book.
Sara adjusted her strapless, gray formal gown. It was supposed to be emerald green, but they made a mistake when she picked it up and it was too late to change it. The shop ladies assured her that the gray dress held tones of shimmering pink and that she would look absolutely "breathtaking."
She didn't."

Overall, The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a laugh-out-loud book that will entertain any reader that has ever dabbled in or thought about writing a book. That category definitely includes me, and I enjoyed his book so much. I ended up finishing this book in a day. I had to find out what happened next and whether Sara would succeed in writing a book that both she and her mother would be proud of. I was also interested in the family secrets that Sara uncovers through the process of writing the book. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above or if you're a fan of humorous books about the writing process, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out tomorrow!

I love books about books! The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a book about a book but so much more. Sara is a thirty something year old woman, who writes copy for a coupon company and teaches a writing class, muddling through life when her mom, a famous literary icon passes away before completing her best selling series. She designates Sara as the author of the final installment and chaos ensues. First of all, I loved the details about the series, as if it was real (and of course, now I wish it was real and I could read it). Second, Sara was the perfect, flawed, neurotic but honest, refreshing and relatable character. Third, the banter, the texts and the pop culture references added the perfect amount of humor and wit. Fourth, as a book nerd, I couldn’t get enough of the writing and publishing process bits. Lastly, each chapter opened with a quote about writing from famous authors which was such a bonus. There is love, a little mystery, some twists and all the warm fuzzies mixed together.

A best-selling author dies before she can complete the fifth book in a wildly popular series that has been adapted for movies. In her will, she tasks her daughter, Sara Grayson, to complete that much-anticipated novel. Sara tried previously to write a novel but put that dream aside after her draft was eviscerated by a publishing friend of her mother’s. Her self-confidence had fallen even more after her recent divorce, and Sara questioned why her mother would give her what she thought was an impossible task.

Joani Elliott uses that premise to examine a number of themes, including creativity, self-worth, and family. The reader sees how Sara reacts as she questions her capabilities. Is it worth staying in a safe, smaller place in the world? Or is it better for her to take a leap of faith that could include pain, major life questions, and the possibility of a large-scale public failure?

The reader is inside Sara Grayson’s mind as she learns more about her family and herself. She writes in charming locales that welcome the reader to settle comfortably and appreciate how each one advances the story.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson is a wonderful summer read. Joani Elliott did a terrific job bringing the reader into an enjoyable story with a great ending.

Sara Grayson's mother is the most famous author in the world and upon her passing she unexpectedly finds herself as the author (despite never publishing a novel herself) her mother has chosen to write the much anticipated final book in her most famous series. Although maybe not in the best place in her life, Sara unexpectedly takes the job (despite the publishing houses wishes against it) and finds herself in the middle of family secrets, trying to save her mother's legacy.

This was a really fun ARC and I feel lucky to have gotten the chance to read it before its pub date. There were some twists I didn't see coming, some romance that wasn't over the top and some endearing characters you find yourself rooting for.

What kept this from a 5-star rating for me was the main character. I just did not like her at first. She felt a little whiny and unapproachable but she grew on me as she started to discover more about herself and what she was capable of.

Sara is working as a coupon writer. Her mom is a famous author with a multiple book series. But she dies before the last one is written. Her dying wish is that her daughter, Sara, writes the last book. Lacking confidence in herself and from the publisher, Sara has doubts that she can pull it off successfully.

This was a good one! It was easy to read, fun and captivating! There's a hint of mystery with some unexpected family twists in there, too. I felt a little worried for Sara, having to write the final book for her mothers' series with the whole world waiting for it. That's a lot of pressure! I found myself chuckling out loud more than a few times, smiling and even wiping tears away. This is a perfect choice for a beach read and I highly recommend this one!

Most children inherit a house or some money after a parent passes away. Sara Grayson inherited the responsibility of writing the final instalment in her mother’s wildly popular, bestselling book series. By this time in her career, Sara has only been paid to write greeting cards and coupons. Initially reluctant, a cheering squad of her mother’s inner circle and her sister convince her to take on the task of fulfilling her mother’s final wish.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson by Joani Elliott captures the intense pressure of writing a book and intersperses that with the experience of grief, imposter syndrome, letting go of past hurts and insecurities and learning to believe in oneself. It doesn’t skip the process and the intensity of losing a parent and taking on a lifelong dream in quick succession.

It was cute and it was quirky, but it was also confusing. I don’t understand the purpose of some of the ancillary characters and the jumping between calling the sister Anna-Kath and Ann didn’t work. Overall, the book just didn’t add up. The story made sense, yes, but it was all very big pieces - extreme characters, tense relationships, nasty villains, and outrageous family drama - still made for a small and mostly unemotional reading experience. I was expecting more and it never quite delivered.

Thank you to Post Hill and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. The Audacity of Sara Garyson comes out on May 25th, 2021.

First of all: I loved this book.

The book wasn’t what I expected at all but then I do not know what I expected. It is a brilliant novel.

I am so thankful that I was able to read the book.
I loved everything about it. The pace was good and I loved the characters. There is so much character development in this and that is such an important factor. I directly fell in love with the characters and thought they were really relatable. I love how the story focuses on personal development and finding yourself, pointing out that our paths are not meant to be straight and everything helps to form the person we are today. It just makes you think about your own life and accept everything for what it is.
The different plot lines interacted in an amazing way and made the book so much fun to read.

So I can definitely say that this book will hold a special place in my heart.

The premise of this book was refreshing and witty.  A greeting card writer whose life is in shambles finds herself tasked with finishing the last work of her mother, who by the way, was a best selling author.  A glorious story of an unorganized, chaotic woman finding herself and rising to the challenge of doing more than she ever dreamed.  The writing was such a treat and I found myself rooting for our heroine as I followed along on her journey to fulfil her mother’s last wish of seeing her novel finished. Fun, charming, and engaging. A great piece of women’s fiction that will appeal to a broad audience.