An amazing story.

I was intrigued by this book when I first heard about it and couldn’t wait to read it. Needless to say, I was more than impressed.

The story is centered around a diamond ring the Ritchie gave to Lizzie, but it went missing at one point in their marriage, never to be seen again. Years later, after Lizzie and Ritchie passed away, their grown children learn about a safe deposit box in the Caymans and head down to see what is in the box. It turns out to be the ring. Each sibling believes they deserve to own the ring and give good reasons why they should. But the ring could destroy the family if they aren’t careful. Is the ring a curse or is it the treasure they always believed it was?

The author did a fantastic job telling this story. The characters’ backgrounds were told so well that I truly felt I knew them. As the story unfolded, I was more drown into it. I didn’t want it to end.

The Liz Taylor Ring looks at how a meaningful family object can represent something different to each family member and how, despite those different viewpoints and values, it can bring a family together. A touching story with a bit of a shell-game mystery that keeps the reader wondering: Where is that ring now and what happened to it really?

Wow- a diamond ring- a big diamond ring- is found in a safe deposit box rented by Ritchie in the Cayman Islands. Is it the one he gave Lizzie all those years ago? is it real? Those are the questions facing their children Addy, Nathan, and Courtney. Their parents' marriage was, to put it mildly, tumultuous and Ritchie was a gambler. The three siblings haven't spent much time together in years but now they've got questions to ask and answer about their parents and themselves. Mixed in are flashbacks to Lizzie and Ritchie. This relationship intentionally parallels the Taylor-Burton relationship in some ways but not obviously in others, While this is trope-y, it's also got good characters in the kids, a little drama in the parents, and a unique premise in the ring, Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An entertaining read that will keep you guessing.

The Liz Taylor Ring is a novel filled with family drama and secrets. All three of Lizzie and Ritchie Schneider’s children have never really gotten along, so when they learn of a mysterious safety deposit box in the Caymans belonging to their deceased father, they are reunited due to their curiosity.

Set between the present and 1978 when Lizzie and Ritchie first started their dating, we go back and forth between their tumultuous love story (much like the relationship of Lizzie’s favorite iconic couple, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton) and their children’s narratives as they decide what to do with what they found in the safety deposit box. As time goes on, more secrets are revealed and the siblings begin to wonder how much of what they know is fact or fiction.

This latest release from Brenda Janowitz, the author of The Grace Kelly Dress, is an exciting new read filled with family drama and a priceless ring that could tear them apart for good. So, if you want to find out exactly what happens in the end, you’ll just have to check it out for yourself.

Thank you NetGalley for this early copy of The Liz Taylor Ring.

When I first read about this book, I was very excited. I thought that the story line had great potential for a wonderful story. I dove in, and was a bit disappointed. I didn’t feel connected to the characters, and found their stories to be a bit boring. I got about half way through and thought about giving up.

I pushed through and and felt that the book picked up in the last third of the book. New things were added to the character’s stories that I felt could have added more depth in the overall story.

This book gave me major Malibu Rising vibes. This is not a raving review, and I probably wouldn’t read it again, but it was still an okay book.

With a clever title like The Liz Taylor Ring, it would be hard to go wrong. Fortunately, most of the book gets things very right.
Just like a past novel from this author (The Grace Kelly Dress), the author chooses a style icon from the past as the touchstone for the characters.
In the case of the Liz Taylor ring, the reference is to the whopper of a ring that Richard Burton gave Liz Taylor during one of their reconciliations. This parallels two of the characters (Lizzie and Ritchie) and their on-again/off-again romance.
It is safe to say that Lizzie and Ritchie have very little in common with Liz and Richard, but it is not for lack of trying. I don’t want to say more, because it would give away plot points.
The ring itself is an heirloom that each of Lizzie and Ritchie’s three kids (Addy, Nathan, and Courtney) know about – but each knows a different version of the story and what happened to the ring.
One unfortunate aspect of the book is that none of the three of them are particularly likable for a majority of the book. Addy is a controlling martyr, Nathan is a paranoid borderline narcissist, and Courtney…well, Courtney is the typical “youngest child total screw up.”
There is a lot of family history between these three. And the relationships between all of them are shaky. Because, you know, reasons.
There are times when it is all a bit much. Addy is too mean, Nathan is too “sidekick” and Courtney is too much of a mess.
Fortunately, there is a point where all three take a breath and the sibling relationships start to grow. I am just glad that I stuck with them because there are some truly beautiful family moments. There’s just a lot of nastiness before that.
I will give the author props for a few special details. For example, Ritchie is an addiction-level gambler. Addy and Nathan are named for characters from “Guys and Dolls.” If you know the show, you know the connection. Very clever.
Ultimately, The Liz Taylor Ring does focus on the importance of family ties and forgiveness. Not bad lessons to take to heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Family drama is high when three adult siblings wrestle over what to do with the much-loved diamond ring that belonged to their mother. As the story shifts between the perspectives of Addy, Nathan, and Courtney, the reader is also treated to flashbacks of the trials and tribulations of Lizzie and Ritchie and their chaotic love story. Author Brenda Janowitz infuses into the family drama many similarities between the couple and the Hollywood love affair between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Although it all sounds rather exciting, I have to admit that I struggled to really into this book. Very much a slow burn! However, once I found myself at around the 40% mark, I started to get into the groove of the story and ended up liking it. Personally, Courtney was perhaps the most likeable of the siblings and I liked her parts the best.

Expected Publication Date 01/02/22
Goodreads review published 24/01/22

#TheLizTaylorRing #NetGalley.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advanced copy of The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz.

This was a family drama around the Schneider family with a little bit of love around a ring that looks like the one that Liz Taylor received from Richard Burton.

Richie gave his wife Lizzie a ring that looked like the Liz Taylor ring after their 9 month separation in the 1990s. It was a family symbol of their love with a few mysterious stories of how the ring was lost. Their 3 kids gather together for the first time when the ring was found to figure out what should they do with this expensive heirloom but they find out some family secrets that challenge the epic love story of their parents.

I love family drama books, but there was something about this one that I just didn't click with. I liked this book, but found the characters tiresome and kinda annoying. I thought more of the book would be about the ring, but it was more family drama/disfunction than I was expecting. I did like the author's note at the end all of the Liz Taylor references in the book!

If you're a family drama fan you'll probably enjoy this!

The Liz Taylor Ring is a story of love and loss and throw in some off course family dynamics. There’s a tad bit of mystery in there and a lot of friction between siblings.
I enjoyed the story and the dual timelines. A quick read.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I will post to goodreads today and once publication date is here I will post to Amazon, Barnes and Noble and indie book sites (February 8th, 2022)

I was overjoyed to get approved for The Liz Taylor Ring several months ago. I savored it, leaving it on my TBR list to simmer. The ring plays a central role in the lives of three siblings. The braided time line reveals the story of the parents while pairing with modern day. The ring’s history becomes convoluted and a tad confusing to follow. One character I just couldn’t get into was Courtney.
I liked the author’s end note and then all the Liz Taylor references and nods interspersed throughout the chapters. I do like how Janowitz ties Hollywood starlets with objects; it’s a good combination.

Great story of a not so perfect love affair and the family it creates. Very well told - good story line. Enjoyed the references to Liz & Richard.

This wouldn't have normally been the type of book that I read but I was interested in the book as it talked about Liz Taylor and Richard Burton and the famous Liz Taylor ring. The book features the love story which was filled with ups and downs and more downs than ups of Lizzie Morgan and Richie Schneider. The book starts with the introduction of Lizzie and Richie's three children Addy, Nathan, and Courtney. They have both good and bad experiences of their parent's love for one another. The book gets interesting when Addy is contacted by a bank on the Cayman Islands who informs them that they need to come to collect a safety deposit box that their father held at the bank. The three wonder what is in it, but make the journey and discover that it is none other than the replica of the Liz Taylor Ring that their father had gotten made for their mother just before Courtney was born. The three of them can't believe it as they all have memories of it being stolen, lost, or gambled away many years ago. When the ring is returned though, it creates not only a sibling war as to who gets it as it represents something different for them all - for Addy - it is security, for Nathan - the representation of his parents love story and for Courtney - an easy way to solve her debt. However, what starts as a rivalry may be the one thing that brings them closer together and even band together and discover more about their parents' love when an outsider comes to threaten it. The other thing I loved about this book was not only the references to pop culture but also the fact that their parents' love story and siblings' relationship with one another was not just sunshine and rainbows but rain and thunderstorms also. If you are wanting a love story for the ages but with realism chucked in the mix, then The Liz Taylor Ring is the read for you.

Lizzie and Ritchie had the kinda romance you only read about. Well at least on looking in from the outside, where people did not know of Ritchie's gambling problem.

Both Lizzie and Ritchie are gone now, and their kids discover their mother's ring they thought was long gone. It's a rare and expensive ring, one much like one Liz Taylor once owned. Now the siblings find themselves at odds over who should have the ring. The funny this is all three of them have different stories on how the ring missing in the first place, and all their explanations might be right.

Summary:
Lizzie Morgan idolizes all things Liz Taylor. She's determined to have a love like Liz & Richard Burton's- including the famous ring. At 16, she meets Richie, her Richard Burton. They go on to have an epic love story- complete with highs and lows and consequences. Throwing the big ring in only takes things to a whole new level. That level leaves surprises for their three children to unravel.

If you are in need of a story that will completely take you away- look no further. If you want a book that is going to captivate you from the very start- look no further. If you want a plot that is multifaceted- look no further. I give you The Liz Taylor Ring. Once you begin this book, you will have a front row seat to an epic love story- not just between 2 people, but also with a ring.

Lizzie Morgan and Ritchie Schneider meet when she's 16. It was love at first sight for Lizzie. However, she doesn't really show up on his radar for another 9 years. She's now 25and he's no longer dating her sister. They feel fireworks for each other and cause a few fireworks to go off amongst her family. However, their romance isn't one of smooth sailing. This marriage will include 3 children, a gambling addiction that costs them everything and a ring that will be the fascination to each of their 3 kids for different reasons.

As you watch Liz & Ritchie's great love unfold, you also meet their three children. Addy, the oldest, who feels she's the reason the business is so successful. Nathan, their gay son, who's convinced his husband is having an affair. Courtney, the surprise baby, who's never felt accepted and who's life is in shambles. Each was sure the ring was long gone. However, they thought wrong.

All of a sudden, the three have to come together to figure out what to do with the unexpected. This, in turn, forces life to be dealt with. Not just within their individual lives, but with each other. All three have a stake in this ring, but a lot of healing has to be done.

When you start this book, do yourself a favor and get comfy. Get ready with a cozy blanket, a favorite snack and a hot drink of your choice. And get ready to get lost in a story that keeps getting better with every turn of a page. You will feel like you're part of these stories unfolding. Brenda Janowitz has written, yet another, book you won't want to put down. She's delivered you a story that will pull you in and will probably leave you with a book hangover. I loved it! I'm already anticipating her next book! Enjoy!!

4.5 Stars! The Liz Taylor Ring is a lovely mystery about family dynamics, addictions, and relationships. I fell in love with this book and its well-developed characters from the beginning and could not wait to read more. This is a book that will stick with you long after you finish reading it. Told from multiple viewpoints, the author really invited the reader to get to know each character’s personality and thought process. This is truly a remarkable book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Disclaimer: I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

When I was first offered this book the title is what caught my attention. Growing up Elizabeth Taylor was an icon to my generation so I immediately wanted to read this book. I never expected it to be a gem in itself.

This book is a multilayer story. It spans 2 generations and is steeped in family drama and complications. much like a diamond with its own unique flaws so does this family.

I was completely drawn in by the characters of this book. For in each one I could find a small part of myself or my family in them. The author did a wonderful job not only fleshing out the characters but also the storyline. She also did a wonderful job describing the family's life, the missing ring, and all that was wrapped up in it.

The beauty of this book is in the telling of how a family though flawed in so many ways still seems to love each other. The secrets, the addiction, and all the many other issues still did not remove the foundation that this family was built on which was love.

This is one of those books I can see myself reading again and again over time.

Another Janowitz GEM! And no I'm not using gem in the context of the Liz Taylor ring or diamond...this book was truly a gem all on its own!

Janowitz has rapidly becoming a favorite author of mine. Her stories are all unique, but based on past icons we can all agree were legendary women of their time and have transcended that time to become icons for us all. In this story Janowitz brings us the Schneider family and the retelling of the history of their family's Liz Taylor ring. We bounce between the past with Lizzy and Richie's love story and the present, their three adult children navigating life after their parents' deaths.

The story was wonderful, vivid and relatable in many aspects, but I think the moment I fell in love with this book, was reading the author's note. Janowitz spoke of her own family heirlooms, how she can remember who gave her what piece of jewelry, for what occasion and how she will wear certain pieces or combinations of them all for whatever she may need that day. I connected to this deeply! My sister and I inherited our grandmother's jewelry and when I need to feel my Umma with me, or need her poise during a tough time, or just a reminder how strong the Berry women are - I will wear something of hers. Some costume, some precious, all priceless.

My Nana, who is nearly 94 and still rocks all her jewels on a daily basis even started a tradition with her granddaughters of creating our own heirloom pieces for birthdays or holidays and each piece I have from her mean so much more to me than the price tag they came with. Like Janowitz, I remember each special moment with her, picking them out, the reason behind each piece and I hope to be blessed with a daughter one day to share them with. Thank you for indulging my own experience with this review, but that is the beauty and artistic gift Janowitz holds. She can take a story and make it reach places you may have never even thought about.

You won't be disappointed with this absolutely special story - pick this up when you need something relatable, real, special and rare. Thank you Brenda for yet another fabulous story that your readers can connect to in such a special way!

This review was commissioned by Harper Collins.

We meet the Schneider siblings- Addy, Nathan, and Courtney- at a season in their lives where they are navigating the problems of middle-aged people; the detritus of two parents who have passed away, teenaged children and their antics, rocky marriages, and established (and crippling) behavior patterns and addictions.

The people who orbit the Schneider siblings and the love story that underpins the entire narrative structure, that of their parents, Lizzie and Ritchie, are far more interesting than the siblings themselves; if I’m speaking honestly, not one of the siblings was wholly likable and their relationship dynamic grew tiresome by the end of the book.

What made it sparkle was Janowitz’s writing in the chapters told in flashback by Lizzie and Ritchie about their love for each other and their explosive romance, their legacy (a department store of indeterminate functionality and offerings), and the 11-carat ring, nicknamed The Liz Taylor Ring, that is shrouded in mystery and familial lore.

If that had been the focus, more than Addy’s petty bad feelings about Courtney being born and upsetting her and Nathan’s sibling dynamic and club of two (seriously- she is 41 years old) and Nathan’s terrible communication skills with his even-keeled dream of a husband, Diego, this book would have been a 5-star read for me; the bickering had me pulling this review to the side of the road and giving it 3 stars instead.

Brenda Janowitz, the author of “The Liz Taylor Ring” has written a gem of a novel, that is captivating, intriguing, witty, and memorable. The genres for this book are Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Domestic Fiction with a touch of Historical Fiction. I loved everything about “The Liz Taylor Ring”. After all, Elizabeth Taylor still is interesting to many people. Liz Taylor had a unique collection of jewelry, especially diamonds, and many were indications of her love interests. The diamond of interest is known as “The Liz Taylor Diamond”, or “Krupp diamond” which is a 33.19 carat, and bought by Richard Burton for Elizabeth Taylor.

I love everything about this novel, and Brenda Janowitz has vividly described the characters, plot, landscape, and diamond. Every diamond is unique in its own way and has some kind of flaw, that makes it unique. This can be said of the characters in “The Liz Taylor Ring”. The author describes her colorful and dramatic characters as complex, complicated, dysfunctional, quirky, eccentric, and flawed. Lizzie and Ritchie Schneider have ups and downs in their marriage. At one point, they separate and Ritchie surprises Lizzie with a beautiful large Asscher cut diamond ring. They do have two children, and at the time of the acquired diamond, a third daughter is born.

The three siblings each have their recollections of what happened to this ring. There always was a mystery to what happened to it. Somehow the ring does surface, and each of the siblings would love to have this ring. There are deep secrets and heart-breaking emotional truths involved with this ring.

The author describes the importance of family, the problems of addiction and gambling, parenting, forgiveness, second chances, love, and hope. I highly recommend this thought-provoking and enjoyable novel to other readers. I bet that you will love this. What are you waiting for?

This book, The Liz Taylor Ring has many references to the relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The main characters in the book Lizzie and Ritchie have a volatile relationship as well as their children. I found the story to be tiresome and too repetitive at times.