4.5 stars

I cannot put into words how truly wonderful this book is!

"Force of nature" Evelyn Gold and her granddaughter Jenna, newly-separated almost-divorcee, go on a road trip back to her grandmother's hometown of Hereford, MA under vague pretenses. Jenna, using the trip as an excuse to get herself "unstuck," has no idea what is in store for her along the way. Evelyn recounts to Jenna the story of her first love, Tony, and their passionate, yet doomed love affair. Meanwhile, Jenna is sneakily "set-up" with Tony's great-nephew, Joe, who is tasked by Evelyn to show her around town.

The dual timelines in this book worked really well. I never found myself wishing I was reading more from one period of time than another, except when the author would end a chapter on a cliffhanger. However, the following chapter would suck me right in and I'd immediately be engaged with whatever was going on. This made the book almost unputdownable for me and I sped through most of the book in one day.

Evelyn and Tony's love story was truly heart-wrenching, leaving me with tears in my eyes and my heart swelling. Jenna and Joe's budding relationship was also sweet and tender-hearted, as they each are navigating how to move forward with their love lives in their own ways.

The overall theme of not letting fear control you, being brave when it's hard, and doing what's best for you were very palpable throughout the story and gave it a greater depth that puts it above your typical romance. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This book was a sweet look at different generations. Jenna doesn’t know as much about her grandmother as she thinks she does. But she gets to learn about her on a road trip back to grandma’s hometown. We never think of our elders as having lived and experienced.

I thought the book was funny and touching. Jenna has a sarcasm that is biting but not mean. Grandma gives no you know whats about what anyone thinks of her. She plays by her own rules, and sometimes laws, and pretty much lives like I think we all want to when we get old enough to get away with it. She is a product of a time that many of us have a hard time imagining.

There are a lot of women’s issues here. I don’t think they are that deeply looked at, but it is more a fun book with some heartbreaking moments than a serious look at social issues.

Do you have a spunky grandma? I sure did. She was the epitome of grace, but her stubborn streak was a mile long!

I’ll never forget the morning her cardiologist told me to *rush* her to their office. Her idea of rushing out was to use lipstick for blush instead of getting all of her makeup out. My idea was leaving the house sans makeup. Guess who won?

I have a feeling our main character, Jenna, and I could commiserate.

She’s Up to No Good is a sweet story filled with nostalgia that celebrates the connection between a grandmother and granddaughter.

When Jenna’s octogenarian grandmother, Evelyn, decides to return to her childhood hometown to handle “personal business,” Jenna can’t imagine letting her go it alone. But Evelyn isn’t as senile or incapable as others think, and her plans for this trip will generate a long lasting impact for both.

The dual timeline storytelling and adept Jewish representation were both noteworthy. But it was the characterization that really kept me hanging on.

Jenna… straight laced, a bit overwhelmed by life, and a little fearful of the future. I think many of us can empathize with her, especially those times when life hasn’t turned out the way we expected.

Evelyn… brash, bold, and full of confidence. She is who we all aspire to be! She speaks her mind and has a full arsenal of zingers (that will keep you in stitches). But most importantly, Evelyn is a woman who has lived life to the fullest, even amongst the hardships. Like the best grandmothers, it’s hard to decide whether to roll your eyes or be inspired by Evelyn (probably both). She’s the true star of this book!

This was a light, heartwarming story that would be a great pool side read.

Many thanks to @getredprbooks and Lake Union Publishing for this #gifted copy.

A woman fiction story about a past love affair and a new one blooming slowly.

The grandma and granddaughter are embarking on a road trip with many memories of a first genuine love story for Evelyn and a second chance at love for Jenna after her husband wants to divorce her.

The show stealer is definitely Evelyn and her own tales are full of butterflies, love, respect and heartbreaking moments.

Jenna wasn't really a character that I can say I enjoyed or loved, but she grows up on me towards the end, when her own love story blooms slowly and she proves to be more mature and thoughtful.

A story that many readers will enjoy for its quirky older character and heartwarming story overall.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

She's Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino is a woman's fiction novel that at its core is a romance and a love story aside each other and wrapped up in a happy ending for both a grandmother and her granddaughter.

After being married for 4 years , Jenna's husband asks for a divorce and even though neither had been happy for a while, she still wasn't expecting it. She moves in with her mother and finds herself in a rut. When her grandmother announces she'll be traveling to the north shore to visit where she grew up, Jenna volunteers to go with her. Along the way, Jenna discovers her grandfather was not her grandmothers first love. That sometimes you can't be with the one you love. That you can love more than one person. That heartache doesn't last forever. Lastly, that it's never too late to be happy.

This follows Jenna's POV and that of her Grandmother Evelyn, but hers are told from the past as she tells Jenna about her first love and eventually how she ended up with her grandfather who she also loved. I found Jenna to be a boring narrator and immature. Your husband asks for a divorce from a marriage you've been unhappy in, and you're not upset it is over, but you want to drag out the paperwork. She says more than once why does he get to be happy when she isn't, but she's the only one holding herself back from said happiness. I did enjoy her blooming romance with Joe though, and by the end was hoping for them to get together.

The star of the story is Evelyn. She's feisty and a troublemaker and I loved how she would mess around with Jenna, it had me chuckling more than once. I was fully invested in her chapters that told the star crossed lovers' tale of two young people in love during a generation where your religion was important when it came to marriage and to the older generation love came second to that. Her love with Tony is absolutely heartbreaking and I couldn't see how she ended up with Jenna grandfather, but low and behold he was charming and patient and respected her love of Tony. Evelyn's story is full of love, joy, and heartbreak and she doesn't regret a moment of it.

She's Up to Know Good is listed as a Humorous fiction, which it is because Evelyn is a standout character. Yet I'll remember it for its romance, and it's love story and all the feelings it evoked from me.

I was completely enthralled by this book, I mean who doesn't love a feisty grandma?!

I needed something that hit me in the feels and this dual-timeline family drama delivered. I wanted to travel to this fictional New England Town, spend a night in their family cottage, have a Xanax with Evelyn and basically join the Bergman family.

There was a lot to love about this one, I find myself really drawn to the humor and realness of Sara Goodman Confino's characters and writing style.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

She's Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino

"An independent grandma and recently separated adult granddaughter take a road trip. And the granddaughter learns more about her grandma than she's ever known. The story of Grandma's younger days is told perfectly through the pages. Two great stories that blend into a perfect ending!"-Books and Pens on Green Gables

About the book-
Jenna is devastated. Her husband left her for someone else. No warning, no counseling. He's just gone. So she moved home and is ignoring him. And, she's NOT signing any papers. Nope. He can wait.

Grandma has decided she needs to go home -- to the home she lived in the summers with her family as a kid.

Jenna decides to go with her to help her grandma with traveling. And it's a good thing because Jenna finds out Grandma doesn't have a driver's license! Her spunky grandma starts sharing some stories about where they are going on the drive.

Jenna finds there's a whole life story to Grandma that she has never known. Grandma had a great love in her life before Grandpa! They were so in love...but Grandma's family forbid them from being together. As the story unfolds more and more over the summer, Jenna is drawn in.

Jenna also gets frustrated with her grandma as it seems she's found a handsome guy to spend time with Jenna while they are there. Is she playing matchmaker?

Great book, cozy read.
I was given this book to read and review.

Jenna goes on a road-trip with her grandma, Evelyn. She slowly learns things about her grandma that she had no idea about. The story is told in two time-lines: Evelyn in the 1950's and both of them in the present day.

I find it hard to categorise this story, really. Evelyn, both in the past and in the present, is selfish, manipulative and a huge liar. I am sure that men did flock to her in the past (and present) but I just can't get over how many people she hurt. My perspective probably comes from people I know in real life, who are just like this, and think they are very charming (and have men eating out of their hands) but who like to manipulate others for fun. When Jenna did ask her grandma questions and her grandma lies to her or tells her that she is boring etc, it struck me that neither of my grandmothers ever treated me like this. And I loved them both dearly.

I enjoyed the characters of Tony and Joe. I liked the friendship that Joe and Jenna gradually built up. It was nice. Restored Jenna's faith in the opposite sex a little bit.

I did enjoy the end of the story.

However, most of it, I just cringed about how actually awful Evelyn was.

3.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed She's Up to No Good! This dual timeline story takes place on the north shore of MA - an area known for fresh seafood and vacation homes, both of which are prevalent in the story! Jenna is going through an unexpected divorce and offers to drive with her grandmother from Maryland to Hereford, MA, so her grandmother can take care of some business. As they are driving, her grandmother tells her about her first true love. *Tony* used to work on the docks (this Jersey girl couldn't help referencing Bon Jovi!) but he wasn't Jewish so grandma Evelyn wasn't allowed to date (or marry) him. The chapters alternate between Jenna exploring the town with Tony's great-nephew and Evelyn's adolescence in the early 1950s. Both timelines are enjoyable - I was equally engaged in both and liked alternating them.
I loved Evelyn's sass - talk about a badass woman, both in her youth in the 50s and at nearly ninety! And her ability to bring Jenna out of her divorce-related depression was impressive. There were multiple times reading in public when I laughed loud enough that other people looked at me funny. 🤣 If you're looking for a good women's fiction read with some historical fiction blended in, this is a great one for you!
She’s Up to No Good is a July Amazon First Reads option if you haven’t chosen yours yet! If not, it publishes Monday, 8/1. I also recommend For the Love of Friends by the author - a hilarious bridesmaid saga that had me laughing out loud - which is available on Kindle Unlimited.

Okay, I just need to lay this out there immediately. I LOVED THIS BOOK. I found myself so excited to pick it back up and keep reading. For me, it had everything. Multiple romance stories, culture, history, family, the art of finding yourself…so much packed into this one.

Jenna starts out as our MC, but the focus soon shifts to Evelyn, Jenna’s grandmother. We get to hear all about Evelyn’s past as she struggles to be the good girl that her mother wants her to be. We also get a POV set in the present that lets us experience Jenna’s summer adventure.

Evelyn is everything I want to be and more. She may be a grandmother, but that woman is perfection. Her confidence made her character so unique and inspiring. I also loved how she called everybody “darling”.

Also, Joe made my heart sing (which is interesting because my husband’s name is Joey). The photography, the patience, the kindness…ugh, this man. Actually now that I think about it, minus the photography, Joe is basically a fictional version of my husband. Maybe that explains why I was so smitten.

I loved both timelines and adored so many characters. The writing was beautiful and the story was mesmerizing. I’m gonna go ahead and recommend this to everybody now. It comes out August 1st so please go buy it. Okay thank you goodbye.

I have posted a review on Goodreads and Instagram.

so, this book is a contemporary feel good kind of story. it's quick, easy to read, with a lot of family dinamics, love me so gradma teaching life moments. the problem is... right now, this book hits too close to home, and like the protagonist, i have to face a relationship situation, so, because is sad for me, to read about a woman in her 30's, divorcee, living with her parents, no friends, depressed... i'm not gonna read it anymore. is a dnf, but it's no because of the book. this would be a 4 star, very nice vibes, summery, road trip, all that good stuff... but i have to overcome my own feelings now.

Dual timelines can be really good or sometimes a big miss for me, but this book really knocked it out of the park. I think I enjoyed her grandmother's stories the most! The first half of the book is all build-up but it really is worth the wait. If you're looking for something deeper than a feel good surface level story, this book is definitely for you. The character arcs, snappy/humorous dialogue, and unexpected events make this story one of my favorite reads of the year so far. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read She's Up to No Good!

I love road trips and road trip stories, I love these characters, especially grandma Evelyn, and I loved this fun book that had me smiling, laughing and wishing my own grandmother was still around to tell me stories!
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Fresh off the shock of finding out her husband was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce, about to be tossed out of her childhood home because her mother doesn’t want her wallowing in her old bedroom anymore, and ready for a change of scenery, Jenna agrees to drive her almost 90 year old grandmother back to her hometown to settle some business.
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The road trip is hilarious. I would volunteer to drive Evelyn anywhere, but we might avoid the Starbucks. However the meat of the adventure is the story Evelyn tells her granddaughter about growing up in the 50’s and her first love.
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The feeling of family, with the relationship between Jenna and Evelyn so strong, is special and heartwarming. Along with providing more than a few laughs, it showed hope and growth and new beginnings.

Read this if you like: Strong female leads, past and present timelines, short chapters, come back stories

Four years into her marriage, Jenna is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce. With time on her hands and her life in limbo still she agrees to accompany her eccentric grandmother Evelyn on a road trip to the seaside Massachusetts town where much of their family history was shaped.

When they hit the road, Evelyn spins the tale of the star-crossed teenage romance that captured her heart more than seventy years ago and changed the course of her life. She insists the return to her hometown isn’t about that at all, no matter how much she talks about Tony, her unforgettable and forbidden first love.

This story is told in past and present timelines. I loved reading about Evelyn's story. As the secrets and truths of Evelyn’s past unfold, Jenna discovers a new side of her grandmother, and of herself. The characters development in this book was well done. I did find myself liking Jenna less than the other characters. I also feel like the ending needed more to it. I enjoyed the story and the bond between Jenna and her grandma. Definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Lake Union Publishing for the gifted copy! ❤️

When I read For the Love of Friends last year, I started pretty much stalking @saraconfino for news of a new book. And guess what - She’s Up to No Good is out on August 1!! Thank you so much to Sara for the book and goodies, and to Berit at @letstalkbookspromo for including me on the #booktour!

I absolutely loved this story, especially the relationship between Jenna and her grandmother Evelyn. Jenna gets blindsided when her husband announces he met someone and wants a divorce, and Evelyn needs someone to accompany her on a road trip to her hometown to take care of some ‘business’ (that she won’t say what it is). We get the story of Evelyn’s past, alternating with chapters in the present as Jenna decides it’s time to move on from her marriage…partially thanks to Evelyn introducing her to Joe.

I loved everything about this book - reading about Evelyn’s history, Jenna’s self growth, and mostly Jenna and Evelyn’s relationship - and of course Evelyn herself. What a hoot!!

Sara - I can’t wait for your next book, whatever it will be about!

It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t amazing either. To stories told in parallel, the Evelyn’s historical story was great, and I enjoyed that. I did not enjoy Jenna’s story, it felt contrived and flat (with stereotypical/sterile emotions, rather than the layered, nuance emotions that make a story resonate).
Every time I got to Jenna’s story I put the book down, and has to pick it up again. Even the climax with Vivie and the reveal with Miriam felt less (in part because of the continued foreshadowing) but mostly because Jenna is such a bland character.
There are two story lines, one of Jenna and one of her grandmother, and I ended up enjoying Evelyn's part more. That story has the right pace, drama and emotions to pull the reader along whereas the present tale...although not bad, not particularly good either? I for one, did not find it as interesting as the second thread. It felt too rushed, like it had to happen, which perhaps is right, but I would have enjoyed it a bit more if the characters had been given a little more time to know each other and for their relationship to grow.

It’s official. I love everything Sara Goodman Confino writes. For the Love of Friends was one of the funniest books I’ve read, and a large component of that was the character of the grandmother – so when I found out this book was the grandmother’s story, I was instantly hooked.

But it’s also Jenna’s story – and my heart squeezed for Jenna throughout this entire novel. Being cheated on and left by her husband of 5+ years was bad enough, but struggling to pull herself out of the rut it set her into was heartbreakingly realistic. But then… enter grandma.

Evelyn (grandma) has a plan to go back to her hometown of Hereford (Cape Cod area) for some business she won’t tell anyone about. Due to the fact that she shouldn’t be driving, Jenna ends up getting roped into the trip which also helps her finally get out of her parents’ house. But what she finds on the trip is the farthest thing she could have ever experienced.

With a dual timeline, Jenna gets to learn about her extended family in a way I wish I could myself. Seeing the hometown in person, being able to walk down the same streets and visit the same dining establishments – being able to even visit with some of the family she never knew existed. It’s phenomenal.

I love the journey this book takes you on. I love the characters, the romance, the passion for life and living. I love the subtle humor laced throughout because the grandmother is seriously queen of one-liners, lying, and all-around manipulated fun.

If you haven’t picked this one up yet, you really should consider it.

Ohh I loved this book! This one got me out of the reader's block. I picked this book because it was written by Sara Goodman Confino, whose previous book, "For the love of Friends" I loved so much, that I finished it in one sitting. It was the same with this one too. I loved seeing the eccentric Grandmother Evelyn again, and especially how hers and Jenna's story runs in parallel to each other. Looking at Evelyn's life gave me a new perspective on life, and she was the most lovable character in the story. I wish I could be more like her. The book is packed with beautiful sceneries of the beach in Jenna's story, and vintage vibes of Evelyn's story, which were a delight. I strongly recommend romance lovers pick this one.

Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story, told in two timelines, covers the story of Jenna in the present day (husband has just left her, taking her certitude about her life plans with him) and Jenna's grandmother Evelyn in her youth (young woman rebelling against the strict expectations of her parents). These two go on a road trip together to the place where Evelyn grew up. As the story develops, Jenna discovers more and more about her grandmother's past, and in parallel about herself as well. The personalities of both women come alive through the author's writing, and Evelyn is a particular delight. There is a sweet happy ending involving both grandmother and granddaughter, overall a lovely read.

She's Up to No Good is a book about family relationships and love, past and present. Jenna's life has come to a halt after her husband announces he has met someone and requests for a divorce. When her 89 year old grandmother, Evelyn, decides to take a road trip to childhood hometown, Jenna's family eagerly agrees that the two should travel together. While Jenna is a rule follower, Evelyn is lives more freely. For her rules are just a suggestion.

The story alternates between the present and the past with Evelyn sharing the story with Jenna of her relationship with Tony, the man she was in love with before marrying Jenna's grandfather. Both story lines are interesting and as we learn more, the two start to intertwine. In the present Jenna is spending time with Joe, who happens to be Tony's great-nephew while Evelyn is taking care of some "personal business". As the days pass, we see Jenna open up and find a way to start to move forward with her life. Meanwhile, we learn that for Evelyn growing up in a Jewish family meant protective parents who control when she can date and whom. So falling for Tony who is Portuguese is forbidden. As the story progresses we learn about Evelyn and Tony's relationship and their sacrifices.

This story has a lot of characters in both the past and present. Both Evelyn and Tony's families are large and many of them play into the overall story. I had to really pay attention to some of the family relationships from the past to understand the connections in the present. The author does a good job of wrapping up all the ends of the story nicely. The story is complex, and I became more and more invested in learning about Evelyn's side of the timeline as the book went on.

I liked the narrative of lost love and parental control contrasted with healing and closure. This is the second book I have read by the author and I am excited to see what she writes next.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eArc.