Member Reviews
What I love about Nan’s books is there is something included for every type of reader. Love romance? It’s there. Historical fiction or magical realism? It’s there. Girl power and strong female representation? It’s there. Just want a solidly written, good story? Nan delivers.
This is a coming of age story for the main character, Constance. She’s historically a yes person, we watch her come into her own, claiming her place and happiness.
Constance is engaged to Hayden, but despite that she is very guarded with sharing her emotions and family background with him. She also is a chronic people pleaser who frequently defers her own wants and desires to ensuring that those around her are happy.
She discovers something intriguing inscribed on her engagement ring and begins her own investigation into its history, uncovering its story as the book progresses. She also develops a "relationship" with someone unknown when they start corresponding via letters left in one of the books Constance is using to research the ring's history. Slowly but surely Constance develops more confidence in herself and embraces the fact that she, too, should get to be happy in her own life. Overall I enjoyed the writing and how the author moved back and forth in time to uncover the mystery and move the plot forward.
I really, really enjoyed this book. It really gives inspiration and hit me HARD in the feelings. I literally didn’t want to stop this one!
"The Book of Silver Linings" gave me a beautiful combination of fate, magic, and the human experience. With its blend of romance, fantasy, and self-discovery, readers get to watch as Constance uncovers a hidden love story within the margins of an antique book, and finds herself torn between her real-life relationship and a ghostly connection.
I loved both the present and past love stories and how they formed the current tone of Constance's life. I wasn't sure what to make of the connection, but the twists and turns in the novel were pleasant surprises. I am a huge fan of Fischer's creative storytelling.
A tender story laced with humor, this book is about finding yourself and learning what you want. I think this a solid read, though not one that I loved. I still think it's a good for some readers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
I received this book for free through netgalley. I think I was in the perfect head space to read this book. I devoured it, but I think any other time I may not have loved it. A beautiful story of finding yourself first before being able to open your self up to the love you deserve! The writing was beautiful, the way it had multiple stories that all intertwined, and the twists were perfect.
Have you ever found a note or letter stuck in a book at the library or used book store?
What if you responded to that letter, tucked it back inside the book and got a reply?
Wouldn’t that be wonderful? I loved that magical part of The Book of Silver Linings by Nan Fischer. This was a poignant novel of self discovery as well as love. I went into it blind and got a delightful surprise in how much I came to deeply care about the main character, Constance, and the things she was passionate about. I loved the animal shelter with all the dogs she longed to save. It made me curl up with my own rescued pup and give him and extra squeeze.
The characters felt real and relatable, the author has drawn them out beautifully with all the complexities human nature can bring. It was well paced and compelling. Discovering the history of a beautiful antique ring to discovering what the future holds for Constance once she puts herself first were well woven together to create this gem.
I don’t recall seeing a lot about this book since it came out late last summer, so I wanted to be sure and put it on your radar to enjoy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Receiving an advanced copy was much appreciated. I believe both existing fans and newcomers will find it equally enjoyable.
Constance is a people pleaser. She had a really hard childhood, and maybe that's why she finds the need to make everyone happy, even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. She meets Hayden and gets engaged. Her best friend has some doubts about him when she is given an antique, expensive engagement ring. Constance decides to research where the ring came from and ends up in a rabbit hole, reading about the romantic love story on the history of the ring. What transpires with the trips to the library, the engagement, and Constance's family life is quite interesting.
This is a story of self-discovery, finding love, finding out when forgiveness is needed and when it's not. I really enjoyed this heartwarming story. Thank you NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for the ARC, in return for my review and opinion of this book.
There's something about people pleasers that annoy me when I'm reading about them lol The whole time I have to scoff at Constance's decisions. Other than that, I thought the story flowed nicely with the timelines. Constance did have character growth. I'm more of a rom com girl, so sometimes contemporary is hit or miss for me. This is right in the middle.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC
This story was adorable! I connected a lot with Constance as someone who gives in to others to make them happy. I really enjoyed how researching a piece of jewelry turned into her reading a story about two people finding love and in turn helped Constance really find out who she is as a person.
The Book of Silver Linings is an absolute gem, and I am so sorry I’m late in sharing it. This one published the day after my big move. Where my summer is usually a time of rest and reprieve, this past summer was one of chaos and hard, physical (and emotional) work.
I mention that only because this book was the perfect antidote. This stunning cover that catches the eye immediately? It perfectly suits this sunshine in novel form. There are layers upon layers of goodness.
About the book: “Within the margins of an antique book, a timeless love waits for a young woman on the precipice of a terrible mistake in this enthralling new novel from the acclaimed author of Some of It Was Real.”
Constance is an animal lover, so we hit it off right away. Her relationship with animals really is a cornerstone of the novel, and I loved that about it. It’s also the story of Constance finding the love of her life in a somewhat untraditional way. I can’t give that part away. The story is unexpected and really grabbed my heart.
There are letters - and I adore letters. They were well-integrated into the story and beautifully-written. There’s so much to enjoy here, so much beauty and refreshing messaging. I especially enjoyed the exploration of love that makes you better, adds to your fire, that heals and inspires you. A totally refreshing, nuanced story, and I can’t wait for more from the author.
I received a gifted copy.
This was a blend of romance, a friendship story, long buried grief and some historical moments. Loved it so much and definitely recommended if you enjoy stories with well drawn characters that feel like beloved friends in the end.
I would have given up on this book if I hadn't switched to the audio version. Nan Fischer abruptly changes thoughts and sometimes makes statements that are not fully developed, making some parts of the book read like a rough draft. Moreover, when reading the book in one sitting, character and location inconsistencies become more apparent.
Overall, the writing felt stilted only to pull on heartstrings with a discussion on rescuing animals which felt designed to draw the reader back in with a warm feel-good moment. That tactic started to wear thin.
Unfortunately, the book is too long and repetitive and could have used the kindness of a good editor.
I had high expectations for this book. Constance is hiding her past and finding it difficult to find someone to share her life. She wants a home, family, and a soulmate. She thinks she finds that in Hayden even though her best friend has doubts about him. When he proposes and her engagement ring is obviously beyond his financial means, she begins to wonder. While searching for the history of her vintage engagement ring, she comes across an engrossing love story from World War I.
What begins as an intriguing story about lies and secrets that I expected to be more like a Hitchcock movie, ended up being more like a Hallmark story. Add in the (admittedly) touching story of a "no-kill" animal shelter that's about to be closed (and the dogs & cats who live there), there are many moments that tug at the heartstrings. There are several plot twists and turns that keep the storyline interesting. Perhaps my expectations were just misguided, and if I had read the summary more carefully, I would not have been disappointed. Since that was not the case, I'm sure others will have a different opinion, but for me it was just OK.
Well written, with references to the past adding depth to this heartwarming story. Constance has had a difficult childhood, still bearing the wounds. As a paralegal, she works with her best friend Mars, but is not thrilled with her job. When she meets Hayden, she is not sure he is really the one, as they both are keeping secrets from each other. As Constance begins to research an antique ring, she delves further into the lives of a couple who met during WWI, through a memoir. The reading will impact her greatly, letting her see her true worth and raison d’etre. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I am the complete disagreement on this because I am just not a fan of the main characters voice. I just unfortunately, ended up caring more about the letter element than her story.
I love the concept of this. An antique wedding ring leads Constance on a search to find out the history of the ring but leads to so much more. I don’t want to say too much but when chronic yes woman, says yes to marriage and in researching her ring finds correspondence in the pages of an old book her entire life changes. Fischer is an incredibly unique storyteller!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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I knew I was going to love The Book of Silver Linings by the end of the first chapter. In fact, I started telling people to read it before I even made it to the halfway mark. I felt like the story was well-written and relatable, and I really enjoyed watching Constance evolve and grow as the story progressed.
I thought the characters were well developed, and enjoyed the many aspects of found family. Not to mention that much of the story centered around an animal shelter and rescue dogs. What's not to say, I truly loved this book and didn't want it to end.
Nan Fischer is easily an auto-buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she writes next!
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!
The book’s tender conclusion brought me to tears as I never wanted their story to end. I kept hoping more pages would miraculously appear, because once you fall in love with Nan Fischer’s characters, you’ll want to remain in their happy bubble forever.