Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Excitements by C.J. Wray is delightful. Switching between multiple points of view, it mainly follows the amazing storied lives of two elederly sisters, Josephine and Penny.

They may appear to be sweet, little old ladies, great aunts to their nephew, Archie. The two sisters are World War II veterans who’ve lived so many lives, I don’t think I could adequately detail them here.

If you like a well written tale about two sisters who defied their situations in life to become heroes in their own rights, this story is for you.

This book was such a delight to read. I am a huge fan of books with elderly main characters. The two main characters in this book happen to be sisters who were heavily involved in WWII. Now in their nineties, the sisters are in France receiving an award for their efforts during the war liberating France. The two sisters dote on their great nephew Archie who has no clue about their history. Always in search for their next “excitement,” the sisters intend to pull off one last hurrah. The witty banter and interesting history makes this a very fun read. I enjoyed this book so much and look forward to reading more from this author.

This is a charming tale of 90 yr old sisters and their nephew Archie. WWII vets, they are spry and spunky and hold secrets that their family does not know. I'm always looking for older protagonists and this one took the cake with witty banter! Flowing from past to present we get the well-rounded tale of how they've come to be up for a big award. I really enjoyed Archie's character as well and his fierce protectiveness of their happiness.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read (earlier this year - sorry I'm late!) and review. I would like to see more like this!

Short synopsis: The Williamson sisters who were both WWII Veterans searching for their next adventure. Traveling to France to receive a special award with their nephew Archie, the women have something else up their sleeve, a secret mission to right some wrongs.

My thoughts: It's no secret that I love me a story with some plucky old women, and this one hit the mark just right! I loved how fiery and witty they both were, even though they were both well into their 90s. The timeline switches between now and their time in the war were done so seamlessly. The story immediately captivated me! I love a strong female character, but these two women who had hidden their true efforts in a major war just totally amplified the narrative.

Read if you love:
- WWII Veterans
- Amazing women
- World travel and adventures
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This was such a fun one! I love the unique characters and the setting of the book made me want to visit Paris soon. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and will need to be on the look out for other books by this author.

Regrettably had to DNF this at about the halfway mark. It was too much of a jumble, just literally felt like a whole bunch of different ideas were thrown in a bucket and shook up together then poured out in no particular order, which is a shame because there was certainly some interesting stuff in here!

Also, fullest of disclosures: there's a throughline of casual theft throughout this book, in which a character steals jewelry from boutiques. I think we're supposed to be all "haha, get 'em!" because she's stealing from like, Cartier, but I worked in a small boutique and a bracelet theft occurred on my watch once and I got so much shit for it - the owner even tried to (illegally! she was a bad person) dock my pay for it. So as much as I wish I could enjoy the concept of pocketing marquise blood diamonds I just kept feeling too bad for the clerks who would one way or another likely suffer from it. Sorry for my retail worker sympathies.

My thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own, and this book totally may be your speed if you're unencumbered by terrible boss PTSD!

THE EXCITEMENTS was such a fun read. Wray constructed a tale with the perfect balance of personal flashbacks, witty banter, heart, and suspense. The Williamson sisters will steal your heart and maybe a little more if they don’t get caught.

What can one say about Josephine and Penny Williamson? These two women are fabulous characters. The author brings them to life with her prose. The flashbacks were perfectly timed and added all the information the reader wants to know about the history of our leading ladies. Their story is made up of intrigue and secrets, but also with emotional and touching moments as well. And let us not forget Archie. His character is a wonderful counterpoint to our feisty seniors.

Honestly, if you want a quick read that is entertaining, heartfelt, and has a little action, THE EXCITEMENTS is a great option.

This is a cute story about two elderly sisters who are always searching for the next “excitements” in their lives. The book starts with the sisters planning a trip to Paris with their nephew Archie as there next adventure. There are flashbacks throughout the book that also tell a story of the sisters and their experiences while serving in World War II. I enjoyed the contrast between past and present, which added more depth to the characters and also gave kind of a separate plot line.

An unconventional mystery with heart and wit, perfect for readers who love historical fiction, heists, and cunning elderly protagonists.

What a witty, exciting, and brilliant story! Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn's Killers of a Certain Age, The Excitements was everything I wanted it to be and more. The intricate plot, fast pace, colorful cast of characters, and rich details should excite any potential reader. They won't be disappointed!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

I adored The Excitements. It was amusing, informative and touching. The characters are so engaging and I was blind sided by the outcomes.

The past comes to bear on nonagenarian British WWII veteran sisters, Penny and Josephine Williamson. As the women prepare to receive another award for their service (this time for their help liberating France). Some old vendettas emerge, and the sisters prepare to pull off a heist to settle some outstanding debts. What are these debts? As that adventure unfolds, the author fills in the past 90-plus years of Penny and Josephine's lives, making readers privy to secrets that neither sister has dared to share with the other, particularly when it comes to their extracurricular activities during wartime. This novel is filled with surprise, poignancy, and excitement.

A wonderful novel about two women who worked during World War 2 . It opened my curiousity of what women really did World War 2. I mainly thought of them as nurses, ambulance drivers on occasion. I loved that their joie de vivre has been a lifelong condition that shows no signs of letting go.

Loved how charming the elderly main characters were. Would gladly spend several books with them. A bit like The Golden Girls, but with a bit more intrigue.

This book was so quirky and fun, with an interesting historical background intertwined. Quirky old ladies, a multigenerational secret, stolen jewelry, and some of the coolest grandmas anyone could ask for.

I enjoyed this book - the storylines between the past and present were interesting and both kept me wanting to know more. I liked the characters, and felt very “Toujours gai!”

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Excitements" by C.J. Wray is a fun, surprising, wonderful novel about elderly sisters and their nephew, who "still got it"! Spunky and full of unexpected twists and drama. Definitely an entertaining read. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Excitements by C J Wray
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Josephine and Penny are sisters who are World War 2 veterans. Now in their ninties, they are always asking their great-nephew what new “excitements” he has planned for them. On a trip to Paris to receive medals, the sisters manage to get a lot more excitement than they were looking for.
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What I liked:
-This book was not what I was expecting it to be and I was pleasantly surprised by that!
-Josephine and Penny were a lot of fun, but especially Penny! She was an energetic and fiesty lady with a backstory that was incredible.
-The charity party was such fun to read as the story kept getting more and more interesting.
-I loved that this book felt different from all other World War 2 HF I’ve read. We need more Penny and Josephine’s in our lives.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love fiesty old ladies who are more than they seem to be, than I would love to recommend Penny and Josephine to you.

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐈'𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. This wasn’t the case for this book for some reason. I’m not sure if it’s because I just finished an amazing historical fiction that left me with a huge book hangover and nothing will seem to live up to those expectations right now or what, but this was just meh for me. Don’t get me wrong, it had its moments that made me chuckle and some that were pretty interesting, but it wasn’t giving me that strong pull feeling. I really tried, and while I did finish the whole book, it took a little longer than normal because I just really wasn’t into it. Maybe I’ll try and give it another go in the future and see if I change my mind.
Thank you Netgalley, William Morrow and CJ Wray for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a fun read! Reading about the shenanigans these two cause and the chaos they leave behind was great! Josephine and Penny are charming and funny and they were so easy to root for. I definitely recommend this to fans of mystery and humor

The Excitements”: A captivating novel that seamlessly blends historical fiction, mystery, and adventure. Author Wray skillfully portrays elderly heroines who defy stereotypes, offering a refreshing perspective. While the plot occasionally tests believability, the sheer delight of accompanying Josephine and Penny on their escapades more than compensates. I recommend this book to readers who value strong female characters, wartime intrigue, and a touch of humor.