This book unravelled differently than I thought. Two different sisters going thru two completely different life events. One who was running away from her past and one who needed to escape from the present all while going thru a major family event. Gia was always the rebel. It is she who was behind the episode leading to the Banned Book Club. Gia left town to create a life far away in Alaska and has not really wanted to return. Gia’s sister, Margot (a way to make her Margaret more appealing) has always been the good one, the studious one and the one whose life looked good. However, Margot's marriage is not what it seems and the care of her mother has not been easy. When Margot asks Gia to visit, the stage is set. The twists and turns intensify. The truth has a way to reveal itself and people will need to check themselves. Brenda Novak writes relevant material and makes it relatable. Definitely recommend this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

2 sisters, a small town and 2 very different lives.
After something happens in Gia's last year of high school she skips town and it hardly seen.

Gia returns home following her mothers illness’ worsening. Margot the devoted wife and mother packs up and leaves town.

The book follows the sister lives as they navigate the changes that come with life.

3 stars, the book was okay, its not one i would consider a thriller.

Books play only a nominal role in this story about a woman who returns to her hometown to help take care of her mother, and faces backlash from the community because as a high school student she made an assault allegation against a well-respected teacher. The story elements, including the sister who is running from domestic violence, are interesting. However, I didn't appreciate the references to the character who must have something wrong with him because he stays up all night reading. It seems that the author is being the hand that feeds her by alienating avid readers.

Everyone has always encouraged me to read Brenda Novak, and I never have until now. The Banned Books Club has left me a huge fan of her work. I mean what book lover is not going to love a book about a book club? This one had mystery and romance both- I was not expecting the romance. Compelling story lines and lovable characters made this an easy 4 star read for me. I highly recommend both this book & the author!


Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, & MIRA for the ARC copy of this book.

Wow, just wow. This book is so full of drama, you won't be able go put it down. It draws you in on the very first line.

I highly recommend this book. But don't start it until you have time go read it from cover to cover.

I felt as if this book was titled to be one thing and ended up being another. I thought it was about a group of people reading and discussing banned books and there would be conversations about literature. Instead, it was about domestic abuse, teenage sexual assault, and dying from cancer. Every once in a while there would be a mention of the Banned Books Club meeting, and even more rarely was a banned book mentioned--the club could have been a gardening club, a postcard club, or a romance reading club and the story could have been the same. The characters were interesting, but some of them were clichés and even though Margot (Margaret) made a major change in her life, the reader does not see her make the decision to leave, it was already planned and we only see the results. Gia is a courageous character, and although the assault is referred to we don’t see the angst that she must have gone through. We are told the setting is Iowa, but actually it could have been anywhere. All that being said, although the story seems to be mainly on the surface, it is definitely readable and if you are looking for a romance with a lot of baggage, you might like it.

I read this ARC on NetGalley
The things we go through as teens affect our lives. The decisions we make and partners we choose affect our futures. This book has family drama, love, overcoming obstacles and some mystery. I found myself fully immersed into the story and could not put it down!

Brenda Novak writes the kinds of stories that readers love. She creates good characters, a domestic world that is complex, settings that feel real, and enough plot/romance to keep the pages turning.

This time Novak features two sisters. Gia was always the rebel. It is she who was behind the episode leading to the Banned Book Club. Gia left town to create a life far away in Alaska and has not really wanted to return.

Gia’s sister, Margot (a way to make her Margaret more appealing) has always been the good one, the studious one and the one whose life looked good. However, Margot’s marriage is not what it seems and the care of her mother has not been easy. When Margot asks Gia to visit, the stage is set. Readers will want to know what happens next.

It is easy to recommend this title to those who are already fans of the author and those who enjoy women’s fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Such an amazing story. I loved the characters. The family dynamic is strong and a wonderful focus. This story will have you staying up late to find out what happens next. The small town rumor mill is lethal and how a dramatic incident involving a stellar citizen of their community has the entire town divided and choosing sides. A beautiful story of family, strength, and forgiveness.
Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

4 stars

I truly appreciate that Brenda Novak took on the topic of banned books! I enjoyed this story, but the ending seemed a bit rushed. Also, some of the dialogue was stiff. Nonetheless, I am a Brenda Novak fan and glad she used her platform to bring attention to the topic of book banning.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Another incredible read by Brenda Novak. I loved the deeply flawed characters with all the baggage, they seemed so realistic and relatable. It seemed a bit slow in the beginning but once it got going I couldn’t put it down. So many lessons seem to be present in this book and I adored it, an absolute must read.

Although the premise is about the creation of the banned books and how a book club can bring people together based on shared interests, it quickly evolved into the importance of family and how strong and resilient a woman such as Margot can be in the face of adversity. Gia returns to Wakefield to help her dying mother with the resolve if returning to her home as quickly as possible with no intent of ever returning. As the story takes place, it is certainly understandable given what had transpired during her high school years and the speculation surrounding the truthfulness of her story. However as it becomes clear whom the perpetrator is, the family closes rank and Cormac comes to her defense. I was so impressed by Margot and her willingness to leave everything behind in order to protect herself and her children. It certainly became apparent as Sheldon's character was revealed as to why. Yes, the book did end on a sad note; however, the promise of love and happiness as to the future left any reader excited about the next steps for these characters.

I fell in love with Brenda Novak’s books years ago and I adore them all. This one was great and I already can’t wait for her next one.

Brenda Novak is one of my favorite authors. She outdid herself with this book. Gia left town 17 years ago with a scandal with her teacher and nobody believed her. Gias sister Margot talkes her into coming to Iowa to help take care of her terminally ill mother. It appears that still nobody believes her on the incident that happened with her teacher. Margot wants out of an abusive marriage and runs away. This book is about family ties and of course new loves

I loved this Brenda Novak book. Gia comes home to help with her Mother who is ill. She has to face the family of the man who she accused of abuse when she was a teen. Her sister Margot was going through a bad marriage. A little bit of mystery and a nice romance. It was a hard book to put down.

I loved this book!
The title is somewhat misleading, as it's not a book revolving around a banned book club. While there is a banned book club one of the MCs brings back after not having one since high school, it's not the center of the book. However, this book is about two sisters who are dealing with small town life. I love that Novak brings in some harder issues that come up in life; abuse, sexual and verbal, harassment, bullying among others. Both Margot and Gia do their best to handle things. One flees and it's not the one I would've expected it to be.

All the characters were well written for their parts. Gia, Margot, Cormack, Ida, Leo all extremely lovable. This was a perfect little HEA that I wouldn't have thought would have come about with how the beginning of the book started.

Novak did a wonderful job with this one. 100% will recommend.

Thank you netgalley for the arc of this book.
I love all Brenda Novak books and this one doesn’t disappoint. Two sisters both going through different things in their life all while their mother is dying from cancer. Margo gets Gia to come home to spend some time with their mother while she’s dying. Gia has never been home for more than a few days at a time because of what happened 17 years ago about things her teacher had done that some people still don’t believe happened Margo needed her to come home to take care of her mom so she would be able to leave her no good husband.
This book was heartwarming and had some romance in it. I’d definitely recommend it.

Good book with compelling storylines and drama. I liked the connection between the sisters and how the story unfolded. There were a few plot items that had me a bit confused but the overall story was well thought out and executed. Abuse and trauma are part of this story but well handled and tactfully done. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and I thank the Author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.

I went into this book blindly, expecting a story about a book club that reads banned books, but this book went much deeper than that. I loved the strong connection between the sisters, Gia and Margot. The book explores past trauma and domestic abuse and how they can affect those around them. Despite the serious themes, there was also a sense of lightness with the romantic subplot woven throughout the story. This book was still good and I would read more books by the author.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Harlequin Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

One lie or so it seems turns one town against each other. While tearing several families apart. Love - sickness - and learning to forgive are the central focal point of this book.