First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Definitely worth the read!

Viola Shipman is a new to me author. I had heard so much about him and was so excited to finally be reading one of his books. The hopes I had for this book were so high. I started this book, got about 15% into it and had to stop. I had no clue what was happening and just could not follow the book. About 1 month later, I picked up the book again and I devoured it. I could not wait to have time to read, I stayed up late, got up early, and read at every chance I could.

I love Emma. She respects her parents and sister but still wants to be her own person, her own author. She understands that there are different types of books and readers. What her parents write is not what she wants to write. Emma stands up for herself while being respectful of those around her, unless they are named Marcus. I love her grit, her fearlessness, her strong opinions, her belief in herself, and most of all her love of family.

The Page Turner is a wonderful book. I am excited to continue reading Viola Shipman’s books.

When I first started this book I thought I was about to hit a book slump. But in true Viola fashion…I was pulled into this tale.

Emma is kind of the black sheep of the Page Family. Her family has been in the book publishing business for years but Emma just can’t seem to do anything right. And when her family signs a deal to help save the family business, but Emma has first hand knowledge that this is going to blow up in their faces, she has a big decision to make.

Emma is a character that my heart went out to. She is pushed around a bit by her family….but don’t worry…she comes into her own. And yes, she discovers a secret or two or three!

I love how this author can take a dysfunctional family and create a tale that is heartwarming.

I also loved the author’s note! If you don’t read anything else…READ THAT. Especially if you have loved books your whole life, it will give you strength and acceptance.


The narrator, Katharine Chin, could not have been better. I loved her as Jess!

Need a tale about power and family…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book. I am certain from the other reviews that plenty of people will enjoy The Page Turner but for me it was a miss. I just could not get pulled into this story.

The beautiful cover immediately caught my attention, and the words within were a wonderful companion. This story gives an inside look at the many struggles writers can face, especially when you have parents who are authors and publishers. I truly felt for Emma, as I grew up feeling like a black sheep in my family as well. This story gives us a taste of a beautiful relationship between a girl and her grandmother, the feud of sisters, the fear of disappointing your parents, how to deal with entitled scumbags, and a touch of uncovering a family mystery. This was my second book by this author, the first being The Heirloom Garden, and I will be reading more.

Ordinarily I would have been all about this book about a romance loving writer trying to defend her chosen profession and genre but ever since I learned the author is actually a man, reading about his feminist romance books just doesn't ring the same. Good on audio and okay overall, I liked but didn't love this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and Graydon House for the advanced reader's copy of The Page Turner by Viola Shipman.

I really enjoyed this engaging story of a romance writer who is the daughter of parents who run a publishing company but only publish high brow type books. She discovers her parent's business is in trouble and they've gotten in bed with this sleazy author who is popular and they think is going to help bail them out. Our main character finds something off about him. And she's right. I wasn't initially keen on the dynamics between the sisters. The sister of our main character was not likeable in the beginning however half way through the book that dynamic turned around.

Overall, I loved this story and found our main character really admirable.

The Page Turner by Viola Shipman is absolutely a "page-turner"! This book features a peek inside the publishing of the books we love to read. It also takes place in my home state of Michigan where Shipman's books are frequently set. But this is not your typical Lake Michigan cozy cottage chick lit beach read, this is next level up for Shipman and I absolutely enjoyed it! I see peaks of the author in the characters of this book (the running for one) and I can really identify with Emma's character. This book is about family and friendships, secrets, trust, revenge, forgiveness, and the power of women. A beautiful story so beautifully written, touching and definitely a page-turner! 4.5 ⭐s

Thank you first and foremost to net galley and viola shipman for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review! I gave it a 3.5

This was a big miss for me. The plot is fine and I was very drawn in by the title and cover. But the substance is lacking and downright infuriating. Every character is over the top and so stereotypical. The villain literally lurks in corners sneering and mouthing threats and making lecherous comments, the snobby parents are apparently so snobby they can’t even listen to their adult children and only care about Botox and expensive property to a point of ridiculousness. The main character, who is meant to be the antithesis of her parents and the champion of the story, is utterly annoying and frustrating. This was almost a DNF and I unfortunately cannot recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is full of pretentious caricatures that at no point did I want to root for. Emma is what someone who has never been a 22 year old woman thinks 22 year old women are. She is naive, full of herself, and believes she is the savior of publishing and her entire family. Every other family member is given one trait and that’s it. Her mother: narcissistic snob. Her father: just give of there. Jess: bitchy older sister. Gigi: doting grandmother who only speaks in feminist rants and book quotes. Marcus: cartoon villain and misogynist.

The letter to readers at the end made all of this make sense when you find out Viola Shipman is a pen name and this is written by a man.

Also, why is the author obsessed with the Bechdel test? It’s referenced 15 separate times. I thought we left that behind in the 2010s.

This book can’t decide what it wants to be. Is it contemporary fiction? Is it a mystery thriller? The whole thing is repetitive and does more telling than showing.

This book is about a recent college graduate trying to save her parents' publishing company. There are so many implausible situations in this book that I can't begin to list them all. Additionally, I'm a big believer in "show, don't tell" writing, and all this book does is tell. I felt like the author was completely dismissive of his readers' intelligence (yes, Viola Shipman is a pseudonym for a male author.) Just when I thought I couldn't dislike this book more than I did, I got to the "Personal Letter to Readers" at the end of the book. The very long, unnecessary letter continued the "telling."

2.75 stars.

This one was not for me. I thought the first half was very pretentious with an unlikable main character who whined a lot. The second half got a bit better. There was a lot of commentary in the form of dialogue on the publishing industry which came across heavy-handed to me. The main character’s parents were one-dimensional as was the villiam of the piece, an unscrupulous author. I found the book lacked charm. Overall, this book just did not work for me but others may well like it.

Thanks to the publisher for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Emma is still in the depths of grief following her grandmother's passing when she finds herself at her family's cottage. She wants to sink into the familiar: the comfort of her grandmother's enormous romance novel collection. Her elitist family, famous for their own "serious author" press, The Mighty Pages, can't understand why Emma won't grow up and get on board. Emma can't understand why they can't simply live within their means, fearing that they will soon lose The Mighty Pages due to their carelessness. When she discovers an enemy trying to destroy her family from within, and uncovers secrets from her Grandmother's past hidden within the cottage, she is more determined than ever to save her family...even if that means telling her family that she wrote [and is seeking to publish] a romance novel of her own.

This was such a fun read. While some of the characters downright annoyed me, they were all absolutely necessary to the telling of the story. I loved how relatable Emma and her whole family were; so real and flawed. Also loved the Michigan setting...I feel like I haven't read a book set there before. Or if I have, it wasn't described well enough for me to remember it and this had me swooning for a state I never even wanted to visit before.

I would love a prequel and a sequel, if I am being perfectly honest. I am dying to know more about what happens with her family next, but also more about the generations before Emma.

The Page Turner by Viola Shipman is a sharp and refreshingly contemporary novel, full to the brim of Michigan references that the author is known for. One again, Viola Shipman has delivered a heartwarming tale that masterfully blends family drama with literary intrigue.

At its center is Emma Page, a young romance writer whose success in her chosen genre becomes the catalyst for upheaval in her intellectually elitist family. The story follows Emma, a recent college graduate who has secretly written an entire novel, as she navigates the complex dynamics of being the black sheep in a family of literary snobs. What makes this novel particularly engaging is its timely nature, peppered with relevant pop culture references that ground the narrative firmly in our present moment.

Shipman's greatest triumph lies in the authentic exploration of family relationships, particularly the touching bond between Emma and her grandmother, Gigi. The novel serves as both a love letter to complicated families and a reminder that books themselves can be family too, creating a multi-layered narrative that resonates on several levels. The author's wit shines through in the clever dialogue and situational humor, making what could have been a heavy family drama into something more digestible and entertaining. The plot, described as "sharp, witty and entirely delightful," delivers on its promise, offering readers a perfect blend of humor and heart. What's particularly noteworthy is how Shipman tackles the often-fraught subject of artistic legitimacy in the literary world. Through Emma's journey as a romance writer in a family that prizes traditional literary fiction, the novel raises interesting questions about the validity of different genres and the often arbitrary nature of literary elitism.

For me, a Shipman completist, this has proven to be one of Shipman's strongest work to date - serving not only as an ode to the written word but also as a powerful testament to female strength and the courage to follow one's passion despite familial expectations. I recommend The Page Turner to readers who enjoy family dramas with a contemporary edge, fans of books about books, and anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in their own family.

The Page Turner offers a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience that will likely leave you reflecting on your own family dynamics and the books that have shaped your life.

Something was…off about this book. It had all the makings of a good story, but it fell flat and felt hollow. I pushed through, hoping the ending would redeem it, but upon reading the author’s note at the end, it all made sense. This entire book is centered on women and their struggles, and yet it always missed the mark. Well, imagine my surprise when I realized the author was a man posing as a woman! No wonder it didn’t resonate. The very last thing we need right now is more men pretending to be women and acting as if they have any idea what the struggles are that we face. Wish I could unread, but instead I’ll give it one star.

Thanks to Graydon House for an advanced copy of The Page Turner by Viola Shipman/Wade .

The Page Turner is a women's fiction about family secrets and how we see ourselves all in a literary themed novel.

Emma grew up in a literary family - except that only fine literature counts. Her parents run a literary press and look down on anything mainstream and her sister is a social media influencer who can make or break a novel and Emma has a secret romance manuscript that she knows her family would disapprove of.

I loved the Michigan setting and seeing Emma challenge her family. While she was a little whiney and pretentious at times, she was 22 so I did keep that in mind. Most of the other characters weren't really likeable, and that distracted from my enjoyment.

One thing that was weird was the prologue. Not sure why that was even included.

I loved the author's note about why he writes and uses Viola Shipman as a pen name.

Recognizing that not every book is for every reader, I’m always cognizant of an author’s hard work to put words to paper. I’m envious of their talent and courage to put their work out there for others to critique. That being said, this book was a big miss for me and I’ll be as kind as possible in telling you why.

If I wanted to spend time reading about or interacting with insufferable, detestable characters, I would focus on the news. Real life is full of them. The only character I even tolerated in this book is VV and that’s only because she is fully aware that she is an acquired taste. The main character, Emma Page? Horrid, whiny, spoiled. Emma’s parents and sister? Pretentious, miserable, demeaning. Marcus Flare, the villain? Sexist, abusive, creepy.

I am fully aware that Violet Shipman is the pen name for Wade Rouse. I’ve read other books by him and never got the misogynistic vibe this book gave me. Frankly, it was off putting.

I generously gave this book 2⭐️; one for Katherine Chin’s narration and one for the behind the scenes look at the publishing industry. I will say, however, that my interactions with authors and publishing professionals have been the polar opposite of what Shipman/Rouse portrays. Thank goodness.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, It was different than I thought it would be. I loved the family dynamic in this book. I look forward to reading the next book that Viola Shipman writes. The ending was really good. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

THE PAGE TURNER – Viola Shipman
Graydon House
ISBN: 978-1525804878
April 8, 2025
Contemporary Fiction

South Haven, Michigan – Present Day

Emma Page grew up as the black sheep in a publishing family. Her parents are both published and run a publishing house. Her older sister Jess runs the publicity for the publishing house. Unfortunately, her family lives beyond their means but can’t see it. Emma recently graduated from college and her family expects her to work for them. She would rather stay in Michigan at the beach house her grandmother owned and left to the family. Her grandmother was her idol. Emma has secretly written a romance novel, but she doesn’t feel comfortable telling her family. They disparage the romance book industry because they feel their books are “literacy masterpieces” and romances are trash. They recently signed to their publishing house Marcus Flare, who writes fiction that could lean toward being romance novels. But like her parents, Marcus dislikes romance books. Emma hates Marcus because he’s a smug bastard. As her family pressures Emma to come to New York to work for them, she ponders the past with her beloved grandmother and the books they both enjoyed, by an author named S. I. Quaeris, who wrote romance. The books continue to call to Emma and she can’t quite put her finger on why that is happening.

Secrets are revealed in the tantalizing new tale from Viola Shipman in THE PAGE TURNER. I figured out the one secret early on, but more are soon revealed by the end. In fact, the ending wasn’t quite what I expected. Emma would be what some people call having “her head in the clouds.” She loves reading books, especially romance books but it is frowned upon by her parents. Only her beloved grandmother shared her love. After her grandmother’s untimely death, the cottage was left to the family, and they occasionally spent time there. However, her parents want to sell it and buy a mansion on Long Island amongst the rich and influential. They can’t quite see that they are spending beyond their means. Oddly, Emma is the sensible one because she suspects the truth about their finances. She could walk away and let them fall apart but the publishing company was founded by her grandmother to help her father publish his first novel. It’s her legacy.

Meanwhile, Marcus continues to be a pain in the rear. He is not a likable person at all in THE PAGE TURNER and it’s confirmed time and time again. He finally backs Emma into a corner. She will have to choose family over truth because she has no other way out. It is about this time that this tale really takes off and readers will become engrossed in finding out what happens. Will Emma save the day…and the family business? She wants to tell her family about her romance manuscript but fears their derision. Will she finally get the gumption to submit it to either them or somewhere else? Will there be a happy ending?

An emotional tale that tugs at the heart, don’t miss THE PAGE TURNER.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today