Part rant about the publishing industry, part heart warming family drama. I’ve read Viola Shipman’s entire backlist, and typically adore Shipman’s tales. In this particular novel, Shipman prioritizes a critique of the publishing industry over plot and character development in the first quarter or so of content, While informative and at times interesting, this choice did not work well for me or, from my vantage point, serve the story well. The book eventually morphs into a more cohesive and entertaining story, more in line with Shipman’s talented works. I was glad I continued to read, and enjoyed the story that followed. Unfortunately, this wasn’t my favorite Shipman novel, however.

Two and a half stars, rounded up due to the apparent personal nature of the opening rants and rages and the ode to books relayed in the subsequent chapters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

This is only the second Shipman book I have read, but I have so many on my TBR - I’m excited to get to them! This one was charming - great characters and a story that certainly kept me turning the pages. I withheld one star as there were some parts where the plot got a little fuzzy and I struggled a bit with what was going on, but it always came back around. Certainly worth the read!

I just could not get into this one. The cover led me to believe it would be a little more cutsey but it was a little more serious and based around publishing. I liked the story that Emma was writing more than the overall book.

This was a lovely book about books and the publishing industry. I loved how it was a little bit mystery, a little bit of a heist, but mostly it was about family and realizing the power of books and rediscovering your direction in life.

I expected to love this one a lot more than I did since books about books are usually right up my alley, but this one just ended up being a middle of the road read for me. The drama surrounding Emma and her family was pretty engaging overall, especially the idea that Emma was kind of a black sheep in their elitist literary family, just like her grandmother before her, and that she wrote a book she was sure they would turn their noses up at.

I think my biggest issues revolved around the plot being somewhat slow moving and that I didn't find many of the characters especially likeable. My favorite character actually ended up being a sassy literary agent that Emma shows her book to partway through the story.

Viola Shipman has done it again. The Page Turner is a heartfelt tribute to the women who guide and lift us up throughout our lives. It is a clever story that uncovers long buried family secrets with the backdrops of Lake Michigan and the cutthroat publishing world.

I highly recommend any novel by this fabulous writer and this latest release is no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. #thepageturner #violashipman

While this wasn't my favorite of this author's work, I still enjoyed the story. Written about a small town in my homestate, it's always fun to read about locations I know and have visited. I liked reading about the close relationship Emma had with her grandmother, especially with how horrible and snobbish the rest of her family are. It took me a while to get into this one but things started to pick up after the halfway point and I did enjoy the satisfying ending although I had guessed it fairly early on.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Started to read the story and I kept thinking I am not liking the start of this story and I hope it gets better. Halfway through is when the story really starts getting interesting and nostalgic. Ended up really enjoying the story.

This was an okay read! Not my favorite but maybe also not the intended audience. Would check it out !!

Really tried to get into this one and eventually accepted this one just isn't for me. I thought this was going to be a RomCom type book and it wasn't.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was not at all what I was expecting. From the cover and the description, I was led to believe it would be a romance but it's not. I enjoyed it, mostly because it took me out of my comfort zone. It was alright in the end.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Meh… this took me over a month to read, if that tells you anything. Very odd opening with a young man pretending to be Julie Andrews from The sound of music . I have zero clue what this had to do with our story….
We follow Emma a new graduate as she meanders her life just after college , this goes on way too long….like 75% of the book…. Het family’s Book Business is the focus and will they ir won’t they survive…Finally we get to the family secret which doesn’t seem like such a big deal…
The author just seemed to want to go on and on and on about the Bechdel test. We get it, good to have women as focus and this definitely passed the test, but we had to hear it repeatedly in case we were too dense to understand!?
Just not a fan of those book.
Thanks Net Galley for the copy.

Synopsis:
Emma Page grew up the black sheep in a bookish household, raised to believe fine literature is the only worthy type of fiction. Her parents, self-proclaimed “serious” authors who run their own vanity press, The Mighty Pages, mingle in highbrow social circles that look down on anything too popular or mainstream, while her sister, Jess, is a powerful social-media influencer whose stylish reviews can make or break a novel.

Hiding her own romance manuscript from her disapproving parents, Emma finds inspiration at the family cottage among the “fluff” they despise: the juicy summer romances that belonged to her late grandmother. But a chance discovery unearthed from her Gigi’s belongings reveals a secret that has the power to ruin her parents’ business and destroy their reputation in the industry—a secret that has already fallen into the hands of an unscrupulous publishing insider with a grudge to settle. Now Emma must decide: As much as she’s dreamed of the day her parents are forced to confront their own egos, can she really just sit back and watch The Mighty Pages be exposed and their legacy destroyed?

I didn't know what I was getting into when reading this synopsis of this book but I'm so glad I got approved for it. The dysfunctional family becoming one that's restored was so well displayed. The way that this books shows that books provide meaning and love is another reason why this is a must read.

I love Viola Shipman's books and was thrilled that THE PAGE TURNER is about the book publishing industry. I also enjoyed the western Michigan setting and the dynamics of the dysfunctional family unit set around the book industry . It is a story of family restoration and the love of books. I highly recommend the book and Wade Rouse's note at the end.

Synopsis:
Emma Page grew up the black sheep in a bookish household, raised to believe fine literature is the only worthy type of fiction. Her parents, self-proclaimed “serious” authors who run their own vanity press, The Mighty Pages, mingle in highbrow social circles that look down on anything too popular or mainstream, while her sister, Jess, is a powerful social-media influencer whose stylish reviews can make or break a novel.

Hiding her own romance manuscript from her disapproving parents, Emma finds inspiration at the family cottage among the “fluff” they despise: the juicy summer romances that belonged to her late grandmother. But a chance discovery unearthed from her Gigi’s belongings reveals a secret that has the power to ruin her parents’ business and destroy their reputation in the industry—a secret that has already fallen into the hands of an unscrupulous publishing insider with a grudge to settle. Now Emma must decide: As much as she’s dreamed of the day her parents are forced to confront their own egos, can she really just sit back and watch The Mighty Pages be exposed and their legacy destroyed?

Thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for the advanced digital copy of the book.

I went into this one blind, purely picked this for the cover alone. Unfortunately the old adage is true for this, as I feel the cover is a bit misleading (this is obviously a subjective opinion). This is not a romance novel and not a rom com. It’s a critical insight into book publishing encapsulating a family drama. The villain in the story is so cartoonish that I kept waiting for a redemption arc that never came. The Grandmother-Granddaughter aspect was a sweet idea in theory but I never felt attached to their relationship. What I really wished the plot was, is the story within the story that is written by the narrator. Instead, we get a caricature of the publishing process and some nepotism and family issues.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to review this book with my honest opinion.

Unequivocally the best! The Page Turner is just that, a page turner, in many ways: a "can't put it down" book, shattering misogynistic beliefs about "romance" and "rom com" genres, and shouting from the rooftops that "voice" can be used for good or evil, but that good must prevail. Viola Turner (pen name) honors strong women, family, and doing what is right and good.

Emma Page is a force to reckon with: young, fresh our of college, and greatly influenced by the love and strength of her late grandmother, GiGi. As she tries to find her own way in the cut throat publishing world, she encounters good and evil, and an enlightening about the importance and love of family, honoring those who love and have helped shape you into the person you are becoming, and using your voice - sometimes loudly. Marcus, the antagonist, is intelligent, but truly evil, unloved and unloving.

I would love to tell you more about the book would do it a disservice, you must read this amazing page turner and warm your heart.

If you are looking for a story to get lost in this spring, pick up a copy of the newly released The Page Turner. When Emma Page returns home following college, she’s expected to take her place in the family publishing business. The only problem? She doesn’t quite fit in with the image her parents have created for themselves with the high-brow vanity press; she would rather read and write romance and women’s stories (gasp!). In Viola Shipman’s newest novel, readers are given an inside look into publishing with a powerful ode to the power all of us have within us to follow our dreams.

I have read and loved many of this author’s books, but the first chapters felt like I was reading something different, and to be honest, I did not love it. The story had a different vibe and some of the language stood out as too modern. In the past I have felt that the stories radiated a timeless quality. However, I stuck with it and soon fell in love with the story of Emma and her family. As per usual for Shipman’s novels, the heroine has to overcome some predicament and experience personal growth along the way. I particularly appreciated that this novel was not at all a romance. If anything, it was about Emma’s relationship with her recently deceased grandmother GiGi and her sister Jess.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The synopsis of this one is so good! I always enjoy a book about books. But…

The overall theme is girl power, let’s be strong and independent women! But the vibe was just kinda off for some reason. I wish the main character was a little more likable, she didn’t really make me root for her like I should have. And the villain…oh dear. I didn’t like the way it resolved at the end. That was not handled well in my opinion.

I read the authors note at the end and he is very passionate about using his grandmothers name as his pen name. I would really like to encourage him to use his name. The whole book is about standing up for yourself and being yourself and reaching for your goals…not hiding behind a pen name. It was odd that he used a pen name after all of that dialogue.

This tried to cover heavy topics and to be inspirational but it just missed the mark with some immature moments. However as the book says there is a reader for every book and this might be a favorite for a lot of readers.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

I read anything written by Viola Shipman! I love all of his references to our beautiful state of Michigan. And in this book, I loved his references to some movies, especially sound of music, which is one of my absolute favorite.
Wade rose never lets me down. I’ve read everyone of his books and they’re all of the same high-quality with wonderful characters. Absolute amazing description. And this one is no exception!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC