The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (but perhaps, should)

Posted on by Jan tramontano

To say that I am a faithful admirer of Elizabeth Strout’s novels is an understatement. There is something about the way she tells her stories that has appealed to me from her very first novel. With her direct prose and her subtle piecing together the broken pieces of lives of her characters, I think about them long after I’ve read them or as the case may be, reread them.  Along with her many other awards, including a Pulitzer, this book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It’s not so much that I want to review this book but want to talk about it for the way it calls out a subject that we are superficially obsessed with— in the press, social media, in the ether. Loneliness. The new epidemic social condition.

The Paris Express: A Tale of French Society Through the Lens of a Speeding Train

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This book provides an interesting mix of reality with fiction. Emma Donoghue, award winning novelist has used her considerable skills to create excitement and mystery around a real-life 1895 train crash. She fills the story with both people who lived at the time alongside an array of fictional characters.

Can a Mother’s One Small Act of Courage Create a Ripple of Change?

Posted on by Jan tramontano

I was initially intrigued by the idea of a life being driven by a name. It made me think of names I would have preferred instead of my own and how they might have affected my personality and relationships differently. But alas, this book is about so much more than this. This is the story of violent, sustained domestic abuse and the ripple effect it has on the entire sphere of those affected by it. While the names each have their own connotation, they are the vehicle upon which to drive the story. The central question of the book is: how can a single change made on a whim on a single day change the dynamics of a life in ways we could never imagine?

A Climate Memoir: Love, Loss, and Healing

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Health Communications, Inc. 2026 I know Cara Benson as a poet and teacher. About twenty years ago, I took a seminar with her. She was ebullient, enthusiastic, exuded confidence in her subject matter. It was an environment in which to thrive. We in the seminar called it poetry heaven. The ten of us who couldn’t … Continue reading A Climate Memoir: Love, Loss, and Healing

Exploring Claire of the Sea Light: A Review of Edwidge Danticat’s Novel

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Vintage. 2013 To borrow Ann Patchett’s tagline on her Friday morning social media reel, If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you!  This novel is one of those treasures I missed along the way, that I’m so glad I found. Shelved in the book club section of my library, this 2013 novel written by Haitian … Continue reading Exploring Claire of the Sea Light: A Review of Edwidge Danticat’s Novel

Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise

Posted on by Jan tramontano
Path along green cliffs overlooking rough ocean waves under cloudy sky

There have been many stories addressing issues of child and drug abuse, trafficking, and threats of violence and displacement. This makes it difficult to find fresh ways of telling that story. Author Charleen Hurtubise has done this beautifully. I was immersed from the very beginning. The characters felt very real and the protagonist, Saoirse, though complex and broken, was able not only to survive but to love deeply despite that origin story.

Late Flight To Lisbon: A Journey of Healing and Love

Posted on by Jan tramontano

I haven’t read a romance in many years and if this book is any example, they have deepened in a variety of ways. While the rich, handsome hero is in place and the strong heroine may be swept off her feet,she knows who she is and what she wants. The beauty of found family and the pleasure experienced by the wealthy sparkle with description. But beneath the glamor, the globetrotting and a magical life when money and time are plentiful, this story explores some very serious issues.

Meanwhile… As the Story Moves On

Posted on by Jan tramontano

There is a lot in this book that I never thought about. Much of it covers familiar ground. It is a story of three characters at a crossroad whose lives converge. It is about forgiveness. It is about the long arm of incarceration. And of course, it is about the power of books. But most of all it examines how single, life changing moments may have the power to override all your life has been and will be. 

Theo of Golden: A Story of Kindness and Generosity

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Simon & Schuster 2025 Theo of Golden began its publishing journey as a self published book written by 70 year old Allen Levi as a debut novel. Through word of mouth, he sold 10,000 copies and was then picked up by Simon & Schuster. A dream come true. The reason, I think, is that it … Continue reading Theo of Golden: A Story of Kindness and Generosity

The Haunting Toll of a Missing Child

Posted on by Jan tramontano

When a child goes missing, an unfathomable nightmare begins for a family, the community and the police. Yet, we have a bizarre fascination with these events as evidenced by the upsurge in true crime media. It seems people can’t get enough of podcasts, TV shows, movies and books. Although some of this story has the feel of a whodunnit and what happened, at its core it's about the forever toll a child gone missing takes on families and neighbors. It weakens faith in home as a place of safety. What piqued my interest in this novel is how characters with different kinds of involvement weathered the loss.