Reasons For Reading This Book:
If you have followed my blog or book reviews for a while then you will know that my best friend and I are always recommending or not recommend books to one another. We have both read The Husband Hour by Jamie Brenner and liked it so she decided to read another one of the author’s books, Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner. My best friend told me that she did not expect the ending but very much enjoyed the book and recommended it. In between book club books I picked up a copy from the library and got to reading it. My best friend said nothing else about the book and I did not read the summary before starting it. I just jumped right in!
Content of This Book:
The unexpected death of famous artist Henry Wyatt in the small beach town of Sag Harbor brought together a group of people. Emma Mapson is a single mother raising a teen who loves her job at the American Hotel. Emma was born and raised in Sag Harbor and has never dreamed of leaving. Her teenage daughter, Penny, inherited Henry Wyatt's Sag Harbor architectural masterpiece of a house and art collection. Henry's death brings Manhattan acclaimed art patron Bea Winstead, Henry's lifelong friend and former business partner to Sag Harbor, a place she never understood why he left New York for. Emma and Bea have opposing views of how Henry's house and inheritance should be handled. In hopes of discovering the clues left behind by Henry, unexpected twists draw them together in their fights for the house. Emma and Bea are forced to confront the past while facing a future that challenges everything they believe about love, fate, and family.
What I Liked About This Book:
Once I realized how many characters were involved in the narration, I was worried that some of the narration would sound the same and blend together instead of each character having their own voice and standing out. Overall the author made each character’s voice unique and varied depending on who they are. With the vast differences in the character’s (age, social class, occupation, etc.) the author was able to give a well-rounded perspective of the entire story because each character played a different role and had different opinions about what was happening. I feel as though there is a character or parts of characters that all readers can relate to in some way. While reading I found myself rooting for one character at a certain part and then doing the same for a different character at a different part. Each character was developed well by showing both highs and lows, good qualities and not so good qualities. The author also had each character have a true high point and a low point making their inclusion in the plot meaningful and impactful. The frequency of each character’s inclusion in the narrative varied depending on their involvement in the current plot point. I liked that the author did not just add a section from a character just because we had not heard from them in a while. Each section of narration was intentional and worthwhile for the progression of the plot. I always forget to mention this is the reasons for reading, but my best friend’s college degree is in art history and so is her career. I love that she recommends books to me about art because it is something I don’t know much about and am happy to learn. This book taught me about a side of art and the art world that I did not know much about. These teachable moments were weaved into the narration and helped me to understand the importance of the art and legacy of an artist. As a reader who always wants to know more, I appreciated the epiloge and thank the author for giving an ending and then some. The last thing I will say is that the premise of the book does not seem all too interesting but it really becomes an entertaining and engaging plot from start to finish.
What I Disliked About This Book:
There is nothing I disliked about the book other than wanting to have a chapter or prologue from Henry Wyatt the artist who died suddenly and in all due respect started this mess. I get why the author did not do this because he was not alive to be a part of the narrative, but his perspective would have been interesting and insightful. I guess another thing that I disliked about the book was the perspective it gave me on OCD, mental health, and treatment of mental health. I agree with some of the things that were said and done to ‘treat’ Penny's OCD. As someone with OCD it did reignite habits in me that I had broken. I also found myself frustrated with this plot point and how it was handled by the doctor and parents. This is solely a personal opinion and stems from my personal experiences.
Would I Recommend This Book?
I was so engrossed in the plot and characters that I read this book very quickly. I was always thinking about it and anticipated when I got to pick it up next. Whether you are into art of not there is something in the book for everyone. I recommend it and feel like it is a worthwhile read.
2022 Book Rankings
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
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Environmental and Sustainability Book Reviews 2022
Self-Improvement Book Reviews 2022
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
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Girls With Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman
Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton
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The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives by Brian Moylan
Verity by Colleen Hoover
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
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Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart
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Majesty: American Royals 2 by Kathrine McGree
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Check out my book reviews for 2021!!
2021 Book Rankings
Beach Read By Emily Henry
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Educated by Tara Westover
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Klara and the Sun
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
American Duchess by Karen Harper
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Girl With No Job by Claudia Oshry
Down the Habit Hole by Holly Madison Book Review
My Story by Elizabeth Smart
Layla by Colleen Hoover
Check out my book reviews for 2019!!
September Book Review: Alex and Eliza: Love and War
August Book Review: Alex and Eliza: A Love Story
July Book Review: The Husband Hour
June Book Review: The Perfect Mother
May Book Review: Into the Water
April Book Review: Fangirl
March Book Review: Eleanor & Park
February Book Review: Turtles All The Way Down
January Book Review: The Becoming of Noah Shaw
Check out my book reviews from 2018!!
December Book Review: Presumed Innocent
November Book Review: Visible Empire
October Book Review: The Bees
September Book Review: The Silent Sister
August Book Review: Dark Places
August Book Review: Sharp Objects
July Book Review: The Widow
June Book Review: Allegedly
May Book Review: Wonder
April Book Review: Columbine
March Book Review: Gone Girl
February Book Review: The Woman in the Window
January Book Review: The Worst Hard Time
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