I didn’t write a book of the month post last month because with all the traveling that I did in September, I only finished reading one book and it wasn’t one that I would highly recommend.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant
Kayte Nunn
Three storylines about three very different women gradually come together in this engaging novel which I found difficult to put down.
In 1951, Esther Durrant, a young mother suffering from severe depression, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband who has no idea how to cope with her anguish. There she is cared for by a pioneering psychiatrist who normally only treats men who are suffering from war-related traumas, but who agrees to take her on as a favour to her husband, his long-time friend.
In 2018, marine scientist, Rachel Parker, comes across a stash of hidden love letters while involved in a research project on the Isles of Scilly, a small archipelago off the southwest coast of England. Captivated by their contents, she determines to track down their intended recipient.
Meanwhile, in London, 23-year-old Eve Ambrose is caring for her elderly grandmother, who is recovering from a broken hip, and helping her write her memoirs. When she is contacted by Rachel, the three storylines begin to merge and secrets that were kept hidden for more than six decades are revealed.
In addition to the three women, a substantial cast of secondary characters come to life on the pages of this novel. It’s a story of love, loss, and sacrifice with a bit of mystery and adventure thrown in. Definitely an enjoyable read!
Divorced for more than two decades, Yannick and Kathleen have not seen or spoken to one another for nineteen years when they receive the news that human remains have been unearthed on Vancouver Island. Could this be their daughter, Una, who disappeared without a trace over twenty years earlier? This unimaginable shared loss brings them together for a cross-Canada trip from Ontario all the way to the Pacific Coast.
When a friend recommended this historical novel I was immediately intrigued because the setting is a very familiar one. The story takes place near the location of present-day Clive, Alberta, about an hour and a half by car from where I live! The action begins in 1905 with Scottish newcomer, Flora Craigie, jumping from a moving train to escape a disastrous marriage. Depending on where you live, 1905 might seem like fairly recent history, but this was brand new country at that time. The town where I live was established as a Canadian Pacific Railway townsite in 1906 and incorporated as a village in March 1907.
Buying a Piece of Paris is a charming memoir about the Australian author’s humorous and challenging quest to find and purchase an apartment in Paris. With only two weeks to locate and secure the apartment of her dreams, something exuding character and Parisian chic, Ellie embarks on what seems an almost impossible pursuit. Armed with only a cursory grasp of the language, she finds herself trying to navigate the bewildering French real estate market with its unique customs, quirky agents, and unexpected cultural hurdles. All in all, a very entertaining read and especially so since, although I’ve only spent five days in Paris, I could visualize many of the places that she mentioned and the kind of buildings she visited in her frantic and sometimes hilarious search for the perfect place to call home.
After moving with her husband to the tiny, bustling city of Macau, across the Pearl River delta from Hong Kong, Grace Miller finds herself a stranger in a very foreign land. Facing the devastating news of her infertility and a marriage in crisis, Grace resolves to do something bold, something that her impetuous mother might have done. Turning to her love of baking, she opens Lillian’s, a café specializing in coffee, tea, and delicate French macarons. In this story of love, friendship, and renewal, Lillian’s quickly becomes a sanctuary where women from different cultural backgrounds come together to support one another.
When Jennifer Connolly of 
