Amanda Eyre Ward masterfully explores the dark secrets and intricate relationships within her novels. Her distinctive style weaves compelling narratives with profound insights into the human psyche. She focuses on the emotional consequences of events, examining how past actions resonate into the present. Ward's work immerses readers in suspense while prompting reflection on the complexities of human nature.
The Peacock sisters, once inseparable, now lead separate lives shaped by decades of secrets and lies. Sylvie, a grieving widow, contemplates love with the enigmatic Simon, while her sister Cleo, a successful lawyer, becomes suspicious of him and seeks to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Emma grapples with her own deceptions and dreams of a past life. As their toxic mother reenters the picture during a dramatic weekend at a castle, the sisters confront their childhood roles and strive to rediscover forgiveness and joy in their relationships.
"The bonds between three picture-perfect, viciously protective mothers are tested when their sons uncover a horrible crime in this provocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters. In Austin's Zilker Park, vigilance and money are enough to keep one insulated from the world's problems and inconveniences. Here, three mothers-Whitney, Annette, and Liza-have grown thick as thieves, and so have their fifteen-year-old sons. While each of them has their own set of values and backgrounds, they share the belief that they can shelter their boys from an increasingly dangerous world. They've raised their families together, and their three sons are about to begin a carefree summer as lifeguards. Their friendship is unbreakable--as safe as the neighborhood where they've raised their sweet little boys. Until the body is found. One night, the three women have been chatting away, drinking wine, when their boys come back with a harrowing story about finding a young woman dead beside a swimming hole in the Greenbelt, a swath of hiking trails and dim wilderness areas that runs through their neighborhood. They swear they haven't done anything. They agree not to call the police-because who would want to cause a scene, to topple their fragile images and arouse suspicion? What choice do mothers have but to believe their sons? All families harbor secrets. Privately, none of them is sure that the boys are telling the truth. And with each woman questioning her son-and her friends' sons-each wonders how many lies they've told each other. The Lifeguards is a riveting, high-stakes novel about the secrets we tell to protect the ones we love-and how sometimes your closest neighbor and ally can become your most dangerous foe"-- Provided by publisher
"The bonds between three picture-perfect, viciously protective mothers are tested when their sons uncover a horrible crime in this provocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters. In Austin's Zilker Park, vigilance and money are enough to keep one insulated from the world's problems and inconveniences. Here, three mothers -- Whitney, Annette, and Liza -- have grown thick as thieves, and so have their fifteen-year-old sons. While each of them has their own set of values and backgrounds, they share the belief that they can shelter their boys from an increasingly dangerous world. They've raised their families together, and their three sons are about to begin a carefree summer as lifeguards. Their friendship is unbreakable -- as safe as the neighborhood where they've raised their sweet little boys. Until the body is found. One night, the three women have been chatting away, drinking wine, when their boys come back with a harrowing story about finding a young woman dead beside a swimming hole in the Greenbelt, a swath of hiking trails and dim wilderness areas that runs through their neighborhood. They swear they haven't done anything. They agree not to call the police -- because who would want to cause a scene, to topple their fragile images and arouse suspicion? What choice do mothers have but to believe their sons? All families harbor secrets. Privately, none of them is sure that the boys are telling the truth. And with each woman questioning her son -- and her friends' sons -- each wonders how many lies they've told each other. 'The Lifeguards' is a riveting, high-stakes novel about the secrets we tell to protect the ones we love -- and how sometimes your closest neighbor and ally can become your most dangerous foe"-- Provided by publisher
"A sober hedonist's guide to living a decadent, wild, and soulful life--alcohol-free. In a culture where sipping "rosé all day" is seen as the epitome of relaxation, "grabbing a drink" the only way to network; and meeting at a bar the quintessential "first date," many of us are left wondering if drinking alcohol really is the only way to cultivate joy and connection in life. Jardine Libaire and Amanda Eyre Ward wanted to live spontaneous and luxurious lives, to escape the ordinary and enjoy the intoxicating. Their drinking, however, had started to numb them to the present moment instead of unlocking it. Ward was introduced to Libaire when she first got sober. As they became friends, the two women talked about how they yearned to create lives that were Technicolor, beautifully raw, connected, blissed out, and outside the lines . . . but how? In The Sober Lush, Libaire and Ward provide a road map for living a lush and sensual life without booze"-- Provided by publisher
When seventy-year-old Charlotte Perkins submits a sexy essay to the "Become a Jetsetter" contest, she dreams of reuniting her estranged children: Lee, an almost-famous actress; Cord, a handsome Manhattan venture capitalist who can't seem to find a bride; and Regan, a harried mother who took it all wrong when Charlotte bought her a Weight Watchers gift certificate for her birthday. Charlotte yearns for the years when her children were young and she was a single mother who meant everything to them. When she wins the cruise, the family packs all their baggage—literal and figurative—and spends ten days traveling from sun-drenched Athens through glorious Rome to tapas-laden Barcelona on an over-the-top cruise ship, the Splendido Marveloso. As lovers new and old join the adventure, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the Perkins family is forced to confront the defining choices in their lives. Can four lost adults find the peace they've been seeking by reconciling their childhood aches and coming back to each other?In the vein of The Nest and The Vacationers, Ward has created a delicious and intelligent novel about the courage it takes to reveal our true selves, the pleasures and perils of family, and how we navigate the seas of adulthood to cruise—we can only hope—toward joy.
Exploring the complexities of motherhood, this novel delves into the emotional journey from the joy of new beginnings to the sorrow of farewells. Through lyrical prose, Amanda Eyre Ward captures the profound connections and challenges faced by mothers, offering a poignant reflection on love, loss, and the enduring bond between parent and child.
The Same Sky tells the powerful, moving story of Carla, a 12-year-old Honduran
girl struggling to get to the US with her little brother, and Alice, who lives
in Texas and is desperate to become a mother. A perfect book club read, for
fans of Liane Moriarty.
The narrative explores the quest for belonging through the lives of diverse characters across various American landscapes. Annie grapples with leaving her small mining town for a new future, while Casey, a witty New Yorker, faces the challenges of dating after her husband's death. Lola Wilkerson's journey unfolds in six interconnected stories, addressing themes of elopement, motherhood, and self-discovery over a decade. With a blend of humor and emotional depth, the stories reflect on love, identity, and the complexities of relationships.
Exploring themes of love, memory, and motherhood, this novel delves into the intricacies of personal relationships and the lasting impact of past experiences. The narrative weaves together emotional depth and lyrical prose, inviting readers to reflect on the connections that shape our identities. With a focus on the journey of its characters, the story promises to resonate with anyone who has navigated the complexities of familial bonds and the passage of time.
