NINE MONTHS A Novel
By Paula Bomer
$15.00 Soho Press
www.paulabomer.com

Pregnancy is a personal thing and to say that all women embrace this metamorphosis in the same way would be a misnomer. In Paula Bomer’s new novel, NINE MONTHS the author explores the changes one woman goes through when an unexpected pregnancy becomes the focal point of her life, and how it affects her and those nearest and dearest to her.

Sonia had two beautiful boys whom she mothers full-time from the confines of her Brooklyn brownstone. Her husband works hard to support his family and tries to help around the house but Sonia still feels put-upon. Her dreams of becoming a famous painter have been set on the back burner, waiting to be re-positioned once her boys are both in school, at least part-time, and now that that is about to happen, she begins to make plans to fire-up her slumbering ambition. But then, the unexpected happens; she discovers she is pregnant for the third time.

Although this comes as a shock for both her and her husband, as they’ve been using protection, Sonia eventually comes to terms with the fact that she will be having this baby which, it turns out, is going to be a girl. Everyone around her is overjoyed by this news, especially her friends who are also running fast-and-furious on the mommy track. But as the months roll along, Sonia becomes more and more distressed about having the child and one morning, late in her third trimester, she throws some clothes in a suitcase, hops in her car and heads for parts unknown, abandoning her husband and kids. What ensues is a heady and ultimately crazy romp across the country where-in Sonia comes to discover a few things about herself, her life and the dreams that have eclipsed her thus far.

Irreverent, raucously snarky and downright dysfunctional, this book will make you laugh out loud. It’s not hard to imagine being in this character’s shoes, although walking in them is something most of us would never dare to try at home. Not for the faint-of-heart, Bomer writes with an intelligent and intuitive voice that will keep you coming back for more.

THE TIME KEEPER
By Mitch Albom
$24.99 Hyperion
www.mitchalbom.com

Time. It’s our most precious commodity, yet most of us waste it running against the clock, as if our very lives depended on it. We have become obsessed with this race, forgetting to stop and appreciate the people on our lives, the colorful expanse of a glorious sunset or the simple act of breathing in and out. In his new novel THE TIME KEEPER, Mitch Albom, best-selling author of such books as The Five People You Meet In Heaven and Tuesdays With Morrie, addresses our tug-of-war with time, the many ways we attempt to control it and the fleeting recognition we have for its power over us.

In this marvelous new book, Albom re-imagines the story of Father Time, whose life begins as a young boy named Dor. Obsessed with measuring time, he incurs the wrath of God and is banished to a cave where he lives for centuries listening to the voices of humanity, crying out for more days and years. Finally, he is offered a chance for redemption and  returns to earth with his hourglass, on a mission to save two souls, Sarah, a teenage girl who is about to give up on life and Victor, a dying man who wants to live forever. But in order to work this miracle, he must figure out how to stop time altogether.

Written with a depth of understanding and clarity of vision, THE TIME KEEPER is a parable for the modern age, giving us pause to reflect on the way we live our lives.

HEMINGWAY’S GIRL A Novel
By Erika Robuck
$16.00 new American Library
www.erikarobuck.com

There is nothing more wonderful than being transported to a beautiful locale, a long-lost era, and experiencing an engrossing story of love and loss. You will find all this and more in Erika Robuck’s new Novel, HEMINGWAY’S GIRL based on Ernest Hemingway’s life in Key West, FL circa 1935.

Mariella Bennet is a beautiful, hard-working young woman who’s a native of Key West. Born to an American fisherman and his Cuban wife, she struggles to support her two sisters and mother now that her father has been tragically killed aboard his boat. Trying to earn a few extra dollars and find a bit of excitement in this post-depression era, she often bets on amateur boxing matches, disguised as a young boy. But one evening everything changes, when she chances to meet two men- the infamous writer Ernest Hemingway and Gavin Murray, a WWI veteran who’s working to build the Overseas Highway.

Hemingway, who is married to the volatile and jealous Pauline, takes Mariella under his wing and brings her into their home to work as the family’s housemaid, exposing her to a world of wealth and privilege she could never have imagined. But the palpable lust that buzzes between the larger-than-life Hemingway and herself confuses her, especially in light of the budding romance she’s having with Gavin. As she struggles to care for her family and sort out her feelings for these two men, her priorities are tested. But when she and all she holds dear are threatened by the devastation of the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, survival becomes priority number one.

Robuck’s lyrical and emotional prose carries the reader to another place and time so completely you’ll have to take a few breaths before you can come back to the reality of your own life. Beautiful and breathtaking storytelling makes this is a novel you will definitely want to savor, for as long as you possibly can.

BEYOND THE RED CARPET The World of Entertainment Journalists
By Francine Brokaw
$14.99 Source Media Books
www.francinebrokaw.com

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an entertainment journalist? What would it be like to hobnob with the most famous celebrities in the world and what you would ask them if you got the chance? In her new book BEYOND THE RED CARPET Francine Brokaw, veteran interviewer, political and entertainment writer, shares the highs and the lows of this seemingly glamorous profession and shares stories of what it’s like to be up-close and personal with the stars.

Included here are quotes and anecdotes from thirty of Brokaw’s colleagues who recount their favorite moments from the red carpet and beyond. From their most memorable interviews to the “Twilight Zone” moments these reporters have experienced, you’ll read anecdotes about everyone from Robin Williams to Madonna and get a glimpse at the inner-workings of the hardest-working writers in show business. Of course, Brokaw includes colorful stories about the rudest celebs and the strangest interviews here, as well as their most memorable gets and great quotes.

A fascinating romp through the wide-world of entertainment, Brokaw will wow you with her wit and irascible charm, while taking you on a back-stage tour you won’t soon forget.