The Book of Silver Linings

June 21, 2023
Constance Sparks is a people pleaser. Whether it's her boss piling on more responsibilities, her best friend needing money, or her fianc� rushing her to the altar, Constance finds it almost impossible to say no. The only place she feels truly comfortable is the animal shelter where she volunteers to care for rescue dogs. When her fianc� proposes, Constance pushes aside her doubts and dives into researching the provenance of her antique engagement ring, uncovering a book of love letters in the process. Entranced by the tragic love story unfolding in the letters, Constance pours her heart out into a handwritten note tucked into the pages of the book and is stunned to receive a response in return--could she possibly be communicating with the original owner of the ring? Constance is an appealing heroine, and readers will root for her to come into her own and find her happily ever after in this heartfelt novel. Ideal for fans of Colleen Oakley and readers who appreciate moving, romantic relationship fiction.

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July 28, 2023

In this delicately crafted story from Fischer (Some of It Was Real), Constance wants nothing more than safety after a difficult childhood and to keep the people around her happy. So when she's proposed to by her stable, comfortable boyfriend Hayden--who is predictable and loves her, even though he doesn't seem to care about her interests and doesn't excite her--she says yes. On a teacher's and a paralegal's salary, they'll never be rich, but they'll be fine. But her engagement ring looks extraordinarily expensive, and when she does some research, Constance discovers that Hayden has bought her an heirloom ring worth over $25,000. That leads her to learn the love story of the ring's original owners, a long-dead couple who met during World War I. While researching the couple at the library, Constance tucks a letter confessing her confusion about her fianc� into an old book of letters in the library's special collections and, somehow, receives a letter back, seemingly from the ghost of a dead man. The correspondence helps Constance face her past, open up her world to new friends, and find true love in the present. VERDICT This is a sweet work that will charm readers as Constance finds her way.--Jennie Mills

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