Synopses & Reviews
For Ava Whalen, a new marriage and a move to St. Simons Island means a new beginning. But what she doesn’t realize is that her marriage will take her on an unexpected journey into the deep recesses of her past that will transform her forever… For as long as she can remember, Ava Whalen has struggled with a sense of not belonging, and now, at thirty-four, she still feels stymied by her family. Then she meets child psychologist Matthew Frazier, and thinks her days of loneliness are behind her. After a whirlwind romance, they impulsively elope, and Ava moves to Matthew’s ancestral home on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia. But after the initial excitement, Ava is surprised to discover that true happiness continues to elude her. There is much she doesn’t know about Matthew, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding his first wife’s death. And her new home seems to hold as many mysteries and secrets as her new husband. Feeling adrift, Ava throws herself into uncovering Matthew’s family history and that of the island, not realizing that she has a connection of her own to this place—or that her obsession with the past could very well destroy her future.
Review
“Anyone who's ever attended a wedding solo, will feel an immediate kinship with the five, wonderfully complicated characters of The Singles. Meredith Goldstein's witty prose follows these guests as they gather to celebrate, reunite with friends, drink too much, dance inappropriately, worry about their careers, struggle with jealousy, and negotiate family dynamics. This book is full of dark humor and heart, and you won't want to put it down.” -Jennifer Close, author of Girls in White Dresses
Review
"For anyone who has found herself hitting a wedding solo, Meredith Goldstein's The Singles is a charming debut novel--and a thoroughly enjoyable plus one." -Laura Dave, author of The First Husband and The Divorce Party
Review
“Realistic and romantic by turns, The Singles totally captures the alienated feeling you get when you're stuck at a wedding without a date--and the accompanying hope that maybe you'll meet someone special there. This novel is a sheer delight.” -Claire LaZebnik, author of Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts
Review
"This smart, witty debut takes the original approach of turning the spotlight on five people who attend a wedding alone. As it turns out, these vivid, endearing characters have the very best stories to tell." -Sarah Pekkanen, author of These Girls
Review
“A relatable tale with good momentum . . . [R]eaders won't regret accepting Goldstein's invitation to mingle with these singles." -Publishers Weekly
Review
“Charming . . . Funny and sad with easily identifiable characters.” -Kirkus Reviews
Review
Praise for Yona Zeldis McDonough and A Wedding in Great Neck
“A born storyteller.”—Laura Jacobs, author of Women About Town
“[McDonough is] an author at the top of her form.”—Megan McAndrew, author of Dreaming in French
“Prose as sparkling as a champagne toast.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You
“Spirited, entertaining, and a delight to read.”—Lucy Jackson, author of Posh
"McDonoughs skill is to be commended. A tender, clever story with emotional heft.”—Booklist
"Fans of womens fiction about weddings and family drama are sure to enjoy.”—Library Journal
Review
Praise for Two of a Kind
"McDonough crafts a complex romantic tale of two families, skillfully developing multidimensional characters. . .Multiple points of view show the complications of dating for parents, the compromise of interfaith romance, and the unforeseen consequences when lives get out of balance. Readers will delight in this layered tale of friendship and love."—Publishers Weekly
"Honest and engrossing, this novel explores the intricacies of unexpected attraction, falling in love after losing a spouse and combining two resistant families. The characters are complex and captivating, adding depth to an already engaging plot, which culminates in a surprising twist. Four and a half stars."—Romantic Times
“Every now and then I stumble upon a truly delightful piece of womens fiction. Two of a Kind falls into that category. . .A one of a kind tale.”—Romance Reviews
Praise for Yona Zeldis McDonough and A Wedding in Great Neck
“A born storyteller.”—Laura Jacobs, author of Women About Town
“[McDonough is] an author at the top of her form.”—Megan McAndrew, author of Dreaming in French
“Prose as sparkling as a champagne toast.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You
“Spirited, entertaining, and a delight to read.”—Lucy Jackson, author of Posh
"McDonoughs skill is to be commended. A tender, clever story with emotional heft.”—Booklist
"Fans of womens fiction about weddings and family drama are sure to enjoy.”—Library Journal
Synopsis
Take an instantly recognizable social dilemma—attending a wedding alone—add a good laugh (and maybe a cry), and meet The Singles, the warm and witty debut by Boston Globe “Love Letters” columnist Meredith Goldstein.
Beth “Bee” Evans’s first vow as a bride is that everyone on her list be invited to bring a guest to her lavish, Chesapeake Bay nuptials. When Hannah, Vicki, Rob, Joe, and Nancy one by one decline Bee’s generous offer, the frustrated bride dubs them the “Singles,” adrift on her seating chart as well as in life.
Synopsis
Ten years after losing her husband, Christina Connelly has worked through the pain, focusing on raising her teenage daughter and managing her small decorating business. But her romantic life has never recovered. Still, its irksome to be set up with arrogant, if handsome, doctor Andy Stern at her friends wedding. If he wasnt also a potential client, needing his Upper East Side apartment redesigned, she would write him off.
This is never going to work, Andy thinks. Still grieving his wife and struggling with a troubled son, hes not looking for a woman, and certainly not someone as frosty and reserved as Christina. Their relationship will be strictly business. Yet to everyones surpriseincluding their ownthese two find themselves falling in love.
But if reconciling with their pasts is difficult, blending their lives and children to create a new family is nearly impossible. Theyve been given a second chance
but can they overcome all the obstacles in the way of happily ever after?
About the Author
After playing hooky one day in the seventh grade to read Gone With the Wind, Karen White knew she wanted to be a writer—or become Scarlett O'Hara. In spite of these aspirations, Karen pursued a degree in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, after leaving the business world, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a writer and wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. This book was nominated for the prestigious RITA award in 2001 in two separate categories. Her books have since been nominated for numerous national contests including another RITA, the Georgia Author of the Year Award and in 2008 won the National Readers’ Choice Award for Learning to Breathe.
Karen currently writes what she refers to as ‘grit lit’—southern women’s fiction—and has recently expanded her horizons into writing a mystery series set in Charleston. Her tenth novel, The Lost Hours, will be released in trade paperback by New American Library, a division of Penguin Publishing Group, in April 2009.
Karen hails from a long line of Southerners but spent most of her growing up years in London, England and is a graduate of the American School in London. She currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two teenaged children, and a spoiled Havanese dog (who appears in several of her books), Quincy. When not writing, she spends her time reading, singing, playing piano, chauffeuring children and avoiding cooking.