Boardwalk Summer

April 15, 2018

Aspiring actress Violet Harcourt wins the 1940 Miss California crown and immediately knows she made a huge mistake by even competing. Her abusive husband, Charles, is going hurt her even worse after her show of independence. In 2007, young single mother Marisol Cruz starts a new job at the local museum in Santa Cruz and explores her town's history. The mayor and his son are talking about condominium developments, which will block the waterfront and force the destruction of a gazebo where Mari's abuelo and abuela celebrated their wedding in the 1940s. As Mari works to try to block the construction and save the gazebo, she finds the obituary of Violet, who died too young. VERDICT The two storylines weave together in interesting ways. However, Jaeger (The Dressmaker's Dowry) packs the more emotional narrative in Violet's time line--saving a gazebo in 2007 just doesn't have the same impact as saving yourself from a violent spouse in the 1940s. Still, the romances are tender in both eras, and women's lit fans will enjoy.--Jennifer Mills, Shorewood-Troy Lib., IL

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2018
In Santa Cruz, California, in 1940, beauty queen Violet Harcourt dreams of motion-picture fame but struggles with an abusive husband and, as she later discovers, a dark side to Hollywood, beneath its glitz. Nearly seven decades later, single mother Marisol Cruz, working for the local history museum, discovers Violet's obituary and is determined to uncover her secrets, juggling her quest for answers with a new romance of her own. It quickly becomes clear that Violet and Mari are linked by their relationships with Mari's late grandfather, though Jaeger (The Dressmaker's Dowry, 2017) deftly keeps the reader guessing at the exact significance of this connection until the final pages. The historical story line makes for more captivating reading than the contemporary narrative, and Mari's Mexican American heritage is not quite developed, but Jaeger is a skilled storyteller, and readers will forgive the occasionally clunky dialogue for the sake of a page-turning story. Hand this to readers looking for a beach read with a bit of depth.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)