Enjoy these May recommendations from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’ only independently owned bookstore.
Austen at Sea
by Natalie Jenner
In this captivating novel, Jenner weaves a tale of literary intrigue, romance, and adventure set in 1865. Spirited sisters Charlotte and Henrietta Stevenson, daughters of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice, engage in secret correspondence with Sir Francis Austen, Jane’s last surviving brother, which promises a thrilling escape from societal confines.
Simultaneously, the Nelson brothers, Civil War veterans and Philadelphia-based rare book dealers, are drawn to England by the prospect of an undiscovered Austen artifact. Joined by a diverse group including Louisa May Alcott, their journey across the Atlantic leads them to unexpected romances, hidden legacies, and the transformative power of literature.
The Potting Shed Murder
by Paula Sutton
Sutton makes her fiction debut with a charming whodunit set in the Norfolk village of Pudding Corner. Daphne Brewster, who’s recently moved from London with her husband and three young children, opens a vintage shop. But when the school headmaster is found dead in his allotment patch, Daphne quickly finds herself unraveling a mystery that will keep readers hooked!
Mark Twain
by Ron Chernow
Before he was Mark Twain, he was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, a steamboat pilot dreaming of a life on the Mississippi. But when the Civil War upended his plans, he turned to journalism where his brash wit caught the nation’s eye. In this charming biography, Chernow navigates Twain’s adventurous life—from his rise to literary fame and hilarious satirical voice, to personal losses and political activism.
One Golden Summer
by Carley Fortune
Alice’s life has always been through a camera’s lens—capturing others while staying on the sidelines. But when she returns to the cottage of her youth to care for her grandmother, she reunites with Charlie Florek, a handsome man from her past. Alice finds herself drawn to Charlie in ways she never expected, and she is starting to wonder if she’s ready for that kind of attention.
