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Enormous Wings
By Laurie Frankel
Henry Holt & Co., May 2026, 304pp.

The Short of It

Funny, sharp, and unexpectedly moving, this novel tackles a deeply divisive issue with both humor and emotional weight.

The Rest of It

At seventy-seven, Pepper Mills is preparing for a new chapter at Vista View, a retirement community in Austin. She still has her health, a devoted family, and plenty of spirit, but even she has started to wonder if it is finally time for a safer, more supportive place to live.

What Pepper never expects is love.

When she meets Timothy, affectionately known as Moth, she finds herself swept into a romance that feels as surprising as it is genuine. After spending decades building a life centered around everyone else, Pepper suddenly has the chance to focus on her own happiness. Her adult children support her. Even her ex-husband, who also lives at Vista View, seems encouraging.

For once, life feels wide open.

Then everything changes.

A sudden curveball forces Pepper into a decision she is absolutely certain about, but one that is illegal in the state of Texas. What follows is both deeply personal and politically charged, especially given the risks her age already places on her. Still, Pepper is not the type to back down quietly. She is bold, funny, stubborn, and more than willing to fight for what she believes is right.

The novel shines in its quieter moments at Vista View, where Pepper’s friendships and late-in-life romance add warmth and humor. But Frankel does not let the story remain light for long. What begins as a charming and witty tale quickly transforms into something far more urgent as themes of women’s rights and bodily autonomy take center stage.

Pepper is an unforgettable protagonist: empathetic, outspoken, vulnerable, and fiercely determined. Frankel balances the sweetness of the romance with the seriousness of the larger issue, creating a story that feels both entertaining and important.

While I wish the ending had taken a slightly different direction, this is still a book I would strongly recommend. Its message is timely, thought-provoking, and impossible to ignore.

Source: Review copy sent to me by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance
By Alison Espach
Henry Holt and Co., 9781250823144, May 2022, 352pp.

The Short of It:

This book met all my expectations and then some.

The Rest of It:

Sally adores her older sister Kathy. They are about as different as two sisters can be, and yet they managed to do quite well in their shared bedroom. Sure, they squabble but Sally looks up to Kathy because Kathy always knows the right thing to say or do. She is sophisticated without trying and yet when they are alone together, she shares all her insecurities with Sally, which makes Kathy flawed just like the rest of them.

One summer, as they while away their hours by the community pool, Kathy catches the eye of Billy. A good looking boy, working at the snack stand. After some missteps, the two fall hard for one another, which leaves Sally to observe her sister’s new found infatuation from afar. She can’t help but feel a little jealous because one, she wanted to spend the summer with Kathy and two, what would it be like to have a boyfriend like Billy? She wonders if she will ever have someone like him.

As the summer unfolds, Sally finds herself attached to Billy in a way that no one wants. Linked by tragedy, the two struggle to find a way to move on and let me tell you, it’s heartbreaking and poignant but in such a good way. Memory and what could have been, had me re-reading passages as I slowly turned the pages. These characters leap off the page and you feel for them.

I loved this book. I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked it up but it’s good and I didn’t want it to end. It will be on my fave list at the end of the year.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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