Meet Me in the Margins - Review

Meet Me in the Margins

By: Melissa Ferguson

Publication: February 15th 2022 by Thomas Nelson

320 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Savannah Cade is a low-level editor at Pennington Publishing, a prestigious publisher producing only the highest of highbrow titles. And while editing the latest edition of The Anthology of Medieval Didactic Poetry may be her day job, she has two secrets she’s hiding.

One: She’s writing a romance novel.

Two: She’s discovered the Book Nook—a secret room in the publishing house where she finds inspiration for her “lowbrow” hobby.

After leaving her manuscript behind one afternoon, she returns to the nook only to discover someone has written notes in the margins. Savannah’s first response to the criticism is defensive, but events transpire that force her to admit that she needs the help of this shadowy editor after all. As the notes take a turn for the romantic, and as Savannah’s madcap life gets more complicated than ever, she uses the process of elimination to identify her mysterious editor—only to discover that what she truly wants and what she should want just might not be the same. Melissa Ferguson’s latest—a love letter to books, readers, and romance—will leave fans laughing out loud and swooning in the same breath.

I pretty much devoured Meet Me in the Margins. I seem to have a love for mysterious/anonymous correspondence love stories. Perhaps it's because my husband and I fell in love through correspondence even though we both knew each other in real life and knew exactly who we were talking to. But I just have a soft spot where these love stories come from. And Meet Me in the Margins handled all of the pieces so well.

Savannah has been working as an editor at a small publishing house in Nashville, Tennessee. She's also been secretly working on her own novel for years. Only the publisher she works for looks down on commercial fiction--specifically romance. Savannah feels like she barely has it together. Her long-time on-again-off-again boyfriend is now engaged to her sister. And she's living with the same sister. Her family prioritizes sticking together and helping each other out no matter what. Only Savannah seems to be the one who always has to sacrifice for the good of other members of the family and not the other way around. She dumps her manuscript in a hidden room at the publishing company in an attempt to hide it one day, but when she returns to it someone has written notes in the margins--essentially editing her novel. At first, she's incensed, but she comes to realize the editor has some good points.

Will left his position in New York as an editor for one of the bigger publishing houses. He hopes to save the drowning smaller publishing company that his mother founded. Only, the going isn't easy. He has his hands full trying to make the changes the company really needs to survive. And Savannah just happens to give him some candid information. He learns to trust her opinion and judgment. Now we're left to hope and wonder if Will is the mystery editor or not. Of course, I won't ruin things for you by telling you the answer.

I absolutely loved the insight into the author/editor relationship. I think almost all readers are fascinated by the process. We don't get to see the entire publishing process. We only see the end result. And I found every piece of this interesting.

My only real critique is that so much of the book was dedicated to the romantic build-up and big reveal that I didn't feel like I got to enjoy the payoff as much as I wanted.

Favorite quotes:

-Maybe the best thing to do now would be to play dead.

-Free books. Free prerelease books. Only a true reader would understand.

-The man took my ardently felt monologue, gave it a polite pat on the head, and told it to go and play while the adults stayed on task.

-Writing is what makes me happy. Writing, even, is how I feel I contribute to the world. Reminding people of what's important. Letting them escape the harsh parts of life, even if just for a few hours. Feeling happiness in watching happily-ever-afters unfold. Remembering truths. Recalling their self-worth. Loving others. Living well. Learning. I want to do that.

Meet Me in the Margins wasn't just a great love story. Meet Me in the Margins was a love story to readers, to authors, to publishers, to the love of books and stories, to the writing and crafting of them. I only wish I had more time to dwell on the happily-ever-after before it was over. But being left wanting in this way is a good thing. I stayed up until midnight reading this book, and I also neglected working on Baby Boy's birthday party in favor of finishing this book. That ought to tell you something. Meet Me in the Margins gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Meet Me in the Margins? What did you think? Let me know.

Sunday Post - 02/27/22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Another crazy week. Husband was off work for President's Day, but the kids had to go to school. He spent the day working at the house. I ran by after putting Baby Boy down for morning nap and worked on painting until time to get Little Boy from school. I ran to do grocery pickup on the way back from getting Little Girl from school. Tuesday, Little Boy's coach messaged that the ball field was too muddy to practice so his practice was cancelled. Little Girl's coach didn't feel the same way, so her practice was still on. That meant we went to hang with Grammy after school and ate dinner with her. Then we went to the ball field for Little Girl to practice. We rushed home to take baths and go straight to bed. Wednesday, I also ran by the house after putting Baby Boy down for nap until I needed to get Little Boy from school. This time I worked on taping the trim off in the master bedroom so it could be painted. The roofer came by to fix some issues, but he only fixed on issue and didn't address some other areas that need attention. Thursday, Husband took his laptop to our house to work because we had the HVAC people coming and the tile guy as well. That afternoon, Mom, Little Boy, Baby Boy, and I went to my dad's retirement party at work. I rushed back from there to drop mom and Baby Boy back off at their house, and then ran Little Boy to his ball practice. His practice ran long so I was late dropping him off with Grammy and picking Little Girl up to take her to her ball practice. Then her practice ran long and I had to go back to get Little Boy from Grammy's. And my gas light came on so I had to stop and get gas on the way back to my mom's. Got home about 45 minutes past normal bedtime and Little Girl still needed to take a bath. (Little Boy took one at Grammy's thankfully.) Husband did all of the school runs for me on Friday and it was so nice not to have to by on the road rushing from here to there constantly. I got to spend some quality one on one time with Baby Boy. Bless him, I feel like I'm leaving him all of the time, but I know that as soon as we get back in our house I'll be able to spend more time with him. So I'm trying to do what I can now to get us home sooner. The front porch and kitchen backsplash tile was installed on Friday. It still needs to be grouted. Saturday, Little Girl had a softball camp put on by the high school softball team as a fundraiser. She was a little nervous about that, but I am so proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone. My dad, brother, sister-in-law, and sister-in-law's parents came on Saturday to help us out at the house. They did so much work that would have taken us weeks to do. We still have so much to get done, but my dad's last day of work is Monday only for an hour, and he plans to work full-time at our house until we can move back home. I'm so thankful for him and the expertise he has. And I'm thankful for our family that came Saturday. It was such a big help. Even though they weren't doing the physical labor of house work, Grammy and Grandma (my mom) split childcare duty to allow us to both work.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma (4 Stars)
Wednesday: Can't Wait for The Valet's Secret by Josi S Kilpack
Friday: 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - February Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
Tuesday: February 2022 EOM Wrap Up & 11th Blog Anniversary Month Begins
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

Bargaining for the Barrister

By: Anneka R. Walker

Expected Publication: March 7th 2022 by Covenant Communications

240 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Louisa Cox is tired of fortune hunters pursuing her dowry. So when Lady Kellen offers to help her find an eligible suitor, Louisa eagerly accepts and makes a list of what she wants in a husband. The man selected is barrister Paul Sheldon. He may be a complete stranger, but he has one thing in his favor: he is unaware of her fortune. What Louisa did not anticipate was his curious behavior—or being so attracted to him. When Paul catches wind of the matchmaking organization his mother and her friends are establishing, he pities the fellow who will be caught in their scheme—until he realizes he is to be their first victim. Horrified, Paul determines to thwart his mother’s plans by whatever means necessary. After meeting his intended, however, his increasing desire to be near her threatens to disrupt his convictions. Louisa is everything he could want in a wife, and when an unexpected adventure sets in motion the very plan he had determined to halt, he almost wishes his mother’s plot could succeed. But Paul harbors a secret and a past that make it impossible for him to give Louisa the life she deserves.

May His Face Shine Upon You: 90 Biblical Blessings for Mother and Child

By: Susie Larson

Expected Publication: March 29th 2022 by Bethany House Publishers

192 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Devotional, Christian

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In this beautifully designed collection of 90 blessings--for both mother and child--Susie Larson provides hope-filled biblical declarations so both of you can receive strength and nourishment for your souls. Speak life into your children, sowing God's Word into their hearts as you too are rooted in the promises of God.

Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World: How One Family Learned That Saying No Can Lead to Life's Biggest Yes

By: Kristen Welch

Expected Publication: January 26th 2016 by Tyndale Momentum

272 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help, Christian

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--"But everyone else has it." "If you loved me, you'd get it for me!" When you hear these comments from your kids, it can be tough not to cave. You love your children--don't you want them to be happy and to fit in?

Kristen Welch knows firsthand it's not that easy. In fact, she's found out that when you say yes too often, it's not only hard on your peace of mind and your wallet--it actually puts your kids at long-term risk. In Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, Kristen shares the ups and downs in her own family's journey of discovering why it's healthiest not to give their kids everything. Teaching them the difference between "want" and "need" is the first step in the right direction. With many practical tips and anecdotes, she shares how to say the ultimate yes as a family by bringing up faith-filled kids who will love God, serve others, and grow into hardworking, fulfilled, and successful adults.

It's never too late to raise grateful kids. Get ready to cultivate a spirit of genuine appreciation and create a Jesus-centered home in which your kids don't just say--but mean!--"thank you" for everything they have.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - February Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Neither Holly nor Sandy have finished any series enders this month.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the Febrary giveaway runs from February 25th - March 25th. On March 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a grand prize winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Can't Wait for The Valet's Secret

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

The Valet's Secret

By: Josi S Kilpack

Expected Publication: March 8th 2022 by Shadow Mountain

288 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description-- A passionate kiss from a handsome valet becomes a Regency Cinderella story when he is revealed to be an earl.

York, England, 1819.

As a once happily married woman, Rebecca Parker lived a charmed life, but now widowed and working for a living, she feels alone and living a mundane existence. That is until the day a valet speeding by on a horse nearly runs her off the road. Mr. Malcolm Henry is apologetic, gentle, and very handsome. She’s instantly drawn to him, which is why, rather than stopping him from kissing her, she finds herself kissing him back, reigniting a nearly forgotten passion in her. But love at first sight only happens in fairy tales—never to an ordinary woman like her.

Still, she cannot stop thinking about Mr. Henry and the kiss they shared. The more time she spends with the earl’s valet, the more she knows she cannot in good conscience allow Mr. Timoltson to continue to court her, even though a marriage to him would provide her financial security and independence from her overbearing father’s control. The heart wants what it wants, and her heart wants Mr. Henry.

But while working in the kitchens during a fancy dinner party, she sees something strange: the valet—the valet she kissed—is sitting at the right hand of the baroness. She realizes that Mr. Henry is not the earl’s valet; he is the earl—Kenneth Winterton.

Heartbroken, angry, and betrayed, Rebecca isn’t sure she can trust Lord Winterton, much less accept his apology. But when Lord Winterton proves he is as kind and gentle as “Mr. Henry” was, she finds herself willing to give him a second chance. But will he still take a chance on her, when choosing a commoner means he might lose his inheritance?

Trust, love, loneliness, and passion collide in this story about a man who will risk it all to fight for the woman he loves and a woman who no longer believes in fairy tales—until she finds herself living in one.

I actually have a copy of this one already, but I still wanted to feature it. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Dating Dr. Dil - Review

Dating Dr. Dil

By: Nisha Sharma

Expected Publication: February 22nd 2022 by Avon

352 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Nisha Sharma’s hilarious new romantic comedy inspired by Taming of the Shrew features a love-phobic TV doctor who must convince a love-obsessed homebody they are destined to be together.

Kareena Mann dreams of having a love story like her parents, but she prefers restoring her classic car to swiping right on dating apps. When her father announces he’s selling her mother’s home, Kareena makes a deal with him: he’ll gift her the house if she can get engaged in four months. Her search for her soulmate becomes impossible when her argument with Dr. Prem Verma, host of The Dr. Dil Show, goes viral. Now the only man in her life is the one she doesn’t want.

Dr. Prem Verma is dedicated to building a local community health center, but he needs to get donors with deep pockets. The Dr. Dil Show was doing just that, until his argument with Kareena went viral, and he’s left short changed. That’s when Kareena’s meddling aunties presented him with a solution: convince Kareena he’s her soulmate and they’ll fund his clinic.

Even though they have conflicting views on love-matches and arranged-matches, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he begins to believe she’s the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But for Prem and Kareena to find their happily ever after, they must admit that hate has turned into fate.

I have kind of been on a contemporary Indian kick since Spring of 2020. I have found the culture fascinating to read about. As with any book, though, you don't know the content until you've read it. I can say upfront that Dating Dr. Dil had more descriptive scenes than I prefer. The word "smut" came to mind a few times. And it's kind of a shame in my mind because the rest of the story was worthy enough to stand on its own without the "extra." But I know there are many readers who really enjoy the exact thing I'm complaining about.

Kareena put her dating life on hold to accomplish her career goals and now she's turning thirty and feeling lonely. It doesn't help that her younger sister is getting married and her father and grandmother have started to get pushy. Kareena's father drops the bomb that he's planning to retire and sell their house, the one that Kareena's mother designed and Kareena loves. She wants to buy it from him, but she doesn't have the money. He would give her the money for a downpayment on a house if she were engaged though.

Prem is a practicing doctor that also hosts a television show on a South Asian TV network geared towards bringing awareness to issues specific to the South Asian community. He ultimately wants to open a community health center, but he needs funding from investors to make it happen. After he and Kareena go viral having an argument over whether or not love exists or is an illusion, one of his investors backs out. Prem needs to prove his family-oriented attitude to this investor. So he comes up with the idea for these two to fake get engaged to both get the financial backing they need.

I liked that Kareena and Prem didn't actually fake date. They contemplated it. And they spent some time getting to know one another while Prem tried to convince Kareena to try his plan. Kareena is intent on marrying for love and since Prem can't give her what she's looking for, she can't bring herself to give up on the idea. So she's still trying to find the right match for herself.

I really liked these two and the journeys that each needed to go on in order to come together. I also liked the side characters. I'm torn on continuing the series. Because on the one hand, I liked the side characters enough to want to see each get a chance at a happily ever after, but I also don't really want more smut which I imagine will be included in future books.

The only highlighting I really did was over errors in the galley version I read. Pronoun shifts, the wrong name mentioned once or twice, the wrong word, etc. I'm sure these things will be corrected in the final copy.

I liked Dating Dr. Dil. It hit the spot when I was interested in a book that I hoped I would finish quickly. My contemporary Indian craving was satisfied for a while. And I am both looking forward to and dreading future books in the series. Dating Dr. Dil gets 4 Stars. Have you read Dating Dr. Dil? What did you think? Let me know!