Yona Zeldis McDonough

Title: The House on Primrose Pond
Author: Yona Zeldis McDonough
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Pages: 400
Published: February 2016 – NAL Accent
Source: Publisher

Synopsis: After suffering a sudden, traumatic loss, historical novelist Susannah Gilmore decides to uproot her life—and the lives of her two children—and leave their beloved Brooklyn for the little town of Eastwood, New Hampshire.

While the trio adjusts to their new surroundings, Susannah is captivated by an unexpected find in her late parents’ home: an unsigned love note addressed to her mother, in handwriting that is most definitely not her father’s.

Reeling from the thought that she never really knew her mother, Susannah finds mysteries everywhere she looks: in her daughter’s friendship with an older neighbor, in a charismatic local man to whom she’s powerfully drawn, and in an eighteenth century crime she’s researching for her next book. Compelled to dig into her mother’s past, Susannah discovers even more secrets, ones that surpass any fiction she could ever put to paper… (back of the book)

My take: Susannah and her two children move to New Hampshire from Brooklyn a year after the death of her husband. They move into her family cottage on Primrose Pond and start a new chapter in their lives. While adjusting to her new circumstances Susannah makes a few discoveries that make her question all she knew to be true. There are issues of guilt and anger concerning her husband’s death and the fallout experienced by Susannah’s daughter and son. Family dynamics are certainly at the forefront in this novel.

Susannah, a historical fiction author, starts to work on a new book. It’s different from anything she’s written before. The research takes her on a journey that will, in some minor ways, affect how she looks at events in her life and bring her to a place of acceptance and, quite possibly, forgiveness. I’m a fan of historical fiction so I enjoyed the passages of the book Susannah was writing.

All in all, the novel held my interest. I liked most of the characters and wasn’t ready to let them go as I turned the last page. Included at the end are a conversation with the author and discussion questions.

Title: You Were Meant For Me
Author: Yona Zeldis McDonough
Genre: Contemporary/Women’s Fiction
Published: October 2014 – NAL Trade
Source: Publisher

Synopsis: What do you do when you have to give up the person you love most?

Thirty-five-year-old Miranda is not an impulsive person. She’s been at Domestic Goddess magazine for eight years, she has great friends, and she’s finally moving on after a breakup. Having a baby isn’t even on her radar—until the day she discovers an abandoned newborn on the platform of a Brooklyn subway station. Rushing the little girl to the closest police station, Miranda hopes and prays she’ll be all right and that a loving family will step forward to take her.

Yet Miranda can’t seem to get the baby off her mind and keeps coming up with excuses to go check on her, until finally a family court judge asks whether she’d like to be the baby’s foster parent—maybe even adopt her. To her own surprise, Miranda jumps at the chance. But nothing could have prepared her for the ecstasy of new-mother love—or the heartbreak she faces when the baby’s father surfaces…. (publisher)

My take: You Were Meant For Me is a fast-paced novel about love – love of a child, a partner, a parent, good friends. The novel starts out with the probable suicide of the baby’s mother. Lucky for the baby, Miranda discovers her on a subway platform and makes sure the baby is taken to the authorities. Over the next few months Miranda steps forward to foster and then adopt the baby. A local writer interviews Miranda for a newspaper column which starts a chain reaction of events that will upend Miranda’s plans and happiness.

I thought it was an interesting premise and overall I enjoyed the novel. I liked it but had a tough time with almost every adult character’s self-centeredness at one time or another. Even Miranda dropped the ball a time or two. However, the author brought everything together at the end and I felt a bit better about the growth some of the characters experienced. I especially liked the direction Miranda’s life was headed.

This would be a good book to take on vacation. It’s a page turner, has attractive and affluent characters and some romance. I would definitely read more books by the author (this is my first). Included at the end are a Conversation with the Author as well as Discussion Questions.