RHODY READS: Books

Rhody Reads

Love languages spoken in these six picks with local ties

By Hugh Minor

Who wrote the book of love? Well, the authors of the six charming titles in this month’s Rhody Reads each tackle the well-worn subject in their own way. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, these selections will inspire you to open your heart and let Cupid into your life. Remember – chocolates and a good book make the perfect gift for your sweetheart, especially when purchased locally.

Built in 1922, Providence’s Biltmore Hotel – now The Graduate – has been the go-to place for weddings and affairs for over a century. Relive the rich history of this iconic downtown landmark in Amanda Quay Blount’s Meet Me at the Biltmore: 100 Years at Providence’s Most Storied Hotel. Enjoy the meticulously researched stories featuring local and international celebrities, along with a gorgeous collection of photographs that capture the hotel’s role as a witness to the capital city’s fascinating history.

A little further south, the seaside resort of Newport makes another splendid wedding location, particularly for high-society types. In her new book out this month, Wedding of the Season: A Novel, Laura Edmondson explores the sometimes hilarious consequences that occur when two families with rich histories (who are notoriously uncivil to one another) are joined together in holy matrimony. Follow the story through the eyes of Cass Coventry, sister of the bride, as she returns home for the summer’s main event that will have the whole town talking.

Love is not always what it seems as we learn along the journey with pediatrician Anna Drury in the latest from prolific writer Martha Reynolds, I Wish I Had a River: A Year in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and France to Process Grief and Find Peace. Before his death, Anna’s husband Nick makes her promise to travel through Europe once he’s gone. She reluctantly agrees and is blindsided when she discovers troubling secrets about the deceased and his family. Will she be able to reconcile her conflicted feelings without him there to explain the choices that were made?

In Heal, Westerly-born Briana Elizabeth explores the connection between love, trauma, and loss as we endeavor to recover from the past. With her gentle and serene words, Elizabeth seeks to break through divisions of culture and experience, gathering people together to share their common feelings. Even while addressing difficult issues, her poems will soothe and comfort readers, allowing them to ultimately find a place of healing.

Daughters of Nantucket is the first novel from Barrington-based author Julie Gerstenblatt. With the men they love out at sea, the women of the island remain to face their own challenges including the Great Fire of 1846, which threatens to destroy all that they hold dear. Can they rally together and discover the courage and strength to save what means the most to each of them? Find a series of book launch events at Barrington Books, Curiosity & Co., and Ink Fish Books in March at JulieGerstenblatt.com.

Dog lovers are their own special breed and Traer Scott’s Forever Home: The Inspiring Tales of Rescue Dogs tugs at their heartstrings with photos and stories of rescue dogs being adopted by their new families. The Providence author of Finding Home: Shelter Dogs and Their Stories brings us 27 heartwarming and inspiring tales (with tails) that highlight the magical bond between humans and canines. As always with these touching examples of love and adoption, you’ll find yourself asking, “Who rescued who?”

Send your Rhody book recommendations to Hugh at RhodyReads@gmail.com

SHOP INDIE

A statewide listing of Rhode Island booksellers: Arc{hive} Book + Snackery: Warren, ArchiveBookSnackery.com Barrington Books: BarringtonBooks.com Book Nerd: Barrington, Facebook Books on the Square: Providence, BookSq.com Charter Books: Newport, CharterBookStore.com Curiosity & Co.: Jamestown, CuriosityAnd.Company/store Heartleaf Books: Providence, HeartleafBooks.com Inkfish Books: Warren, InkFishBooks.com Island Books: Middletown, IslandBooksRI.indielite.org Island Bound Bookstore: Block Island, IslandBoundBookstore.com Lovecraft Arts & Sciences: Providence, WeirdProvidence.org Paper Nautilus Books: Providence, PaperNautilusBooks.com Rarities Books & Bindery: Wakefield, RaritiesOnline.com Ri ra Bookstore + Bar: Providence, Ri Ra PVD.com Savoy Bookshop & Cafe: Westerly, BankSquareBooks.com Stillwater Books: Pawtucket, StillwaterBooksRI.com Symposium Books: Providence, SymposiumBooks.com Twenty Stories: Providence, TwentyStoriesLA.com Wakefield Books: Wakefield, WakefieldBooks.com