Women Behind the Wheel

Author: Nancy A. Nichols
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Pegasus Books, 2024
Pages: 240
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Since their inception cars have defined American culture, but until quite recently car histories were largely written by and about mean - with little attention given to the fascinating story of women and cars.

In this engaging non-fiction narrative, Nancy A. Nichols, the daughter of a used car salesman, uses the cars her father sold and the ones her family drove to tell a larger story about how the  car helped to define modern womanhood. From her sister's classic Mustang to her mother's Chevy Convertible to her own Honda minivan, Nichols tells a personal story in order to shed light on a universal one.

Cars helped women secure the right to vote, change the nature of romance, and influenced both fashion and child rearing customs. In the just over 100 years since their inception, cars have created possibilities for commerce and romance even as they expose
d women to new kinds of danger.

Women Behind the Wheel explores the uniquely gendered landscape of the automobile, detailing the many reasons why cars are both more expensive and more dangerous for women drivers.

The automobile is on the cusp of momentous change. As we advance into the era of electric, connected, and autonomous vehicles, Nichols shows us why we should hit the brakes and look back in the rear-view mirror at this long and fascinating history.

Review: This book did not know what it wanted to be. The author tried a mash-up of a memoir and non-fiction, and I think had she chosen one or other, the book would have been more successful and more interesting. As a big fan of road trips and travel and general, I usually enjoy reading books about the history of transportation, but this one didn't do it for me.

One Perfect Couple

Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2024
Pages: 400 (14 hours)
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she's pretty sure they won't extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren't going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, One Perfect Couple, she agrees to try out with him.

A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla finds herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples - Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana - in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that the game show is all too real - and the stakes are life and death.

Review: As per usual, I opted to listen to Ruth Ware's latest novel. Once again, reader extraordinaire, Imogen Church, narrates this novel. If I'm being honest this was not my favorite Ruth Ware novel. The premise is attractive 20 / 30 somethings trying to survive on a remote island for an unforeseen amount of time. There was a lot of rationing and complaining about the lack of food and water, more desperately water. I mean, that's a reasonable worry and focus, but maybe it isn't the best plot for a story. 

The best part of this novel was the ending because it offered explanations and tied up all the loose ends. However, I can confidently say that this is not Ruth Ware's best novel. Moving on. . .

The Husbands

Author: Holly Gramazio
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2024
Pages: 351
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late on night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There's only one problem - she's not married. She's never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can't remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a light bulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating and infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a light bulb, how do you know you've taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living.

Review: This book was recommended to me by a librarian, and I actually loved it. Fans of Cassandra in Reverse and Oona Out of Order will love it too. I imagine most of us wonder what our life would look like had we chosen another path, or even another man (or woman). This kept me entertained and kept me turning pages.