above: Jennifer Bird – Photographs: Venera Alexandrova; Books: contributed
Mid-winter is the perfect time to hibernate and curl up with a great book. We asked Jennifer Bird, owner of Athena Books in Old Greenwich, for her top picks for the new year. Here, a roundup of top tomes due out in the first half of 2024. Enjoy some now and then pre-order for the coming months.
BEST VACATION READ
LOVE, ME
BY JESSICA SAUNDERS (JANUARY 2024)
A pitch-perfect exploration of modern married life, Jessica Saunders’ debut novel embraces the truth that some old flames can’t be snuffed out, no matter how many years go by.
CAN’T-PUT-IT-DOWN NOVEL
THE WOMEN
BY KRISTIN HANNAH (FEBRUARY 2024)
Another brilliant historical novel by Kristin Hannah that features a young female nurse in Vietnam, The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on the story of all women who put themselves in harm’s way to help others.
BEST FAMILY DRAMA
FAMILY, FAMILY
BY LAURIE FRANKEL (FEBRUARY 2024)
New York Times best-selling author Laurie Frankel has written another brilliant new novel about adoption and what really makes a family—a theme in her books. The author says, “Family and ‘normal’ are both wider and more complicated than we like to imagine.”
BEST SELF-HELP BOOK
ASK: TAP INTO THE HIDDEN WISDOM OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU FOR UNEXPECTED BREAKTHROUGHS IN LEADERSHIP AND LIFE
BY JEFF WETZLER (MAY 2024)
Globally recognized expert on learning and leadership, Jeff Wetzler offers a hands-on, surprisingly effective way to find out what others really think, know and feel. Ask leads to smarter decisions, more creative solutions and deeper relationships.
BEST BEACH READ
SUMMER ROMANCE
BY ANNABEL MONAGHAN (JUNE 2024)
Annabel Monaghan, local author of Nora Goes Off Script, has done it again with her third novel, the ultimate beach read. Summer Romance is a story of a professional organizer and mom of three whose life is a mess and the summer love that helps her to get unstuck.