Bitmo Sunday book review

Sunday Book Review – Golden Hills by Jennifer Weiner

Published on by dgkaye

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. I came across this short book while looking for something else. I’d already read and reviewed Weiner’s, Mrs. Everything, last year and enjoyed her writing. Again, I wasn’t disappointed.

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Blurb:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a heartfelt short story about a complicated friendship and a youthful betrayal that still has the power to shape two women’s lives.

Senatorial favorite Ida Berkowitz is headed for a win. Raised by a hardworking widowed mother, she’s authentic, relatable, and down-to-earth. Voters love her. Polls promise victory. Then her campaign manager utters four awful words: Who is Marissa Schuyler? She had almost managed to forget. Ida’s bunkmate at Camp Golden Hills when they were girls, Marissa was confident, sophisticated, and wealthy. Everything Ida wasn’t. Now the polished wife of a major conservative donor, Marissa’s announced a press conference. About Ida.

Just like that, Ida’s old insecurities come rushing in. So do new feelings of dread. After all these years, she knows what’s on Marissa’s mind. It could undermine everything Ida’s worked for. Because it isn’t very pretty.

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My Five Star Review:

Everything is coming up roses for Ida as she prepares for her campaign to run for Senator, which has taken off well, despite some of the dirty shenanigans the opposition she thought had in store for her. But that was until Ida’s campaign manager Dani, asked her who is Marissa Schuyler? Ida thinks back to her days at Golden Hills summer ‘fat’ camp tired of being bodyshamed. But shame had nothing on her like Marissa did. Just what Ida didn’t need was Marissa, now – the wife of a conservative donor, eager to ruin Ida’s chance at running for Senate. Ida thought back to those golden camp days when she was once friends with Marissa and ‘an incident’ that happened that put a dent into their friendship. Would Marissa now be the tattler of tales?

Ida was a child of a widowed mom where both struggled to remain in middle class standing. Ida became a teacher who got tired of all the terrible politics and the lack of support, lousy pay and supplies for a teacher, and she ultimately had to supplement her income waiting on tables. The only way to fight back for her was to run for Senate so she could help to make the changes needed for children and schools. Would her childhood catch up with her and ruin her chances of winning? You may be surprised at the pleasant surprise at the end.

©DGKaye2023

52 thoughts on “Sunday Book Review – Golden Hills by Jennifer Weiner”

    1. Happy to intrigue you Olga. Yes, it is one of my
      short reads I like to stick in between longer reads. But still engaging. I hope you enjoy if you give it a whirl. ❤

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    1. Hi Robbie, thanks. I am thinking there have been a few in both US and Canadian politics. For one, current US Senator Elizabeth Warren was a teacher, former US President Lyndon B. Johnson taught, and let us not forget, my Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau was a teacher. It’s a thing! 🙂 xx

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  5. I have read quite a few of her books and follow her on Facebook. I like her and her books. I haven’t read this but it sounds intriguing. I’m also waiting for her latest The Breakaway to be released about an bicyclist because she rides like the character does.

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  7. I like Jennifer Weiner’s writing style, and the Golden Hills, a short novel, recommends itself to me because I don’t think I finished Mrs. Everything (480 pages) on loan on my Kindle for a short time last year.

    In general, multigenerational novels or stories with surprise endings appeal to me. Thanks for the thorough review, Debby!

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  8. This one sounds intriguing, particulary what happened with Marissa and why Marissa is hell-bent on ruining Ida’s life. ( If Ida is running for the US Senate, she would stand very little chance of helping to make the changes needed for children and schools, unless she managed to be appointed Secretary of Education further down the road.)

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  12. It’s my poor Kindle you have to consider! I need to live to a very ripe old age to get through all the lovely books in there! xx

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  13. Great review, Debby 🙂 This sounds like a good one and not sure I’d like some childhood events coming to light either.

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  14. Yes, an interesting sounding story, Debby!
    It’s quite timely, as well.
    You wrote a solid review. I’m never disappointed reading one here ; not too long, not too short.Thank you! xoxoxo

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    1. And thanks for reading Resa. I know your system now after your comment on my ‘reading’ system post, lol. Hey, I have over 1000 books on my reader alone – never mind paperbacks, yet, I’m always eager to read a new book review. It’s kind of like shoes for me. Lol 🙂 ❤ xxx

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      1. Hahahaha!
        I have 2 fab books on shoes. “Cinderella’s Revenge” by Samuele Mazza- & – “Shoes” by Linda O’Keefe. These books are treasures!
        xoxoxoxoxo

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      2. Lol, I reviewed a book with a shoe theme earlier this year. You must have missed it, lol. And if you think I can remember the name . . .. In Her Shoes? – maybe? LOL xoxo

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      3. I think I remember it! The 2 I mentioned are not novels. They are books of shoes. LOTs of shoes. Shoes of yesterday and today. Shoes, shoes, shoes! xoxox

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  15. Ooh… Thanks for sharing this, Debby. You know I love short stories and, if I’m not mistaken, this is the author of a cute (well-written) children’s series called “The Littlest Bigfoot”. ? My kids had those when they were younger. Checking this out! 💖

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      1. It didn’t look that way. 🙂 But it does look good. (And, like I said, her children’s books were well-written so I already know she can write well. Now it’s down to “short story” and a great review from you. Sold!)

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