Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of Half of What You Hear, a book I had to read after reading my friend Stephanie’s glowing review. It publishes on Friday via Harper Books!
My Thoughts:
Greyhill, Virginia is known for its old money and old traditions and old…gossip.
Bess Warner, along with her husband Cole and their children, move to Cole’s small hometown of Greyhill. Bess will now live across the street from her mother-in-law, and she’s excited to take over the family’s inn.
Fitting in is not easy in a small town, especially as an adult with secrets to hide, and Bess has her share from her former career in Washington. She can feel the gossip spreading, and it hurts. Not only does she have to adjust, but so do her children.
Bess is given the opportunity to write an article of a “famous” resident of Greyhill for the Washington Post, and she scoops it up.
Susannah “Cricket” lane is a native of Greyhill and from an old, established family, but she’s been living in New York for years when she decides to return. Why she left has been gossiped about, and now the town is talking about why she is returning. As Bess interviews Susannah, she can’t get a read on whether Susannah is sincere, or if she’s trying to expose Greyhill’s community on all sides, good and bad.
All small towns aren’t like Greyhill by any means. I live in a tiny town now and have never experienced the drama or gossip; however, I also know what it’s like to move to a small town as an outsider where everyone knows each other. I’ve mentioned before in my reviews that we moved frequently when I was a child, and my father’s family was well-established when we moved to his hometown, just as Greyhill was Cole’s hometown. It IS hard to start over in a town where everyone knows your business. It also can be hard to figure out just who you are.
Kusek Lewis has written a thoughtful and illuminating take on secrets and (some) small towns. I connected to the story and its characters, and it was entertaining and well-written. It can be hard to fit in, and the author captured those feelings with authenticity and sides of drama and gossip for fun.
Thank you to Harper Books for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis:
From well-loved women’s fiction writer Kristyn Kusek Lewis comes a breakout novel about a woman moving to a small community and uncovering the many secrets that hide behind closed doors—perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Elin Hilderbrand.
Greyhill, Virginia—refuge of old money, old mansions, and old-fashioned ideas about who belongs and who doesn’t—just got a few new residents. When Bess Warner arrives in town with her husband Cole and their kids, she thinks she knows what to expect. Sure, moving to Cole’s small hometown means she’ll have to live across the street from her mother-in-law, and yes, there’s going to be a lot to learn as they take over Cole’s family’s inn-keeping business, but Bess believes it will be the perfect escape from Washington. She needs it to be. After losing her White House job under a cloud of scandal, she hardly knows who she is anymore.
But Bess quickly discovers that fitting in is easier said than done. Instead of the simpler life she’d banked on, she finds herself preoccupied by barbed questions from gossipy locals and her own worries over how her twins are acclimating at the town’s elite private school. When the opportunity to write an article for the Washington Post’s lifestyle supplement falls into Bess’s lap, she thinks it might finally be her opportunity to find her footing here…even if the subject of the piece is Greyhill’s most notorious resident.
Susannah “Cricket” Lane, fruit of the town’s deepest-rooted family tree, is a special sort of outsider, having just returned to Greyhill from New York after a decades-long hiatus. The long absence has always been the subject of suspicion, not that the eccentric Susannah cares what anyone thinks; as a matter of fact, she seems bent on antagonizing as many people as possible. But is Susannah being sincere with Bess—or is she using their strangely intense interview sessions for her to further an agenda that includes peeling back the layers of Greyhill’s darkest secrets?
As Bess discovers unsettling truths about Susannah and Greyhill at large, ones that bring her into the secrets of prior generations, she begins to learn how difficult it is to start over in a town that runs on talk, and that sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to uncover what everyone around you is hiding….
Have you read Half of What You Hear, or is it on your TBR? Happy Reading! ~ Jennifer THR
I know I found it hard moving from the North to the South. Still do at times, but we do love it here. Glad you enjoyed this book, Jennifer. Happy 2019!
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Thanks, Marialyce! The area you live in can be a touch insular, too (though there are lots of transplants due to the military). I hope your 2019 is off to a great start!
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This sounds so interesting – I know it can be so hard to fit in, whether you’re in a small town or a large city. I feel like many could relate to that underlying theme. Happy Reading! 💜
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That’s so true, LP. It can happen anywhere, and I’m sure everyone feels that way at one time or another. ♥️
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I like the sound of this! Great review Jennifer, another one for my tbr!
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Thanks, Emma! I think you’d enjoy this one! ♥️
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I have this for audio review! Hoping to get to it this month. Your review is wonderful, Jennifer.
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Thanks, Jonetta! I hope you love this one! I’ll be excited to hear about the audio and what kind of accents the narrators have! 😂 ♥️
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Lovely review and picture, Jennifer. I have not read this one and added it to my tbr list. Happy Wednesday. 💗📚🌹
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Thanks, Virginia! I think you’d enjoy this one, too. Happy reading! ♥️
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I enjoyed this too and could easily see it becoming a series (with all the small town drama)! Great review!
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Thanks, Holls! I LOVE the idea of a series for this one. That would be outstanding!
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Thanks for the lovely shout-out, my friend! I’m glad that your small town is not gossipy. You know, my hubby and I talked about it, and we came to the conclusion that we live in the most gossipy neighborhood, LOL. I have one neighbor who wants to know all your business and then she tells everyone else; I’ve learned to avoid her if possible over the years except to call a “hey” or whatever, but she reminded me of some of the book characters and wouldn’t you know it, she’s from a tiny Southern town in Alabama. Who knows, lol. I know I told you my grandmother was the world’s biggest gossip, Lord love her, and so is my aunt come to think about it, HAHA!
I loved your review and am so glad that you enjoyed the book! Now I just need to get my New Year’s rear in gear and start writing some reviews, but I’m still on island time. 😉 xoxo ♥
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I love Island time! Thanks, Steph, and I’m so grateful you told me about this book! That is too funny about your nosy neighbor being from a small town in AL. We are lucky with most of our neighbors. Really nice but they give us space too. I need space. 😂 Can’t wait to see your 2019 reviews! I’m trying hard to get ahead on reads! ♥️ xoxo
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Me too…I think I’m going to be on it for a while, lol. I’m really glad you enjoyed it! It is funny…she’s just too much though, lol. We are too except for the one. You’re very lucky! I’m with you; I need my space. I like to be sociable and will do the neighborhood things, but I like to be alone, either by myself or with my family 95% of the time. I’m ahead with my reads, but I need to make myself sit down and write the reviews! I keep starting them and getting sidetracked, lol. Thank goodness none of my books that need reviews release until Jan 22nd since I reviewed all the other Jan releases in Dec! I guess I have some time then, lol. 🙂 xoxo ♥
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This sounds like an interesting book. I grew up in a small town and everyone always seemed to know everyone else’s business, and people were always gossiping. I’m so glad to be away from that now! Funnily enough though, I’m still drawn to books set in small towns so this one really appeals to me. 🙂
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Thanks, Hayley! This is a charming book. It captures that small town experience. I hope you enjoy this one if you end up reading it. ♥️
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Wonderful review Jen! Have an awesome Wednesday evening!🎉💕
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Thanks so much, Sus! I hope your evening has been wonderful, too! 💗
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Thoughtful and illuminating sounds very intriguing! Wonderful review.
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Thanks so much, Chrissi! It was a terrific read!
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I do like books set in small towns even if the idea of all that drama and gossip might not be quite realistic. My own small town is boringly dull – which is exactly why I love it!
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I would love that, too, FF! Mine town is way too cramped with people, but when you go into a shop or restaurant, there is still a kindness that I don’t feel everywhere else I go, so I’m grateful for my little sleepy town, too.
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I put this on my Audible wish list after Stephanie’s review now I might need to purchase it after yours! I think I would love this thank you for your fabulous review!💕💕
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Thanks, Berit! I happen to think you’d love this one, too! ♥️
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I had not heard of this one, but it sounds really good. Nice review Jennifer, I just added this one to my TBR.
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Thanks, Carla! I had fun with this one and it had more depth than I expected. I hope you enjoy it too!
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Wonderful review, Jennifer. I have never really lived in a small town. I always assume that it would be like being back in high-school with all the drama/gossip. Glad to hear that you have great neighbors though without the gossip and the drama. I love the setting and storyline of this title.
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Thanks, Diana! Ugh, high school- that’s a good comparison. The title is clever and I enjoyed the setting too!
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Lovely review Jenni, glad you don’t have to deal with too much of the drama yourself! Thank you for bringing my attention to this book. 🤗👍🏻
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Thanks, Beth! Me, too! No time for the drama! 😂 ♥️
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Love the review!
I haven’t read this but it sounds like something i should be reading.
The blurb had me at the mention of Liane Moriarty ❤
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Thanks, Norrie! It did have a touch of that Little Big Lies feel with the rumors and gossip. ♥️
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