The Paper Palace (Reese's Book Club)

Books | Fiction / Women

(14.5K)

Miranda Cowley Heller

REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLEROVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE THE PAPER PALACE IS: “Filled with secrets, love, lies and a summer beach house. What more could you ask?”—Parade “A deeply emotional love story…the unraveling of secrets, lies and a very complex love triangle.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club July ’21 Pick) "Nail-biting." —Town & Country “A magnificent page-turner.” —Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author“[An] irresistible placement of a complicated family in a bewitching place.” —The New York Times A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades.“This house, this place, knows all my secrets.” It is a perfect August morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at “The Paper Palace”—the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families.

Romance

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More Details:

Author

Miranda Cowley Heller

Pages

400

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

2021-07-06

ISBN

0593329821 9780593329825

Community ReviewsSee all

"Good book with a full storyline in a beautiful setting but the ending just kind of landed with an ooph."

Danielle Henry

"Elle loves her husband Peter, her children, her life. And then there’s Jonas, her best friend. Introspective and often heartbreaking walk through Elle’s life and choices. And the biggest question: “Does letting go mean losing everything you have, or does it mean gaining everything you never had?” Great read. "

Jackie Davidson

"This one did not sit well with me. The author is talented to make me feel uncomfortable, but could not get on board with the plot"

Brenna Luevano

"I cannot decide if I liked this book. The subject matter was hard: dysfunctional family, rape, incest. The story meanders and weaves memories of previous events throughout—at times confusing the reader of where they are in the timeline of events. However, it was also about the victim coming to terms with her circumstances, her family members and their shortcomings and a love she has held since childhood. The writing is beautiful but hard to follow at times due to all the jumping around."

Merry

"I would give this one 3 stars. It was ok and a quick read but not my favorite. "

Anna Wieland

"A really solid Reese pick!! I devoured this in days. Check the trigger warnings though"

Becca Sangwin

"Heartbreaking. This novel is so full of beauty and tragedy. Extremely well written 9/10"

Bethany Gill

"I like certain parts of this book as it isn’t my favorite, but it’s a good book. The start is kind of slow with a lot of description (similar to Where the Crawdads Sing), but also there are a multitude of characters. However, I did like the raw realness and imperfections that make a person and a story. It started to become more captivating as the book went on and the end is good, but also a little confusing. Overall though, I am glad that I read this book. "

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Nicky Ewers

"What an emotional story. Great writing; inner-dialogue, complex relationships, crushing situations and different loves. ❤️❤️"