My oldest netgalley arc from 2021 that I totally forgot about 😂.

This was a decent novel. Something you’d pick up to read in a summer vacation or a day at the beach.

There’s family drama and secrets, grief and romance.

I was pretty good with most of this and enjoying the listen, it was a bit long in my opinion and dragged in some areas, but then like, 80%-ish in they started to like sort of villainize a woman with schizophrenia/bipolar disorder. Like the way one of the characters talks about her is like ick. That whole section felt a little ick to me.

Also, everyone ended up somehow being related in some way through various avenues which I wasn’t expecting and was a little odd 😂.

Overall this was an okay read. I think it could have been trimmed, this didn’t need to be as long as it was. But, it was just sort of fine.

Thank you @netgalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is a sweet book about following your own dreams and trying to fulfill the dreams of others. Sara finds herself in an uncomfortable situation when her mom dies in the middle of writing her long awaited conclusion to a book series and leaves in her will that she wants Sara to complete the book. Sara sees herself as only a greeting card writer and doesn't have the courage and assumes she doesn't have the skill to complete this task. I enjoyed the book overall, I just wish it had been edited down a bit more. It felt unnecessarily long in places.

"The Audacity of Sara Grayson" by Joani Elliott is a heartwarming and empowering novel that follows the journey of its titular character, Sara Grayson, as she embarks on a quest for self-discovery, personal growth, and the courage to rewrite the narrative of her own life.

Sara Grayson, a young woman whose life is defined by a series of failures and disappointments, finds herself at a crossroads, facing the challenges of an uncertain future. What sets this novel apart is its central message of resilience and the audacity to reclaim one's life, no matter the setbacks and circumstances.

Joani Elliott's storytelling is marked by its authenticity and emotional depth, portraying Sara's struggles and triumphs in a relatable and inspiring way. Readers will find themselves rooting for Sara as she begins to take charge of her life, fueled by a newfound determination to pursue her dreams and overcome the hurdles that stand in her way.

The novel beautifully explores themes of friendship, love, second chances, and the power of self-belief. It is a celebration of the human spirit's capacity to rise above adversity and seize the reins of destiny.

"The Audacity of Sara Grayson" is an uplifting and engaging read that reminds us that no matter how far we've strayed from our dreams or how many setbacks we've faced, there is always the possibility of reclaiming our lives with audacity and resilience. Joani Elliott's debut novel is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and its capacity for transformation, making it a must-read for anyone in search of inspiration and a reminder that it's never too late to follow your heart.

Similar to other books like Where'd Bernadette Go and Yellowface, it strikes a chord with me as an aspiring writer. I always love complicated mother and daughter relationships.

The Audacity of Sara Grayson
Joani Elliott
Sara's mother Cassandra, author of a bestselling series dies with her final wish that Sara complete her final book of the series.This journey of Sara from a greeting card writer to taking up such a daring task is well presented in an enjoyable, engaging and inspirational .All characters makes an impact on readers, as we walk along with them in their emotional journey.
Sara finds out more about her own family and history as she sets out on her way to be 'the writer' as her mother wanted. There is love, friendship, conflicts, tensions and surprises throughout.
I loved the quotes about writing and authors, given in the beginning of each chapter.The author perfectly blends humour and wit with the drama and emotions of the characters.I was completely engrossed from the first page to the very last.
The only thing i disliked is not unveiling whats in 'the box'.
Overall an entertaining read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

What a fun and heartwarming read! I feel like I haven't been invested in a story this much for quite some time. It was a perfect mix of romance, family drama and a little bit of mystery. The characters were awesome and the main character Sara was super relatable. The ending definitely didn't disappoint, I was crying, I was smiling, overall, amazing reading experience!

Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

To be honest, I was expecting not to enjoy this one (here I go, judging books by their cover...) Hence the reason this review is coming waaay after the book's pub date.
But! I've been in a bit of a reading rut lately and picked this one up at random. Though I found some issues with the writing (it's just some pretty surface level stuff), I found that I became invested quickly in the characters and their stories. I will say, I think the book had some unnecessary stuff (Sara's lawyer who is also her childhood friend who she might have a little chemistry with but really ends up being nothing? I kept forgetting his name too, so when it showed up, I'd be like ??? Who??? As you can see, I still don't remember it. That's how forgettable he was), but that didn't keep me from finishing over a couple days.
My biggest issue with the book was how it ended. By putting so much on the romance between Sara and Nik, it seems like we're supposed to just be okay with the fact that we don't learn more about the book or the locked safe. There are some books I'm okay with them having vague endings, but this one definitely didn't feel like it ended correctly. I ended up looking for the published copy and seeing if for some reason the end was just ??? missing ??? but alas, that's just how it ends.

I'll always have a sweet sport for books about books or somehow related to books. I don't know why it took me so long to pick this up (probably the 400 pages and the rather slow beginning). I am so glad that I finally picked it up and could enjoy thins while sitting at the river during summer. It is an easy read but not too easy. I don't mind annoying characters if they're well written but Sara is sometimes too annoying anf self absorbed that it took me way too long ot get used too.

Sara was a very likable character, but I didn't find her as "unstable" as the blurb indicates. I liked the idea behind this novel, a redemption story for Sara and a closing of a chapter for her mom. This was a quick read with some heavier themes, but ultimately I'm glad I read this.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I am not sure what drew me to this book as the cover alone would not have done it...I am not into these types of covers and almost never like the books that have these types of covers...so it must have been the name and that made me look to see what the blurb had to say. I really really liked the premise of the book and there was so much growth involved in the storyline. When Sara's novelist mother dies, it is her last wish that Sara herself finish the final novel in the best selling series...Sara is a greeting card writer who honestly believes she doesn't have what it takes to do the job but what choice does she have but to stand up and do it to the best of her ability. See what I mean? Growth...it is one of my favorite things...This was also a book that I ended up looking to see if the cities were real and some of them got added to my ever growing wish list of places to visit.

I always love seeing a book with an MC in her 30s and that center around books! Especially when she's as relatable as Sara, providing a realistic look about life through grief and finding your own way. This book is a great journey to go on over a cozy weekend. Thank you to Post Hill Press for the copy of this ARC.

I really loved this book! As an aspiring writer myself I felt like it accurately depicted the portrayal of a struggling writer. I also really enjoyed the change in scenery - it kept things interesting, especially given that if we only had to watch Sara struggle to write a book in one place it could've gotten old quickly. I liked the twining of familial mysteries, although I did think things got a bit too conveniently connected in the end. Still it was an awesome book and one I'll gladly reread!

This was a sweet interesting read about a daughter charged to write the last book in a series her mother started before she passed away. The ups and downs of the writing process are well portrayed, and you can’t help but be on Sara’s side as she struggles to go from greeting card writer to novel writer almost overnight.

to be honest.. this book was a little triggering so I did not finish it. I lost my mum "recently" and I don't feel like I can read this book and be fair in my opinion.

The cover is what made me want to read this book and I was so happy that it lived up to my expectations. Great story!

Thank you Netgalley and Meryl Moss Media for the opportunity to read and review this ARC with my honest feedback.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book; It seemed like it'd be a little more on the heavy side with the situation of the mother, but it ended up being heartwarming, fun, and a fluffy quick read. Well done for a debut novel, will definitely read more from this author.

It took a bit for me to get into the right frame of mind to enjoy this book but once I did, I found this debut novel delightful.
It follows the main character Sara as she navigates her life after the loss of her mother. At the beginning of this book, Sara has low self-esteem, is heartbroken after a divorce and drowns in self-loathing and is maybe even a bit depressed as she's never had the courage to try to become a writer as she always dreamed.
On the other hand, her mother was a famous mystery writer with international fame and her older sister a very accomplished mother and wife.
Upon her mother's death, she is tasked with writing the last bpok in her mother's world renowned series about a female detective. In parallel, together with her sister, Sara needs to untangle a mystery related to her family's past that makes her question all she's known to be true about her parents.
With a fresh writing style, a lot of self-deprecated humor abd a well fleshed out main character, this book is about finding that inner voice and courage to pursue your dreams even if the shoes you're trying to walk in may seem to big,
Great debut novel!

Sara Grayson’s life is turned upside down when her mother dies from cancer. An international bestselling author, Sara’s famous mother tapped her to finish the final book in her highly anticipated series. Sara feels unprepared and betrayed by both of her parents when she discovers family secrets and has to race to write a book, while dealing with a publisher that assumes she will fail. Sara must embrace the person she’s always wanted to be, while also dealing with some lingering questions from her parents’ past. While Sara can be frustrating as she jumps to conclusions based on very little to go on, our protagonist will eventually rise to the occasion to produce the ending her mother’s readers were clamoring for. This book is ultimately a coming of age story, if coming of age happens in your 30s.

When Sara, a greeting card writer, learns that she needs to write the final book in her mother’s series, she needs to believe that she can! Sara’s mother is the world’s greatest literary author with a best-selling series. Her dying wish is for Sara to complete the last book in her series.
She can’t imagine writing the final book to meet expectations of thirty million fans. And she does not want to disappoint her mother and ruin her legacy. Throw in a love interest and a family secret and this book has all the elements. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.