Roll the Sun Across the Sky was certainly a thought provoking book for mothers. What responsibility do we bear for the lives of our children? If they struggle to live a “good life” is it because of the way we raised them? As mothers we tend to blame ourselves for things we have no control over.
Those are the dilemmas raised by Arden. Her story is full of lies and numerous relationships, one of which culminated in a daughter. She lies numerous times about the paternity of her daughter, Leigh.
We meet Leigh as a child and then through snippets of information from Leigh’s daughter, Danielle. Danielle is ultimately being raised by Arden after a tragic accident.
The angst felt by each of these women is tragic but I have to admit that I was unable to like any of these women. At times I was confused by the timeline but the strong storyline kept me reading way past midnight. My wish for Arden and Danielle both is that they finally live a “good life”.
Many thanks to Barbara Lin Probst, She Writes Press, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this soon to be published novel. Three and a half stars.

Thank you NetGalley, She Writes Press and Barbara Linn Probst for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Roll the Sun Across the Sky .
This is a contemporary novel about a woman’s struggle to face her mistakes in the past along with taking responsibility for decisions she made in raising her family.
This is a dual-timeline story jumping often from past to present. I found it sometimes difficult to keep characters and events straight. The characters are well developed yet not very likable. Our main character, Arden, always justifies her poor behavior and places blame on others when she was responsible. No rules, no consequences seem s to be acceptable today. Situations take a turn at the end in an effort to seek redemption. This is an entertaining story which gives you a lot to think about.

This author writes in a very descriptive style, which helps the reader to visualize what the characters are involved in at any given time, as well as the beautiful scenery of Sicily. The character was at times very hard to like and therefore made for difficulty in becoming invested in her story. The peripheral characters of the story gave life to the story in so many different ways that they helped in moving the story along. The fact that Arden believes she is not a "good" person, and desperately wants to be, leads her and her story into confusion at times; and her overwhelming feelings that she is responsible for so many things going wrong in other's people's lives makes her decisions even more complicated. The secrets she finds out about her daughter and granddaughter, make her finally face her own reality. I liked the book, and actual rating would be 3.5. Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #rollthesunacrossthesky

This is a story in which Arden Rice, a mother and grandmother, is reflecting back on her life as she is about to celebrate her 60th birthday with husband number three, daughter Leigh and granddaughter Danielle. But then the absolutely unthinkable happens and Arden begins to think that this event is the punishment for her past.
Starting with a trip to Egypt in 1977 with a man named Robert, she recalls doing some rather shifty things and being impatient and unkind towards him and these actions seemed to be her MO in any relationship she was in. When she discovers she is pregnant while with a man she used to make Robert see she is not interested in continuing their relationship, she realizes that Robert is the father but convinces this current fling he is the dad and they marry. Her life with this wanna be musician is hard because they struggle monthly with their limited expenses and after several years, she's had enough and wants out. Her daughter, now six, watches her mother's revolving door of lovers, never any of them staying to give her the stability of a father figure. Arden returns to her former job as a teacher in a private school and will eventually attract the father of a student who turns in an inadequate paper. This leads to dating and eventually a proposal but with a condition. She accepts this because the life he can given them is what she has always coveted. His daughter also becomes like the big sister Leigh never had and life is good until Arden breaks the confidence of his man in a selfish move to protect herself and they divorce. More men, more inappropriate behavior in front of her daughter ensues until a trip to a farm as a research project for her daughter's school project where she meets Connor and there is an instant spark. While it's mutual, Connor claims a polyamory lifestyle much to Arden's chagrin. After an abusive incident occurs at school, Leigh turns to Connor now her stepfather for words of advice and he tells her "have all the guys you want"(@69%) and she takes these words to heart. The reader has to wonder though, is it Connor's words or her mother's own behavior that gives her the permission for her promiscuity? This is what Arden has to consider when she learns of Leigh's multiple partners and all the while, not taking Danielle into account for what she sees in her young life. Like Mother like Daughter times two! Also, Arden now has to help Danielle deal with the tragedy in her life. Finally, at age 60, Arden sees the errors her life choices and where her selfish behaviors have led.
Accept for Robert, there isn't one character that I liked. Arden is selfish, untrustworthy, a liar, a user and very self-centered and I really struggled with reading this book. While I believe the reader is supposed to see the moment that Arden sees the light, it was a long time coming and what she did to people along the way was horrible and unforgiveable. She hurt so many people in her life for her own selfish gain and she always tries to justify her behavior to make herself feel okay about what she has said or done. For instance, what she did to Robert in Egypt knowing his allergy just so she could follow her lust, was unconscionable!! The attempt at redemption falls short for me. The cover art is quite lovely but somehow didn’t match the negatively of the storyline.

This was a 4-star read for me. Arden, the FMC, experienced a very traumatic loss that caused her to reflect on her actions throughout her lifetime. The story teleports the reader from her present and to her past providing context to her decisions the lead her to treat those around her cruelly while ignoring the consequences associated with her actions.

Later within the story, Arden seeks redemption and gains a greater understanding how a mother’s actions affect those close to her – -daughter and grand-daughter. The pacing of the book was good. The characters were imperfectly relatable, and the story draws the reader in.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me a copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to get red PR for sending me this advanced reader copy of roll the sun across the sky.

Our FMC Arden Rice has devoted her entire life, making sure that her daughter Leigh has whatever she needs. This includes a life of secrets, betrayals, and many marriages.
She is finally at peace with her new husband and her daughter, when a train wreck changes the entire trajectory of her life.
Arden is now forced to face her past choices that she has made and reflect on how that has impacted her entire life.

I thought this book was a great representation of how our choices no matter how big or how small can have long lasting effects. This was a quick fast paced read, that left you wondering how Aden would resolve so many of her problems.

I did not leave feedback on any social media sites as I did not like this book. The main character was way too raunchy. I should have stopped reading at ‘outliving the 3,000 people in the Twin Towers’. Very tasteless and disrespectful.

Thanks to She Writes Press for my advanced copy of Roll The Sun Across The Sky by Barbara Linn Probst which comes out May 13th.

This was an interesting book and would be great for book club discussion. Arden was one of the most selfish and complex characters along with being very unlikeable. Through this dual timeline, you see her in her early 20s and then again as she turns 60 and tragedy strikes. As Arden reflects on her life she thinks about the decisions she's made and what makes a person.

Barbara's writing style captivates you in her books and she has such beautiful writing.

If you like women's fiction or family drama you'll enjoy this book.

I have read all of Barbara Linn Probst’s superbly written ‘book club’ novels (with their beautiful covers!) but this one was rather different, primarily because the author has taken some big risks by writing a protagonist who is one of the most unlikeable characters I have ever read outside of a thriller. Arden Rice’s journey through this novel begins when she is 24 as she travels to Europe with Robert, the young man she seems to have conveniently paired with for her own selfish ends. The story then moves to Arden on her 60th birthday when she faces a tragedy of immeasurable proportions that leaves her 10-year-old granddaughter in her care and her unkind behaviors in her past life to reckon with. Now we find out more about what has shaped Arden and how she has shaped her own daughter. For me I was wondering about Arden’s parents? How did they shape her? There is very little in Arden’s musings to give us any insight into her childhood.

Of course, as this is a novel we guess Arden is in the end going to change and become a nice person. To find out if that happens the reader will have to read it… but be warned, it is no light and predictable road. For me, I was left with bemusement about Arden’s character… I personally in real life have never known anyone who even approaches such a selfish being and I hope I never will. But sadly I suppose such people exist (everyday people I mean, not some politicians and the like.) The question is, do I want to read about them? Well yes, because I know what an intelligent writer Linn Probst is, and yes, because that is what fiction is for; to explore worlds and people we would otherwise not experience. This is my least favorite novel of this author but for me it is a 4/5 anyway and for other readers it may be anything from a 2 to a 5! And 5 stars to Linn Probst for taking a risky subject and writing a novel about it. Great fodder for book club discussions.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Arden Rice loses her family in a tragic accident. Caring for her granddaughter, Arden is now forced to come to terms with moments from her past. Have the decisions she made shaped the future of her daughter's and granddaughter's lives?

This story focuses on flashes from Arden's past and present life, taking readers on a journey through past relationships, while also incorporating chapters from Lilah's point of view. Arden was a complicated character - she was selfish at times, but you still cared about her. Unfortunately, the same can not be said about Lilah. Overall, a riveting tale of womanhood and motherhood.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of Netgalley and She Writes Press. All Opinions are my own.

In 1977, Arden Rice, a twenty-four-year-old teacher, embarked on a journey to Europe with her friend/boyfriend Robert, whose exact relationship status is uncertain. Arden is a selfish and reckless young woman. Despite this, the voice in her head urged her to strive for goodness. The story shifts to 2013, and Arden anticipates celebrating her 60th birthday with her husband, daughter, and granddaughter when tragedy strikes. She wonders if this is the punishment she always expected for her past behavior. The story unfolds across two timelines, one in the first person and the other in the third person, focusing on Arden's relationships. She reflects on the many men who have come and gone in her life and her unwavering commitment to providing her daughter with a good life, regardless of the consequences. Is Arden worthy of forgiveness?

This is the fourth novel by Barbara Linn Probst, who has a talent for creating beautifully written literary fiction. Roll the Sun Across the Sky challenges readers to care about Arden, a complex character who has shown love yet has also committed cruel acts and told numerous lies. The novel explores themes of love, loss, grief, and redemption. Additionally, stories set in Manhattan always provide added appeal. It's an emotional journey that moved me to tears. 

4.25 stars.

This is women’s fiction at its finest; it’s memorable, thought-provoking, complex, maddening, and haunting. There is so much to unpack here, and I devoured it.

My reviews seldom give the background/premise or synopsis of a book, because we can all look those up with ease on our own. My focus is always on the writing, the character-development, the sensitivity it provokes, and the pace and depth of the story. The story unfolds in two separate timelines; one told in first person and the other told in third person. These timelines reveal this very imperfect, even unlikable, protagonist who is Arden Rice.

She is shown to the dear reader to be chronically flawed, yet hopeful to change; she is just like we all are: imperfect and flawed—perhaps not all in the same way, but, nonetheless, human.

It is a story about love, family, grief, guilt, and redemption, with a backdrop of breathtaking, lyrical prose, a smidge of suspense, and well-crafted, multi-dimensional supporting characters. I loved it.

It is difficult to review without revealing spoilers, but it is an exceptional journey of life and all the chaotic, horrible, beautiful, and exquisite elements that transpire during one’s unique expedition. This will make for a scintillating book club discussion. It is due to be published on May 13th, 2025.

Thank you author, Barbara Lin Probst; publisher, She Writes Press; and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are wholly my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for an ARC of Roll The Sun Across the Sky by Barbara Linn Probst in exchange for my honest review.

I truly dislike giving a book a negative review, but Barbara Linn Probst’s latest novel, Roll the Sun Across the Sky, left me with such a bad taste in my mouth. So here it is.

When I read the premise for this story, it sounded like it was right in my wheelhouse – mother-daughter relationship, dual timeline, a woman facing her past mistakes seeks redemption. This book was all that, however, I found Arden Rice, our main character, to be extremely unlikeable. I would even go so far as to say she is narcissistic and cruel. I don’t have a problem with unlikeable characters, and when done well, I often root for them or at least laugh at or with them. That was not the case with Arden. Everything that happens to her she brings upon herself. At the beginning of the story, when Arden was 24, she does something so cruel and purposeful, a malicious unprovoked action that could have caused great physical harm to another person, all to benefit herself. Most of this book is from Arden’s POV, and is essentially her stream of consciousness as she moves through her life, so we have a very good understanding about this character’s intents and motivations. I don’t want to elaborate further so as not to spoil the book for other readers. Suffice it to say, I found that single act at the beginning of the book so despicable and inexcuseable, that it would have been best for me to DNF the book at that point.

I decided to read on to see if Arden would be able to redeem herself. Sadly, she makes one mean and hurtful decision after the next. Even in the present-day timeline, when Arden is a grandmother, I found her to be insufferable. The ending had suggestions of redemption, but at that point it was too late for this reader.

The book moves quickly and I found the time-line hops to be successful. I may be an outlier with my low, critical review of this book, because there are several 5-star reviews out there, so if the premise and themes of Roll the Sun Across the sky sound interesting to you please check out other reviews.

I feel like the author had great ambition for this story but the execution falls short. I'm no prude, but the emphasis on the sexual roles of these characters felt shallow to me. It felt reductive as if sex is the most important part of a person's life. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Barbara Linn Probst, the Author of “Roll the Sun Across the Sky” has written a thought-provoking, captivating and intriguing novel. In this well written and reflective novel, the author vividly describes the landscape, scenery, and dramatic characters. The genres for this novel are Women’s Fiction, Motherhood, and Marriage and Divorce. The characters are described as complex, complicated and flawed. In this novel, the author discusses how past behavioral mistakes can contribute to actions in the present and future. I appreciate that the author also mentions the importance of family, forgiveness, second chances, love and hope. Other questions arise is the importance of money, and is the pen mightier than the sword? Can words be dangerous, or creative?

The protagonist of the story Arden Rice is about to celebrate a birthday that turns out to be tragic. She revisits her life, her loves, her secrets, her betrayals, her mistakes, and bad choices. Arden is seeking some sort of redemption for herself and her granddaughter. As secrets and perceptions are clarified, Arden is looking for a positive path. I couldn’t put this book down, and I highly recommend it. This is an amazing, memorable, and heartfelt story.

This was an engaging read and an interesting reflection on life's choices (and wrongs done). There's a dual timeline between sixty-year-old Arden and her twenty-something self. As present-day Arden copes with the aftermath of an unbelievable tragedy, we trace the path that got her to where she is.

At face value, Arden is a good woman with a good family who should never have to endure what she's being put through. And yet we see she has always believed herself at some level unworthy of such a good life. When that life falls apart, it's almost like the thing she's been waiting for has finally arrive: her comeuppance.

While it's up to the reader to decide whether we agree with Arden's assessment, I think she inflated her own importance in others' lives quite a bit. We see this when she eventually allows herself a chance to right some of her past wrongs, or at least speak to those she had wronged. She had great power over the men who loved her, but they also had plenty of agency and ability to heal those wounds, whereas in Arden's mind they sort of stayed preserved in amber on the last day she heard from them.

I like that about this story, just as I like the author's portrayal of Arden's various misdeeds as selfish yet relatable. Arden's lack of true hardship in life makes her a little hard to like sometimes, and her missteps harder to forgive. At the same time, I have experienced the compulsion to avoid a man whose feelings for me feel oppressive. Under duress, I have blurted out words I would immediately want back. Even if we need to dislike Arden a tiny bit, we can see a bit of ourselves in her too. She shows a way through even the worst times, into a place of self-awareness and steadiness.

I hit a few snags while reading -- I wondered if the character of Leigh might have benefited from a tiny bit more development, and I didn't quite understand why the past chapters were in first person while the present ones were in third person -- but overall I was surprised by how much this story drew me in.

Barbara Linn Probst has given us another well written, enjoyable page turner. Her characters are relatable, complex, interesting. The use of first person and third person for the main character at different ages was interesting and intriguing.

The main character reflects on her lifetime of moral and ethical mistakes that she has made in her lifetime. The storyline goes along two time periods from past to present and Arden the main character relives many of the mistakes that she made in her life in searching for a way to make inner peace with her past. The story was well developed and the characters were relatable as no one is perfect. I highly enjoyed and recommend this book. Many thanks to Netgalley and She Writes Press for providing me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.

Barbara Linn Probst is successful again in her fourth book, Roll The Sun Across The Sky. It is a compelling story that spans both time and geography. As a young woman, Arden explores Europe and Egypt, with the iconic Orient Express as part of her journey. The timeline contrasts her youthful experiences with her reflections at 60. She is quite a complex character with more than her share of flaws, but she does have redeeming qualities as well.
This a a very entertaining book.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A woman relives the mistakes of her youth when she suffers an unimaginable tragedy. Were her sins responsible for her losses?