4.25 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this 🎧 ARC.

I thought the narrator for this story was perfect in carrying the characters plot line, and the message being shared with the reader. This story felt like validation for what happens when we listen to our gut, especially as women. I really appreciate the story is based on the author‘s personal experience and her relationship with her grandmother and her journey to becoming an author in a world that does not immediately think of women. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn a little bit more about what it takes to be in the literary world, and for anyone who wants to share in the experience of womanhood 💛

The Page Turner, written by Viola Shipman, narrated by Katharine Chin, is a scandalous behind-the-scenes (fictionalized) look inside a small, family run publishing company and the secret from their past that is thoroughly messing with their present. I loved the sisters dynamic, the parent tensions, the sweet depiction of Emma's relationship with her grandmother, and the "get even" vibe against an absolute douche of a man. Highly recommend!!

Campy, as in the characters are just a smidge too over-the-top. Provides and interesting behind the scenes look into the publishing world but not much else. Will be a fun read for those that like books about books. The author's note at the end is enjoyable.

I think the audio on this book was very high quality!! The story as well was fantastic, each character unique and important to the novel!

“Every book is important to someone.”

Good grief. No. Just…no. DNF @ 23% and it was painful just getting that far.

The female protagonist is insufferable. God a man can’t even breathe in her presence without her taking some kind of offense to it.

I had hoped her character arc would find me noticing some maturity but nope. And how many times can you say nepo baby in the same book?? Ugh hard pass on this one.

I will say the only reason I made it as far as I did was the narration of the audiobook. That was done very well.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Audio, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A good look into the world of a writer. From dealing with agents, publishers and competitors in the literary world, life is not as rosy as one assumes. Emma is brought up in this world and has graduated from college, following her family footsteps by writing her own novel. Still grieving her beloved grandmother death, doubting her talent as a writer and dealing with a slightly dysfunctional family. She discovers a secret that will destroy her family.
A story of Emma’s personal growth, love of her family and her writing. Reconnecting with her sister to solve and resolve the secret hanging over their heads. The beginning is very slow, finally picks up and becomes a page turner about 2/3 into the book. I rate it 3.5 stars and rounded up due to the slow pace of the beginning. The narrator was very good. I did enjoy listening to her. Thank you #NetGallery and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own. #ThePageTurner

The Page Turner by Viola Shipman is a love letter to family and novels. The Page family is full of secrets and fiercely protective. However, they don't always see each other for who they actually are. This emotional journey shows that there's always another side to the story. I definitely recommend this book to every booklover of all ages. Though this book is labeled as adult, I believe it is appropriate and could be enjoyed by ages 14 and up.

Wellllll I was not a fan of this one. I loved all the book talk and learning the ins and outs of the publishing world but that’s about where my likes end.

The characters were compared to the Rose family in Schitts Creek and I think that was a completely false comparison and it just irked me for the rest of it. The characters were way worse. There wasn’t really one likeable character except Gigi in the entire book.

Emma was negative and depressing. The book just felt like a pity party for herself. Then her family was not any better at all and there was an attempt for character growth but it just didn’t make sense for them at all.

It felt like the author was trying to hard with too many monologues and attempts at deeper meanings of everything.

I must say the note to the readers was nice and refreshing. Wish that showed through in the actual book more!

I hit play on this audiobook giddy with anticipation because I adore books about books. The further the story progressed I could feel my eyes glazing over and tedium setting in. Cue the pretentiousness, lectures and honestly, I finished this because it was an ALC. I'm going to try and steer away from spoilers, but I'm going to talk a little more in depth about this novel than I usually do.

Viola Shipman is the pen name for Wade Rouse. The author's note included at the end was enjoyable and a great nod to a love of reading.

The premise is that Emma Page, a recent college graduate with dreams of becoming an author. Her parents own an indie publishing house called The Mighty Pages sounds like a perfect match, right? Wrong. The Mighty Pages pride themselves on only publishing serious literary fiction and non-fiction. Emma has grown up hearing her parents openly mock anything mainstream such as the romance and women's fiction novels she used to read with her GiGi and her own manuscript.

There are huge swaths of this novel where little of consequence occurs. It's whining, judgmental nonsense, underdeveloped characters and plot rinse and repeat. The villain of the piece, Marcus Flare, could have been removed and the main plot would have remained unchanged for the most part. He seemed like he was going to start twirling his mustache any moment and turn into a cartoon. The portrayal Emma's friendships with other women seemed odd. It took maybe 70% before the main character began doing anything concrete. The opening chapters that feature the family show them shaming Emma's, clothes, hair, makeup, size, reading choices, ideas, basically all things Emma related. I kept thinking for people who shun anything they deem frivolous in publishing; their physical appearances seem to be their number one focus. There are a few sentences here and there to explain away behaviors, but the conflict resolution if you can even call it that is weak at best. Then suddenly everyone is cool POOF just hugging it out. There's a lot of lectures that read as preachy on subjects such as family challenges, the publishing world, literary agents, books, misogyny, and women's struggles.

Perhaps this was a case of too much telling and a lack showing. The very best stories don't spell out what readers should think or feel. There is an implied trust that a reader will be able to think for themselves.



Thank you to Harlequin Audio for providing an Advance Listening Copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! I listened to the audiobook and loved every second of it. Our narrator Katharine Chin brought the already stunning work of Viola Shipman to life. I highly recommend this book if you are in need of a reminder why love, trust, and friendship are so important. We follow the story of Emma Page, aspiring writer and daughter of The Mighty Pages publishing company. Emma uncovers her family’s complicated past full of heartache, threats of violence, strength, perseverance through the discovery of a safe full of clues and writings by her late grandmother. When a rich misogynist romance writer, hell-bent on finishing the horrific work of his father enters the picture, the future of The Mighty Pages, and possibly the Page family, is in danger. Can the love of family, the strength of female friendship, and a quest to honor the legacy of her family allow Emma to save both her family and their publishing company? This book is also a love letter to reading (and all things literary and creative honestly). I loved the author’s note and was reminded how important it is to fight to tell our stories.

Check out “The Page Turner” today!
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I received this ARC through NetGalley from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.

Viola Shipman has written a beautiful novel that serves not only as a love letter to books but also as a glimpse into the publishing world. This is the ninth book by Viola Shipman (the pen name of Wade Rouse, inspired by his grandmother) that I have had the pleasure of reading, and I have enjoyed each one immensely. Whenever I learn about an upcoming release from Viola Shipman, I can hardly wait to get my hands on it! I am never disappointed by this author.

The story reminds us of the true meaning of family—being there for one another. It illustrates the importance of staying true to yourself, even when it feels scary or undesirable and when those around you may not offer support.

Emma Page grew up in a family that cherished literature. Her parents believed that only fine literature was worthy of reading or publishing. They operated their own vanity press, called The Mighty Pages, and mingled only within certain social circles, looking down on mainstream or popular books. Her sister, Jess, is a well-known social media influencer whose reviews can make or break a novel. Her “Swans” have propelled many mediocre books and authors to success.

Emma finds inspiration at her late grandmother Gigi’s family cottage, which houses a library filled with romances, “beach” reads, and cherished memories. A chance discovery among Gigi’s belongings reveals a secret that could ruin her parents’ business and tarnish their reputation in the industry. This secret has already fallen into the hands of a rival author and publisher who holds a grudge against them. Emma must make a difficult decision: as much as she has dreamed of the day her parents confront their own egos, can she really sit back and watch The Mighty Pages be exposed and their legacy destroyed?

I loved Emma's close relationship with her Gigi and all the special memories they created together. Although I figured out the surprise at the end early on, it still provided a satisfying conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and believe anyone who appreciates stories about family relationships will feel the same.

And then there's the author's note at the end—it reduced me to tears. Viola Shipman has such a beautiful soul. That's all I'll say.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Delightful twist. Wonderful grandmother character, quirky, lovable but a bit mysterious too. Balance that with vapid parents (and not likable/sympathetic) and a sister who seems the same and you’ve got a family dynamic that’s sure to cause a bit of drama.

Emma’s trying to forge her own path and follow in the footsteps of Gigi, all the while trying to keep her family happy. However, there are hurdles for her family that Emma must clear. Overall good, but it’s hard to understand why Emma craves her parents approval when the picture painted isn’t favorable.

Advanced listener copy provided by Harlequin Audio but all opinions are my own.

I love the family connectivity and joy Wade writes in his books based on his real life connection to his grandmother; this book was the epitome of that relationship. It caused me to reminisce about my personal relationship with my grandmother and other ancestors. I love how he weaves the legacy of those who paved a path for us in our real day to day lives. Thank you Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for the audio arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I expected to love this book as I have really enjoyed other Viola Shipman books but it was just ok!
Had it not been for the audiobook narrator being great I might have DNF this book. While I enjoyed the main character but not her chauvinistic pig boss, I felt that she wasn't perceptive in seeing what was laid out right in front of her. I figured out how this book would end in the 2nd or 3rd chapter from what was revealed to her.
I did appreciate how she was trying to help her author and publisher parents save their business from a terrible person. I just wish the author hadn't made everything quite so obvious from the beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arcs for both the book and audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for my gifted audiobook copy of The Page Turner by Viola Shipman. I have never read a novel by this author before and was excited to listen to this novel about a publication house with a main character who writes books. I love books about books so this one was a no brainer to request.

Unfortunately, this one fell short for me. The plot seemed a little overly done with the events that took place. Some of them were outlandish and other events did not seem real. I felt no connection to the characters and really did not. Many of the characters were spoiled and snobbish and I really could not stand their interactions. I had this one on top speed just to get through it and see if it would get better but it did not for me.

The only thing I enjoyed about this novel was the authors note at the end and then I felt bad for not enjoyed her book as much as I wanted to.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio-Graydon House for this ARC audio of, The Page Turner by Viola Shipman in exchange for an honest review. I’m a huge Viola Shipman fan and have thoroughly enjoyed previous titles by this author. As a Michigan native I always look forward to reading titles set in my home state. However, this title was a struggle for me. The voice actor wasn’t the worst that I’ve listened to, but she also wasn’t the best. This audio narrator is better than some of the authors’ previous narrators; at least Michigan place names were correctly pronounced opposed to the slaughtering that has occurred in past audio narrations. At times, the male character voices were painful to hear. While the narration was a challenge to take in, overall this story was mediocre at best. It was more of a diatribe on the pitfalls of the publishing industry instead of a fictional title. The characters were very unlikeable spoiled adults that were not believable in their behavior. The conflict of the story was obvious though it took forever for it to be revealed through the slow moving prose. Had this title not been an advanced reader copy for me, I wouldn’t have finished it; which is something I don’t do. 3 words sum up this disappointing book: trying too hard. I look forward to future titles by Wade Rouse but this title is one that I didn’t enjoy nor can I recommend.

NOTE: I too agree with other reviewers, I enjoyed the personal letter to readers at the end of the book more than the book itself, although it was still a bit of a rant.

This was my first Viola Shipman novel, and I was immediately captivated by its rich Michigan setting. From the references to U of M to the scenic beauty of Lake Michigan, the vivid backdrop brought the story to life and made me feel connected to the book.

The mystery unfolds gradually about 60%, and while it took some time to fully draw me in, the payoff was worth it. The book's themes celebrate resilience and the strength of women, which provide a meaningful undercurrent.

While the story includes introspection and flashbacks, it ultimately ties everything together with a satisfying and ending.

Light, easy read.

4⭐️ Have you ever considered writing a book? Emma has, but with her family in publishing she feels she won’t measure up. Her family has seemingly lost the love of books and found the love of money more appealing. With her grandmother gone, Emma feels lost. Her parents and sister want her to grow up; and she wants to be a writer. When a new merger with her least favorite author proves very difficult, Emma must figure out how to help her family and not hurt them at the same time. She and her sister will uncover a big scheme that could destroy everything they have if they aren’t careful.

Thank you to @netgalley @harlequinbooks and @viola_shipman for the advanced listener copy.

4.5⭐️ for the narration of @katharinechinactor. I loved how she portrayed every characters personality so well to easily understand who they were at their core.

Thank you Netgalley for the Advance reader audiobook. The page turner was a charming listen with and showcased a slight mystery of a family secret revealed posthumously after the death of the grandmother. I think the author should write a novella based on the grandmothers life would be a nice addition to this novel.

Audio: 4/5
Story: 2.5/5

Honestly, i could go either way on this book. I loved all the pop culture references, and everything that happens in the last 28% of the book. The problem I had is that the first 70% of the book, nothing happens. It is EXTREMELY slow, and I almost DNF. I feel like there was no original clear vision, but by 70% she figured it out. If you like books, pop culture, and the bookish aesthetic, you might really like this. I just am not patient enough to rate a book high when I really only enjoyed less than half of it. I saw the vision here, I just think it needed more or should have been shortened to a novella.