2.5 stars.

I tried really hard to finish this book, but 30% of the way in, I just had to quit.
I found the narrator's voice annoying, the whole feminist book complaining about men telling women's stories BUT WRITTEN BY A MAN obnoxious, and just about every part of this story overdone and irritating.

As a Michigander who loves books and the shoreline, I expected to love this book, but I just didn't. There wasn't a single character in the story I could root for, and every aspect of the book felt over the top.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchance for an honest review.

I just finished listening to this audio book. If I had read a physical copy, I likely would have dumped it. I was so annoyed by how oblivious the main character was to the blatantly obvious truths that were staring her in the face. I was able to predict the ending while listening to chapter two.
The best part of this experience was listening to the audio book's narrator. She had a lovely voice.

Thank you #NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

Narration: Overall the narration was well done. The narrator's voice felt like a good match for the main character.

Story: I wanted to love this story because of the plot, but something was missing for me.. I think if the main character were a little older the story would have connected more.

This story has wonderful elements to is such as bridging generations. Throughout this story we see how the actions of a grandmother changed the course of a family, which is also noted in the author's notes (worth reading by the way).

The characters were well developed and you could get a sense of who they were.

Overall this is a cute read for writers and it may bring hope for them to keep going to get their story heard.

Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook.

Really entertaining story! The Page Turner, by Viola Shipman, tells the story of Emma Page, a recent college graduate trying to forge her next path in the world. Emma grew up in a literary family where only “fine literature” is acceptable to read and to be published by their family-owned, independent publishing house. What her family doesn’t know is that Emma has written a romance novel- something her beloved late grandmother, Gigi, inspired. This book is fun and interesting to read, with quirky characters and lots of family secrets coming to light! I had to suspend my belief at times, but really enjoyed this novel- definitely recommend!
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

3.5 Stars
Emma Page and her family’s lives center around books, however in very different ways. Emma’s parents own The Mighty Page, a publishing house dedicated to elevated “literary” books, while Emma loves the feel-good romances introduced by her late grandmother. Her sister, Jenna, is a powerful book influencer paid to push books she hardly even reads anymore.

Emma has written a book, but it’s the kind of mainstream, women’s fiction her parents wouldn’t consider publishing. When her parents announce a business collaboration with a best-selling author Emma despises, she’s threatened by him and put in a tough position.

I really enjoyed seeing Emma reconnect with her sister while uncovering some of their family secrets. I loved how they banded together to take down a vile man! Emma’s parents weren’t very likeable in the beginning, mostly her mother, but I understood her better by the end with some backstory revealed.

The Page Turner took a little to get into, with a lot of commentary on the publishing world and some of the narrow views on what constitutes quality reading, but it shaped up to be a feel-good story! I was also moved by the author’s note on what inspired his story.

I enjoyed Katharine Chin’s narration, and I thought she did well with both male and female voices. I listened at 1.75x normal speed.

This book is a delightful read that beautifully intertwines themes of love, loss, and the transformative power of books. Shipman’s writing is both heartfelt and engaging, drawing readers into the lives of relatable characters who navigate their personal journeys with grace. "The Page Turner" is a warm, uplifting story that reminds us of the importance of connection—both with others and with the stories that shape us. It’s a perfect read for anyone seeking comfort and inspiration through the written word.

This was a clever story. It started out strong reeling me in. It began to slow down a little, but once it hit its pace, it had me hooked the rest of the way and I didn't want to put it down.

The Page Turner was the perfect mix of the family, friendship, relationships, strong women, mystery and ingenuity. What I loved about it, was in addition to the story line, it was a book about books and the literary world. The reader is introduced to aspects that many may not be familiar including the role of the publishing house, literary agent, promoters, the auctioning of book rights, etc. and the part that each one plays in creating a successful story.

This was an entertaining and fun read that had me laughing out loud but in the same token was smart, witty and touching as it showcased the special relationship between Emma and her Gigi as well as the gift of second chances. It was the perfect palette cleanser!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the audio ARC version of this book. I thought the voice actor did a tremendous job with the presentation and acting out the different characters.

The Page Turner, by Viola Shipman, is a generational story of the literary Page family. Pauline Page, Gigi to her granddaughters Emma and Jess, was left a very young widow with young son Phillip. Through careful planning and hard work, Pauline turned them family home into a boarding house, listening to the stories of the boarders becoming a charming pastime. As Pauline got ahead, she made real estate investments, then stock market investments, accumulating a good deal of wealth. With Gigi’s recent passing, the family wealth is now in Philip’s hands.

Youngest granddaughter Emma is a mini Pauline. She is an avid reader and wants to be an author. In fact, she wrote a book while in college. Now a recent graduate, Emma is trying to find her way. Her parents want her to come work for their publishing company, the Mighty Pages. Her sister Jess already works for the company in PR as well as running her own influencer business.

As the family gets together at Gigi’s home on the shores of Lake Michigan to celebrate Emma’s father’s birthday as well as the debut of his latest book, author Marcus Flare is there. He is a menacing man yet a best seller of romance that always centers around the male lead. This is the night Marcus threatens, even blackmails Emma with his intention of destroying their family, financially and otherwise. Emma now makes it her business to thwart his efforts and save her family.

This is an interesting story. Part family dynamics, part family history, and a whole lot of intrigue,. The story has so many twists as the plot unfolds bringing the family through securely but with some surprises along the way. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

This book was a 3⭐. The story felt a little slow as the first part took up about 60% of the book. Then for the last 1/3 of the book that's when the MCs secret was reveal. This book was an easy read but seemed that if one wanted a book that really grabs them this may not be the book. It seemed a little more a tale on the exploration of publishing and what post-grad life is.
Some positive things: the Narrator was very well done and if you enjoy closed door romance this is one.

Thank you NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Viola Shipman’s *The Page Turner* is a captivating blend of family drama and self-discovery, centered around Emma Page, who feels out of place in her family of literary elitists. While her parents run a struggling publishing house focused on highbrow literature, and her sister Jess is a prominent book influencer, Emma secretly writes romance—the genre her family looks down on. Things take a turn when she discovers her late grandmother’s hidden legacy as a beloved romance author, revealing a family secret that could threaten their reputation.

As she grapples with her writing identity, Emma faces a vindictive industry insider eager to expose her family’s hypocrisy. The novel sheds light on the publishing world, addressing the biases against commercial fiction and capturing Emma's relatable frustrations with elitism in literature. The characters are well-crafted, with Emma being witty and self-aware, her sister Jess balancing confidence and insecurity, and their parents exhibiting a complex blend of pretentiousness and love for their craft.

Shipman mixes humor, warmth, and keen insights, making *The Page Turner* more than just a story about books. It’s a compelling narrative about self-acceptance, resilience, and the joy of storytelling in all its forms. Whether you're a romance fanatic or just in for a great story about chasing dreams, this one's definitely worth your time.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and synopsis. I've never read this author so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found this to be an engaging family drama story with interesting tidbits about publishing, pseudonyms, and secrets. I thought some of the story didn't flow well, but I enjoyed the happy ending and the reunification of the family members. It falls firmly into the contemporary fiction genre when you'd maybe initially think it could be a cutie romance based on the cover. All in all, I'd try this author again!

What an interesting idea for a book!
And please, make sure you read the epilogue! Viola Shipman speaks of growing up and the many problems she faced, and how her grandmother, and family in general, so helped her through those difficult times! Beautifully written!!

Emma Page has graduated from college. She wants to be/is a writer. BUT, her family does not recognize her as a writer, as they are pretty snobbish when it comes to books. They are NOT interested in any mainstream, dreamy, romance-y, types of books. Those are sooooo beneath them! 😮🫢🤪😄🤣
Oh, and did I mention, they are one of the top publishing companies in the country!!

And, all their money came from Emma’s grandma…who came from nothing. She has left it all to them, but Emma misses her so much…. 😢 Sh wish she she could talk to her again… if only for a moment…

So, when Emma’s parents decide to sign with a questionable guy to help them through a rough patch, Emma doesn’t understand why?? He’s a sleezeball…. But they are not listening 🙉…

And then the plot thickens…. And another shoe drops…

This one will definitely keep you on your toes and guessing… right until the last page! 😮

Terrific story that gives a little insight into the world of writing and publishing!

4 big, bright, shining ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!

#ThePageTurner by #ViolaShipman. Narrated beautifully by #KatharineChin.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarlequinAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
*** Release date is TODAY, 4/8/25, so look 👀 for it on shelves now !! ***

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This is a book for people who love books and words.
It was beautifully written - a family that is a literary powerhouse between a writer, publisher, book influencer and then their black sheep, who is a newly graduated writer who is mourning her grandmother and trying to decide where she's going to fit in her family legacy. Unfortunately, she can also see where here family is making some disastrous deals that they seem blind to and she has to find a way to fix the problem without them knowing. While a lot of the conversations are very literary people talking to each other and it almost doesn't seem real, the unraveling of family mysteries, and unburying the buried acorns (it'll make sense when you read it!), it was absolutely a wonderful tribute to the original Viola Shipman.

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Definitely worth the read!

When I first started this book I thought I was about to hit a book slump. But in true Viola fashion…I was pulled into this tale.

Emma is kind of the black sheep of the Page Family. Her family has been in the book publishing business for years but Emma just can’t seem to do anything right. And when her family signs a deal to help save the family business, but Emma has first hand knowledge that this is going to blow up in their faces, she has a big decision to make.

Emma is a character that my heart went out to. She is pushed around a bit by her family….but don’t worry…she comes into her own. And yes, she discovers a secret or two or three!

I love how this author can take a dysfunctional family and create a tale that is heartwarming.

I also loved the author’s note! If you don’t read anything else…READ THAT. Especially if you have loved books your whole life, it will give you strength and acceptance.

The narrator, Katharine Chin, could not have been better. I loved her as Jess!

Need a tale about power and family…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Ordinarily I would have been all about this book about a romance loving writer trying to defend her chosen profession and genre but ever since I learned the author is actually a man, reading about his feminist romance books just doesn't ring the same. Good on audio and okay overall, I liked but didn't love this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was awful. The author created a know-it-all, haughty brat to make the main character feel sophisticated and knowledgeable. She thought so highly of herself that I didn't care about the story. I usually like books by Shipman, but this was a total miss.

To start with the best positives - I liked the narrator. She did a good job with the story. Now, for the story - oh boy. This was a big miss for me. The plot is fine and I was very drawn in by the title and cover. But the substance is lacking and downright infuriating. Every character is over the top and so stereotypical. The villain literally lurks in corners sneering and mouthing threats, the snobby parents are apparently so snobby they can’t even listen to their adult children and only care about Botox and expensive property to a point of ridiculousness. The main character, who is meant to be the antithesis of her parents and the champion of the story, is utterly annoying and frustrating. This was almost a DNF and I unfortunately cannot recommend it.

This book started out a little slow but picked up about halfway through. There are so many topics people will be able to relate in this book: feeling like the family outcast, missing a family member who has passed away, wanting to follow your dreams even if your parents don’t approve. I loved all the Gigi quotes throughout the book. Gigi was a very wise woman and I’m glad we got to learn about her throughout the book. This book is very different from my normal reads but I did enjoy it.

TikTok end of month review coming April 30.

🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧

2 ⭐️⭐️

Thank you harlequin audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC!

First of all the audio was audio was fine. The narrator was good. I didn’t have any issue with the audio portion of the book.

The actual story was terrible. I only gave it two stars cause I did review it as an audiobook and the audio was fine. The MC was annoying and can’t make a decision to save her soul and that’s like 80% of the book. Also I was like did a man write this? And then I found out it’s a man writing under a female name so makes sense 🙄 this was my first by this author and I’m afraid it will be my last way too many great authors out there to waste time on bad ones.