The Sunday Salon: It's March!

Hello friends and happy March! It seems like this has been a long winter, even in Florida, but March means that spring is just around the corner. While it's still cooler than normal here, the drought has grabbed weather headlines this week. Brush fires continue to burn in Cape Coral and along "Alligator Alley" (I-75 between Naples and Miami) resulting in periodic road closures and diminishing air quality. Ugh!

We had a wonderful visit with our NYC daughter and son-in-law a couple of weeks ago, and then hosted an old friend from central NY. I also had the opportunity to meet a longtime book blogging friend in person. Some of you will remember Melissa and her blog The Betty and Boo Chronicles from our early blogging days. Betty and Boo were the names she used for her young twins - who are now adults and even have real names! We had lunch and talked nonstop about books and life. What a treat! Melissa is still writing about books at You Have Left the Planned Route on Substack. 

Recent reading//

This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman

2026 has been a lackluster reading year but things seem to be turning around at last. This is Not About Us is a multi-generational family drama (complete with family tree) told through a series of connected stories. That structure, reminiscent of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman, hits a sweet spot for me.

The Rubinstein sisters have always been close. Now in their 70s and 80s, this book opens with the youngest sister in hospice.

When their beloved sister passes away, Sylvia and Helen Rubinstein are unmoored. A misunderstanding about apple cake turns into a decade of stubborn silence. Busy with their own lives—divorces, dating, career setbacks, college applications, bat mitzvahs and ballet recitals—their children do not want to get involved. As for their grandchildren? Impossible.

I loved getting to know the Rubinstein sisters, their children, and grandchildren. The connected stories allowed me to spend time with family members individually and gradually come to understand their complicated relationships with one another. This was my first Allegra Goodman novel and I look forward to exploring her backlist. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Grown Woman by Sarai Johnson

This is another multi-generational family drama. Centered around four generations of memorable black women, it deals with generational trauma, family secrets, and complicated relationships. There are some difficult issues in this novel, but I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I even ended up borrowing the audiobook so I could continue listening on my walk.

This under-the-radar gem was a 2024 debut novel, but I never heard of it until Modern Mrs. Darcy announced it as the March selection. The ebook and audiobook were both available from my library via hoopla.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Current reading//

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman

This is a new release by a favorite author. I'm 50 pages in, but not wowed yet.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I've just passed the 20% mark in the year-long slow read with Footnotes and Tangents.

The week ahead//

It will be a couple of weeks before our next guests arrive, so we'll focus on home projects and I'll get another appointment out of the way. Unfortunately, that appointment is a root canal! On the plus side, we will be going out to dinner with friends one night, too.

How was your week? What have you been reading?

The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.