The Charm Bracelet

February 22, 2016
Shipman’s debut novel unites three generations of women as they come together to heal the wounds of their pasts and forge a family. Arden works for the Chicago magazine Paparazzi, editing and writing code for the magazine’s website. While she is not content with her job, she spends many hours working, knowing that she must pay college tuition for her daughter, Lauren. When Arden’s mother, Lolly, sends Arden a note requesting that she visit, Arden and Lauren decide that it is time for them to take a road trip to the family home in Scoops, Mich., near Lake Michigan. Lolly is as effervescent as ever, continuing to work at the local fudge shop. But Lolly’s memory isn’t as good as it once was, and together the three women face the possibility that it may deteriorate further. At the heart of their reunion is Lolly’s unfettered desire to live in the moment and recall, through the charms on her bracelet, the momentous occasions of her life. Shipman compellingly depicts the bonds of family, revealing that the moments of trials and tribulation are part of lives filled with hope and faith.

February 1, 2016
Three generations of women share the tradition of wearing charm bracelets to honor the big moments of their lives. When Arden and her daughter, Lauren, take a vacation from Chicago to visit Arden's mother, Lolly, a lifelong resident of a small lake resort town, they realize she's having memory issues. When she's diagnosed with an early stage of dementia, they decide to extend their vacation to help her figure out how to stay in her own home as long as possible. Arden is a frustrated writer working as an online editor who has let life roll over her too many times, while Lauren is a talented artist taking college business courses, due mainly to her mother's pressure to be practical. When the three women wind up spending the summer together, Lolly shares much of her life story through the many charms on her bracelet, a family tradition passed down from her grandmother and now to her own granddaughter. As Lolly feels the pressure of sharing her stories and memories with her daughter and granddaughter while she can still access them, Arden begins to reassess her own choices, made mostly from fear, lack, and inadequacy, and reconsider the path she has sent her daughter on, which doesn't seem to be making her happy. Debut novelist Shipman--a pen name chosen by memoirist Wade Rouse (It's All Relative, 2011, etc.) in homage to his grandmother--pulls out all the emotional bells and whistles here; his book reads like a fictionalized guide to living the good life ("Live! Love! Laugh!") and checks all the boxes--family, friends, God, love, and simple living--designed to warm the heart and fill the tear ducts. Smooth writing, unabashed sentimentality: if it sometimes feels a little forced or relentless, where's the harm?

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February 15, 2016

As Memorial Day nears and another beautiful and busy summer looms in Scoops, MI, Lolly Lindsey, a local legend at the sweets shop in town, is diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Her daughter, Arden, and granddaughter, Lauren, decide to leave Chicago behind for the weekend to make a long-overdue visit to their matriarch. Growing up, Arden was always embarrassed by her mother's eccentric behavior and unconventional dress and couldn't wait to escape the small town of her youth. She has become the opposite of her mother, getting far too caught up in work and financial troubles, while college-age Lauren starts to make important life decisions based on her mother's difficulties. During the visit Lolly begins to share the stories which the charms on her heirloom bracelet represent. As generations of memories are revealed, the women begin to reconnect and discover more about themselves and one another, creating an unbreakable bond. VERDICT Shipman's charming story of finding peace in oneself, listening to your heart, and remembering all those who came before you will be welcomed by fans of Cecelia Ahern and Debbie Macomber. [See Prepub Alert, 9/28/15.]--Melissa Keegan, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2016
The last place workaholic Arden Lindsey wants to be is her hometown of Scoops, Michigan, notable mostly for its beaches and its fudge. But her quirky mother, Lolly, is getting older, so Arden and her college-age daughter, Lauren, head to Scoops for the Memorial Day holiday. Though Lolly is generally her old selfzipping around town decked out in brightly colored wigs and her trademark charm braceletshe's growing forgetful, and it's something more than old age. Each of the charms on Lolly's bracelet has a special meaning, and by sharing the stories with Arden and Lauren, Lolly not only shares their family history but also provides the younger women with sage advice and gentle direction for the future. Arden realizes that she not only needs to take charge of her career, but also needs to follow her dream of writing a novel; and Lauren reignites her love of arta pursuit she left behind when she chose to major in business. The familiar formula, idyllic setting, and likable characters make Shipman's debut an enjoyable comfort read for fans of women's fiction centered on mother-daughter relationships.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)