I received an ARC from NetGalley for this book. This is very literary, slow paced read with not much happening. I do sometimes like those books but I didn’t find this one very interesting. The author has an unusual writing style. Not my cup of tea.

This book is hard to read, i feel it dry and boring. I don’t get the meaning of this book., and I don’t care about the characters..

I found this book to be a slog of a read, heavily layered with nuance that I could not penetrate, and, ultimately, incomprehensible.

While there are elements of writing that are not only striking but brilliant, there is no point to the story, except, I suppose, that things happen, and we grow up and become wiser and more settled in who we were all along.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.

In August 1984, Jenny and her second husband, Jonas, take their honeymoon to the Italian Riviera. When they arrive, Jenny learns that her mysterious first husband, Eric, may have stayed in the same hotel on business before he passed away. Jenny begins to piece together Eric’s past and his traumatic childhood and understand how this lead her to the man she loves now.

I find it hard to review this book. I struggled with the writing style because there was no separation of characters or timeline, which I found confusing. With that said, I was able to get used to this style of writing, and found the story picked up a bit once I did. I did not like our main character, Jenny. She is on her honeymoon with Jonas, but all she’s doing is thinking of Eric, a man she didn’t even love, the entire time. I felt bad for Jonas throughout the entire book. There are some other characters along the way that were there to help put the pieces of Jenny and Eric’s relationship together, but I just didn’t buy the story. It was very convoluted.

Although I don’t think that I was the right audience for this book, I’m still giving it three stars. I did not love the writing or the story, but I was intrigued the entire time to see how it would all come together in the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Portmay Press, LLC for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Merriam Webster defines august as "marked by majestic dignity or grandeur". "For in the midst of your deepest challenge, you may be selfless in choice or action, or, with all the strength you need to muster, walk away - whichever course you decide, at that moment, you are august."

This is indeed a dignified little novel and unlike anything I have read in some time. In both appearance and nature of the writing, this novel reads more like something written at the turn of the 20th century rather than a modern novel. The central character is Jenny Smila/Stram/Hoffman, and the novel follows her journey through two marriages and a trip to the Riviera, which evokes bittersweet memories of her first husband and brings together a cast of characters who have touched her life in some way.

The novel has a dreamy, soothing quality to it - as if you were listening to the story dozing in the afternoon sun. It was quite unusual and I oddly enjoyed it. If you enjoy the classics and exploration of characters along with a little armchair travel, then perhaps this book is for you. It certainly isn't for everyone, but I would consider reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book! This book was generously provided to me through NetGalley. Highly Recommended!

I found this a very difficult read. Written totally in stream of consciousness, there is really no dialogue. Everything is description flowing from the mind of the main character. I found it hard to relate to the story, and even more difficult to keep the events straight in my mind. It's not my favorite style of writing. I kept reading because when I commit to reading a Net Galley book, I want to follow through, but if I had gotten this from a bookseller, I would not have finished it or reviewed it. Not my cup of tea.

Thanks to #Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC copy of “August” in exchange for an honest review.
This book is written from the mind of the main character with no dialogue. I found it very challenging to read and keep events straight.

In 1984, Jenny and her second husband, Jonas, go on a delayed honeymoon to the Italian Riviera. Jenny, at twenty, married her first husband, Eric who was in his mid-forties. They had a distant marriage caused by many circumstances, their age discrepancy and Eric’s work that took him around the world sometimes for months at a time, being a couple of them. During one of these separations, Jenny begins a relationship with a man her age and becomes pregnant. She miscarries and remains with Eric. Shortly thereafter, Eric passes away while on another work trip. Jonas and Jenny had known each other since she was fourteen and had always been friends. They did not establish a deeper relationship until after Eric’s death. Jenny selected the hotel where she and Jonas were honeymooning based on a postcard she found at her parents’ home. It was one Eric had sent her when she was about fourteen. The hotel and its residents and guests bring the past into Jenny’s present. It leads to Jenny questioning anything and everything. Thanks to Net Galley and Portman Press for an ARC for an honest review.

I find this a hard book to review. The writing style is unusual, old-fashioned, almost as if it has been translated from Italian, or French. The characters were often difficult to separate, but by the end I decided that that was what was intended, because in the protagonist's mind, these characters, from different time periods, felt confused and blended. However, I kept reading, I think to find out what the story was trying to say. Not until the end did I truly 'get it' (I think!). So it is, in my opinion, the sort of novel that will not have a wide appeal, but for those readers who love stream of consciousness/the blend of dreaming and reality, the 1980s, in-looking characters, and the idea of a mediterranean holiday where nothing much needs to happen outside one's own thoughts, this might appeal.

This was an interesting back and forth type of narration between two lives. August lost me a bit, although the mystery kept me looking for the clues promised. As always, I enjoy trying new styles so thank you NetGalley for this read.

I struggled with this book. I kept on looking for some measure that would draw me in. Instead I found a narrative that simply didn’t connect with me

If you like Art, opera, history and suspense the Novel ‘August’ is for you!

Although a bit of a slow start the author uses descriptive prose and a classic writing style to navigate the reader through intrigue, as the characters flash back and flash forward while providing small snippets of detail.

The use of ‘fading in-and-out’ slowly winds the narrative creating a tone that is haunting and taunting.

I did find the the characters difficult to connect with although at the same time compelled to find out more, perhaps this is intentional on the authors part.

Overall I enjoyed the art and antiquated feel to this book, and was intrigued by the art and opera references while curious to know where the story was going.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Portmay Press for the opportunity to read this ebook

This was a quick engrossing read about Jenny and her second husband Jonas. They go to the same hotel to vacation where Jenny's first husband Eric would stay for long business/personal trips. Jenny starts to uncover some of Eric's past traumas on her visit and makes her question if she ever really knew Eric to begin with and starts to have the same doubts about Jonas.

An emotional and quick read, only 190 pages. I would definitely recommend this because it was not what I expected and not predictable and well written. I would definitely read more by this author in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley, Maryann D'Agincourt and Portmay Press LLC for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 6/1/21

The novel focuses on Jenny and her second husband Jonas, whom she had known growing up, and their belated honeymoon in 1984 on the Ligurian coast. Jenny’s late first husband, Eric, was somewhat older than she was and often travelled “for business,” both professional and personal business, leaving Jenny for months at a time. Interestingly, Jenny and Jonas stay in the same hotel where Eric often stayed when on his travels, and there Jenny comes to realize pieces of what proved traumatic for Eric as a boy during the war. Jenny’s realizations gives her new insight not only into Eric and her relationship with him, but also into her relationship with Jonas.

This was a very quick but engrossing read, one that gives the reader insight into Jenny’s inner working and feelings. Although it took me a bit of reading to get used to the cadence and rhythm of the author’s storytelling technique, I found the novel to set forth a touching and intriguing story, one that is told in almost lyrical prose.

A heartwarming story I didn’t want to end. In August 1984, Jenny and her second husband Jonas take a belated honeymoon on the Ligurian coast. They stay in the same hotel her late first husband Eric had frequented for business where she unexpectedly discovers clues to Eric's boyhood trauma during the war. This knowledge jolts her view of Eric, her view of herself, and her relationship with Jonas. August is a novel about the power of secrets to transform lives. Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.