I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Elizabeth Stone’s character was likened to a Martha Stewart, so while there were mentions of food, home decor, and recipes, I found this to be a captivating story about family secrets and forbidden romances.

After Elizabeth’s death, Juliet is trying to preserve the empire and reputation that her late mother built. But when asked to write her mother’s biography, Juliet discovers that her mother kept many secrets. The mystery of these secrets and Juliet's journey with her co-writer to track down people who may have known Elizabeth before she became successful kept me intrigued as they pieced her life together.


As a fan of family dramas and romances, this book was a perfect blend for me. Juliet's emotional journey, her grief, and her sense of betrayal from her mother, along with the heartaches both she and her mother faced, drew me into their lives. I found myself completely engaged and hoping for them to find resolution and peace, and the author delivered a satisfying ending.



🎧 The audiobook production was very well done, with Jenn Lee’s narration bringing warmth and emotion to these characters.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @jbanash and @brilliancepublishing for a spot on tour and the gifted audiobook.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this audiobook. I listened to it along with the book and enjoyed the audio version.

What a captivating and engrossing story!
Beautifully written, with a bit of mystery, drama, a beautiful setting and lots of delicious food. A moving story about identity and finding yourself with strong female characters. I loved every page.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 by Jennifer Banash released September 10, 2024.

I really enjoy generational family sagas with unique intriguing characters that may or may not be hiding secrets. I loved that this book used a then and now timeline to bring events in the past to light and show their effect on the present. Elizabeth Stone was an icon and Juliet's struggles to create her own place in her mother’s empire felt very genuine and relatable. I was fascinated by Elizabeth's past and I couldn't stop listening to see how the storyline would converge and what mysteries from her past would be revealed. The audiobook is a great way to enjoy this character driven novel and the narration is excellent.

Someone rich and famous who was hiding a secret and also having secret financial issues- say it isn’t so?! No really though, the things that the FMC found out about her mom made this one super interesting and it helped develop a really cute romance. I love a good hunt for secrets and this one didn’t disappoint. I also love how she had to figure out the direction and pull herself up to make some tough decisions. Very relatable in that aspect.

I hadn't heard much about this book before listening to it but I LOVED it! Elizabeth Stone and her daughter Juliet will both be unforgettable characters for me. I was intrigued by the Elizabeth Stone that everyone thought they knew and grew to truly respect the "real" Elizabeth as her story unfolded. I can't imagine the shock and pain and anger Juliet must have felt as she started to learn about all the lies and secrets as she dug into her mother's life. I absolutely devoured this audiobook and Jenn Lee was the perfect narrator to bring it to life. The parts of the book that took place in New Orleans were an added bonus. I've been so many times and the descriptive writing brought back many memories. This will be a go to recommendation moving forward. There is something for everyone in this compelling story.

I can’t wait to finish listening to this book! It expired before I finished it but from what I listened to, it was amazing!

Juliet is overwhelmed after her mother, Elizabeth Stone, passed away. Her mother's brand is large and difficult to manage- books, TV Shows, product lines. It is a lot. She is pressured into doing a biography with a ghost writer. As they begin researching, Juliet realizes that she didn't know her mother at all. And that everything she thought she knew was a lie.

This started off pretty slow for me. It did pick up, but it wasn't enough to fall in love with the book. I enjoyed Elizabeth's chapters more than Juliet's.

The audiobook is narrated by Jenn Lee. I wish they had used dual narrators. I got lost with the POV switches sometimes. Granted, it may have been the fact that I didn't get into the book until later on and wasn't paying as close attention.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely, multi- faceted, multi- generational novel that keeps you engaged from word one right until the last word.

This was a beautifully crafted book and the narrator of the Audiobook was fantastic.
Elizabeth Stone was a woman who created a whole person and shared it with the world. She was much like Martha Stewart in crafting shows, cooking, home goods etc. to sell to the world. Unfortunately she passes away and leaves her daughter to not only deal with the shock and grief of losing her mother but then also finding out that she wasn't who she thought she was.
The journey that her daughter goes on to find out the truth of her mother's identity was also a self discovery for her. She met many people along the way that helped her to figure out the truth and what she finds out will give you a bit of a jaw drop.
Such a great book and worth your time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Jenn Lee narrates the audiobook and does a fantastic job!!. I highly recommend the audio version!

Julia has lost the most important person in her world, her mother, Elizabeth Stone. Elizabeth is a version of Martha Stewart, if you will, amassing a significant entertaining and cooking empire. After her sudden death of Elizabeth from cancer, Julia finds herself adrift and lost. As she tries to step into her mother's enormous shoes, she discovers that she did not really know her mother at all. This is the story of Julia's discovery of who her mother was and who Julia is.

This is such a well written story that I thoroughly enjoyed! The prose describing food, scenery, fabrics, and people is so colorful and visual that you find that you can feel, smell and taste what is being described. I loved the characters who were so well developed. The pacing is perfect and the writing superb. I highly recommend this familia story and discovering who Elizabeth was along with Julia!!!

The Essential Elizabeth Stone, by Jennifer Banash captivated me from the very beginning. I absolutely love multi generational stories, and this one is Superb!

I just love stories like these! Juliet's mother, Elizabeth Stone, is an entertaining meca. From a cooking show, many cookbooks, and much more, she is like a Martha Stewart.

But when she dies, Juliet is thrown into a nightmare of grief and stress, trying to manage the stress of losing her mother and of managing a multi- million dollar company. She decides to do a memoir of her mother and finds that her mothers history is not all what it seems.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Essential Elizabeth Stone by Jennifer Banash is a beautifully crafted multigenerational family saga that delves into the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, identity, and the secrets that shape our lives. Banash’s storytelling is emotional and empowering, making this novel a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, character-driven narratives.
At the heart of the story is Juliet, a woman suddenly thrust into the daunting role of preserving her mother Elizabeth Stone’s legacy — a legacy that has been a staple in homes worldwide for over three decades. Banash expertly portrays Juliet’s internal struggle as she grapples with the immense pressure of stepping into her mother’s shoes, all while dealing with the grief of losing a woman she idolised but may not have truly known.
The novel’s exploration of identity and self-discovery is poignant and relatable. As Juliet embarks on the journey to write her mother’s definitive biography, she uncovers a trove of secrets that force her to reevaluate everything she thought she knew about Elizabeth Stone. Banash skillfully unravels the layers of Elizabeth’s past, revealing a complex and sometimes contradictory woman whose life was far more intricate than the public persona she maintained.
What makes The Essential Elizabeth Stone truly stand out is its exploration of the universal themes of legacy, family, and the pursuit of personal truth.
The Essential Elizabeth Stone is more than just a story about a daughter uncovering her mother’s secrets; it’s a powerful exploration of the ways in which our pasts define us, and how understanding that past can lead to personal growth and empowerment.

Multigenerational family dramas are a must read for me. The Essential Elizabeth Stone was a great listen!

Are you, like me, the kind of reader who always says "the book was better" after watching a tv show or film adaptation? I am. Absolutely. Ask my kids. They roll their eyes when mom starts explaining why the director ruined the ...... plot.....characters.....stories and how they should go read the book to see how it was told to us by the author.

I'm telling you this because The Essential Elizabeth Stone on audio was a movie in my head. The story flows so easily, and the writing was so clear, I now feel comfortable casting it and look forward to the inevitable limited series sure to follow it's publication. I envision Meryl Streep as mom Elizabeth, and Nicole Kidman as daughter Juliet navigating a world where she is now at the helm, and all that she thought was true, was not.

It's also easy to imagine Martha Stewart had to have been in the head of writer Jennifer Banash as she penned this eloquent, deeply moving contemporary novel. That's it. I'm not going to say more, but I do encourage you to give this one a look when it publishes in September 2024.