It is Washington, DC, we are with a buttoned up high-powered newspaper publication and our heroine, Judy, has just graduated with a 4.0 from the University of Maryland. Like a good Jewish girl, she lives at home with mom and dad in Silver Springs, but commutes into the city and accepts a position in the typing pool at the second-best newspaper. It isn’t editing, or the sharp reporting she longs for, but at least it isn’t a secretarial job at her uncle’s law firm. Her parents are very invested in her finding a husband and settling down to have kids and make a home with a good Jewish boy. Judy is fine with marriage AT SOME POINT but her priority is making an impact- her writing career comes first! Also it seems like there is no other Jewish folks at the paper at all.
This is a sparkling and page turning story of international intrigue, the background setting is so intriguing and absolutely engaging. When it comes to Sara Goodman Confino’s books, this is the kind of heartwarming yet flawed strong female character we have come to expect. I found this latest to be lighthearted and sparkling, not exactly YA but written more like a hopeful YA historical fiction can be. This definitely has Hallmark-vibes and there is a sweetness here that I REALLY was craving in the midst of a real world situation that terrifies me daily. There is a little romance and the reveals at the end are positively Pixar-esque. Give me all the wholesome.
Three adjectives to describe our main character: Determined. Hard working. Intelligent.
Hollywood cast
Miss Kelly- Allison Janney
Judy Greenfield- Hailee Steinfeld
Jack Fields- Zach Efron
thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. Book to be published June 9, 2026
Leave a Reply