The Page Turner

I haven't read a lot of Viola Shipman's books, but this book caught my eye with its sweet story that's set in the world of publishing that centres around the deep bond between Emma and her beloved grandmother Gigi.

I loved the bookish vibe and its focus on book publishing, especially the issues female authors can face (and can we retire the term 'women's fiction' PLEASE!!). There are complicated family dynamics thrown in and a slew of pop culture references (perhaps too many?). It's a charming story but it gets bogged down with dialogue and its weak plot doesn't find its footing until the last third of the book.  

As for the characters, I loved Gigi who, despite being dead, was one of my favourite characters (the other being Viv, the alcohol lovin', take no crap book agent). The rest of the characters are a one-dimensional bunch - complete with a 'bad guy' character who wouldn't have surprised me if he had been given a handlebar moustache to twirl as he planned his nefarious schemes. 

There's an almost satisfying ending, but you must wade through immature family battles, obvious secrets that Emma struggles to figure out and over-the-top characters who distract from the important issues and the sweet relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. 

It sounds like I didn't like this book, but it was good, it just wasn't a 'page turner' for me and I think it will appeal to readers who want an easy-going, light read. What bumped up my rating was reading the author's note that highlights his love for his grandmother whose name Wade Rouse uses as his pen name. 

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Viola Shipman

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, LGBTQ+ (author)

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from library

Publisher: Graydon House

First Published: April 8, 2025

Read: July 19-24, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: A young romance writer makes a discovery that throws her elitist family into chaos.

Emma Page grew up the black sheep in a bookish household, raised to believe fine literature is the only worthy type of fiction. Her parents, self-proclaimed “serious” authors who run their own vanity press, The Mighty Pages, mingle in highbrow social circles that look down on anything too popular or mainstream, while her sister, Jess, is a powerful social-media influencer whose stylish reviews can make or break a novel.

Hiding her own romance manuscript from her disapproving parents, Emma finds inspiration at the family cottage among the “fluff” they despise: the juicy summer romances that belonged to her late grandmother. But a chance discovery unearthed from her Gigi’s belongings reveals a secret that has the power to ruin her parents’ business and destroy their reputation in the industry—a secret that has already fallen into the hands of an unscrupulous publishing insider with a grudge to settle. Now Emma must decide: As much as she’s dreamed of the day her parents are forced to confront their own egos, can she really just sit back and watch The Mighty Pages be exposed and their legacy destroyed?