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June
From the New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet comes a novel of suspense and passion about a terrible mistake made sixty years ago that threatens to change a modern family forever.
Twenty-five-year-old Cassie Danvers is holed up in her family’s crumbling mansion in rural St. Jude, Ohio, mourning the loss of the woman who raised her—her grandmother, June. But a knock on the door forces her out of isolation. Cassie has been named the sole heir to legendary matinee idol Jack Montgomery's vast fortune. How did Jack Montgomery know her name? Could he have crossed paths with her grandmother all those years ago? What other shocking secrets could June’s once-stately mansion hold?
Soon Jack’s famous daughters come knocking, determined to wrestle Cassie away from the inheritance they feel is their due. Together, they all come to discover the true reasons for June’s silence about that long-ago summer, when Hollywood came to town, and June and Jack’s lives were forever altered by murder, blackmail, and betrayal.
As this page-turner shifts deftly between the past and present, Cassie and her guests will be forced to reexamine their legacies, their definition of family, and what it truly means to love someone, steadfastly, across the ages.
Twenty-five-year-old Cassie Danvers is holed up in her family’s crumbling mansion in rural St. Jude, Ohio, mourning the loss of the woman who raised her—her grandmother, June. But a knock on the door forces her out of isolation. Cassie has been named the sole heir to legendary matinee idol Jack Montgomery's vast fortune. How did Jack Montgomery know her name? Could he have crossed paths with her grandmother all those years ago? What other shocking secrets could June’s once-stately mansion hold?
Soon Jack’s famous daughters come knocking, determined to wrestle Cassie away from the inheritance they feel is their due. Together, they all come to discover the true reasons for June’s silence about that long-ago summer, when Hollywood came to town, and June and Jack’s lives were forever altered by murder, blackmail, and betrayal.
As this page-turner shifts deftly between the past and present, Cassie and her guests will be forced to reexamine their legacies, their definition of family, and what it truly means to love someone, steadfastly, across the ages.
400 pages, ebook
First published May 31, 2016
438 people are currently reading
8106 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
8 books623 followersI love to meet with book clubs, especially via Zoom. Please email me: mirandabeverlywhittemore@gmail.com and we can work something out!
I write novels, and most of those novels have to do with secrets. My fifth book, FIERCE LITTLE THING, will be out from Flatiron Books on July 27, 2021.
Set in the backwoods of Maine, FIERCE LITTLE THING has been described as "The Girls" meets "The Interestings." It's about a woman who is blackmailed into returning to Maine and the cult of her youth when someone threatens to reveal the terrible deed she committed with her childhood friends.
My other novels include JUNE and New York Times bestseller BITTERSWEET.
Check out more about me and my work at MirandaBW.com, on Instagram: @MirandaBW1 and Twitter: @MirandaBW.
I write novels, and most of those novels have to do with secrets. My fifth book, FIERCE LITTLE THING, will be out from Flatiron Books on July 27, 2021.
Set in the backwoods of Maine, FIERCE LITTLE THING has been described as "The Girls" meets "The Interestings." It's about a woman who is blackmailed into returning to Maine and the cult of her youth when someone threatens to reveal the terrible deed she committed with her childhood friends.
My other novels include JUNE and New York Times bestseller BITTERSWEET.
Check out more about me and my work at MirandaBW.com, on Instagram: @MirandaBW1 and Twitter: @MirandaBW.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 641 reviews
July 25, 2016
This book blew me away. I read the blurb for the book, I went to Amazon and read some of the pages where you can read inside. I thought about it. I looked at not so great reviews. I looked at great reviews. I thought it sounded pretty good to me but I wasn't sure I would like it. And then I thought, I'm just going to take a chance on this book because my tastes vary per book. I read pretty much every genre of book and I feel differently about each one. THEN, I finally made my choice to pick this book to read from my choices and I am SO glad I did!
This book is wonderful, I will keep it on my shelves to read again and again. The book goes back and forth from 2015 with Cassie's story and back to 1955 to June's story. Sometimes this can create problems or be a bore, but this was not the case in this book!
Cassie, who is 25-years-old, inherits her grandmothers old mansion called Two Oaks. It's falling apart and Cassie only inherited a little bit of money. Cassie seems to be falling apart along with the house. The house was built in 1895 by June's great uncle, Lemon Gray Neely, and over the years with things that have happened, it was never kept up. True Fact: The author states in the back of the book that Lemon Gray Neely was a real man that built this yellow colored brick mansion in Ohio. But everything else is fictional.
The author's writing style is beautiful. There were so many details about the book that were just perfect to me. The different things going on with the house. How the house seemed to have a mind of it's own. Even when she wrote about Cassie taking pictures (she's an artist) and how she would capture different things. I could picture each thing in my mind. I really loved the picture taking parts because I love the kind of pictures Cassie takes.
EXCERPT
Houses that dream are built for the ages (one or two perhaps, in every small American town). Once revered as grand homes, they are now merely called "buildings." They're the columned fortresses stranded on the back streets you pass on the way to visit elderly aunties; sights to whistle at while snapping a cell phone picture, before motoring on. Constructed by ambitious dreamers (in the case of Two Oaks, an oilman named Lemon Gray Neely, who broke ground on the lot in the heart of St. Jude, Ohio, in 1895), such grand estates spend their infancies priding under the touch of skilled craftsmen, certain they'll provide shelter to everyone who steps across their oak thresholds for centuries to come.
As I have said, the house is falling down around Cassie. She has overdue bills coming in that she pays no attention to and phone calls she never answers. She has no family, as her parents died when she was 8 and her grandmother raised her. There are things with her grandmother that have her on this downward spiral as well.
Then one day there is someone incessantly ringing the doorbell and the phone. When she answers she finds a man named Nick on her doorstep. Nick drops a bombshell on Cassie, he tells her that the actor Jack Montgomery left her 37 million dollars, some property, an island. Yeah! Cassie thinks this man is off his rocker. This Jack is supposedly her grandfather. What? And she is apparently kin to his daughters one of which is Tate Montgomery and she's a famous actress. They want Cassie to leave town and and take a DNA test to prove she's not related. But Cassie is not having that, she says they all have to come to Two Oaks and help her try to find out if this is true by other means before she goes through with the DNA test.
So, Tate, Nick and Hank all come to live with Cassie for a bit of time. Hank is Tate's personal assistant and she's run ragged by Tate. Nate is also an assistant and they all seem like they are going to crack, but they find a place of peace with each other for a short amount of time. Cassie is finding out more things about her grandmother than she ever thought she would in their investigations. A little bit later Elda who is Tate's older sister comes to help out.
And while the story is emerging on Cassie's side, we get to read about all that happened with her grandmother June through her side of the story. There are people in both era's that I just love and others I don't like but all of the characters are well balanced and play pivotal parts to the story. During June's time you have her best friend, Lindie. They have a great relationship but there are some wow moments for them. The story of June takes place during the summer Jack and company come to town to film part of a movie. This is a very important time for this little town. But the main secret in both time periods keeps you guessing. Was June with Jack when she was engaged? If so, why did they not stay together? Cassie wonders if her father was the son of June and Jack. There are a few clues thrown in that I didn't get until the end. I felt kind of stupid but that's okay.
When I did come to the end I could not help but have tears in my eyes. There were so many things that happened, so many revelations, secrets, murder... the list goes on and it made for a perfect story. But this is my opinion, you need to read it for yourself. And I leave you with one extra excerpt of the dream people....
EXCERPT
Could Elda not feel the house alive and breathing around her? In contrast, Nick was a send-up of a man in a state of shock--mouth open, eyes darting around to the same spots where Cassie could hear the whispers and scuttlings and speculation that seemed to fill the space--and Elda was cool as a cucumber.
The sensation of all the dream people filling the house ratcheted up, tighter and tighter. The whispers grew louder, the heat of curiosity and judgement and blame became more intense--and Cassie tried to wade through the ruckus to understand what had just been revealed
*I would like to thank Blogging For Books for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
March 9, 2017
2.5 Much lighter fare than I usually read. Somewhat fluffy bordering on frothy. Still a welcome break from the heavies, will make a good beach read. An event that effects generations, a movie star and a young girl, two storylines, past and present, and a fortune hangs in the balance. In the past a young girl named Lindy is a super character, my favorite by far. So a relatively fun read but not a whole lot of depth.
ARC from librarything.
ARC from librarything.
May 22, 2016
3.25 stars. June had many flaws and it's very much on the light side, but it kept me reading so it's a bit more than 3 stars. June is set in St-Jude, Ohio, and covers two time periods. The earlier story set in 1955 focuses on friends June and Lindie, and what happened the summer a major Hollywood movie featuring a couple of big stars was shot in St-Jude. The second timeline focuses on Cassie, who is June's granddaughter. Cassie has come to live in St-Jude in June's old mansion following her grandmother's death. As the book progresses, Cassie uncovers big secrets from her grandmother's past. The flaws? There is way too much plot and the secrets are almost ridiculously improbable. The redeeming qualities? The 1955 storyline is told primarily from Lindie's perspective, and she was a great character. And I quite liked Cassie and how the story gets sown up at the end. Final verdict? It's pretty cheesy, but good enough if you're in the right mood for a light fluffy read -- it will make for decent summer reading. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
April 27, 2016
It was a joy getting to live inside this book for a few days, and one that will stay with me after finishing. JUNE is a beautifully written family saga and love story - many love stories, actually. It's told in dual time periods, beginning in the present, when Cassie learns she's to inherit the fortune of famous 50s movie star Jack Montgomery. But why? The story flows back and forth between the present and 1955, the year Hollywood descended on the tiny town of St. Jude, Ohio. Did Cassie's grandmother June and Jack meet all those years ago? Many surprising twists in this book, that even when I thought I had something figured out, there was so much more hidden underneath. Loved the richly-drawn characters. Very enjoyable. 5 stars!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through Penguin's First to Read Program.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through Penguin's First to Read Program.
May 27, 2016
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
This book was an okay read for me. It was the kind of book that was pretty good but I still found myself wanting more throughout the story. I knew going into this book that it was going to be told through dual timelines which doesn't always work for me because I usually enjoy one timeline more than the other. I really liked both of the timelines about equally in this book but I found both lacking in certain ways. I did enjoy the book enough that I am definitely glad that I picked it up.
Cassie has recently inherited her grandmother's elaborate home and a small sum of money. The house is falling apart very quickly and Cassie really has no plans on how to move forward. I had really high hopes as the book opened and the house took on a life of its own. Unfortunately, that aspect of the story wasn't explored nearly as much as I would have like to see. When she receives a visitor that informs her that she has just inherited the fortune of Jack Morgan, a very wealthy and famous Hollywood actor, she thinks that it has to be a mistake. Before she knows it, Jack Morgan's famous daughters along with their assistants have taken over her life and her home.
Sixty years ago, Jack Morgan was in St. Jude to film a movie. Did he know Cassie's grandmother, June, and how does this relate to Cassie? If I had to choose, I would say that I really liked the parts of the book set in 1955 just a little more than the present day but I still wanted more. I liked June and her friend Lindie was easily my favorite character in the book but I really didn't see as much chemistry between June and Jack as I expected.
I did have a few issues with this book. This story is filled with secrets but I wasn't surprised by any of them as they were revealed. If June had had an honest conversation with Cassie before her death, much of the story wouldn't have even needed to happen. I guess I kept waiting for that big moment or event to really blow me away in this book but I just didn't get it. I wanted an epic love story but this didn't feel like one to me. I really felt like the story dragged during much of the book and I had no trouble setting it aside. The last 20% or so was pretty exciting but I wish that there had been a little excitement sprinkled in other areas of the book.
I do think that most readers will like this one a little more than I did. I wouldn't hesitate to encourage others to pick it up if the summary sounds interesting to them at all. This is the first book by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore that I have read and I hope to check out some of her other titles in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Crown Publishing via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
This was okay. It dragged at times for me and I was really hoping for something a little more. The last 20% or so of the book was hard to put down. Decent story overall.
This book was an okay read for me. It was the kind of book that was pretty good but I still found myself wanting more throughout the story. I knew going into this book that it was going to be told through dual timelines which doesn't always work for me because I usually enjoy one timeline more than the other. I really liked both of the timelines about equally in this book but I found both lacking in certain ways. I did enjoy the book enough that I am definitely glad that I picked it up.
Cassie has recently inherited her grandmother's elaborate home and a small sum of money. The house is falling apart very quickly and Cassie really has no plans on how to move forward. I had really high hopes as the book opened and the house took on a life of its own. Unfortunately, that aspect of the story wasn't explored nearly as much as I would have like to see. When she receives a visitor that informs her that she has just inherited the fortune of Jack Morgan, a very wealthy and famous Hollywood actor, she thinks that it has to be a mistake. Before she knows it, Jack Morgan's famous daughters along with their assistants have taken over her life and her home.
Sixty years ago, Jack Morgan was in St. Jude to film a movie. Did he know Cassie's grandmother, June, and how does this relate to Cassie? If I had to choose, I would say that I really liked the parts of the book set in 1955 just a little more than the present day but I still wanted more. I liked June and her friend Lindie was easily my favorite character in the book but I really didn't see as much chemistry between June and Jack as I expected.
I did have a few issues with this book. This story is filled with secrets but I wasn't surprised by any of them as they were revealed. If June had had an honest conversation with Cassie before her death, much of the story wouldn't have even needed to happen. I guess I kept waiting for that big moment or event to really blow me away in this book but I just didn't get it. I wanted an epic love story but this didn't feel like one to me. I really felt like the story dragged during much of the book and I had no trouble setting it aside. The last 20% or so was pretty exciting but I wish that there had been a little excitement sprinkled in other areas of the book.
I do think that most readers will like this one a little more than I did. I wouldn't hesitate to encourage others to pick it up if the summary sounds interesting to them at all. This is the first book by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore that I have read and I hope to check out some of her other titles in the future.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Crown Publishing via First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
This was okay. It dragged at times for me and I was really hoping for something a little more. The last 20% or so of the book was hard to put down. Decent story overall.
September 24, 2016
Part way through, I became bored to tears. Read up on GR reviews and decided that, past time period aside, there wasn't much moving this overladen plot moving. Bye, book. A better flavour for someone else...
January 4, 2017
A most enjoyable read, filled with family drama, old friendships and a delicious old mansion.
May 14, 2016
After Cassie Danvers grandmother June passes away Cassie finds herself holed up in the old family mansion in rural St. Jude, Ohio as she mourns. Surrounded by the ghosts of the past Cassie finds herself questioning everything she's ever known when a man shows up at her door claiming that she has inherited the fortune of an actor Jack Montgomery.
Jack has said in his will that Cassie is his granddaughter but of course his own children are going to fight to see that the fortune doesn't go to this girl they've never known. As Cassie digs into the past she finds there was so much she never knew about grandma June and so many secrets that have been buried for years.
June takes place in two different alternating timelines throughout the story. First we meet Cassie who is June's granddaughter in the present as she deals with the loss of the who she thinks is the last member of her family in her grandmother. Then the story switches ever few chapters back to June, Cassie's grandmother, back in 1955 to tell the secrets that she'd hid from her family.
The book got off to a bit of a slow start for me, I liked Cassie well enough and had my interest peaked a bit as to whether she really was related to Jack but I think a part of me couldn't help but question why she didn't just do the DNA test and get it all over with. Of course if that had happened we wouldn't have the suspenseful read that the rest of the book brings so once we got into June's story I felt it pick up a bit more. In the end the book reminded me a bit of Fried Green Tomatoes where we get the look back into a bit of a scandalous past so the farther you get the juicier the story became.
Overall, a bit of a slow start for me but really enjoyed it in the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Jack has said in his will that Cassie is his granddaughter but of course his own children are going to fight to see that the fortune doesn't go to this girl they've never known. As Cassie digs into the past she finds there was so much she never knew about grandma June and so many secrets that have been buried for years.
June takes place in two different alternating timelines throughout the story. First we meet Cassie who is June's granddaughter in the present as she deals with the loss of the who she thinks is the last member of her family in her grandmother. Then the story switches ever few chapters back to June, Cassie's grandmother, back in 1955 to tell the secrets that she'd hid from her family.
The book got off to a bit of a slow start for me, I liked Cassie well enough and had my interest peaked a bit as to whether she really was related to Jack but I think a part of me couldn't help but question why she didn't just do the DNA test and get it all over with. Of course if that had happened we wouldn't have the suspenseful read that the rest of the book brings so once we got into June's story I felt it pick up a bit more. In the end the book reminded me a bit of Fried Green Tomatoes where we get the look back into a bit of a scandalous past so the farther you get the juicier the story became.
Overall, a bit of a slow start for me but really enjoyed it in the end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Read
June 1, 2016Secrets and murder and blackmail, oh my! Young Cassie Danvers is mourning the loss of her grandmother, June, when she learns she is heir to the vast fortune of a film star. How did her grandmother cross paths with the famous actor? And why did he leave Cassie all his money? When Jack’s daughters come looking for answers, together with Cassie, they’ll slowly uncover what happened on a fateful day sixty years before. June is a perfect blend of mystery and family drama.
Backlist bump: Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/category/all-the-...
Backlist bump: Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/category/all-the-...
May 31, 2016
A special thank you to Crown and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Talented storyteller, Miranda Beverly-Whittemore returns following Bittersweet (2014) with a compelling atmospheric tale of dual timelines---JUNE, a blending of past and present, rich in history, suspense, and intrigue, a grandmother’s secret past, sacrifice, friendship, and a mysterious Hollywood lover. Would make for a spectacular movie!
An old historic mansion estate, a small rural Ohio Midwestern town, memories, dreams, scandal, ---and a granddaughter some sixty years later, seeking answers in reference to her family’s past.
Infused with Hollywood (Gatsby type) glamour, reminiscent of an era gone by, secret loves, and those with evil motives of blackmail, lies, and murder- for their own selfish greed and purpose.
A house once filled with parties, laughter, and adventure back in its heyday, in small town St. Jude, Ohio—now left crumbling with only memories and dreams.
From 2015 (present) day to 1955 (past), a multi-layered complex coming-of-age tale of redemption, love, loss and family.
2015: Cassandra (Cassie) Danvers, Granddaughter-(now an orphan) a twenty-five-year old struggling artist and photographer, is going through a quarter-life crisis. Leaving New York, she has moved to an old family estate, she has inherited from her late grandmother, June.
1955: June Danvers, Grandmother- a private person, an artist growing up in the fifties, eighteen years old, and engaged to be married to Artie (Arthur). A conservative family. Her best friend, younger Lindie has a job working on the movie set. Lindie does not fit in with the others. She likes to sneak out with June in the evenings. Lindie wants to protect June.
Two Oaks, the estate home of the late oilman Lemon Gray Neely has fallen into shambles. Cassie’s grandmother, June raised her after her own parent’s death in a horrible car crash. She has inherited the home and $14,000 from her grandmother.
This amount is not enough to repair all the items in this old house and sustain her for long without a job. Every day she had good intentions of calling repairman; however, she continued to ignore the mail, the bills, and phone calls, curled up in her bedroom dreaming. Her father, Adelbert Lemon Danvers would be fifty-nine if he had lived.
Soon she begins having dreams of earlier days in this house. A house with a past. Did she really ever know June, her grandmother? Houses don’t always dream. In fact, most don’t. But once again, Two Oaks was dreaming of the girls—the one called June, who looked like a woman, and the one called Lindie, who looked like a boy.
Once known as a grand home, now is shambles. Constructed by ambitious dreamers, once a ballroom, now filled with bats, bugs, holes, dust, and mail addressed to the dead---almost fooling the mansion into believing itself still on the precipice of adventure. If Two Oaks was lonely, it was also lucky. At least it had known how what it felt like to be full. At least it had gotten to have a “Lindie” and a “June”. Now Cassie is here alone.
When Tate Montgomery (Jack's so called daughter), also a movie star, shows up with her people, at the door demanding a DNA—fighting against the will, she offers to give Cassie a million for her trouble, since there is a $37 Million inheritance at stake for Jack's granddaughter.
Cassie has become essentially a hermit. Soon, she receives shocking news. She has been named the sole heir to legendary Hollywood idol, Jack Montgomery, the star of the film, “Erie Canal”. How could he be her grandfather?
Cassie demands these answers before she takes the DNA. Then her stepsister (Jack’s other daughter), shows up, along with Nick Emmons who works for the Tates, along with Tate’s assistant—all hiding out at the old mansion from the media. More shocking secrets and Hollywood scandal. A mysterious inheritance. Jack Montgomery had passed three days earlier and he left Cassie everything. Why? She did not even know him.
Years ago Hollywood came to their small town for the filming of the movie “Erie Canal”, and lives became entangled which would forever change the course of their lives. What makes this suspense even more intriguing---in addition to June, Carrie, Lindie, is the gothic type ongoing mystery between the many secondary characters. This is so good, Southern fans will think they are in the Deep South with the sordid past.
Whittemore is a master at creating mysterious vivid settings, surrounded by a web of deceit, bringing characters to life with a blending of past and present----keeping you captivated from the first page to the last. Love the twist with Lindie at the explosive ending.
Rich in character, culture, history, art, travel, mystery, and romance. Of course, as the norm, I tend to be more enthralled with the secret past of the two friends June (18 yrs old) and Lindie (lesbian 14 yrs. old) and all which surround them, than the present. Something sinister and dark building around them from Ohio to Hollywood.
Past Supporting Characters: Jack, Diane, Alan, Arthur, Apatha, Lemon Gray Neely, Clyde, Eben, Thomas, from the 1950s race-relations, sexuality, and of course the limits and roles of women during this time. The author skillfully crafts historical fiction with modern literature, and a Gothic twist.
Present day: Nick, Elda, Tate, Hank, Margaret, Max Greed, power, betrayal, jealousy, scandal, and lies. When Cassie has all the pieces of the puzzle, she will not only learn something about her grandmother but something about herself. She may find a family after all and a home and town she can call her own.
What makes the novel charming and unique, as well as suspenseful - the handwritten letters (no emails, social media, cell, or hardly even a landline phone call). It is a refreshing change of pace in a world of today’s social media where everyone’s life is on display, compared to June’s era where everyone kept such scandalous secrets. Much more exciting with a bit of mystery than to put it all out there. Nice usage of the contrasts between Hollywood and small town living, present day with the foods, culture, and attire.
Loved, love June’s character. A mix of talented artist, Bohemian, wanderlust, romantic, unselfish personality, mysterious, and a true loyal friend. Finding her own version of happiness and true love.
I enjoyed reading about the author’s personal connection, inspiration, and research behind the novel--personally, a lover of preservation and historic properties. Highly recommend June as well as Bittersweet!
Fans of Karen White and T. Greenwood -literary, historical, mystery, and domestic suspense fans will devour!
JDCMustReadBooks
Talented storyteller, Miranda Beverly-Whittemore returns following Bittersweet (2014) with a compelling atmospheric tale of dual timelines---JUNE, a blending of past and present, rich in history, suspense, and intrigue, a grandmother’s secret past, sacrifice, friendship, and a mysterious Hollywood lover. Would make for a spectacular movie!
An old historic mansion estate, a small rural Ohio Midwestern town, memories, dreams, scandal, ---and a granddaughter some sixty years later, seeking answers in reference to her family’s past.
Infused with Hollywood (Gatsby type) glamour, reminiscent of an era gone by, secret loves, and those with evil motives of blackmail, lies, and murder- for their own selfish greed and purpose.
A house once filled with parties, laughter, and adventure back in its heyday, in small town St. Jude, Ohio—now left crumbling with only memories and dreams.
From 2015 (present) day to 1955 (past), a multi-layered complex coming-of-age tale of redemption, love, loss and family.
2015: Cassandra (Cassie) Danvers, Granddaughter-(now an orphan) a twenty-five-year old struggling artist and photographer, is going through a quarter-life crisis. Leaving New York, she has moved to an old family estate, she has inherited from her late grandmother, June.
1955: June Danvers, Grandmother- a private person, an artist growing up in the fifties, eighteen years old, and engaged to be married to Artie (Arthur). A conservative family. Her best friend, younger Lindie has a job working on the movie set. Lindie does not fit in with the others. She likes to sneak out with June in the evenings. Lindie wants to protect June.
Two Oaks, the estate home of the late oilman Lemon Gray Neely has fallen into shambles. Cassie’s grandmother, June raised her after her own parent’s death in a horrible car crash. She has inherited the home and $14,000 from her grandmother.
This amount is not enough to repair all the items in this old house and sustain her for long without a job. Every day she had good intentions of calling repairman; however, she continued to ignore the mail, the bills, and phone calls, curled up in her bedroom dreaming. Her father, Adelbert Lemon Danvers would be fifty-nine if he had lived.
Soon she begins having dreams of earlier days in this house. A house with a past. Did she really ever know June, her grandmother? Houses don’t always dream. In fact, most don’t. But once again, Two Oaks was dreaming of the girls—the one called June, who looked like a woman, and the one called Lindie, who looked like a boy.
Once known as a grand home, now is shambles. Constructed by ambitious dreamers, once a ballroom, now filled with bats, bugs, holes, dust, and mail addressed to the dead---almost fooling the mansion into believing itself still on the precipice of adventure. If Two Oaks was lonely, it was also lucky. At least it had known how what it felt like to be full. At least it had gotten to have a “Lindie” and a “June”. Now Cassie is here alone.
When Tate Montgomery (Jack's so called daughter), also a movie star, shows up with her people, at the door demanding a DNA—fighting against the will, she offers to give Cassie a million for her trouble, since there is a $37 Million inheritance at stake for Jack's granddaughter.
Cassie has become essentially a hermit. Soon, she receives shocking news. She has been named the sole heir to legendary Hollywood idol, Jack Montgomery, the star of the film, “Erie Canal”. How could he be her grandfather?
Cassie demands these answers before she takes the DNA. Then her stepsister (Jack’s other daughter), shows up, along with Nick Emmons who works for the Tates, along with Tate’s assistant—all hiding out at the old mansion from the media. More shocking secrets and Hollywood scandal. A mysterious inheritance. Jack Montgomery had passed three days earlier and he left Cassie everything. Why? She did not even know him.
Years ago Hollywood came to their small town for the filming of the movie “Erie Canal”, and lives became entangled which would forever change the course of their lives. What makes this suspense even more intriguing---in addition to June, Carrie, Lindie, is the gothic type ongoing mystery between the many secondary characters. This is so good, Southern fans will think they are in the Deep South with the sordid past.
Whittemore is a master at creating mysterious vivid settings, surrounded by a web of deceit, bringing characters to life with a blending of past and present----keeping you captivated from the first page to the last. Love the twist with Lindie at the explosive ending.
Rich in character, culture, history, art, travel, mystery, and romance. Of course, as the norm, I tend to be more enthralled with the secret past of the two friends June (18 yrs old) and Lindie (lesbian 14 yrs. old) and all which surround them, than the present. Something sinister and dark building around them from Ohio to Hollywood.
Past Supporting Characters: Jack, Diane, Alan, Arthur, Apatha, Lemon Gray Neely, Clyde, Eben, Thomas, from the 1950s race-relations, sexuality, and of course the limits and roles of women during this time. The author skillfully crafts historical fiction with modern literature, and a Gothic twist.
Present day: Nick, Elda, Tate, Hank, Margaret, Max Greed, power, betrayal, jealousy, scandal, and lies. When Cassie has all the pieces of the puzzle, she will not only learn something about her grandmother but something about herself. She may find a family after all and a home and town she can call her own.
What makes the novel charming and unique, as well as suspenseful - the handwritten letters (no emails, social media, cell, or hardly even a landline phone call). It is a refreshing change of pace in a world of today’s social media where everyone’s life is on display, compared to June’s era where everyone kept such scandalous secrets. Much more exciting with a bit of mystery than to put it all out there. Nice usage of the contrasts between Hollywood and small town living, present day with the foods, culture, and attire.
Loved, love June’s character. A mix of talented artist, Bohemian, wanderlust, romantic, unselfish personality, mysterious, and a true loyal friend. Finding her own version of happiness and true love.
I enjoyed reading about the author’s personal connection, inspiration, and research behind the novel--personally, a lover of preservation and historic properties. Highly recommend June as well as Bittersweet!
Fans of Karen White and T. Greenwood -literary, historical, mystery, and domestic suspense fans will devour!
JDCMustReadBooks
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July 14, 2017I went into my reading of June by Miranda Beverly-Wittemore with excitement. The blurbs all touted its portrayal of Hollywood’s golden age. Murder, you say? Dark family secrets? All in a beautiful mansion that has fallen into disrepair? That’s totally in my wheelhouse, so I jumped on it as soon as I could. By now, I should know better than to go into a novel with so many expectations. Luckily, I wasn’t totally let down. Although June is far from being perfect, it ultimately delivers on its promises with a very satisfying end.
June switches between two years, 1955 and 2015. In 1955, a Hollywood movie crew has come to St. Jude, Ohio (which reminded me of Winesburg, Ohio, *shudder*), and June—the character, not the month in which both time periods stay—falls in love with a dashing Hollywood star, Jack Montgomery. Intrigue, murder, and blackmail all follow. It’s too bad that Beverly-Wittemore saves these until the last 3rd of the book. In the 2015 sections, Cassie Danvers, who has been living in her grandmother June’s decaying mansion since June’s death, receives word that she will inherit millions from Jack Montgomery, this famous Old Hollywood movie star who she has never met. Tate Montgomery, Jack’s starlet daughter, isn’t exactly keen on this idea. So Tate comes to Winesburg—I mean, St. Jude—to get Cassie to take a DNA test.
But just for the sake of being contrary, or maybe it’s to string out the plot, Cassie refuses to take the test while she and her limp noodle love interest, Nick, search for solid proof that Jack Montgomery could be her great grandfather. I’m not sure why they needed to do this, because Two Oaks, that beautiful, decaying mansion willed to Cassie by June, gives people sleeping inside it dreams of the past. Heck, Two Oaks sometimes acts as focal “character” for parts of the narration. It’s an if-walls-could-talk kind of thing.
The odd surrealism of the house and the bloated intro almost made me bail. Truly, little happened before about page 150. Sections like this chunky-clunky paragraph dragged the narrative down:
“Which she then opened, discovering the light was all funny for morning. Too yellow, too flat. The revelation of afternoon made Cassie’s conviction waver; she knew what Nick would think when he saw her: not a grown-up. But why should she care? Did she care? Why did she care? She wished she had time to go back upstairs, change into something better. No, that was caring, wasn’t it? Not caring was standing here, wearing whatever she wanted. Wasn’t it? Should she disappear back into the house, and let them wait by the front door, let them ring? She wasn’t sure she could handle that horrible sound again,” (Beverly-Whittemore 76).
This is kind of unlike me, but I urge you to get past them. The narrative certainly has its problems: sometimes dithering prose, a plot that drags its feet, and a few out-of-character moments for Cassie. But the last 3rd of the book, to me, was worth the rest of the slog. It’s interesting enough to feel like I didn’t waste my time. In the end, June lived up to its promises. It was a satisfying read, but it could have used a little pruning.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. (It’s a beautiful hardback copy that I’m really a fan of.)
June switches between two years, 1955 and 2015. In 1955, a Hollywood movie crew has come to St. Jude, Ohio (which reminded me of Winesburg, Ohio, *shudder*), and June—the character, not the month in which both time periods stay—falls in love with a dashing Hollywood star, Jack Montgomery. Intrigue, murder, and blackmail all follow. It’s too bad that Beverly-Wittemore saves these until the last 3rd of the book. In the 2015 sections, Cassie Danvers, who has been living in her grandmother June’s decaying mansion since June’s death, receives word that she will inherit millions from Jack Montgomery, this famous Old Hollywood movie star who she has never met. Tate Montgomery, Jack’s starlet daughter, isn’t exactly keen on this idea. So Tate comes to Winesburg—I mean, St. Jude—to get Cassie to take a DNA test.
But just for the sake of being contrary, or maybe it’s to string out the plot, Cassie refuses to take the test while she and her limp noodle love interest, Nick, search for solid proof that Jack Montgomery could be her great grandfather. I’m not sure why they needed to do this, because Two Oaks, that beautiful, decaying mansion willed to Cassie by June, gives people sleeping inside it dreams of the past. Heck, Two Oaks sometimes acts as focal “character” for parts of the narration. It’s an if-walls-could-talk kind of thing.
The odd surrealism of the house and the bloated intro almost made me bail. Truly, little happened before about page 150. Sections like this chunky-clunky paragraph dragged the narrative down:
“Which she then opened, discovering the light was all funny for morning. Too yellow, too flat. The revelation of afternoon made Cassie’s conviction waver; she knew what Nick would think when he saw her: not a grown-up. But why should she care? Did she care? Why did she care? She wished she had time to go back upstairs, change into something better. No, that was caring, wasn’t it? Not caring was standing here, wearing whatever she wanted. Wasn’t it? Should she disappear back into the house, and let them wait by the front door, let them ring? She wasn’t sure she could handle that horrible sound again,” (Beverly-Whittemore 76).
This is kind of unlike me, but I urge you to get past them. The narrative certainly has its problems: sometimes dithering prose, a plot that drags its feet, and a few out-of-character moments for Cassie. But the last 3rd of the book, to me, was worth the rest of the slog. It’s interesting enough to feel like I didn’t waste my time. In the end, June lived up to its promises. It was a satisfying read, but it could have used a little pruning.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. (It’s a beautiful hardback copy that I’m really a fan of.)
June 9, 2016
What better month to read a novel titled June? It's the first real month of summer, and that typically means easy, often mindless beach reading. All that's required is a good story to keep readers engrossed. Mysteries often fit the bill perfectly.
As for this one, the central storyline seems to revolve around a young girl currently living in a rundown mansion in a small town in Ohio, an inheritance from her grandmother (the June of the book's title), who took over raising Cassie when both of her parents were killed in a car crash.
Hardly able to get herself out of bed, estranged from the world, recently separated from her last relationship, and immersed in the grief of the loss of her grandmother, Cassie is, in short, barely functioning. Into this emotional maelstrom comes a young man with a message. Cassie is the inheritor of a dead movie star's fortune.
She doesn't know why, nor do the movie star's daughters, one of whom is a very popular movie star herself. Thus the book takes on two parallel tales, that of the modern day Cassie and a tale of the past, June's story.
While the novel is perfectly serviceable, there's nothing extraordinary to really recommend it. The story moves along fine; the book is easy to read. But as Gertrude Stein once posited, "There's no there, there." It feels hollow and empty, with a few too many cliches and cut-out characters. It's not all bad, but when there are so many really wonderful books out there to read, why waste your summer?
Thanks to Good Reads and Crown Publishers for letting me read this book.
As for this one, the central storyline seems to revolve around a young girl currently living in a rundown mansion in a small town in Ohio, an inheritance from her grandmother (the June of the book's title), who took over raising Cassie when both of her parents were killed in a car crash.
Hardly able to get herself out of bed, estranged from the world, recently separated from her last relationship, and immersed in the grief of the loss of her grandmother, Cassie is, in short, barely functioning. Into this emotional maelstrom comes a young man with a message. Cassie is the inheritor of a dead movie star's fortune.
She doesn't know why, nor do the movie star's daughters, one of whom is a very popular movie star herself. Thus the book takes on two parallel tales, that of the modern day Cassie and a tale of the past, June's story.
While the novel is perfectly serviceable, there's nothing extraordinary to really recommend it. The story moves along fine; the book is easy to read. But as Gertrude Stein once posited, "There's no there, there." It feels hollow and empty, with a few too many cliches and cut-out characters. It's not all bad, but when there are so many really wonderful books out there to read, why waste your summer?
Thanks to Good Reads and Crown Publishers for letting me read this book.
May 1, 2016
I loved how this book starts out with the old crumbling mansion, Two Oaks, as a character in its own right, dreaming away about the past and ignoring the newcomer who has taken up residence in it. Cassie has taken over the mansion in St. Jude after her grandmother’s death. Cassie begins to have nightly dreams of 18-year-old June and her friend, 14-year-old Lindy, which turn out to be the flashback story of her grandmother’s life. Back in 1955, June was engaged to be married, which Lindy feels is a terrible decision and one that will ruin June’s life. Along comes movie star Jack Montgomery and the meeting between Jack and June trigger tragic events and is the beginning of many years of family secrets.
The book fluctuates between Cassie’s present-day search to discover the reason she has suddenly been bequeathed 37 million dollars by Jack Montgomery’s estate and the time period in 1955 to follow Jack and June’s story. While I enjoyed the old Hollywood elegance that’s depicted and the gothic atmosphere the author has created, that wasn’t quite enough to make the book a special one for me. I felt there was too much emphasis on who slept with whom and it was drawn out for far too long. I’ve seen this book described as a psychological thriller but there was no suspense in it, at least for me. It’s a light gothic romance which I’m sure many will enjoy reading.
This book was given to me by the publisher through First to Read in return for an honest review.
The book fluctuates between Cassie’s present-day search to discover the reason she has suddenly been bequeathed 37 million dollars by Jack Montgomery’s estate and the time period in 1955 to follow Jack and June’s story. While I enjoyed the old Hollywood elegance that’s depicted and the gothic atmosphere the author has created, that wasn’t quite enough to make the book a special one for me. I felt there was too much emphasis on who slept with whom and it was drawn out for far too long. I’ve seen this book described as a psychological thriller but there was no suspense in it, at least for me. It’s a light gothic romance which I’m sure many will enjoy reading.
This book was given to me by the publisher through First to Read in return for an honest review.
March 20, 2017
Cassie is twenty-five and living in the dilapidated mansion, Two Oaks, she inherited from her grandmother, June. The house is literally falling down around her: also a pretty good metaphor for Cassie's life. She's fled her life as an artist in New York and come to St. Jude, Ohio, to grieve for her grandmother and lick her wounds. That basically amounts to hiding in the house, ignoring the phone, and letting the mail (and bills) pile up around her. But even she can't ignore the constant ringing of the doorbell. With it comes some pretty shocking news: Cassie has been named sole heir to the fortune of the legendary movie star, Jack Montgomery. Considering Cassie only barely knew of Jack's name, this comes as quite a surprise. Why did this famous actor leave her his fortune? Did Jack know Cassie's grandmother, June? Suddenly Jack's two daughters show up, wanting answers as well, and Cassie's life will never be the same.
There are really no words for this book. It's a beautiful and magical adventure. It takes what should be a fairly simple event - figuring out whether Cassie is related to Jack - and turns it into a lovely, suspenseful read. I simply couldn't put this book down. The characters are so real, so fully actualized that they jump off the page. Cassie, June, June's childhood friend Lindie, Jack, the people of St. Jude - they are all there, truly vivid in your mind's eye. The book really does simply set out to determine if and how Cassie and Jack are tied together, but it's this amazing and compelling read.
You're pulled into the spellbinding world of then versus now... the story twists between present day, told from Cassie's point of view and the 1950s, which is really accurately portrayed. I'm usually a contemporary fiction reader all the way, but this period portrayal is so well-done, and I loved it. The character of Lindie, especially, makes your heart ache. As the book flips between time and the story unfolds, you become completely enmeshed in the characters' world; Beverly Whittemore does such a good job of creating them that you feel with them and really become part of their lives.
I am trying to think of any flaws, but I can't. I guessed at a few of the plot twists, but only narrowly before they happened, and it certainly didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story whatsoever. Cassie can be a frustrating character at times (read your mail, darn-it), but it's only because she's so well-created. Overall, this is really a beautiful, suspenseful book that brings you into its world. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from Librarything (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 5/31.
There are really no words for this book. It's a beautiful and magical adventure. It takes what should be a fairly simple event - figuring out whether Cassie is related to Jack - and turns it into a lovely, suspenseful read. I simply couldn't put this book down. The characters are so real, so fully actualized that they jump off the page. Cassie, June, June's childhood friend Lindie, Jack, the people of St. Jude - they are all there, truly vivid in your mind's eye. The book really does simply set out to determine if and how Cassie and Jack are tied together, but it's this amazing and compelling read.
You're pulled into the spellbinding world of then versus now... the story twists between present day, told from Cassie's point of view and the 1950s, which is really accurately portrayed. I'm usually a contemporary fiction reader all the way, but this period portrayal is so well-done, and I loved it. The character of Lindie, especially, makes your heart ache. As the book flips between time and the story unfolds, you become completely enmeshed in the characters' world; Beverly Whittemore does such a good job of creating them that you feel with them and really become part of their lives.
I am trying to think of any flaws, but I can't. I guessed at a few of the plot twists, but only narrowly before they happened, and it certainly didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story whatsoever. Cassie can be a frustrating character at times (read your mail, darn-it), but it's only because she's so well-created. Overall, this is really a beautiful, suspenseful book that brings you into its world. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this novel from Librarything (thank you!); it is available everywhere on 5/31.
April 8, 2017
A more complete review is available on my blog:
http://reviewsofbooksonmynightstand.b...
This book moves a bit slower than I am accustomed to. The writing was fluid but it just wasn't as exciting as I was hoping that it would be. There were a few surprises in the book but the main shockers really weren't shockers for me. That is not to say that it was not enjoyable but just not as exciting as I was hoping for. The story was an interesting one and I do think that it is good for those who enjoy women's fiction or historical fiction. The characters were not one dimensional but I can't say that they were complex, either, with the exception of Jack and June. Jack is tender with June but can also be very unkind to those who he feels stand in the way of what he wants. June is loyal, to a fault, but she also goes after what she wants, as well. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book but it is not one that was as thrilling as I was hoping it would be. Beverly-Whittemore does weave a thought-provoking story and I would be interested in discovering more by here.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. This is my honest opinion of this book.
http://reviewsofbooksonmynightstand.b...
This book moves a bit slower than I am accustomed to. The writing was fluid but it just wasn't as exciting as I was hoping that it would be. There were a few surprises in the book but the main shockers really weren't shockers for me. That is not to say that it was not enjoyable but just not as exciting as I was hoping for. The story was an interesting one and I do think that it is good for those who enjoy women's fiction or historical fiction. The characters were not one dimensional but I can't say that they were complex, either, with the exception of Jack and June. Jack is tender with June but can also be very unkind to those who he feels stand in the way of what he wants. June is loyal, to a fault, but she also goes after what she wants, as well. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book but it is not one that was as thrilling as I was hoping it would be. Beverly-Whittemore does weave a thought-provoking story and I would be interested in discovering more by here.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. This is my honest opinion of this book.
February 25, 2016
This is a page turner of a book. Dual timelines and twist and turns abound in this fabulous novel . 25 year old Cassie suffering from depression is holed up in her family's crumbling mansion. One day a knock at the door reveals she has been left a fortune by her Hollywood star grandfather she never knew she had. She has a hard time believing her prim and proper grandmother would keep such a secret like this for decades. Loved this book!
November 12, 2020
Two years ago I read and reviewed a novel called “Bittersweet“ by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore so when I was offered a spot on the TLC Book Tour for her new novel I jumped at the chance!
Like “Bittersweet” this new novel is peopled with realistic and well-developed characters. Some are likable and some are not – but they all engage the reader.
“June” is written with a dual time line: the present and 1955. Eerily for me, the 1955 time line mirrored the exact dates I was reading the novel. I guess the calendar that year was the same as 2016. When it was Friday, June 3rd in 1955 I was reading it on Friday, June 3rd, 2016! Cool!
In the present we meet Cassandra Danvers, a photographer who has just returned to her small hometown following a traumatic break-up in New York. Also, she has recently suffered the loss of her beloved grandmother June, who raised her following the deaths of her parents when she was just a child. Cassie is in denial about just about everything in her life. Depressed and grieving, she has squirreled herself away in “Two Oaks” the old mansion left to her by her grandmother. The house is in poor repair with leaks, critters, and many layers of grime. Cassie lives in this three story house by herself relishing her self-inflicted solitude. She seldom leaves and neglects her surroundings including the mail which is piling up inside the door.
Situated in a small town in Ohio, the house has seen a lot of life, love, and heartbreak. The author has taken the liberty of making “Two Oaks” sentient. A charmingly fanciful ploy that might not be accepted by some readers, but was welcomed by this one. I’ve always imagined that really old houses must have memories…
One day Cassie is tormented by a persistent ringing of the doorbell. She finally responds and is shocked to discover that the caller has life-altering news for her. A famous movie star named Jack Montgomery has left her millions of dollars in his will! The catch being that his family, in particular his daughter Tate Montgomery (a movie star herself) is contesting the will. She wants a DNA test done to prove Cassie’s blood connection. If she IS a relation she will inherit everything – if she isn’t a relation Tate has agreed to bequeath Cassie one million dollars as compensation. Talk about a win-win situation! One million dollars would go far towards fixing up “Two Oaks” and returning it to its former glory, but Cassie is reluctant to offer her DNA and stubbornly refuses. Tate and her two assistants, Nick and Hank move in with Cassie to see if they can persuade her and to search for any pertinent documentation of June’s supposed affair with Jack Montgomery.
Flashback to 1955. June and her mother live in the house of their distant relative after June’s father suffered war neuroses and financial setbacks. June’s younger friend Lindy lives across the street. Lindy is devoted to June. At first I believed it to be a ‘girl crush’ common to adolescent girls, then I came to suspect it went far deeper than that. Lindy sneaks into June’s bedroom at night. The girls talk, snack, and peruse movie magazines. They couldn’t be more different. June is a beautiful and feminine young woman whereas the younger Lindy is a tomboy who dresses in overalls and goes barefoot. Lindy tries to discourage June from going through with her impending marriage to Artie Danvers.
The small Ohio town where “Two Oaks” is situated is slated to be a motion picture location! When Lindy learns that the infamous Jack Montgomery is coming to town she is very excited and applies to work on the set as a sort of ‘jack of all trades’. She fetches, carries, sews, and generally makes herself useful.
When Jack the leading man meets the small-town girl June, there is an instant attraction. In an era when movie studios manufactured relationships between their stars for publicity purposes, Jack is already spoken for. Lindy is complicit in furthering the relationship between June and Jack! What follows will have repercussions for decades.
As I mentioned earlier, the characterization in this novel was top notch. As were the use of apt and charming descriptive phrases. I loved the language of the novel with many of the sentences almost artistic in their rendering. (“on her bicycle, she turned in to the Elm Grove Cemetery, speeding past those gray headboards of eternal rest”) and (“her lustrous hair had grown thin and her face had been swallowed by a conspiracy of chins.”)
“June” is a novel of family secrets, friendship, desperation, deception, sacrifice, and lost love that is sure to please its intended audience.
Thanks to Crown Publishing, NetGalley and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.
This review and many others can be found on my blog: Fictionophile
Like “Bittersweet” this new novel is peopled with realistic and well-developed characters. Some are likable and some are not – but they all engage the reader.
“June” is written with a dual time line: the present and 1955. Eerily for me, the 1955 time line mirrored the exact dates I was reading the novel. I guess the calendar that year was the same as 2016. When it was Friday, June 3rd in 1955 I was reading it on Friday, June 3rd, 2016! Cool!
In the present we meet Cassandra Danvers, a photographer who has just returned to her small hometown following a traumatic break-up in New York. Also, she has recently suffered the loss of her beloved grandmother June, who raised her following the deaths of her parents when she was just a child. Cassie is in denial about just about everything in her life. Depressed and grieving, she has squirreled herself away in “Two Oaks” the old mansion left to her by her grandmother. The house is in poor repair with leaks, critters, and many layers of grime. Cassie lives in this three story house by herself relishing her self-inflicted solitude. She seldom leaves and neglects her surroundings including the mail which is piling up inside the door.
Situated in a small town in Ohio, the house has seen a lot of life, love, and heartbreak. The author has taken the liberty of making “Two Oaks” sentient. A charmingly fanciful ploy that might not be accepted by some readers, but was welcomed by this one. I’ve always imagined that really old houses must have memories…
One day Cassie is tormented by a persistent ringing of the doorbell. She finally responds and is shocked to discover that the caller has life-altering news for her. A famous movie star named Jack Montgomery has left her millions of dollars in his will! The catch being that his family, in particular his daughter Tate Montgomery (a movie star herself) is contesting the will. She wants a DNA test done to prove Cassie’s blood connection. If she IS a relation she will inherit everything – if she isn’t a relation Tate has agreed to bequeath Cassie one million dollars as compensation. Talk about a win-win situation! One million dollars would go far towards fixing up “Two Oaks” and returning it to its former glory, but Cassie is reluctant to offer her DNA and stubbornly refuses. Tate and her two assistants, Nick and Hank move in with Cassie to see if they can persuade her and to search for any pertinent documentation of June’s supposed affair with Jack Montgomery.
Flashback to 1955. June and her mother live in the house of their distant relative after June’s father suffered war neuroses and financial setbacks. June’s younger friend Lindy lives across the street. Lindy is devoted to June. At first I believed it to be a ‘girl crush’ common to adolescent girls, then I came to suspect it went far deeper than that. Lindy sneaks into June’s bedroom at night. The girls talk, snack, and peruse movie magazines. They couldn’t be more different. June is a beautiful and feminine young woman whereas the younger Lindy is a tomboy who dresses in overalls and goes barefoot. Lindy tries to discourage June from going through with her impending marriage to Artie Danvers.
The small Ohio town where “Two Oaks” is situated is slated to be a motion picture location! When Lindy learns that the infamous Jack Montgomery is coming to town she is very excited and applies to work on the set as a sort of ‘jack of all trades’. She fetches, carries, sews, and generally makes herself useful.
When Jack the leading man meets the small-town girl June, there is an instant attraction. In an era when movie studios manufactured relationships between their stars for publicity purposes, Jack is already spoken for. Lindy is complicit in furthering the relationship between June and Jack! What follows will have repercussions for decades.
As I mentioned earlier, the characterization in this novel was top notch. As were the use of apt and charming descriptive phrases. I loved the language of the novel with many of the sentences almost artistic in their rendering. (“on her bicycle, she turned in to the Elm Grove Cemetery, speeding past those gray headboards of eternal rest”) and (“her lustrous hair had grown thin and her face had been swallowed by a conspiracy of chins.”)
“June” is a novel of family secrets, friendship, desperation, deception, sacrifice, and lost love that is sure to please its intended audience.
Thanks to Crown Publishing, NetGalley and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my unbiased review.
This review and many others can be found on my blog: Fictionophile
June 19, 2019
I really enjoyed this! The hardcover has been sitting in my tbr pile since it was published. What a great time to read June in June.
July 4, 2016
by Miranda Beverly-WhittemoreFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet comes a novel of suspense and passion about a terrible mistake made sixty years ago that threatens to change a modern family forever.
Twenty-five-year-old Cassie Danvers is holed up in her family’s crumbling mansion in rural St. Jude, Ohio, mourning the loss of the woman who raised her—her grandmother, June. But a knock on the door forces her out of isolation. Cassie has been named the sole heir to legendary matinee idol Jack Montgomery's vast fortune. How did Jack Montgomery know her name? Could he have crossed paths with her grandmother all those years ago? What other shocking secrets could June’s once-stately mansion hold?
Soon Jack’s famous daughters come knocking, determined to wrestle Cassie away from the inheritance they feel is their due. Together, they all come to discover the true reasons for June’s silence about that long-ago summer, when Hollywood came to town, and June and Jack’s lives were forever altered by murder, blackmail, and betrayal. As this page-turner shifts deftly between the past and present, Cassie and her guests will be forced to reexamine their legacies, their definition of family, and what it truly means to love someone, steadfastly, across the ages.
What I thought of it:
five stars
First off I want to say that at first I wasn't so sure if I wanted to even pick it up , but then a Goodread's friend read it and said it blow her way, so after that I did decided to give it a go , and OMG so glad that I did, plus this is the first book that I ever read by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore. Ok so lets to my thoughts on it, also I hope you can understand why I'm writing it like this ,because its the only way I could write down my thoughts :
All the things I loved about the book:
1: The cover is 100% absolutely and utterly breathtaking:
2: There's just something about the story that once you start to read it ,even if its just a few pages that it reach's out and grabs you and pulls you in to it
3: how the author some how brings even the house to life , how she makes it have feelings and even dreams of the past and present
4: the characters themselves, how she makes you even fall for them even the ones , your suppose to hate and dislike and fell sorry for.
5: has all the stuff in it that I love to read: a tale of woe, and forbidden passion ,betrayal, redemption, blackmail and revenge,
6: murder- and how even that grabs you by how shocking it is and was
7: how its told in away that you get both Cassie's story which takes place's in 2015 as well as her Grandmother June's story which take's place doing the nineteen fifties
8: and how it also show's you how difficult it was to being a woman who dressed like a man and loved women in the nineteen fifties and that it wasn't exactly a walk in the park and how far we came to day.
9: how friendships lasted though out the past to the present
There's so much more that I loved about it but there's that are listed are the main ones of why I loved it so much, if you haven't picked it up yet then you need to so. With that said I would love to also say that I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest opinion and review and that these are 100 % my own thoughts to what is truly a great book.
June 6, 2016
Would it be a total cop-out for me to say go buy a copy NOW and be done with it? Because, essentially, that's what this review (read: incoherent flailing and gushing) amounts to - a love letter to this beautiful, haunting book of the glamorous days of old school Hollywood, a small town turned upside-down by the arrival of a film crew, and a secret steadfastly kept close for over sixty years.
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
November 26, 2016
An intriguing tale of Cassie, a young woman who returns to her ancestral home only to find she is the heir to the estate of a movie star she never met. What follows is a colorful feud with the movie star's daughters and an epic revelation of the hidden past that he shared with Cassie's own grandmother. A rich and rewarding read!
March 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this mystery, peopled (in part) with characters from golden era Hollywood. The clash of small town versus movie star glam and sincerity versus manipulation worked in both time periods. Lots of good twists. Plus, the ending was great.
September 28, 2016
This is my first novel by this author. This story takes place in dual time frames. I liked the story line. It also had a couple of twists that had me saying, "Very nice." I always like it when I can be surprised. The house as a character was a little weird, but it was a minor role and it was basically used to help move the story forward.
It toggled back and forth from the 50's to current day. The author writes likable characters that posses their own individual quirks. They are damaged and flawed which automatically makes them vulnerable. The relationships weren't particularly strong. The two romances were a bit awkward because suddenly things were happening with them and it left me wondering if I had missed something that would explain it. There were many leaps of this nature that affected many of the characters in various situations. The writing felt a little awkward at times, but overall, the story was interesting....so 3 stars.
It toggled back and forth from the 50's to current day. The author writes likable characters that posses their own individual quirks. They are damaged and flawed which automatically makes them vulnerable. The relationships weren't particularly strong. The two romances were a bit awkward because suddenly things were happening with them and it left me wondering if I had missed something that would explain it. There were many leaps of this nature that affected many of the characters in various situations. The writing felt a little awkward at times, but overall, the story was interesting....so 3 stars.
March 11, 2017
After struggling through the first 100 pages and almost calling it quits I finally finished and can honestly say it was a fairly good book! Definitely not a page turner but enough action and drama (after 100 pages!) to keep me interested in the outcome of the story. Cassie, the main character, receives a huge inheritance from a film star who recently passed away. Why did she receive this and what does this have to do with her grandmother June? Cassie moves back into her family's mansion inherited from her grandmother. She loved her deceased grandmother and is terribly sad as is the house. Yes, the crumbling mansion has a life of its own, a history filled with secrets, lost love, and tradegy. I love old houses with a history so to me this old mansion was the most interesting "character" in the story. All in all June was an enjoyable light read which I won from LibraryThing.
May 31, 2017
The eye-catching cover perfectly suited the house as a character in this novel; yet another book I've read recently where this was a well-done theme. The author writes beautifully, and this was an easy, fun read that kept me entertained. Thanks to the author and the publisher, I won a complimentary copy. This was my unsolicited review.
July 22, 2016
I was originally excited about this book. When I saw it offered on Blogging for Books, I hip-hipped-hoorayed. Then I started reading. While it wasn't torture, I couldn't help feeling sluggish as I labored through each chapter. First things first, I never made a connection with the character of Cassie. She takes the lead role in the present day portion of this sordid tale that brings to mind sappy soap operas. P.S.- I never cared for soaps. Secondly, the present day storyline was also extremely far fetched. Here's the quick version. Hollywood comes to small town Ohio (both in past and present - which is how this book is told) and the biggest star in the world, Tate Montgomery, who's married to the biggest rock star in the world, will be temporarily moving in with one of it's local residents - Cassie, a complete stranger to said superstar and a real whack job. Depressed and hiding from the world, Cassie refuses to bathe. She's frumpy. Greasy hair, avoids the real world and let's her historical mansion fall down around her head. She's reclusive, ya know, so I guess she has to be weird. Yet, a mystery man at the door will soon find her amazingly charming. Yes! Wait for it...That'll happen. Whatever. Anywho, Hollywood and her entourage move in like no big deal and everything is suddenly magical. Dirty ole selfish and irresponsible Cassie walks around goopy and star struck, snapping photos at odd intervals. Of course, Tate, America's sweetheart, is there for one reason only. Tate is there to unlock a family mystery and Cassie is the key. However, Cassie does a brilliant job of holding everyone emotionally and mentally hostage. Two Oaks, the majestic old home where all are holed up, has a history (and apparently a mind of it's own) that may combine the lives of both women. The connection could be Cassie's grandmother, June Danvers, the beautiful young woman that once lived in the grand home during it's heyday in the 1950's. The house has not forgotten the lovely June and somehow manages to share it's memories through dream sequences and whispers. Two Oaks longs for days gone by, when people filled it's spacious rooms and appreciated the elegant grandeur. It's here in the past where the real story lies. But June is gone and she left a mountain of questions behind, taking the secrets of the past along with her. Tate's presence will force Cassie to face responsibilities (maybe even a bath) and piece together the intricate, delicate puzzle of June.
*face plant here*
I'm going to sum this up as simply as I can. JUNE, in my opinion, was filled with cliche after boring cliche and was ridiculously convoluted.
*I received a copy of this book for review from Blogging for Books. Many thanks.
April 23, 2016
When Cassie Danvers’ grandmother June died, she left her the huge old house, Two Oaks, in St. Jude, Ohio, built in 1895.
Cassie left New York and the loft she’d shared with her ex-boyfriend, but once she took possession of the house, she seemed to be sleeping her life away. There was much that needed to be done to the home and the surrounding gardens, but she couldn’t seem to manage it all. Nor could she find the energy to pursue her photography.
At night, Cassie dreamed of colorful people and events occurring in the house, but her days were troubled by the encroaching weeds in the garden and the mail piling up in the foyer.
Until one day when there was a knock on the door, and a young man named Nick Emmons had come to share some news. Cassie had inherited $37 million from Jack Montgomery, a Hollywood star who had just died. Apparently in the summer of 1955, he and an entourage of actors had taken up residence in St. Jude to film a movie called Erie Canal. And during that time, June and Jack might have had a romantic liaison. Cassie's father Adelbert could have been Jack's son.
But…in order to inherit, Cassie has to fulfill a request made by one of Jack’s daughters, Tate Montgomery, also a Hollywood celebrity, and a suspicious one at that. They must take a DNA test. Soon Tate and her assistant, along with Nick, are living with Cassie while she decides how it is going to play out. She wants more information before agreeing, so they start going through letters and interviewing townspeople who might have known something.
How might June and Jack have connected? What was the significance of the friendship between June and her next-door neighbor Lindie in 1950s Ohio? How would several betrayals and secrets thwart the lives of the characters back then? And what tragic event would change the trajectory of all their lives? In the present, does Cassie finally find answers and a kind of peace?
June was a richly layered family saga that swept back and forth through time, showing us the characters who populated the town and Two Oaks back in 1955…and then fast forwarded to the present. As the story finally unfolded, and as more and more secrets were revealed, I could not stop wondering what would happen next. The story had many beautiful as well as some sad moments, but in the end, a rich tapestry of characters, from the present and from the past, encircled Cassie and wrapped themselves around her and kept her company in her beautiful old mansion. 5 stars.
Cassie left New York and the loft she’d shared with her ex-boyfriend, but once she took possession of the house, she seemed to be sleeping her life away. There was much that needed to be done to the home and the surrounding gardens, but she couldn’t seem to manage it all. Nor could she find the energy to pursue her photography.
At night, Cassie dreamed of colorful people and events occurring in the house, but her days were troubled by the encroaching weeds in the garden and the mail piling up in the foyer.
Until one day when there was a knock on the door, and a young man named Nick Emmons had come to share some news. Cassie had inherited $37 million from Jack Montgomery, a Hollywood star who had just died. Apparently in the summer of 1955, he and an entourage of actors had taken up residence in St. Jude to film a movie called Erie Canal. And during that time, June and Jack might have had a romantic liaison. Cassie's father Adelbert could have been Jack's son.
But…in order to inherit, Cassie has to fulfill a request made by one of Jack’s daughters, Tate Montgomery, also a Hollywood celebrity, and a suspicious one at that. They must take a DNA test. Soon Tate and her assistant, along with Nick, are living with Cassie while she decides how it is going to play out. She wants more information before agreeing, so they start going through letters and interviewing townspeople who might have known something.
How might June and Jack have connected? What was the significance of the friendship between June and her next-door neighbor Lindie in 1950s Ohio? How would several betrayals and secrets thwart the lives of the characters back then? And what tragic event would change the trajectory of all their lives? In the present, does Cassie finally find answers and a kind of peace?
June was a richly layered family saga that swept back and forth through time, showing us the characters who populated the town and Two Oaks back in 1955…and then fast forwarded to the present. As the story finally unfolded, and as more and more secrets were revealed, I could not stop wondering what would happen next. The story had many beautiful as well as some sad moments, but in the end, a rich tapestry of characters, from the present and from the past, encircled Cassie and wrapped themselves around her and kept her company in her beautiful old mansion. 5 stars.
April 30, 2016
What it's all about...
Cassie inherits $14,000 from her grandmother June's estate. In addition to the money she inherits June's beautiful old house...Twin Oaks. Twin Oaks is literally a total mess. It's a house so lovely that Cassie can't stand it but it is a house so uncared for that the ceilings sag and the pipes are broken and the furnace no longer works. Cassie hasn't opened a bill or answered the phone since her escape to Twin Oaks. However...one day a strange man comes "a knocking" at her door to tell her she has inherited 37 million dollars from a grandfather she didn't even know was her grandfather. Oh...and that grandfather's other granddaughter...Tate...a famous movie star...is contesting the will. For me...this is where this lovely involved book begins. It's June's story...it's her friend Lindie's story...it's Jack's story...it's the story of everyone in that small town in 1955. It's also Cassie's story...especially as she discovers more about her grandmother's life.
Why I wanted to read it...
I loved this author's first book with a passion and I just knew this one would be wonderful, too. And...it was.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
I loved this book sooo much because the two separate stories...the past one and the present one...intertwine seamlessly with each other. Just as I am picturing in my head June meeting Jack...Cassie is waking up from that dream to an actual knock on her door. It's amazing! The small town, the past, the present, the characters...it was just a beautiful story. There was mystery to this book, too.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love a story with richly drawn out characters and beautiful narratives and a blend of an old story and a new story should love this book. It's the kind of book to savor. It's summer beachy front porch reading at its finest. I loved it!
February 12, 2016
A really absorbing, very genuine, unflinching book. Historical fiction at a pretty high calibre: no whitewashing or flinching away from the realities of history. Plus, a surprisingly deft depiction of depression. Lively characters, well-served by a dual timeline.
August 23, 2016
This is a lovely lovely book about juicy secrets, small towns, movie stars, and life-long loves... public lives and private ones.
It was a slow start for me but oh my goodness those last hundred+ pages!
It was a slow start for me but oh my goodness those last hundred+ pages!
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