Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lauren Takes Leave | 2012 | Julie Gerstenblatt | Buy |
| 2 | Daughters of Nantucket | 2023 | Julie Gerstenblatt | Buy |
Julie Gerstenblatt’s two standalone novels are very different books that share a common thread: women pushed to their limits who refuse to go quietly. Lauren Takes Leave (2012) uses a comedic premise, a teacher faking a maternity leave, to explore the real exhaustion and identity crisis of modern working motherhood.
Daughters of Nantucket (2023) takes a more dramatic approach, following three women during the Great Fire of 1846 that destroyed much of Nantucket’s town center. The novel weaves their stories together as the fire forces each of them to confront secrets and make choices that will define the rest of their lives. The contrast between the two books shows Gerstenblatt’s ability to work in different registers while keeping her focus on women navigating impossible situations.