Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans

One of the perks of being a book blogger is getting to read brand new books, sometimes even before they're published. Such was the case with Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans by Joanne DeMaio, which was published just a couple of days ago.  Inspired by the pretty, painterly cover of this new novel, I brewed some coffee, kicked off my shoes, settled into a lounge chair, and began to read. I was eager to begin the second novel by Joanne DeMaio, as I'd savored her first one, Whole Latte Life.  Set at Stony Point beach in Connecticut, Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans is the story of denim designer Maris Carrington, who has flown to her childhood home in Connecticut from Chicago to wrap up the loose ends of her father's estate. With the help of her friend, Eva, she decides to stay at a beach cottage for an indefinite period of time that summer, to reconnect with friends she hasn't seen in many years, and to think about her past and her future.

Once again, Joanne DeMaio's writing is quite lovely and artistic.  In this book, she paints a portrait of a group of friends who reconvene at the beach after being apart for over a decade.  The beach is an idyllic setting in which to spend the summer, and like in her previous book, Whole Latte Life, the book refers to the pleasures of coffee numerous times.  But the seemingly light, casual, breezy nature of this book is limited to the setting.

"To cure pain, one has to feel it first. That's what acclimating is to for him, dealing with some sort of pain.  And that's what eats at him right now.  Either pain has to be felt, or escaped from."
~Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, Joanne DeMaio

Maris' group of friends faces some particularly weighty adult problems, pertaining to life and death, the loss of a limb, job and marital problems, and other family issues.  In keeping with the serious tone of the book, I'm not sure that the cute title really fits the book. Maybe this book deserves a more pensive title, such as At Stony Point (or something more creative), although I like how the title refers to Maris' career and coffee.

This could be due to my limitations as a reader, but it took me a while to "get into" this book.  I needed to reread the first few chapters in order to make sense of what was happening and who the characters were.  For me, things did not "click" as quickly as I'd hoped they would.  I was a trifle confused as I tried to figure out the connections between all of the characters, to discover who was who. Truth be told, I felt there were too many characters for this sort of novel.  I liked Maris well enough, but I was left wanting to get to know her better.  Instead, I met many of her friends, Eva, Matt, Scott, Jason, Neil, Kyle, Lauren, and Vinny.  I'd have preferred fewer characters who I could get to know more deeply.

Overall, however, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more work by Joanne DeMaio. Her writing is exquisite and evocative.

"Farther down the beach, a few boats are moored just beyond the swimming area, their cabins glowing with yellow light.  Beyond the boats, the lighthouse at Gull Island faintly beckons.  An occasional faraway call of a foghorn moves through the night."
~~Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, Joanne DeMaio

She brought the setting to life, and I felt as if I, too, were at the shore, basking in the fresh beach air, taking a barefoot walk in the sand by the edge of the water.  More than just a beach read, though, this book is an interesting exploration of many things, including the importance of pursuing your chosen career and other dreams, and to connecting with friends and family.

Thanks to Mary for providing me with a complimentary copy of this novel.

Your comments are welcomed, as always.

Whole Latte Life

This question is for the ladies: what would you do if your best friend deserted you during your birthday weekend getaway?

Whole Latte Life by writer Joanne DeMaio is the story of two Connecticut women who have been best friends for many years, Rachel DeMartino and Sara Beth Riley.  They plan on celebrating their fortieth birthdays together, with a long weekend in Manhattan at the Plaza Hotel, away from their families. Much to Rachel's surprise, while they are at a restaurant in NYC, Sara Beth suddenly disappears, and Rachel is left at the table by herself.  Rachel gets a note from the waiter from Sara Beth, who asks her not to mention this disappearance to her husband, Tom, telling her only that she needs some time by herself to "sort things out".  In spite of the note, Rachel is upset and worried about her friend, and asks for help from a mounted policeman in the city,  Michael Micelli, a divorced father with a daughter, Summer.  In Sara Beth's absence, Rachel and Michael begin to spend time together.

In the book, both women are suffering from the loss of a loved one (Sara Beth's loss is more recent).  Rachel lost her husband, Carl, to a heart attack, and Sara Beth's mother has died unexpectedly of an aneurysm. They are trying to cope, and neither wants to also lose the friendship that has sustained them for so many years, which seems to have also vanished.  Sara Beth, who has three children, copes with her mother's death by writing email messages to her, even though she knows that her mother can't respond to them, and also through the dream that she and her mother shared, to open a business selling antiques (in fact, the antiques become an obsession to Sara Beth).  Rachel has had more time to recover from her husband's death, and tries to be strong for the sake of her daughter, Ashley, who's away at college.

Whole Latte Life is beautifully written; the artistic writing frames the story, which is about experiencing life to the fullest.  There are many lovely passages throughout the novel, such as this one:

Rachel loves the way it happens every year, as summer nears.  The nurseries overflow with flats of marigolds and snapdragons, dahlias and zinnias.  Black pots of scarlet geraniums sit on front stoops.  Purple and white petunias grow with abandon from hanging pots hooked onto country lamposts.  And bright yellow marigolds fringe vegetable gardens.  Walking through Addison is like looking through a kaleidoscope of flowers.
~Whole Latte Life, Joanne DeMaio

Joanne DeMaio paints vivid, descriptive scenes with her words. Written in the third person in the present tense, we see into the hearts and minds of the characters, particularly Rachel and Sara Beth, the main characters (although the blurb on the back cover focuses on Sara Beth, I think this is Rachel's book, too).  The book resonated with me on many levels; I understood Sara Beth's devastation at losing her mother, and her yearning for continued connection with her.  Having lost my own mother less than a year ago, I still feel that sense of loss, and although it helps to talk about my mother with my sisters and a handful of close friends, at times I feel very much alone with my sadness and grief.  On a brighter note, the book also encourages us to pursue our passions, whether that means gathering and refinishing antiques or finding that perfect cottage on the beach--bring your dreams to life!  Whole Latte Life also centers on the importance of connection to others, to friends and family.  Meet them for coffee,  savor the beauty of the seashore together, get out and enjoy life, this whole latte life. (While I was reading this novel, I took the book's cover to heart, and savored countless cups of coffee, some "latte-style".)

I enjoyed so many things about this novel: the well-drawn characters, the east coast setting (NY, the beach, Connecticut), the references to coffee, the antiques (symbolically, how we can assimilate the past into the future), the romance, the prevailing sense of optimism, and the underlying belief that connections with others have intrinsic value, and deserve to be honored and nurtured.

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After reading Whole Latte Life, I had a few questions for the author, which she graciously answered by email.

In your book, which focuses on connections, Sara Beth became interested in antiques through her mother, who's deceased. They represent a strong connection to her mother, as they had shopped for antiques together, and planned to open a shop together when Sara Beth turned forty.  Describe how you became interested in antiques.

JD: Like writing, antiques are another form of storytelling.  There’s such life in each piece, we can see evidence of it and then visualize someone’s days.  I mention in Whole Latte Life antique desktops stained with ink, leading Sara Beth to wonder who wrote there and if they were happy.  Did they record their farm life in a journal, or pen letters to a long-lost love?  Though I’m personally not an antiques collector, I did find them to be a revealing aspect of my character’s journey.

Why do you think antiques seem to be so popular today? Do they represent something missing in today's world?

JD: Life can be so fast-paced and fast-changing, especially with the technological advances we see every day.  Antiques offer us a way to slow down, to quietly time travel not online, but in reality.  It’s been said that technology keeps us “connected.”  As we linger with antiques, they connect us in a different way.  The furniture is real and connects us with people like us, daughters and wives and friends and mothers, through the life they left behind.

Would you share a recipe for the perfect latte?

JD: I’d love to.  This recipe is my favorite.  First, find a few close friends, daughters, or mom.  Mix together in a cozy coffee shop with paned windows looking out on a sunny day.  Add a dash of laughter, heaps of talk, and simmer over refills.  What better way to enjoy your latte!

Sounds wonderful!  


I also asked Joanne to share a photo of her workspace.

Point O'Woods beach

JD: Because of the very nature of writing, my workspace often changes. I’ve included a photograph of one of my favorite workspaces, Point O’ Woods beach on the Connecticut shoreline. So much of my storytelling is inspired by this small seaside place that I consider it a necessary “office.” Much of Whole Latte Life’s Anchor Beach is a reflection of this small stretch of sand and sea.

Isn't that gorgeous?!  I certainly wouldn't mind an "office" like this, a beach with mustard-golden sand and an azure ocean.

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Review copy provided by publicist in exchange for my honest review. Your comments are welcomed, as always.

Really Random Tuesday #46: A Book Winner, Cool Text, and a Sweet Frother

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for!  The lucky, randomly chosen winner of Desert Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke is Cheryl (who has many blogs).  If you didn't win this time, please check the right side of my blog for other giveaways (if you're on a mobile device, you'll need to switch to the web version to view them).  Please join me and congratulate Cheryl.

I've mentioned Cool Text before, but as I've just used it to design the graphic above,  I thought it deserved a fresh "shout out".  This graphics generator, which has been recently updated, allows you to create your own fabulous, free graphics for your blog or website.  I've designed various graphics for my blog using it.

I keep a small logo on my blog as a "thank you", and as a quick way to get to the site.  It's super easy to use, and gives you countless design choices.

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I hope this doesn't sound too "adsy".  While I try to sell a few books through my Amazon links, I try not to play the part of the pushy salesperson.  However, I'm absolutely thrilled with my new IKEA Produkt Milk Frother, which is made by IKEA but sold on Amazon (at a real steal of a price, only 99¢ plus $4.99 shipping).  Although it was kind of tricky to get the batteries into the small compartment, it works really well, especially compared to my old frother, which was broken but worked if I held it together in a very awkward fashion.  I'm loving my new little appliance, using it to froth milk to pour on top of my hot coffee, giving it some oomph and a shot of calcium.  This is my own version of a "latte", which is, according to Wikipedia, from the Italian caffè latte or caffellatte, a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk or soy milk (I want to try to froth soy or even coconut milk). The inspiration for finally getting a new frother was the book Whole Latte Life by Joanne DeMaio, which I'm currently reading (please stay tuned for my upcoming review).  Books sometimes influence me in little ways like this. What about you?

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  If you're inspired by this idea, feel free to copy the button and use it on your own blog.  Please leave a link in the comments if you’re participating and I'll add it to this post.  Thanks for reading!

Mailbox Monday

Am I becoming a memeophile?  Last week, I did three memes, Mailbox Monday, Wondrous Words Wednesday, and the Book Blogger Hop.  That's a lot of memes for me to do in one week!  I won't participate in as many memes this week, but I am starting the week with Mailbox Monday, which is hosted this month by Kim from Metroreader.

Three books arrived in my mailbox recently.  I won Ros by Dee DeTarsio on Dizzy C's Little Book Blog.  Although the book I won was an eBook, the author kindly sent me a paperback copy of her book when I told her that I didn't have an eReader.  I received Whole Latte Life from the author,  Joanne DeMaio, along with a very nice, coffee-themed card, as I'll be part of the virtual tour for this novel in May (equipped with my own cup of coffee or tea).  Lastly, I purchased It by Stephen King for a steal of a price from a used book seller on Amazon (a great way to get used books in good condition), which I plan on reading for The Stephen King Project, a challenge hosted by Natalie from Coffee and a Book Chick and Kathleen from Boarding in My Forties.  Each of these books is enticing to me in a different way, and I look forward to beginning them.

What new books arrived in your mailbox recently?  Have you read any of these books?  As always, I welcome your comments.