This month, we bring you our book club discussion of Rosie Walsh's The Love of My Life, a propulsive thriller about a woman with a hidden past.

Even well into adulthood, coming-of-age stories have the power to captivate and move us. Check out our recommendations (along with reading guides) for coming-of-age books for adults from recent years.

Reading contemporary translated literature can give you and your book group the chance to explore what's happening outside of the English-language literary sphere. For the next couple of weeks, all visitors can browse our Books in Translation category for free.

We also have 40 copies to give away of French Braid, the latest novel from celebrated author Anne Tyler. If you're in a book club, you could win up to 12 copies for your group; and if you're not, you can still enter for the chance to win four copies - one for themselves and the others to share with friends.

Very best,

Davina Morgan-Witts

Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby: she'd do anything for them. But almost everything she's told them about herself is a lie.

And she might just have got away with it, if it weren't for her husband's job. Leo is an obituary writer; Emma a well-known marine biologist. When she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best – researching and writing about his wife's life. But as he starts to unravel the truth, he discovers the woman he loves doesn't really exist.

"I really felt caught up in the story and wanted to find out all of the secrets. I think I will re-read it before passing it on to friends whom I share books with. Definitely a book that I am glad I chose to read!" - ssh

"I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and didn't want to put it down. I wanted to know the answers to all the questions about Emma's past and the secrets she withheld from Leo. I kept predicting what would happen, but it always turned out differently than I expected." - lynne z

"I agree with many of the readers who were not disappointed with the rapid pace of this page-turner for most of the first half...the story did slow down somewhat abruptly for me when Leo delved deeper into Emma's relationships with her father, Jeremy, Jocelyn, and her work colleagues. Upon reflection, of course, Walsh had to slow the narrative in order to present the how and why of Emma's life to Leo---and to the reader---and she ultimately delivers a satisfying ending. This novel is a good choice for book clubs." - joannej

Our Annual Book Club Survey is currently open, in which we're looking to find out book clubs' favorite books of 2022, and also get answers to some other interesting questions.

If you were in a book club in 2022, and have not already taken the survey, it would be wonderful if you could spare the time to participate. It should take less than five minutes and your responses are anonymous.

The survey will close on Feb 12, and we'll share the results in BookBrowse's blog later in the year.

Thank you very much!

Coming-of-age plots are a staple of YA books, as the changes of adolescence and the transition to adulthood have special relevancy to the teenage perspective. But adults can benefit from coming-of-age stories too. Gaining some distance from your own experience of growing up provides a place from which to reflect more deeply on the experiences of others, and any thoughtful story that leads readers through the inevitable, pivotal changes we all encounter in certain early stages of life is likely to give book groups something relatable and interesting to talk about.

All 17 recommended books are rated five stars by our reviewers, and they all come with reading guides to help you organize quality conversations with your book club.

All visitors to BookBrowse can browse by genre, but most of our 100+ themed categories are only for members.

Our Books in Translation category includes nearly 150 translated books from a wide variety of locations and languages that would make great selections for book groups looking to explore literature outside of English-speaking countries.

To see only translated books with reading guides, check out our book club section.

For the next two weeks, all visitors can browse this category for free.

From the beloved best-selling, Pulitzer Prize–winning author - a funny, joyful, brilliantly perceptive journey deep into one Baltimore family's foibles, from a boyfriend with a red Chevy in the 1950s up to a longed-for reunion with a grandchild in our pandemic present.

"Lushly imagined, psychologically intricate, virtually inhalable...At every leap, Tyler balances gracefully between tenderness and piquant humor, her insights into human nature luminous. Tyler is a phenomenon, each of her novels feels fresh and incisive, and this charming family tale will be honey for her fans." - Booklist (starred review)

"Tyler returns with a dry and well-crafted look at a family that inexplicably comes apart over several decades...Tyler's focus on character development proves fruitful; a reunion organized by the wistful Robin in the '90s is particularly affecting, as is a coda with David during the Covid-19 pandemic. As always, Tyler offers both comfort and surprise." - Publishers Weekly

"Tyler draws her characters and their interactions in such specific and revealing detail...More lovely work from Tyler, still vital and creative at 80." - Kirkus Review

We have 40 paperback copies of French Braid by Anne Tyler to give away. If a winner is in a book club they will receive a copy for each member of their group (up to a maximum of 12 copies); if a winner is not in a book club they will receive 4 copies (one for themselves and three to share with friends).

This offer is open to residents of the USA only. The winner(s) will be contacted after the offer closes and sent free copies by mail. Offer ends Feb 27.

Discussions are open to all, so please join us! If you would like to receive a message when a particular discussion opens, you can sign up for a one-time notification. You can also find inspiration for your book club among our more than 200 past discussions.

Usually published once a month, Book Club News is one of BookBrowse's four free newsletters. We also publish BookBrowse Highlights every Thursday, Publishing This Week every Sunday; and Librarian News monthly.