Let’s go back in time for this TLC Book tour stop, all the way back to 1962. I was pleased to get a advanced reader copy of Glimmer As You Can by Danielle Martin for an honest review. 
All gushings and rants are my own.
About the Book:
“A timely and beautiful story of female friendship and strength.” –Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Queen’s Fortune
“Martin deftly and exquisitely captures this historical moment.” –Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of In Another Time
In the glitz and glamor tradition of Beatriz Williams’s Tiny Little Thing and Fiona Davis’s The Chelsea Girls, Danielle Martin’s debut is “a love letter to…women” (Greer Macallister, The Magician’s Lie) that illustrates the courage of women and the strength of sisterhood.
Welcome to the Starlite. Let your true self shine.
1962. In the middle of Brooklyn Heights sits the Starlite: boutique dress shop by day, underground women’s club by night. Started by the shop’s proprietor after her marriage crumbled, Madeline’s social club soon becomes a safe haven for women from all walks of life looking for a respite from their troubled relationships and professional frustrations. These after-hour soirées soon bring two very different women into Madeline’s life–Elaine, a British ex-pat struggling to save her relationship, and Lisa, a young stewardess whose plans for the future are suddenly upended–irrevocably changing all three women’s lives in ways no one could have predicted.
But when Madeline’s ne’er-do-well ex-husband shows up again, the luster of Starlite quickly dampens. As the sisterhood rallies around Madeline, tension begins to eat at the club. When an unspeakable tragedy befalls their sorority, one woman must decide whether to hide the truth from the group or jeopardize her own hopes and dreams. Sure to appeal to readers of Kathleen Tessaro and Suzanne Rindell, Glimmer As You Can captures the heartbeat of an era and the ambitions of a generation of women living in a man’s world–a world threatened by a wave of change.
Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-Million |
IndieBound | Penguin Random House
Connect with Danielle
Website | Facebook | Twitter |
What I thought:
I really wanted to like this book. A lot. I approached it as historical fiction and the whole early 60s vibe intrigued me. I guess I was thinking of something like Mad Men (or Mad Women).
The story had promise: three independent women trying to make their way. Or are they? Maybe that is what Martin was trying to suggest. Their fate and lives were not their own.
Maybe the book fixated on the Starlite “club” a bit much. Maybe it was because I lost patience with Elaine. Maybe it was because most of the characters were young and naïve.
I just couldn’t connect. I will have to say that my mother came to age in the early 60s and was in fact married in 1962. She is such a strong and independent woman that I can’t ever imagine her living like this. I guess that’s why I lost patience with the story a bit. All of these women have (or could have) careers but delayed or gave up on the idea for a stay-at-home life. I guess there’s hope at the end for some.
I will say that some of the characters’ fate totally caught me off guard.
Ultimately, I rated it a three on Goodreads.
The Food:
There was a bit of food in the novel but it was totally secondary. The women at the Starlight were not there for the food but for the fellowship (and maybe the cocktails). There was one scene where teacakes were served and shortly after there was a mention of apple cider. Never having made tea cakes (and honestly not really know ing what they were), I decided to create an Apple Cider Tea Cake.
Apple Cider Tea Cakes
Make this for the holidays or your next social club meeting.
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. butter, softened
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 1 egg plus 1-1/2 T. beaten egg
- 1 T. apple cider
- 1 1/2 c. flour
- 1/2 T. baking powder
- 1/2 t. apple pie spice
- 1/8 t. salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg mixture and beat well.. Beat in apple cider.
- In a small separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture (the dough will be soft).
- Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. (I used a small cookie scoop.) Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove to wire racks to cool.
Yield: about two dozen
Prep Time: 10 mins.
Cook time: 10 mins.
Total time: 20 mins.
I love these little bites. They definitely are a great accompaniment to a cup of tea and would be perfect for Santa.
I’m linking up with Foodies Read.
I love those tea cakes and that beautiful holiday plate!
Thank you, Angie. They had just a hint of apple-spice. Perfect.
The tea cakes sound good. The book not so much. There’s a disconnect with what I think was going on in that era. Betty Friedan’s famous book “The Feminine Mystique” was published in 1963, so the premise about women trying to be independent sounds forced, like they were supposed to be ahead of their time. Did you think so?
be safe… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Call me non-empathetic to their plight, but it was just a lot.
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I’m sorry you didn’t like the book but the teacakes sound wonderful