Title: The Liz Taylor Ring
Author: Brenda Janowitz
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction
Publisher: Graydon House
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
In 1978, Lizzie Morgan and Ritchie Schneider embark on a whirlwind romance on the bright beaches and glamorous yachts of Long Island. Over the years, their relationship has its share of ups and downs, including a nine-month hiatus that ends with a stunning eleven-carat ring—one that looks just like the diamond Richard Burton gifted Liz Taylor after their own separation. Like the famous couple, despite the drama that would unfold throughout the Schneiders’ marriage, the ring would be there as a symbol of their love…until it wasn’t.
Decades later, when the lost ring unexpectedly resurfaces, the Schneiders’ three children gather under one roof for the first time in years, eager to get their hands on this beloved, expensivereminder of their departed parents. But determining the fate of the heirloom is no simple task, unearthing old wounds and heartaches the siblings can’t ignore. And when the ring reveals a secret that challenges everything they thought they knew about their parents’ epic love story, they’ll have to decide whether to move forward as a family or let the ring break them once and for all.
Review:
Lizzie and Richie Schneider had a whirlwind relationship, starting in 1978. They separated for nine months in the 90s but when they got back together, Richie gave Lizzie a ring that resembled Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond ring from Richard Burton. Over the years the ring was lost and found, but no one knows where it ended up. Now, after Lizzie and Richie have both passed away, their three children find the ring again. They don’t know what to do with it, as it represents their parents’ love story. Addy wants it because she’s the oldest, Nathan wants it because it represents true love, and Courtney wants to sell it to pay off her debt. Some other challenges arise that threaten to break the family up forever, unless they can figure out a way to settle their differences.
This was a cleverly crafted story. The diamond ring, that is similar to Elizabeth Taylor’s famous ring, had quite a journey. It was won during card games, sold, repurchased, and lost. Each of the children had a different theory on where it went, and they were all right though they didn’t know where it ended up. The ring represented their parents’ love and made its way back to the family.
This story also dealt with some serious issues. Nathan thought his husband was cheating on him. Courtney was in debt that she was keeping secret from her estranged family. Addy was concerned with how her teenage daughters were taking risks and behaving like they were adults. They also had a history of addiction, both alcohol and gambling. All of these problems could be traced back to their parents, which in turn related to the ring.
The Liz Taylor Ring is a beautiful story.
Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book.
What to read next:
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz
Other books in the series:
Brenda is the author of seven novels, including THE GRACE KELLY DRESS and the upcoming THE LIZ TAYLOR RING, which will be published by Harper Collins/ Graydon House on February 1, 2022. She is the former Books Correspondent for PopSugar. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Real Simple, The Sunday Times (UK), Salon, Redbook, USA Today, Bustle, The Forward, the New York Post, Publisher’s Weekly, Hello Giggles, Writer’s Digest Magazine, WritersDigest.com, and xojane.
Brenda attended Cornell University and Hofstra Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review. Upon graduation from Hofstra, worked for the law firm Kaye Scholer, LLP, and did a federal clerkship with the Honorable Marilyn Dolan Go, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York
Have you read The Liz Taylor Ring? What did you think of it?
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