Contemporary fiction
In a Book Club Far Away
Early Release
This is an early release that's only available to our members—the rest of the world has to wait to read it.
Quick take
Estranged friends reconnect to heal past wounds in this heartwarming story of friendship, forgiveness, and Army life.
Good to know
400+ pages
Nonlinear timeline
Female friendships
Marriage issues
Synopsis
Regina Castro, Adelaide Wilson-Chang, and Sophie Walden used to be best friends. As Army wives at Fort East, they bonded during their book club and soon became inseparable. But when an unimaginable betrayal happened amongst the group, the friendship abruptly ended, and they haven’t spoken since.
That’s why, eight years later, Regina and Sophie are shocked when they get a call for help from Adelaide. Adelaide’s husband is stationed abroad, and without any friends or family near her new home of Alexandria, Virginia, she has no one to help take care of her young daughter when she has to undergo emergency surgery. For the sake of an innocent child, Regina and Sophie reluctantly put their differences aside to help an old friend.
As the three women reunite, they must overcome past hurts and see if there’s any future for their friendship.
Free sample
Get an early look from the first pages of In a Book Club Far Away.
In a Book Club Far Away
CHAPTER ONE
Regina
In a commercial kitchen far, far away, in a military town in the middle of Georgia, a caterer named Regina Castro had an online crush. It was ridiculous, really, how often she thought of Henry Just, but when one was a single mom and an entrepreneur who didn’t have the time and the energy to date, an online flirtation was absolutely and positively enough. A heart on a post from Henry sent her spirits soaring. She preened whenever he commented on a photo, which, these days, was often. On the day over a year ago she received her first direct message from Henry—an innocuous note on how to properly grease and flour a cake pan, because he was a baker (and how sexy was that?)—she rushed through the kitchen, arms extended like Fräulein Maria singing “The Hills Are Alive.” Through the screen, Henry Just was sexy and sweet, and safe.
But now, looking down at an open package atop her work desk addressed to her from Henry, she wasn’t sure whether to scream with glee or to pack up and run to the next state.
Why I love it
Claire Gibson
Author, Beyond the Point
Military service-members are resilient—but they’re often only one half of the equation. Which is why I love that Tif Marcelo’s new novel, In a Book Club Far Away, shines a light on the other half: military spouses. Through the lives of three fearsome women, who start a book club to help weather the stress of their partners’ long-term deployments, we witness the ups and downs of life as an Army wife.
If you love books with multiple perspectives and alternating timelines, you’re in for a treat. In one timeline, Marcelo transports readers to a time long ago, when, bonding over romance and popular fiction, Adelaide, Regina, and Sophie formed a friendship that seemed capable of surviving almost any plot twist. But in a timeline years later, the women are deeply, irreparably estranged. What happened to drive these women apart? And what, if anything, can bring them back together?
As an Army brat, I found myself laughing and nodding along with every well-placed detail. (Army wives really do love their Longaberger baskets.) But more unsettling (and true to life) are the rumors that spread from the troops overseas to their spouses back home. Rumors that can alter careers and ruin lives forever. Turns out, not all is quiet on the home front. But despite the obstacles thrown their way, Adelaide, Regina, and Sophie continue to reveal their strengths. Toss in a heartthrob with a bakery, and Marcelo had me laughing, smiling, and hoping that the story of their friendship, formed within the strength of a book club, could once again turn a new page.
Member ratings (8,799)
Donna M.
Wood-Ridge, NJ
This was the book I didn’t know I needed. Such a beautiful story of friendship and finding strength in the people who care about you. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sob multiple times. A must-read!
Kelley M.
King, NC
Loved the way the books they read parallel some of the issues they face, and the representation of how the friendships last over time, even through difficult situations, made me appreciate my “girls”.
Andie T.
Joliet, IL
Multiple viewpoints, multiple timelines, romance, drama, book about books…this one has it all! Loved the military spouse world, the female friendships, and the real talk about fertility issues. Loved!
Karen H.
Tallahassee, FL
This book had a great storyline which made it an easy and quick read. It is written out like a movie, so you can really see it in your head. I can see this becoming a motion picture in the near future
Denise W.
Marietta, PA
I absolutely loved this book and read it within a few days, darn that thing called work! Very thought provoking , made you think of how you would have handled the situation if it would have been you.