What a beautiful summer evening for book club! This month we read our Hot & Trending pick, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. Overall, the group landed around an average rating of 7/10 with some loving it and some finding the pacing to be too slow.
Many book club members resonated with the slower, character-driven storytelling. The themes of kindness, ordinary people, and finding meaning in everyday life really struck a chord. We talked about the religious undertones woven throughout the novel—subtle for much of the book, then more prominent near the end. And the ending sparked plenty of debate (as all good book club endings should!). Also everyone loved the cover and wished the novel had included sketches or illustrations of the portraits described throughout the story.
A huge thank you to Laura and Basia for being incredible co-hosts! Basia's rooftop gave us the perfect setting for an outdoor book club--complete with a beautiful sunset and a welcome breeze after a very hot day.
And the food...wow! Laura put together an amazing Portuguese-inspired spread, including delicious treats from Nando's and authentic Portuguese pastéis de nata. Basia baked fresh bread and the most delicious blood orange jasmine cookies.
