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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
So fun reading about Lizzie and Ritchie and their children and how this special ring came in and out of their lives several times. Love isn't always perfect, but it sure is interesting. A dual timeline story full of second chances and inspiring characters with realistic problems.
Good God, this family is a train wreck, I thought through pretty much through this entire book. Richie and Lizzie are a train wreck, and their kids are just as much if not even more so. Janowitz weaves a very entertaining tale containing lots of family drama and angst, all set off by the rediscovery of a large diamond ring that was a gift to Lizzie from Richie after a brief marital separation. I found this a fairly enjoyable read, even though romance has not and never will be my favorite genre. The drama and conflict more than made up for that, as did the fact that it was very easy to become drawn into the story. The reconciliation between the siblings did feel a bit rushed, after them being at loggerheads for so long throughout the story, and really seemed to come out of nowhere, but it was still decent, overall.
A dysfunctional family’s story, the story of siblings Abby, Nathan and Courtney is alternated with their parents, Lizzie and Ritchie’s love story. Abby and Nathan have always been close, as they are 11 months apart, and as adults, they still rely on each other. Courtney is the youngest, born after their parents reunited after a separation. When they receive news of their late father’s bank box in the Caymans, the ring they believed was lost or stolen is uncovered, starting a rivalry of who should get the ring. I feel the characters were not terribly likable, and the inherited tendency to addiction was handled well. The book was just okay for me, with a couple of twists and turns long the way. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Addy, Nathan and Courtney are siblings who’ve all kind of drifted apart (more so Addy and Nathan have drifted from Courtney). When they get a phone call about a safe deposit box in the Cayman Islands, Addy and Nathan are forced to interact with Courtney.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I loved seeing the 3 siblings grow closer. Also Addy loosening up, my goodness, lol!!
I truly loved how the different timelines came together and the past kind of healed the future.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I loved seeing the 3 siblings grow closer. Also Addy loosening up, my goodness, lol!!
I truly loved how the different timelines came together and the past kind of healed the future.
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In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a story of epic love. I enjoy a good Hollywood story, and one of the most fascinating is the coupling of Elizabeth Taylor to Richard Burton. It was an epic love affair that lasted for more than a decade, and one of the most famous, or infamous things about the two stars was Richard’s love of draping Elizabeth in jewels. The most famous of these was the Krupp diamond, a gigantic 33.19 carat diamond ring. As with The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz, the ring provides the inspiration for a story that spans two generations in The Liz Taylor Ring.
What do three adult siblings do when they find out their mother’s much-beloved 11-carat ring they all thought lost long ago turns up in a safe deposit box of their father’s in the Cayman Islands? That’s what Addy, Nathan and Courtney have to decide. Each has their own memories of the ring and their parents. Addy and Nathan were born when Ritchie and Lizzie first married. Courtney was born years later, after a nine-month separation and reconciliation that included the ring as a peace offering. This is a true family drama, with sprinklings of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton trivia woven throughout the story.
At first, I had a hard time connecting with any of the three children. They’re all screwed up in one way or another, probably because they think of their parent’s marriage as an epic love story, just like Burton and Taylor. But Ritchie has a gambling problem, a serious one, and the ring that symbolizes his great love for his wife is gambled away several times. How does he get away with it? He has an identical ring made with cubic zirconia from the jeweler he got the original from. The jeweler is a gambling buddy and hangs on to the real diamond until Ritchie can afford to buy it back. Throughout the story, which is told in flashbacks and preset day, you have to keep guessing when Lizzie is wearing the real ring or the fake one. She certainly didn’t have a clue. And how did the ring wind up in the Cayman Islands?
Each of the children wants the ring for themself for different reasons. Nathan and Addy, being years older than Courtney, don’t treat her with any respect and hardly have any contact with her prior to the ring resurfacing. Suddenly the three are thrust together under one roof and the old dynamics come into play once more. The children slowly unravel the mystery of the ring as they take stock of their own positions in life.
I thought the story was well presented, but it did take me a while to get invested in these characters. I know gambling is an addiction that needs treatment like any other addictive behavior, but I had little sympathy for this family of gamblers, because fortunes are literally snatched away from them so quickly. I’m a penny pincher (well, duh, my nickname is The Bargain Sleuth
In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a story of epic love. I enjoy a good Hollywood story, and one of the most fascinating is the coupling of Elizabeth Taylor to Richard Burton. It was an epic love affair that lasted for more than a decade, and one of the most famous, or infamous things about the two stars was Richard’s love of draping Elizabeth in jewels. The most famous of these was the Krupp diamond, a gigantic 33.19 carat diamond ring. As with The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz, the ring provides the inspiration for a story that spans two generations in The Liz Taylor Ring.
What do three adult siblings do when they find out their mother’s much-beloved 11-carat ring they all thought lost long ago turns up in a safe deposit box of their father’s in the Cayman Islands? That’s what Addy, Nathan and Courtney have to decide. Each has their own memories of the ring and their parents. Addy and Nathan were born when Ritchie and Lizzie first married. Courtney was born years later, after a nine-month separation and reconciliation that included the ring as a peace offering. This is a true family drama, with sprinklings of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton trivia woven throughout the story.
At first, I had a hard time connecting with any of the three children. They’re all screwed up in one way or another, probably because they think of their parent’s marriage as an epic love story, just like Burton and Taylor. But Ritchie has a gambling problem, a serious one, and the ring that symbolizes his great love for his wife is gambled away several times. How does he get away with it? He has an identical ring made with cubic zirconia from the jeweler he got the original from. The jeweler is a gambling buddy and hangs on to the real diamond until Ritchie can afford to buy it back. Throughout the story, which is told in flashbacks and preset day, you have to keep guessing when Lizzie is wearing the real ring or the fake one. She certainly didn’t have a clue. And how did the ring wind up in the Cayman Islands?
Each of the children wants the ring for themself for different reasons. Nathan and Addy, being years older than Courtney, don’t treat her with any respect and hardly have any contact with her prior to the ring resurfacing. Suddenly the three are thrust together under one roof and the old dynamics come into play once more. The children slowly unravel the mystery of the ring as they take stock of their own positions in life.
I thought the story was well presented, but it did take me a while to get invested in these characters. I know gambling is an addiction that needs treatment like any other addictive behavior, but I had little sympathy for this family of gamblers, because fortunes are literally snatched away from them so quickly. I’m a penny pincher (well, duh, my nickname is The Bargain Sleuth
I truly enjoyed this book. Brenda Janowitz took the inspiration from Liz Taylor's iconic style and the ring Richard Burton got for her to create this book.
Lizzie was in love with Ritchie Schneider when her older sister Maggie was dating him secretly in 1969, when Lizzie was 16. Fast forward 9 years, Lizzie meets him again as an adult and they fall in love, aided by the love letters Ritchie wrote her. They get married, have 2 children Adelaide and Nathan, named for Guys and Dolls characters. Ritchie is a gambler. He gifts Lizzie with the Liz Taylor ring in 1992, after a 9 month separation after he loses everything gambling. He gets a job selling stocks and saves up to buy the ring, then Lizzie decides she is leaving him until she finds out she's pregnant with their youngest, Courtney.
Most of the book takes place in present day when Addy is married to Gary, has twins Olivia and Emma. Nathan is married to Diego, son of a famous musician their parents loved. Courtney is struggling out in L.A. and is summoned home to retrieve the contents of a mysterious bank vault box in the Cayman Islands. They discover the Liz Taylor ring there, after thinking their mother, who had Alzheimer's left the ring in her husband's casket when he passed in 2015. The mystery behind the ring is the vehicle behind learning about the family dynamics and putting the family back together. Heartwarming and at times funny, I enjoyed this book very much.
TW for addiction with gambling.
Lizzie was in love with Ritchie Schneider when her older sister Maggie was dating him secretly in 1969, when Lizzie was 16. Fast forward 9 years, Lizzie meets him again as an adult and they fall in love, aided by the love letters Ritchie wrote her. They get married, have 2 children Adelaide and Nathan, named for Guys and Dolls characters. Ritchie is a gambler. He gifts Lizzie with the Liz Taylor ring in 1992, after a 9 month separation after he loses everything gambling. He gets a job selling stocks and saves up to buy the ring, then Lizzie decides she is leaving him until she finds out she's pregnant with their youngest, Courtney.
Most of the book takes place in present day when Addy is married to Gary, has twins Olivia and Emma. Nathan is married to Diego, son of a famous musician their parents loved. Courtney is struggling out in L.A. and is summoned home to retrieve the contents of a mysterious bank vault box in the Cayman Islands. They discover the Liz Taylor ring there, after thinking their mother, who had Alzheimer's left the ring in her husband's casket when he passed in 2015. The mystery behind the ring is the vehicle behind learning about the family dynamics and putting the family back together. Heartwarming and at times funny, I enjoyed this book very much.
TW for addiction with gambling.
Richard Burton gave Liz Taylor an eleven-carat diamond ring. Ritchie gave his beloved Lizzie the ring, after a nine month break in their relationship. The story is told in two timelines. The first is Lizzie and Ritchie’s love story. The second is decades later and told by their three children. The ring plays an important part in both narratives.
This is such a thoughtful and creative way to give a nod to Elizabeth Taylor, while also telling an epic love story with its share of ups and downs. The three siblings have their share of ups and downs, too, and they often leave out Courtney, the baby of the family, the outlier.
What a love story for these children to reflect upon. I loved the short chapters (I LOVE short chapters!), and there was an intriguing mystery here, too.
Highly recommended for fans of family stories. This one is a gem
This is such a thoughtful and creative way to give a nod to Elizabeth Taylor, while also telling an epic love story with its share of ups and downs. The three siblings have their share of ups and downs, too, and they often leave out Courtney, the baby of the family, the outlier.
What a love story for these children to reflect upon. I loved the short chapters (I LOVE short chapters!), and there was an intriguing mystery here, too.
Highly recommended for fans of family stories. This one is a gem