A woman in the 1950s sets out on a road trip from Los Angeles to New Jersey, unknowingly tracing in reverse the path her mother traveled thirty years prior.
Publisher: Ballantine
Publication Date: August 8, 2017
Formats: paperback – ebook
ISBN: 9780399178511
In the 1950s, movie star Louise Wilde is caught between an unfulfilling acting career and a shaky marriage when she receives an out-of-the-blue phone call: She has inherited the estate of Florence “Florrie” Daniels, a Hollywood screenwriter she barely recalls meeting. Among Florrie’s possessions are several unproduced screenplays, personal journals, and—inexplicably—old photographs of Louise’s mother, Ethel. On an impulse, Louise leaves a film set in Las Vegas for her father’s house on the East Coast, hoping for answers about the curious inheritance and, perhaps, answers about her own troubled marriage. Nearly thirty years earlier, Florrie sets out on an adventure of her own, driving her Model T westward from New Jersey in pursuit of broader horizons. She has the promise of a Hollywood job and, in the passenger seat, Ethel, her best friend since childhood. Florrie will do anything for Ethel, who is desperate to reach Nevada in time to reconcile with her husband and reunite with her daughter. Ethel fears the loss of her marriage; Florrie, with long-held secrets confided only in her journal, fears its survival. In parallel tales, the three women—Louise, Florrie, Ethel—discover that not all journeys follow a map. As they rediscover their carefree selves on the road, they learn that sometimes the paths we follow are shaped more by our traveling companions than by our destinations.
Woman Enters Left, the story of three women determined to rewrite the script to their lives, out now from Ballantine Books.
Praise for Woman Enters Left
“Tender, touching, original, and rich with delicious period detail of Hollywood’s heyday—buckle up because you’ll definitely want to go on a road trip after reading this delightful book!” —Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home
“Jessica Brockmole’s Woman Enters Left is witty, poignant, and historically vivid, exploring the comedy and tragedy and real love through the voices of three strong-hearted and delightful flawed women on two unique journeys along Route 66.“ —Julie Kibler, bestselling author of Calling Me Home
“A beautifully written novel about mothers and daughters, friendship, love, and learning how to let go.“—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of Flight Patterns
“A gentle expose of why we need more compassion for all, why we need minimum safety standards. The characters are beautifully wrought in a place and time brought back to life. I loved this book!” —klutz, 5 Star Amazon Reviewer
“If you cry all through this novel I wouldn’t blame you a bit. It’s one of those. It grabs your heart and doesn’t let go, ever…. You won’t forget this book—it will stay with you a long time. It’s a beautiful story told brilliantly.“ —gypsygirl1925, 5 Star Amazon Reviewer
“Woman Enters Left takes readers along for the ride in this original, cleverly written, poignant story of two very different road trips, each of them a journey of discovery.“ —Susan Peterson, 5 Star Amazon Reviewer
