Peggy

 Peggy; A Novel written by Rebecca Godfrey is another novel in the line of great historical fiction I ave read.  Taking a a little known figure from history and developing a plot that incorporates facts we know aboout her life and building out the rest of the story with fictionalized details to fill in the missing pieces.

This book takes the reader on a journey with Peggy Guggenheim from her childhood to becoming an adult.  Starting as a teenager living with here parents in New York City as one of the wealthiest families in America.  Her family had built its wealth on the backs of workers who went down into the mines.  She is unhappy with owh her familly earned their money and about how her parents repeatedly remind her and her siblings to keep a low profile and not attract attention to the fact that their family is Jewish.

Then her father is lost at sea when the Titanic goes down.  Peggy's world abruptly changes.  Family secrets are disclosed and the money disappears. As soon as she can leave Peggy moves to Paris for a new life with many artists.  She marries and starts a new life.  Over her life she supports many artists and authors in their careers.  Using a special talent she has had since childhood when she would go to museums with her father and analyze paintings, finding the meaning behind the artwork.  This is all very useful to Peggy's future lifestyle and career.

Her marriages, her friends, her children such an interesting life.

Magical Meets Cute

 Magical Meets Cute by Jean Meltzer is the third novel by this romance writer. Each of her novels is about a romantic couple that faces some obstacle and overcomes the trouble that is brewing.  All focused aroung Judaism without getting involved in any real religious discussion.  They are entertaining and well written. 

I was not a romance fan before reading Meltzer.  But she has won my heart with her kooky lovable characters and plots. 

This time we meet Faye Kaplan who has given up her law practice and her engagement and moved to Woodstock NY and opened a pottery business.  She's throwing pots and creating art out of clay.  One night she creates a golem out of clay and buries it out in the back garden.  She writes all the things she would love to have in the man of her dreams on his body and forgets him in the garden.

Soon she rescues a man who has been hit by a car and seems to have amnesia.  She names him Greg.  She takes him to the hospital and the she agrees to take him home when they cannot find out who he is.  While she is taking care of him he decides to also take care of her.  He is extremely solicitous of her and anticipates her every need.  When she runs into trouble in town Greg comes to her defense.  Is he too good to be true? 

Faye wonders if Greg is real or if maybe her golem has really come to life. As things get out of hand when some non Jewish town members get angry at Faye and want to attack her store front, she is worried that the golem may go too far in her defense.  She wants to stop him, but how can she tell if she is in control or if he is just too good to be true?