Lit Preview: Lucy by the Sea

Elizabeth Strout’s Lucy by the Sea is my first foray into literature taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s likely I’ve avoided it for a reason (my industry was shutdown) as the memories of what was so completely unknown are still very fresh. We’ve met our titular Lucy before and, as in Strout’s other novels, we are simply privy to this chapter of her life. 

Lucy by the Sea is more than the description (divorced couple forced into each other’s lives by the pandemic) will lead you to believe. As with Oh William, Strout’s companion to Lucy by the Sea published in 2021, Lucy does not so much leap off the page as she does infiltrate your conscience. Lucy navigates the fear and uncertainty typical in any life, especially one in which an unexpected and untimely loss has occurred, but that was heightened by the pandemic and all that came along with it. 

As we’ve come to expect, Strout’s writing remains as sharp as ever. Descriptions of settings and people are realistic but never flashy. Her word choose is precise; it never feels as though there are too many of them.

What does life have in store for Lucy? We can only hope that Strout has the answer and that she’ll let us in on it soon. 

The Kitch Lit Series: For Butter or Worse

Erin La Rosa’s For Butter or Worse is a cute, if predictable, entry in the kitch lit genre. Chef Nina Lyon finds herself where she never could have imagined: successful restaurants and a gig on a Food Network-esque cooking competition show have made her a household name. But her nemesis and fellow cooking show judge Leo (of mass-market restaurant fame) gets under her skin. 

When both find themselves off the show, Nina’s publicist suggests they enter into a mutual arrangement in which Nina and Leo keep up the pretense that they are dating. The fake dating trope is a well worn entry in the romance world. The begrudging chemistry between Nina and Leo is palpable, and the story plays out - no spoilers - as you might expect. La Rosa imbues Nina and Leo with the standard qualities but brings depth by trading points of view each chapter and letting the audience into each of their minds. That technique leaves room for the reader to exclaim in disgust, ‘you are both getting it all wrong, just be honest about your feelings!” as all good romance novels do. 

Cooking and kitchen puns abound and I pride myself on having enough background knowledge to understand them without the help of the google machine. La Rosa has a keen eye for building tension, even if, at times, it feels as though it goes on a little too long. You cannot help but root for happily ever after. Or, beautifully baked after all.