Pamela M. Kelley's Blog

July 16 signing event

Join Buttonwood Books for a Picnic Supper & Books at 6:30pm Wednesday, July 16, at Cohasset Lightkeepers as a trio of insightful authors introduce their newest titles and the party experts at Fresh Feast��serve a delicious picnic supper and libations! Reservations are required. Purchase your $35 ticket online below, or call the store at (781) 383-2665.��

Click here to buy your ticket online–only a few tickets left!

Signing today for The Nantucket Restaurant

I’ll be signing in Plymouth today at the Book Love bookshop in the Pinehills.

The Nantucket Restaurant released on June 10 in hardcover, and I’ll be signing copies at Book Love today–Sunday the 22nd, from 12-1pm. They are near the Blueberry Muffin cafe and the Village Green where from 1-6 there will be entertainment, pop-up shops and The Mayflower Brewery will have adult beverages.

The Nantucket Restaurant is an expanded version of The Restaurant, so if you have read that, you have read 2/3 of this book. A big publisher asked if I’d like to re-release this book–which is my top-selling of all my books so far. I happily said yes for the opportunity to get this story into the big retailers. They asked me to make it longer, so they could release it in hardcover, so a third of this book is new–with a new character, subplot and additional scenes throughout. 

In The Nantucket Restaurant three sisters, Mandy, Jill, and Emma, unexpectedly inherit a Nantucket restaurant from their grandmother and have to work there together for a year–or their shares will go to the chef, Paul, who was also Emma’s first love.

So, if you haven’t yet read The Restaurant, or you have and are excited to revisit these characters and read the new material, pick up a copy of The Nantucket Restaurant today. 

I will be signing at Book Love today from 12-1pm. If you’d like a signed copy and don’t live in the area, you can call them and they will ship one to you. (774) 426-4123

Or you can buy at Barnes and Nobles and other retailers. Or online at Amazon, BN, Apple, Kobo and Google.

 

Sneak peek–read Chapter One of The Seaside Sisters, relea...

Sneak peek–read Chapter One of The Seaside Sisters, releasing June 4!

I’m so excited for you to read my newest book, The Seaside Sisters, set on Cape Cod, in Chatham. As many of you know, I grew up on the Cape, so it has been wonderful to set several new books here. If you haven’t already read the first, The Bookshop by the Bay released last June. This new book is also a standalone but the bookshop returns as do several characters.

Here’s the blurb, and below that, a sneak peek of the opening scene….which was based on a real life event that happened to me soon after my mother passed…I thought I was doing just fine.��

Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book after personal losses. Her older sister, Sara, still lives in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they grew up, and is married with four children. Once a dedicated librarian, Sara dreams of reviving her love affair with literature, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities and a fizzling marriage.

When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt’s oceanfront house in Chatham for the summer, it seems like just the thing to get her creative juices flowing. And she���ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce, to do something rewarding and book-related. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance��� especially Spencer, an old acquaintance from high school-turned very hot grump��� and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews, Susan Mallery and Brenda Novak,��The Seaside Sisters��will delight and charm you as easily as an ocean breeze.

Excerpt

���Good news. You���re not having a heart attack.���

Hannah Brewster felt equally embarrassed and relieved. At the age of thirty, she���d doubted she was having a heart attack, but her friend Lucy had insisted that she go to the ER and get checked out.

They���d been sitting in Hannah���s Brooklyn apartment, drinking tea and chatting, when Hannah���s literary agent, who was also her aunt, had called to let her know that Hannah had hit the New York Times list. Her first book, a beachy romantic comedy, had been out for a few months and it was selling reasonably well for a debut book, but over the past two weeks word of mouth had kicked in and it went viral on TikTok. That sent sales soaring.

After she and Lucy were done screaming, Hannah���s first impulse was to call her mother and share the news. But that wasn���t possible. And just like that, her mood deflated like a balloon that someone had stepped on. Her mother had died six weeks ago and even though they���d known the lung cancer would take her, it was still hard to believe she was gone. And she and Hannah had been so close.

As Hannah sat in her tiny Brooklyn kitchen, sipping her tea, she���d felt her chest tighten so much that it was hard to catch her breath. Her chest ached and when she turned she felt a sharp pain under her ribs. She���d also felt a little dizzy and light-headed. She ate a cookie, hoping that might settle things. Eating was generally her solution to every problem���they called it comfort food for a reason.

But Lucy could tell something was wrong. When Hannah described her symptoms, Lucy immediately tried to get her to go to the ER.

���I���m too young for a heart attack,��� Hannah had protested.

���Probably, but it happens. Let���s go get you checked out. You don���t mess around with chest pain.���

Hannah insisted on waiting for a half hour to see if the pain calmed down. But the more she focused on it, the more anxious she felt, and her mind went to her deadline, which she���d been stressing about all day as well. She was so behind on this book. It was supposed to be a spin-off, another romantic comedy with the heroine���s best friend, but Hannah couldn���t figure out what to do with her. Her mind and her page were a blank and as she thought about it another wave of pain tightened across her chest as she breathed in. Lucy saw her face, stood and grabbed her car keys, and this time Hannah didn���t protest. She let Lucy drive her to the nearest hospital.

In the ER, as soon as Hannah muttered the words ���chest pain,��� they brought her in immediately and did an EKG and checked her vital signs. An hour later she was brought into a room, had blood drawn, and was sent for a chest X-ray.

An hour and a half later, the doctor came in and asked what had brought her into the ER. Hannah told him her symptoms and he nodded.

���Your EKG, blood work, and X-ray all came back fine. Have you been under any stress lately?��� The doctor was about her age, and his eyes were sympathetic as he asked his questions.

Hannah nodded. ���My mother passed away recently, I just ended a two-year relationship, and I have a publishing deadline hanging over me and I can���t seem to write.���

He smiled and his eyes were kind as he spoke calmly, his tone immediately reassuring. ���That sounds like the kind of perfect stress storm that can lead to a panic attack. And to costochondritis���that���s the chest pain you are feeling. It���s from stress and the tightening of your chest muscles. It can mimic the feeling of a heart attack. So, it���s a good thing you came in. You should always be evaluated for any chest pain.���

Hannah relaxed and some of her chest pain seemed to instantly ease. ���Will this happen again? What do I do about it?���

���It���s possible. The best way to make sure it doesn���t happen is to alleviate your stress. Do whatever you can to lower your stress levels. I can write you a prescription for Ativan. It���s a mild relaxer that will calm your anxiety and ease your muscles. You can use it as needed, and just take it when you���re feeling more stressed than usual.���

Forty-five minutes later, Hannah was discharged with a prescription for Ativan and Lucy took her to Duane Reade on the way home to get it filled.

���Do you want me to stay?��� Lucy asked as she pulled up to Hannah���s building.

Hannah shook her head. ���No, thank you. I���m going to go crawl into bed and watch Netflix until I fall asleep. Thank you for making me go and for taking me there.���

Lucy pulled her in for a hug. ���Rest up and call me tomorrow. I���m so glad it was nothing serious.���

��~~~

Hannah made her way up to her third-floor apartment. Her place was small, like most apartments in the city, but it was cozy and it had high ceilings, which made it feel a bit more spacious. It also had a tiny deck, with just enough room for two small chairs and a table between them. In nice weather, she spent a lot of time on that deck. She���d been in Brooklyn for almost ten years and it was home.

When she���d gotten her advance for the first book, it was large enough that she���d quit her administrative job so she could write full-time, and she���d gone shopping at Pottery Barn for furniture to replace her eclectic collection of thrift shop finds. Now everything in her apartment was creamy white, from the slipcovered sofa and chair to her bedding and plush area rug in the living room. She���d painted her walls a pale-gray, which overall gave her home a spa-like feel that also reminded her of Cape Cod, specifically Chatham, where she���d grown up.

Once she was settled in bed, with her comfiest sweats and a pint of Ben & Jerry���s almond milk Cherry Garcia ice cream, Hannah called her sister, Sara, who still lived in Chatham. Sara was five years older and had married Tom, her college boyfriend right after graduation. Tom was a tech company executive and Sara was a stay-at-home mother with four boys under the age of twelve.

���Hannah, is everything okay?��� Sara asked immediately. It was later than Hannah normally called and they���d already talked that morning. Sara often called after she���d gotten the boys off to school and had a few minutes to herself. But before Hannah could speak, Sara hollered at her oldest, ���Cody, go ask your father, I am on the phone!��� She turned her attention back to Hannah. ���Sorry about that, I haven���t seen Cody for an hour and the minute I answer the phone he comes running. It has been a day. What���s up with you?���

Hannah told her what happened and the doctor���s direction to lower her stress levels.

Sara immediately suggested that Hannah should come home to Chatham for a while. ���We have a guest room you could use. And I���d love to see you. It���s been way too long. But I don���t know that our house will be the most peaceful environment. I live with five loud, messy men.���

Hannah laughed. ���You do. I appreciate the offer though.���

���You could always go to Mom���s house. It���s sitting there, empty.���

Hannah sighed. That wasn���t an option. The house she���d grown up in would definitely be quiet. But she wouldn���t be able to relax or to focus there. They���d agreed not to sell their mother���s house for a year. Neither one of them was ready to deal with it. Even though Sara was older and in many ways stronger, Hannah knew that her sister was having a hard time processing her grief, too. They���d both been close to their mother. Their parents had divorced twenty years ago and their father had remarried soon after. They rarely saw him.

���I can���t do it. It would be too sad to be there, surrounded by all of her things. It���s just too soon.���

���I understand. I couldn���t do it, either. What about Aunt Maddie? I bet she���d love the company.���

���That���s a thought. It would be great to spend some time in Chatham,��� Hannah said. Just the thought of it eased her tension a bit. She���d always felt energized and restored being near the ocean. And Chatham not only was a beautiful Cape Cod town���it was where she���d grown up. It was home.

���Call her,��� Sara said.

Hannah hung up the phone and was about to call her aunt when her phone beeped and it was her aunt calling. She answered the call and laughed. It had often happened with Hannah���s mother, they���d be talking on the phone, and either Sara or Aunt Maddie would beep in. Hannah could picture Aunt Maddie sitting in her sunroom, which overlooked the ocean. Her aunt was always so put together. She���d been a top literary agent for years even though she mostly worked from home. She always looked so stylish with her wavy brown bob that just hit her collarbone, and her beach-toned Eileen Fisher linen shirts and pants, and she almost always wore a gorgeous diamond necklace. It had been Uncle Richie���s mother���s engagement ring, which she left to Aunt Maddie. It was vintage and very delicate with an oval diamond surrounded by smaller ones. It made for a beautiful necklace.

���Your ears must have been ringing. Sara and I were just talking and I said I was going to call you.���

���Is everything okay?��� Her aunt immediately sounded worried. Hannah filled her in on the trip to the ER and the panic attack diagnosis.

Her aunt immediately sympathized. ���I used to get panic attacks. Haven���t had one in years, but they can be very scary. Totally brought on by stress, which you���ve had your share of. Why don���t you come here for a few months? I���d love the company. The change of scenery might do you good.���

���I think I���d like to do that, if you���re sure it���s no trouble?���

���Don���t be ridiculous. You���ll have plenty of room here and won���t run into me unless you want to. The main guest room is at the opposite site of the house and it should be nice and peaceful for you. Come as soon as you want.���

Hannah felt more of her tension ease as the decision was made. ���How about a week from this Friday? I���ll head down that weekend.���

���Perfect! We���ll relax on the deck and solve all of our problems with the help of a good chardonnay and some steamed lobster. Sound good?���

Hannah smiled. It sounded perfect. ���I can���t wait.���

~~~

Thank you for reading Chapter one! I’m excited for you to read the rest. The Seaside Sisters releases June 4! Available everywhere in ebook, paperback, hardcover and audio. Large print is also coming in October. Preorder your copy now on Amazon, Apple, Kobo, BN, and Large Print.

Behind the scenes of The Fifth Avenue Apartment

Hi everyone! Thanks to all who have read my newest novel, The Fifth Avenue Apartment. It was such a fun book to write and I've already had so many requests for a sequel. =)

I don't do a lot of videos, but I put on up yesterday talking a little about the book and my very fun research trip to NYC and Fifth Avenue recently. It's a short video, about three minutes long and if you'd like to check it out, here is the link, https://www.tiktok.com/@pamelakelleya...

Read a sneak peek of The Bookshop by the Bay!

Happy Friday!

A quick reminder to let you know that my next book, The Bookshop by the Bay, releases next Tuesday, June 6. There’s still time to order today and have your book by release day!

Would you like to read the opening two chapters? Click here for a sneak peek.

I’m so excited to have you all read this book, which is set on Cape Cod, where I grew up.��

Here’s the blurb,

“Anyone who���s ever wanted to turn the page on their old life or felt the whispered promise of a new dream, and a fresh start will fall in love with Pamela Kelley���s charming new novel.” ���New York Times�� bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews

TWO LIFELONG FRIENDS.

Jess loves her work as a high-profile lawyer in Charleston. But when her marriage implodes, she retreats to her childhood home on Cape Cod with her thirty-year-old daughter, Caitlin, hoping to regroup with her longtime best friend, Alison.

ONE BOOKSHOP BY THE BAY.

Alison���s career has taken a hit after twenty years as an editor for the magazine Cape Cod Living. But when she learns her beloved bookstore on the Cape is looking for new ownership, a new dream starts to form.

AND THE SUMMER THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.

As the two friends reopen the bookstore, they also open themselves up to the magic of second chances.

Click here to read the opening chapters.

Click here to preorder in all formats.

Goodreads Giveaway!

Happy Valentine's Day all!

I'm happy to share that my publisher has a paperback giveaway for The Bookshop by the Bay. They are giving out 100 paperback copies. This book is set on Cape Cod--where I grew up, and is about two best friends and their 3-year-old daughters, a beloved bookshop, and a summer of second chances and new beginnings.

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Gilded Girl named one of Barnes and Noble’s 10 favorite indie ebooks of 2022

I just found out that Gilded Girl made Barnes and Noble’s top 10 favorite indie ebooks of 2022. It is such a lovely surprise as this was a ‘book of the heart’ and a bit different from my usual Nantucket books. It was inspired by Downton Abbey and I’d been working on it for a few years and then this year The Gilded Age show came along, by the creator of Downton Abbey and of course I fell in love with that too. I wanted to write a rags-to-riches saga featuring a strong woman who aspired to do more than just attend balls and find a husband. Read the article here.

Have you read Gilded Girl yet? Click here to see all stores.

 

My new release, GILDED GIRL, is available!

GILDED GIRL, my new release, is a women’s fiction, historical saga set in Manhattan, London and Newport during the Gilded Age era.

“I absolutely love this book. Pamela has such attention to detail regarding the time period. I love all of her books, but this one is one of my top favorites. I cannot wait for her next book to be published.” Amazon reviewer
��

This was such a fun book to write–Eliza is a London ladies’ maid who learns her real father is one of the richest men in Manhattan. She goes to live with him and his two daughters–her sisters–who are less enthused.

Eliza goes from being a ladies’ maid to having one of her own, living in one of the city’s grandest homes, and navigating high society and a whirlwind of a social season–balls, midnight suppers, teas, all with the expectation of finding a husband.

But her sisters see her as unwelcome competition, which makes her feel even more like a fish out of water. And Eliza is in no rush to get married���to anyone.

A tragedy leads to a shocking turn of events and Eliza finds her world turned upside down, again.

Gilded Girl is available in ebook, paperback and large print paperback. Audio is in production and coming soon. Thank you for taking a look.

Also includes the recipe for my Nana’s to-die for homemade three cheese, spinach and sausage ravioli.��

Gilded Girl Preorder is here!

I’m excited to share that Gilded Girl is now available to preorder on Amazon, Apple and Nook. Paperback preorder will be up in a day or two. A few years ago the idea of a London ladies maid who learns that her father is actually one of the richest men in Manhattan came to me and I had to write this story. I fell in love with Downton Abbey a few years ago and have always been fascinated with the Gilded Age era from visiting the Breakers, Marble House and other ‘summer cottages’ in Newport. Even if you don’t usually read historical sagas, I hope you will give this one a try. =)��
A Gilded Age Cinderella story…of sorts.

When Eliza Chapman, a London ladies maid, learns that Ward Redfield, one of the richest, most successful men in New York City is also her father, her whole world changes. He has sent a one-way ticket for her to join him, his mother and his daughters, Alice and Rose, at his palatial Manhattan mansion.�� Eliza quickly discovers, however, that her new sisters are not as enthusiastic about her arrival.

To say Eliza is a fish out of water is an understatement. She suddenly has her own ladies maid and learns that she is expected to find a husband. As the social season gets underway she is swept into a whirl of teas, luncheons, balls and other events.

Two men vie for her interests. Will is the most eligible bachelor of the season–he’s handsome and charming, practically perfect as they have many shared interests. Nick is a lot of fun, he’s also British, and it���s understood that he is in search of a wife with a fortune���in exchange for his title. Though Alice quite firmly has set her eye on him.

And then there’s Harry, the first person Eliza meets in the city as he is sent to collect her. He works for the family and has dreams of starting his own company. She’s most comfortable with him and he becomes a good friend. Harry is not a contender for more than that as he would never be accepted by high society.

As Eliza settles in she meets new people–among them Minnie–a brilliant married friend, who is a gifted and driven investor. Eliza also helps her father with his correspondence and falls in love with his real estate development business discovering that she has both an interest and an aptitude for it. She begins to question what is most important to her.

But then an unexpected tragedy changes everything and Eliza has to reconsider her dreams and embrace new possibilities. Preorder on Amazon, Apple and Nook.

 

Exciting news! I just signed a book deal with St. Martin’s Press/Griffin!

I have some exciting news to share. I agreed to a three-book deal with St. Martin’s Press/Griffin. The Beachside Bookshop, set in Chatham on Cape Cod, will release in summer of 2023.��

So, now you know why I haven’t release a book lately! I’ve been finishing this one and recently turned it into my editor. There will be revisions and edits still to come and then it will go to sales and marketing to work their magic. I am excited to partner with St. Martin’s Press and to reach new readers. I’m also excited about this book which is set on Cape Cod, which is where I grew up. This story is about two childhood best friends–one who stayed in Chatham and one who comes back for the summer with her thirty-year-old daughter. Their lives change when they take over a beloved bookstore on Main Street.��

Many years ago I spent one summer working in Chatham at Nellie’s Suits You Swimwear. It was right next to the Yellow Umbrella Bookstore on Main Street and I popped over there almost daily on my breaks. Cape Cod is a magical place and Chatham is such a pretty town with some amazing restaurants. =)��