Announcing the National Reading Group Day Newcomer of 2015

The Temporary Bride by Jennifer Klinec

We’re delighted to announce that The Temporary Bride is crowned our National Reading Group Day 2015 Newcomer, receiving over a third of the total votes on our online poll searching for the debut title that reading groups most want to read this year. The book is a memoir of love and food in Iran by London-based Canadian writer Jennifer Klinec, published by Virago.

“I’m thrilled to have won this competition,” says Jennifer Klinec. “Having visited over 25 reading groups all across the UK, from Belfast to Edinburgh to Poole and the Isle of Wight, I have received the most incredible reception for my book, The Temporary Bride. I think it shows how the deeply human themes of love, courage and belonging are universal in Yorkshire or Devon, as well as in deepest Iran where the book takes place.

As a new author, the word-of-mouth recommendations of librarians and book sellers and the strength of reading groups have been instrumental in so many people picking up and reading my book, set in a country which remains an obscure place to many.”

The Temporary Bride recounts how its author abandoned a corporate career to set up a culinary school in London. Going to Iran in search of ancient recipes she ends up falling in love – across cultural boundaries – with the son of her Persian cooking instructor.

Jennifer’s editor, Lennie Goodings at Virago, agrees with the author. “Nothing is as powerful as reading groups’ passion and energy. I wish we could bottle it!”

Groups who voted were also invited to enter to win the chance to review the winning title and meeting the author. Meet the winning groups:

Wine, Women and Words

Wine, Women and Words’ nine members have known each other for many years after meeting, through their children, in the primary school playground in Finchley, London. They credit their reading group, which meets roughly every six weeks, with giving them intellectual stimulation beyond the boundaries of family life and work. “Our group is an important outlet for us all; we’ve been away for book group weekends,” adds Maya Bauer. “We cry together, laugh together and we share our lives – we are a sisterhood.”

A Good Read

A Good Read was established in February 2003 in Horsham, West Sussex. Meetings are very informal; anyone is welcome to attend and lively discussions cover book choices ranging from current best-sellers to ancient classics, with members often finding themselves reading a book they would never otherwise have considered.

Whitegrove Library Reading Group

Whitegrove Library Book Group was formed in October 2007 at Warfield community library in Bracknell, Berkshire. Group activities have included visiting the home of Jane Austen in Alton; reviewing Dylan Thomas’s collected works and then seeing them performed in the Dylathon at Swansea Grand. The group has spawned many friendships and two spin-off groups – a Spanish conversation meet-up and a quiz team – and members credit the fun and conversation they have around books with keeping the group flourishing.