The Paper Palace (Reese’s Book Club): A Novel
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE
THE PAPER PALACE IS:
“Filled with secrets, love, lies and a summer beach house. What more could you ask?”—Parade
“A deeply emotional love story…the unraveling of secrets, lies and a very complex love triangle.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club July ’21 Pick)
“Nail-biting.” —Town & Country
“A magnificent page-turner.” —Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author
“[An] irresistible placement of a complicated family in a bewitching place.” —The New York Times
A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades.
“This house, this place, knows all my secrets.”
It is a perfect August morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at “The Paper Palace”—the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families.
ASIN : B08NFT8N8F
Publisher : Riverhead Books
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : July 6, 2021
Language : English
File size : 4.3 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 397 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-0593329849
Page Flip : Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #3,542 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) #65 in Women’s Literary Fiction #69 in Family Life Fiction (Kindle Store) #79 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars (92,623) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Original price was: $18.00.$12.99Current price is: $12.99.
Price: $18.00 - $12.99
(as of Mar 22, 2026 15:06:15 UTC – Details)
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE
THE PAPER PALACE IS:
“Filled with secrets, love, lies and a summer beach house. What more could you ask?”—Parade
“A deeply emotional love story…the unraveling of secrets, lies and a very complex love triangle.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club July ’21 Pick)
“Nail-biting.” —Town & Country
“A magnificent page-turner.” —Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author
“[An] irresistible placement of a complicated family in a bewitching place.” —The New York Times
A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades.
“This house, this place, knows all my secrets.”
It is a perfect August morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at “The Paper Palace”—the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families.
ASIN : B08NFT8N8F
Publisher : Riverhead Books
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : July 6, 2021
Language : English
File size : 4.3 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 397 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-0593329849
Page Flip : Enabled
13 reviews for The Paper Palace (Reese’s Book Club): A Novel
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Original price was: $18.00.$12.99Current price is: $12.99.
Liz –
I loved this book!
I loved this book. I loved the characters- excellent dialogue! And the lush descriptions and the propulsive plot-and the great writing–which makes this book fire on all levels. And the details– some really odd, which I LOVE. It adds to the layers of character. There are so many stand out moments. One thing that comes to mind–when Elle is picking at the nasty grime that has built up in the holes of the ancient table, like earwax–so unusual and real and revealing. You wouldn’t call this book funny–but there are some very clever humorous moments–and this is how I like my humor. With wry intelligence. Her sister telling her “fat thighs are like a phantom limb–years later you can feel them rubbing together.”There is a balance between humor and pathos and the author hits it out of the park.The way the her husband interacts with the mother, making fun of her memory as if she has dementia is classic. Oh I could go on. Thank you Miranda Cowley Heller for this wonderful book! As a writer of fiction, I love to read something that makes me excited about writing!
JMO –
Great writing and excellent story
This was a great book! The ending fell a little flat in my opinion. But I really enjoyed the book.
Melissa Joseph (Book Addicts Reviews) –
Loved this book!!
4.5 wth stars!!I absolutely loved this book (other then the end). This was a book with so many lessons and so many hardships. While going through the past you get to enjoy watching characters blossom. With that there was a lot of pain in so many characters lives throughout. It was necessary. I can see why this book was chosen as a book of the month club book there is ALOT to discuss. Shoot I am discussing with myself nonstop.I think my favorite part is jumping from past to present. I needed that. It was all perfectly placed as well. It gave you background on why you ended up here with these characters. I mean I was in the Paper Palace with all the girls and I grieved with them. It was not all about negative stuff there was a lot of growth and love. It felt like a true story. Like was this someone’s life because I’ll be damned if it didn’t feel like it. And so I give you my second favorite thing is the characters. Omg I love everyone of them and despise many others too. You cheer them on and you cry with them. You second guess everything and wonder what could have been as well. This book was deep for me.Be aware there is a lot triggers and that comes with people writing all these negative reviews. What I say to that is know your boundaries and what you are comfortable with. There are warnings and people say I can’t handle child sexual trauma and that’s understandable. But it’s a part of a story. It builds this story. The pain, the strength, the hopelessness leads to the growth. I don’t think it was done poorly either this is real to some peoples life and I think it felt like it could have happened to anyone. Sadly it has.Now my only critique and the reason I could not give this 5 stars is because the damn ending. She left me. She has me mind boggled. And in some case that’s good.I guess it made me think non-stop about this book, so yea, that’s good. But I need more!! I told my hubby about it because even the next day I am frustrated. He says “is there a part two?” No dang it there is not!!!Get ready to ride the rollercoaster of emotions with this book. I think it is a fabulous summer read.
Sasha mayers –
A lot to be desired
This novel had a lot of promise but ended up feeling disappointing. It moves at a snail’s pace, packed with so many words that it often loses focus. The flowery language distracts from the story, making it hard to stay engaged.As a love story, it really misses the mark. The chemistry between the main characters feels rushed and shallow, overshadowed by lengthy descriptions that don’t add much to their relationship. Instead of building up the romance, the author just skims over the meaningful moments.The climax falls flat, leaving you wishing for a more exciting conclusion. It wraps up too quickly and leaves many questions unanswered, making you feel a bit let down.Overall, it’s just an “okay” read. If you enjoy detailed writing and don’t mind a slow plot, it might work for you. But if you’re looking for a captivating love story with depth, you might want to pass on this one.
Yanitsa Wiley –
Left with no answers
From the first chapter, I was captivated by the thrill of being so close and not being caught in the act. However, the ending left me wanting more, wondering what path she decided to take, or if she opted to create a new path all on her own.
J. Frazer –
Took My Breath Away Many Times
This beautifully written novel is by far, one of my favorite books. I could not put this book down, the story is very emotional, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes disturbing, sometimes comical, and other times a sheer joy! I loved how lyrical this writer is. I cannot recommend this book enough!
Richard MO –
Enjoyable and Immersive
The Paper Palace is a compelling and emotionally rich novel that I genuinely enjoyed reading. The narrative shifts between past and present, revealing the protagonist Elle’s inner struggles in a way that feels honest and immersive.The setting—a lakeside summer retreat—is beautifully depicted, adding atmosphere and emotional depth to the story. The author excels at exploring themes of family, memory, love, and the weight of past decisions. As the story progresses, the reasoning behind Elle’s final choice becomes clearer, making the journey rewarding even without fast-paced plot twists.Highlights:-Wonderful character development with deep emotional insight-Beautiful and vivid descriptions of the natural setting-Seamless transitions between timelines-Thoughtful exploration of family, love, and difficult choices-A lingering emotional impact after finishing the bookThe pacing may feel slow for readers seeking high drama, but for those who appreciate introspective, character-driven storytelling, this novel is richly satisfying.
Mary Kate Hurley –
Loved it!
Loved it!
Paulo Roberto Feldmann –
A escritora confundi o leitor com tanta falta de objetividade
Anastasiia –
This book brings up childhood memories and envelops you in sun and sand 😌
sophie –
Excellent roman. Finesse psychologique et suspense !
Janet Sterritt –
Very interesting book, throwing up many topical issues ranging from patchwork families, to abuse and rape. Apart from these disturbing issues there are some beautiful descriptions of nature and fascinating facts about wildlife.The author is a screen writer so there is a tendency to very dramatic situations. The open ending is very thought provoking – could lead on to a sequel?
Carol00 –
The quality of this book is unreal