This book, “The Resurrection of Joan Ashby” by Cherise Wolas appeared on my doorstep at least a year and a half ago. I’d like to think that a magical book fairy from somewhere amazing was rewarding me for something. It’s more likely that it came from a book fairy at Flatiron Books in New York City.

It took a while to get up the nerve to read “The Resurrection of Joan Ashby.” It’s a fairly long book at 531 pages or so. After I started reading it, I immediately regretted waiting so long.

Basically, the premise is that Joan Ashby has been a solitary writer from a very young age. She wasn’t close to her parents and had few friends. Ashby was focused mainly on writing. By her early 20s, she had success with two collections.

Then she met her future husband, Martin. Ashby did not want children because they would interfere with her writing career. When she did become pregnant, she made the decision to go forward with motherhood. Ashby stopped writing for several years because she could not find the time to write and be a mom to two young boys.

So when the boys, Daniel and Eric, are a bit older, Ashby decides to start writing again. She keeps it a secret from everyone. It took her several years to finish the book.

There were seven years that she was preoccupied with keeping up with 13-year-old Eric, who was starting a billion dollar company in her home. Most parents might not complain but she was exhausted from having all his workers camping out at her house and probably abusing alcohol and drugs.

She had finished the book but hadn’t sent it to her publisher. The book was stolen and published without her knowledge. The theft of the book and another issue are heartbreaking for her. So Ashby decides to pack a bag and take a sabbatical to India.

The most interesting thing about this book is how Wolas intertwines the story that she is telling with many of the stories that Ashby is telling in her books. “The Resurrection of Joan Ashby” contains small sections of different books within one book.

Even though it’s a large book, it captured my attention from the beginning until the end. I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars – even if the book fairy had not dropped it off on my doorstep.

• The book fairy at Flatiron Books sent this book to me. I don’t know why exactly. All opinions are mine. Obviously