The Weekly Catch Up

Chatting With an AI Bot About My Novel.

I had an entirely different post planned for today—next week!— but I was reading

Kathleen Schmidt

’s Publishing Confidential newsletter about the implications of a Google and Instagram partnership and what it means for authors. Coincidentally, I also just finished Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age in which the Pulitzer Prize winning author Vauhini Vara writes a captivating personal account of how technology companies have both fulfilled and exploited the human desire for understanding and connection. As she’s writing, she feeds her chapters into ChatGPT to see what kind of feedback it would give her.

It’s a strange and fascinating experiment and one that got me thinking. If Gen Z is really going to search for books on AI platforms, as the article reports, then what would the bots say about my latest novel. AND since ChatGPT pretty much just aggregates existing content and distills it into a readable form, I decided to ask it a question.

So I typed in what I thought a reader might:

“Should I read Our Last Vineyard Summer?”

Here is what the Bot said:

“Our Last Vineyard Summer” by Brooke Lea Foster has received mostly positive reviews, especially from readers who appreciate poignant, women-centered historical fiction. Here's a breakdown:

What people loved:

• A compelling dual timeline (1965 & 1978) that explores multi-generational dynamics, particularly around feminism, family secrets, and womanhood.

• A vivid sense of place: Martha’s Vineyard is almost a character itself, bringing nostalgia and emotional texture to the tale.

• Strong character development: The sisters and their mother are drawn with depth and nuance—vulnerable, determined, and human.

• Emotional weight: Many reviewers mention feeling the emotional fallout—loss, forgiveness, empowerment—and that it lingers after reading.

Criticisms:

Some find the pacing uneven, with the slower build-up and reveals feeling extended.

A minority expected a lighter “beach read,” but found it to be more of a thoughtful family drama.

Overall reception:

• Goodreads ratings show around 78% of readers gave it 4–5 stars.

• Many describe it as “a great summer read” and ideal for book clubs, highlighting its emotional depth and feminist themes.

• One reviewer said it’s “quietly beautiful,” and “captures the emotional push and pull of mother‑daughter relationships.”

Then ChatGPT highlighted the words: So, is it a good book?

Here’s how it responded to its own question:

If you're drawn to character-driven stories with rich historical detail, intergenerational dynamics, and feminist themes, this novel is likely to resonate. It offers emotional complexity, strong family drama, and thoughtful messages about resilience and legacy.

If you were expecting a light, breezy summer escape, you might find it slower and more introspective than anticipated.

Bottom line: It’s well‑written, emotionally resonant, and widely praised—especially for readers who appreciate historical fiction centered on women, family, and change. Not a fluff beach read, but a deeply felt novel that sticks with you.

Curious—are you thinking of reading it, or did someone recommend it to you?

I left the conversation feeling pretty good—but also uneasy. The question is: Would you read a book based on what a ChatGPT aggregator tells you? I would not.

Here’s why: There are moments when the aggregator, in the rundown above, was quoting individual reviews by individual people written on Good Reads about my book. Luckily, they happened to be pleasant because it was reflective of most of the readers. But if say, 25 percent were on the negative side, the AI could have tanked the description above based on reporting criticisms that aren’t widely agreed upon. I also thought it was alarming that AI sited reviews on Good Reads, Barnes and Noble and Amazon but it didn’t include any of the positive mainstream coverage of my book.

So does that mean a handful of reviewers on Good Reads matter more than a book editor at Woman’s World? It’s dangerous to boil a novel down to an aggregator, even if the outcome is mostly good. Also, what if a reader typed in “What is a great summer novel to read right now?” How is it going to decide what books are listed?

I could go on and on about this with numerous examples, but I’ll stop there and say one last thing: The best way to discover your next book is to go to your local bookshop and walk the aisles until a novel speaks to you. Finding a novel is such a personal experience and we don’t want to forget the joy in the bookstore surprise. At least I don’t.

I’m Going to Boston and the Cape next week

If you’re on vacation on the Cape or if you live in Boston, please come to one of my events this week. Full list of events below. I’d love to see all of you!

First, I’ll be at Brewster Book Store talking with the amazing Martha Hall Kelly on July 19 at 4pm.

Then I’ll be in Boston for an awesome event with Lori Goldstein and Wendy Francis. You can buy tickets here and come and mingle and learn about our writing process!

Media Diary

What I’ve Been Reading: Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippmann. It’s such a fun mystery and it moves so fast.

What I’ve Been Listening to: The Ocean. I’ve honestly been spending as much time at the beach as I can. We’ve also been loving the song “Toxic ‘til the End” by Rose. Obsessed.

Have a great week, everyone! As always, if you enjoy reading Dear Fiction, click the heart icon at the top of this email. It finds other book loving friends find our lit-loving community. xo