One thing about Chicagoans—we don’t just talk about doing things; we make them happen. That sense of grit and determination runs deep in our city, and it’s something we’re proud of.

Nothing is more true than Emily Bleeker and her story.

Meet Emily At her next book signing:

Salt of the Earth in Libertyville on Friday, October 24 from 7-9pm

Emily Bleeker is the bestselling author of seven captivating novels that have resonated with over two million readers. Her work has earned her a place on both the Amazon Charts and the Wall Street Journal bestseller lists, and she’s been a two-time finalist for the prestigious Whitney Award.

Residing in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Emily balances life with her husband, their children, and her kitten-muse, Hazel. When she’s not writing, Emily takes center stage with a local improv troupe, belts out karaoke songs as if no one’s listening, and has recently discovered a passion for running.

In her latest epic, When We Chased the Light, Emily Bleeker delivers a profound story of love, loss, and legacy. This sweeping novel explores the life of Hollywood icon Vivian Snow and the secrets that defined her existence.

The story opens at Christie’s auction house in Beverly Hills, where personal items belonging to Vivian Snow, the legendary actress, are being sold. Among them is a rare collection of hand-drawn postcards sent over six decades by Antonio Trombello—a soldier, POW, priest, and her most trusted confidant. These letters reveal the private struggles of a woman the world thought they knew.

During World War II, Vivian, then a USO showgirl, finds herself alone when her husband mysteriously goes AWOL and is presumed dead. As whispers of suspicion grow around her, she leans on Father Trombello—a man who is not only her savior and confessor but perhaps the elusive love of her life. He holds the keys to secrets about her husband’s disappearance that could shatter her carefully constructed world.

From starlet to Hollywood legend, Vivian’s rise to fame is marked by turbulent relationships, romantic entanglements, and a family history steeped in unresolved guilt and hidden truths. As these long-buried secrets come to light, they threaten to unravel the lives of everyone she holds dear.

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