The Golden Girls with a Baby Scandal: Toronto Author Celebrates Older Women Who Refuse to Grow Old Gracefully

The following news release was issued by Sasha Stoltz Publicity.

THREE BUBBIES. ONE BABY. ZERO KIDS ALLOWED

Meet the outrageous Boca Bitches: three senior women, one forbidden baby, and a retirement community where almost anything goes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO, ON — October 30, 2026 — What happens when you put three unapologetically outrageous women in their seventies and eighties, a secret baby, and a luxury Florida retirement community where absolutely everything is permitted except children?

Chaos, cocktails, and a whole lot of heart.

In Platinum Palms, her latest novel arriving November 10, 2026, Toronto author Naomi Elana Zener delivers a hilarious, unconventional comedy-drama about friendship, family, antisemitism, and the unexpected ways people find one another. Think Three Men and a Baby meets The Golden Girls, with a decidedly Boca twist.

At Platinum Palms, a lavish 1990s Florida retirement enclave, martinis flow, gambling is practically a pastime, and even swingers’ parties are on the social calendar. The only thing missing? Children.

Enter Cookie Bregman, Ruthie Vijay-Silverberg, and Ethel Gold, better known as the “Boca Bitches.” These three fiercely loyal best friends have mastered the art of senior living, ruling their little corner of paradise with diamond-encrusted fists and loving hearts.

But when a baby secretly sent to Cookie for safekeeping lands on the doorstep of her fiercely antisemitic arch-nemesis, Gertrude, the women find themselves caught in an increasingly outrageous mission to protect the tiny rule-breaker while keeping their nosy neighbours in the dark.

Behind the outrageous humour, however, lies a deeply personal story.

Zener drew inspiration from her maternal grandmother’s circle of friends, many of whom were Holocaust survivors. Growing up, she witnessed women who had endured unimaginable hardship yet refused to surrender their sense of humour, their friendships, or their zest for life.

“Through all the hardship, there was always humour and uproarious laughter,” says Zener. “I’ve found that in every dark experience there’s a comedic silver lining that gets us through and helps us find our way to the light.”

With so many Holocaust survivors from that generation now gone, Zener sees Platinum Palms as a tribute to their resilience, humour, and extraordinary ability to embrace life. It is also an opportunity to pass their spirit on, l’dor va dor — from generation to generation.

BIG LAUGHS. BIGGER QUESTIONS.

While the Boca Bitches provide plenty of comic relief, Platinum Palms tackles subjects that extend far beyond retirement-community gossip. The novel explores intergenerational trauma, grief, antisemitism, trust, and the meaning of family.

One of its most intriguing characters is Gertrude, Cookie’s antisemitic nemesis. More than a villain, she forces readers to confront an uncomfortable question: Can hatred be unlearned?

“Love is not the antidote to hate; education is,” says Zener. “People can change, and we should afford them the opportunity to do so.”

At its heart, the novel celebrates chosen family: the people who become our sisters, protectors, confidantes, and lifelines, regardless of bloodlines or backgrounds.

And Zener is unapologetic about giving older women the kind of lives fiction too rarely allows them to have: full of sex, cocktails, mischief, independence, and unapologetic fun.

“Life doesn’t end until your heart stops beating,” she says. “I hope that if I live long enough, my senior years will do the Boca Bitches proud.”

With its outrageous premise, memorable characters, and emotional depth, Platinum Palms is a reminder that friendship has no age limit, family comes in many forms, and sometimes the people who surprise us most are the ones who teach us how to live.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

NAOMI ELANA ZENER is the author of Deathbed Dime$ (2014, Iguana Books), a lawyer, and a writer whose work has appeared in HuffPost, Kveller, and Erica Ehm’s Yummy Mummy Club. Her latest novel, Platinum Palms, combines her love of humour, compelling characters, and stories that find light in unexpected places.

Zener lives in Toronto with her husband and three children, who she describes as her bosses. Her husband, however, is another matter.

BOOK DETAILS

Title: Platinum Palms
Author: Naomi Elana Zener
Publisher: Rivkah Books/RE: Books
Publication date: November 10, 2026
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781998206650
Price: $25.99 CAD

Connect With Naomi Zener:
https://www.instagram.com/zenwordz/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomizener/

PRAISE FOR PLATINUM PALMS

“Naomi Elana Zener has a remarkable gift for blending outrageous comedy with authentic emotional depth. Beneath the humour is a touching exploration of second chances, chosen family, and the discovery that life can still surprise you at any age.”
— CanReads Book Review

ABOUT RIVKAH BOOKS

Rivkah Books publishes fiction and nonfiction by Jewish authors and works exploring Jewish themes, lives, and characters that resonate with readers from all backgrounds.

Founded by bestselling author Rebecca Eckler, Rivkah Books is a traditional Canadian publishing house. Derived from Hebrew, “Rivkah” means “to bind” and “to connect,” reflecting the imprint’s mission to strengthen social bonds and foster dialogue, particularly amid a global rise in antisemitism.

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MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

Naomi Elana Zener is available for interviews, television and radio appearances, podcasts, book club discussions, and literary events.

Review copies of Platinum Palms are available upon request.

MEDIA CONTACT

Sasha Stoltz Publicity
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-579-4804