The culture, the community, the unexpected but totally deserved stand for your friend moments that warm your heart, and even the heartbreak... it all adds up to a wonderful read.
When this title arrived on my doorstep, my reaction was split down the middle. First, I jumped for joy because...HELLO! A surprise book arrival ON MY DOORSTEP that sounds promising? What's not to be ELATED about? Then...I saw the release date. June. Oh boy. Why "oh boy"? Easy...my calendar for summer has been a bit booked (pardon the pun), so I couldn't figure how I would ever squeeze it in in time. So yes...I was of two minds, but then I did something I don't often do. I sampled the story. Yep. I opened the book to just read a few paragraphs and get a feel for what I was in store for...and guess what? I never looked back.
Once I started, I simply couldn't stop. I immediately formed a bond with Heather (in more ways than I care to reveal) and found her pursuit of life beyond her usual limits, enchanting despite the every-moment-being-a-struggle aspect. The connection she has with her birds is charming; the one she unexpectedly finds with a certain young man, wonderful. The caretaker, and eventual friend, Cara Rutledge couldn't have been a kinder soul, even when faced with tragedy. Yes, she slid into a dark place, but sometimes in that darkness is where we discover not only our own inner light but the light of others that we simply need to let in in order to pull ourselves back to the here and now. Through Heather's and Cara's life experiences, they are able to find a common ground, rediscovering their own passions and the desire to not simply survive, but live remarkably, and that my friends is a beautiful thing.
In the end, the surprising beauty of the story will sweep you away, while the tenderness shown will leave you gasping for air. You'll shed tears, laugh without reserve, marvel at nature's wonders, and in the end, want to call these ladies (and others) friend...as well as the isle, home. Recommended for Women's Fiction fans the world over.
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About the author...
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| Mic Smith Photography |
Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including The Summer Girls, The Summer Wind, The Summer’s End, Last Light Over Carolina, Time Is a River, Sweetgrass, Skyward, The Beach House, Beach House Memories, Swimming Lessons, The Four Seasons, and The Book Club. Her books have received numerous awards, including the 2008 South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing, the 2014 South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence, the 2015 SW Florida Author of Distinction Award, the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, and the International Book Award for Green Fiction. An active conservationist, she lives in the lowcountry of South Carolina.
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Special thanks to Meg at
Tandem Literary and the folks at Simon & Schuster for the ARC for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is IN STORES NOW via
Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
