Day: January 14, 2021

I was a huge fan of this author’s The Island Girls, so I was excited to see a new release.

Right off the bat, I have to say that this is one of my favorite books of the year.

I know, we’re only a few weeks in. But it was so well-written and interesting that I think it would be one of my favorites even if it were later in the year.

I do need to preface this review by re-stating that once I read an initial blurb about a book, I don’t go back and additional blurbs or other early reviews. I prefer to be surprised (as much as possible) by what I read, or at the very least, don’t want a roadmap of what to expect.

This usually works in my favor and this book is no exception. The first part of the book was especially interesting as two seemingly disparate storylines were introduced.

One is set in Rockland, Maine in October 2017 and the other is set in Mullaghmore, Ireland in July 1992. It’s obvious that they tie together somehow, but the author does a great job of slowly building the connections.

To me, the gradual coming together of the two storylines reminded me of the way the tide comes in and out – fitting, I suppose, considering the focus on the ocean in this book.

Although I couldn’t entirely relate to Lily and her grief, the author wrote her in such a way that she was thoroughly understandable and sympathetic. I was instantly ready to take the journey right along side of her.

And what an interesting journey it was.

From the heartbreak of her loss to the family drama she unwittingly uncovered, everything was well-written and kept me engaged.

I especially liked the point that we don’t ever really know the history of the people closest to us, no matter how close we are. It’s impossible to know everything that happened before a couple got together.

This could be said for any relationship, I think. There has to be faith and trust, but I do believe that everyone keeps a part of their past from people. It might not be because of shame or embarrassment, but simply because it’s not relevant anymore.

I don’t know how I would exactly classify Connor’s “secret” but I would say that Lily learned a lot about life in her search for the truth about her husband.

I very much enjoyed this book from beginning to end and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Author Bio:

I’m an Irish author who’s been writing novels and plays for nearly thirty years. My first novel, Beatrice was published in August 2004 which was a bestseller in Ireland. This was followed by A Small Part Of me in 2005, I Remember in 2008, The Adulteress in 2010, The Secret Loves of Julia in 2012, The Gravity of Love in 2018, and The Island Girls in 2020.

I currently live in Edinburgh in Scotland, and I am one of the founders of Aurora Writers’ Retreats, and part of the wellness hub The Space To BE.

If you like stories written from the heart, historical with contemporary timeslip, family mysteries and secrets and always always a love story set against evocative landscapes from all over the world, you might like to pick up one of my books. My aim is to tell women’s stories from the past and present and to give voice to those who are rarely heard.