May 17, 2021

There is something raw and primal about allowing ourselves to be one with nature. To experience it without barriers or reservations. It can be cleansing and exhilarating.

That’s what Liz, Jo, and Lucy discover in this insightful novel about letting go of the old and facing the (sometimes daunting) new.

Each of the women have something that has caused their lives to be in turmoil (you can check out blurbs to find out what those are) and one by one, they discover that throwing themselves into the ocean helps them cope with their troubles.

It sounds a bit Greek tragedy, actually, but it makes perfect sense in the context of the book.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PtPN2C
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Pv0K3X
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3vrHN1y
Apple: https://apple.co/3sX4XuP
Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3aNtmwL
Waterstones: https://bit.ly/32SOgWP

This was a simple, pleasant, read that didn’t require a lot of thought process to understand, so there’s not a lot to unpack in the plot itself. It’s very straightforward.

One of the messages that I got from the book was that problems in life don’t have to be faced alone. Sometimes having an outlet, whether it’s a person or event or ritual, can help keep a positive perspective.

I think Liz benefitted from this the most. While Lucy and Jo certainly had impactful issues, there weren’t the lies that went along with Liz’s problem. That made it extra hard for her to cope. It was fortunate that Jo and Lucy were around to support.

The setting itself was charming – who doesn’t love a seaside Irish village? Because of Lucy and Liz’s situations, I was reminded of Doc Martin (and yes, I know that the show takes place in England, but there were enough similarities that it was often brought to mind).

If I had to say anything negative about the book, it would be that it was fairly predictable. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Sometimes being able to just go along for the ride without any twists and surprises is just what is needed. Allow yourself to take the journey with Liz, Jo, and Lucy. If you don’t overthink it, you will find this novel to be a relaxing beach read.

About the author

Faith Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of five contemporaryfiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley HotReads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women’s fiction which isunashamedly uplifting, feel good and inspiring.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with herhusband, four children and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader,enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger-except of course when it is raining!

Sometimes a book takes a long time to get going, for the real story to kick in, before moving smoothly into a compelling narrative.

This is one of those books.

I will freely admit that I struggled for the first part of this book. I picked it up and put it down numerous times. I’m not sure if it was my frame of mind or if I was having a problem grasping the way the author was laying out the story.

However, I am extremely glad that I stuck with it, because once I figured out the author’s plotting and why the story was being told that way it was, I was sucked in and finished the rest in one sitting.

I honestly couldn’t put it down at that point.

I discovered it was a great way to tell the story. By having an author interview Rose to get her version of the events that precipitated the main event, the reader was able to get a deeper insight into Rose’s mind.

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3xbd5eR
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3eqQ6DK
NOOK: https://bit.ly/3ncdSYf
Hive.co.uk: https://bit.ly/3v9WV3l

As I have mentioned in the past, I like to take notes while I read – sometimes it’s just something that strikes me, and sometimes it’s for writing my reviews later.

In this case, it was a little of both. But as I was reviewing them, I noticed that one stood out.

“Everybody knows something, but nobody is saying anything.”

This happened so many times as Theo tried to unravel the threads that made up the narrative. And characters kept passing the buck to other characters, saying that “it was so-and-so’s story to tell,” and “ask so-and-so.”

It kept both Theo and the reader off-balance.

I did think that there were a couple of loose ends. There was something hinted at with Ed and Daniel that never came to fruition – or maybe I missed it. Likewise, with Rose and Cathy. I don’t want to give anything away, but it seemed like the author was hinting that those relationships might have been “more.”

There were also a few characters that seemed to be thrown in just move the plot and then easily disappeared. Again, not to give spoilers, but I thought a few of the people Rose came in contact with when she was younger would have played a bigger part in the whole story.

I did also guess a few of the “twists.” As I have mentioned before, I like to think about what the craziest possibility could be and then see if I matched the author. A few times I right this time.

But there were a couple of others that I didn’t get, and they were truly good twists. Right up until the very last pages.

So, if you pick this one up and have a tough time in the beginning, stick with it. It takes a while to get into the groove, but once it does, it is one heck of story filled with deceit, innocence stolen, and revenge.

Who could ask for anything more?

Twitter: @juliannwriter
Facebook: jacorrigan
Instagram: juleshayes6/

About J.A. Corrigan:

Julie-Ann Corrigan was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. She studied in London, completing a BA (Hons) Humanities degree, majoring in Modern History and English Literature. Travelling in Europe for several years, she taught in both Greece and Spain – countries and cultures she found fascinating. On return to the UK she gained a BSc (Physiotherapy), becoming a Chartered Physiotherapist. She lives in Berkshire with her family. Website: http://jacorrigan.com/