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Helping Others Be Prepared
The River House is a gripping and emotionally charged memoir detailing the trials and tribulations you faced when purchasing and renovating a seemingly idyllic waterfront property in Cape Coral, Florida.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The hardest thing for me to write about was moving out of our beautifully restored house after enduring 27 months of emotional and physical turmoil to get it reconstructed after Hurricane Irma. My husband and I had invested so much ourselves and our lives in creating the perfect home within the shell of the house that was left from the hurricane damage. We honestly thought we would live in that house forever when we purchased it, and through much of the renovation process. It was only through the COVID lockdown, after we moved back into the reconstructed house, that we realized our best course of action was to move out of Florida.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It was important for me to share the shockingly laborious process we encountered to reach a claim settlement with our home insurance company; the astonishing amount of time and effort it took for us to manage the design, permitting, and construction process for the house reconstruction; and the completely unexpected hurdles that we continuously encountered during the entire 27 months of the insurance claim and home reconstruction process.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
When a natural disaster does significant damage to a house, it can take years to get that home reconstructed. When I filed a claim with my homeowners insurance company due to the hurricane damage, I had no idea it would take years before we could move back into our reconstructed home. My hope is that this book can convey the many lessons we learned from our misfortune so that others can be more prepared to avoid the life-changing pitfalls we faced.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
The hurricane’s horrific damage to their beloved home was only the beginning of their agonies. The tense saga of dealing with a dysfunctional property insurance company was then superseded by the convoluted process for getting their house reconstructed to the current building code.
The cliffhanger ending is followed by lessons learned that are beneficial to anyone living in a hurricane-prone area.
The River House
Angela R. Newland’s The River House is a gripping and emotionally charged memoir detailing the trials and tribulations of purchasing and renovating a seemingly idyllic waterfront property in Cape Coral, Florida. The book captures Newland’s journey from the initial allure of breathtaking river views to the harrowing experiences with hurricanes, home damage, and insurance nightmares. It’s a captivating tale of resilience, the human spirit, and the not-so-glamorous reality of homeownership in paradise.
The writing style is engaging and personable. Newland doesn’t hold back, and I felt her stress, hope, and humor as if I were going through the journey alongside her. One of the book’s strengths lies in the vivid descriptions. Newland’s knack for humor, even in the face of disaster, makes the story relatable and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny. The way she paints the picture of the house “mooning the river” with a Neptune statue is just one delightful example of her ability to find humor in the most unexpected places. The relentless sequence of problems, from broken air conditioning units to an all-out hurricane, left me feeling the weight of their ordeal. For instance, the recounting of Hurricane Irma’s impact is intense. The way she describes preparing for evacuation, packing three carloads of belongings, and driving for twelve exhausting hours only to discover, days later, that her beloved River House had sustained severe damage was heart-wrenching. The emotional toll is palpable, and I found myself sympathizing deeply with Newland’s situation. Her frustration with the insurance company, Supremo, and their constant delays and incompetence left me as exasperated as she was. The emotional highs of witnessing beautiful sunsets over the Caloosahatchee River juxtaposed against the lows of discovering mold infestations or dealing with a malfunctioning oven that spontaneously turns on, keep the narrative compelling.
The River House is a raw and honest account of what can go wrong when your dream home turns into a nightmare. I believe Angela R. Newland’s memoir will resonate most with homeowners, renovators, or anyone who’s had to battle insurance companies and bureaucracy. It’s a must-read for those who appreciate real-life stories of resilience, and it offers an insightful, albeit cautionary, tale for anyone considering a renovation project near the water. Despite the adversity, Newland’s spirit shines through, making it a memorable and engaging read.
Pages: 194 | ASIN : B0C4QCSRK8
LITERARY TITAN 