Blog Archives
Where the Heart Lives: A Milford-Haven Novel
Mara Purl’s Where the Heart Lives, the second installment in the Milford-Haven Series, offers a delightful continuation of the narrative established in the series’ first book. This novel primarily centers around the protagonist, Miranda Jones, as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, both personally and as an artist.
Where the Heart Lives allows readers to delve deeper into the lives of the series’ characters, fostering a sense of intimacy and connection, particularly with Miranda. Purl’s narrative artfully navigates an ensemble of characters, enriching the story with diverse subplots like Delmar Johnson’s investigation into Christine Christian’s disappearance. These engaging narratives complement Miranda’s journey and bring a dynamic contrast to the central focus of her character development.
Purl skillfully captures the essence of her characters’ internal thoughts and observations and enriches the narrative throughout by integrating these engaging elements into the storytelling. I found Delmar Johnson’s perspective as a cop adds a layer of intrigue, and I feel that weaving his observations directly into the narrative could offer an even more immersive experience for the reader. (The author does give Johnson’s perspective in the related novella, What the Soul Suspects.) The novel’s strength lies in its well-crafted narrative and the compelling subplot involving Deputy Johnson’s investigation.
Where the Heart Lives is a charming and well-composed story, inviting readers to engage more deeply with its cast of relatable characters. The book succeeds in bringing together various elements of its characters’ lives and offers readers a welcome addition to what promises to be a compelling series.
Pages: 307 | ASIN : B08DF9HDCY
Secrets We Keep
Secrets We Keep, by Valeriya Goffe, is a narrative centered around Anna, a young Ukrainian woman with ambitions stretching far beyond her humble beginnings. After an injury curtails her professional tennis aspirations, Anna redirects her passion towards environmental conservation, aiming for a position at the esteemed U.S.-based environmental firm Polaris. Goffe skillfully portrays Anna’s unwavering dedication to her family, friends, and even animals despite the complex challenges she faces.
The novel excels in offering a soothing, yet engaging experience, making it a suitable choice for readers seeking an escape into a heartwarming story. Goffe’s descriptive prowess shines as she weaves a tapestry of three diverse cultural backdrops: Ukraine, Washington D.C., and Tanzania. Her vivid descriptions, supplemented by cultural insights, offer a rich exploration of Ukrainian traditions and lifestyles, enhancing the reader’s understanding. The inclusion of a glossary to explain Ukrainian terms sprinkled throughout the text is a thoughtful addition, aiding reader comprehension.
Goffe’s experimentation with various narrative formats, such as an article and a radio dialogue, at the beginning of the book, adds a creative dimension, though this approach is not consistently maintained throughout the novel. Nevertheless, her writing style remains consistently elegant, mirroring the innocence and purity of Anna’s character. While the story leaves certain plot points and secrets partially unresolved, this opens up the possibility for a sequel, keeping readers intrigued about the future of Anna’s journey.
Secrets We Keep raises significant moral questions, touching on themes of trust, resilience, and ethical decision-making. Anna’s character is both relatable and inspirational, making the novel a compelling read. Valeriya Goffe shows promise as an emerging author, and Secrets We Keep positions her as a voice to watch out for in contemporary fiction. The book not only offers a pleasant reading experience but also prompts reflection on deeper ethical dilemmas, making it a meaningful addition to the genre.
Pages: 294 | ASIN : B0CKXVKYS5
Love Song to Cape Cod
Water Music: A Cape Cod Story follows a twelve-year-old girl whose family is falling apart in all directions who finds solace in her music and her love of Cape Cod. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I confess that Water Music was inspired by personal experience: my deep love for the many summers I spent on Cape Cod with my family, as well as my love for the cello and the music that has nourished me my entire life.
Like Lily, I had a marvelous elderly cello teacher each summer. And like Lily, my family had its share of discord. I wanted to explore how a girl, growing up in the 50s, might try to make sense of friction in an extended family, and how the women in her life were navigating (or resisting) the roles open to them.
Why choose this place and time for the setting of the story?
In a way, Water Music is my love song to the Cape Cod of the 50s, before Kennedy’s presidency and the National Seashore brought it to the attention of mainstream vacationers. But the 50s were also incredibly strict about expectations for women’s roles, and I wanted to explore how a young girl might try to make sense of all that.
It was important to me to include the sinking of the Andrea Doria in 1956. She was youthful—she had completed only one hundred crossings. In contrast, the Ile de France, who came to the Doria’s side, had launched a quarter of a century earlier. I saw in that relationship a potent—and poignant—mirror of the longed-for mother-daughter relationships in Water Music, both between Lily and her mother, and between Lily’s mother and grandmother.
I imagined the motif of the tether—the bridge that tethered Cape Cod to the mainland as well as the searchlight that “tethers” the Ile de France to the Andrea Doria—to be expressions of fragile family bonds. Especially between mother and daughter.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The 50s were brutal on smart, talented, educated women. I saw in Lily a confusion about how to understand her own prospects versus those of her mother. And how, in music, they both found the potential to redeem both their faults and disappointments.
When working on Water Music, the idea of competition—both as a destructive force and an impetus for growth—wouldn’t let go of me. For me, the rivalry between Lily’s father and his brother contrasts with the competition Lily frames for herself while learning the cello.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m working on a novel about a stolen cello. It’s a love story with a mystery. In it, I try to look at which loves serve to define us and which ones we must let go of. Competition—and what it can drive us to do—also plays a role in this book. There is also a mother-daughter subplot. I guess that’s an itch I keep needing to scratch!
Author Links: Goodreads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Thus twelve-year-old Lily Grainger, while safe from ‘communists and the Pope,’ finds her family suddenly adrift. That was the summer the Andrea Doria sank, pilot whales stranded, and Lily’s father built a house he couldn’t afford. Target practice on a nearby decommissioned Liberty Ship echoed not only the rancor in her parents’ marriage, a rancor stoked by Lily’s competitive uncle, but also Lily’s troubles with her sister, her cousins, and especially with her mother. In her increasingly desperate efforts to salvage her parents’ marriage, Lily discovers betrayals beyond her understanding as well as the small ways in which people try to rescue each other. She draws on her music lessons and her love of Cape Cod—from Sagamore and Monomoy to Nauset Spit and the Wellfleet Dunes, seeking safe passage from the limited world of her salt marsh to the larger, open ocean.
An Emotional Journey
The Stories We Cannot Tell follows two pregnant women who are forced to make difficult choices in life and the bond they form as they navigate this point in their life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Getting pregnant and staying pregnant is such an emotional journey for a lot of women. I wrote this book so hopefully, women going through infertility or making a choice not to continue a pregnancy will feel less shame than society has made them feel. I didn’t have an easy time getting pregnant, and I had many friends going through hell to have a child and not a lot of these women shared their stories. I wrote this book before Roe Vs. Wade was overturned, something I never thought was a possibility in our country. I’m hoping the readers, no matter what their views on this topic are, realize that what’s right for them, may not be right for everyone, and having compassion and empathy is all most women in these situations want.
Was the character’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?
I had written a lot of the backstory for each of the women before I started writing the book. I wanted to get to know their quirks and personalities ahead of time, so I could incorporate them into who they are and the individual journey that they were going through. That being said, there were things that came out in the dialogue or in their stories as the writing of the book went on.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The themes that were important for me to explore were friendship, loss, love, family, and hope. I also wanted to explore how a woman views her pregnancy issues differently than a male partner, and when something happens to the baby, how his pain is just as genuine, but he may express it in a different way.
What is the next book you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I’m just beginning my next book so I’m not sure yet when it will be out. It’s the story of three sisters who go on a journey together to figure out what happened to their mother and end up finding things about their past they never knew.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Blackberries and Brandi
Blackberries and Brandi (Hope Falls Series Book Three) by author C.H. Eryl is a fiction story set in a small town in Wyoming. During the Valentine’s dance, Brandi Wright receives a proposal from Luke Austin, her boss at the Hope Falls Ski Resort. But she doesn’t share the news with her mother right away for fear that she will think this is just another mistake like the many Brandi has made in the past. Brian Walters proposes to single mom Darci at the dance, too, and they plan to marry in December, which causes her parents concern as Darci has not known Brian long. Will love be enough to carry these two couples to a happily ever after, especially when danger lurks as a past enemy reemerges into their lives?
There is an element of suspense and mystery woven throughout the story. Some hints seem to point to a particular person, but also hints that it could be someone else, which will keep readers guessing and wanting to read and find out if their suspicions are correct about who is behind the threat to Luke and Brandi. The story is told from a third-person narration, allowing readers to be fully immersed in the story and better understand the characters. The dialogue flows naturally. The drama begins immediately, making this book hard to put down. C.H. Eryl’s writing style is impressive and engaging.
I feel that things may be confusing for readers who have not read the first two novels in the collection. For example, when a character first appears in the story, there is no explanation of who they are. It seems that the author assumes readers would already know the relationships between characters. Even not knowing the back story of the characters, readers can still enjoy the mystery element and relationship building of the characters.
Blackberries and Brandi is a sweet, charming, and thrilling read that I recommend to those looking for a short romance novel. This cozy romance novel will give readers that feel-good sensation that one looks for in a quick relaxing read.
Pages: 213 | ASIN : B09SK71RKD
