Romance | Book Chatter

Nantucket
By Nan Rossiter
Kensington Publishing Corporation, Paperback, 9781617736506, August 25, 2015, 352pp.)

The Short of It:

Nantucket is such an idyllic, beautiful locale but even though it’s always been home for Liam Tate it’s also a reminder of what was.

The Rest of It:

After losing his parents in a car accident, Liam Tate moves into his Uncle’s house on Nantucket. Together, they while away the years working on boats or fixing up the house. For Liam, it’s a happy time and he loves living on the island and can’t imagine calling any other place home.

One summer, Cadie and her family vacation on the island. After meeting Liam, it’s pretty much love at first sight but Cadie’s from a well-to-do family and Liam is just a hardworking kid working in the boatyard. Clearly, the two have little in common but their immediate attraction to one another is something Cadie’s father will not tolerate so he whisks her back to New York, far away from Liam Tate.

Liam waits for a letter or phone call but he receives nothing from Cadie. He just assumes that she’s gone off to college to live the life she was meant to live. Several years later, the two are reunited and even though many years have passed, Liam can’t help but feel something for the woman who stole his heart so long ago.

I’ve read all of Nan Rossiter’s books so I was pretty excited to get my hands on this new one. One thing you can always count on is a fabulous setting and this novel is no exception. The other thing you can count on, four-legged characters you can’t ignore. In this case, Tuck, a lovable retriever and his feline buddy, affectionately called, Mobe.

In this novel, Rossiter’s focus is Liam and Cadie’s relationship and the role of second chances. Is it possible to love again after so many years? There is a slightly weightier edge to this story than the ones I’ve read before. Liam is forced to make some very difficult decisions and you all know how much I love it when characters are pushed outside of their comfort zones.

Speaking of characters, I adored Liam. I adored his dog, Tuck. I did not adore Cadie. Gasp! Cadie was just a young girl when this all went down but I was so angry at her for not contacting Liam after she left the island. Sure, she was young but what young person listens to their parents anyway?

That said, this story is a reminder at just how quickly your life can change and how having a little bit of faith can lead you in the right direction. It’s got a fabulous setting, a little bit of romance and some soul-searching, weightier issues to consider. There’s something for everyone.

Nan has been incredibly generous with her books and is offering one copy for me to give away! If you’d like a chance to win a copy, check out the details below.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

This giveaway is for one copy of Nantucket and is open to the US and Canada. A winner will be chosen randomly by me. The book will come directly from the author. Only one entry per person. Giveaway closes on August 31, 2015 (pacific). I will contact the winner for his/her mailing address.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

Source: Review and giveaway copies provided by the author.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Blue Sun, Yellow Sky
By Jamie Jo Hoang
(Jamie Hoang, Paperback, 9781634433716, April 25, 2015, 316pp.)

The Short of It:

How much does what you see, impact who you are?

The Rest of It:

This is a question I’ve asked myself over the past few months. The eye issues, the eye injury and then my fear of going blind have all played a role in my anxiety over sight. My father lost his vision at the same age I am now and it’s been a fear of mine for a very long time.

So what do I do? I accept a book for review about a young artist who is going blind. Sometimes, books find you at exactly the right point in time.

Aubrey Johnson, a talented artist, is told by her doctor that she has retinitis pigmentosa and will be blind in a mere six to eight weeks. Stunned by the diagnosis, she decides to join her old friend Jeff on a last-minute trip around the world.

Aubrey’s situation is made more complex by the fact that she’s a painter and to a painter, being able to see and being able to render colors properly on the canvas is an absolute necessity. This is why the trip is so important to her. At each destination, she attempts to recreate the scenery before her and at times, she’s terrified of the end result because as each day passes she has slightly less vision than the day before.

What’s great about this book is that it’s hopeful and not at all sad or depressing. Aubrey’s panic over losing her sight is tangible but at the same time, she tries hard to reinvent herself as an artist. It helps that she has supportive people around her and there is an increased level of appreciation for visiting a locale, knowing that you will never see that place the same way again.

I loved the trip around the word (China, India, Israel, Jordan, Brazil, Peru). Aubrey and Jeff stop to visit with old friends and slowly, Aubrey comes to the realization that all is not lost.

If I had one criticism to offer, I’d say that the ending came up a little too fast for me. I wanted to spend a little more time with Aubrey but other than that, I enjoyed the book very much. It gave me a lot to think about and reminded me to appreciate what I have. Ultimately, it’s a feel good story and we can all use a story like it once in a while.

You can buy the book for your Kindle now but the paperback comes out later this week. To learn more about Jamie Jo Hoang, visit her website! This is her first novel!

Source: Sent to me by the author.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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