Review: Heartfelt novel!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2013
Excellent novel. Ms. Oliver sets her story on the Cornish coast, and I was THERE, ladies and gentlemen, amid the storm-tossed seas and small coastal town, quiet in the dead of winter, yet still charming, with its cobbled streets, warm pub, and sweet little shops. Her heroine, Carly, a former sailing champion, has been injured in a terrible accident, her leg mangled. Will her body - and her psyche - ever heal? And will the return of her former crew mate, now an Olympic Gold Medalist, help or hinder her recovery? No spoilers here, but I read the novel at a fast clip and something happened toward the end that took me by surprise. You see, I normally do not cry when I read, yet near the ending, I was so swept up with the characters and the plot that tears filled my eyes - sad and then happy tears - because of heartfelt tragedy and, afterward, a compelling resolution. Carly's world is so arresting, her bitterness deep and unrelenting, but she is redeemed in the end by lessons learned and a realization she has new worlds to explore. And yes, love conquers all.