A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke

Title: A Single Breath
 
Author: Lucy Clarke

Publisher: Touchstone

Published Date: April 8, 2014

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  &  Paperback
 
Author Website: http://www.lucy-clarke.com/

 



 

Synopsis: 

Eva has only been married for eight months when her husband, Jackson, is swept to his death while fishing. Weighed down by confusion and sorrow, Eva decides to take leave of her midwifery practice and visit Jackson’s estranged family with the hope of grieving together.

Instead, she discovers that the man she loved so deeply is not the man she thought she knew. Jackson’s father and brother reveal a dark past, exposing the lies her marriage was built upon. As Eva struggles to come to terms with the depth of Jackson’s deception, she must also confront her growing attraction to Jackson’s brother, Saul, who offers her intimacy, passion, and answers to her most troubling questions.

Will Eva be able to move forward, or will she be caught up in a romance with Saul, haunted by her husband’s past? Threading together beautiful, wild settings and suspenseful twists, A Single Breath is a gripping tale of secrets, betrayals, and new beginnings.

My Thoughts:

A Single Breath, by Lucy Clarke, is a fantastic novel that takes readers on a mysterious adventure with many shocking twists. It is not often that a book shocks me, but A Single Breath surprised me multiple times. What would you do if the man you fell madly in love with and married died tragically? For two years you live what seems to be the perfect life, however suddenly your whole world shifts upside down. Eva faces this stark reality after her husband, Jackson, is killed in an early morning fishing accident. In the midst of mourning Jackson's death, Eva decides that she wants to learn more about Jackson's life prior to their relationship. 

Eva and Jackson were still very much in the newlywed stage at the time of his death. With no closure in sight, Eva travels to Jackson's hometown in Australia to meet his family- the family Jackson kept her away from. However, if she was expecting a welcoming party she was sorely mistaken. Jackson's father, Dirk, wants nothing to do with her and his brother Saul did not even know of her existence. This doesn't deter Eva though, she is determined to find out who the man she married really was.

Eva begins to realize in her search that certain things about her life with Jackson seems off.  Is it possible that Jackson was not the man she thought he was? Was she so blinded by love that she couldn't see the truth? By doing some investigating, Eva comes to find that the majority of her life with Jackson was a big lie. How would you feel? Would you still be devastated by his passing?  Would you feel angry at him?  Would you want answers?  Or would you want to leave it all behind and start fresh? These are all questions Eva has to face with the loss of Jackson. 

I absolutely loved the characters of Eva, Saul, Jackson, and Dirk. Lucy Clarke did a wonderful job of creating flawed yet three-dimensional characters that the reader became attached to. I very much cared for every character and throughout the novel couldn't wait to see what would happen next. 

The dynamic that is uncovered between the two brothers was unexpected and well written. Throughout the book Jackson's consciousness explains his thoughts and motives regarding Eva. This was a great way for the author to let her audience know where he was coming from. While Jackson was flawed and a huge liar, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him and wish the best for him. He was trying to escape his imperfect past and got caught up in one lie after another. He truly was a good person at heart but made horrible decisions.  This is seen in his relationship with Saul.  Saul has every reason to hate him, but finds that he still loves him deeply.

Lucy Clarke did a wonderful job of unraveling the mystery of Jackson. The revelations were not rushed and were timed perfectly. A Single Breath really is a wonderfully thought out and thought provoking novel. I enjoyed it from start to finish. If you are looking for a novel that has mystery, romance, suspense, and healing, A Single Breath is definitely for you. It is also a quick read because once you start it you will not want to put it down!

Lucy Clarke

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, A Single Breath, for the purpose of review.*

Cover Reveal- Kiss Me Hard Before You Go by Shannon McCrimmon

I am very excited to be featuring the Cover Reveal of Shannon McCrimmon's newest novel, Kiss Me Hard Before You Go.  It will be released on Amazon on May 14, 2014.  Drum Roll Please......

 








Synopsis:

Every summer, Gray Barnes and his eighteen-year old daughter, Evie, open up their farm in the foothills of South Carolina to Kip Kierkin's Carnival of Wonder. The carnival attracts hordes of locals and out-of-towners, and it brings in the extra cash that Gray and his daughter need to keep the family estate running.

Evie decided long ago that she wants nothing to do with the carnival or the farm that her dad so desperately works to keep afloat. She doesn't understand her father's appreciation for the land or the work that it takes to maintain it, but that's all about to change when she meets Finch Mills.

Finch is a lifer – a carny since birth. He's spent all of his twenty-two years on the circuit and longs for a different path. He's never paid much attention to Evie, not until this eventful summer of 1978.

Title: Kiss Me Hard Before You Go
Author: Shannon McCrimmon
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Published Date:  May 14, 2014

GoodReads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21871900-kiss-me-hard-before-you-go  

Author Facebook:
www.facebook.com/shannonmccrimmonauthor  

Author Website: www.shannonmccrimmon.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/smccrimmon1

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/crimms

Shannon McCrimmon

Author Bio:

I'm a Florida native who currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina, with my husband and toy poodle. When I'm not writing, I can be found drinking Earl Grey tea with honey and cream, singing ineptly and butchering the lyrics to my favorite songs, and asking my friends ridiculous, hypothetical scenario-based questions. I'd love to hear from you. Connect with me at www.shannonmccrimmon.com

Beach Plum Island by Holly Robinson

Title: Beach Plum Island
 
Author: Holly Robinson

Publisher: NAL Accent- Penguin Group

Published Date: April 1, 2014

Buy on Amazon: Kindle  &  Paperback
 
Author Website: http://www.authorhollyrobinson.com
 

 

Synopsis: 

“I want your brother to know the truth.”

These are the last cryptic words that Ava Barrett’s father says before he dies. But Ava doesn’t have a brother, as far as she knows, so how can she tell him the truth? She dismisses the conversation and dedicates herself to bringing her family together for her father’s funeral. This is no easy task, since her sister, Elaine, has been estranged from the family and still harbors resentment against their stepmother and half-sister, Gigi. Ava, on the other hand, is a single mother who sees Gigi as a troubled teen in need of love and connection.

Ava, too, could use more love in her life and finds it where she least expects it. But the biggest surprise of all is that Gigi holds the key to the mystery surrounding her father’s dying words, and joins Ava in uncovering a secret that rapidly unravels the very fabric of their entire family…

My Thoughts:

Beach Plum Island, by Holly Robinson, is a wonderful novel revolving around family, friendship, love, and loss.  I have to say that I absolutely adored this book and its characters!  Beach Plum Island is told from the viewpoint of three sisters: Ava, Elaine, and Gigi.  When Ava and Elaine were young adults, their father left his unhappy marriage to their mother and married a much younger woman.  Gigi was born shortly after and to Elaine became someone to blame for her father's abandonment.  Ava and Elaine kept their distance from their father and his new family and life went on. However, their father dies the summer of Gigi's Sophomore year and leaves his daughters a message that will either bring them together or tear them further apart. 

Robinson did a fantastic job creating flawed characters that were both 3-diminsional and real.  Each of the three sisters were struggling with their own demons throughout the novel.  Ava is growing older and watching life pass her by, Gigi feels alone in the world, and Elaine is battling alcoholism and sex addiction which she uses to forget the past.  I think readers will instantly find one of the sisters to connect with, be it Gigi, Ava, or Elaine.  

Personally, I found myself loving both Gigi and Elaine.  Teenage Gigi, shrouded in mourning, doesn't know who she is yet.  She is struggling to find her place in the world but hopes to stay invisible with her multiple piercings and multicolored punk hair.  However, when Gigi opens up and allows Ava and her nephews to really see her, she begins blossoming like a flower and finds a wealth of confidence.    

I love that Elaine is so multifaceted.  She had been babied by Ava all of her life and was used to having Ava all to herself.  Ava always did everything for Elaine.  Interestingly, Elaine is the one who was there for their mother in her final days and she carries a lot of guilt regarding her mothers life and sad death.  Elaine is frightened that she is becoming like her mother and turns to alcohol and sex with strangers to bury her fear.  I found Elaine's struggle with alcohol very realistic and fascinating.  To fill the hole in her soul and feel halfway normal, Elaine resorts to sleeping with strangers and drinking her memories away.  It takes several close calls to really wake Elaine up and make her realize that something has to give.    

My favorite scene in the book is between Peter and Elaine.  He could have easily hated her, but he didn't judge her nor was he ruffled by her abruptness.  Elaine was able to show her true self to him and he embraced her fully, something that means a lot to Elaine.  I loved how Peter simply understood her and accepted her, flaws and all.

If you are looking for a heartwarming story, please do yourself a favor and pick up Holly Robinson's Beach Plum Island.  The characters will stay with you long after you put down the book.  I guarantee you will find yourself smiling, laughing, and crying.  What a great piece of literary work!           

Holly Robinson

*I have been provided a complimentary copy of the book, Beach Plum Island, for the purpose of review.*