Jennifer must do the impossible – bring her mother home. When a family is torn apart by death, two sisters take violently divergent paths and the story of their family appears to end terribly and abruptly. Two decades later Jennifer never dreams that the photo she finds stuck between the pages of a neglected book will tear open a gaping wound to her mother’s secret past. Abandoning her comfortable life with her parents and best friend in the wheat fields of Nebraska, Jennifer’s quest for a hidden aunt leads her to the untamed coast of Maine where she struggles to understand why her mother lied to her for sixteen years.
Across the grey, rocky cove she meets Nathan Moore, the young, reluctant genius surrounded by women who need him to be brother, father, friend, provider, protector and now, first love. The stories, varied, hilarious, and heartbreaking, unfold to paint a striking mural of the shattered past. As Jennifer seeks to piece together her mother’s story, she inadvertently writes one for herself.
Where to begin? This is an ordinary coming-of-age story. It's about a young girl who discovers her mother has been lying to her and then sets out on a journey to find her long-lost aunt. Along the way she learns about her mother, about herself, and about love. However, that's where ordinary ends. The way in which Sirois creates this lyrical story is anything but ordinary. This book is nothing short of magical. The poetic and beautiful writing pulled me in from page one. The story enchanted me throughout the book. This is not the kind of book I generally read, but it is the kind of book that changes me--makes me see the world in a different way.
The characters are multi-layered and so realistic I feel like I could walk into Smithport and join in a conversation with any of the them. Sirois created such a real world with her vivid descriptions and lilting words. Each character was unique and flawed, including the main character and her first love, Nathan.
The setting was as much a character as any of the "people" in the story. The way that Sirois showed me the setting and allowed me to be part of it was masterful. The characters interacted with the setting and I can't imagine this story taking place anywhere other than the small seaside town of Smithport, Maine.
And I loved the last line.
I highly recommend this book. It was captivating. Truly amazing. I nominated it for a Whitney Award.
Here is the link to purchase it on Amazon Kindle.
You can also purchase the print version.
You can learn more about the author here.
