Length: 368 pages
ISBN: 9780385523233
Author's website
book description from Goodreads:
In her stunning new novel, Gruen returns to the kind of storytelling she excelled at in Water for Elephants: a historical timeframe in an unusual setting with a moving love story. Think Scottish Downton Abbey.
After embarrassing themselves at the social event of the year in high society Philadelphia on New Year’s Eve of 1942, Maddie and Ellis Hyde are cut off financially by Ellis’s father, a former army Colonel who is already embarrassed by his son’s inability to serve in WWII due to his being colorblind. To Maddie’s horror, Ellis decides that the only way to regain his father’s favor is to succeed in a venture his father attempted and very publicly failed at: he will hunt the famous Loch Ness monster and when he finds it he will restore his father’s name and return to his father’s good graces (and pocketbook). Joined by their friend Hank, a wealthy socialite, the three make their way to Scotland in the midst of war. Each day the two men go off to hunt the monster, while another monster, Hitler, is devastating Europe. And Maddie, now alone in a foreign country, must begin to figure out who she is and what she wants. The novel tells of Maddie’s social awakening: to the harsh realities of life, to the beauties of nature, to a connection with forces larger than herself, to female friendship, and finally, to love.
I enjoyed this book. I so enjoyed being in the world of Maddie and really hated for the book to end. It was great watching Maddie come to terms with her life being built on shifting sand and learning to do simple household chores and be part of the 'normal' people. She learned how to really live and love.
The setting was beautiful and full of atmosphere. It was as if I just settled in along with Maddie at the Inn and became one of the gang. Highly readable, hard to put down. Beautiful.
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| UK Cover |
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Available in the UK on 7 May 2015
I like their cover much better than the US cover!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Peggy Ann
This is on my tar list Peggy, glad u enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteHope you like it too Diane when you get to it!
DeleteI have this...have not read it but I want to...I think?
ReplyDeleteIt was good Patty! Let me know if you do read it and what you thought!
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