E.J. Hanagan

Emelia Nolen found her soul mate when she was ten. It was Charlie Byrnes. They grew up together and were anxiously looking forward to the day when they’d be married. But something happened. Emelia lived to be an old age before she died. Her daughter, Claire Fitzgerald, is cleaning out her mother’s things. There she finds old photos of her mother with someone she doesn’t know. She finds correspondence between her mom and Charlie. But, Claire’s father was George Claverly. Her mother had never spoken of Charlie or anyone else for that matter. She begins her own search for this stranger who at one time possessed her mother’s love.

The author perfectly weaves this story together by a technique of going back and forth from Claire in current day to Emelia in 1965 in Suncook Lake, New Hampshire. I was totally captivated and couldn’t find out the ‘secret’ soon enough. There is a small amount of lag time when the story strays off topic, but it is a rather short read. It would be a great addition to take to the beach with you this summer. Rating: 4 out of 5.… (meer)

I enjoyed this much more than many of the offerings I've won in the ER group. Perhaps because as I've aged (in my 50's now!) the ideas of personal history, memory and consequences are more in my mind. That is at least partly what this story is about.
It changes viewpoints from a woman in the 1960's to her daughter in present time telling the story of their loves and families. I related to some of Claire's feelings regarding parenthood. Though I've raised 3, I currently have an adopted son whom I sometimes feel impatient with as Claire does with her daughter Paige.
Her search through her mother's unknown past sends her on a quest for her own parental identity. As secrets are uncovered and she meets someone from her mother's past she finds out things about herself that help her move forward.
The '60's characters summers on the lake triggered memories of my young summers and I enjoyed that association.
This is not great writing but it is good writing, which in these giveaway books is rare enough. I would read more from this author and recommend it as a quick summer read, just under 200 pages.… (meer)

It is very unusual for me to be drawn into a novel by the book cover. This is not to say that I don’t appreciate or enjoy the art on book covers but merely to share that it is not usually the key ‘sourcing’ element for my book selection. In this case, as I was perusing the list of monthly selections in the “Early Reviewer” offerings on LibraryThing, the book cover by Shari Ryan caught my attention. I then read the book description and wasn’t sure if I could read a novel that would share the main character’s grief in the loss of her mother but still requested the title. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this title as an “Early Reviewer” from Library Thing.

The chapters alternate between Claire Fitzgerald’s view in the present day and her mother Emelia Nolen’s view in 1965 on Suncook Lake, New Hampshire. Although happily married and the successful entrepreneur of Paige’s Photography, Claire is filled with insecurities in all of her life roles particularly as mother to her daughter of toddler age named Paige and the anxieties and uncertainties are ever increasing since her mother’s death. Claire is cleaning out the attic after her mother’s death and discovers aged, black and white photographs of her mother and a handsome man who isn’t her father. There are so many questions but there is also the realization that in every photograph of her mother and this mystery man there is the same smile on her Mother’s face – “one that took up her entire face and not just her mouth, one that completely reached her glowing crystal-clear, violet-blue eyes.” There is also discovery of a letter to her Mother from a man named Charlie. Who is Charlie? Is Charlie the mystery man in the old photos? Then in another corner of the attic, there is a set of china and for as long as Claire can remember she had never seen her mother use this china. But wait! Claire does remember a photo of the stranger using the exact same teacup that Claire is now holding in her hands. How can that be? What does it mean?

The novel is beautifully written as the story flows seamlessly through the alternating chapters. A smooth transition of a storyline is an artistic expression of writing and this example is flawless. This story reveals the depth of a daughter’s poignant emotions following her mother’s death but not in a maudlin manner. As the story unfolds from Claire’s view and her Mother’s view, a mother’s past unfolds and a daughter’s questions are answered. Memories of the past become clearer and recognition of a family history become the stepping stones to the future.

Although I am not a book club participant, I can imagine this novel as a wonderful book club read particularly for a multi-generational group of women to share and discuss. The highest compliment that I can give to this book is to share that I know that I will read this book again. As British actor, Stephen Fry says, “The thing that keeps one living is a sense of future.” This novel reminds us of the joy in ordinary days that become extraordinary memories. The story encourages us and inspires us to grow and understand that we become the best of ourselves as we shed our worries, become strengthened with confidence as we accept our uniqueness, and live hopefully, loving fully.… (meer)