Kristy Kiernan

Chloe is feeling the effects of a slightly strained marriage and the discomfort of her son, Marshall, bringing home a new girlfriend who is part of an odd group of a small religious sect who has sent her to college on scholarship. Marshall has been searching for some kind of faith—any kind, really, since he saw his friend die at age twelve. But the entire family is thrown into a nightmare when Marshall’s girlfriend, Ava, sneaks peanut butter to Chloe’s younger daughter, Meghan while out on a boat and Meghan goes into severe anaphylactic shock with only one epiPen along; not enough to make it back in time, she ends up in a coma.

We see the family struggle with two points of view; Chloe’s in first person, and Marshall’s in third. There are praises for this novel from writers such as Jacquelyn Mitchard (The Deep End of the Ocean) and Sarah Gruen(Water for Elephants). I think, though, that Tasha Alexander (Only to Deceive) says the most helpful thing, and I’m merely summing it up; this is a book for fans of Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve.… (meer)

There is a sweetness to this author's voice. Kristy Kiernan succeeds in writing a book that is as much about personal relationships as it is about the power of place. I found myself longing to move into the beach house on Big Dune Island myself. I enjoyed reading it more for its ability to transport me than for its outstanding characters and themes. The author touches on many topics related to family dynamics, sisters, secrets, betrayal, divorce, and inherited charatceristics of genius. The novel itself would translate well into a made for television movie. Having lived in Southwest Florida I was thrown off by the fictionalized names she chose...Verona for Naples. I felt like there were some similarities in possibility to a Pat Conroy novel, but had the feeling that the author was not comfortable enough exploring the darker side of human emotions to take it to that place of significance. Still, an enjoyable read, especially a beach read.… (meer)