Frank Mercy is an American expat in Brisbane, Australia, when his wife and unborn child perish in a tsunami. A former police officer, he is a volunteer first responder and helps rescue the survivors of the flood. Among them is a mysterious young boy whom Frank feels compelled to protect and care for. He decides to bring the 3-year-old back to the States with him, but he soon realizes that the boy seems to have supernatural powers and that dangerous people are looking for him. Back in Wisconsin, Frank takes up the family business as a trainer of elite show jumping horses, hoping to put the past behind him and give the child as normal a life as he can have, given his powerful gift.
Two If by Sea is beautifully written, and Jacquelyn Mitchard is completely in command of her narrative. In addition, the main characters are well developed and complex. The book deals with family, grief and healing, and while it is sometimes dark, it remains deeply hopeful. The only negative comment I would have is that it seems a bit too easy for Frank to take the boy to the US, without legally adopting him. Other than that, this is a riveting book, definitely worth reading.
Two If by Sea was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
Jacquelyn Mitchard has 9 children, and most of them are named after characters in fiction.
A financial advisor stole most of the author’s money after she became famous for writing The Deep End of the Ocean (the first Oprah Book Club pick). She had to sell her house in Madison, Wisconsin where part of Two If by Sea takes place.
Jacquelyn Mitchard’s favorite novel is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
Like Frank Mercy, the author’s parents rode and trained horses in Wisconsin.
Cécile Sune was born in Lyon, France, and her obsession with books started when she was 14. Her grandparents had lent her Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, and she spent part of the summer indoors reading. Needless to say, her tan didn't really improve that year! It was also around that time that Cécile fell in love with the English language. Several years later, in 1999, Cécile moved to Toronto, Canada, with her cat and 5 suitcases. Her love of reading greatly increased when she discovered that English books were much cheaper than French novels. In 2013, she decided to start a blog to share her passion. Cécile now lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband and their daughter, and works as a freelance translator (CS Revision).
Martine LeDuc is a publicity director for the city of Montreal. When Patricia Mason, a doctoral student at McGill University, tells her that the British crown jewels were stored in the Sun Life building in Montreal during World War II, and that some of the gems might have been stolen, Martine has no choice but to investigate to avoid a PR disaster. Soon they find a skeleton and 3 jewels in…
It is 2016, and Samantha Harrison is running for president of the United States against Hillary Clinton. In flashbacks, we follow this ambitious woman’s journey from her high school graduation to the days that follow the presidential election. As she struggles to stick to her convictions, she can’t help but notice that her professional drive has a deep impact on her family. Will she succeed in her quest to become the…
In Shadow Garden Blues, Michael Romeo recounts his past as a thief, a homeless man, a drug user and an alcoholic. Unfortunately, this debut novella doesn’t have much of a narrative. While the author uses an elaborate writing style with short chapters and poems that give some rhythm to the book, there seems to be no point to the story. In addition, it is very difficult to feel empathy for Michael…
