Synopses & Reviews
More than a century ago, lighthouse keeper Linus Harris left his beloved wife and waded into the ocean with three other men to reunite with their mermaid lovers. The mysterious Mermaid Mutiny of 1888 has become legend for the residents of Cradle Harbor, Maine, honored by the town’s Mermaid Festival every August, when wind chimes are hung from seaside porches to drown out the alluring sound of mermaid song. For thirty-five-year-old Tess Patterson, the legend is more than folklore; it’s proof of life’s magic. A hopeless romantic who is profoundly connected to the ocean in which she lost her mother, Tess ekes out a living as a wood-carver and longs to find a love as mystical as the sea. But when she’s hired to carve the commemorative mermaid sculpture for the coming festival, a chance to win the town’s elusive acceptance might finally be in her grasp.
For Tom Grace, life’s magic was lost at eighteen, when the death of his parents left him to care for his reckless brother, Dean. Now thirty-five and the new owner of Cradle Harbor’s prized lightkeeper’s house, Tom hopes the quiet town will calm Dean’s self-destructive ways. But when Tom discovers Tess working on her sculpture, an unlikely and passionate affair ignites between them that just might be the stuff of legend itself—even as it brings to the surface a long-buried secret that could tear everything apart.
CONVERSATION GUIDE INCLUDED
Review
"Mix a love story, history, and a mystery and what takes root?
The Violets of March, a novel that reminds us how the past comes back to haunt us, and packs a few great surprises for the reader along the way."
-Jodi Picoult, author of Sing You Home and House Rules
"Sarah Jio's The Violets of March is a book for anyone who has ever lost love or lost herself."
-Allison Winn Scotch, author of Time of My Life and The One That I Want
"An enchanting story of love, betrayal, and the discovery of an old diary that mysteriously links the past to the present."
-Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
"Sarah Jio delivers a gem of a book, perfect for reading on the beach or under a cozy quilt."
-Sarah Pekkanen, author of The Opposite of Me and Skipping a Beat
"The Violets of March is a captivating, bittersweet tale of what happens when the long-buried truth finally makes its way to the surface. I didn't want this book to end!"
-Kelly O'Connor McNees, author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
"Sarah Jio is one talented writer!"
-Claire Cook, bestselling author of Must Love Dogs and Seven Year Switch
Review
“An elegant and enchanting story about rescuing ourselves by saving each other, and a beautiful reminder of the magic and mystery we hold in our hearts.”—Eleanor Brown,
New York Times Bestselling Author of
The Weird Sisters “Magical! The Mermaid Collector had me immediately transported to the windswept cove at Cradle Harbor, feeling the mist on my face and the sand under my feet—and looking for mermaids at every turn.”—Sarah Jio, Author of The Violets of March and The Bungalow
And praise for Erika Marks' Little Gale Gumbo
“Spicy, delicious, and filled with surprises.”—Adriana Trigiani, New York Times Bestselling Author of Don’t Sing at the Table
“A debut like this doesn’t come along often—this is women’s fiction to be savored...a winner.”—Library Journal (Starred Review)
Review
Praise for the Novels of Erika Marks
“Spicy, delicious, and filled with surprises.”—New York Times Bestselling Author Adriana Trigiani
“Elegant and enchanting.”—New York Times Bestselling Author Eleanor Brown
“Magical!”—Sarah Jio, author of The Bungalow
“A savory blend of romance and suspense.”—Sally Koslow, author of With Friends Like These
“Erika Marks is a shining new talent, and she has written a novel full of heart and grace.”—Rae Meadows, author of Mothers and Daughters
“This is women's fiction to be savored.”—Library Journal (starred review)
Review
“Well-written characters and fascinating plot twists will appeal to book groups and fans of womens fiction.”—
Library Journal “McDonough does a fabulous job showing that being blind-sided isnt always a bad thing. Sometimes, even the best surprises come out of it. Every facet of the book is compelling, but readers might particularly enjoy the dynamics between the heroine and the two male protagonists. The storys effortless fluidity will have readers questioning how this inspired-by-real-events premise unfolds.”—Romantic Times
"With a deft, sure touch, Yona Zeldis McDonough explores the ways families are formed and how love can take you by surprise. An absorbing and soul-stirring novel."—Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train
"Abounding with warmth and charm, You Were Meant for Me, is a profoundly moving novel which explores the intensity of love and the fallout of heartbreak. It will capture your attention from the very first page and never let go."—Emily Liebert, author of When We Fall
"Intriguing, beautifully told and keeps you guessing right to the last pages."—Sue Margolis, author of Best Supporting Role
Synopsis
A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author. In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.
Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.
A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.
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Synopsis
For generations, the natives of Harrisport have watched wealthy summer families descend on their Cape Cod town, inhabiting the massive cottages along the towns best stretches of beachfront. But when rich Southerner Tucker Moss breaks the heart of local girl Edie Wright in the summer of 1966, an enduring war starts between the two families that lasts for generations....
Edies youngest child, Lexi, should know better than to fall in love with a Moss, but at eighteen, she falls hard for Tuckers son, Hudsononly to find herself jilted when Hudson breaks off their engagement.
Eleven years later, Lexi returns home after two years away studying architectural photography, just in time for yet another summer on the Cape. When Hudsons younger brother, Cooper, arrives unexpectedly to sell the seaside estate after the death of his father and hires Lexi to photograph it, an unlikely attraction forms, and Lexi finds herself torn once again between passion and family loyalty.
Then renovations at the Moss guest house reveal a forty-six-year-old declaration of love carved into a piece of framingand a startling truth that will force two women and the men who love them to confront the treacherous waters of their pasts.
Synopsis
More than a century ago, lighthouse keeper Linus Harris left his beloved wife and waded into the ocean with three other men to reunite with their mermaid lovers. The mysterious Mermaid Mutiny of 1888 has become legend for the residents of Cradle Harbor, Maine, honored by the town’s Mermaid Festival every August, when wind chimes are hung from seaside porches to drown out the alluring sound of mermaid song. For thirty-five-year-old Tess Patterson, the legend is more than folklore; it’s proof of life’s magic. A hopeless romantic who is profoundly connected to the ocean in which she lost her mother, Tess ekes out a living as a wood-carver and longs to find a love as mystical as the sea. But when she’s hired to carve the commemorative mermaid sculpture for the coming festival, a chance to win the town’s elusive acceptance might finally be in her grasp.
For Tom Grace, life’s magic was lost at eighteen, when the death of his parents left him to care for his reckless brother, Dean. Now thirty-five and the new owner of Cradle Harbor’s prized lightkeeper’s house, Tom hopes the quiet town will calm Dean’s self-destructive ways. But when Tom discovers Tess working on her sculpture, an unlikely and passionate affair ignites between them that just might be the stuff of legend itself—even as it brings to the surface a long-buried secret that could tear everything apart.
CONVERSATION GUIDE INCLUDED
Synopsis
What do you do when you have to give up the person you love most?
Thirty-five-year-old Miranda is not an impulsive person. Shes been at Domestic Goddess magazine for eight years, she has great friends, and shes finally moving on after a breakup. Having a baby isnt even on her radaruntil the day she discovers an abandoned newborn on the platform of a Brooklyn subway station. Rushing the little girl to the closest police station, Miranda hopes and prays shell be all right and that a loving family will step forward to take her.
Yet Miranda cant seem to get the baby off her mind and keeps coming up with excuses to go check on her, until finally a family court judge asks whether shed like to be the babys foster parentmaybe even adopt her. To her own surprise, Miranda jumps at the chance. But nothing could have prepared her for the ecstasy of new-mother loveor the heartbreak she faces when the babys father surfaces....
CONVERSATION GUIDE INCLUDED
About the Author
Yona Zeldis McDonough is the author of the novels Two of a Kind, A Wedding in Great Neck, Breaking the Bank, In Dahlia's Wake, and The Four Temperaments, as well as nineteen books for children. She is also the editor of two essay collections and is the Fiction Editor at Lilith magazine. Her award-winning short fiction, articles, and essays have been published in anthologies and in numerous national magazines and newspapers. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, two children and three very yappy Pomeranians.