Thursday, March 12, 2015

Silver Bay

Silver Bay
by JoJo Moyes

Silver Bay: A Novel

Genre: Women's Fiction

Synopsis:  From the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You and One Plus One, a surprising and moving romance set in an old-fashioned seaside town on the verge of unwelcome change

Liza McCullen will never fully escape her past. But the unspoiled beaches and tight-knit community of Silver Bay offer the freedom and safety she craves—if not for herself, then for her young daughter, Hannah. That is, until Mike Dormer arrives as a guest in her aunt’s hotel.

The mild-mannered Englishman with his too-smart clothes and distracting eyes could destroy everything Liza has worked so hard to protect: not only the family business and the bay that harbors her beloved whales, but also her conviction that she will never love—never deserve to love—again.

For his part, Mike Dormer is expecting just another business deal—an easy job kick-starting a resort in a small seaside town ripe for development. But he finds that he doesn’t quite know what to make of the eccentric inhabitants of the ramshackle Silver Bay Hotel, especially not enigmatic Liza McCullen, and their claim to the surrounding waters.

As the development begins to take on a momentum of its own, Mike’s and Liza’s worlds collide in this hugely affecting and irresistible tale full of Jojo Moyes’s signature humor and generosity.
from Goodreads

Review:  This book was fine, but it didn't live up to the high expectations I had based on my love of Moyes' bestselling book Me Before You.  The character of Mike didn't ring true to me; he passively went along with everything his fiance wanted, and then suddenly found the gumption to change his entire life?  I didn't buy it.  And Liza's big secret didn't seem as dramatic as it could have been, either.  I loved Hannah, a brave, passionate child, and Katherine, a salty and tough grandmother figure trying to keep the family business afloat.  And while I enjoyed learning about the whales and dolphin, I'm not as much of an animal rights activist as any of the characters (or Moyes) are.  Moyes does a wonderful job describing the setting, making the reader feel like they are on the seaside in Australia.  It was an enjoyable vacation read, but not as memorable or thought provoking as Me Before You.

Rating: 3.5 stars

No comments:

Post a Comment