What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Sun, sand, blue skies and turquoise water. Sounds like a dream right about now as we shelter-in-place due to the Coronavirus, doesn’t it? That’s what’s so wonderful about books. They can take you places you can’t go in person . . . at least not right now.

Just about a year ago I wrote about Elin Hilderbrand‘s book Winter in Paradise that takes place in St. John (USVI). I just finished the sequel, What Happens in Paradise, and it didn’t disappoint. Between these two books I have gotten attached to the characters and fallen in love with the location. It will be difficult to leave it all behind when she finishes the series.

This installment focuses on the relationships that are developing between the Steele family (Irene, Cash, Baker and Finn) and the people living on the island (Huck, Maia, Ayers, and Mick). They may live in a tropical paradise with beaches, boat excursions, and beach bars, but they aren’t immune to the ups and downs in life we all experience. And then the FBI gets involved. They, along with everyone else, want to know what Russ actually did in his job before he died in the helicopter accident. And was it an accident? Hilderbrand masterfully weaves in just enough information on the investigation and leaves us with a major dilemma to keep the reader wanting more in the third book to come.

While you’re at home quarantined, why not lose yourself in a good book that will take you to paradise with Winter in Paradise and What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand. The final book of the series Troubles in Paradise will be out in October of 2020.

I can’t give you more of the story because I don’t want to ruin the first book for you if you haven’t started this series yet. All I can say is that it is a light, enjoyable read. Or check your bookshelves for something you haven’t gotten around to reading. Buy an e-book. Order books on-line. Do a curbside pick-up at your local library or bookstore. Let your favorite author take you to another place and time for awhile.

February 26, 2020

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Have you noticed the upswing in movies about musicians over the last few years? The fourth remake of A Star is Born, a fictional story, was released in 2018. Two movies based on real lives, Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury and Queen) in 2018 and Rocketman (Elton John) in 2019, also come to mind. Perhaps the market is there because we’re curious about what a rock star life is like. Perhaps we’re amazed at their talent so much that we want to see that they are real people with real struggles, too. Perhaps it’s the nostalgic part that brings us back to our lives in our teens and twenties. Yes, I saw all three movies. So when I heard there was a book out inspired by Fleetwood Mac, I have to admit I was interested.

Although Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Reid Jenkins is fiction, the book is loosely based on the experiences of the band members of Fleetwood Mac and other 70s bands. I have always enjoyed the music of Fleetwood Mac and there’s just something mesmerizing about Stevie Nicks. Her delicious, sultry voice, the carefree gypsy vibe like a breeze that can’t be caught or tied down, and the rebellious girl rock ‘n’ roller fascinate audiences. Yes, we want to know more about the band! But, remember, Daisy Jones and the Six is a fictional story of living in the 70s rock world loosely based on Fleetwood Mac. Be forewarned: you know the saying “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.” That is this book. If reading about that world isn’t your thing, that’s fine. This book isn’t for you. If you want a closer look into that world – the ups and downs, the struggles and the big breaks, the insecurities and egos, the choices both good and bad, the friendships and the rivalries – then try it.

Even though I knew the book was fictional, the Fleetwood Mac members came alive to me as I read. At times I believed I could pinpoint that this character or that event was about Stevie Nicks or Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie or Mick Fleetwood, as well as John McVie, Neil Finn or Mike Campbell coming through in the story. Other times I wondered if a detail was based on a real event or totally fictional. Reid has a way of making these people and this band seem totally real. You will catch yourself believing it all and then reminding yourself it is a fictional story and band.

Written in a unique style, the book is told through responses to an unseen interviewer, like a rock documentary. I wasn’t sure I would like this technique going in, but rarely did it throw me. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed hearing what one band member said and then hearing another band member with a different perspective or different memory of the same event. It added realism. Although this technique doesn’t allow for inner-dialogue, I found myself sometimes questioning what the person really thought, what they couldn’t or didn’t want to say to an interviewer. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, that’s how relationships are in real life. It makes us question but perhaps also not be so judgmental since we don’t really know the whole story that makes up a person’s heart. Be prepared to keep an open mind at trying this unique technique in storytelling. It might work for you. It might not.

If you grew up with bands like Fleetwood Mac, you will relate to this story. It’s not necessarily a feel good story, but it is realistic look into the 70s rock world. It doesn’t apologize for the 70s rock experience. It simply lets us peek into the inner circle. Daisy Jones and the Six is a New York Times Bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Amazon is currently working on a series based on the book.

October 23, 2019

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

If you are a fan of C.S. Lewis, you need to pick up Patti Callahan’s book Becoming Mrs. Lewis. This historical fiction is based on many interviews and loads of research which enables Callahan to bring Joy Davidman’s experiences to life as she develops a long-term relationship with Lewis.

I have read books by CS (Jack) Lewis (The Narnia books and The ScrewTape Letters, for example) and by JRR Tolkien (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series), but years ago when I found out they were friends, I was enchanted by the thought. These two giants in the literary world hung out together. They were in a writing group together called The Inklings. And as the story goes, Tolkien helped lead Lewis to faith in Christ. After this, Lewis began to weave Christian themes and undertones into his writing. It has fascinated me for years how these two men could write such brilliant, fantastical stories with Christian themes and symbolism that has been and continues to be loved by both the secular and Christian worlds. Lewis is well known for his theological and philosophical writings, as well.

Although Becoming Mrs. Lewis mentions Tolkien and The Inklings, it is really the story of Joy Davidman. As a person with a similar conversion story as Lewis, she began writing letters to him. She also felt a literary connection to him since she was a published poet. Struggling in an abusive marriage and new to the Christian life, Joy sought counsel from Lewis. Her letters from America traveled across the ocean to Lewis at Oxford and he wrote back, gradually leading to a long-term pen-pal friendship.

Over many years Lewis continued to give her advice and encouragement, but he always kept his integrity. This life-long bachelor kept his feelings in check, only allowing his love to be philia (friendship/brotherly love). After many years when Joy’s circumstances changed and Lewis had the support of the Church of England, only then did he allow his feelings of eros (romantic love) to surface and they were married. For years there was a clear line he never crossed, often leaving Joy to wonder if the love she felt was only one-sided.

I applaud Patti Callahan’s success in writing this book. The amount of research she did truly made these two people come alive again. The love and respect readers have for Lewis will only be reinforced by seeing his continual integrity and kindness. As for Joy, we see a woman who endured many struggles with strength and courage during a time when society did not see a woman’s value. Additionally, we see how Lewis valued her and was influenced by her. Readers will realize that she greatly impacted Lewis to become the man we cherish today.

If this sounds like your kind of story, pick up a copy of Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan.

October 8, 2019

Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs

I’ll admit it’s been a few years since I read a book by Susan Wiggs, and I’m so glad I rediscovered her. When she was on a book tour in our area last month, I attended so I could listen to her and hopefully pick up a few tips on getting into the business. I also picked up a couple of her novels including Map of the Heart. I just finished it last night and I loved it!

Susan’s skill at storytelling is impressive. In Map of the Heart she seamlessly intertwines stories from two different generations. The first story surrounds Camille, an American photographer who specializes in developing old film. People come to her to salvage the images on long forgotten film in canisters found in attics or film found in old cameras. When Finn, a college history professor, comes to her about some personal film, Camille is instantly attracted to him, but she struggles with moving on after being widowed five years earlier. Her teenage daughter is also struggling with an overprotective mom and school bullies.

Meanwhile Camille’s father receives some old family film from France. The pictures lead Camille, her teenage daughter and Camille’s father to spend the summer in his hometown in France to research the parents he never knew. The lack of family resemblance in the photos make them question if his father truly was the tyrannical mayor, hated in the village because he was a Nazi collaborator during WWII, or if his father was someone totally unknown.

Finn, the history professor, returns to his teaching position in France. Along with his assistants, they help uncover the second storyline in the novel about Camille’s grandparents, Lisette and Didier. They learn that Lisette felt forced into marrying this Nazi collaborator, but she secretly helped the resistance. Is Camille’s father the son of Lisette and Didier as he had always believed? Or did an occupying Nazi soldier force himself on Lisette? Or is he the son of someone from the resistance or allied troops? Although revealing the past brings Camille and Finn closer together during their summer in France, what happens when she returns to America and he remains to teach in France?

I love these unique and yet relatable characters. Lisette’s story in a small worn-torn village occupied by Germans in WWII France was captivating. I’m not one to usually go for a war story, but this novel has such a nice balance of yesterday and today contrasting the problems faced by people in WWII versus now. The author in me kept thinking about the amount of research on WWII and France Susan must have done for this novel. Because of all the French cultural details, I wonder if she has a French background. Even though I don’t speak any French and know very little about France, the French words and traditions she included added interest and flavor.

I would recommend this book and I will definitely read more by this author. The newest book by Susan Wiggs is The Oysterville Sewing Circle which tackles the topic of domestic violence. Susan says it isn’t about sewing. It’s about a support group for women who have experienced abuse. I haven’t read it yet, but it is on my “to read” list!

September 13, 2019

Farewell Dear Dottie

My week began with taking a few moments to catch up on Facebook when I noticed a post from one of my favorite authors that I follow. I sat in shock as I realized the post was from her page, but it was written by her family. They were announcing that their dear mother and wife, Dorothea Benton Frank, had passed on Labor Day, September 2, 2019. Dottie, as her family, friends and fans called her, died after a brief battle with MDS, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a type of cancer much like leukemia. She was 67.

I was especially shocked since I had just been at a Meet and Greet event for Dottie in June as she promoted her latest book, “Queen Bee” which reached no. 2 on The New York Times best-seller list. She seemed healthy then. At another author Meet and Greet event this week, many of those in attendance were saying the same thing and wondering if she even knew she was sick. It really reminds me how precious every day is when I see how quickly this illness took her.

Dottie was known for writing about the Lowcountry/Charleston area. Her writing would be categorized as women’s fiction and even “beach reads,” but the labels may not clearly identify the depth of her writing skill and style. Her first book, “Sullivan’s Island,” was semi-autobiographical. It debuted at no. 9 on The New York Times best-seller list. She was known to add another title approximately one per year having completed 20 books total. Some of the titles include: “Isle of Palms,” “Pawleys Island,” “Folly Beach,” “The Last Original Wife,” “By Invitation Only” and “Same Beach, Next Year.”

I love the story about Dottie’s childhood home on Sullivan’s Island. When her mother passed, the siblings wanted to sell the house. Dottie did not; however, she didn’t have the money to buy them out. At the time Dottie was a fashion buyer turned executive for a sportswear line. She announced, “I’m going to write a book and I’m going to sell a million copies and I’m going to buy Momma’s house back.” Her first book ,”Sullivan’s Island: A Lowcountry Tale,” was published in 1999 and sold more than one million copies. Although she could now afford to buy her mother’s house, it had already been sold. She and her husband bought another house on the island instead.

I’m grateful I got the chance to hear her speak. Authors truly pour their souls into their writing, but I get a whole new appreciation of the master storyteller when I meet one in person. I got a sense of her personality, a warmth and sweetness mixed with a bit of humorous Southern sass.

Although Dottie will live on through her beloved stories, I will miss reading new books by her. I think it will be time to go back and re-read the ones in my personal library soon. If you haven’t read Dorothea Benton Frank, I think you should.

August 21, 2019

Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews

Put Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews on your reading list even though the summer is coming to an end. It isn’t about lounging around on the sand and it’s not a romance on the beach. It is about a young woman, Drue, moving past tough experiences in life to create new possibilities while helping others and finding justice.

After Drue’s mother dies, she finds herself in a tough spot in life. She decides to move back to her hometown and take a job at her father’s law firm even though he hasn’t been a part of her life since she was 15. Drue learns that she inherited her grandparents beach house, but it’s in rough shape.

While fixing the place up, Drue finds newspaper clippings and a police file from the ’70’s on a missing person case that was never solved. Her curiosity is piqued about both the missing woman and her family’s connection to it. Meanwhile, a disgruntled woman visits the law office wanting to see Drue’s father. The woman’s daughter was killed while housekeeping at an area hotel. Although Drue’s father won the case, he wasn’t able to get much money. The hotel claimed the daughter was killed while working which made it a workman’s comp case with a cap of $150,000 for a settlement. The woman is struggling financially to raise her granddaughter and can’t get to the money until the child turns 18. Drue feels the settlement is ridiculously low and wonders what can be done to help the woman and her granddaughter. Without her father’s knowledge, she begins to investigate both situations.

After reading so many beach romances, I found this book refreshing. Even with the murder mystery, it is still a light read, not the kind of story that keeps you awake a night. The characters and plot kept me engaged. I enjoyed a strong female character who took chances while investigating. Sometimes her curiosity put her in danger, but her motive was always to help someone. I enjoyed it enough that I will definitely read more books by Mary Kay Andrews.

April 3, 2019

Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is one of my go-to authors. Most of Hilderbrand’s stories take place in the Nantucket area where she lives. However, when I attended an author series presented by the Cuyahoga Public Libraries last fall, I was excited to hear her speak about her new series that would take place in St. John (USVI). If spring weather isn’t coming fast enough for you, try escaping to St John for awhile in her first book in the series, Winter in Paradise.

Irene discovers that her husband Russell has died in a helicopter accident while away on “business” in St. John. When she and her adult sons arrive in St. John, they uncover that he was living a secret second life there. Russell owned a $15 million villa and had a long-time lover (Rosie) who was also killed in the crash. We learn about Russell through the people he impacted on the island including Huck (Rosie’s step-father), Ayers (Rosie’s best friend) and Maia (Rosie’s daughter). The way Irene’s family becomes entangled with Rosie’s family makes for interesting relationships.

Although Irene has been living a life of wealth, readers may think it is unrealistic that Russell could have hidden a $15 million villa and another family. However, suspicions arise concerning both the helicopter crash and what Russell was actually doing for a living. The villa had been cleaned out of any personal items before Irene arrived and the company Russell worked for has disconnected their phone and taken down their website.

Readers will want to read the next book to find out what Russell was involved in and whether or not the crash was an accident, but they will also be excited to spend more time with fun and unique characters in the Virgin Islands. I give it a thumbs up!

March 5, 2019February 20, 2019

Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love by Sebastian Cole

Hi everyone! In my last post I shared part of my journey to pinpoint the genre term publishers and agents might use to describe the book I’ve written, The Lighthouse Legacy. ( In case you wondered, I concluded it is upmarket fiction with a crossover to the women’s fiction market.)

Anyhoo – while researching, I came across a book that has romance using a male protagonist, like my novel. (Not a common thing, apparently). It isn’t chick lit ( a real publisher term, by the way) and it isn’t women’s fiction (because of the male protagonist). Sebastian Cole, the author, labels Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love as romance fantasy (as in events happen outside our idea of reality, not as in “sexy”). Ok, so it doesn’t match my novel’s genre, but I had to read it to find that out. I’m glad I did. I still think about the characters months after reading the book.

This story is told in retrospect by an 80-year-old Noah to Josh, a hospital orderly. (Yes, I believe the character is meant as a nod to Nicholas Sparks’s Noah in The Notebook.) In his 30’s, Noah seems to have everything a person could want – a nice car, a secure, well-paying job in his father’s company, and a great beach house. What Noah doesn’t have is his soul mate.

When he meets Robin, he is enticed by her free spirit. His parents, however, don’t see her as a good fit, so they exercise their strong control over his life by threatening his future in the family business. Due to both his inability to break away from his parents’ control and Robin’s own issues with staying in a relationship, they find each other and lose each other several times. In time he discovers that Robin’s issues revolve around a childhood trauma which brought on Borderline Personality Disorder. All his attempts to fix their relationship fail. Although he loves Robin, he realizes it’s time to move on with his life. Just as Noah is preparing to marry Sarah, a woman who is more his friend than soul mate, Robin arrives at the church to interrupt the wedding.

Robin could be too late to save their relationship. Besides his fiance waiting at the altar, Noah must also consider his position in the family business. Sarah is the safe option. Which road will he choose and can he find true happiness in his decision?

The end of the story returns to 80-year-old Noah as he continues to tell his story to Josh in the hospital. All the people he has loved are standing around his death bed, so we still don’t know what choice Noah made on that wedding day. The author gradually reveals the choice. As a reader, I felt content with the ending.

I loved the story and the characters, but occasionally the time period of the scene or the organization of the story was confusing. The symbolism also seemed a bit heavy-handed. While the story is original, at times I felt it pulled ideas from The Notebook too much. Having said that, Cole’s character of Noah has stayed with me. He felt like a friend I didn’t want to say goodbye to.

Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love by Sebastian Cole has earned several awards. In 2012 ForeWard Reviews Book of the Year named it their bronze winner, Feathered Quill Book Awards awarded Sand Dollar as their silver winner, and it was a USA Best Book Awards finalist, just to name a few. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

February 19, 2019January 12, 2022

Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks

Hi my shells! Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to hang out with me.

I hope you caught my last post on the Kindred Spirit mailbox located in the middle of nowhere on a North Carolina beach. People leave stories from their lives there for others to discover. (If you missed it, I hope you will look back in your email or go to the blog page on robinshelley.com to read it.)

I first became aware of this intriguing mailbox when I read Nicholas Sparks’s newest novel Every Breath, released in October of 2018. Sparks uses this very real mailbox as an important part of his fictional story. With a unique narration, Sparks puts himself into the novel creating a frame story (a story inside a story). The novel begins with Sparks (as the narrator) finding the mailbox which contains a large envelope. Inside is a story that piques his interest. As the narrator, Sparks tells us he felt compelled to research the story which takes us back into the 1990’s to meet our characters, Hope and Tru.

Hope Anderson is spending a week at the family beach house before it gets sold, trying to work through some emotional issues in her life. Her long-term relationship isn’t headed any closer to a marriage proposal and her father has been diagnosed with ALS.

Tru Walls, born and raised in Zimbabwe, makes a career out of being a safari guide. When he receives a letter from the father he never knew, he travels to North Carolina to meet him.

Tru and Hope end up in side-by-side beach houses. It doesn’t take long for them to meet and for the “sparks” to fly. The problem is to figure out how to make a relationship work when they live on different continents and both have obligations at home. The fairy tale beach romance gets overshadowed by reality. Hard choices are made putting family ahead of personal happiness. The story jumps to 2014 when they meet again. Is it too late for Hope and Tru to find their personal happiness with each other? I can’t tell you more or it will spoil the book for you! Just read it yourself.

Personally, I would have liked more scenes in Africa and more development of Tru’s relationship with his father. After all, Tru came all the way from Zimbabwe to the United States to meet him. It also bothers me that Hope and Tru fall so deeply in love in a matter of days, but that’s part of the formula. I’m able to set that aside while reading so I can enjoy an otherwise well-written story.

The last Nicholas Sparks book I reviewed, Two By Two, disappointed me because it didn’t fit the brand Sparks has developed. It wasn’t the love story we’ve come to expect from him. However, with Every Breath, Sparks has found his way back to telling a love story like previous ones loved by so many. There will always be people who don’t like the formula he follows. For others, it’s just what they crave. All I can say is it seems to work for him. I TRU-ly enjoyed Every Breath and give it a 4.8 on a 5 star rating. If this is your kind of book, I HOPE you will pick it up and give it a try. Keep on reading!

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018

Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks

Do you have a favorite author? For me, it’s Nicholas Sparks. If you don’t know who he is, which I find hard to imagine, perhaps it will ring a bell if you hear some of his titles, several which have been made into movies. He wrote A Walk to Remember, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, The Last Song, Message in a Bottle, Safe Haven, and the iconic The Notebook, just to name a few. He is usually thought of as an author of romance with tragic elements. He was my inspiration to start writing novels.

I just finished his latest book Two By Two. As much as I want to give it 5 stars, I can only give it 3.5. It was definitely worth the time to read it; however, Spark’s heartache from his own divorce understandably appears to be leaking into his writing. If you are looking for the typical Nicholas Sparks love story, this isn’t it. You might call it an anti-romance. Yet, I found the development of the main character interesting.

Through a large part of the novel (probably too much) we see the slow disintegration of a marriage. Russ is a people-pleaser. His wife Vivian manipulates him to the point that he becomes a non-entity in the relationship. When she leaves him, he struggles with his self-worth. He is overwhelmed by the divorce, his new role as a single parent and getting his new business up and running. Through these experiences and with the support of loved ones, Russ grows into a stronger man.

At first I thought it was strange that Sparks would write a book about a failing marriage. He’s supposed to write about romance, right? And yet, it works. Readers feel for Russ as he goes from drowning in a nasty divorce to gasping Continue reading “Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks”

July 15, 2018March 7, 2024

The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

Robin’s Rave Reviews 2018

Reading goes hand-in-hand with writing. Writers need to be reading. So in between writing, researching how to get published, building my social network/platform, and living life, I still find time to read.

I just finished The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand which I would highly recommend. The story revolves around twin sisters who are nothing alike. One raised by her mother, the other by her father; one lives on Nantucket, the other on Martha’s Vineyard; one is very proper, the other leaps into trouble because she doesn’t think first. They have been at odds with each other for years until a family tragedy forces them to cross paths. Only they can decide if blood is thicker than the water that divides them.

What I liked: The characters became like family to me. They were realistic and interesting. When I finished the last page, I didn’t want to leave their world. I didn’t notice any slow spots in the story. I just wanted to keep reading! Elin used a smart parallel structure in her writing to masterfully show the differences in the women while also showcasing the differences between their two islands. You will enjoy her nod to The Parent Trap when the women switch lives as they try to work out their personal issues.

Fun Side Note: Elin has a twin brother. Obviously they aren’t identical, but she knows a thing or two about twinning!

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