A sweeping debut novel about the generations of a family that spends summers in a seaside enclave on Maine's rocky coastline, for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Beatriz Williams, and Sarah Blake.
1944: Maren Larsen is a blonde beauty from a small Minnesota farming town, determined to do her part to help the war effort––and to see the world beyond her family’s cornfields. As a cadet nurse at Walter Reed Medical Center, she’s swept off her feet by Dr. Oliver Demarest, a handsome Boston Brahmin whose family spends summers in an insular community on the rocky coast of Maine.
1970: As the nation grapples with the ongoing conflict in Vietnam, Oliver and Maren are grappling with their fiercely independent seventeen-year-old daughter, Annie, who has fallen for a young man they don’t approve of. Before the summer is over a terrible tragedy will strike the Demarests––and in the aftermath, Annie vows never to return to Haven Point.
2008: Annie’s daughter, Skye, has arrived in Maine to help scatter her mother’s ashes. Maren knows that her granddaughter inherited Annie’s view of Haven Point: despite the wild beauty and quaint customs, the regattas and clambakes and sing-alongs, she finds the place––and the people––snobbish and petty. But Maren also knows that Annie never told Skye the whole truth about what happened during that fateful summer.
Over seven decades of a changing America, through wars and storms, betrayals and reconciliations, Virginia Hume's Haven Point explores what it means to belong to a place, and to a family, which holds as tightly to its traditions as it does its secrets.
MY THOUGHTS:
This is a debut book and a very good one.
Maren is a cadet nurse at Walter Reed Hospital. A girl from a farm in Minnesota. Just your average farm girl who wanted to make a difference. Maren is a very likable character. You will see her grow and become a strong force. Also a very caring and loving nurse. When she meets Dr Oliver Demarest her life is never the same. They are from different worlds but seem to compliment each other. While he is quite a few years older, ten, they seem to fit.
Timelines for this story are 1944, 1970 and 2008. It lets you meet many characters but centers around Maren and her granddaughter Skye. Maren is always there for Skye and her mother Anne. Though Anne vows to never return to Haven Point Skye is there quite a bit. You will love Skye. She's one of my favorite characters. I also loved Maren's strength when she was at Haven Point after her marriage. She's such a compassionate person and deals with her mother in law with lots of strength but also lots of love. I have to admit that I was not too crazy about Oliver's dad. He was a bit cold and seemed happy only if being complimented and on top of everything. He hated losing.
There are some ups and downs in this book that will have you tearing up. It has some very sweet parts that will make you smile. It's an all around good historical fiction book. One that will stay with you. Touch your heart. It's just a good book.
Overall this is an excellent book. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. Virginia Hume did a fantastic job with this one. The characters are well developed and the scenery pulls you in. The hospital scenes are heartbreaking. This is a book that you will truly enjoy reading. It has parts that will make you cry and laugh. You will have all the feels.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #VirginiaHume, #stmartinspress for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.
5/5 stars and I do recommend it.
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