The novel starts with Ava Whalen, a mid-wife. In her mid-thirties and the youngest child and only girl, Ava has lived most of her life sheltered in her small town. She unexpectedly elopes with a child psychologist, Matthew Frazier, and moves with him to his ancestral home on St. Simons Island (off the coast of Georgia). Ava neglects to tell Matthew she is deathly afraid of water, and Matthew forgets to tell Ava that he was married once before and his wife had a tragic death. Ava finds herself in a new mysterious home, with a man that is full of mysteries. Did Matthew kill his first wife, Adrienne? What secrets of her own childhood did her own family neglect to share with Ava?
Sea Change also has a parallel historical fiction story. Geoffrey and Pamela Frazier live in the Frazier ancestral home back when it was new in the very early 1800’s. Pamela is a mid-wife and has a great and abiding love with Geoffrey. Together they have one beloved son, Robbie, but Pamela also has a jealous and spiteful sister, Georgina. When the British occupy the island during the war of 1812, fate will wreak havoc on the lives of them all and make them into legends. Ava becomes obsessed with their story in the future.
I loved Sea Change. The novel had so many elements that I love in a good book (and that remind me of the gothic tales of Du Maurier and Stewart) including a husband with a mysterious first wife, an old ancestral home with secrets, and a historical secondary story. There isn’t time travel in this book, but Ava harbors memories from the past that hint of reincarnation. I really enjoyed the characters, and the mysteries kept me riveted. I didn’t know what exactly was going to happen until the very end. I highly recommend this novel.
Book Source: Review Copy from Penguin Books
Giveaway Details
Penguin Books has graciously offered a giveaway of one copy of Sea Change by Karen White.
If you would like to win a copy of this book please leave a comment about what intrigues you about the this book.
As part of your comment, you must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner.
For an additional entry, blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar. Provide a link to this post in your comment.
I will be using random.org (or a monte carlo simulation in excel) to pick the winners from the comments.
This contest is only open to US and Canadian residents (Sorry!).
No P.O. Boxes.
The deadline for entry is midnight on Friday June 29, 2012.
Good luck!
Any writer that is comparable to Mary Stewart or Daphne du Maurier is one I want to read! The husband with the mysterious first wife is intriguing, just as Rebecca was.
ReplyDeleteharvee44 at yahoo.com
Thank you so much for recommending this author! Being compared to du Maurier or Stewart is quite the compliment. I love books that feature an ancestral home, a man with a mysterious past, and of course, that story of a tragic death in the past.....sounds like my kind of book.
ReplyDeletejoannemccabe9 @ cox (dot) net
I like how it parallels the life of another couple and how they will possibly intertwine. julierupert@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI'm a HUGE Karen White fan, I have all of her books except for this one so I'd love to win. I'm always intrigued by Karen's stories.
ReplyDeletesharn3960 (@) comcast (.) net
Historical fiction and mystery are my favorite genres, and I love Daphne DuMaurier, so this book sounds right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrgued by the two parallel stories and how they will relate to each other. nicolama at cogeco dot ca
ReplyDeleteoh man, i love a good mystery. i think her fear of the water is what most intrigues me. i want to see how she copes with it. haha. and figure out if the guy murdered his wife. ashleyryansnyder@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteOoh! This sounds so good! I love the whole water thing. Very interesting!
ReplyDeletebethsbookreviewblog2@gmail.com
How can you not love a book that is practically two books in one? Two narratives, one contemporary and the other historical in nature - running parallel to each other in a novel, is a hard feat to achieve for an author, and author Karen White seems to have done it successfully. This book seems to be both heartfelt and mysterious, at the same time. And thalassophobia, what an interesting twist. I'd LOVE to read this book, and thank you so much for the opportunity to win a copy! :D
ReplyDeleteName: Hira Hasnain
Email: Enamoredsoul(at)gmail(dot)com
If this reminds you of Daphne Du Maurier's work I know I have to read it! I just have to find out what happened to the first wife in this story.
ReplyDeletemamabunny13 at gmail dot com
I have enjoyed other books in which the main character is a mid-wife; I enjoy books set on the islands of the southern coast, and I love books with an historical fiction "time slip", and mystery. sounds great. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletelcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com
Oh wow, this sounds great! I am really interested to see how the two storylines - the current and the historical - overlap and meld to tell the story. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletecandc320@gmail.com
I love Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and if this story compares in any way I would love to read it.
ReplyDeletelag110 at mchsi dot com
Thanks for this great giveaway. Daphne du Maurier is my favorite author and the comparison interests me greatly. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteA fascinating novel filled with mystery and wonderful characters. What a unique book. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love historical fiction and I've never read any that takes place during the War of 1812. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteRachelhwallen@gmail.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSea Change is a very good book and keeps you guessing at every turn. Just when you think you have it figured out, you find out that you don't. I loved how Ms. White weaves the story between modern day and back to the War of 1812. The author does an amazing job with character development and the secrets that they hold.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard of this before but after reading the post I'm in! I'd love to read this one!
ReplyDeleteMargaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
I am very interested to see what happens in this novel. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletenancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
The comparison to Rebecca is intriguing to me and I love any book that is set on an island or near water. There is such a feeling of isolation in that setting that builds suspense and intrigues me.
ReplyDeleteTonya
truff117@yahoo.com
it sounds very mysterious and unpredictable
ReplyDeleteenglejenengle at aol
Your review of Sea Change is wonderful! I am completely captivated by this book and want to know the story behind Matthew's first wife's death. I don't for a minute believe he simply 'forgot' to tell Ava about his first wife the way she forgets to tell him she's afraid of water!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read all of Karen White's books but the ones I have read are wonderful and beautifully written with lovely settings much like that in "Sea Change".
Thank you so much for hosting a giveaway of "Sea Change".
Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com
I finished it tonight ... great story!
ReplyDelete