Off Season by Anne River Siddons368 pages
Published August 2008 by Grand Central Publishing
Summary from Barnes & Noble:
For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly—happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance. There, she looks hard to her past—to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety— to try to figure out her future.
Two days ago I got an email from my sister raving about a book she had just finished. I wrote back and said I hadn't read it but since she had I was going to shoot her off some questions and she was going to do a guest review. And she answered yesterday because, well, I'm the big sister and I made her. And this is what she had to say about "Off Season:"
"So, I just finished a book that I truly had a hard time putting down. It was one of the best that I have read in a long time. I have stayed up way too late the last two nights because I couldn’t put it down, and this morning I was almost late for work because I didn’t want to leave until I was done with it.
What really drew me into this book was the characters. The author made me genuinely care about the characters and anxious to know what was going to happen to them. It drew me in emotionally, at times I found myself feeling just what I felt Lilly must be feeling at that time. I'm not sure that I related so much to Lilly, so much as I envied her strength, and suffered with her through her grief. I have never been an adventurous person, and certainly not when I was young, but I have always loved the water and have had a fascination with the sea. Lilly's exploration of the Maine shore drew me in.
I had only one complaint with the book. There is a pivotal turning point that I feel could have been expanded on.
While I am not a "big" reader I do enjoy reading a little each night. Few books draw me in like this one did. I am drawn to fiction novels, and always take a closer look at any that indicate that the setting involves time spent by the water. I have also read Siddons' Outer Banks, Low Country, and Colony."
Thanks, Lora! I think I'm going to have to borrow this one. It would be my first Siddons book; clearly I've been missing out on something great.
Huh bug sisters! If you bully me like that, I'll tell my ma!
ReplyDeleteOh Good! I won a copy of this book and can't wait to read it now.
ReplyDeleteLisa, as your sister if it's worth putting on the list as a potential BC selection. Is there a lot to discuss. I need to find books with authors available for discussion.
Supposedly I won this back in July, but it never showed up! I'm going to have to borrow it as well.
ReplyDeleteSounds good!!!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, encouraging your sister to write a guest review. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis does sound like a good one. I'll have to add it to my wish list.
I finished this book last month and loved it. It drew me in like few other books have. I have not read any of Siddons' other books but I plan on doing so.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh -- I ordered and received this book, too late for my book group. I'm glad I read this because now I'm newly inspired to read it. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI think I will read any book if it has to do with Maine and the sea. I read The Outer Bacnks a long time ago, but recently I read The House Next Door. It's not like any of her others, more gothic, and it is excellent!
ReplyDeleteI just read this this past summer. It was my first ARS book.
ReplyDeleteI love Siddons and your sister's review was great. I have this book on my TBR list but she and you have helped move it up a few notches!!
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