Three women. Three generations. Sacrifices for love…
Who is she really? Nicole is about to find out as she searches for her real mother; the woman who gave her away at birth. With her marriage in tatters, she sets out from England: travelling to Spain, Jersey and Guernsey before the extraordinary story of her real family is finally revealed.
Nicole becomes an unwitting catalyst for change in the family. Two women are forced to reveal long-buried secrets. One going back as far as the Second World War. Lives are transformed as choices have to be made and the past laid to rest…
*May Contain Spoilers*
Anne Allen shares another Guernsey story in her novel, Finding Mother. The main character, Nicole, struggles with her identity when the life she built begins to crumble. As Nicole searches for the mother who gave her up, she discovers a new world where she can redefine herself and focus on all the future can promise.
Nicole is an extroverted woman in her thirties who built a life as a television journalist with her husband. A successful career, beautiful home, and someone to share her life with, Nicole seems to have it all. But the adulterous nature of her husband forces Nicole to examine her life and decide what she really wants. Readers will immediately be drawn to Nicole at the beginning of the novel when she confronts her husband's transgressions. This sympathetic connection becomes the foundation for the bond between reader and character. Nicole's character steadily grows through the search for her mother, revealing her strength, her independence, and her courage.
The plot of Finding Mother begins with a trial separation from her husband, during which Nicole sets off to find her biological mother. The search takes her to Guernsey where she meets not only her mother, but her father and grandmother as well. The struggle to find her place in this new family is overwhelming at times, but through it all Nicole is honest, hopeful, and open-minded.
The detail that Allen provides is astounding. Readers will be swept to the beautiful island with her intricate descriptions. Though the dialogue is sometimes stiff and seemingly formal, it may be a cultural difference and it doesn't take away from the story. The sub-plot of Nicole finding new love is a bit strained because of the separation/divorce details, but that didn't stop it from being enjoyable. (If readers enjoyed Dangerous Waters, Allen's first novel, they'll enjoy seeing Jeanne again as she pops into Finding Mother as a supporting character.)
Rating: 3/5 Cups
Thanks for your lovely review, Tracy! Am glad that you've enjoyed another of my Guernsey novels. A third is in the pipeline, to be published later this year :) Anne
ReplyDelete