Synopsis:
From Michael Hurley, winner of the Chanticleer Reviews Grand Prize for his debut novel, THE PRODIGAL, comes a complex and ambitious tale of old money, young passion, and ancient mystery in a classic New England seaside town.
Dory Delano, Charlotte Harris, and Turner Graham have been drifting through life since their days as roommates at Smith College, ten years ago. Dory is resisting taking the reins of her family’s legacy and fortune even as she relishes the fabulous lifestyle it affords her in the fashionable seaside resort of Martha’s Vineyard. She invites her old friends to join her for a summer on the Vineyard in hopes of rediscovering the innocence of old days and healing new wounds. But hidden in their midst and unknown to all but a few, a reclusive—some say dangerous—fisherman wanders alone, fueling wild speculation about his purpose and his past. None of these women can imagine the events their encounter with the fisherman will set in motion, the shadow he will cast over their destinies, or the transformation that awaits the world they know.
My review:
The Vineyard is a work by author Michael C. Hurley and had piqued my interest after reading the synopsis. It is a story that straddles the line between genres I normally gravitate to and genres I don’t usually seem to pick up that often.
This book was rather intriguing and held my interest, primarily because of the mystery of “the fisherman” and what was going on with the group of three girlfriends who had come to Martha’s Vineyard for a reunion of sorts. Dory, the daughter of wealth and high society, Turner, the flighty spitfire who can’t seem to settle down, and Charlotte, the newly divorced mother who had last her only child.
Three unlikely and very different friends have come to spend some time together after a tragedy had broken one of them. Spend time healing and strengthening the bonds of their friendship. Along the way, they meet an odd stranger who will end up helping them in ways that no one will be able to explain. Even to this day.
This story really, in my mind, focused on just how far in different directions people’s lives go and the paths they travel down in their own personal journey. It also brought home just how special friendship is in life and no matter what, and no matter how unlikely the relationship, true friends will always be there. These women share so much in just one summer. There were health scares, bouts of serious depression, wedding plans, scandalous behavior, and even a few miracles that happen along the way. It was really amazing to see in one summer just how much these gals change throughout the book. They each began the summer as one person, and ended it completely changed.
If you’re in the mood from a departure from your normal reading material, and are looking for something intriguing and absorbing, The Vineyard is a book you should pick up. Thank you, Mr. Hurley, for a thought-provoking and enjoyable read!
Four Loves
Book links:
About the author:
Michael Hurley and his wife Susan live near Charleston, South Carolina. Born in Baltimore, Michael studied English at the University of Maryland and law at St. Louis University. Michael’s first book, Letters from the Woods, was a collection of essays, self-published in 2005, based on wilderness canoeing expeditions with his children. It was selected as a finalist in the Nature category for ForeWord magazine’s Book of the Year award. In 2013 Hachette Book Group published his memoir, Once Upon A Gypsy Moon, under their Center Street imprint. The Prodigal is his first novel.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I really enjoy books that focus on friendships.
Thank you for being on the tour!