Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Sand in My Eyes

Synopsis


Twenty years ago, Anna Hott thought she could control everything — her crumbling marriage, her demanding children, her hectic life — by quitting her high-placed job in New York City and moving her family to tranquil Sanibel Island, Florida. But she brought her untamed emotions, her rage toward her cheating husband, and her yearning to write a novel with her. When her husband and children left the house for a week, Anna thought at last she would get her household, her novel, and her mind in order. Instead, her elderly neighbor Fedelina Aurelio knocked on her door bearing flowers and homespun wisdom, and when Fedelina's recently divorced son arrived, Anna had a test of passions and a test of truth. Now, at 56 with an empty nest, Anna Holt pulls out the incomplete manuscript she started that memorable week and — to find closure for her life and a conclusion for her novel — travels to Indiana to visit Fedelina who lives in a nursing home.

A novel framed within a novel, Sand In My Eyes is both a story about the tension between motherhood and personal dreams as well as a story about women across generations inspiring one another to let beauty persist despite ugly circumstances.

My Review: LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book. I loved it so much it is going on my top 10 list. I can’t tell you all how much I related to the characters in this book. So many of the scenes I pictured me instead of Anna (crying on the kitchen floor). The relationship of the characters and how they develop throughout the story was beautiful. The lessons learned and advice from sweet Fedelina through the talk of gardening and flowers was fabulous. I can’t explain how much the book touched me. I think everyone should pick up a copy and read it. Oh how I wish for a friend like Fedelina. I know my review is not doing this book justice…you have to read it for yourself. Put it on your MUST READ list today.

I went out and bought her other books (Sanibel Scribbles, Portions of the Sea) and her gift book (Whispers from the Ocean). The covers on her books really take me away.  They are so peaceful.  Whispers from the Ocean reminds me so much of my mother.  I know we both would have owned a copy and picked a page each week to talk about.  It would either be over the phone or in an email (letters in the good old days).  We both love the ocean and she would have loved these books too.   

1 comment:

  1. I know you love this book and I'm so glad you found time to blog about it! :)

    ReplyDelete

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