Title: You, Me and the Sea
Author: Meg Donohue
Published: May 2019, William Morrow
Format: ARC Paperback, 368 pages
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours
Summary:
From the USA Today bestselling author of All the Summer Girls and Dog Crazy comes a spellbinding and suspenseful tale inspired by Wuthering Heights that illuminates the ways in which hope—and even magic—can blossom in the darkest of places.
To find her way, she must abandon everything she loves…
As
a child, Merrow Shawe believes she is born of the sea: strong,
joyous, and wild. Her beloved home is Horseshoe Cliff, a small farm on
the coast of Northern California where she spends her days exploring
fog-cloaked bluffs, swimming in the cove, and basking in the light
of golden sunsets as her father entertains her with fantastical stories.
It is an enchanting childhood, but it is not without hardship—the
mystery of Merrow’s mother’s death haunts her, as does the increasingly
senseless cruelty of her older brother, Bear.
Then, like sea
glass carried from a distant land, Amir arrives in Merrow’s life. He’s
been tossed about from India to New York City and now to Horseshoe
Cliff, to stay with her family. Merrow is immediately drawn to his
spirit, his passion, and his resilience in the face of Bear’s
viciousness. Together they embrace their love of the sea, and their
growing love for each other.
But the ocean holds secrets in its
darkest depths. When tragedy strikes, Merrow is forced to question
whether Amir is really the person she believed him to be. In order to
escape the danger she finds herself in and find her own path forward,
she must let go of the only home she’s ever known, and the only boy
she’s ever loved….
My thoughts: After finishing this book, I found out that Meg Donohue was inspired to write this book after being haunted by a question for ages: If Catherine had lived in Wuthering Heights, who would she have chosen? Now, I have never read Wuthering Heights, but this in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the book – though am I curious to now go pick it up to see how it does compare to this book because for the most part, I did enjoy it.
Don’t let the cover fool you into thinking this book is going to be a fun, beachy read – though that cover is quite eye-catching. Rather, this book is about the complexities of love and delves into family dynamics. The characters come alive on the page and you will definitely have feelings about these characters – for good or bad – but you will have feelings. It’s an emotional read for sure.
I loved that the characters in this book were so dynamic, especially Merrow. She’s complex and flawed. She has a vulnerability to her that comes out in spades. This story gives a lot to think about because when you think you really know someone, it turns out the bond might not be as strong as you originally thought.
This book is part coming of age and part love story. I was completely caught up in the lyrical writing as soon as I opened the book and while I loved the story, I wasn’t quite thrilled with the ending. I thought it was a bit abrupt. Maybe because I don’t know the story of Wuthering Heights, so I didn’t know what to expect with this book or maybe because I was expecting something different…I’m not sure. Overall, I really did enjoy the book. I thought it was good, but I needed a bit more to wrap it up. Maybe there needs to be a sequel?
About the Author: Meg Donohue is the USA Today bestselling author of How to Eat a Cupcake, All the Summer Girls, and Dog Crazy. She
has an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University and a BA in
comparative literature from Dartmouth College. Born and raised in
Philadelphia, she now lives in San Francisco with her husband, three
children, and dog.
Authors Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Be sure to check out all the other stops on the blog tour and follow the tour on Twitter (hashtags: #TLCBookTours & #youmeandthesea).
I believe in the not knowing someone at all theory so very little surprises me though it may upset me. This sounds very good reading.
I felt like an epilogue like five or ten years down the road would have been fun. I really enjoyed this one, despite absolutely hating Wuthering Heights, and I still don't know if she really made the right choice. Thanks for being on this tour! Sara @ TLC Book Tours