Review: Ember Island by Kimberley Freeman

Ember Island
written by Kimberley Freeman
published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Book Depository, Goodreads

Why did I pick this book: The publisher offered me a copy for review. I am so glad I accepted the offer. (I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)

Did I enjoy this book: I really did.

Here’s the thing: this book isn’t one of those books that calls for you from wherever you left it. It doesn’t scream at you to pick it up. It doesn’t demand your attention like a needy toddler. No. This book whispers in the back of your mind. It quietly beckons you to read it. It coaxes you toward it, saying, “Read me. You know you want to. Come on. Just a few pages or so. It will be worth it.”

Ember Island was a bit slow at first. But it pulled me in, and it didn’t let me go. I kept wanting to read it. I wanted to know if Nina would finish her story. I wanted to know how Tilly’s story ended. It grabbed me. The last 100 pages moved like you wouldn’t believe. In fact, I read the last bit while shopping at an outdoor outlet mall. I’m sure the people I passed were giving me odd looks. But I didn’t care. I was reading every free chance I had.

So, why only four and a half stars? Because of the ending. I’m happy with it. I think it ended as it should. But I wanted a bit more. Just a little bit more. Don’t get me wrong, the end worked. It was just right. I loved it. I just wanted a teeny tiny bit more. (If you read it, you will probably understand.)

Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book. In fact, I will be recommending it to my book group.

About the book – from Goodreads: A riveting story of secrets and scandal

1890: Orphaned as a small child, Tilly Kirkland found a loving, safe home with her grandfather in Dorset. But nineteenth-century England is an unforgiving place for a young woman with limited means and as her grandfather’s health fails, it seems perfect timing that she meets Jasper Dellafore. Yet her new husband is not all he seems. Alone in the Channel Islands, Tilly finds her dream of a loving marriage is turning into a nightmare.

2012: Bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling with writer’s block and her disappointing personal life. Nothing is quite working. After a storm damages Starwater, her house on Ember Island, she decides to stay for a while and oversee the repairs: it s a perfect excuse to leave her problems behind her on the mainland. Then Nina discovers diary pages hidden in the walls of the old home. And a mystery unravels that she is determined to solve.

Though the two women are separated by years, Starwater House will alter the course of both their lives. Nina will find that secrets never stay buried and Tilly learns that what matters most is trusting your heart.