BY MICHAEL HURLEY
Genre: Fiction
Expected Publication November 25th 2014 by Ragbagger Press
Format Acquired: ARC
Source: Publisher
Format Acquired: ARC
Source: Publisher
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble
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.
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
First of all, I would like to give a huge thanks for sending me a physical ARC of the book! Please take note that this in no way affected my review and rating on the story.
I love reunions. It's the best part of life when friendship just drifted away years ago. It's good to hear about their stories, how they have been all this time, what's new and what's still the same, and most of all, rekindling the laughter you shared a long time ago.
The books I read mostly fall under fantasy and romance. But I knew that every now and then, I need a good book that talks about friendship and life. The one that talks about pain and how to overcome them, not just about love and romance. And this is what Michael Hurley brought us -- friendship, life, reunions.
Ten years after graduation, Dory, Turner and Charlotte reunited once again at Martha's Vineyard, catching up with their lives. Dory was being forced to marry someone she doesn't love; Charlotte lost her child and the pain wanted her to commit suicide; and Turner, now a famous blogger. Although so much has changed over the years, they never expected that meeting "the fisherman" will change their lives.
THE VINEYARD DREAM CAST
Of course, all of us have their dream casts on the books we love. So for the story behind Michael Hurley's work, here's what the survey said:
A M A N D A S E Y F R I E D as D O R Y D E L A N O
G E M M A A R T E N T O N as T U R N E R G R A H A M
S H A I L E N E W O O D L E Y as C H A R L O T T E H A R R I S
MY RATING
BOOK TRAILER
GIVEAWAY
Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
10 Winners will receive a Copy of The Vineyard by Michael Hurley.
20 Winners will receive a Signed Bookmark of The Vineyard by Michael Hurley.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Hurley
Michael Hurley and his wife Susan live near Charleston, South Carolina. Born and raised in Baltimore, Michael holds a degree in English from the University of Maryland and law from St. Louis University.
The Prodigal, Michael’s debut novel from Ragbagger Press, received the Somerset Prize for mainstream fiction and numerous accolades in the trade press, including Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, ForeWord Reviews, BookTrib, Chanticleer Reviews, and IndieReader. It is currently in development for a feature film by producer Diane Sillan Isaacs. Michael’s second novel, The Vineyard, is due to be released by Ragbagger Press in December 2014.
Michael’s first book, Letters from the Woods, is a collection of wilderness-themed essays published by Ragbagger Press in 2005. It was shortlisted for Book of the Year by ForeWord magazine. In 2009, Michael embarked on a two-year, 2,200 mile solo sailing voyage that ended with the loss of his 32-foot sloop, the Gypsy Moon, in the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti in 2012. That voyage and the experiences that inspired him to set sail became the subject of his memoir, Once Upon A Gypsy Moon, published in 2013 by Hachette Book Group.
When he is not writing, Michael enjoys reading and relaxing with Susan on the porch of their rambling, one-hundred-year-old house. His fondest pastimes are ocean sailing, playing piano and classical guitar, cooking, and keeping up with an energetic Irish terrier, Frodo Baggins.
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