First line: Dear Marjorie, After we talked, I hung up the phone and stayed awake, thinking of you, of all that is stressing you at college.
From the back cover: Twenty years ago, Anna Hott thought she could control everything – her crumbling marriage, her demanding children, her hectic life – by quitting her high-paced 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 Holts 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 thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of two women at different stages of their lives – one trying to juggle all the responsibilities that come with having young children and the other trying to live out her remaining days with no regrets. There are many themes that are explored throughout the story – motherhood, marriage, self-discovery, betrayal, forgiveness, forbidden passion and friendship. I found it very clever how Christine Lemmon was able to take the idea of the garden and carry it through all the lessons that Anna needed to learn in life – that not everything will be blooming at once, and that while sometimes it feels as if nothing is blooming, with sand in your eyes, you will never see the beauty of what’s around you.
About the author: Christine Lemmon is the author of three novels -Sanibel Scribbles, Portion of the Sea, and Sand in My Eyes, and the gift book, Whisper from the Ocean. She has lived all over the country writing for radio, newspaper, television and magazine.
She currently lives with her husband and three children on Sanibel Island, a subtropical island off Florida’s Gulf Coast, which is the setting for her novels. She gets most of her inspiration while biking, kayaking or walking around the island, and watching sunsets with her family, but then she must hold her ideas until night, when her children are sleeping and she can write.
Christine is a frequent speaker at luncheons, book clubs and women’s groups where she discusses writing and creativity. She is writing her next novel.
I received a complimentary copy of Sand in My Eyes by Christine Lemmon from BookSparks PR to review.
GIVEAWAY RULES:
Amanda at BookSparks PR has provided one copy of this awesome book for readers of this blog! All you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment. Be sure to include your email address in your comment.
Rules:
- US only
- No PO Boxes please
- Must be a follower to enter (new followers welcome!)
- Must include email address to enter
- Book will be mailed out by the publicist
Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!
GIVEAWAY ENDS
AT 6 PM, EST, JULY 21st
Sounds like a good book especially from you review, so would like a chance to read it. I follow.
CMash Loves To Read
Mash119(at)aol(dot)com
This looks like a great book. Thanks for the opportunity! emilyjoymitchell at gmail dot com.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway! The author lives in one of my fav places to visit – Sanibel. It is lovely there!
booksncity[at]gmail.com
Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
thewindowseatreader (AT) yahoo (DOT) com
Love the cover and the idea of the neighbor with the homespun wisdom!
Please enter me in this contest.
I am a follower.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
This book is already on my wish list, so I would love to win a copy. Thank you for the opportunity!
bunnymom1970 at aol dot com
Great contest – thanks for hosting. Please enter me.
bevsharp@desch.org
I am a follower.
This sounds so good!
I'm a follower.
meah56 at gmail dot com
I'd love to enter! I'm a follower!
twilightforever.edward(at)gmail(dot)com
Sounds like a nice read. I would like the chance to read it! I'm a follower.
cc932005[at]hotmail[dot]com
I am a follower now and would love to win this book.
Thanks!
mbamster0720(at)gmail(dot)com
I love any book about Sanibel. It is my favorite place in all of the world. Would love to read this book as it sound like the perfect beach read.
Sounds amazing!
Enter please 🙂
I'm a follower 🙂
PelicanJL(at)hotmail(dot)com
sounds great!!! I can't wait to read it.
brn2shop9[at]gmail.com
please count me in…thanks 🙂
i'm a follower 🙂
karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
author lives the next island over from where i live; anxious to read this one
follow on gfc
ewhatley at embarqmail.com
I've heard good things about this book. Sounds like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the giveaway.
mybookandcouch[at]gmail.com
This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance! I am a follower.
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I hope I'm entering in time as this sounds like a lovely summer read. The time zone things always mess me up. If I am not able to enter, that's alright but just in case …
I am a follower of your blog and my e-mail is jlesnick@scu.edu
Sounds like a fantastic book!