Voices On The Waves

Voices on the Waves
Jessica Chambers
ASIN: B004C054OG
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Source: CLP Blog Tours
Purchase link: Voices On The Waves
Synopsis
When Faye Wakefield runs a competition offering nine lucky winners a two-week stay at her beautiful farmhouse retreat in Cornwall, she promises an experience they will never forget. However, even Faye could not have imagined how bringing these people together would change their lives forever.

Just as she hoped, the competition yields a diverse mix of characters. Among them are Leah Shaw, a shy young woman with troubled eyes; the womanizing business tycoon Marcus Armitage; Karenza Jackson ruled by her deep-rooted need for independence; retired nurse Bronwyn Davis, and Patrick O'Leary, an Irishman with an affiliation for the whisky bottle.

So begins a gently unfolding story of love and illicit affairs, heartache and self-discovery. Yet, as sparks fly and the guests share their long-buried secrets, only Faye knows of her ulterior motive for inviting them all under her roof.

Review

Storyline - This book had a unique approach to it’s storyline. The premise of the story is centered around the characters who win a two-week holiday with no-strings attached. What they are unaware of is that the competition did not end with the free trip. Once they arrive they are closely watched and evaluated. One guest will walk away with far more than a vacation after being given the opportunity of a lifetime.

Setting - The novel is very interesting in regards to its setting. Almost the entire book takes place at one location, the farmhouse in Cornwall. Aside from a few minor scene changes the book focuses more on the characters than their setting though each is wrapped up in the other.

Characters - Wow, there are a lot of them! The characters, all ten of them, are a very diverse group of people. Each one of them in unique in their own right. They are a melting pot of personalities and each brings quality and importance to the novel. The characters are a key part in this novel since it is literally about them. The reader is introduced to each character and given the chance to get to know them as they get to know each other. With some titles I would say, the characters are within the story, with this title the story is within the characters.

Pace - Voices on the Waves has a steady pace and never dwells on one character for long. The author does a good job at keeping the reader focused. I was not confused with this title, as I feared I may be due to the large number of characters that are revealed in this story. The author calls each character by their first and name, keeping the flow simple and steady. She also never dwells on one character for long which keeps the pace up and the readers mind alert since they are not given the chance to get lost in one characters story and forget about the others.

Overall - This novel dives deep into the subject of relationships whether past, present or future. It explores the intricacy of human nature, personalities and the way we interact with each other in varied situations. I enjoyed the novel. It was a light weight read, one that required very little thinking on my part. I felt as if the author left the book open to the option of a sequel. It would be fun to explore the future of the Cornwall retreat, though she may never write one and the book would still be satisfying.


Congratulations to Jessica Chambers!!  Voices on the Waves has been selected as a finalist for the 2011RomCon Readers' Crown Award, in both the women's fiction and the best first novel categories.

3.5 of 5