Between the Tides

by Susannah Marren

A debut novel following the fortunes of the happy-on-the-surface Morris family as it slowly comes apart after making a move from New York City to an affluent suburb

Lainie Smith Morris is perfectly content with her life in New York City: she has four children, a handsome surgeon husband, and good friends. This life she has built is shattered, however, when her husband Charles announces he has accepted a job in Elliot, New Jersey, and that the family must relocate. Lainie is forced to give up the things she knows and loves.

Though Charles easily adapts to the intricacies of suburban life, even thriving in it, Lainie finds herself increasingly troubled and bored by her new limited responsibilities, and she remains desperate for the inspiration, comfort, and safety of the city she called home. She is hopelessly lost—until, serendipitously, she reconnects with an old friend/rival turned current Elliot resident, Jess. Pleased to demonstrate her social superiority to Lainie, Jess helps her find a footing, even encouraging Lainie to develop as an artist; but what looks like friendship is quickly supplanted by a betrayal with earthshattering impact, and a move to the suburbs becomes a metaphor for a women who must search to find a new home ground in the shifting winds of marriage, family, career, and friendship.

Between the Tides is an engrossing, commanding debut from tremendous new talent Susannah Marren.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Family, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Novels

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 21, 2015

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed everything about this novel!!!!

"Between the Tides", is everything the blurb says --- plus sooooo much more. I promise not to give any spoilers away... Or tell the juicy dramatic details. Yet... There is a lot to review... Several themes about moral issues-- ethical choices---boundaries- betrayal- forgiveness & karma---are explored.

From the very start of this novel... Lainie Smith Morris is telling a fable to her 4 children: (Tom is the oldest teen, Matilde is 12 years old, and the fraternal twins Claire and Jack will be starting kindergarten). The tale Lainie tells is about a half human woman and half seal. When a fisherman wants to marry this woman/seal.... Called a *selkie*, ....he hides her seal skin away ... ( so she is now only living on land). Being deprived water is testing her livelihood. Her only consolation are her children.
Lainie is also being tested -- when her husband, Charles, who takes a new job in Elliot, New Jersey, (head of orthopedic surgery at Elliot Memorial Hospital), uproots his entire family. Lainie loves the water- almost requires being around - or in- water - 24 hours a day. She loves. living in New York...living near the Hudson River, and her artist friends, ( she herself is an artist who often paints, or meditates near the rivers), Living in New York, she feels she is surrounded by open -minded people. Lainie paints & swims....she is enamored by the seaside. She grew up at the lllseaside in Cape May. She dreams of sea glass, starfish, sea horses, schools of minnows, flounder, and smoothIt's waters. Her husband, Charles grew up on a dairy farm -- and is not really a New Yorker- or an ocean child. Charles tries to convince Lainie that not 'everyone' wants to be an artist. Many people are happy coming home from work - having a drink- and watching HBO. Charles is hoping Lainie will conform to surban living - enroll her with a teaser.... She will have her own large studio.

Other than the fact that Charles is a sexual sensation that Lainie craves....(sex has always been good), this couple seems to be coming apart at the seems even before they moved out of New York. Lainie didn't feel respected for her work.... Her passions. She felt like she was suppose to conform to good - girl - surgeon- wife in order for Charles to appreciate her. ( but would it 'be' her?).

Towing the kids to Elliot, New Jersey ... is leaving Lainie feeling like a fish out of water... (a *selkie*?).....Right from the start... things go wrong...
Living in Elliot .... Lainie re-connects with her old High School friend, Jess. Jess can help make everything better. Her one long term friend from years ago...... ( or can she?).

Jess is everything Lainie is not: conscious of her glamour- an organized mother who wears tight jeans and stilettos.... and is aware of her social position in her community. Lainie hates these types of people who care about what car they drive and their designer- suitable - clothes.


The Morris family gets use to Jess being involved in their personal affairs..... helping everyone adjust to living in Elliot. ..... Carpools, emergencies with the kids, etc.
Jess swims with Lainie at the Y each morning.....and becomes best friend to Lainie....(a benefit for her own agenda). She crosses boundaries....with both Lainie's husband--- and their children.

Matilde, is the child most like Lainie...swims... draws... ( a solemn child)...she often tries to protect her mother- come to her defense, and seems to understand her mother most.

I found one of the most interesting relationships - and topic for discussion- is associated with Matilde and Jess. Jess steps in - as an adult- in ways I consider inappropriate.....
I was left asking myself...
What did I find the 'bigger' betrayal.... Jess's actions with Lainie's husband - or with her own children?

If you like books about complex relationships... Have a passion for the water- nature- art--- an interest in what it 'might' be like to be married to a busy famous surgeon...
Enjoy reading about the relationships between mother's and their kids...
Wonder about a life that includes a nanny...
Like to 'think' about what you might do different - or the same as the characters in a story...
This is a perfect book to read. NOT bored for a second.

Poetic writing abstractions...are LOVELY!
Here's a quote I liked:
"The atmosphere of the water is a mystery to me, to any of us. Though I have devoted my craft to its nature -- the total streams, surges, crests, the surreal quality of gale winds forcing the currents, impacting our lives, water remains elusive, water gives, water takes away. What we seek is the restorative quality of water, of healing and forgiveness."

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and Susannah Marren!!!

An absolutely wonderful novel!!!!!

[Esil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am wavering -- excuse the pun -- on how to rate and review Between the Tides. I like the premise. Lainie and Charles live in Manhattan's upper west side with their four children. Charles is a surgeon and Lainie is an artist, and they are portrayed as having a very comfortable albeit chaotic life assisted by their Juliard "drop out" nanny. At the beginning of the book, Charles announces that he has a new job as head of surgery in a New Jersey suburb -- a town called Elliot -- and that they are to move there almost instantly. Lainie acquiesces very reluctantly. Once in Elliot, Lainie runs into an old friend -- Jess -- who is the queen bee of Elliot and who holds some old undisclosed grudge against Lainie and has a dark secret she guards closely. The story is narrated from Lainie and Jess's alternating points of view. Jess is manipulative and untrustworthy and Lainie is naive and haplessly floundering in this evil suburban world. And Charles turns out to be a piece of work. I like things about this book. In parts, it played well as a dark parody of the suburb/city divide and fed my own -- unfair I know -- prejudices about suburban life. But it wasn't all parody. Lainie's emotions are portrayed as real, although sometimes her naïveté and helpless attitude are hard to relate to and you really just want to give her a shake. And there is some real suffering for some of the kids, especially 12 year old Matilde -- one particular incident is really disturbing. And the end was sad and creepy. So for me Between the Tides suffered a bit from genre confusion. Parts were clever, the writing was good, but it didn't quite gel together. I was looking for good contemporary fiction -- this was close but didn't quite hit the mark. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

WARNING
This review was written in the heat of the moment after coming to terms with my reading experience of this book. This review contains a lot of profanity bc I am an emotional reader and those words help drive home how I felt for better or worse. My reviews aren't always written with a grain of decorum especially in the case of adult fiction. If swearing offends you, please move on. This review may also contain what some may consider spoilery content.


Fuck this book! Lainie is a passive doormat and a dumb ass who doesn't seem to have a solid leg to stand on, nor someone who has any self-respect apparently to let both Charles and Jess make the fool of her they do.
It pisses me off that she lets that snake Jess get into her marriage and basically steal a chunk of her life away from her, it seems at every turn. Ugh! She's also a questionable mother who really has either no self-awareness or is just purposefully careless. I do believe she truly loves her children, but I don't think they're her priority unless they force her to notice them. It is her job to engage them.
She's an enabler to their bad behavior and doesn't follow through on the tough part of being a parent/mother: disciplining your child. Use whatever method you want, but DO SOMETHING. Children need structure and as a parent it's your job to make their boundaries and teach them wrong from right and good reasoning.

Jess is a jealous, fake, materialistic, and amoral bitch who doesn't deserve to be abused, no woman does, but really is a Piece Of Shit that I would have liked to see lose a whole lot more than she did. She is deplorable. That incident with MAtilde at the party? NO. ABSOLUTELY NO. I cannot believe she would hide that from her parents. I was sick, SICK. That incident alone makes this book the utmost offensive. She A FUCKING GROWN ASS WOMAN ADULT, forces a 12 yo old to attend a party she doesn't want to attend, only for that 12yo girl to end up sexually assaulted and you know what? She doesn't do shit to really right this wrong. No, she basically tells her to lie to her parents and covers it up. Not bc of the welfare of the child, this about her and her need to remain close to the child's father. This situation being exposed to her parents, not to mention the community, would blow her whole shit up. In exchange for making her assault a lie/coverup (since the rumors that aren't actually rumors since a room full of teens saw her get a dick shoved forcefully into her mouth and semen all over her, are bound to start), she uses blackmail, BLACKMAILS A FUCKING 12 YEAR OLD VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT into staying silent on witnessing her father and this sorry excuse for a woman, a human being, cheating on her mother. I am so grossed out. How are the women reviewing this not discussing this at all? Being in Jess's head, since her POV is 1st person, made me rage and uncomfortable for just how morally bankrupt and conniving, manipulative, and backstabbing she is. Lord take the wheel because I cannot cope. I wish she was a person I could look in the eye and spit in the face. She's 100% certified trash and deserves it IMO. So does her male companions on both ends.

Speaking of which, Charles and William both can go die in a fire.

How is it that people like this book exactly when considering the characters? For example: Charles had nothing to say in defense of his wife when his boss (and mistress' husband) talks to his wife like garbage and with such utter disrespect, nor when the SOB painfully grips her up, essentially putting his abusive hands on her. 1) What the fuck kind of husband takes that shit on the chin? What good is he if he cannot even give a fuck to assert himself to his own wife's defense, protection, and honor? He doesn't address William to put him in his place for disrespecting his wife, he confronts him based on his reaction being one that is an exaggeration. The best he could do and say was "William please!" and puts his hands firmly on Williams arm when THAT BASTARD PUT HIS HANDS ON HIS WIFE, CAUSING HER PHYSICAL PAIN, which was his intent. 2) Why does she accept that? Oh, my effing goodness, I would divorce my sorry ass husband so quick for that failure alone, never mind the 50 other things Charles does to prove he wasn't deserving of her and perhaps his family to begin with. It's all a show for him. Status. He has no respect for Lainie as a person or as an equal, not as his wife nor as the mother of his children. He has no respect for her work or the who she is, what she cares about and loves and needs. NONE. He doesn't care at all.
Well, I don't really know what you can expect from a man who told his own daughter that the only reason he pursued and proceeded in asking her mother to marry him was bc she was pretty. What an asshole, god! Basically, he is one of those men who needs the flashy house and car and trophy wife, which he's secured all with no real fuck to give about the person he's married, nor their children (not genuinely). The fact that Lainie just...let's this SOB fuck her over time and again is just so hard to deal with. This bastard and crappy father screams things like this to his wife "You aren't normal. Why can't you be normal? Why can't you be a normal mother? Normal, you heard of it, right?" WOW. Man...I need to go kick boxing. He's he actual worse. I wished she'd had let him drown. Take both him and Jess out in one swoop.

I was so disappointed in Matilde for the multiple times she failed to confide in her mother, considering how close they were and that Lainie is her champion. It's awful.

The ending sucked.

More than anything this book was a giant disappointment for me. The premise was so intriguing, but structurally, IMO the book is a bit of a mess. Events and situations that should have been explored more regarding several relationships, past and present, were glossed over, which made the book suffer for me as a reader. The dialogue was also sometimes weird, especially between Matilde and Lainie. The style with intertwining streams-of-consciousness, with dialogue, story-telling and exposé at times took me out of the scene.

There was also too much telling in key scenes that needed to show us. I don't know. It was a page turner for sure, and has some truly good writing when it comes to the human condition mirrored in the abstract and unfolding of the story, especially in the case for Lainie. So, kudos to Marren for nailing those aspects of story, but man, this book, this book was infuriating, and not just bc of its characters. To be fair, there is probably a less emotional lens to view this story. Unfortunately, my obsession with humans and their relationships prevents me from being able to see it in that manner. For that reason, this book, like it's characters is worth nothing but my scorn.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like books where the author has left the ending up to the reader to decide. An unfinished storyline makes me feel that the author got bored and just couldn't be bothered anymore. I guess if you want to believe one possible ending then this is a book of fantasy, and for readers who adore fantasy then you might enjoy this book. I am not much for fantasy so I have to go with the other possible ending, which is:





SPOILER





SPOILER





SPOILER





Lainie is a spoiled, selfish brat that puts her own happiness over everyone else, especially her four children. She plans her "selkie" escape and is forever gone from her children, and they continue on in their lives without their mother.



I liked the premise of this book. The family is forced to move due to a great opportunity her husband has received. They leave the the city life of NYC and go out to live in suburbia and all the differences that would entail. She discovers that an old friend lives in the community and well..., what happens after that. The differences of city vs suburbia aren't really discussed except for a few minor things like there is no pizza delivery and you have to drive everywhere, and from Lainie's perspective her past relationship with Jess isn't really discussed. All we really learn about Lainie is that her wants and needs take precedence over everything else and that she gives into her husband who can be a bit demanding at times, to shut him up.



The life of Jess was much more explained and explored. Jess is all about what people perceive about her, she is putting on a show for everyone, she is playing a part, being an actress. I felt sorry for Jess even though she is a snake.



This book did make me think about authentic people vs people who always think they have to behave a certain way in life to be accepted into the groups in which they think they want to belong. It must be exhausting to always be putting on a face for everyone.

[Janice Of · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book. Each character is a stereotype, and none transcends the stereotype. I am always looking for a character to become “real,” like the velveteen rabbit. That doesn’t happen here. I sympathized with Lainie; I wanted to like her. She is unconventional, creative. She marches to her own drummer. And her daughter, Matilde, is on track to be just like her. Their relationship seems warm and close, but when Matilde faces rejection in their new community and then sexual assault, instead of going to her mother, she goes to her mother’s “friend” and rival, the scheming Jess, who gives her terrible advice.
I normally avoid books that claim “X had the perfect life. Then . . .” A perfect life is by definition a sham. Real lives are messy. Lainie’s husband Charles is handsome, successful, and a good lover. He’s not overtly cruel. But he doesn’t know Lainie exists except as an appendage to his own splendor. Arm candy, and she runs the household and cares for their four children. He upends her life and career and she meekly follows. Why?
Spoiler alert. “Best friend” and husband are having an affair. They’re a perfect match—both hollow automatons who care only about their social standing. I hated the ending, which conveniently rids them of the impediment to their happiness and leaves Matilde without the role model who could successfully guide her through what we know will be the lonely adolescence of a caring, talented misfit.
Oh, yeah. The six kids of the two couples are basically raising themselves and each other. The parents are far too wrapped up in their own lives to see what’s going on with them.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
2.5 stars

**I received an advanced readers copy through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.**

I didn't love this book and I didn't hate it either. It is these middle of the road books that I often have the hardest time discussing my thoughts about. There is really no need to re-tell the story as the synopsis gives a pretty accurate description of what the story is about.

Here are a few thoughts worth mentioning...

1. I was indifferent to all the characters in the book. There wasn't a person that I could say that I loved or that I was routing for throughout the entire story. In fact, I disliked quite a few of them.

2. If it was the authors intention to portray Elliot as a horrible place to live then she was more than successful. It was like the hierarchy of high school for grown ups without the barriers of the walls. It was so pretentious that I could easily see why Lainey was struggling.

3. The story alternated between Jess and Lainey's voice, a style that I really like, but the story was somewhat stale and anti climatic. I think I was suppose to like Lainey more than Jess but they each had so many flaws that it was hard to take either one of them at times. Perhaps this goes back to the pretentious lifestyle but I felt that they were both terrible mothers and both guilty of not so nice things.

4. The ending was slightly disappointing and if anything proves my above point.

This book had some good moments and some not so good moments making it one that I didn't mind reading but probably won't remember it a few months from now.

[Cheryl Kravetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susannah Marren's fiction debut is wonderful! I highly recommend Between the Tides.

[Rebekah Snyder · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this entire book not hoping it was going to get better, but hoping it was going to make sense.

There was nothing natural about any of the characters. I thought “Who talks like this?” at least once a chapter. And speaking of chapters… none of them flowed naturally into the next. Something would happen and I’d think that seems significant, but the next chapter is business as usual as if the events of the last chapter did not affect the characters at all. I’m so confused and wondering what the purpose of this book was.

[Vickie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, another 2-star read; that makes is 2/2 for November. Between the Tides was a mashup between Mean Girls and The Stepford Wives - neither of which I like. I just didn't connect with any of the adult characters and the ending? How selfish!!!!! I enjoy reading folklore involving selkies but this story just didn't do it for me.

Go Cards! L1C4!!

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was really not for me. IF you can get past the fact that the wife willingly goes along when her husband takes a job and moves the family to a completely new environment without even consulting her … and IF you can get past the fact that a woman who wasn’t very interested in parenting has not one, but FOUR children with this husband (who at least has the grace to make enough money to pay for full time help) … and IF you can get past the fact that none of the characters in the book have much in the way of redeeming characteristics (as far as we can tell, she married him because he was good looking and sexy)… then maybe this is for you. But I found it slow-paced, predictable (what did the wife think was going to happen?), and depressing. Probably should have just put it down, but I was optimistically reading for a better outcome until the very last page.

[Ayda Razak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what to say about this book. All the negative things happened in here: a negligent mother, a backstabber friend, cheating partner, mean teenagers, abusive husband and many more. Not to mention the ending.

I thought of giving only 1 star since the first few chapters, but it must be something that makes me stay on reading, hence, the 2 stars.

[Judy Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BETWEEN THE TIDES, debut by Susannah Marren explores the dark side of the American dream; of secrets and betrayal hidden beneath the perfect life.

Lainie Smith Morris, artistic lives a happy life in Manhattan, with her handsome surgeon husband, Charles with their four children. Her husband announces he has accepted a job in Elliot, NJ and they will be relocating. Charles has won again, as remembers a lesson of her grandmother’s is that the future is preordained. Nothing is coincidence, each of us experiences many lives.

With the move, Lainie is not happy, longing for New York. Her husband on the other hand, seems to be adjusting and the kids are going through many changes with the move. She desires creativity, inspiration, and is lost in the suburbs.

She meets Jess, a local resident and old high school friend; however, the friendship could turn to betrayal. Flashing back and forth with alternate narratives from Jess and Lainie, past and present we hear from two women—marriage, secrets, family, boundaries, choices, morals, betrayal, career, and friendship.

We also find Lainie, telling her children of a tale of the selkie, mythological said to live as seals in the sea but shed their skin to become human on land.

Male selkies are described as being very handsome in their human form, and having great seductive powers over human women. They typically seek those who are dissatisfied with their life, such as married women waiting for their fishermen husbands. If a woman wishes to make contact with a selkie male, she must shed seven tears into the sea. If a man steals a female selkie's skin she is in his power and is forced to become his wife.

Female selkies are said to make excellent wives, but because their true home is the sea, they will often be seen gazing longingly at the ocean. If she finds her skin she will immediately return to her true home, and sometimes to her selkie husband, in the sea. Sometimes, a selkie maiden is taken as a wife by a human man and she has several children by him.

In these stories, it is one of her children who discovers her sealskin (often unwitting of its significance) and she soon returns to the sea. The selkie woman usually avoids seeing her human husband again but is sometimes shown visiting her children and playing with them in the waves.

Stories concerning selkies are generally romantic tragedies. Sometimes the human will not know that their lover is a selkie, and wakes to find them gone. In other stories the human will hide the selkie's skin, thus preventing the selkie from returning to its seal form. A selkie can only make contact with one human for a short amount of time before the selkie must return to the sea. The selkie is unable to make contact with that human again for seven years, unless the human steals their selkie skin and hides it or burns it.

A cautionary tale, at times with a dark and moody atmosphere, complex relationships, sprinkled with poetic prose, and at other times the writing seemed to float all over the place. Even though filled with metaphors, was not connected with the characters, and the selkie parts, left me unengaged, disconnected, and impatient to finish.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between the Tides by Susannah Marren is a very highly recommended debut novel about constricted lives, fragile dreams, and complacency.

Lainie Smith Morris is an artist who feels the need to be by water at all times. Water is her life's blood. She has told her four children (Tom, 14, Matilde, 12, Claire and Jack, 5 year old twins) the tale of a selkie, a woman who is really a seal, but when her seal skin is stolen by a fisherman she has to remain in human form. Her children are her only consolation. Lainie's children, especially Matilde, think their mother may be a selkie.

Lainie gave up her burgeoning career as an artist for Charles, her surgeon husband. And while she still has time to do her art, her marriage has limited her ability to find time to work. She does love living in NYC by the Hudson River, especially knowing the ocean is so near and that they will spend their summers in Cape May.

When Charles comes home one day and announces that he has accepted the position of head of orthopedic surgery in Elliot, NJ, Lainie does not want to move away from NYC and her proximity to water and her art world connections in the city. Charles promises Lainie art studio space to buy her acceptance, while he insists that it is best for the family to move to the suburbs. After they move in, Lainie is literally a fish out of water among the aptly described Stepford wives found there.

Lainie does end up knowing the queen bee among the social hierarchy imposed on the women living in Elliot. Lainie knew Jess as a friend years ago, growing up in Cape May. But, while Jess seems outwardly to be a friend, she is really more of a frenemy with her own motives for her actions. Her husband is the head of the hospital where Charles works.

The narrative is told by Lainie and Jess in alternating passages. Marren's writing is quite good and the dual points of view work well in this novel. It is also compulsively readable and kept me hooked from start to finish. I was also annoyed and bothered and worked up over these characters. I wanted to shake all of them and tell them to snap-out-of-it. I found it stretched my credulity to see Lainie's indecisive drifting along and easy acceptance that Jess was still her friend, even when there is clear evidence that this should be suspect. Charles is a jerk, no matter how sexy. Jess's interference and involvement was over-the-top. I guess I also wanted Lainie to tell Charles right at the start, "No, I will not move." (But part of that could be due to the personal experience of constantly having to move for a husband's job while sacrificing any career of my own.)

By the time I reached the end of Between the Tides, I decided that Marren had pulled me so completely into the story and held my unwavering attention to the end that this debut novel could only be deemed very highly recommended, even though I could quibble over a few minor plot points.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of St. Martin's Press for review purposes.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not unlike the waves on a sandcastle at the shore, Between the Tides reveals the fragility of relationships despite the façade, and the power that is required to keep or rebuild after the façade is shattered.

Lainie is a city girl, and quite content with her life and marriage in the hustle, bustle and go of New York. But when her husband takes a position with a practice out in the ‘burbs’. The family is moving to an affluent New Jersey suburb, and Lainie’s world, indeed her entire life is turned upside down. In the city, she had the water (Hudson River) her painting and the friends that recognized those things. New Jersey, and actually Charles, are less interested in her pursuits or dreams, and he can’t see the “point’ of them.


Marren uses the emotions of Lainie and her dissatisfaction with the ‘nothing is familiar’ refrain as her life quietly (and not so quietly) resets to a new reality. New Jersey is NOT New York, and she misses the easy if mindless busy day to day, it kept her from evaluating things too carefully, or searching for a ‘purpose’. Now, even with the four children, she’s struggling for something ‘more’, something that fits her view of who she is, and what she is meant to do.

Connecting with an old frenemy (and there is no other word but that to describe Jess) plays on her feelings of upheaval as Jess is constantly in ‘one better’ mode. Dealing with that is stressful enough, but the fact that Charles sees no faults in the new home, life or area, and can’t quite understand her unhappiness, vague as it is to him, doesn’t help.

Slowly but surely, Jess invades nearly every facet of Lainie’s life: from stepping in and commenting or acting inappropriately with her children (Mathilde in particular) and her husband: it’s a sort of “Single White Female in Suburbia” model.

Lainie has the most to lose, or gain in all of this: her own family, self-respect, sense of purpose and plenty of moments leading to thoughts of boundaries, Karma, forgiveness and nurturing relationships. Marren uses several moments with broadened abstractions and asides to give a fuller sense of just who Lainie is, and those moments enrich the story greatly. The writing is wonderfully smooth, switches neatly between directed stream-of-consciousness like moments through dialogue, story-telling and a sweetly recurring theme involving selkies and the potential ‘skin’ hiding in the closet.

A wonderful debut that is meant to be savored and enjoyed, this story shows the skills and promise of wonderful things to come from a new author to watch.

I received a copy of the title via Media Muscle/Book Trib for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had won this book as an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway. (Thank you Goodreads!) The very beginning opens with the watery fairytale of the selkie, which enchanted me right away. When we think of ocean fairytales we so often think of sirens, that to see a novel based around the idea of a selkie was refreshing. I also liked how I didn't feel too close to the characters, which might sound weird because what often makes a book great is a strong reader and character relationship. However, I think this helped to show how lost Lainie was within her own world, her family, and even her own mind. It kind of made me think of the "Yellow Wall Paper" and "A Doll's House," and how a woman (these characters) became so lost in relationships, their children, and how people perceive them that they lost themselves and questioned who they were and how they could find their dreams and independence. This even goes as far as causing one to wonder if it is possible to find a balance between living for their family and living for themselves. The powerful ending image helps to not only reinforce this struggle, but also causes the reader to question their own life and if the life that they are living right now is the life that they ultimately want.

*I found a typo on page 106, which reads "an historical" instead of "a historical"

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and Goodreads for the ARC copy in return for an unbiased review.

I have very mixed feelings about this novel. There were sections I found compelling but also sections that seemed contrived and tedious. The author uses a selkie mythological story as a thread to weave the story together. I thought that perhaps this was a bit too ambitious vehicle to achieve her goal. I frankly found it a bit annoying and wondered at its frequent telling to young children.

I did not feel that the characters were very personable. There are two main characters, Lainie and Jess, neither of whom did I really learn to like. Jess's actions become more understandable due to personal circumstances that are revealed in the later part of the novel. Lainie's missing living near the water does not seem a compelling reason for her dissatisfaction.

I wish I had enjoyed it more because overall the writing was good. The shallowness of the characters prevented me from liking the book more than I did.

[Dawn Cronk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lainie thought she had it all. A successful husband, four children, and life in the Big Apple. Charles announces they are moving to Elliot, NJ. Lainie is not happy, and feels suffocated in her new surroundings. Then she reconnects with her arch enemy and they become friends, or so she thinks. Jess has an agenda of her own. I thought it was very well written.

[Mary Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like books that refer to the legend of selkies but I was not a fan of this one. Did not like any of the characters and really did not care how it ended which was good since it was left up in the air.

[Cynthia Sillitoe · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 12%.

First, you know how you can watch a musical and just find it not credible that people burst into song? Well, this book has a character who plays a fiddle constantly, even in the car (which doesn’t even seem possible.)

Second, the husband in this book takes a job without even discussing it with his wife and then announces to her and the kids that they’re moving from NYC to a New Jersey suburb. None of the kids protest moving, leaving schools and friends, and even though the wife doesn’t want to go AT ALL, she does.

She also has sex with him that night, though she doesn’t want to—and apparently enjoys it—the night he announces the job and move. A. “You took a job without discussing it with me?” B. “I don’t want to leave New York.” C. “Not tonight.” D. “ I surrendered to his caress.”

I don’t know any woman who acts like this.

[Sarah O'Neill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book certainly had the potential to be a good read; however, it fell quite short. As I read I thought I missed pages or lines. i would go back and re-read only to find I didn't miss anything, it simply wasn't written. The book was written like most people tell a story...all over the place with important details missing. The characters were underdeveloped and fairly elementary. The ending was completely predictable and disappointing.

[Renata · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a novel for those who like melodramatic soap operas. It is a quick read that I would recommend for the beach or a long plane trip. Some of the characters were horrible to each other and for that reason, the plot did not thrill me. Marren also tries to weave in some mystical elements which to my mind do not work in such a simplistic overall story.

[Julie Palmer Teets · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with the main character Lainie. I thought she was unique. I liked the originality of the story and Lainie's obsession with water. I liked Jess also, but I detested both Charles and William. Matilde was another favorite.
The ending was a bit too open for me. I need more closure. Overall, entertaining book that I would recommend.

[Tara Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I grew up in Sea Isle City which is a "stones throw" from Cape May so it had a special appeal. The writing style is very different than what I'm used to. I thought some of the passages were almost too abrupt, otherwise i would have given 5 stars.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

woman obsessed with water, mainly the sea. An artist who makes her work of painting, shells, bits of seaweed and sea critters.

When her husband moves her inland, she starts a downward spiral into depression.

[Marley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dumb

[Aslinda Sofea AbdRahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply loved it. I love a family story and this is not a disappointment

[Tiffany Mercer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Most depressing book ever. Who wants to read about a scandalous affair and the only character you love dying? Not me!! Boo.

[Leeann Zaccagnino · Rating 1 out of 5]

Depressing book

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird story...unlikable characters and Claire????what an obnoxious 5 year old...so annoying.

[Brenda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t relate to any characters, the ending sucked. Leaves it up to you to decide the ending.