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Schuyler Sisters #3
Along the Infinite Sea
Each of the three Schuyler sisters has her own world-class problems, but in the autumn of 1966, Pepper Schuyler's problems are in a class of their own. When Pepper fixes up a beautiful and rare vintage Mercedes and sells it at auction, she thinks she's finally found a way to take care of herself and the baby she carries, the result of an affair with a married, legendary politician.
But the car's new owner turns out to have secrets of her own, and as the glamorous and mysterious Annabelle Dommerich takes pregnant Pepper under her wing, the startling provenance of this car comes to light: a Nazi husband, a Jewish lover, a flight from Europe, and a love so profound it transcends decades. As the many threads of Annabelle's life from World War II stretch out to entangle Pepper in 1960s America, and the father of her unborn baby tracks her down to a remote town in coastal Georgia, the two women must come together to face down the shadows of their complicated pasts.
Indomitable heroines, a dazzling world of secrets, champagne at the Paris Ritz, and a sweeping love story for the ages, in New York Times bestselling author Beatriz William's final book about the Schuyler sisters.
But the car's new owner turns out to have secrets of her own, and as the glamorous and mysterious Annabelle Dommerich takes pregnant Pepper under her wing, the startling provenance of this car comes to light: a Nazi husband, a Jewish lover, a flight from Europe, and a love so profound it transcends decades. As the many threads of Annabelle's life from World War II stretch out to entangle Pepper in 1960s America, and the father of her unborn baby tracks her down to a remote town in coastal Georgia, the two women must come together to face down the shadows of their complicated pasts.
Indomitable heroines, a dazzling world of secrets, champagne at the Paris Ritz, and a sweeping love story for the ages, in New York Times bestselling author Beatriz William's final book about the Schuyler sisters.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,109 reviews
September 18, 2015
This is the first Beatriz Williams novel I've read. The writing and storytelling is
seductive. With two storylines (Europe in the 1930's , America in the 1960's), and
two women narrators ( Annabelle and Pepper, with their personal complicated lives
over a twenty year period), I was swept away into another time in history with two
'all-too-human' characters.
Annabelle and Pepper meet at a car auction. Pepper bought and restored a Mercedes Benz
that Annabelle had owned years ago - the car she drove out of Nazi Germany.
Pepper was selling her vintage car ( soon to meet Annabelle who previously owned the car...the car which she drove out of Nazi Germany), because she is pregnant ( oops- from a brief sex-exchange with a powerful politician). Pepper didn't want to ask her father for financial help.
Her parents are considered socially elite in New York.
Pepper may have had too much pride to ask her family for help for she and her baby...but she accepts help from Annabelle. Annabelle still felt emotional attachment to the Mercedes Benz -
and brings the car and Pepper back home. Pepper moves into her guest house.
There friendship grows. Annabelle tells Pepper about her past history.
When reading flashbacks about Annabelle' love relationships back in the 1930's --with her German husband and her Jewish lover... I was beginning to visualize this story on the big screen as a movie.
Pepper is a little like her name ... Spicy-zesty-undaunted!
Annabelle seems more the sympathetic character of the two...as we really felt her struggles
from before arriving in the United States. (Scared, conflicted, and the courage it took for
her to make choices she did).
What I especially like is that Beatriz Williams artfully constructed this novel in a way that I barely felt I was reading at all.... just naturally soaking in the fragrance.
Thank You Penguin Publishing, Netgalley, and Beatriz Williams. (I thoroughly enjoy this)
seductive. With two storylines (Europe in the 1930's , America in the 1960's), and
two women narrators ( Annabelle and Pepper, with their personal complicated lives
over a twenty year period), I was swept away into another time in history with two
'all-too-human' characters.
Annabelle and Pepper meet at a car auction. Pepper bought and restored a Mercedes Benz
that Annabelle had owned years ago - the car she drove out of Nazi Germany.
Pepper was selling her vintage car ( soon to meet Annabelle who previously owned the car...the car which she drove out of Nazi Germany), because she is pregnant ( oops- from a brief sex-exchange with a powerful politician). Pepper didn't want to ask her father for financial help.
Her parents are considered socially elite in New York.
Pepper may have had too much pride to ask her family for help for she and her baby...but she accepts help from Annabelle. Annabelle still felt emotional attachment to the Mercedes Benz -
and brings the car and Pepper back home. Pepper moves into her guest house.
There friendship grows. Annabelle tells Pepper about her past history.
When reading flashbacks about Annabelle' love relationships back in the 1930's --with her German husband and her Jewish lover... I was beginning to visualize this story on the big screen as a movie.
Pepper is a little like her name ... Spicy-zesty-undaunted!
Annabelle seems more the sympathetic character of the two...as we really felt her struggles
from before arriving in the United States. (Scared, conflicted, and the courage it took for
her to make choices she did).
What I especially like is that Beatriz Williams artfully constructed this novel in a way that I barely felt I was reading at all.... just naturally soaking in the fragrance.
Thank You Penguin Publishing, Netgalley, and Beatriz Williams. (I thoroughly enjoy this)
January 28, 2016
4.5 stars!
This was my first novel by Beatriz Williams and I was a bit nervous, because technically this book is the third in a series about a trio of sister's. I needn't have worried...it read like a standalone novel and now I absolutely need to read the others and basically anything else this author comes out with.
This story is told in two separate storylines by two different women. Annabelle in Europe in the mid to late 1930's. And Pepper in America in 1966.
During the summer of 1966, Pepper Schuyler finds and restores a rare, vintage Mercedes which she then sells at auction. She's planning on using the money to take care of herself and the unborn child she carries, the result of an affair with a married politician. Her family, aside from her sister Tiny, know nothing of her condition. The purchaser of the Mercedes is Annabelle Dommerich and when the two of them meet, Annabelle takes Pepper under her wing. You slowly start to learn the story of Annabelle's past...a Nazi husband, a Jewish lover and a flight from Europe at the brink of war in the very same Mercedes.
I loved the writing in this novel. Williams did an amazing job of weaving the two stories together. I felt myself more drawn in to Annabelle's story, but I adored Pepper's personality. She was feisty and stubborn but took responsibility for her mistakes and bad decisions. I was guessing pretty much the whole time about what had come of Annabelle's life...how she ended up where she was, the path her life took and the decisions she made. In the end, I really liked how the author ended Annabelle's story, though I wanted a bit more out of Pepper's. I want to know still how things end up going for her.
I really enjoyed this! I will definitely be reading more from this author and soon I hope!
This was my first novel by Beatriz Williams and I was a bit nervous, because technically this book is the third in a series about a trio of sister's. I needn't have worried...it read like a standalone novel and now I absolutely need to read the others and basically anything else this author comes out with.
This story is told in two separate storylines by two different women. Annabelle in Europe in the mid to late 1930's. And Pepper in America in 1966.
During the summer of 1966, Pepper Schuyler finds and restores a rare, vintage Mercedes which she then sells at auction. She's planning on using the money to take care of herself and the unborn child she carries, the result of an affair with a married politician. Her family, aside from her sister Tiny, know nothing of her condition. The purchaser of the Mercedes is Annabelle Dommerich and when the two of them meet, Annabelle takes Pepper under her wing. You slowly start to learn the story of Annabelle's past...a Nazi husband, a Jewish lover and a flight from Europe at the brink of war in the very same Mercedes.
I loved the writing in this novel. Williams did an amazing job of weaving the two stories together. I felt myself more drawn in to Annabelle's story, but I adored Pepper's personality. She was feisty and stubborn but took responsibility for her mistakes and bad decisions. I was guessing pretty much the whole time about what had come of Annabelle's life...how she ended up where she was, the path her life took and the decisions she made. In the end, I really liked how the author ended Annabelle's story, though I wanted a bit more out of Pepper's. I want to know still how things end up going for her.
I really enjoyed this! I will definitely be reading more from this author and soon I hope!
November 19, 2015
Along the Infinite Sea verges on cheesy -- not the kind of book I can read regularly -- but the story and characters drew me in and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In alternating sections, it tells the parallel stories of two women who find themselves pregnant out of wedlock. Annabelle's story takes place in the mid to late 1930s in France and Germany. The story of Pepper takes place in the 1960s in the US, where she is taken in by Annabelle who tells her that she was once in the same boat and that she wants to help her out. As the two parallel narratives unfold, we come to learn how both women got into their respective situations and how they coped. There are complicated romances and politics. Both women are smart and have strong personalities. I found myself enjoying Annabelle's story more -- it was more substantial, held some surprises and had her trying to figure out what was what in a world gone awry. Pepper's narrative was a bit flatter and more predictable. But the stories end up coming together nicely. A surprisingly enjoyable read. My tolerance for sentimental historical fiction is quite low, but this one really worked for me. I'm going to look for the other books in what I now understand is a series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
December 11, 2016
Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams is a 2016 Berkley publication.
Both Annabelle and Pepper are strong women who are facing or have faced adversity, and showed real temerity when staring down danger for the sake of their children. I loved both these women and am so happy they connected. I have a feeling these two will be the best of friends… or maybe even family someday.
Overall, this is a beautiful and epic love story that transcends time, written with perfect pacing and vivid characterizations that gives the reader a passport to the past and takes them on heart pounding and poignant journey that ends in the most surprising and pleasing way imaginable.
5 stars
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
Both Annabelle and Pepper are strong women who are facing or have faced adversity, and showed real temerity when staring down danger for the sake of their children. I loved both these women and am so happy they connected. I have a feeling these two will be the best of friends… or maybe even family someday.
Overall, this is a beautiful and epic love story that transcends time, written with perfect pacing and vivid characterizations that gives the reader a passport to the past and takes them on heart pounding and poignant journey that ends in the most surprising and pleasing way imaginable.
5 stars
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews. To read the full review, click on this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
November 28, 2015
This just wasn't my cup of tea even though there is a lot to like about the two main characters , Pepper and Annabelle. It's about two women in two different times , trying to manage their out of wedlock pregnancies and love lives . I found Annabelle's story to be more interesting than Pepper's . There seemed to be more substance there , maybe having to do with the time, what was happening to Jews in Europe in the 1930's as opposed to Pepper's story in the 1960's . But even that didn't do much to much to make it any less soap opera like . It was predictable and I would dub it historical chick lit . Having said that , I still will give it 3 stars since I have to admit I wanted to see the story through .
Thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley.
May 24, 2018
I really enjoyed Along the Infinite Sea, the first Beatriz Williams book I've read. The book includes two story lines: Annabelle in the 1930s, as she works to escape Nazi Germany and is caught in a sort of love triangle, and Pepper in the 1960s, who is looking for a solution to a bad decision she made. Ultimately, the stories merge. The ending was not what I predicted as I read closer to finishing the book, but I enjoyed it and thought the story tied up nicely.
I didn't realize this book was part of a series re: the Schuyler sisters, but did not feel I was missing any important information as I read. I didn't know it was part of a series until after I'd finished it. I like historical fiction and the plot of this book drew me to wanting to read it, on its own. I will definitely read more from Beatriz Williams.
I didn't realize this book was part of a series re: the Schuyler sisters, but did not feel I was missing any important information as I read. I didn't know it was part of a series until after I'd finished it. I like historical fiction and the plot of this book drew me to wanting to read it, on its own. I will definitely read more from Beatriz Williams.
August 25, 2022
In what is purported to be the third volume of the trilogy exploring the lives of each of the three Schuyler sisters, we find very little of Pepper Schuyler's story written in these pages...and so it is a bit of a cheat.
Pepper is pregnant (by one of the Kennedy brothers, we are left to assume) and selling an expensive Mercedes for the money to afford an existence on the lam. The mysterious woman she sells it to has a history with the car, and that history is the bulk of this tale. World War II. Torn between a handsome German and a handsome Jew. Romance, sex, the infinite sea, while Pepper rubs her swollen ankles and does a lot of present-day brooding.
Poor Pepper. Shafted left, right and center, so it seems.
This is a beach book. If there's sun and sand in your future? Worth a look.
Pepper is pregnant (by one of the Kennedy brothers, we are left to assume) and selling an expensive Mercedes for the money to afford an existence on the lam. The mysterious woman she sells it to has a history with the car, and that history is the bulk of this tale. World War II. Torn between a handsome German and a handsome Jew. Romance, sex, the infinite sea, while Pepper rubs her swollen ankles and does a lot of present-day brooding.
Poor Pepper. Shafted left, right and center, so it seems.
This is a beach book. If there's sun and sand in your future? Worth a look.
January 24, 2016
Beatriz Williams delivers another winner in the latest installment of the Schuyler Sisters series.
"Along the Infinite Sea" provides readers with two parallel stories -- the late 1930's story of Annabelle Dommerich in a Europe that is heading for war, and the mid-1960's story of Pepper Schuyler, the feisty daughter of a prominent NYC family entangled in an affair with a legendary politician.
In "Sea" Williams does what she does best -- gives readers smart, resourceful, headstrong female protagonists with moxie (no shrinking violets here!), mixes in a good love story complete with moral ambiguity, throws in some mystery to keep readers guessing, and ties it up in a "historical fiction lite" package so that we learn something along the way. It's not the kind of book I like to read all the time, but it definitely hits the spot when I'm in the mood.
4 solid stars.
"Along the Infinite Sea" provides readers with two parallel stories -- the late 1930's story of Annabelle Dommerich in a Europe that is heading for war, and the mid-1960's story of Pepper Schuyler, the feisty daughter of a prominent NYC family entangled in an affair with a legendary politician.
In "Sea" Williams does what she does best -- gives readers smart, resourceful, headstrong female protagonists with moxie (no shrinking violets here!), mixes in a good love story complete with moral ambiguity, throws in some mystery to keep readers guessing, and ties it up in a "historical fiction lite" package so that we learn something along the way. It's not the kind of book I like to read all the time, but it definitely hits the spot when I'm in the mood.
4 solid stars.
September 15, 2015
I’m an unabashed fan of Beatriz Williams’s soapish, melodramatic historical novels. She does what often gets derided as “chick lit” so well. Her books toe the edge of fluffy, but they’re fairly well-written and incredibly engaging. She’s good at laying out a twisty plot without giving away all the secrets too early or making those twists too obvious or trite. They’re just fun to read.
So this is the third novel about the Schuyler sisters and a more-or-less direct follow-up to Tiny Little Thing. For what it’s worth, I definitely recommend reading Tiny first because that’s where all the set-up lies and because it’s, frankly, a much better book.
(This book, like Tiny and Violet Grant, also features a nod to characters from A Hundred Summers, though it’s not necessary to read that one to follow what’s going on.)
Infinite Sea picks up the story of the third Schuyler sister, Pepper, who made a small appearance in Tiny, in which she discovered an old car at her in-laws’ and used it as her catalyst out of that book and into this one. Here, she decides to sell the restored Roadster to fund her impending new life as a single-mother-to-be. The buyer turns out to be the car’s original owner, Annabelle Dommerich, who in turn takes Pepper home so that Pepper can figure out her shit and slowly reveal Annabelle’s tragic love story to the readers.
This one was kind of a mixed bag for me, for a lot of reasons. For one thing, it didn’t make any sense to me that Annabelle would randomly decide to take Pepper home with her like a stray puppy. And Pepper’s story was incredibly dull. She honestly just served as an explicative tool to gradually draw out Annabelle’s story, and didn’t do anything interesting until more than halfway through the book. She deserved better.
To be fair, Annabelle’s story was much more compelling. Williams alternated narration between the two women, going back and forth between early-twenties Annabelle in just-barely-pre-war France and Germany, and middle aged Annabelle helping Pepper out in 1960s Florida. Annabelle buys the car from Pepper for a small fortune because she has an emotional attachment to it – she describes it as the car in which she drove out of Nazi Germany, and that a piece of her heart was left behind in Europe. Her flashback narration reveals a love triangle full of mystery, regret, and intrigue set in a world that is rapidly falling apart. Faced with a series of nearly impossible choices, Annabelle is a wholly sympathetic character determined to stay strong. Williams constantly left me uncertain as to exactly how the whole thing would play out, and I really couldn’t wait to see what would happen.
But then there’s the ending. Honestly, it felt like she realized that she’d gotten to 460+ pages and decided to just go ahead and write the epilogue.
I think fans of Williams’ previous work will likely enjoy this book. There’s lots of little nods to those previous works that fans will surely appreciate, and Annabelle’s half of the narrative is perhaps one of the strongest plots Williams has written to date. The Pepper plot dragged too much, though, and parts of it occasionally felt a little too forced so it’s hard for me to recommend this one too enthusiastically.
So this is the third novel about the Schuyler sisters and a more-or-less direct follow-up to Tiny Little Thing. For what it’s worth, I definitely recommend reading Tiny first because that’s where all the set-up lies and because it’s, frankly, a much better book.
(This book, like Tiny and Violet Grant, also features a nod to characters from A Hundred Summers, though it’s not necessary to read that one to follow what’s going on.)
Infinite Sea picks up the story of the third Schuyler sister, Pepper, who made a small appearance in Tiny, in which she discovered an old car at her in-laws’ and used it as her catalyst out of that book and into this one. Here, she decides to sell the restored Roadster to fund her impending new life as a single-mother-to-be. The buyer turns out to be the car’s original owner, Annabelle Dommerich, who in turn takes Pepper home so that Pepper can figure out her shit and slowly reveal Annabelle’s tragic love story to the readers.
This one was kind of a mixed bag for me, for a lot of reasons. For one thing, it didn’t make any sense to me that Annabelle would randomly decide to take Pepper home with her like a stray puppy. And Pepper’s story was incredibly dull. She honestly just served as an explicative tool to gradually draw out Annabelle’s story, and didn’t do anything interesting until more than halfway through the book. She deserved better.
To be fair, Annabelle’s story was much more compelling. Williams alternated narration between the two women, going back and forth between early-twenties Annabelle in just-barely-pre-war France and Germany, and middle aged Annabelle helping Pepper out in 1960s Florida. Annabelle buys the car from Pepper for a small fortune because she has an emotional attachment to it – she describes it as the car in which she drove out of Nazi Germany, and that a piece of her heart was left behind in Europe. Her flashback narration reveals a love triangle full of mystery, regret, and intrigue set in a world that is rapidly falling apart. Faced with a series of nearly impossible choices, Annabelle is a wholly sympathetic character determined to stay strong. Williams constantly left me uncertain as to exactly how the whole thing would play out, and I really couldn’t wait to see what would happen.
But then there’s the ending. Honestly, it felt like she realized that she’d gotten to 460+ pages and decided to just go ahead and write the epilogue.
I think fans of Williams’ previous work will likely enjoy this book. There’s lots of little nods to those previous works that fans will surely appreciate, and Annabelle’s half of the narrative is perhaps one of the strongest plots Williams has written to date. The Pepper plot dragged too much, though, and parts of it occasionally felt a little too forced so it’s hard for me to recommend this one too enthusiastically.
November 30, 2015
Confession: I did not want to read this book. It just sounded a little blah to me. The setting sounded random as did the time periods, and the romance sounded cliche….so I wasn’t overly enthused to read it. But I agreed to do a review anyway on a chance that it might be ‘decent’……I had heard a lot about William’s writing style and was at least willing to give it a shot, especially since I like war time novels/romances.
Well readers…I was completely blown away! This book was phenomenal. I loved William’s writing style, it literally roped me in hook line and sinker right off the bat. It was lyrical, mystical, and literally just begging to be read. I was completely wrapped up in the story from the very beginning.
I loved how we got right into Annabelle’s story almost right away. She was alluring and mysterious…..while she was naive and young at the beginning of the novel, there was an air about her character that suggested she was wise beyond her years. I loved seeing how she evolved and changed as life ‘happened’ to her. I really felt like I was growing with her character.
The story between Annabelle, Johann, and Stefan was intriguing and begged the readers interest. I mean how could you not want to know how this unexpected romance turned out or how it came to be in the first place? Rich Jew versus a Nazi General? I was dying to know how this whole thing came about and if there might be a happy ending because frankly I wasn’t sure if that was coming or not because it seemed unlikely! The ending was perfect….literally perfect. I loved how it all turned out for Annabelle.
I wasn’t crazy about Pepper’s character at first. I thought she was a little bratty and just had a chip on her shoulder but at the same time, I admired her spirit in the face of social ruin. By the end of the book I started warming up to her and was eager to see a happy ending for her too.
This book was wonderful. The writing style was beautiful and the romance appropriate and alluring….not to mention the backdrop was perfect. I liked the time distance between what happened just before the war and the fall of of the decisions people make and how the continue to shape their lives even into the 1960s.
I can’t say enough good things about this book, it just made my heart happy. I loved it. This wasn’t the ‘gut wrenching, heart breaking novel’ that it could have been……it easily could have been a heart breaker but it wasn’t, the ending was so fitting. I did not know this was a ‘series’ sort of . It looks like William’s wrote some other books about the Schuyler sisters and this was the final ‘Schuyler Sister‘ book. Well now that I know that….I went on and bought the first book in the series (The Secret Life of Violet Grant). If it’s anything like this novel I am sure I will love it too!
See my full review here
Well readers…I was completely blown away! This book was phenomenal. I loved William’s writing style, it literally roped me in hook line and sinker right off the bat. It was lyrical, mystical, and literally just begging to be read. I was completely wrapped up in the story from the very beginning.
I loved how we got right into Annabelle’s story almost right away. She was alluring and mysterious…..while she was naive and young at the beginning of the novel, there was an air about her character that suggested she was wise beyond her years. I loved seeing how she evolved and changed as life ‘happened’ to her. I really felt like I was growing with her character.
The story between Annabelle, Johann, and Stefan was intriguing and begged the readers interest. I mean how could you not want to know how this unexpected romance turned out or how it came to be in the first place? Rich Jew versus a Nazi General? I was dying to know how this whole thing came about and if there might be a happy ending because frankly I wasn’t sure if that was coming or not because it seemed unlikely! The ending was perfect….literally perfect. I loved how it all turned out for Annabelle.
I wasn’t crazy about Pepper’s character at first. I thought she was a little bratty and just had a chip on her shoulder but at the same time, I admired her spirit in the face of social ruin. By the end of the book I started warming up to her and was eager to see a happy ending for her too.
This book was wonderful. The writing style was beautiful and the romance appropriate and alluring….not to mention the backdrop was perfect. I liked the time distance between what happened just before the war and the fall of of the decisions people make and how the continue to shape their lives even into the 1960s.
I can’t say enough good things about this book, it just made my heart happy. I loved it. This wasn’t the ‘gut wrenching, heart breaking novel’ that it could have been……it easily could have been a heart breaker but it wasn’t, the ending was so fitting. I did not know this was a ‘series’ sort of . It looks like William’s wrote some other books about the Schuyler sisters and this was the final ‘Schuyler Sister‘ book. Well now that I know that….I went on and bought the first book in the series (The Secret Life of Violet Grant). If it’s anything like this novel I am sure I will love it too!
See my full review here
March 19, 2016
This is the first book by Beatriz Williams I have read, and something about it was compulsively readable (Case in point: generally when I read at night, I get sleepy … but this book kept me wide-eyed).
This dual-narrative, dual-time period novel is, at its most basic level, a love story/romance. (Ironically, I don’t consider myself a reader of either genre – but when it’s done well … let’s face it … who can resist a good love story?). But this novel also is much more. It’s historical fiction and upmarket women’s fiction verging on literary (I disagree with other reviewers who dub this author’s writing “historical chick lit.” The word choices and sensory descriptions are meticulous and thoughtful. The “show don’t tell” aspect is exemplary. The weaving of the two time periods is portrayed with an expert hand. The technique of telling a pivotal plot point on page one, then filling in the details for the reminder of the book was handled with incredible skill).
The true strength of this book lies in the author’s ability to keep the reader guessing about a very key question. I’ve honestly never seen it done so well (In my own mind, the ‘conclusions’ I drew jostled back and forth so many times, I had some whiplash – of the enjoyable ‘reader variety.’ I cannot say enough about this aspect of the book).
My 4 vs. a 5 rating is due to some character actions that I felt were plot contrivances more than anything else – though I, like so many others, was willing to suspend disbelief and still thoroughly enjoy the novel. I would definitely read this author’s work again (and though I understand this book is a continuation of characters in the author’s previous work, it is not necessary to have read them).
Thanks, Hallie, for the giveaway! I was not disappointed.
This dual-narrative, dual-time period novel is, at its most basic level, a love story/romance. (Ironically, I don’t consider myself a reader of either genre – but when it’s done well … let’s face it … who can resist a good love story?). But this novel also is much more. It’s historical fiction and upmarket women’s fiction verging on literary (I disagree with other reviewers who dub this author’s writing “historical chick lit.” The word choices and sensory descriptions are meticulous and thoughtful. The “show don’t tell” aspect is exemplary. The weaving of the two time periods is portrayed with an expert hand. The technique of telling a pivotal plot point on page one, then filling in the details for the reminder of the book was handled with incredible skill).
The true strength of this book lies in the author’s ability to keep the reader guessing about a very key question. I’ve honestly never seen it done so well (In my own mind, the ‘conclusions’ I drew jostled back and forth so many times, I had some whiplash – of the enjoyable ‘reader variety.’ I cannot say enough about this aspect of the book).
My 4 vs. a 5 rating is due to some character actions that I felt were plot contrivances more than anything else – though I, like so many others, was willing to suspend disbelief and still thoroughly enjoy the novel. I would definitely read this author’s work again (and though I understand this book is a continuation of characters in the author’s previous work, it is not necessary to have read them).
Thanks, Hallie, for the giveaway! I was not disappointed.
February 13, 2017
Pepper is back and as usual something is brewing. The brew is that she is pregnant and has no place to go.
Pepper did have some money, though, because she found an old Mercedes at her sister's home, got it in perfect working order, and sold it. Little did Pepper know that the car and Annabelle, the woman who bought the car, had a colorful and intense history of love, loss, and complications that involved the car.
What secrets do both Annabelle and Pepper have? Will they both reveal them after Annabelle Dommerich takes Pepper with her to her home? Will they be able to share their secrets since after one day at Annabelle's, Pepper finds that Annabelle has disappeared on one of her trips with no return date leaving Pepper at the house with Annabelle's housekeeper and dogs.
ALONG THE INFINITE SEA has beautiful descriptions, wonderful characters, secrets that everyone likes to hear, and amazing characters. Annabelle is a character you can't help but love. Pepper is fun and both Annabelle and Pepper are quite likable yet very mysterious. When Alice arrives, the story gets even more interesting.
ALONG THE INFINITE SEA is another book of Ms. Williams that I thoroughly enjoyed. I enjoyed the back and forth in time and the way Ms. Williams knows how to tell a story. Her way with words and the story line kept me wanting more. The story of Annabelle and the revelation of the history of the car and her marriage was very intriguing.
Women's fiction fans will have another read that will stay with them after turning the last page. The Schuyler girls always have something fun or disastrous going on in their lives.
If you haven't read any of Ms. Williams' books, you definitely want to take a look at them. I know you won't be disappointed. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Pepper did have some money, though, because she found an old Mercedes at her sister's home, got it in perfect working order, and sold it. Little did Pepper know that the car and Annabelle, the woman who bought the car, had a colorful and intense history of love, loss, and complications that involved the car.
What secrets do both Annabelle and Pepper have? Will they both reveal them after Annabelle Dommerich takes Pepper with her to her home? Will they be able to share their secrets since after one day at Annabelle's, Pepper finds that Annabelle has disappeared on one of her trips with no return date leaving Pepper at the house with Annabelle's housekeeper and dogs.
ALONG THE INFINITE SEA has beautiful descriptions, wonderful characters, secrets that everyone likes to hear, and amazing characters. Annabelle is a character you can't help but love. Pepper is fun and both Annabelle and Pepper are quite likable yet very mysterious. When Alice arrives, the story gets even more interesting.
ALONG THE INFINITE SEA is another book of Ms. Williams that I thoroughly enjoyed. I enjoyed the back and forth in time and the way Ms. Williams knows how to tell a story. Her way with words and the story line kept me wanting more. The story of Annabelle and the revelation of the history of the car and her marriage was very intriguing.
Women's fiction fans will have another read that will stay with them after turning the last page. The Schuyler girls always have something fun or disastrous going on in their lives.
If you haven't read any of Ms. Williams' books, you definitely want to take a look at them. I know you won't be disappointed. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
April 24, 2016
‘Along the Infinite Sea” was a pleasure to read. It’s historical fiction/mystery involving two women who are linked by an antique car. Author Beatriz Williams does a fabulous job keeping the reader involved and invested in the lives of these women.
The story is told in alternating times, the mid 1930’s in prewar Europe and the mid 1960’s along the East Coast of America. Pepper Schuyler finds a rare and antique car in her Aunt’s garage and decides to restore it and sell it for cash. Pepper is pregnant after an affair with a powerful and married politician. She wants to live independently with her new baby. The buyer for the car is Annabelle Dommerich who is in her late 40’s and seems to know a lot about Pepper. Of course, Pepper has been in the society pages, so many know her. But Annabelle is a mystery to Pepper.
Annabelle’s story takes place in prewar Europe. I found myself being enchanted with author William’s story of prewar Germany, especially from a German’s point of view. Williams does a fantastic job of getting the reader to be part of that era.
Annabelle disappears right after she convinces Pepper to stay with her. The mystery of the novel is where Annabelle is and what significance the car has to Annabelle. Pepper is a sassy socialite who is dodging the politician’s family and wants to be her own person.
Part of the story is a romance, which is not my genre. The amount of romance bordered on being distracting to me; any more and I might not have tolerated it. That said, I compulsively read the novel (the romance stuff I just skimmed through). It’s worth skimming through the romance. For those who enjoy the romantic genre, this book is for you, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.
GR friend Melissa recommended this to me and I’m grateful I read it. It is a different spin on the basic historical fiction novel of WWII. I haven’t read any of Williams work before and I’ll add her to my list of favored authors.
The story is told in alternating times, the mid 1930’s in prewar Europe and the mid 1960’s along the East Coast of America. Pepper Schuyler finds a rare and antique car in her Aunt’s garage and decides to restore it and sell it for cash. Pepper is pregnant after an affair with a powerful and married politician. She wants to live independently with her new baby. The buyer for the car is Annabelle Dommerich who is in her late 40’s and seems to know a lot about Pepper. Of course, Pepper has been in the society pages, so many know her. But Annabelle is a mystery to Pepper.
Annabelle’s story takes place in prewar Europe. I found myself being enchanted with author William’s story of prewar Germany, especially from a German’s point of view. Williams does a fantastic job of getting the reader to be part of that era.
Annabelle disappears right after she convinces Pepper to stay with her. The mystery of the novel is where Annabelle is and what significance the car has to Annabelle. Pepper is a sassy socialite who is dodging the politician’s family and wants to be her own person.
Part of the story is a romance, which is not my genre. The amount of romance bordered on being distracting to me; any more and I might not have tolerated it. That said, I compulsively read the novel (the romance stuff I just skimmed through). It’s worth skimming through the romance. For those who enjoy the romantic genre, this book is for you, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.
GR friend Melissa recommended this to me and I’m grateful I read it. It is a different spin on the basic historical fiction novel of WWII. I haven’t read any of Williams work before and I’ll add her to my list of favored authors.
July 2, 2016
This book ripped my heart in two and put it back together again only to rip it up again and mend it once more. There is a twist at the end I really didn't expect and honestly felt was slightly unbelievable due to the characters' personalities. Would Stefan have really done that? I guess I can see it both ways. But that is how the author chose to do it and I can have it. It made me a little disappointed but all is well in the end so I'm okay.
Beatriz Williams is a fantastic author. I've now read all of her books except for the one that just came out the other day. I will be jumping into that shortly. If you enjoy historical fiction, you really should try one of her books. They are all good and just suck you right in until the last page... There is no higher praise for an author!
.
Beatriz Williams is a fantastic author. I've now read all of her books except for the one that just came out the other day. I will be jumping into that shortly. If you enjoy historical fiction, you really should try one of her books. They are all good and just suck you right in until the last page... There is no higher praise for an author!
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February 6, 2016
*4.5 stars
Took me awhile to get into this but once things really picked up, I couldn't put it down. I was rooting for Annabelle & Stefan, what a love story! I liked the characters but especially Pepper & Florian. I actually would have liked to have more of their story. The extra half star is for the second half of the book, where I thought the story really shined.
Took me awhile to get into this but once things really picked up, I couldn't put it down. I was rooting for Annabelle & Stefan, what a love story! I liked the characters but especially Pepper & Florian. I actually would have liked to have more of their story. The extra half star is for the second half of the book, where I thought the story really shined.
March 24, 2018
As usual, did I start off reading (or in this case listening) the wrong book in a Beatriz Williams series. I have a tendency to go for the last one published and then go back to the start. Luckily, the books Williams write are all stand-alone (ish).
Along the Infinite Sea is a fabulous book. I have an easy way to determine how good an audiobook is. Since I have a job where I can listen to audiobooks do I want to feel that the books captivate me in such a way that after 8 hours of work does it feel like I breezed through the day. Or at least I have been entertained. This one? Well, it was like magic and I loved every single minute of the book. Kathleen McInerney is a fabulous narrator and I could listen to her talk all day long.
As for the story. I'm a big fan of dual storylines and I found myself quite caught up in both Pepper Schyuler's life and problems as well as Annabelle Dommerich story about her youth in Europe in the 40s. I was hooked and captivated by both storylines, although I found myself more taken with Pepper as a person than Annabelle, at least young Annabelle, the older one was far sassier.
I've always like that Williams manage to portray here characters, give them depth and great personalities. She's especially great when it comes to great strong female characters, and the Schuyler sisters are definitely special. I've just finished book one and Vivian Schuyler is just as brassy as Pepper. I'm looking forward to reading about Tiny next.
Along the Infinite Sea is a fabulous book. I have an easy way to determine how good an audiobook is. Since I have a job where I can listen to audiobooks do I want to feel that the books captivate me in such a way that after 8 hours of work does it feel like I breezed through the day. Or at least I have been entertained. This one? Well, it was like magic and I loved every single minute of the book. Kathleen McInerney is a fabulous narrator and I could listen to her talk all day long.
As for the story. I'm a big fan of dual storylines and I found myself quite caught up in both Pepper Schyuler's life and problems as well as Annabelle Dommerich story about her youth in Europe in the 40s. I was hooked and captivated by both storylines, although I found myself more taken with Pepper as a person than Annabelle, at least young Annabelle, the older one was far sassier.
I've always like that Williams manage to portray here characters, give them depth and great personalities. She's especially great when it comes to great strong female characters, and the Schuyler sisters are definitely special. I've just finished book one and Vivian Schuyler is just as brassy as Pepper. I'm looking forward to reading about Tiny next.
Want to read
May 10, 2015I want to read this for the cover alone. Gorgeous.
July 8, 2016
I recently read three other books by Beatriz Williams; I started with 'The Secret Life of Violet Grant', then 'A Hundred Summers' followed by 'Tiny Little Thing' which I finished reading two weeks ago. 'Tiny Little Thing' is the lead-in story to 'Along the Infinite Sea' and I don't recommend reading them in the reverse order, it won't be nearly as satisfying if you do.
There's a lot to like about 'Along the Infinite Sea' and I will say I found myself enjoying the conflicts and the characters Williams created. I loved that the story surrounding the Mercedes Benz was inspired by real a Mercedes left and rediscovered in a New England shed. There are two stories being revealed simultaneously, one in the 1930s in Europe and the other in the 1960s in America. I enjoyed both storylines but thought the depth and interest of the pre-war thread was more compelling.
In 1966 Pepper Schuyler, Tiny Hardcastle's sister from the titular 'Tiny Little Thing', sold a rare Mercedes she helped restore. The buyer is an interesting and somewhat elusive older woman, Annabelle Dommerich, who lives in Florida. Annabelle invites Pepper to stay in Florida as her house guest then unexpectedly departs without telling her family where she's gone. Pepper is in a bit of a compromising situation and could benefit from being away from her life in Washington, D.C. where she works as an aide to a prominent New York politician.
Annabelle's story is revealed to us in alternating chapters as she remembers her first love, her marriage and how she came to the United States before World War II. Her life is the highlight of the book and I loved her character; brave, conflicted and devoted.
There is some unevenness to the writing as well as some anachronistic references, far too many of one particular profanity, too much romance, melodrama and male emoting for my tastes and a period of out of character indiscretion that was unlikely. Those things took away from my reading enjoyment and gave this novel a lighter feel than what I prefer to read.
I would have enjoyed a more in-depth focus on the twist of the mystery and why the characters made the choices they did back in Germany in 1938. But overall I was invested in these characters and finding out what happened to them.
I think fans of romance and chick-lit will eat this up and love it. Despite what I feel about its short-comings I enjoyed ‘Along the Infinite Sea’ and would recommend it to the right reader. I know I'll be reading the next Beatriz Williams book, I really do enjoy her Schuyler family and the way she choreographs her multiple storylines.
Thank you to the Vine program and publishers G.P. Putnam’s Sons for making the advanced reader copy available to me.
There's a lot to like about 'Along the Infinite Sea' and I will say I found myself enjoying the conflicts and the characters Williams created. I loved that the story surrounding the Mercedes Benz was inspired by real a Mercedes left and rediscovered in a New England shed. There are two stories being revealed simultaneously, one in the 1930s in Europe and the other in the 1960s in America. I enjoyed both storylines but thought the depth and interest of the pre-war thread was more compelling.
In 1966 Pepper Schuyler, Tiny Hardcastle's sister from the titular 'Tiny Little Thing', sold a rare Mercedes she helped restore. The buyer is an interesting and somewhat elusive older woman, Annabelle Dommerich, who lives in Florida. Annabelle invites Pepper to stay in Florida as her house guest then unexpectedly departs without telling her family where she's gone. Pepper is in a bit of a compromising situation and could benefit from being away from her life in Washington, D.C. where she works as an aide to a prominent New York politician.
Annabelle's story is revealed to us in alternating chapters as she remembers her first love, her marriage and how she came to the United States before World War II. Her life is the highlight of the book and I loved her character; brave, conflicted and devoted.
There is some unevenness to the writing as well as some anachronistic references, far too many of one particular profanity, too much romance, melodrama and male emoting for my tastes and a period of out of character indiscretion that was unlikely. Those things took away from my reading enjoyment and gave this novel a lighter feel than what I prefer to read.
I would have enjoyed a more in-depth focus on the twist of the mystery and why the characters made the choices they did back in Germany in 1938. But overall I was invested in these characters and finding out what happened to them.
I think fans of romance and chick-lit will eat this up and love it. Despite what I feel about its short-comings I enjoyed ‘Along the Infinite Sea’ and would recommend it to the right reader. I know I'll be reading the next Beatriz Williams book, I really do enjoy her Schuyler family and the way she choreographs her multiple storylines.
Thank you to the Vine program and publishers G.P. Putnam’s Sons for making the advanced reader copy available to me.
January 6, 2016
4.5 stars!
Along the Infinite Sea was a wonderfully written, dual-time story set in Paris, Germany and the United States. Our main characters Pepper and Annabelle are strong, beautiful women whose lives are very complicated and full of secrets. We learn a little at a time about them as the book flashes between 1936 and 1966. Of the 2 storylines, Annabelle's is the most compelling and she is also the character that is more identifiable for most people. She dealt with a lot in her lifetime, and survived it to help another. I loved reading about her! Pepper is a bit more caustic, and her story feels like the "sideline." She's still entertaining though:)
Once I started reading this book, I did not want to stop! It's one of those stories that you can't wait to finish yet don't want to end! It drew me in and completely engaged me. I've read a lot this year dealing with WWII and with Nazi's in general, but this one still has a fresh feel to it for me.
I have read A Hundred Summers (loved it!), but at the time of this reading had not read her other 2 Schuyler sister books. That will be promptly remedied! This being said, I had no problem jumping into the characters and story. It would probably have been even better if I had though. This one keeps you guessing and puzzling over what ultimately happened til the very end!
As I finished up the book, I was conflicted because I wanted more, so much more about the characters. But at the same time, it felt right to leave the ending with a few "holes." Something I loved about the book was the re-appearance of a friend from A Hundred Summers. Such a wonderful surprise!
Just a note, this book is highly focused on sex. Its not descriptive or offensive, but a lot of it talks about, mentions, or deals with it. I think the beauty of the book probably could've been preserved without as much. But, its not what I remember about the book. The writing and characters are the star!
I cannot wait to read BW's other books I've missed! It also bears mentioning that the cover is stunning:)
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam Publishers for an advance reading copy of this book**
Along the Infinite Sea was a wonderfully written, dual-time story set in Paris, Germany and the United States. Our main characters Pepper and Annabelle are strong, beautiful women whose lives are very complicated and full of secrets. We learn a little at a time about them as the book flashes between 1936 and 1966. Of the 2 storylines, Annabelle's is the most compelling and she is also the character that is more identifiable for most people. She dealt with a lot in her lifetime, and survived it to help another. I loved reading about her! Pepper is a bit more caustic, and her story feels like the "sideline." She's still entertaining though:)
Once I started reading this book, I did not want to stop! It's one of those stories that you can't wait to finish yet don't want to end! It drew me in and completely engaged me. I've read a lot this year dealing with WWII and with Nazi's in general, but this one still has a fresh feel to it for me.
I have read A Hundred Summers (loved it!), but at the time of this reading had not read her other 2 Schuyler sister books. That will be promptly remedied! This being said, I had no problem jumping into the characters and story. It would probably have been even better if I had though. This one keeps you guessing and puzzling over what ultimately happened til the very end!
As I finished up the book, I was conflicted because I wanted more, so much more about the characters. But at the same time, it felt right to leave the ending with a few "holes." Something I loved about the book was the re-appearance of a friend from A Hundred Summers. Such a wonderful surprise!
Just a note, this book is highly focused on sex. Its not descriptive or offensive, but a lot of it talks about, mentions, or deals with it. I think the beauty of the book probably could've been preserved without as much. But, its not what I remember about the book. The writing and characters are the star!
I cannot wait to read BW's other books I've missed! It also bears mentioning that the cover is stunning:)
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam Publishers for an advance reading copy of this book**
August 9, 2016
"Along the Infinite Sea" is a historical fiction that focuses on two women: one who is unmarried and pregnant in the 1960s and one who has an amazing past that consists of love, hard choices, and escaping from the Nazis in late-1930s Europe. This is the third book in the Schuyler Sisters series by Beatriz Williams but totally stands on its own. This book really did make me want to go back and read the other books in this series. This one is a great story with many twists and turns.
Pepper and Annabelle are both great characters. Pepper is happy to move to the beat of her own job. She is pregnant and unmarried but doesn't let it bother her even if it seems to bother so many around her. After she restores an old car with a storied past, she finds the original owner, Annabelle. Annabelle is a great character in her own right. She is a woman torn between love and safety and the stakes are very high in her world. Watching how both of these characters navigate their difficulties in this book was so fascinating!
The historical detail was good. While I enjoyed Pepper's story, there was really something special about Annabelle's story. It was so exciting and the detail really made her plight come to life for me. So much of the historical fiction that I have read seems to be set after 1940. I really liked getting the glimpse of the late 1930s as Europe really began to change.
Pepper and Annabelle are both great characters. Pepper is happy to move to the beat of her own job. She is pregnant and unmarried but doesn't let it bother her even if it seems to bother so many around her. After she restores an old car with a storied past, she finds the original owner, Annabelle. Annabelle is a great character in her own right. She is a woman torn between love and safety and the stakes are very high in her world. Watching how both of these characters navigate their difficulties in this book was so fascinating!
The historical detail was good. While I enjoyed Pepper's story, there was really something special about Annabelle's story. It was so exciting and the detail really made her plight come to life for me. So much of the historical fiction that I have read seems to be set after 1940. I really liked getting the glimpse of the late 1930s as Europe really began to change.
December 9, 2021
I started this book on audio. The voices really irritated me, so I stopped. I can't tell you how much better the book got once the irritating voices were removed.
This is a dual time line book; Annabelle Dammerich and Pepper Schuyler are the two main characters.
Lots of secrets here. You spend the whole book trying to figure out why Annabelle's last name is Dammerich. Stefan Silverman is one man in her life. Johann von Kliest, another man, eventually becomes her husband.
Pepper Schuyler: Girl Friday for the new junior Senator from NY. She is heavily pregnant. Who is the father? (or do we care?).
Annabelle meets Pepper when she asks Pepper to restore a a rare 1936 Mercedes 540K Special Roadster, ostenisbly the vehicle that brought Annabelle over the Austrian border 28 years before.
Pepper is not my favorite heroine. What would YOU think about a girl who states when asked why she did not go to college:
"She lets out a sharp laugh. “Daddy wouldn’t let me. Well, specifically, he wasn’t going to pay for it, and I didn’t want to have to earn my degree on my back.” I consider that VERY unladylike.
Two time Lines: Annabelle in WWII; Pepper in 1960's Florida.
Did enjoy the book because the book kept me engaged wondering what the answers were.
Recommend as a good character driven novel.
4 stars
This is a dual time line book; Annabelle Dammerich and Pepper Schuyler are the two main characters.
Lots of secrets here. You spend the whole book trying to figure out why Annabelle's last name is Dammerich. Stefan Silverman is one man in her life. Johann von Kliest, another man, eventually becomes her husband.
Pepper Schuyler: Girl Friday for the new junior Senator from NY. She is heavily pregnant. Who is the father? (or do we care?).
Annabelle meets Pepper when she asks Pepper to restore a a rare 1936 Mercedes 540K Special Roadster, ostenisbly the vehicle that brought Annabelle over the Austrian border 28 years before.
Pepper is not my favorite heroine. What would YOU think about a girl who states when asked why she did not go to college:
"She lets out a sharp laugh. “Daddy wouldn’t let me. Well, specifically, he wasn’t going to pay for it, and I didn’t want to have to earn my degree on my back.” I consider that VERY unladylike.
Two time Lines: Annabelle in WWII; Pepper in 1960's Florida.
Did enjoy the book because the book kept me engaged wondering what the answers were.
Recommend as a good character driven novel.
4 stars
February 12, 2016
Ahhhhh. Reading (or listening in this case) Beatriz Williams books is something that I find hard to describe. The stories are vivid and of a time I have not lived, but the writing makes me wish I had. I enjoy reading about protagonists like Pepper, strong-willed women of a time when strong women were the exception.
The Infinite Sea is told in the time of Pepper and Annabelle meeting one another in the 60’s, with Annabelle’s story of her own youth being weaved in throughout the book. It is a brilliant read. One I personally devoured every chance I could get.
I listened to this on audio, Kathleen McInerney is a narrator I have enjoyed before and she has the perfect narrative voice for this book. Highly enjoyable.
Note: There are other books featuring the Schuyler sisters (Pepper is one of three). To my understanding this is actually the third book, I believe each book stands on their own and I did not feel that I needed the other two books to make sense of this one. The other books would be: The Secret Like of Violet Grant and Tiny Little Thing. Both books, I hope to enjoy sometime soon.
For my full review: http://bookjourney.net/2016/02/12/alo...
The Infinite Sea is told in the time of Pepper and Annabelle meeting one another in the 60’s, with Annabelle’s story of her own youth being weaved in throughout the book. It is a brilliant read. One I personally devoured every chance I could get.
I listened to this on audio, Kathleen McInerney is a narrator I have enjoyed before and she has the perfect narrative voice for this book. Highly enjoyable.
Note: There are other books featuring the Schuyler sisters (Pepper is one of three). To my understanding this is actually the third book, I believe each book stands on their own and I did not feel that I needed the other two books to make sense of this one. The other books would be: The Secret Like of Violet Grant and Tiny Little Thing. Both books, I hope to enjoy sometime soon.
For my full review: http://bookjourney.net/2016/02/12/alo...
August 9, 2016
This author has a gift for weaving a story through the ages. This story ties two women together from the time of WWII to the mid 1960’s. The flavor of the era exudes through the pages and gives you insight to a complicated love affair and the connection to the decisions of a young woman on the run.
Beatriz Williams knows how to write about the deep heart aching love that transcends time. With amazing details of the history along with the depth of motion between two people, you are taken away to another era where you fall into the story.
Pages flew as I read about these two women and how they are tied together. Pepper has a wisecracking tongue and Annabelle is a naive soul and sometimes I had to wonder where the story was going. But in typical fashion for her, the author tied it up in a loose bow and brought us to a conclusion that left a few strings hanging and a few doors open.
This interesting book was a pleasurable read that leaves you wondering if there will be yet another installment in the future. The author is the queen of historical storytelling and always leaves you wanting more.
full review http://amidlifewife.com/along-infinit...
Beatriz Williams knows how to write about the deep heart aching love that transcends time. With amazing details of the history along with the depth of motion between two people, you are taken away to another era where you fall into the story.
Pages flew as I read about these two women and how they are tied together. Pepper has a wisecracking tongue and Annabelle is a naive soul and sometimes I had to wonder where the story was going. But in typical fashion for her, the author tied it up in a loose bow and brought us to a conclusion that left a few strings hanging and a few doors open.
This interesting book was a pleasurable read that leaves you wondering if there will be yet another installment in the future. The author is the queen of historical storytelling and always leaves you wanting more.
full review http://amidlifewife.com/along-infinit...
September 11, 2015
Along The Infinite Sea
By
Beatriz Williams
What I knew about this book before I read it...
First of all...I love the work of this author. I read Tiny Little Thing and this book has a definite connection to that book.
My thoughts after reading this book...
I didn't love this book at first. Pepper...one of the main characters was just a tad irritating. She is abrasive...really truly a pain. I first became aware of her in Tiny Little Thing and I really didn't like her there. I guess the word hard describes her best. But...this book made me understand and appreciate her more...I didn't love her but I felt better about her. This book is similar to other Beatriz Williams books because we have Annabelle and Pepper meeting over an old classic Mercedes. And we have chapters dedicated to Annabelle's history which took place during WWII at the height of the power of Nazi Germany. That story...Annabelle's story...is really the best part of this book.
Final thoughts...
I guess you really don't need to read Tiny Little Thing to appreciate this book but I loved that I did. This is a beautiful love story...with lots of intrigue and suspense.
By
Beatriz Williams
What I knew about this book before I read it...
First of all...I love the work of this author. I read Tiny Little Thing and this book has a definite connection to that book.
My thoughts after reading this book...
I didn't love this book at first. Pepper...one of the main characters was just a tad irritating. She is abrasive...really truly a pain. I first became aware of her in Tiny Little Thing and I really didn't like her there. I guess the word hard describes her best. But...this book made me understand and appreciate her more...I didn't love her but I felt better about her. This book is similar to other Beatriz Williams books because we have Annabelle and Pepper meeting over an old classic Mercedes. And we have chapters dedicated to Annabelle's history which took place during WWII at the height of the power of Nazi Germany. That story...Annabelle's story...is really the best part of this book.
Final thoughts...
I guess you really don't need to read Tiny Little Thing to appreciate this book but I loved that I did. This is a beautiful love story...with lots of intrigue and suspense.
December 19, 2016
Well, I didn't wait too long to come back and finish reading this book, the finale in the Schuyler Sisters series. Binge reading is not quite the same as binge watching tv episodes. haha Naturally, it takes more time, plus all my TBR pile just glares at me saying, "hey, there's no rush on that book, it was published a year ago, let's go woman, we've all got deadlines!" They're right of course. So next time, I'll spread out the joy a little. The book however was pretty decent, I just read it too soon. It alternates chapters between a 1938 and 1966 timeframe and two women from each who meet and share some things in common. Beatriz Williams can still surprise me at the end, so that was cool. And I do look forward to reading her new book in 2017.
February 3, 2016
ALONG THE INFINITE SEA
Beatriz Williams
Another enchanting escapist read following Pepper, one of the Schuyler sisters depicted in the first book titled TINY LITTLE THING.
I am a fan as Ms. Williams books are always well written with wonderful characters, a great story line, a little romance and usually a little mystery.
Truly enjoyed!
Beatriz Williams
Another enchanting escapist read following Pepper, one of the Schuyler sisters depicted in the first book titled TINY LITTLE THING.
I am a fan as Ms. Williams books are always well written with wonderful characters, a great story line, a little romance and usually a little mystery.
Truly enjoyed!
November 12, 2015
One of my favorite authors. You can go wrong with a Beatriz Williams book. She is an expert and blending multiple storylines and time periods. The writing is always crisp, funny, and moving. Loved this b
August 2, 2018
I couldn’t put this book down. I read the entire book in one day.
September 4, 2019
I bounced between giving this two and three stars. The problem is, I liked this book. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. It just wasn't the story I was expecting, and because of that, I'm extremely disappointed.
I love the Schuyler sisters. Love. So when I realized that Pepper was going to get her own book as well, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! She seemed to be the spunkiest of all, and I wanted to get a glimpse into her life, to see how she operated on a day to day basis with her quick wit and moxie. Unfortunately, a glimpse is really all we get. This story isn't about Pepper, not really. It opens with her, living at a hotel, trying to escape the man who got her pregnant, but the readers, along with Pepper, are quickly whisked away into the life of Annabelle Dommerich, the woman this story actually follows.
You know what, though? I immensely enjoyed Annabelle's story. My problem is that I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been its own book, because outside of being a thrilling backstory, it doesn't much connect to anything else. The readers are introduced to Annabelle when Pepper is, and while the reader finds out about Annabelle's life, Pepper, in the book, doesn't. In fact, the only thing connecting these two are that Annabelle takes Pepper in, I think they might be second cousins (?), and they both had a baby out of wedlock. The story we read about Annabelle has almost nothing to do with Pepper or her situation, so I'm honestly quite confused as to why this was the basis of the plot, and not its own book.
I suppose you could say that the overarching theme of this book is the love people have for children, but I hesitate to even say that, because Williams really doesn't connect that between the two stories. Annabelle is alive because of the love people had for her children, and Pepper is uncertain if she's mother material, but that's all the reader is left with. There's no realization with Pepper about her kid. When the book ends, she's still unsure about motherhood, and she even says that it hasn't sunk in yet. I'd say that maybe Annabelle's story serves as a lesson to Pepper, except Pepper isn't even told about Annabelle! All she knows is that she escaped Nazi Germany and became an accomplished musician. That's it. There's no satisfying conclusion to Pepper's story, except that Annabelle wants her to date her son.
(That was also another complaint of mine. This book is so child heavy. That's fine, but I'm just not one of those gals who goes goo goo over a kid. I don't hate kids, by any means, but while Pepper doesn't know if she's mother material, I know for certain that I am NOT mother material. Kids in general don't interest me, so having to read 400+ pages about children started to wear on me a bit).
Like I said though, I did enjoy Annabelle's story. Her and Stefan's story made me honest to the gods cry (even though Stefan had a tendency to very much annoy me...though I still love him), and I was pleasantly surprised by Johann, but other than that, I guess I just don't understand why that's the main story. I also don't really like how it ended, either. You spend 300 pages falling in love with their relationship, only to get a super rushed ending, with answers, very, very important answers, answered on the third to last page. We also don't learn of what happened to Annabelle's family either, which I found to be quite annoying. Is Charles alive? How is her dad, and her stepmom, who was her actual friend? How about her baby sister? How about all of her kids...the ones who helped propel the story forward? Once her family story line is dropped, you never hear about it again, which annoyed me to no end.
I also feel like this book was quite disjointed, as well. It opens up with Pepper, she gets taken in by Annabelle, Annabelle explains nothing about herself to Pepper, but the reader learns of Annabelle's story through flashbacks, though these flashbacks aren't being told to anyone. They're just there so the reader is privy to Annabelle's life. Pepper stays in Annabelle's house, Annabelle leaves suddenly, Pepper meets her son, Florian, and they go and try to find Annabelle. They eventually do, and...that's basically it. Add in huge chunks of backstory about Annabelle's life after every chapter about Pepper, and that's the book. Actually, if you take out the chapters about Annabelle's life, you'd be left with less than 100 pages, and a very unremarkable story about Pepper, who the book is supposedly centered around. I just...don't get it.
So, where does that leave me? Confused, honestly. I guess I just really don't see the point. I loved Annabelle's story, but why was that part of a Schuyler book? The first two in the series were almost solely about the other two sisters, so why didn't Pepper get the same treatment? I suppose, to me, it just seemed like Williams didn't know how to extend Pepper's life and story, she already had another story (Annabelle's) that she was working on, so she decided to combine the two, and the reader is left with this.
All in all, I enjoyed Annabelle's story, but this was a terrible ending to the Schuyler sisters trilogy.
I love the Schuyler sisters. Love. So when I realized that Pepper was going to get her own book as well, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! She seemed to be the spunkiest of all, and I wanted to get a glimpse into her life, to see how she operated on a day to day basis with her quick wit and moxie. Unfortunately, a glimpse is really all we get. This story isn't about Pepper, not really. It opens with her, living at a hotel, trying to escape the man who got her pregnant, but the readers, along with Pepper, are quickly whisked away into the life of Annabelle Dommerich, the woman this story actually follows.
You know what, though? I immensely enjoyed Annabelle's story. My problem is that I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been its own book, because outside of being a thrilling backstory, it doesn't much connect to anything else. The readers are introduced to Annabelle when Pepper is, and while the reader finds out about Annabelle's life, Pepper, in the book, doesn't. In fact, the only thing connecting these two are that Annabelle takes Pepper in, I think they might be second cousins (?), and they both had a baby out of wedlock. The story we read about Annabelle has almost nothing to do with Pepper or her situation, so I'm honestly quite confused as to why this was the basis of the plot, and not its own book.
I suppose you could say that the overarching theme of this book is the love people have for children, but I hesitate to even say that, because Williams really doesn't connect that between the two stories. Annabelle is alive because of the love people had for her children, and Pepper is uncertain if she's mother material, but that's all the reader is left with. There's no realization with Pepper about her kid. When the book ends, she's still unsure about motherhood, and she even says that it hasn't sunk in yet. I'd say that maybe Annabelle's story serves as a lesson to Pepper, except Pepper isn't even told about Annabelle! All she knows is that she escaped Nazi Germany and became an accomplished musician. That's it. There's no satisfying conclusion to Pepper's story, except that Annabelle wants her to date her son.
(That was also another complaint of mine. This book is so child heavy. That's fine, but I'm just not one of those gals who goes goo goo over a kid. I don't hate kids, by any means, but while Pepper doesn't know if she's mother material, I know for certain that I am NOT mother material. Kids in general don't interest me, so having to read 400+ pages about children started to wear on me a bit).
Like I said though, I did enjoy Annabelle's story. Her and Stefan's story made me honest to the gods cry (even though Stefan had a tendency to very much annoy me...though I still love him), and I was pleasantly surprised by Johann, but other than that, I guess I just don't understand why that's the main story. I also don't really like how it ended, either. You spend 300 pages falling in love with their relationship, only to get a super rushed ending, with answers, very, very important answers, answered on the third to last page. We also don't learn of what happened to Annabelle's family either, which I found to be quite annoying. Is Charles alive? How is her dad, and her stepmom, who was her actual friend? How about her baby sister? How about all of her kids...the ones who helped propel the story forward? Once her family story line is dropped, you never hear about it again, which annoyed me to no end.
I also feel like this book was quite disjointed, as well. It opens up with Pepper, she gets taken in by Annabelle, Annabelle explains nothing about herself to Pepper, but the reader learns of Annabelle's story through flashbacks, though these flashbacks aren't being told to anyone. They're just there so the reader is privy to Annabelle's life. Pepper stays in Annabelle's house, Annabelle leaves suddenly, Pepper meets her son, Florian, and they go and try to find Annabelle. They eventually do, and...that's basically it. Add in huge chunks of backstory about Annabelle's life after every chapter about Pepper, and that's the book. Actually, if you take out the chapters about Annabelle's life, you'd be left with less than 100 pages, and a very unremarkable story about Pepper, who the book is supposedly centered around. I just...don't get it.
So, where does that leave me? Confused, honestly. I guess I just really don't see the point. I loved Annabelle's story, but why was that part of a Schuyler book? The first two in the series were almost solely about the other two sisters, so why didn't Pepper get the same treatment? I suppose, to me, it just seemed like Williams didn't know how to extend Pepper's life and story, she already had another story (Annabelle's) that she was working on, so she decided to combine the two, and the reader is left with this.
All in all, I enjoyed Annabelle's story, but this was a terrible ending to the Schuyler sisters trilogy.
December 30, 2023
So this has been on my to-read for awhile and not sure how it got there. It was available at the library so I picked it up, hoping for an easy, entertaining book over the holidays.
And it was less than meh. The chapters alternate between WWI (1933-38) and "modern day" (1966) and each feature a different pregant woman to start. The women are united by a car and while the story is supposed to be exciting and compelling (one woman is heping Jews escape Germany and the other is running away from JFK--who supposedly impregnated her), I did not find it to be either. The story was far fetched and rather silly and the two main characters were sympathetic in theory, but I found I was not really worried about whether or not things would turn out for them.
Overall it was just boring and rather predictable.
And it was less than meh. The chapters alternate between WWI (1933-38) and "modern day" (1966) and each feature a different pregant woman to start. The women are united by a car and while the story is supposed to be exciting and compelling (one woman is heping Jews escape Germany and the other is running away from JFK--who supposedly impregnated her), I did not find it to be either. The story was far fetched and rather silly and the two main characters were sympathetic in theory, but I found I was not really worried about whether or not things would turn out for them.
Overall it was just boring and rather predictable.
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