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Love Walked In #3
I'll Be Your Blue Sky
The New York Times bestselling author revisits the characters from her beloved novels Love Walked In and Belong to Me in this captivating, beautifully written drama involving family, friendship, secrets, sacrifice, courage, and true love for fans of Jojo Moyes, Elin Hilderbrand, and Nancy Thayer
On the weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman named Edith Herron. During the course of a single conversation, Edith gives Clare the courage to do what she should have done months earlier: break off her engagement to her charming, yet overly possessive, fiancé.
Three weeks later, Clare learns that Edith has died—and has given her another gift. Nestled in crepe myrtle and hydrangea and perched at the marshy edge of a bay in a small seaside town in Delaware, Blue Sky House now belongs to Clare. Though the former guest house has been empty for years, Clare feels a deep connection to Edith inside its walls, which are decorated with old photographs taken by Edith and her beloved husband, Joseph.
Exploring the house, Clare finds two mysterious ledgers hidden beneath the kitchen sink. Edith, it seems, was no ordinary woman—and Blue Sky House no ordinary place. With the help of her mother, Viviana, her surrogate mother, Cornelia Brown, and her former boyfriend and best friend, Dev Tremain, Clare begins to piece together the story of Blue Sky House—a decades-old mystery more complex and tangled than she could have imagined. As she peels back the layers of Edith’s life, Clare discovers a story of dark secrets, passionate love, heartbreaking sacrifice, and incredible courage. She also makes startling discoveries about herself: where she’s come from, where she’s going, and what—and who—she loves.
Shifting between the 1950s and the present and told in the alternating voices of Edith and Clare, I’ll Be Your Blue Sky is vintage Marisa de los Santos—an emotionally evocative novel that probes the deepest recesses of the human heart and illuminates the tender connections that bind our lives.
On the weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman named Edith Herron. During the course of a single conversation, Edith gives Clare the courage to do what she should have done months earlier: break off her engagement to her charming, yet overly possessive, fiancé.
Three weeks later, Clare learns that Edith has died—and has given her another gift. Nestled in crepe myrtle and hydrangea and perched at the marshy edge of a bay in a small seaside town in Delaware, Blue Sky House now belongs to Clare. Though the former guest house has been empty for years, Clare feels a deep connection to Edith inside its walls, which are decorated with old photographs taken by Edith and her beloved husband, Joseph.
Exploring the house, Clare finds two mysterious ledgers hidden beneath the kitchen sink. Edith, it seems, was no ordinary woman—and Blue Sky House no ordinary place. With the help of her mother, Viviana, her surrogate mother, Cornelia Brown, and her former boyfriend and best friend, Dev Tremain, Clare begins to piece together the story of Blue Sky House—a decades-old mystery more complex and tangled than she could have imagined. As she peels back the layers of Edith’s life, Clare discovers a story of dark secrets, passionate love, heartbreaking sacrifice, and incredible courage. She also makes startling discoveries about herself: where she’s come from, where she’s going, and what—and who—she loves.
Shifting between the 1950s and the present and told in the alternating voices of Edith and Clare, I’ll Be Your Blue Sky is vintage Marisa de los Santos—an emotionally evocative novel that probes the deepest recesses of the human heart and illuminates the tender connections that bind our lives.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
2103 people are currently reading
19749 people want to read
About the author
Marisa de los Santos
15 books3,120 followersMarisa de los Santos is the New York Times bestselling author of LOVE WALKED IN, BELONG TO ME, FALLING TOGETHER, THE PRECIOUS ONE, and her newest novel, which continues with characters from the first two, I'LL BE YOUR BLUE SKY.
Marisa has also co-authored, with her husband David Teague, two novels for middle grade readers: SAVING LUCAS BIGGS and CONNECT THE STARS.
Marisa and David live in Wilmington, Delaware with their two children, Charles and Annabel, and their Yorkies, Finny and Huxley. Marisa is currently at work on her sixth novel for adults, I'D GIVE ANYTHING.
Marisa has also co-authored, with her husband David Teague, two novels for middle grade readers: SAVING LUCAS BIGGS and CONNECT THE STARS.
Marisa and David live in Wilmington, Delaware with their two children, Charles and Annabel, and their Yorkies, Finny and Huxley. Marisa is currently at work on her sixth novel for adults, I'D GIVE ANYTHING.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,064 reviews
April 7, 2018
Sometimes an irregular piece of sea glass tells quite the story. Smooth variations in color, light edges, unexpected density, but always a thing of beauty if held in the grit of sand long enough. Transformation in the shifting of time.
Clare Hobbes feels the grit of that sand pressing against her heart. It's the morning of her wedding. She's taken the usual steps preparing for her vows at the rehearsal the day before. But the words somehow fail to rise to her lips. She squeezes her eyes shut tightly to hold back what must be tears of excitement or are they tears of deep regret? Zach, her fiance, has never left her side with constant commitments of love and endearments. Perhaps constancy is stifling the air she so desperately wishes to breath in a lovely blue sky.
Clare slips out into the hotel garden and finds an elderly woman sitting on a bench. They strike up a conversation. The woman introduces herself as Edith Herron. Words flow soul to soul. It is Edith who will change the trajectory of Clare's life unbeknownst to either of them at the time.
A few weeks later, Clare receives a phone call from a lawyer informing her that Edith Herron has passed away and has left Clare her home, Blue Sky House, up in Delaware. The home has been well cared for. Blue Sky House will reveal deep kept secrets in the form of boxes and hidden ledgers. Edith lived quite the life and the details will come spilling out as Clare slowly lifts the shadows that have not been revealed in years.
Marisa de los Santos has a gift for storytelling. Her chapters revert back and forth from Clare in the present to Edith in the 1950's. What appears to be a light-hearted romantic theme is certainly not. There is a heavy-ladened thread flowing through this storyline with historical imprints of those 1950's. De Los Santos does not even reveal Edith's full secret until much later. Readers can visualize a wide webbing effect with an expanse of crystallized dew across this complicated web. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I'll Be Your Blue Sky is filled with the complications of life and how decisions made in the past can be traced sharply into the present. Lovely characters evolve alongside some not so very lovely ones. A very satisfying read by a very talented writer.
Clare Hobbes feels the grit of that sand pressing against her heart. It's the morning of her wedding. She's taken the usual steps preparing for her vows at the rehearsal the day before. But the words somehow fail to rise to her lips. She squeezes her eyes shut tightly to hold back what must be tears of excitement or are they tears of deep regret? Zach, her fiance, has never left her side with constant commitments of love and endearments. Perhaps constancy is stifling the air she so desperately wishes to breath in a lovely blue sky.
Clare slips out into the hotel garden and finds an elderly woman sitting on a bench. They strike up a conversation. The woman introduces herself as Edith Herron. Words flow soul to soul. It is Edith who will change the trajectory of Clare's life unbeknownst to either of them at the time.
A few weeks later, Clare receives a phone call from a lawyer informing her that Edith Herron has passed away and has left Clare her home, Blue Sky House, up in Delaware. The home has been well cared for. Blue Sky House will reveal deep kept secrets in the form of boxes and hidden ledgers. Edith lived quite the life and the details will come spilling out as Clare slowly lifts the shadows that have not been revealed in years.
Marisa de los Santos has a gift for storytelling. Her chapters revert back and forth from Clare in the present to Edith in the 1950's. What appears to be a light-hearted romantic theme is certainly not. There is a heavy-ladened thread flowing through this storyline with historical imprints of those 1950's. De Los Santos does not even reveal Edith's full secret until much later. Readers can visualize a wide webbing effect with an expanse of crystallized dew across this complicated web. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I'll Be Your Blue Sky is filled with the complications of life and how decisions made in the past can be traced sharply into the present. Lovely characters evolve alongside some not so very lovely ones. A very satisfying read by a very talented writer.
April 19, 2018
“Something in your eyes
Makes me want to lose myself
Makes me want to lose myself
In your arms
There's something in your voice
Makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts
The rest of my life
“If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone
If you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done
“It feels like home to me
It feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where
I come from
It feels like home to me
It feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong”
”Feels Like Home,”Randy Newman, Songwriters: Randy Newman
This story is told in alternating chapters through the voices of Edith, in the late 40s and 1950s, and Clare in the present.
As the date of Clare and Zach’s wedding is rapidly approaching, she’s been jittery, on edge, trying to remind herself of all of Zach’s good points, of all the reasons why she said yes, and all she seems to be focusing on, instead, are the moments where he seems to anger too quickly, to drink too much, to go from winsome to possessive and callous without provocation. Still, his story is a somewhat heartbreaking one, his family cold, distant, and cruel. She doesn’t want to add to his pain.
The wedding day has arrived, and as they gather to prepare for the wedding, the caterers bustling about, others setting up the scene, Clare steps out for a breath of air, to get away from the frenzy, from her thoughts, to try to pinpoint what she’s been trying to keep from herself.
When Edith Herron, an elderly woman whom Clare doesn’t know, happens to walk out to where Clare is at that moment, and initiates a brief, thought-provoking conversation, Clare is suddenly faced with her true feelings.
”I know the pull of a dark, complicated man, the kind who has trouble loving anyone but you. But let me tell you this: the ones who look like home are home.”
Clare knows she must cancel the wedding.
Less than a month later, Clare has been left an unusual gift: a house. Not just a house, a home in a seaside town in Delaware. Not just any home, but one called The Blue Sky House. When she hears this, her mind flashes back to their conversation, when Edith had said to her: “’You’re his blue sky. When everything else is darkness. But is her yours?’” She can still hear her saying this.
Any home that old will have stories to tell, and this one has more than a few. Once upon a time it was made with love for love. And in another lifetime, it welcomed visitors seeking the soothing seas, and sheltered others from prying eyes. So when Clare walks in the first time, sees the photographs and paintings on the wall, touches the furniture, looking around in awe and reverence at the walls, the sounds of waves lapping the shores singing in her ears, she knows this house has a story to share. She knows she must untangle these stories.
There is a bit of a mystery to unravel, and Clare needs something to focus on besides the cancelled wedding. She begins to look for some reason that this woman whom she had never met before would feel compelled to bequeath her with such an extravagant gift. Little by little she solves one piece of the puzzle at a time, each piece its own story.
This isn’t a typical love story, but it is a story about love, in its own way, which is always a bit of a mystery. Familial love, romantic love, the love and kindness of strangers, the gift of love through the gift of time and self, agápē love.
”’This’, I said, cradling the photo in my palms. ‘This is it. The thing you hold out for. You wait a lifetime if you have to.’
“It felt like a vow, and, for a second, I wished I had a witness, but then I realized that I did. The house was my witness.”
We don’t always know or recognize, or even appreciate the connections we have to others, the tender ties that bind us one to another throughout our lives and beyond. I loved that so much of this story was about both the physical ties as well as the ones we create, the bonds we form through the families we create. I loved that the focus was on love in all its various forms, and not just romantic love.
I wanted to read this ever since I read my goodreads friend Paulie’s review. Thank you, Paulie! Paulie’s review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Many thanks, once again, to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!
Makes me want to lose myself
Makes me want to lose myself
In your arms
There's something in your voice
Makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts
The rest of my life
“If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've been so alone
If you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my life the way you've done
“It feels like home to me
It feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where
I come from
It feels like home to me
It feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong”
”Feels Like Home,”Randy Newman, Songwriters: Randy Newman
This story is told in alternating chapters through the voices of Edith, in the late 40s and 1950s, and Clare in the present.
As the date of Clare and Zach’s wedding is rapidly approaching, she’s been jittery, on edge, trying to remind herself of all of Zach’s good points, of all the reasons why she said yes, and all she seems to be focusing on, instead, are the moments where he seems to anger too quickly, to drink too much, to go from winsome to possessive and callous without provocation. Still, his story is a somewhat heartbreaking one, his family cold, distant, and cruel. She doesn’t want to add to his pain.
The wedding day has arrived, and as they gather to prepare for the wedding, the caterers bustling about, others setting up the scene, Clare steps out for a breath of air, to get away from the frenzy, from her thoughts, to try to pinpoint what she’s been trying to keep from herself.
When Edith Herron, an elderly woman whom Clare doesn’t know, happens to walk out to where Clare is at that moment, and initiates a brief, thought-provoking conversation, Clare is suddenly faced with her true feelings.
”I know the pull of a dark, complicated man, the kind who has trouble loving anyone but you. But let me tell you this: the ones who look like home are home.”
Clare knows she must cancel the wedding.
Less than a month later, Clare has been left an unusual gift: a house. Not just a house, a home in a seaside town in Delaware. Not just any home, but one called The Blue Sky House. When she hears this, her mind flashes back to their conversation, when Edith had said to her: “’You’re his blue sky. When everything else is darkness. But is her yours?’” She can still hear her saying this.
Any home that old will have stories to tell, and this one has more than a few. Once upon a time it was made with love for love. And in another lifetime, it welcomed visitors seeking the soothing seas, and sheltered others from prying eyes. So when Clare walks in the first time, sees the photographs and paintings on the wall, touches the furniture, looking around in awe and reverence at the walls, the sounds of waves lapping the shores singing in her ears, she knows this house has a story to share. She knows she must untangle these stories.
There is a bit of a mystery to unravel, and Clare needs something to focus on besides the cancelled wedding. She begins to look for some reason that this woman whom she had never met before would feel compelled to bequeath her with such an extravagant gift. Little by little she solves one piece of the puzzle at a time, each piece its own story.
This isn’t a typical love story, but it is a story about love, in its own way, which is always a bit of a mystery. Familial love, romantic love, the love and kindness of strangers, the gift of love through the gift of time and self, agápē love.
”’This’, I said, cradling the photo in my palms. ‘This is it. The thing you hold out for. You wait a lifetime if you have to.’
“It felt like a vow, and, for a second, I wished I had a witness, but then I realized that I did. The house was my witness.”
We don’t always know or recognize, or even appreciate the connections we have to others, the tender ties that bind us one to another throughout our lives and beyond. I loved that so much of this story was about both the physical ties as well as the ones we create, the bonds we form through the families we create. I loved that the focus was on love in all its various forms, and not just romantic love.
I wanted to read this ever since I read my goodreads friend Paulie’s review. Thank you, Paulie! Paulie’s review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Many thanks, once again, to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!
March 2, 2021
Marisa de los Santos returns to the characters she first introduced in Love Walked In. (This book stands alone; no need to read the previous books first.)
The day before her wedding, Clare has cold feet. Enter Edith, an elderly stranger Clare connects with instantly, who nudges Clare to cancel her wedding to a man who scares her. Not long after, Clare receives notice that Edith has died, and bequeathed her a strange gift—her house. Clare seeks refuge there after her nonwedding, and soon learns hints of the past role the house—and Edith—played in a “relocation system” that served women fleeing domestic violence in the 1950s. The story flips back and forth in time between Clare’s current romantic dilemma and the 1950s mystery.
This is the sequel I didn’t know I wanted, easy to read while covering serious emotional territory, packed with literary references that will warm book lovers’ hearts.
The day before her wedding, Clare has cold feet. Enter Edith, an elderly stranger Clare connects with instantly, who nudges Clare to cancel her wedding to a man who scares her. Not long after, Clare receives notice that Edith has died, and bequeathed her a strange gift—her house. Clare seeks refuge there after her nonwedding, and soon learns hints of the past role the house—and Edith—played in a “relocation system” that served women fleeing domestic violence in the 1950s. The story flips back and forth in time between Clare’s current romantic dilemma and the 1950s mystery.
This is the sequel I didn’t know I wanted, easy to read while covering serious emotional territory, packed with literary references that will warm book lovers’ hearts.
August 4, 2017
CAN YOU GIVE A BOOK 37 STARS?
Seriously, though. I loved Love Walked In, I really liked Belong to Me and I loved loved loved this book so much. From the first moment until the last moment, everything about it was just right.
(Save your gripes about everything falling into place too neatly for someone else, because I like a book with a neat symmetry and a mystery relationship or two.)
ANYWAY, I can't wait to give patrons the whole trilogy again.
Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.
Seriously, though. I loved Love Walked In, I really liked Belong to Me and I loved loved loved this book so much. From the first moment until the last moment, everything about it was just right.
(Save your gripes about everything falling into place too neatly for someone else, because I like a book with a neat symmetry and a mystery relationship or two.)
ANYWAY, I can't wait to give patrons the whole trilogy again.
Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.
December 14, 2018
Favorite Quotes:
Maybe it comes from having spent most of my childhood alone with my mother, who even before her breakdown and subsequent bipolar diagnosis, was all quicksilver, mutable brilliance, and so necessary to me that I kept track of her with what could only be called vigilance, half worried she’d disappear in a puff of colored smoke and sparkles.
She never fit… All her life, she had never managed polish or tidiness, never, even as a child, been perky or pretty or cute… A gangly girl, now she stood tall, narrow hipped, broad shouldered, leggy as a heron. In an era of things staying in place, of starch and hairspray, she was loosely gathered, pieces of her forever apt to ravel, crease, fly away.
“The world is big and life is long. You never know,” said my mother, giving a shrug that managed to be chic and wise and jaded and careless all at once. It was the kind of shrug for which words like insouciant and urbane were created.
My Review:
A five-star rating is nowhere near enough, nor would ten. Fifteen appears to be a more accurate assessment, which is rare air indeed. Marisa de los Santos is a stunning and mesmerizing wordsmith. This beautiful and intricately crafted book had a soul, and it was lovely, heartbreaking, devastating, gorgeous, and profoundly moving. The writing was exquisite and I didn’t want it to end. At times I couldn’t seem to catch my breath or read fast enough while I also didn't want to rush, as I wanted to savor every artfully chosen and well-honed word. I was intrigued and enthralled with Edith’s story, which could suddenly and unexpectedly spin with a poignancy that stung my eyes and put hot rocks in my throat. In a word, this book was divine.
Maybe it comes from having spent most of my childhood alone with my mother, who even before her breakdown and subsequent bipolar diagnosis, was all quicksilver, mutable brilliance, and so necessary to me that I kept track of her with what could only be called vigilance, half worried she’d disappear in a puff of colored smoke and sparkles.
She never fit… All her life, she had never managed polish or tidiness, never, even as a child, been perky or pretty or cute… A gangly girl, now she stood tall, narrow hipped, broad shouldered, leggy as a heron. In an era of things staying in place, of starch and hairspray, she was loosely gathered, pieces of her forever apt to ravel, crease, fly away.
“The world is big and life is long. You never know,” said my mother, giving a shrug that managed to be chic and wise and jaded and careless all at once. It was the kind of shrug for which words like insouciant and urbane were created.
My Review:
A five-star rating is nowhere near enough, nor would ten. Fifteen appears to be a more accurate assessment, which is rare air indeed. Marisa de los Santos is a stunning and mesmerizing wordsmith. This beautiful and intricately crafted book had a soul, and it was lovely, heartbreaking, devastating, gorgeous, and profoundly moving. The writing was exquisite and I didn’t want it to end. At times I couldn’t seem to catch my breath or read fast enough while I also didn't want to rush, as I wanted to savor every artfully chosen and well-honed word. I was intrigued and enthralled with Edith’s story, which could suddenly and unexpectedly spin with a poignancy that stung my eyes and put hot rocks in my throat. In a word, this book was divine.
December 17, 2019
[3+] Finding a novel to clear my reading palate is tricky because so many light novels annoy me. This novel hits all the right notes - comforting and easy to read with likable characters.
October 2, 2019
"You're his blue sky. When everything else is darkness. But is he yours?"
"No one should live with someone who scares her."
Clare Hobbes is having prenuptial jitters, trying to list the good qualities belonging to her possessive fiance. A talk with an elderly woman, Edith, gives her the courage to break off her engagement.
A few weeks later, Edith's lawyer tells Clare that she has inherited Edith's home--Blue Sky House--near a Delaware bay. Through photographs and hidden ledgers, Clare learns about the people Edith has loved and her courage in helping others. Clare enlists the help of her best friend--and former boyfriend--Dev to find out more about Edith's life. Clare also discovers more about herself in the process.
The book alternates between chapters involving Clare in the present day, and Edith in the 1950s. This is a story about relationships between family, friends, lovers, and strangers in need of help. I cared about the outcomes of the characters in the book, including the ones with problems. I enjoyed Marisa de los Santos' writing so I'm hoping to read an earlier book in the series. 3.5 stars.
First read 10/23/18, reread 10/2/19 for book discussion.
"No one should live with someone who scares her."
Clare Hobbes is having prenuptial jitters, trying to list the good qualities belonging to her possessive fiance. A talk with an elderly woman, Edith, gives her the courage to break off her engagement.
A few weeks later, Edith's lawyer tells Clare that she has inherited Edith's home--Blue Sky House--near a Delaware bay. Through photographs and hidden ledgers, Clare learns about the people Edith has loved and her courage in helping others. Clare enlists the help of her best friend--and former boyfriend--Dev to find out more about Edith's life. Clare also discovers more about herself in the process.
The book alternates between chapters involving Clare in the present day, and Edith in the 1950s. This is a story about relationships between family, friends, lovers, and strangers in need of help. I cared about the outcomes of the characters in the book, including the ones with problems. I enjoyed Marisa de los Santos' writing so I'm hoping to read an earlier book in the series. 3.5 stars.
First read 10/23/18, reread 10/2/19 for book discussion.
May 28, 2018
One of those dual narrative novels that alternates between the 1950s and current day. I enjoyed the story line of Edith much more than modern day Clare. The dialogue between Clare and the other major characters, including her best friend/soulmate Dev, just felt far too precious, even "twee". Real people aren't so glib and forcibly clever. And the series of "coincidences" that help solve the mystery of how Edith and Clare are linked together felt extremely contrived.
But overall it is an enjoyable story with some very touching passages.
But overall it is an enjoyable story with some very touching passages.
February 20, 2018
The weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman, Edith Herron, at the venue. While they only have a few brief conversations, they provide Clare with the insight and courage she so badly needs. So much that she finds the strength to call off her wedding and return home alone. A few weeks later, Clare receives some sad and surprising news: Edith has passed away and left Clare a seaside home in Delaware. Desperately seeking a place to reevaluate her life, Clare decamps to the "Blue Sky House" and there begins to learn more about Edith and the remarkable life she led. This includes the discovery of two ledgers--one depicting a list of the guests who stayed at Edith's home when it was a beach guesthouse and another, "shadow" ledger, with mysterious notations. With the help of her former boyfriend, now best friend Dev Tremain, Clare starts to unravel Edith's brave and fascinating past. Along the way, she starts to get closer to working out more about herself as well.
I absolutely adore Marisa de los Santos and was really excited to see she had written another book picking up on the characters first introduced in Love Walked In: A Novel and Belong to Me. Both still hold a place of honor on the bookshelves of my home. Still, Goodreads told me it was nearly ten years since I'd read those gems. Considering I can forget a lot of what I've read a few months ago, it took a little remembering and time to get back into the characters. There's a lot to keep track of in the beginning. Still, once I got into the groove, it was like being back with old friends.
Getting to know more about Clare--all grown up now--is lovely. You find yourself drawn to her immediately. Her finance, Zach, made me nervous from the start, and in many ways, the novel can be a little stressful, between Clare navigating Zach, learning about what Edith was up to, and just some of the general topics of the novel. I always know a book is well-written when I find myself getting nervous on the characters' behalf.
The book generally alternates chapters between Clare and the story of Edith, the woman she meets at her wedding venue. Edith's story mainly takes place in the 1940s and 1950s, and I found myself always wishing for more and more of her tale, as she's a fascinating character in her own right. As Clare moves into Edith's old home and starts to investigate the woman's past, we learn a little more about her through Clare and Dev's sleuthing. It's a very effective format, and I found the book surprisingly suspenseful, with several unexpected twists and turns thrown in along the way.
Indeed, I was never really sure where this one was going. It meanders a bit and kept surprising me as it did. There are points where the sadness can be really hard and heartbreaking (in a wow, this novel is incredibly well-written and I feel as if these characters are real way). All the characters fit together so well and come to life before you--no surprise to anyone who has read a Marisa de los Santos novel before. It's so easy to get lost in the world she creates for us. At other times, I just found myself laughing, as Clare and Dev, for instance, could just be so funny and real.
In the end, I just wound up really loving this one. I was along for the ride wherever Clare and her gang were going to take me. I loved her, I loved Edith, and now I'd wait ten years for another book without any issue whatsoever. It's a lovely book about connections and about the family we have and the family we make. It's about love (very appropriate that I finished it on Valentine's Day). Thanks for revisiting these characters, Ms. de los Santos. I didn't know I needed them again, but I'm glad you did. 4+ stars.
I I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for a honest review (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 03/06/2018.
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I absolutely adore Marisa de los Santos and was really excited to see she had written another book picking up on the characters first introduced in Love Walked In: A Novel and Belong to Me. Both still hold a place of honor on the bookshelves of my home. Still, Goodreads told me it was nearly ten years since I'd read those gems. Considering I can forget a lot of what I've read a few months ago, it took a little remembering and time to get back into the characters. There's a lot to keep track of in the beginning. Still, once I got into the groove, it was like being back with old friends.
Getting to know more about Clare--all grown up now--is lovely. You find yourself drawn to her immediately. Her finance, Zach, made me nervous from the start, and in many ways, the novel can be a little stressful, between Clare navigating Zach, learning about what Edith was up to, and just some of the general topics of the novel. I always know a book is well-written when I find myself getting nervous on the characters' behalf.
The book generally alternates chapters between Clare and the story of Edith, the woman she meets at her wedding venue. Edith's story mainly takes place in the 1940s and 1950s, and I found myself always wishing for more and more of her tale, as she's a fascinating character in her own right. As Clare moves into Edith's old home and starts to investigate the woman's past, we learn a little more about her through Clare and Dev's sleuthing. It's a very effective format, and I found the book surprisingly suspenseful, with several unexpected twists and turns thrown in along the way.
Indeed, I was never really sure where this one was going. It meanders a bit and kept surprising me as it did. There are points where the sadness can be really hard and heartbreaking (in a wow, this novel is incredibly well-written and I feel as if these characters are real way). All the characters fit together so well and come to life before you--no surprise to anyone who has read a Marisa de los Santos novel before. It's so easy to get lost in the world she creates for us. At other times, I just found myself laughing, as Clare and Dev, for instance, could just be so funny and real.
In the end, I just wound up really loving this one. I was along for the ride wherever Clare and her gang were going to take me. I loved her, I loved Edith, and now I'd wait ten years for another book without any issue whatsoever. It's a lovely book about connections and about the family we have and the family we make. It's about love (very appropriate that I finished it on Valentine's Day). Thanks for revisiting these characters, Ms. de los Santos. I didn't know I needed them again, but I'm glad you did. 4+ stars.
I I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in return for a honest review (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 03/06/2018.
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July 31, 2018
This book is sublime! I couldn’t put it down. I loved it from the very first word to the very last word. There is laughter, tears, fears, doubts, mystery, danger, love, family, history, romance. It’s got it all, and then some. This is the best book I’ve read all summer. Read this book. You will fall in love.
December 31, 2018
This flips back and forth between Clare and Edith and follows two timelines, Clare in the present day and then Edith in the nineteen fifties. The way the story flowed and weaves together was really beautiful and the authors writing was really gorgeous. I didn’t realize that this is the third book in a series and I think I probably would’ve been more invested in some if the characters if I had read the previous books, but I still enjoyed this one.
There is a mysterious aspect to this but I would definitely say it fits best in a Women’s Fiction category or even contemporary romance. There was a lot of emotion infused into the one and a poignant depth that makes it standout from cutesy Chick Lit novels. I’m really impressed with the authors writing style and would definitely read something else by her in the future!
I’ll Be Your Blue Sky in three words: Poignant, Emotional and Beautiful.
There is a mysterious aspect to this but I would definitely say it fits best in a Women’s Fiction category or even contemporary romance. There was a lot of emotion infused into the one and a poignant depth that makes it standout from cutesy Chick Lit novels. I’m really impressed with the authors writing style and would definitely read something else by her in the future!
I’ll Be Your Blue Sky in three words: Poignant, Emotional and Beautiful.
July 4, 2020
I'll Be Your Blue Sky is a unique read by Marisa de los Santos.
This book follows Clare in the current day after she decides to break up with her fiancee on the day of their wedding, and Edith back years ago before she gifted Clare her house. This book is pure storytelling with riveting scenes and excellent prose. It was beautiful to read, but I had troubles sticking to it. I just didn't find this book super interesting. It felt more like a contemporary fiction novel with lots of description. Connecting with the plot was rather hard for me. Even with a mystery unravelling, I just couldn't connect.
I do think many readers will love this book. It's honestly a work of art and I'm annoyed with myself that I couldn't enjoy it. I'm totally impressed by Marisa's writing and feel like I need to shout about how beautifully written this book was from the roof tops. I will say it is a super comforting, easy to read novel that will help you drift away. It also has some beautiful quotes that will make your heart sing.
Two out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book follows Clare in the current day after she decides to break up with her fiancee on the day of their wedding, and Edith back years ago before she gifted Clare her house. This book is pure storytelling with riveting scenes and excellent prose. It was beautiful to read, but I had troubles sticking to it. I just didn't find this book super interesting. It felt more like a contemporary fiction novel with lots of description. Connecting with the plot was rather hard for me. Even with a mystery unravelling, I just couldn't connect.
I do think many readers will love this book. It's honestly a work of art and I'm annoyed with myself that I couldn't enjoy it. I'm totally impressed by Marisa's writing and feel like I need to shout about how beautifully written this book was from the roof tops. I will say it is a super comforting, easy to read novel that will help you drift away. It also has some beautiful quotes that will make your heart sing.
Two out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
April 19, 2018
I liked the Edith part of the story, but Clare gave me the shits. Absolutely spineless, boring, and trite.
The story was completely predictable and so neatly packaged up at the end. Unengaging.
The story was completely predictable and so neatly packaged up at the end. Unengaging.
August 24, 2018
A standard 3.5. I enjoyed it, but its not a not to be missed.
In all fairness, I must say that I read Love Walked In and You Belong To Me, years ago. I think at the time, I didn't even know they were connected. So to revisit these characters was not the nostalgia honeymoon others might have experienced. Reading the amount that I do, many things are long forgotten, except that I remember loving both books, and I have the vague memory of Claire and Cornelia, and a Cancer loss. Its a plug for getting through trilogies with quicker speed than I have done in the past.
But onto this one. Dual perspective at different times about 50 years apart. Both storylines contain a love story, and lots of conflict and difficult choices. At least in the older timeline. The characters were likable enough, but not to stick for forever. Everything unfolded as pretty much expected, though the book didn't really take off until page 135 or so. Almost halfway there. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. By that time I was just enjoying the ride. Now onto Love and Ruin, by Paula Maclain.
In all fairness, I must say that I read Love Walked In and You Belong To Me, years ago. I think at the time, I didn't even know they were connected. So to revisit these characters was not the nostalgia honeymoon others might have experienced. Reading the amount that I do, many things are long forgotten, except that I remember loving both books, and I have the vague memory of Claire and Cornelia, and a Cancer loss. Its a plug for getting through trilogies with quicker speed than I have done in the past.
But onto this one. Dual perspective at different times about 50 years apart. Both storylines contain a love story, and lots of conflict and difficult choices. At least in the older timeline. The characters were likable enough, but not to stick for forever. Everything unfolded as pretty much expected, though the book didn't really take off until page 135 or so. Almost halfway there. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. By that time I was just enjoying the ride. Now onto Love and Ruin, by Paula Maclain.
September 6, 2018
A dear friend sent this book for me to enjoy and it WAS an enjoyable read. I expected from the title that I would be reading a romance but I found there was a larger story to be told.I was lead down a path full of twists and turns , exposed to some history that I was not aware of, given the opportunity to read some beautiful sentences and a chance to use my detective skills.
I am always grateful to be able to learn something new and this reading left me with the desire to dig deeper into history ...one of those little unexpected gifts that a book can leave us!
January 20, 2018
I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book. I love how Marisa keeps coming back to this set of characters; it's like visiting with family you like! There's an added element in this book - an historical story which adds a new dimension. If you're a fan of Love Walked In and the other books in this series - or good books in general - you will enjoy this!
April 28, 2018
Rounding up to 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Slightly slow to warm up, but overall, fantastic!
Slightly slow to warm up, but overall, fantastic!
February 28, 2019
This one just didn't do it for me. Things wrapped up too neatly and perfectly and I needed a lot more of Clare and Zach's history - he's so much a charicature that I was left wanting to understand how Clare even started dating him.
September 11, 2017
Charming and big-hearted and masterfully written. Another perfect read from Marisa de los Santos, who somehow hits it out of the park with each and every book.
March 18, 2018
4 stars because I just couldn't overlook a few points but a great big huge ♥
I adore Marisa de los Santos. Ever since I read and fell in love with Love Walked In, I have eagerly awaited each of her subsequent books. I'll Be Your Blue Sky may be my favorite so far.
Claire Hobbs is getting married tomorrow. She is surrounded by her family and friends. She is the center of her fiancee's attention. She is having second thoughts. She finds solace in a complete stranger, and old woman, Edith, who she stumbles upon in the garden and it seems like Claire has known her forever. Claire bolts, then learns that the old woman has died and left Claire a house by the ocean, Blue Sky House. Claire retreats there to get her life back in order and stumbled upon a mystery that she vows to solve along with her best friend Dev.
First and foremost, I love the characters. I loved seeing some of the same characters as Love Walked In and You Belong to Me, but now about 10 years later. I really liked Claire (for the most part), and the parts about Edith's past were gems.
I also adore de los Santos's writing. She has a gift, that is for sure! It is so easy to fall in to and she paints such vivid pictures without being overly flowery.
And there is no way I wasn't going to love the story. A multi-generational mystery? The story of Claire and Dev's gumshoe sleuthing interspersed with chapters about Edith's past? Throw in a truly compelling premise to the mystery that I need to research, but I truly hope was based on fact. Oh, and maybe add in a big, sprawling, supportive family and a potential romance and that all adds up to a win in my book.
So, what didn't I like?
Claire's decision about her marriage. Not so much her decision to call it off, but her decision to say yes in the first place. Yes, I realize that there are so many women in her situation, who marry people who are not right for them, who may have flashes of violence, because they want to help that person, they think they are the only one who can. I don't personally connect to that view point. In fact, while I can have sympathy (though it is a struggle for me), it infuriates me. Claire was an idiot.
The mystery storyline got bogged down a bit at the end with so many twists and so many people and so many dual identities. You know it is bad when you need a character to say, "Wait, I am confused? Can someone explain this to me slowly" as a plot to explain it to the reader.
And finally, there were a LOT of far-fetched assumptions and guesses, a lot of insane coincidences, and it took a final shocking plot twist in the last chapter to make the pieces all fit. It wasn't high on my list of irritations, I just rolled with it because I loved the journey so much, but all added up together it is like a nagging itch that I just can't get over.
But, even those few negative aspects cannot bring this book down too much. I still loved it, I still compulsively listened to it, I still will be eagerly awaiting what de los Santos comes out with next.
I adore Marisa de los Santos. Ever since I read and fell in love with Love Walked In, I have eagerly awaited each of her subsequent books. I'll Be Your Blue Sky may be my favorite so far.
Claire Hobbs is getting married tomorrow. She is surrounded by her family and friends. She is the center of her fiancee's attention. She is having second thoughts. She finds solace in a complete stranger, and old woman, Edith, who she stumbles upon in the garden and it seems like Claire has known her forever. Claire bolts, then learns that the old woman has died and left Claire a house by the ocean, Blue Sky House. Claire retreats there to get her life back in order and stumbled upon a mystery that she vows to solve along with her best friend Dev.
First and foremost, I love the characters. I loved seeing some of the same characters as Love Walked In and You Belong to Me, but now about 10 years later. I really liked Claire (for the most part), and the parts about Edith's past were gems.
I also adore de los Santos's writing. She has a gift, that is for sure! It is so easy to fall in to and she paints such vivid pictures without being overly flowery.
And there is no way I wasn't going to love the story. A multi-generational mystery? The story of Claire and Dev's gumshoe sleuthing interspersed with chapters about Edith's past? Throw in a truly compelling premise to the mystery that I need to research, but I truly hope was based on fact. Oh, and maybe add in a big, sprawling, supportive family and a potential romance and that all adds up to a win in my book.
So, what didn't I like?
Claire's decision about her marriage. Not so much her decision to call it off, but her decision to say yes in the first place. Yes, I realize that there are so many women in her situation, who marry people who are not right for them, who may have flashes of violence, because they want to help that person, they think they are the only one who can. I don't personally connect to that view point. In fact, while I can have sympathy (though it is a struggle for me), it infuriates me. Claire was an idiot.
The mystery storyline got bogged down a bit at the end with so many twists and so many people and so many dual identities. You know it is bad when you need a character to say, "Wait, I am confused? Can someone explain this to me slowly" as a plot to explain it to the reader.
And finally, there were a LOT of far-fetched assumptions and guesses, a lot of insane coincidences, and it took a final shocking plot twist in the last chapter to make the pieces all fit. It wasn't high on my list of irritations, I just rolled with it because I loved the journey so much, but all added up together it is like a nagging itch that I just can't get over.
But, even those few negative aspects cannot bring this book down too much. I still loved it, I still compulsively listened to it, I still will be eagerly awaiting what de los Santos comes out with next.
July 30, 2017
Super satisfying to see Clare as an adult. Enjoyed
April 9, 2023
Genre: Chick-lit
This one was slow to start for me. I almost gave up and chalked it up to "not for me". But once the set up was over, I really fell in love with Clare and Dev. Sometimes the characters can make all the difference.
The story line eventually got underway and it was kind of fun to follow along with. There are two POVs that eventually connect. I also liked the humor and the banter. Now I will say, this was a little too sweet but given the genre, that is probably to be expected...and in this case, it was endearing. Overall this one went from 2 stars to 4....I'll round up to the four.
This one was slow to start for me. I almost gave up and chalked it up to "not for me". But once the set up was over, I really fell in love with Clare and Dev. Sometimes the characters can make all the difference.
The story line eventually got underway and it was kind of fun to follow along with. There are two POVs that eventually connect. I also liked the humor and the banter. Now I will say, this was a little too sweet but given the genre, that is probably to be expected...and in this case, it was endearing. Overall this one went from 2 stars to 4....I'll round up to the four.
October 17, 2018
I'll Be Your Blue Sky was utterly charming, engaging and very touching, at times.
The novel goes back and forth between Edith Herron and Clare Hobbs. There's a chance encounter between the two when Clare was having doubts whether to marry Zac, her fiance of only one year. Edith's advice is heard by Clare who realises that she couldn't marry a man she was fearing.
Not long after that encounter, Clare finds out that Edith's passed away and that she left her a house in a beach town in Delaware; it's the house Edith's husband bought for the two of them in the 1950's. It was a beautiful, much-loved place, filled with the photos of the two of them. Clare is instantly taken with the place. And when she one-day discovers some old ledgers for boarders and one that was more cryptic, she calls Dev, her ex-boyfriend and best friend. The two of them embark on a quest to discover more about Edith and the cryptic ledger. It's a highly emotional trip back to the 1950s and later.
I found this novel utterly gripping, so much so, I finished it in less than two days. Marisa de los Santos' writing is beautifully vivid, with descriptions out of this world. I'm on the waiting list for another audiobook by de los Santos and I can't wait to see if I can add her name to my list of favourite writers.
The novel goes back and forth between Edith Herron and Clare Hobbs. There's a chance encounter between the two when Clare was having doubts whether to marry Zac, her fiance of only one year. Edith's advice is heard by Clare who realises that she couldn't marry a man she was fearing.
Not long after that encounter, Clare finds out that Edith's passed away and that she left her a house in a beach town in Delaware; it's the house Edith's husband bought for the two of them in the 1950's. It was a beautiful, much-loved place, filled with the photos of the two of them. Clare is instantly taken with the place. And when she one-day discovers some old ledgers for boarders and one that was more cryptic, she calls Dev, her ex-boyfriend and best friend. The two of them embark on a quest to discover more about Edith and the cryptic ledger. It's a highly emotional trip back to the 1950s and later.
I found this novel utterly gripping, so much so, I finished it in less than two days. Marisa de los Santos' writing is beautifully vivid, with descriptions out of this world. I'm on the waiting list for another audiobook by de los Santos and I can't wait to see if I can add her name to my list of favourite writers.
July 24, 2017
Another amazing title from Marisa de los Santos. I could swim in this writing, just wanting to be surrounded by it. More to come when I can go into more detail...
April 10, 2023
Aha, I marked this read (a second time) yesterday but did not update my review--the original one is below.
Reading this a second time was a different experience because I read it on the heels of the other two instead of ten years later when it finally came out. I found that this was an advantage since I had a much fresher memory of Clare who is a POV as a child in the first of the three books, but not in the second (but Dev is one of three POVs in the second). In this one I also saw more of the friendship aspects than the first time around.
I think that the first paragraph I wrote is mostly true, but I wanted to add that the second book in this series has a marvellous character, Piper, that shows other talents this author has. I would say that in many ways the second book is my favourite, but this one is also worth reading in light of family and friendship, but also in light of Edith's story in the past.
3.5 stars rounded up because of how she uses language
Reading de los Santos is like having dessert--it won't make a balanced meal, but there is satisfaction in her use of language. I wouldn't say the plot is original or the story line super-unique, but it isn't trite, either. Since I can't quote more than 25 words without permission, I really can't do justice the her use of language properly. This is a two timeline story.
In a nutshell-- the present day story is a romance and while I liked it, not the story that caught me the most. It's Clare's (a child in book 1) wedding weekend, but she is having doubts, she meets Edith, an elderly woman, who helps her see that this marriage is not going to be for her without actually telling her that in so many words, but then leaves her a house after she dies from cancer a few weeks later. She also has a long time best friend and former boyfriend who everyone but her can see is really the one for her.
Edith's story is the one that gripped me, and of course this ends up being what Clare pursues, although of course she can't know all of the things we get to read. It's not that Edith does anything no one else in fiction has ever done, it's the way de los Santos writes that has me pushing this up to 4 stars.
Now I read the first book in this series either just before or just around the time the second one was published--back when I still had kids swimming on the local YMCA swim team (with a fabulous pair of coaches) and would walk over to the nearby library and browse the shelves. This is how I discovered Love Walked In. That means that while I have pleasant memories of reading them, I had to go back and read the book blurbs to remember who was in the earlier ones who show up in this book. This is good, because I liked book 1 more than book 2, and I was able to read this one "fresh." Not that everyone should do this, but I wasn't complaining about not enough time spent with protagonists I had become attached to.
Reading this a second time was a different experience because I read it on the heels of the other two instead of ten years later when it finally came out. I found that this was an advantage since I had a much fresher memory of Clare who is a POV as a child in the first of the three books, but not in the second (but Dev is one of three POVs in the second). In this one I also saw more of the friendship aspects than the first time around.
I think that the first paragraph I wrote is mostly true, but I wanted to add that the second book in this series has a marvellous character, Piper, that shows other talents this author has. I would say that in many ways the second book is my favourite, but this one is also worth reading in light of family and friendship, but also in light of Edith's story in the past.
3.5 stars rounded up because of how she uses language
Reading de los Santos is like having dessert--it won't make a balanced meal, but there is satisfaction in her use of language. I wouldn't say the plot is original or the story line super-unique, but it isn't trite, either. Since I can't quote more than 25 words without permission, I really can't do justice the her use of language properly. This is a two timeline story.
In a nutshell-- the present day story is a romance and while I liked it, not the story that caught me the most. It's Clare's (a child in book 1) wedding weekend, but she is having doubts, she meets Edith, an elderly woman, who helps her see that this marriage is not going to be for her without actually telling her that in so many words, but then leaves her a house after she dies from cancer a few weeks later. She also has a long time best friend and former boyfriend who everyone but her can see is really the one for her.
Edith's story is the one that gripped me, and of course this ends up being what Clare pursues, although of course she can't know all of the things we get to read. It's not that Edith does anything no one else in fiction has ever done, it's the way de los Santos writes that has me pushing this up to 4 stars.
Now I read the first book in this series either just before or just around the time the second one was published--back when I still had kids swimming on the local YMCA swim team (with a fabulous pair of coaches) and would walk over to the nearby library and browse the shelves. This is how I discovered Love Walked In. That means that while I have pleasant memories of reading them, I had to go back and read the book blurbs to remember who was in the earlier ones who show up in this book. This is good, because I liked book 1 more than book 2, and I was able to read this one "fresh." Not that everyone should do this, but I wasn't complaining about not enough time spent with protagonists I had become attached to.
April 30, 2018
It might sound very odd saying this, but wish Marisa de los Santos was way older and had a body of work a mile long, so that I could devour many more of her books and be blissfully busy for a very, very long time. Her writing is so vividly descriptive and surprisingly insightful, that it makes her stand out without a doubt. I’ve read almost all her books and also those co-written with her husband, David Teague, and each time, the reading experience is like an enchantment. Admittedly, her precise choice of narrative is a bit more intricate and complex than your average read, but that’s what makes her books so memorable. The imagery it evokes might take some getting used to, but it speaks to the soul and shakes things loose, for sure.
In I'll Be Your Blue Sky, we are reacquainted with Clare and Dev, who were teenagers last time they were featured in You Belong To Me. The once teenage friends-forever Clare and Dev are in their early twenties and Clare is about to marry Zach, when she meets Edith, an elderly lady, who happens to stay at the wedding resort and helps her come to the conclusion that Zach is not the right man for Clare. A few weeks after the nonwedding, Clare is informed that she has inherited Edith’s house in Antioch Beach, DE. As it turns out, Blue Sky House, is just the right place for Clare to gather herself. She also discovers that Edith had a hidden past, one that Clare can’t withstand to unravel and bring to the light.
The story alters between two time-lines; one in the early 1950 telling Edith’s story where she was a cog in a wheel helping abused women getting away from their abuser clandestinely, and the other one in the present, following Clare in her quest to piece together Edith’s past, and ultimately maybe learn something about herself.
As always outstanding, and learning about the existence of this secret network in the 50-ies, which was the only way for women and children to be saved from domestic abuse, was informative and revealing.
In I'll Be Your Blue Sky, we are reacquainted with Clare and Dev, who were teenagers last time they were featured in You Belong To Me. The once teenage friends-forever Clare and Dev are in their early twenties and Clare is about to marry Zach, when she meets Edith, an elderly lady, who happens to stay at the wedding resort and helps her come to the conclusion that Zach is not the right man for Clare. A few weeks after the nonwedding, Clare is informed that she has inherited Edith’s house in Antioch Beach, DE. As it turns out, Blue Sky House, is just the right place for Clare to gather herself. She also discovers that Edith had a hidden past, one that Clare can’t withstand to unravel and bring to the light.
The story alters between two time-lines; one in the early 1950 telling Edith’s story where she was a cog in a wheel helping abused women getting away from their abuser clandestinely, and the other one in the present, following Clare in her quest to piece together Edith’s past, and ultimately maybe learn something about herself.
As always outstanding, and learning about the existence of this secret network in the 50-ies, which was the only way for women and children to be saved from domestic abuse, was informative and revealing.
March 21, 2018
4.5 stars. Ah... what a perfectly satisfying emotional read. I'll be Your Blue Sky is the third book in Marisa de los Santos' Love Walked In books. I've become invested in the characters in these books and especially loved Clare and Dev. Yet this book starts off from the viewpoint of Edith, and that was good, because very quickly I was invested in her story too. And what an amazing story it is.
Edith and Clare meet on the eve of Clare's wedding to Zach, and Edith listens and shares wisdom with Clare. Meanwhile I am thinking - how on earth did Clare link up with Zach? And what happened to Dev? Come on, those two are made for each other. And then Clare tells the story of how that happened, and I think - how could she!
Well Clare comes to the same conclusion - and later on learning that Edith, on her death, has left her a house, she goes there and follows some clues found there to reveal more to her about Edith and her life. What follows is a whole journey that reveals Edith's courageous and loving life, and the risks she took. Clare in following up on the clues and meeting up with the people who can give her answers finds her own safe place, her own blue sky, her own self.
This is a love story, a real love story, not a romance. It tells of love and heartbreak, of rightness and wrongness. It is beautifully written, the journey and clues crafted down to the smallest details. It takes us back to the 1950's when things were a little harsher socially, society still was not ready to help battered women, but there were people who were willing to help at a cost to themselves.
This was a very satisfying read, yes you could easily read it as a stand alone, however I'd highly recommend you read in order - Love Walked In, Belong to Me and then I'll Be Your Blue Sky.
Edith and Clare meet on the eve of Clare's wedding to Zach, and Edith listens and shares wisdom with Clare. Meanwhile I am thinking - how on earth did Clare link up with Zach? And what happened to Dev? Come on, those two are made for each other. And then Clare tells the story of how that happened, and I think - how could she!
Well Clare comes to the same conclusion - and later on learning that Edith, on her death, has left her a house, she goes there and follows some clues found there to reveal more to her about Edith and her life. What follows is a whole journey that reveals Edith's courageous and loving life, and the risks she took. Clare in following up on the clues and meeting up with the people who can give her answers finds her own safe place, her own blue sky, her own self.
This is a love story, a real love story, not a romance. It tells of love and heartbreak, of rightness and wrongness. It is beautifully written, the journey and clues crafted down to the smallest details. It takes us back to the 1950's when things were a little harsher socially, society still was not ready to help battered women, but there were people who were willing to help at a cost to themselves.
This was a very satisfying read, yes you could easily read it as a stand alone, however I'd highly recommend you read in order - Love Walked In, Belong to Me and then I'll Be Your Blue Sky.
August 25, 2018
Yes, I would read this again in a heartbeat, or the blink of an eye, or...
It was the title that grabbed me. When I saw it, I had to have it.
This is a story that toggles time. Clare breaks up with Zach, her fiancé, on her wedding day, after meeting Edith, an elderly woman who remarks that Clare has not found her "blue sky." A few weeks later Edith dies and leaves her house - the Blue Sky house - to Clare.
Clare and her childhood friend, Dev, investigate the history of Edith and the Blue Sky to some very, very surprising results.
Everything is related and de los Santos does a marvelous job of presenting this heartwarming story.
Now, I'm going to look up this authors previous works.
It was the title that grabbed me. When I saw it, I had to have it.
This is a story that toggles time. Clare breaks up with Zach, her fiancé, on her wedding day, after meeting Edith, an elderly woman who remarks that Clare has not found her "blue sky." A few weeks later Edith dies and leaves her house - the Blue Sky house - to Clare.
Clare and her childhood friend, Dev, investigate the history of Edith and the Blue Sky to some very, very surprising results.
Everything is related and de los Santos does a marvelous job of presenting this heartwarming story.
Now, I'm going to look up this authors previous works.
June 2, 2018
Why did Edith bequeath a house to the bride who called off her wedding? After a brief conversation with Edith on her planned wedding day, Clare gets the courage to do what's in her heart. The book alternates between the stories of the two women. You really will enjoy getting to know them and how the tentacles of the past resonate in the present.
June 16, 2018
Loved this sweet novel ❤️ I went into this book expecting a simple romance, but it was so much more. Love, mystery, powerful female characters, timely topics.
Also, it is completely unnecessary to have read any of the her previous novels before jumping into this one. They have similar characters but the story line stands alone.
Also, it is completely unnecessary to have read any of the her previous novels before jumping into this one. They have similar characters but the story line stands alone.
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