About the book:
The Things We Knew (Thomas Nelson, July 2016)
A tragedy from the past resurfaces in this tale of family secrets and reignited love.
After her mother's death twelve years ago, Lynette Carlisle watched her close-knit family unravel. One by one, her four older siblings left their Nantucket home and never returned. All seem to harbor animosity toward their father, silently blaming him for their mother's death. Nobody will talk about that dreadful day, and Lynette can't remember a bit of it.
But when next-door neighbor Nicholas Cooper returns to Nantucket, he brings the past with him. Once her brother's best friend and Lynette's first crush, Nick seems to hiding things from her. Lynette wonders what he knows about the day her mother died and hopes he might help her remember the things she can't.
But Nick has no intention of telling Lynette the truth. Besides the damage it might cause his own family, he doesn't want to risk harming the fragile friendship between him and the woman he once thought of as a kid sister.
As their father's failing health and financial concerns bring the Carlisle siblings home, secrets begin to surface---secrets that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever. But pulling up anchor on the past propels them into the perfect storm, powerful enough to make them question all they ever believed in.
A tragedy from the past resurfaces in this tale of family secrets and reignited love.
After her mother's death twelve years ago, Lynette Carlisle watched her close-knit family unravel. One by one, her four older siblings left their Nantucket home and never returned. All seem to harbor animosity toward their father, silently blaming him for their mother's death. Nobody will talk about that dreadful day, and Lynette can't remember a bit of it.
But when next-door neighbor Nicholas Cooper returns to Nantucket, he brings the past with him. Once her brother's best friend and Lynette's first crush, Nick seems to hiding things from her. Lynette wonders what he knows about the day her mother died and hopes he might help her remember the things she can't.
But Nick has no intention of telling Lynette the truth. Besides the damage it might cause his own family, he doesn't want to risk harming the fragile friendship between him and the woman he once thought of as a kid sister.
As their father's failing health and financial concerns bring the Carlisle siblings home, secrets begin to surface---secrets that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever. But pulling up anchor on the past propels them into the perfect storm, powerful enough to make them question all they ever believed in.
Purchase your copy HERE!
My Thoughts:
“Sometimes…you find
hope in the last place you think to look.”
(p.132)
Cecily is the one, constant source of truth and encouragement
in this novel, and you will be thanking God for her presence in the story when
you discover the very tangled web of life consequences that plague the Carlisle
and Cooper families! Honestly, this book
was very intriguing with its many twists and turns and layers of plots that
ties these two families together.
Honestly, the family and relational dysfunction isn’t all that shocking
or strange. Rather, you find it
realistically accurate and, that leaves me feeling a bit sad.
Now, to be fair, there is a certain amount of overcoming,
healing and life transformation that takes place in the lives of all of these
characters, and the conclusion is believable and satisfying. But, oh the journey your heart must take to
get through this novel! There were times
I quit reading all together, because is simply became too painful! All of the characters are very
well-developed, and you will come to care a great deal about all of them. However, their woundedness, their pain, all
of it could have been avoided or at least minimized! Keeping secrets is NEVER a good idea!! EVER!!
Just be honest for goodness’ sake!!
This is a VERY well written novel, and one you are not
likely to forget after reading it! But
the journey is painful. So, consider yourself warned. Your heart will ache. This is a story of grace and redemption, but
believe me, you will feel the impact of the cost of that redemption!
About the Author:
Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she's not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border collie for long walks on the beach or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two grown children.
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