When Kendra first visits her ailing grandmother, Ella has only one request: that Kendra write her story down, before she forgets… crystal-clear waters, and, for the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free.
But the outbreak of war casts everything in a new light. Ella is forced to return to Scotland, where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. In this new world, Ella feels herself drifting further and further from who she was on the Île de Ré. Can she ever find her way back? And does she want to?
From the windswept Île de Ré to the rugged hills of Scotland, Sea of Memories is a spellbinding journey about the power of memory, love and second chances.
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I found this book to be intriguing yet sad and bittersweet.
I personally loved this book it is so far my favorite book that I have read if you are looking for something to read you should try this book
One of the best books I’ve ever read! Such a beautiful love story. I can’t remember the last time I cried reading a book. The story was so interesting and the writer kept you engaged all the time. The characters were so real. Absolutely beautiful!
Beautiful story, beautiful writing, beautiful narration! A very touching and poignant tale of an aging grandmother who shares her spellbinding memories of a life filled with love, loss and lessons. The grandmother’s story begins when she arrives on the beautiful Île de Ré and meets the love of her life. She immediately pulls you into her story, as the chapters flip between her memories and her granddaughter’s family relationship. The tale is not only gripping and magnetizing, but I loved the way the granddaughter found inspiration and guidance in the wisdom of her grandmother’s life lessons.
A lovely story, very much enjoyed. 5 Stars!
Sometimes when reviewing a book we want to tell the readers everything about that book. BUT I don’t want to do that, the readers of SEA OF MEMORIES need to experience the story Fiona Valpy has weaved.
I will say as I sat listening SEA OF MEMORIES the story was moving around me like a colourful kaleidoscope. The book holds a cast of strong characters that I fell in love with, the author made them come alive. I felt the love of friends, the passion of lovers, the struggles of marriage and parenting, and the heart wrenching lost of the characters the readers were left to mourn.
Fiona Valpy breathlessly pulled me along a journey I will always remember. SEA OF MEMORIES ended with an explosion of emotion for me, by far this book was the best book of the year. I cannot write a review to say how amazing I thought this book was….JUST READ IT!!!
Sea of Memories by Fiona Valpy is the story about the power of memories, love and second chances. Kendra visits Ella, her ailing grandmother, who has only one request: that Kendra write down her story, before she forgets. Kendra is then taken on a spellbinding journey through her grandmother’s past. In 1937, seventeen-year-old, Ella, is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré. It proves to be the summer that changes her life forever. There she meets the charismatic and creative Christophe. Together with his twin sister, Caroline, they spend the summer exploring the island’s sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. For the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free. But soon the idyllic summer is overshadowed as war breaks out. Ella is forced to return to Scotland where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. Will she ever feel the carefreeness of that summer? Or has the horrors of war changed her forever?
Sea of Memories is a great story of life, love, and the memories we carry with us. Kendra has her own struggles as her son has been diagnosed with autism and the adjustment has put a strain on her marriage. She takes on the task of writing down her grandmother’s story reluctantly as she battles with the decision if her marriage is truly over or was it worth saving? She soon finds herself swept along the waves of her grandmother’s memories. Kendra soon realizes that her grandmother faced a similar life changing decision. Ella was a great character with a lot of pearls of wisdom. The theme of her life, as she tells Kendra, was to keep hope alive because, “life without home is a living death.” It is a sweet story with heartache, tears and falling in love again. It starts off a bit slow but once Ella’s story really gets going, it was hard to put down. I highly recommend Sea of Memories.
Sea of Memories is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.
Past and present genre where the main character is living out her late days and asks her granddaughter to write down her story from the recordings she has made. The time period for the past is the time immediately before WWII and the years following. It chronicles her “first love and her lasting love.” The settings are wonderful and it is a clean romance. In the process of learning her grandmother’s moving story, the granddaughter is not left untouched. Her marriage is struggling with the demands of an autistic child and unemployment, and she just gets through each day. Inspired by the story, she and her husband take positive steps. An enjoyable read.
Loved this unique love story set among the history of WWII.
I enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. She makes it easy to fall in love with characters and places. I really liked Ella and found her life to be so fun and interesting. There were a few parts that were a bit slow for me but it wasn’t enough to slow me down – finished this one in less than 24 hours
The writing is beautifully descriptive, I liked most of the characters, and the plot was believable and sensitively done. I enjoyed it very much.
Loved life on Île de Ré and the changing between the lives of Kendra and her grandmother Ella. The writing is exquisite! Very atmospheric.
This book started out kind of slow, in fact I almost put it aside. I am so glad I didn’t it turned out to be one of the best books I have read. Beware I was in tears at the end.
An incredibly moving dual timeline set in Scotland and France.
Ella relates her story to her granddaughter telling of her life from prior to and during World War II and beyond.
A well written and researched story that had me hooked from beginning to end.
I am now a devoted fan of Fiona Valpy and am looking forward to reading more of her thoroughly enjoyable books.
A terrific book: two good stories told by the grandmother in the 1940s, and her granddaughter on the current time writing the biography of her grandmother.
The book was slow at the beginning. I almost quit reading it. It turned out to be an enjoyable read, but I’m wondering if it would have profited by using a prologue to intimate action to come. Sometimes you need to hook the reader early.
I read so many books and always enjoy sweet, entertaining and happy. This one fit the bill. I recommend to anyone who likes a good book of that genre…no murder, violence or sex.
Started slow but the characters really draw you in.