Love and family. War and secrets. Betrayal and redemption. #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns with a deeply emotional and atmospheric story that spans oceans and decades, from the present-day Delaware shore to the battlefields of WWII France. Widowed by an unspeakable tragedy, Camille Palmer has made her peace with the past and settled into the quiet safety of life with her … unspeakable tragedy, Camille Palmer has made her peace with the past and settled into the quiet safety of life with her teenage daughter Julie in a sleepy coastal town. Then the arrival of a mysterious package breaks open the door to her family’s secret past. In uncovering a hidden history, Camille has no idea that she’s embarking on an adventure that will utterly transform her.
Camille, Julie, and Camille’s father return to the French town of his youth, sparking unexpected memories — recollections that will lead them back to the dark days of the Second World War. And it is in the stunning Provençal countryside that they will uncover their family’s surprising history.
While Provence offers answers about the past, it also holds the key to Camille’s future. Along the way, she meets a former naval officer who stirs a passion deep within her — a feeling that she thought she’d never experience again.
“Susan Wiggs seamlessly melds historical drama with contemporary romance,” raves Mary Kay Andrews. Now, this hugely popular author has created her biggest, most powerful story yet — a beautiful and heartfelt novel that celebrates the bonds of family and pays homage to the sacrifices of the past.
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Another great read by Susan Wiggs. Touching story of trying to connect with past and family.
Susan Wiggs does it again – a beautiful story of love and family. This is a story of a young widow, her troubled teenage daughter, and the hope of healing and love for the future. It centers around an old roll of film with pictures revealing a family mystery that changes the course of Camille and Julie’s lives. Enter Finn – a handsome history professor – to help solve the mystery.
The author creates wonderfully relatable characters that seem like old friends by the end of the book. She tells the story in present time with sections of flashbacks to give us details of the unfolding mystery story from WWII. I appreciate her ability to show the developing and deepening love between characters without having to get overtly graphic as the romance unfolds.
I enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it!
Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs
Camille Adams, a photographer and I love hearing about her craft.
The film is Malcolm Finnemore’s and he has a very old film strip that he wants digitized. She loves the challenge.
While doing the work the call from ER that her daughter, Julie is there and she’s on her way…her doctor husband had died in the water…
Story also follows Finn, history professor in Provence, France who’s a volunteer with historic cemetary-chronilogging things left on headstones.
He’s looking for his father still when his sister came across the unexposed film of things his dad had taken…
Interesting what draws them together and the link they have…
Love hearing of the locations and all the photography things all the mystery things they find and investigate.
This book is so much more detailed than the authors other works I’ve read-like her style but this takes the cake and icing. So much research has gone into this book and story is told in such a nice way.
Conflict with weight and interesting how the grandfather is the one to console his granddaughter from his own experience.
Book goes back in time to her father’s parents growing up in France during the war and what they have to do to survive.
Problem for me is going back to the past and then forward to the present and future, several times. Wish it just had started in past and brought us up to date.
Not sure which section I like the best as they are all woven together.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
It was just okay. Ended up skimming it. Couldn’t care that much about the characters. She can and has done better work.
I loved it!!
I love family history novels.
Always left wanting more after one of Ms. Wiggs books. So very captivating and well written.
A super great read. Quality story that is what is expected from this author. I could not put it down.
Enjoyable good easy read. Not great but held my interest for sure.
It was a very interesting read. I didn’t want to put it down .