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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This is my second novel by Susan Wiggs in two months, and I now consider myself a super fan. Her characters drew me in and her intriguing plot held me spellbound until the dramatic conclusion. I loved the escape to the South of France. Realistic plots and characters. I was sad for it to end. I want more, more, more from Wiggs.
Map of the Heart By Susan Wiggs is another romantic and bittersweet story that reaches across time and countries. Camille is a young widow with a teenage daughter, who has not given herself permission to move forward in her life. Her last memories of her husband Jace and his accident haunts her. Camille worries about her daughter, Julie, but has failed to realize how serious the problems have become. As this story progresses, we will follow Camille, and her father as they travel to France looking for answers to his parentage. He was a child of the war years and his mother had died at his birth. His father was a hated Nazi collaborator who caused trouble for their village during the German occupation.
The story of Lisette and Henry Watkins is slowly uncovered and it is heartbreaking, but so lovely! Through Camille’s research of the photographs and hidden items from her Papas ancestral home, a secret is uncovered. This is a story of family, bravery, and endurance, and also for accepting second chances for love!
I really love your books. They are fun to read. I get excited to read them. Keep going.
I’ve always loved Susan Wiggs Lakeshore series, but her recent books are so full of depth and big stories. This book is wonderful. I love the interweaving of current with the WWII story lines. (Wished that could have ended more happily- sigh…) And the daughter’s struggles with her self-image and bullying are so real. Wonderful!
This was my first Susan Wiggs book, set in modern day Massachusetts and WWII France. I don’t always like dual timelines, often finding myself rushing through one time period to get back to the one I enjoy more. But this one really worked for me and I loved the twists that were revealed along the way. I liked the relational aspects and the protagonist’s and her daughter’s emotional struggles, with the ensuing healing and growth were gratifying. And traveling to current day France was an added bonus! Very enjoyable story.
Susan Wiggs writes complex characters with interesting settings. This book was outstanding in both areas. Ms. Wiggs skillfully wove the mystery of her father’s parentage during WWII with the struggle of his daughter, Camille to let go of her past and find happiness again.
I throughly enjoyed this book. Camille, a photographer and photograph developer, her daughter, Julie, an awkward teenager being bullied at school, Finn, Camille’s costumer and archivist, and Camille’s father, Henry, hailing from France with a past that brings all our characters together and makes for a wonderful love story, coming of age story sprinkled with some brilliant historical fiction. What’s not to love?! I enjoyed all the characters, I was interested in every single story line and I’m always a sucker for WWII history.
I recommend this book!
Seems almost everyone in this book has something to hide or something that is holding them back from finding happiness. It’s a wonderfully written and interwoven story dealing with current hurts and uncovering past secrets that help in the healing process. I loved the aspect of old photos and memorabilia helping uncover the missing information from the past. I also love bed the glimpses of WWII life in a small town in southern France.
The setting is fun and the bullying problems current and realistic
This was such a great read. I do work on y family history (genealogy) and this book surprisingly touched on this subject in such a poignant way. I loved how the author intertwined several social issues/topics that are current so it was easy to connect on many levels. I don’t want to spoil the fun of discovering these issues as read the book because they are unveiled little by little, not all at once. Add to the current day topics she was also able to incorporate historical issues. There were a few times that adult content or language popped up but as I read on, they seemed to be less and less important. I would recommend this book to girls over the age of 14 if mature, certainly by age 16 and women. This would be a great read for mothers and daughters to read together and discuss the topics that are so well woven into the pages of this book.
This is the best book I have read in quite awhile. I would read it again…and that is something I rarely ever do, that or re-watch a movie!!
I wish I had the ability to plot novels as well as she does.
Loved it!
My favorite genre—dual time line/WW II & contemporary—from a talented story teller and narrator combo. Once I started listening, I could not stop! Great listening experience. Really enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down. Liked all the characters, the locations, and the storyline.
Any book by this author is a GOOD read.
Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs is one of those books that once you start reading it you don’t want to put down. This was a very enjoyable book told both in the past during WWII in France and the present in the US. This story touches on so many issues like bullying, the realities of war, love, loss and grief. It is very well written with well-developed and likable characters. The descriptions were so vivid that you felt that you were right there feeling and seeing everything as if you were there. Although this moved slowly in the beginning, the last half of the book moved along at a much faster rate. It’s filled with mystery, fear, adventure, history and above all love. I really enjoyed it overall.
Camille Adams, widowed for five years, has moved forward in her life living cautiously and carefully and being ever vigilant to keep her daughter safe. Her cocooned existence is opened when her father, who is a recent cancer survivor, decides to travel to his old home in France and learn more about his parents. Camille and Julie accompany him and have life changing experiences. I loved this book and have several books on my to read pile by Susan Wiggs.
One of my favorite books could not put it down! I had to finish it and when I did I was sad that it was over!
I liked it