When your childhood is cut short by murder and treachery, it’s not easy to live a normal life. At the tender age of nine, Harriet witnessed her father beat her mother to death, and she holds herself partially responsible. Still haunted by half-memories, guilt, and disturbing dreams, she has constructed a solitary and joyless existence, with little room for men or romance. Facing her thirtieth … birthday, she knows she must do something to change her life. Like an omen, she meets Agnes, a rich elderly widow looking for a companion at her summer home in Maine, and the two forge a business deal. Thinking this will be like a vacation and a time to plan a better future, Harriet is shocked to discover challenges and obstacles she hadn’t anticipated. Agnes’ nephew and sole heir resents Harriet and wants her gone. And then there’s Eli, the local artisan who makes her reconsider her decision to avoid men. Can he possibly return her feelings? Soon, the nephew’s schemes, along with a heartbreaking betrayal, culminate in an event that changes her life forever. Will she fail Agnes as she failed her own mother years ago? Will she lose the man she loves? Or will she find her own strength and realize happiness at last?
Author_Bio: The author, after an early retirement, is thrilled to return to her childhood love, writing stories. In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, watching old movies, rummaging in thrift stores, and walking in the woods . . . if there aren’t too many bugs. Maura Beth lives in a small New Jersey town with her long-suffering husband and two bossy but adorable Cavalier Spaniels.
Keywords: Psychological Drama Suspense, Amnesia Women’s Fiction, Love Friendship Loyalty, Contemporary Woman Finding Love, Small Town Romance, Mystery Thriller Female Protagonist, Tortured Dreams, Self-Discovery Novel Women’s, Romantic Suspense, Woman Overcoming The Past
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Every once in a while, I like an easy-to-read book. Edge of Memory by author Maura Beth Brennan was such a story. But just because it was quick reading didn’t make it any less enjoyable.
Harriett is a woman on the edge of her thirtieth birthday. When she was nine-years-old, she witnessed her father kill her mother. She feels guilty for not doing something to help. Her self-esteem is low, thanks in part to the aunt and uncle who raised her, and her memories from before her mother’s death are vague.
When she meets Agnes, a wealthy octogenarian widow, the two of them strike up a friendship. Agnes asks Harriet to accompany her to her summer home in Maine. It sounds like an ideal summer.
While there Harriet meets a local artisan, Eli, and falls in love. But not all is golden. Agnes’s nephew Alex shows up. He doesn’t care for Harriet and throws insult after insult her way. A series of strange events happen, leaving her to suspect Alex. And just as she is overcoming her self-doubt, comes a heartbreaking betrayal.
Brennan did an outstanding job in describing the area and the characters are flawed, yet believable. The ending was satisfactory. There were a few repeated words that a good editor would have caught and one scene was a little sappy for my taste, but otherwise, I enjoyed reading this debut novel.
The Edge of Memory by Maura Beth Brennan is a contemporary fiction book about a socially-awkward young woman, Harriett, whose life has been torn apart by the murder of her mother by her father when she was nine years old. Though her memory has been repressed of the event, she is still haunted by nightmares and self-doubt about herself. After working in temporary jobs, she has an opportunity to become the companion to a rich, elderly widow in a small town in Maine. Little did she know how the experience would change her life. She finds new self-confidence in the company of new friends and romance with a cabinetmaker. Yet, when the widow’s nephew visits, a string of ominous events suggest that he is a dangerous threat to their lives.
Author Brennan has written an engaging story about a young woman who must come to grips with her past so she can move forward to a future in which she is deserving of happiness. The story is about Harriett’s journey of self-discovery, but it also has elements of suspense and romance. The interspersion of Harriett’s journal entries that give her perspective of events adds depth to her characterization. Harriett has subtle, self-deprecating humor that makes her a more engaging character with whom you can empathize and root for. The book is a fast read with short chapters keeping your interest and intrigue until the unexpected ending that helps Harriett come to terms with her past.
Readers who enjoy contemporary women’s fiction with a dash of suspense and romance will enjoy The Edge of Memory with its engaging female character, Harriett.