Feathers in the Sand

Savor a breath of fresh salty air
in this feel-good women’s fiction
about one mother’s journey
back to her daughter…
back to happiness…
back to herself.

Single mom Tess Gilmore has been moving so fast to keep her life together that she’s hardly had time to notice how unhappy she is, and how distant she’s become from Eva, her preteen daughter. An unexpected job opportunity offers a chance to leave her Connecticut home for Seahaven, the idyllic coastal Maine town where she spent her childhood summers.

With a reluctant Eva in tow, the two begin to carve out a new life in Seahaven, surrounded by colorful, quirky neighbors and soothing sea breezes. Within weeks, Eva begins to discover mysterious, brightly-colored feathers in surprising places.

As Tess and Eva are embraced by their new friends, they begin to work through their mother-daughter growing pains, but a surprising run-in with Tess’s first love, Luca, has the potential to re-ignite their interrupted romance . . . or destroy her new and improved relationship with Eva.

Will Tess have to choose between Luca and Eva? Where are those beautiful feathers coming from? And how can Tess redefine her life in a way that includes true happiness?

Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and loaded with relatable mother-daughter moments and family drama, Feathers in the Sand delivers a sweet escape to charming small-town Maine for a second chance at happiness.

Floating Onto Bookshelves 7-11-22

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Editorial Reviews

FROM AUTHORS READING.COM REVIEWS

This empowering novel is much more than a “summer beach read.” Soul challenges, as well as new beginnings, are treated with realism and respect for unusual relationships. In addition, the author uses synchronicity to enable the reader to recall and appreciate similar occurrences in her own life. This is the first book in a proposed series and includes suggested book club discussion questions.    

 

FROM MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Readers of women’s fiction and literature who look for stories that represent a sense of place (Maine) and change, with flavors of mystery and romance tossed into the mix to spice the results, will relish Feathers in the Sand. The mystery revolves around feathers that begin to appear in strange places. Eleven-year-old daughter Eva thinks they come from angels. They hold intrigue (and also promise) as Tess begins to move in the direction of re-framing her family roots and connections. Anne Marie Bennett creates a moving story filled with candid introspection, revelations, and several unexpected twists and turns. Through it all, Tess is a likeable character whose journey feels realistic and compelling. Bennett takes the time to explore family relationships from different perspectives. Readers seeking women’s fiction that is delightfully evocative and gently compelling will relish the moves that Tess makes and the discoveries that stem from it in Feathers in the Sand, a novel which should be in library collections of contemporary women’s fiction.  

 

FROM SUBLIME BOOK REVIEWS Anne Marie Bennett writes a heartwarming novel that beautifully portrays love and new beginnings. The show “Gilmore Girls” is referenced multiple times throughout the book, and both the show and the book highlight inter-generational relationships. The mother and daughter relationship portrayed in the TV show is the kind of relationship Tess has always dreamed of for her and her daughter. The story follows the family as they move through life while faced with personal challenges along the way. It is during these challenging moments where Eva finds mysterious feathers around her new town that appear to be leaving messages. This story is about family bonds and the building and rekindling of new and old relationships. Although the story does not end on a cliffhanger or a tease, the character development is a good lead-in for the next novel. This comforting book can be enjoyed by a wide range of readers, especially those who like to get lost in a good summer read.