(3.5)Charmaine Ryan takes employment as a governess to the three youngest children of Frederic Duvoisin on his private Island in the West Indies. Charmaine bonds quickly with the children, as well as their mother Collette, Frederic's second and much younger wife. The innocent Charmaine feels something entirely different for Frederic's illegitimate son Paul, who has quite a reputation as a ladies man but does he truly care for her or is she just another conquest? Of course the Duvoisin family has plenty of deep dark secrets - what was the cause of the argument between Frederic and his legitimate son John that lead to Fredric's stroke? What is the cause of the enmity between the two elder sons? Why does John seem hell-bent on stymieing the goods shipments to the Island? Is there something sinister at work behind Collette's weakening health? Inquiring minds want to know, but I am not telling - read it for yourself. Despite a bit of a rocky start that might be improved with some serious editing (I understand that the book was originally self-published), Charmaine's story was compelling enough to keep me turning the pages wanting to know what was going to happen next. This is the first in a trilogy; the next in the series is Decision and Destiny: Colette's Legacy which I just started. The last book, Forever Waiting: Colette's Appeal, is due out in November '09. These books might be a bit too slow paced for some readers as the author(s) cover a great deal of the day-to-day activities of the family along with Charmaine's interaction with the children, but I enjoyed it a great deal, especially the Island setting. 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4. Part “Gone with the Wind,” part Jane Austen drama, “A Silent Ocean Away” has the range of an epic and the feel of a period novel of manners created many years ago. This historical novel, set in the early 1800s, begins with a long list of characters who will populate the book, as well as two others (to come) in this trilogy of the Duvoisin family. The heroine of the story is Charmaine Ryan, the family’s governess, who comes into the maelstrom of this family seeking to find a new life for herself after escaping her own difficult childhood..Can she find a place for herself in the tropical island setting? She has arrived from Richmond, Virginia, wary of her own capabilities and haunted by the actions of her father. Her spirit and determination will surely be tested by this quarrelsome family. Everyone is the Duvoisin family seems to be battling their own inner demons, struggling for a place, and in that sense, Charmaine too, fits easily into this family drama.There are struggles between father and son, with the patriarch of the family, Frederic, secluded away in his waning years. There are struggles between brothers Paul and John, both for inheritance and the affection of their father. There is a new generation of Duvoisins, born to Frederic and his second wife Colette, who the new governess must love and guide as the family falls apart. And there are the romantic struggles that engulf both the senior and younger Duvoisins.There’s plenty of meddling and power struggles in this wealthy clan, not only inside the family but also in their business dealings. In addition to Caribbean land and crops, they own a shipping business that operates out of Virginia. Yet it is the internal struggles and secrets of the family members that keep the storyline afloat, and keep readers turning the pages.For those who enjoy historical novels, stories with a long range and lots of character development, “A Silent Ocean Away” is sure to please. The biggest challenge will be awaiting the next volume’s appearance so see where the story takes its readers, although there is some foreshadowing toward the end of this volume, as well as a sample chapter from the next book, “Decision and Destiny.”
What do You think about Im Sommer Der Stürme (2010)?
Stupid place to end the book...I wish it was just one large book.
—Ina
got to get hold of the rest of the 2 books in this triolgy...
—thinkpink17
