1890: Orphaned as a small child, Tilly Kirkland found a loving, safe home with her grandfather in Dorset. But nineteenth-century England is an unforgiving place for a young woman with limited means and as her grandfather's health fails, it seems perfect timing that she meets Jasper Dellafore. Yet her new husband is not all he seems. Alone in the Channel Islands, Tilly finds her dream of a loving marriage is turning into a nightmare.
2012: Bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling with writer's block and her disappointing personal life. Nothing is quite working. After a storm damages Starwater, her house on Ember Island, she decides to stay for a while and oversee the repairs: it s a perfect excuse to leave her problems behind her on the mainland. Then Nina discovers diary pages hidden in the walls of the old home. And a mystery unravels that she is determined to solve.
Though the two women are separated by years, Starwater House will alter the course of both their lives. Nina will find that secrets never stay buried and Tilly learns that what matters most is trusting your heart.
Paperback, 432 pages
Published
April 15th 2014
by Touchstone
(first published August 20th 2013)
Terri's Thoughts
I have been on a Kimberley Freeman as of late and have slowly been going through her library. The reason I say slowly as I have chosen to do so via audio books which can take a painfully long time to get through. For sure I could get through her books way faster if I chose to read them but somehow this way I can savor each story since I am unable to rush through it.
I always knew I enjoyed Freeman's work as I had read a couple over the years but have just recently been reminded why I should read her more often. Any fan of historical fiction is probably already aware of her, and if not, should get acquainted with her work. The way she weaves a tale between the past and the present to keep the reader hooked is simply amazing.
As suggested by the summary, the story of Ember Island tells Tilly's story back in 1890 while switching to Nina's story in present day. I have to be honest that I did not at first identify the connection between the two stories. I am not sure if I had missed it altogether or if I actually realized it at the correct time that Freeman disclosed it. Regardless, it was a stunning story.
I found myself running the gamut of emotions as Tilly's story unfolded. Sadness, joy, and anger are the one that come to mind. Sometimes I ask myself why I torture myself with these stories and then I need to remember that this is my favorite genre for a reason. I don't pick these books up for a good laugh, I do it to feel something and feel a connection with the characters. In the case of Tilly, I was invested from the get go. In comparison, Nina's story was rather dull and I am glad the majority of the novel is about Tilly.
I can't say enough how much I enjoy the work of Kimberley Freeman. While the narrator of this particular audio book was not my favorite (I listen at 1.25 speed and the narrator sounded a little like a chipmunk at this speed), it did not impact my enjoyment of this book. I think I will continue my journey of exploring Freeman's work and select another one for my next audiobook.
About the Author
Kimberley was born in London and her family moved back to Australia when she was three years old. She grew up in Queensland where she currently lives.
Kimberley has written for as long as she can remember and she is proud to write in many genres. She is an award-winning writer in children’s, historical and speculative fiction under her birth name Kim Wilkins. She adopted the pen name Kimberley Freeman for her commercial women’s fiction novels Duet and Gold Dust to honour her maternal grandmother and to try and capture the spirit of the page-turning novels she has always loved to read. Kim has an Honours degree, a Masters degree and a PhD from The University of Queensland where she is also a lecturer. She lives in Brisbane with her young family.
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