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Sherrie Hansen

Author of Night And Day

14 Works 33 Members 7 Reviews

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Family relationships encompass the past, present and future, and Sherrie Hansen’s Daybreak takes readers from the joys of discovering distant relatives to the sorrow of losing present and future ones. The search for roots becomes a search for self, in a tale that’s ripped from the headlines of travel safety and immigration, yet steeped in a past where safety meant not traveling while ill with a foreign virus. Alternating viewpoints of a conservative Dane and his American wife offer some fascinating dialog and food for thought, while kitchens yield food for the stomach, and quilts, beautifully described, delight the eye.

Daybreak is a tale of blended families, childbirth and separation. It’s a quilted tale with tangled threads where past and present, like the different continents of the protagonists, might combine into images of beauty or heartsick pain. No Disney endings (though a mermaid theme threads beautifully through a truly delightful birth scene)—just the raw honesty of a new (but not young) mom, sucked dry by caring for her child, struggling with rejection and isolation, and longing for the dream she once believed; while a new dad tries to restore what’s falling apart.

Some beautiful analogies inform the ending of this tale, with gardening and quilt-making each playing their part. Perfectionism or casual compliance, hope or surrender, listening or speaking… it’s all built on the relationships of families, generations past and present, and love that might or might not conquer all.

“There is always a choice… to look on the bright side and find hygge no matter what your circumstances, or to wallow in the negative and be miserable.” But choices between imperfect futures can be hard to make, especially when perfection is your goal. A lovely book, filled with believable characters, achingly sad and happy situations, touches of terror and despair, and the promise of daybreak after the dark, this Daybreak is highly recommended. There are even delightful hints (never intrusive) of other books by the author—a patchwork world behind the patchwork lives that must somehow fit together for love to survive.

Disclosure: I’ve enjoyed the author’s other books, but this might be my favorite, so I’m really glad I was given an ecopy, and I offer my honest review.
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SheilaDeeth | Mar 4, 2019 |
Goldenrod continues author Sherrie Hansen's Wild Flowers of Scotland romantic series with another US/UK blend. Scenes and conversations are viewed through the contrasting eyes (and voices) of a Scottish sailor/caretaker and an American PR expert, leaving many places for serious and humorous misunderstanding. But all this changes to empathy as the tale moves on, each character wanting the best for the other, yet challenged by commitments that cannot be broken.

With characteristic daring and delightful humor, the author stirs needs of the living and dead into this romantic mix, adding ghostly misdoings to physical attraction, and combining sensually detailed intimacy in one scene with sensitive discussion of faith in another. After all, if we believe in love and ghosts, might we not also find true spirituality?

Intriguing, amusingly dealing with both paranormal and physical intimacy, sympathetically portraying ecological concerns, and delightfully questioning the ethics of PR for the bad guy, Goldenrod makes princes and princesses of its protagonists, and even provides a castle. It’s a lovely romance with cool characters, complex plot, great scenery, and enthralling depth.

Disclosure: I was given an ecopy and I love it.
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SheilaDeeth | Oct 16, 2018 |
With evocative depictions of British scenery---including the dreaded single-track roads with passing places both north (Scotland) and south (Devon and Cornwall)---author Sherrie Hansen invites her readers to a pleasant world, almost a world apart from the frantic cities of the United States. But it’s still the same place, with misunderstood motivations, town fiercely separate from countryside, family pride and roots, and, of course, with love.

Love is the overriding theme in this romantic novel---true love overcoming distractions and disturbance, and growing naturally between characters whose differences complement each other perfectly. Hope for the future is pleasingly balanced with upset and fear, and the “grieving doesn’t end just because there’s been a funeral and a burial.” This romantic love allows for other loves to thrive as well.

The triumphs and trials of believable lives go hand in hand, as the story spans continents of space and emotion. A well-balanced split, from first half to second of the novel, gives the reader pause for a cup of tea and quiet perusal of the menu. Financial concerns (particularly medical bills) seemed oddly American to my European mind, serving as a reminder perhaps that Europe might be a kinder place. (There again, I live here now, not there… Things may have changed… As this novel shows, they frequently do.)

Complex characters, genuinely conflicted emotions, and the sort of wise hesitation in relationships that grounds the story in faith’s traditions… what more could a reader ask for in a beautifully sensual, sensitive, evocative romance?

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I loved it.
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SheilaDeeth | Oct 16, 2018 |
Violet is of that certain age when “friends were getting married and having babies and suddenly” she’s the odd one out. So now she’s traveling around Europe with Alexander, and by the time she finds out that’s not a good idea, she’s stuck in the wilds of Scotland with nowhere to go. Luckily Nathan steps in, but he has problems of his own and doesn’t want to explain. So together and apart, they embark on a delicate dance of romance in the shadow of Eilean Donnain’s beautiful castle. There are flickering sparks between these protagonists, of course, but “if they were a perfect match and the universe had conspired to get them together, their timing was” singularly less than perfect... even worse when physical commitments are made and broken, the past haunts them both, and pirates lend a hand.

Author Sherrie Hansen is a master at combining romance with mystery, and suspense with thought-provoking questions of real life. Hints made and lost come to fruition with perfect timing, and tension rises. Like a roller coaster ride, Shy Violet lifts you slowly above the emotional clouds and then lets gravity, great characters, plus a bit of guilt and innocence, race you down.

Shy Violet stands alone perfectly, but favorite characters wait in the eaves to welcome strays and readers familiar with the Wild Flowers of Scotland series. Meanwhile cool details satisfy this British reader—a native of Colorado learning to use the metric system when cooking, for example, or the complications of knives and forks in the wrong hands. Then there’s poor Violet’s dismay at a friend’s choice of disguise—priceless! And Nathan’s concerns for the frailty of love that haunts and breaks the heart.

This Scotland seems vividly real, with beautiful descriptions, convincing accents (all easy to read) and intriguing characters, good and bad. The problems of expatriates seem vividly real as well—as scary for an American in Scotland as for a Brit in America. Gentle faith and wisdom are honestly portrayed, neither judgmental nor saccharine, with just the right touch of spirituality and candor. And, of course, there are places where you’ll scream “No-o-o” and want to shake the characters into submission. But this tale has an honesty that builds trust with the author, and the rollercoaster rides again into the sky before the end.

Shy Violet is a fast exciting ride, with a Tunnel of Love ready to welcome the reader home, while bagpipes play.

Disclosure: I love this author’s novels and was delighted to be given a copy of this one. I offer my honest review.
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SheilaDeeth | Apr 29, 2016 |

Statistics

Works
14
Members
33
Popularity
#421,955
Rating
4.0
Reviews
7
ISBNs
21