Ann’s life drastically changes one fateful evening when she’s a teenager during her summer at the Cove. The ripple effect of what happens changes her entire family. Michael disappears, and Poppy, who was in the beginnings of acting out, takes to a life of surfing anywhere but home. Told in alternating timelines of the past and the present, we watch the family come to terms with the changes in their lives. We see how the past has shaped them into the people they are today as they learn the art of forgiveness.
While the pace was sometimes slow, the message of trusting your gut, of not jumping to conclusions, and of loving your family is very strong in The Second Home. Ann was a very standoffish person, and I understand why she was that way, but her refusal to listen to Poppy or Michael was very off-putting. Certain things that Anthony did were a stretch. I’m sure sometimes in life what he did does happen, but the way things went so smoothly for him was just too much. The incident that fractures the family is one that could easily happen, and no one worked to get to the bottom of it, which was saddening.
I loved how descriptive the book was. It made me want to visit the Cove. I think the girls’ parents were wonderful characters. When Poppy fully came into play, she made a great addition to the story. All the characters are well written and Clancy brought them to life on the page. Overall, this was a heartwarming and touching read. Thank you, St. Martin’s for sending this along!
Read this review on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookbub.
The Second Home is available on Amazon for $13.99.
Rae's Reading Lounge 