Greta is standing at the window of a hotel in West Hollywood when her brother calls for the third time that day. Across the street, there's a billboard with a sleek white yacht surrounded by turquoise water, an ad for a new kind of beer, and something about it - that feeling of being adrift - makes it easier to say no when she finally picks up the phone.
***
Just after the sudden death of her mother - her most devoted fan - and weeks before the launch of her high-stakes second album, Greta James falls apart on stage. The footage quickly goes viral and she stops playing. Greta's career is suddenly in jeopardy - the kind of jeopardy her father, Conrad, has always warned her about.
Months later, Greta - still heartbroken and very much adrift - reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on the Alaskan cruise her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary. It could be their last chance to heal old wounds in the wake of shared loss. But the trip will also prove to be a voyage of discovery for them both, and for Ben Wilder, a charming historian who is struggling with a major upheaval in his own life.
In this unlikeliest of places - at sea and far from the packed venues where she usually plays - Greta must finally confront the heartbreak she's suffered, the family hurts that run deep, and how to find her voice again.
***
This is a well written and compelling novel that gripped me from the start. Greta is an interesting character, and one who is very easy to identify with, even though she is a rock star! The story dealt with the Greta behind the lights and the music. She is a multilayered and engaging character who is struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother whilst also fearing the loss of her career.
Whilst the book deals with the difficult issue of grief and bereavement, it is not done in a depressing or mawkish manner. Rather it is heart felt and sensitive and allows the reader to empathise, not only with Greta, but with her father also.
Her relationship with her father has been problematic at the best of times but now that they are both swaddled in their own grief, they are emotionally further away from each other than ever. Taking her mothers place on the cruise, and being forced to spend time together in this way is a great plot device on the part of the author, because it informs the reader that this will either resolve or exacerbate the divide in the relationship.
Ultimately, the story's central message is of hope, love and inspiration. The way in which the author took what could have been a joyless subject, and turn it into such a positive and heart warming story demonstrates her skills as a writer and when I reached the end of this novel, I gave a huge satisfied sigh of satisfaction.
Additionally, if the author had intended to make me want to head off on a winter cruise she has been hugely successful. Having read this book, I am now longing to go on a winter cruise. The author's descriptions of the beauty of Alaska would challenge anyone not to feel tempted.
I highly recommend this wonderful book.
ISBN: 978 1529416435
Publisher: Quercus
No. of pages: 320 (hardback)
Jennifer E. Smith is the author of nine books for young adults, including The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, both of which have recently been adapted for film. She earned a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and her work has been translated into thirty-three languages. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
(author photo and bio info from the authors own website athttps://www.jenniferesmith.com/about)
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