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    Sea of Memories
    Sea of Memories
    Sea of Memories
    Audiobook8 hours

    Sea of Memories

    Written by Fiona Valpy

    Narrated by Heather Wilds

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When Kendra first visits her ailing grandmother, Ella has only one request: that Kendra write her story down, before she forgets…

    In 1937, seventeen-year-old Ella’s life changes forever when she is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré and meets the charismatic, creative Christophe. They spend the summer together, exploring the island’s sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, and, for the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free.

    But the outbreak of war casts everything in a new light. Ella is forced to return to Scotland, where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. In this new world, Ella feels herself drifting further and further from who she was on the Île de Ré. Can she ever find her way back? And does she want to?

    From the windswept Île de Ré to the rugged hills of Scotland, Sea of Memories is a spellbinding journey about the power of memory, love and second chances.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMar 1, 2018
    ISBN9781543618273
    Sea of Memories
    Author

    Fiona Valpy

    Fiona is an acclaimed, number 1 bestselling author, whose books have been translated into more than twenty languages worldwide. She draws inspiration from stories of strong women, especially during the years of World War II. Her meticulous historical research enriches her writing with an evocative sense of time and place. Fiona spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007, before returning to live in Scotland. Her love for both of these countries, their people and their histories, has found its way into the books she’s written.

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    Reviews for Sea of Memories

    4.5/5

    144 ratings21 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Kendra's grandmother is old and doesn't have long to live anymore, but she has one last wish. She wants Kendra to write down her memories. Kendra has a busy life, being the breadwinner at home and taking care of her autistic son, but she's intrigued by her grandmother's request and decides to give it everything she has. Ella's lead an interesting life and before Kendra knows it she's entirely enthralled by her grandmother's story.

      It's 1938 and seventeen-year-old Ella is excited. She's going to France for the summer. On Île de Ré she can improve her French by spending time with twins her own age. She immediately falls in love with Christophe, who teaches Ella about beauty, freedom and art. He's a brilliant artist, but his father has other plans for him. The weeks they have together are glorious and Ella's sad when she has to go home and promises she will return to him next summer, which is exactly what she does. Their time together is precious, as Europe is on the brink of war and Ella has no idea what will happen to them in the future.

      Ella can't stay in France and Christophe joins the army. There's no way for them to be together and they lose contact. Ella can't sit still and do nothing, she wants to contribute and joins the WAAF. There she meets Angus, a man who would do anything to keep her safe. Ella's life with Christophe seems like a dream, a memory she will cherish forever and due to the war she will never get it back. She has to move on and look at the future, but will she be able to do it? Can she ever leave Île de Ré and everything it meant behind her?

      Sea of Memory is a beautiful poignant story. I was greatly impressed by this deep and multilayered love story. Because of the war Ella loses the love of her life and this is something she will never completely get over. She isn't complete when she's in Scotland, even though there's a lot of love in her life. Her time on Île de Ré has left a lasting impression. It was truly special and these memories made me smile and brought tears to my eyes at the same time, because there was so much to lose. The war has brought misery and unrest, but there was also bravery, selflessness and community spirit and Fiona Valpy has perfectly translated these subjects into a fantastic story.

      Sea of Memory is tragic and sad, but also hopeful and filled with unconditional love, miracles and friendship. It's a bittersweet story that immediately found its way into my heart. Fiona Valpy's gorgeous descriptive writing style makes the story come to life in an amazing way. She effortlessly captures the magic of Île de Ré and I love how she skillfully creates her atmospheres. She combines this with a perfect thorough exploration of emotions. That makes Sea of Memory a terrific heart-rending story, it's a book that will stay with me for a very long time.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This is a marvelous story that gripped my heart. I loved it, just as I loved Fiona Valpy's other novels. My only criticism is that I nearly quit in the beginning because of the reader. It was everything I could do to get past her redundant cadence for every single sentence. I'm glad I kept at it, though. The story was worth it. Once she began incorporating more character voices, the performance improved drastically. Her switch between French and Scottish accents was actually quite good.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Beautiful tale of family strength and a mother's everlasting love.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I loved this book and how the story goes back in time

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This is an excellent story.
      The reader did a fine job with voices and accents, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This is a very sweet, warm, uplifting loving story that is well told by the author and narrator. It has such a great message of hope. It was uplifting during this time of uncertainty and sadness in the United States.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A simply beautiful tale of how love--no matter how complex--is the essence of being, almost always results in wonderful supportive reciprocity, and is able to flow through the years to touch future generations .

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The writing was very good. Great descriptions. Characters were interesting. It was a touching beautiful love story set during WWII. I will seek out more of her books. Really enjoyed it ! Thank you!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      It has some nice moments, but it’s a bit overly sentimental, and unfortunately marred by the otherwise excellent reader’s tendency to emphasize the last word in every phrase. I felt bored and had to skim at the end to find out what (predictably) happened. Sorry to give a bad review. I know what a feat it is to write a coherent novel.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I loved the whole story. The time it was written in and the sensitivity it has been written in Thank you

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      What a beautiful Heart wrenching story, so heart warming. Beautiful written!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A very lovely story of a story. Well written and easy to listen to.
    • 5/5
      Oh, what a beautiful story she has woven! The words convey the beauty of the island, and the love between Christoph and Ella. She is devastated when she learns that he was killed in the war. But, then she meets another man, Angus, who rescues her during a dangerous mission during the war. The story of Ella and these two men is magical! I’d recommend this book to anyone.
    • 5/5
      What an absolutely wonderful story. From beginning to end the painting you created is a masterpiece. Thank you
    • 5/5
      I truly enjoyed this story of love, loss and rediscovered love . The beautiful Ella’s life is a full, sometimes tragic one that the reader finds herself being drawn into as her life unfolds in the pages of the book being written by her granddaughter Kendra. The choices Ella must make to preserve her marriage and family remind the reader of how life can change completely by the slightest change in direction that we navigate.
    • 5/5
      This book deserves 10 stars. It’s amazing. I’m not even going to try describing it — just read it as soon as you can!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It was my favorite Fiona Valpy book so far! I loved the story about Ella and the nuances of marriage, the importance of peace and hope in a dark time. Every book I've read by Fiona Valpy has been so beautiful and hopeful and includes my favorite themes. Can't wait to read another one!
    • 4/5
      The book becomes much nicer after the meeting between Kendrick and Ella. It explores the emotions beautifully and I particularly like what krito said about love, that it is perfect because it has not taken place in an ordinary existence of having to live with reality of money and other life,s difficulties
      I am going back to the beginning to have a re listening
    • 5/5
      Such a true love story. Goodness, kindness, respect, patience still remains.
    • 4/5
      I loved this story, of love and courage that lasts a lifetime.
    • 5/5
      For a historical fiction story (which I dont always enjoy) I really enjoyed this book ' both as a physical book and audiobook' I loved the characters and getting to ella throughout the book. Highly recommend