Review of The Violets of March

Synopsis in a Sentence: A thirty something woman, Emily, reeling from a painful divorce decides to seek rest and refuge across the country with her aunt in Washington State, but finds herself embroiled in several mysteries instead.

My Thoughts:

This was an intriguing novel! It definitely kept my interest and I found myself turning the pages until well after dark on a few nights :). 

First of all, Emily is a pretty likable heroine...we can all identify with having a broken heart and what healing it entails. She finds out that her seemingly "perfect" husband has been cheating on her, and decides to flee New York City for the sanctuary of Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Washington. Her great aunt Bee lives there and tries to help Emily make sense of her life again. In her great aunt's quaint cottage, Emily happens upon a red velvet diary, which holds a delicious mystery concerning her aunt as well as other characters. She sets out to solve the mystery, discovering a new romance along the way.

What I liked:

The mystery itself was intriguing, if a little confusing. I had to go back and re-read a few parts to make sure that I figured it out correctly. I also loved the descriptions of Bainbridge Island...it sounds like such a beautiful place and the imagery used by the author made me feel like I was there. The cover art is what attracted me originally to the book...take a look above, it really is lovely! Who says you shouldn't judge a book by its cover?!

What I didn't love:

The romance between Emily and her new man seemed a little contrived and rushed given her recent, crushing divorce. The pair fall in love in a mere several weeks...but I guess there's nothing wrong with a little love at first sight!