Release Day!
Congrats Susan
on the release today of
The Nature of Fragile Things!
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissneron the release today of
The Nature of Fragile Things!
Historical Fiction, 384 pages
Published February 2nd 2021 by Berkley Books
April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.
Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.
Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.
The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.
From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.
My thoughts about The Nature of Fragile Things ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First lines—"Interview with Mrs. Sophie Hocking. Conducted by Ambrose Logan, U.S Marshall. Case Number 069308. Official transcript. San Francisco, CA. November 6, 1906."
Honestly, I haven't read a book by this author that I didn't just love. The Nature of Fragile Things was no different. I realize it's early in the year but this one is probably going to one of my favorites of the year. Such a memorable story!
Susan has created a enthralling, believable story centered around an Irish immigrant, a woman who comes to the United States for a chance of a better life. Sophie is thrown into a challenging world but strives for what she knows is important.
I love Susan's writing. She has such an wonderful, flowing writing style. I felt very comfortable with her characters and setting from the start. I have always been fascinated with this time period in San Francisco and what the residents had to go through in that catastrophic earthquake of 1906, so this story captivated me.
The Nature of Fragile Things is a story that I highly recommend! It's beautiful, heartwarming, and one that you won't soon forget. I know I won't.
I received an ARC of The Nature of Fragile Things via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
About the author
Susan Meissner is a USA Today bestselling novelist with more than half a million books in print in fifteen languages. Her critically acclaimed works of historical fiction have been named to numerous lists including Publishers Weekly’s annual roster of 100 best books, Library Reads Top Picks, Real Simple annual tally of best books, Goodreads Readers’ Choice awards, Booklist’s Top Ten, and Book of the Month.
She attended Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper. Susan’s expertise as a storyteller and her thoroughly researched topics make her a favorite author of book clubs everywhere. Her engaging and warm speaking style appeal to all manner of women’s groups, literary organizations, libraries and learning institutions, and service clubs.
When she is not working on a new novel, she enjoys teaching workshops on writing and dream-following, spending time with her family, music, reading great books, and traveling. ~ Goodreads
Connect with Susan
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I had a penpal during the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. The way she described it, I can't imagine how terrifying!
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