The Broken Hummingbird by Ann Marie Jackson ~ My Thoughts #TheBrokenHummingbird @AMJacksonAuthor @shewritespress @GoSparkPress

The Broken Hummingbird: A Novel by Ann Marie Jackson

Women's Literary Fiction, 328 pages

Published October 3, 2023 by She Writes Press

In the midst of a marital crisis, Jane hatches an unusual plan to avoid a custody battle. She convinces husband Kevin to walk away from the pressures of New York—in particular, her demanding job and an affair she almost had—in the hope that moving to their favorite city abroad will fix their family.

In San Miguel de Allende, Jane and her young sons delight in new adventures, but Kevin still seethes. Jane befriends a circle of intriguing women and helps two girls who remind her of the brother she abandoned when her own parents divorced. After witnessing violence involving the girls’ father, Jane’s vivid dreams, possibly guided by a hummingbird messenger from the hereafter, grow ever darker. When tragedy strikes San Miguel, the community fractures and then rises, and Jane must make a dangerous choice. 

The Broken Hummingbird balances the raw undoing of a marriage with the joys of discovery that lie in building a new life.

My thoughts about The Broken Hummingbird ~~

(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 line.)

First lines—"Jane urges her son forward as a thousand dancers shuffle around them and spin up Calle Hidalgo under a darkening sky, their faces hidden behind paint depicting the dead they will become, with skull-white skin, black nose and eye sockets, and skeletal grins stretched wide."

The Broken Hummingbird is a very insightful look at another culture that is obviously near and dear to the author's heart. It's also a story of relationships, some beautiful and heartwarming—mother and child—as well as some disturbing ones—husband and wife—that just aren't meant to be. 

We, as readers, get to enjoy so many of the customs and ceremonies of a city in Mexico. At the same time, we get a personal look into the lives of Jane and Kevin, who move there for a better life for their family. The ceremonies were described beautifully and I felt like I was standing on the side of the road observing the gaiety. As Jane become more entrenched in the lives of the community, and one family in particular, Kevin, her husband has different ideas of what their lives should be like. Can I just say this was one dude I loved to hate? 

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to San Miguel de Allende, savoring the beauty and goodness and happy that Jane was able to find a fulfilling life for her and her family. I highly recommend The Broken Hummingbird.

I received a copy of The Broken Hummingbird from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

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About the author

Ann Marie Jackson is co-founder of microlending organization Mano Amiga and former Vice President of Casita Linda, which builds homes for families living in extreme poverty in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Early in her career, after earning degrees from Stanford and Harvard, Jackson joined the U.S. Department of State to promote human rights in China and other East Asian and Pacific Island nations. She has worked for several NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, A Better Chance, and Internews, and traveled widely on five continents. 

This is her first novel. A portion of the proceeds from The Broken Hummingbird will benefit nonprofit organizations serving women and families in central Mexico. A native of Seattle, Washington, Jackson resides in San Miguel de Allende. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Ann Marie

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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New Release! The Broken Hummingbird: A Novel by Ann Marie Jackson #TheBrokenHummingbird @AMJacksonAuthor @shewritespress @GoSparkPress

The Broken Hummingbird: A Novel by Ann Marie Jackson

Women's Literary Fiction, 328 pages

Published October 3, 2023 by She Writes Press

In the midst of a marital crisis, Jane hatches an unusual plan to avoid a custody battle. She convinces husband Kevin to walk away from the pressures of New York—in particular, her demanding job and an affair she almost had—in the hope that moving to their favorite city abroad will fix their family.

In San Miguel de Allende, Jane and her young sons delight in new adventures, but Kevin still seethes. Jane befriends a circle of intriguing women and helps two girls who remind her of the brother she abandoned when her own parents divorced. After witnessing violence involving the girls’ father, Jane’s vivid dreams, possibly guided by a hummingbird messenger from the hereafter, grow ever darker. 

When tragedy strikes San Miguel, the community fractures and then rises, and Jane must make a dangerous choice. The Broken Hummingbird balances the raw undoing of a marriage with the joys of discovery that lie in building a new life.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE BROKEN HUMMINGBIRD BY ANN MARIE JACKSON

"...sensitive...feminist...empowering. Handling the difficult subjects of immigration, charity, and abuse with care, The Broken Hummingbird focuses on a community of activists in Mexico that changes a family’s life…and a woman who comes into her own…when pushed to take back the power she has ceded." — Foreword Clarion Review

“The Broken Hummingbird shimmers with the iridescent beauty of San Miguel de Allende. In this well-crafted story, Jackson succeeds in depicting the harsh realities of domestic violence, the complexities of a broken marriage, the significance of community support, and the comfort and strength found in enduring friendships. Boldly honest, yet tender at the core—a novel with something important to say.” — DEBRA THOMAS, author of Luz

“With insider’s knowledge, Ann Marie Jackson writes with nuance and panache about the agony and the ecstasy of twenty-first-century expat life in San Miguel de Allende. Her debut novel is vivid, moving, and highly entertaining.” — GINA HYAMS, author of In a Mexican Garden

“This story beautifully illustrates the power of connection. The author’s deep love and respect for the culture of her adopted country shine through in her writing. Bravo!” — DEANNA SINGH, author of Actions Speak Louder

“With vivid and colorful descriptions, Ann Marie Jackson renders a vibrant literary canvas that transports the reader to the enchanting land of Mexico’s treasured San Miguel de Allende. While there, we witness the transformation of a woman who, surrounded by the strength of her close friends and community—as well as through her own focused determination—is able to rise above the pain of a broken marriage and restore her spirit to what it once was." — JESSICA WINTERS MIRELES, author of Lost in Oaxaca

“Women from two worlds, coexisting in San Miguel de Allende, are empowered in different ways while depending on each other far more than one might suspect. Jackson provides a richly detailed depiction of place as well as close, careful study of tragedy and triumph in these women’s lives.” — LUCINA KATHMANN, Vice President emerita of PEN International, representative to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and author of Para Que Nos Escuchen/To Make Ourselves Heard

“A deep, delightful read! Spanning the parallel worlds of privilege and poverty in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson's The Broken Hummingbird captures the heartbreak of a dissolving marriage alongside the joys of making a difference in others’ lives as well as one’s own.” — LUCIE FROST, satirist published by Slackjaw, NextTribe, The Belladonna

“With visually rich prose, Ann Marie Jackson tells a moving tale of a woman’s resilience and reinvention through the eyes of an expat in the beautiful but complicated city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico." — BRIAN CREWE, award-winning film director

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About the author

Ann Marie Jackson is co-founder of microlending organization Mano Amiga and former Vice President of Casita Linda, which builds homes for families living in extreme poverty in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Early in her career, after earning degrees from Stanford and Harvard, Jackson joined the U.S. Department of State to promote human rights in China and other East Asian and Pacific Island nations. She has worked for several NGOs, including Human Rights Watch, A Better Chance, and Internews, and traveled widely on five continents. 

This is her first novel. A portion of the proceeds from The Broken Hummingbird will benefit nonprofit organizations serving women and families in central Mexico. A native of Seattle, Washington, Jackson resides in San Miguel de Allende. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Ann Marie

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!