Review: The Violets of March, Sarah Jio

Emily Wilson had it all, a career, a husband straight from the GQ and a nice house. Until her husband admits he is in love with another woman and leaving her. Heartbroken she returns to Bainbridge Island in Washington State where she spend so may perfect summers at her aunts house hoping the sea can heal her again.
In the room her aunt lets her stay she discovers a diary with a very intriguing story, unable to stop to read she is introduced in a story so similar to her own. About love and betrayal. By trying to find all the people in the diary story and give them a happy ending she hopes she will manage to get over her own problems and get her own happy ending.
 Sarah Jio was born in 1978. She has a degree in journalism and has written articles for various magazines including Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Glamour, Fithness and Hallmark Magazine.
Violets of March. which was published in 2011, was her first novel and won the Library Journal Best Book of 2011. She is living in Seattle with her husband and three sons. For more information visit http://www.sarahjio.com/

This is a very lovely book. The story is just right. There is enough drama, enough romance, enough friendship balanced out over 300 pages combined as a pretty bouquet. The main character is a female in her thirties trying to get herself back on track after her husband left her for someone else and the career she has is not going anywhere. Aware that she needs to make some choices she sets of to a place she trusts. I found it very easy to identify with this character and I think the majority of people reading this book will. There comes a point in life when we all are going trough a rough path and looking for comfort in places we know. This made it very easy to get pulled into the rest of the story.
The other thing I liked a lot was that the author did not let herself been pulled in the “double” story. Though there are two people telling their story it is clear it all is seen from Emily's point of view. Yes you get to read Esther's diary but in my head the voice was Emily's reading it and not Esther going trough it. Therefore the mystery is not unraveled until Emily finds it out. There are no back door clues given by other persons.
Still this book is not breathtaking and life changing to read therefore I have been in doubt how many stars I would give the book. I decided I would give it 4 stars. 3 stars for the story and1 star extra for the courage of the author to keep the story small and simple while there where so many opportunities to let it derail.  

The Violets of March
Author: Sarah Jio
Publisher: Plume
ISBN-10: 1101514043
ISBN-13: 9781101514047
Pages: 304 pages
Format: eBook
Plume (Penguin imprint): eBook | Paperback


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