Ember Island by Kimberley Freeman – a Review & Giveaway

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Description:
In 1891, Tilly Kirkland is reeling with shock and guilt after her tempestuous marriage ends in horrific circumstances.  Fleeing to the farthest place she knows, Tilly takes a job on Ember Island in Moreton Bay, Australia, where she becomes the governess to the prison superintendent’s precocious young daughter, Nell.  Tilly knows she must keep the past hidden in order to start a new life, but she doesn’t know that Nell is watching her every move and writing it all down, hiding tiny journals all over their rambling manor home.

More than one hundred years later, bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling to complete her next book.  A reporter asking questions about her great-grandmother sends Nina retreating to her family’s home on Ember Island, where she hopes to find her lost inspiration somewhere in the crumbling walls.

Though they are separated by years, both Tilly and Nina must learn that some secrets never stay buried, but what matters most is learning to trust your heart.

Review:

Ember Island is the first novel I’ve ever read by Kimberley Freeman and it was a wonderful story to read.  Nina goes to Ember Island to clean up the mess left behind from bad renters and bad weather.  And she is running from her terrible case of writers block that has her struggling to write her next book.  Nina’s great-grandmother was Nell, the young girl that Tilly became governess to.  Nina had discovered several of Nell’s writings and as the house was being repaired, she finds more of Nell’s writings in the walls.  She is taken back in time as she reads Nell’s words and she scours the house looking for more.  Nina has hired Joe to repair the home and as they get to know each other, sparks start to fly.  But Nina has a secret that she thinks will ruin any chance she has with Joe, so she pushes him away before anything can get started.

As Nina is dealing with life on present day Ember Island, Tilly is dealing with her own issues one hundred years before.  Tilly is a bright, spunky girl that has the misfortune to be married to a jerk named Jasper.  Tilly loved her grandfather very much and was devastated when he passed away.  Right before he passed, Tilly had married Jasper but her grandfather became ill at her wedding so when Jasper returned home, Tilly stayed behind to care for him in his last days.  After the funeral, Tilly goes to Jasper, ready to live happy ever after.  What she discovers is Jasper is not what he appeared to be.  After a horrible accident, Tilly runs away to Australia and finds a job as a governess to Nell.  Nell and Tilly quickly become attached to each other and Tilly begins to feel at home in her new life.  But lurking behind every corner is the threat of her past being discovered and destroying the life she has began to love.

What a lovely story this was to read.  I loved how the two time periods were mingled together like one story couldn’t be told without the other.  With each turn of the page, I was drawn deeper into the story and enjoyed reading how all of their lives unfolded years part.  This book has plenty of surprises and the story ends in an unexpected way that had me reading the last page with a smile on my face.  I highly recommend reading this book and I can’t wait to read more from Kimberley Freeman.

Reviewed by Tricia

Copy provided by Publisher



Kimberley & her publisher are offering a paper copy of Ember Island one lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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3. Giveaway open USA only.

4. Giveaway runs from April 15, 2014 to April 18, 2014