Haven Point

I loved this multi-generational tale of beautiful, flawed women and the passions and prejudices that hinder their lives.

The secluded, privileged community of Haven Point is delightful to those who grew up enjoying sailing, tennis and clam bakes each summer but for those who breach the ramparts because of love, or see past the glamor to a community of judgemental individuals determined to keep things insular and controled, Haven Point is no haven but a hotbed of snide comments and being judged because you are seen with the wrong people.

Maren, Annie and Skye are grandmother, mother and daughter. They all have a complicated relationship with Haven Point and it's inhabitants. Tragedy, love, competitiveness and heartache are felt by all but it is the community as a whole that shine through when needed. Hume has written these women's personality with such skill. I was never annoyed by their stubbornness or inability to see beyond the narrative they had created for themselves. My favorite character was Maren. She is wise, clever, beautiful, creative, a wonderful mother, wife, friend.

I look forward to seeing what Virginia Hume writes next. Thanks to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest review.

HAVEN POINT by Virginia Hume is a multi-generational family saga spanning over seven decades of summers spent in an exclusive seaside enclave on the coast of Maine. The story is told mainly in three time periods, 1944, 1970 and 2008, and alternating between the perspectives of Maren Demarest and her granddaughter, Skye. In 1944, Maren Larsen leaves behind her family and the small Minnesota farming town where she lives to become a cadet nurse in Washington, DC during World War II. There she meets and marries Dr. Oliver Demarest whose prominent and wealthy Boston family has spent their summers in Haven Point, Maine for generations. Maren is never fully accepted by the neighbors, but she does her best to make herself and their children fit in. During the summer of 1970, tragedy befalls the Demarest family, changing their lives forever. In the aftermath, their teen daughter Annie refuses to ever set foot on Haven Point again and when she has a daughter of her own, Annie passes on her negative views to Skye. Upon Annie’s tragic death in 2008, Maren summons Skye to Haven Point to share long-buried family secrets that she hopes will give Skye some insight into her mother. Alternating between past and present, the reader learns what happened to this family during that fateful summer of 1970. Relationships between mothers and their children are at the heart of this story. There is drama, suspense and plenty of emotion woven throughout. The descriptions of the setting in Maine were so vivid, I felt like I was there. I thoroughly enjoyed this sweeping debut novel and highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

One of my favorite books this spring. Virginia Hume is a new author to me but I’ll be looking into any previous books she has. Covering 3 generations from 1944-2008 set in a rich island community in Maine the story of Maren, her daughter,Annie and granddaughter Skye. The characters are so real and the changes in both them and the town of Haven Point are true to life and closely follow history and trends of the times. I love Maren, I guess I can identify closely with her. I love the style and rhythm of the story. I received a copy of this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Virginia Hume and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Haven Point. This is my personal review.
Haven Point is the debut novel by Virginia Hume. It is the story of three generations of women and the time they spent in Haven Point, Maine.
Maren is a young nurse who marries Oliver Demarest, a doctor. They spend summers in Haven Point, Maine where Oliver’s has a summer home.
The story reaches into the lives of each woman in the family and how life’s story unfolds for them. Maren has a daughter Annie and Annie has a daughter Skye.
The book was one that will stay with me for a long time. The author was able to tell the story of how Haven Point was the key to the lives these women lived. The secrets they keep and how the community plays a big part in their lives.

I really enjoyed this lovely novel about 3 generations of women and their family home at Haven Point. The book takes us back to the inception of the relationship between Maren and the Demerest family during WWII. The author beautifully captures the time period and the unlikely relationship. Hume then focuses on her granddaughter, Skye, and the troubled relationship with Annie, her mother and Maren’s daughter.

The author conveys the snobbishness of the WASP enclave of Haven Point, which becomes a character in this novel. The stories of these women are told with great understanding and sensitivity. The novel begins in the 1940’s and we are taken not only through the lives of the protagonists, but also a social history of 7 decades in America.

I enjoyed this book and will highly recommend it to reading groups since there are so many topics to stimulate rich discussion.

Bravo, Virginia Hume, for this impressive debut novel. Thank you Netgalley for having the opportunity to read and review this book.

Virginia Hume's Haven Point is a truly inspirational novel emphasizing the strength of three generations of women--family and how love and loyalty binds together. From World War II until 2008 the tie that bound Maren, Annie, and Skye with its secrets and repetitions, remained unbroken. This is an outstanding novel that you won't want to miss.

I couldn’t put it down! Virginia Hume’s multi-generational story takes place in Haven Point,, Maine, which is a community where every one may know each other, but not, everyone feels like they belong there. Maren is brought there as a young bride, her daughter Annie has exiled herself from Haven Point, and Annie’s daughter Skye is a reluctant visitor, as her visits were tied to her mother’s stints in rehab. Ultimately, there is healing. Settle in a comfortable chair and enjoy!

This is a heartwarming, yet sad story told from the perspective of a grandmother, Maren, and her granddaughter, Skye, spanning from 1944 to 2008. It bounces between 2008 and different years in the past to provide history to understand what is going on in 2008. Haven Point is an island community off the coast of Maine that is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Most of the story takes place there through different summers over the years.

Maren’s in-laws were part of the crowd who had a summer house at Haven Point. The wives and children go there from mid June through August and the husbands appear on the weekends. Since she did not grow up going to Haven Point, she was treated as an outsider. The author did a wonderful job weaving the storylines.

I received a copy of this book to read through NetGalley.

I adored this story. I kept looking at my percentage on my kindle of progress, not because I wanted it to be over, because I didn’t want it to end. I found myself slowing down or re-reading some chapters, just so I didn’t miss anything. That is saying a lot for me. This book had me in the first chapter and never let go.
I won’t go on and on about all that I loved about this book, but I will say the writing is lovely, the descriptions are beautiful, the storyline is flawless and the characters are perfect. I felt as if I was a vacationer for three months out of the year going to Haven Point with the Demarest family, sitting alongside them in the weekly sing along. Maren was my favorite and a close second was Pauline, I was so belly laughing when Georgie and Maren had her in the wheel barrel and then there was once I had tears running down my face. I cannot explain how this author pulled out so many emotions.
To me, Virginia Hume is right up there with Pat Conroy and William Kent Krueger. (two of my favorites).
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press along with NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC. This one is the highest 5 stars I have to give. Sweet book!!