The Sound of Wings

The Sound of Wings by Suzanne Simonetti may have the reader planning a butterfly garden and watching for monarch butterflies in the next season. The story of three vastly different women who become unlikely friends is beautifully written.
Goldie Sparrows is experiencing some strange sensations in her seventy-year-old body which has her a bit worried. She lives alone in a Victorian townhouse located in Cape May. She is devoted to her pets and her art. Goldie has vivid memories of her beloved father-in-law Patrick and a huge secret about her deceased husband, Simon. She is experiencing some financial difficulties and must make sure her art studio becomes more profitable.
Joycelyn Anderson feels she is married to the most wonderful man who loves her, and Billy, her six-year-old son more than she could have believed. She wrote a successful first novel and is facing a deadline for the draft of the second book, but she is having a big problem. Since her son is spending the summer months with his father, Joycelyn cannot concentrate on the current book. She finds reasons to avoid the edits to her timeline and finishing the book. She seems obsessed with worrying about her son and makes some poor decisions that will cause distress for Bruce. One day Joycelyn is looking through the safe for the custody agreement for Billy and she finds an old notebook that had been written by Bruce's mother years ago. The journal will lead to the understanding of how lives can intersect in the most unlikely of ways.
Krystal Axelrod is a newly married voluptuous beauty with low self-esteem. She knows her wealthy husband loves her just as she is, but Krystal keeps remembering her neglectful and abusive mother when she was a child. She cannot forget her high school days of being bullied by the school mean girls. Abe has had a fabulous home built for her to enjoy and spares no expense to make sure she feels loved. Soon Krystal will meet two women who will become dear friends and help her understand she is a person of worth.
I really enjoyed this book which weaves the stories of the women and their husbands, past and present, into a story of lasting friendships.
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The characters in The Sound of Wings were so vivid and personable that they simply jumped off the page and into my heart.

They all had their flaws which only endeared them to me further. This is a story of love and family whether it is the family we choose or the one we were born into. Life, love, and finding joy where one can are the overriding themes and message here. In the times we're living in, it's a message that we can all use.

If you are a fan of women's fiction, of books that will make you love the characters and wish the book didn't end, then The Sound of Wings is for you.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

The Sound of Wings is a lyrical debut novel of hidden depths. Featuring 3 very different women who bond together over a whole host of problems and secrets. Goldie, Jocelyn and Krystal are sterling characters. They are full of wit, wisdom, caring and compassion in spite of the secrets and dysfunction in their pasts. The setting is Cape May, NJ which added an extra element of fun since I have lived in the area and am very familiar with many of the areas she mentions. Suzanne Simonetti has the ability to weave difficult thoughts and feelings into a beautifully told novel. It is one of the best I've read in a while and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for this gift of a story.

Beautiful and haunting. This is a book I’ll be purchasing for my personal shelf. The characters were well developed and beautiful.

Enjoyable book. Real characters with interesting lives and a few unexpected twists. Particularly loved Goldies personality. Well worth reading.

3.5 stars.
At first, I was not taken with this story of three women, each dealing with a personal problem that I could not relate to. I didn’t really feel connected, but that changed as their pasts are divulged and their paths cross. I started to genuinely like these women and their stories became more interesting to me. In alternating chapters, their pasts unfold and what seems like unlikely friendships develop. We’re first introduced to Goldie, a seventy year widow, trying to manage her finances, her ceramic shop, while facing health issues as she comes to terms with her past secrets. Joyelyn is a writer who is struggling with her second novel, but that’s the least of her problems. Her ex husband is trying to get custody of their son. Krystal unable to let go of her insecurities from high school bullying and an abusive childhood, trying to find herself. There are a few good men here except for Goldie’s deceased cad of a husband. Goldie by far was my favorite character and I was most engaged in her story, but I came to like both Jocelyn and Krystal as they come into their own. There are secrets here, some divulged early on and I thought at one point, that I knew all of them . I was definitely wrong about that! There’s a twist I wasn’t expecting, and with some guilt I found myself saying “ Yes!”. It’s a quick read about the ways in which people are shaped by their pasts and how the beauty of friendship can be so healing. In spite of my slow initial connection, I was with these characters one hundred percent by the end, so definitely worth upping it to 4 stars.

I received an advanced copy of this book from She Writes Press through NetGalley.

The Sound of Wings is a perfect book to start reading and be drawn into with-in a few pages. Goldie, Krystal & Jocelyn are women who immerge as relatable with flaws, I could not help but want them each to succeed in overcoming their life’s obstacles. The expression “Home is where the heart is” rings true for each of them as they work to develop friendships, navigate family and longings. My favorite character, quirky Goldie, who’s cherished garden, menagerie of animals, and hauntings of her deceased husband Simon won my heart as she developed her friendship with Krystal & Jocelyn. Patrick, Bruce and Abe were pillars to Goldie. Enjoyed reading.

This is the perfect book to read in Spring time. The central figure in this wonderful book is gardening and what a garden and plants mean to us. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

This is such a intriguing book that captivated me from the start. I loved the way the author moved between present to past seamlessly with all her charcters. The charcters are richly drawn and each stands out on their own.. The setting and feature of a Butterfly garden is beautiful and meaningful. This is a pleasing read that stands out for the authors research and love of gardening. I highly recommend this book .

LOVED IT. Can’t say that enough!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#thesoundofwings is written in a style I love, with storylines being told from multiple characters’ points of view. Krystal, Jocelyn, and Goldie don’t seem like likely friends when they first meet, but as they get to know each other, they find their ties run deep and form great friendships. Love and family are at the heart of it all.

Thank you to @netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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There are only 5 stars but I would give this book 10 if I could. I lived for 30 years in Cape May and Suzanne Simonetti captures the seaside resort perfectly. I can picture the lovely home built by Abe's construction business and Goldie's shop with her beautiful collection of sculpture. This story is about 3 women who have nothing in common but bond and become best friends. Joceyln is an author, married to AB with writer's block, now married to Abe and facing a custody battle with her ex. Krystal is living a dream life but worried about embarrassing her very rich husband. Goldie ties the three together, older and facing some health issues she has secrets about about her life and Abe's. Loved the interaction between the three women and their families. I think this is Ms. Simonetti's first book and can't wait to see her next story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“The symbol of the sparrow reflects the self-worth we should feel for ourselves regardless of external factors. This energy and passion are embedded deep within our hearts, waiting to be awakened.”

Relationships and the roles women play take center stage in this beautifully crafted novel by Suzanne Simonetti. Set in the quaint seaside community of Cape May, women voice their insecurities as friends, wives, mothers, and artists as they navigate their personal journeys toward self determination and peace.

The women come from different backgrounds and from different ages and stages of life, yet find connections with each other, seeking and finding genuine warmth and support. Through that support, they find their confidence. They have all had their experiences with unhealthy relationships and are plagued with self doubt. As with most people, they are judged and also guilty of judging other people at a surface level. But as they look past perceptions, and as they allow themselves to be vulnerable, they are able to truly “see” each other. They let go of inner demons and uncertainties, value each other, and nurture real friendships.

Creativity is a release for these women, but only when able to give in to the process, find their voice, and let go of feelings of inadequacy and judgment. When they are able to let go, they flourish as artisans through writing, cooking, pottery, jewelry design, and gardening. Same as how they flourish in their relationships.

As a native of NJ and vacationing every summer in the Wildwood/Cape May area, I got so excited by all the references to the area. It felt like being in on a secret, knowing the places, backgrounds, and rituals associated with Cape May. An interesting note….It is one of the most haunted towns in America, so to have the characters haunted by their pasts and negative self-talk (and especially Goldie haunted by the ghost of her ex-husband) was quite fitting for the location.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC