Strawberry Moon by Joy M. Lilley.
The Patterson family leaves the U.K. to begin a new life in France. St Severin, in the Dordogne, provides the backdrop for the family’s new home and all of the life-changing obstacles they are about to encounter. Maisie, who is almost seventeen, narrates this unpredictable story.
Maisie struggles as she experiences the changes of coming of age, the pain of loss, and the rollercoaster ride of competing love interests. Maisie’s older brother, Dan, rebels over the move and frequently threatens to return to England when his studies are over. Dan starts an affair with a married French woman. After a few months in France, he goes missing which begins to unravel the family. What starts as an exciting move becomes more difficult with each passing chapter. Maisie is left navigating this complicated new world, all while trying to plan the rest of her adult life.
Review by Amazon Customer: Kindle Customer: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. A family in chaos in a foreign country. Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2021. Verified Purchase. This beautiful Strawberry Moon keeps you guessing with every turn of the page! Joy M. Lilley is a master storyteller. The reader may think they have an inkling of what is to come, who is the protagonist and antagonist, who are the “good guys”, but nothing and no one is exactly what they seem. Lilley is true to her craft, piecing the story together seemingly in unrelated scene-dominated, dramatic events. “No spoilers here.” The craftsmanship that went into Strawberry Moon gives the reader a story and an ending that catches your breath, touches your emotions, and fulfills expectations beyond your imagination. Well done!
Review by Jane: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Refreshing. Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2019.Verified Purchase. This is literally the first “coming of age” story I’ve read in my life, and I must say I really liked it, especially because of the murder mystery elements, which just happens to be my favorite genre. With its relatable characters and fast pace, it was an easy and enjoyable read, perfect for a relaxing summer day on the beach. I wonder if the author decides to turn this into a series (or at least writes a sequel) and let us know what happens to Maisie later in her life. I’d eagerly read that!
Review by Chris: 5.0 out of 5 Stars. Murder mystery meets coming of age story. Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2019. Really enjoyed this novel! The author has a gift for describing scenery and presenting real characters, flaws, and all. It’s a unique murder mystery where there is less focus on the “who did it” and more focus on how a family copes and moves on. And great cover!
Product Details:
Paperback: 285 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published (April 6, 2019)
Language: English
Adult Readers: Fiction (Coming of Age)
Message from Author: Hello, my name is Joy Gerken, pen name Joy M. Lilley. I write and blog at joymlilley.blogspot.ca. I was a trained nurse all my working life, until I retired in 2015.
My first novel is ‘Figs, Vines and Roses’ a tale of love and loss at the turn of the nineteenth century.
My second novel is called ‘The Liberty Bodice’. This is a completely different genre to the first novel and follows the trials and tribulations of a young girl working for the Special Operations Executive[S.O.E.]in W.W.2.
You can also find my short story ‘Lost and Found’ published in Liphar short stories Vol 1. by Liphar Magazine.
In 2016 my novella ‘Times pendulum swings again’ was published. This tells of a hospital romance that starts well, until the truth about the surgical registrar admitting to his nurse girlfriend that he is married with two sons back home in Nepal.
I am hoping to release my fourth publication ‘Strawberry Moon’ a crime, mystery set in the Dordogne, France.
Amazon Author’s Page
https://www.amazon.com/Joy-M-Lilley/e/B00N0WGQ3U?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1633972334&sr=1-1
Professional Website
http://www.joymlilley.wordpress.com
Professional Blog Links
http://www.Joymlilley.blogspot.ca
http://www.Joythewritersway.blogspot.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/joy.gerken.9
Twitter: @joygerken
Author’s Page At Book Marketing Global Network:
https://bookmarketingglobalnetwork.com/book-marketing-global-network/joy-m-lilleys-books/
