Watch Us Shine

 

Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos

Love Walked In #4

Fiction

2023

Finished on October 1, 2024

Rating: 3/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

“Bring me the Northern Lights.”

Cornelia Brown is reeling from a terrifying act of violence when she gets word that her mother has been badly injured in an accident. Cornelia returns to Virginia, to the house she grew up in, and in the weeks that follow, she watches her mother Ellie struggle to recover, fluctuating between her usual crisp, can-do clarity and periods of delirium during which she seems haunted by a devastating loss from her past. In grief-stricken tones, Ellie begs Cornelia to bring her the Northern Lights, and despite her confusion at this mysterious plea, Cornelia vows to do so: “She was my mother and she wanted the Northern Lights; I was her daughter and would have given her anything, anything.”

With the help of her prickly sister, Ollie, Cornelia embarks on a mission to piece together the lost years of their mother’s life: people, places, and events spanning Ellie’s late teens through her mid-twenties. Cornelia and Ollie’s quest takes them to unexpected places and into the worlds of strangers whose lives Ellie touched and irrevocably changed. As the sisters uncover truths about their mother’s life—some beautiful, some ugly, some tragic—Cornelia herself begins to heal, to forgive herself, and to find her way back home.

Alternating between two timelines—Cornelia’s story in the present, and that of the young Eleanor Campbell in the 1960s—Watch Us Shine explores the complicated bonds between sisters, the impossible demands of motherhood, and the power of human love to save us again and again.

I've been a fan of Marisa de los Santos since I read Belong to Me in 2008. I gave up on one of her novels (Falling Together), but her Love Walked In series earned high ratings from me, and I was excited to start reading this latest installment. And yet, Watch Us Shine wasn't nearly as good as I'd hoped for. I grew impatient for the big reveal about the violent act Cornelia experienced, and felt that it was unnecessary to tease it out so slowly. The characters were likeable enough, and the alternating timelines were interesting and easy to keep up with, but it's been a long time since I read the earlier books in this series. I eventually gave up trying to remember Cornelia's friends and extended family members from those novels. It would probably be best to read these in order without such large gaps of time in-between.

While not a book that I'll keep to read a second time (nor one that I would thrust into someone's hands, imploring them to read it), Watch Us Shine was entertaining enough to finish. Good, but not remarkable.

I'll Be Your Blue Sky

I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos
Fiction
2018 William Morrow
Finished on May 26, 2018
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

This New York Times bestselling author revisits the characters from her beloved novels Loved Walked In and Belong to Me in this captivating, beautifully written drama involving family, friendship, secrets, sacrifice, courage, and true love. For fans of Jojo Moyes, Elin Hilderbrand, and Nancy Thayer.

On the weekend of her wedding, Clare Hobbes meets an elderly woman named Edith Herron. During the course of a single conversation, Edith gives Clare the courage to do what she should have done months earlier: break off her engagement to her charming--yet overly possessive--fiance.

Three weeks later, Clare learns that Edith has died--and has given her another gift. Nestled in crepe myrtle and hydrangea and perched at the marshy edge of a bay in a small seaside town in Delaware, Blue Sky House now belongs to Clare. Though the former guest house has been empty for years, Clare feels a deep connection to Edith inside its walls, which are decorated with old photographs taken by Edith and her beloved husband, Joseph.

Exploring the house, Clare finds two mysterious ledgers hidden beneath the kitchen sink. Edith, it seems, was no ordinary woman--and Blue Sky House no ordinary place. With the help of her mother, Vivian, her surrogate mother, Cornelia Brown, and her former boyfriend and best friend, Dev Tremain, Clare begins to piece together the story of Blue Sky House--a decades-old mystery more complex and tangled than she could have imagined. As she peels back layers of Edith's life, Clare discovers a story of dark secrets, passionate love, heartbreaking sacrifice, and incredible courage. She also makes startling discoveries about herself: where she's come from, where she's going, and what--and who--she loves.

Shifting between the 1950s and the present, and told in the alternating voices of Edith and Clare, I'll Be Your Blue Sky is vintage Marisa de los Santos--an emotionally evocative novel that probes the deepest recesses of the human heart and illuminates the tender connections that bind our lives.

It's been 10 years since I discovered Love Walked In and Belong To Me, both of which I loved and have on my "keeper shelf" for future re-reading. When I received an ARC of I'll Be Your Blue Sky, not only was I was excited to get a new book by Marisa de los Santos, but I was thrilled to learn that she had written a third installment in her Love Walked In trilogy, which continues with the lives of Clare, Cornelia, Teo, and Dev. Part comfort read, part mystery, this new novel pulled me right in from the opening pages. I love the author's lyrical prose, which I have to admit felt somewhat overdone in the opening chapters, but became less prevalent as the story progressed. I also enjoy her attention to domestic detail, which is reminiscent of Elizabeth Berg's popular novels, which I've also enjoyed for many years. I'll Be Your Blue Sky is told in alternating points-of-view, as well as time periods, both of which are seamlessly interwoven and equally enjoyable.  As soon as I finished this delightful story, I knew the previous two novels (reviewed here) would wind up in my stack of re-reads for 2019. I think they'll be just perfect for some post-holiday reading.

The Precious One

The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos
Fiction
2015 William Morrow
Finished on April 24, 2015
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)





Publisher’s Blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Love Walked In, Belong to Me, and Falling Together comes a captivating novel about friendship, family, second chances, and the redemptive power of love.

In all her life, Eustacia “Taisy” Cleary has given her heart to only three men: her first love, Ben Ransom; her twin brother, Marcus; and Wilson Cleary—professor, inventor, philanderer, self-made millionaire, brilliant man, breathtaking jerk—her father.

Seventeen years ago, Wilson ditched his first family for Caroline, a beautiful young sculptor. In all that time, Taisy’s family has seen Wilson, Caroline, and their daughter, Willow, only once.

Why then, is Wilson calling Taisy now, inviting her for an extended visit, encouraging her to meet her pretty sister—a teenager who views her with jealousy, mistrust, and grudging admiration? Why, now, does Wilson want Taisy to help him write his memoir?

Told in alternating voices—Taisy’s strong, unsparing observation and Willow’s naïve, heartbreakingly earnest yearnings—The Precious One is an unforgettable novel of family secrets, lost love, and dangerous obsession, a captivating tale with the deep characterization, piercing emotional resonance, and heartfelt insight that are the hallmarks of Marisa de los Santos’s beloved works.


I became of huge fan of Marisa de los Santos’s novels many years ago when I discovered Belong to Me and Love Walked In.

Love Walked In is much more than chick lit. (I'd probably call it women's fiction.) While some readers have criticized the book for its predictability and contrived coincidences, I found it to be a very satisfying story filled with humor, touching moments, believable dialogue and characters that stay with you long after you close the book. (from my review for Love Walked In)

and

I loved the vividly depicted characters and how the author slowly allows the reader to get close to them. Even the prickly ones...

...to think I almost gave up, sure that it was going to be nothing more than another book about women's friendships... Sure, Belong to Me borders on fluffy chick-lit, but the writing is oh, so beautiful. Not lyrical in the sense of Pat Conroy or Rick Bragg, but beautiful, descriptive phrases that force you to pause and go back for a second reading. And no wonder: It turns out that Marisa is also an award-winning poet.

This is a book about love & friendship, trust & loyalty, and ultimately the strength of family ties... I found myself getting teary-eyed on several occasions, yet this isn't a depressing read. More than a guilty pleasure, this intimate and engaging read is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy, spring afternoon and one you'll want to share with all your girlfriends. (from my review for Belong to Me)

Unfortunately, I was not as enamored of de los Santos’s third novel, Falling Together. I couldn’t get interested in the story and gave up after a hundred pages. So, when an ARC of The Precious One arrived early this year, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was hopeful for another satisfying read. I did finish reading the book, but it wasn’t until the last quarter that it finally grabbed me. And, it took me three weeks to read, which tells you that it wasn’t exactly calling out to me.

Final Thoughts:

I wouldn't categorize Marisa de los Santos's books as romances, but she sure can write some beautiful passages about falling in love. Looking back at my Goodreads rating, I must have enjoyed this book better than I remember, as I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Since I don’t like to revise my ratings with the passage of time, I’ll leave it alone, although if I were to rate it today, I’d knock half a point off and say it was good rather than very good. de los Santos's books will appeal to fans of Jojo Moyes and Rainbow Rowell, as well as Anne Tyler and Beth Hoffman. If you haven’t read her early works, I highly recommend Love Walked In and Belong To Me. These are two books that remain on my keeper shelf for future rereads.

Love Walked In

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
Contemporary Fiction
2005 Dutton
Finished on 4/3/08
Rating: 4.75/5 (Fabulous!)





"My life--my real life--started when a man walked into it, a handsome stranger in a perfectly cut suit and, yes, I know how that sounds."

When Martin Grace enters the hip Philadelphia coffee shop Cornelia Brown manages, her life changes forever. Charming and debonair, the spitting image of Cary Grant, Martin sweeps Cornelia off her feet, but as it turns out, Martin Grace is more the harbinger of change than the change itself....

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, eleven-year-old Clare Hobbes must learn to fend for herself after her increasingly unstable mother has a breakdown and disappears. Taking inspiration from famous orphans (Anne Shirley, Sara Crewe, Mary Lennox, and even Harry Potter) Clare musters the courage to seek out her estranged father. When the two of them show up at Cornelia's cafe, Cornelia and Clare form a bond as unlikely as it is deep. Together, they face difficult choices and discover that knowing what you love and why is as real as life gets.

An acclaimed poet, Marisa de los Santos writes with a careful grace that illuminates the losses and joys of life. Witty and fresh, glowing with big-screen magic moments, Love Walked In marks the arrival of a gifted storyteller and proves that while love is always unpredictable--a dizzying, astonishing turn--it could be as close as your very own front door.

I loved this book! As soon as I realized I was reading another winner by de los Santos, I had to force myself to slow down and savor the story, knowing that once I finished, I wouldn't have a backlist to work through.

Love Walked In is much more than chick lit. (I'd probably call it women's fiction.) While some readers have criticized the book for its predictability and contrived coincidences, I found it to be a very satisfying story filled with humor, touching moments, believable dialogue and characters that stay with you long after you close the book. I enjoyed all the references to classic movies and actors, children's literature and even found the description of Pancit so enticing I immediately went online in search of a recipe to try! I read Love Walked In after the sequel, Belong to Me, and have to say I liked it even better, probably because I really liked the younger Clare in this book. She's also in Belong to Me, but she’s more of a secondary character in the sequel. Oh, but then I really liked the character of Piper in Belong to Me! Hmmm, let's just say I loved both books and that I'm thrilled to have discovered Marisa de los Santos. I can hardly wait for her to write her next novel. Move over, Elizabeth Berg! de los Santos is my new must-buy-in-hardcover favorite.

Fans of Jeanne Ray, Elizabeth Berg and Anna Quindlen won't be disappointed. I recommend both Love Walk In and Belong to Me for a great summer reading combo. Meanwhile, I hope Marisa is working on her third book, hopefully with more of Cornelia, Teo, Piper and Clare!

Belong to Me

Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos
Contemporary Fiction
2008 HarperCollins Publishers
Finished on 3/13/08
Rating: 4.5/5 (Terrific!)
ARC - Due out on April 1, 2008



Book Description

Everyone has secrets. Some we keep to protect ourselves, others we keep to protect those we love.

A devoted city dweller, Cornelia Brown surprised no one more than herself when she was gripped by the sudden, inescapable desire to leave urban life behind and head for an idyllic suburb. Though she knows she and her beloved husband, Teo, have made the right move, she approaches her new life with trepidation and struggles to forge friendships in her new home. Cornelia's mettle is quickly tested by judgmental neighbor Piper Truitt. Perfectly manicured, impeccably dressed, and possessing impossible standards, Piper is the embodiment of everything Cornelia feared she would find in suburbia. A saving grace soon appears in the form of Lake. Over a shared love of literature and old movies, Cornelia develops an instant bond with this warm yet elusive woman who has also recently arrived in town, ostensibly to send her perceptive and brilliant son, Dev, to a school for the gifted.

Marisa de los Santos's literary talents shine in the complex interactions she creates between these three women. She deftly explores the life-altering roller coaster of emotions Piper faces as she cares for two households, her own and that of her cancer-stricken best friend, Elizabeth. Skillfully, de los Santos creates an enigmatic and beguiling character in Lake, who draws Cornelia closer even as she harbors a shocking secret. And from the first page until the exhilarating conclusion, de los Santos engages readers with Cornelia, who, while trying to adapt to her new surroundings, must remain true to herself. As their individual stories unfold, the women become entangled in a web of trust, betrayal, love, and loss that challenges them in ways they never imagined, and that ultimately teaches them what it means for one human being to belong to another.

I loved this book. I loved the vividly depicted characters and how the author slowly allows the reader to get close to them. Even the prickly ones. I love the unique, quirky names de los Santos has chosen: Cornelia, Teo (Mateo), Deveroux, Aidan, Piper, Lake, Rafferty, and Kyle. Each name fits its respective character perfectly, and as I think back on the story, I can quickly envision each and every one.

And to think I almost gave up, sure that it was going to be nothing more than another book about women's friendships. Not that there's anything wrong with that sort of book, but I just finished Elizabeth Noble's Things I Want My Daughters to Know and felt I needed something a bit more substantial. Well, I wound up getting it. Sure, Belong to Me borders on fluffy chick-lit, but the writing is oh, so beautiful. Not lyrical in the sense of Pat Conroy or Rick Bragg, but beautiful, descriptive phrases that force you to pause and go back for a second reading. And no wonder: It turns out that Marisa is also an award-winning poet.

This is a book about love & friendship, trust & loyalty, and ultimately the strength of family ties. The subplot dealing with Elizabeth's cancer is realistic and tender, yet doesn't dominate the entire story. The blossoming friendship between Piper and Cornelia reminded me just ever-so-slightly of Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts' characters in the movie Step Mom. I found myself getting teary-eyed on several occasions, yet this isn't a depressing read. More than a guilty pleasure, this intimate and engaging read is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy, spring afternoon and one you'll want to share with all your girlfriends. I'd love to read a sequel, as I'm already missing Cornelia, Piper, Dev and Clare, but it may be another year or two before the author publishes another book. (And who knows if she plans to continue with Cornelia's story.) But as luck would have it, I missed her debut title (Love Walked In), which just happens to be the prequel to Belong to Me. I know what I'm buying tomorrow at work!