Description
Jack Long is enjoying a rare opportunity to spend an afternoon at the beach alone with his son, when tragedy strikes. Years of heartache follow, but Jack gradually rebuilds his life, eventually finding a measure of peace, until, one day a twelve-year-old boy literally cycles into his life and the nightmare begins again. This is a story of love and loss which reminds us all to treasure what we have as we never know when it may be taken from us in an instant. It is also a story of hope and the realisation that the ties of love form unbreakable bonds that can withstand the worst that life can throw at us. A moving story about a little boy and his dad, whose lives changed forever one sunny day at the beach.
Paperback : 200 pages.
Spellbrooktales –
Review by Rox Burkey
Marilyn Freeman portrays a family at the apex of their relationship until the unexpected occurs. Jack Long, father, and husband, feels distanced from his wife after the years it took to have their child Toby. Grace hovers over her son, limiting Jack’s alone time. One day father and son get to spend a day at the beach.
The descriptions immerse the readers in place throughout the book. One initially feels the sand between their toes, hears the waves, enjoys the warm weather, and celebrates bonding. The love between these two, even though the intelligent Toby is young, emanates from the actions of playing and laughing at the beach together. Ms. Freeman does a marvellous job of painting all the scenes throughout the story that draws upon all the senses.
The characters’ distinctive personalities show in their actions and dialogue. When Toby disappears, the emotional upheaval runs the gambit from fear to guilt then blame. The tragedy of the follow-on events continues for ten years after the day on the beach. Jack becomes a shell of a man bent on survival with only a tiny spark of hope buried deep in his heart.
At first blush, you think you know the answers, but this mystery will surprise you repeatedly. The twists and turns of this mystery will have mystery fans trying to determine the proper actions of the characters. The unexpected elements sprinkled in just the right places will make you weep or shout for joy.