Seattle, 1933. Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, good night and reluctantly leaves for work. She hates the night shift, but it’s the only way she can earn enough to keep destitution at bay. In the morning — even though it’s the second of May — a heavy snow is falling. Vera rushes to wake Daniel, but his bed is empty. His teddy bear lies outside in the snow. Seattle, present day. On the second of May, Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge awakens to another late-season snowstorm. Assigned to cover this “blackberry winter” and its predecessor decades earlier, Claire learns of Daniel’s unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth — only to discover that she and Vera are linked in unexpected ways.
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"I'd actually rate this a 4.5 except for a few inconsistencies and situations that just happened to be too convenient for the story line. This was the first book I've read by this author and I did enjoyed it very much. When a newspaper reporter starts research on an article she has no idea that the mystery she needs to solve will involve her actual family and what happened over 80 years ago. Jio has a very soft, factual way of writing that takes the reader right into the story. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. I liked how Jio allowed the story to have a happy ending and how she tied up all the loose ends. I definitely need to read more of her books. This was just a lovely story, especially for women who love their children."
— Tricia (4 out of 5 stars)
" I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a lot of sadness, but the story is unique and pure and focuses on grief and the grieving process. "
— Mandy, 2/20/2014" Beautiful! Touched my heart. "
— Sue, 2/19/2014" I needed something a little lighter after the last two books I have read, so I grabbed this....to bad it is about a missing child. That said, it is a very fast read. It is tow different stories, fifty years apart that are, of course, intertwined. A little predictable, and It ends a little abruptly, but still decent. "
— Heather, 2/12/2014" Loved this book. Best book I read in a while. Great story. Definitely recommend. "
— Nicole, 1/26/2014" I quite literally devoured this book in one sitting, only sitting down a short time ago to begin reading it. Jio writes such a beautiful, painful and engrossing story that the characters become etched in your heart. The story is nothing short of a masterpiece. I absolutely became so immersed in this novel, both wanting to see how it ended but also wanting to savor every page. I just loved it, every word. I cannot wait to read other books by Jio! "
— Mrs, 1/26/2014" I have never read a book this fast in my life, and there is a reason for it. The story had me captivated from the beginning. I loved how a cliffhanger from one parallel story was revealed from the other. I highly recommend for a cold winter day tucked under the covers with a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate. "
— Lauren, 1/24/2014" Blackberry Winter, a half mystery, half love story that had me mesmerized. A little boy disappears during a freak snow storm in Seattle, May 1933 and is never hound. A news journalist looks to solve the case after a similar storm today. As she searches for information on the little boy, she overcomes a personal tragedy of the past year. "
— Emily, 1/21/2014" Good story, but written like a soap opera. "
— Sharon, 1/7/2014" Great read that is light enough to enjoy with enough depth to keep the reader engaged. "
— Cheryl, 12/22/2013" As usual, Jio brings it. And delivers. "
— Hanna, 12/20/2013" A quick read and a good book, although fairly predictable as to how the plotlines are going to intersect. I would still like to read more by Jio. "
— Melissa, 11/19/2013Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of Blackberry Winter, The Violets of March, and The Bungalow. She has written thousands of articles for magazines such as Glamour, Self, Health, Redbook, Cooking Light, Woman’s Day, O, The Oprah Magazine, and many other publications. She lives in Seattle.
Tara Sands is an American actress, television host, and voice talent who has won numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration. She is former cohost of Fridays on the Cartoon Network. In addition to performing in plays and musicals, her voice can be heard on numerous commercials, audiobooks, cartoons, and video games.