In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after. Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily’s good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life. A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.
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"Awesome book! She kept me guessing & wanting more. It would take me hours to write how much I loved this book. What a way to make a debut! At times it felt like there was a lot to keep in line, a lot of people & triangles. I loved the way she described things and how wise her characters are. 5/5" — Brittany (5 out of 5 stars)
"Awesome book! She kept me guessing & wanting more. It would take me hours to write how much I loved this book. What a way to make a debut! At times it felt like there was a lot to keep in line, a lot of people & triangles. I loved the way she described things and how wise her characters are. 5/5"
“Mix a love story, history, and a mystery and what takes root? The Violets of March, a novel that reminds us how the past comes back to haunt us, and packs a few great surprises for the reader along the way.”
“Sarah Jio's The Violets of March is a book for anyone who has ever lost love or lost herself.”
“[A] rich blend of history, mystery, and romance…Fans of Sarah Blake's The Postmistress should enjoy this story.”
“An enchanting story of love, betrayal, and the discovery of an old diary that mysteriously links the past to the present.”
“Sarah Jio delivers a gem of a book, perfect for reading on the beach or under a cozy quilt.”
" A cute little book! It's a story within a story with secrets held by all. I liked how everything came together in the end for the truly happy ending! I enjoy love stories where a woman listens to her heart. "
" NOT A FAN. SHALLOW, WHINY CHARACTER AND UTTERLY PREDICTABLE. SHORT BUT A WASTE OF TIME. "
" Loved this book. It is set in today but the true story stems from the 30s-40s era. I love history and stories from that time. It a love story that spins from a love story of old. Cant wait to read her other two books. "
" Kind of fluffy but I enjoyed this quick read. "
" Interesting twists in this through the ages romance. I recognize that love lost due to misunderstandings is an age old plot device in romance novels, but there were moments when I just wanted to slap some of the characters and tell them to say what they were thinking already. Of course it would have been a much shorter book if everyone just told it like it was. "
" This was a quick read.. but good. The story kept moving.. I liked it. "
" I love a story that isn't completely predictable from the beginning and determining who the journals characters were was a treat. Enjoyed the book very much. "
" Another winner from Sarah Jio, loved this book. She tells about the past and the present, which I find so interesting, the pages just flew by. Afteer her divorce a woman goes to visit her aunt on an island....what more can a reader ask!! "
" Really good yarn with some hidden past secrets, and I loved the descriptions of Bainbridge Island. Easy and compelling read. "
" I couldn't put it down. Although I think I was more interested in Esther and Elliot's story than in the main character's. "
" Engaging and entertaining. Hard to put down! "
" Really enjoyed this book. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading to see what choices the characters were going to make. I would read it again. "
" Enjoyed this book immensely. Great combination of a love story and a mystery mixed together. "
" This was an enjoyable easy read. What made it most enjoyable was that it was clean and no swearing. It was a fun story, though a little simplistic. "
" Loved this book always a twist and something new and exciting happening around every corner. "
" Absolutely enchanting! Incredible characters that were well thought out and known. My favorite book so far this year, 2012! "
" Sarah Jio, my new favorite author. Loved the characters. Loved the setting. Loved the love story. LOVED the mystery, it was a real page turner. Can't wait for her next book to be released!!!!!!! "
" I really loved this book. The mystery kept my interest and the characterization was good. Good love stories too. I stayed up until 2 am finishing it - not good! "
" I really enjoyed both stories contained in this novel, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. "
" This was a slow read for me. I don't like when there are a lot of characters and I have to figure out where they fit in. It was an overall good story. I would've gave this five stars if she had included a scene with Evelyn. "
" Love it! The characters are great and the flow of the story very compelling. I couldn't put the book down. Recommended! "
" Some clunky writing and imagery but the plot held my interest, even if I found the narrator self-absorbed and shallow. "
" Chick-lit. Simply written. The mystery was not transparent like so many in this genre. I liked the story and read the book in one grey rainy day. "
" It was a book within a book. A story within a story. It was lovely. "
" It's an ok story but what I really liked about it was the setting on Bainbridge Island in the Puget sound. Love that place! "
" This novel was a page turner for sure. I loved everything about it - the mystery, the love story, the setting.Couldn't think of a better beach read. READ IT NOW! "
" Really enjoyed this book, but the ending was too abrupt. "
" I just finished this, and I thought it was wonderful. Just a short read, but with romance, history, and a mystery all wrapped up together. It kept me company during my late night bouts of insomnia. "
" Loved every word of it! I was hooked from the first page, and couldn't stop reading. Perfect story! Highly recommended! "
" Makes me want to immediately start planning my next trip to the Northwest... "
" Amazing story set on Bainbridge Island with a story within a story - a stortelling device I love. "
" This book is great summer reading. Alove story and a mystery. "
" What a silly book! Usually the recommendations that I get from Book Page are good, but the last two novels were awful. I skimmed so much of this, and it has to be one of the most predictable stories I have read/skimmed! "
" Trite, contrived- yet a nice setting-Bainbridge Island near Seattle. Made me want to travel there. "
" Very Mills and Boonish--romance novel predictable. "
Sarah 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.
Lyssa Browne makes her home in Seattle, where she has performed in regional theater companies as well as acting for television and film. Her voice can be heard as many different characters in Nintendo and X-Box games, audiobooks, and as the narrator of documentaries for the Discovery Channel and others.
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