After the Storm, Hope Awaits ‘At Wave’s End’ [REVIEW]

Life can be beautiful, even in the wake of a great storm. (Photo by J. Triepke, Flickr)

When a hurricane blasts the Jersey Shore, a woman leaves the city behind to help heal the community devastated by the storm. But will she be able to repair both her mother’s ravaged home as well as their tenuous relationship? Find out in Patricia Perry Donovan’s new novel, At Wave’s End. 

Lake Union

Faith Sterling is a workaholic chef at an upscale restaurant in Manhattan. She loves her job, even if she does have to stay late most nights to schmooze with important guests. The fact that she’s had to bail out her boss financially doesn’t even phase her much.

What does get to her? Her roommate recently announced that she is not only getting married, but needs Faith to move out sooner than anticipated because she’s pregnant and wants to convert the second bedroom into a nursery. Oh, and then there’s Faith’s relationship with her less-than-reliable mother, Connie, who spends all her time and money trying to score the next big opportunity.

Then one of the contests Connie enters pays out and suddenly she’s moving to the Jersey Shore to take over an inn she’s won. The mere thought sends Faith over the edge, and she moves to stop her mom from falling prey to yet another con, just in time to get caught helping her mother in the aftermath of a hurricane. With much on the line and no certain outcome in sight, Faith isn’t sure if she’s doing the right thing, but Connie needs help and Faith can’t desert her mother when she needs her most. But will it be enough to salvage both the inn and their relationship?

At Wave’s End is a rich, multi-layered novel about parent-child relationships, community, and the cost of pursuing one’s dreams. It is populated by characters readers will recognize and empathize with, and seems quite timely, particularly in the wake of one of the worst hurricane seasons on record. Here, Donovan demonstrates that compassion brings out the best in humanity, even when the world has been turned on its head and chaos reigns supreme.

Fans of authors like Danielle Steel, Barbara Taylor Bradford and Belva Plain will love this inspiring novel that is filled with hope, even in the most desperate times. Donovan’s voice is warm and it is obvious that she pours her heart and soul into the pages of this book, using her literary talent to prove that life goes on, recovery is possible, and second chances are ours for the taking if only we believe and work together for the common good. It’s the type of story that shines like a beacon of hope in the dark times in which we now live.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patricia Perry Donovan

Patricia Perry Donovan is the author of At Wave’s End and Deliver Her. When she isn’t writing fiction, she is a journalist who reports on the health care industry.

Her fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals, including the Bookends Review, Bethlehem Writers Roundtable, Flash Fiction Magazine, Gravel Literary Journal, and Hippocampus Magazine. 

The mother of two grown children, she lives at the Jersey Shore with her husband. She invites her readers to visit her at her home on the Web at PatriciaPerryDonovan.com, to like her on Facebook, and to follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

AT WAVE’S END
By Patricia Perry Donovan
364 pgs. Lake Union Publishing. $14.95.