The Ocean In Winter by Elizabeth de Veer ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

I love books about sisters.  I am the oldest of three sisters and know that no matter what is going on in our lives, there is a special connection between us.  The Ocean in Winter is a beautifully written book about three sisters who are working to connect with each other after several years of estrangement.  

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

July 2021; Blackstone; 978-1982674649
audio, ebook, print (336 pages); women's fiction

Alex was 11, Colleen was 8 and Riley was 4 when they came home from school one day and found their mother dead in the bathtub.  Their father basically checked out from life and it was up to Alex to be the mother for the two younger girls and Alex and Colleen had to raise their younger sister. It's 25 years after the suicide and it has affected all of their lives in different ways.  

Alex was an ER nurse who quit her job after getting some devastating health news to go to India to help in a clinic.  She got called back home almost immediately to take ownership of a house that a virtual stranger left to her.  She plans to fix up the house and sell it so she can return to India but life has other plans.  

Colleen has two children and she thought a happy marriage until her husband told her that he wants a divorce.  She has spent her entire married life taking care of her family and isn't sure what her life will look like after the divorce.  

Riley is a famous model who has been in magazines and modeled all over the world and lives in NYC.  It's apparent right from the beginning that she's struggling with drugs and the deeper her addiction goes, the more difficult it is to keep a job and apartment.  Plus she is haunted by a secret that she won't tell her sisters. Alex hasn't seen Riley in almost seven years and Colleen is desperate to find her but her calls go unanswered and her letters are returned.  Colleen is concerned enough to hire a private investigator to find her sister.   All three sisters have unresolved trauma from their mother's death that has created a distance between them but they all know that they need each other to help them recover. 

This is a beautiful novel about grief and love and what it means to be a sister.  This novel is so insightful and so well written that I was amazed to find out it was a debut novel for this author.  I can't wait to read her future books.   

Buy The Ocean in Winter at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina with her husband of over 50 years.  She grew up in Michigan but now calls North Carolina home. Since her travel plans had to be canceled for this year, she is starting to make plans for travel in 2021. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and historical fiction. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads, or Twitter.

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