Publication
New York : Penguin Books, 2014.
Collection
Call number
Fiction M
Physical description
368 p.; 22 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:From the New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You and One Plus One, a surprising and moving romance set in an old-fashioned seaside town on the verge of unwelcome change Liza McCullen will never fully escape her past. But the unspoiled beaches and tight-knit community of Silver Bay offer the freedom and safety she craves�??if not for herself, then for her young daughter, Hannah. That is, until Mike Dormer arrives as a guest in her aunt�??s hotel. The mild-mannered Englishman with his too-smart clothes and distracting eyes could destroy everything Liza has worked so hard to protect: not only the family business and the bay that harbors her beloved whales, but also her conviction that she will never love�??never deserve to love�??again. For his part, Mike Dormer is expecting just another business deal�??an easy job kick-starting a resort in a small seaside town ripe for development. But he finds that he doesn�??t quite know what to make of the eccentric inhabitants of the ramshackle Silver Bay Hotel, especially not enigmatic Liza McCullen, and their claim to the surrounding waters. As the development begins to take on a momentum of its own, Mike�??s and Liza�??s worlds collide in this hugely affecting and irresistible tale full of Jojo Moyes�??s sign… (more)
Subjects
Media reviews
ibs.it
Liza McCullen non potrà mai fuggire dal suo passato. Ma le spiagge incontaminate di Silver Bay e la sua piccola, affettuosa comunità sembrano poterle offrire la libertà e la sicurezza di cui ha bisogno, se non per se stessa almeno per la figlia Hannah. Fino al giorno in cui nell'albergo gestito
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dalla zia Kathleen non arriva Mike Dormer, trasferitosi da Londra sulle coste australiane per avviare un hotel di lusso. Per lui si tratta solo di un'altra tappa nella sua folgorante carriera, un'altra occasione per guadagnare un sacco di soldi. Ma per Liza il suo arrivo rappresenta una minaccia: per la tranquillità economica della famiglia e per le balene che a Silver Bay trovano rifugio. E soprattutto per la determinazione a non innamorarsi mai più... Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member pjebsen
This novel about an Australian village’s fight against greedy developers takes a long time (probably half of the book) until Jojo Moyes really gets to the point. But when she does, it’s an engaging eco love story – with nice twists, colorful characters, and a moving ‘lost child’ subplot.
LibraryThing member SueinCyprus
Liza and her daughter Hannah live with Liza’s Aunt Kathleen, at a small beach hotel in Australia. It’s popular with tourists for observing whales and dolphins, although there’s a worrying tendency to attract noisy boats. Liza clearly has a tragic secret in her past, and is very protective of
Then a smartly suited man from England arrives. Mike is uncomfortable at first, feeling out of place. He quickly makes friends with Hannah, and is quite attracted to Liza, but also stirs up some bad feeling, particularly when the locals discover just why he’s there...
It took me some time to get into this book. Yet, slowly, I found myself drawn into the lives of this small community. I found myself caring more about these people and their everyday lives. By the time I was about half way through, I was totally hooked. Jojo Moyes has a great writing style that drew me in, kept me reading, and made me believe in her story, even at the end when - if I’m entirely honest - reality felt a little suspended.
Great writing, gentle story; recommended for anyone who enjoys this kind of women's fiction that's a little deeper than average.
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Hannah. Then a smartly suited man from England arrives. Mike is uncomfortable at first, feeling out of place. He quickly makes friends with Hannah, and is quite attracted to Liza, but also stirs up some bad feeling, particularly when the locals discover just why he’s there...
It took me some time to get into this book. Yet, slowly, I found myself drawn into the lives of this small community. I found myself caring more about these people and their everyday lives. By the time I was about half way through, I was totally hooked. Jojo Moyes has a great writing style that drew me in, kept me reading, and made me believe in her story, even at the end when - if I’m entirely honest - reality felt a little suspended.
Great writing, gentle story; recommended for anyone who enjoys this kind of women's fiction that's a little deeper than average.
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LibraryThing member c.archer
Jojo Moyes is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes stories about people who are realistic yet each book has a unique storyline. Her books often focus on a topic that causes one of the characters to becomes a better person. In Silver Bay, that character is Mike. He is a young
Silver Bay is recommended to all fans of JoJo Moyes and all hopeless nature lovers or romantics. It would make a wonderful beach read, but would it be equally good to enjoy while snuggling in a cozy chair with a blanket.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this title.
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businessman climbing the proverbial ladder to success, which for him includes an engagement to the bosses daughter. His rise to fame meets a road block when he is sent to New South Wales and encounters a group of people who still believe in a simpler way of living and appreciate the sea and its creatures. As Mike gets to know these people, he begins to question what is really important in life and who and what he really is. He also develops an affection for a young mother and her daughter. This could be the makings of a great Harlequin book, but that's where Ms. Moyes differs from many authors. She is able to twist in multiple and complex plots that make this book so much more than a sweet romance. It tugged at my heartstrings and satisfied my wish for a really good read. Silver Bay is recommended to all fans of JoJo Moyes and all hopeless nature lovers or romantics. It would make a wonderful beach read, but would it be equally good to enjoy while snuggling in a cozy chair with a blanket.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this title.
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LibraryThing member cjordan916
Liza McCullen will never fully escape her past. But the unspoiled beaches and tight-knit community of Silver Bay offer the freedom and safety she craves—if not for herself, then for her young daughter, Hannah. That is, until Mike Dormer arrives as a guest in her aunt’s hotel.
The mild-mannered
For his part, Mike Dormer is expecting just another business deal—an easy job kick-starting a resort in a small seaside town ripe for development. But he finds that he doesn’t quite know what to make of the eccentric inhabitants of the ramshackle Silver Bay Hotel, especially not enigmatic Liza McCullen, and their claim to the surrounding waters
The mild-mannered
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Englishman with his too-smart clothes and distracting eyes could destroy everything Liza has worked so hard to protect: not only the family business and the bay that harbors her beloved whales, but also her conviction that she will never love—never deserve to love—again.For his part, Mike Dormer is expecting just another business deal—an easy job kick-starting a resort in a small seaside town ripe for development. But he finds that he doesn’t quite know what to make of the eccentric inhabitants of the ramshackle Silver Bay Hotel, especially not enigmatic Liza McCullen, and their claim to the surrounding waters
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
She just writes nice books
LibraryThing member mchwest
AGAIN, Jojo did it again, why am I still surprised. Book 3 and I get half way through but the momentum kept coming with this story and boom, a surprise twist and you don't want it to end! All the great makings of a story, a little hotel, whale and dolphin watching, a great extended family and
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friends. Enjoy and now I have to get all her books. Show Less
LibraryThing member nyiper
I have liked every one of her books and this one does not disappoint! She has headed in so many different directions with each and every book. She keeps coming up with ideas that make me wonder----how does she DO that??? Wonderful!
LibraryThing member brangwinn
Set in Australia, this is satisfying romance dealing with dolphins, whales and big development. Although, this isn’t my favorite of Moyes, I enjoyed the story and the characters.
LibraryThing member flourgirl49
This is an OK book by Jojo Moyes - liked her more recent ones better. The ending was just too, too perfect. Real life just doesn't turn out this well most of the time.
LibraryThing member gwendolenau
English businessman Mike Dormer travels to quiet bay on NSW coast to push for a luxury resort development. Instead he becomes sucked into the calmer lives of the residents, especially his hotelier's distant, traumatised niece and her daughter. Nice premise but felt bogged down by the author's
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choice to tell the story from multiple points of view, slowing the pacing. This wouldn't have been such as issue if the various pov characters' voices had been more distinctive. Instead they came across as rather the same, as in all feeling like the author's voice. Show Less
LibraryThing member SaschaD
Again, wish Goodreads did 1/2 stars because I would have given this 4 1/2.
This was quite an involved story with a good cast of characters, some not fully realized although I wish they had been. Mike's sister, Monica, pretty much deserves a story onto herself.
I acknowledge that for many the ending
A good read (or listen as the case may be).
This was quite an involved story with a good cast of characters, some not fully realized although I wish they had been. Mike's sister, Monica, pretty much deserves a story onto herself.
I acknowledge that for many the ending
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might be contrived, but I liked it. You can go through a period of reading too many Shakespearean tragedy endings and then come to expect it. I expected it here and was glad to get something a little more palatable.A good read (or listen as the case may be).
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LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Point of reference - I gave Me Before You four stars. This is a little more heavy-handed, a little more soap opera, but also just a little lighter. Just as charming, though, in my opinion. Definitely good enough to make me want to continue to read more by the author (though not immediately). I
[H]istory is what it is, no matter how unpalatable."
"I've never yet met a man who didn't think he could turn the world on its axis if he wanted something badly enough."
(This would make a great book discussion question. Do you believe it true? *I* definitely see that almost every man I know believes this. Also, that almost no women do. Do you see this in other novels you read? More in older books... do you think the advancement of women's rights is making a difference?)"
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think I like Moyes in much the same way I like Maeve Binchy, though I've not yet read enough of either to be sure. Good people doing their best despite making mistakes; no serious dysfunction or bleak drama.[H]istory is what it is, no matter how unpalatable."
"I've never yet met a man who didn't think he could turn the world on its axis if he wanted something badly enough."
(This would make a great book discussion question. Do you believe it true? *I* definitely see that almost every man I know believes this. Also, that almost no women do. Do you see this in other novels you read? More in older books... do you think the advancement of women's rights is making a difference?)"
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LibraryThing member BONS
As always with JoJo, I become attached to her characters immediately. With that said, this story line took forever to hook you. I tired of it half way through but did finish it as I had guessed the mystery and wanted to see if I was correct.
LibraryThing member bookbatty
I was surprised by this book and ended up enjoying the read. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Kathleen Mostyn, who is 76, owns the ramshackle, eight-room Silver Bay Hotel on a secluded beach in Australia. She sets the novel in motion by introducing herself and revealing "when I was 17, I became famous for catching the biggest shark New South Wales had ever seen'. We then meet her troubled
Londoner Mike Dormer is looking for a place in Australia to put up a big spa/hotel that will provide all kinds of water sports. He keeps that information quiet, but moves into the rundown Silver Bay Hotel and becomes involved with the locals. As the development begins to take on a momentum of its own, and the effect on the whales that migrate past the bay begins to reveal itself, Mike’s and Liza’s worlds crash.
The book is told from the point of view of quite a few different people and the book would have benefited without at least two of them. In a mysterious twist, one of Liza's narrations refers to the death of her four year old daughter, Letty. There are mysteries to be solved as the story progresses and a few plot twists that provide an added dimension to the book. This is not an action-packed story, but rather a slow, charming tale about the town, it's people and the sea animals that inhabit Silver Bay.
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daughter, Liza, and her ten year old granddaughter, Hannah, along with the quirky characters that you would expect in such a setting. The small town exists on tourism, primarily dolphin and whale watching boat trips.Londoner Mike Dormer is looking for a place in Australia to put up a big spa/hotel that will provide all kinds of water sports. He keeps that information quiet, but moves into the rundown Silver Bay Hotel and becomes involved with the locals. As the development begins to take on a momentum of its own, and the effect on the whales that migrate past the bay begins to reveal itself, Mike’s and Liza’s worlds crash.
The book is told from the point of view of quite a few different people and the book would have benefited without at least two of them. In a mysterious twist, one of Liza's narrations refers to the death of her four year old daughter, Letty. There are mysteries to be solved as the story progresses and a few plot twists that provide an added dimension to the book. This is not an action-packed story, but rather a slow, charming tale about the town, it's people and the sea animals that inhabit Silver Bay.
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LibraryThing member DoingDewey
Although Liza and her daughter Hannah will always be haunted by their past, they’re happy with their life in Silver Bay. Liza loves the hotel where she lives with her sister, the freedom of the sea, the acceptance of her community, and her lack of romantic entanglements. All of these things are
Getting into this book took me a little while. This was partly because of the four different perspectives in the first four chapters and partly because some of these chapters began with info dumps about the history of Silver Bay. I was happy I persevered because a few more chapters made it clear that the different perspectives and details of Silver Bay made this a very rich story. I loved seeing different characters from several other characters’ perspectives. It made each character feel more real and well-rounded to see both how they thought and how others thought of them. I also enjoyed the backdrop Silver Bay created. Perhaps because I’m someone who loves nonfiction, some of my favorite fiction is that which depicts a way of life I’m unfamiliar with. Learning about living in a small, Australian community which made its money from whale-watching while I learned about the characters was a fascinating and enjoyable experience. This did involve a small amount of sad animal stories, but things resolved happily enough that it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment of the book.
As with a previous book I read by Jojo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind, right and wrong are far from obvious. Getting so many different perspectives helped with that. I was recently bothered by the way When the Cypress Whispers tries to demonize the main character’s generally nice fiance, clearly setting us up for her to leave him for someone else. While the situation in this book is similar, with me rooting for a romance with someone other than the fiancee, the author doesn’t make it easy. We clearly see both the good and the bad of both the character and the fiancee, making us share the main character’s indecision. As with Moyes’ previous book, Silver Bay also does a great job making you empathize with every character and reveals the characters’ secrets slowly without ever manipulating the story in a weird way to avoid an earlier reveal. I wasn’t completely won over by the ending, which was revealed in such a way that one of the character’s hard work finding a solution felt like a fortuitous last-minute rescue, but overall this book gave me the intriguing, emotional ride I expected from a book by Jojo Moyes.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
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threatened by the arrival of the handsome Mike Dormer. Mike arrives expecting to make a quick visit to start the process of building a resort and move on. Instead he finds himself deeply involved with the inhabitants of Silver Bay, leading him to question his commitment to his business-focused life.Getting into this book took me a little while. This was partly because of the four different perspectives in the first four chapters and partly because some of these chapters began with info dumps about the history of Silver Bay. I was happy I persevered because a few more chapters made it clear that the different perspectives and details of Silver Bay made this a very rich story. I loved seeing different characters from several other characters’ perspectives. It made each character feel more real and well-rounded to see both how they thought and how others thought of them. I also enjoyed the backdrop Silver Bay created. Perhaps because I’m someone who loves nonfiction, some of my favorite fiction is that which depicts a way of life I’m unfamiliar with. Learning about living in a small, Australian community which made its money from whale-watching while I learned about the characters was a fascinating and enjoyable experience. This did involve a small amount of sad animal stories, but things resolved happily enough that it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment of the book.
As with a previous book I read by Jojo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind, right and wrong are far from obvious. Getting so many different perspectives helped with that. I was recently bothered by the way When the Cypress Whispers tries to demonize the main character’s generally nice fiance, clearly setting us up for her to leave him for someone else. While the situation in this book is similar, with me rooting for a romance with someone other than the fiancee, the author doesn’t make it easy. We clearly see both the good and the bad of both the character and the fiancee, making us share the main character’s indecision. As with Moyes’ previous book, Silver Bay also does a great job making you empathize with every character and reveals the characters’ secrets slowly without ever manipulating the story in a weird way to avoid an earlier reveal. I wasn’t completely won over by the ending, which was revealed in such a way that one of the character’s hard work finding a solution felt like a fortuitous last-minute rescue, but overall this book gave me the intriguing, emotional ride I expected from a book by Jojo Moyes.
This review first published on Doing Dewey.
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LibraryThing member stephanie_M
Beautifully done. This is my very first Jojo Moyes novel, and I was not disappointed. I now know what all the clamor is about; this novelist has some mad talent.
While the style she has of every chapter being from a different character's viewpoint was at first annoying, I quickly got into the rhythm
While sometimes too many points of view are hard to follow, this particular novel worked, in the end. Not only do you learn a lot about the main few characters, but also the secondary ones. The pages flew by, mostly due to the fact that the ending was not expected and kept you guessing. From what I've heard about Jojo Moyes' way, I cried many happy and sad tears along the way, like many other readers.
I will be reading more of her works, very soon.
5 stars, job well done.
While the style she has of every chapter being from a different character's viewpoint was at first annoying, I quickly got into the rhythm
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of the storyline, and clearly gobbled it up! I wanted to keep reading throughout the nighttime. (Stupid life...!)While sometimes too many points of view are hard to follow, this particular novel worked, in the end. Not only do you learn a lot about the main few characters, but also the secondary ones. The pages flew by, mostly due to the fact that the ending was not expected and kept you guessing. From what I've heard about Jojo Moyes' way, I cried many happy and sad tears along the way, like many other readers.
I will be reading more of her works, very soon.
5 stars, job well done.
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LibraryThing member edwardsgt
Well written story of Mike Dormer, a British property developer who goes to Silver Bay, New South Wales, to research his company's latest development project planned for the local area. He finds himself seduced by the locality and the characters who extract a marginal living from running whale
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watching tours, eventually realising the impact such a development would have. He is also drawn to Liza, an ex-pat Brit, and her daughter, who harbour some dark secret. Interesting, well-drawn characters as well as evident local research which brings Silver Bay and its inhabitants alive as a place. Show Less
LibraryThing member Craftybilda
Up to Jojo's standard, not quite as good as some others, but still worth a read, still entertaining, and still well written.
LibraryThing member heatherdhahn
3.5 stars. This book was a little slow to start, but after a while it started to flow. It is a nice love story and not necessarily in the way you think. My heart aches for Liza and Hannah. I will say that the mystery added to the story.
Language
Original publication date
2007-02
ISBN
9780143126485