The Ocean in Winter by Elizabeth de Veer

The Ocean in Winter by Elizabeth de Veer

Published by Black Stone Publishing ISBN 9781982674649

Hardcover, $27.99, 325 pages

Elizabeth de Veer's novel The Ocean in Winter is a story of three sisters dealing with the aftermath of their mother's suicide many years before. Alex, the oldest and an ER nurse, found their mother dead when she just 11 years old. She left her job as an ER nurse to travel to India to work with a friend who runs a health clinic.

Alex is summoned back home to Massachusetts because a woman she barely knew left her a house in a remote marshy area. She plans to fix up the cottage, sell it, and return to India.

Her plans change when the middle sister, Colleen, is concerned that their youngest sister Riley has dropped off the face of the earth. Riley is a successful model who has had a drug addiction in the past. Concerned when her attempts to contact Riley by email and phone don't work, Colleen goes to New York City to try and find her.

After that fails, she hires a private investigator to find Riley. The PI is a kind man and promises to try, but says if Riley doesn't want to be found, it could be nearly impossible.

Colleen, married with two teenage children, lives to make her children's lives perfect.  Since she grew up without a mother, she goes overboard to make sure her two children feel loved and have everything they need, even at the detriment to her marriage.

When Riley shows up at Alex's cottage during a storm, there are many questions. How did she know where Alex's new home was? Riley is drenched, upset, and not making much sense. Where was her car? How did she get there in a storm?

Riley has a lot of secrets that she has been hiding from her sisters. She shares them with Alex, who is relieved to see her sister, and confused and saddened by Riley's revelations.

Their mother's suicide when they were just young children haunts them to this day. It was a tragedy that their father didn't want to discuss, so the girls were left on their own to wonder why their mother took her own life. Was it their fault? 

The Ocean in Winter is a heartbreaking story that asks the question, "do memories choose us or do we choose memories?" You feel compassion for these women who lived with this sorrow for so long, and the sisterly relationship felt authentic. It's a sad story about the damage that secrets can wreak for generations. 

Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Elizabeth de Veer's tour. The rest of her stops are here.

Review tour:

Tuesday, July 20th: Leighellen Landskov and @mommaleighellensbooknook

Wednesday, July 21st: Lit and Life

Friday, July 23rd: Kahakai Kitchen

Monday, July 26th: Buried Under Books – review and excerpt

Monday, July 26th: @pickagoodbook

Wednesday, July 28th: @jenniaahava

Thursday, July 29th: A Bookish Way of Life

Friday, July 30th: Girl Who Reads

Monday, August 2nd: Lori Bree Reads

Wednesday, August 4th: @fashionablyfifty

Thursday, August 5th: @boozy.bookster

Friday, August 6th: Bookchickdi

Monday, August 9th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Tuesday, August 10th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Tuesday, August 10th: Books and Benches – excerpt

Friday, August 13th: @rozierreadsandwines

Monday, August 16th: @welovebigbooksandwecannotlie