From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: North of Here by Laurel Saville

Friday, March 11, 2016

Blog Tour: North of Here by Laurel Saville

Author: Laurel Saville

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Date of publication: March 2016

This story of misguided decisions, a dangerous back-to-nature cult, and the universal search for meaning and love intertwines these troubled lives into a riveting blend of penetrating love story and persuasive page-turner.

At the heart of the drama are four unforgettable, strikingly-drawn characters:

Miranda: A young “heiress” who discovers that the mountain property she has inherited is encumbered by her father’s debts and misdealing.
Dix: A self-assured “mountain man” who is really an educated, financially secure son of two accomplished professionals.
Darius: A preppy trust fund refugee who turns his own quest for meaning into a dangerous back-to-nature cult bent on healing lost souls
Sally: A brassy, street-smart social worker who, despite being perpetually unlucky in love, ultimately has the foresight to see the perils of loving Darius.

As this masterful novel unfolds, these four will become inextricably entwined in troubles that far exceed simple crimes of the heart.

North of Here is a story told in 4 parts. I thought the book was well written but it was completely not something that I expected. It definitely started off strong and I did read through to the end. I have to admit though, this isn't really a book for everyone. I think it's one of those you have to be in the mood for and be prepared to dislike at times. I thought the characters were well fleshed out. My favorite being Dix. He is the one I had the most sympathy for throughout the book.

But in the end, I can't really say that I "enjoyed" the story. The book was really depressing and serious. I kept waiting for a sense of things getting lighter and happier, but they really never did for me. Even the ending left me kind of down. Personally, I like my books with HEA and while there is kind of one here, it wasn't the one I wanted. But, then, I guess life is like that, right?

But I do encourage you to give it a try. I will definitely give this author another shot in the future. I did like her writing style, even if I didn't like this story.

About Laurel Saville

Laurel Saville is the award-winning author of the memoir Unraveling Anne, the novel Henry and Rachel, and the four-part short story “How Much Living Can You Buy,” as well as numerous essays, short stories, and articles. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from the Writing Seminars at Bennington College.

Once again, Laurel Saville applies her “poetic, lyrical voice” (Booklist) to a story that captures the complications of the lives we live—or wish to live.

Connect with Laurel

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Laurel Saville’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, March 1st: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Wednesday, March 2nd: Bibliotica

Thursday, March 3rd: Just Commonly

Monday, March 7th: Reading is My Superpower

Tuesday, March 8th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Wednesday, March 9th: A Bookaholic Swede

Thursday, March 10th: From the TBR Pile