Cocktails and Books
Written on Jan 1, 2016
Merged review:
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
I don't think there are words the accurately portray exactly how I felt about this book. Amazing doesn't seem big enough or accurately explain the kind of emotional journey a reader is taken through UNSEEN MESSAGES.
I was a LOST junkie when it was on TV and loved the movie CASTAWAY. UNSEEN MESSAGES is that kind of story, except the island makes our four main characters, strangers at the beginning, forge a family. A unit that, right away, learned to stick together, love one another and learn the true value of being happy.
I loved how Estelle felt she was given messages, that she ignored, prior to her ending up on the island. She felt as if she had paid attention, she would have spared herself ending up where she did. But as the story unfolds, there are other times when she ignores the messages and absolute heartbreak happens. While I agree that what Estelle endured was horrifying, she also found her true family and the only place that really made her happy. I'm not sure if those unseen messages where meant to steer her away or to help her discover who she was and where her absolute joy was.
I really liked Galloway, even when he was being an ass. He was a weak man who was trying to figure out who he was while still smothered in guilt. It took the island, Estelle, Connor, Pippa and eventually Coco to help Galloway forgive himself, his sins and learn to live again. It wasn't easy for him, but I think if he had an easier path he wouldn't have moved on.
Connor and Pippa equally made me laugh and broke my heart. These kids were resilient. I think others would have broken living through what they did, but somehow they flourished in the care of Galloway and Estelle. They helped the two adults they found themselves with learn the true meaning of family. Even when the family changed and my heart broke, the lesson these two showed Galloway and Estelle stayed with them.
This is a book readers are meant to experience. Pepper Winters' storytelling is flawless and her characters so wonderfully flawed it was hard to put this book down. It's one that I highly recommend.