Review by Adrienne Dawn -- Flaherty's Crossing
-
Adrienne Dawn
- Posts: 37
- Joined: 13 Sep 2016, 16:06
- Currently Reading: The Obsession
- Bookshelf Size: 36
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-adrienne-dawn.html
- Latest Review: "The 11.05 Murders" by Brian O'Hare
Review by Adrienne Dawn -- Flaherty's Crossing
[Following is a volunteer review of "Flaherty's Crossing" by Kaylin McFarren.]
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Flaherty’s Crossing by Kaylin McFarren is a fascinating mix of romance and mystery, with a plot that will keep the reader guessing throughout the book. This fictional story starts off with Kate Flaherty at her dying father’s bedside, and the story that follows is one of Kate dealing with her guilt over not knowing her father better.
Kate experiences what could be her father’s last moments on earth, and she tries to come to a place where she can let go of her father without the past coloring things. After promising to return the next day, she believes she will have the chance to reconcile her differences with her father at that time.
With her marriage on shaky ground, Kate experiences a night unlike any other after being forced to take a detour on her way home. The experience both comforts her and creeps her out, as she catches herself sharing too much with a stranger. The stranger makes her feel both comfortable and on edge.
While Kate is sharing private information with a stranger named Mick, her husband, Drew, is contemplating moving out. He’s taken refuge at a friend’s house, and while Kate goes through a harrowing evening, Drew is stewing at his friend’s bachelor pad where an old flame attempts to rekindle their romance.
When Drew finally gets Kate’s message, it brings everything into stunning focus as he realizes how much his marriage does mean to him. The rest of the story is the two of them working their way toward each other, but not without setbacks.
Kate’s need to have everything verified without trusting her husband gets in the way of their attempt to salvage their marriage. Her guilt over losing her father without reconciling starts to get the better of her, until she comes face-to-face with an old friend of his. The friend helps her to see more deeply into her father’s life, both the time before her birth and after.
Her rage over losing her mother and her staunch belief that it was her father’s fault almost keep her from discovering the truth. When the story ends, Kate has come to peace with his passing, but not until after dealing with one final surprise. The twist threatens to ruin every good memory she has of her childhood, including a relationship still held dear.
Although the story starts slow, with the time at her father’s house seeming to take too long, later the reader sees the importance of each moment Kate spent there. The couple’s struggles to solidify their marriage are realistic in that they can’t simply decide to work things out and have everything go perfectly. They hit bumps in the road like every other couple.
I enjoyed the way things were tied together at the end, and how Kate was able to discover more about her father than she ever knew. The way others were able to share with her and deepen her knowledge of past events also helps her finally move past her mother’s death. I also liked the way the author didn’t gloss over the drunk driving that led to her mother’s accident, and how she brought things full circle at the end in that aspect as well.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book was well-edited, and the plot and story were strong. The characters were fairly well-rounded and not flat. I didn’t rate it a 3 because I felt that it was a complete story, with action, emotion, and realism. I wanted to read it when I was busy doing other things, which is always a good sign to me of how well a book will do.
For a debut book, I felt it was well thought out, with a twisty story line that continued to surprise me as the reader. It was not a typical “saw that coming” read, which I appreciated, but it was also simple enough that I could lose myself in it for some time. I believe this book would appeal to those that are fans of romance, but I think it could also garner readers from other genres, including those that enjoy Gillian Flynn-style books. While not as thrilling as one of Flynn’s mysteries, it still has the flavor of Flynn’s style in that it makes the reader do a double-take when the truth is finally revealed.
For those that enjoy technical books or books with lots of flowery language, this might not be a favorite book. Overall, this was a great read, and the book also has a beautiful cover design that is appealing even on a small scale.
******
Flaherty's Crossing
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like Adrienne Dawn's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Flaherty’s Crossing by Kaylin McFarren is a fascinating mix of romance and mystery, with a plot that will keep the reader guessing throughout the book. This fictional story starts off with Kate Flaherty at her dying father’s bedside, and the story that follows is one of Kate dealing with her guilt over not knowing her father better.
Kate experiences what could be her father’s last moments on earth, and she tries to come to a place where she can let go of her father without the past coloring things. After promising to return the next day, she believes she will have the chance to reconcile her differences with her father at that time.
With her marriage on shaky ground, Kate experiences a night unlike any other after being forced to take a detour on her way home. The experience both comforts her and creeps her out, as she catches herself sharing too much with a stranger. The stranger makes her feel both comfortable and on edge.
While Kate is sharing private information with a stranger named Mick, her husband, Drew, is contemplating moving out. He’s taken refuge at a friend’s house, and while Kate goes through a harrowing evening, Drew is stewing at his friend’s bachelor pad where an old flame attempts to rekindle their romance.
When Drew finally gets Kate’s message, it brings everything into stunning focus as he realizes how much his marriage does mean to him. The rest of the story is the two of them working their way toward each other, but not without setbacks.
Kate’s need to have everything verified without trusting her husband gets in the way of their attempt to salvage their marriage. Her guilt over losing her father without reconciling starts to get the better of her, until she comes face-to-face with an old friend of his. The friend helps her to see more deeply into her father’s life, both the time before her birth and after.
Her rage over losing her mother and her staunch belief that it was her father’s fault almost keep her from discovering the truth. When the story ends, Kate has come to peace with his passing, but not until after dealing with one final surprise. The twist threatens to ruin every good memory she has of her childhood, including a relationship still held dear.
Although the story starts slow, with the time at her father’s house seeming to take too long, later the reader sees the importance of each moment Kate spent there. The couple’s struggles to solidify their marriage are realistic in that they can’t simply decide to work things out and have everything go perfectly. They hit bumps in the road like every other couple.
I enjoyed the way things were tied together at the end, and how Kate was able to discover more about her father than she ever knew. The way others were able to share with her and deepen her knowledge of past events also helps her finally move past her mother’s death. I also liked the way the author didn’t gloss over the drunk driving that led to her mother’s accident, and how she brought things full circle at the end in that aspect as well.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The book was well-edited, and the plot and story were strong. The characters were fairly well-rounded and not flat. I didn’t rate it a 3 because I felt that it was a complete story, with action, emotion, and realism. I wanted to read it when I was busy doing other things, which is always a good sign to me of how well a book will do.
For a debut book, I felt it was well thought out, with a twisty story line that continued to surprise me as the reader. It was not a typical “saw that coming” read, which I appreciated, but it was also simple enough that I could lose myself in it for some time. I believe this book would appeal to those that are fans of romance, but I think it could also garner readers from other genres, including those that enjoy Gillian Flynn-style books. While not as thrilling as one of Flynn’s mysteries, it still has the flavor of Flynn’s style in that it makes the reader do a double-take when the truth is finally revealed.
For those that enjoy technical books or books with lots of flowery language, this might not be a favorite book. Overall, this was a great read, and the book also has a beautiful cover design that is appealing even on a small scale.
******
Flaherty's Crossing
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like Adrienne Dawn's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "The 11.05 Murders" by Brian O'Hare
