Haven Point by Virginia Hume – A Book Review

One of the things I like most about sites like Netgalley  is that they introduce me to new books and debut authors.  Haven Point is Virginia Hume’s first book and tells the story of several generations of the same family who spent their summers at their Maine beachside home.

Plot Summary

Maren Larsen is a young cadet nurse at Walter Reed Medical Center in 1944 when she meets Dr. Oliver Demarest.  Before long they are married and spending their summers in Oliver’s family’s summer home off the coast of Maine.  They have three children including Annie.

Jump to 1970 and Annie is now an independent 17 year old whose fallen for a man her parents don’t approve of.  This summer will be the last that Annie will spend in Haven Point after a tragic event produces bad memories for the summer home she once loved.

In 2008, Annie’s daughter Skye is back in Haven Point to scatter her mother’s ashes.  Skye has always loved visiting her Grandmother in Haven Point and feels a strong connection to this community.  Maren knows that Annie has never told Skye why she never returned to Haven Point – she also knows it’s time to reveal the truth.

Book Review

Haven Point is a lovely story of these three women.  The setting off the coast of Maine, with charming events and lots of gossip, was ideal for a summer read.  The characters were interesting and likeable. The author provided references to music and world events for each of the time periods which I appreciated.   The story felt a little too long in places, however, and I felt myself disengaging at times.  Having said that, I did enjoy this book and appreciated the theme of family love, compassion and survival.

Audiobook Review

I listened to the audiobook version of this book which was narrated by Cassandra Campbell who gave a very good performance.  Her clear, easy to listen to manner of her narration was enjoyable. I listened to this audiobook at 1.5x speed – slightly faster than my normal speed which I found to be comfortable.

What I Liked About Haven Point:

• The historical references to music and world events in each time period
• The theme of family love, compassion and survival
• The setting and descriptions of Haven Point as a summer retreat

I Recommend This Book To:

Readers who enjoy intergenerational stories set in different time periods.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for the honest review provided here.  Haven Point publishes on June 8/21.

My Rating:

4/5 stars.

Add Haven Point to your Goodreads shelf

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:

Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin – A Book Review

The Nantucket Inn by Pamela Kelley – A Book Review

The Vineyard at Painted Moon by Susan Mallery – A Book Review

Thank you for reading this review!  Let me know your thoughts in the comments.  I hope that you have a wonderful day!