Luanne Rice - Sandcastles

73. Sandcastles by Luanne Rice (2006)
The Star of the Sea Academy Series Book 1
Length: 441 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 7 August 2014
Finished: 9 August 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 August 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Painter Honor Sullivan once believed that she had the perfect home, the perfect life, the perfect love. Then her husband, a renowned photographer and sculptor, shattered their little family and her heart. John Sullivan's passionate nature had led him into disaster many years ago, and left his wife and family reeling under the consequences. Since then, Honor has struggled to make a safe haven for herself and their three daughters - Regis, Agnes and Cecelia - at Star of the Sea Academy on the magical Connecticut shore. 

Here she teaches art at the convent school's beautiful seaside campus - under the benevolent and ever-watchful eye of her sister-in-law, mother superior Bernadette Ignatius - cultivating young minds to appreciate and to foster the artistic talent that Honor once had in abundance. No one could have foreseen the day rebellious Regis would come home with the stunning news that she was engaged. Nor could anyone have guessed how that sudden announcement would soon change all their lives forever.

Now, years later, a mysterious letter written in a familiar hand hints at John's return. Hearing of Regis' impending marriage, John has ended his self-imposed exile and returned to the family he's always loved; more than anything on earth. What awaits him is a family wounded by the past: a daughter still despondent over his abandonment; one who barely remembers him; and a third who may be in more trouble than anyone knows. And then there is Honor herself - and a passion that may have been interrupted but that has never waned.

Some things, like sandcastles, don't survive the changing tides. But love, family, and friendship - things just as fragile - have a way of withstanding tremendous challenges. It will take nothing short of a miracle to heal the rifts between father and daughter, husband and wife, the past and the present - but the miraculous is what is always at work at Star of the Sea Academy. The only question is: Do you have faith strong enough to face such adversity?

For the most part I enjoyed this story, although it was slightly longer than it needed to be. The story could probably have been wrapped up about one hundred pages earlier and still have been told well - at least in my opinion. Luanne Rice is certainly a prolific author - and I have read several of her books that I've enjoyed immensely - however, I must give Sandcastles a B+! I have several other books written by Ms. Rice sitting on my bookshelf, and I'm sure I'll read another book by this author sometime soon; however, perhaps not right away.

B+! - (89-85%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight