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At the Water’s Edge

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Title: At the Water’s Edge

 Author: Sara Gruen

 Publisher: Penguin Random House, June 2015

Summary/Review: Sara Gruen has taken on elephants, bonobos, and now the Loch Ness Monster.

It’s the height of WWII in Europe as Maddie and Ellis Hyde, along with their friend Hank, travel from Philadelphia to Scotland to find the elusive Loch Ness Monster. Why, you might ask, are they making this dangerous Atlantic crossing? For money, of course. Ellis, unable to serve in the war due to his colorblindness, is already an embarrassment to his colonel father. When Ellis publicly mocks his father during a drunken rant, Ellis and Maddie are cut off financially and unsure what to do next. Without really thinking it through, Ellis decides the best way to get back into his father’s good graces, is to succeed where his father failed. Years ago the colonel tried, and failed, to find the Loch Ness Monster. It turns out the colonel didn’t make any friends over in Scotland during his quest. He did manage to anger quite a few people, though. And that is what Maddie, Ellis, and Hank walk into when they arrive in the village of Drumnadrochit. While Maddie is left alone for days at a time as the men are out monster hunting, she discovers that the life she has been living with Ellis might not be the life she wants to live after all.

This novel is part drama, part romance, and part mystery. Maddie’s reawakening to what is really important in life is the focus of this story, as the monster hunt fades into the background.

Who will like this? If you like historical romance, complete with heroes and villains, you will like At the Water’s Edge. 

If you like this, try this: If you liked Sara Gruen’s writing style, then try her other books – most famous is “Water for Elephants”, but “Ape House” and “Riding Lessons” also gave positive reviews.

 This book isn’t published yet, but be on the lookout come June!  How did we review a book that’s not published?  Publishers often donate copies of books for an honest review – like this one!