Pearls by BonSue Brandvik

Book One, Spirits of the Belleview Biltmore

Publisher:  CreateSpace

Publication Date:  December 20, 2011

ISBN:  9781468013832

Pages:  430

Rating:  4 ½ stars

  

Honor Macklin is a woman who thought she could continue to work with her ex-husband.  Then she gets a call from her younger sister, Charity.  Cherry has a suggestion on how she can get away from the office for a while.

Honor has traveled to Florida to close up her mother’s house.  She’s going to be spending some time at the Belleview Biltmore.  Josh Lancing and his son Cody literally bump into Honor on the way to breakfast.  Later she meets Margaret and Darcy.  Honor also gets a call from her ex, William, and I can see why he’s her ex – lucky for her.

I’m happy to see that BonSue has given Honor a man like Josh to more than make up for her putz of an ex (you will love her nickname for him).  He seems to be a perfect fit for her.  And his son, Cody, also seems to be the perfect little boy.  I’m afraid that he seems to steal any scene he’s in.

As I read BonSue’s book, it reminds me of a film that came out in 1980 title “Somewhere In Time”.  I can almost picture Christopher Reeve as Josh and Jane Seymour as Honor.  I always thought that Ron Howard was a cute little boy in the movie “The Music Man”.  I think either he or Haley Joel Osment would be a cute Cody.

As I read the story of Margaret and Darcy, BonSue reminds the reader that we can learn from the past and that we can use that information to change our future.  It reminds us that we need to appreciate the family we have because they can be taken from us at any time.  Her women characters are strong women.  Some may not start out that way but with guidance they build their self-confidence and pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

BonSue has created a world where spirits exist – and I would like to think that this is actually true.  At times, she makes Honor a quiet voyeur.  By doing that, BonSue lets the reader take Honor’s place and see how Darcy had to live.

This book had me totally fascinated.  I did not want to put it down.  There were errands to run and my brother came in from Ohio and I just did not want to have to stop reading.  This is a long book to some but it will not disappoint you.  It had me laughing, smiling, and just about crying at one point or another.  It had me thinking of my own mother who passed away a few years ago. 

This book also left me wanting more.  I hope that BonSue will give her readers more stories about the “J’s”.  You’ll understand when you read Pearls.  I also want to learn more about the Belleview Biltmore.  And I do know that if I ever make a return trip to Florida, I will have to check this hotel out.  You will also want to check out her web site, http://www.spiritsofbelleviewbiltmore.com/.