Sandpebbles [Paperback]

Patricia Hickman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2002

The tale of a broken heart's awakening to hope.

A moving, richly told story set in a small fishing village in coastal North Carolina, Patricia Hickman's novel portrays a witty, recently widowed herione who must learn to let go of the past--and discover God's surprising, renewing provision for her future.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The pain caused by the loss of her daughter the previous year in a car accident permeates Hickman's newest inspirational novel, the story of a widow's search for meaning after her husband's death. "Not letting go is my downfall," says March ("like the month") Longfellow, and so begins this tale of losing loved ones and finding renewed faith through surrendering control. March is attracted to Pastor Colin Arnett, a widower with four children who knows grief as well as she. But March fends off love and holds tightly to what little control she has left in her life, keeping a close rein on her widowed father, her young son, Mason, and her newspaper, the Candle Cove, N.C., Sentinel, until the story's conclusion allows March to lay old ghosts to rest. Hickman's characterizations are chock-full of originality, from March's would-be suitor and town exterminator, Jerry Brevity, who drives a truck with a giant fake rat on top, to Charlotte, Colin's eight-year-old handicapped daughter, who has a penchant for angels (a motif scattered throughout the story). However, Hickman's descriptive writing and her word choices often go over the top, making it difficult for the reader to become engrossed in the narrative. Too many hospital incidents are included, and even the cat has a brain tumor. It's a good if not exceptional story with some nice touches of humor. Hickman continues to be one of CBA's most promising novelists, even if this story doesn't achieve its full potential.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The boating death of her husband leaves March Longfellow and her son, Mason, in a painful coexistence. March hints of suicide when she thinks of how her husband died, but she's too busy trying to support her son in the small town of Candle Cove to worry about explaining his father's death to him. Meanwhile, her pastor father is ready to retire and invites widowed minister Colin Arnett to preach as a potential replacement. Refusing to believe that her father truly means to retire, March subconsciously sabotages his efforts and drives Colin away. After her father suffers a heart attack, March takes a long look at how stubborn she's been and approaches Colin to ask his forgiveness. Their initial meeting soon blossoms into love, but March has to open her heart to God again and replace her sense of duty to the church with a true joy before they can find happiness. To the novel's detriment, Hickman's (Katrina's Wings) March is self-centered and self-righteous for much of the story. Still, Hickman's writing will be in demand by fans and will appeal to readers of Robin Lee Hatcher's emotional Ribbon of Years. Purchase where demand warrants.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1st Thus. edition (April 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849943000
• ISBN-13: 978-0849943003
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #415,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patricia Hickman, M.F.A., is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction whose work has been praised by critics and readers alike. Patricia first studied creative writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and then went on to do graduate studies in creative writing at Queens University. She writes for major publishers and is currently at work on her eighteen book, a novel set in the North Carolina Piedmont. Her next novel,The Pirate Queen, will release Summer 2010, a story that takes readers journeying from suburban Lake Norman, NC to the sailing villages of the Outer Banks. She has served as a writing professor at UNCC and taught in writing workshops across the country offering her popular "Creating Characters-Giving Story People Life" workshops and courses on fiction.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life After Grief, September 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sandpebbles (Paperback)

Patricia Hickman is not afraid to explore the depths of grief and recovery from loss, packaging her journey in a story that invites the reader to explore her story's setting, North Carolina's coast and Outer Banks. March Longfellow's bumpy ride through grief is realistic and reveals the confusion, struggles, pain, and helplessness in the face of great loss, even as she plows her way through the fog and discovers a new way to live. March's life parallels my own; her struggles are much like my own, and her path through it all is helpful to anyone in the midst of similar problems. And, in the midst of the struggles, the book is a load of fun with March, her son, their pets, and their quirky neighbors!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem of a Novel..., March 19, 2002

By 

"ripleykins" (Moody, AL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sandpebbles (Paperback)

This is a beautifully written book about a woman dealing with life after the tragic loss of her husband. I laughed, I cried and when I closed the back cover after reading the last page, I cheered. This is definitely a keeper on my shelf. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a keeper!, March 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sandpebbles (Paperback)

Patricia Hickman tells a great story in language so beautiful that it's a feast for the senses. I felt as if I've known March Longfellow for ages--sometimes felt as if I WERE her, that's how emotionally involved I became.