Sea Change [Paperback]

Karen White (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 5, 2012

For Ava Whalen, a new marriage and a move to St. Simons Island means a new beginning. But what she doesn’t realize is that her marriage will take her on an unexpected journey into the deep recesses of her past that will transform her forever…

For as long as she can remember, Ava Whalen has struggled with a sense of not belonging, and now, at thirty-four, she still feels stymied by her family. Then she meets child psychologist Matthew Frazier, and thinks her days of loneliness are behind her. After a whirlwind romance, they impulsively elope, and Ava moves to Matthew’s ancestral home on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia.

But after the initial excitement, Ava is surprised to discover that true happiness continues to elude her. There is much she doesn’t know about Matthew, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding his first wife’s death. And her new home seems to hold as many mysteries and secrets as her new husband. Feeling adrift, Ava throws herself into uncovering Matthew’s family history and that of the island, not realizing that she has a connection of her own to this place—or that her obsession with the past could very well destroy her future.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

After playing hooky one day in the seventh grade to read Gone With the Wind, Karen White knew she wanted to be a writer—or become Scarlett O'Hara. In spite of these aspirations, Karen pursued a degree in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, after leaving the business world, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a writer and wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. This book was nominated for the prestigious RITA award in 2001 in two separate categories. Her books have since been nominated for numerous national contests including another RITA, the Georgia Author of the Year Award and in 2008 won the National Readers’ Choice Award for Learning to Breathe.

Karen currently writes what she refers to as ‘grit lit’—southern women’s fiction—and has recently expanded her horizons into writing a mystery series set in Charleston. Her tenth novel, The Lost Hours, will be released in trade paperback by New American Library, a division of Penguin Publishing Group, in April 2009.

Karen hails from a long line of Southerners but spent most of her growing up years in London, England and is a graduate of the American School in London. She currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two teenaged children, and a spoiled Havanese dog (who appears in several of her books), Quincy. When not writing, she spends her time reading, singing, playing piano, chauffeuring children and avoiding cooking.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade; 1 edition (June 5, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451236769
• ISBN-13: 978-0451236760
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (129 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up being a voracious reader and it was a natural step to turn my interest to writing. I have published 16 award-winning and bestselling novels including my 2012 release, SEA CHANGE, which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number 12.

I write what others have termed "grit-lit"--southern women's fiction, as well as a contemporary paranormal mystery series set in Charleston, South Carolina. All of my books are set in the US South, and feature a female protagonist at a crossroads in her life.

I live near Atlanta, Georgia with my husband, two children, and the cutest six-year-old Havanese dog, Quincy, whom readers may recognize as General Lee in the Tradd Street series.

My newest release, AFTER THE RAIN (a revamped version of the book originally published in 2003), was released by New American Library, a division of Penguin Publishing, on December 31, 2012. My next book, THE TIME BETWEEN, will be my hardcover debut and will be published in June, 2013.

For more about me and my books, please visit my website at www.karen-white.com or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/karenwhiteauthor.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing June 8, 2012

By MamaK

Format:Paperback

Sea Change is a very good book and keeps you guessing at every turn. Just when you think you have it figured out, you find out that you don't. I loved how Ms. White weaves the story between modern day and back to the War of 1812. The author does an amazing job with character development and the secrets that they hold. I would really recommend that you pick up this new release.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sea Change - Great Read! June 10, 2012

By Lisa

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

First let me say that Ms. White captivated me with her Tradd Street series and I LOVED the first two books in that series. The third book in that series felt forced and the ending left the reader wondering why the book was written. It felt incomplete and I was very disappointed. I decided to give the book Sea Change a try even though I was disappointed in the 3rd Tradd Street book. I am SO GLAD that I did. Ms. White has really developed her craft as a writer. You can see that she has matured to a new level of writing with this book. I felt compelled to finish this book within a day or two of first beginning the book. It sincerely captured the characters and transported the readers to a different time and place effortlessly.

Ms. White really has an award winning book with Sea Change. I look forward to reading more books by Ms. White in the future. She has a definite talent for writing this type of literature!

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Karen White's Sea Change Shows The Connections We All Have To The Past June 7, 2012

By C. A. Webb TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Well, she's done it again. Bestselling author Karen White is back with another page-turner that men and women are sure to be able to pick up, read and enjoy---and then feel compelled to discuss.

SEA CHANGE takes us into the lives of characters who are all trying to find their way and live their lives the best way they know how, yet come to realize that they can only be who they are when they face all that they are.

We get to meet Ava, a woman who has earned a great deal of respect in her profession as a midwife, but has longings of her own that she can't seem to shake. It's not until she finds love for herself in Matthew that she believes that all of the puzzle pieces will come together for her---but it is really at that time that she discovers more than she could have ever imagined.

Combining the past with the present in such a way that a skilled storyteller can, White is able to weave tragedy and heartbreak from centuries ago together with a modern story that is sure to have you guessing until the end. Not to give too much of the story away, I do feel as though one of the greatest lessons I took away from the book was that our lives and the things that happen to us do take place for a reason. Many times it is just up to us to figure out what that reason is and be able to deal with the aftermath that may come.

Showcasing once again why readers of all genres love her, Karen White's SEA CHANGE shows the connections we all have to the past and how it affects each day of our lives.