The Bungalow: A Novel [Paperback]

Sarah Jio (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 27, 2011

A sweeping saga of long-lost love, a mysterious painting, an unspeakable tragedy and the beach bungalow at the center of it all ...

In the summer of 1942, newly engaged Anne Calloway sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.

A timeless story of enduring passion, The Bungalow chronicles Anne's determination to discover the truth about the twin losses--of life, and of love--that have haunted her for seventy years.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A heartfelt, engaging love story set against the fascinating backdrop of the war in the Pacific."
--Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of Home Front and Night Road

"Sarah Jio whips romance, history, and a page-turning mystery into one mesmerizing South Sea dream."
--Carol Cassella, national bestselling author of Oxygen and Healer

"The Bungalow is my favorite book of the year!"
--Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author of If You Were Here

"Seasoned with mystery and awash in the glory of the South Pacific, this stirring wartime romance explores the uncompromising power of long-lost love. Readers pack your bags and set sail for enchantment in Sarah Jio's The Bungalow!"
--Sarah McCoy, author of The Baker's Daughter

"[The Bungalow is] extraordinarily real ... a true page-turner."
--WomansDay.com

"In this rare piece of historical chick lit, a sweeping love story unfolds between a young nurse and a mysterious soldier."
--Marie Claire
 
"This book had the perfect mix of adventure, mystery, romance and sorrow."
--First for Women

"The Bungalow is a story as luscious as its exotic setting. Ms. Jio has crafted a wartime story of passion and friendship, loss and mystery. It's also a story of discovery-discovering one's own heart, and of finding a second chance long after all hope is gone. You'll remember the sparkling water and yellow hibiscus long after the last page is turned, and will want to start searching for your own lost bungalow and the parts of yourself you've long since forgotten."

(-Karen White, author of The Beach Trees)

About the Author

Sarah Jio is the author of The Violets of March and Blackberry Winter.  She is also the health and fitness blogger for Glamour.com, and her articles have appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine and Real Simple, among other publications. She lives in Seattle with her husband and three children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Plume; 1 edition (December 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452297672
• ISBN-13: 978-0452297678
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (159 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The informal bio:
1978-1983: The blissful childhood years. Pigtails. French braids. Bunny rabbits. Warm, chocolate chip cookies. Blackberry-picking. Saltwater sandals. Magical Christmases. Trips to Disneyland. Dress up. Swingsets. Bossing around younger siblings. Slip 'n Slides and kiddie pools. Shenanigans.

1983-1988: The jelly bracelet and Keds years. Wrote first book, titled "A Tug Boat's Dream." Leggings with long sweaters and belts. Hypercolor T-shirts. Pink boom boxes. Monarch butterflies. Norwegian dancing. Sleepovers. Cabbage Patch dolls. Lisa Frank stickers. Rollerskating at the rink. Little House on the Prairie. Experimental hairstyles, including feathered bangs and the poodle perm. Best friend moves away. Wishing on stars. First crushes. All details recorded in diary, read by little brother.

1988-1993: The hair-flipping years. Boys. Gap sale rack. Junior high angst. Rollerblading. Tennis. More bad hair. Survive California earthquake. Find a message in a bottle. Ate a lot of fettuccine alfredo. Move into new house. Babysitters Club. Italian sodas at the mall.

1993-1996: The band groupie years. Mohawked boyfriend. Broken heart. Cut hair to a short pixie and dye platinum blond. Church camps. Boys. Private school. Grounded. Tennis. Mexico. Debate team. Green 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. Grounded. Nancy Drew. Safeway. Banana Boat suntan lotion. Starbucks. Daydreaming.

1996-2000: The college years. Journalism. Character-building. Deadlines. Expeditions to Canada. Three part-time jobs. Date football player, Calvin Klein underwear model. Meet love of my life. Summers in Alaska. First apartment in Seattle. IKEA. Stan Getz. Soul searching.

2000-2005: The busy years. Get married (finish a magazine deadline the night before wedding). Honeymoon in Tahiti. Buy house. Remodel house. Become fanatical about gardening. Become doggie mama to Paisley the golden retriever who digs up prized garden. Go to a cooking class in Provence and spend two nights solo in Paris missing husband. Write a zillion magazine articles. Open a bottle of champagne when I see my name in O, The Oprah Magazine. Write first book. Do not sell first book (blessing in disguise). Beloved grandfather dies. Baby fever. Nesting.

2005-2012: The babies and books years. Buy another house. Remodel kitchen. Wash dishes in bathtub. Became a regular contributor to Glamour. First baby born. Colic. No sleep. Crying. Organic baby food. Balance. Magazines deadlines. Second baby arrives. Write new novel. Beloved grandma dies. Sign with literary agent. Sell novel at auction in U.S., and later in 14 countries. Sell second novel. Third baby arrives. Level of chaos in home explodes. Sign with film agent. Interview Gwyneth Paltrow (on the phone, while nursing a baby), Maya Angelou, and others. Sell third and fourth novels. Go on book tour. With a baby. Three boys under the age of six. Drink a lot of coffee, and sometimes wine. Buy new house. Dream of huge refrigerator and office with doors that lock. Write fifth novel. Take boys to Disneyland. Long jogs. Big dreams. Health. Grateful.

The formal bio:
Sarah Jio is the author of THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, a Library Journal Best Book of 2011, and THE BUNGALOW, both published in 2011 by Penguin (Plume). Her third novel, BLACKBERRY WINTER, will be published on September 25, 2012, and her fourth, THE LAST CAMELLIA, is out in June of 2013. Sarah is hard at work on her fifth novel. Based in Seattle, she's the health and fitness blogger for Glamour.com and has contributed to major magazines, including Real Simple, Redbook, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cooking Light, Glamour, SELF, Health, American Baby and many others. She has also appeared as a commentator on NPR's Morning Edition. To learn more about Sarah, visit www.sarahjio.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 72 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another fantastic book by Sarah Jio! December 27, 2011

By Laura Kay Bolin

Format:Paperback

The year is 1942 and the country is at war. Twenty-one year old, Anne Calloway is about to marry a man she has known all her life. As Anne prepares to walk down the aisle, she begins to question the life set before her. Her best friend Kitty announces she has enlisted to serve as a nurse and is headed to the Pacific island of Bora-Bora to serve. Anne believes this is her chance to make sure she is about to choice the right life for herself. So Anne heads to Bora-Bora with Kitty.

Shortly after arriving, Anne meets a handsome soldier named Westry. Anne and Westry find an abandoned bungalow on the beach and they begin the processes of repairing it. While repairing the bungalow, they would leave each other little notes in and over time their friendship turns to romance. Then one evening everything changes when a shocking crime occurs. Anne's tour is over and Westry is being redeployed. Yet the mystery of what happened that night is still lingering. Will they find each other again, was their love the sort of love that stands the test of time and war? You need to read it yourself to find out, but I promise you will be glad you did.

I'm not sure about anyone else, but when I read I see the story in my head. Some books are more real than others. Sometimes they are even a little hazy and I get moments of focus. For me, The Bungalow was an old black and white movie straight out of my grandparent's generation. I was swept away by Jio's vivid descriptions and I loved every minute of it. I honestly could visualize the entire book! Once again, I couldn't put Sarah's book down! Thank goodness I mostly read after the kids went to bed because I was so engrossed in the story I lost track of time. I finished The Bungalow in a day....

When the story was over, I was left with a few questions. At first this really bothered me, but truthfully it makes the whole story more realistic. When in real life is everything tied up nice and pretty? Almost never. When the story ended, I was sad. I wanted more--I didn't want to leave these characters. I will now have to sit on my hands and wait for Jio's next novel to be published.

An absolute definite recommend! I recall after I read Sarah's first book, The Violets of March, saying it was my favorite book. I think after reading The Bungalow I can say Sarah Jio is my favorite contemporary writer. Read more ›

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating, romantic page-turner December 27, 2011

By Camille Noe Pagán

Format:Paperback

Sarah Jio has done it again! I devoured The Bungalow just as fast as I did The Violets of March. As in Violets, The Bungalow offers readers several mysteries rolled into one compelling and often heart-breaking romance--this time between Anne, a woman engaged to a man she feels ambivalent about, and Westry, the solider who steals her heart when the pair discover an abandoned Bora Bora bungalow that was once home to a famous painter (I won't say who, but art enthusiasts will love the little slice of art history hidden within the plot). Jio has an amazing ear for dialogue and I truly felt like I was catching a glimpse of wartime life in the 1940s. Can't recommend this one highly enough.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Feel good read for a cold day December 27, 2011

By Luanne Ollivier TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

I read Sarah Jio's debut novel The Violets of March last year - and loved it. (my review) I had no doubt that I would enjoy her latest book, The Bungalow, as much. But I was wrong - I actually enjoyed it more!

Anne Calloway is ninety when her granddaughter Jennifer brings her a letter - one that asks questions about a murder in 1943 and so Anne begins to finally tell her story...

Anne has already gone against her well to do family's expectations for her. She and her friend Kitty both added nursing qualifications to their college degrees. "What we'd do with these credentials was of great concern to our parents. Heaven forbid we actually use them."

Anne's future is already planned for her - marriage to Gerard Godfrey, the local banker's son. "Mother and Mrs. Godfrey had planned the union since I was in infancy, of course. Calloways would marry Godfreys. It was as natural as coffee and cream."

But, it is 1942 and the War is on. When Kitty announces that she has enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps and is shipping out for the South Pacific, Anne does the unimaginable - she follows her heart and signs up as well.

Kitty and Anne land in Bora Bora. Kitty sees it all as a grand adventure, while Anne is more reserved. But Anne is inextricably drawn to Westry, one of the soldiers on base. Together they discover an abandoned beach hut and it is here that they fall in love - and plan for a life together when the war ends. But the locals say the hut is cursed. And it may well be - a horrific event puts an end to their sanctuary - and their plans for the future.

Jio has again woven the past and present together to create an absolutely addicting story. But it is the past that captured me the most.... I loved the character of Anne, her decisions to follow her heart, her kindness and her innocence. Jio has captured the naivete of a young woman discovering herself in a turbulent time period. I initially enjoyed the character of Kitty as well, drawn to her sense of adventure. However, by the end of the book I quite disliked her. The setting itself is a character in the book as well. I was able to picture clear blue water, white sands, palm tree, island breezes and of course, the little bungalow.

Jio's writing flows easily and effortlessly. I was caught up in the story from first page to last. It's hard to pigeonhole The Bungalow into one genre slot. It's historical, but there's a (not too hard to solve) mystery as well, but the romantic thread is the most compelling. Yes, there are coincidences that tie things up quite neatly in the end, but you know what? - It works. For a feel good read to warm you up on a cold winter night, pick up The Bungalow. Read more ›

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars FIve Big Stars! This is a poignant love story set during World War II. December 27, 2011

By Heidi

Format:Paperback

Five Big Stars! This is a poignant love story set during World War II.

Summer of 1942 finds Anne Calloway living a quiet, sheltered life in an upper class neighborhood of Seattle. She recently graduated from nursing school and is newly engaged to the wealthy and handsome Gerard, someone she has known her entire life. Parental expectations gently prodded her into the engagement. The comfortable childhood friendship between Anne and Gerard has evolved into a warm, loving relationship but Anne finds little niggles of doubt in her mind. Is there something more to love? She chastises herself for questioning, yet she longs for passion and spark. The day of her ritzy engagement party, her best friend Kitty shows hours late in tears. She signed up for the nursing corps and will soon be headed to Bora Bora. Anne hastily agrees to go with her. On the tiny island Anne meets Westry. Soon, she is sneaking away to see him in an abandoned bungalow. Their relationship blossoms into a passionate romance. Caught in a time of war, they know they can't afford to waste a moment, for tomorrow they could be torn apart. In the small, sequestered bungalow, the two carve out a little piece of paradise. A place where they can hide from the turmoil of war. Inevitably, Anne loses her heart to Westry. As the tides of war sweep to the island, the men are called away to fight and Anne is set to return home. At their parting, a misconception sparks between them and then they are separated by an ocean of time and misunderstanding. Anne clings to the one memento of her life on the island, a gold locket worn around her neck. Seventy years later a letter arrives for Anne in Seattle. An inquiry into a murder that occurred while Anne was on the island.... The fingers of fate pull a reluctant Anne back to the past. Old secrets and memories come flooding back. Can a lost love reignite?

What I Liked:

*This is an excellent historical fiction book set during World War II. I loved being swept back to those turbulent years of war, the time of my grandparents youth. The story takes you to the sun drenched shores of Bora Bora, where battles rage in the Pacific. It is a time of heated love affairs, fueled by the need for the here and now, for there may not be another meeting. It is interesting and heartbreaking to see how war ravages through everyone's lives. If you appreciate historical fiction, then you will love this book. I personally enjoyed getting a clearer picture of what the world was like for my grandparents in their youth. I found myself wishing that I could have heard all of their stories.
*I enjoyed the many facets of this book. There is Anne and Westry's affair, the war, the floundering of Anne and Kitty's friendship, a murder mystery and numerous other little tales. The author skillfully weaves all of these stories into a neat, cohesive plot, that is interesting, entertaining and throughly engaging.
*I am not a big romance novelist enthusiast, especially when it comes to pages of steamy love acts, that often overtake the story. To me, The Bungalow, is exactly how a good romance should be written. It is poignant, tender and passionate but it is done in a subtle manner. The love scenes have just the right amount of heat and passion, without delving into pages of lurid detail. Ms. Jio gives you a nice basis and then lets your imagination do the rest. I have to say, Wow when it comes to a bar of soap and tropical rain!
*I loved that I became completely absorbed into the lives of the characters. They felt like real people. I found by the end of the story that I cared very deeply for all of them. Ms. Jio does an amazing job with the characters and the story. Make sure you set aside time to read this one because once you start you will be completely drawn into Anne and Westry's world and you will hesitate to leave. A fabulous read with an ending that is well worth the journey.
And The Not So Much:

*Sarah Jio creates many memorable characters, but I felt that a couple of them lacked development. For instance, Gerard, the other man who holds a piece of Anne's heart. There is very little information on him and I wish that I had a little more detail on his life. Anne's mother is another person that was puzzling. I wanted to understand her a little better especially after Anne's visit to New York. The scene of Anne's encounter with her in the apartment was jarring and lacked any type of resolution.
*I appreciated that the story had many sub plots and most of them wrapped up neatly. At the end of the book though, I was left with a couple of nagging questions. I longed to know Mary's entire story. What happened with Edward and what led her to her final painful choice? I was not clear on all the motives behind Kitty's behavior. Why did she almost immediately begin to push Anne way on their arrival? Kitty had so many secrets and some of them were not fully revealed. Finally, I would love a little more insight into Anne's life and marriage after the war.

The Bungalow, is a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend. It is a World War II romance with a captivating story of love and loss. This is a book that will grab you and won't let go until the final pages. Even after reading this story, my mind is still lingering back in the bungalow with Anne and Westry. You don't want to miss this one. I was enthralled with Sarah Jio's book and I look forward to reading her other works. This novel will end up on my best reads of 2011 list!

Favorite Quotations:

"He was there, of course--in uniform, shyly smiling at me as the waves fell into the shore. I could hear them--their violent crash, followed by the fizzof a million bubbles kissing the sand."

"An old lady. I saw her every day, this woman, but her reflection never ceased to surprise me. When did I become her?

"You be yourself," she said. "And never ignore what your heart is telling you, even when it hurts, even when it seems like following it will be very difficult or untidy."

"I watched as the island grew smaller, until it appeared a mere dot on a map. A dot where so much had happened, and so much had been left behind."

A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Plume Publishing via NetGalley. Read more ›