Official Review: I Wed the Sea by Lauren G. Flanagan

[Kristy Khem]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I Wed the Sea" by Lauren G. Flanagan.]

---

2 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Seaside romance blossoms between the pages of I Wed the Sea. Lauren G. Flanagan’s debut novel tells the story of how Eve and Jamie met each other one morning on the beach. Their pet dogs became friends first, but it took a little longer for Eve to warm up to Jamie. Struggling with emotional baggage from her last marriage, Eve was open to friendship but not a romantic relationship. She was content living alone on her small farm. Slowly, Jamie coaxes her into spending more time with him. The pair starts bonding over their enjoyment of the sea. Can their eventual romance stand the test of time or will it break like the waves on the shore?

I rate I Wed the Sea 2 out of 4 stars because there are two things that I like and two things that I don’t like. Firstly, I really enjoyed the way that the author modeled her descriptions. It’s as if they are part of a poem. She merged contrasting elements to stimulate the reader’s senses. She once described one of Jamie and Eve’s kisses as “a dozen raised glazed donuts and all of the Fourth of July fireworks”. Comma splices were often used to emphasize certain descriptions, such as “they peek at each other, but say nothing, both sensing that they are fragile, like porcelain, like silence, like hearts.” These literary gems were endearing additions. The book was edited well too.

Although they were not vital to the plot, quirky facts about nature were scattered throughout the story like chocolate chips in cookie dough. I was utterly astonished by the reason why clam shells often have a hole in their umbos. And, I was surprised to learn that the word “petrichor” refers to the delightful smell that permeates the air when it rains. I really liked learning about nature from this book.

What I didn’t like was the style of writing. The author used a mix of perspectives. Sometimes, I read from Jamie’s perspective and sometimes Eve’s. This varied from paragraph to chapter. Getting into a rhythm of reading was challenging. This writing style allowed me to understand what each character was thinking, but I never fully became engrossed in the story because my reading was often interrupted by these changing perspectives. The book also lacked neutral narration that would have helped me to see a bigger picture beyond the characters’ thoughts and experiences.

Some readers like uneventful romances, but I don’t. Jamie and Eve’s relationship lacked conflict and passion. I liked the camaraderie between them, but they were too perfect together which made their romance seem unrealistic. The romance quickly fell into monotony as the author filled the characters’ lives with ordinary dates, rambling thoughts, and mundane tasks like reading and cooking. The secondary characters weren’t properly developed. The intimate scenes lacked juicy details. I was grateful that Eve’s past introduced the theme of loss. Without this, the story would have been lifeless.

I Wed the Sea will appeal to adult readers who like uncomplicated romance stories. It’s a perfect book to read at the beach or before bedtime. Poetry enthusiasts will appreciate the poetic depictions in this book. I would not recommend this book to people who prefer complex, riveting, and passionate romance tales.

******
I Wed the Sea
View: on Bookshelves

[GoodLuck ES]

I love romance fictions with interesting plots a lot. The plot here sounds interesting and I'm willing to give it a read. I'd love to find out if Jamie was able to establish a romantic connection with Eve.

Great review.

[Kavita Shah]

It's a romance with one of the lovers recovering from loss. I wouldn't read it as I will not like the monotonous activities. A novel must be something not so ordinary, that's what makes it a delight to read. Thanks for the review!

[Kristy Khem]

I love romance fictions with interesting plots a lot. The plot here sounds interesting and I'm willing to give it a read. I'd love to find out if Jamie was able to establish a romantic connection with Eve.

Great review.

Perfect, I do hope you get around to reading this one. Thanks for commenting!

[Kristy Khem]

It's a romance with one of the lovers recovering from loss. I wouldn't read it as I will not like the monotonous activities. A novel must be something not so ordinary, that's what makes it a delight to read. Thanks for the review!

I agree with you too. I like romance novels that are a little bit out of the ordinary! Thanks for reading my review and leaving a comment.

[Zaeda Amrin]

Oh no, not a romance novel lacking the romance! When I read your summary, the plot sounded so interesting, but by the end, I realized how bland the story is. Thank you for your excellent commentary that saved me from reading an underwhelming book!

[Becca Olsson]

It’s too bad theres no passion building between them and the secondary characters are flat. It sounds like it has lots of potential though!

[Scarbaby]

I found myself nodding along as you described your enjoyment of reading about relationships with passion. I do find it difficult to stay focused while reading through a so called perfect love story myself. Thanks for a great review!

[FEislandqueen13]

This is the sort of book I would read by accident. Certainly not my cup of tea. I crave those romances built on conflict, where love and trust is put to the test.
Exceptional review!!

[Mariana Figueira]

I normally wouldn't gravitate towards an uncomplicated romance, but this one actually sounds kind of cool! Thanks for the honest and detailed review!

[Kristy Khem]

This is the sort of book I would read by accident. Certainly not my cup of tea. I crave those romances built on conflict, where love and trust is put to the test.
Exceptional review!!

Thank you! I think you and I like similar romance stories!

[Kristy Khem]

I normally wouldn't gravitate towards an uncomplicated romance, but this one actually sounds kind of cool! Thanks for the honest and detailed review!

Happy reading! I hope you get the chance to read this story. Thanks for leaving a comment on my review!

[Kristy Khem]

Oh no, not a romance novel lacking the romance! When I read your summary, the plot sounded so interesting, but by the end, I realized how bland the story is. Thank you for your excellent commentary that saved me from reading an underwhelming book!

You're welcome
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my review!

[Kristy Khem]

It’s too bad theres no passion building between them and the secondary characters are flat. It sounds like it has lots of potential though!

I think so too; there's definitely potential for the story. Thanks so much for leaving a comment

[Mwatu]

I think the most interesting part of the book for me would be the learning points on nature. The seeming blandness, while I am not big on romantic novels, is more than enough reason to skip this book. Thank you for a lovely review!