Publishers Weekly
03/25/2019
Donohue (How to Eat a Cupcake) spins first-rate women’s fiction in this imaginative and lyrically told tale about how the most unlikely of people become family. The story begins with a lavish engagement party and immediately swings back a few decades to the childhood of the intended bride. Merrow Shawe is growing up poor in Northern California with her widowed father and cruel brother when her father brings home an orphan named Amir, the adopted son of his late wife’s close friend. When Merrow is 10, her father also dies, leaving Merrow and Amir at the mercy of Merrow’s older brother, Bear. Their only consolation comes from Rei, a Japanese former professor hired to tutor them, who fills their heads with magical tales of lands far away, and from their habit of popping into unoccupied homes to dream about how others live. One of those visits changes Merrow’s life forever: a dog bites her; she meets a woman, Rosalie Langford, who becomes her protector; and Merrow falls in love with Rosalie’s son. After tragedy separates Amir and Merrow, seemingly forever, Merrow continues down a new path that ends with a betrayal and a surprise. Donohue’s careful plotting and richly drawn characters will keep readers enthralled right up to an unexpected ending that’s likely to be polarizing. Merrow’s life story is worth reading even for those who’d prefer it took her another way. Agent: Elisabeth Weed, Book Group. (May)
Patti Callahan Henry
The power of the sea roars in the intimate prose of You, Me, and the Sea.. An enchanting story of passionate love, devastating secrets, and the sea’s mysteries unfolds... an awe-inspiring love story for the ages.”
RT Book Reviews (top pick) on Dog Crazy
Donohue has written a delightful tale with heart-wrenching emotions (both high and low), entertaining high jinks and a well-deserved happy ending for the many vivid characters you’ll grow to love.... an entertaining, can’t-put-down page-turner you’ll want to share.
Allie Larkin
Wonderful! Anyone who has ever loved and lost a dog will find wisdom and comfort in this sweet, smart story.
RT Book Reviews (top pick) on Every Wild Heart
Donohue’s latest is women’s fiction at its finest, a masterfully unfeigned story about unconditional love and its healing power mixed with a thrilling mystery. Her animated dialogue sets the tone, and the human and equine costars add genuineness... [A] fast-paced, bestseller-bound page-turner.
Booklist on All the Summer Girls
Donohue captures the beauty and frustration of reconnecting with old friends—they know you so well, and they don’t know you at all. Perfect for a staycation for readers who like the beachy drama of Elin Hilderbrand and Susan Wiggs.
Sarah Jio
Beautifully written and quietly wise, Meg Donohue’s How to Eat a Cupcake is an achingly honest portrayal of the many layers of friendship—a story so vividly told, you can (almost) taste the buttercream.
Elin Hilderbrand on All the Summer Girls
Beach Book Extraordinaire! Donohue’s three protagonists are irresistibly sympathetic as they try to unbury their true selves from the ruinous secrets of their shared past.
Rebecca Rasmussen
Deliciously engaging. Donohue writes with charm and grace. What could be better than friendship and cupcakes?
Entertainment Weekly
Engaging.
Meg Mitchell Moore
Every Wild Heart is Meg Donohue’s finest novel to date — emotionally resonant, absorbing and funny in all the right places, it’s a portrait of mothers and daughters, missteps and triumphs, and love in all of its bewildering and delightful disguises.
Jennifer Close
An honest and engaging look at the complicated and powerful bonds of female friendship. Donohue takes us on a weekend reunion full of secrets, resentment, and regret-in other words, once you start this book, you won’t be able to put it down!
Susan Wiggs
A heartfelt, funny, poignant and suspenseful story of a good woman trying her best, making mistakes, picking up the pieces and moving on — a celebration of what it means to be a working mother.
Sarah McCoy
Nail-biting secrets, heart-pounding passion, and lush prose hurl this novel to its sweeping conclusion. For readers, like me, who wondered what if for Heathcliff and Catherine, this is a genuine treat.
Elise Hooper
You, Me, and the Sea is an enchanting and imaginative story about soulmates, family, and forgiveness. With its sparkling allure of Northern California’s rugged coast and aura of mystery and romance, I was swept away by this evocative modern take on Wuthering Heights.
