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    The Violets of March
    The Violets of March
    The Violets of March
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Violets of March

    Written by Sarah Jio

    Narrated by Lyssa Browne

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after. Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life. A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherListen & Live Audio
    Release dateJan 1, 2011
    ISBN9781593166038
    The Violets of March

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    Reviews for The Violets of March

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      This story begins when Emily Wilson sets out to Puget Sound to visit her Aunt Bee after she and her husband divorce due to his infidelity. She is devastated and intends to try to make sense of her life again. But wait . . . At her aunt's house Emily finds an old diary in the nightstand drawer next to her bed. There are people and events she reads about that sounds vaguely familiar. Her aunt doesn't want her to associate with certain people on the island. Years ago her mother and her aunt had a falling out but never found out why and neither of them will talk about it. Her aunt's friend Evelyn tells Emily that she will be the one to finally make everything right. She sees the same photograph of a beautiful woman in different homes on the island but nobody will talk about this mysterious woman. Emily continues to read the diary while she puts the pieces of the past together. Needless to say I couldn't put this book down until all these questions were answered. This book was definitely a page turner and one I read quickly. Definitely recommended for those liking a bit of mystery and past/present stories. How I acquired this book: Guessing Barnes & Noble earlier this year.Shelf life: Less than a year.
    • 4/5
      "The Violets of March", was the book that got me out of my 2-3 month reading slump. This story is definitely laced with romance, it was the mystery of it all that really sucked me in. While reading I felt like I was right there on Bainbridge Island. I absolutely loved Emily, her family, and friends. I kept thinking to myself "this is like a COLD CASE, all the twist and turns, going back and forth in time. Cold Case was one of my favorite weekly TV shows
    • 4/5
      The Violets of March is a great read. This book is definitely a romance with a lot of secrets. Sarah Jio writes such a warm story and you see her own love for reading. I loved how she intertwined her characters with a book called Years of Grace by author Margaret Ayer Barnes (I must now read this book). The author wrote of Bainbridge Island in Washington State with such detail I wanted to go there. This story takes place in the present day but you get transported by a diary back to 1943. I did not want this story to end. This book is a great beach read and an even a better read when you just need and escape from every day life. It is one you want to grab a glass of wine or cup of coffee and just curl up and read all day. I started this in the middle the tornado that is my life and wished I could just devour it in one setting but I was not able to do so. This book will be a great movie one day. I could not help but think this as I turned each page. I also thought that as I read it if you like Nicholas Sparks’ books you will love this I got this book from the library but am thinking about buying a copy to send to my mom. I give this book 4 stars. I rate my books on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, one being the worst 5 being the very best. I hope you will pick up a copy and read it you will be happy you did.
    • 3/5
      A family story from the past helps a woman deal with her present and future. Some of the resolution of the past was predictable. Some came as a surprise. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story itself. Perfect for an enjoyable summertime beach read.
    • 4/5
      First off, let's take a look at that cover. Magnificent if I do say so myself. It's subtle in the colors used which speaks to the somber moods within a good portion of the novel yet it manages to capture your heart with its simple beauty, much like the story within. Continuing on our reading adventure, we explore the story within.The journey of the heart is a funny thing. More often than not it is filled with twists and turns as opposed to the straight and narrow. It can place you on the highest peaks of happiness or plunge you to depths so deep you'd be lucky to survive. Such was the story of Esther. Whose Esther? Ah yes...I didn't mention her previously now did I? Esther is a character within the story within the story. Confusing? Not really....once you're reading it. You see, she plays the starring role in a particular red velvet book (or is it a journal...hmmm....) Emily stumbles upon in her Aunt Bee's house on Bainbridge Island. It's a tale that takes place back in 1943 and if it seems to run high on the realistic emotions...there might just be a good reason for that; after all, the best stories are often inspired by what we know best....real life.One of the first things I did upon finishing this book is sketch out a family tree of sorts. Seriously, there are a lot of character connections to be made. This is one story you definitely want to have a firm grasp on who's who....trust me, it's important as it progresses. When all is said and done, there is one character to whom most others have a tie in some form. Who it is I shall not say, but it is unexpected to some degree. As for the story, it was so much more than what I expected. I mean the truths that are discovered are heavy enough on their own, but then you have to consider their impact on the larger scale of things and just as you've come to grips with that, BAM. Something else comes into play. The story within the story was very moving and when it ends about midway through the book, you are so not ready to say goodbye to the characters you've met, nor are you prepared for how the author could possibly continue the tale with so many pages left to go. With that said, it is done remarkably well and though its absence is felt, the red velvet book served its purpose quite well.In summary, recommended reading choice for those seeking a look at life in all its glory whether filled with sunny days, or little black rain clouds to spare. Author Sarah Jio takes Emily's "common" plight adds a sprig of "it's not just you", swirls in a healthy dose of mystery and a mixed bag of love sure to keep you guessing til the final page has been read. A wonderful trip awaits whomever dares to head the call of the island... will you? Happy reading....
    • 4/5
      With the beautiful setting of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and an uncovered old diary, I was bound to like this book. It is 2005 and Emily, an author, leaves NYC, the scene of her recent divorce, to spend the month of March with her Aunt Bee on the island, hoping to get out of her writing funk. There she runs into a new neighbor and an old flame from a teenage summer on the island, and even better, a mysterious old diary from 1943. March dwindles away, as she enjoys the harbor, while reading the diary, unlocking its mystery, and her own heart. A very nicely done beach read.Enjoyed.
    • 4/5
      I am going to call this one a pleasant Gothic-lite type of beach read. Gothic for the haunting atmosphere of the mysterious family secret a handful of Bainbridge Islanders seem to know all about that Emily has to work to uncover. A good beach read in that recently divorcee Emily has not one but two romantic interests (or three if we include her ex in the count) with the escape from New York City to an island retreat, even if spending March on an island in the Puget Sound, Washington area isn’t exactly the tropical “sun and surf” locale other readers may prefer. Of course, the icing on the cake for me is the historical fiction aspect of the 1943 diary slowly reveals a haunting story of love gone wrong. Jio does a wonderful job pulling tiny tidbits from the 1943 diary story and echoing them in present day for Emily to stumble across, twigging tiny “deja-vu” experiences. Jio accurately captures Bainbridge Island and has created some wonderful characters in Aunt Bee, Evelyn, Henry and Emily’s BFF Annie. The romantic interests were just okay as they came across as being a tad too contrived for my tastes. As far as protagonists go, Emily fits the bill as the typical contemporary romance lead but parts of her character had me eye-rolling, especially the fact that Emily seems to be financially well off considering she doesn’t appear to have any income except for the revenue from the sales of her debut novel (yes it was a bestseller and yes it was made into a movie but that was like 5 years ago). There are also a couple of discontinuity issues that the editor/proof-reader should have caught (for example, Esther arrives in a wool twin set but a couple of paragraphs later, the buttons on her dress are being undone). Overall, I really, really enjoyed the family secrets mystery and the Puget Sound location but beyond that, this is a formula beach read just like thousands of other books of the same contemporary romance genre. A pleasant way to while away a rainy afternoon or a lazy Sunday.
    • 3/5
      Violets of March is a novel of missed chances, lost love, and family secrets. When Emily Wilson's husband announces he is leaving her for another woman she is finally forced to admit that her perfect life is falling apart. Once a bestselling author, she now has writer's block. She escapes to Bainbridge Island to lick her wounds and rekindle a relationship with her great aunt Bee. There she finds mystery and intrigue in the form of an old diary filled with secrets, a handsome neighbor, and her secretive aunt. While its true that stories like Violets of March have been told a thousand times, that is because the idea of love and mystery sweeping a lost and lonely woman up is so appealing. Unfortunately this time the plot leans too heavily on chance and miscommuniction to provide much satisfaction. The broken love affair told in the diary just frustrates the reader and makes little sense. If two people really loved each other that much would they allow such minor misunderstandings to stand in their way? Wouldn't they fight for each other? To see Emily begin to travel the same road just compounds the frustration until you are yelling at the book and wanting nothing more than to give the characters a good shaking! The setting is lovely and the slightly quirky townspeople are fun, but that couldn't make up for the weak plot.I listened to The Violets of March, narrated by Lyssa Browne. She has an appealingly girlish style that suits Emily's voice well.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book always a twist and something new and exciting happening around every corner.
    • 3/5
      One door closes; another one opens. Two lives are lived in parallel. Poor Emily Wilson has crippling writer's block, and her husband has thrown her over for another woman. So, in order to recover from her trauma, she is off to the state of Washington to Bainbridge Island to visit her kindly great-aunt Bee. There, amidst the simple wonders of an island retreat, she grows and heals as she solves a mystery from the past that is all too painfully familiar. A book that captures a sense of time and place, but that can be predictable in places. Still, a solid read for a rainy afternoon.MGP
    • 3/5
      The Violets of March is the debut novel of Seattle based author Sarah Jio. She has since published two more books, with another title due in May. This novel is good, in a formulaic kind of way.A recently divorced woman leaves her high-style Manhattan life to return to the island where she spent her childhood summers. She hopes to heal herself from the scars of her broken life. On the island she finds mystery and romance, as well as the key to a childhood where she felt her family favored her younger sister over her.Boo hoo!Emily Wilson has led a charmed life in her twenties. She published a best-seller, and married a handsome and wealthy man. The she spent years suffering from writer's block. When her marriage fails, she runs to Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Seattle. Her Aunt Bee still lives in the home where Emily spent her childhood summers.Although I have never been to Bainbridge Island, Jio's strength as a writer is the way she can conjure up a place. The island seems very real to me, much more so than the characters.This book was amusing and easy to read, but I guess that I will not remember it after I finish writing this review!
    • 4/5
      When Emily’s marriage ends in divorce, she decides to leave New York and go visit her aunt on Bainbridge Island in Washington state in The Violets of March. When she arrives there, she finds an old, red velvet diary from 1943 in the drawer in the nightstand. Being a writer (although she’s had writer’s block for something like 8 years) she is drawn to the story being told. She wonders if maybe it could be fact.There’s also some family friction between her aunt and her mother that she wants to fix. She figures out that the rift between her aunt and mother are somehow tied to the book and she’s determined to find out how. Although I ended up liking the book and thought the author did a good job of connecting all the parts, there were points at the beginning which I thought were somewhat contrived. Every time Emily tries to engage her aunt in conversation she changes the conversation, leaves the room, ignores Emily, etc. I thought that device was used just a little too much. But I do look forward to more books from this author.
    • 5/5
      The Violets of March by Sarah Jio is an enchanting love story that I was unable and unwilling to put down till I had read the very last word. After a divorce in New York City, Emily returns to her "summer" home in Bainbridge Island off the coast of Seattle. The home of her Aunt Bee is where Emily used to summer with her sister Danielle. It is a place of comfort; a place to heal. It is also a place with a secret. A family secret that Emily was never aware of until she discovers an old diary in the room where she is staying. The diary relates the life of a woman named Esther. She is tormented by a love that she can't seem to hold on to. A love that destroys not only her life but the life of those she leaves behind.As Emily reads the diary she begins to piece things together until in the end she has the complete story of love, life and family on Bainbridge Island.This book is to be read by anyone who loves mystery and love stories. The Violets of March is mesmerizing and captivating and one to really enjoy.
    • 4/5
      This was my first book by this author. I was very happy with how much I enjoyed this book.

      It was one of those that the past met the future but it was done very well.

      Emily is invited to visit her aunt on Bainbridge island. There she find a journal of Ester and gets engrossed in her story. The journal ends before Ester's story is finished so Emily goes in serch of what happened to her.

      As she reads she sees how her current life is similiar to Esters.

      Great read, held my interest.
    • 2/5
      This book past the time for me, but not much else. There were no real challenges in the writing style and I wish the envelop would have been pushed a bit more.


      Good
      Family history solved, it needed to be solved.
      Great plot, the historical story kept me reading this one.
      Personal journey accomplished.

      Bad
      Cliches abound! Ex: her heart sinks a lot, this seemed to be the only reaction that the main character was capable of. I want an author to take a dramatic plot such as this and redefine the characters emotions to the plot twists and turns. Yes it may be something that makes her heart sink, but why and how would make a better story.
      Also did I miss something in tracing the family blood lines; aren't Jack and Emily related in a way, like cousins or something?
      The town librarian character actually upsets me, as a library worker myself I have never seen a librarian treat a patron (famous writer) like the character in the book did. I'm not saying it never happens, it just left a bad taste in my mouth and didn't improve my opinions of the book.
    • 4/5
      It was the cover of The Violets of March that first drew me to the book. But it was Sarah Jio's writing that kept me turning pages until the very last one.Emily Wilson wrote a bestselling book in her twenties, married the man of her dreams and thought she had found her happy ever after....until her husband left her for another woman. "I was making scrambled eggs smothered in Tabasco, his favorite, when he told me about Stephanie. The way she made him laugh. The way she understood him. The way they connected. I pictured the image of two Lego pieces fusing together, and I shuddered."Emotionally and mentally exhausted, she decides to return to a childhood haunt - Bainbridge Island and her Aunt Bee."Bee was unconventional, indeed. But there was also something a little off about her. The way she talked too much. Or talked too little. The way she was simultaneously welcoming and petulant, giving and selfish. And then there were her secrets. I loved her for having them."Aunt Bee settles Emily into a little used bedroom. It is in the drawer of the nightstand that she finds a diary from the 1940's written by someone named Esther. As she reads, Emily finds that she may have a personal connection to the writer. But Bee is not forthcoming with answers. Emily is further confused by the feelings she develops for two men on the island - Greg, from her own past and Jack, who seems to have a connection to her Aunt Bee's past.As Aunt Bee says..."...fate has a way of bringing you back when it's time to come back."Jio's description of the island had me longing to roll up my pants and walk in the surf. And I would love to stroll the island and meet the people. Jio does a wonderful job drawing her characters. I could picture Aunt Bee and her friends perfectly. The scenes from the diary sprang to life. Indeed, I was willing Emily to read faster. I desperately wanted to know what happened next. But at the same time, I was enjoying Emily's reawakening. A seamless blending of two stories - and a wee bit magical.The Violets of March is absolutely the perfect read to tuck in your bag this summer. Love, mystery, comfort and finding yourself all rolled into one perfectly delicious read. An impressive debut! Fans of Jodi Picoult would love this book - she provides a cover blurb for The Violets of March.
    • 4/5
      Ironically, I just finished an ARC of “Goodnight June”, Sarah Jio’s latest book to hit the streets on May 27, 2014 (which I loved) and highly recommend. At the end, an excerpt of “The Violets of March” was included, and realized this was her debut novel --immediately started reading.

      Having read the first and latest- trying to get to the ones in the middle. The only other book I have read, “Morning Glory” which I loved. Currently reading Blackberry Winter --The Bungalow, and the others are making their way quickly to the top of my “to read list”!

      Emily thinks she has it all until her marriage fails with her husband leaving her for another woman. Her successful writing career will go up in smoke if she does not get over writer’s block. She then decides to go to her favorite spot- Bainbridge Island, where she spent her summers growing up visiting her Aunt Bee with fond memories of the past.

      When she finds a diary from 1943, there is much to follow which will keep you turning the pages to learn more from each of the diary entries, holding secrets from the past, plus much more. “Violets of March” offers so much in this short read with captivating events and dynamic characters – Mystery, Romance, History, Lies, Secrets, and Love-- full of twists and turns.

      There is a parallel between her current love life, and two exciting men and that of Ester’s life, as she is transported to another era and time, while discovering what is important to her.

      Sarah Jio has a way of holding back just enough with surprises and wisdom at the ending, for an engaging read and characters you think of fondly, long after the book ends. A magical debut novel!
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I chose it because I really enjoyed Sarah Jio's first book, The Bungalow, which I loved and read in one day. I liked the concept of finding an old diary and piecing together the mystery that unfolds. I just didn't find the characters very likeable. Nor did I find it believable that a woman so hurt, that she had to go to the island to "heal" would meet a man the first day there and the ensuing story would all take place in less than one month. All that being said, the book held my attention enough to finish it to find out what happened.
    • 4/5
      What an intriguing novel in a truly beautiful setting. Emily Wilson heads from NYC to Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound to recoup after her divorce. Her Aunt Bee opens her home to Emily, just as she did when Emily spent summers there as a girl. Almost immediately, Emily discovers a diary that leads to a story that blends past and present in very interesting ways. This was an easy story to get lost in and I liked how Jios managed to keep the thread of the past/present going until the very end.
    • 4/5
      After her marriage breaks up, writer Emily heads to her Aunt Bee's house on Bainbridge Island during the month of March to put her life back together. Bee puts her in a guest room that she's never been in before - a pink room - and in it she finds a diary from 1943, which seems to have connections to her own life. As she reads it, and researches the clues that lie within, she finds that it was written by her grandmother who died....or did she?
    • 5/5
      Emily is the main character and she is almost numb to the fact that she is not having a happily ever after with husband. Rather, she divorces him and struggles with the fact that he is marrying his mistress. After the divorce, she wants to leave everything behind, only wanting two items: a book and painting.I thought it rather clever that Emily’s best friend is a name person, because I could completely understand and I am also a name person!To have some time to reflect on her marriage gone bad and perhaps allow herself time to let her creative juices flow (as she wrote a very successful book), Emily decides to visit her Aunt Bee. While there, Emily discovers a diary and finds that the diary parallels her own life. Emily begins to unravel some of these secrets and helps restore old relationships, while also creating some new ones, too.I loved the mysteries throughout the book and I simply didn’t want the story to end. This is one of the few books I have read in a long time where I let the words simmer awhile before proceeding to another chapter. I fell in love with the characters and didn’t want to solve the mystery. I encourage you to just read the story and not try to figure everything out so fast. Sarah Jio will unravel the mysteries in their own time, which had perfect timing.I highly recommend this book as this book is one of my all time favorite reads!
    • 5/5
      This is one of those books that initially kind of pulls you in by its cover & description, and then it somewhat surprisingly follows through and ends up being a very enjoyable story. It's a relatively quick read, mostly because it's hard to put down. The story follows a young woman who leaves New York after a somewhat sudden divorce to spend a month with her aunt on Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Washington state. There, she discovers a diary in the drawer of her bedside table & becomes wrapped up in its revelations & they way they seem to parallel her own life. In the meantime, her aunt remains secretive about a mysterious past. As the reader, you know it all ties together somehow, but it's not until the end that all the details are revealed. I love this kind of story. They pull me in everytime, and this one was no exception. Although the writing itself wasn't necessarily lyrical and was mildly farfetched at times, the story was told in a down-to-earth manner, making it a quick & easy read. If the writing style was tweaked just a little bit, this probably would've gotten an even higher rating from me.
    • 3/5
      A sweet story. A woman travels to an island near Seattle to visit with an elderly aunt after her husband asks for a divorce. During her stay she discovers a diary from 1943 in a bedroom. The diary reveals a love story with a tragic end, but she gets the feeling that the story is unfinished. While reading she discovers parrallels between the love story in the diary and her own life and also discovers that maybe the people in the story have ties to the present day.
    • 5/5
      I am so glad this was my first read of the New Year! I loved this book! I saw it on so many best reads of the year lists. I pulled my copy out and dug right in. I sat down with the book and read straight through the first half. If I had been home alone, I would have read the whole book in one sitting. Yes, it is that good!I loved the setting of Bainbridge Island. I have never been there but have always longed to go. The descriptions of the island put me on the island, as if I were physically there. I could feel the sand between my toes! Sarah's descriptions are simply wonderful!Emily has been dumped by her husband for another woman. She goes to visit her great-aunt Bee on Bainbridge Island. In the room she is staying in, Emily finds a diary from the 1940's. Emily, being an author, is interested and starts to read the diary and before long is mesmerized by what she reads. The big mystery is, who are the characters in the diary and what happened to them. I love a good story that revolves around a diary or letters from the past. I was instantly taken with the diary, much like Sarah. I was dying to know what happened back in the 40's and how did it relate to Sarah and her family. Esther, the diary's author, is as broken as Emily. We have the Esther's diary storyline and the story line of Emily and her future. I love how the two story lines compliment each other nicely. The flow of the two stories was easy to follow along with. It was really well done! I found myself anxious to learn how each story would end. However, I was sad to see the story end as I was really enjoying reading it.I am amazed that this is a debut book! I would have never guessed that! It is a wonderful read and I am looking forward to reading The Bungalow by Sarah Jio. This book will make my favorite reads list as well. I highly recommend it!
    • 4/5
      When a writer finds herself suffering from a protracted writer's block and an upheaval in her personal world, she retreats to her aunt's house on Bainbridge Island to lick her wounds, try and find her her writing muse again, and to heal. Her comfort at being with her favorite aunt and on the island again notwithstanding, she starts to realize that there are secrets being held by her aunt, her best friend and her neighbor.When she finds an old journal in the drawer of her bedside table, she finds herself drawn to Esther, the woman who wrote the journal, whose life was not as she had planned and whose unhappiness helped Emily forget her own. Emily becomes determined to find out who Esther was and who she knew on the island. Her investigation is tempered with her social life wherein an old and new flame are kindled. Her personal life takes an unexpected turn and she reaches crossroads once again. The answers to the mystery of Esther is tied to Emily's future and makes for a pretty engrossing read.
    • 5/5
      Perfect. Everything I love/need/want in a novel!
    • 5/5
      Excellent! Emily goes to visit her aunt on Bainbridge Island, a place she'd gone for years as a child, to forget about her recent divorce and figure out her next steps. While there, she reads a mysterious diary, and finds that the diary was written by the grandmother she'd never known. While trying to figure out what happened on that fateful night in 1943 when her grandmother disappeared, she is met with resistance and opposition. Determined to uncover the truth, she discovers not only that love can last a lifetime but that she is capable of loving once more.
    • 5/5
      An intriguing plot, sympathetic (often eccentric) characters and just the right amount of description make for a fast-paced, hard to put down read. The author smoothly weaves together the present and the past through the heroine's discovery of a diary from the 1940's. As Emily unravels the mystery of the diary's author, she learns important lessons regarding forgiveness and the ability to trust in love. Highly recommend.
    • 2/5
      The author uses the curious nature of wood violets which have bloomed on the island in an off-season to signal promise and redemption for the future. Great Aunt Bee tends and protects these flowers but actually the story is suppose to center more around the mysterious red velvet diary that Emily finds....but what it actually did was give me a list of unbelievable and seemingly impossible events. One or two would have been okay but there was t least a half dozen or more. For example... 1. Months worth of events were indicated to have occurred in three weeks time. 2. Emily meets someone...falls in love and gets engaged after three dates in three weeks...you have to bear in mind that she had just divorced the "love of your life". (her words, not mine)3. Emily simultaneously dated two new men within that three week period and she hadn't seen one of them in ten years. (When did she find time to research her new book?)4. The date on the letter from her grandmother was one day after her grandmother dies...and the list goes on. Name changes throughout were also confusing. I've read much better by Sarah Jio.
    • 2/5
      Predictable romance novel.