Jen Wheeler

Talk about a book that never needed to be published.
Boring.
Completely lacks focus.
It was as if it was an assignment in a creative writing class where the student is given a location- in this case the Farallon islands and told to write anything they want.
The main character has an two names she goes by which isn’t explained right away and so it is confusing.
The lack of people in the story because of where it takes place not to mention how boring and uninteresting they are, made getting through this book very painful.
It was a Prime First Reads selection so thankfully it was free, I can’t imagine having to pay for such a boring confusing uninteresting story.… (mehr)

This book reminded me a lot of The Blackhouse by Peter May, only that it takes place in the Hebrides, where young gannets are hunted for their meat in the treacherous North Atlantic seas. The Farallon Islands are half a world away, near San Francisco, but in the 19th century, men invaded the desolate islands to gather the murre's eggs and sell them for a fortune.
This is where Lucy Riley finds employment in teaching the few island children, except Lucy is not who she says she is. She has assumed a different identity and hidden herself here, hoping the people hunting her won't find her there. Will Sisson, the egg company manager, knows the real Lucy Riley and confronts her immediately.
Gradually, bits of the backstory are revealed. The mystery is a bit convoluted and seems to drag sometimes. Still, the author manages to wrap the story up satisfactorily while throwing in a lot of historical details of the 1850s California and Nantucket. Lucy has been traumatized, and the island is both a shelter and spooky. The other permanent inhabitants are a mix of families, while the 'eggers' who come for two months each year are a rough bunch. The writing is descriptive, detailing the island's wild beauty and the isolation with its attendant results. Some paranormal elements add to the atmosphere. The characters are intriguing and well-written. An enjoyable read.… (mehr)

Lucy Riley is someone with secrets that haunt her from England to the American East to the Mid-West to the West Coast. They even chase her out of San Francisco to the Farallon Islands in the Pacific. She becomes a teacher to the rough island’s children. The handful of adults on the island are employed to man the lighthouse and harvest exquisite eggs. It’s a place that next to no one wants to go to, yet it’s a place Lucy feels drawn to in order to escape a life of all-pervasive fear.

Yet a lonely island may not be the best place to escape fears. Sure, they can protect against physical calamity, but the plight of the human conscience in a lonely place can bring out insanity in even the best of us. This tale, set after the California gold rush of 1849, reminds us of another 19th-century tale: Moby Dick. Can humanity escape ever-present worries about where to get their next meal or paycheck? Or in Lucy’s case, can she live worthwhile life on her own terms?

At first, Lucy hides her identity to her neighbors behind a contrived tale and an act. However, the people around her probe her along with life events. She finds that she must confront her fears instead of running away. She must save herself and those who she loves. She moves from being acted upon to becoming an actor. In a dramatic climax, she finds salvation, peace, and love in a rough world, even on Farallon Island.

In her first novel, Jen Wheeler excels at spinning good yarn. She conveys a subtle approach to human nature and provides several strong characters. Its genre spans several categories, including romance, mystery, and suspense. Readers interested in a romance or a survivor tale or a psychologically probing exploration need look no further. This book’s multifaceted approach had me eagerly reading all weekend to reach its end. Well done!… (mehr)