Review: The Art of Floating by Kristin Bair O'Keeffe

The Art of Floating by Kristin Bair O’Keeffe 

Published: April 1, 2014

Format: copy via publisher
Publisher: Berkley Trade

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

When her beloved husband Jackson disappeared without a trace, popular novelist Sia Dane stopped writing, closed down her house, stuffed her heart into a cage, and started floating. It wasn’t the normal response to heartache, but Sia rarely did things the normal way.

Exactly one year, one month, and six days after Jackson’s disappearance, Sia discovers a mysterious man on the beach. He’s mute, unresponsive, and looks as if he has just walked out of the sea. It’s the sort of situation Jackson would have solved with a simple call to the police. But Jackson is gone.

As unreal as he seems, Sia is determined to help this man. Perhaps she can return him to his place in the world—to whoever lost him and loves him. Perhaps she can answer their questions the way no one could answer hers.

But as her friends and family help her winnow her way to the truth, Sia comes to realize that the unfathomable leap between sorrow and healing begins with a single step.

My Thoughts

The Art of Floating is a wonderfully written novel full of love, mystery and loss. I fell in love with the great cast of characters and the idyllic setting that the author has created. From the very beginning I was drawn in and couldn’t stop reading. I wanted to know who these people were and totally felt invested to the story.

I was captivated by the mystery surrounding Jackson’s disappearance then I was thrown for a loop by the appearance of this mystery man who simply looked like he appeared out of the ocean not to mention a mysterious woman who is watching Sia. Talk about layers of storyline! Where did he come from? Who is this woman? What happened to him? Was he brought to Sia for a reason? This book has a vibe of all things happen for a reason. I loved that! The universe always has a plan for us, even bigger than one we could ever plan or imagine.

I truly loved the message of healing. Everyone deals with loss differently and sometimes we need help to get us through. Sometimes it’s easier to get that help by unexpected places. This read will take you on a ride one for your mind and one for your soul. Definitely put this one your summer reads list…it’s the perfect beach read.