Review: The Salt House by Lisa Duffy

The Salt House by Lisa Duffy

Published: June 13, 2017

Publisher: Touchstone

Format: via publisher

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

In the coastal town of Alden, Maine, Hope and Jack Kelly have settled down to a life of wedded bliss. They have a beautiful family, a growing lobster business, and the Salt House—the dilapidated oceanfront cottage they’re renovating into their dream home. But tragedy strikes when their young daughter doesn’t wake up from her afternoon nap, taking her last breath without making a sound.

A year later, each member of the Kelly family navigates the world on their own private island of grief. Hope spends hours staring at her daughter’s ashes, unable to let go. Jack works to the point of exhaustion in an attempt to avoid his crumbling marriage. Their daughters, Jess and Kat, struggle to come to terms with the loss of their younger sister while watching their parents fall apart.

When Jack’s old rival, Ryland Finn, threatens his fishing territory, he ignites emotions that propel the Kelly family toward circumstances that will either tear them apart—or be the path to their family’s future.

 My Thoughts

The Salt House is an emotional rollercoaster of a read that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very end. It’s the tale of a family who tries to recover after the loss of their youngest daughter and how each one is dealing with the aftermath and are trying to move on. Told in alternating chapters by each family member we see how each one views each other and how they see how everyone is coping and dealing with the loss.

The Kelly family are holding on by a tread when an old rival Ryland comes back into town and Jack doesn’t like how Ryland and his wife are interacting, which doesn’t help his marriage which is all but in scambles. We see a marriage falling apart at the seams and a couple who doesn’t know how to grieve and take the time to save their marriage at the same time.

This was a heart wrenching, complex and intriguing read, one that gives us a glimpse into a family at their breaking point. What makes this read so wonderful is the rich layers that Lisa Duffy gives us that makes this story one that you cant put down. I haven’t been this invested in a story in a long time and I highly recommend this amazing book to anyone who wants a heartfelt read.