Jewel is trying to do it all, and believes that she is the only one who can.  Jewel works two jobs, one of which is for the county Eldercare taking care of her ailing parents, since Jewel is the only one her mother will allow to help her.  Jewel also helps her blind father take care of the horses, the only things that Jewel feels that she still loves unconditionally.  In addition to her parents, Jewel’s second husband Eddie just doesn’t seem to get what she is going through, Jewel’s daughter Carley is involved with drugs and a deadbeat boyfriend who keeps pulling her down, Eddie’s daughter Chastity is anything but her name suggests and Eddie’s son, Rocky is going to come live with them despite Eddie paying child support.   The tip of the iceberg however is when Jewel’s mother tells Jewel that her brother Cal will be staying with them.  Jewel can’t forgive Cal for a past indiscretion and when he shows up and does something else unforgivable, Jewel quits Eldercare and leaves everyone to figure it out on their own.  She just can’t stay away from the horses though, knowing that they won’t be getting the best care. 

An emotional tale of family, horses and forgiveness.  This is not only a story of a rollercoaster of family dynamics, but how the non-human members of our family can affect us.  I loved that every character in this story was very real and flawed; they held grudges, made mistakes, had vices and addictions and gave up hope.  However, when things really mattered they came together and made things work.  Most of the story is told from Jewel’s point of view, and I do sympathize a lot with her situation; the feeling that you are the only one who can do something and everything will fall apart without you.  There are also points of view from almost every other character in the story, which got a little confusing when they switched, but I figured it out.  The best point of view for me, as a horse lover was definitely the horses themselves!  This really highlighted the horse and human relationship and tied everything together in a unique way.  A great read for anyone who loves horses or for the sandwich generation who is trying to do it all.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

I’m not sure what I expected when I picked this book from NetGalley, but I will say that I definitely got more than I planned. Set in Wellfleet, a place I remember from childhood vacations, the author easily evokes the atmosphere of the place with description and history. When Caroline Marcum returns to her childhood home, it is not your typical homecoming. Her mother is dying, she has returned to a hometown she left in humiliating circumstances, and there is a legal battle brewing that is taking place literally in her own backyard.

It is difficult to describe this book without going into too much detail about the plot, but I am not a fan of summarizing, especially when the publisher does it so much better than I do. In any case, I will add some thoughts that don’t require too much explanation. I really enjoyed the lesson I learned about the legal history of the aquaculturists and their fight to keep alive a way of life that has been handed down through generations. The author clearly researched her topic, though the facts did become a bit too much at times.

Regarding the characters, I felt the author brought them vividly to life, with a broad range of personalities in the mix. The fishermen, the local color, Caroline, her mother and her friends all combined to make a compelling story.

This is a story about mercy, and, in some way, each of the characters attempts to seek forgiveness. I liked the way the author dealt with this on many levels. I am not really sure what Caroline was supposed to achieve when she sought out the woman she wronged; this plotline offered the only real sour note to the book for me. I felt like her behavior was stalker-like, and inappropriate given the touchy circumstances of her situation. This disappointed me, because I thought she would seek redemption in a much more positive and constructive way.

In any case, I did enjoy the book. It was like a beach read with extra credit — all the things I like in a beach read (beautiful warm setting, interesting characters, a little bit of mystery, romance) with a little history thrown in to make me feel smarter when I finished.

This was a beautiful book, albeit one that was hard for me to read for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the book and everything to do with me. It is the story of Caroline Marcum, who has come home to care for her mother in her final days. There is so much sadness, so much heartache, so much emotion. It tugged at my heart from start to finish, even as the suspense of the mystery underlying Caroline's life unfolded.

The last several years have been less than perfect for Caroline. The pain of it and the pain and guilt she carries with her threatens to overwhelm her, especially when faced with the fact that her mother is dying from cancer. She is emotionally wrought when she runs into an old friend and, in a moment of vulnerability, has a fling. That one moment changes everything for her and, in many ways, makes her feel even more lost and confused and guilty.

This is a story of moments. In a moment with Ridley, her life changes. During a trip to a nearby library, another moment sets in motion a scary series of events in Caroline's life. There is a lesson there, that those small moments can change your life in ways you can't possibly imagine.

The characters are wonderful in this story. Caroline and Rid seem rather flat at the beginning of the story, but I think that this was intentional on the part of the author. It seems to underscore the idea that life without the presence of love is not really living, that with love comes pain and loss, but that we can survive that pain and loss. Caroline has become so guarded with her emotions over the last several years and she has to learn to be vulnerable again, even to her mother in her dying days. Rid is used to relying on himself and is going through some things that make him distrustful of most everyone outside his immediate circle. Love and trust does not come easy to either of them. As they grow, their characters develop beautifully!

This is a beautiful story set in the midst of the Cape Cod oyster culture. The setting is rich with detail and teaches without feeling like a lesson. I felt like I was on the dunes of the oyster flats, experiencing the area right along with the characters.

Things to love...

--The detailed setting.
--The emotions and growth of the characters.

My Recommendation

I loved the depth of the characters and the depth of the emotions for me as a reader. Parts of Caroline's story were painful for me, in light of my own loss, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

By Lynne Hugo

ISBN-13: 9780985808617

Publisher: Blank Slate Press

Publication date: 8/1/2014

Pages: 278

My Rating:  4 Stars 

A heartwarming read, A MATTER OF MERCY is a story of loss, love, trust, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. 

An engaging and complex read about tough choices, and living with a past you wish you could change. Two lost and flawed souls, grieving from their own dark past, connect again years later on not so happy terms in their home town. Each with their own demons and fighting furiously, to stay afloat in the present. These two have more in common than they may think, and share something which will bond them for life.

Inspired by the 1996 lawsuit depicted in the Cape Cod novel, Lynn Hugo, masterfully crafted the history and the people of the area, as well as aquaculture in Wellfleet, MA with sensitivity, and detailed research.

The main character, Caroline (CiCi), has a past, she is guilt ridden, with no desire to return to her hometown of Wellfleet, MA. Her mother (Eleanor) is dying with cancer and she is called home from Chicago to spend her final days caring for her mom. Her mom,her mom’s friend Noelle and hospice nurse Elsie, want the best for Caroline, as she is alone in the world. She has no friends except her mom's friend and nurse, offering their support. 

Ridley (Rid) also has a past, with a prison term behind him and returning home to take over his father’s oyster and clam beds. He does not trust easily and he is focused on carrying out his father’s legacy-and will not allow anything to get in the way. 

However, Rid and two other sea farmers are being sued by wealthy owners of vacation homes who want to shut them down. In the meantime, CiCi and Rid connect briefly, as they knew one another from high school; however, not that close.

CiCi’s worst nightmare faces her, as the one person she never wanted to meet again (the one act she lives with daily, her mistake--the person she most wronged), the mother, Terry is here in this town working at the local library. 

She withholds her identity to get close to Terry. As the suspense builds, they must learn to put the hurt behind, in order to move on and trust again. 

As someone begins to try and run her out of town, terrorizing her, she is afraid for her life and yet she trusts no one. She has no way of knowing if it is about the land, her past, or the one person she is connected to.

A diamond in the rough, Ridley with his truck, his oysters, and a lab named Lizzie, will warm your heart, as his layers are peeled away. He and Caroline (you will sympathize with her), will need to face their fears, take some risks, put their past aside, and learn to forgive themselves and others, in order to experience love and happiness. (Some other mystery, suspense, and surprises, along the journey--no spoilers). 

Loved the quote on Page 271: “Listen, I know you’re right, there’s some risk. But I have to take that chance if I’m going to live at all. I’ve been afraid to, because so much goes wrong all the time. But not living hurts, too. That’s the problem. You love, you hurt. You don’t love, you hurt. You trust, you forgive, and you get hurt. You don’t trust, you don’t forgive, guess what?” 

“Which choices let you live the best, most decent life? Which gives you more chance at goodness? The way we live here is all about risk and love, isn’t it? That’s what sea farmers do. You don’t give up. This is my chance to not give up to have a little hope Terry and I can somehow move on to something better in our lives.”

A MATTER OF MERCY is a riveting novel about holding strong to history and family, and the land and seas of beautiful Cape Cod, as three people discover redemption and forgiveness.

Beautifully written, this is my first book by Lynn Hugo and look forward to reading more from this talented author. If you are a fan of author, Mary Alice Monroe or Karen White, you will enjoy reading this rich and intimate look of more than sea and the land, but family and community, and the lives of those who protect and nurture—those they treasure and hold close.

A special thank you to Blank Slate Press, AuthorBuzz, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.