Once upon a time... And so our story begins, like all good
fairy tales, with a heroine, Norma. She blames her mother
for her terribly boring name, and often feels invisible in
comparison to more exciting women. Norma works in the
Midwest as a genealogist, researching the family histories
of other people. Her work is tedious, her social life is
mundane, and she doesn't foresee any changes in the future.
As a little girl, Norma was happiest when her father
created marvelous stories of journeys around the world.
While her mother and two sisters aren't exactly
Cinderella's stepfamily, Norma knows she'll never measure
up to their expectations or successes. On his deathbed,
Norma's father entrusts her with a mysterious key and
confesses the empowering secret that he would have named
her "Jewel" instead of Norma. When she opens her father's
merchant marine chest, she finds piles of money -- what her
father had called his escape plan. She also finds a small
toy, and she suddenly remembers her father's stories about
the Isles of Orkney and a puffin called Tammie Nories. Now,
as an adult, she realizes that the fantastic stories of her
childhood were real and that her father wants her to begin
her own adventures.
Using his secret savings, Norma journeys to the Orkney
Islands north of Scotland to pay tribute to her father's
memory and return the puffin toy to the cliffs. From there,
she hopes to find herself and create her own happily-ever-
after. Most importantly, away from her family and the
Midwest, she no longer has to be boring Norma. As an
unknown American on remote islands, Norma is turning heads
and attracting interest from several men.
Right away, Norma befriends the local dark and mysterious
artist, and also a sexy Texan tourist. Settling into island
life, her new girl friends attempt to set her up with
eligible men. She fears that she'll regret an introduction
to a heartbroken math professor, but Colin is gorgeous, and
they have much in common -- from their adulterous ex-
spouses to their mutual sexual attraction. Colin also helps
Norma learn more about the brooding artist, because Norma
can't stop thinking about his haunting images.
I appreciated that this book was more than a
straightforward romance. Baxter recognizes that previous
affairs, casual flings and tragic losses can continue to
hurt or haunt us. Everyone loves a good story and Baxter
delivers a journey of self-discovery worthy of further
exploration. From meddling old women to evil-witch
girlfriends, Baxter populates her novel with characters who
evoke memories of fairy tales. And after all, who doesn't
wish for a happily ever after?
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