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A Drop in the Ocean
On her 49th birthday, Anna Fergusson, Boston neuroscientist and dedicated introvert, arrives at an unwanted crossroads when the funding for her research lab is cut. With her confidence shattered and her future uncertain, on impulse she rents a cabin for a year on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. However Turtle Island, alive with sea birds and nesting Green turtles, is not the retreat she expected. Here she finds love—for the eccentric islanders who become her family; for Tom, the laid-back turtle whisperer; and for the turtles whose ancient mothering instincts move her to tears. But Anna finds that even on her idyllic drop in the ocean there is pain, and as the months fly past her dream for a new life is threatened by a darkness that challenges everything she has come to believe about the power of love.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2016
2736 people are currently reading
3330 people want to read
About the author
Jenni Ogden
6books319followersReading and writing fiction is my passion, along with walking, swimming, reading and sleeping on beaches. Husband John and I live off-grid on spectacular Great Barrier Island, 100 kms off the coast of New Zealand, a perfect place to write, and we often spend time in Australia, preferably close to a coral reef. My new novel, 'Dancing with Dragons' the winner of the 2024 GOLD Independent Publisher Book Awards for Fiction, Australia/New Zealand-Aotearoa/Pacific Rim, was published on 16th July, 2024 and for the launch period the e-book is only US$3.99; (non-sale price $6.99). 'Call My Name' , a great read for bookclubs, set mainly in Queensland, Australia, is the story of two women, bound together by contrasting personalities, friendship, love and home—until motherhood rips them apart. My debut novel, 'A Drop in the Ocean', won multiple awards and has sold over 80,000 copies. 'The Moon is Missing', is a domestic suspense/family drama set partly in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Before I wrote fiction, I was a clinical neuropsychologist, which I also loved (but we move through different stages in our lives; the important thing is always to have a passion) and became well-known for my books featuring my amazing patients� moving stories: 'Fractured Minds: A Case-Study Approach to Clinical Neuropsychology', and 'Trouble In Mind: Stories from a Neuropsychologist’s Casebook'. (The same sort of tales that the late and great Oliver Sacks was known for.)
I'd love to send you my very occasional e-newsletter so I can share my off-grid tales and favorite books with you! To sign up, go to . On the way you’ll come across my author page (). And do follow me on ŷ, and indeed, friend and follow me wherever you hang out!
I'd love to send you my very occasional e-newsletter so I can share my off-grid tales and favorite books with you! To sign up, go to . On the way you’ll come across my author page (). And do follow me on ŷ, and indeed, friend and follow me wherever you hang out!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
January 2, 2025
Some stories deserve to be read slowly.
Savored because the characters feel like family � or friends you want to hang around with.
This one is told by Anna. Anna is a loner. A long-time medical researcher who has chosen this field because she would rather do this than be around people.
Then her grant is not renewed and she is suddenly left with not knowing what to do with herself.
An opportunity comes up to rent out a cabin on Turtle Island in Australia for a year. This seems like a chance for her to write a memoir about her life as a researcher. And because this is a remote island, she doesn’t have to deal with people, right? Wrong.
If anything, she finds herself amongst a group of loving, nurturing, amazing thoughtful people who change Anna’s outlook on life.
And along the way, as readers we are changed to, as well.
We experience the Great Barrier Reef of Australia � the turtles� migrations � as well as the devastation of Huntington Disease (HD), among other interesting adventures.
The part about HD, well, it is best for you to read the story to find out how it touches the characters lives.
I kinda feel sad that I came to the end of the story. I am already missing my friends.
Savored because the characters feel like family � or friends you want to hang around with.
This one is told by Anna. Anna is a loner. A long-time medical researcher who has chosen this field because she would rather do this than be around people.
Then her grant is not renewed and she is suddenly left with not knowing what to do with herself.
An opportunity comes up to rent out a cabin on Turtle Island in Australia for a year. This seems like a chance for her to write a memoir about her life as a researcher. And because this is a remote island, she doesn’t have to deal with people, right? Wrong.
If anything, she finds herself amongst a group of loving, nurturing, amazing thoughtful people who change Anna’s outlook on life.
And along the way, as readers we are changed to, as well.
We experience the Great Barrier Reef of Australia � the turtles� migrations � as well as the devastation of Huntington Disease (HD), among other interesting adventures.
The part about HD, well, it is best for you to read the story to find out how it touches the characters lives.
I kinda feel sad that I came to the end of the story. I am already missing my friends.
March 29, 2021
Hope you enjoy this book as much as I loved writing it! And if you ever have a chance to spend time on a coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef, take it. Likewise if you get an opportunity to watch (quietly and without bright lights) marine turtles nesting, you are in for some magic. But it is not all lovely in paradise, of course, so prepare for that neurological slant...
Below the 5 star review from Readers' Favorite
Reviewed By Danielle Urban for Readers� Favorite
A Drop in the Ocean is a brilliantly well written novel, one that will instantly pull readers into its deepest depths. Jenni Ogden has beautifully woven a story that readers won't easily forget. A story of one woman's journey to life, love, and loss, A Drop in the Ocean is a fictional world where readers will truly lose themselves inside its plot.
Jenni Ogden's novel, A Drop in the Ocean, is the first of her novels that I have read. After reading this compelling story, I have fallen in love with Jenni Ogden's work. In a world depicting one very intelligent yet strong woman, Anna Fergusson isolates herself inside her work. This work requires a lot of back breaking old-fashioned research. It's not until her 49th birthday that she reads a letter that will forever change her life. The life and work that she has come to know and love is taken away, but still she hopes for a miracle. Soon, she finds herself on an island and discovers a lot more to life than just research.
Readers will laugh and cry and want to hug Anna Fergusson as the scenes unfold. But that's not all. Readers will be taken into the vivid imagery of the island and the turtles. A beautiful world indeed. Life throws us curve balls and here we see Anna struggle with the ones tossed her way. Jenni Ogden's story is realistic and heartfelt. This is a must-read for all. A breathtaking journey of second chances. Life, love, and loss are strong themes that will lure readers back to this unforgettable novel. I loved it! A powerful read that I highly recommend to readers everywhere.
Below the 5 star review from Readers' Favorite
Reviewed By Danielle Urban for Readers� Favorite
A Drop in the Ocean is a brilliantly well written novel, one that will instantly pull readers into its deepest depths. Jenni Ogden has beautifully woven a story that readers won't easily forget. A story of one woman's journey to life, love, and loss, A Drop in the Ocean is a fictional world where readers will truly lose themselves inside its plot.
Jenni Ogden's novel, A Drop in the Ocean, is the first of her novels that I have read. After reading this compelling story, I have fallen in love with Jenni Ogden's work. In a world depicting one very intelligent yet strong woman, Anna Fergusson isolates herself inside her work. This work requires a lot of back breaking old-fashioned research. It's not until her 49th birthday that she reads a letter that will forever change her life. The life and work that she has come to know and love is taken away, but still she hopes for a miracle. Soon, she finds herself on an island and discovers a lot more to life than just research.
Readers will laugh and cry and want to hug Anna Fergusson as the scenes unfold. But that's not all. Readers will be taken into the vivid imagery of the island and the turtles. A beautiful world indeed. Life throws us curve balls and here we see Anna struggle with the ones tossed her way. Jenni Ogden's story is realistic and heartfelt. This is a must-read for all. A breathtaking journey of second chances. Life, love, and loss are strong themes that will lure readers back to this unforgettable novel. I loved it! A powerful read that I highly recommend to readers everywhere.
August 30, 2017
A Drop in the Ocean is Jenni Ogden's debut novel.
The central character is Anna Fergusson, almost fifty, a neuroscientist, specialised in Huntington's Disease.
When she loses her job, she impulsively decides to rent a cabin on Turtle Island, a secluded place in the Australian Great Barrier Reef. She's like the proverbial fish out of the water.
As time goes by she meets the few inhabitants of the island and the "turtle whisperer" Tom, a turtle researcher. He's ten years her junior but there is a great attraction between the two.
Will anything happen? Read and you'll find out.
There were lots of things I liked about this novel: the fact that the main character was in her fifties and was a bit different from other characters. The setting was gorgeous and I enjoyed learning more about turtles. Also, this horrible Huntington's disease plays an important part in the novel.
I'll conclude by saying that this was a good read, that was both entertaining and thought provoking.
3.5 stars
I've received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to She Writes Press for this advanced copy.
The central character is Anna Fergusson, almost fifty, a neuroscientist, specialised in Huntington's Disease.
When she loses her job, she impulsively decides to rent a cabin on Turtle Island, a secluded place in the Australian Great Barrier Reef. She's like the proverbial fish out of the water.
As time goes by she meets the few inhabitants of the island and the "turtle whisperer" Tom, a turtle researcher. He's ten years her junior but there is a great attraction between the two.
Will anything happen? Read and you'll find out.
There were lots of things I liked about this novel: the fact that the main character was in her fifties and was a bit different from other characters. The setting was gorgeous and I enjoyed learning more about turtles. Also, this horrible Huntington's disease plays an important part in the novel.
I'll conclude by saying that this was a good read, that was both entertaining and thought provoking.
3.5 stars
I've received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to She Writes Press for this advanced copy.
June 30, 2016
It made me a bit nervous when the story turned out to be about a lady from Boston moving to an island in Australia. As an Aussie, I've often groaned out loud about the inaccurate way we are portrayed in fiction for American readers. Writers are sometimes way off when they imagine the attitudes we profess and the spoken expressions we use. It's not something you can just improvise, and sometimes I can't believe they assume the population of a whole country just won't notice. To my relief, this one wasn't too far off the mark. It turns out that Jenni Ogden is an author who has experienced life in both Australia and America, so has knowledge of both cultures.
There were a few aspects which really appealed to me about this novel. The main character, Anna Fergusson, is 49 years old. It's refreshing to have the occasional heroine her age. There are so many young women in their teens and twenties, or elderly ladies looking back on their lives. Those who are in between sometimes miss out, so I was happy to read Anna's story. In the first chapter, she discovers that she will no longer be funded for the grant she'd taken for granted. Unexpected setbacks sometimes happen, and after her initial upset, Anna decides to take a chance on something unlike she'd ever done before. She becomes caretaker at a lonely campground on a tropical island in the Barrier Reef. It sounded like a sea change in all senses of the world, and piqued my curiosity.
After the strong start, the impetus seemed to taper off a little bit when I got into the body of the story. The setting and relationships on Turtle Island are well described, but the story becomes more meandering and reflective than plot driven. Anna spends long sections delving back into her past, journalling and reflecting. Her relationship with Tom the turtle whisperer seems to evolve without too many twists or turns. The descriptions of the native turtle population are beautiful and well worth pondering, but for some time, nothing much happens in the way of a strong story line. This may be brilliant if you're after a quiet read with revelations of nature's beauty. But if you're looking for a page turner in the more exciting sense of the word, it might not fit the bill.
Thanks to She Writes Press and NetGalley for my review copy.
Find more reviews on my blog,
There were a few aspects which really appealed to me about this novel. The main character, Anna Fergusson, is 49 years old. It's refreshing to have the occasional heroine her age. There are so many young women in their teens and twenties, or elderly ladies looking back on their lives. Those who are in between sometimes miss out, so I was happy to read Anna's story. In the first chapter, she discovers that she will no longer be funded for the grant she'd taken for granted. Unexpected setbacks sometimes happen, and after her initial upset, Anna decides to take a chance on something unlike she'd ever done before. She becomes caretaker at a lonely campground on a tropical island in the Barrier Reef. It sounded like a sea change in all senses of the world, and piqued my curiosity.
After the strong start, the impetus seemed to taper off a little bit when I got into the body of the story. The setting and relationships on Turtle Island are well described, but the story becomes more meandering and reflective than plot driven. Anna spends long sections delving back into her past, journalling and reflecting. Her relationship with Tom the turtle whisperer seems to evolve without too many twists or turns. The descriptions of the native turtle population are beautiful and well worth pondering, but for some time, nothing much happens in the way of a strong story line. This may be brilliant if you're after a quiet read with revelations of nature's beauty. But if you're looking for a page turner in the more exciting sense of the word, it might not fit the bill.
Thanks to She Writes Press and NetGalley for my review copy.
Find more reviews on my blog,
September 12, 2016
I loved this book, it was such a pleasurable read. This author, a neuro-psychologist, is obviously quite knowledgeable about the central issues of her novel, Huntington’s Disease, and marine turtle conservation, both of which are given greater supportive detail at the end of the book.
Anna Ferguson, a neuroscientist, has spent her career on researching treatment for Huntington's Disease. After losing funding to support her lab's on-going existence, she takes a job as keeper of a campground on an island of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Most of the novel’s unfolding occurs here, with a side jaunt to the Shetland Islands. Both settings were described in splendid detail; besides the scientific knowledge she brings to this story, the author is also a skilled writer, whose rich use of language to describe both landscape and emotional nuance, made this such an enjoyable book in which to lose oneself.
Anna Ferguson, a neuroscientist, has spent her career on researching treatment for Huntington's Disease. After losing funding to support her lab's on-going existence, she takes a job as keeper of a campground on an island of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Most of the novel’s unfolding occurs here, with a side jaunt to the Shetland Islands. Both settings were described in splendid detail; besides the scientific knowledge she brings to this story, the author is also a skilled writer, whose rich use of language to describe both landscape and emotional nuance, made this such an enjoyable book in which to lose oneself.
June 7, 2023
Bookclub. The others DNF. But I soldiered on�
Mutton dressed as lamb. Or is it lamb dressed as mutton? A 49 year old woman from Boston doesn’t receive a grant to continue her research on Huntington’s disease. She wallows in self-pity, and eventually decides to have a gap year by taking a camp caretaker role on a small island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Keeping spoilers to a minimum, all the usual gap year things occur: isolation, fitting in, overcoming fears, forming bonds. Chuck in a tropical island and you get a cyclone, a love interest and some minor shark action. Skipping ahead now�
My main beefs were the supposed age of Anna the protagonist, and the Americanized words used by Aussies. I don’t know many 49 year olds who talk about younger women in skimpy costumes, medical problems, cooking pancakes, baby sitting, using a travel agent to book flights, and sending postcards instead of emails. I have heard many retirees talking about such topics but not 49 year olds. But then again, maybe I don’t know enough 49 year olds.
The language beef, I gave some leeway to Anna for using American jargon as it was fitting (even though she hailed from England), but it crept into the other characters. I’m sorry but Aussies don’t really say diapers, fanny, basinet, or pounds. But most of all “gidday�. It’s definitely g’day. Yes gidday is in the dictionary but I’ve never read it spelt that way.
The plot, I won’t ruin it but I knew what would happen re the disease factor and the relationship.
I could be a touch sensitive here, but as a minority group member, when Anna’s mum talked about her lesbian relationship years back, saying, “I don’t think I was ever a true lesbian. I was just so very lonely.� I thought wow. It’s not a phase. Sure you can be pan- or bi-, but loneliness� I felt the burn there. I don’t think it was intended as a sting. Quite the opposite. I think the author was trying to be cool by including a respectable queer character, it was just a mis-hit.
Anyone who sees my reviews would know I don’t do romance well (real life absolutely). It could be that I don’t really go along with old-age gender roles. I see people as equals. Anna may have wanted a big, strong man to rescue her and take him in her arms, that’s fine. But here are some of the romance lines that screamed old fashioned for me:
“My heart was thumping and I thrashed my feet, trying to pull away from Tom and back onto the safety of the reef flat. But he held my hand firmly and continued to pull me along beside him�.
“Goodnight sweet Anna, sleep well under your stars�.
“And when Tom reached for me I moved into the safety of his arms without hesitation�.
There were a couple of eeeew moments of the new couple/late hour moments, in the way that you don’t want to hear what your parents do behind closed doors.
The others DNF due to the quality of the writing. And an inside joke here but, “it was worse than Crawdads�.
On a positive note, I found it easy to read, the plot was just enough for me, the nature atmosphere was good, the societal shake up attempt was good, some of the characters were pretty cool, Huntington disease education was good.
Book club ratings: my 2.5, DNF, DNF, DNF, and one still going.
Mutton dressed as lamb. Or is it lamb dressed as mutton? A 49 year old woman from Boston doesn’t receive a grant to continue her research on Huntington’s disease. She wallows in self-pity, and eventually decides to have a gap year by taking a camp caretaker role on a small island on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Keeping spoilers to a minimum, all the usual gap year things occur: isolation, fitting in, overcoming fears, forming bonds. Chuck in a tropical island and you get a cyclone, a love interest and some minor shark action. Skipping ahead now�
My main beefs were the supposed age of Anna the protagonist, and the Americanized words used by Aussies. I don’t know many 49 year olds who talk about younger women in skimpy costumes, medical problems, cooking pancakes, baby sitting, using a travel agent to book flights, and sending postcards instead of emails. I have heard many retirees talking about such topics but not 49 year olds. But then again, maybe I don’t know enough 49 year olds.
The language beef, I gave some leeway to Anna for using American jargon as it was fitting (even though she hailed from England), but it crept into the other characters. I’m sorry but Aussies don’t really say diapers, fanny, basinet, or pounds. But most of all “gidday�. It’s definitely g’day. Yes gidday is in the dictionary but I’ve never read it spelt that way.
The plot, I won’t ruin it but I knew what would happen re the disease factor and the relationship.
I could be a touch sensitive here, but as a minority group member, when Anna’s mum talked about her lesbian relationship years back, saying, “I don’t think I was ever a true lesbian. I was just so very lonely.� I thought wow. It’s not a phase. Sure you can be pan- or bi-, but loneliness� I felt the burn there. I don’t think it was intended as a sting. Quite the opposite. I think the author was trying to be cool by including a respectable queer character, it was just a mis-hit.
Anyone who sees my reviews would know I don’t do romance well (real life absolutely). It could be that I don’t really go along with old-age gender roles. I see people as equals. Anna may have wanted a big, strong man to rescue her and take him in her arms, that’s fine. But here are some of the romance lines that screamed old fashioned for me:
“My heart was thumping and I thrashed my feet, trying to pull away from Tom and back onto the safety of the reef flat. But he held my hand firmly and continued to pull me along beside him�.
“Goodnight sweet Anna, sleep well under your stars�.
“And when Tom reached for me I moved into the safety of his arms without hesitation�.
There were a couple of eeeew moments of the new couple/late hour moments, in the way that you don’t want to hear what your parents do behind closed doors.
The others DNF due to the quality of the writing. And an inside joke here but, “it was worse than Crawdads�.
On a positive note, I found it easy to read, the plot was just enough for me, the nature atmosphere was good, the societal shake up attempt was good, some of the characters were pretty cool, Huntington disease education was good.
Book club ratings: my 2.5, DNF, DNF, DNF, and one still going.
April 15, 2025
I adore Jenni Ogden, her work is nuanced, thoughtful and articulate. I cannot tell you how much I long to be in that island with the turtles.
This title was particularly close to my heart as I know it is to the author herself.
Beautiful ❤️
I didn’t 💯 love the narration of this title, it wasn’t bad by any means I’d just have liked a bit of a different fit for our protagonist 🎧
This sat in my library for a very long time and I believe it’s now included with audible 🎧
This title was particularly close to my heart as I know it is to the author herself.
Beautiful ❤️
I didn’t 💯 love the narration of this title, it wasn’t bad by any means I’d just have liked a bit of a different fit for our protagonist 🎧
This sat in my library for a very long time and I believe it’s now included with audible 🎧
May 15, 2016
Imagine having the opportunity to move into a little cabin on a remote tropical island with seabirds, turtles and hardly any other people. Well, that’s what happened to Anna Fergusson. This story was set in a great location with an interesting mix of characters.
Although I didn’t completely fall in love with the story, I did enjoy it, and found it to be an interesting and thought provoking read, covering the subjects of Huntington’s disease and the conservation of turtles, both of which are expanded upon in the facts section after the novel, which I thought was an interesting and important addition.
I also enjoyed the epilogue, and thought the book club questions section was a nice touch, as it made me think about aspects of the story after I had finished reading it.
I would like to thank the publisher, She Writes Press for allowing me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Although I didn’t completely fall in love with the story, I did enjoy it, and found it to be an interesting and thought provoking read, covering the subjects of Huntington’s disease and the conservation of turtles, both of which are expanded upon in the facts section after the novel, which I thought was an interesting and important addition.
I also enjoyed the epilogue, and thought the book club questions section was a nice touch, as it made me think about aspects of the story after I had finished reading it.
I would like to thank the publisher, She Writes Press for allowing me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2016
Who hasn’t dreamed of getting away from it all and spending a year on a tropical island swimming, snorkeling and catching up on your to-be-read books on your Kindle?
Anna Fergusson has spent her adult life writing grant proposals which keep her Huntington’s research laboratory funded. She has a staff of four researchers and lives a quiet unassuming life in Boston. When she receives notification on her 49th birthday that her funding has been cut she is left wondering what to do with her life. Encouraged by her best friend, she applies for a position as caretaker of a camp ground on Turtle Island on the Great Barrier Reef for a year.
Jenni Ogden has given us a feel good chick-lit read with A Drop In the Ocean. We get to ride on the introverted shoulders of Anna as she joins Tom in the annual monitoring of the sea turtle nesting grounds and befriends the locals who live on the small island. From a guarded life in Boston to a world of migrating birds, social connections and learning skills she would never have thought possible, Anna’s world expands and opens up to the possibilities of love and sharing herself with others. Hours spent in contemplation reveal her past and lead her to forge new relationships both with the turtle whisperer Tom and her estranged mother who lives on the Shetland Islands. A journey of discovery to be sure.
I enjoyed this gentle read and appreciated the research the author put into this novel. Not only do we learn about life on a coral cay but the scenes on the Shetland Islands were magical. This is the kind of book which points to possibilities. There is life outside of that nine to five job. All it takes is the courage to take a chance on opportunities and the desire to follow your dreams.
ARC provided with thanks from publisher via NetGalley
Anna Fergusson has spent her adult life writing grant proposals which keep her Huntington’s research laboratory funded. She has a staff of four researchers and lives a quiet unassuming life in Boston. When she receives notification on her 49th birthday that her funding has been cut she is left wondering what to do with her life. Encouraged by her best friend, she applies for a position as caretaker of a camp ground on Turtle Island on the Great Barrier Reef for a year.
Jenni Ogden has given us a feel good chick-lit read with A Drop In the Ocean. We get to ride on the introverted shoulders of Anna as she joins Tom in the annual monitoring of the sea turtle nesting grounds and befriends the locals who live on the small island. From a guarded life in Boston to a world of migrating birds, social connections and learning skills she would never have thought possible, Anna’s world expands and opens up to the possibilities of love and sharing herself with others. Hours spent in contemplation reveal her past and lead her to forge new relationships both with the turtle whisperer Tom and her estranged mother who lives on the Shetland Islands. A journey of discovery to be sure.
I enjoyed this gentle read and appreciated the research the author put into this novel. Not only do we learn about life on a coral cay but the scenes on the Shetland Islands were magical. This is the kind of book which points to possibilities. There is life outside of that nine to five job. All it takes is the courage to take a chance on opportunities and the desire to follow your dreams.
ARC provided with thanks from publisher via NetGalley
February 10, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in return for an honest review.
It's hard to put into words how much I enjoyed this book!
A drop in the ocean is about Anna, a research scientist, who after losing her grant decides to try something new while she decides what to do next. She chooses to go to Turtle Island helping to run a camp site there. Whilst there she truely comes out of herself and discovers who she really is and what she is capable of.
I really liked the central character of Anna. I liked that she was normal and flawed unlike some of the apparently super woman depicted in other books. I enjoyed reading about how she discovers the world isn't necessarily black and white, how to interact with people and gains confidence in herself and her abilities. At the beginning of the book she often describes her reactions as being similar to a teenager which is accurate but as she grows through the book they become decidedly more adult especially when dealing with some of the emotional events that happen. The description of Turtle Island is breath taking and had me running to the computer to see if such a place really exists (it does!). I was transported to the Island sitting on the sand and swimming in the reefs with them. The turtle research and nesting parts of the book were also fascinating as I didn't know a lot about it as was the information included about Huntington's disease.
There were a few things I didn't like about the book, though not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of it. Some of the drama in the book is resolved really quickly with big arguments being g forgotten in a few hours which I'm not sure is very realistic. There were also a few times that the things neddec to help solve the crisis just happened to be available next door, conveniently stored there by someone as a surprise or information needed was found by asking the first person available which was a bit sickly sweet in places and maybe a tad unrealistic. Finally some of the descriptions of hurt wildlife and how nature deals with such incidents, whilst true, seemed a bit harsh and out of place in whatbis otherwise a very gentle story.
The ending wasn't the ending I wanted but it was an appropriate and brave one for the characters involved. It kept me thinking about it long after I finished reading the book, especially as to how I would have handled the situation
Overall I really enjoyed this well paced and interesting story of Anna discovering herself and learning from past mistakes. I look forward to reading more from this author and will definitely be recommending it to others!
It's hard to put into words how much I enjoyed this book!
A drop in the ocean is about Anna, a research scientist, who after losing her grant decides to try something new while she decides what to do next. She chooses to go to Turtle Island helping to run a camp site there. Whilst there she truely comes out of herself and discovers who she really is and what she is capable of.
I really liked the central character of Anna. I liked that she was normal and flawed unlike some of the apparently super woman depicted in other books. I enjoyed reading about how she discovers the world isn't necessarily black and white, how to interact with people and gains confidence in herself and her abilities. At the beginning of the book she often describes her reactions as being similar to a teenager which is accurate but as she grows through the book they become decidedly more adult especially when dealing with some of the emotional events that happen. The description of Turtle Island is breath taking and had me running to the computer to see if such a place really exists (it does!). I was transported to the Island sitting on the sand and swimming in the reefs with them. The turtle research and nesting parts of the book were also fascinating as I didn't know a lot about it as was the information included about Huntington's disease.
There were a few things I didn't like about the book, though not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of it. Some of the drama in the book is resolved really quickly with big arguments being g forgotten in a few hours which I'm not sure is very realistic. There were also a few times that the things neddec to help solve the crisis just happened to be available next door, conveniently stored there by someone as a surprise or information needed was found by asking the first person available which was a bit sickly sweet in places and maybe a tad unrealistic. Finally some of the descriptions of hurt wildlife and how nature deals with such incidents, whilst true, seemed a bit harsh and out of place in whatbis otherwise a very gentle story.
The ending wasn't the ending I wanted but it was an appropriate and brave one for the characters involved. It kept me thinking about it long after I finished reading the book, especially as to how I would have handled the situation
Overall I really enjoyed this well paced and interesting story of Anna discovering herself and learning from past mistakes. I look forward to reading more from this author and will definitely be recommending it to others!
May 6, 2020
In Boston, USA, 49-year-old neuroscientist Anna Fergusson is addicted to her work researching Huntington's Disease, a hereditary disabling illness that produces distressing symptoms and often early death. However, when her funding is suddenly terminated, spinster Anna is at a loss as to what to do with her life. With the encouragement of best friend Fran, she takes a rather far-fetched plunge into a year's job on an isolated coral island off the Queensland coast, looking after a small campsite. Arriving on the island, she finds life basic but idyllic and is soon taken under the wing of the residents of Turtle Island. Thinking that she might use the time to write a memoir of her experiences as a researcher, at the whim of funding bodies, she also starts to write her life story, Anna settles in but soon finds herself enamoured by Tom the 'turtle whisperer', who lives on the island doing research on turtle populations and breeding habits.
Told entirely from the point of view of Anna, I felt this book was largely targeted at a female audience but I still found it an enjoyable read overall and certainly would have loved to live on Turtle Island myself! - 7/10.
Told entirely from the point of view of Anna, I felt this book was largely targeted at a female audience but I still found it an enjoyable read overall and certainly would have loved to live on Turtle Island myself! - 7/10.
May 17, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. A good read that makes you want to visit the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
I also love to read about other places and topics that I know nothing about. This book does both of these.
After losing her grant money fore research into Huntington's Disease Anna gets a temporary job on a small isolated island in the Great Barrier Reef. This island is a nesting ground for sea turtles. Anna meets Tom. Tom is called the turtle whisper and learns all about sea turtles from Tom. Tom and Anna's relationship grows to more than a working one. Anna is only going to be on the island for 1 year and has to decide whether to return to Boston where she was doing her Huntington's research or stay on the island with Tom. You also learn about the devastation of Huntington's Disease and how important the research is. Anna has to make a big decision.
I also love to read about other places and topics that I know nothing about. This book does both of these.
After losing her grant money fore research into Huntington's Disease Anna gets a temporary job on a small isolated island in the Great Barrier Reef. This island is a nesting ground for sea turtles. Anna meets Tom. Tom is called the turtle whisper and learns all about sea turtles from Tom. Tom and Anna's relationship grows to more than a working one. Anna is only going to be on the island for 1 year and has to decide whether to return to Boston where she was doing her Huntington's research or stay on the island with Tom. You also learn about the devastation of Huntington's Disease and how important the research is. Anna has to make a big decision.
May 5, 2016
I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy of this compelling novel about turtles, the fragility of life, and the complexity of love. Every night I was reading A Drop in the Ocean, I found myself transported to a remote island on the Great Barrier Reef, a place I wanted to stay. Jenni Ogden has a gift for describing the natural world. I read this novel slowly, savoring the setting as much as the storyline. Talking of which…so much in here for book clubs to discuss!
June 7, 2016
Book covers can be so hit and miss, but every so often one comes along that is so attractive you find yourself eagerly hoping that it’s a book that you’re going to love. And this one did not disappoint.
I started seeing this book mentioned on ŷ and Twitter and when Jenni commented on one of my blog posts I visited her website and spent an evening looking at the pictures, reading her newsletters, learning a little about this remarkable woman who grew up in the South Island, New Zealand, became a neuropsychologist and now lives between two small islands in New Zealand and Australia.
Jenni Ogden’s debut novel A Drop in the Ocean centres around Anna Fergusson, a 49-year-old woman not anticipating change in her life, whose controlled, familiar world is upended when her long-term research grant is casually rejected, throwing her into early retirement and the four scientists in her team into the harsh reality of insecure tenure.
Although she had spent all these years studying and researching the disease, she had avoided dealing with the families, peering down a microscope rather than into the eyes of sufferers, making using of the team to carry out the fieldwork.
When the opportunity to spend a year on a tropical island in Australia was presented to her by a friend, she was initially dismissive, until the idea of finishing her latest paper and perhaps writing a book prompted her to reply to the advertisement.
The island was an eight hectare coral cay surrounded by a large coral reef, with few inhabitants, accessible by fishing boat or charter, only solar power and supplies brought in fortnightly.
Named Turtle Island, one of the locals was a ‘turtle whisperer� named Tom, a researcher who tagged turtles, participated in turtle rodeos and kept pretty much to himself when not at sea with the graceful creatures.
While Anna planned to spend her days working on her memoir, the allure of the activity of the island and Tom made her restless, she became curious about him and the fieldwork he was doing. While part of her resisted the attraction, her instinct was stronger, pushing her out of the cottage and into his realm.
The novel places Anna and Tom on the same island where we observe their relationship develop, how they challenge aspects of each other, their relationship a conduit to them seeing themselves more clearly.
The novel is written in a familiar, comfortable style, Ogden’s sense of place is so strong, you will feel as though you are on the island with them all, seeing everything around you, anticipating the developments between characters, taking part in the daily activities and monitoring of the turtle season, witnessing their vulnerability to the elements.
The main characters are fully realised and brilliantly captured, Anna always in control, somewhat detached from people in her life and living far from her own family, has to let go to become close to Tom and through him will learn more about her own research and person than all her years of dedication and hard work had achieved.
A Drop in the Ocean is the perfect summer read, the quiet, shocking dilemma of losing a grant and the job that went with it, the flippant fantasy of leaving everything familiar for a tropical island and the reality of making a life and finding love, it’s engaging, thought-provoking, heartfelt and sun-filled.
Highly recommended!
I started seeing this book mentioned on ŷ and Twitter and when Jenni commented on one of my blog posts I visited her website and spent an evening looking at the pictures, reading her newsletters, learning a little about this remarkable woman who grew up in the South Island, New Zealand, became a neuropsychologist and now lives between two small islands in New Zealand and Australia.
Jenni Ogden’s debut novel A Drop in the Ocean centres around Anna Fergusson, a 49-year-old woman not anticipating change in her life, whose controlled, familiar world is upended when her long-term research grant is casually rejected, throwing her into early retirement and the four scientists in her team into the harsh reality of insecure tenure.
The research I had been doing for the past twenty-four years � first for my PhD, then as a research assistant, and finally as the leader of the team � focused on various aspects of Huntington’s disease, a terrible genetically transmitted disorder that targets half the children of every parent who has the illness.
Although she had spent all these years studying and researching the disease, she had avoided dealing with the families, peering down a microscope rather than into the eyes of sufferers, making using of the team to carry out the fieldwork.
When the opportunity to spend a year on a tropical island in Australia was presented to her by a friend, she was initially dismissive, until the idea of finishing her latest paper and perhaps writing a book prompted her to reply to the advertisement.
For rent to a single or couple who want to escape to a tropical paradise. Basic cabin on tiny coral island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. AUD$250 a week; must agree to stay one year and look after small private campsite (five tents maximum). Starting date October 2008. For more information email lazylad at yahoo.com.au
The island was an eight hectare coral cay surrounded by a large coral reef, with few inhabitants, accessible by fishing boat or charter, only solar power and supplies brought in fortnightly.
Named Turtle Island, one of the locals was a ‘turtle whisperer� named Tom, a researcher who tagged turtles, participated in turtle rodeos and kept pretty much to himself when not at sea with the graceful creatures.
While Anna planned to spend her days working on her memoir, the allure of the activity of the island and Tom made her restless, she became curious about him and the fieldwork he was doing. While part of her resisted the attraction, her instinct was stronger, pushing her out of the cottage and into his realm.
The novel places Anna and Tom on the same island where we observe their relationship develop, how they challenge aspects of each other, their relationship a conduit to them seeing themselves more clearly.
The novel is written in a familiar, comfortable style, Ogden’s sense of place is so strong, you will feel as though you are on the island with them all, seeing everything around you, anticipating the developments between characters, taking part in the daily activities and monitoring of the turtle season, witnessing their vulnerability to the elements.
The main characters are fully realised and brilliantly captured, Anna always in control, somewhat detached from people in her life and living far from her own family, has to let go to become close to Tom and through him will learn more about her own research and person than all her years of dedication and hard work had achieved.
A Drop in the Ocean is the perfect summer read, the quiet, shocking dilemma of losing a grant and the job that went with it, the flippant fantasy of leaving everything familiar for a tropical island and the reality of making a life and finding love, it’s engaging, thought-provoking, heartfelt and sun-filled.
Highly recommended!
August 6, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
I hadn’t cried, even when alone, since I was in my twenties, and it felt wonderful in a strange sort of way.
If I’d been a bloke, as they say in Aussie, I’d have woken with a boner the morning of our trip. The very thought of being alone with Tom tonight on Lost Cay turned my insides to goo.
My self-esteem always hit rock bottom in fashion shops. Telling myself that I made more money and had more university degrees than any saleswoman made no difference. But I sallied forth, credit card trembling in my handbag, past caring about cost.
There is no genetic reason why Hamish should resemble Dad, of course, but as the grandson of my heart I think he has rearranged my memories of my father in some mysterious way.
My last act of love will be to stand back when he takes his final ride out over the reef edge and falls backwards into his beloved sea.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this tale � structured as the personal musings/journey of an intelligent, well educated, and mature woman who has finally come of age at the ripe age of fifty � yes � that is exactly what I meant. A closed-off workaholic, she had buried herself in study and work until she no longer had either. Being an unmarried woman, social isolate, unemployable research scientist, she suddenly had no one and nothing to fall back on but herself. Encouraged by her one and only friend, she sets off on a quiet adventure of monitoring campsites on a tiny isolated island cay in Australia near the Great Barrier Reef - a surprising choice given her fear of the ocean.
I was struck most by the enigmatic, poignant, and emotive writing, which seemed to be craftily and stealthily tapping emotions with words moving far beneath the surface� more than once I was surprised to be mid-sentence and discover the words were squeezing my heart and constricting my burning throat. The plot was interesting and relevant, and the story was generously descriptive as well as active. I learned a considerable amount about off the grid island living, reef fish, turtles, research projects, and the Shetland Islands - and I greatly enjoyed the lessons. I am also now knowledgeable of several interesting Aussie words and expressions like dosh, doorstop sandwich, bommie, japes, bitumen, and fair dinkum � love my kindle with instant Wikipedia access.
I hadn’t cried, even when alone, since I was in my twenties, and it felt wonderful in a strange sort of way.
If I’d been a bloke, as they say in Aussie, I’d have woken with a boner the morning of our trip. The very thought of being alone with Tom tonight on Lost Cay turned my insides to goo.
My self-esteem always hit rock bottom in fashion shops. Telling myself that I made more money and had more university degrees than any saleswoman made no difference. But I sallied forth, credit card trembling in my handbag, past caring about cost.
There is no genetic reason why Hamish should resemble Dad, of course, but as the grandson of my heart I think he has rearranged my memories of my father in some mysterious way.
My last act of love will be to stand back when he takes his final ride out over the reef edge and falls backwards into his beloved sea.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading this tale � structured as the personal musings/journey of an intelligent, well educated, and mature woman who has finally come of age at the ripe age of fifty � yes � that is exactly what I meant. A closed-off workaholic, she had buried herself in study and work until she no longer had either. Being an unmarried woman, social isolate, unemployable research scientist, she suddenly had no one and nothing to fall back on but herself. Encouraged by her one and only friend, she sets off on a quiet adventure of monitoring campsites on a tiny isolated island cay in Australia near the Great Barrier Reef - a surprising choice given her fear of the ocean.
I was struck most by the enigmatic, poignant, and emotive writing, which seemed to be craftily and stealthily tapping emotions with words moving far beneath the surface� more than once I was surprised to be mid-sentence and discover the words were squeezing my heart and constricting my burning throat. The plot was interesting and relevant, and the story was generously descriptive as well as active. I learned a considerable amount about off the grid island living, reef fish, turtles, research projects, and the Shetland Islands - and I greatly enjoyed the lessons. I am also now knowledgeable of several interesting Aussie words and expressions like dosh, doorstop sandwich, bommie, japes, bitumen, and fair dinkum � love my kindle with instant Wikipedia access.
August 14, 2016
At fifty years old Anna Fergusson, a medical researcher of Huntington's Disease has had the rug pulled out from under her feet. Her grant that has been forthcoming for the last 15 years has suddenly been rejected. Faced with indecision she decides to take a 12 month contract to live and look after a camp ground on Turtle Island off the Australian Barrier Reef. Coming from USA this is a life major change.
I really enjoyed this novel of Anna, it's like a coming of age novel with a mature protagonist. Whilst on the island Anna plans to write her memoirs of her research project over the years, instead we are taken back into her younger years and this proves to be quite cathartic. I loved the description of the turtles and their habits and all the island inhabitants who pull together in times of need. A lovely story that was enhanced with the epilogue that tied it together.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review and the author when my original copy was in an unreadable format for me.
I really enjoyed this novel of Anna, it's like a coming of age novel with a mature protagonist. Whilst on the island Anna plans to write her memoirs of her research project over the years, instead we are taken back into her younger years and this proves to be quite cathartic. I loved the description of the turtles and their habits and all the island inhabitants who pull together in times of need. A lovely story that was enhanced with the epilogue that tied it together.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review and the author when my original copy was in an unreadable format for me.
January 26, 2016
I liked the story, I just was not a fan of the writing.
June 12, 2018
Задържа ти вниманието, а епилога ме разби.
May 7, 2018
Написана съвсем простичко, без излишен драматизъм и патос, тази книга съвсем неусетно достига до сърцето.
Разкрива непознати за мен страни от живота.
Поставя различна гледна точка към много клишета.
Има страшно много неща ,за които разбрах и научих от нея.
Все повече предпочитам реалните истории, а не свръх такива.
Желая успех на авторката.
Разкрива непознати за мен страни от живота.
Поставя различна гледна точка към много клишета.
Има страшно много неща ,за които разбрах и научих от нея.
Все повече предпочитам реалните истории, а не свръх такива.
Желая успех на авторката.
November 3, 2020
This book was sent to me as an ARC about 5 years ago! I won it on a ŷ Giveaway. I know this is crazy that I am just reading it now, but I'm slowly going through my book shelf and saw this one sitting there and thought it would be a good time to read it.
This book is a very easy read. However I never really connected with the MC Anna. I felt like she just let life happen to her. She never really put any effort in to anything and if things went wrong, it was "oh well that is how they were supposed to be." I did enjoy the imagery of where she was, on this little island outside of Australia. It sounded amazing even though there was little to no internet or phone service haha. Being able to soak up the sun and the go snorkel in the ocean, I think I need that little escape.
There really was no HEA and I needed that with this book. I felt like Anna needed that as well to be know that she was loved and was able to love as well.
Thanks to ŷ for sending this book to me!
This book is a very easy read. However I never really connected with the MC Anna. I felt like she just let life happen to her. She never really put any effort in to anything and if things went wrong, it was "oh well that is how they were supposed to be." I did enjoy the imagery of where she was, on this little island outside of Australia. It sounded amazing even though there was little to no internet or phone service haha. Being able to soak up the sun and the go snorkel in the ocean, I think I need that little escape.
There really was no HEA and I needed that with this book. I felt like Anna needed that as well to be know that she was loved and was able to love as well.
Thanks to ŷ for sending this book to me!
June 1, 2024
Such an incredible sense of place. I was immersed.
May 13, 2016
You’ve heard of chick-lit and grip-lit now meet mid-life crisis lit!
With the setting mostly an idyllic remote Australian Coral Reef island it’s sheer escapism, but with a very real and pretty flawed menopausal heroine fast approaching fifty it also smacks of realism.
Anna is a heroine I found at first, a little difficult to warm to. Probably this is part of her own reluctance to allow people in to her life. At 49 years old she is a real loner with no significant other. Few friends in fact, just a lengthy medical research career which has left her with an unwillingness to get involved preferring to stand on the sidelines of life and observe. But a sudden withdrawal of funding means she is at a loose end and almost on a whim decides to do something very out of character and goes to live on a remote Australian coral reef island where only a handful of folk live and work. She soon discovers no woman is an island and begins to fit in, making friends despite her own self-imposed reluctance to commit. She begins to do all the things she has spent over 29 years avoiding. Including examining her relationship with her Mother, the death of her father and her own background.
The Island in question is a breeding ground for green turtles and she becomes involved in the research into these fascinating and endangered creatures using her scientific background in a different way and growing close to the enigmatic Tom the “turtle whisperer�
Her clinical manner seeps through into her way of writing and at times I found she seemed more to be recording facts rather than allowing us in to her life, but she grows and mellows somewhat through the book and when she finds herself on the other side of the fence with disease and illness affecting the people she has recently come to know and love, instead of adopting the clinical distance she always cultivated throughout her career she finds she has to face it head on.
Her research involved Huntingtons disease and this features rather heavily in the book and I learnt quite a lot about this dreadful condition in these pages.
This is so much more than a beach read, it tackles some very gritty subjects in a forthright and informative way, yet has a dreamlike quality which captured my imagination. By the time I was 50 pages in I was ready to throw the book together with a pair of shorts in my backpack and head off for a desert island myself. There is emotion aplenty and I shed a little tear. The characters are great, I fell a little in love with Morrie, was enchanted by the young mum and her baby, which Anna helped deliver during a storm. The book is filled with adventures, people and relationships.
I recieved a complimentary copy in exchange for an impartial review.
With the setting mostly an idyllic remote Australian Coral Reef island it’s sheer escapism, but with a very real and pretty flawed menopausal heroine fast approaching fifty it also smacks of realism.
Anna is a heroine I found at first, a little difficult to warm to. Probably this is part of her own reluctance to allow people in to her life. At 49 years old she is a real loner with no significant other. Few friends in fact, just a lengthy medical research career which has left her with an unwillingness to get involved preferring to stand on the sidelines of life and observe. But a sudden withdrawal of funding means she is at a loose end and almost on a whim decides to do something very out of character and goes to live on a remote Australian coral reef island where only a handful of folk live and work. She soon discovers no woman is an island and begins to fit in, making friends despite her own self-imposed reluctance to commit. She begins to do all the things she has spent over 29 years avoiding. Including examining her relationship with her Mother, the death of her father and her own background.
The Island in question is a breeding ground for green turtles and she becomes involved in the research into these fascinating and endangered creatures using her scientific background in a different way and growing close to the enigmatic Tom the “turtle whisperer�
Her clinical manner seeps through into her way of writing and at times I found she seemed more to be recording facts rather than allowing us in to her life, but she grows and mellows somewhat through the book and when she finds herself on the other side of the fence with disease and illness affecting the people she has recently come to know and love, instead of adopting the clinical distance she always cultivated throughout her career she finds she has to face it head on.
Her research involved Huntingtons disease and this features rather heavily in the book and I learnt quite a lot about this dreadful condition in these pages.
This is so much more than a beach read, it tackles some very gritty subjects in a forthright and informative way, yet has a dreamlike quality which captured my imagination. By the time I was 50 pages in I was ready to throw the book together with a pair of shorts in my backpack and head off for a desert island myself. There is emotion aplenty and I shed a little tear. The characters are great, I fell a little in love with Morrie, was enchanted by the young mum and her baby, which Anna helped deliver during a storm. The book is filled with adventures, people and relationships.
I recieved a complimentary copy in exchange for an impartial review.
May 8, 2016
4.5 stars.
I was first attracted to A Drop in the Ocean by the cover, which just goes to show the power of a good cover! However it has a lot more going for it, than just a pretty face.
This really is the story of Anna, a research scientist who has just lost her grant for further research and because of it everything grinds to a stop. Or... you could say it all begins for Anna. Challenged by this she takes a big step and on a whim goes out to Australia to an island on the Great Barrier Reef. She is kind of a recluse, hands off kind of person. In the past she has been happy to head the research but not be involved with the face to face human interaction that her assistants have done. She opted for this kind of life rather than be involved with kind of emotions that real people bring to the table. She has one good friend and is not close to family, i.e her mother. How she changes is at the heart of this story, and it at times brought a tear to my heart.
The island is involved with research on the local turtles, and if you enjoy nature and these amazing creatures, you'd enjoy this story. The setting is rough and beautiful. The islanders most certainly are eccentric, but they sure have heart. Among them is Tom, the person gathering the information on the turtles. He is ten years younger than Anna, and when they become close this is a challenge for Anna, how could he want her. However Tom has a secret too, and that could even be more of an issue for him.
Anna's area of research is Huntington's Disease. I first came across this when reading Carrie Beckort's Kingston's Project. It is a terrible genetic disease and for the families involved heart breaking. I loved how Jenni Ogden explores this in her novel with such compassion, bringing a very real human face to it. I also liked learning of the ways they endeavour to prevent it being passed on to another generation.
There is an epilogue at the end, it is twenty five years into the future. The epilogue updates the reader on what has happened for the beloved characters and how they have chosen to go forward in their lives. Very satisfying!
I was first attracted to A Drop in the Ocean by the cover, which just goes to show the power of a good cover! However it has a lot more going for it, than just a pretty face.
This really is the story of Anna, a research scientist who has just lost her grant for further research and because of it everything grinds to a stop. Or... you could say it all begins for Anna. Challenged by this she takes a big step and on a whim goes out to Australia to an island on the Great Barrier Reef. She is kind of a recluse, hands off kind of person. In the past she has been happy to head the research but not be involved with the face to face human interaction that her assistants have done. She opted for this kind of life rather than be involved with kind of emotions that real people bring to the table. She has one good friend and is not close to family, i.e her mother. How she changes is at the heart of this story, and it at times brought a tear to my heart.
The island is involved with research on the local turtles, and if you enjoy nature and these amazing creatures, you'd enjoy this story. The setting is rough and beautiful. The islanders most certainly are eccentric, but they sure have heart. Among them is Tom, the person gathering the information on the turtles. He is ten years younger than Anna, and when they become close this is a challenge for Anna, how could he want her. However Tom has a secret too, and that could even be more of an issue for him.
Anna's area of research is Huntington's Disease. I first came across this when reading Carrie Beckort's Kingston's Project. It is a terrible genetic disease and for the families involved heart breaking. I loved how Jenni Ogden explores this in her novel with such compassion, bringing a very real human face to it. I also liked learning of the ways they endeavour to prevent it being passed on to another generation.
There is an epilogue at the end, it is twenty five years into the future. The epilogue updates the reader on what has happened for the beloved characters and how they have chosen to go forward in their lives. Very satisfying!
May 28, 2016
An enjoyable, easy read taking us to another place and exploring possibilities we all dream about - After Anna’s research laboratory was unsuccessful in getting funding, at 49 years of age she has spent her life devoted to her work, is introverted and not much of a life outside of her research, but takes the plunge and gets away from it all taking on a job on the Barrier Reef for a year. Sounds like a dream job and something that everyone at some time thinks about � getting away from it all. This is a gentle read, but I will say the research into turtles as well as Huntington’s disease takes this book to another level. I really enjoyed this read that shows following your dreams is achievable and the changes that can be made by doing so.
October 14, 2016
Without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read. Fabulous settings, very believable, delightful, and complex characters, wonderful nature and wildlife, and just a great, great story. One of the most powerful explorations of what love truly is that I've ever encountered in a literary work. I read a book borrowed from the library, but I will definitely purchase a copy for my own library; this is a book I will probably read at least once a year. The characters feel like new, very lovable, friends. This book also reaches into reality and wrings your heart. I finished it about five minutes ago, and I'm still weeping, but my tears are not tears of sorrow (other than I'm sorry the book ended.)
October 11, 2021
The title of this book caught my attention so I decided to invest some time reading with this author.
This book warms my heart as it takes me along with Jenni's journey in Australia and the experiences of hard lessons and second chances in life. Life is full of surprises and this author reminds me that in every adversity, there is often a hidden blessing and a lesson.
After reading this book, I reminisced about my own journey of hardships and unexpected tribulations that turned out to be blessings in disguise. The book also brought back fond memories of my times all over Australia and New Zealand.
This book warms my heart as it takes me along with Jenni's journey in Australia and the experiences of hard lessons and second chances in life. Life is full of surprises and this author reminds me that in every adversity, there is often a hidden blessing and a lesson.
After reading this book, I reminisced about my own journey of hardships and unexpected tribulations that turned out to be blessings in disguise. The book also brought back fond memories of my times all over Australia and New Zealand.
May 7, 2016
Full review here:
November 1, 2021
A touching, warm, visually appealing story about the marine turtles� conservation, Huntington’s disease, and finding your family.
July 18, 2024
3.5
I generally enjoyed the story. Lower rating due to trouble buying into a research scientist at 50 moving for a year on a secluded island, that was far fetched.
Good enough pace and liked a number of the characters. An easy summer style, bow tied story.
I generally enjoyed the story. Lower rating due to trouble buying into a research scientist at 50 moving for a year on a secluded island, that was far fetched.
Good enough pace and liked a number of the characters. An easy summer style, bow tied story.
September 21, 2024
For me, the book tried to do too many things. And I didn’t like the ending.
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