If you enjoy riveting, meticulously researched and beautifully written historical fiction, grab this book! I'll never forget the time I crossed Lake Michigan during a storm, and I'm sure my uncle encountered rough weather when he worked as a cook on a Lake Superior ore boat, but we never experienced a storm like the "White Hurricane" that struck the Great Lakes with relentless fury in November of 1913.
From November 7th-10th, a blizzard with hurricane-force winds, waves over thirty-five feet high, and whiteout conditions, destroyed nineteen ships and stranded nineteen others, with most wrecks occurring on Lake Huron. This story focuses on two lakes--Huron and Michigan--and three sisters whose lives are dramatically changed by the forces of this incredibly powerful storm.
Agnes, Sunny and Cordelia were raised at Port Austin Life-Saving Station on Lake Huron in Michigan, where their father served as keeper. Agnes, now the eldest at 37, lives with her demanding mother but dreams of an independent life with Lizzie, the beautiful sister of the station's new keeper. Sunny, the middle sister, works with her husband as a cook on the Titus Brown, but after ten years on the lakes she dreams of opening her own restaurant on land. Cordelia, the youngest at 20, recently eloped with a Great Lakes captain, and she impulsively decides to join him on his last trip of the season on the Marguerite for a "romantic cruise." Their terrifying journey turns out to be anything but romantic!
As the freighters head north on Lake Huron, they run straight into the teeth of the fierce storm. The author's descriptive, often horrifying details of the storm's damage to the ships and the fate of the embattled crews are among the most chilling words I've ever read. I can't imagine how anyone survived the hurricane-force winds, blinding snow and constant assault by frigid waves that often towered more than thirty-five feet high. Freezing temperatures coated everything with ice, including the beards and eyelashes of the crew! (Although I read this book during a record-breaking heat wave, I couldn't help but feel the penetrating cold.)
While Sunny and Cordelia struggle to stay alive on their badly damaged ships, Agnes remains at Port Austin Station but volunteers to help row a rescue boat to a broken-down ship stranded on a reef nearly two miles from shore. Will the rescuers arrive before the crew members freeze to death or the ship completely breaks in two and slips off the reef? Will Agnes, Sunny and Cordelia manage to survive the storm and achieve their dreams? I'm not saying, but the emotional final chapters are the best part of a truly remarkable story. This extraordinary debut novel easily earns five stars and MY ENTHUSIASTIC RECOMMENDATION!
Note to the author: Please consider including a map in any future editions of this book, making it easier for readers to identify the locations mentioned in the story. Thanks.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Wonderfully written
I was captivated by this book. It kept me in the edge of my seat unable to wait to see what happened next.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2022
Top reviews from other countries
Barbara A
Sisters is Sweerwater Fury…A Novel..Hard to put down!
Reviewed in Canada on April 23, 2022