Violets of March (Jio)

The Violets of March
Sarah Jio, 2011
Penguin Group USA
304 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780452297036


Summary
Emily Wilson would be the first to admit that her life has seen better days. Her best-selling novel debuted eight years ago, she has struggled to write since, and she is now coming face-to-face with divorce from her once perfect husband Joel. Emily needs to heal, and she decides the best place to renew herself is across the country in a dear spot from her childhood: Bainbridge Island.

While staying with her beloved Aunt Bee, Emily's attempt at healing becomes complicated when she discovers the diary of a mysterious woman named Esther. Esther's story leads Emily on a path through a timeless love story, a painful series of misunderstandings, and a devastating secret that has vexed her family for decades.

The Violets of March is a story about love and fate. It's about the power such love has over us over space and time, and how it can haunt us when it goes unfulfilled. It defines love as an eternal bond that may drive us toward irrationality, but, ultimately, brings us hope for happiness and forgiveness. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—1978
• Raised—the state of Washington, USA
• Education—B.A., Western Washington University
• Currently—lives in Seattle, Washington


Sarah Jio is a veteran magazine writer and the health and fitness blogger for Glamour magazine. She has written hundreds of articles for national magazines and top newspapers including Redbook, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cooking Light, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, Hallmark magazine, Seventeen, The Nest, Health, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, The Seattle Times, Parents, Woman’s Day, American Baby, Parenting, and Kiwi. She has also appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Sarah has a degree in journalism and writes about topics that include food, nutrition, health, entertaining, travel, diet/weight loss, beauty, fitness, shopping, psychology, parenting and beyond. She frequently tests and develops recipes for major magazines.

Her first novel The Violets of March, published in April, 2011, was chosen as a Best Book of 2011 by Library Journal. Her second novel, The Bungalow, was published in December of the same year. Blackberry Winter came out in 2012. The Last Camellia and Morning Glory were both issued in 2013.

Sarah lives in Seattle with her husband, Jason, and three young sons. (From the author's website.)

Book Reviews 
[F]eed the kids before you settle in with journalist Sarah Jio's engrossing first novel, The Violets of March. This mystery-slash-love-story will have you racing to the end—cries of "Mom, I'm hungry!" be damned.
Redbook


Mystery meets romance in this absorbing debut novel. ... Readers will be enthralled from the start of the dual story lines, all the way through to the satisfying conclusion.
Women's Day


Using the curious nature of wood violets, which have bloomed on the island in an off-season to signal promise and redemption, the story's setting and sentiment are sure to entice readers and keep them captivated page after page.
Romance Times Books


Jio’s debut novel is a rich blend of history, mystery, and romance. After a heartbreaking divorce, one-hit-wonder author Emily is staying on Bainbridge Island, WA, with her elderly aunt when she comes across a diary from the 1940s. Drawn into the details of a mysterious stranger’s life, Emily begins to see parallels to her own situation and senses a mystical connection with the anonymous writer. Fans of Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress should enjoy this story.
Library Journal

Discussion Questions
1. Who is Emily Wilson? How would you describe her life and her state of mind at the beginning of the book? What draws you to her character?

2. What are your first impressions of Bee? How would you describe Emily and Bee's relationship?

3. What role does Bainbridge Island play in this story? What makes it unique? What does the island offer Emily that she can't get from her life in New York?

4. Family secrets play a significant part of the action in this book. How have these secrets affected Emily's family and personal relationships? Would you have tried to uncover the truth as well?

5. Emily finds two love interests on Bainbridge Island: Greg and Jack. What are your impressions of each of these men? Considering that Emily ultimately pursues Jack, would you have done the same? Why or why not?

6. Fate is a strong force in The Violets of March. How does fate affect Esther's story? How does it affect Emily's? What parallels do you see between the two? Do you believe in fate?

7. Henry reveals that he planted Esther's diary for Emily to find. Why didn't he confront Bee himself? Why was it important for Emily to find the diary and read it?

8. At one point, Emily thinks to herself, “What power Esther had over all of them.” What is your opinion of that thought? What power did Esther have over Elliot, Evelyn, Bee, Janice, and Henry? What power did her story have over Emily?

9. Both Bee and Elliot harbor guilt about the night of Esther's accident. How do you feel they handled the situation? Would you have protected Elliot the way Bee did? Would you have gone down after Esther the way Elliot said he had wanted to?

10. When Joel attempts to rekindle his love with her, Emily has gone through a great deal of soul-searching. What is your opinion of her decision to not take Joel back? Would you have done the same?

11. Elliot says that he and Esther were “soul mates,” and Emily's relationship with Jack mirrors that sentiment. Do you believe in soul mates? What role does timing play in these two couples' relationships? What could Esther and Elliot have done differently to be together.

12. The final scene finds Emily on the verge of writing again. How do you envision what her next book will look like? What future do you see for Emily?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

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