By: Erika Marks
ISBN: 9781101990841
Publisher: Penguin NAL
Publication Date: 8/2/2016
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 4 Stars
From the author of It Comes in Waves and The Guest House comes a novel of three lives entangled in the secrets of the sea and the enduring bonds of love. As students with a shared passion for shipwrecks, Liv, Sam, and Whit formed a close bond searching for the mysterious Patriot, a schooner that disappeared off the Carolina Coast in 1812 with Aaron Burr’s daughter Theodosia aboard. But as the elusive ship drew them together, love would bring them even closer—and ultimately tear them apart. It’s been nine years since Liv left Sam to be with Whit, and the once close-knit trio went their separate ways. Liv has given up her obsession with Theodosia Burr to focus on her career as a salvage diver and her passionate but troubled marriage to the reckless and hedonistic Whit. But when a diary of Theodosia’s is discovered in a collector’s estate, she is pulled back to the world of the Patriot, this time with startling new clues to what might have really happened. Diving back into the lost history of the Patriot could be just what Liv needs to find closure to a mystery that still haunts her. But when she and Whit reunite with Sam for one last salvage in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, buried romantic tensions begin to resurface, and once again Liv must choose between two men with very different hearts.
My Review
A special thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice Cover!
Erika Marks returns following It Comes in Waves (2014) and The Guest House (2013) with THE LAST TREASURE, from the legends of shipwrecks of North Carolina, a novel of three lives entangled in the secrets of the sea and the enduring bonds of love.
The author writes of gems of the sea, from surfing, a lighthouse, and now in her latest, of lost treasures. From romance, mystery, history, and intrigue.
Based on the real-life story of the mysterious Patriot — a schooner that disappeared off the Carolina coast in 1813 with Aaron Burr’s daughter, Theodosia, aboard — The Last Treasure brings together three students with a passion for shipwrecks who embark on one last salvage mission.
Once a close-knit trio, Liv, Sam and Whit have drifted apart, especially since Liv left Sam for Whit nine years ago. Liv has given up her obsession with Theodosia Burr to focus on her career as a salvage diver and her fervent but troubled marriage to Whit.
But when a diary of Theodosia’s is discovered in the attic of a North Carolina beach house, Liv is pulled back into the world of the Patriot and the love triangle that will cause her to choose once and for all between two men with very different hearts.
As a North Carolina native, I always enjoy stories set in the area and the familiar landmarks. From legends, treasures, shipwrecks, with tidbits of history, to the love of the sea, Marks’ characters come alive on the pages.
Well-researched and intriguing, sprinkled with modern romance- Marks' delivers a compelling story for history buffs, and those who adore mysteries of the sea.
For those of you who have not visited the Outer Banks (OBX) highly recommend the 130-mile stretch of barrier islands just off the coast of North Carolina. Made up of quaint towns and sleepy fishing villages, each wonderfully weather worn to a varying degree. Even spanning hundreds of years and despite millions of visitors, each town retains its own individual character.
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Advanced Praise
“The Last Treasure is a true gift, delivering delicious romantic tension balanced with serious emotional depth. Erika Marks has written an exhilarating tale of passion reignited.”—Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of The Kitchen House and Glory over Everything “Powerful, intimate, and beautifully written. A treasure of a story peopled with complex and compelling characters. I loved this book!”—Wendy Wax, USA Today bestselling author of Sunshine Beach
About the Author
I am a native New Englander, raised in Maine, who went to New Orleans to study architectural preservation and promptly fell in love with a man named Ian when we were each walking our dogs on the levee in the rain.
We now live in North Carolina with our two children. I have worked as a carpenter, an illustrator, an art director for a woodworking magazine, and a cake decorator, and after many years of marriage to a native New Orleanian I am proud to say that I can make a mean gumbo and a praline that peels cleanly off a sheet of waxed paper. Read More
