Distant Shores

by Kristin Hannah

Book Overview

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "Hannah examines whether love and commitment are enough to sustain a marriage when two people who have put their individual dreams on ice get a chance to defrost them . . . in fast-moving prose punctuated by snappy asides."--People

Elizabeth and Jackson Shore married young, raised two daughters, and weathered the storms of youth as they built a family. From a distance, their lives look picture...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345469372
• ISBN13: 9780345469373
• Release Date: June 2011
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Chick Flick in a Book

"Distant Shores" is a cute chick flick book. A short and easy read. The ending wrapped up very quickly. In real life I don't think 20 plus years of issues would wrap up that quickly. Most people's favorite character is probably Elizabeth in this book. Mine is Anita, she was the one truly honest to herself and Elizabeth in the book. Over all I really did enjoy this book and all the chick flick parts.

Sacrifice

This is a great book about not just about the challenges of marriage, but not giving up on yourself. It also speaks of sacrifice and what it infringes on your happiness

Great Read!!

This is such a great book that highlights a woman’s need to go after her dreams!! Complex characters that have fleas as we all do!!

My First Kristin Hannah Read Won't Be My Last ~

This is my first time reading Kristin Hannah, this book was so good I enjoyed it so much! I love reading Elizabeth and Jack's love story though they were young when they got married things were put on hold for them both. Jack wanting to find something he was good at after his football career did work out he wanted to be well know and Elizabeth wanted more out of life then she was getting from Jack, they have been married for so long that they some how lost there way to each other they have two grown beautiful daughters that they are so proud of but they have to find themselves before they can find the love they once had a very beautiful story this is I loved it! I am looking forward on reading her others books that she has written.Happy Reading Lisa

Hopeful

This is the first book that I've read by this author. Normally, I read Danielle Steel; however, this book caught (and held) my attention. I couldn't put it down--I think I read it in about 4 days. Kristin Hannah explores the life of a middle-age woman who has over the years lost herself and her talent. After a tragic accident, Birdie must learn to put her wants and needs above those of her husband and chilren. After years of dedicating her life to others, this wife and mother must find her wings and learn to fly again. Great book! A must read! I can't wait to read another of her books! :)

This book is exactly what I needed.

I'm feeling a lot of the same things that Elizabeth (our heroin) went through. I am on the back burner. I'm still raising my children (13 yrs. & 2 yrs) and I have been married for 14 1/2 years. We were married at 19.My children come first (that will always remain), then my husband, and finally me.Like Elizabeth, I was feeling like I didn't matter very much. I don't work out of my home, so I felt that my needs are not as important.After reading this book, I realized that I am a person of my own. I became my own mother and I was feeling unhappy. I DO matter and I have dreams worth following and fighting for.I see that it's too easy to loose yourself. I'm only 33 and already I couldn't see myself in the mirror.Thank you Ms. Hannah, I'm learning to find my voice again, and the spunky girl my husband fell in love with.I love this book.

A wonderful new beginning!

How many of us spend out lives taking care of everyone else and letting our own needs fall by the wayside? Kristin Hannah takes us into the life of Elizabeth (Birdie) Shore who is doing this very thing. A death in the family at a time in her life when she has so many questions helps her to break away to try and find the answers. Along the way she learns to no longer take herself for granted and to accept that she is a person with her own needs and wants. She resurrects her dreams and takes those first frightening steps to make those dreams come true. In the end she finds that she can be her own person as well as a loving wife and mother. A wonderful book for all of us needing inspiration to take that very first scary step to make our dreams come true and to learn to appeciate ourselves in whatever relationships we have in our lives.

Wonderful, soul-searching novel

Jack and Elizabeth "Birdie" Shore are at a crossroads. After 24 years of marriage, they have raised two beautiful girls and withered the storm of Jack's rise and fall as a football star and his addiction to pain killers. Now Jack's career as a sportscaster is rising, and on the outside, everything looks perfect. But Elizabeth feels she is losing herself. She has raised her children, lifted Jack when he stumbled, and forgiven him for the times he strayed earlier in their marriage. She gave up her dream of becoming a painter because she thought that was what she was supposed to do. But when he beloved father dies suddenly, she realizes how empty her life truly is. And when Jack takes a job that will take him to New York, Elizabeth, for the first time, doesn't follow him and remains in Oregon, hoping to find what will give her her own identity.Distant Shores is a wonderful, soul searching novel about two people who have lost their way. They're not bad people, and they haven't done terrible things. They still love each other, but as times change and they become different people, they wonder if they love each other enough. Few writers get to the heart of this as well as Kristin Hannah. You will sympathize with both Jack and Elizabeth, understand both their points of view, and hope they will find their way back to each other before it's too late. Very highly recommended.