Cover Image: Fiona and the Whale

Fiona and the Whale

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Member Reviews

A great quick read! I liked the story it was such a different story that ended up really uplifting.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

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I need to begin by saying I have a problem with the cover of this book. The silhouette of the leading lady in this (I am assuming it is her since the story focuses on predominantly her growth arc) is shown in such a barbie doll-like figure. At the same time, there are multiple mentions of the forty-plus character looking her age. I am more concerned about this cover because the content appealed to me otherwise, and I think the cover lowers the expectations when going in.

Now that that rant is over, I will progress to the story itself. We have overachieving and driven Fiona Reeves, who has poured her heart and soul into her company and does not spare much thought about anything on the periphery of her life including misjudging her relationship with her husband. In one swoop, her well-defined life changes completely, but as the author mentions in between, that is not the end of it. There is more change in the offing. This is, in essence, the realisation of a woman who sees the repercussions of her actions to the environment and then has to deal with the overwhelming weight of that realisation. Having made tentative steps towards lowering my own plastic usage, I know the shock described within these pages and although I do not think my efforts have been sizable ones, I will continue to make them as will Fiona. I have to admit that my bias in having gone through a similar thought process with regards to bulk shopping/ waste reduction, I could relate more to the story halfway through. The author had a unique idea to drop into the narrative multiple times in crucial stages and lay the groundwork for us to empathise with the ongoing narrative. 

People should be forewarned that there is a lot of information hidden within about the state of our consumptions and I welcomed it because it increased the depth of the character and the fumbling Fiona did when she had to come to terms with them and what she could do with that information.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience and prior knowledge of the zero waste life.

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i could not get into this book. it was weirder than i wanted it to be and i just don't know what the point of it is. why a whale? what is happening?

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On the surface a fun, contemporary chick lit story but it ends up so much deeper and has a great emotional pull. Absolutely recommend. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the arc.

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This book was wonderful! It was written very well, easy language, clear storyline and believable dialogue. It was very easy to read and well paced.

Most significantly though, it had a very VERY important message which was dealt with incredibly well.

I will be recommending this book to every person I know.

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Fiona and the Whale is a mixed review for me. The story itself was a bit blah, and the romance was mediocre, but I did LOVE the message this book shared. It was eye opening, and I've already been much wore aware of my use of plastic. I am definitely changed, so thank you so much for this book!

Thank you to Net Galley for the free ARC for a fair and hones review.

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I loved this book! It was surprising. I wasn't so sure about the whale and how it would play into Fiona's story, but it was done well. Didn't feel beat over the head with environmental messaging, but learned something. The romance was swoony and worked. I was a happy reader when I finished!

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I requested this book from Netgalley just because I was intrigued by its name. What was a whale doing in a book name? Was it some kind of Moby Dick? Why was the book giving me chick-lit vibes (I hadn’t read the blurb yet)? Even after reading the blurb, I was at sea. How exactly does a whale end up in the scheme of things? Or was it some figurative tool?
I was clueless. The author had a blog going for some time on this topic which I had no idea about.
Anyway, I started the book with no expectations. I was to be pleasantly surprised!
It talks about 46-year old Fiona who runs her own event management company, Omnivents. She loves what she does and is really good at it. She is especially good at figuring out ways through difficult problems and working through them. Her company works mainly in arranging corporate events, though she has now taken up a celebrity wedding as the bride is the niece of Fiona’s leading client.
Stephen is Fiona’s husband. He holds a high position at Altos Foods and is a workaholic. Fiona’s son, Joseph has just joined university.
Life goes on well for Fiona until one day suddenly, Stephen decides to move out. Fiona still braves ahead, thinking he will return.
Until she reads about the sperm whale, Martha that showed up in the Thames.
From then on, Fiona and the whale’s stories become inextricably interlinked. Fiona’s life choices change radically as well as her priorities.
Does Stephen come back to her? Does Fiona move on? Do her choices change irrevocably?
All these questions and more are answered in this book which falls in the “eco-romance” category (I couldn’t find any other word for it.
Fiona and the Whale is a fast read and good one at that. It is not your typical chicklit but it is not a serious book. A breezy read, if anything.
A few points did irk me, though they are not very major and I’d rather omit saying them at all..

All in all, a good read after a heavy book.
My rating: 4 ½ stars out of 5

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If your favoured reading material is a novel with a good sprinkling of romance, poignancy, humour realism and second chances, then feel free to read this great new book by Hannah Lynn - Fiona and the Whale.

Event planner Fiona Reeves never expected her husband to suddenly up and leave. However, she’s certain that it's only a hiccup and he'll be back in no time, begging for forgiveness. Absorbed by the story of Martha the sperm whale, Fiona attempts to carry on life as usual as she awaits her husband's return. However, nothing can prepare her for the dramatic turn of events that throw her life into ever greater turmoil. The road ahead has many paths and for Fiona it’s time to sink or swim.

Fiona was a typical business woman, busy and blasé about the environment around her. When she realised that perhaps her own actions might have contributed to the death of Martha the whale, she goes into a mad panic. She realised that she could do more and was willing to take risks and stick to her principles in order become more environmentally aware. She was coping with an abundance of differing emotions and the arrival of a smart and handsome romantic interest went a long way to help bring Fiona back to life.

This lovely story was about finding out who you really are and who, or what you want to be. The characters felt so deeply and were certainly both funny and terribly engaging. They were well-portrayed and the pacing of the book was spot on. The story really stirred my soul and as the tale unfolded, the more intrigued I became. This was a wonderful read for me and I found myself enjoying the story immensely, loving the colourful metaphors and figures of speech.

I really appreciated Hannah Lynn's totally unique writing style and Fiona and the Whale was well-worth the time invested. As this wonderful tale concluded, I found myself wishing great things for the Fiona's future.

Overall, this was a fascinating story with no disappointments and some really amusing highs.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

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Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy. Lovely book, it's both heartwarming and poignant. An absolute whale of a tale 🐳

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Enjoyable, nicely written, contemporary romance. Protagonist, Fiona, is credible although, perhaps, not completely likeable and is living in denial following her husband's departure from her life. This is her story - both funny and sad in fairly equal measure. An engaging read.

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This was my first book by Hannah lynn although I have been receiving her newsletter for quite some time!
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the title but am so glad that I requested the book!
Fiona is a middle aged menopausal woman suffering from empty nest syndrome and an adulterous husband, when the news reports a stranded whale,Martha in the Thames the effect it has upon Fiona is life changing! What follows is a chaotic, crazy, emotional journey of discovery for Fiona with a strong ethical and environmental message for us all! This is so pertinent to us as a society today and if each one of her readers can make a small change in their lifestyle after reading this book it will help make a difference! Would thoroughly recommend this book! Thank you net galley for this early read!

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Fiona and the Whale is a wonderful, uplifting book to read. The first I've read from Hannah Lyn (but I'll be reading her others).

Fiona is inspired by Martha, a whale who ends up in the Thames, and the impact of this beautiful creature will stay with you as long after you've finished reading.

Loved the relatable characters in the story, and the themes were delivered well, of trust in ourselves, and trust in others.

In these confounding times, I highly recommend Fiona and the Whale as the right kind of distraction you need, brilliantly punctuated with a couple of unique and engaging author insights!

Only downside is that I've been singing It Ain't Necessarily So for the lyrics, Jonah, lived in a whale........ But then, it is a fabulous song.

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I love this book it’s funny and heart breaking Fiona is a business woman who takes on clients to stay busy. Because she’s lonely her son just left for the university and her husband leaves her unexpectedly. She becomes invested in a story about a whole name Martha who is stranded on land. But things take a turn she realizes that it might be her fault for the wale to be stranded

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Okay so this book isn’t quit what you expect all the way through it. But I say that in a good way!! It is an ever changing thing if a book can be that and I loved every minute of it.

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