What do readers think of Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan? Write your own review.

A widow with three kids impulsively buys a rundown motel in paradise (Hawaii) after the presumed death of her husband. A somewhat slow beginning soon leads to serious dramatic action with some strong plot twists. You'll root for the family and even if the ending is slightly contrived, you'll still enjoy it.

Pieces of Blue has special meaning for me because as in the story, my husband died suddenly and I was left with 3 children about the same ages as those in PIECES OF BLUE. I can say the feelings, thoughts and road to healing were so similar to the characters in the book.
I enjoyed this book because it is a very good story with no extra fluff. I read it in two sittings.
It could have a better title.

Lindsey Hill is dealing with the loss of almost everything in her life. Her husband is dead leaving the family bankrupt and in disgrace because of his illegal actions. What she has left is her three children and a determination to start over when she receives his insurance settlement - by buying sight unseen a small motel in rural Hawaii. And, of course, it is in terrible shape and you think you know where this is headed. But Holly Goldberg Sloan takes this book in a totally unexpected direction. It was a page turner for me and one that I quite liked.

An easy read with some flaws. The plot was what intrigued me, but a number of elements didn't quite feel fleshed out and the ending was nonsensical. In characterization, the children were the most well-developed—though I've grown weary of the precocious child trope—with the adult characters never fully realized, especially the main character. I didn't get a true sense of who this woman was (how did being Welsh serve the character or narrative?) and her motivations still elude me. And while the writing was straightforward, it could have been more descriptive. I never got a true sense of place, the setting could have been any rundown motel property, anywhere, instead of a lush island paradise.

As the author's first foray into adult fiction, it's logical that the children's characters would be the most fully formed and the writing style, simplistic, but the comparison to Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a stretch as it lacked the cleverness, humor and, especially, the pluckiest of heroines. Overall, this story felt like a grab bag of ideas that needed a little more work to mesh into a whole.

I was really excited to receive this as a First Impressions book and expected that I would love it because the plot intrigued me and I love Hawaii. But I didn’t love it and am hesitant to recommend it to serious readers.
The book had all of the elements that I look for in a book but I just couldn’t connect with the characters other than Chris, who seemed too hood to be true, and the youngest daughter, who never failed to amuse and delight me. I wish the mother would have had some of that sparkle.
Lindsey’s decision to buy property unseen and to sink everything she had into a business that she knew absolutely nothing about did not fit with her being highly educated and devoted to her three children. Perhaps this poor decision could be attributed to the shock of her husband’s death/disappearance,
I loved the descriptions of the land and of the family’s struggles to fit in. The writing was well crafted but I felt like I was reading a screenplay that would be fleshed out by the actors making it real. I wouldn’t be surprised if the movie rights were already sold; the plot and characters were made for the big screen.
I was happily surprised by the unexpected twist that the book took and this saved the book for me. Before this event, the plot seemed predictable and even a bit contrived I wondered if the handsome stranger who just happened to do all of the necessary electrical work and give solid business advice would be the savior of this impulsive decision to run a business that she knew absolutely nothing about.
I’m happy that I read the book first, but am looking forward to seeing the movie version.

I received Pieces of Blue with great excitement. I expected this would be a story about a strong mother's courageous journey forward after losing her husband in a tragic accident. I had anticipated marveling at this woman's insight and skillful planning in getting an old hotel up and running while somehow successfully raising her three children. She would endure hardships and challenges, yes, but in the end she would prevail. Instead, I was dismayed by the decisions she made both as they related to her children and the restoration of the hotel, and the plot segue from what could have been a unique and uplifting adventure to a storyline more tailored toward yearning teens.
I wish I had enjoyed the book more.

This is a story of loss, hope, love and redemption. Lindsey Hill and her three children move to Hawai'i after purchasing a rundown hotel following the death of Paul Hill in a surfing accident. The characters are likable and real as they adapt to their new life on an island and deal with their grief over losing their loved one. The author keeps the reader engaged in the story with compelling twists and turns of the plot. However I felt the mother's new relationship and the children's ability to move on at the end of the book needed further development to be believable. Overall the novel was an enjoyable read.

I have read and enjoyed some of Holly Goldberg Sloan's books for younger readers. Some of the devices she uses in those books, really don't work in this book, intended for adults. There is so much that is unrealistic about this plot. I think the author could have used a sensitivity reading as well. Some of her word choices are potentially offensive, and I struggled with the whole idea of this white family from the mainland settling in Hawai'i when so many Native Hawaiians are struggling with cultural survival.

All this being said, I found that the plot moved at a fast pace and was full of twists.

I'm torn about whether I would recommend this one.