Under a Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn

Premise: Empty-nester Carissa is suddenly let go from her long-time employment, and her marital problems are so bad she's contemplating divorce.  Her former employer gifts her some time in his Maui vacation home to ease the pain of her job loss.  She runs off to Hawaii solo, with hardly a good-bye wave out the door to her hubby.  Will Hawaii help her move on?  Or will she accept that she shouldn't move on; she should stay?

Review: First of all, please do not read the back of the book!  It gives away a significant part of the plot.  Secondly, I had such high expectations for this book, and I was disappointed.  : ( 

Let me explain. 

• Robin Jones Gunn is my favorite author! 
• She has written other books about Hawaii that I've enjoyed (specifically Whispers)--which played a big part in why we visited Maui.
• By the grace of God, my husband and I had a Hawaiian holiday on Maui and Oahu last summer, and I expected this book to take me back again--for free! 
• So of course, I thought I would love this book!...but I didn't...(insert sad face)

Here are the reasons I was disappointed (which very well may be reasons you would enjoy it!)

• The main Maui setting was the Kihei/Wailea-Makena area, and guess who didn't even see that part of the island?  Yup, me.
• The main character has been married for 24 years, and her only child is out of the house.  I couldn't relate.  I'm in the temper tantrums, pooping-in-underwear accidents, and fixing peanut butter sandwiches for lunch stage of life.  Ha, ha, I just re-read that sentence, and it makes it sound like I'm the one throwing temper tantrums and pooping in my underwear-ha!  It's too funny to re-word!!
• So in conclusion, I did not connect well with the setting or the characters.  But you might!

If you are looking for a great Christian book about Hawaii that features a younger crowd, read Whispers by Robin Jones Gunn!  

Heather