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Skyward by Monroe, Mary Alice (May 24, 2011) Paperback
E.R. nurse Ella Majors has seen all the misery that she can handle. Burned-out and unsure of her next step, she accepts the temporary position as caregiver to Marion Henderson, a frightened five-year-old who suffers from juvenile diabetes. But Ella soon realizes there is more sorrow in the isolated home than the little girl’s illness can account for. Harris Henderson, a single father, seems better able to deal with the wild birds he rehabilitates in his birds-of-prey sanctuary than with his own daughter. Then something magical begins to happen: the timeless beauty of the South Carolina coast and the majestic grace of the wild birds weave a healing spell on the injured hearts at the sanctuary. But a troubled mother’s unexpected return will test the fragile bonds of trust and new love, and reveal the inherent risks and exhilarating beauty of flying free.
Unknown Binding
First published July 1, 2003
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About the author
Mary Alice Monroe
71 books5,691 followersMary Alice Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 30 books, including her new novel, Where the Rivers Merge, the first book in a duology and her historical debut. The second book is titled The Rivers End. Release date has not been set yet.
Monroe has also published children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. And the third book in the series, Shipwrecked, is available everywhere books are sold.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
Monroe has also published children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. And the third book in the series, Shipwrecked, is available everywhere books are sold.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
January 21, 2023
Honestly this one didn't work when you focused on the adult characters. There was also a wise old black man helping out the white people around him and that didn't sit that well with me either. I think the biggest issue is that Harris was selfish about everything and Ella should have stayed professional. The characters of Elijah, Brady, and Clarice are the only parts of the book I enjoyed reading about. Monroe backed off on incorporating Brady into more of the story and I wish she had. Clarice and Brady's friendship ended up feeling unfinished too.
"Skyward" is about Harris Henderson (that name) who runs a bird sanctuary in the Lowcountry in South Carolina. He devotes most of his energy to the sanctuary while trying to parent his 5 year old daughter Marion. When Marion falls ill and is diagnosed with Type I diabetes, Harris realizes she needs to hire a caregiver for his daughter to ensure she gets her insulin shots. He ends up hiring Ella Majors who after being a long time pediatric nurse in Vermont is ready to do something new.
I didn't like Harris. I get that he was doing a great job, but after hiring Ella he pretty much demands a lot of things of her that I thought were unfair. And he also forbid her from talking about Marion's mother Fannie. That ended up becoming moot though when Fannie returns wanting to make her and Harris's marriage work. Oh did I not mention that Harris is married and starts up a romance with Ella? Yeah, that happened. I maybe mumbled how very Jane Eyre of him especially with the ending too. I guess for me I didn't see what was so great about Harris. He lives only a couple hundred feet from the bird sanctuary but asks like he has so much to do he can't spare any time for his daughter. When they end up losing a nurse for some time due to a family emergency he asks Ella to step in and she's of course (rightfully) says she's there to take care of Marion, not birds. But of course she ends up doing it because Ella has zero backbone.
Onto Ella. Eh. Monroe wrote her as pretty pathetic in my mind. Ella goes on about knowing she's not pretty and she on her 35th birthday resigned herself to being alone forever, with no husband and children and pretty much acted as if there was nothing more to her life.
Ella instantly finds herself attracted to Harris though she's there to actually work. Most of the book is her blushing anytime Harris does something nice and she runs around beating herself up for thinking about Harris romantically. I felt skeeved out about the whole working for the guy and then her getting talked into also working at a bird sanctuary. I seriously felt for Marion because the whole book is pretty much her father and her caregiver making her second or third to birds.
The other adult characters in the story were pretty boring except for Elijah. We get Harris's estranged wife back in the mix and Monroe had the chance to turn the book into something else but then swerved and did what I call a romance clean-up.
Monroe has written about the Gullah's that live in South Carolina in her other books before. This time it bugged me though because Elijah is just used to give out wisdom to characters like Harris and Brady. We hear his backstory via Clarice and I wish that we actually had him deciding to tell his story to someone to make him more developed.
Brady was a hard luck character who was doing what he could to keep his family together and not get his father in trouble. I liked the character and wondered why Monroe didn't write a sequel to Skyward that would feature him. I liked the idea of him and Clarice being friends. I did feel bad though that Monroe had Clarice arguing nothing could happen between them and it was implied it was because he was white and she was black. This book was published in 2003 though so I went back and forth about that being an issue in this time and place.
The writing was just okay. I am used to Monroe making me feel as if I am in the book due to how she writes. This time I wasn't feeling it. I was interested in the research she obviously did about raptors (eagles, falcons, etc.). And she also includes little bits about them before each chapter heading. I also got a kick out of the rooster in this story. Yes, I was more invested in the animals than the actual plot.
The flow was off through the whole book though. There just seemed to be a lot of things left unsaid and we jump around a lot from Harris, Ella, and then Brady in certain sections. I don't know if the book had been tighter just focusing on Harris and Ella. However, I loved the parts with Brady.
The setting of the Lowcountry always seems magical in most of Monroe's books. This time it didn't feel that way to me as I finished this.
The ending was...just think of Jane Eyre. I didn't even know what to say about it.
"Skyward" is about Harris Henderson (that name) who runs a bird sanctuary in the Lowcountry in South Carolina. He devotes most of his energy to the sanctuary while trying to parent his 5 year old daughter Marion. When Marion falls ill and is diagnosed with Type I diabetes, Harris realizes she needs to hire a caregiver for his daughter to ensure she gets her insulin shots. He ends up hiring Ella Majors who after being a long time pediatric nurse in Vermont is ready to do something new.
I didn't like Harris. I get that he was doing a great job, but after hiring Ella he pretty much demands a lot of things of her that I thought were unfair. And he also forbid her from talking about Marion's mother Fannie. That ended up becoming moot though when Fannie returns wanting to make her and Harris's marriage work. Oh did I not mention that Harris is married and starts up a romance with Ella? Yeah, that happened. I maybe mumbled how very Jane Eyre of him especially with the ending too. I guess for me I didn't see what was so great about Harris. He lives only a couple hundred feet from the bird sanctuary but asks like he has so much to do he can't spare any time for his daughter. When they end up losing a nurse for some time due to a family emergency he asks Ella to step in and she's of course (rightfully) says she's there to take care of Marion, not birds. But of course she ends up doing it because Ella has zero backbone.
Onto Ella. Eh. Monroe wrote her as pretty pathetic in my mind. Ella goes on about knowing she's not pretty and she on her 35th birthday resigned herself to being alone forever, with no husband and children and pretty much acted as if there was nothing more to her life.
Ella instantly finds herself attracted to Harris though she's there to actually work. Most of the book is her blushing anytime Harris does something nice and she runs around beating herself up for thinking about Harris romantically. I felt skeeved out about the whole working for the guy and then her getting talked into also working at a bird sanctuary. I seriously felt for Marion because the whole book is pretty much her father and her caregiver making her second or third to birds.
The other adult characters in the story were pretty boring except for Elijah. We get Harris's estranged wife back in the mix and Monroe had the chance to turn the book into something else but then swerved and did what I call a romance clean-up.
Monroe has written about the Gullah's that live in South Carolina in her other books before. This time it bugged me though because Elijah is just used to give out wisdom to characters like Harris and Brady. We hear his backstory via Clarice and I wish that we actually had him deciding to tell his story to someone to make him more developed.
Brady was a hard luck character who was doing what he could to keep his family together and not get his father in trouble. I liked the character and wondered why Monroe didn't write a sequel to Skyward that would feature him. I liked the idea of him and Clarice being friends. I did feel bad though that Monroe had Clarice arguing nothing could happen between them and it was implied it was because he was white and she was black. This book was published in 2003 though so I went back and forth about that being an issue in this time and place.
The writing was just okay. I am used to Monroe making me feel as if I am in the book due to how she writes. This time I wasn't feeling it. I was interested in the research she obviously did about raptors (eagles, falcons, etc.). And she also includes little bits about them before each chapter heading. I also got a kick out of the rooster in this story. Yes, I was more invested in the animals than the actual plot.
The flow was off through the whole book though. There just seemed to be a lot of things left unsaid and we jump around a lot from Harris, Ella, and then Brady in certain sections. I don't know if the book had been tighter just focusing on Harris and Ella. However, I loved the parts with Brady.
The setting of the Lowcountry always seems magical in most of Monroe's books. This time it didn't feel that way to me as I finished this.
The ending was...just think of Jane Eyre. I didn't even know what to say about it.
October 6, 2015
Okay, it's a Harlequin but it was about birds and a child with Type 1 Diabetes. So very disappointed. Here's my Amazon review:
All you needed to do, Mary Alice Monroe or Harlequin Books is have one, just one, parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes read the book before publication. This book contains dangerous misinformation about Type 1 Diabetes. (It hasn’t for some time been called “juvenile diabetes” though the author uses this term exclusively.) Although she claims to have consulted medical personnel for information about T1D, she clearly knows next to nothing about it and did not think to consult a parent or person actually living with the disease.
Why is this dangerous? Children and adults do die from this disease, and often, like in the book, the signs are missed even by medical personnel (See www.kissesforkycie.com) The author introduces T1D to the plot with the 5 year old daughter having seizures in a store aisle from “low blood sugar”. T1D does NOT present with low blood sugar, rather the opposite. The author did get one thing right – Marion was thirsty. The parent would also have noticed that she had to use the bathroom repeatedly, was always hungry but losing weight, and seemed to be ill and tired. She may have vomited. Even though this is a romance novel, the author missed the opportunity to do the world a service and perhaps save a life by making the symptoms of T1D clear.
Other misconceptions: people with T1D are not restricted to a “diabetic diet” and can eat cookies. There was no need for the nanny to sneak them when the child wasn’t around. We don’t need more people thinking this can be controlled by diet, even if that is how your grandma controls her Type 2 Diabetes (different disease altogether). More than once, the author refers to “checking insulin levels” and that the child had “high insulin levels”. To date, this is not a technology available or used in the home. Blood glucose levels are checked. Calculations or pumps are used to calculate how much insulin to deliver, but the parent or person does not test for insulin levels, rather how much glucose is in the blood. Her words around the issue of diabetes are clumsy and forced.
The author did, in one scene, touch very briefly on the terror that a parent new to T1D feels when the child is very low or high in blood glucose, but she did not at all portray what life is like after such a diagnosis.
I realize the source – this is a Harlequin romance novel with a predictable plot. This apparently popular author, however, has the responsibility to, if not portray the disease accurately, to at least not spread misinformation that could harm. If you aren’t willing to do the research, you shouldn’t write about it. (And I don’t buy the book disclaimer in the Acknowledgements to “consider when this book was written". What I am describing has been true for decades.) And thanks for the link to the foundation for saving the birds. Do you think you might also link to JDRF or Faustmanlab.org dedicated to saving children from a terrible disease? And, I’d be willing to re-read the book and help you fix it for a sizeable donation to either organization.
All you needed to do, Mary Alice Monroe or Harlequin Books is have one, just one, parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes read the book before publication. This book contains dangerous misinformation about Type 1 Diabetes. (It hasn’t for some time been called “juvenile diabetes” though the author uses this term exclusively.) Although she claims to have consulted medical personnel for information about T1D, she clearly knows next to nothing about it and did not think to consult a parent or person actually living with the disease.
Why is this dangerous? Children and adults do die from this disease, and often, like in the book, the signs are missed even by medical personnel (See www.kissesforkycie.com) The author introduces T1D to the plot with the 5 year old daughter having seizures in a store aisle from “low blood sugar”. T1D does NOT present with low blood sugar, rather the opposite. The author did get one thing right – Marion was thirsty. The parent would also have noticed that she had to use the bathroom repeatedly, was always hungry but losing weight, and seemed to be ill and tired. She may have vomited. Even though this is a romance novel, the author missed the opportunity to do the world a service and perhaps save a life by making the symptoms of T1D clear.
Other misconceptions: people with T1D are not restricted to a “diabetic diet” and can eat cookies. There was no need for the nanny to sneak them when the child wasn’t around. We don’t need more people thinking this can be controlled by diet, even if that is how your grandma controls her Type 2 Diabetes (different disease altogether). More than once, the author refers to “checking insulin levels” and that the child had “high insulin levels”. To date, this is not a technology available or used in the home. Blood glucose levels are checked. Calculations or pumps are used to calculate how much insulin to deliver, but the parent or person does not test for insulin levels, rather how much glucose is in the blood. Her words around the issue of diabetes are clumsy and forced.
The author did, in one scene, touch very briefly on the terror that a parent new to T1D feels when the child is very low or high in blood glucose, but she did not at all portray what life is like after such a diagnosis.
I realize the source – this is a Harlequin romance novel with a predictable plot. This apparently popular author, however, has the responsibility to, if not portray the disease accurately, to at least not spread misinformation that could harm. If you aren’t willing to do the research, you shouldn’t write about it. (And I don’t buy the book disclaimer in the Acknowledgements to “consider when this book was written". What I am describing has been true for decades.) And thanks for the link to the foundation for saving the birds. Do you think you might also link to JDRF or Faustmanlab.org dedicated to saving children from a terrible disease? And, I’d be willing to re-read the book and help you fix it for a sizeable donation to either organization.
October 28, 2018
The fact that Mary Alice Monroe often weaves environmental issues into her story-lines is a known fact – and I applaud that – as she is taking up that cause for her beautiful home turf; the South Carolina Low Country, which is a unique habitat for fauna and flora. The reason why I only gave this book a 2 star rating, is that I wasn't particularly compelled by the story in general and by the characters at an emotional level. Indeed, despite his wonderful work running the Sanctuary for Birds of prey, Harris Henderson, came across - to me as a reader - as that typical helpless male when it comes to relationships, his daughter, or making up his mind regarding the woman he loves. I don’t hold it against him, it's where the author went with the story and I thought it boring and unoriginal. On their own merits, the characters are great, even Ella, it’s just that the love-angle was predictable; the behavior of the lead characters was predictable; it took away all my enthusiasm about the other more important aspect of the story: the environment and how we all should take care of it – and all that it encompasses for our future.
April 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this book and the bird sanctuary. Very readable and I liked the characters.
July 30, 2011
I'm sorry, Mary Alive Monroe, but were you trying to rewrite Jane Eyre? Because you didn't do a very good job. Honestly, the predictability of this book was ridiculous and 50 pages in I said, "Oh, she's trying to re-do Jane Eyre and is failing."
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is everything from the female protagonist coming to nanny for the male protagonist's 5 year old daughter, to them falling in love, to the lead male being married to a woman who's unavailable to him, to a fire caused by the wife, to blindness in the male protagonist, to a happily ever after with the male and female protagonists. Jane Eyre, no? What's missing, though, is plot intricacy and character development of Jane Eyre. There is no power struggle between young Jane and mature Mr. Rochester, who doesn't view her as his equal and feels no need to be honest or respectful with her. There is an indication of some head games, much like the ones Mr. Rochester played with Jane, in Skyward, but they're clumsily put together and make little sense. The female protagonist is a strong, independent woman who turns to a giggling schoolgirl from just the sight of her handsome employer. Really? REALLY? Do women really buy this kind of drivel?
SPOILERS OVER
I give Monroe credit for doing research on an actual bird sanctuary, (which is central to the plot of this book) and on the Gullah culture and language, although she DID end up changing (according to a note from the author) some of the intricacy of the language to make it easier for her readers to understand. I don't think Monroe gives her readers enough credit, although the simplistic way this is written suggests that she feels her readers are actually people who don't like or want to read.
What I cannot overlook, however, are blatant mistakes in the plot. For example, the thunderstorm the defies physics, in which thunder, somehow, happens BEFORE lightening. Or sudden changes to dialogue that are completely out of character for the person speaking. For example, the female protagonist, who is from Vermont, uses phrases like, "Ever so much better." I know Monroe really wanted this to be like Jane Eyre, but come on, keep the characters true to who you've set them up to be.
Overall, this gets 2 stars, and not 1, because I was able to get through the entire book in a reasonable amount of time and didn't throw it at anything. I would not recommend.
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is everything from the female protagonist coming to nanny for the male protagonist's 5 year old daughter, to them falling in love, to the lead male being married to a woman who's unavailable to him, to a fire caused by the wife, to blindness in the male protagonist, to a happily ever after with the male and female protagonists. Jane Eyre, no? What's missing, though, is plot intricacy and character development of Jane Eyre. There is no power struggle between young Jane and mature Mr. Rochester, who doesn't view her as his equal and feels no need to be honest or respectful with her. There is an indication of some head games, much like the ones Mr. Rochester played with Jane, in Skyward, but they're clumsily put together and make little sense. The female protagonist is a strong, independent woman who turns to a giggling schoolgirl from just the sight of her handsome employer. Really? REALLY? Do women really buy this kind of drivel?
SPOILERS OVER
I give Monroe credit for doing research on an actual bird sanctuary, (which is central to the plot of this book) and on the Gullah culture and language, although she DID end up changing (according to a note from the author) some of the intricacy of the language to make it easier for her readers to understand. I don't think Monroe gives her readers enough credit, although the simplistic way this is written suggests that she feels her readers are actually people who don't like or want to read.
What I cannot overlook, however, are blatant mistakes in the plot. For example, the thunderstorm the defies physics, in which thunder, somehow, happens BEFORE lightening. Or sudden changes to dialogue that are completely out of character for the person speaking. For example, the female protagonist, who is from Vermont, uses phrases like, "Ever so much better." I know Monroe really wanted this to be like Jane Eyre, but come on, keep the characters true to who you've set them up to be.
Overall, this gets 2 stars, and not 1, because I was able to get through the entire book in a reasonable amount of time and didn't throw it at anything. I would not recommend.
December 2, 2008
To me the magic of this book was not the story, as much as it was the birds and the South Carolina lowcountry. The story was, despite my history as a pediatric nurse, incidental. Btu reading of the raptors, now that was something!
I do admire Mary Alice Monroe's ability to capture our area and focus in on a habitat or a species or environment. She did it with Beach House and the turtles, too. And her characters seem very, very real to me. Not always clever or perfect or beautiful, but then again, neither am I!
I do admire Mary Alice Monroe's ability to capture our area and focus in on a habitat or a species or environment. She did it with Beach House and the turtles, too. And her characters seem very, very real to me. Not always clever or perfect or beautiful, but then again, neither am I!
September 22, 2018
This book was a total surprise to me. While other reviewers seemed to be disappointed in Monroe’s choice of subject, I was enthralled. The story is set in the Carolina low country at a birds of prey rehabilitation center. We learn about this conservation program. One of the protagonists is a five year old girl who is newly diagnosed with diabetes. Controlling and understanding this disease is heartbreaking. Altogether an interesting read! Perhaps not truly a literary masterpiece, but a good book.
December 31, 2017
I love Mary Alice Monroe. This book kept my attention, always pulling me along to read what was going to happen next. As all this type of book are, it was a bit predictable, still many heartwarming moments.
December 31, 2017
Sweet book!
January 31, 2024
My first 5 star book for this year. It may not be loved by others as much as me, but here goes why I loved it.
It takes place in Awendaw, SC. The Low Country is one of my favorite settings. Our hero Harris owns and runs a birds of prey rehabilitation center. Eagles and owls are two of my favorite things besides books.
This is really a novel about finding your place in the world. And just how much we can learn from the amazing raptors, or birds of prey.
The characters are very likable and you want to root for them. It's a very heart-warming novel.
It takes place in Awendaw, SC. The Low Country is one of my favorite settings. Our hero Harris owns and runs a birds of prey rehabilitation center. Eagles and owls are two of my favorite things besides books.
This is really a novel about finding your place in the world. And just how much we can learn from the amazing raptors, or birds of prey.
The characters are very likable and you want to root for them. It's a very heart-warming novel.
July 12, 2019
Ms Monroe weaves a very good story that warms the heart. In addition it is educational whether sea turtles in the Beach House series or raptors in this book. Always interested in learning about God’s creations.
January 5, 2023
Overall a good read. I thought the ending was rushed, left me feeling like I needed more information to have complete closure about the characters.
August 8, 2024
Really good book!
July 5, 2025
A bird sanctuary, a misguided teenager, a family scare, love and a fire all keeps the reader wanting more.
September 19, 2017
Minu arvamuse leiab blogist https://triinuraamatud.wordpress.com/...
March 30, 2025
This book was not me just did not get into
Only started it due to there being no books in the library on the cruise ship … thankyou not Princess cruises
Only started it due to there being no books in the library on the cruise ship … thankyou not Princess cruises
June 4, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. This author is on her way to becoming one of my favorites.
This book started out with a boy, Brady, and his father hunting. They’re poor, have to feed a large family, and have no respect for being on land you’re not even allowed to hunt on. An eagle is shot. An old man who was actually
going to give the eagle some food sees that it’s been shot and miraculously brings “his eagle,” Santee, to the Birds of Prey rehabilitation center. Harris Henderson is the head of this center, working to rebuild the birds of prey population, treating wounded and orphaned birds. Lijah, the old man, has a way with birds and becomes a volunteer and friend to all at the center while Santee is getting better.
The center keeps Harris and the volunteers very busy. Harris’ daughter, Marion, was pretty much with baby sitters until a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes. Harris realizes he has to find a live in nurse to care for her. Ella Majors is the perfect person for the job. She’s a nurse who worked in a hospital in Vermont. But working in the pediatric emergency room and watching a particular little boy die has made Ella realize she needs a break. So she moves to South Carolina and spots the ad for a caregiver. At first, it’s very difficult for Marion to live with her disease. But Ella, being experienced and patient, not only gets Marion on a much needed routine, she’s a master organizer, cleaner, and eventually gets to know how to cook edible meals! She even reluctantly agrees to volunteer in the bird center when they become short on staff. With her nursing background she picks up on things right away.
Brady, the boy who with his father shot the eagle known as Santee, has been required to work at the bird center as part of his punishment. But as time goes on, he actually likes working with the birds and seems to be a natural bird handler. He will become a permanent volunteer.
Ella and Harris fall in love but Harris is actually still married to Marion’s mother, Fannie. Fannie comes and goes. Her and Harris have known each other since childhood. But Fannie unfortunately didn’t have a happy childhood and became addicted to drugs. Fannie wants to make a fresh start and stay in her home and be the mother she never was to Marion. Harris loves Ella now but he believes marriage is forever so he agrees to let Fannie stay. Ella knows she has to leave once she teaches Fannie how to care for Marion. But unfortunately Fannie loves her drug addiction more than her family and she makes the mistake of taking drugs at the clinic. That leads to a fire at the clinic and her death. Harris and Ella are reunited in the hospital and they become the family they always wanted. The clinic will be rebuilt better than it was before.
This book started out with a boy, Brady, and his father hunting. They’re poor, have to feed a large family, and have no respect for being on land you’re not even allowed to hunt on. An eagle is shot. An old man who was actually
going to give the eagle some food sees that it’s been shot and miraculously brings “his eagle,” Santee, to the Birds of Prey rehabilitation center. Harris Henderson is the head of this center, working to rebuild the birds of prey population, treating wounded and orphaned birds. Lijah, the old man, has a way with birds and becomes a volunteer and friend to all at the center while Santee is getting better.
The center keeps Harris and the volunteers very busy. Harris’ daughter, Marion, was pretty much with baby sitters until a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes. Harris realizes he has to find a live in nurse to care for her. Ella Majors is the perfect person for the job. She’s a nurse who worked in a hospital in Vermont. But working in the pediatric emergency room and watching a particular little boy die has made Ella realize she needs a break. So she moves to South Carolina and spots the ad for a caregiver. At first, it’s very difficult for Marion to live with her disease. But Ella, being experienced and patient, not only gets Marion on a much needed routine, she’s a master organizer, cleaner, and eventually gets to know how to cook edible meals! She even reluctantly agrees to volunteer in the bird center when they become short on staff. With her nursing background she picks up on things right away.
Brady, the boy who with his father shot the eagle known as Santee, has been required to work at the bird center as part of his punishment. But as time goes on, he actually likes working with the birds and seems to be a natural bird handler. He will become a permanent volunteer.
Ella and Harris fall in love but Harris is actually still married to Marion’s mother, Fannie. Fannie comes and goes. Her and Harris have known each other since childhood. But Fannie unfortunately didn’t have a happy childhood and became addicted to drugs. Fannie wants to make a fresh start and stay in her home and be the mother she never was to Marion. Harris loves Ella now but he believes marriage is forever so he agrees to let Fannie stay. Ella knows she has to leave once she teaches Fannie how to care for Marion. But unfortunately Fannie loves her drug addiction more than her family and she makes the mistake of taking drugs at the clinic. That leads to a fire at the clinic and her death. Harris and Ella are reunited in the hospital and they become the family they always wanted. The clinic will be rebuilt better than it was before.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2021
So disappointed with this one! I really liked the premise behind the story as well as the focus on the rehabilitation of birds of prey. I enjoyed Mary Alice Monroe's writing style with her poetic imagery and detailed emotional descriptions. But the core was very much a "nothing" story - sorry!
June 12, 2018
Great characters!
This is an excellent book, full of the mystery and wonder of creatures I would never have considered before...birds of prey. This masterfully written story is weaved throughout with characters that are broken but not beyond healing...just like the birds they care for in the book. It's a story of redemption for some, a journey of self-awareness for others, but all are connected and share in their experiences. I really enjoyed the story and felt the realness of the characters.
This is an excellent book, full of the mystery and wonder of creatures I would never have considered before...birds of prey. This masterfully written story is weaved throughout with characters that are broken but not beyond healing...just like the birds they care for in the book. It's a story of redemption for some, a journey of self-awareness for others, but all are connected and share in their experiences. I really enjoyed the story and felt the realness of the characters.
March 27, 2022
Contrived and every human situation is compared to bird lives.
I had high hopes because the beginning of every chapter has a reference to a certain bird and I thought I'd learn something about birds. It started being overdone a quarter of the way through the book. Then, of course, the hot guy who runs the bird sanctuary falls for the plain nurse who is kind, caring and comes to care for his diabetic young daughter but he could be swayed back to his hot wife (who is a toad, let's be honest). Skip this one.
I had high hopes because the beginning of every chapter has a reference to a certain bird and I thought I'd learn something about birds. It started being overdone a quarter of the way through the book. Then, of course, the hot guy who runs the bird sanctuary falls for the plain nurse who is kind, caring and comes to care for his diabetic young daughter but he could be swayed back to his hot wife (who is a toad, let's be honest). Skip this one.
May 23, 2019
The book was good. I learned a lot about birds, raptors in particular.
The editing was the worst I have seen in any ebook I have read. That is the reason for the three stars. I would say every 3 to 5 pages there was a mistake. A tremendous amount of wordsare separated that are not supposed to be:
how ever, any thing, al though .... It was frustrating and surprising considering this was a Harlequin novel
The editing was the worst I have seen in any ebook I have read. That is the reason for the three stars. I would say every 3 to 5 pages there was a mistake. A tremendous amount of wordsare separated that are not supposed to be:
how ever, any thing, al though .... It was frustrating and surprising considering this was a Harlequin novel
August 26, 2009
Predictable, but enjoyable reading. Loved learning about various predators in the intro to each chapter.
Read
March 4, 2016Skyward, a sweet romance
Formulaic but satisfying romance. Child with diabetes. Workaholic father. Nurse with a heart of gold. Raptors. And a boy named Brady.
Formulaic but satisfying romance. Child with diabetes. Workaholic father. Nurse with a heart of gold. Raptors. And a boy named Brady.
March 20, 2018
A modern-day Jane Eyre... There were some lovable characters and I kind of liked the birds of prey stuff, but the main characters drove me a bit nuts.
March 4, 2024
I really wanted to like this book. I had read Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe and really liked it. Was hoping this one was more like Beach House and less like its sequels which had morphed into formulaic romance novels. I’m not dissing romance novels; I just don’t like to read them. And Skyward was a very badly written, formulaic romance novel.
As I said, badly written. To me, it read like a Composition 101 first draft. Over and over again she used phrases like “…in a stiff manner.” “…in a saucy manner.” “…in a lackluster, grand, teasing manner.” Was there no other way to describe the characters’ expressions and, dare I say, mannerisms? She has no other words at her disposal than “ in a ____ manner?”
She had other words. I know that because at times in the very dry narrative, there were descriptions that seemed to be reaching; to prove that she could write beautiful words. “…the winds ushered in skies of blinding azure clarity.” Sometimes, simple is better.
And how many times did she have to call the character by her full name? Ella Elizabeth Majors did this, Ella Elizabeth Majors did that. Once, maybe twice, I think it’s a good device to make the reader of the whole personhood of the character. But after 3-4 times, it’s just annoying.
I didn’t like Ella and I didn’t like Harris. And I did not like their romance. It was too contrived and took without much build up - went from furtive glances to full on heat. Or supposed heat. There really was no chemistry between them.
Ella says at one point she is NOT an animal lover. On page 151 she declares, “No dogs, cats or birds for me!” Then on page 201 she says, “I’ve always loved owls.” Ok?
I never, at any point in this book, liked Ella. And the scene in the ER made me almost hate her. She’s standing there in a hospital emergency room after a tragic accident. A woman has died. Yes, she was “the villain,” but she has died an awful death even though her “heroic,” (cough, cough) husband has tied to save her. The husband is lying there burned and battered and blind! And Ella, forgetting all that has happened leading up to this moment, has a life-before-your-eyes moment and “her heart lifted!” Smiling down at the hero/jerk, she “was soaring.” It was like “ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead!”
Harris is angry at one point because Fannie has cost him the only woman he had ever loved, meaning Ella. He says several times that he never really loved Fannie. Yet, while watching her interact with Marion one time, he remembers what it was like when he fell in love with her. Did he love her or didn’t he?
The depiction of diabetes is inaccurate. It just is. I’m a nurse and a diabetic and I know.
So why did I finish a book that had unlikable, undeveloped and inconsistent main characters? I liked Lijah and Brady. Wish the story had been about them. I like the damned rooster a lot. And she had to go and kill him off!
As I said, badly written. To me, it read like a Composition 101 first draft. Over and over again she used phrases like “…in a stiff manner.” “…in a saucy manner.” “…in a lackluster, grand, teasing manner.” Was there no other way to describe the characters’ expressions and, dare I say, mannerisms? She has no other words at her disposal than “ in a ____ manner?”
She had other words. I know that because at times in the very dry narrative, there were descriptions that seemed to be reaching; to prove that she could write beautiful words. “…the winds ushered in skies of blinding azure clarity.” Sometimes, simple is better.
And how many times did she have to call the character by her full name? Ella Elizabeth Majors did this, Ella Elizabeth Majors did that. Once, maybe twice, I think it’s a good device to make the reader of the whole personhood of the character. But after 3-4 times, it’s just annoying.
I didn’t like Ella and I didn’t like Harris. And I did not like their romance. It was too contrived and took without much build up - went from furtive glances to full on heat. Or supposed heat. There really was no chemistry between them.
Ella says at one point she is NOT an animal lover. On page 151 she declares, “No dogs, cats or birds for me!” Then on page 201 she says, “I’ve always loved owls.” Ok?
I never, at any point in this book, liked Ella. And the scene in the ER made me almost hate her. She’s standing there in a hospital emergency room after a tragic accident. A woman has died. Yes, she was “the villain,” but she has died an awful death even though her “heroic,” (cough, cough) husband has tied to save her. The husband is lying there burned and battered and blind! And Ella, forgetting all that has happened leading up to this moment, has a life-before-your-eyes moment and “her heart lifted!” Smiling down at the hero/jerk, she “was soaring.” It was like “ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead!”
Harris is angry at one point because Fannie has cost him the only woman he had ever loved, meaning Ella. He says several times that he never really loved Fannie. Yet, while watching her interact with Marion one time, he remembers what it was like when he fell in love with her. Did he love her or didn’t he?
The depiction of diabetes is inaccurate. It just is. I’m a nurse and a diabetic and I know.
So why did I finish a book that had unlikable, undeveloped and inconsistent main characters? I liked Lijah and Brady. Wish the story had been about them. I like the damned rooster a lot. And she had to go and kill him off!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2023
This is my first Monroe book. I liked it. I did think it got a little long. It seems like Monroe really went overboard explaining the relationships in the story. It was very obvious to me, the reader, the relationship between Ella, and her 'charge', Marion. Marion had Type 1 diabetes; Ella was a nurse who had dealt with all kinds of patients, especially young children with juvenile diabetes.
It was also no surprise that Dad, Harrison, was overwhelmed by his wife leaving, trying to run the birds of prey sanctuary, and trying to take care of his 5-year old daughter who was learning to manage her diabetes. The 'surprise' character was Fannie, the wife who kept coming in and out of the family picture. Fannie's problems with her addictions and her selfishness created an interesting twist to the story.
In the end, goodness prevailed! The descriptions of the birds, their care, and management was also a very unique aspect of the story. I learned a lot about eagles, raptors, vultures, etc. It would seem like a sequel to this book would be appropriate. Maybe already in the works?
It was also no surprise that Dad, Harrison, was overwhelmed by his wife leaving, trying to run the birds of prey sanctuary, and trying to take care of his 5-year old daughter who was learning to manage her diabetes. The 'surprise' character was Fannie, the wife who kept coming in and out of the family picture. Fannie's problems with her addictions and her selfishness created an interesting twist to the story.
In the end, goodness prevailed! The descriptions of the birds, their care, and management was also a very unique aspect of the story. I learned a lot about eagles, raptors, vultures, etc. It would seem like a sequel to this book would be appropriate. Maybe already in the works?
May 29, 2017
Skyward by Mary Alice Monroe is an enjoyable read. Unlike other women's fiction novels, this one focused on the bird species. The predators. It was cool learning about them. The story seemed interesting but lacked that deep connection I was expecting. This was my first novel read that was written by Mary Alice Monroe. Her cover intrigued me. The pain explored inside, was believable. The relationship between father and daughter...was realistic. The themes of love, trust, and healing were engaging. I wasn't familiar with the little girl's diagnosis but I think the book came out great. Overall, Skyward is a raw and open read. I recommend it to others.
I bought this book from my local Humane Society store.
I bought this book from my local Humane Society store.
July 12, 2017
I have loved Monroe's books so much that I'm trying to read all that she has published. Yet again I was not disappointed. Similar to the sea turtle facts in other books, each chapter begins with a fact about birds of prey. I already had a great interest in the birds of SC, particularly the coastal birds, but now I will know the difference in identifying buzzards and black birds, etc.! In a way this storyline disappointed me as I do believe in the sanctity of marriage. However, as a medical professional, I loved the real glimpse into what life is like dealing with Type 1 Diabetes. Nonetheless this story was beautifully written as Monroe always writes in a way that you can just envision the story.
August 26, 2019
The last of my summer reads - school starts tomorrow - and this one was a surprise. While there was much about the plot that was predictable, I enjoyed the prologue to each chapter which gave an ornithologist explanation of one aspect of raptors. As the novel unfolds, and the characters learn about themselves and about each other, we learn about ways their behaviors and choices reflect characteristics of the birds Harris has devoted his life to protecting. The metaphor might feel heavy handed, but I really liked being brought into a world that is unfamiliar to me. I also appreciated learning about the Gullah culture and the South Carolina topography and story telling tradition that is a key aspect to it.
October 10, 2020
A very nice romance story, with information about birds of prey and others at the beginning of each chapter. Ella Majors has left her job as an ER nurse, to become a caregiver to a five year old girl, Marion Henderson. Marion has diabetes and her father a rehabilitator of wild birds in his birds-or-prey sanctuary in South Carolina is having trouble dealing with the medical requirements of his daughter and keeping up with the birds he cares for. An interesting story for the most part. I enjoyed most of the cast of characters, Ella, Marion, Brady, Maggie, Clarice, & Lijah were all at the heart of the story. A Good read.
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