Cocoon

by Emily Sue Harvey

When widowed Seana Howard meets Barth McGrath, a newcomer to their little town, she never dreams she’ll fall in love again. Despite his somewhat quirky ways, she falls for the man. The only problem is that her married children do not trust the mysterious stranger. Who is he? Where exactly did he come from? Why are there so many questions about his past?

Against their wishes, Seana elopes with Barth and is happier than she’s been in years. Then her happiness shatters when a mysterious illness suddenly befalls her, exiling her once brilliant mind to a dark nightmare from which she may never return. The eclipse is startling and complete. Will Barth, with such a short history with Seana, love her enough to endure the trials of caring for someone under such dire circumstances? Can her family get past their suspicions and trust his motives and love for their mother? Will Seana ever escape her dark cocoon and reclaim her very purpose for living? Will life give her a second chance to spread her wings, like a beautiful butterfly?

COCOON is a life-affirming story of travail, obstacles, and the extraordinary lengths that undying love will travel.

Genres: Romance

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 6, 2012

About the author

Emily Sue Harvey’s writing to make a difference. Her upbeat stories have appeared in dozens of anthologies including “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” “Chocolate for Women,” “From Eulogy to Joy,” “A Father’s Embrace,” “True Story,” “Compassionate Friends Magazine,” and “Woman’s World.” Emily Sue served as president of Southeastern Writers Association in 2008-2009. Her first novel, Song of Renewal, published by Story Plant, was released in the spring of 2009.

Reviews

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very few people ever think that the wedding vows that they make to stay together in sickness and health, will ever happen sooner than later and in most cases hopefully never at all. But such was not the case between Seana Howard and Barth McGrath. To say that things began well would be simply an understatement for them both. Each had lost loves in their earlier lives and both were struggling with the fact that they would grow old alone. Seems fate does that quite a bit, bringing people together during the difficult times as almost a reward for their prolonged perseverance in times of hardship. You would also think that Seana's grown children, Zoe and Tim, would be more than thrilled that their mother would find love again and marry, but again this would not be the case.

For Seana and Barth, theirs would be a whirlwind romance, not because they wanted to get on with life, but because after previous marriages and their age, they felt they knew what was right for each of them, without considering that Seana's children would hopefully come to accept their marriage given enough time. But for some reason, Zoe felt that Barth was hiding something. All the questions she asked Barth about his previous life, seemed to go unanswered or he simply steered the conversation in other directions. So it was no wonder when she discovers that Barth's previous wife was murdered and he was considered the suspect, that he may not be suitable for her mother.

But love is blind and soon Seana and Barth felt that they needed to elope and find a way to let the kids and neighbors know about their marriage after the fact. Everyone couldn't have been happier for Seana except for Zoe and Tim. Even her grandchildren had come to accept Barth. Yet when Seana begins to take Barth's advice to make healthier choices when it comes to the food she eats and later begins to grow ill, with a diagnosis that even baffles her doctors, Zoe begins to think Barth is up to no good. It seems that the more time passes, the worse Seana gets, even though Barth vows to care for her no matter how bad things will get. Will he take his marriage vows all the way to the end if need be, or will Zoe find the proof she needs to prove to everyone that her fears about Barth are valid after all?

I received Cocoon by Emily Sue Harvey compliments of The Story Plant for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This book will ask the hard questions that most of us that are married hope will never happen. How far would you go to care for the person you marry? How much time would you spend caring for their needs 24/7? What if there was no answer to why someone simply gives up the will to live? Is there hope and light at the end of the tunnel when everyone simply gives up? This novel has a great message behind it all and one that shows how hard faith can be when facing the darkness day after day and seeing no results. One worth exploring to the end! I easily give this one a 4 out of 5 stars!

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seana Howard is a vibrant, out-going, cheerful, lovely woman. After many years of marriage her husband Ansel died. She often thinks back on the life they'd had. She wonders if it would be possible to love gain. Seana has 2 adult children with families and careers, Tim and Zoe. Tim manages the business Ansel built. Zoe has a dance studio. The dance studio is where Seana met Barth. At first sight Barth looked rather out of place back in the "dim corner" of the studio. Seana introduced herself, there was a spark of attraction between them. In the small town of Paradise Springs, South Carolina, the beauty of the Smokey Mountains are in the distance. The population is 2,000. Everyone knows Seana. She is a respected and beloved friend. Barth though is a "new-comer" to town. Seana's children are bewildered and shocked when Seana and Barth elope. Seana and Barth settle in to her spacious 2 story ranch home, hoping that eventually her children will welcome Barth with a positive attitude. Not long after their marriage Seana becomes ill with a mysterious illness. She withdraws in to a cocoon of complete apathy. Her physician has a difficult time with a diagnosis. Barth is thrown in to the care-giving role while they are still in their honey-moon phase. Will this test of endurance and faith persevere through the refiners fire.

I loved this story!
I love southern stories----southern in landscape and speech.
The author describes the beauty of Seana's corner of South Carolina, tucked away just below North Carolina, where you can see the "blue Smokey Mountain range." The fragrance of "honeysuckles, primrose, lavender" greet the reader in the first few pages.
Southern expressions such as: "For crying out loud." "In a jiffy." "Off kilter." "Well I never." "Evasive as a feral fox." This is the language of my people, my land, my south. There is comfort in being amongst my own people---even in a fiction world.
Barth's role as caregiver I can relate to. The never-ending moments that develop in to days of caring for someone that is uncooperative, fussy, obstinate. The hope of a better day, a day of not just a respite, but healing.
Love is displayed not just in word, but action amongst Seana's family and friends. Each of her loved one's in tenderness and patience, wait in faith, for the day of Seana returning to them.
On first reading Cocoon it appears to solely be about Seana, yes she is the main character and the character that is going through this most pitiable and troubling disease. Yet, I believe Cocoon is about love. Beyond the "moonlight and roses" as my mother used to say, Cocoon is about love when there is no beauty, there is no birdsong in the morning, there is only the dark night and it seems to go on forever.

Thank you to Emily Sue Harvey and The Story Plant for my free review copy in return for an honest review!

[Traecy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is drivel...like a bad harlequin romance. There is no attempt at character development. Mid-chapter, the story jumps ahead 6 months or a couple of years...whatever it takes to get through to the next idea the author had. The language is atrocious. You regularly hear "Dontcha" or "doncha" (the spelling changes throughout) and "yeh" spoken by the characters. Some reviewers suggest it's regional dialect, but it is sprinkled in there so randomly as if an afterthought that it doesn't add to the story.

Seana falls into a deep depression and is on tons of medication, only to get worse. This goes on in excess of four years. Her husband seems to go along not really looking into to things while at the same time he "cures" her cousin's bone cancer with alternative medicine. Why not use some of that on the wife and try to help her? It takes years before someone decides that maybe they should rally the community and really look into alternative methods to helping her. Then after another year, a light she dubbed "Christ" comes to her in the middle of the night heals her & all is well once again.

The daughter runs a floundering dance studio where local families are dropping out due to the recession, yet she keeps looking to hire help and throws elaborate weekly parties which must cost plenty. Either money is tight and business failing or not, but you can't have it both ways .

There is no flow or continuity to the plot. Just a bunch of disconnected thoughts poorly pieced together.

[Beth Cutwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert--

Cocoon was a story of change, thus the title. The first change for Seana was an elopement with Barth and alienation from her adult children. The second change was the debilitating disease that struck her down. The last change was the way the community and church came together and prayed for Seana and her victorious emergence from the mind numbing disease that attacked her.

The characters were very relatable and strong. Seana's daughter Zoe, was strong and self sufficient and quite antagonistic to Barth, the new husband. She had convinced herself that she did not need a man herself. She was too strong and sent them running once they got to know her. I didn't care for her until she had her moment of enlightenment, I enjoyed Barth's character immensely...he stuck by his woman, although he had moments of bitterness when he thought a mean thought or a tired thought and instantly felt guilty.

I loved the part where the community held Seana up in prayer and bonded together for her care and treatment and the miracle that cleared her mind once and for all. This was a story about small town life, caring and community. Hearts and minds were healed throughout the story. Heartwarming, thoughtful and well plotted, this is a story with strength and healing within the covers.

[Daniel Ritter · Rating 2 out of 5]

although this was not my favorite genre I read the whole book and was happy with the ending.