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Sand Dollar: a tale of old Key West
Imagine life in old Key West . . .
Mary Thorne should already have married, but Michael was lost at sea, a victim of his own foolishness. Her father persuades her to accept the hand of Richard Randall, a wrecker. It will be a marriage of convenience for them both, but better than nothing. When Mary learns about her father's dark secret, the knowledge drives her closer to Richard. Then the Great Hurricane of 1846 lures them to Key West to profit from the rebuilding.
Mary leaves her family behind and places all her hopes on her husband and her children-to-come. As events unfold, suspenseful and often surprising, Mary struggles to maintain her independence and reconcile her ideals with the realities of life in Key West in the mid-1800's.
"This gripping and affecting historic novel, Sand Dollar, overflows with the sights, sounds and smells of the mid-19th Century Florida Tropics, making an auspicious debut for novelist, Jane Newhagen."
Brewster Milton Robertson - A Posturing of Fools (River City Publishing, 2004)
Mary Thorne should already have married, but Michael was lost at sea, a victim of his own foolishness. Her father persuades her to accept the hand of Richard Randall, a wrecker. It will be a marriage of convenience for them both, but better than nothing. When Mary learns about her father's dark secret, the knowledge drives her closer to Richard. Then the Great Hurricane of 1846 lures them to Key West to profit from the rebuilding.
Mary leaves her family behind and places all her hopes on her husband and her children-to-come. As events unfold, suspenseful and often surprising, Mary struggles to maintain her independence and reconcile her ideals with the realities of life in Key West in the mid-1800's.
"This gripping and affecting historic novel, Sand Dollar, overflows with the sights, sounds and smells of the mid-19th Century Florida Tropics, making an auspicious debut for novelist, Jane Newhagen."
Brewster Milton Robertson - A Posturing of Fools (River City Publishing, 2004)
284 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2007
20 people want to read
About the author
Jane Louise Newhagen
5 booksBorn and raised in Denver, Colorado, I went "east to college" where I graduated from Brown University in Providence, R.I. Since then, Ive lived in Massachusetts, New York, Paris, France and mainland Florida. Ive made my home in Key West since 2000.
My publications and related work include:
- I just won First and Third Prizes in the Key West Writers Guild short story contest for my stories Remembrance and Suenos.
- My reminiscence, Grandmommy's Love, is included in the anthology All My Good Habits I Learned from Grandma, edited by Laurel Seiler Brunvoll, 2007, Thomas Nelson, Inc.
- My short story, Paint Job, was published in the 2006 Florida International University Key West Writers Conference Anthology, which can be viewed at http://w3.fiu.edu/CRWRITING/KeyWestAn....
- My essay on the promotion and defense of the principles of a free press was a finalist in the Inter-American Press Association Chapultepec Essay Contest.
- My fable, Amavie, won second place in the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge contest.
- For four years I was an associate editor and feature writer for Country Pleasures, a Westchester County, New York magazine.
- For three years I wrote feature articles and personality profiles for The Pound Ridge Review, Acorn Press and The Lewisboro Ledger.
- My other articles have appeared in publications including The New York Times Op Ed page, Hudson Valley Magazine, Women's News, New England Sporthorse Journal, and Junior Riders.
- I was a five-year member of the Hiram Halle Memorial Library Board of Trustees in Pound Ridge, NY, responsible for public relations.
- I was public relations consultant for the Putnam County NY Symphony Orchestra where I designed and produced their first fund-raising campaign.
- I have written and edited newsletters both professionally and as a volunteer for over fifteen years. The newsletters have included Saw Mill River Club/Tennis Equities, a health club conglomerate in Mt. Kisco, NY; the Boca Raton Newcomers Club; the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach, FL; and the Florida Keys Audubon Society of which I am also secretary.
- I have been the archivist for the Key West Historic City Cemetery since 2003.
More information is available on my web site, www.janenewhagen.com. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, I went "east to college" where I graduated from Brown University in Providence, R.I. Since then, Ive lived in Massachusetts, New York, Paris, France and mainland Florida. Ive made my home in Key West since 2000. My publications and related work include: - I just won First and Third Prizes in the Key West Writers Guild short story contest for my stories Remembrance and Suenos. - My reminiscence, Grandmommy's Love, is included in the anthology All My Good Habits I Learned from Grandma, edited by Laurel Seiler Brunvoll, 2007, Thomas Nelson, Inc. - My short story, Paint Job, was published in the 2006 Florida International University Key West Writers Conference Anthology, which can be viewed at http://w3.fiu.edu/CRWRITING/KeyWestAn.... - My essay on the promotion and defense of the principles of a free press was a finalist in the Inter-American Press Association Chapultepec Essay Contest. - My fable, Amavie, won second place in the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge contest. - For four years I was an associate editor and feature writer for Country Pleasures, a Westchester County, New York magazine. - For three years I wrote feature articles and personality profiles for The Pound Ridge Review, Acorn Press and The Lewisboro Ledger. - My other articles have appeared in publications including The New York Times Op Ed page, Hudson Valley Magazine, Women's News, New England Sporthorse Journal, and Junior Riders. - I was a five-year member of the Hiram Halle Memorial Library Board of Trustees in Pound Ridge, NY, responsible for public relations. - I was public
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 2, 2022
ALERT: My review of this book may be influenced by the fact that the author is a personal friend.
I like historical romance fiction. And even though this first book by a Key West resident and scholar was a little removed from my usual Regency era, I enjoyed the story. The characters and theme - battling strong male and female characters meet, fight, and fall in love - were familiar. The setting - 19th century Key West, Florida - was pictured well. And it had the inevitable happy ending! Thank you, Jane Newhagen!
I like historical romance fiction. And even though this first book by a Key West resident and scholar was a little removed from my usual Regency era, I enjoyed the story. The characters and theme - battling strong male and female characters meet, fight, and fall in love - were familiar. The setting - 19th century Key West, Florida - was pictured well. And it had the inevitable happy ending! Thank you, Jane Newhagen!
November 5, 2018
I’ll start at the beginning... My mother in law say “Do you remember my friend Janie from NY that a stayed with in Paris and then she moved to Key West? She wrote a book. You should read it.” 🙄Oh Lord, I thought. Now I’ll have to slog through it and find something nice to tell Ann.
But then I read it!! IT WAS GOOD!!! I enjoyed the story, I learned some history and I’ll see if I can find more of her books.
There was a big surprise. 🤫
But then I read it!! IT WAS GOOD!!! I enjoyed the story, I learned some history and I’ll see if I can find more of her books.
There was a big surprise. 🤫
July 28, 2020
Good Golly... a total tear jerker!!!
Wow! This was so sad. It starts off reading a bit like a romance book but it’s also interesting as it gives historical background and info on early life in Key West. But it stays true to reality and becomes terribly tragic. Just heart wrenching. Still, it’s good reading. I like the fact that it’s not formulaic and that the characters seem multi dimensional.
Wow! This was so sad. It starts off reading a bit like a romance book but it’s also interesting as it gives historical background and info on early life in Key West. But it stays true to reality and becomes terribly tragic. Just heart wrenching. Still, it’s good reading. I like the fact that it’s not formulaic and that the characters seem multi dimensional.
August 9, 2025
Interesting setting but the protagonist with modern sensibilities just doesn’t work.
April 25, 2012
I was vacationing in Key West when I choose this book. Thought it might help paint a better picture since the I would be living and breathing the backdrop of the story. It helped! It's a great story, but VERY TRAGIC.
July 12, 2012
Really good, but really wanted it to end differently
December 27, 2014
Excellent story and lots of Key West content. Really enjoyable.
July 29, 2009
Good, but so incredibly sad.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews