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Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright
When a peculiar young woman shows up at the Wesley House Bed and Breakfast with a battered suitcase and stories to tell, shipwright Sam Wesley isn’t sure if she’s incredibly imaginative or just plain delusional. He soon realizes that Marlena is like no other woman he has ever met. Her strange behavior and far-fetched tales of shipwrecks and survival are a fresh breeze in Sam’s stagnant life.
Sam isn’t the only one enchanted by Marlena. With his best friend putting the moves on her and a man from her past coming back into her life, the competition for Marlena’s heart is fierce. In the midst of it all, a misunderstanding sends Marlena running, and by the time Sam learns what his heart really wants, it may be too late to win her back.
Sam isn’t the only one enchanted by Marlena. With his best friend putting the moves on her and a man from her past coming back into her life, the competition for Marlena’s heart is fierce. In the midst of it all, a misunderstanding sends Marlena running, and by the time Sam learns what his heart really wants, it may be too late to win her back.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Chicoine
8 books20 followersJ. B. Chicoine was born on Long Island, New York, and grew up in Amityville during the 1960s and 70s. She has lived in New Hampshire, Kansas City and Michigan. She enjoys setting her stories in New England.
She has been writing stories since she was a girl, but didn't complete a novel until she was nearly thirty. Since then, she has completed four more novels; UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright, SPILLED COFFEE, PORTRAIT OF A GIRL RUNNING and its sequel PORTRAIT OF A PROTEGE.
J. B. Chicoine's novels are character driven, (though she does love a plot twist). As a watercolor artist, people are one of her favorite subjects. She says that developing a character is so much like painting a portrait--adding layers as she goes--creating depth.
She also enjoys designing covers and binding her novels. She blogs about her painting and writing, and also has a Website--www.JBChicoine.com. When she's not writing or painting, she enjoys volunteer work, baking crusty breads and working of various projects with her husband. Please feel free to contact her--she loves interacting with her readers.
She has been writing stories since she was a girl, but didn't complete a novel until she was nearly thirty. Since then, she has completed four more novels; UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright, SPILLED COFFEE, PORTRAIT OF A GIRL RUNNING and its sequel PORTRAIT OF A PROTEGE.
J. B. Chicoine's novels are character driven, (though she does love a plot twist). As a watercolor artist, people are one of her favorite subjects. She says that developing a character is so much like painting a portrait--adding layers as she goes--creating depth.
She also enjoys designing covers and binding her novels. She blogs about her painting and writing, and also has a Website--www.JBChicoine.com. When she's not writing or painting, she enjoys volunteer work, baking crusty breads and working of various projects with her husband. Please feel free to contact her--she loves interacting with her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 11, 2017
I picked this book up for research--I didn't read the blurb, and I thought it was historical. I was wrong about the genre, but I'm so glad I made that mistake. I LOVED it. Honestly, I've been thinking about the tight story and the complex characters for a week now.
I absolutely recommend it. The romance is lovely, but that wasn't my favorite thing about the book. It's told completely from the man's POV, and at first glance, he's super boring. but, you quickly realize he's got baggage, and a lack of confidence, and he's interesting and caring and wonderful. I loved him. I loved his grandpa, I loved his annoying friend, and his love interest--which I won't go into because it will spoil the story.
Seriously, this was so well crafted, the language is beautiful, and I found myself slowing down and enjoying every bit of it.
Love Love Love. I can't say enough about it.
I absolutely recommend it. The romance is lovely, but that wasn't my favorite thing about the book. It's told completely from the man's POV, and at first glance, he's super boring. but, you quickly realize he's got baggage, and a lack of confidence, and he's interesting and caring and wonderful. I loved him. I loved his grandpa, I loved his annoying friend, and his love interest--which I won't go into because it will spoil the story.
Seriously, this was so well crafted, the language is beautiful, and I found myself slowing down and enjoying every bit of it.
Love Love Love. I can't say enough about it.
November 16, 2018
I am a little conflicted about this story. I liked it but didn't love it. It tells the story of a woman named Marlene who is a bit of an enigma to Sam Wesley and others at the the Wesley House Bed and Breakfast when she just suddenly shows up. She seems a bit odd and just "off" or something, but the one thing she has that really piques Sam's interest is stories to tell. Sam realizes that he is interested in her and so is Derek, and soon another man from one of her stories shows up and he wants to marry the woman.
I thought the story had more promise to engage me than I found it to actually be engaging. I liked Marlene's stories to a degree, but at times I wasn't sure if she was into a story or it was their current situation. That's probably my fault because I went back and forth between the audio and hard copy. When I listened to the audio I think I got lost a couple times just from being distracted.
Sam writes and so his interest in Marlene's stories she tells are of a personal interest as well as a literary one. He is always ready for her to continue telling her story. It's almost like one long story that is continued whenever possible. When Marlene decides to leave without telling Sam, she leaves him more stories so that he can know the end. He reads them right away, but to his surprise Marlene comes back and so does Dave, one of them men who had rescued her when she was somewhere between 17-19 years old and he wants to marry Marlene. Sam's very protective of what he believes is his and Marlene's very serious relationship, so that story line is interesting to see what Marlene does.
I thought the story had more promise to engage me than I found it to actually be engaging. I liked Marlene's stories to a degree, but at times I wasn't sure if she was into a story or it was their current situation. That's probably my fault because I went back and forth between the audio and hard copy. When I listened to the audio I think I got lost a couple times just from being distracted.
Sam writes and so his interest in Marlene's stories she tells are of a personal interest as well as a literary one. He is always ready for her to continue telling her story. It's almost like one long story that is continued whenever possible. When Marlene decides to leave without telling Sam, she leaves him more stories so that he can know the end. He reads them right away, but to his surprise Marlene comes back and so does Dave, one of them men who had rescued her when she was somewhere between 17-19 years old and he wants to marry Marlene. Sam's very protective of what he believes is his and Marlene's very serious relationship, so that story line is interesting to see what Marlene does.
October 10, 2012
“Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright” is formatted as a tale within a tale and the story within is captivating. I enjoyed this format because it shows life after the real adventure of “The Captain” and how his story is not the only one affected by his actions. This book directly addresses the way life is affected and perceived according to past events. The main character has lived his life as expected because of his relationship to a famous sea captain who had been lost at sea many years ago. He is also struggling within a family that was affected by the alcohol abuse and death of his father. Amidst this setting a strange girl shows up with abilities to spear fish, eat raw clams, and come up with random highly intelligent comments and conversation, which contradicts her quiet personality and the fact that Kansas, where she is from, is not even near an ocean. The fascination with this girl leads the main character to learn more about her as he shares with her his writings and she shares oral stories with him. I felt this was a well-developed story and held me captive throughout the telling.
I received a free Advanced Review Copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a free Advanced Review Copy of this book from the publisher.
March 25, 2021
4.5 stars, I think I have found a new favorite author. This story took me completely by surprise which is always something I appreciate. Very unique and tackles some very tricky family dynamics and history, but also has a sweet sentimental feel.
September 6, 2012
What would you do if everything you’ve ever known in your life is taken away and the only thing that remains is a fantastical heart-wrenching story to show for it?
UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright is one of those books that you will think about for a long time afterward. J.B. Chicoine’s exciting debut novel about a boat builder in Maine who meets an exceptional woman will leave you breathless as you turn the pages.
Chicoine’s writing is superb, with lyrical prose that envelops you like morning fog, silently creeping into your soul and as it lifts, you find yourself engulfed in a love story so simple yet so profound you can’t put it down. The places Chicoine transports the reader – spear fishing on a tropical island, ocean breezes wafting through the warmth of the dazzling summer sun or that same summer sun in a dusty dry Kansas cornfield – across not only continents, but also time as well to an incredible extraordinary story of survivors of a shipwreck. Chicoine certainly outdid herself creating this novel.
The characters are all three-dimensional, each having their own intriguing back-story, which blends seamlessly with Marlena and Sam’s interactions. The dysfunctional family dynamic is written brilliantly – the tension and anxiety carefully balanced with dry humor and underlying respect. There are no cardboard caricatures in this novel.
Part haunting love-story, part historical high seas adventure, this story about an ordinary man who meets a most uncommon woman will stay with you for a long time. If you don’t read anything else this year – read this book.
UNCHARTED: Story for a Shipwright is one of those books that you will think about for a long time afterward. J.B. Chicoine’s exciting debut novel about a boat builder in Maine who meets an exceptional woman will leave you breathless as you turn the pages.
Chicoine’s writing is superb, with lyrical prose that envelops you like morning fog, silently creeping into your soul and as it lifts, you find yourself engulfed in a love story so simple yet so profound you can’t put it down. The places Chicoine transports the reader – spear fishing on a tropical island, ocean breezes wafting through the warmth of the dazzling summer sun or that same summer sun in a dusty dry Kansas cornfield – across not only continents, but also time as well to an incredible extraordinary story of survivors of a shipwreck. Chicoine certainly outdid herself creating this novel.
The characters are all three-dimensional, each having their own intriguing back-story, which blends seamlessly with Marlena and Sam’s interactions. The dysfunctional family dynamic is written brilliantly – the tension and anxiety carefully balanced with dry humor and underlying respect. There are no cardboard caricatures in this novel.
Part haunting love-story, part historical high seas adventure, this story about an ordinary man who meets a most uncommon woman will stay with you for a long time. If you don’t read anything else this year – read this book.
October 18, 2015
3.5
I first came across this book on a Goodreads list of books set in Maine. The setting and beautiful cover intrigued me, so I added it to my summer reading list.
The first 100 pages or so were rough. I obviously misinterpreted the description, because I was expecting a supernatural twist - time travel or something along those lines. I was a little befuddled about what direction the book was going. It didn't help that I was not immediately drawn to either main character. Sam was a little on the bland side to start with until you start finding out more about his family and his past. Marlena was extremely awkward - not the eccentric, endearing kind of awkward, but the uncomfortable, peculiar kind.
I also felt that although the book was set in Maine, there really was not anything that substantiated the setting or local culture. It was a relatively generic description of coastal living. I also wish some of the other characters had been developed more particularly his relationship with his brother.
Initially I was much more interested in the story-within-the-story that Marlena tells. But things definitely picked up as the plot and character developed more and everything began to tie together. The second half of the book flew by. I bumped my rating up to 3.5 stars because I liked the twist and the ending.
It isn't a bad book overall, but it certainly isn't a classic.
I first came across this book on a Goodreads list of books set in Maine. The setting and beautiful cover intrigued me, so I added it to my summer reading list.
The first 100 pages or so were rough. I obviously misinterpreted the description, because I was expecting a supernatural twist - time travel or something along those lines. I was a little befuddled about what direction the book was going. It didn't help that I was not immediately drawn to either main character. Sam was a little on the bland side to start with until you start finding out more about his family and his past. Marlena was extremely awkward - not the eccentric, endearing kind of awkward, but the uncomfortable, peculiar kind.
I also felt that although the book was set in Maine, there really was not anything that substantiated the setting or local culture. It was a relatively generic description of coastal living. I also wish some of the other characters had been developed more particularly his relationship with his brother.
Initially I was much more interested in the story-within-the-story that Marlena tells. But things definitely picked up as the plot and character developed more and everything began to tie together. The second half of the book flew by. I bumped my rating up to 3.5 stars because I liked the twist and the ending.
It isn't a bad book overall, but it certainly isn't a classic.
June 7, 2013
I just love a story within a story, especially when it weaves the 'what-if' question throughout the storyline. In Uncharted, imagination takes a wild ride from the ordinary, everyday pace to the unbelievable, from a believable setting to a place where intense struggle just to survive is the ordinary. I loved leaping from the Maine boatyard setting to a tropical island!
When the life journeys of two very different people cross paths--when ordinary collides with extraordinary--'what if' becomes very believable. In Uncharted, Chicoine sets an emotional roller coaster in motion, challenging your reality as you travel through time to unravel the mysterious character Marlena through the eyes of the very average, mainstream Samuel. This is a story with depth that will leave you wanting more--you will either love or hate the ending, but you won't be disappointed.
When the life journeys of two very different people cross paths--when ordinary collides with extraordinary--'what if' becomes very believable. In Uncharted, Chicoine sets an emotional roller coaster in motion, challenging your reality as you travel through time to unravel the mysterious character Marlena through the eyes of the very average, mainstream Samuel. This is a story with depth that will leave you wanting more--you will either love or hate the ending, but you won't be disappointed.
July 6, 2015
Very well done. This book is secular and out of my normal genre of reading, especially with the sexual references but I did not feel like this book was in any way 'steamy or erotic'. They were just 'experiences' that I felt were used appropriately for shaping the characters.
I really appreciated the POV being from a male though the story revolved more around the girl. The big reveal of Marlena history wasn't surprising but I wanted to know very much how Sam would respond. So while some things felt predictable, others were not. I felt I knew the plot but I was getting to know Sam and Marlena as people.
I feel I could recommend this to mature, adult audiences since there are some traumatic scenes in Marlena's life. I felt I could be reading someone's actual biography as told from the perspective of their friend.
I also really like the cover art.
Again, very well done.
I really appreciated the POV being from a male though the story revolved more around the girl. The big reveal of Marlena history wasn't surprising but I wanted to know very much how Sam would respond. So while some things felt predictable, others were not. I felt I knew the plot but I was getting to know Sam and Marlena as people.
I feel I could recommend this to mature, adult audiences since there are some traumatic scenes in Marlena's life. I felt I could be reading someone's actual biography as told from the perspective of their friend.
I also really like the cover art.
Again, very well done.
January 30, 2016
As a fan of many genres, I truly appreciated this story - at heart, literary fiction with elements of romance, adventure, history, and, yes, even feminism. The setting is vividly depicted, the characters (particularly Sam and Marlena) are carefully developed, and the plot is deliberately paced, unfolding in a natural, believable way. The central romance completely enthralled me - and yes, I'm always a sucker for both seafaring adventures and the story-within-a-story style of writing. So, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone eager to read intelligent, well-crafted fiction about love, destiny, and, yes, the sea, which, as you might imagine from the title and cover, figures prominently in this enchanting tale.
December 27, 2012
What do I think? This book, "Uncharted: Story for a Shipwright", by J.B. Chicoine, was excellent! It held my interest, and I hungered for more ... anticipating where the story was going to take me next. Typically, I like to spread my reading over as long a period of time as I can ... reading a section or a chapter each night. However, I could NOT put this book down, particularly after Chapter 31, (of 41).
I'm still digesting the story ... particularly the ending. I'll add further notes at a later date.
I'm still digesting the story ... particularly the ending. I'll add further notes at a later date.
September 4, 2012
I was lucky to read an advance copy of this wonderful book and can highly recommend it to adventurers, armchair sailors, and romantics alike. Read my full review here:
http://www.livewirepress.com/wordpres...
http://www.livewirepress.com/wordpres...
October 13, 2012
A richly told story by an author as dedicated to her craft as any you will find.
November 5, 2019
I really appreciated the POV being from Sam though the story revolved more around Marlena. The story reveal of Marlena's history wasn't that surprising. I wanted to know more about how Sam would respond to it. Some parts of the book was predictable. There was a story within a story with the histories of each family which made the story more interesting even though some of the story felt predictable the backstory keeps you turning the pages. It was an average read for me nothing real special.
March 1, 2021
Really good. Similar to a Nicholas Sparks. The story bounces between modern day and years ago. I looked forward to Marlena's story-telling.
February 27, 2015
I actually got an ARC for this a long time ago, but couldn't figure out how to get it onto my kindle to read. Now, I am well versed in this and was finally able to read it. The concept seems to be pretty generic. However, the more you read, the more you realize how different the plot really is. I finally got into the story about halfway through. Also, I love stories about the ocean, especially Maine. I dream of visiting there someday.
February 16, 2013
I generally do not like to read romance novels, this book is so good that I may change my mind.
July 8, 2013
I thought this was a cute story, tho a little predictable. Overall, I liked it. A nice light, summer read. Made me wonder what it would be like to live as she did.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews