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North of Supposed to Be
BRONWYN McCall, an elite portrait photographer, is critically wounded while rescuing the sons of the Israeli prime minister. As she recovers, former MI6 agent Ernest Rose enters her life and becomes her Jeeves, both faithful sidekick and father figure. With gratitude, the prime minister’s family gives Bronwyn their coastal Maine estate and the abandoned Bayside Blanket and Toboggan Factory, but it takes a massive fortune, acquired in the most bizarre manner, to launch second chances and the dream homes of her imagination.
It’s easy to fall for the allure of frosty Maine with its luscious lobster and small-town charms, but is that enough to halt the haunting loss and loneliness that define both Bronwyn and Jeeves? For this Jeeves has his dark side and secrets, and whether he is Bronwyn’s salvation or her destruction is always in question as they’re swept away on this mutual adventure.
It’s easy to fall for the allure of frosty Maine with its luscious lobster and small-town charms, but is that enough to halt the haunting loss and loneliness that define both Bronwyn and Jeeves? For this Jeeves has his dark side and secrets, and whether he is Bronwyn’s salvation or her destruction is always in question as they’re swept away on this mutual adventure.
598 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2012
About the author
Marcia Ferguson
1 book21 followersMarcia writes fiction that rides the line between literary fiction and contemporary women's fiction.
As a child she loved listening to her mother read Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, and Little Women. When she learned to read, Marcia took up the Reading Aloud baton and happily read to younger elementary students. She still remembers the library shelf beneath the classroom windows, and mounting the steps into the impressively cavernous BF Jones Memorial Library. The smell of books, the quiet, and the well-worn marble beneath her feet was intoxicating.
A career in retailing and a love of books happily collided when she became store manager of a college bookstore. Textbooks, yes - but also children's books, fiction, cookbooks, all selected, shelved, and happily sent along to happy homes.
Not surprisingly, after a lifetime of reading, Marcia's active imagination and creative bent began carving out the detailed world of Bronwyn McCall and Ernest Rose. In her debut novel, North of Supposed to Be, north is not just a direction away from hopes and dreams, but also a place - Maine - where things did become as they were truly meant to be.
Visit her pinterest boards to explore the real places and favorite things of the characters. www.pinterest.com/mfergusonnorth
As a child she loved listening to her mother read Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, and Little Women. When she learned to read, Marcia took up the Reading Aloud baton and happily read to younger elementary students. She still remembers the library shelf beneath the classroom windows, and mounting the steps into the impressively cavernous BF Jones Memorial Library. The smell of books, the quiet, and the well-worn marble beneath her feet was intoxicating.
A career in retailing and a love of books happily collided when she became store manager of a college bookstore. Textbooks, yes - but also children's books, fiction, cookbooks, all selected, shelved, and happily sent along to happy homes.
Not surprisingly, after a lifetime of reading, Marcia's active imagination and creative bent began carving out the detailed world of Bronwyn McCall and Ernest Rose. In her debut novel, North of Supposed to Be, north is not just a direction away from hopes and dreams, but also a place - Maine - where things did become as they were truly meant to be.
Visit her pinterest boards to explore the real places and favorite things of the characters. www.pinterest.com/mfergusonnorth
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 6, 2012
It's really difficult to summarize this action-packed book without going into too much detail. This is because of all of the twists and turns the novel takes and all of the colorful and unique characters that Ferguson creates. The basic premise is that Bronwyn McCall--an orphan with a good, trusting, and generous heart--inherits a vast tract of land, a lot of money, and a retired MI6 agent named Ernest Rose, whom she calls Jeeves. She sets about creating an impressive compound in Maine, which she populates with a cast of characters in need of a second chance or a bit of luck. Yet not everything is as idyllic as it seems. Throughout the novel--which takes readers from the East Coast to the West Coast and across the Atlantic--themes of second chances, loss, loneliness, betrayal, and friendship are explored in a very fast-paced plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Admittedly, I got off to a rough start because there was so much going on, but once I discovered the typical format of a Jeeves novel--that is, the "layers pile up thickly . . . with a character getting into multiple dangerous situations by mid-story" (taken from Wikipedia's article on P.G. Wodehouse)--I was a lot clearer, understood that it was supposed to be so complex, and had smooth sailing. The plot and the overall narrative pull in several interests of mine and the author's, which include Hollywood, food, and fashion. Plus a bit of intrigue.
The best part of the story are the characters Ferguson creates. Starting with Bronwyn, who seemed at times like she could be a friend of mine and even drifting into me feeling like I could be her, on down to the minor characters, of which there are many. Jeeves is not your typical Jeeves of Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster series. Rather, this Jeeves has a rich past and is full of mystery.
Ferguson also has interesting ways to move the plot, which is very important given how many twists and turns the plot takes throughout the novel. Overall, this novel keeps the reader engaged as they move from one setting and situation to another. I cannot wait to see what Ferguson comes up with next...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Admittedly, I got off to a rough start because there was so much going on, but once I discovered the typical format of a Jeeves novel--that is, the "layers pile up thickly . . . with a character getting into multiple dangerous situations by mid-story" (taken from Wikipedia's article on P.G. Wodehouse)--I was a lot clearer, understood that it was supposed to be so complex, and had smooth sailing. The plot and the overall narrative pull in several interests of mine and the author's, which include Hollywood, food, and fashion. Plus a bit of intrigue.
The best part of the story are the characters Ferguson creates. Starting with Bronwyn, who seemed at times like she could be a friend of mine and even drifting into me feeling like I could be her, on down to the minor characters, of which there are many. Jeeves is not your typical Jeeves of Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster series. Rather, this Jeeves has a rich past and is full of mystery.
Ferguson also has interesting ways to move the plot, which is very important given how many twists and turns the plot takes throughout the novel. Overall, this novel keeps the reader engaged as they move from one setting and situation to another. I cannot wait to see what Ferguson comes up with next...
October 9, 2013
Holy set of characters. There are so many wonderful characters in this book, but the one that counts is Bronwyn.
Bronwyn is a photographer who rescues a Prime Minister's sons from kidnappers, and as she is rescuing them is shot. She recovers and then gets taken care of by the Prime Minister and his wife and by being taken care of, I mean taken care of. :) She has places to live...something she never had before, a servant/bodyguard named Jeeves, and everything paid for.
She wants for nothing even though she has no immediate family to share her newfound wealth with since she was left alone when she was eight years old. The best gift the Prime Minister and his wife give her is an estate in Maine.
You will follow Bronwyn through her recovery after the shooting and a few other harrowing incidents, but the main gist of the book along with its wonderful details about Pittsburgh is that Bronwyn is designing her estate in Maine and choosing the people she will have live there. That would be a wonderful dream to have come true.
The book is full of quirky, but great characters you would want to meet. Bronwyn is someone you definitely would want to meet and actually be.
NORTH OF SUPPOSED TO BE is filled with Ms. Ferguson's marvelous details about each character and places visited by Bronwyn. She specifically details places in Pittsburgh, PA, which is where I live.
Ms. Ferguson takes you around the world and throughout the United States as you travel with Bronwyn.
A great deal of research went into this book. It is an enjoyable, quick read even thought it is quite long. The pages just seem to fly by.
Give it a try if you want to meet some great characters and take a trip to Pittsburgh and other places without leaving your home. You should enjoy it.
I am going to rate this book a 3/5, though, because of its length and because I got lost a few times with so many characters. :)
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author in return for an honest review.
Bronwyn is a photographer who rescues a Prime Minister's sons from kidnappers, and as she is rescuing them is shot. She recovers and then gets taken care of by the Prime Minister and his wife and by being taken care of, I mean taken care of. :) She has places to live...something she never had before, a servant/bodyguard named Jeeves, and everything paid for.
She wants for nothing even though she has no immediate family to share her newfound wealth with since she was left alone when she was eight years old. The best gift the Prime Minister and his wife give her is an estate in Maine.
You will follow Bronwyn through her recovery after the shooting and a few other harrowing incidents, but the main gist of the book along with its wonderful details about Pittsburgh is that Bronwyn is designing her estate in Maine and choosing the people she will have live there. That would be a wonderful dream to have come true.
The book is full of quirky, but great characters you would want to meet. Bronwyn is someone you definitely would want to meet and actually be.
NORTH OF SUPPOSED TO BE is filled with Ms. Ferguson's marvelous details about each character and places visited by Bronwyn. She specifically details places in Pittsburgh, PA, which is where I live.
Ms. Ferguson takes you around the world and throughout the United States as you travel with Bronwyn.
A great deal of research went into this book. It is an enjoyable, quick read even thought it is quite long. The pages just seem to fly by.
Give it a try if you want to meet some great characters and take a trip to Pittsburgh and other places without leaving your home. You should enjoy it.
I am going to rate this book a 3/5, though, because of its length and because I got lost a few times with so many characters. :)
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author in return for an honest review.
September 11, 2013
North of Supposed to Be is a vividly detailed novel about the unpredictable life of a young woman named Bronwyn McCall and her desperate struggle to overcome the loneliness that plagues her.
As a young child, Bronwyn losses both of her parents and younger sister in a tragic plane crash. The accident leaves Brownwyn all alone in the world and although she is cared for she never experiences the happiness a loving family brings. Bronwyn surrounds herself with many friends from all over the world, but she never seems to fully trust others and fears the closeness committed relationships offer. She often finds imperfections in others and manages to sabotage her chances for joy.
The story takes place in several cities across the United States as well as around the world. The author goes into great detail describing people and places which effectively allows readers to experience the story as it unfolds before them. Many scenes have the array of characters enjoying delectable entrees and desserts and the author's vast knowledge of other cultures and customs is evident .
North of Supposed to Be is a mix of mystery, romance, and aha moments which create a fascinating novel that I found difficult to put down. I recommend picking up a copy.
As a young child, Bronwyn losses both of her parents and younger sister in a tragic plane crash. The accident leaves Brownwyn all alone in the world and although she is cared for she never experiences the happiness a loving family brings. Bronwyn surrounds herself with many friends from all over the world, but she never seems to fully trust others and fears the closeness committed relationships offer. She often finds imperfections in others and manages to sabotage her chances for joy.
The story takes place in several cities across the United States as well as around the world. The author goes into great detail describing people and places which effectively allows readers to experience the story as it unfolds before them. Many scenes have the array of characters enjoying delectable entrees and desserts and the author's vast knowledge of other cultures and customs is evident .
North of Supposed to Be is a mix of mystery, romance, and aha moments which create a fascinating novel that I found difficult to put down. I recommend picking up a copy.
May 22, 2021
"The moments of happiness, she reflected. That's what people have. Moments of happiness throughout a lifetime."
When we meet photographer Bronwyn, she's on the cusp of her greatest professional success. But the wheel of Fate, which in childhood had already dealt her one of life's cruelest blows, was about to turn again.
North of Supposed To Be is a journey driven by the wheel of Fate, which carries us with Bronwyn as she builds and rebuilds a life that fulfills her heart's longings. Along the way, she accumulates others in need of second (or more chances) and they become essential parts of each other's lives. It's a book about the stubbornness of hope, about love and forgiveness, about community, about recognizing and fully appreciating life's shining moments of happiness.
The author's attention to detail is astounding, and she's created fully-fleshed characters, both human and animal--particularly the parade of dogs--to populate her world. Her own delight in life's moments is apparent--cities, buildings, interiors, fashion, books, love, relationships, and moviemaking are lovingly detailed. The food descriptions will induce hunger pangs!
Along the way, happiness surfaces and violence intrudes. Grief and joy step forward and back. The wheel keeps turning, but Bronwyn persists on her path to the life she envisions.
When we meet photographer Bronwyn, she's on the cusp of her greatest professional success. But the wheel of Fate, which in childhood had already dealt her one of life's cruelest blows, was about to turn again.
North of Supposed To Be is a journey driven by the wheel of Fate, which carries us with Bronwyn as she builds and rebuilds a life that fulfills her heart's longings. Along the way, she accumulates others in need of second (or more chances) and they become essential parts of each other's lives. It's a book about the stubbornness of hope, about love and forgiveness, about community, about recognizing and fully appreciating life's shining moments of happiness.
The author's attention to detail is astounding, and she's created fully-fleshed characters, both human and animal--particularly the parade of dogs--to populate her world. Her own delight in life's moments is apparent--cities, buildings, interiors, fashion, books, love, relationships, and moviemaking are lovingly detailed. The food descriptions will induce hunger pangs!
Along the way, happiness surfaces and violence intrudes. Grief and joy step forward and back. The wheel keeps turning, but Bronwyn persists on her path to the life she envisions.
August 5, 2014
North of Supposed to Be is fantastic and beautifully written. I chose it for my first read of the Summer. I looked forward every day to catching up with the characters and I was sad when I reached the end. Marcia Ferguson writes perfectly detailed descriptions of the settings and the clever twists in the storyline are pleasantly unpredictable. I love the references to Pittsburgh, Maine, design and food! This is one book that I look forward to reading again.
April 9, 2018
Oh, I liked this!
I savored this book. Lots going on all the time. An excellent read. It was a bit slow as Bronwyn was creating her town, but the detailing was immense.
I savored this book. Lots going on all the time. An excellent read. It was a bit slow as Bronwyn was creating her town, but the detailing was immense.
July 18, 2018
This is an exceptional book jam packed with characters and twists and a great story line. Character development and set design is well done. I savored this book and just wanted more.
June 20, 2020
This was a fun, jam packed page turner. I looked forward to seeing what new adventures the protagonist Bronwyn, would lead us to each day.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews