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A Cry from the Deep
By the author of the award-winning Sunflowers Under Fire, a time-slip romantic mystery and adventure about a love so powerful it spans several lifetimes. Is it fate that we meet the right one? How do we know? And when we die, is that love over? When Catherine Fitzgerald, an underwater photographer about to cover the hunt for one of the lost ships of the Spanish Armada, buys an antique Claddagh ring, she becomes troubled by nightmares that set her on a path to fulfill a promise made centuries before. Why she's being haunted by a woman from the past becomes as compelling as the treasure hunt itself. As she unravels the mystery of the woman who haunts her dreams, she has to come to grips with her own struggle to find true love. Set in Provence, Manhattan, and Ireland, this mystery not only exposes two women's longings, but also the beauty of the deep, where buried treasures tempt salvagers to break the law.
366 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2014
62 people want to read
About the author
Diana Stevan
9 books53 followersDiana Stevan writes in various genres. She's published five novels, poetry, short story, a novelette and a non-fiction book.
Her latest book is ALONG CAME A GARDENER, a self-help book and memoir based on her 25 years as a psychotherapist in a variety of mental health settings.
LUKIA'S FAMILY SAGA SERIES begins with the award-winning SUNFLOWERS UNDER FIRE, set in Russia (present-day Ukraine) during the Great War and the wars that followed. The second book, LILACS in the DUST BOWL, is set during the Great Depression in Canada. PAPER ROSES on STONY MOUNTAIN is the 3rd book in the trilogy and was on Miramichi Readers' List of Best Books of 2022. All three books can be read as standalones.
This family saga series is historical fiction/biolgraphical fiction and is based on the author's grandmother and family's life in Ukraine and Manitoba, Canada.
Previous to writing the series, Diana wrote A CRY FROM THE DEEP, a time-slip romantic mystery/adventure and THE RUBBER FENCE, women's fiction, inspired by her work on a psychiatric ward in the 1970s.
Having worked as a professional actress, model, family therapist and CBC television sports broadcaster, Diana uses her experience to weave her stories.
When she isn't writing, she travels, paints, and gardens. With their two daughters grown, Diana lives with her husband, Robert, in West Vancouver and Vancouver Island.
Visit her at www.dianastevan.com, https://www.facebook.com/diana.stevan and on Twitter @DianaStevan
Her latest book is ALONG CAME A GARDENER, a self-help book and memoir based on her 25 years as a psychotherapist in a variety of mental health settings.
LUKIA'S FAMILY SAGA SERIES begins with the award-winning SUNFLOWERS UNDER FIRE, set in Russia (present-day Ukraine) during the Great War and the wars that followed. The second book, LILACS in the DUST BOWL, is set during the Great Depression in Canada. PAPER ROSES on STONY MOUNTAIN is the 3rd book in the trilogy and was on Miramichi Readers' List of Best Books of 2022. All three books can be read as standalones.
This family saga series is historical fiction/biolgraphical fiction and is based on the author's grandmother and family's life in Ukraine and Manitoba, Canada.
Previous to writing the series, Diana wrote A CRY FROM THE DEEP, a time-slip romantic mystery/adventure and THE RUBBER FENCE, women's fiction, inspired by her work on a psychiatric ward in the 1970s.
Having worked as a professional actress, model, family therapist and CBC television sports broadcaster, Diana uses her experience to weave her stories.
When she isn't writing, she travels, paints, and gardens. With their two daughters grown, Diana lives with her husband, Robert, in West Vancouver and Vancouver Island.
Visit her at www.dianastevan.com, https://www.facebook.com/diana.stevan and on Twitter @DianaStevan
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 7, 2014
Catherine Fitzgerald has not dived in nearly a decade. In Diana Stevan’s debut novel “A Cry From The Deep,” Catherine ended her career as an underwater photographer when an accident nearly took her life. The shock form the trauma eventually ended her marriage. Catherine retreats to a quiet life managing a lavender farm in France with her daughter, Alex. As far as Catherine is concerned, she enjoyed an adventurous youth, but her life underwater has run out of oxygen.
That is, until she receives a phone call about a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of a National Geographic expedition to rescue an 18th-century rescue a Spanish galleon off the coast of Ireland. “What” Catherine wonders, “could be more fantastic than finding another Spanish galleon? What photographer wouldn’t want to be a part of that?” She is reluctant to be part of it, but Daniel, a friend form the past who initiates the opportunity finally convinces to dive again. As the story unfolds, this proves to be not the only thing that Daniel can convince Catherine of as a hot romance sparks in cold waters. It is in those waters that everyone finds much more than they’d expected to.
This is not just the story of the present, but an underwater trip to the past. When Catherine buys an antique ring from a flea market, she begins having dreams of a young woman in a wedding dress floating underwater who calls out a man’s name. Catherine’s story becomes interwoven with the past, and the line between real and incredible muddles when a sunken Irish vessel is found near the wreckage of a Spanish galleon.
While the beginning starts a bit slow, once the story catches you, it holds you until the end. Catherine is a believable protagonist whom many a single mother reader will relate to and like. Stevan has done her research, and its novel I imagine most dive masters would be proud to have on the coffee table or shelf of their dive shop.
It is also a story of rebirth and discovering something new by returning to an abandoned past. The “cry” in “A Cry From The Deep” could also be read Catherine’s inner voice, which beckoned her not to be enslaved by fears of the past, but to face them courageously.
Stevan writes with a simple, inviting prose, and I found myself every few pages going back and rereading phrases due to their sonorous charm.
That is, until she receives a phone call about a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of a National Geographic expedition to rescue an 18th-century rescue a Spanish galleon off the coast of Ireland. “What” Catherine wonders, “could be more fantastic than finding another Spanish galleon? What photographer wouldn’t want to be a part of that?” She is reluctant to be part of it, but Daniel, a friend form the past who initiates the opportunity finally convinces to dive again. As the story unfolds, this proves to be not the only thing that Daniel can convince Catherine of as a hot romance sparks in cold waters. It is in those waters that everyone finds much more than they’d expected to.
This is not just the story of the present, but an underwater trip to the past. When Catherine buys an antique ring from a flea market, she begins having dreams of a young woman in a wedding dress floating underwater who calls out a man’s name. Catherine’s story becomes interwoven with the past, and the line between real and incredible muddles when a sunken Irish vessel is found near the wreckage of a Spanish galleon.
While the beginning starts a bit slow, once the story catches you, it holds you until the end. Catherine is a believable protagonist whom many a single mother reader will relate to and like. Stevan has done her research, and its novel I imagine most dive masters would be proud to have on the coffee table or shelf of their dive shop.
It is also a story of rebirth and discovering something new by returning to an abandoned past. The “cry” in “A Cry From The Deep” could also be read Catherine’s inner voice, which beckoned her not to be enslaved by fears of the past, but to face them courageously.
Stevan writes with a simple, inviting prose, and I found myself every few pages going back and rereading phrases due to their sonorous charm.
October 15, 2014
*Thank you to the author for sending me an advanced copy for review*
When I picked this book up I was not sure what to think. I am not a scuba diver at all – even though I loved swimming. So I wasn’t sure how to approach this. But it turned out to be a beautiful book that I loved and flew right through.
This book had a beautiful balance between descriptions, characters and romance. I have never been to Ireland but from the beautiful description of setting I feel as if I have been! It also dug into history quite a bit with a mystery from the past waiting to be solved, and the Claddagh ring. On top of that, there is a mention of reincarnation and psychic happenings. I recently read a book called The Bridge Of Deaths, and I couldn’t like it as much because of that theme running through the book. However, I thought it worked well for this story and wasn’t overdone at all, which made me able to sail through it.
Catherine was a lovely character. She cared a lot for her daughter and her farm, but she also misses the busy life. She is interested in history and mystery, and loves to admire the beauty in life. Yes, she is torn between choosing the guy she wants, who happens to already be taken, or returning to her ex-husband. As well as trying to solve a mystery, catch a criminal and take great underwater photos, she is also busy chasing after her heart. I loved her loyalty and determination. Occasionally her mind would leap to erotic thoughts out of nowhere, which I found a bit out of character, but otherwise she was brilliant!
The romance was twisted enough for us to never know which she might end up with or where it was going, and never too steamy that it became erotic. But it was sweet and there, and written very well. I loved reading it. The relationships between the characters is what made this such a fab read.
I recommend this to everyone who loves a good romance, good character relationships and a beautiful setting. I have rated it a 4/5 stars! I can’t wait to read more of Diana Stevan’s books.
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
When I picked this book up I was not sure what to think. I am not a scuba diver at all – even though I loved swimming. So I wasn’t sure how to approach this. But it turned out to be a beautiful book that I loved and flew right through.
This book had a beautiful balance between descriptions, characters and romance. I have never been to Ireland but from the beautiful description of setting I feel as if I have been! It also dug into history quite a bit with a mystery from the past waiting to be solved, and the Claddagh ring. On top of that, there is a mention of reincarnation and psychic happenings. I recently read a book called The Bridge Of Deaths, and I couldn’t like it as much because of that theme running through the book. However, I thought it worked well for this story and wasn’t overdone at all, which made me able to sail through it.
Catherine was a lovely character. She cared a lot for her daughter and her farm, but she also misses the busy life. She is interested in history and mystery, and loves to admire the beauty in life. Yes, she is torn between choosing the guy she wants, who happens to already be taken, or returning to her ex-husband. As well as trying to solve a mystery, catch a criminal and take great underwater photos, she is also busy chasing after her heart. I loved her loyalty and determination. Occasionally her mind would leap to erotic thoughts out of nowhere, which I found a bit out of character, but otherwise she was brilliant!
The romance was twisted enough for us to never know which she might end up with or where it was going, and never too steamy that it became erotic. But it was sweet and there, and written very well. I loved reading it. The relationships between the characters is what made this such a fab read.
I recommend this to everyone who loves a good romance, good character relationships and a beautiful setting. I have rated it a 4/5 stars! I can’t wait to read more of Diana Stevan’s books.
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
January 29, 2015
The south of France’s Provence region, New York City, and Ireland’s beautiful Donegal Bay are some of my favorite places on earth. So when I realized they were the settings for Diana Stevan’s debut novel, A Cry from the Deep, I was excited to receive a review copy.
A CRY FROM THE DEEP is Diana Stevan's debut novel. Writing fiction took a back seat while Diana worked as a clinical social worker, professional actress and writer-broadcaster for CBC Television’s Sports Journal in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the dabbling didn’t. Along the way, she wrote three screenplays, another novel, short stories, poetry, a stage play and some children’s books. She’s published articles in newspapers and poetry in a United Kingdom journal. She is currently working on her grandmother’s story, set in Czarist Russia during World War I. Diana Stevan lives with her husband, Robert on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia.
A CRY FROM THE DEEP is Diana Stevan’s debut novel. Writing fiction took a back seat while Diana worked as a clinical social worker, professional actress and writer-broadcaster for CBC Television’s Sports Journal in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the dabbling didn’t. Along the way, she wrote three screenplays, another novel, short stories, poetry, a stage play and some children’s books. She’s published articles in newspapers and poetry in a United Kingdom journal. She is currently working on her grandmother’s story, set in Czarist Russia during World War I. Diana Stevan lives with her husband, Robert on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia.
Margaret is a young woman in late nineteenth century Ireland praying that her sailor lover James returns before she needs to wed another man. When his boat is spotted, she joyously prepares for their wedding and joins him on his ship, the ill-fated Alice O’Meary. In our time, Catherine is a young underwater photographer and mother attempting to recover from the traumatic dive that destroyed both her career and her marriage. When she’s lured away from her lavender farm in the south of France by the chance to document the hunt for a historically significant treasure-laden shipwreck off the Irish coast, she joins the unethical treasure hunter Kurt Henessy and handsome nautical archeologist Daniel Costello. Returning to New York with her young daughter Alex, Catherine’s flea-market purchase of an old gold ring unites the two women from across the centuries as Catherine begins to experience Margaret’s story.
Some of the first romance novels I read—Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Daphne du Maurier—had a slightly removed quality, as if they were reporting on feelings or events instead of experiencing them. Diana Stevan’s debut novel reminds me of them. Of course, writing from different point of views is hard enough. Integrating those alternating POVs across centuries is especially daunting. Dialog and action have to be believable, and characters need a voice that’s individual and memorable enough to immediately identify them for readers. If the main characters’ voices in A Cry From The Deep had been more individual, or displayed more diversity in terms of dialog and personality, it would have been easier to overcome that feeling of distance and connect with them.
For me, this book was three separate stories that didn’t fully integrate. First there was a ghost story, where the connection with Margaret was intriguing, but only hinted at the reasons behind it. Were Catherine and Daniel resurrected versions of the earlier lovers? If not, what did Margaret want them to do? Next, the treasure hunt with pirate-like Henessey was interesting but somewhat repetitive when it came to the dives. Finally, the love triangle with Daniel and ex-husband Richard took the form of Catherine’s internal speculation. For the book to be successful in any of its triple incarnations, I would have liked to see the pivotal Big Moment, where blood, bodies, or at least sex is overwhelming and life changing.
Stevan’s command of grammar and structure is impressive, and her technical descriptions of the dive process were interesting. But her descriptions of the locations I love were bare bones. I felt that the story could have happened anywhere without any particular impact. Because it was well-written, a strong attempt, and an interesting premise, I would give A Cry From The Deep three and a half stars. I think Stevans is a talented writer and this is an impressive debut. I’d love to see another book from her, especially if she lets her characters take some risks
A CRY FROM THE DEEP is Diana Stevan's debut novel. Writing fiction took a back seat while Diana worked as a clinical social worker, professional actress and writer-broadcaster for CBC Television’s Sports Journal in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the dabbling didn’t. Along the way, she wrote three screenplays, another novel, short stories, poetry, a stage play and some children’s books. She’s published articles in newspapers and poetry in a United Kingdom journal. She is currently working on her grandmother’s story, set in Czarist Russia during World War I. Diana Stevan lives with her husband, Robert on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia.
A CRY FROM THE DEEP is Diana Stevan’s debut novel. Writing fiction took a back seat while Diana worked as a clinical social worker, professional actress and writer-broadcaster for CBC Television’s Sports Journal in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the dabbling didn’t. Along the way, she wrote three screenplays, another novel, short stories, poetry, a stage play and some children’s books. She’s published articles in newspapers and poetry in a United Kingdom journal. She is currently working on her grandmother’s story, set in Czarist Russia during World War I. Diana Stevan lives with her husband, Robert on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia.
Margaret is a young woman in late nineteenth century Ireland praying that her sailor lover James returns before she needs to wed another man. When his boat is spotted, she joyously prepares for their wedding and joins him on his ship, the ill-fated Alice O’Meary. In our time, Catherine is a young underwater photographer and mother attempting to recover from the traumatic dive that destroyed both her career and her marriage. When she’s lured away from her lavender farm in the south of France by the chance to document the hunt for a historically significant treasure-laden shipwreck off the Irish coast, she joins the unethical treasure hunter Kurt Henessy and handsome nautical archeologist Daniel Costello. Returning to New York with her young daughter Alex, Catherine’s flea-market purchase of an old gold ring unites the two women from across the centuries as Catherine begins to experience Margaret’s story.
Some of the first romance novels I read—Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Daphne du Maurier—had a slightly removed quality, as if they were reporting on feelings or events instead of experiencing them. Diana Stevan’s debut novel reminds me of them. Of course, writing from different point of views is hard enough. Integrating those alternating POVs across centuries is especially daunting. Dialog and action have to be believable, and characters need a voice that’s individual and memorable enough to immediately identify them for readers. If the main characters’ voices in A Cry From The Deep had been more individual, or displayed more diversity in terms of dialog and personality, it would have been easier to overcome that feeling of distance and connect with them.
For me, this book was three separate stories that didn’t fully integrate. First there was a ghost story, where the connection with Margaret was intriguing, but only hinted at the reasons behind it. Were Catherine and Daniel resurrected versions of the earlier lovers? If not, what did Margaret want them to do? Next, the treasure hunt with pirate-like Henessey was interesting but somewhat repetitive when it came to the dives. Finally, the love triangle with Daniel and ex-husband Richard took the form of Catherine’s internal speculation. For the book to be successful in any of its triple incarnations, I would have liked to see the pivotal Big Moment, where blood, bodies, or at least sex is overwhelming and life changing.
Stevan’s command of grammar and structure is impressive, and her technical descriptions of the dive process were interesting. But her descriptions of the locations I love were bare bones. I felt that the story could have happened anywhere without any particular impact. Because it was well-written, a strong attempt, and an interesting premise, I would give A Cry From The Deep three and a half stars. I think Stevans is a talented writer and this is an impressive debut. I’d love to see another book from her, especially if she lets her characters take some risks
March 8, 2015
An engaging read that combines genres in a colorful tale:
Diana Stevan’s debut novel, A Cry From the Deep, is an unusual mash-up of several different genres: romance, thriller, and paranormal, in a story that not only spans France, New York and Ireland, but leaps around a couple of centuries as well!
First of all, kudos on a fine cover. Book covers DO matter and, in the indie world, too often that step is relegated to amateurs, with the resulting “visual” of a book following suit. Stevan’s cover, however, is top-notch and would look right at home on a shelf with any traditionally published book. Hats off to her for respecting her work enough to see to that... and it’s a compelling cover!
Her story follows Catherine Fitzgerald, a skilled underwater photographer who’s left the States (and an ex) to grow lavender in the fields of Provence with her young daughter. It’s revealed that part of the reason Catherine left the business was due to a near-death accident while on a job, an event that continues to trigger PTSD when she even thinks of diving again. But she’s pulled back into the game when her mentor at the National Geographic hears that a well-known antiquities scavenger is heading to Ireland to scout a long-sought sunken vessel, and the magazine will be chronicling the event with a team that would include Catherine on camera and Daniel Costello, an underwater archeologist, as her advisor and partner. After meeting Daniel, and getting a few retraining sessions under her belt, her courage is bucked, and her intrigue about both the man and the mission convince her to sign on.
The story bounces between this present-day narrative and one from centuries earlier: a mysterious tale of a young Irish maiden who waits for her lover to return from the sea and on the day he finally does, and despite her having been promised in marriage to an old but wealthy codger from the town, she heads off to meet the ship. When the old codger spins a curse that takes down both the maiden and her intended in a vicious storm, a story of untethered spirits and broken hearts is set into motion across dimensions and time, one that connects to Catherine and Daniel in mystical and intriguing ways. Readers are drawn along with Catherine in her quest to uncover the stories behind the ghosts that begin to appear to her in the most unexpected of places... and not all in her dreams.
Stevan does a fine job of imbuing each of the book’s genres with a certain depth (no pun intended!) and the corresponding and expected elements are there, from ancient rings, beautiful specters, and misty Irish graveyards, to hardcore issues of underwater environmental protections, antiquity laws, and conniving scavengers, to the arcane and specific aspects of deep-sea diving and sea travel. Her details, particularly in describing the minutia of diving are fascinating and clearly well researched, and her sense of place, certainly Ireland, is replete with color and sensory richness. The thriller aspect is page-turning throughout (we always want to know what happens next), and we like the people we’re supposed to and don’t like the ones we’re not; she does a good job of drawing her characters and their very individual characteristics.
I have a feeling, however, that true romance aficionados may feel a bit unsated. Stevan incorporates some of expected tropes of romance in building the relationship with Daniel and Catherine (and as one who’s not a fan of the romance genre, this was the least interesting aspect of the book for me) but her greater focus, and rightfully so in my eyes, seemed to be on fashioning a complex narrative in a colorful, exciting adventure of spiritual connection and meaningful love.
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and very much appreciate Stevan’s attention to detail in the wonderful quality of her work.
Diana Stevan’s debut novel, A Cry From the Deep, is an unusual mash-up of several different genres: romance, thriller, and paranormal, in a story that not only spans France, New York and Ireland, but leaps around a couple of centuries as well!
First of all, kudos on a fine cover. Book covers DO matter and, in the indie world, too often that step is relegated to amateurs, with the resulting “visual” of a book following suit. Stevan’s cover, however, is top-notch and would look right at home on a shelf with any traditionally published book. Hats off to her for respecting her work enough to see to that... and it’s a compelling cover!
Her story follows Catherine Fitzgerald, a skilled underwater photographer who’s left the States (and an ex) to grow lavender in the fields of Provence with her young daughter. It’s revealed that part of the reason Catherine left the business was due to a near-death accident while on a job, an event that continues to trigger PTSD when she even thinks of diving again. But she’s pulled back into the game when her mentor at the National Geographic hears that a well-known antiquities scavenger is heading to Ireland to scout a long-sought sunken vessel, and the magazine will be chronicling the event with a team that would include Catherine on camera and Daniel Costello, an underwater archeologist, as her advisor and partner. After meeting Daniel, and getting a few retraining sessions under her belt, her courage is bucked, and her intrigue about both the man and the mission convince her to sign on.
The story bounces between this present-day narrative and one from centuries earlier: a mysterious tale of a young Irish maiden who waits for her lover to return from the sea and on the day he finally does, and despite her having been promised in marriage to an old but wealthy codger from the town, she heads off to meet the ship. When the old codger spins a curse that takes down both the maiden and her intended in a vicious storm, a story of untethered spirits and broken hearts is set into motion across dimensions and time, one that connects to Catherine and Daniel in mystical and intriguing ways. Readers are drawn along with Catherine in her quest to uncover the stories behind the ghosts that begin to appear to her in the most unexpected of places... and not all in her dreams.
Stevan does a fine job of imbuing each of the book’s genres with a certain depth (no pun intended!) and the corresponding and expected elements are there, from ancient rings, beautiful specters, and misty Irish graveyards, to hardcore issues of underwater environmental protections, antiquity laws, and conniving scavengers, to the arcane and specific aspects of deep-sea diving and sea travel. Her details, particularly in describing the minutia of diving are fascinating and clearly well researched, and her sense of place, certainly Ireland, is replete with color and sensory richness. The thriller aspect is page-turning throughout (we always want to know what happens next), and we like the people we’re supposed to and don’t like the ones we’re not; she does a good job of drawing her characters and their very individual characteristics.
I have a feeling, however, that true romance aficionados may feel a bit unsated. Stevan incorporates some of expected tropes of romance in building the relationship with Daniel and Catherine (and as one who’s not a fan of the romance genre, this was the least interesting aspect of the book for me) but her greater focus, and rightfully so in my eyes, seemed to be on fashioning a complex narrative in a colorful, exciting adventure of spiritual connection and meaningful love.
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and very much appreciate Stevan’s attention to detail in the wonderful quality of her work.
January 15, 2015
I was looking forward to this book, as it deals with the subjects of reincarnation and time slips between the 19th century and the present. When Catherine Fitzgerald, an underwater photographer, buys an antique Claddagh ring, she is troubled by nightmares that set her on a path to fulfill a promise of love made centuries before. As she begins to unravel the mystery of the woman who haunts her dreams, she has to come to grips with her own struggle to find true love. Will it be her ex, psychiatrist Richard Egan, who still loves her, or Daniel Costello, the handsome but unavailable marine archaeologist on the dive team?
It’s a very good story idea, it’s well thought out, feasible, and there are no plot holes or errors of continuity. The (American) English is perfect, and the proofreading was virtually faultless, which is always a big plus. The subject matter of diving for historical artefacts is extremely well researched; I read in the back of the book about how much work the author had done on this and was impressed; it will probably appeal to anyone who is interested in this subject.
So why only three stars?
I found the narrative rather old fashioned. The romantic side of it is a bit Mills and Boon, with the occasional throwing in of something more ‘earthy’ that seemed a little incongruous. Also, I found the delivery and dialogue a tad wooden throughout; aside from Hennessey, the brutish head of the diving team, one character’s dialogue was indistinguishable from another’s, with a relaying of information as opposed to painting a portrait of the person. Ms Stevan has used accurate regional dialect, but I never had the feeling of different ‘voices’, and could not see any of the people in my mind’s eye.
The point of view changed to another character, Daniel, on a few occasions, and this new outlook made the story perk up. My attention was also renewed when Catherine began to unravel the mystery, in Ireland; I thought the Irish section was the best, and I imagine well researched too (I’ve never been to Ireland, so can’t say). However, I felt this could have been done in a much more intriguing way, perhaps with alternating between past and present so that we knew more about Margaret and James; the piece set in the 19th century is so brief that I had all but forgotten about it by about a third of the way through. The mystery would have been far more compelling if it had been unleashed gradually, rather than the reader being told more or less everything at the very beginning. Throughout the book there was too much exposition (dialogue used to give necessary background information, executed in an contrived manner) and ‘telling, not showing’ (delivering statements to tell the reader what a character is like, rather than allowing a picture to build up via his/her speech and behaviour, and others’ reactions to them).
To sum up – it’s a competent debut novel, a really good idea, but it wasn’t for me. However, a review can only ever be one person’s opinion, and readers who like a more conservative approach to dialogue and predictable romantic developments might well enjoy it very much; I see that it has other, more postive reviews and I imagine the author’s style will develop. I’d like to thank Ms Stevan for supplying a review copy of this book, and wish her luck in her writing career.
It’s a very good story idea, it’s well thought out, feasible, and there are no plot holes or errors of continuity. The (American) English is perfect, and the proofreading was virtually faultless, which is always a big plus. The subject matter of diving for historical artefacts is extremely well researched; I read in the back of the book about how much work the author had done on this and was impressed; it will probably appeal to anyone who is interested in this subject.
So why only three stars?
I found the narrative rather old fashioned. The romantic side of it is a bit Mills and Boon, with the occasional throwing in of something more ‘earthy’ that seemed a little incongruous. Also, I found the delivery and dialogue a tad wooden throughout; aside from Hennessey, the brutish head of the diving team, one character’s dialogue was indistinguishable from another’s, with a relaying of information as opposed to painting a portrait of the person. Ms Stevan has used accurate regional dialect, but I never had the feeling of different ‘voices’, and could not see any of the people in my mind’s eye.
The point of view changed to another character, Daniel, on a few occasions, and this new outlook made the story perk up. My attention was also renewed when Catherine began to unravel the mystery, in Ireland; I thought the Irish section was the best, and I imagine well researched too (I’ve never been to Ireland, so can’t say). However, I felt this could have been done in a much more intriguing way, perhaps with alternating between past and present so that we knew more about Margaret and James; the piece set in the 19th century is so brief that I had all but forgotten about it by about a third of the way through. The mystery would have been far more compelling if it had been unleashed gradually, rather than the reader being told more or less everything at the very beginning. Throughout the book there was too much exposition (dialogue used to give necessary background information, executed in an contrived manner) and ‘telling, not showing’ (delivering statements to tell the reader what a character is like, rather than allowing a picture to build up via his/her speech and behaviour, and others’ reactions to them).
To sum up – it’s a competent debut novel, a really good idea, but it wasn’t for me. However, a review can only ever be one person’s opinion, and readers who like a more conservative approach to dialogue and predictable romantic developments might well enjoy it very much; I see that it has other, more postive reviews and I imagine the author’s style will develop. I’d like to thank Ms Stevan for supplying a review copy of this book, and wish her luck in her writing career.
October 15, 2014
I received an advanced copy of this book for the author for review and antithesis it was not my normal read I was not disappointed.
Catherine Fitzgerald lives with her daughter on a lavender farm where her quiet life is more than enough after a traumatic under water accident has her scared her from diving a job that she use to love.
When she offered the chance to join a exploration team to dive for a sunken ship filled with gold. She is given the option for help to get over her fear of under water with very hot Daniel Costello, he helps her overcome everything to return to the water.
Catherine returns to where her ex husband, (Richard) lives for him to look after their daughter while she is training for the dive. while there perusing the markets she comes across a claddagh ring that just calls her.... she buys it feeling some strange connection to the ring and its story.
Catherine had been having dreams about a woman, in a wedding dress and a boat but nothing ever makes sense. she can't possibly tell Richard because he would never understand so she uses the dive and its position to look further into what her dreams are. could it really be a true story that she seeing through the ring.
Daniel is very calm with Catherine and although he is engaged to a very high maintenance woman, the chemistry between him and Catherine is whoa a little hot, but still a bit restrained.
When it is time for the 1st dive, Daniel is with Catherine all the way. But an unsteady feeling about the captain and the other divers has Catherine more than a little on edge. She explains her feelings to Daniel and is surprised by his reaction. The captain of the ship has a history of not filing the correct paperwork and being a little reckless when searching the shipwrecks.
Catherine makes this quite known to all on board that she doesn't agree with their behavior and therfore puts her life in jeopardy. As weird things keep happening around her she starts to question what is reality and what is a dream.
when I was approached by the author to read this book it intrigued me, the writers in depth descriptions of the diving details, the dreams and storyline have had a great deal of thought out into them. very well written!
Catherine Fitzgerald lives with her daughter on a lavender farm where her quiet life is more than enough after a traumatic under water accident has her scared her from diving a job that she use to love.
When she offered the chance to join a exploration team to dive for a sunken ship filled with gold. She is given the option for help to get over her fear of under water with very hot Daniel Costello, he helps her overcome everything to return to the water.
Catherine returns to where her ex husband, (Richard) lives for him to look after their daughter while she is training for the dive. while there perusing the markets she comes across a claddagh ring that just calls her.... she buys it feeling some strange connection to the ring and its story.
Catherine had been having dreams about a woman, in a wedding dress and a boat but nothing ever makes sense. she can't possibly tell Richard because he would never understand so she uses the dive and its position to look further into what her dreams are. could it really be a true story that she seeing through the ring.
Daniel is very calm with Catherine and although he is engaged to a very high maintenance woman, the chemistry between him and Catherine is whoa a little hot, but still a bit restrained.
When it is time for the 1st dive, Daniel is with Catherine all the way. But an unsteady feeling about the captain and the other divers has Catherine more than a little on edge. She explains her feelings to Daniel and is surprised by his reaction. The captain of the ship has a history of not filing the correct paperwork and being a little reckless when searching the shipwrecks.
Catherine makes this quite known to all on board that she doesn't agree with their behavior and therfore puts her life in jeopardy. As weird things keep happening around her she starts to question what is reality and what is a dream.
when I was approached by the author to read this book it intrigued me, the writers in depth descriptions of the diving details, the dreams and storyline have had a great deal of thought out into them. very well written!
October 15, 2014
Originally posted on my blog: http://wp.me/p4Dssh-q3
After a bad experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, an underwater photographer, is reluctant to dive again. However, when her old job comes calling, she is drawn back into the world that she used to love. After purchasing an antique ring, she becomes troubled by nightmares and she feels that she has no choice but to give in and see where the journey takes her. Will she find the answers she seeks? What do the nightmares mean?
This was a pleasant read. I found Catherine to be a likeable and believable character and was interested to know how she was going to react to each situation. The story was well written and I found myself desperate to know more. I felt that the writing flowed nicely and felt engaging; so much so that I read the book over the span of two days. I greatly enjoyed the elements of history tangled into the main storyline. My only issue with the book was how quickly Catherine forgave Daniel and how quickly she came to trust him again. Also, while she did seem to feel guilty during the book, she didn't during the events at the end, hence the four stars.
After a bad experience, Catherine Fitzgerald, an underwater photographer, is reluctant to dive again. However, when her old job comes calling, she is drawn back into the world that she used to love. After purchasing an antique ring, she becomes troubled by nightmares and she feels that she has no choice but to give in and see where the journey takes her. Will she find the answers she seeks? What do the nightmares mean?
This was a pleasant read. I found Catherine to be a likeable and believable character and was interested to know how she was going to react to each situation. The story was well written and I found myself desperate to know more. I felt that the writing flowed nicely and felt engaging; so much so that I read the book over the span of two days. I greatly enjoyed the elements of history tangled into the main storyline. My only issue with the book was how quickly Catherine forgave Daniel and how quickly she came to trust him again. Also, while she did seem to feel guilty during the book, she didn't during the events at the end, hence the four stars.
January 10, 2015
This was such a good read and so interesting! The main character, Catherine, is an underwater photographer who is asked to join a team looking for a sunken ship. After finding a claddagh ring in a nearby flea market, she begins to dream about a woman who was on that ship when it went down.
The two stories are told seamlessly and well, but the narrative is mainly focused on Catherine, who must overcome her fear of returning to the water (she nearly drowned on her last dive), her burgeoning romantic feelings for one of the team members, and the usual modern-day problems with ex-husband, young daughter, and some possible fraudulent activity around the sunken treasures.
I was entranced with the beautiful prose (loved all the water scenes), and Catherine is a great character: smart, vulnerable, believable, and good at her job. All things I look for in a heroine. This is a book I plan to read again-- it’s that good.
The two stories are told seamlessly and well, but the narrative is mainly focused on Catherine, who must overcome her fear of returning to the water (she nearly drowned on her last dive), her burgeoning romantic feelings for one of the team members, and the usual modern-day problems with ex-husband, young daughter, and some possible fraudulent activity around the sunken treasures.
I was entranced with the beautiful prose (loved all the water scenes), and Catherine is a great character: smart, vulnerable, believable, and good at her job. All things I look for in a heroine. This is a book I plan to read again-- it’s that good.
October 19, 2014
A Cry from the Deep, this novel I received as a free advance copy, or an ARC. I'm excited to start reading it. As I have Irish heritage in my family, as most Americans do, I was intrigued by this story. I would have liked more of a history of the ghost haunting Catherine. I would have liked to know more of her story. I did enjoy the unfolding story of Catherine, and her path to find out more of the ghost and what she may want, or is searching for. A mystery, romance, easy-to-imagine stunning scenery, throw in a little drama surrounding relationships, and in particular a character who is well able to consider all her potential paths and options, makes for a delightful read. A few twists here and there always adds to the enjoyment of whats coming next. Jump right in and discover Catherine's story.
March 6, 2015
“A Cry from the Deep” is a well constructed, and compelling read. The book is heartfelt and at times beautiful. The mystical is nicely woven into the practical as protagonist Catherine Fitzgerald, a photographer for National Geographic ventures from her lavender fields in Provence to the spiritually, and psychologically puzzling Manhattan. Catherine has been assigned to a deep-sea diving expedition, and must journey to the eerie shores of Ireland, where she deep-sea dives into the depth of her soul and discovers that her life, as privileged as it might appear is not quite what she expected.
September 5, 2017
Diana Stevan has created a modern-day romance set mostly in Ireland in which Catherine Fitzgerald, a divorced American woman, becomes torn between her feelings for her ex-husband and child, and an exciting new love.
The author combines a developing romance, the adventure of a deep-sea treasure hunt with a nefarious character, and a twist on the usual time-slip stories in which characters travel back through time. In this story, the past travels through time to haunt the present when our heroine purchases a Celtic ring and begins to experience supernatural events that impact upon the treasure hunt.
Catherine’s character is believable as a conflicted mother lured reluctantly back to her dangerous occupation of underwater photographer to help bring a treasure hunter to justice, finding a new man on the expedition and being simultaneously drawn into a century-old event.
Perfect for fans of light romantic adventure with a touch of the supernatural.
January 21, 2015
I chose to read this book more or less as a challenge. I do not like the romance genre, but this book’s description intrigued me. A back and forth in time (I’m a time travel aficionado) along with some serious scuba diving off the coast of Ireland. I’m Irish, what more could I want?
Bottom line, I really enjoyed this read. The story is character driven, with not a lot of sex and heaving bosoms, but a real feeling of love between the four main characters: Margaret O’Donnell and her true love, seaman James Gallagher from the 1850s and Catherine Fitzgerald and Daniel Costello from modern time.
James returns to Margaret from a long voyage, just before her marriage to a truly dislikeable man, Barnaby Athol. They drown at sea on the day of the marriage, supposedly as the result of a curse Barnaby had put on them that day as revenge for being jilted.
A century and a half later, Catherine Fitzgerald, well known underwater photographer, is pulled from her lavender farm in Provence, France by the lure of a deep sea dive on a Spanish treasure boat off the coast of Ireland. The National Geographic wants her to document the find and any treasure recovery because the leader of the dive, Kurt Hennesy, has been linked to scavenging of such finds previously; her documentation will provide the basis for a special, while perhaps keeping Hennesy in line. Catherine is haunted by dreams from a near-death experience on a previous dive, but she convinces herself she needs to get back into the water.
The adventure begins when she buys a very old Claddagh ring, a wedding ring, whom the outdoor market vendor got from a man who found it in a cod caught off the Irish coast. You can see where this is leading! It fits Catherine perfectly, but when she wears the ring to bed, her dreams become more intense, with a breaching sailboat and an old man with a white beard trying to save her. Then she meets Daniel Costello, a member of the crew and a nautical archeologist to whom she is relentlessly drawn. Unfortunately, Daniel is already engaged to an overbearing society woman.
But wait! There’s more! Wonderful descriptions of colorful underwater life to which even this snorkeler could relate, a truly caring and perhaps still interested ex-husband, a daughter Catherine leaves with him while on the dive and worries about losing – perhaps to the ex-husband’s new girlfriend? – visions of a woman in a white dress who appears while Catherine is diving, and a very real elderly man with a white beard she meets while walking about the Irish village where the crew is staying- is he a ghost? Not to mention the growing feeling between Catherine and Daniel, complicated by his engagement, and the stealth of Captain Hennesy.
There was enough tension to keep me reading as fast as I could. I recommend A Cry from the Deep. Give it a look!
Bottom line, I really enjoyed this read. The story is character driven, with not a lot of sex and heaving bosoms, but a real feeling of love between the four main characters: Margaret O’Donnell and her true love, seaman James Gallagher from the 1850s and Catherine Fitzgerald and Daniel Costello from modern time.
James returns to Margaret from a long voyage, just before her marriage to a truly dislikeable man, Barnaby Athol. They drown at sea on the day of the marriage, supposedly as the result of a curse Barnaby had put on them that day as revenge for being jilted.
A century and a half later, Catherine Fitzgerald, well known underwater photographer, is pulled from her lavender farm in Provence, France by the lure of a deep sea dive on a Spanish treasure boat off the coast of Ireland. The National Geographic wants her to document the find and any treasure recovery because the leader of the dive, Kurt Hennesy, has been linked to scavenging of such finds previously; her documentation will provide the basis for a special, while perhaps keeping Hennesy in line. Catherine is haunted by dreams from a near-death experience on a previous dive, but she convinces herself she needs to get back into the water.
The adventure begins when she buys a very old Claddagh ring, a wedding ring, whom the outdoor market vendor got from a man who found it in a cod caught off the Irish coast. You can see where this is leading! It fits Catherine perfectly, but when she wears the ring to bed, her dreams become more intense, with a breaching sailboat and an old man with a white beard trying to save her. Then she meets Daniel Costello, a member of the crew and a nautical archeologist to whom she is relentlessly drawn. Unfortunately, Daniel is already engaged to an overbearing society woman.
But wait! There’s more! Wonderful descriptions of colorful underwater life to which even this snorkeler could relate, a truly caring and perhaps still interested ex-husband, a daughter Catherine leaves with him while on the dive and worries about losing – perhaps to the ex-husband’s new girlfriend? – visions of a woman in a white dress who appears while Catherine is diving, and a very real elderly man with a white beard she meets while walking about the Irish village where the crew is staying- is he a ghost? Not to mention the growing feeling between Catherine and Daniel, complicated by his engagement, and the stealth of Captain Hennesy.
There was enough tension to keep me reading as fast as I could. I recommend A Cry from the Deep. Give it a look!
October 15, 2014
In a time slip novel, the key to the story is the mechanism, the link between the present and the past (or the future). In A Cry from the Deep, the link is a ring, a Claddagh, an Irish wedding ring composed of two hands holding a heart surmounted by a crown. Catherine buys it from an old woman at a flea market and immediately begins to have dreams of a young woman who is floating underwater, wearing a wedding dress, calling out a man’s name.
Catherine is an underwater photographer. She has not worked at that for nine years, though, not since an accident in which she almost died. The trauma affected her marriage, making it difficult for her to cope with the strains that already existed. She and her husband divorced, and she moved to Provence with their daughter.
When she buys the ring, she has been lured back to New York to discuss an assignment to photograph an expedition funded by National Geographic. The expedition aims to find and salvage a Spanish galleon believed to have gone down off the coast of Ireland after the Armada’s defeat by the English.
The project leader is a well-known treasure hunter with questionable ethics. Along with Daniel, an underwater archeologist under contract to National Geographic, a part of Catherine’s responsibility will be to monitor the man’s behavior.
The dreams continue. She sees the woman, who looks like her, a man who looks like Daniel, and an old man, who looks like the one she met walking his dog near her B&B. When the crew discovers the ruins of the Spanish ship, nearby they find the remains of another ship, an Irish ship that sank in the late eighteen hundreds. Catherine sees the woman from her dreams, floating above her, urging her to investigate the other wreck, as well.
This was a fantastic book! It was well written, and so very difficult to put down. As I became engrossed in the story, I found the idea that one’s dreams can be a route of contact from another time to be completely believable. There is a very sweet romantic twist in both the present and the past, and the author manages to build the tension – sexual and otherwise− very nicely.
The very first chapter tells the story of the Irish ship. If you have difficulty maintaining your interest while reading this section – I did− do not stop reading. The writing style changes dramatically in chapter two. I continued to read, and I’m happy that I did. You will love this book.
Catherine is an underwater photographer. She has not worked at that for nine years, though, not since an accident in which she almost died. The trauma affected her marriage, making it difficult for her to cope with the strains that already existed. She and her husband divorced, and she moved to Provence with their daughter.
When she buys the ring, she has been lured back to New York to discuss an assignment to photograph an expedition funded by National Geographic. The expedition aims to find and salvage a Spanish galleon believed to have gone down off the coast of Ireland after the Armada’s defeat by the English.
The project leader is a well-known treasure hunter with questionable ethics. Along with Daniel, an underwater archeologist under contract to National Geographic, a part of Catherine’s responsibility will be to monitor the man’s behavior.
The dreams continue. She sees the woman, who looks like her, a man who looks like Daniel, and an old man, who looks like the one she met walking his dog near her B&B. When the crew discovers the ruins of the Spanish ship, nearby they find the remains of another ship, an Irish ship that sank in the late eighteen hundreds. Catherine sees the woman from her dreams, floating above her, urging her to investigate the other wreck, as well.
This was a fantastic book! It was well written, and so very difficult to put down. As I became engrossed in the story, I found the idea that one’s dreams can be a route of contact from another time to be completely believable. There is a very sweet romantic twist in both the present and the past, and the author manages to build the tension – sexual and otherwise− very nicely.
The very first chapter tells the story of the Irish ship. If you have difficulty maintaining your interest while reading this section – I did− do not stop reading. The writing style changes dramatically in chapter two. I continued to read, and I’m happy that I did. You will love this book.
June 4, 2015
I didn’t know what to expect of A CRY FROM THE DEEP, but soon found I was immersed in a mind-tingling mystery of two different times. One event occurred in 1878 off the coast of Killybegs, Donegal Bay, Ireland, when Margaret O’Donnell married James Gallagher after his cargo ship the Alice O’Meary returned from India. Her father gave Margaret her mother’s wedding band to wear.
Fast forward to 2010 in Provence, France. Catherine Fitzgerald was working in her lavender fields when she received a phone call from her old boss. He was offering her the opportunity to come back to work as an underwater photographer at National Geographic. She would have to return to New York so her ex-husband could look after their daughter while she photographed the deep-sea dive of an ill-reputed treasure hunter. Her job was to photograph everything during dives and to make sure all recovered items were recorded as required by law. It was a dangerous job, and she hadn’t been back in the water since she had nearly drowned on another job several years before.
Once in New York, Catherine, with her ex-husband Richard and their daughter Alex toured a street market where Catherine purchased a peculiar gold ring. Was this ring responsible for the nightmares she started having?
Catherine was to work alongside Daniel Costello, a nautical archeologist, who was a very experienced diver and would ease Catherine back into the deep. Daniel was engaged to be married after the salvage project.
Was there a connection between the event of 1878 and Catherine in 2010? You’ll just have to read to find out. No spoilers here.
Stevan created characters and a story that kept me in my chair all day reading A CRY FROM THE DEEP from beginning to end. The amount of material she researched is mind boggling, but her diligence resulted in a believable story with characters so well developed, I had no trouble visualizing any of them. Before long, I felt I knew everyone personally, and was deeply engrossed in one of the most fascinating tales I’ve ever read. This book absolutely merits 5 stars.
Fast forward to 2010 in Provence, France. Catherine Fitzgerald was working in her lavender fields when she received a phone call from her old boss. He was offering her the opportunity to come back to work as an underwater photographer at National Geographic. She would have to return to New York so her ex-husband could look after their daughter while she photographed the deep-sea dive of an ill-reputed treasure hunter. Her job was to photograph everything during dives and to make sure all recovered items were recorded as required by law. It was a dangerous job, and she hadn’t been back in the water since she had nearly drowned on another job several years before.
Once in New York, Catherine, with her ex-husband Richard and their daughter Alex toured a street market where Catherine purchased a peculiar gold ring. Was this ring responsible for the nightmares she started having?
Catherine was to work alongside Daniel Costello, a nautical archeologist, who was a very experienced diver and would ease Catherine back into the deep. Daniel was engaged to be married after the salvage project.
Was there a connection between the event of 1878 and Catherine in 2010? You’ll just have to read to find out. No spoilers here.
Stevan created characters and a story that kept me in my chair all day reading A CRY FROM THE DEEP from beginning to end. The amount of material she researched is mind boggling, but her diligence resulted in a believable story with characters so well developed, I had no trouble visualizing any of them. Before long, I felt I knew everyone personally, and was deeply engrossed in one of the most fascinating tales I’ve ever read. This book absolutely merits 5 stars.
January 10, 2015
A Cry From The Deep by Diana Stevan is a striking book with an intriguing plot and realistic characters that came alive on the pages.
I love how the story moves from one time period to another. Just when I thought the unknown would stay that way, we go back in time, in a unique way, satisfying my curiosity.
Gripping and extremely well-written, I fell into this mesmerizing tale with ease. This emotional, sentimental, suspenseful story had me reading with great enthusiasm all the way through.
Quote ~
"A sudden breeze ruffled her skirt and she turned toward the sea. A young woman in a white gown stood about fifty yards away, by one of the old headstones. Her long auburn hair danced in the air as the wind picked up and rustled the trees overhead. She looked eerily like the woman in her dreams. Catherine was about to call out when a speck of dirt flew into her right eye. By the time she blinked a few times to expel the speck, the woman was nowhere to be seen. Catherine glanced in all directions and then hurried back to the entrance, thinking she might catch the stranger, but whoever had been there had vanished."
I love how the story moves from one time period to another. Just when I thought the unknown would stay that way, we go back in time, in a unique way, satisfying my curiosity.
Gripping and extremely well-written, I fell into this mesmerizing tale with ease. This emotional, sentimental, suspenseful story had me reading with great enthusiasm all the way through.
Quote ~
"A sudden breeze ruffled her skirt and she turned toward the sea. A young woman in a white gown stood about fifty yards away, by one of the old headstones. Her long auburn hair danced in the air as the wind picked up and rustled the trees overhead. She looked eerily like the woman in her dreams. Catherine was about to call out when a speck of dirt flew into her right eye. By the time she blinked a few times to expel the speck, the woman was nowhere to be seen. Catherine glanced in all directions and then hurried back to the entrance, thinking she might catch the stranger, but whoever had been there had vanished."
November 21, 2014
Beautifully Written
I had the pleasure of meeting Diana Stevan a few years ago and ever since, I’ve been following her blog, and her journey to publication. This book’s gorgeous cover stirred my curiosity, and when I learned of the extensive research she’d undertaken to tell this tale, I just had to read it.
“A Cry From The Deep” is a beautifully written love story that tells “…of a love so powerful, it spans several lifetimes.” Stevan has done a masterful job of crafting characters who draw you into their story, and her descriptions of Provence, New York and Ireland make you feel like you’re right there with them.
The mystery surrounding the Claddagh ring, Catherine Fitzgerald’s nightmares and the thrill of the deep kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning. If you’re looking for a romance with a touch of mystery and a deep water adventure, then you’ll find it in “A Cry From The Deep.” I would most definitely recommend this debut novel and look forward to more work from Diana Stevan.
I had the pleasure of meeting Diana Stevan a few years ago and ever since, I’ve been following her blog, and her journey to publication. This book’s gorgeous cover stirred my curiosity, and when I learned of the extensive research she’d undertaken to tell this tale, I just had to read it.
“A Cry From The Deep” is a beautifully written love story that tells “…of a love so powerful, it spans several lifetimes.” Stevan has done a masterful job of crafting characters who draw you into their story, and her descriptions of Provence, New York and Ireland make you feel like you’re right there with them.
The mystery surrounding the Claddagh ring, Catherine Fitzgerald’s nightmares and the thrill of the deep kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning. If you’re looking for a romance with a touch of mystery and a deep water adventure, then you’ll find it in “A Cry From The Deep.” I would most definitely recommend this debut novel and look forward to more work from Diana Stevan.
April 23, 2016
I enjoyed this book very much and couldn't put it down once I started;
the dialogue and writing is so fluid and easy to digest, and it is a great
story. I am definitely a fan and I will continue to buy Stevan's books.
I loved the intriguing references to psychics and tarot, past lives and Irish lore.
The book spoke to my Celtic and Gaelic heritage.
I loved the font and the feel of the pages too.
Sussan Thomson
the dialogue and writing is so fluid and easy to digest, and it is a great
story. I am definitely a fan and I will continue to buy Stevan's books.
I loved the intriguing references to psychics and tarot, past lives and Irish lore.
The book spoke to my Celtic and Gaelic heritage.
I loved the font and the feel of the pages too.
Sussan Thomson
December 13, 2022
This is one of the most powerful, captivating mysterious eternal love stories I have ever read! With its spiritual connection and major setting in Ireland, (though Provence and New York City are also part of this story’s landscape) plus the focus on a shipwreck site off the Irish coast, I was glued to the pages from start to finish. I have always been fascinated by lost ships and passengers’ stories so this intriguing expedition was of great interest. I also come from a family of seafarers from the east coast of Canada (who originally emigrated from Ireland), so some might say it is in my DNA! There are so many incredible stories hidden at the bottom of the deep dark sea that need to be heard. And this novel echoes hauntingly with some of those voices from the past that literally rise as ghosts from Irish waters (and Ireland's landscape). These apparitions tell their story in a way that quickens the senses and lulls the human heart to dreamland.
Waves of emotion swept over me as I read A Cry From the Deep, especially when the plot moved from Manhattan to Ireland. This time slip novel captured me with its profound, poetic and imaginative elements. In many ways this supernatural tale knocked me off my feet for it reminded me so much of my grandfather’s sightings and yes the Irish are definitely a superstitious lot as I can attest from my own family. Plus, when the reader is reminded of this Irish trait, and that curses are as real as blessings, I nodded in agreement.
I was fully immersed in the story from the first page and became invested in the characters who came across as being very real. Catherine Fitzgerald is an underwater photographer who has had an accident that almost ended her life while on a past dive. It left her so shaken she has not been able to return to diving for many years. It affected her relationships and possibly contributed to a split from her husband. She leaves him in Manhattan and moves to a centuries-old lavender farm in Provence to raise their daughter, Alex. But an incredible opportunity arises with the National Geographic that is hard to pass up on. With encouragement from others, she musters enough courage to accept the position and becomes part of the dive team to locate and photograph a sunken 18th Century Spanish Galleon off the coast of Ireland. This trip brings many revelations: some personal and others work related. She also learns about the hazards of greed that often takes over those who search the depths of the ocean for lost treasures. Before she goes on the mission, though, she buys an old claddagh ring that is at a flea market. It is beautiful and fits perfectly but she soon learns it has unusual powers that will drag her into the past in ways she would never have expected.
Daniel Costello is assigned to the expedition with Catherine. He is a reliable, gentle soul who provides support and encouragement in ways that have a positive effect on her—helping her to overcome her fears of diving again. But there is an unexpected spark that happens between them which throws up all kinds of issues—one being he is unavailable since he is engaged to be married in the near future. Though it appears he is reluctant to take that step with his fiance and we eventually learn why. But aside from his personal restrictions and dilemmas, he is an exceptional underwater archaeologist, a great advisor and partner for this mission.
The relationship between Catherine and Daniel, though good as it is, ends up in unexpected rough waters. Diana Stevans gives us opportunity for doubt which creates a sense of challenge and drama for the reader. We understand and feel Catherine’s own concerns both personally and workwise. And we discover, when she does-- the truth. All of it. The past and present. The ghost that haunts her and how this woman from the past is connected to her and even Daniel. It is a marvellous journey that I don’t want to say much about as these mystical elements are best experienced by reading the novel. But I can say, all fuzzy areas come into full focus and pure revelations conclude this story wonderfully.
This is a book I would give more than five stars if I could as I loved it that much and felt its complex layers and smoothly executed passages showed great care and finesse with the topic and delivery. This is a story that appears to have evolved over time as there is a maturity and organic feel to it. A special story from the author’s heart that is well researched and finely crafted.
I must not forget to mention the gorgeous underwater cover which I think is perfect for it captures the heart of the plot and suggests mystery. The ring being visible in the shot, is also important as even its design holds a fascinating history with the Irish culture and in this story we see its inspired timeslip magic.
I sincerely loved A Cry From The Deep by Diana Stevan for its Irish spiritual connections, shipwreck focus, the mysterious story behind the claddagh Irish ring, a ghost from the past who appears to a woman living in the present – the connections between the two and how they come together to fulfil a mission and find peace and love. Its originality haunts and shines like moonlight on a summer sea. It is a novel that everyone with a romantic heart will enjoy and it contains such an intriguing mystery. For those who love happy endings, you won’t be disappointed. Fall under the spell of this timeless love story that has its feet firmly on the ground, swimming in the sea and soaring in the heavenlies. Get your copy, you won’t be disappointed. A Cry From the Deep gets 5+ Stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☘️
Many thanks to the author for a review copy.
Waves of emotion swept over me as I read A Cry From the Deep, especially when the plot moved from Manhattan to Ireland. This time slip novel captured me with its profound, poetic and imaginative elements. In many ways this supernatural tale knocked me off my feet for it reminded me so much of my grandfather’s sightings and yes the Irish are definitely a superstitious lot as I can attest from my own family. Plus, when the reader is reminded of this Irish trait, and that curses are as real as blessings, I nodded in agreement.
I was fully immersed in the story from the first page and became invested in the characters who came across as being very real. Catherine Fitzgerald is an underwater photographer who has had an accident that almost ended her life while on a past dive. It left her so shaken she has not been able to return to diving for many years. It affected her relationships and possibly contributed to a split from her husband. She leaves him in Manhattan and moves to a centuries-old lavender farm in Provence to raise their daughter, Alex. But an incredible opportunity arises with the National Geographic that is hard to pass up on. With encouragement from others, she musters enough courage to accept the position and becomes part of the dive team to locate and photograph a sunken 18th Century Spanish Galleon off the coast of Ireland. This trip brings many revelations: some personal and others work related. She also learns about the hazards of greed that often takes over those who search the depths of the ocean for lost treasures. Before she goes on the mission, though, she buys an old claddagh ring that is at a flea market. It is beautiful and fits perfectly but she soon learns it has unusual powers that will drag her into the past in ways she would never have expected.
Daniel Costello is assigned to the expedition with Catherine. He is a reliable, gentle soul who provides support and encouragement in ways that have a positive effect on her—helping her to overcome her fears of diving again. But there is an unexpected spark that happens between them which throws up all kinds of issues—one being he is unavailable since he is engaged to be married in the near future. Though it appears he is reluctant to take that step with his fiance and we eventually learn why. But aside from his personal restrictions and dilemmas, he is an exceptional underwater archaeologist, a great advisor and partner for this mission.
The relationship between Catherine and Daniel, though good as it is, ends up in unexpected rough waters. Diana Stevans gives us opportunity for doubt which creates a sense of challenge and drama for the reader. We understand and feel Catherine’s own concerns both personally and workwise. And we discover, when she does-- the truth. All of it. The past and present. The ghost that haunts her and how this woman from the past is connected to her and even Daniel. It is a marvellous journey that I don’t want to say much about as these mystical elements are best experienced by reading the novel. But I can say, all fuzzy areas come into full focus and pure revelations conclude this story wonderfully.
This is a book I would give more than five stars if I could as I loved it that much and felt its complex layers and smoothly executed passages showed great care and finesse with the topic and delivery. This is a story that appears to have evolved over time as there is a maturity and organic feel to it. A special story from the author’s heart that is well researched and finely crafted.
I must not forget to mention the gorgeous underwater cover which I think is perfect for it captures the heart of the plot and suggests mystery. The ring being visible in the shot, is also important as even its design holds a fascinating history with the Irish culture and in this story we see its inspired timeslip magic.
I sincerely loved A Cry From The Deep by Diana Stevan for its Irish spiritual connections, shipwreck focus, the mysterious story behind the claddagh Irish ring, a ghost from the past who appears to a woman living in the present – the connections between the two and how they come together to fulfil a mission and find peace and love. Its originality haunts and shines like moonlight on a summer sea. It is a novel that everyone with a romantic heart will enjoy and it contains such an intriguing mystery. For those who love happy endings, you won’t be disappointed. Fall under the spell of this timeless love story that has its feet firmly on the ground, swimming in the sea and soaring in the heavenlies. Get your copy, you won’t be disappointed. A Cry From the Deep gets 5+ Stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☘️
Many thanks to the author for a review copy.
November 6, 2014
A Cry from the Deep is the kind of mystery/romance novel that I love and Diana Stevan does not disappoint. Well-written and full of intrigue, this story kept the pages turning. The characters were engaging and the setting fascinating. It simply had all the elements of a great escape novel. A must read!
November 5, 2017
A great page turner. I was hooked from the very beginning and was on the edge of my seat as the story progressed. I was impressed with the author's knowledge of diving and recovery in the sea - you almost felt that you were along for the ride! What really resonated with me, however, were the book's main themes - is our time on Earth confined to a single lifetime? is it possible we can live again? Is our journey in life ultimately beyond our control or to achieve a higher purpose? It's hard to discuss these issues in real life, so my discussion group were the book's characters! The author has a nice writing style where each paragraph has meaning. The scenes in Ireland and in the sea were extremely well done. I hear that this is the author's debut novel - very hard to imagine as this is fine writing in and around a story that moves along effortlessly. Bravo to Diana Stevan.
October 24, 2016
I am a person who reads a lot of non-fiction and almost never romance, but occasionally I will pick up a novel. It is a pleasant surprise when it delivers a well-researched factual setting woven artfully with an undercurrent of mystery and love. I enjoyed the intertwining of past and present and the allusions to reincarnation which to my mind are real and do influence our subconscious. I found this story enjoyable and engrossing and my only real criticism would be, as another reviewer pointed out, that I wanted more of the "backstory". Ms. Stevan delivers this engagingly at the beginning of the book but I enjoyed the premise so much, I wanted another ten pages before wading into the action. However, there are worse sins than leaving your audience wanting more.
July 23, 2018
Diana Stevan does a great job of melding the past and the present in this intriguing time slip novel. In addition, readers get to jet set between Provence, New York City, and Ireland. And there's a love story. Oh, and adventure. It doesn't get any better than this.
August 16, 2024
Mystery, romance, and a true love spanning two continents and two centuries. Stevan weaves a beautiful tale full of breathtaking underwater adventures as the complex characters discover meaningful connections and lasting love. A must read!
September 17, 2020
Diana Stevan's A Cry from The Deep is a page turner from start to finish. It has everything you could want in a novel - adventure, romance, and suspense,with paranormal underpinnings. Highly entertaining and highly recommended.
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