Osprey Calling by Ellen Hoil

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The details…

  • Title: Osprey Calling
  • Author: Ellen Hoil
  • Narrator: Rebecca Ballantine
  • Publisher: Desert Palm Press
  • Listening length: 6 hours, 52 minutes 
  • Other formats available: ebook, paperback
  • Genre: romance 
  • Themes: finding love, returning home, family drama, wlw romance, finding acceptance, rebuilding family relationships

The blurb from the publisher…

Nicole, a socially awkward loner, hasn’t seen her family of origin or her hometown for decades. Blocking out the pain and memories of her earlier life, she’s spent this time honing her skills as a talented wildlife photographer. When she’s offered a dream contract for a book, she hesitates, realizing that she would have to return to her hometown to do it. She takes it, hoping she can enjoy it without seeing her family, the woman she had adored from afar, or dredging up the past.

My thoughts…

Hoil is a straightforward writer. She doesn’t use flowery language or lengthy descriptions. She gets right to the heart of the story and tells it. As evidenced by Hoil’s awards, readers appreciate the style and gobble up her stories. She is a 2020 Lesfic Bard Awards winner as well as a 2020 Rainbow Awards honorable mention. 

Hoil adds the perfect amount of dramatic content to this solidly constructed romance. Issues of acceptance and rejection from the family fold dominate the narrative and provide the proper amounts of tension, surprise and wonder to the storytelling. Additionally, Hoil gives her readers memorable characters that play effective parts in the story arc. Overall, the storytelling is satisfying and believable.

Rebecca Ballantine narrates this compelling story. She enhances the story with her voice, bringing it to life with her unique style and personality. She doesn’t have a long resume, but it’s clear she has a place in the world of audiobooks. 

Final remarks…

This is an entertaining story. Hoil is quite adept at capturing the emotions of her characters and expressing them on the page. Furthermore, Rebecca Ballantine does a fine job narrating this romantic tale, making it an enjoyable listen. The combined talents of these two women make Osprey Calling the perfect beachside listen for this summer. 

Strengths…

  • Clear, concise writing 
  • Emotionally honest and accurate 
  • Characters contain depth and dimension
  • Compelling, believable storytelling
  • Solid narration

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A bit about the author…

Born and raised an hour east and a million miles away from Manhattan, Ellen was an avid reader from the start often preferring the company of books over people

At 15 she lied about her age to attend the Outward Bound School: Hurricane Island. Rock climbing, sailing for days at a stretch and spending half a week alone with only a fire kit, water and a plastic tarp, she returned home with a valuable life lesson: “Failure is not the end. Those who love you don’t stop because you failed. Failure gives you the opportunity to try again, or start a new path.”

Thanks to a high school English teacher who served a literary feast of the classics, modern lit and Shakespeare, Ellen fell in love with the written word. This culminated in a law degree. Ellen now practices law by day while continuing her linguistic love affair in her off time. 

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