PRAISE
"The Shark Club is a captivating story of love and loss, and a beautiful ode to the ocean and those whose hearts are drawn to it. Ann Kidd Taylor—and her novel’s heroine, Maeve—understand the many sublime mysteries of sharks, and how deeply their fate is connected to our own."
Susan Casey, author of The Devil’s Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America’s Great White Sharks
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"ultimate beach read...with a brain"
Jennifer Bort Yacovissi, Washington Independent Review of Books
"Taylor has found the formula for a well balanced beach read."
Connolley Hardaway, The City Paper (Charleston, SC)
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"If there ever were a sure-thing book club runaway success, this is it."
Phil Jason, Florida Weekly, Local setting stars in tale of love, loss, forgiveness, sharks
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"This one's a quintessential summer read."
Lori Keong, Marie Claire, 8 New Page-Turners to Pack in Your Beach Bag This Summer
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"An intoxicating debut."
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"Don’t be fooled by the title: Ann Kidd Taylor’s The Shark Club might keep you out of the water, but only because you’re turning pages."
"...a suspenseful and emotionally satisfying page-turner."
Ed Tarkington, Chapter 16
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"You’ll find yourself falling in love with the well-drawn supporting cast, especially Perri the book lover and Hazel the shark teeth collector, as well as searching the travel guides for Perri’s extraordinary hotel."
"Taylor, the daughter of best-selling southern author Sue Monk Kidd (“The Secret Life of Bees”), has created the quintessential “beach read,” one to lay back with on a sandy shore and lose yourself, and, of course, shed a tear or two."
C.F. Foster, The Florida Times-Union, June 11, 2017
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“…this bittersweet portrait of the long road towards adulthood had us totally hooked (insert fishing pun here). A compelling, empathetic look at a young woman balancing the trauma of heartbreak against ambition's exhilarating call, The Shark Club challenges ingrained notions about what makes a family, smoothing the often jagged edges of the troubled relationships that shape us. Consider it required summer reading for anyone still tangled in the tricky project of growing-up.”
"...a spellbinding meditation"
Rachel Selvin, Refinery29: The Two Novels We Are Bringing To The Beach In June
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"Taylor...has crafted a winner with her first novel." "...The Shark Club is a beach read with bite."
BookPage: 2017 Summer Reading Preview
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"With humor and surprises, The Shark Club moves along briskly as Maeve struggles to forgive, let go of past love, and navigate happiness on her own terms."
Melissa Norstedt, Booklist, April 15, 2017
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"Her unusual debut novel manages to check off a lot of boxes: fast-paced romance, family drama, feel-good conservation story — and, surprisingly, a beach-ready read about shark attacks."
Tray Butler, Atlanta-Journal Constitution, 5 Beach Reads By Southern Authors, May 18, 2017
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"Set against the intoxicating backdrop of palm trees and key lime pies, this is a delicious summer read."
Redbook, 20 Summer Beach Reads to Stock Up On Now, March 28, 2017
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"Captivating....An engaging novel about the loves that define our lives."
Kirkus Review
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"While there’s no shortage of interesting characters in Maeve’s orbit, Taylor zeroes in on Maeve’s development almost exclusively. It’s a decision that enriches the book to a great extent" ... "The Shark Club stays true to the logical, calm nature of its protagonist, but still evokes the subtle pain and thrill of being unmoored."
BookPage
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"This book is a highly-readable mix of marine science and romance, set on the picturesque beaches of South Florida."
Birmingham Magazine, June 2017
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"It is a wonderful novel that is ultimately about navigating human connections."
Elizabeth Fraser and Dana Smook, Charleston Gazette-Mail, June 12, 2017