I received this book for free from the Publisher, Spotify Premium in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman Published by Harper Collins, MIRA Books on November 19, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Sagas, Fiction / Women
Pages: 352
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Publisher, Spotify Premium
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Taylor Jenkins Reid meets The Hundred Foot Wave in this dazzling new romance by USA Today bestselling author Sara Ackerman.
'Iwa Young’s life is high in the Maui rainforest. As a field biologist, she’s happiest in company with trees and birds and waterfalls. When a developer arrives with plans for a so-called Eco Resort in the middle of a forest full of endangered species, 'Iwa puts all her energy into the fight to protect it. But a chance encounter threatens to distract her. His name is Dane Parsons, and he’s a big wave surfer from California. 'Iwa has a few unbreakable rules, and at the top of her list: Never Date A Surfer.
Dane Parsons is part of an underground group of big wave riders and his connection to the ocean runs deep. When he meets 'Iwa he can’t get her out of his mind. But 'Iwa wants nothing to do with Dane until he offers to help protect her beloved forest and waterfall. Always on the hunt for the ultimate ride, Dane suddenly glimpses something even greater, but just out of reach.
In this thunderous love story, we travel deep into the Maui rainforest and hop across the globe from Maui to Mavericks to Portugal, chasing waves the size of nine story buildings–where the unthinkable is always just one breath away.
Imagine yourself swept away to the lush landscapes and vibrant spirit of Hawaii, where secrets from the past intertwine with the present in a gripping tale of love, loss, and courage. Welcome to the world of The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman. As a reader who revels in stories that transport you to another place and time, you’ll find yourself enchanted by Ackerman’s masterful storytelling and rich character development.
So, sit back, relax, and let’s embark on this literary adventure together. Start with an excerpt from the book, and find my review at the bottom.
THE BLUE ROOM
Dane
Pe’ahi, Maui, January 3, 2012
The Hawaiian ocean was more blue than he remembered, and it smelled faintly of salt and sea foam. Dane sat on his surfboard watching rays of sun pierce the surface and descend into the depths. Farther out above the trench, the water shone indigo, and inside over the coral shelf, a dappled turquoise. Bathwater warm, smooth as blown glass, deadly. There were sounds—a light splash, the low rumble of whitewater meeting rock on the shoreline—but he didn’t hear them.
Someone is going to die.
An old man on the cliff had spoken these words to him just as he was scrambling down the rocks to get in the water, and he was having a hard time shaking it off. The man was thin as a twig and wrinkled, with a shock of white hair against his sun-beaten skin. A complete stranger. He touched Dane’s shoulder and looked him straight in the eye, pinning Dane in place for a few seconds, before he pulled himself away. His shoulder still burned.
Now he focused on the horizon and matched his breath to the rise and fall of the swells. Reaching down with both hands, he scooped up water and splashed himself to cool off. The air was thick with a salty haze, windless, hot and lazy. Usually by this time—early afternoon, the waves were blown out and ragged from the wind. But today was perfection. Even the locals were saying the conditions were epic.
All he needed was one wave.
The Maui offshore buoys showed an afternoon pulse, which meant that the swell could get even bigger before it faded away. No doubt it was a gamble to paddle out on his biggest board, a mint green beauty, but risk was his thing, the only constant he knew. While most people moved away from risk, Dane had always sought it out. Not consciously, but looking back, he had been the kid to climb the tallest tree, skateboard down the steepest road or take the highest jump on his bike, and later, often the only one to paddle out on those winter days when the whole horizon was closing out.
He checked his watch. Eighteen minutes since the last set rolled in, but it seemed like days. He could feel the island behind him, a massive volcano with a dollop of white snow on her peak, but he refused to look. Never turn your back on the sea. Anyone raised around the ocean knew this.
Four minutes left in the heat and Dane had nothing to show for it. He had missed the only rideable wave on the last set by being too far out. His last hope was the tide. It had just bottomed out, and now began to fill back in, the whole ocean heaving toward the island. All he could do was wait. Mother nature called the shots out here, there was no way around it.
Two minutes left and he was starting to sweat, when he noticed a bump on the horizon. He stood up on his board to get a better look. Definitely a set. Kicking his board out in front of him, he fell back in the water and crossed himself. This was it. Sliding back onto his board, he adjusted his vest, took a deep breath and started paddling toward the horizon.
A live wire ran under his skin, electrifying every cell, every muscle. It was a familiar feeling, and it meant game on. The first wave in the set rose up like a liquid mountain and began to feather, but already he could tell it wasn’t the one he was waiting for. Too small and a little too west. Let someone else have it. When he reached the top of that one, he got his first look at what was coming—a blue wall of water taller than a small building and farther out than he had thought possible. Lined up perfectly and swinging straight for him.
He scrambled to position himself a little deeper as the wave moved in and lifted him up and up. And fricking up. He turned and went for it. At the top, he hung for a second as he looked down the vertical face of water, half wishing he had wings. Beyond the point of no return, he jumped to his feet and dropped in. The first few seconds were a free fall and he was poised with arms out, as if in flight, while his board miraculously stayed under him. He managed to level out and picked his line. From behind, the lip hurled and thundered and created a bus-sized barrel, spitting out at him.
Still high up on the wave, which felt ready to pitch him at any moment, he felt the burn in his legs, his lungs, his eyes. Spray from the barrel chandeliered down on him and began to blot out the sun and everything else. If this beast closed out, he was done. He’d be held down on the reef for at least a few waves and then washed into a frothy cauldron of whitewater and boulders at the bottom of the cliffs.
Someone is going to die. The words came to him again in a flash, then disappeared. Today was not his day to die.
The avalanche of water behind him was creating its own wind, but he managed to stall for a few seconds in the barrel before getting shot out in the spit. Time slowed, and the outside world slipped away. A feeling of euphoria came over him. Saltwater ran in his veins and he looked down on the scene from a bird’s-eye view. Albatross or petrel or booby. When he hit the shoulder of the wave still standing, his arms shot up skyward and he fell back, landing with a splash in the very water that could have easily taken him. The horn sounded a few moments later, signifying the end of the heat.
The crowd in the channel went crazy; he heard them even underwater. Jet skis, boats, boards, camera guys swimming—all rushed toward him. People yelling, hooting, clapping, cheering. Shirtless men and bikini-clad women. Not a wetsuit in sight. And there was no need to see the score, or the video. Their reaction told him everything he needed to know.
Excerpted from THE MAUI EFFECT by Sara Ackerman. Copyright © 2024 by Sara Ackerman. Published by MIRA Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.
My Thoughts:
THE MAUI EFFECT is quite a globe-trotting book, and I enjoyed exploring Hawaii, California, and Portugal through the lens of ‘Iwa and Dane. In a change of genres from historical to women’s fiction set in 2012-2013, Sara Ackerman has written a book with so much heart, grief, complicated relationships, and a window into the wider world. Where else can an ecology-minded field biologist fall in love with a big wave surfing star other than picturesque and tropical Maui?
‘Iwa works hard to keep a developer from tearing down her beloved rainforest to build a resort. On the hunt for extremely endangered bird species so the land can’t be destroyed, she spends a large portion of her time in the forest while the rest of her time is spent playing guitar and singing at her father’s restaurant. She has no room in her life for anyone but her father and a few close friends, but one night a group of surfers sit down in the restaurant and one of the surfers is captivated from the first glance with ‘Iwa.
Dane is an accomplished big-waver surfer with endorsements and many accolades. After winning a competition on Maui, a group of his friends celebrates in a quaint restaurant to unwind. Dane is taken with ‘Iwa from the first glance. They get to know each other on Maui as ‘Iwa introduces Dane to everything that she’s fighting for, and their budding relationship takes them from the island to the coasts of California where Dane can do the same.
‘Iwa and Dane’s relationship is far from smooth sailing, and I really enjoyed the characters as the grew together and learned to keep their priorities in line. Both of them have lost their mother’s and grieve for them, and those relationships really flavor their characters and how they protect themselves from emotional harm. Hawaii and the other coasts really shone through as characters within themselves. The author is from Hawaii, and those little details in the book really bring the island to life for readers.
I give THE MAUI EFFECT a four out of five. This novel explores the intricate layers that make up our messy lives, and that makes this book a must-read, or in this case a must-listen. The audiobook was narrated fantastically by Jennifer Robideau. From its evocative setting to the compelling narrative arc, ‘Iwa and Dane’s lives make for a twisting and turning love story that has obstacles to overcome such as injuries, substance abuse, cheating, and how to find your way back once you’ve been hurt by someone. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Sara Ackerman or new to her work, prepare to be enchanted by the magic of Maui and the depth of human connection that this book beautifully portrays.
Find THE MAUI EFFECT
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | HarperCollins | Goodreads
About Sara Ackerman
Sara Ackerman is the Hawai’i born, bestselling author of historical & romance novels set in the islands. Her books have been labeled “unforgettable” by Apple Books, “empowering & deliciously visceral” by Book Riot, and New York Times bestselling authors Kate Quinn and Madeline Martin have praised Sara’s novels as “fresh and delightful” and “brilliantly written.” Amazon chose Radar Girls as a best book of the month, and ALA Booklist gave The Codebreaker’s Secret a starred review. Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on Facebook @ackermanbooks.
Find Sara Ackerman
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