The Shark Club

By: Ann Kidd Taylor

Narrated by: Emily Rankin

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

A novel about love, loss, and sharks by the New York Times best-selling coauthor of the memoir Traveling with Pomegranates.

On a summer day on the Gulf of Mexico in 1988, two extraordinary things happen to 12-year-old Maeve Donnelly. First she is kissed by Daniel, the boy of her dreams. Then she is attacked by a blacktip shark.

Eighteen years later Maeve is a world-traveling marine biologist studying and swimming with the very animals that once threatened her life. Known among her peers as the "shark whisperer", Maeve is fearless in the water. On land, however, Maeve is dogged by unresolved wounds and indecisive about the path her life will take. When she returns to the small island off Florida's coast where she grew up and to her childhood home - the legendarily charming and eccentric Hotel of the Muses, where she was raised by her grandmother - she finds that her twin brother may be about to make it big as novelist, using her love life as his jumping-off point. Will she confront her feelings about her brother's betrayal - and forgive her childhood sweetheart, Daniel, the missteps of their youth? Or will she dive headlong back into her research and open her heart to Nicholas, her handsome colleague who shares her passion for the ocean?

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Gulf of Mexico, in a picturesque and quaint beach town, The Shark Club is a bittersweet story about the power of forgiveness and the promise of true love.

©2017 Ann Kidd Taylor (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Named one of Refinery29's best books of 2017
Named one of the best books of the summer by * PopSugar * Bustle * Southern Living * Coastal Living * Marie Claire * PureWow *

"This one’s a quintessential summer read: It's based in the Gulf of Mexico so even if you're only sunning at your local beach, you can still daydream of palm trees and pristine waters." (Marie Claire)

"A spellbinding meditation on one woman's unresolved past.... Consider it required summer reading for anyone still tangled in the tricky project of growing-up." (Refinery29)

Didn’t hold my interest

Characters aren’t very compelling and I gave up about halfway through. Wouldn’t really bother at all

The Gift Goes On

I loved this book! I've been a fan of Sue Monk Kidd for many years. I feel like I've watched Ann grow up through her mother's stories. When Mother and Daughter collaborated on Traveling with Pomegranates, I traveled with them through some pivotal experiences that drew them closer to each other, but also helped Ann find her own path and discover her own gifts for writing and storytelling.

In The Shark Club, Ann firmly establishes herself as a gifted author in her own right. I loved her characters and she kept me hanging on from chapter to chapter, reluctant to interrupt the story to return to my daily tasks, or to sleep. That is the sign of a good book!

So bring on your next book, Ann! I'll be waiting. and watching for it!

Cute but predictable

I enjoyed the story but felt parts were very predictable and a bit corny. I expected more from the ending and felt disappointed in the outcome.

Fun for marine bio fans

If you love love and sharks this is the book for you! there is also a bit of mystery!

Fantastic!

The Shark Club is a fantastic. A quick, summer read that I have very much enjoyed.

Made my drive really quick!

Super easy to follow! Great when traveling. It definitely made me want to plan a beach trip soon though!

Perfect Summer Listening

So, with Summer’s end rapidly approaching, I figured that it was about time that I dug into my Audible library and listened to The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor; which, being a book about the ocean and sharks, sounded like the perfect way to close off the season. I devoured the story.

First off, in terms of the characters, I loved Maeve; I loved that she was a strong, intelligent young woman with a devotion to sharks. As a reader, it was refreshing to not only see a strong female lead but to see sharks also painted in a positive light instead of the classic 'sharks are monsters' perspective. I couldn't get enough.

In terms of the actual storyline, I was captivated from page one; staying up until way too late trying to get 'one more chapter in.' The novel had a bit of everything, romance, heartbreak, family conflict, and mystery - it was perfect.

However, if I had to nitpick about the plot, I wish that the mystery aspect of this story had a slightly more satisfactory conclusion; it felt a bit rushed and should've been given more attention if I am honest.

Finally, in terms of the narration, Emily Rankin did a brilliant job telling the story and bringing the characters to life - a five-star performance.

Overall, The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor was a superb Summer listening experience, and I would highly recommend the novel.

My favorite book!

I love this book. It is easy to follow and the characters are very endearing. I am a biologist and can resonate with the ideals of this book.