While talking, Sophie brings up how she had wanted to buy a chunk of land (Tate Farm) and with the help of her brother and father, revive the vineyard/winery (she has personal stake in the land, something to do with passing of her Henry); however, her bid fell through and another company's bid (for a resort) was accepted. At a town meeting later, a meeting in which Sophie is doing a news article on, she finds that the handsome stranger, Carter, is actually the head of the group with the highest bid -- first name, Duncan, middle name, Carter.
Duncan, however, has his own stake in the land -- the land is actually that of his older (adopted) brother, Trent's, biological father (or so is said during a family dinner; later the reader finds more dirt on the whole Trent situation). Duncan's family sent him out to buy the land at the semi-urging of Trent's therapist, who believes the troublesome Jamieson likely feels inadequate in his adopted family and could use something to tie him to his biological family.
Duncan is a cool, calm, collected kind of guy, but Sophie brings out the heat in him, namely when she's cold and straightforward in getting her story and leaving him behind, as she's pissed that he didn't mention he was the opposing bid:
"'I think you've answered all my questions, Mr. Jamie-'
'Stop being so formal!' A blast of heat rushed up his cheeks. Damn her!"
She was, indeed, slightly rude in the parking lot trying to get her "interview" from him. Twenty-four hours later, in reflection, she admits to herself the rudeness, and when seeing if her story is good enough (and that it would be one thousand times better with quotes from Jamieson) she attempts to call his office, in which she learns he has asked that all her questions go through the company spokesperson, Carl. Ouch. Burn. The rudeness was certainly there, she realizes. However, where she felt she was rude, it actually brought back ill-harbored feelings as an awkward teenager on Duncan's part. His reaction to her 'rudeness' was to retaliate with his own pettiness (having her speak to Carl and Carl only).
The next time they meet is under the orders of the paper, to which Duncan calls her into his office to speak with her. She admits she needs to apologize; Duncan says the same -- however, Sophie beind Sophie, jumps in and adds a sarcastic remark, which in turn seems to put Duncan's hunches up again. However, he pushes through and finishes his apology with a statement as to why he deceived her -- Sophie wants to believe the apology, but her trust has been broken.
At this meeting is when Sophie learns that she and Duncan knew eachother years back -- it is the reason why Duncan wanted and agreed to the meeting on this day. He first met her when he'd been thirteen; she'd been about the same age.
Sophie receives a mailing warning her of the Jamiesons -- in a crazy, stalker sort of fashion (a letter made up of newspaper and magazine clippings, the single letters all made out to full words and sentences).
.......and here is where I stopped even skimming. I loved the first 2 chapters, and I buckled down and read the last 3 chapters -- loved them too. For some reason, the middle lost me. It wasn't lack of information, nor too much information... it just lost me.
But anyways...
Sophie is relatable. Like myself, she can be defensive and over-analytical of things, often seeing the worst in a situation without seeing the entire picture and finding the truth. She sees what she wants to see and often starts the fight right away.
While I've never been in the shoes of a mother who has lost her child, I wonder how healthy Sophie's grief is. Years later and Sophie still wonders about Henry constantly and cries easily when things her other two children do, remind her of her firstborn. I understand that it's extremely hard to lose a child; I understand that losing a child is one of the main reasons for many divorces. I get that Sophie's life has been turned upside down over the past chunk of time. But at some point, you need to keep moving forward and living. Her children seem to be doing so. Her ex appears to be doing the same.
Have to be honest -- I nearly put down the book right away. Being a mid/late-20 year old, I like my heroines to be in their twenties or early thirties. Sophie is forty-four... but I thought I'd stick it through and was happy (at least initially) that I did.
As is my fashion, I try to figure out why books are titled as they are. This book is titled Share the Moon. The lake's name is fashioned from the moon; my only assumption then is that the author was going for Sophie and Duncan sharing the lake...
I did have to stop reading the book about 1/3 of the way in. My interest level waned off and I had a hard time even skimming for key events to try and piece the rest of the summary together.
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