Silver Boat by Luanne Rice

Dar McCarthy is expecting her sisters, Delia and Rory, to join her in Martha’s Vineyard for a final visit to the family beach home before being forced to sell it for taxes.  Each of the sisters has taken a different path, and Dar, the oldest, is the only one remaining on the island.  As the sisters begin to pack up mementos, they attempt to define who their parents were and question the choices they’ve made and the lives they are living.  All the sisters are haunted by the disappearance of the father, Michael, when they were young.  Michael was an Irish immigrant shipbuilder, while their mother came from a prestigious family.  Michael maintained that his family had a land grant from the king of England on Martha’s Vineyard.  Driven to show his worth, he sails to Ireland to look for the original deed and disappears.  As the sisters divvy up the assets and furniture in the house, they come across old love letters between their parents.  Dar convinces Delia and Rory to take a trip to Ireland to discover the truths, where their ancestral roots run deep. 

This book is a story of faith and love.  It’s also, a story about two islands and the people who love the sisters.  I was fascinated with Dar, she’s the kind of spirit that never forgets.