Shade of the Maple

After reading Shade of the Maple, all I can say is WOW! This is destined to be a classic. The depth of connection you feel with the characters is unreal - it's like you are living this story yourself. Kirk Martin has a unique gift - he magically draws you in until you are absorbed into every scene...which ultimately makes the ending so impactful and even life-changing. Not only that, he is donating $1.00 from every book sold to find an early detection test for breast cancer. My mother died from breast cancer and I had a lump removed at age 30. Thanks, Mr. Martin, for enriching my life with your stunning novel and being so generous toward this important cause. You're one of the good guys and I hope people support you. God bless you.

Shade of the Maple is the most amazing novel I have ever read. Bar none. My book club just finished reading it and when we discussed it, twenty-five of us sat stunned at first. We did not know where to begin. The plot is unique with twists and turns, and it somehow grabs you from page one and draws you in. You become part of this story, part of the characters. The writing is powerful and at the same time very poetic and beautiful. The characters are fully developed and seem to have a life of their own. It feels as if you are not reading a book, but instead living inside the hearts and minds of people you care for deeply. As you turn the pages, you hope it will not end because the writing is utterly refreshing, the story captivating. And when you do reach the final page, you feel satisfied and deeply moved, as if you have just experienced something very personal and beautiful. Read this novel - it has bestseller written all over it. It is an important novel and one that you will be talking about, and reliving, for quite some time.

Reading Shade of the Maple is like watching an artist use his brush to paint a stunning landscape or portrait. With each stroke of the brush, a beautiful scene is created before your eyes, and a story revealed. Kirk Martin, in my estimation, is a master storyteller and artist.I met him at a book signing last week and asked him what his greatest influences were. His reply was quite interesting. He said he is most influenced by poets such as Robert Frost, painters such as Monet, songwriters with interesting compositions and even statesmen for their brevity and power. If you read this novel, you will see this influence on every page. A unique combination of lyrical prose with a dreamlike quality mixed with economy of words that makes the story powerful and engaging. He has a unique style that is also very readable and immensely enjoyable. I look forward to reading anything that Kirk Martin writes. You will absolutely love Shade of the Maple. And if you get a chance to meet him, make the most of the opportunity. ...

Shade Of The Maple is the story of Anna Matthews. A young woman who left the small Vermont town of Green Mountain at the age of eighteen to seek adventure in a wider world. She finds a free-spirited young man with a boundless imagination and who wins her love. But circumstances arise to force them apart. A decade later Anna encounters a series of novels that compel her to confront the disparities within her own marriage. When she seeks out the author she discovers a truth that could change her life forever. Will she settle for her comfortable but ultimately hollow "American Dream", or will she risk everything in pursuit of a dream all her own? Shade Of The Maple is masterfully written and is the impressive, highly recommended debut novel of Kirk Martin.

Kirk Martin sweeps you away to a place where you disappear into vividly painted landscapes, characters richly drawn and a simple story of love lost, yearned for and regained...but not in the way you expect. Several plot twists keep you turning the pages as you become enveloped in a drama reminiscent of Francesca Johnson and Robert Kincaid. Only in this case, the characters are you and me, the face of America that struggles in daily life to bridge the gap between the ordinary and the extraordinary. And with subtle, yet profound writing that belies the innocence of the drama, Kirk Martin forces you to look inward at your own relationships. His penetrating insight into the female psyche is quite unique among men, and dare I say, even among women writers...which makes Shade of the Maple simultaneously beautiful and haunting. You will not soon forget Anna Matthews and the man whose love for her is not bound by time. They will become a part of you, and you will become part of them. Shade of the Maple is a richly rewarding experience you shouldn't miss. Marries the drama of "Bridges" with the depth, purity and emotion of "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks.