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Callie Browning
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The Girl with the Hazel Eyes: Second Edition Kindle Edition

by Callie Browning (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 472 ratings
See all formats and editions
Oprah Magazine calls it one of 16 Books by Caribbean Authors to add to your Reading List.

Yahoo! and In The Know named it as one of 10 Must-Read books by Caribbean Authors.

JAAWP Finalist.

Silver Medallist.

“A perfect read. ‘The Girl with the Hazel Eyes’ is well-written and compelling. I give this novel 5/5 stars.” - Bekah’s Bookshelves.

Politics, poverty and puberty combine in this beautifully written coming-of-age tale that examines the bonds of womanhood, feminism and pre-independence life on a small island. Almost fifty years after Susan Taylor was exiled from Barbados for her famous whistle-blowing novel, ‘The Unspeakable Truth’, she contacts a young writer to pen her biography. Susan is crotchety and unpleasant but Lia Davis is broke so she has no choice but to stay and write Susan's biography. As Lia starts to unravel the reclusive author's life, she realizes that some things just don't add up. Susan has been hiding a massive secret for decades and Lia is determined to find out what it is. The Girl with the Hazel Eyes is an endearing historical fiction that tugs at your heart with its examination of love, lies, and loyalty.

EXCERPT. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Kenneth’s eyes lit up mischievously as he contemplated me quietly for a moment. “Be honest: if someone had a gun to your head and threatened to shoot if you didn’t eat one, would you choose the fried biscuits or the fish dumplings?” “I’d eat the bullet.” Our eyes met as we tried to stifle our laughter but it didn’t work. Kenneth and I broke into a fit of giggles. He smiled broadly, staring at me for a while. It made me a little nervous to have him watching me like that. I turned away and looked towards the horizon.

The sun was setting just over the vast cane fields in the distance. It was late October and by then the land was stripped bare of canes and stretched as far as the eye could see. It was amazing to see it from that height and take in the majesty of the sunset from such a miraculous vantage point. “Did you ever notice how the sunlight changes from white during the daytime to that pretty gold when it sets? The way it paints everything in the world in a colour that isn’t orange or yellow or pink but a soft blend of all three?” Kenneth raised one eyebrow at me thoughtfully, both surprised and confused by what I was saying. He turned to the cane fields and a look of awe and comprehension dawned on his face before he smiled broadly. “Yeah. I don’t think I ever noticed that before, you know. Did you read that in one of those old books I always see you with?”
I laughed. “No, I noticed it right before I climbed the tree.”
“Hmm…”
“What?”
“Are you sure you didn’t read that in a book?” he asked me again.
I glared at him. “I told you I didn’t.”
Satisfied, he nodded sagely and then surprised me by saying, “You should write down the things you say. You describe something really hard in just a few words. It would have taken me about ten hours to explain that sun thing.” I felt quite pleased with myself at this nice compliment from a boy. A blush crept up my cheeks and he didn’t even try to make me feel embarrassed about it. He just took two more broken crackers from his pocket and handed me one. We sat there as quiet as anything while the light waned and the crickets turned up the volume on their chirping but little did Kenneth realized that he had watered the seed that my mother had planted in my mind. Writing was my gift and when someone is truly talented, their gift comes so effortlessly that it’s easy to take it for granted. Even now, decades later, I still can’t believe that Kenneth honed in on that aspect of my personality so easily. At that moment something clicked between us. Just like the knack that Kenneth saw I had for writing, our friendship came to us effortlessly.
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  1. Print length
    253 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    June 6, 2019
  5. File size
    1413 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Callie Browning's use of imagery paints a vivid vision of the sights: sunrises, sunsets, the tiny village, the cane fields, the scents of the vines and the bushes, the sweet scent of the rain and the blooms and foliage, the stench of rot and decay. Browning is especially talented when writing of the sounds of the islands, the birds, the music and the wind whispering through the cane. We taste the food Susan tasted, feel her terror as the island is hit by a hurricane, her fear as she is nearly assaulted and her grief at the loss of someone dear. I was drawn into the story of a compelling woman and of a world about which I knew absolutely nothing." - Readers' Favorite

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07SSDQ7FH
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Callie Browning; 2nd edition (June 6, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 6, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1413 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 253 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 472 ratings

About the author

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Callie Browning

Callie Browning

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Callie Browning is an award-winning Barbadian author who loves great food and thrilling stories. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to get the latest on new books, her travel adventures and cooking mishaps.

Note from the author:

Thank you so much for considering my book. 'The Girl with the Hazel Eyes' will take you on an incredible coming-of-age tale that many of my readers actually thought was real! Experience the highs and lows of the life of Susan Taylor, a reclusive author who flees her island home after writing a tell-all novel that shakes apart the social and political fabric of the Caribbean. You'll feel her love, loss and ultimately ask yourself what you would have done if you were in Susan's shoes.

I hope you enjoy it.

X,

Callie

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
472 global ratings
Entertaining and gripping read!
4 Stars
Entertaining and gripping read!
The title of this book intrigued me and the cover art is so beautiful!!! I am personally drawn to gorgeous book covers.The Girl with the Hazel Eyes surpassed my expectations and I must say I came away impressed by what the author wrote.The book is set in the Caribbean where I am from but another island called Barbados. The author is also from Barbados and still lives there. I appreciated reading a book where the context is Caribbean, by a Caribbean author who still lives there.From the minute the book started I was hooked and wanted to know how the story was going to develop. The characters were rich and interesting and I found myself arguing with some of them. For me, I know a book is good when I am talking to the characters like they are real people!I would categorize the book as Historical Fiction but there were elements of mystery, romance, suspense and comedy all rolled up in one. I laughed, I cried, I argued with the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it!I appreciated that the dialogue was rich and the language was descriptive so it pulled you into the story and you felt like you knew the characters. It was an easy read for me because the writing flowed and was so smooth.When the book ended I was sad because I wanted to read more, it was that enjoyable for me. Overall , I rate this four stars!!!
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Top reviews from the United States

Neely
5.0 out of 5 stars Holy crap!
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2020
Verified Purchase
I don’t even know where to begin. This book made me laugh, smile, and cry. “Hell hath no fury...” is an understatement for Susie. Her character is deep and complex while being completely relatable. And her story, draws you in like no other. There aren’t many authors that have weaved amazing, colourful fiction around the events of history as well as this one. It was truly seamless. I was transported to a time in a place I only recognise in modern days. I truly look forward to reading more of Lia’s journey (hint, hint).

Thank you, Callie Browning. Your labour of love has given me all the feels. As a child, the old folks would tell stories of good times and hardships. Your words painted such vivid imagery of Susie’s Barbados that it brought life to the stories told during my childhood. It has given me better insight of the history of the island. It has given me a deeper appreciation for the culture that has helped shape me. It has given me a better understanding of the the old folks. Thank you for sharing, self-publishing, and persevering. Keep them coming! I’m a huge fan.
One person found this helpful
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Allison
4.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 - 4 out of 5 for this debut
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
Let me get this off my chest real quick, EFF WINSLOW!!! All waste man from now on name Winslow, all ah dem. Okay, back to regularly scheduled programming.

This book was a nice, summer read which I've been itching for. It wasn't too heavy or convoluted.

What I liked - This book really gave me some insight into Barbados's independence movement. I admit I don't know much about Barbados's history, I jut thought they got independence in 1962 like we did in Jamaica. Apparently not. The book felt like an immersive history lesson and I love when a book can educate me. Callie takes us right in it from the creation of the political parties, to the rallies, to the legislation to the actual independence day celebrations. The historical aspects were very well written.

We didn't only get politics but I think the writer did a great job describing life in Barbados at that time and it was nice to see the similarities between there and Jamaica. She touched on poverty, race, social class & colourism, women's place in society all through her characters. There were times when I just wanted to give some of the characters a hug and say it's going to be okay (again, not Winslow). Honestly, the attitudes that existed (and still do) towards women and girls getting an education. Jeezum. It was so frustrating. I did like how Susan's mother kind of served an example of the lengths women will go to for their children and to have autonomy of their own bodies. Even though she did cower to her husband for the most part, it was nice to see that resilience in her.

I liked how the author went back and forth from the past to the present, recounting to live discussion, that way we really got to know Susan Taylor (or so we thought), I think she handled that style of writing well without giving too much away in the earlier chapters and making the story predictable. It does become predictable in a way towards the end but not in a bad way.

Critiques - I wanted more from Lia's character. I feel like I could have learned more about her, she didn't get as much focus and depth as I wanted.

The ending for me while satisfying felt kind of rushed, too much happened in the last bit of the book that I felt could have been spread out more evenly. There was also a continuity issue or two that I think maybe the editor didn't pick up on.

Overall I liked it and I was happy to read some C'bean lit. and support a C'bean author.
16 people found this helpful
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Lynette L. Shelton
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
New author for me. I really enjoyed this story of Lia leaving Barbados to go to America to ghost write a biography for an author who was also from Barbados. I liked how the story was written. The characters were interesting. I loved Susan. I didn't expect the ending. What? Okay! Wow! Very good read.
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Book Dragon
3.0 out of 5 stars Captivating but predictable
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
I really wish we could give half stars because this is more of a 3.5 star book. The writing was good, it really holds your attention. However, the ending is super predictable.
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Book Wormette
5.0 out of 5 stars Travel to Barbados
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2021
Verified Purchase
I liked learning about some of the history of Barbados and it’s bid for independence. Likewise, I enjoy the author’s writing style; I find it very poetic and moving. I especially enjoyed the bits of wisdom voiced by one of the main characters, Susan. Cordelia is making her first trip to the U.S. from Barbados to write the biography of Susan who fled the island for the U.S. in 1960s and writing a tell all book about one particularly crooked politician who happened to wrong Susan.

I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction as well as to anyone that wants to add to their knowledge of Barbados. I gave this novel five starts because the story moved quickly, it really was a page turner, I wanted to read about Susan’s life and the reason her name was cursed on the island. The ending wasn’t a total shocker although I believed the author’s intention was to keep the reader in the dark and suspense. Pick this one up; I don’t give 5 stars lightly. I’m actually going to look up this author’s next book right now!
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Natalie
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and gripping read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
The title of this book intrigued me and the cover art is so beautiful!!! I am personally drawn to gorgeous book covers.

The Girl with the Hazel Eyes surpassed my expectations and I must say I came away impressed by what the author wrote.

The book is set in the Caribbean where I am from but another island called Barbados. The author is also from Barbados and still lives there. I appreciated reading a book where the context is Caribbean, by a Caribbean author who still lives there.

From the minute the book started I was hooked and wanted to know how the story was going to develop. The characters were rich and interesting and I found myself arguing with some of them. For me, I know a book is good when I am talking to the characters like they are real people!

I would categorize the book as Historical Fiction but there were elements of mystery, romance, suspense and comedy all rolled up in one. I laughed, I cried, I argued with the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I appreciated that the dialogue was rich and the language was descriptive so it pulled you into the story and you felt like you knew the characters. It was an easy read for me because the writing flowed and was so smooth.

When the book ended I was sad because I wanted to read more, it was that enjoyable for me.

Overall , I rate this four stars!!!
Customer image
Natalie
4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and gripping read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2019
The title of this book intrigued me and the cover art is so beautiful!!! I am personally drawn to gorgeous book covers.

The Girl with the Hazel Eyes surpassed my expectations and I must say I came away impressed by what the author wrote.

The book is set in the Caribbean where I am from but another island called Barbados. The author is also from Barbados and still lives there. I appreciated reading a book where the context is Caribbean, by a Caribbean author who still lives there.

From the minute the book started I was hooked and wanted to know how the story was going to develop. The characters were rich and interesting and I found myself arguing with some of them. For me, I know a book is good when I am talking to the characters like they are real people!

I would categorize the book as Historical Fiction but there were elements of mystery, romance, suspense and comedy all rolled up in one. I laughed, I cried, I argued with the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I appreciated that the dialogue was rich and the language was descriptive so it pulled you into the story and you felt like you knew the characters. It was an easy read for me because the writing flowed and was so smooth.

When the book ended I was sad because I wanted to read more, it was that enjoyable for me.

Overall , I rate this four stars!!!
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7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected
Reviewed in Canada on December 19, 2020
Verified Purchase
What a beautifully written depiction of love, loss , grief and sacrifice . I picked this book on a whim and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this !
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Charlotte Barney
5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Escape
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
Back in June, during #ReadCaribbean event on Instagram, I saw this gorgeous book start popping up on my feed and immediately put it on my TBR. The Girl With Hazel Eyes by Callie Browning was originally released on Kindle (I am a bad at reading things on a screen), but I heard the paperback would be coming so held out for it. I was not disappointed!
I absolutely fell in love with the story of Lia, leaving her home in Barbados, to go to the US and write the biography of the reclusive whistleblower, Susan. Fifty years before, Susan wrote a book which uncovered 'The Unspeakable Truth' in the lead up to Barbados' independence. Susan's life pulls you in from the start and is utterly fascinating. She is such a strong and beautifully written character. Susan's family and Kenneth are also such special pieces to the story.
The chapters alternate between Susan's past and the present day which focuses more on Lia. Lia had never left Barbados before, but the chance of a lifetime coupled with the end of her relationship gives her the perfect motivation. I loved the back and forth between Susan and Lia and often found myself reading with a smile on my face. Watching their friendship grow was such a treat. Ancil was a great supporting character as well. This story seems quite straightforward when you begin but there is so much more than meets the eye. Definitely a book I will revisit again and again to be with all these people I now cherish.
One person found this helpful
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Roxanne I.-C.
4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth the read
Reviewed in Canada on January 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a great read, could not put it down. A great introduction to Barbados and characters that you will not soon forget.
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World of Sandra
4.0 out of 5 stars The Girl with the hazel eyes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book full of intrigue and and unpredictable plot line. Callie Browning has cleverly drafted a book providing a fictional background to Barbadian independence and its affects on those closest to it and the barbarian people.
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Kenneth Williams
4.0 out of 5 stars A four star read
Reviewed in Canada on January 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
A well crafted story with a bit of a surprise ending
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