Slanting Towards the Sea, Lidija Hilje
Slanting Towards the Sea, Lidija Hilje
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
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Slanting Towards the Sea

Author: Lidija Hilje

Narrator: Imani Jade Powers

Unabridged: 10 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/08/2025


Synopsis

National Bestseller * Dazed Best Book of the Year

Spanning twenty years and one life-altering summer in Croatia, Slanting Towards the Sea is at once an unforgettable love story and a powerful exploration of what it means to come of age in a country younger than oneself.

Ivona divorced the love of her life, Vlaho, a decade ago. They met as students at the turn of the millennium, when newly democratic Croatia was alive with hope and promise. But the challenges of living in a burgeoning country extinguished Ivona’s dreams one after another—and a devastating secret forced her to set him free.

Now Vlaho is remarried and a proud father of two, while Ivona’s life has taken a downward turn. In her thirties, she has returned to her childhood home to care for her ailing father. Bewildered by life’s disappointments, she finds solace in reconnecting with Vlaho and is welcomed into his family by his spirited wife, Marina. But when a new man enters Ivona’s life, the carefully cultivated dynamic between the three is disrupted, forcing a reckoning for all involved.

Set against the mesmerizing Croatian coastline, Slanting Towards the Sea is a cinematic, emotionally searing debut about the fragile nature of potential and the transcendence of love.

About Lidija Hilje

Lidija Hilje is a Croatian novelist and certified book coach. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times and other outlets. After ten years of trying cases before Croatian courts, she obtained a book coaching certification and has been working professionally with writers ever since. She lives in Zadar, Croatia, with her husband and two daughters. Slanting Towards the Sea is her first novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jayme on July 08, 2025

I was MESMERIZED by this debut. Ivona and Vlaho met as students at the turn of the new millennium, when newly democratic Croatia was finding its way as well. It was “love at first sight” for them both. So why did she divorce him? Only she and her mother-in-law know. Was this decision Cowardice? Selfl......more

Goodreads review by Canadian Jen on July 17, 2025

Croatia. A country nestled in along the Adriatic Sea. This is Ivona’s story. She is 38 and is reflecting on her past and all she has lost with the decisions made for the sacrifice of others. Now in the present, she is haunted by the consequences. We learn of her love with Vlaho who she has since divor......more

Goodreads review by Maren’s Reads on July 16, 2025

Ivona and Vlaho’s once-in-a-lifetime love story comes to a bitter end when a devastating secret leads to their divorce. Now, ten years later, Vlaho is remarried with children, as Ivona struggles to deal with all she was forced to leave behind. When she returns home to care for her ailing father, she......more

Goodreads review by JanB on July 04, 2025

3.5 stars Divorced for nine years, Ivona remains emotionally tied to her ex-husband. In a strange turn of events, she finds herself as a godmother and “auntie” to his children, and close friends with him and his new wife. When she meets a new man, it affects all their lives in unexpected ways, and l......more

Goodreads review by Karen on June 30, 2025

Beautifully written story of an intense love between Ivona and Vlaho starting when they were 19 yrs old and students…set in Croatia. They marry and then divorce several years later due to infertility issues. The divorce is Ivona’s answer to the problem ..for Vlaho to be able to have a family..such an......more


Quotes

"Imani Jade Powers brings a thoughtful tone to this layered story of love, regret, and quiet resilience, which follows a Croatian woman’s journey into midlife. Powers’s voice projects the melancholy of Ivona’s reflections as she returns to her hometown to care for aging family members and reunite with her childhood love and now ex-husband. Set against the evocative backdrop of Croatia’s changing coastline and political landscape, Powers’s narration supports both the personal and historical story arcs with care. As Ivona reconnects with her past and confronts difficult choices, Powers keeps the focus on emotional clarity and interiority, drawing the listener into a world shaped by longing, resilience, and shifting tides. The result is a steady, intimate listening experience. Powers mirrors Ivona’s emotional ebb and flow."