All Stories
A Week in Summer: A Short StoryA Week in Summer: A Short Story by Maeve Binchy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This was a very short story and the first book I've ever read by Maeve Binchy.

The story was about marriage, dedication to work and family, late-in-life parenting, and the lack of vacationing in this family's life.

Kathleen decides that since her husband has been let go of his teaching job, they have a week in summer that they can schedule a vacation; something they've never done before. Kathleen's husband Brian is depressed and really isn't interested in going anywhere, but they make an agreement that if he goes on this vacation she will give him some time to figure himself out.

Kathleen heads to a senior citizens travel agency (this part was quite funny being this is what my Associates degree is in) and can't seem to choose a destination that her husband would be happy with. Finally the agent asks to consider what she'd like to do, not her husband. She points out that she would like to trace her ancestry, which brings her to the decision of Ireland as the destination for their vacation.

Nice storyline, but a bit depressing at parts.

Book Review: A Week In Summer: A Short Story by Meve Binchy

A Week in Summer: A Short StoryA Week in Summer: A Short Story by Maeve Binchy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This was a very short story and the first book I've ever read by Maeve Binchy.

The story was about marriage, dedication to work and family, late-in-life parenting, and the lack of vacationing in this family's life.

Kathleen decides that since her husband has been let go of his teaching job, they have a week in summer that they can schedule a vacation; something they've never done before. Kathleen's husband Brian is depressed and really isn't interested in going anywhere, but they make an agreement that if he goes on this vacation she will give him some time to figure himself out.

Kathleen heads to a senior citizens travel agency (this part was quite funny being this is what my Associates degree is in) and can't seem to choose a destination that her husband would be happy with. Finally the agent asks to consider what she'd like to do, not her husband. She points out that she would like to trace her ancestry, which brings her to the decision of Ireland as the destination for their vacation.

Nice storyline, but a bit depressing at parts.

Posted at 7:35 AM  |  by Elle


My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the ninth book in the Susan Wiggs' Lakeshore Chronicle Series.
The story focuses on Sonnet Romano, her mother Nina and her longtime childhood friend Zach Alger.

The book starts out with Sonnet visiting the town she grew up in because she is home for her best friend and step-sister, Daisy Bellamy's wedding.  This is the continuation from the eighth book in the series, 'Marrying Daisy Bellamy.' 
 The one sentence that sort of threw me off was this one:

"Since high school, he and Sonnet had gone in different directions, and she hadn't seen him in ages.  Now she couldn't take her eyes off him."

That sentence is in reference to Sonnet's childhood friend Zach Alger.  
Having just read the ninth book, Sonnet and Zach had spent some time together in that book helping Daisy un-pack and I believe they also watched movies together with Daisy and Logan.  The above sentence makes it seem like this was Sonnet's first sighting of Zach 'in ages', when in the previous book they had spent time together.

I usually don't write reviews with spoilers, but this one I feel the need to.

*********************SPOILER ALERT**************************

Keep
Reading
if
you
do
not 
mind 
a
spoiler
for 
this
book
!!!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!

Sonnet gets drunk at Daisy's wedding reception, has sex in a boat down by
the lake with Zach and she regrets it later.  What she really regrets is ruining their many years of friendship with the complications of the feelings she now has for Zach because of their night together.

She returns to NYC and her boyfriend Orlando whom her father has set her up with.  Sonnet's father, Laurence Jeffries is running for the state senate and Orlando is her father's campaign manager.  She feels they are a good match, however she just doesn't feel that 'love connection' and spends half of the book trying to justify why she shouldstay with Orlando.

The second storyline to this book is a pretty huge one.
Sonnet's Mom, Nina Romano, has breast cancer and she is pregnant. 
Sonnet decides to leave NYC and a fellowship she has been offered overseas, in order to help out with her mother during this difficult time in her life.

Of course there are many interactions with Zach when she returns to Avalon.
They even end up working for a production of a reality series taking place at Camp Kioga.  Most of the book is waiting for Sonnet to come to her senses and see that her and Orlando are not a match and to await the outcome of Nina's health situation.  Most of the book Sonnet is trying to get the friendship that her and Zach had, back to what it used to be.  But in the prior book it seemed like both of them were interested in one another.
  The discontinuity between these two characters was upsetting to me.

I gave the book 3 stars because I've always liked these chracters, I just wish it would've been a more believable between Sonnet and Zach; at least on Sonnet's part anyway.


 

Book Review: Return To Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs



My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the ninth book in the Susan Wiggs' Lakeshore Chronicle Series.
The story focuses on Sonnet Romano, her mother Nina and her longtime childhood friend Zach Alger.

The book starts out with Sonnet visiting the town she grew up in because she is home for her best friend and step-sister, Daisy Bellamy's wedding.  This is the continuation from the eighth book in the series, 'Marrying Daisy Bellamy.' 
 The one sentence that sort of threw me off was this one:

"Since high school, he and Sonnet had gone in different directions, and she hadn't seen him in ages.  Now she couldn't take her eyes off him."

That sentence is in reference to Sonnet's childhood friend Zach Alger.  
Having just read the ninth book, Sonnet and Zach had spent some time together in that book helping Daisy un-pack and I believe they also watched movies together with Daisy and Logan.  The above sentence makes it seem like this was Sonnet's first sighting of Zach 'in ages', when in the previous book they had spent time together.

I usually don't write reviews with spoilers, but this one I feel the need to.

*********************SPOILER ALERT**************************

Keep
Reading
if
you
do
not 
mind 
a
spoiler
for 
this
book
!!!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!
!!!!!

Sonnet gets drunk at Daisy's wedding reception, has sex in a boat down by
the lake with Zach and she regrets it later.  What she really regrets is ruining their many years of friendship with the complications of the feelings she now has for Zach because of their night together.

She returns to NYC and her boyfriend Orlando whom her father has set her up with.  Sonnet's father, Laurence Jeffries is running for the state senate and Orlando is her father's campaign manager.  She feels they are a good match, however she just doesn't feel that 'love connection' and spends half of the book trying to justify why she shouldstay with Orlando.

The second storyline to this book is a pretty huge one.
Sonnet's Mom, Nina Romano, has breast cancer and she is pregnant. 
Sonnet decides to leave NYC and a fellowship she has been offered overseas, in order to help out with her mother during this difficult time in her life.

Of course there are many interactions with Zach when she returns to Avalon.
They even end up working for a production of a reality series taking place at Camp Kioga.  Most of the book is waiting for Sonnet to come to her senses and see that her and Orlando are not a match and to await the outcome of Nina's health situation.  Most of the book Sonnet is trying to get the friendship that her and Zach had, back to what it used to be.  But in the prior book it seemed like both of them were interested in one another.
  The discontinuity between these two characters was upsetting to me.

I gave the book 3 stars because I've always liked these chracters, I just wish it would've been a more believable between Sonnet and Zach; at least on Sonnet's part anyway.


 

Posted at 2:25 PM  |  by Elle

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