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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780451226884
Edition: 1
ISBN: 0451226887
Label: NAL Trade
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 384
Publication Date: June 02, 2009
Publisher: NAL Trade
Studio: NAL Trade
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
An engaging novel of sisters, from the acclaimed author who "writes movingly about love and family and the voyage we all take to discover what we really value."(The Island Packet)
Three sisters- responsible Riley, vivacious Maisy, and fun-loving Adalee-reunite to save the family's beach-community bookstore. But summer also marks the return of Mack Logan, whose choice of Maisy over Riley years ago destroyed the special closeness between the sisters...
Now Riley, a single mom, is hiding a shattering secret about their mother. Maisy, a California designer, still blames Riley for ruining her one true love. And Adalee resents the family's intrusion into her summer plans. All three will be forced to confront the conflicts that tore them apart and the bounds of love and loyalty that still draw them together...
Average Rating: 
Rating:  -
This was the first book that I have read from Ms. Henry. Loved it - can't wait to read others written by her.
Rating: -
A Brit might say this book is a good romp.
My route to Ms. Callahan Henry, Inc., was via Penelope Lively and Michelle Richmond, serendipitous for sure.
I'm never quite sure, when I read a book like this, how much irony is implanted. Obviously, the angst in each of the sisters is pretty much of their own making. And in the end there is less redemption and more a Noah-like biblical do-over. But I still ended it, liking all three of them. So why did these apparently willfully self destructive characters appeal to me?
Hey, the epigraph is Kierkegaard: there must be a there, there, even if well hidden. Here's the way I see it: alcohol abetted accessibility to and availability of youthful females (and males, too, but not as much) causes ineffable traditions to be ignored to the enduring detriment of the rogues . Therefore, the three of them spend a significant time in purgatory, after which, they are given a second chance. Thus, I conclude, that although never obvious, and, with deceptive prose to the contrary, this book ends with a Christian truth---admit your guilt; ask forgiveness; really mean it; moreover, change your course with hope, if not knowledge, that the new course is an improvement.
On the other hand, there's mother, Kitsy, the empress w/out clothes. She, for all the ceremonial mothering, seems more into form than function. Indubitably, a few well timed conversations with her brood, "in the day", would have avoided almost all the family problems. She's real enough (I've known the composite), but I just don't like her, mostly because she's the "noble liar", Plato's can of worms.
The plot suffers a nuanced flaw. I'm reading about the feasibility of a business plan, involving a village bookstore,--- from an ebook on my Kindle, having discovered the storyteller by electronic means not possible a decade ago, while making quick reference checks using the Wiki application on my ipod Touch thinking: "I doubt it, ladies.",---although the complimentary wine gave me alcohol abetted pause to reconsider. Yet, the struggle was grand, and, thus, the romp was still on.
Finally, I really liked the beyond the Epilogue part of the book, set up nicely for discussion groups, including an intriguing interview with the authoress. In sum, we've got the shadows of Kierkegaard and Dostoevsky, three likeable characters, a pacific Atlantic village, a curious cottage, a wonderful list of mentioned books, and Anne, the t-shirt philosopher. Buy the book: enjoy the romp.
Rating: -
Driftwood Summer
A fabulous summer read (or ANYTIME) that has great character development and storyline. Everyone that I have suggested to read this book has loved it. I wish there were more pages and the story kept going. I feel like I knew them by the end of the book.
Rating:  -
This was the first book I have ever read by this author, and probably the last. Although I read it to the end, I thought the entire storyline was much too contrived. There was something about the characters and their issues that intrigued me, but the conversations and interactions between the family members were awkward and shallow.
The plot revolves around a 70 year old woman with 3 daughters, ranging in age from 22 to 34. For a 70 year old woman to have a 22 year old daughter got me started on the wrong foot. And the idea that a daughter who has only been home once in 12 years, to attend her father's funeral, and who had very little contact with her family, would come home and immediately -- like the very first morning -- be able to assume responsibility in the family bookstore seemed absurd. The responsibilities of the three girls during the course of the "birthday celebration week" were ridiculous and out of touch with reality. And with the amount of time they spent flirting with their various love interests it seemed there were about 36 hours in each day.
The mutual "love interest" of the two oldest daughters, Riley and Maisey, was also way overplayed. Along with taking care of his elderly father, Mack was playing up to both sisters. I just don't think that would happen. They weren't 16! And why would he and his father attend the "book club night" at the store? That made no sense at all.
My gut instinct was that this was the first book written by this author, and that she was very young. I was surprised to discover that was not the case. There are much better "summer reads" out there.
Rating: -
Patti Callahan Henry is my very favorite author as her books hold your interest from the very first page. Her characters are real, always interesting and family oriented. I have read all of her books and loved everyone of them.
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