Read 3.2024 and left in Opatija Croatia

Romance

I enjoyed this heaps. An interwoven past and present story of lives interwoven, chiefly Dabney, Agnes, Box and Clendenin. There were moments I was utterly absorbed, the situations and sentiments were so involving and touched on my life. There is a phrase used, "a generous spirit" - in relation to Riley, a young man in love with Agnes. I love this idea and what it offers another human being, and the novel has many demonstrations of generous spirits.

This novel has that most gruelling of experiences, a love triangle. I don't think there was any answer to this, but Hilderbrand's exploration was brave enough. The story is haunted by Dabney's love of the movie "Love Story", and the author falls back on "Love Story" to resolve the dilemma she has set up with the love triangle. A cute idea but not a brave or inventive way to end the book.

The novel was published in 2014, but it seemed from an earlier period of the romance novel. It was sweet, set in a pretty place, among well-off people, and nothing steamy! I haven't read a Hilderbrand novel before. It was a good story, good characters, but the qualifier you hear after a work of fiction - "no resemblance to actual persons" - definitely fits! and I'm not so sure I'll read another. I like something a little more real, if that's not an oxymoron when it comes to the romance novel! Nah! I retract that. I'm not a cynic! ( )

I really wanted to like this book, but the characters made it too hard. Our heroine, Dabney Kimball Beech, is described as the most beloved citizen of Nantucket. Everyone wants to be her friend, or try to be her. She is kind to everyone and makes everyone's world better. The only problem is, as the reader follows Dabney throughout her days and months, we see none of this. Other characters talk about how great she is, but all we see are her neurotic habits and phobias, waspy traditions, and continual lying to everyone she cares about. As a result I shed no tears when she came to her unfortunate end. The only things I did like were the charming descriptions of Nantucket. I am ready to attend their Daffodil and Cranberry Festivals! ( )

Not exactly your typical HEA ending. But an enjoyable read once you get past the heart ache. ( )