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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The story had potential; I guess it was the execution that was lacking, July 8, 2008
This review is from: Beach Town (Paperback)
This book really ended up annoying me. Mostly because I felt obligated to finish it. It didn't make me angry enough to stop reading (which would have relegated it to one star), but was just good enough to string me along, without ever getting better. And I had hopes for that. The first half or so of the book we breeze through. I thought that the set-up of having each chapter be from a different character's point of view, as titled, was interesting. I was able to forgive the dreadful lack of thought in any character's head, their thoughtless changes of mind and personality, the random moments thrown in clumsily because I thought it likely based on the description Flynn and Kira would fall in love initially, have a period of estrangement, then reconnect at a later time. So the beginning of the book would be just set up, and forgivably rushed in order to get to the good stuff later on.
Sadly, the book gained no additional depth. If they'd been more richly constructed, the characters could have been likable, but as it was, I didn't even sympathize with them, and often found them outright ridiculous. They were like a collection of outlines or stick figures, each with a bit of a quirk added to give them individuality, but still with no depth. I had no idea what was going to happen from one second to the next, and that wasn't because the author was being tricky, but because she created no structure on which to base any follow-on moments. The end result was an extremely frustrating and random book to read. I find it really hard to understand how this was written after "Brilliant." That book wasn't perfect, but the characters were much better constructed that those here.
I guess if you want a book you can breeze through in an afternoon without putting any thought into it then this book is for you. Like I said, the story had its moments. The cover was beautiful. But I think we need to demand better from this genre. I can't account for this author's slide back from servicable to unreadable, but would regretfully not recommend this book.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Light and Easy Reading for the Romantic Lesbian, April 15, 2008
This review is from: Beach Town (Paperback)
It was actually the cover of Beach Town that enticed me to buy it! So, Kudos to the cover artist as well! It just made me feel nostalgic for my younger days going "down the shore", that's a term commonly used in South Jersey and Philly, and also made me extra excited about the upcoming season. The story, thankfully was even better and made me feel even better. It had plenty of angst but quite enough positive and fun goings on to make up for it! The characters were so individual...even minor characters, you felt as though you knew them by the end of the book. Finally, I'll just say I couldn't put the book down and I LOVED the two main characters, Kira and Flynn! Lisa
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A total delight, July 5, 2008
This review is from: Beach Town (Paperback)
I hadn't read any of Ann Roberts books before, but the storyline tag caught my eye and seemed promising, so I bought the book -- turns out to be a great choice.
Ocean Beach is a laid-back community sandwiched between the big of San Diego and the rich/trendy of La Jolla and is quite to content to march to its own drum. Central to the community is the pier and cafe owned by the McFadden family, a female clan of Irish descendants who love the community and the ocean, and in return, are loved and nutured by the community.
Flynn is a surfer and veterinary student, restless as the ocean and yet has a heart as broad and deep. Into her life comes upcoming actress Kira who longs for the freedom that is Flynn. It doesn't take long before the two are engaged in a passionate affair and Kira relishes the chance to free herself from her domineering agent and mother. Alas, Kira ultimately must choose between her career and Flynn, succumbing to outside pressures.
Fifteen years later and the two are pulled together again with their inner lives having evolved quite differently, maturing and marking their personas. The question is -- can magic happen twice?
Roberts devotes each chapter to a character, main or supporting, whose view and background adds another piece to Flynn and Kira's journey. The supporting characters are richly fleshed out and their interaction with the protagonists are natural and organic. The uniqueness of Ocean Beach isn't a plot setting but part of the landscape of personalities and becomes an environment ripe for the romance that ensues for many characters. Conversations are realistic and unforced. I ended up caring about everyone in this story and longing to become a part of Ocean Beach.
I recommend this book as a delightful read and a journey worth taking.
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