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Before The Storm [Paperback]

Diane Chamberlain (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)

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Book Description

June 1, 2008
Fifteen-year-old Andy Lockwood is special.

Others notice the way he blurts out anything that comes into his mind, how he cannot foresee consequences, that he's more child than teenager. But his mother sees a boy with a heart as open and wide as the ocean.

Laurel Lockwood lost her son once through neglect. She's spent the rest of her life determined to make up for her mistakes, and she's succeeded in becoming a committed, protective parent—maybe even overprotective. Still, she loosens her grip just enough to let Andy attend a local church social—a decision that terrifies her when the church is consumed by fire. But Andy survives…and remarkably, saves other children from the flames. Laurel watches as Andy basks in the role of unlikely hero and the world finally sees her Andy, the sweet boy she knows as well as her own heart.

But when the suspicion of arson is cast upon Andy, Laurel must ask herself how well she really knows her son…and how far she'll go to keep her promise to protect him forever.


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chamberlain (The Bay at Midnight) lays out her latest piece of romantic suspense in a shattered chronology that's as graceful as it is perfectly paced. Most of the adults in the tightly knit coastal community of Topsail Island, N.C., accept the widowed Laurel Lockwood's 15-year-old mentally disabled son, Andy. But when Andy saves many of the town's youth during a tragic fire, he becomes a local hero who garners national attention. Laurel, caught up with making sure Andy is okay, thinks daughter Maggie, a high school senior, can handle herself. What Maggie hides from everyone are her slipping grades, a taboo affair and a terrible secret, and when the fire's origins are investigated and Andy is a person of interest, events turn progressively darker for the family. Long, juicy flashbacks cover the mysteries of Laurel's husband's death, of Andy's condition and of Laurel's preoccupation with him. Chamberlain offers no easy solutions, but her engrossing prose leads the way to redemption. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Diane Chamberlain is the Southern Jodi Picoult." - New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe "Diane Chamberlain is a marvellously gifted author! Every book she writes is a real gem." - Literary Times "This was an excellent book, well written and thoroughly gripping. Highly recommended." 5 stars - NewBooks" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 480 pages
  • Publisher: Mira; Original edition (June 1, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0778325415
  • ISBN-13: 978-0778325413
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey where, at the age of twelve, I wrote several dreadful novellas, read and admired only by my family. When college rolled around, I forgot about writing and received my bachelor's and master's degrees in Social Work from San Diego State University. I was a hospital social worker in San Diego, and later in Washington DC. I also had a private psychotherapy practice working mainly with teenagers. All the while, I was writing on the side. I viewed my writing as a hobby, but it quickly became a passion. I finally decided to take a class in 'writing the novel.' I was very shy about showing my work to the instructor, but when I finally did, he loved it! He encouraged me to aim for publication and I decided to go for it. A few years later, my first novel, PRIVATE RELATIONS, was published.

Since then, I've written about a book a year-eternity-one at last count. I now live in North Carolina, the beautiful state where many of my books are set and where I'm ten minutes from my grandbabies. I share my life with my soulmate, John, who's a photographer as well as my muse, and with my two shelties, Keeper and Jet.

Are you wondering what my books are about? One of my readers in Japan had this to say about my work: "You make me believe life is beautiful even if it is full of pain and rage." Her words touch me deeply. They hang on the wall above my computer and help me remember exactly what it is I'm trying to achieve in my stories. I hope you'll enjoy them.

 

Customer Reviews

30 Reviews
5 star:
 (23)
4 star:
 (7)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Chamberlain does it again!!!!, May 21, 2008
By 
Brenda Burke "hurricanewv" (Hurricane, WV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Before The Storm (Paperback)
Diane Chamberlain has done it again with BEFORE THE STORM. Not only does this talented and gifted author "find" the voices for the characters in this book, she lets us in to understand their thoughts and feelings. BEFORE THE STORM is a great read for those of any age...Teenagers will relate to the story as well as adults. Chamberlain writes about a family that is typical of the 21st Century-nothing perfect about them-but the love and care abounds. From Andy to Maggie to Mom...they are enchanting characters. I started the book and did not put it down until I finished. I wanted to get to the end to discover the outcome, but once I reached that end, I craved more of the story. Even though there is a sequel, AFTER THE STORM, this is still a stand-alone book. I must add that my journey with the family in this book permitted me to discover and understand some of the issues that plagued them. Thank you, Diane, for your diligence in this PERFECT read...Brenda Burke
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another awesome story from Diane, June 16, 2008
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Before The Storm (Paperback)
I can tell "once the social worker, always the social worker". I knew Diane when she was "one of those" in San Diego. I do believe her novels are so awesome because of her background, her knowledge, her experience in human frailty and insight into the not so perfect people in this world. Her writing is superior to many authors, her story telling is captivating in every sense and she makes you want the story to continue for much longer. The good news is this time----she's writing the sequel. So we all have that to look forward to.
The characters in this story are very human---they make mistakes that change their worlds. A woman becomes a single mom of a much rejected daughter and a fetal alcohol syndrome son. Her life is complicated as is the lives of the children and everyone around her.
There's a fire at a church, her son becomes a hero when he saves others but then the story does a few twists and turns before you have a chance to discover who is to blame.
This story keeps you riveted to the pages and makes you want more. And we'll get more----I hope sooner than later.
I'm so proud of you , Diane, and all your success. Every book you write becomes my "favorite". Keep it going------I love reading your books. And it appears others have also "found" you and enjoy your stories as much as I do. I'm so thrilled to have "known" you and can proudly say you're the greatest-because I always knew you were.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 Stars, September 7, 2008
This review is from: Before The Storm (Paperback)
Diane Chamberlain always delivers a great story with complex characters and lots of twists. Before the Storm was no exception. The characters were very flawed, but likable. I can honestly say that the ending was a total surprise, I did not guess correctly at all. My only criticism is that the ending wrapped up a little too quick for me. There were a few relationships that in my opinion were never addressed or resolved. It was like the whole book centered around all these dynamic relationships and in the final chapters everyone is like "really...that's what happened, ok". Definitely read this book and anything else by Chamberlain.
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