The Boathouse (Charnwood Library) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Caroline Upcher (Author)

Book Description

Series: Charnwood Library | Publication Date: December 1, 2002

Imagine...she is only eleven when the Murphy family move in next door. When you are eleven years old and motherless, a boisterous family seems like the most glamorous thing in the world. Wonderful, maternal Nora Murphy entrances her, and her sons, the three Murphy boys, are endlessly fascinating. There's playful Warren, the youngest; Pete, with his poetic soul but crippling shyness; and best of all, handsome, charming Billy, who has the world at his feet. She vows she will marry the boy next door. But which one?

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A complex yet compelling story of family ties stretched nearly to the breaking point." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Caroline Upcher has worked in film, publishing and journalism. This is her fourth novel written under her own name. She lives in London and Long Island, New York. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Charnwood (Large Print) (December 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0708994059
• ISBN-13: 978-0708994054
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Gorgeous Boys Next Door. Which One is for Molly?, August 15, 2010

By 

Jana Greer (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Boathouse (Paperback)

Daughter of a Veterinarian, Molly Page is only eleven when she tells her father she'll look after him forever. Her mother died when she was only four years old and Molly believes this is her responsibility. Then everything changes when the Murphy family moves next door to their home in the London suburbs.

Nora Murphy is exactly what Molly thinks a mother should be. And then there are the boys. Molly is in love with the eldest, gorgeous actor Billy. However middle brother Billy excites her as well, but it's the youngest Murphy boy, Warren, who remains by her side as the years fade away.

Molly is happy with her lot, running a kennel service and taking care of her father. And it appears that Billy has finally noticed her, but then he takes off for New York to further his acting career and Molly follows. When she told her father she was going to marry the boy next door, he wondered which one, and in New York it's a question she's going to have to answer. She stays with her godmother, her mother's best friend, in the Hamptons at her invitation, where she searches for secrets about her mother, comes to grip with her mother's tragic death and after one disastrous night has her life changed forever.

This story drew me in with the first page. Molly is a gem of a character, as are all three of the Murphy boys. Caroline Upcher has written a tender, moving story with just enough suspense to keep you glued to the pages.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars deep character study, August 4, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Boathouse (Paperback)

Fourteen year old Molly tells her father that she will marry the boy next door upon learning that the new neighbors have three teenage sons. Her father asks her which one? Molly meets Warren when he brings his ailing canary to her dad a veterinarian for treatment, but the bird is dead. Warren is in her class, a fact she never noticed before. She meets "Sweet Pea" Pete when she comes over to Warren's house at the invitation of his mother, but finds he uses nasty barbs as weapons of mass destruction. Eventually she meets the oldest beautiful brilliant Billy surrounded by a bevy of beauties.

Several years later, Molly flees to Long Island to spend time with her godmother Mitzi and to clear her confused mind as something is lacking in her relationship. Mitzi would prefer her guest drop the rosy romantic glasses and toss the three Murphys into the ocean so they can swim back to England. What will Molly do and will she realize who really loves her as she is and not what she can do for them?

Fans of deep character studies will do themselves a favor by reading this tale of a delightful individual's struggle between the past (especially her mom dead when Molly was four), the present (circa 2000), and the future (which Murphy?). Though the story line slowly develops so that the audience has a taste of Molly at various ages, readers will appreciate her as the saving grace of this novel. She is an intriguing mix of emotions that come alive differently with her interactions with the Murphy males.

Harriet Klausner