Customer Reviews

Brimfield : A Novel

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Not only was Brimfield a wonderful story, but it touched me in a very personal way. Like Zoe Madden, the main character in the book, I was widowed in my late forties. What blew me away was how well the author captured the guilt and angst connected with trying to form new relationships with men after years of a good marriage. I'm not alone!

Although the backdrop of the story is antique lovers heaven, you need only be a lover of a good story to enjoy Brimfield. From the opening scene, I was captivated. Michael Fortuna has written a touching love story with great twists and turns along the way. That a guy can "write a woman"...her feelings...her doubts...so well is refreshing. I'll be watching for Mr. Fortuna's next release... In the meantime I think I may just have to visit Brimfield...

This book is pure escapism and enjoyment if you like colorful characters, suspense and humor all wrapped up in a captivating love story. This takes place in the very unique setting of the antiques and collectibles industry with the specific backdrop being Brimfield -- the mega event of the industry.

There are great metaphors about how it's hard to tell a real treasure from a fake in choosing antiques as in relationships. The writing style is fresh, at times beautifully poetic, honest and with a wonderful redeeming quality about human nature. I think men and women would enjoy this book. Reading it provides a great escape, and the setting in the antiques business is fascinating.

Does anybody know of any other good books by this author? He has great style and freshness, and I hope we get to see much more from him.

I couldn't put it down! This was an exciting, interesting, and wonderfully written story that had it all - adventure, suspense, and romance. I'll never look at a garage sale the same way again. And I certainly can't wait for my virgin trip to Brimfield!

A thoughtful,readable love story,set in the chaotic atmosphere of Brimfield.Real characters,facing romantic, marriage and business problems.Well written.

Great fun novel that catches the spirit of the flea market at Brimfield. A good read whether you love antiques or not.

The aspects of the story that concern the antiques trade and the madness of Brimfield are interesting enough. I found the rest of the book to be very ho-hum -- there wasn't a single character who was particularly compelling or likable, and the story is mostly predictable and dull. I just didn't care what happened to any of these people.

And, I hate to be too English-majory, BUT...

WHO edited this book? Anybody? The number of typos, as well as all the times that the wrong form of "it's" or "their" is used, is just embarrassing. The biggest editing problem is the persistant pronoun confusion, with all the sentences that say "She was so happy to see her that she called out her name and she smiled as she poured her a glass of wine and..."

I know the spelling and grammar stuff are picky complaints. Maybe if the book had been *interesting*, my attention would have been drawn to the story rather than the typos.

We have all had the experience of reading a book that speaks to our own experience, and identifying with it. Doubtless, this is such a book for some people, as evidenced by the other reviews. However, on its own merits, this book is simply horrible. The premise is ridiculous, the characters are unbelievable, and the story is internally inconsistent. The writing is so bad it could be a cariacture (remember Snoopy typing "It was a dark and stormy night"?) and the editing (as noted by another reader) is non-existent. For anyone who has ever been to Brimfield, it is obvious that the depiction in the book is completely unrealistic.

I am a big fan of a good story without requiring that it have "redeeming social value." Colleen McCollough is a good example of this kind of writer. But I do want my beach novels to be well written, and this one is anything but.

The premise of the book - that people search for objects to complete themselves - was of thought provoking. The author's style, however, was far too overdone for my tastes. He repeated characteristics of both people and places, far too many times. How many times can he refer to Brimfield as "the ultimate one-night stand" -- I got it the first time.