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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captures the Reader in the First Sentence... and Never Lets Go..., June 15, 2006
This review is from: Coffee Sonata (Paperback)
It's not often a book sticks with me for days, or even hours, after I've finished reading the last sentence of the last chapter. I usually enjoy the ride, but -- like a roller coaster -- when it's over, it's over. Such is certainly not the case with this beautifully written story by Gun Brooke. I finished reading this two days ago, and the characters are still bouncing around in my head. I'm reluctant to read another book because I don't want this "euphoric" feeling to end.
I read, and liked, Brooke's 'Course of Action,' but 'Coffee Sonata' propels her from an average to an exceptional author in this reader's mind. It's almost as if Brooke created two fascinating couples -- Manon/Eryn and Vivian/Mike -- but couldn't decide which one to bring to life. Instead, she masterfully combines their stories into a single, intertwined web of lust and love, pain and passion.
Manon is the small Rhode Island town's wealthiest resident and benefactor of a charitable foundation. She is living with the pain of losing her twin brother, both parents, and grandparents over a short period of time... then having to live a seemingly perfect life to feel worthy of living at all. As a result, she remains deep in the closet and devoid of human intimacy.
Manon brings world-famous opera singer Vivian to town to sing her farewell concert at a foundation benefit. Only Manon knows Vivian's closely-guarded secret. That is, until Vivian meets Mike (Michaela)at the local coffee bar.
Mike has pulled herself out of foster care and semi-poverty by working very hard. She owns and operates said coffee bar, and takes great pride in her work. Burned in the past by a despicable woman, Mike doesn't trust love or its possibilities... That is, until Vivian walks into her cafe.
Eryn was raised in a very conservative, Baptist family who basically turned their backs when she came out at age 15. She knows Mike, but they're not close pals. Confused, but emboldened by a series of events, Eryn realizes she's in love with Manon. But, with the other woman's insecurities and obligations, will her feelings ever be returned?
The way Brooke brings their stories together is absolutely mesmorizing. These chracters have unsurpassed depth and dimensionality, making them incredibly real and believable. This reader couldn't stop until the last sentence was read. It's absolutely an incredible book... One that I would recommend to anyone!
Recommended accompaniments... a tall double latte and biscotti.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully romantic and lyrical, June 24, 2006
This review is from: Coffee Sonata (Paperback)
This author's first novel 'Course of Action' is a favorite so I began reading this novel with admittedly high expectations. By the last page I (along with the 4 women in the novel) were completely satisfied.
The novel has wonderful moments of deep emotional impact and builds slowly from the first chapter and doesn't rush to finish. Laugh out loud humor is interlaced throughout out. And the passionate loving is beautifully written and always moves the story forward.
I would add how beautifully the music that runs throughout the novel accentuated the lyrical storytelling. The use of Gershwin's 'Summertime' from Porgy & Bess was a wonderful choice at the moment in the story and I am still humming it.
Wonderful imagery - 'Early morning mist caressed the ocean.'
This from the publisher's web site -
Nothing exciting ever happens in East Quay, a quaint New England coastal town. Not until its most celebrated daughter returns for one last performance.
Four women, Manon, Eryn, Vivian and Mike, whose lives unexpectedly intersect in a small town by the sea share one thing in common -- they all have secrets. Despite tragedy, past and present, each learns that life holds more than they dared dream.
Manon Belmont, socialite and president of a wealthy foundation, leads a closeted life. She thrives helping others, but denies herself happiness for reasons she shares with no one. Nothing is the same after she meets Eryn Goddard, a reporter who has lost track of her dream of a grand writing career years ago. Eryn is suddenly rescued from her mundane assignments at the local paper when Vivian Harding, East Quay's only world famous celebrity, returns for a farewell performance. Vivian carries with her a secret that she fears has not only ended her career, but will also destroy her life. She finds an unexpected source of understanding in Michaela "Mike" Stone, a street smart and brilliant café owner. Mike, in turn, works hard developing her business, and even harder at overcoming the shadows of her past. She feels utterly protective of Vivian, but will she dare to open her heart again?
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Winner, June 22, 2006
This review is from: Coffee Sonata (Paperback)
Award winning author Gun Brooke has given us another delightful romance with Coffee Sonata. I was so totally immersed in this story that I read it in one sitting.
Brooke builds anticipation as she introduces us to her four main characters. We want to know who each will fall in love with and how they will come together, and Brooke does not disappoint us. Vivian Harding suddenly comes home to East Quay to give her last performance as an opera singer after staying away for years. Her friend, deeply closeted socialite Manon Belmont, has arranged for Vivian to perform a benefit concert. Eryn Goddard is a top notch reporter covering the diva's return when she attends a press conference staged by Manon for Vivian. She is captivated by both Manon and Vivian. Mike Stone is the owner of a coffee shop and spends so much time there that her home is in the secluded basement below it. Mike seems the most unlikely to fit in with this group, but Brooke makes Mike's story the lynchpin of Coffee Sonata. These four women are not searching for romance. They are not even looking for friendship, but all of them find both in this most unusual romance.
Each of these characters is intriguing, attractive and likeable, but they are heartbreaking too as the reader soon learns when their pasts and their deeply buried secrets are slowly and methodically revealed. Brooke does not give the reader predictable plot points, but builds a fascinating set of subplots and surprises around the romances. On top of this, we are treated to some very erotic scenes too. The author develops two romances within the book, and the story floats effortlessly back and forth between the two. She blends their lives, their friendships, and their loves with an easy writing style. This is most impressive since this is only Brooke's third published novel. This style also makes the reader care about the story's characters.
It may be an understatement to say that Brooke has improved with each of her books since Course of Action, her debut novel, and Protector of the Realm recently won 2006 GCLS awards. With Coffee Sonata, the author continues her award winning storytelling and gives us a charming tale.
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