Customer Reviews

Solstice

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

****Possible Spoilers****

I was hesitant to purchase this book because of some of the reviews which described it as a "Seattle Tour-guide." I took a chance even though I'd never heard of the author or the book simply because the premise seemed interesting. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I finished it in one day because I didn't want to put it down. The book does have descriptive passages, but they are necessary to our understanding of the characters and where they live. The city they live in is in essence the third main character of the novel and as such is necessary to the story.

The characters themselves are fleshed out, especially Sam whose acute pain and loneliness at the beginning of the book is so well described that it is almost heartbreaking at times. The scene describing her brother's death did actually bring tears to my eyes, not a common occurrence when I'm reading a book (especially a romance). Another reviewer complained that the characters were juvenile, but I don't remember being very mature when I was twenty-two and twenty-five. In fact, I remember being completely clueless about life, love, relationships, etc. The story feels true to life in that respect. Sam and Emily's journey towards each other and towards love feels real, which is I think, what I liked most about this book. They felt like people that I knew (or, maybe parts of myself at a younger age) and as such I was able to sympathize and empathize with them.

The other characters in the book (for once in a lesbian romance) did not irritate me. They too, rang true to life. They behaved like real friends and people, rather than trumped up stereotypes which are never amusing to read. The book pulls you in and builds the love story until the reader has no choice but to root for these two characters to realize what is plain to see for everyone around them. The author has a fine talent for writing and the only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because this is her first novel and I'm looking forward to seeing her outdo herself in subsequent efforts. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. There is too much drivel in the lesbian fiction genre today. Do yourself a favor a pick up something worth reading.

Ever see a place light up in a certain time of year? Then you'll understand Seattle in the summertime. Using a backdrop of long sunny days with views of the water and mountain vistas, "Solstice" is as much an ode to Seattle as it is about a budding sweet romance. If you enjoy soccer, women, and giddy crushes then you'll love "Solstice."

I enjoy a book that reads easily and I can happily skip along with it. This was not one of them. I understand the need for some books to describe the setting, and if you have been in love with a big city, I guess this book might be for you. I thought it was too much. I skimmed over what I felt to be filler paraghraphs about Seattle and all the intricate parts of the game of soccer. If it wasn't soccer it was basketball. I am a sports fan but it seemed that every sporting event was a monumental occurance in the character's life. Every invite to a game was suppose to get the reader's blood pumping and this didn't do it for me. I think this book is for college age and sports obsessed readers. The only aspect of the book I did like was that the story went back and forth between two characters and their points of view. Kate Christie's style of writing is not the kind I enjoy. Maybe you will.

Sam Delaney and Emily MacKenzie played soccer on the same team when they were in high school and Emily has had a crush on Sam ever since then. Sam flees from her hometown to Seattle after the death of her brother and is surprised to discover that she's living near Emily, who is all grown up and about to become an assistant coach for the local college soccer team. As their paths continue to cross, Sam and Emily renew their friendship and begin spending time together. Emily knows how she feels about Sam, but is leery of a relationship since Sam is supposed to be straight. Sam is confused about her feelings and scared of how her parents will react if she tells them she's gay. Life was supposed to be simpler for her in Seattle, but it proves to be anything but.

Solstice is a typical romance in how it develops. Women meet, face problems and struggle to overcome them. It isn't typical in that it is totally devoid of the sex scenes that many romance readers want to have. In fact, the only scene that gets close to an encounter is a fade to black episode that is reminiscent of old movies. To some readers this will be the tease without any delivery. The characters also are perplexing. One moment Emily is a "player" who is used to loving and leaving women and the next she is devoted to the pursuit of her "true love," who she has wanted for years. Sam claims to be shocked at her feelings for Emily, but half way through the book admits that she felt something when they were in high school. The reader might wonder if Christie was as conflicted as her characters when she was trying to write about their relationship. The choice of the title for the book is odd unless it's supposed to be a metaphor for the length of time it takes these characters to figure out what their relationship is going to be.

Solstice is actually a pretty good story. It's a realistic depiction of two women struggling to establish a relationship and it focuses on what happens as a relationship develops, especially when one participant is somewhat reluctant. For those who think that some books have the characters jumping into bed too quickly, this book is event driven; however, for the romance fan who expects to be paid with an intense sexual encounter, it isn't here. Kate Christie shows promise as a writer. It will be interesting to see how future books develop.

Sam Delaney moved to Seattle after her brother died from aids. Mainly to get away from her family. She has a good job and a nice apartment. She is just living from day to day. She runs into Emily Mackenzie, a face from her past. She knows Emily is a lesbian and has always considered herself to be straight. But as they see more of one another through playing soccer and dinners together, Sam begins to feel more than just friendship for Emily. Does Emily feel more for her?
This is a brilliant first book from Kate Christie. The story had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the way the book was written, in that both Sam and Emily told their story in turn. I got a real feel for their emotions. I will certainly be looking out for more from this author, I was sorry when the book came to an end. One for my re read shelves.

Except for the postcard views of the great Northwest, this book was as juvenile an effort as the main characters. They lacked maturity... drank beer, hung out and played all the time. Work was merely coincidental. Who needs another High School/College coming out saga?

I like Solstice a lot. An earlier reviewer was complaining that it reads more like a Seattle travel guide than a romance novel; I disagree, but then again, I enjoyed the location descriptions. As a transplanted Pacific Northwesterner, the book actually made me feel pretty bummed out and homesick when I read it. :) As for the story and characters, I found both main characters pretty likeable, and I thought that Christie did a really nice job of writing out the feeling of falling in love. This is a perfect book to read on a carefree summer day.

Summer, Seattle, soccer, girls - what could be better? Sometimes when I'm reading, I want to lose myself in a world that's different from mine, but I loved this book because I already knew these characters. It made me nostalgic for my twenties and all those new things - young love, independence, even coming out to my family. While Solstice may not be a traditional romance, I found myself laughing and crying with the characters and was sad to see it end. Looking forward to this author's next book!

This book was not perfect. But I've been trying to wade through some less than stellar books lately, and it was a relief to pick up an offering from a promising new author who already knows how to structure a story. I thought the author had a good sense of pacing; for the most part I agreed with her choices in what scenes to elaborate on, and which to skip. The characters are certainly flawed, but this author also builds a consistent psychology for them. This consistent characterization allows the reader to accept their flaws and immaturities, and still find them sympathetic, and makes the stops and starts to their relationship--as frustrating as they may be--ring true.

This was a sweet coming of age, coming out, romance, with a richly drawn back-drop of Seattle that I had little to quibble with. That was fun for me, but I usually enjoy it when authors get into these types of details. Perhaps I'm biased, being in Seattle. There are secondary characters to provide foils to the protagonists, and timely kicks in the butt. Some family drama. Plenty of musing on childhood and growing up.

I think the thing about coming out stories that help new authors especially is that there are already somewhat defined situations and emotions that resonates well with readers. Each experience is distinct, of course, but to a degree there are ready-made boundaries that allow the author to explore emotions in an authentic way.

I'll definitely check out more of this author's work. And I'll display this as 4 stars because of fairly accurate reference of going to a Seattle Storm game.

I just turned the last page in the book and what a pleasure it was to read. Kate Christie's story set in Seattle reminded me of the other great cities immortalized by song, Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" or Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." I felt the magic of the city not just through the eyes of the characters but through the skilled hand of the author's. This is just such a remarkable story.

The story takes place or begins a week before the summer solstice which is the official start of summer. Two things happen to mark a change in Samantha Delaney's life. Changes that will be as brilliant and as long lasting as summer solstice in Seattle. First, her manager asks her to attend a Web technology conference in Chicago and adds a few extra days so she can take a quick train ride from Chicago to her hometown, Logan, Michigan and visit with her parents. Then, less than 24 hours after learning she'll be going home on an extended weekend, she runs into Emily Mackenzie whom she hasn't spoken to since they both played soccer on the same high school team almost 10 years earlier.

All the elements in this story meld beautifully with extraordinary detail. It's a rare find.