A Star To Sail By [Paperback]

Susan Delaney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

Peggy Millwright is only 29 years old--too young to be a widow. Yet two years ago she lost the love of her life, and the hope of ever healing her heart. Then one day, a mysterious man appears on the beach of her Jersey home, inviting her back into the world of the living, and offering a love that promised more than she ever dreamed possible...

* An exceptional debut novel and an author to watch

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Delaney's debut novel, young, widowed mystery writer Peggy Millwright discovers Owen Sinclair, a sailor who washes up on the beach near her Jersey Shore homeAclaiming to have fallen overboard in 1853. She doesn't believe his story but nonetheless feels compelled to help him adjust to the 20th century. As she gets to know him, his gentleness gradually warms her. While the plot meanders (an entire segment is devoted to Peggy's remembrance of her honeymoon in Czechoslovakia), Delaney's depiction of Owen's experiences as he discovers the wonders of post-1853 life and grows closer to Peggy are captivating. Delaney has written a moving story, especially in her description of Peggy's withdrawal from the world after the death of her husband and her struggle to learn to love again. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451408993
• ISBN-13: 978-0451408990
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,561,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, January 17, 2000

By 

Susan "susan-55" (TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Star To Sail By (Paperback)

This is a new author and her first novel. It's a time travel where the hero travels forward in time. It is written in the first person (heroine), so if you don't care for that POV, I guess you'd want to skip this. The heroine is 29 year old Peggy Millwright , who is a widow approaching the 2 year anniversary of her husband's death. She was very deeply in love with him and is having a real tough time dealing with her grief. Enter Owen Sinclair, a sailor she finds washed up on the beach. He is 28 and was washed overboard in September of 1853.

I consider this a gentle book. The relationship between the h/h develops slowly and, IMO, is very enjoyable to watch. The problems Owen has to deal with are interesting and dealt with in a sensible way. The heroine's sister can be irritating and I wasn't all that impressed by the flash backs to her life with her husband, but over all, I really enjoyed this book. If you want hot sex, forget it, there isn't any. The sex is at the end of the book and gets a PG rating. But if you want a quieter book, light on the emotional angst, give this one a try. I don't believe you will be disappointed

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, an heir to Lavyrle Spencer, January 13, 2000

By 

S. Raines - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Star To Sail By (Paperback)

What a lovely book this is! A widow, still grieving for her husband, finds a sailor on the beach just when she was looking for a reason to go on. He's from the 1853. He's not a lord, or captain, but just a sailor washed overboard. He's also a gentle and perceptive man. Their relationship moves slowly, at a real time pace, as they both try to heal their wounds. Like Spencer, Delaney writes characters and places that are true to life, and that touch you deeply. I really loved this book and can't wait to read her next.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bought by mistake - pleasantly surprised., August 25, 2001

By 

Chris Cummings (OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Star To Sail By (Paperback)

Yes - I found this book amidst a group of Barbara Delinsky novels and mistook it for one in a hurried trip to the bookstore! Now I'm only disappointed that Delaney doesn't have any other novels to her credit yet! I've always steered clear from time travel books (they seem to breach a level of believability at which I typically draw the line) but this was one of those rare don't-want-to-put-downs for me! A gentle, unhurried, sweet romance - and refreshing! Owen, a lovable, shy and utterly bewildered man from the past is easy to embrace as a character. No macho-man persona here; Owen is...sweet; comfortable yet intriguing. The book is done well and realistically (at least as far as rather unrealistic storylines go!) Yes, a bit too much dwelling on her past with the perfect Peter, but not too wordy for me - a professed lover of detail. Overall, a refreshing departure from the typical romance genre, and a heart-warming gentle romance.