Stay a Little Longer [Paperback]

Dorothy Garlock (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Rachel Watkins runs her family’s dilapidated boardinghouse in Carlson, Minnesota, while raising her orphaned niece and working as a midwife. Her older sister, Alice, lost her husband, Mason, in WWI before he knew she was pregnant, then died the day Charlotte was born. That was also the day Rachel’s mother retreated to her bedroom and stayed. Eight years later, Rachel is trying to save their home from a predatory banker, keep her drunken uncle in line, and fend off the advances of an odious boarder. Charlotte and her beloved dog find a desperately ill hobo. Rachel brings him to the house, and is stunned when she finds out who he is. This is classic Garlock: a dramatic story in which good triumphs over evil and everyone gets their just desserts. --Diana Tixier Herald --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Every Dorothy Garlock book is synonymous with a great mind." (Janet Dailey )

"There is nothing better than Dorothy Garlock at her best." (Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (April 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446540196
• ISBN-13: 978-0446540193
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #70,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars emotional profound Americana tale, April 30, 2010

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Stay a Little Longer (Paperback)

In 1918 in Carlson, Minnesota, Alice Tucker gives birth to Charlotte with her sister Rachel Watkins as her midwife. Soon afterward Alice dies. Rachel knew she really died when her spouse Mason was killed in WWI; she loathes the dead man for deserting his wife.

By 1926, Rachel is bone tired as the town's midwife, running her family's boardinghouse, caring for her drunk uncle and shell-shocked mom, and most important raising her niece, Charlotte. In a remote dilapidated cabin resides a scarred male. When Charlotte meets the sick man, she wants to help him. She persuades her Aunt Rachel to nurture him back to health. As he heals, he works as a handyman making repairs to the boardinghouse. Rachel and her grateful employee become friends as each appreciate the serenity the other brings. However, Mason's affluent unscrupulous brother Zachary the banker covets the Watkins' property and causes problems and ultimately a tragedy with his machinations, but also leads Rachel and the stranger to understand their relationship especially after the truth surfaces.

With a great late twist, Stay a Little Longer is an emotional profound Americana tale that focuses on the aftermath of WWI several years after the Armistice in a small town in Minnesota. The strong ensemble cast brings to life the era while Rachel holds the deep story line together. Although Zachary feels somewhat like a caricature of an avaricious banker (no oxymoron asides) such as an obese Snidely Whiplash, fans will relish this terrific historical.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, May 2, 2010

By	Lynne Thomas "hyperreader" (PNW) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Stay a Little Longer (Kindle Edition)

I've read a lot of Dorothy Garlock's books. I thought I knew what to expect from her. I expected the richness of The Listening Sky, the depth of Mother Road, and the passion of Ribbon in the Sky. I expected three dimensional characters in well defined plots. I did not get what I expected with this book. This book hurried through a flat landscape to get to a romantic love that was not believable. At no time did my heart get involved with this story. In fact I found I couldn't like the good people and couldn't dislike the bad ones. The best part of the whole book was the dog.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing., June 9, 2010

By	Lynn (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stay a Little Longer (Hardcover)

I usually enjoy reading Garlock's Americana novels. But this book seemed rushed....as if the author phoned it in. The antagonist and conflict was not very convincing.

The hero was one-dimensional and the reason he gave for staying away for 8 years was very weak. Cardboard kind of guy. Didn't care one way or the other about him.

We did get a bit more info and depth to the heroine - however I never felt the close "mother-daughter" relationship with Charlotte that you would expect - since she raised the child.

The love story - I didn't even notice it until the author wrote that they loved each other. Really? Never got that. Not a bit. I was expecting it...hoping for it...but I never read about it.

Over all, I am glad I borrowed this from the library and did not buy it. I was disappointed and that will color my anticipation of any future books. One of Garlock's best series was the With Hope, With Song, etc...