15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful read, May 7, 2009
I thoroughly enjoy Debbie Macomber's books and look forward to reading all of them, and when this book came this past week, I immediately started reading and was done within two days. Although one reviewer said she never met a woman like Phoebe, I disagree. I have met many strong women who have had to make very hard decisions about relationships. If just one reader after reading of Phoebe's decision to leave the relationship of a unfaithful/manipulative partner, the story helped someone. No one, either male or female, has the right to abuse a relationship. Yes, the book has a happy ending, but then why do I read, to escape, to be uplifted. A wonderful read, put your feet up, a glass of lemonade on a hot summer day and Debbie takes your home.
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28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Nice, Easy, Uplifting Read, April 30, 2009
Finished this book at 1 a.m. this morning--as with the other books in the series, I couldn't put it down. New characters are inroduced to the Blossom Street group, and as always, it's interesting to see how previous characters develop and mingle with the new. I would love to give this book a five star review, yet feel unable to do so. It's a good, easy, uplifting novel (as are all of the author's books), and that's a huge plus in times like these. I appreciate the "everything turns out well" style of Debbie Macomber, aware that some might criticize a seriously happy-ending style. What can I say? I love a happy ending.
My main disappointments in this book (versus the others in the series) have to do with characterization. I've lived all over the country, known many, many women in all walks of life, and have never known someone like Pheobe. She just didn't seem plausible to me. By that, I mean her inner struggle didn't seem appropriate for a relatively short term relationship and fiance. Had she been involved with the man she hoped to "knit to quit" over the course of many years, or had she been married to him, her emotional tug-of-war would have made better sense. Perhaps there was something in her background to cause her to question herself repeatedly? The reader doesn't know if there is. Her character's background isn't developed... in previous books, the character's backgrounds come into play and help readers understand why they think and act as they do.
I also wanted to know more about Casey. A lot of critical information was void there. Some of her background was touched upon, yet left me wondering about more specific details.
Then, having "gotten to know" Ellen in the last book fo the series (Twenty Wishes), I felt it unlikely she'd immediately warm up to people she'd never met before in an environment away from Blossom Street. The scene (and chapter) seemed rushed in my opinion.
Finally, the ending felt rushed, as if the auther were trying to wrap up everything far too quickly. Overall, though, it's a worthwhile read. To those with editorial tendancies, there are a few oops (wrong name used, etc.). Nothing too serious.
I'd expect this to be a great beach blanket read.
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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
This One is a Little Tired, May 10, 2009
I like Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series, but this latest entry was somewhat disappointing. I'm sure it's difficult to create new characters to interact with the shop owners who have been part of the series since the beginning, but these are only half-drawn and, in the case of Phoebe, difficult to like. I enjoyed the addition of a man to the knitting classes, but his love affair with Phoebe progresses too easily to be believable, especially since she is something of a pathological liar. The plot is predictable, and the writing filled with cliches that should have been reworked before publication. The term "phoning it in" came to mind.
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