Amazon.com: The Goodbye Summer (9780061137198): Books

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Patricia Gaffney began her writing career with the publication of Sweet Treason, a historical romance set in revolutionary Scotland. Eleven romance novels later, she tried something different--The Saving Graces, a story of women's friendships, that ended up spending 17 weeks on the New York Times Bestsellers List.

Circle of Three, Flight Lessons, and The Goodbye Summer followed, all bestsellers that established Gaffney as a premier mainstream fiction writer.

Her new book is Mad Dash, the story of a happy marriage in trouble. It's due out in Spring 2008.

Gaffney, who lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, is currently at work on a novel about a man who changes his life when he finds out he's dying--then finds out he isn't. Working title: On Second Thought.

Customer Reviews

25 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews)

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely read with fun and interesting "elder" characters!, July 19, 2004

By

Judith Schonhoff "Judy" (Somerville, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goodbye Summer: A Novel (Gaffney, Patricia) (Hardcover)

This book was such a nice read. The main character is Caddie, a 32 year old music teacher who has always lived with her grandmother (since Caddie's mother died when Caddie was very young). Caddie's grandmother decides to go live at the local pseudo nursing home while she heals a broken leg. The home is called Wake House and the inhabitants all are quite distinctive! This story is written through Caddie's eyes. Since she is no longer living with her grandmother, she starts to get out more and eventually falls in love. In addition, she visits often with the Wake House folks and gets to learn a lot about them as she write their bios for a Wake House project.

There are not many books that have so many "elder" characters written with such flair! You want to know more about them and their sometimes boring, sometimes exciting, but always REAL experiences. Just a nice, feel good book that will make you cry and laugh. I can't wait to read another by this author!

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A favorite author, June 4, 2004

By

Patricia Kay "author and avid reader" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Goodbye Summer: A Novel (Gaffney, Patricia) (Hardcover)

I agree with the reviewer who said Gaffney could write about a trip to the grocery store and she'd read it and love it. I feel the same way. I, too, love Gaffney's wry sense of humor and her ability to show me the world in a different way. That said, it doesn't really surprise me that some readers were bored, because this IS a quiet, character-driven story that develops slowly, and some readers just don't have the patience for that. One last comment: I liked this book so much I used it as an example of great writing at a talk I recently gave to a group of writers here in the Houston area. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone who loves women's fiction or who aspires to write women's fiction.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed, June 8, 2005

By

Jen (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goodbye Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this the Goodbye Summer. It was different than the other chick lit books that i've read with somewhat of a surprising ending. The relationships were unique in that the main character did not seem to have best friends, just the ones she befriended at the home where her grandmother was. I will definitely look into Patricia Gaffney's other books after reading this one.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Better That Expected, But Not Great. . .
I found this book on my mother's side of the book shelf and thought it would be simple and easy, and that's exactly what I was looking for at the time I read it two months ago. Read more

Published 4 months ago by K. Caldwell

3.0 out of 5 stars It was ok... not as good as other novels
This is my 3rd Gaffney novel. I found it difficult to trudge through. I became highly annoyed with the main character. Read more

Published on June 16, 2009 by Denali

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars
I loved The Goodbye Summer.

Yes, it made me cry, but I expected that, and it wasn't at all manipulative, which is my usual complaint about books that make me cry... Read more

Published on December 7, 2008 by D. K. Stokes

4.0 out of 5 stars I Could Not Be More Different than Caddie
Caddie is a woman in her early 30's. She lives her life vicariously through her grandmother, and her grandmother decides this has to stop. Read more

Published on August 20, 2007 by bhr

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly surprised...
When I first started reading The Goodbye Summer by Patricia Gaffney, I thought it was a typical chick book, and not a very good one at that. Read more

Published on April 9, 2007 by Cynthia K. Robertson

4.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous!
As an author, Patricia Gaffney does not disappoint. Therefore, THE GOODBYE SUMMER is a typical Gaffney novel: Touching, lyrical and, finally, thought-provoking. Read more

Published on October 12, 2006 by HeyJudy

4.0 out of 5 stars Very poignant and bittersweet reading!
I love how my hairstylist has this book exchange going on at her salon ~~ otherwise, I'd never pick up some of these books simply because I have too many at home to read! Read more

Published on November 21, 2005 by Busy Mom

5.0 out of 5 stars Gaffney Does It Again
In a quirky story full of highly unusual people a la Anne Tyler, Patricia Gaffney has created a moving and simple tale of people who bond together because they have risen above... Read more

Published on August 3, 2004 by Wendy Kaplan

5.0 out of 5 stars A CHOICE VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Seasoned actress and voice performer Maxwell has proven herself adept at both comedy and drama in her stage performances. Read more

Published on July 15, 2004 by Gail Cooke

4.0 out of 5 stars Gaffney gives us something to savor . . .

Patricia Gaffney's THE SAVING GRACES is one of my favorite reads. She takes ordinary lives and shines a light on them like very few writers can. Fast paced? Read more

Published on July 4, 2004 by Terry Mathews

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Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
The first Caddie Winger ever heard of Wake House was when she was helping her grandmother get her drawers on over the cast on her leg. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Wake House, Blue Room, Caddie Winger, Cape May, Early Street, Red Room, Red Sky, Christopher Fox, Calvert Street, New York, Angela Ann, Bobby Haywood, Billie Holiday, Frances Winger, Maple Leaf Rag, Maxine Harris, Miss Michaelstown, Chick Buckman, Eastern Shore, Ernest Holly, Man of Constant Sorrow, Susan Cohen, Bank of Michaelstown, Christmas Eve, Dorothea Barnes

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