Love, Love, Love, Love, Loved It!

Book Club took the summer off to free up members to read whatever they liked. One of my greatest gifts to myself during that time was discovering Elin Hilderbrand when "The Island" was released. Loved it! Next read her book, "The Castaways" and didn't think it got any better than that. Picked up several more of her books including "Barefoot". Didn't think I was going to enjoy it as much but in a different way enjoyed it even more. Three lovely women who find their strength on Nantucket one summer while each is in crisis. You've GOT to read this book - it is truly life affirming!!

So enjoyable

I am still reading this book, but I had to share how enjoyable I think it is. It's definitely a good book to pick up and take with you on vacation, read at the pool or just a while away a lazy summer afternoon. The characters are well developed and the back stories almost make you feel as if you're reading three books in one. I am having a hard time putting it down. I look forward to reading additional books by this author.

Barefoot

This book was a book club choice. It was somewhat entertaining, but predictable. I kept waiting for something to happen!

Barefoot was barely intertaining

I finally made it through this book. It was OK, but incredibly long. I love long books-Jodi Picolt, Kristin Hannah, etc... but this was LONG. Unfortunately, it was a book I could put down. I was really hoping to like this book and the author. After reading 3 of her books, I probably won't read another.

Unlikable characters

Looking for something light and summery, I took the front cover and read the back and thought it'd be perfect for a weekend at the lake. What the back of the book doesn't tell you is that from the very first chapter, the 3 main characters are annoying and never get any better.

There is a martyr sister with lung cancer, a selfish professor sister and a poor-miserable-me friend who escapes because her husband cheated on her then ends up cheating on him. The children are brats, the husbands alternate between completely weak and emotionally detached to practically cave-men in the way they treat their wives. There was not a single character I felt any compassion or sympathy for, including a woman with lung cancer!! At the end of the book, we found out what happened to each and I realized I didn't care how their stories ended.

To be fair, I set the book aside and waited a year to reread it. I thought maybe if I already knew their stories, I'd have more feelings for them. Nope - still hated it.