Helpful Score: 3
Rice book's are about the Irish culture and this is sequel to an earlier book about Bernie and Tom. A hint of a murder mystery and the strenth of love that holds a family together makes an interesting read.
Helpful Score: 2
Not what I've come to expect from this author but a good read none the less. Nice to see some of the Hubbards Point gang here.
Helpful Score: 2
An unforgettable exploration of the most elusive miracle of all: how a broken family might be made whole again.
Helpful Score: 2
Great book with a great family story. Irish family.
Helpful Score: 2
A woman raises her three daughters in Connecticut while her husband is in prison in Ireland. When he is released he wants to come home. I always enjoy Luanne Rice books.
Helpful Score: 1
A letter changes the lives of the Sullivan family forever. A good read if you like Luanne Rice books.
Helpful Score: 1
I love Luanne Rice. Blue Moon will always be one of my favorite novels. But I thought this book was a bunch of pretentious crap. I was so disappointed. Hopefully, she'll be back on track with her next book.
Helpful Score: 1
This is an interesting, family oriented book, with unusual characters. It will be one that you won't forget.
Just could not get into this book, which is surprising since I usually love Luanne Rice books.
this book starts off slow, but it's a great story with complex twists...and a very believable family
Luanne Rice writes a wonderful love story, they are hard to put down and put you right into the story.
Excellent Irish tale and the sequel What Matters Most brings the story to a dramatic conclusion
This book took me a couple of chapters to get hooked. And then I was pulled into this family and their story. I definately recommend this book. It will definately pull at your heart strings.
The story of an Irish-American family who shatters after an act of violence leaves a man dead and their father/husband in jail. Personally I did not find it as engaging as many of the author's earlier works, but the imagery is lovely and the characters ring true.
The characters are real and wonderful. You keep pulling for them right from the beginning. Loved this book.
Painter Honor Sullivan once believed that she had the perfect home, the perfect life, the perfect love. Then her husband, a renowned photographer and sculptor, shattered their little family and her heart. John Sullivan's passionate nature had led him into disaster many years ago, and left his wife and family reeling under the consequences. Since then, Honor has struggled to make a safe haven for herself and their three daughters - Regis, Agnes and Cecelia - at Star of the Sea Academy on the magical Connecticut shore.
Here she teaches art at the convent school's beautiful seaside campus - under the benevolent and ever-watchful eye of her sister-in-law, mother superior Bernadette Ignatius - cultivating young minds to appreciate and to foster the artistic talent that Honor once had in abundance. No one could have foreseen the day rebellious Regis would come home with the stunning news that she was engaged. Nor could anyone have guessed how that sudden announcement would soon change all their lives forever.
Now, years later, a mysterious letter written in a familiar hand hints at John's return. Hearing of Regis' impending marriage, John has ended his self-imposed exile and returned to the family he's always loved; more than anything on earth. What awaits him is a family wounded by the past: a daughter still despondent over his abandonment; one who barely remembers him; and a third who may be in more trouble than anyone knows. And then there is Honor herself - and a passion that may have been interrupted but that has never waned.
Some things, like sandcastles, don't survive the changing tides. But love, family, and friendship - things just as fragile - have a way of withstanding tremendous challenges. It will take nothing short of a miracle to heal the rifts between father and daughter, husband and wife, the past and the present - but the miraculous is what is always at work at Star of the Sea Academy. The only question is: Do you have faith strong enough to face such adversity?
For the most part I enjoyed this story, although it was slightly longer than it needed to be. The story could probably have been wrapped up about one hundred pages earlier and still have been told well - at least in my opinion. Luanne Rice is certainly a prolific author - and I have read several of her books that I've enjoyed immensely - however, I must give Sandcastles a B+! I have several other books written by Ms. Rice sitting on my bookshelf, and I'm sure I'll read another book by this author sometime soon; however, perhaps not right away.
Here she teaches art at the convent school's beautiful seaside campus - under the benevolent and ever-watchful eye of her sister-in-law, mother superior Bernadette Ignatius - cultivating young minds to appreciate and to foster the artistic talent that Honor once had in abundance. No one could have foreseen the day rebellious Regis would come home with the stunning news that she was engaged. Nor could anyone have guessed how that sudden announcement would soon change all their lives forever.
Now, years later, a mysterious letter written in a familiar hand hints at John's return. Hearing of Regis' impending marriage, John has ended his self-imposed exile and returned to the family he's always loved; more than anything on earth. What awaits him is a family wounded by the past: a daughter still despondent over his abandonment; one who barely remembers him; and a third who may be in more trouble than anyone knows. And then there is Honor herself - and a passion that may have been interrupted but that has never waned.
Some things, like sandcastles, don't survive the changing tides. But love, family, and friendship - things just as fragile - have a way of withstanding tremendous challenges. It will take nothing short of a miracle to heal the rifts between father and daughter, husband and wife, the past and the present - but the miraculous is what is always at work at Star of the Sea Academy. The only question is: Do you have faith strong enough to face such adversity?
For the most part I enjoyed this story, although it was slightly longer than it needed to be. The story could probably have been wrapped up about one hundred pages earlier and still have been told well - at least in my opinion. Luanne Rice is certainly a prolific author - and I have read several of her books that I've enjoyed immensely - however, I must give Sandcastles a B+! I have several other books written by Ms. Rice sitting on my bookshelf, and I'm sure I'll read another book by this author sometime soon; however, perhaps not right away.
This is a book about a Connecticut family that finds themselves questioning their Catholic beliefs, Irish heritage and family loyalty. I enjoyed it and I hope you will too.
I enjoyed this book, but I found it a bit slow. It took me forever to read because it never actually hooked me and I would pick up something else to read instead. But it was ok. Not her best work by far.
great and easy read. sweet and romantic.
I loved reading this book. It was one of my favorite books by Luanne Rice. It was just a really good story line that kept you wanting to go back and read the book.
This book really held my attention. I enjoy Luanne Rice's writing style as well as her non-transparency. Sandcastles will surprise you and show you the pain of a torn marriage... the strength of a father's passion... and the impact of it all on a family. It is one I may read twice and I rarely do that!
Excellent book...I couldn't put it down!
Wonderful!!!
Very good book...easy read.
I liked this book. Luanne Rice is an excellent author. She is able to weave family, trust, conflict, heartache and love all into one gripping story that keeps you interested from start to finish...What Matters Most is the sequal and I could hardly wait for it to come out to finish the Sullivan saga. Definitely recommend to others.
Very good!!
Great book. Loved it!
Painter Honor Sullivan has made a life got herself and her three daughters-Regis, Agnes and Cecilia- at the Star of the Sea Academy on the magicial Connecticut shore. Here she teaches art at the convent school's beautiful seaside campus over which Honor's sister-in-law Mother Superior Bernadette Ignatius, keeps a benevolent and watchful eye. No one could have foreseen the day that a single letter-mysteriously delivered by an unseen messenger-would change all their lives forever. Six years agom Honor thought she had the perfect home, the perfect love, the perfect life. Then her husband , the brillant, fiery photographer and sculptor John Sullivan, broke her heart - and tore their little family apart. Now John is returning to the family he always loved more than anything on earth. What he finds is one daughter unable to come to terms with the past, another who barely remembers him and a third who may be in more trouble than anyone knows. And then there is Honor herself-and a passion that may have been interrupted but that has never wanted. Some things, like sandcastles, don't survive the changing tides. But love, family, and friendship-just as fragile-have a way of standing against anything. It will take nothing short of a mriacle to heal the rift between father and daughter, husband and wife, the past and the present-but a miracle is exactly what is in the works at Start of the Sea Academy. The only question is : Do you believe?
I just couldn't really get into this book and would rather spend my time reading somrthing different! Luanne Rice is a great author though and i'm sure you will love it!
Very good reading.
This is a brand new hardcover but the ISBN number differs but there is no other place to post it, might be a book club book but brand new. ISBN 978-0-553-80419-5
