As a fan of the Virgin River series, I thought I would try out a stand alone book by Robyn Carr. I found that I am not just a fan of Virgin River, but I really do like Carr's writing.
A Summer In Sonoma introduces the reader to four high school friends on the verge of turning 30. Each woman looks at the others and feels pangs of envy for one reason or another and thinks the other's life is better than her own. The classic "the grass is always greener" syndrome. What the reader knows is that each has her own issue that makes her life difficult. They are trying to hide it from the others, but sooner or later all their secrets come spilling out.
This book is part-romance and part-chick-lit. Since a couple of the characters are already married, it is what happens after the happily-ever-after. If you are after a classic romance, this one isn't it for you. If you want something a little more real with a lot of interaction between female friends, then this is the perfect book for a Sunday afternoon.
I found myself really liking a couple of the characters, while the other two I kept thinking, "Is she really that dumb?" They all did dumb things, but two of them seemed to be over-the-top dumb. Not that this is unrealistic by any means. I think that all of the stories were realistic and their conclusions were the same. Some parts of the story were a little predictable, but in a very real way, so it worked.
The name A Summer in Sonoma seemed a bit like a misnomer since Sonoma really was barely mentioned as was summer. The story begins in summer and ends into the fall, but really I didn't get much of the Sonoma or the summer part.
Overall, I really liked this book. I found myself not wanting to put it down. It only took me one day to finish and I had a happy-little feeling in my heart when I finally did put the book down.
I received this book from netgalley.com
A Summer In Sonoma introduces the reader to four high school friends on the verge of turning 30. Each woman looks at the others and feels pangs of envy for one reason or another and thinks the other's life is better than her own. The classic "the grass is always greener" syndrome. What the reader knows is that each has her own issue that makes her life difficult. They are trying to hide it from the others, but sooner or later all their secrets come spilling out.
This book is part-romance and part-chick-lit. Since a couple of the characters are already married, it is what happens after the happily-ever-after. If you are after a classic romance, this one isn't it for you. If you want something a little more real with a lot of interaction between female friends, then this is the perfect book for a Sunday afternoon.
I found myself really liking a couple of the characters, while the other two I kept thinking, "Is she really that dumb?" They all did dumb things, but two of them seemed to be over-the-top dumb. Not that this is unrealistic by any means. I think that all of the stories were realistic and their conclusions were the same. Some parts of the story were a little predictable, but in a very real way, so it worked.
The name A Summer in Sonoma seemed a bit like a misnomer since Sonoma really was barely mentioned as was summer. The story begins in summer and ends into the fall, but really I didn't get much of the Sonoma or the summer part.
Overall, I really liked this book. I found myself not wanting to put it down. It only took me one day to finish and I had a happy-little feeling in my heart when I finally did put the book down.
I received this book from netgalley.com
Helpful Score: 3
Very interesting read by an author that has just been introduced to me. This book centers around four friends since high school- Julie, Cassie, Marty and Beth. All of the women are approaching 30 and are suffering from a different crisis. Julie is having major financial crisis with her hot fireman husband Billy. Marty is married to fireman Joe but the passion and romance has died within her marriage. Beth is suffering a major medical crisis while Cassie is dying to get married, have kids and find her Mr. Right. Cassie finds a great guy but is worried about his looks and monetary status. I liked this book a lot because it dealt with real issues such as sickness, financial strain, passion dying in a marriage and finding a life partner. I found the title a bit strange since Sonoma only focuses on one of the characters and doesn't really give you a feel for the book. Great read.
Helpful Score: 2
I have been a Robyn Carr fan for quite awhile and this book goes right to the top of my list from her. I loved it from page one. I didn't think that she could outdo Jack and Preacher from the Virgin River series but I think that Walt might be the most lovable of all of her male characters. This is one of those books that you just will not want to put down until it is finished. I would highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 1
GREAT book. Robyn Carr is a master storyteller. This is a book about four long time friends, each with a different real life problem. It is up to date with current events and how things are in the world today. If you like Robyn Carr's books you will love this one. AAAA++++
