Always nice to visit Dream Harbor, but I felt like I couldn't relax while reading this book. I was constantly braced for a heartbreaking conversation with a child. Overall, it's handled sweetly, but not my cup of tea.

While the writing was not terrible, the trouble is that while the author had a lot to say, there really is no story here. A 40-year-old woman loses her mother and is so distraught that she cannot get beyond it. The setting is Spain and all the character talks about is seducing men. The only interesting part was the epilog which was very articulate and summed up thing well.

Absolutely devastating. Great world building, as always with Suzanne Collins. But wow, I didn't think these could get any more heartbreaking.

A great book

This story follows the life of a man from young adulthood to death. It examines his work, which is for much of his life, a logger. We get to watch how he changes and views the world as he falls in love and has a family, only to lose those he loves, and with them a large part of himself. It’s about continuing on and staying put at the same time. A very enjoyable read.

This book delivers the type of ending all readers long for; something unexpected. And even from about midway into the book, you know something is coming, but there aren’t obvious clues. This author dies an excellent job on her maiden novel. Can’t wait to see what she sends us in her next one.

This is a most touching story of a grandfather and his relationship with his son and grandson as he devolves into Alzheimer’s. We experience his thoughts as he begins to live inside the past as the present slips away. It is beautiful and sad and told from the grandfather’s point of view. Everyone should read this.

Yes, this was written by that Steve Martin and I did this as an audio book which was read by the author. Martin’s writing is crisp and to the point and has no difficulty evoking the emotion he wants you to feel. The story starts off a bit like Pretty Woman but then grows and matures and goes in a completely different direction. I did enjoy the book but was sad it was not a happier ending.

A great exploration of the attention economy throughout history. It was a little slow in the first half, but that could just be my extremely deteriorated attention span. Last two chapters on the current state of affairs are excellent.

While I am not always a fan of his stories set in Scotland, I did enjoy this one. Isabel sets out to get a present for her husband for Valentine’s Day but in the process becomes entangled in a situation which looks like she will either need to renege on a promise or fail to help someone who is truly in need. But leave it to the philosopher in her to work out the right answer.