The Duet

Rating:
Summary: Dubbel Zout anyone?
Review: A retired dairy farmer and a college professor ... the most unlikely couple you could find.

But not in THE DUET. Here you will find not only Gerrit Appledoorn and Joan Horton, but also a charmingly written novel that will have you smiling from cover to cover.

Gerrit Appledoorn is the retired dairy farmer, struggling with too much time on his hands, a computer that won't co-operate, and a family crisis.

Joan Horton is the college professor on a year's sabbatical. She arrives in rural Van Dalen to be closer to her pregnant daughter and immediately takes up as the new piano teacher.

Gerrit's granddaughter, Mallory, is a student of Joan's, but as time goes by, Gerrit is also drawn to the music, leaving room for a sweet story of romance in the senior years. But Joan has a secret from the past, one that is about to catch up with her and possibly destroy any happiness on the horizon.

Weave into this the subplot of different denomination acceptance and you have a beautifully layered story that will keep you enthralled.

THE DUET is a wonderful witty novel full of lovable and memorable characters. At first I was a little dubious. Robert Elmer wasn't an author I associated with adult romantic fiction. After all, my six-year-old daughter loves his AstroKid's series. How does a children's writer cross over to adult fiction? Remarkably well, if Mr Elmer is anything to go by. He now has two fans in our house.

What's a Dubbel Zout, you ask? Hey, go read the book! You'll find out.


Rating:
Summary: The Duet
Review: From page one to The End, this book captured my senses, my thoughts and my heart. Robert Elmer has written with such clarity and *reality* that I not only enjoyed every word, but believed them--*felt* them. One of the longest-lasting gifts he delivers is the tenderness with which he communicates the concrete struggles and happy hopes of our own lives.
Grit, music and circumstance center the story; faith and unrelenting love bring it home. Honestly, I cannot look at the cover now without wanting to say, "Oh, thank you and well DONE, Mr. Elmer!"

Rating:
Summary: The Duet
Review: From page one to The End, this book captured my senses, my thoughts and my heart. Robert Elmer has written with such clarity and *reality* that I not only enjoyed every word, but believed them--*felt* them. One of the longest-lasting gifts he delivers is the tenderness with which he communicates the concrete struggles and happy hopes of our own lives.
Grit, music and circumstance center the story; faith and unrelenting love bring it home. Honestly, I cannot look at the cover now without wanting to say, "Oh, thank you and well DONE, Mr. Elmer!"

Rating:
Summary: Kudos for Robert Elmer's first "grown-up" novel!
Review: I really was not sure what to expect from this novel. I've read many of his juvenile and youth books, and all are exciting, with twists and turns that keep the reader hooked. Well, I can tell you right now, Robert Elmer's first novel written for those over fifteen years old is wonderful!

The setting, that of a tiny, close-knit farming community in the Northwest, was admittedly foreign to me since I've lived in the midsouth since I was small. Like the New York-raised piano teacher in the book, it took me a while to understand and warm up to these Dutch-heritage farmers. But the more I read, the more I liked. By the middle of the book, I was absolutely hooked, both on the people, and what was happening.

Although it's a romance, it's not your usual fare. The two main characters, worlds apart in their cultural backgrounds, are up in years, and have seen a lot of life...and death. But this aspect of the story makes it all the sweeter and more satisfying to this baby-boomer.

Congratulations to Robert Elmer. Your first novel is a winner! I hope we hear more from you!

Rating:
Summary: Be Wary of Hyper-Calvinistic Caricature of Calvinism
Review: Michele Howe reviews this book on Christianity today with the following notables:

"The tempo picks up as the Calvinist worldview of Gerrit clashes with that of Joan Horton, the also-widowed piano teacher whose Nazarene roots emphasize actively 'doing' rather than letting life unfold around her... In contrast with Joan, the stout, opinionated Gerrit bellows that nothing comes to pass that God himself has not foreordained. Ironically, heart disease is slowly rendering him incapable of lending a hand to the family's failing dairy farm. He refuses to follow any advice from a doctor-it is God's will or nothing." -Michele Howe

I'm afraid that this is yet another hyper-Calvinistic caricature of Calvinism and true Calvinists. To all my beloved Arminian brothers and sisters out there: Love your neighbor as yourself. Please, represent us with accuracy, just as you would want to be represented.

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." -Philippians 2:12-13

Rating:
Summary: A Great First Novel!
Review: My kids have enjoyed Robert Elmer's children's fiction for years, so I was delighted to hear about The Duet! It is a heart warming story, set in a quirky Dutch farm town in Washington state, with characters that are easy to relate with and love, and has an unforgetable ending. I could barely put it down once I started it - I stayed up way too late last night and couldn't finish it so I made my husband drive the kids to school this morning so I could finish the last chapter! I look forward to more books from Mr. Elmer in the future and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the Mitford series, Angela Hunt, Francine Rivers, or just a good old fashioned story! Wonderful!

Rating:
Summary: CHARMING!!! WARMS THE HEART!!!
Review: Thank you, Robert Elmer, for a charming book. It warmed my heart as I followed the storytelling.......and loved each character.

I could almost hear the music from the old Steinway. As a child I remember practicing the piano.....wished I'd stayed with it!!

Thank you for weaving two people together who had been alone since the loss of their mates. Tenderly done!!

The sounds and fragrances of the paragraphs were exciting. Wanted to pull up a chair at Gerrit's kitchen table knowing ahead of time that there would be good conversation.

And, thank you for the fellowship of believers throughout the book.....it makes God real.

Looking forward to your next book in the spring.

C.Gale
[e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: The Duet - a charming, relatable romance
Review: The Duet is a charming novel set in the fictitious town of Van Dalen, Washington. With a thinly disguised Lynden as the background, author Robert Elmer shares the story of two very different families as they struggle through painful, life altering events.

Elmer deftly offers Joan Horton as one of the novel's main characters. Joan, a music professor from New York, moves to Van Dalen for a one-year sabbatical. As she battles between her prim and proper façade and steadfast belief in her own inadequacy, Joan is determined to accept her husband's death and her son's downward spiral into depression. While Joan's son and daughter are secondary characters, they serve the novel well in capturing Joan's emotions and presenting a well-rounded picture of this self-doubting matriarch.

Gerrit Appeldoorn, a retired dairy farmer and staunch Calvinist, becomes Joan's reluctant piano student. Rooted deeply in his faith, Gerrit is quite set in his ways and does not flinch at the prospect of telling others how they should live their lives. Despite his sometimes curmudgeonly attitude, Gerrit is a likeable, old school gentleman.

Gerrit and Joan, both suffering from the loss of a beloved spouse, come together as friends, learning about each other's different backgrounds and beliefs. Predictably, they lean on each other for companionship and support, barely aware of the emerging relationship between them.

Elmer, who has primarily been a children's author, successfully provides the adult reader with an interesting, relatable romance. His characters are well defined and likeable, creating a genuine fondness for the families who are lovingly depicted. While the plot is somewhat predictable, Elmer skillfully draws the reader in through the use of articulate language, realistic dialogue and appealing descriptions. In addition to an already well written novel, Elmer sprinkles in famous quotes that bring added charm and breadth to the story.


Rating:
Summary: Witty and Thought Provoking
Review: The Duet was a fun book to read. It included the kind of writing I enjoy; real and coversational. All through the book, I felt like I had known these people for years and were talking to them in my own living room. It was great reading and I would recommend it to anyone needing a light novel.

Rating:
Summary: A delight
Review: This novel made me want to settle down in a small town like Van Dalen and get to know all my neighbors. Robert Elmer made music with words while writing The Duet. I look forward to reading more of his fiction. I especially appreciated how he wrote about matters of theology that different Protestant denominations often quibble about, helping me understand things I hadn't understood before. And although I learned as I read, I never felt like I was being taught. It was simply part of the story. I loved that.