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Summary: A Sense of Home and Community Embraces the Reader
Review: "Candles on Bay Street" was a poignant story of a Veterinarian's changing relationship with an unrequited love in his highschool classmate who returns home when life deals her a blow. It's set in a small close-knit town and is complete with colorful endearing characters. Memories of my childhood lived in a small town crept out of the dusty cobwebbed corners of my mind. Pelletier knows how to move readers with characters, scenes and circumstance. They congealed to further impact my emotions. The climax tugged at my heartstrings. Another one of the Pelletier's stunning writing achievements!!
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Summary: Emotionally Engaging!
Review: Absolutely loved this book! I must echo completely the comments of barblatch@hotmail.com, who summed it all up - in my opinion - so perfectly. I would like to add that I applaud the courageous use of a current controversial issue in this novel.
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Summary: "Wonderful novel," says a Maine native!
Review: Although Candles on Bay Street has a different tone from Pelletier's other novels, it still has that Maine beauty. This is a quick read, but a sweet story of a man from Maine and his first love. NOTE: Ms. Pelletier did use the name Pelletier a few times in her novel, but apparently what "Gus" forgot to read was the acknowledgments in the back. All of the names in this book were real people! So get your facts straight, sir!
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Summary: the most moving book i have ever read
Review: Anyone who has ever wondered about or remebered their past loves should read this book! McKinnon takes a tongue-in -cheek approach when weaving this tale of first loves and love lost. Anyone who can't relate to this book, or who doesn't cry in the end, has a heart of stone! I am a teacher and I recommended it to some of my students who have a difficult time finding a good read. A REAL TEAR JERKER!!!
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Summary: A good story on life and death, but somewhat predictable....
Review: Candles on Bay Street was an excellent book. I think however, some of the elements of the book were just too predictable. This is kind of one of those books you either like, or you don't like.
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Summary: Written from the heart
Review: Candles on the Bay was clearly written from the heart and soul of the author. It shows in the beautifully crafted sentences, descriptions and characters, many of whom were inspired by real people near and dear to the author. To everyone after me who reads this book, PLEASE take the time to read the acknowledgements at the end of the book. Also, read everything. Read the quotes at the start of each chapter. Study the perfectly done illustrations and their captions.
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Summary: Great Discovery
Review: For me, this book means alot because being from the St John River Valley, across the border, I know exactly where the author comes from...the sights,sounds and smells she writes about, I know firsthand. Also the story is great...a tear jerker. I will definitly get to read all her other books which bring great memories from this little corner of the world. Bravo, and it's good to have discovered an author from Up-State Maine. Get this book and enjoy...
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Summary: What a beautiful love story!
Review: Fort Kent, ME, a small town on the Canadian border, is the home of Sam Thibodeaux and his wife, Lydia, both veterinarians. The book opens with Sam and Lydia building towards their personal and professional dreams. Dee Dee Michaud, Sam's high school sweetheart, arrives back in town with her nine-year-old son. Sam remembers back to those long ago days when he had special interests in Dee Dee..... and he finds himself more than a bit curious all these years later. Dee Dee, the now single mom has a secret to tell and with this revelation, lives change. Just when I thought here is another story of a man losing interest in his wife for a long, lost love, the turn of events made me not put the book down until every last word had been read and absorbed. Ahhhhh. This was my first read by this author, but was not to be the last. I have since read others by her, and all of her remaining books are on my shelf waiting their turns. Character building was a very positive part of this book.
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Summary: Did I read the same book as everyone else???
Review: Heartwarming romance, inside jokes, etc. etc. I didn't see any of these. (Ok, maybe I wouldn't have used a name that was the same as my own as frequently if I were the author, but if nothing else it is entertaining to see how it'll turn up next.) What I read was the equivalent of an average TV movie-of-the-week: boy grows up next door to girl, boy loves girl but can't tell her, girl breaks boys heart by moving away, boy marries someone else, girl moves back to town with her young son and (surprise) soon is ill and needs boy's help raising the aformentioned son. It is predictable, yes---but you still keep reading, just like you watch the movie of the week to see what happens even though you know the outcome. Fortunately, it is a quick read, and the characters are likable enough that you want to see what happens. And, thanks to the descriptions by the author, you do actually get a feel for the small town this takes place in. I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. My advice is to read it and decide for yourself. There are worse things you could do with the few hours it'll take to make up your own mind.
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Summary: Somewhat of a Disappointment
Review: I began reading this book with great anticipation. Not typically a fan of non-fiction, I decided to give this book a try because the summary looked enticing. I found the author to have a bit too much of a flair for the overly-melodramatic throughout the entire story. At times, the writing gushes of unrealistic thoughts, occurences, and feelings (as they relate to the main characters). While the story itself seemed to be somewhat plausible, the development of the main characters (and their relationships to one another) blew by at lightning speed - way too fast. Things developed at an almost unbelievable pace. The conclusion was extremely predictable. I kept reading, however, hoping that perhaps the author would throw me a curveball and not lead me down the path I was sure to be heading as the story concluded. The only reason I gave this book even two stars was due to the pleasant and most enjoyable descriptions of winter in Maine; the allusions to small-town living during that season elicit thoughts of friends, family and fireside get-togethers. Still, in retrospect, I felt that my time would have been better spent elsewhere.
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