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Summary: beautiful, heart wrenching, tender love story
Review: I read "Candles on Bay Street" overnight, I couldn't put it down. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. This book makes you feel like you are part of the small town and friends with the main characters. Trooper is the same age as my grandson, and I felt so deeply for him. First loves are never forgotten. My husband read and enjoy this book also.
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Summary: This was a gut-wrenching book- I cried for the last 50 pages
Review: I read McKinnon's other book (although I've read so many since I can't remember it!) I thought this one was very well written. The story was wonderful. When Sam's first love returned, I was rooting for them to be together without hurting his wife-- and the author found a way to link them all together. The story had some similarities to Luanne Rice's "Cloud Nine."
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Summary: A must for anyone who has ever loved and remembers.....
Review: I read the excerpt from the June issue of GOOD HOUSEKEEPING and then I went and purchased the book and read it for the second time, I was very compelled from beginning to end. The second read was as good as the first, even though I knew what would happen it was still very emotional. I felt like I knew every character. I look forward to more books by K.C. McKINNON. This book was an inspiration to me, it hit very close to home. I will pass this book on to everyone I know who will return it to me, because I will read it again and again!
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Summary: A warmhearted story about life and love in a small town.
Review: I read this story in an evening. It held my interest well and the characters were very believable. It is a simple story with alot of predictability yet I was captured with the feelings of the characters and their love for each other. It made me wish I could go home again.
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Summary: Have tissues handy!
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, but I felt like I really knew the characters and understood their feelings. If you're looking for a short book and a good cry -- this is for you!
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Summary: A Review From the Male POV
Review: I want to acknowledge upfront that this book is a 5 star in the hearts and minds of all of my women friends that have read it. It was passed on to me by an Aunt that insisted I should try to option it to make it into a film. After having read it... I thought it was dreck, not because of the story, but because of the way it was told and the writing style... which leads me to believe it has a very specific reader audience.The novel starts off great. I am immediately in the heart and mind of the main character Sammy. He recounts first love in a way that drew me right in. I longed for this relationship, and was even more impressed with how it turned out as Sammy ends up going to veterinary school. It was at this point a very cute and endearing story of life in a small city and first love. The book started to unravel (for me) right around page 30. It is transformed into this serious story from the time Dee Dee (15 years later) moves back into Sammy's world. If the story had been told or built at this point on the notion of Sammy having his first true love as well as his wife that he loved... well, then I would have had an intersting story. But unfortunately, the author (and completely unsubtly) drops hints that Dee Dee is going to die. Thus, the rest of the book is a painfully written 230 additional pages milking the emotion of a loved one dying. I know that there are people that are going to be pissed with this review, but please take the time to think through how the relationship is dependent on what Sammy tells us. There is no character development beyond constantly confronting the inevitable. Additionally, we certainly would have had higher stakes had the relationship been built and it had been even a hint of a surprise what was to come. Had we been offered the opportunity by the writer to truly feel Sammy's delight with the return of Dee Dee... she would not have been treated as a decaying corpse from the get go... thus the devastation on Troup's life would have brought me to tears too. Bottom line... this book is going to be considered great by a lot of people, but it saddens me that such a wonderful story was so poorly told. So for anyone that thinks this should be made into a movie, you are probably right... just don't hire the author to write the screenplay.
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Summary: Go Back Home Again
Review: I was reminded of so many wonderful things about returning "home" when I read "Candles on Baystreet." I too have been far away from home for over 10 years and when I read this book I found it heartwarming- it really moved me, which doesn't happen all too often because most books are predictable and use gimmicks to move emotions. And the author's descriptions of the town remind me of a place I have gone to and remember with great fondness; she certainly captures the small town feeling and community spirit of a small town in northern Maine. As far as the setting, it was great to read a book that was set in an unknown town near the tip of Maine; it added an aura of mystery to the book because my imagination had to kick in to create the beautiful place she described. The main character is compassionate and sensitive despite having to face the feelings from the past when his high school girl friend comes back to town. The author conveys honesty throughout in the actions and dialogue of the characters. I was surprised at where the book took me- it was unpredictable and a great joy to read. The only problem was I was sad when I reached the last page and realized the story was over. I highly recommend this book to people who want to read a story that handles the characters sympathetically, while being believable and a joy to read and become familiar with the characters in "Candles on Baystreet." I almost felt like I knew them. :)
Rating:
Summary: Go Back Home Again
Review: I was reminded of so many wonderful things about returning "home" when I read "Candles on Baystreet." I too have been far away from home for over 10 years and when I read this book I found it heartwarming- it really moved me, which doesn't happen all too often because most books are predictable and use gimmicks to move emotions. And the author's descriptions of the town remind me of a place I have gone to and remember with great fondness; she certainly captures the small town feeling and community spirit of a small town in northern Maine. As far as the setting, it was great to read a book that was set in an unknown town near the tip of Maine; it added an aura of mystery to the book because my imagination had to kick in to create the beautiful place she described. The main character is compassionate and sensitive despite having to face the feelings from the past when his high school girl friend comes back to town. The author conveys honesty throughout in the actions and dialogue of the characters. I was surprised at where the book took me- it was unpredictable and a great joy to read. The only problem was I was sad when I reached the last page and realized the story was over. I highly recommend this book to people who want to read a story that handles the characters sympathetically, while being believable and a joy to read and become familiar with the characters in "Candles on Baystreet." I almost felt like I knew them. :)
Rating:
Summary: Great book; it had me going
Review: I was thrilled to read a 'love story' about that didn't turn out to be sleazy! I'm not into explicit sex in books, and the fact that the main character didn't follow the flame of his past was a great plus for me. And considering that the book is based in northern Maine, and I have lived in Maine all my life, made it easier for me to visualize the setting (though I've not been to northern Maine before). All in alll, a refreshing book to read. Read it in one sitting while at the beach last summer.
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Summary: Sad but lovely
Review: I'm not surprised that the dust jacket for this book doesn't mention that this story is about someone dying; most people probably wouldn't pick up the book if it did, to read such a sad story. I was surprised when death entered the plot and stayed there. I felt a bit fooled by the dust jacket, actually. But the story was lovely. The author's writing style is so gentle and flowing. She makes me want to live in a small town in Maine in the worst way. This story is told by a man, Sam, working as a vet in his small home town. His first love, a free spirit named Dee Dee, unexpectedly returns to town with her young son. She and her son become an integral part of Sam's life again, and the life of his wife. Dee Dee makes candles for a living - I loved this aspect. This book tells a melancholy but sweet story. After being initially surprised by it, I would definitely recommend it. I went on to buy more by this author once I started it.
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