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Summary: This story has it all.
Review: It's a little bit of laughter, a little bit of tears and a lot about life. A beautifully written story about four women and the fragile yet ironlike ties that keep them bound together in a unique friendship. Or maybe not so unique, in that they could be me and my friends, or you and your friends. This is a story that will be universally understood and deeply felt by every women who has ever had a friend. I loved it.
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Summary: Best buddy book I have ever read
Review: As you get caught up in the lives of Emma, Rudy, Lee and Isabel you find yourself wishing that they were your friends and that you were one of the SAVING GRACES I read this book in 2 days it was very moving and entertaining
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Summary: Completely satisfying
Review: A totally satisfying book, written in four different voices, each one totally believeable and separate from the others. The story takes you right into the lives of Emma,Isabel, Rudy and Lee and as you grow to know them, you grow to love them as if they were your own dearest friends. The technique of giving each character her own voice works beautifully, and there is never any confusion as to what is going on--the individual perspectives combine seamlessly to paint a complete picture of the lives of these four women, lives we are privileged to share for the all too short time it takes to read the book. I finished The Saving Graces this morning, and have already recommended it to three people. I will continue to tell every woman I know what a superb book Patricia Gaffney has written. I look forward to more.
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Summary: If you read one book this year, make it this one.
Review: If you're looking for a book that's powerful and funny, real and yet joyful, with characters you'll think about long after you've finished it, THIS is the one to buy. Trust me. I'm a picky reader and I loved this story from beginning to end. In fact, I want to buy copies for all my friends, because every woman I know will relate to the characters and situations in this book. It's the kind of read you don't want to put down and you look forward to getting back to. A sophisticated, honest book that shows friendship in all its nurturing and flawed glory. The main characters love, help and understand each other; but they've also got secrets, private irritations and intricate conflicts. There's not a cliché among them. Just four complex, funny women who stick together and help one another make the most of their lives. I honestly hated to finish this book and when I did I felt for days as if I'd lost my best friends. But that's okay because this one's a keeper. I'll just read it again.
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Summary: A one sitting read!
Review: Patricia Gaffney has made a stunning debut in contemporary women's fiction. I could not put this book down. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to hang out with them. These characters will stay with me for a long time to come. If you read one hardcover this summer, read Saving Graces.
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Summary: The power of women's friendships
Review: This novel was everything I wanted it to be--funny, poignant, honest, and well-written. Each narrator's "voice" is distinct, creating a realism and power in a book that stayed with me long after the last page was turned.
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Summary: One of the Top Books of the Year
Review: Get ready for a phenomenal reading experience with THE SAVING GRACES. Gaffney who has been known for her versatile historical romances, pulls out all the stops in this credible story of friendship. One of the top reads of the year!
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Summary: A wonderful story that celebrates the magic of friendships
Review: Every now and again, a special story reaches out and touches your heart. Known best for her wonderful historical romances (especially WILD AT HEART and the Wyckerly Trilogy), Pat Gaffney creates such a story in THE SAVING GRACES--her hardcover and contemporary debut. THE SAVING GRACES is a story of four women--Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel--who despite being diversed in not only their personalities but their backgrounds as well--develop a friendship with one another--one that has last over ten years. Each character takes turn telling the story; a juggling act that Pat handles with ease (easy for me to say). Through this technique, Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel come alive; their words transcend from the pages--making this foursome three-dimensional, real. You'll laugh with these ladies ... cry with them ... cheer ... dream ... hope ... cringe ... Many times I wanted to reach through the pages and slap them silly--or at least shake their shoulders. The reason is simple. While fictional, this story could be about you ... about me. In fact, the friendships described remind me a lot of a group of friends I've developed online--with women who have planned gatherings together, traveled long distances to see, who e-mail and send instant messages, who get into chat rooms and post on messageboards. More than that, IRL (in real life), you probably have an Emma, a Rudy, a Lee, an Isabel ... and like these ladies, they are there for you--through your ups and your downs. When I first read THE SAVING GRACES (I badgered Pat for an ARC months ago--one that I had to immediately send back so that she could share it with her mom), I asked Pat why she wrote SAVING GRACES(because it is so different from her previous stories), she told me, "Because I had to." It is now 7:35 A.M. Not an unGodly hour, right? For me, it is. I'm usually fast asleep (I start work in the afternoon), but I just finished reading THE SAVING GRACES (I shamelessly begged Pat for another ARC), and I cannot get Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel off my brain--they have me reminiscing my friendships--past and present. THE SAVING GRACES is a story that celebrates friendships among women. Read it ... and if you cherish it like I do, tell another friend ... and another ... and another ... Because as I told Pat, I'm awfully glad she told us this story.
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Summary: A wonderful, wonderful book!
Review: I loved everything about this book, so it's tough to single out specifics. The four first person voices are brilliantly done, each character distinct with her own strengths, flaws, and humor. The relationships are true and real and warm. The story is new while drawing on classic, universal themes, and the wit and intelligence throughout make reading this novel a deeply satisfying experience, as if you were listening to your best friends confide in you. I literally couldn't put it down, and I'll be re-reading it again and again.
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Summary: Great women's contemporary fiction
Review: In 1988, five women met for the first time, an event that began a tradition of discussion and sharing. Joanne did not last long as she left the DC area to accompany her lover when he moved to Detroit. Over the next decade, Rudy, Lee, Isabel, and Emma meet twice a month. Over time they called their club, THE SAVING GRACES. Each one of them currently faces a personal crisis that threatens to end their club and destroy their close friendships. Rudy's nasty spouse demands more of her time. Lee is spiraling downward into a deep depression over her seeming inability to have a baby. Isabel has fallen in love with her neighbor. Emma quits her job to begin writing the next great novel even though she suffers from writer's block. Together, this group can conquer anything. Separately any one of them can easily fail. THE SAVING GRACES is women's contemporary fiction at its absolute best. The story line is told from the various perspectives of the four women. This allows readers to observe more than just the essence of the characters. Instead, the audience sees events from the relative position of each individual, which turns readers into feeling as if they belong to the club. This writing technique is dangerous as contradictions can easily surface and the plot can bog down with confusion. However, Patricia Gaffney proves that she is one of the best sub-genre writers with a novel that readers will save and grace the handiest location of their keeper shelf. Harriet Klausner
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