Rating: Summary: Cassandra isn't my favorite Delinsky character Review: Try as I might, I really didn't find much sympathy for Cassandra Ellis, the young, single, successful therapist who yearns for the father she never connected with and who lovingly tends to her comatose mother. Once her father dies, Cassandra's world is turned upside down, inside out and she reels from rather than steels for the ride. I had difficulty following the parallel story lines between Cassandra and patient/relative, the abused Jenny Clyde, and I figured out the "mystery" long before I should have...I even pegged Cassandra's stepmother correctly....and long before Cassandra did. Anyway, I usually like Delinsky's strong women. Cassandra seemed a little whiny to me, always looking for someone to blame for her father's self-imposed isolation, "self-imposed" being the operative word. The "Jenny Clyde" character was more interesting and certainly waged the real battles in this book. Yawn.
Rating: Summary: Barbara Delinski has done it again! Review: and Again! And again! And Again! And Again! And again! And Again! and Again! And again! And Again! And Again! And again! And Again! According to her publisher, Barbara has done it again, and has been doing it again for the last four years! What exactly has she been doing? I don't know but she keeps on doing it. Who is Pete? Why is this question seemingly unanswerable?
Rating: Summary: Excellent Review: Another Barbara Delinsky jewel. This book is one of her best. It keeps you interested and cheering for the characters. Her writing is timeless and beautiful. This book shows the very essence of the human spirit, and our need for love and compassion. The characters are so real, you feel yourself getting very involved in their lives.
The main character, Casey, is so real and believable you feel you know her personally by the end of the book. I couldn't wait to get to the end to see what happened, but then I was so upset because it was over.
Give yourself a treat and read this book!!
Rating: Summary: A Most Delightful Summer Read Review: Barbara Delinsky has caught my fancy and never disappoints me. My daughters and friends have moved this book around their circle of friends. I wanted the story to go on. I want a sequel.
Rating: Summary: charming tale Review: Barbara Delinsky's latest offering demonstrates why she perenially remains on top of the best sellers lists. It is a charming tale of loss and redemption that is just perfect for summer reading.
Renowned psychologist, Dr. Cornelius Unger, bequeaths his spectacular townhouse and all its unusual occupants to his only daughter Casey Ellis. The odd thing is that he has never met or tried to contact his daughter. Casey has always hoped that her father would embrace her while he lived and is bereft at this gift that is too much and too late. While cleaning out her fathers possessions in preparation for selling the townhouse Casey stumbles onto a partial journal describing the case study of a young woman who was abused by her parents and shunned by her neighbors. As she searches for the remainder of the journal and the answers to her questions about her own father she grows to love the townhouse and its occupants, a wary young housekeeper and a patient and an enigmatic gardner. Each story is well conceived and compelling, and filled with richly drawn characters. The two intriguing stories are expertly woven together to a stunning climax.
Rating: Summary: Best-seller great Review: Casey Ellis inherits an elegant Boston townhouse from the father she never knew. As she settles into her legacy, determined to learn about the man, she uncovers bits of an intriguing manuscript secreted throughout the residence. "Jenny's story" leads her on a discovery mission that uncovers the woman's identity and offers a clearer picture of the father Casey never knew. Step by step, as the story moves toward conclusion, Casey also becomes entangled in that forever kind of romance. Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge and Ruth Fever
Rating: Summary: A delightful read that will have you glued to your seat! Review: Casey Ellis may not have warm feelings for the Boston townhouse that her renowned father, Dr. Cornelius Unger, bequeathed to her. But the sight of its garden gives her an immediate sense of belonging. Fueled by anger that the man had never made an attempt to be her father, she carries much resentment when she first inserts the key in his door. How a dead man helps her to peel back the layers of frost on the door to her heart is a story of gratitude and reconciliation. FLIRTING WITH PETE is much more than a romantic novel. Its plot twists and turns with the comparison between two different life stories. A third character, Jenny Clyde, provides the mystery that propels the story forward. Jenny's life in tiny Little Falls is the sad story of a young girl caught between warring parents. When her father is to be released from prison, serving time for her mother's murder, Jenny sees her hopes for a normal life disappear. A trained psychological counselor, Casey sets up practice in the new townhouse. Shuffling through Unger's papers, she discovers a journal that unlocks her curiosity --- the journal is Jenny's story. Although Casey had no contact with Unger while he was alive, she feels that he is reaching out to her with bits and pieces of the journal to help solve a mystery. Casey sees the writings as a link to Unger's little known past. In the manuscript, Jenny copes with her dark past and unknown future by becoming involved with Pete, a strong young stranger who is driving through town on a motorcycle. She is infatuated with him and decides to leave Little Falls with him for a new home out west. Casey's own life experiences run parallel to those of Jenny's when she attempts to solve the puzzle of Jenny's disappearance. Casey honors her father's two wishes when she assumes ownership of his house; she keeps both the maid and the gardener in her employ. Both provide her with the tools not only to unearth roots from Unger's past but also to connect into it. The virile gardener pushes her sexuality beyond limits she has traveled. Delinsky paints a picture of the modern family that examines the deep feelings held by children of different unions. When Casey comes to terms with her own longings, and the reasons behind them, she can let go of former negatives that had guided her. FLIRTING WITH PETE is a delight to read, the type of novel that delays supper and bedtime. Delinsky gets into the hearts and minds of her characters with artful choices of description and styles. They exhibit failings, but they also exhibit necessary qualities to become problem-solvers. They have to work for the resolution of their difficulties. Applause is truly earned when they get it right. --- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad
Rating: Summary: Barbara Delinsky outdoes herself this time! Review: Everything you love about Barabara Delinsky's writing is here in her latest novel, plus some bonuses. This is the first time, well, since "A Woman Next Door," that she has written something you cannot put down. There is suspense, mystery, complex emotional issues, right to life issues, small towns, incest, child molestation, ghosts, suicide, aging parents, grief, etc.. plus much, much more. And, all these themes are tied together beautifully. I rarely give Delinsky 5 stars, but I can see "Flirting With Pete" is a first-rate effort. It really is one of Delinsky's best, if not the best she has ever written. Was there anything I didn't like? I think she gets a little too technical with the medical stuff. An author needs to make sure a novel isn't coming off like a textbook in explanation. However, I am interested in medical stuff, and nature/gardening, so it wasn't that boring for me. That's the problem: if the subject is maple syrup, or apple cider making, and you couldn't care in the least, then getting too technical is a problem. But, here, the whole gardening/flowers aspect of this novel works because there is a sense of nature that parallels the gripping plot. I really got a strong sense of the sprawling three-tiered garden setting, and the multi-level Beacon Hill townhouse that much of this story takes place in. Delinsky's characterization and insight into her characters moods and feelings is so nuanced and precise, I felt like the characters were in the room with me. I did, however, think the cover was a bit too much and gimmicky. But, so what? I don't rate based on a cover and I couldn't care less what's on the jacket. What matters is what's between the covers, and Delinsky has absolutely outdone herself on this novel. One thing that Delinsky does right is to throw in her twists all throughout this novel--unlike some authors (Nicholas Sparks) who make you wait until the very end until the payoff. Delinsky throws in a series of payoffs all throughout her novel, giving the reader some immediate satisfaction, as well as hooking the reader early-on. I'm serious, once you get to the final eight chapters, you will absolutely not be able to put this one down, and I'm usually a slow reader and like to pace myself, but I easily had this done in less than a week. Anyone who liked Delinsky's "Three Wishes" is sure to like "Flirting With Pete". Also Delinsky's writing is as good as Anita Shreve's and similar in tone to the writing in Anita Shreve's "The Last Time They Met" and Anita Shreve's "The Weight of Water". All of those novels had two parallel stories going on which rapidly careen, collide, and intersect in gripping plot twists. Delinsky brilliantly uses foreshadowing ala Anita Shreve, and creates a sense of urgency in the plots, all done through character, making this effort of Barbara Delinsky's so much more than a "romance". I think Delinsky has proven herself, with "Flirting With Pete," to be one of the most accomplished mainstream writers, right up there with the best of fiction writers such as Anita Shreve and Richard Russo(Empire Falls). I've read at least 12 or 13 different novels by Barbara Delinsky, and this is unlike anything I've ever come across from her. Bravo!
Rating: Summary: A different type of novel for Barbara Delinsky Review: FLIRTING WITH PETE by Barbara Delinsky FLIRTING WITH PETE is quite a departure from her regular style of writing, but Barbara Delinsky comes up with a soap-opera-ish plot line in this novel about two very different women who are worlds apart, yet their stories parallel each other. Casey Ellis is a psychotherapist, and while her professional life is successful, her personal life is lacking. Her main problem is dealing with a sad and bitter childhood and an absent father that passes away before she can make contact with him. Her father, Dr. Cornelius "Connie" Unger, was a famous psychologist, and the book opens with Casey in attendance at his memorial service, although she was not invited. All her life she has followed her father's career, and it is to his credit that she pursued the career that she did. Despite her bitterness, she accepts the house that he wills to her upon his death, and she soon moves her office there. The other woman in this novel is Jenny, but her story is told in a series of journals. Casey finds these in her father's house, the house that she inherited upon his death, and as she finds each piece of the journal, she reads about a young woman who lives in fear for her life. According to the journals, Jenny lives alone in her father's house, while her father remains in jail for the murder of her mother. She is a loner, and has been all of her life. She tries to make a life for herself, but it is difficult for her, always feeling like the town outcast. As she tries to move on with her life, she also knows that time is ticking. Her father is due to be released soon. While Casey reads about Jenny, she deals with her current situation of living at her father's spectacular townhouse. She sees her patients there, some of whom seem to have problems that parallel hers. She also becomes "friends" with Meg, a shy woman that was her father's housekeeper, and meets Jordan, her father's gorgeous gardener. At the same time, she deals with her mother who has been in a coma for a long time, and Casey visits her every day, hoping that her mother will awaken. Without giving much away, the two stories of Casey's life and Jenny's life come together into one big climax at the end of the book. They merge into one story, which at first does not seem to be possible, but clues are left here and there, allowing the reader to figure out what common ground both stories may have. FLIRTING WITH PETE was a book choice for my online book club, and I have to say that there were many differing views on this novel. Half the group did not care for it, and preferred Delinsky's older style of writing. I personally loved the book. What I loved about the story was that Delinsky was looking more into the reasons why the characters did what they did, as opposed to focusing on pure action. Yes, there is a lot of action in this book, but I don't feel it is the main point of the story. Delinsky was trying to tell the story of a man who did not know how to love his own daughter, and because of his fears, created a series of actions that brought Casey to where she was today. It's a psychological thriller, to some extent, and I hope others like me will enjoy this novel. I recommend this novel, more to first time readers of Barbara Delinsky. For veteran readers of her works, I want to warn them that this may not be the novel they are expecting.
Rating: Summary: To Inherit & Earn A Mansion Review: FLIRTING WITH PETE deserves multiple awards, for several reasons, not the least being literary techniques deftly executed, well-paced plotting maintaining reader attention at a perfect edge; characters beautifully, appealingly drawn; issues of social impact sensitively dramatized; and entertainment sparks surged throughout.
My main reason for reading novels is the refreshing pleasure of vicarious escape, which is sometimes more gratifying than reality at its best. I rarely force myself to read "Good" books of supposed literary value, which I know, by nature of what intellectuals call literary, will be depressingly soul leaching. I'm rarely in the mood to immerse myself in a book which will off-set my gyroscope and cajole me into a sudden leap off a 50 story building without my cape. This is why my reading of choice has often been Historic Romances or Culinary Cozy Mysteries, though I enjoy certain types of sci fi/fantasy. Once in a while I will cautiously read a mainstream novel, usually by a female author who launched her career in the Romance genre, as Barbara Delinsky did.
Well, okay. I admire certain of the classics. I certainly admire the exquisite wordsmithing. I willingly and voraciously read ATLAS SHRUGGED and FOUNTAINHEAD several times each. There are more glowing examples within the exceptions to my Rule against Good Literature. But that's not the point I'm rolling over at the moment. So I'll slither off it.
In view of a healthy desire to read what truly is good for me (NOT what I'm told is "good" for me), I was pleased to easily get into FLIRTING WITH PETE. Whenever I read anything, in order to apply successful techniques into my own work, I hold a vital question at the front of my mind, "WHAT grabs my attention in this reading so that I'm able to comfortably and completely slip into the book's reality and live totally and refreshingly there, at least for the time during which I'm reading.
In the case of FLIRTING WITH PETE, as is frequently the capture for me, I wanted to wallow in a situation of luxury, like inheriting a SUPER EXPENSIVE, elegant, luxurious, perfect townhouse such as the one Casey was awarded. At the outset of the plot, however, if Casey didn't go there and LIVE, without undue agony and foot dragging, I was going to toss the book out the window.
Yes! I was pleased with the way Delinsky realistically dealt with Casey's naturally flowing pro and con feelings, without allowing any misused traits of stubbornness to deny herself (and the reader) the pleasure of that GIFT for too long. The timing and method of getting Casey into a regular routine at the townhouse was PERFECT. Yippppeeeeeee!!
So, happily and with great, gleeful relish, I was INNNNNNN.
And the author kept me there in perfect pacing throughout the novel, even though I drug my feet through Jenny's painful episodes, especially at first. I found myself skipping to the next Casey segment, reading a bit, to assure myself that there was a reward at the end of the emotionally raw tunnel. Then, I'd return to the Jenny segment and read slowly, emotionally shored, with breaks between bouts of immersion, to renew my emotional strength and heal my psyche. I'm an overly sensitive person, and thus I viscerally experience what I read, especially when reading something very well written (in the reader capture sense).
I might mention the parallels between Jenny's story and Stephen King's CARRIE, similarities of character and plot. Delinsky's rendition on this teen-peer-acceptance issue is realistic, as well as beautifully and sensitively done. As is the case with King's perceptiveness of human nature and angst, Delinsky's psychology background is exposed well here.
Even though I have a master's equivalent in psychology, I hated the term "dysfunctional" upon first hearing it. While I'm TOO functional myself, I feel that those labeled as dysfunctional are done a criminal injustice. When Delinsky noted (regarding Flirting With Pete) that she wanted to write about a dysfunctional character (Jenny), at least once, since her characters had all been functional, I was pleased that she drew Jenny as a true heroine with whom a reader could identify (rather than keeping her at a repulsive, psychological "arms-length"), and brought her from "dysfunctional" to functional. Of course, I saw her as functional all along.
I liked the older term, "Defense Mechanisms," given to the personality dramas creativity exposed in excellent books like, SYBIL, and DIBS, IN SEARCH OF SELF. Some psychologists have noted that Defense Mechanisms are highly creative, admirable ways certain grossly abused psyches have dealt healthily with very painful, difficult situations. Rather than looking down long, critically bumped noses at these "escapes" from realities of torture, these psychologists have shown the various decisive behaviors in the kind, true light of a creative, healthy response, rather than stigmatizing them as dysfunctions, illnesses, neuroses, or psychoses.
I've not only been immersed in psychological studies, but I've also worked with police departments in the Portland, Oregon area. After doing extensive research on the crime, perpetrators, and victims, while hired in the capacity of a community service representative for the Portland Police Department, I gave city-wide talks on rape prevention. I had read incoming, raw police reports on rape for nearly a year. With this experience and more, I can say with confidence and "backup" that Delinsky's characterizations in FWP are realistic, as well as sensitive and triumphantly uplifting.
Furthermore, I believe it's harder to write fiction which builds toward true, clean catharsis, than it is to write trash called glorious (usually accomplished in an alcoholic haze) in which deflation, ennui, or downright despair are the unavoidable reader responses throughout the journey, which invariable ends in the bad taste of a dark mood which lingers in miasmatic stench, beyond the last page of such novels of "Great Literature." Yes, I enjoyed tremendously Delinsky's attitude toward this dark type of highbrow-recommended reading material.
Thankfully, in view of the way publishers are forced to limit the output of most well-received authors, there are a few other Historic Romance (and other genre) writers who have evolved into mainstream novelists without trashing the healthy reading joys inherent in the Romance genre, the fun plotting, spunky characters, refreshing humor, and guaranteed uplifting conclusions.
There's so much more I'd wanted to say about various excellent details of FLIRTING WITH PETE, which struck me as exquisitely done as I was reading, and hoping I would remember a particularly well done statement or segment. I loved the way Delinsky alternated the Jenny segments subplot as pieces of a typed mystery manuscript offered to Casey as a treasure hunt of sorts, tying it in as her father's therapy technique offered in his own published works. What a masterful weaving method incredibly well executed.
I could go through each chapter and excerpt copious examples of beautifully effective prose; I could compliment methods of dancing within issues and handling of situations; I could point out fun, realistic dialogue; fawn over the abundance of sensual, luxuriously descriptive paragraphs. If I did that in the detail in which would be possible, I'd be writing a book about this book!
My hat's (a square cotton neck scarf wrapped around my head) off to all writers who are retaining the best of the healthy entertainment inherent within the genres, while seamlessly blending tasty treats of rich and fancy, creatively refreshing literary footwork.
Linda G. Shelnutt
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