Rating: Summary: LAKE HENRY - A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT-- A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE Review: This is only the second book I've read by Barbara Delinsky, the first being Three Wishes, and I definitely enjoyed this one more than the other. The setting is a beautiful town in New Hampshire called Lake Henry, where the residents are very protective of their own. Lily Blake was born in Lake Henry but left to pursue some career dreams. She has a wonderful life in Boston as a teacher and a part-time job in an exclusive private dinner club playing the piano and singing. She also has a close friend, Fran Rosetti, who has just been elevated to Cardinal in the Catholic church. Of course, now that Lily's life is almost perfect, something has to come around to destroy it. That something is Terry Sullivan, a journalist, who prints a damaging story of the relationship between Lily and the new Cardinal. The story is untrue but the damage has been done and Lily returns in shame to her hometown.The good news is that Lily finds strength and support from her former neighbors. She also rekindles a friendship with John Kipling, who has also returned home to Lake Henry and is now the editor of the local newspaper. Together, they forge a bond and find out that there is strength in numbers. Was this another Thorn Birds? Definitely not....just a good, well-written, enjoyable book.
Rating: Summary: A wonderful story - very timely Review: I've never read a book by Barbara Delinsky I haven't enjoyed. So why did it take me nearly two years from the time I bought LAKE NEWS to read it? I'm not sure, but I am sorry I didn't read it sooner. This is a fabulous story and very timely. Lily Blake has had a longterm friendship with Father Francis Rosetti. When he is elevated to Cardinal, an unscrupulous newspaper reporter, in his attempt to dig up some dirt, accuses Lily and Father Rosetti of having an affair. This results in a media frenzy, Lily losing her jobs (music teacher and a singer/piano player at a private club) and having to flee her Boston home. Unable to afford an attorney to help clear her name, she seeks refuge in her hometown of Lake Henry, New Hampshire. Although she hides out at first, Lake Henry takes care of their own. Befriending her is John Kipling, the editor of the local newspaper, THE LAKE NEWS. John has always wanted to write a book and with the news of Lily's alleged affair he feels he has the perfect subject. When he discovers her pleas of innocence, he decides the theme of her story can be the misuse of power by the press and paparazzi (which at one point in the story are called "princess murderers). But as he gets to know Lily and begins to fall in love with her, it's clear that his goals have to be something a bit different. He attempts to exonerate Lily by discovering what made the reporter want to exact revenge on Lily and/or Father Fran in the first place. This is a compelling read, absolutely unputdownable. I was up until nearly 3 AM in the morning finishing it. Delinsky is a wonderful writer and storyteller! Both John and Lily have issues with their parents to deal with in an attempt to get to know themselves better. There's a wonderful little secondary romance between Lily's younger sister and a writer who is also attempting to write a book on the brouhaha. I also loved the way Lily dealt with her 10-year-old niece, Hannah, an awkward child who just needs some extra TLC. And how, do you ask, do you follow-up such a wonderful read? By reading another Barbara Delinsky book, of course! I'm off to grab THE VINEYARD off my TBR pile! Maudeen Wachsmith, Charter Member Reviewers International Organization (RIO)
Rating: Summary: A new Favorite Author!! Review: I took a chance on this book in an airport gift shop & it was like finding the hidden treasure! I knew nothing about this author, had heard nothing about the book. In fact, I had two other books in my hand - both by authors I routinely read - but elected to try the "new" one! It was a chance well worth taking! I just simply loved this book - the characters, the storyline(s), the interaction between the characters, & the little town. In recommending this book to my best friend, I told her, "It's about REAL people - complete with REAL problems, joys, fears, goals, faults, etc." Cindy said, "And, you mean this is a good thing?" But, she took my advice, read the book & immediately went to her used book store & bought every other Delinsky title she could find! She & I have subsequently read several more Delinsky books & have loved them one & all. Delinsky writes with a poignant realism that makes you fall in love with her characters. The reader actually becomes a part of the book! I could easily see myself on the main street of the town, visiting with the people as they came out of the post office. Highest recommendations!!
Rating: Summary: A new Favorite Author!! Review: I took a chance on this book in an airport gift shop & it was like finding the hidden treasure! I knew nothing about this author, had heard nothing about the book. In fact, I had two other books in my hand - both by authors I routinely read - but elected to try the "new" one! It was a chance well worth taking! I just simply loved this book - the characters, the storyline(s), the interaction between the characters, & the little town. In recommending this book to my best friend, I told her, "It's about REAL people - complete with REAL problems, joys, fears, goals, faults, etc." Cindy said, "And, you mean this is a good thing?" But, she took my advice, read the book & immediately went to her used book store & bought every other Delinsky title she could find! She & I have subsequently read several more Delinsky books & have loved them one & all. Delinsky writes with a poignant realism that makes you fall in love with her characters. The reader actually becomes a part of the book! I could easily see myself on the main street of the town, visiting with the people as they came out of the post office. Highest recommendations!!
Rating: Summary: only finished reading it so I could say I've read it Review: from a huge fan--have read most of her books over the past ten years. This one lacks the passion and compelling characters of her other books. Try other Barbara Delinsky books instead.
Rating: Summary: Enjoyed it Review: I'm new reading this author and I am going to read Barbara Delinsky again. I read this book quickly and enjoyed it throughly. Good story about media sensationalism and character assasination. A little bit of romance but no sticky fake romance novel love.
Rating: Summary: The Power of the Media Review: Lake News by Barbara Delinsky Lounge singer Lily Blake is falsely accused of having an affair with a high-ranking Catholic Church official in Barbara Delinsky's LAKE NEWS, a novel that shows how the news media can easily destroy someone's reputation and life forever. Lily Blake was living the life she had always dreamed of, a simple life in the middle of Boston, away from a family that did not always respect the choices that she had made in her past. Her close friendship with the newly appointed Cardinal Rossetti is misconstrued as something more, and the front page news headlines drives Lily back to the hometown of her childhood, Lake Henry, New Hampshire. Starting her life over again is not easy, but Lily has no other choice. Her life in Boston is over. Until this huge news story blows over, she could not return to Boston. She is asked to resign from her teaching job and is also told that she has been replaced at her lounge gig. Upon her return to Lake Henry, Lily meets John Kipling, a newspaper editor of the local newspaper who also happened to work for the local Boston paper at one time in his life. Tired of the games large newspapers play, and having been badly burnt by the same man that betrayed Lily in the Boston papers, he returned home to Lake Henry to deal with a simpler type of news writing. The quiet life along the lake and the small-town news stories that he edits is a good change for John. As Lily and John slowly get to know each other, the reader learns about their painful family histories and the loved ones that caused them such unhappiness. To everyone's surprise, Lily takes an interest in the family apple business and hides out amongst the apple presses as the media slowly loses interest in her story. And John tries to connect with his elderly father, and man that never seemed to approve of anything John did. However, John is torn about his latest book project: he's writing a book based on Lily's experience with the press and he's falling in love with her. Will this compromise their relationship if he went ahead with the book? LAKE NEWS was a very enjoyable book for me. It was far more complex that I had imagined it to be, with the story line of the news frenzy behind Lily Blake's relationship with the Cardinal, to the complex family dynamics that go on between her family. And the story line concerning John and his bitter father ended with a complete surprise for me. LAKE NEWS was my first Barbara Delinsky book and will definitely not be my last. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: You should read this book! Review: When I found this book in a bargain bin at a bookstore, I was immediately drawn to two things about it: 1.) it was set in my home state (NH) and 2.) it was about a music teacher. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. I loved it. Barbara Delinsky writes expertly about characters who find themselves in unjust situations, and this book is no different. I also love the sequel (A Betrayed Woman). I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read stories about women, nature, and protagonists in unjust situations.
Rating: Summary: A Story About Love and Trust Review: This story is about a young women's life that is destroyed by a bogus story in a national paper. She is accused of having an affair with a Cardinal and she loses everything. She flees Boston and goes back to her hometown, Lake Henry. There she must deal with the tension of a disapproving mother and a local reporter from the "Lake News". It was well written and interesting.
Rating: Summary: a beautiful book Review: This is the first Barbara Delinsky's book I've ever read. It is certainly beautifully written. However, the first half of this book goes too slowly - I spent a couple of weeks reading the first half, but no more than one day to finish the rest of the book.
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