Rating: 
Summary: Gaffney gives us something to savor . . .
Review: Patricia Gaffney's THE SAVING GRACES is one of my favorite reads. She takes ordinary lives and shines a light on them like very few writers can. Fast paced? Action packed? Not one whit. But, if you'll take time to savor her stories, Gaffney can teach you a lot about human nature. I liked Caddie Winger, her off-beat grandmother and all the folks at Wake House. I even liked Christopher the Cad. All of Gaffney's characters in THE GOODBYE SUMMER have specific shoes to fill. Without even one of them, the story would be incomplete. I agree with another reader . . . I want to be THEA when I grow old. I have a list of things to do before I die, too, although dyeing my hair red isn't on it. *Grin* Treat yourself to a slow, calm, studied look at real people facing life's challenges. Growing old is not for sissies. Neither is growing up. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: A book to savor
Review: Caddie is a young woman who has led a very odd life. It's a wonder she is as dependable and compassionate as she is.We should all be so lucky to have someone so "boring" in our lives. Nana is not your usual milk and cookies grandma. She is a strange, sometmes bitter old lady, on a painful slide into the world of alzheimers disease. But as eccentric as she is, her love for Caddie is always obvious. We have all known guys like Chris. He's not a horrible person, but self centered and undependable. A believable heel. Henry McGill is a wonderful hero. He is a slow moving guy. You would be too, if you were recovering from a tragic, life altering accident. Thea is the "old" lady I want to be when it's my time. Full of zest for life, and a warm loving heart, she is a magical character. Cornel is a lonely old man who has almost succeeded in convincing himself he doesn't need to care about the rest of his life.Almost All of these lives are intertwined in a rich story infused with Pat Gaffney's usual warmth, humor, and compassion. Nobody wants to get old, everybody will. I loved reading about how the characters in this book are handling the stages of their lives. Old people, wounded people, lead slow lives. You don't heal quickly from a terrible hurt, and you don't get old quickly. Patricia Gaffney has written a beautiful book to remind us of this.I'm a little sorry for readers who found this book to be "slow". How fast and busy their lives must be. I can't imagine not wanting to find out what happens to all of these extraordinary characters, or missing Caddie's "interviews". THE GOODBY SUMMER is a book to be savored, not gobbled.It is most deserving of whatever time it takes to be read.
Rating:
Summary: A book to savor
Review: Caddie is a young woman who has led a very odd life. It's a wonder she is as dependable and compassionate as she is.We should all be so lucky to have someone so "boring" in our lives. Nana is not your usual milk and cookies grandma. She is a strange, sometmes bitter old lady, on a painful slide into the world of alzheimers disease. But as eccentric as she is, her love for Caddie is always obvious. We have all known guys like Chris. He's not a horrible person, but self centered and undependable. A believable heel. Henry McGill is a wonderful hero. He is a slow moving guy. You would be too, if you were recovering from a tragic, life altering accident. Thea is the "old" lady I want to be when it's my time. Full of zest for life, and a warm loving heart, she is a magical character. Cornel is a lonely old man who has almost succeeded in convincing himself he doesn't need to care about the rest of his life.Almost All of these lives are intertwined in a rich story infused with Pat Gaffney's usual warmth, humor, and compassion. Nobody wants to get old, everybody will. I loved reading about how the characters in this book are handling the stages of their lives. Old people, wounded people, lead slow lives. You don't heal quickly from a terrible hurt, and you don't get old quickly. Patricia Gaffney has written a beautiful book to remind us of this.I'm a little sorry for readers who found this book to be "slow". How fast and busy their lives must be. I can't imagine not wanting to find out what happens to all of these extraordinary characters, or missing Caddie's "interviews". THE GOODBY SUMMER is a book to be savored, not gobbled.It is most deserving of whatever time it takes to be read.
Rating:
Summary: sentimental read
Review: Caddie is thirty-two years old. She teaches piano and seems to have an innocent view of life. Caddie lives with her grandmother (Nana) and takes care of her. It's the start of summer. Nana breaks her leg and goes to a convalescent home to recover. Caddie gets to know the other elderly patients. She's generous with her time and affections, whereas Nana dislikes everyone and behaves selfishly. With her new-found freedom, Caddie looks to date and get out more. And she does.... Through two patients, Caddie discovers how to take risks and follow her passions. Caddie also discovers how to deal with mistakes, surprising revelations, loss, and moving on. But maybe the hardest part for Caddie and Nana will be saying goodbye to summer and their memorable experiences. _The Goodbye Summer_ has some inspirational moments from the viewpoints of the elderly characters and Caddie. Caddie may be an adult, but most of the seniors treat her like their child. They teach and guide her. They even come close to getting them all in trouble. They share their stories and their desires to continue on, not to lie about complaining. They also counsel Caddie through some serious moments in the storyline. _The Goodbye Summer_ is an endearing story that will easily touch those who enjoy fiction novels aimed at the heart their emotions.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Far from being boring, or moving too slowly, this particular novel merely moves at the proper pace of human interactions; that is, the action of the plot is contained in conversations. (Sorry! No car chases or exploding buildings in this one!) You will recognize this style of writing from Jane Austen, and it's one that we see far too little of, perhaps because it doesn't sell well. Another thing that many modern readers are bound to find "boring" or "slow" are the elderly, and this novel is peopled with them. All to the good, because they prove to be wonderful characters. If your passion is ripping suspense yarns, or watching TV, then do skip this book, because you won't like it. But if you reread Bronte and Austen, then this lovely bit of quiet, excellent writing will make your day.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the greatest
Review: I have read a few of Patricia Gaffney's books, so I was really looking forward to this one for my first book of the summer.
I'm sorry to say I was very disappointed. The main character, Caddie, is wishy-washy and spineless, and absolutely no fun at all. I questioned her desire to "hang out" at the old folks/recovery home. The other residents of Wake House were even more boring than Caddie, and their biographies throughout the book didn't help change my impressions!
I'll wait for a library copy of her next book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully wise
Review: I have to begin by admitting I'm an unabashed Patricia Gaffney fan, and have been since devouring The Saving Graces. I love the way she illuminates ordinary life, finding the extraordinariness in everyday experiences. Her characters exist in my imagination as if they were real people, people I've known and loved. In addition to the warmth and wisdom she brings to her stories, I also completely adore the deceptively easy, relaxed quality of her prose. She writes in a conversational style that seems as if it might be the easiest thing on earth to do...but it isn't. Anything by Patricia Gaffney is an auto-buy for me--if you're looking for a warm, true, satisfying read, check this one out.
Rating: 
Summary: "The Boring Summer"
Review: I just finished reading this story and must say that I only did so because it was sent to me for review. Overall, I'm left feeling the story droned on and on for far too long with very little character evolution to support its length and plot dynamics. Over the six month period that Frances left home and stayed at Wake House, it seems that Caddie experiences more in her life than she ever has - at the age of thirty-two. However, by the end, she doesn't appear to be any different than when I first met her -- with the exception of having met Magill. Having endured the humiliation of being dumped by Christopher, the loss of dear Thea, the devastating miscarriage, etc., one would expect there to be a dramatic contrast between Caddie's life before Nana's leave from home and the one she has after Nana's return. Yet, the only difference now is the presence of Magill and her newly discovered "family". Considering the length of the story and the intimate time spent in Caddie's life, I think it would be much more satisfying to readers to see her evolve from the seemingly frumpy, oddball, recluse who needs to get out more, to an inspiring, vivacious and optimistic presence. It's implied in a few lines of dialogue with Magill in the end, but that's just not enough to cement it, given the story's length. Why should I believe Caddie won't just regress and continue to push Magill and others away? In the end, the book would be better suited with a title of "The Boring Summer".
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money - BORING!
Review: I picked this up in an airport because I loved The Saving Graces and was looking forward to being engrossed in a great novel during a long flight. What a disappointment! This was a long, boring book about a pathetic woman who has all kinds of new experiences over the course of the story but never changes! You'd think that after moving her Grandmother (who she lives with) into a nursing home, finding a boyfriend, getting dumped and having a miscarriage she would learn SOMETHING and develop into a stronger person. That was not the case at all. I was so disappointed in this book that I won't purchase another Patricia Gaffney hardcover.
Rating: 
Summary: I was bored
Review: I was really looking forward to this book, and totally let down. I loved Saving Graces, but this was a total disappointment to me. It moved so slow, I only got through half of the book. I was bored, so I just simply stopped reading it. Maybe the ending would've made it worthwile, but I wasn't pulled in enough to get there.
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