A Light in the Window

by Jan Karon

Paperback, 1996

Call number

FIC KAR

Collection

Publication

Penguin (1996), 416 pages

Description

Fiction. Literature. HTML:In this beautifully crafted second novel in the Mitford series, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon delivers a love story that's both heartwarming and hilarious.  Father Timâ??Mitford's rector and lifelong bachelorâ??is in need of divine intervention. His attractive neighbor is tugging at his heartstrings. A wealthy widow is pursuing him with hot casseroles. And his red-haired Cousin Meg has moved into the rectory, uninvited.  Only time will tell if the village parson can practice what he preaches. Filled with the miracles and mysteries of everyday life, A Light in the Window is an affirmation of what some of us already know: Life in a small town is rarely quiet. And absolutely never b… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member foggidawn
After sixty years as a bachelor, Father Tim has fallen madly in love with his next-door neighbor Cynthia. The problem is that he's afraid, afraid of the irrevocability of opening his heart to another person, afraid to let someone else into his comfortable, settled life. And when he draws back, it
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causes both of them pain. When Cynthia takes an extended trip to New York, will Fr. Tim gain a greater appreciation of what he stands to lose? And of course, even as Fr. Tim and Cynthia are caught up in the throes of romance, life in Mitford goes on. Fr. Tim must also continue to deal with raising a boy who came to him out of hard circumstances, playing host to a reclusive cousin who takes up residence in his guest room, and being pursued by a recently widowed parishioner who's clearly interested in more than just pastoral care.

This is one of my favorite Mitford novels, though in truth I love all of them. The romance and character development are just splendidly written. Another comfort read that I highly recommend!
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Intermixed with enjoyable scenes of life in Mitford is the very real battle that Father Tim goes through as he learns to let go of fear, open his heart to love, and become vulnerable. I enjoyed these themes on both the level of his romance with Cynthia, and on the level of one's relationship with
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God. Ms. Karon writes a story that contains some traditional "romance" elements such as misunderstandings and separations - but she makes them real in that her characters work through their difficulties and aren't driven by lust. I love Father Tim.
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LibraryThing member universehall
Although this book was a very fun read - rich, fulfilling and just as pleasant as the first one - I would have to say that I didn't think it was quite as good as the first.

But isn't that always the case with sequels? Everything that was so sharp and clear in the first book becomes a little muted
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with repetition in the second one. The problems that engrossed you so in the first book have been (necessarily) swapped for new ones in the second book, and perhaps these don't resonate with you quite as well as the first ones did.

Maybe some of the plot devices in this one more clearly announced themselves as sheer plot devices. Maybe a few situations seemed a little artificial, purely designed to move along the story or create conflict.

But did I enjoy the book? Yes. Will I purchase a copy of the third book? Yes.

And I can confidently say that if you enjoyed the first book, you'll enjoy this book as well.
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LibraryThing member MrsLee
This book is as good and entertaining as the first. One simply melds into the mindset and country of Mitford as you read. Lots of humor here as the author puts lots of pressure on Father Tim to refine him and get him out of his comfort zone.
LibraryThing member ShawnMarie
The Mitford Series of Jan Karon is one set of books that I read over and over, about once a year. I love the characters, the small town and the basic humanity of the stories.

The first and still the best in the series.
LibraryThing member wingedpotato
Even better than the first in this series of "gentle fiction." If the first book was a drink of cool water, this one felt more like a mug of hot chocolate--more emotional intensity, but still easy to swallow.
LibraryThing member marciathing
Not so good as the first book; not so many new characters and events. I might still read the next one to see whether Dooley adapts well to an expensive private school...
LibraryThing member SABC
This is filled with miracles and mysteries of everyday life. Realizing that life in a small town is rarely quiet and absolutely never boring.
LibraryThing member Joycepa
In this second book of the series, we are treated to the further adventures of Father Tim, Barnabas, Dooley, Miss Sadie and all the other now well-established townsfolk. Father Tim is struggling with his relationship with Cynthia--agonizing over the correct action and terrified of making a
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commitment. But despite his desperation to keep his distance, his has not one but TWO widows after him, one fairly unsavory. The romantic plot thickens.

Meantime, work is going ahead on Hope House, the assisted living home that is the dream of Miss Sadie. Dooley is a teenage handful, and the construction boss on he Hope House site is making himself vastly unpopular throughout Mitford. And life goes on for the residents of this small town set in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

There’s not a lot of action in this book--just every day living, which Karon is superb at bringing alive. She has cut back some on her presentation of Christianity; it’s still there but it’s not as ubiquitous as in the first book; it leans more towards religion in fiction rather than religious fiction.

Highly recommended for those who want a break from action-adventure spy thrillers, police procedurals, and noir in general.
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LibraryThing member karriethelibrarian
This is the second book in the Mitford Series, and if you liked the first book, you'll adore this one. Don't miss it.
LibraryThing member seoulful
A delightful continuation of the dramas of the townfolk of Mitford, the most important of which is the developing love between Father Tim and his neighbor, Cynthia. All does not go smoothly when you consider that Father Tim is a 60 year old bachelor with a lot of psychological baggage from his
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childhood. All of the old favorite characters from At Home in Mitford as well as some new are presented for our reading pleasure.
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LibraryThing member jlapac
I have read this book before and really enjoy the recounting of small town life. I like the way the author makes the characters human. I like how they don't always get it perfect. I also like how she recounts the thoughts they have in their heads. I did think that the Edith Mallory parts of the
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story were a bit too much.
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LibraryThing member NellieMc
Just as pleasant as the first book in the series - and the Hero finally gets his woman!
LibraryThing member Liladillerauthor
I had a really hard time staying focused on this story, as there didn't seem to be one major plot; there were just a lot of little subplots all involving Rector Tim but not meshing into one overarching storyline. I also did not like the ending, no explanation at all! :(
LibraryThing member NadineC.Keels
Among other goings-on in the town of Mitford, Father Tim is having trouble with women. His eccentric cousin Meg, whom he happens not to know, shows up for an uninvited, indefinite stay at his house. Recently widowed Edith is hot on Father Tim’s bachelor tail. Not to mention that he’s falling
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for his neighbor, Cynthia, and he doesn’t know what to do about it in A Light in the Window, a novel by author Jan Karon.

Another delightful jaunt through town in this second book in the Mitford Years series. So endlessly cute and humorous. And I always appreciate a read where the author can continually surprise me. They don’t have to be big, flashy surprises, but even cleverly simple ones keep me engaged and on my toes. I like not being able to predict everything the story or a character is going to say or do next.

One stretch I enjoyed most in this novel was the small-town Christmas season. But even more than that, there’s something refreshing about a main character in his sixties who’s never been married, feeling clueless as he navigates the daunting twists and turns of romance and wonders at the untapped recesses of his own heart. I’ll admit there were a few times when Cynthia aggravated me more than Tim did, but some of their letters to each other made me ache in a (very good) way I’m not sure I’ve ached before, while reading a love story. Just…gol-lee.

When a novel can make you slap it closed and literally hug it after you’ve finished it, something definitely went right. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.
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LibraryThing member cyderry
A return to Mitford finds Father Tim with woman problems - he has a weird "cousin" arrive unexpectedly from Ireland, girlfriend issues with Cynthia, and widow Edith is anxious to replace her deceased husband with him.

It was a heart-warming read, but I really had a hard time staying connected to the
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story. I don't think I will be reading anymore from this series, just too blah for me.
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LibraryThing member judyg54
This is the 2nd novel in this Mitford series and picks up where book one left off. This small town is never boring and there is always something going on. As the back cover says so well regarding this book and Father Tim: "His attractive neighbor is tugging at his heartstrings. A wealthy widow is
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pursuing him with hot casseroles. And his red-haired Cousin Meg has moved into the rectory uninvited." I found myself laughing out loud a couple times in this story. It is not, for me, a spell-binding, can't -put -down kind of story, but a refreshing, see- what- happens -next in this town and to Father Tim kind of story that I can pick up and read a few chapters whenever I have some time. Will definately continue to read the other books in this series.
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LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
Mitford is one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone else. If you grew up in a small town, you probably know people just like these. The book is set in a peaceful past; I suspect the snows of 1960 might have influenced the snows in this book.

The 60-year-old Father Tim has much to learn
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from his parishioners and friends in this installment. His neighbor, Cynthia, also has much to teach. And Cousin Meg from Ireland ... let's just say she has much to teach as well.

This book really had me empathizing with Father Tim and Cynthia. I understand how hard it is to finally fall in love when you are older. So I read to see the thoughts of two kind people who care for each other but are perhaps set in their ways.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the people portrayed. In trying times, this book was a balm to my spirit. As the book focuses on Father Tim, it isn't surprising Christianity is interwoven in the story.

I strongly suggest that a reader starts at the beginning of the series (At Home in Mitford) so that the reader experiences the whole story and enjoys the book as the story grows with the characters.
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LibraryThing member hklibrarian
The romance goes on--like a see saw and more like real life (between the father and his next door neighbor). Jan keeps the pathos going in this second book of the Mitford series and I couldn't put it down once again!
LibraryThing member m.belljackson
This second book in the series has more plot and less proselytizing.

Still, there is the tiring trope of the absent minded rector not seeing that
his cousin is stealing from him as did the Attic Man in his church.

Also readers may hope hthat he becomes less timid and more taking action when needed.

Pages

432

ISBN

0140254544 / 9780140254549

Lexile

890L
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