Publication
(2012)
Collection
Call number
Large Print Fiction B
Status
Available
Call number
Description
A moving, multi-generational family story centered around a woman's return to her late grandmother's lake cottage, and the long-buried secrets she uncovers there.
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member indygo88
I always feel bad when I have to give a bad review, but here goes....
This book description sounded good: A young woman (Chelsea) inherits her grandmother's lake cottage -- a cottage that has been boarded up for over 50 years -- as well as all its secrets. So off goes Chelsea to rediscover the
The thing that bothered me the most was the writing style. It was way too flowery, too cliche'd, & just overwhelmingly hokey. I found myself wanting to gag over and over again. There were unnecessary details, cliches, outdated prose, & phrases repeated to excess. Chelsea's thoughts to herself were especially annoying. I often felt like I was reading a bad soap opera -- it was so overly dramatic. I don't consider myself a professional writer (not even close), but this book made me want to sit down & rewrite the whole story. I'm convinced I could've done it better.
This book description sounded good: A young woman (Chelsea) inherits her grandmother's lake cottage -- a cottage that has been boarded up for over 50 years -- as well as all its secrets. So off goes Chelsea to rediscover the
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cottage in an attempt to learn more about her grandmother. The plot was okay. However, it was pretty predictable & not overly original.The thing that bothered me the most was the writing style. It was way too flowery, too cliche'd, & just overwhelmingly hokey. I found myself wanting to gag over and over again. There were unnecessary details, cliches, outdated prose, & phrases repeated to excess. Chelsea's thoughts to herself were especially annoying. I often felt like I was reading a bad soap opera -- it was so overly dramatic. I don't consider myself a professional writer (not even close), but this book made me want to sit down & rewrite the whole story. I'm convinced I could've done it better.
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LibraryThing member kibosa
Loved it! The story flowed so well between present and 1942, the characters were well developed & complemented each other and the plot was very engaging. Although the major points in the story were rather predictable (which I enjoyed how it played out), I couldn't put the book down once started.
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Well done and I will look for more by Robert Barclay. Show Less
LibraryThing member ReviewsFromTheHeart
Once in a blue moon you come across an exceptional book that leaves you in awe of just how great the story is and how emotionally connected to it you are. I have found such a treasure in the latest book from Robert Barclay, More Than Words Can Say, and to say if you haven't read it, you'll want to
The premise of the story takes place at a lakeside cottage tucked away in the Adirondack mountains where Chelsea Bartlett has been left with her grandmother, Brooke's lakeside cottage and the contents of the home in her grandmother's will. The stipulations of the will state that Chelsea can do whatever she wants with the cottage after she visits there and locates the contents of a small tin, her grandmother has hidden beneath the floorboards of the guest bedroom.
Chelsea takes her grandmother's advice and heads to the cottage sure she will sell it once she sees it, but once she arrives, she feels a sense of peaceful tranquility that can't be explained. No one has lived in the cottage for 60 years and is has been carefully looked after by a French couple who were hired by her grandmother's attorney.
Chelsea finds her grandmother's journal and some old photographs hidden in a tin box that will take her back to a summer of 1942, that her grandmother spent at the cottage shortly after the war began and just recently married to Bill. The time at the cottage for Chelsea and reading the contents of the journal will change her life forever in profound and never expected ways as she finds herself transported back to a simpler time during one summer in 1942.
I received More Than Words Can Say compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and was so sad to reach the end of the book. I could perfectly imagine myself sitting on the porch overlooking the lake, hearing the waves lap upon the shore and the smell of pine trees blowing in on the summer breeze as Chelsea spends time with her grandmother in a very special and unique way that will bond them together in a life changing way. If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, then meeting Robert Barclay's characters and writing style will be a literature lottery of sorts. An exceptional read and one you WON'T want to miss. I am HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this one and awarding it 10 out of 10 stars! Trust me, once you read this one, you'll want more!
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pick this one up and completely set aside some time to get lost in the characters and the story.The premise of the story takes place at a lakeside cottage tucked away in the Adirondack mountains where Chelsea Bartlett has been left with her grandmother, Brooke's lakeside cottage and the contents of the home in her grandmother's will. The stipulations of the will state that Chelsea can do whatever she wants with the cottage after she visits there and locates the contents of a small tin, her grandmother has hidden beneath the floorboards of the guest bedroom.
Chelsea takes her grandmother's advice and heads to the cottage sure she will sell it once she sees it, but once she arrives, she feels a sense of peaceful tranquility that can't be explained. No one has lived in the cottage for 60 years and is has been carefully looked after by a French couple who were hired by her grandmother's attorney.
Chelsea finds her grandmother's journal and some old photographs hidden in a tin box that will take her back to a summer of 1942, that her grandmother spent at the cottage shortly after the war began and just recently married to Bill. The time at the cottage for Chelsea and reading the contents of the journal will change her life forever in profound and never expected ways as she finds herself transported back to a simpler time during one summer in 1942.
I received More Than Words Can Say compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review and was so sad to reach the end of the book. I could perfectly imagine myself sitting on the porch overlooking the lake, hearing the waves lap upon the shore and the smell of pine trees blowing in on the summer breeze as Chelsea spends time with her grandmother in a very special and unique way that will bond them together in a life changing way. If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, then meeting Robert Barclay's characters and writing style will be a literature lottery of sorts. An exceptional read and one you WON'T want to miss. I am HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this one and awarding it 10 out of 10 stars! Trust me, once you read this one, you'll want more!
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LibraryThing member busyreadin
I've had this book for several months, and have picked it up and read half a page more than half a dozen times. Half a page is as far as I get before I lose all interest.
I thought the premise sounded really good, I usually enjoy family history stories. I just couldn't find anything intersting in
I've given up and will move on to something else.
I thought the premise sounded really good, I usually enjoy family history stories. I just couldn't find anything intersting in
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this book. I even tried just opening it to a random page further into the story, and that didn't work.I've given up and will move on to something else.
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LibraryThing member belvaw
I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. I felt deep empathy for all the characters and found myself wanting to go vistit this charming place known as Lake Evergreen. It was a great testimony to how life decisions affect everyone involved, as well as, future generations. I
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highly recommend this book and have already snagged a copy of the authors previous book which I'm looking forward to reading soon. Show Less
LibraryThing member taw08
One of the best books I have read in a long while! Actually recommended it to my book club! Character development was great! Really kept you wanting to find out more about the characters!
LibraryThing member dksthomson
I adore any book that enlists private letters or journals to tell the story and 'More Than Words Can Say' is no exception. It was a great book until the end when I was infuritated by Chelsea's choice. Honestly, who would do that? Shame, shame, shame on the author for such sacrilege! You lost a star
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for that Mr Barclay! Show Less
LibraryThing member Jessica5
Ughh finally, I'm done reading this book! I was looking forward to starting this one after I won an ARC from librarything, but by the end I was just tired of the story. The author had a good idea, but the execution was very poor and had me skimming the last 30 pages because it was so drawn out.
The
The idea of Chelsea moving to her Grandmother's cottage and reading her journal from the World War II era sounded like something I would enjoy, but it was, like I said, just too drawn out. I skimmed a lot of pages in between the journal readings because everything else seemed to be there to build "suspense" to the next time they read an entry. The author kept on saying how Chelsea was in so much pain and didn't know if she could handle another entry, but I got none of that emotion whatsoever. The emotion Chelsea felt seemed forced and during the big climax at the end was more of a speed bump...no huge reveal or event that really shocked me. It was also annoying how in the last 50 pages, Chelsea was planning some "secret" thing the reader didn't know because when the big secret was revealed, I was like "well duh that was going to happen!" I could see how the author tried to make this book a sweet romance, it just really did not make it there.
The
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main reason I didn't like this book, though, was because of the unrealistic dialogue. Some of the things Chelsea or Brandon say are SO ridiculous and there is NO WAY anyone would ever say that when they're talking to someone. Unrealistic dialogue is my biggest pet-peeve in books, so this book was so hard to read without getting annoyed with how stupid they sounded. The idea of Chelsea moving to her Grandmother's cottage and reading her journal from the World War II era sounded like something I would enjoy, but it was, like I said, just too drawn out. I skimmed a lot of pages in between the journal readings because everything else seemed to be there to build "suspense" to the next time they read an entry. The author kept on saying how Chelsea was in so much pain and didn't know if she could handle another entry, but I got none of that emotion whatsoever. The emotion Chelsea felt seemed forced and during the big climax at the end was more of a speed bump...no huge reveal or event that really shocked me. It was also annoying how in the last 50 pages, Chelsea was planning some "secret" thing the reader didn't know because when the big secret was revealed, I was like "well duh that was going to happen!" I could see how the author tried to make this book a sweet romance, it just really did not make it there.
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LibraryThing member Beecharmer
Chelsea is the main character that comes from a rich family. Her grandmother, Brooke dies and leaves her a cabin on a lake which has not been inhabited since the grandmother was last there. For the many years it sat empty, caretakers kept it up. She decides to look at it before selling it and falls
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in love with it and the neighbor who just so happens to be a handsome doctor. Brooke leaves instructions in her will for Chelsea to read her diary which is in the cabin and the reason she never sold it. She & the doctor proceeded to read it over a few days. Of course, it was a tragic love story that had Chelsea in "so much pain" - REALLY? I found this novel to be an amateurish romance that had me almost gagging at times. Darling, My Love, etc. was just too ridiculous. It also is a story that has already been told, but better. The best audience for this book would be Harlequin Romance readers. It's about that unrealistic. Show Less
LibraryThing member Godsgirl
This really was a sweet story and with romance and history and even recipes in the back of the book that went with some of the history of the book. Not to give it all away, but there is a lot more to the story than the brief description on the back cover. I will be passing this on to all my friends
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who are avid book readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member gincam
"More Than Words Can Say", by Robert Barclay, was a wonderful discovery for me as a reader. This is a perfect book for someone who loves romance, emotionally rich family drama, and has a sentimental attachment to WWII era fiction, which alternates with the modern-day story line of the book. I am
Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
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also a foodie, and I was thrilled with this aspect of the book, and I love the recipes which are named for famous people of the WWII time setting. I must try "Clark Gable's Grapefruit Cake"--sounds most delicious! I am a long-time romance reader, having consumed an immeasurable number of lovely romantic stories written mostly by female authors. Mr. Barclay has created a bittersweet, sentimental tale with well-written women characters and an involving parallel story line. He moves the story between a summer at the beginning of the Second World War and a summer in the present, and blends romance with an element of mystery. When Chelsea Enright inherits a lakeside cottage from her beloved grandmother, Brooke, she also receives her grandmother's journal and recipe book. Suffering the loss of her grandmother, Chelsea has no idea how much her life will be changed when steps forward to claim her inheritance. Meeting her attractive and empathetic neighbor, Brandon Yale, is an unexpected relationship that offers long-yearned-for fulfillment. The past must be embraced, and what cannot be changed must be accepted. Some long-held secrets and deeply buried truths should remain in silent slumber. Only today and tomorrow can be begun with a new wisdom and appreciation. I very much enjoyed this work by Robert Barclay, and I also have added his first book, "If Wishes Were Horses" to my own wish list. Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
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LibraryThing member whitreidtan
My family is lucky enough to have a summer cottage that I have been spending time at every summer for my entire 40 years. It is a place deeply ingrained in my soul. It is my la querencia (roughly translated as the place of my heart). I could no more contemplate not going up there as I could fly to
Opening immediately following the death of Brooke Bartlett, her granddaughter Chelsea discovers, somewhat to her surprise, that she has inherited the family cottage, the one that her grandmother closed in 1942 and never re-opened, about which she was unwilling to speak, but which she paid to maintain ever since she left it so abruptly and without explanation. Chelsea's first reaction is to sell it sight unseen but when a letter from her grandmother tells her of the existence and location of a hidden journal, she opts to go to the cottage and look for answers to the mystery of why Brooke never again returned to Lake Evergreen.
Upon her arrival, she falls in love with the lake and the cottage, changing a short stay into a full summer in the Adirondacks. It doesn't hurt that her next door neighbor is a handsome, single doctor who is clearly exactly the sort of man for whom Chelsea has been looking unsuccessfully back home in Syracuse's social elite. She finds her grandmother's journal and together with Dr. Brandon Yale, she slowly reads through the pages, learning the secrets of that summer so long ago. As she reads of her grandmother's life, she starts to fall for Brandon, who has his own past demons to face.
The narrative flips back and forth from Chelsea and Brandon's growing relationship to the journal and the growing conundrum faced by Brooke. Each journal entry tails off into scenes from that summer of 1942, giving far more detail than the journal itself ostensibly would. The intertwining plotlines work together but their coincidences can be too numerous to be believable. The revelation of Brooke's secret is anti-climatic and the grief it seems to cause Chelsea is completely out of proportion to the secret itself. The fact that the secret is predictable and that both plots were telegraphed within pages of chief characters' introduction fed into this reaction.
The characterization of Chelsea and Brandon, Chelsea's mother and father, Brooke, Gregory, and all of the townspeople can't help rescue the plot from its failings either, as they are almost all one-dimensional and rather cliched. Dialogue between any of the characters is stilted and unbelievable. And the fact that Chelsea and Brandon feel the need to reiterate in only marginally different language what the journal has just clearly laid out for the reader caused this reader to become irrationally annoyed with these fictional characters. This isn't the only instance of clunky writing either. Little is done in the book without a qualifying adverb, leading to an overabundance of words ending in "ly" which only serve to point out the poor choice of verb they are so necessary to modify. And on a smaller scale, there are portions of the book, especially including those centered around the 1941 Chris Craft (one of which my grandfather owned when I was younger), that are not well researched or realistic.
As much as I wanted to like this book, I just didn't. Overall, it was too melodramatic, too predictable. If the plot had been more engaging or the ending more momentous, I might have been able to overlook the problems with the writing but in this case, I wasn't drawn into the story enough to look past the other stumbling blocks.
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the moon. So when I read the premise of More Than Words Can Say, I was immediately captured. And I so wish that it had lived up to my expectations, offering me the same warm and wonderful feelings that being at the cottage always evokes in me. Instead it fell short.Opening immediately following the death of Brooke Bartlett, her granddaughter Chelsea discovers, somewhat to her surprise, that she has inherited the family cottage, the one that her grandmother closed in 1942 and never re-opened, about which she was unwilling to speak, but which she paid to maintain ever since she left it so abruptly and without explanation. Chelsea's first reaction is to sell it sight unseen but when a letter from her grandmother tells her of the existence and location of a hidden journal, she opts to go to the cottage and look for answers to the mystery of why Brooke never again returned to Lake Evergreen.
Upon her arrival, she falls in love with the lake and the cottage, changing a short stay into a full summer in the Adirondacks. It doesn't hurt that her next door neighbor is a handsome, single doctor who is clearly exactly the sort of man for whom Chelsea has been looking unsuccessfully back home in Syracuse's social elite. She finds her grandmother's journal and together with Dr. Brandon Yale, she slowly reads through the pages, learning the secrets of that summer so long ago. As she reads of her grandmother's life, she starts to fall for Brandon, who has his own past demons to face.
The narrative flips back and forth from Chelsea and Brandon's growing relationship to the journal and the growing conundrum faced by Brooke. Each journal entry tails off into scenes from that summer of 1942, giving far more detail than the journal itself ostensibly would. The intertwining plotlines work together but their coincidences can be too numerous to be believable. The revelation of Brooke's secret is anti-climatic and the grief it seems to cause Chelsea is completely out of proportion to the secret itself. The fact that the secret is predictable and that both plots were telegraphed within pages of chief characters' introduction fed into this reaction.
The characterization of Chelsea and Brandon, Chelsea's mother and father, Brooke, Gregory, and all of the townspeople can't help rescue the plot from its failings either, as they are almost all one-dimensional and rather cliched. Dialogue between any of the characters is stilted and unbelievable. And the fact that Chelsea and Brandon feel the need to reiterate in only marginally different language what the journal has just clearly laid out for the reader caused this reader to become irrationally annoyed with these fictional characters. This isn't the only instance of clunky writing either. Little is done in the book without a qualifying adverb, leading to an overabundance of words ending in "ly" which only serve to point out the poor choice of verb they are so necessary to modify. And on a smaller scale, there are portions of the book, especially including those centered around the 1941 Chris Craft (one of which my grandfather owned when I was younger), that are not well researched or realistic.
As much as I wanted to like this book, I just didn't. Overall, it was too melodramatic, too predictable. If the plot had been more engaging or the ending more momentous, I might have been able to overlook the problems with the writing but in this case, I wasn't drawn into the story enough to look past the other stumbling blocks.
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LibraryThing member CandyH
This is the story of a young woman who learns her family history by going to live at the family cabin that she inherits when her beloved grandmother dies. I would describe it as a bit of fluff as there really is not much to keep the reader interested. I am glad that I was chosen to review this
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book, but I would not recommend it and do not think it will become a best seller. Show Less
LibraryThing member acook
This book tells the story of Chelsea, who inherits a lake cottage from her beloved grandmother Brooke. The cottage has been closed up since WWII, when Brooke abandoned it for mysterious reasons. A letter left by Brooke for Chelsea instructs Chelsea to find a journal in the cottage, which reveals
While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it is basically brain candy, and should have been released in June, not January. It’s a great beach read, and the “mystery” can be figured out almost before you open it. It’s sort of along the lines of Nicholas Spark. If you like that sort of thing, you’ll love it.
I’ve never read this author before, so I have no idea if he is new or if this is standard for him. If I’m in the mood for this sort of thing, I’d definitely check into more from him.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy for review.
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all. The book simultaneously tells the story of Chelsea’s summer at the cottage, and Brooke’s long ago summer at the cottage by way of the journal.While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it is basically brain candy, and should have been released in June, not January. It’s a great beach read, and the “mystery” can be figured out almost before you open it. It’s sort of along the lines of Nicholas Spark. If you like that sort of thing, you’ll love it.
I’ve never read this author before, so I have no idea if he is new or if this is standard for him. If I’m in the mood for this sort of thing, I’d definitely check into more from him.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy for review.
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LibraryThing member tanya2009
This is another great family story that spans over generations with long buried secrets for Chelsea Enright to discover when she inherits her grandmother's cottage in the Adirondacks. I love this type of book and I highly recommend reading it.
LibraryThing member lulu150
I thought this book was great!!! It had me smiling at times and tearing up at others. It is a wonderful story about love and sacrifices that sometimes have to be made. I loved the fact that there were 2 personal stories going at once and you really felt for both of them. I thought this was a very
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easy read and also one that I could not put down. Show Less
LibraryThing member WillowOne
Chelsea Enright has just lost her Grandmother, Brooke Bartlett. Brooke left her summer cabin to her only granddaughter and with it a snapshot of her life during World War II. Brooke has instructed Chelsea to go to the cabin and find her journal. Once she has read the journal and spent time at the
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made me wish I had a journal from, a relative, to read through and retrace. It would be interesting to have the opportunity to know one of my Grandmother's on a different level. To experience their lives, through their eyes, words and actions in a long past era. I took my time reading this book and felt that I was better for it. I felt that the characters were believable and well written. I became invested in where the story took these characters and how the story finally ended. Although I felt the story ending was a bit low key it was enough for me, I wasn't left wanting or hoping for a sequel, which is good.
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cabin it is her choice on whether to keep it or sell. As Chelsea looks back over Brooke's life and experiences the cabin in both modern day and through Brooke's journal entries, she runs a gamut of emotions. She finds herself with questions she needs answers for and retracing Brooke's steps to find them. With the help of the caretaker and his wife, the neighbor and an old friend of her Grandmother's, Chelsea finds the answers she searches for and brings Brooke's story full circle.I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made me wish I had a journal from, a relative, to read through and retrace. It would be interesting to have the opportunity to know one of my Grandmother's on a different level. To experience their lives, through their eyes, words and actions in a long past era. I took my time reading this book and felt that I was better for it. I felt that the characters were believable and well written. I became invested in where the story took these characters and how the story finally ended. Although I felt the story ending was a bit low key it was enough for me, I wasn't left wanting or hoping for a sequel, which is good.
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LibraryThing member koalamom
What secrets lie in Brooke Bartlett's journal and what meaning do they hold for her granddaughter, Chelsea Enright? Both will come to find love with the man who lives next door, but each of these loves will be different and will come to a different end.
LibraryThing member roseysweetpea
I really loved this book. I loved the history and the mystery of the story. I also love books that have journals or diaries as part of the story line because I love reading about someones life from their perspective. I will definitely be sharing and recommending this book.
Language
ISBN
1617934917 / 9781617934919