Status
Checked out
Due 29-05-2021
Call number
Publication
Penguin (2009), Edition: First Printing, 432 pages
Description
Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn't care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn't she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes. So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down.… (more)
Media reviews
Fans might argue that books like this are “just for fun,” but I’d counter that trashy beach reads needn’t be logically inconsistent and devoid of surprises. This type of fiction must have a Lifetime Network/Desperate Housewives kind of so-bad-it’s-good appeal for her many readers, but for
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someone unaccustomed to “chick lit” dreck, it’s so bad it’s just bad. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member bearette24
This was the first Jane Green book I've loved in a while. Swapping Lives and Second Chances didn't make much of an impression. The Beach House, on the other hand, has the warmth and coziness that marked my earlier favorites -- Babyville, Jemima J, Bookends, etc.
The Beach House has an extensive cast
The Beach House has an extensive cast
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of characters who all come together when Nan, an elderly eccentric, opens up her aging Nantucket home as a bed-and-breakfast in an effort to scrape up some money. Green does interlocking stories like no one else, and the way the characters come together truly warms the heart. Show Less
LibraryThing member itchyfeetreader
This was an enjoyable way to kill a few hours. Like many of Jane Green's novels this book cleverly pulled together a number of disparate characters stories. In this case by the draw of Nantucket and a beach house run by Nan.
As ever you really didn’t have to think with this one and can enjoy
As ever you really didn’t have to think with this one and can enjoy
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superficially. It is a positive that each of the characters stories are strong enough to fill more pages and a negative that as such you could be left feeling little cheated in what you don’t find out. Show Less
LibraryThing member blufordgill2
Beach bag read with a quirky older lady and her beloved home.I liked the way the characters stories wove together. Minor characters had more substance than in most books of this genre.
LibraryThing member bachaney
Jane Green's latest, "The Beach House" is what I would call a fluffy summer read. The book is set at the titular beach house on Nantucket, owned by Nan Powell, a widow who is known as an eccentric about town. When Nan discovers she has financial problems, she decides to open her house to renters.
A
This is a good summer beach read. It's not too deep, doesn't really require much though, and reads fairly quickly. Pick it up if you want to read something light under an umbrella at the beach this summer--but skip it if you're looking for something a bit less sugar coated and simple.
A
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cast of characters both on and off Nantucket is introduced at the beginning of the novel foreshadowing this decision, and although some of the characters are likable, they are all pretty flat, even though they are all dealing with major life challenges. Despite the lack of real character development you can identify with the problems these people are having and you are happy when they all make it to Nan's house on Nantucket, where their lives all end with the inevitable happy and predictably neat endings. This is a good summer beach read. It's not too deep, doesn't really require much though, and reads fairly quickly. Pick it up if you want to read something light under an umbrella at the beach this summer--but skip it if you're looking for something a bit less sugar coated and simple.
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LibraryThing member ajewell
I absolutely love Jane Green, and this is by far her best title to date. I love the whole premise of the story. Nan, in financial dire straights, rents out her house on Nantucket to complete strangers, much like a Bed and Breakfast. The people that she meets and the lessons that all of these people
Such a wonderful story of life, love, happiness, sadness, and every emotion inbetween in an old beach house on Nantucket. Jane Green knows people so well and writes characters you identify with immediately.
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learn is beyond what they ever expected. Such a wonderful story of life, love, happiness, sadness, and every emotion inbetween in an old beach house on Nantucket. Jane Green knows people so well and writes characters you identify with immediately.
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LibraryThing member kysmom02
What a wonderful story! The house on Nantucket is near and dear to folks who live in Nantucket, and the people that grew up in it. Nan, the houses owner lives there alone after losing her husband to suicide many years prior. The house is big and sometimes lonely, so Nan decides to begin renting out
Totally a 'chick' book! I found myself smiling and laughing throughout the book, and it had an ending that just makes the reader "feel good." I'll admit that I had a hard time when I first began with this one. It seemed to drag a little at the beginning while introducing the many characters of the plot. I also found that I'd be reading along and suddenly notice that the writer had switched characters and places on me with not much warning. I'd have to go back and reread a few paragraphs to get back on the same page. But, as I got accustomed to the writing, and began to know the characters, the pages just flew by because I couldn't stand not being a part of these peoples lives.
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rooms, a bed and breakfast idea, for the summer. The tenants become her best friends and also a project. Nan begins to play matchmaker, as well as activity planner.Totally a 'chick' book! I found myself smiling and laughing throughout the book, and it had an ending that just makes the reader "feel good." I'll admit that I had a hard time when I first began with this one. It seemed to drag a little at the beginning while introducing the many characters of the plot. I also found that I'd be reading along and suddenly notice that the writer had switched characters and places on me with not much warning. I'd have to go back and reread a few paragraphs to get back on the same page. But, as I got accustomed to the writing, and began to know the characters, the pages just flew by because I couldn't stand not being a part of these peoples lives.
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LibraryThing member stephaniechase
Light, pleasant read, and better than some of Green's recent novels. Problems perfectly wrapped up = nice read for an afternoon, whether at the beach or on a dreary day.
LibraryThing member harperhaven
This was definitely a quick summer read. Nothing extraordinary but it still kept my interest. The plots were pretty predictable and the characters not overly developed. She did capture the flavor of Nantucket life and the difference between New England wealth and the wealth in places like the
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Hamptons. Show Less
LibraryThing member AuthorMarion
When I hear the phrase "easy read" or "beach read" I usually hesitate to pick up the book so described. But the premise of an eccentric, free-spirit older woman who turns her home on Nantucket into a bed and breakfast called to me. I should have let that call go unanswered.
I agree with another
However, this author chose to give us a "beach read" in the truest sense of the phrase. There's no need to put on your thinking cap for this one - just go with the flow and you won't be disappointed. But if you'd like to explore each of the story lines in depth then pass this one by. You won't get so lost in the story that you'll forget about lunch.
Nice setting, variety of characters, and clean writing garner a strong 2.5 stars from this reviewer.
I agree with another
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reviewer that each of the sub-plots had plenty of potential and I wanted to learn more about how Dee dealt with the death of her marriage and her father's death happening in such a close time frame. I'm positive that there is a story of its own there waiting to be told. However, this author chose to give us a "beach read" in the truest sense of the phrase. There's no need to put on your thinking cap for this one - just go with the flow and you won't be disappointed. But if you'd like to explore each of the story lines in depth then pass this one by. You won't get so lost in the story that you'll forget about lunch.
Nice setting, variety of characters, and clean writing garner a strong 2.5 stars from this reviewer.
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LibraryThing member LeHack
I picked it up at the bookstore and put it down after reading the synopsis. Then a friend recommended it. (Ok, I found out she also reads Danielle Steele after I bought The Beach House.) It was a quick read, and most definitely a chick-lit beach book. There wasn't any depth that kept the pages
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turning, just light reading. The usual odd characters with their individual problems slipped into the story, and moved into the Beach House. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, but the subplot surprise at the end almost made me want to put the book down (or pitch it). It reinforced my usual radar to steer clear of chicklit. Show Less
LibraryThing member maryjomac
Liked how the stories wove together, I was not expecting that. Would read author again
LibraryThing member kimbee
The cover and title drawed me in. I love reading books set at the beach. I really liked the beginning. All the characters, especially Nan, were entertaining and I liked them all. The one thing that made this book bad was how everyone's problems happened near the end making a quick fix for them all.
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I also hated the scene with Daniel and Matt when they decided to slow down. It was almost laughable. Show Less
LibraryThing member ANovelMenagerie
The Review
Before I became a book review blogger, I absolutely loved (and was lost in) the simplest of fiction. I knew that I loved to read and I adored visiting book stores to pick out the hidden gems. Over the past year, my reading has evolved. What I mean by this is that I’ve read a number of
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
I needed this book to revive my lust for reading and it did just that.
The Beach House was a very well-written piece of fiction that just gave me pure pleasure. Some readers like romance or mystery… or even the classics. Those books are what they crave. I think that Women’s Fiction, Romance, and ChickLit are just my favorite genres to dive into. And, I need more of them in my reading diet to keep me a happy reader. The Beach House reminded me of that part of myself that I’ve been ignoring.
So, what else can I share about what I liked about Jane Green’s novel? She does a great job at character development, story lines, multiple characters, and keeping the reader’s attention for the duration of the book. Albeit a tad predictable, it was a very enjoyable read. This is THE PERFECT SUMMER poolside, airplane, or beach read for a gal who is ready to lose herself in a good story. There is enough here to make you both sad and happy for the characters in the novel. Jane Green writes good fiction and I’m looking forward to reading another!
I’d love to hear about your opinions of this book, Second Chance or Dune Road if you’ve read them…
The Rating
On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale,” I would rate this book an 8.5 out of 10. Why? Because I just flew through it. I was emotionally involved in the storyline and just plainly felt excited about reading what was coming up next. What would I have done to make this a 10? Well, I think that the story summary on the back of the book gives away too much of what will happen. I always had a feeling about a “surprise visitor,” however I would have preferred it truly being a surprise without knowing that one was coming. Also, if the author/editor made minor edits to the paragraphs the novel that would indicate whose storyline you were shifting to, that would have made the read more seamless. Other than that, I just relaxed and went for the ride. It was pleasure book that I sorely needed and craved. Kudos to Jane Green… I want to read more!
Before I became a book review blogger, I absolutely loved (and was lost in) the simplest of fiction. I knew that I loved to read and I adored visiting book stores to pick out the hidden gems. Over the past year, my reading has evolved. What I mean by this is that I’ve read a number of
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really wonderful literary works that much of the fun/light reading has paled in comparison. On the flip side of this is the fact that I’ve also been feeling weighted by heavy reads. There has to be a perfect medium… a balance, of sorts, where the novel is well written and yet absorbs my heart into a story. Guess what? The Beach House was just that for me! This story of romance, family, tragedy, and redemption just kept my mind busy during a couple of dark days which would have normally sent me into a long nap or a television craze. I wanted to read this book… so much so that I kept my eyes open when I got sleepy just to find out what happened next. Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
I needed this book to revive my lust for reading and it did just that.
The Beach House was a very well-written piece of fiction that just gave me pure pleasure. Some readers like romance or mystery… or even the classics. Those books are what they crave. I think that Women’s Fiction, Romance, and ChickLit are just my favorite genres to dive into. And, I need more of them in my reading diet to keep me a happy reader. The Beach House reminded me of that part of myself that I’ve been ignoring.
So, what else can I share about what I liked about Jane Green’s novel? She does a great job at character development, story lines, multiple characters, and keeping the reader’s attention for the duration of the book. Albeit a tad predictable, it was a very enjoyable read. This is THE PERFECT SUMMER poolside, airplane, or beach read for a gal who is ready to lose herself in a good story. There is enough here to make you both sad and happy for the characters in the novel. Jane Green writes good fiction and I’m looking forward to reading another!
I’d love to hear about your opinions of this book, Second Chance or Dune Road if you’ve read them…
The Rating
On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale,” I would rate this book an 8.5 out of 10. Why? Because I just flew through it. I was emotionally involved in the storyline and just plainly felt excited about reading what was coming up next. What would I have done to make this a 10? Well, I think that the story summary on the back of the book gives away too much of what will happen. I always had a feeling about a “surprise visitor,” however I would have preferred it truly being a surprise without knowing that one was coming. Also, if the author/editor made minor edits to the paragraphs the novel that would indicate whose storyline you were shifting to, that would have made the read more seamless. Other than that, I just relaxed and went for the ride. It was pleasure book that I sorely needed and craved. Kudos to Jane Green… I want to read more!
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LibraryThing member hklibrarian
Seems Jane has grown up in with her characters. This book was a bit slow to start for me, but once in Nantucket, she had my New England soul with her. I enjoyed the different vignettes of the stories and how they ended up all interwoven--the married man who was secretly gay, the woman who was
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divorced and trying to find herself, the grand dame of the house's son who was fresh out of an affair, etc. and how everything eventually meshed together on that tiny island thru friendship and love. I also enjoy the afterlog if you can call it that. Well done Jane, good job. Show Less
LibraryThing member cameling
This was a really nice story about a lady who, finding herself strapped for cash, opens up her beautiful old Nantucket house to short term tenants in the summer.
Into this house come various individuals, all seeking to find themselves and Nan, sees beyond the surface, and in her own way, helps them
A cheery little lazy afternoon read.
Into this house come various individuals, all seeking to find themselves and Nan, sees beyond the surface, and in her own way, helps them
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come to terms with who they are. There is, of course, a little surprise along the way, someone dead resurfaces, and will the conniving real-estate developer fool Nan into selling her house? A cheery little lazy afternoon read.
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LibraryThing member TiffanyAK
It's a pretty good summer read with a fairly decent storyline. Not great, but also very easy to just sit back and relax with. Nothing violent, complicated, or sexual, it doesn't require much concentration, which makes it a good choice for many situations. Concentrating on the various events in
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multiple people's lives, and how those events end up bringing these complete strangers together and changing all their lives forever, it's a good read for the genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member miyurose
When we first meet Nan Powell, she is wandering naked around her neighbor’s back yard and sampling their kitchen garden after a quick skinny dip in their pool. They’re not home, of course. So, needless to say, Nan is a little eccentric, and she is also well-practiced in the art of denial.
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She’s been ignoring the fact that she’s running out of money for as long as she can, and now she has to do something about it. So she decides to rent out rooms in her much-desired house on Nantucket. What follows is a story of people who are looking for some healing in their lives, and finding it in a peaceful summer on a peaceful island. Unfortunately, I felt that the story fell a little short on emotional punch. There are some conflicts that could have led to some really interesting places, but the author chose not to take the story in that direction. The 'unexpected visitor' story arc fell completely flat. It felt a little like things had to be wrapped up quickly, so there wasn’t time to make anything messy. I still liked the story and enjoyed listening to it, but I think it could have been taken further. Show Less
LibraryThing member CSMcMahon
I don't know if it is me or if it is the books. I used to run out and buy Jane Green's books and devour them immediately. Now, I get them at the library and they leave me feeling not quite disappointed but not all together satisfied either.
The Beach House was a light, summery read. It was also
I also found myself frustrated at times with the editing. You could tell that Green is English and at times her word choice seemed unnatural to an American ear. (A 13yr American girl would never get excited over a "proper job". American's don't have rows. We have arguments or fights.) I could have excused this if one of the characters was English, but all were East Coasters.
The Beach House was a light, summery read. It was also
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incredibly predictable. There are two big reveals with two characters that I saw coming from a mile away. I also found myself frustrated at times with the editing. You could tell that Green is English and at times her word choice seemed unnatural to an American ear. (A 13yr American girl would never get excited over a "proper job". American's don't have rows. We have arguments or fights.) I could have excused this if one of the characters was English, but all were East Coasters.
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LibraryThing member Bookfinds
In Jane Green’s THE BEACH HOUSE, we are introduced to a cast of characters that are facing personal dilemmas and crossroads in their respective lives. The central character around which every character rotates is Nan Powell. Nan is a slightly eccentric, free-spirited widow who lives in the New
Nan is such a likable character because she throws caution to the wind. She refuses to be consumed by the worries and stress of every day life. Losing her husband to suicide nearly thirty years earlier has given her an appreciation for the fleeting quality of life and instilled in her a strength in character that very few people attain in a lifetime.
Jane Green writes with such fluidity and honesty that her novels never read like typical girl-meets-boy fare. Her novels are about journeys in life. Her dialog is exceptional, nothing feels forced or out of place, and every scene is significant to the ultimately satisfying end. I am looking forward to reading Jane Green’s summer release, PROMISES TO KEEP and will be certain to review this title when it releases.
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England island paradise of Nantucket and on a whim (and because of financial strains) decides to turn her house, Windermere, into a charming inn. Each character is introduced with exquisite detail before they all converge on the island in search of peace and a chance to heal. Unfulfilled marriages, personal demons, hidden agendas and fear keep these characters prisoners in their own lives. Nantucket, an island never before explored with such beauty and tranquility, offers them a chance to reflect, understand and appreciate the obstacles and changes in their lives.Nan is such a likable character because she throws caution to the wind. She refuses to be consumed by the worries and stress of every day life. Losing her husband to suicide nearly thirty years earlier has given her an appreciation for the fleeting quality of life and instilled in her a strength in character that very few people attain in a lifetime.
Jane Green writes with such fluidity and honesty that her novels never read like typical girl-meets-boy fare. Her novels are about journeys in life. Her dialog is exceptional, nothing feels forced or out of place, and every scene is significant to the ultimately satisfying end. I am looking forward to reading Jane Green’s summer release, PROMISES TO KEEP and will be certain to review this title when it releases.
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LibraryThing member mcelhra
Nan is an eccentric old woman who lives in Nantucket in huge rambling home. When her investments tank and she is in need of money, she decides to rent out rooms in her home over the summer. Between her two boarders and her son Michael who moves back home she brings together a motley group of people
Although this was overall a good story, I had a few issues with it. First of all, Jane Green’s editor still doesn’t think it’s important to check that the American dialogue is authentic. Just like in Swapping Lives, the characters talked using British phrasing and slang. It was worse this time and very distracting. A thirteen year old girl, after getting a babysitting gig exclaims, “I’ve never had a proper job before!” The characters all said proper all the time actually. And one character who was arguing with another said they were having a “row”. It took me out of the story almost every time.
Another problem I had was that when one of the characters ends up being gay, everyone comments that they were not surprised; they always knew that character was gay. But no one ever says why or how they knew that character was gay. The character doesn’t act stereotypically gay so I felt like Green should have delved more into why no one was surprised.
I listened to The Beach House in the car. The book is structured so that it switches among the different characters perspectives every few paragraphs. The narrator wouldn’t pause at all between paragraphs where the character changed and that could get confusing. Other than that I thought the narration was good.
There was a lot of serendipity in the way that everything that happened throughout the book ended up intertwining and it all came together and wrapped up in a neat package at the end. I actually like that sometimes so I was okay with it – especially for a car book, I don’t want to get too upset while I’m driving over a sad ending!
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– all of whom are facing major transitions of one kind or another in their lives.Although this was overall a good story, I had a few issues with it. First of all, Jane Green’s editor still doesn’t think it’s important to check that the American dialogue is authentic. Just like in Swapping Lives, the characters talked using British phrasing and slang. It was worse this time and very distracting. A thirteen year old girl, after getting a babysitting gig exclaims, “I’ve never had a proper job before!” The characters all said proper all the time actually. And one character who was arguing with another said they were having a “row”. It took me out of the story almost every time.
Another problem I had was that when one of the characters ends up being gay, everyone comments that they were not surprised; they always knew that character was gay. But no one ever says why or how they knew that character was gay. The character doesn’t act stereotypically gay so I felt like Green should have delved more into why no one was surprised.
I listened to The Beach House in the car. The book is structured so that it switches among the different characters perspectives every few paragraphs. The narrator wouldn’t pause at all between paragraphs where the character changed and that could get confusing. Other than that I thought the narration was good.
There was a lot of serendipity in the way that everything that happened throughout the book ended up intertwining and it all came together and wrapped up in a neat package at the end. I actually like that sometimes so I was okay with it – especially for a car book, I don’t want to get too upset while I’m driving over a sad ending!
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LibraryThing member Jim53
Nan Powell is an eccentric widow living in a huge house on Nantucket Island. Thirty-some years ago, her husband, having squandered much of their fortune in gambling, committed suicide. Nan survived by selling other properties, but is now finding that her money is running out. Determined not to sell
We shift abruptly to other scenes and stories, to meet each of the boarders as they deal with big issues in their lives. A wife might forgive her husband's brief affair, until he hesitates about choosing her. A man struggles with his attraction to his wife and decides he must face up to a long-held secret. Nan's son, Mike, begins an affair with his married boss. Somehow all these characters come together as Nan's boarders. Somehow each makes progress toward an improbably happy ending.
Does Green intend that Nan or her home somehow makes things wonderful? If so, she fails to give us any clear indication that something is going on; all we see is that a random bunch of miserable upper-class northeasterners come together and inexplicably "find themselves."
Green's style is somewhat suited to the tale; her Britishisms are less out of place with this collection of well-off Anglos than they would be in, say, a tale of working-class Chicagoans. But they still grate: if she'd said "proper" one more time I might have lost my gruntle and started quite a row.
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the house, she decides to take in boarders.We shift abruptly to other scenes and stories, to meet each of the boarders as they deal with big issues in their lives. A wife might forgive her husband's brief affair, until he hesitates about choosing her. A man struggles with his attraction to his wife and decides he must face up to a long-held secret. Nan's son, Mike, begins an affair with his married boss. Somehow all these characters come together as Nan's boarders. Somehow each makes progress toward an improbably happy ending.
Does Green intend that Nan or her home somehow makes things wonderful? If so, she fails to give us any clear indication that something is going on; all we see is that a random bunch of miserable upper-class northeasterners come together and inexplicably "find themselves."
Green's style is somewhat suited to the tale; her Britishisms are less out of place with this collection of well-off Anglos than they would be in, say, a tale of working-class Chicagoans. But they still grate: if she'd said "proper" one more time I might have lost my gruntle and started quite a row.
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LibraryThing member InsatiableB
Goodness, I seem to be giving out a lot of three-star ratings lately. Maybe I'm just dissatisfied...
Anyway, The Beach House is set on Nantucket. Which I loved. It was full of interesting characters and lovely parties and ancient bicycles. Which I also loved. It was set in a decaying old beach house
Here's an Amazon overview:
Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn’t care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn’t she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes.
So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down.
I really loved the character of Nan. I wish that she had been featured more in the story. She really was just sort of an anchor to the whole thing.
The part of the story that took it down a notch was the emphasis on divorce and unhappiness and affairs and brokenness and on and on and on. I am aware that a story has to have some sort of conflict to make it work but, Lordy!
This was a nice summer read. Not fantastic; not terrible. But I can say, it left me yearning for a beach home on the east coast.
Anyway, The Beach House is set on Nantucket. Which I loved. It was full of interesting characters and lovely parties and ancient bicycles. Which I also loved. It was set in a decaying old beach house
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that was grand and enviable at one time. Loved that too.Here's an Amazon overview:
Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn’t care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn’t she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes.
So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down.
I really loved the character of Nan. I wish that she had been featured more in the story. She really was just sort of an anchor to the whole thing.
The part of the story that took it down a notch was the emphasis on divorce and unhappiness and affairs and brokenness and on and on and on. I am aware that a story has to have some sort of conflict to make it work but, Lordy!
This was a nice summer read. Not fantastic; not terrible. But I can say, it left me yearning for a beach home on the east coast.
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LibraryThing member Jaie22
Compulsively readable, like all of Green's novels. Not her best, but that hardly matters.
LibraryThing member MaryEvelynLS
Great beach read!! really liked all the different characters, each having their own storyline.
LibraryThing member lahochstetler
Reading Jane Green is like putting on a comfortable old shoe. The reader knows exactly what she's going to get, but it's reassuring and pleasant. The reader understands the formula, but there's still something enjoyable about the reading. This book certainly fits the Green pattern, and those who
This volume centers on an old house on Nantucket, Windermere, and its aging owner, Nan. Faced with money and upkeep problems Nan decides to rent out rooms in the old house. Among the takers are a sad and confused bunch, mourning divorces, coming to terms with their sexuality, dealing with recalcitrant children, and burgeoning romances. By the end there are a few surprises, and the ending is certainly what one expects of Jane Green.
It's necessary to suspend some disbelief when reading this book. There's probably no chance that opening up one's home to strangers would ever work out as well as this experiment did. Still, this is a comforting read, good when one needs a break from more harrowing literature.
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have enjoyed her other books will likely want to read this one. This volume centers on an old house on Nantucket, Windermere, and its aging owner, Nan. Faced with money and upkeep problems Nan decides to rent out rooms in the old house. Among the takers are a sad and confused bunch, mourning divorces, coming to terms with their sexuality, dealing with recalcitrant children, and burgeoning romances. By the end there are a few surprises, and the ending is certainly what one expects of Jane Green.
It's necessary to suspend some disbelief when reading this book. There's probably no chance that opening up one's home to strangers would ever work out as well as this experiment did. Still, this is a comforting read, good when one needs a break from more harrowing literature.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
432 p.; 7.7 inches
ISBN
0141022035 / 9780141022031