Barbary Point

by Alan Nayes

When Kelly English flies back to Oshkosh,Wisconsin, to close out her father's estate, the last thing on her mind is falling in love. Again. Kelly is twenty-eight and engaged to an older man who is quite wealthy. She's happy, and only desires to make the trip back brief, sell her deceased father's place, and return to her stable life in Los Angeles. However, while taking care of business in Oshkosh, Kelly meets a fishing guide, launching her on an emotional journey she never could have predicted or foreseen. BARBARY POINT is Kelly's story of what happened that one magical week in May on the shores of Lake Winnebago when the ducklings hatch and the walleye run.

Approximately 39,000 words or 150 pages

Alan Nayes is the author of GARGOYLES, PLAGUE, THE UNNATURAL, SMILODON, GIRL BLUE, HEMLOCK POND, and the sci-fi paranormal romance THE LEARNER.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

123 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 10, 2011

About the author

Alan Nayes is the author of numerous novels and short stories. He resides in Southern California.

Reviews

[SheLove2Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe the mark of a great book is when it makes you feel strong emotions, when it makes your chest hurt, when it makes you cry.

This book ripped my heart out, stomped all over it, put it back and then did it again, only HARDER.

The only male "romance" author I've really read is Nicholas Sparks. I'm now adding Alan Nayes to that list. Barbary Point was a recent Barnes and Noble freebie and sounded interesting, so I downloaded it. Yesterday I decided to read it and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

I wouldn't classify this as a traditional romance because it's really not. There is a happy ending but it's unexpected and gut wrenching and makes me cry just typing this review out. The writing is superb. It is in first person but it works for this story. The feel is very intimate and draws you in right away. I really can't divulge anymore without giving away the plot, which is thought provoking and soul searching.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. 5 stars

[~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Solid 2.5 Stars

A part of me will always be joined to a part of you. I can feel it. And it feels so damn good. Don't ever let go of me, Kelly English. -Mitch I really like this quote.

Plot:2.5 stars
Romance/steam factor: 1.5 stars
Characters: (Hero) Likable

I'm extremely conflicted about this book. On the one hand some of it's key elements were beautiful, heart breaking even. On the other, the heroine came off as very selfish. Much like her mother, just not as brutal. I have major issues with how her ending unfolded or her good fortune, if you will. Considering her actions/choices that occurred. It left a bad taste in my mouth when you witness her life through the years passing.

I'm not real big on fishing and such. It's just not interesting to me. I see what others' love about it. I can see why people enjoy it. But it's just not for me nor interesting for me to read about. So, unfortunately because this theme is what takes up majority of this story, what sort of ties these characters together, it just knocked the intriguing/interesting factor down alot for me.

It didn't help that the "Romance" that the heroine has is extremely glossed over. Instead of being the real focal point of the book, it came off as extremely flat filler for the book. It felt like the romance was more so between the lake and the fish than their human counterparts. While there are beautiful sweet moments described for the reader, I failed to feel that emotional depth that we are told is there.
This is a major pet peeve of mine with romances. I don't want to be told, I want to be shown and experience the feeling. And this is hard to do when there is barely anything on the pages to work with in this respect.

This book had potential. Certain elements were touching, thought provoking. But with the way key things played out, the execution of it was just lacking. I really wanted to love this one but sadly I didn't.
I would not recommend this read.

[Christopher M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

When I finished the last page of Barbary Point, I knew that I would be writing an immediate review but, for the longest time after finishing, the word 'wow' was the only thing to come to mind to describe this book.

I am not a ordinarily a romance reader, my tastes lying in other genres, nor am I an avid fisherman. Before reading Barbary Point, I had never visited Wisconsin, in fact, but through Alan's wonderful prose, I feel that I have and, as I pointed out to him mid-read, about the only 'bad' thing that I could see about his book is the desire it stirred up within me to uproot my family and move up there to live out the remainder of my years in the place that he had so vividly described.

And the characters...excellently drawn up and executed, including that of her late father who is only spoken of in the book by others. All of his characters are so vivid and real that to describe my favorite things about each would lead to massive spoilers about this book. I will say, though, that for a work of fiction, this book reads like a heartwarming biography. It makes me wish that I could track down the main character online to take her on as a friend, to not only hear more of her thoughts and memories about the events in the book, but to share with her the things about my own life which made me relate so closely to her.

The plot was very nicely executed, the subplots intertwining so closely and neatly that I could picture Alan standing behind my chair, a rod and reel in his hands as he sank a hook into my lip and drew me in; Mitch, Kelly's father, Ol' Greenback, and more each a gentle tug as Alan reeled me in toward the last page.

I highly recommend this book to not only fans of romance novels, but fans of reading as a whole. You will NOT be disappointed in Barbary Point.

[Rebecca Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly English just received the news that her father, who she hasn't seen or heard from since she was three, just died. At her mothers request, Kelly must go to Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin and close his estate. Kelly is hesitant, but her strong will pushes her to a destiny only the Gods could have foretold.

Once there, Kelly must face the reality of the man she never knew but longs to understand. With the help of Mitch Gabriel and an unexpected fishing trip, she discovers that love comes in many different forms and can last a lifetime.
Warning: The tears will flow.

Sometimes you read something and it changes you. You appreciate your life so much more and thank the heavens for the wonderful life you have. I finished this beautiful piece of fiction and then dreamed about it. How cool is that? I fell in love with the characters. My heart bleed when the inevitable happened and when it was over. Even now my eyes are starting to mist because my heart is weeping with joy and sadness. What an art form Barbary Point is. I saw the water, felt the wind and was over joyed with the discoveries. This novella will stay with me for a long time. Stories like this only come around once in a great while. If you want to feel, Barbary Point by Alan Nayes is a must read. You won't be disappointed!

Congratulations, Mr. Nayes on receiving the special Five and a Half Blue Roses! I'm so thrilled to have found Barbary Point.

Alan Nayes Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alan-Na...

[Cindi]

I had issues rating this book. It was not a bad book. It was written well. I should have figured out what was going to happen early on and I guess I did as all the signs were there.

I just don't read sad books. Ever. The author did a great job in the way he handled the story after the death of Mitch. I like the way Kelly went on with her life and how it ended. But this was definitely not a "feel good" type of story. I am so accustomed to the "happily ever after" books that this one threw me. The relationship between Mitch and Kelly was sweet. They knew they loved each other right off, though no plans were ever made for the future. Not much was explained about her mother or even Thomas. I didn't understand that early on but I pretty much got it as the story progressed.

I just finished it a few minutes ago. Maybe after letting it all sink in, I will be able to rate it. Right now, I am unable to do so.

[Dorothy Beer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbary Point

An unusual story. Kelly was shocked when her mother called to tell her the father she didn't remember had died and named them as his sole beneficiaries. The catch was she had to fly to Wisconsin to sign paperwork. When meeting Sam (her fAther's dog) and Mitch (his best friend) everything changes. Six days of unexpected love ensues. She learns many things that change her previous ideas about her father. She returns to California and her previous life. Many unexpected turns. I give it 5 stars

[CA Portnellus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bittersweet 💘 love story

This is a first read by this author, now I am smitten. Unusual first person narrative, tight, but descriptive love story. Winding through an interesting plot, the reader is soon enraptured by Lake Winnebago's charms
and it's characters. A great little mystery, a real feel for life's turbulence and Nayes has created a beautiful world out of sadness. Lovely story.

[Trish Salerno · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW

I was blown away by this book. The ending may not have been what I would have liked. Just wow.

[Carol Sandford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written

Beautifully written. Makes me want to go and visit Barbary Point and fall in love all over again. Shame about Mitch though. But at least Kelly had some unforgettable memories. Lovely book.

[Glenn J or Mary R Glomski · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to read about lake Winnebago in my home state and the story was a very good read no really foul language, how refreshing.

I would give this book a 4 star rating. It was a pleasure to read with no foul languages and the fact that it was about an area in Wisconsin that I know about

[Martha Cheves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbary Point – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘Mitch stood with the pole in hand. “Maybe we’ll get lucky.” He checked something on the reel then cast out the line. I followed the flash of silver through the air, arcing like a tiny meteor, until it landed with a small splash some ways behind the stern. Never in my wildest musings, would I have ever thought of fishing as a sexy sport. But watching Mitch cast that day – how his posture reflected both power and control, his arm moving back in a wide reverse swing, then whipping the rod tip back overhead, hearing the soft whine of the spinning spool – would forever change this perception. I found myself drawn in by some inexplicable force. I was part of something that kept growing, and would keep growing, until I was totally consumed. This was pure emotion, spreading throughout my body, filling each cell to satiation, then moving on to the next cell. I was being devoured alive. And I’d never felt better in my life.’

Kelly English, the chief editor for West Coast Today magazine, has just received news that her father has died leaving his estate to her and her mother. Kelly is 28 years old and hasn’t seen nor heard from her father since she was 3 years old. It appears that he had no time for her and she had no time to disburse of his so called estate. But, due to a medical situation with her step-father, she has agreed to make the trip from her home in California to Oshkosh, WI. After all it shouldn’t take long. From what her mother has told her over the years, her father never had much so the “estate” would be nothing more than a shack in the woods and could be taken care of in a weekend trip. So, after promising her fiancé that she would be back by Sunday evening for their dinner with his mother, Kelly takes off to get the task over with.

After meeting with the attorney and arriving at Barbary Point, Kelly finds herself in quite a dilemma. The shack turns out to be a nice rustic cottage with waterfront, a dock, a dog and her father’s best friend Mitch. As time goes on, she finds herself wanting to learn more and more about her father and the life he lived.
Barbary Point is one of the most beautifully written love stories I’ve read. It will make you laugh and cry. It’s so well written that you will feel the pain that Kelly, and I’m sure her father too, felt throughout their lives. But you will also feel the joy and love that Kelly feels as she spends more and more time on Barbary Point. I loved this heartwarming story of love.

2010
XoXo Publishing
ISBN# 978-1-897521-43-4


Review Stir, Laugh, Repeat at Amazon.com Stir, Laugh, Repeat

[Val Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly finds more than she bargained for when she makes a trip to Oshkosh to sell her deceased father's property. When she sets out to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, she plans to only stay the weekend. That one weekend turns into a week that changes her life forever. Her life is thrown off kilter when she meets Mitch, a fishing guide and her father's best friend. Mitch sheds light on the way Kelly's father felt about her, and from that moment on, Kelly sees the world in a different light. Mitch, much like her father, feels a strong connection to the ocean. At Kelly's request Mitch sets out to educate her a little bit on life in Barbary Point and just why her father loved it so much.

Having come from a similar situation with my own father, this touching novella really hit home with me. I felt I could relate to it in a way that I can't relate to most books I read. Kelly has felt one way about her father all her life and if afforded the opportunity to experience a new outlook on who her father really was. Solid characters and an intricately wound love story will leave you wishing this book had been longer. Mr. Nayes writes with intellectual flair that leaves you wanting to read more.

Barbary Point was a breath of fresh air. In this fast paced life I live in, I love to read to escape and Barbary Point was worth every minute I spent reading. I felt as though I could slow down and enjoy the story. I know nothing of fishing but left this story with a little bit of knowledge and a great appreciation for the life of a fisherman. I would have to say that this book evokes similar emotions to any of the Nicholas Sparks Books.

To Mr. Nayes I would like to say, this book was a job well done. It's evident that you researched the location of the book very well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kelly's story and I look forward to reading more of your work in the future

[Donna Hatridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a .99 cent eBook that you won't want to miss. On my Nook there are 290 pages. This is the only book in this genre written by Alan Nayes. His other books are Bio-Medical thrillers and his newest one is about a Saber Tooth Cat. I must say I would like another book written in this genre by Alan Nayes.
The story flowed smoothly and allowed us to be right there with Kelly as her story unfolds. I loved this book.

When Kelly English flies back to Oshkosh,Wisconsin, to close out her father’s estate, the last thing on her mind is falling in love. Again. Kelly is twenty-eight and engaged to an older man who is quite wealthy. She’s happy, and only desires to make the trip back brief, sell her deceased father’s place, and return to her stable life in Los Angeles. However, while taking care of business in Oshkosh, Kelly meets a fishing guide, launching her on an emotional journey she never could have predicted or foreseen

[Heather Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is poetic, poignant, and devastating. A beautiful romance novel, "Barbary Point" is a story of love, loss, hope, and the strength that comes from all three. I recommend it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow is all I can say! I am in tears. This was a great book. I was really able to feel the characters especially Kelly. I am just in awe right now.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love story on many different levels, written by a man through the leading lady's viewpoint. I really enjoyed this story and recommend it as a good read.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story that'll break your heart. Be prepared to remember this book for a long, long time.

[Cindy Hulsopple · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not even sure how to review Barbary Point without spoilers, but I will try. This was a quick read but packed with emotion. I'm not going to summarize the story - the synopsis does that - and I knew some of what to expect when I started reading, but this went beyond my expectations.

The imagery of the lake and the region of Wisconsin made me feel as if I was there. The author captured the scenes, the sights, sounds, and feel of the lake without pages and pages of boring description. Having fished since I was a child I felt the main character's excitement at catching her first fish and the vibration of the motor when the throttle opened up.

I consider myself a romantic and I believe in love at first sight, but I found it slightly jarring that the MC so readily and heartily immersed herself into a lifestyle so completely different from what she was used to, then so easily went back to her old life and carried on as if nothing had changed. I suppose that happens, but it left me wanting to understand more about her reasoning.

Barbary Point is a love story, but one without a happy ending. It does have a sense of closure at the end, and that redeems it for me, giving it a 4-star rating, rather than a lower one.

[D Call · Rating 4 out of 5]

!!SPOILERS!!

I was not prepared for the emotion that hit me at the end.

This book was more of an ode to Wisconsin and Lake Winnebago and fishing than it was a romance. It was obviously told by a man, because feelings weren't discussed very much; and the things that were detailed in the story were not things a woman would detail, whereas the things a woman would detail were skimmed over in a paragraph or less. As I was reading the book, I was vacillating between a 2-star and a 3-star rating, especially with lines like I didn't know anything about joists, i-beams, and 16 penny nails. Well, obviously you do, because I wouldn't have known to call them that. But things that were glossed over were conversations between the hero and heroine, things that would have developed their characters more, shed light onto the relationship better.

Then the ending. I knew something was coming, I just didn't pick the right character. I wept and wept. I don't know why, because I didn't know the characters that well, but obviously well enough.

Stand alone. Not a HEA.

Contains no written sex scenes (sex happens off page), a few swear words, and no violence.

[Gerri Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbary Point shocked me. I am use to reading HEA books and prefer them. The last couple of chapters of this book had me in tears. Mitch and Kelly meet and fall in love. Then something terrible happens. I was not happy with the ending.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE!!!

Wonderful read!! Want more!! Sad about Mitch, but that makes the story mesh. Glad she went back. Would read more!!

[Carin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, wasn't really into the subject matter

[Joya Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful love story

This is a wonderful love story with a very different ending. I enjoyed reading it until the very end. Enjoy! You won’t regret it!

[Stacy Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are those moments in life that you see someone and feel that spark with them, yet you let the moment pass you by. This story brings to front the one time that spark was actually explored and how deeply you can fall in love with someone that you had that spark with.

While I am not a big fan of fishing, I found myself very interested in the in's and out's of what they were doing. The description of what was happening and the ability to view it through the author's words was easy to see.

The reason for Kelly to venture into this place hit close to home as I never knew my biological father until I was much older. It made the story more real for me.

This book was a quick and easy read. Well written and kept me interested. It was also the first novel I have read by author Alan Nayes, and I look forward to reading more of his work.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars story 5 Stars on emotions

This is the second book I have read today this was shorter, simpler but I cried a lot of tears reading this story. I was definetly connected to this story.

Kelly was very sucessful and happy with her life. She was manager of Magazine and engaged to the Owner. Then she got a call that her dad had died and left everything to her. Kelly had not seen her father or heard from him since she was three.

Kelly flies into town plans to sign papers and leave that same weekend but she found out a little about her dad and somethings about herself.

Like I said its short only 130 pages but it packs a punch, Its romance with fishing and lake Winnebago. I enjoyed it except for my crying.

I was given this ebook in exchange of honest review.

[Lisa Kistler · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I read this book I realize that I don't like books written in 1st person. They go too fast and I feel as if I cannot catch my breath. That being said, The book read nice and gives all the details I really like. It completes the story. I generally shy away from books written by men as I feel men don't have the happily ever after gene. It is very detailed in fishing and boating, as I have enjoyed these I am not a true fisherman, so some was just detail for, but not awful. A quick read with likable characters, that may be just a little too predictable.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed when I finished this book. First of all, it was very short...only about 150 pages. The characters weren't developed, and because of this it made the story hard to understand. There was no build up to the relationship between Kelly and mitch, there was no explanation about why the parents were divorced. It felt more like I was reading a summary of the story...it really needed more "meat" to it.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read--good story. Maybe not how one would want it to end.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt so broken hearted at the end. Not a favorite story of mine.