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Midway to Heaven
"Ned knew it was a sneaky thing to do, but he walked quietly down the stairs hoping to turn the corner from the stairway before they slipped away from each other. "When he reached the last step, he waited and looked into the dark room. Over the top of the couch's back, he saw two heads, too close. He cleared his throat to announce his presence, and then walked around the back of the couch and sat on another recliner, but they didn't have enough shame to separate themselves, and Ned saw exactly what he David was holding Liz's hand!" What father ever thinks his little girl is ready to get married? David Markham is perfect. Too perfect. Athletic, good-looking, musical, spiritual...it seems like there's nothing David can't do, but Ned Stevens is unconvinced. Nobody could be that good, and he's sure there's something fishy about this boy his daughter seems so crazy about. He just has to find out what it is before it's too late. But how far will he have to go to prove his point? This lighthearted romp by best-selling author Dean Hughes is the perfect blend of romance, comedy, poignancy, and just plain fun. A sure hit!
225 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2003
13 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Dean Hughes
167 books348 followersDean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, and Search and Destroy. Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three children and six grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
April 11, 2021
Honestly, I expected this book to be totally cheesy. I am not a romance fan, by any stretch. Don't mind some romance sprinkled in, but not a dish I eat on its own.
But I really enjoyed this one. It's cheesy in a self-aware way. It knows it's over the top and sticks to that. And in between Ned's outrageous stunts to discredit his would-be son-in-law, there are some really tender points about how to strive for righteousness without being self-righteous and the difficulty of moving on to new relationships at 50+.
Is it Jane Austen? No. But is it worth the (short) time it takes to read? Definitively, yes.
But I really enjoyed this one. It's cheesy in a self-aware way. It knows it's over the top and sticks to that. And in between Ned's outrageous stunts to discredit his would-be son-in-law, there are some really tender points about how to strive for righteousness without being self-righteous and the difficulty of moving on to new relationships at 50+.
Is it Jane Austen? No. But is it worth the (short) time it takes to read? Definitively, yes.
January 3, 2009
I love just about everything by Dean Hughes, and this book is no exception. I read it the first time several years ago: I remember that I had loved it, that it was laugh-out-loud funny.
I bought a copy last summer, having found it on the clearance table at my local Deseret Book, but I kept this book on my shelf for a few months, preoccupied with other reading. I finally picked this up a couple days ago as my reward for finishing a much meatier book … and then I subsequently devoured it. The main character, middle-aged widower Ned, is deeply flawed but somehow totally likeable. The plotline is a bit over-the-top while still seeming real at an elementary level. The thing I remembered most about this book — the humor — was infused throughout, making me smile and, yes, laugh out loud several times. What I hadn’t remembered was all the deeper stuff: I found myself aching just a little bit for Ned as he remembers his wife; she seemed so real through Ned’s imaginary banter with her, and the reader ends up missing her as much as Ned does.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is a thought-provoking, life-changing book — but for a lighthearted read, this is one that’s not empty-headed. I enjoyed it the second time around as much as the first.
I bought a copy last summer, having found it on the clearance table at my local Deseret Book, but I kept this book on my shelf for a few months, preoccupied with other reading. I finally picked this up a couple days ago as my reward for finishing a much meatier book … and then I subsequently devoured it. The main character, middle-aged widower Ned, is deeply flawed but somehow totally likeable. The plotline is a bit over-the-top while still seeming real at an elementary level. The thing I remembered most about this book — the humor — was infused throughout, making me smile and, yes, laugh out loud several times. What I hadn’t remembered was all the deeper stuff: I found myself aching just a little bit for Ned as he remembers his wife; she seemed so real through Ned’s imaginary banter with her, and the reader ends up missing her as much as Ned does.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is a thought-provoking, life-changing book — but for a lighthearted read, this is one that’s not empty-headed. I enjoyed it the second time around as much as the first.
July 18, 2013
Ned Stevens is busy putting the pieces of his life together after the death of his wife. Most of the kids are grown, but Liz is unmarried and a student at BYU. That's all about to change one fateful Thanksgiving when Liz announces that she's bringing a guy home. Dear old Dad is anything but happy about this. He realizes, with help from the voice of his deceased wife that plays in his head, that he has become hugely dependent on his unmarried 20-year-old daughter, and he's not anxious to see that relationship change.
Ned initially takes a dislike to David almost from the start. The kid is just too perfect; he's spiritual, he runs like a champion, plays golf like a pro, and on goes the list. Much of the book focuses on Ned's determination to break up the almost-engagement. But in so doing, he discovers things about himself that may allow him to love again.
I get that this book was supposed to be funny and a light read. I just never much liked any of these characters, and much of the so-called humor here didn't evoke even much of a smile. This was a quick read, but it was also a rather forgettable one.
Ned initially takes a dislike to David almost from the start. The kid is just too perfect; he's spiritual, he runs like a champion, plays golf like a pro, and on goes the list. Much of the book focuses on Ned's determination to break up the almost-engagement. But in so doing, he discovers things about himself that may allow him to love again.
I get that this book was supposed to be funny and a light read. I just never much liked any of these characters, and much of the so-called humor here didn't evoke even much of a smile. This was a quick read, but it was also a rather forgettable one.
keep-in-mind
May 15, 2015Added 5/15/15. Published in December 2003.
I did not read this novel. I watched the film adaptation. (I discovered the novel when I streamed the film adaptation from Netflix on 5/15/15.)
IMDb calls it: "Midway to Heaven" (2011)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1762308/?...
Netflix calls it: "Heaven Is Waiting" (2011)
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/701848...
"Long-grieving widower Ned spurns his daughter's attempts to push him back into dating, especially now that she has a boyfriend of her own."
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Waiting-...
I did not read this novel. I watched the film adaptation. (I discovered the novel when I streamed the film adaptation from Netflix on 5/15/15.)
IMDb calls it: "Midway to Heaven" (2011)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1762308/?...
Netflix calls it: "Heaven Is Waiting" (2011)
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/701848...
"Long-grieving widower Ned spurns his daughter's attempts to push him back into dating, especially now that she has a boyfriend of her own."
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Waiting-...
September 23, 2008
I'm glad my dad wasn't this bad! I get too involved in books- I'll be walking around, wondering how life will go on or how the problem will be solved. This book made me a little irritable, because for most of the book, the main character is a bit irritable. Still, a cute read. Although, he still sounded too perfect...
April 6, 2011
This was a cute little Mormon novel. It kept my interest but wasn't great literature. The father in the story is mourning his deceased wife, so he's very extreme in his desire to not see his youngest child grow up and get married. There are a lot of extremes in this book, which made it a little bit less than believable.
November 22, 2013
Pretty cheesy but had me reading straight through. I didn't love it as much as his historical fiction, which are some of my very favorites. I got to meet him at a Time Out for Women in St. Louis and he's delightful. I just thought this book was only ok. Ned's bias toward David seemed way too hokey and unbelievable for me.
March 26, 2011
A nice easy read. Written for an LDS audience. Plot is almost non-existent. I found it boring at times.
August 7, 2019
Ned Stevens was a very successful entrepreneur in CA until his wife died of cancer when he was 51. Ned then moved back to Utah with his youngest and only daughter when she started school at BYU. He's built a beautiful home in Midway and is trying to fill his retirement years with running, golf, reading and avoiding women looking for a husband. He's also very close to 20-year-old daughter Liz. He also has conversations with Kate, his dead wife, who's encouraging him to remarry and let go of Liz. When Liz brings super smart, super spiritual, super good looking, etc. David Markham home for Thanksgiving, Ned goes a little nuts and investigates him. This makes everyone mad and threatens his relationship with Liz. He finally decides to change his life - with the help of local divorcee Carol Holly. Liz and David do get engaged and Ned is well on his way to a 2nd marriage by Christmas and the end of the book.
Funny but compelling story of how Ned deals with the loss of his beloved first wife and letting go of his daughter and youngest.
Funny but compelling story of how Ned deals with the loss of his beloved first wife and letting go of his daughter and youngest.
July 16, 2023
Dean Hughes has written some of my favorite "Mormon Fiction" novels. Usually, his novels deal with historical themes. This one is a contemporary story of a mid-fifty widower who obsesses over the fact that his youngest and only single daughter has found a new boyfriend and may get married and leave him! To his mind, this young man is seriously "too good to be true"! He refuses to see any good in her new boyfriend, and tries to sabotage him and the young couples' plans. The daughter, sees what he is doing and finally really tells him that she doesn't appreciate his meddling and that what he is doing will drive her away!
He is also feeling pushed to accept advances from single, and widowed women in his ward. This is very hard for him as he feels completely happy and connected with his dead wife!
Hughes is a very good author and shows that he can not only write about serious history, but also write with a comic style.
He is also feeling pushed to accept advances from single, and widowed women in his ward. This is very hard for him as he feels completely happy and connected with his dead wife!
Hughes is a very good author and shows that he can not only write about serious history, but also write with a comic style.
October 29, 2017
This was a fun read. An LDS romance about a man whose wife died a couple years ago and is now struggling with starting to date again and with watching his daughter fall in love, it brought up a lot of touching thoughts about my own marriage and children. I loved the father-daughter closeness portrayed throughout, even when they had disagreements. I loved the tenderness he felt for his wife and how real his difficulty with dating again felt, even though he knew it was the right thing. There were silly parts of the book, but the characters felt they had some depth to them. I also love LDS books written by Dean Hughes because he seems to be able to bring up some of the things members of the church struggle with and some of the parts of LDS culture that are negative, but in a way that still allows the reader to see the truthfulness of the gospel and how a person can reconcile those things.
February 25, 2018
This was the kind of book where I vacillated between liking it and disliking it, mainly because of the main character Ned. I guess it's a guy thing--not wanting some guy to take your little princess away. I had a hard time with Ned disliking potential son-in-law David for being too good, too righteous, imagining that David was always trying to best him and making him look bad!?! That was the rom com side of the book I guess. On the other hand, Ned's trying to understand why he was so opposed to his daughter marrying David did redeem the book. Ned was a fairly recent widower who had relied heavily on his daughter to cope. So that part, I could understand. Overall, it was worth sticking around to see how all this resolved.
September 6, 2017
Midway to Heaven is a great book about a mans struggle to let his daughter get married and possibly remarry himself. The father loves golf, and, when his daughter brings home her boyfriend for a visit, her father does not approve given the boy's taste in food, his knowledge of golf, and his ability to surpass the personal goals of the father.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2019
I making myself read books on my shelves which, for one reason or another, I have never read. I usually love Dean Hughes’ books, but this one was just OK for me. Not quite three stars. I thought that the writing was enjoyable, but the story was very predictable.
January 21, 2018
I got this book from my grandma for Christmas and I thought it was average. It was cute and funny but it just had terrible non- descriptive writing.
March 5, 2019
Sweet story. No real surprises but heartwarming just the same
February 10, 2020
Did not finish.
Got hung up on how ridiculous the main character was.
Spoiler - Halfway through and he hasn't met his love interest yet.
Got hung up on how ridiculous the main character was.
Spoiler - Halfway through and he hasn't met his love interest yet.
September 9, 2022
I know I read and loved this book years ago!
January 29, 2023
A very easy and enjoyable book.
April 25, 2023
Cute quick read. Very quippy which was fun.
May 16, 2017
This was a great book!
March 19, 2017
I loved it . It was fun.
May 18, 2011
What a great book! As always Dean Hughes has a way of creating a plot that weaves in insightful lessons and thought provoking analogies that really make you sit back and pay attention. This book seems like it would be such a healing tool for those widows and their children, who are left single way too young. i know that it would be a tearful read, but sometimes tears are good to let you feel instead of being so tough and going as if all is right in your world with such a life changing trial to get through.
Ned looses his wife at age 50 to a battle with cancer. He moves to Utah and builds their dream home in Midway as his youngest daughter is going off to BYU. The relationship between himself and Liz is really close due to their mutual loss. When Liz brings home a "friend" for Thanksgiving break who turns out to be more than that, Ned freaks out and finds all things "David" to be too good to be true. He still is having one sided conversations with his wife and she tells him to be more willing to get to know David before making judgement on him. She remind him that, Liz is going to marry him and he is good. Ned realizes after many bad choices to dig up dirt on David, that he is jealous of David getting Liz's attention that he used to get and that he will be truly alone. He starts to heed the advise he has been getting for 2 years...to date and this time he does. Carol Holly is nothing like his wife, but similar too. She is willing to take it slow and be straightforward instead of playing the dating game normally. Ned appreciates this because it makes him less nervous. As Ned works through getting on with his life and finding purpose again for himself, he is able to recognize his feelings for David for what they are and accept that his daughter is growing up and moving on with her life as he is too.
I loved the analogy of the doe and fawn: A doe jumps a fence and the fawn tries to follow but looses his confidence, but doesn't give up on the goal of following it's mother, but instead scrambles through another part part of the fence and after falling, picks itself up and follows it's mother. We all have trials, but the stumbling is part of the lessons we learn of not giving up when it gets hard, but doing the best that we can.
Ned looses his wife at age 50 to a battle with cancer. He moves to Utah and builds their dream home in Midway as his youngest daughter is going off to BYU. The relationship between himself and Liz is really close due to their mutual loss. When Liz brings home a "friend" for Thanksgiving break who turns out to be more than that, Ned freaks out and finds all things "David" to be too good to be true. He still is having one sided conversations with his wife and she tells him to be more willing to get to know David before making judgement on him. She remind him that, Liz is going to marry him and he is good. Ned realizes after many bad choices to dig up dirt on David, that he is jealous of David getting Liz's attention that he used to get and that he will be truly alone. He starts to heed the advise he has been getting for 2 years...to date and this time he does. Carol Holly is nothing like his wife, but similar too. She is willing to take it slow and be straightforward instead of playing the dating game normally. Ned appreciates this because it makes him less nervous. As Ned works through getting on with his life and finding purpose again for himself, he is able to recognize his feelings for David for what they are and accept that his daughter is growing up and moving on with her life as he is too.
I loved the analogy of the doe and fawn: A doe jumps a fence and the fawn tries to follow but looses his confidence, but doesn't give up on the goal of following it's mother, but instead scrambles through another part part of the fence and after falling, picks itself up and follows it's mother. We all have trials, but the stumbling is part of the lessons we learn of not giving up when it gets hard, but doing the best that we can.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2011
Review originally posted on my blog : http://utahmomslife.blogspot.com/2011...
Let me just start out by saying that I LOVED Dean Hughes's Children of Promise series. I've read them several times. I've made Utah Dad read them and my parents. They're really really good.
So, I had high hopes for Midway to Heaven, my neighborhood book club pick for May. After all, they made it into a movie.
I read the first chapter while I waited for Neal to get his bottom braces on at the orthodontist's office last week. And then I put it aside and read Slaughterhouse-Five instead. I really didn't think I would ever pick it up again. But my friend wanted to borrow it and I figured I should give it one more chance before I passed it on to her.
Ned is still grieving his wife's early death, when his daughter brings home a "friend" for the Thanksgiving holiday. It is quickly apparent that David is more than a friend. Ned is immediately wary of David. He's too cute. Too smart. Too good at everything. Too good to be true. And definitely not good enough for Ned's daughter Liz.
I had to skim through this book. It was a cute story but it just didn't deserve this much and the conversations Ned carries on with his dead wife are too weird and repetitive--we get it, Ned' wife thinks he should marry again and she likes David. I ended up skipping them completely. I realize dads go through some of these emotions when their daughters are getting married (some more than others) but this dad is just too kooky. The conversations and relationships are unbelievable and forced.
True to form, this book is squeaky clean and it will probably make you feel warm and fuzzy.
Let me just start out by saying that I LOVED Dean Hughes's Children of Promise series. I've read them several times. I've made Utah Dad read them and my parents. They're really really good.
So, I had high hopes for Midway to Heaven, my neighborhood book club pick for May. After all, they made it into a movie.
I read the first chapter while I waited for Neal to get his bottom braces on at the orthodontist's office last week. And then I put it aside and read Slaughterhouse-Five instead. I really didn't think I would ever pick it up again. But my friend wanted to borrow it and I figured I should give it one more chance before I passed it on to her.
Ned is still grieving his wife's early death, when his daughter brings home a "friend" for the Thanksgiving holiday. It is quickly apparent that David is more than a friend. Ned is immediately wary of David. He's too cute. Too smart. Too good at everything. Too good to be true. And definitely not good enough for Ned's daughter Liz.
I had to skim through this book. It was a cute story but it just didn't deserve this much and the conversations Ned carries on with his dead wife are too weird and repetitive--we get it, Ned' wife thinks he should marry again and she likes David. I ended up skipping them completely. I realize dads go through some of these emotions when their daughters are getting married (some more than others) but this dad is just too kooky. The conversations and relationships are unbelievable and forced.
True to form, this book is squeaky clean and it will probably make you feel warm and fuzzy.
October 14, 2011
This book was something else. It's about a guy named Ned. His daughter meets a boy at BYU, brings him home for Thanksgiving, and Ned immediately doesn't like him.
That's about it.
Really?! I can't believe the author spent 90% of the book discussing the different ways Ned didn't like this guy. I kept thinking, "OK, I'm sure something else will start happening... this can't be the entire book, can it?" It was. It got old. Every dad out there has some beef with the boys their daughters bring home, but to base an entire book on that?!... Maybe the fathers out there who've "been there-done that" would appreciate a book like this, but I sure didn't.
Oh, and one more thing... the author didn't try to make some of his characters likable. I'm talking specifically about Ned's future love-interest, Carol. He spends the first part of the book discribing her bad qualities, how annoying and pushy she was, always flirting with Ned, and how much it annoyed him. Naturally as the reader, you don't like her because Ned doesn't like her. But suddenly, Ned DOES start liking her and you still DON'T, because that is the direction the author pulled you. The author would've been better off introducing a new character that immediately is likable, instead of having Ned suddenly turned on by Carol's pushiness. I just didn't buy it.
The only reason I started reading this book is because they just came out with the movie, and it was already checked out for the week, so I thought I'd read it first. I live in Midway, so it was a little fun to recognize the places he was talking about.
That's about it.
Really?! I can't believe the author spent 90% of the book discussing the different ways Ned didn't like this guy. I kept thinking, "OK, I'm sure something else will start happening... this can't be the entire book, can it?" It was. It got old. Every dad out there has some beef with the boys their daughters bring home, but to base an entire book on that?!... Maybe the fathers out there who've "been there-done that" would appreciate a book like this, but I sure didn't.
Oh, and one more thing... the author didn't try to make some of his characters likable. I'm talking specifically about Ned's future love-interest, Carol. He spends the first part of the book discribing her bad qualities, how annoying and pushy she was, always flirting with Ned, and how much it annoyed him. Naturally as the reader, you don't like her because Ned doesn't like her. But suddenly, Ned DOES start liking her and you still DON'T, because that is the direction the author pulled you. The author would've been better off introducing a new character that immediately is likable, instead of having Ned suddenly turned on by Carol's pushiness. I just didn't buy it.
The only reason I started reading this book is because they just came out with the movie, and it was already checked out for the week, so I thought I'd read it first. I live in Midway, so it was a little fun to recognize the places he was talking about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2008
Ned, a widower of two years, is looking forward to enjoying the Thanksgiving holidays with his young co-ed daughter, Liz who is coming home from Brigham Young University for some quality time together. However, when Liz decides to bring home a male “friend” from school, Ned panics because he sees a change in his daughter and realizes that this guy might be “the one.” As he watches Liz and her boyfriend together, issues of loneliness and jealousy arise. Ned begins to struggle through some of his own issues and learns that one of the hardest trials of parenting might just be learning to let go and getting a life of your own.
As I have never read a Christian Fiction novel before, I was unsure what to except from the novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I found the novel to be a poignant, sweet tale of a father and daughter relationship and how he learned to let her grow up into her own person. It was also a touching tale of a husband learning to move on from his wife’s death. The novel was a funny and light-spirited read. It is not too be taken too seriously and it can be “cheesy” in places—but that’s what makes it so much fun to read. While I was reading the novel, there were many scenes within the book that rang so true that I would turn to my husband (we have two daughters) and say, “This is exactly how you are going to be—I just know it!”
As I have never read a Christian Fiction novel before, I was unsure what to except from the novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I found the novel to be a poignant, sweet tale of a father and daughter relationship and how he learned to let her grow up into her own person. It was also a touching tale of a husband learning to move on from his wife’s death. The novel was a funny and light-spirited read. It is not too be taken too seriously and it can be “cheesy” in places—but that’s what makes it so much fun to read. While I was reading the novel, there were many scenes within the book that rang so true that I would turn to my husband (we have two daughters) and say, “This is exactly how you are going to be—I just know it!”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2021
Straight up, this is not what I'd call "great literature." But in this case, that doesn't at all matter to me. I read it for entertainment, and that's exactly what I got--and in large, family-friendly quantities.
Though I'm not an anxious father facing the prospect of losing his only daughter to marriage to "The Perfect Man," Hughes' "over-the-top" portrayal of Ned Stevens (the main character) is nicely done. It's the extremity to which Ned goes, throughout the book, that provides the bulk of the comedy, and I think there probably are a good number of fathers who can relate to Ned's concerns even if they may not go to the same pains as he does to ensure that their little girl doesn't make a mistake in marriage.
"Midway" is most definitely an LDS book, and it provides a nice, clean read.
Dean Hughes did an excellent job, in my opinion, telling a story, and that's something that I value more than just whether the book itself is "great literature." The story flow is smooth, the characters enjoyable, and the comedy--while a bit slapstick in a metaphoric sense--is light-hearted and easy to swallow. All in all, a very enjoyable book.
I've already recommended this to my wife. I think she'd love it.
Though I'm not an anxious father facing the prospect of losing his only daughter to marriage to "The Perfect Man," Hughes' "over-the-top" portrayal of Ned Stevens (the main character) is nicely done. It's the extremity to which Ned goes, throughout the book, that provides the bulk of the comedy, and I think there probably are a good number of fathers who can relate to Ned's concerns even if they may not go to the same pains as he does to ensure that their little girl doesn't make a mistake in marriage.
"Midway" is most definitely an LDS book, and it provides a nice, clean read.
Dean Hughes did an excellent job, in my opinion, telling a story, and that's something that I value more than just whether the book itself is "great literature." The story flow is smooth, the characters enjoyable, and the comedy--while a bit slapstick in a metaphoric sense--is light-hearted and easy to swallow. All in all, a very enjoyable book.
I've already recommended this to my wife. I think she'd love it.
July 15, 2012
While this is not what I'd call "great literature," it was fantastic entertainment, in large, family-friendly quantities.
Though I'm not an anxious father dealing facing the prospect of losing his only daughter to marriage to "The Perfect Man," Hughes' "over-the-top" portrayal of Ned Stevens (the main character) is nicely done. It's the extremity to which Ned goes, throughout the book, that provides the bulk of the comedy, and I think there probably are a good number of fathers who can relate to Ned's concerns even if they may not go to the same pains as he does to ensure that their little girl doesn't make a mistake in marriage.
"Midway" is most definitely an LDS book, and it provides a nice, clean read.
Dean Hughes did an excellent job, in my opinion, telling a story, and that's something that I value more than just whether the book itself is "great literature." The story flow is smooth, the characters enjoyable, and the comedy--while a bit slapstick in a metaphoric sense--is light-hearted and easy to swallow. All in all, a very enjoyable book.
I've already recommended this to my wife. I think she'd love it.
P.S. I loved the movie, too.
Though I'm not an anxious father dealing facing the prospect of losing his only daughter to marriage to "The Perfect Man," Hughes' "over-the-top" portrayal of Ned Stevens (the main character) is nicely done. It's the extremity to which Ned goes, throughout the book, that provides the bulk of the comedy, and I think there probably are a good number of fathers who can relate to Ned's concerns even if they may not go to the same pains as he does to ensure that their little girl doesn't make a mistake in marriage.
"Midway" is most definitely an LDS book, and it provides a nice, clean read.
Dean Hughes did an excellent job, in my opinion, telling a story, and that's something that I value more than just whether the book itself is "great literature." The story flow is smooth, the characters enjoyable, and the comedy--while a bit slapstick in a metaphoric sense--is light-hearted and easy to swallow. All in all, a very enjoyable book.
I've already recommended this to my wife. I think she'd love it.
P.S. I loved the movie, too.
April 15, 2010
This book centers around a widower and his 20 year old daughter. The widower left California (where his wife died of cancer) and moved to Midway and built their dream house. His 20 year old daughter attends BYU and visits him whenever she can. Since the death of their wife/mother, the two have grown very close. Everything changes though, when both begin new relationships with other people.
The book deals with grief, young love, love after death or divorce, retirement, and hasty judgments. While it deals well with those heavy topics, it is at its heart a light book, designed to make you laugh and when you're done, you find yourself thinking about the lessons you learned without having realized you learned them.
Warning: This book actually made me laugh out loud on several occasions. You might want to read it privately. I can't guarantee that you have the same sense of humor that I have, but if yours is close to mine, this will definitely tickle you.
The book deals with grief, young love, love after death or divorce, retirement, and hasty judgments. While it deals well with those heavy topics, it is at its heart a light book, designed to make you laugh and when you're done, you find yourself thinking about the lessons you learned without having realized you learned them.
Warning: This book actually made me laugh out loud on several occasions. You might want to read it privately. I can't guarantee that you have the same sense of humor that I have, but if yours is close to mine, this will definitely tickle you.
July 13, 2016
This book had potential to be a cute, heartwarming story with some charm. However, I was sorely disappointed in it. Halfway through I kept asking myself why I was continuing to read it. I have read other books by Dean Hughes and enjoyed them a lot. This one, however, was just too over the top in terms of cheesiness. It was so unrealistic that I couldn't really take it seriously. It's too bad because I think it wrestles a topic that a lot of people can relate to. (Father daughter relationships, accepting the fact that your daughter is a woman and mature enough to get married, moving forward with life after the of a spouse, etc.) I thought the novel spent so much time focusing on a two week period of time and then just breezed by the next month, where the bulk of action happens. It felt like the story was very rushed at the end. I think I'll see the movie out of curiosity, but I wouldn't recommend reading the book.
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