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The Widow's Walk
In the spirit of The Notebook and The Time Traveller's Wife comes Robert Barclay's haunting and romantic novel of passion, destiny, loss and an eternal love that will bring two people together across time
His name was Garrett Richmond and he had always wanted to live by the ocean. So when the opportunity to buy-and renovate-the old home known as Seaside arrived, he leapt at the chance. Never mind that his friends and family thought he was crazy, he knew he could return this lonely mansion, worn by time, wind, and neglect, to its former beauty. But Seaside was more than just a project; it was spot that had called to him his entire life.
And then one night he saw her.
Her name is Constance Elizabeth Canfield and she tells him Seaside has been her home for over 150 years. But Constance is no ghost; rather, she claims that she has been somehow magically trapped between this life and the next. At first, Garrett can't believe her crazy story-the woman had to be lying! And yet, there was something about Constance that was from another time...
Soon this mysterious woman, and flesh and blood man share a closeness they cannot deny. But just as their love begins to bloom, Constance's presence starts mysteriously fading away, soon to be gone forever. Is their love doomed-or is it strong enough to transcend time, and even death itself?
His name was Garrett Richmond and he had always wanted to live by the ocean. So when the opportunity to buy-and renovate-the old home known as Seaside arrived, he leapt at the chance. Never mind that his friends and family thought he was crazy, he knew he could return this lonely mansion, worn by time, wind, and neglect, to its former beauty. But Seaside was more than just a project; it was spot that had called to him his entire life.
And then one night he saw her.
Her name is Constance Elizabeth Canfield and she tells him Seaside has been her home for over 150 years. But Constance is no ghost; rather, she claims that she has been somehow magically trapped between this life and the next. At first, Garrett can't believe her crazy story-the woman had to be lying! And yet, there was something about Constance that was from another time...
Soon this mysterious woman, and flesh and blood man share a closeness they cannot deny. But just as their love begins to bloom, Constance's presence starts mysteriously fading away, soon to be gone forever. Is their love doomed-or is it strong enough to transcend time, and even death itself?
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2013
47 people are currently reading
923 people want to read
About the author
Robert Barclay
158 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
June 3, 2014
Um, not sure what to say without being rude...but just skip it. Yikes on the writing, just yikes,
April 22, 2015
I guessed the ending of the book 100 pages in. I was right. Seriously, go look at my status updates if you want to know the ending. That made the resolution a lot less exciting, and I found myself skimming through quite a bit of the paragraphs through the last third of the book. But honestly? I didn't miss anything. Literally every other paragraph went something like this: "Again Garrett realized (Garrett realizes everything--he never seems to come across anything by just thinking about it, but suddenly realizing) that Constance came from another time. How could she survive in the modern world? Now she was a part of it instead of party to it (a phrase used like three times) and that meant that although no one could see her, she was still involved. What could he do to help her? He knew in his heart (always something with the heart) that he must do all he can for her. But what could he do? Only time will reveal the answer, but who knows how much time they have left? However, she is a result of 170 years and he must respect that (also used several times)."
It was just annoying and very superficial. The entire book was just a repeat of the same few paragraphs over and over again, interspersed with some of the worst dialogue. And even the dialogue was largely the same sentences repeated over and over again.
That may sound dramatic. I know that. Yet I can't deny it. ALL THE CHARACTERS SOUNDED EXACTLY THE SAME. Trent and Jay sounded exactly alike. Garrett apparently doesn't speak like he was born and raised in the present day. Instead, his interior monologue goes like this: The crying that I heard last night, just before falling asleep in the dining room....that crying was also hers! I cannot say why I'm so sure of it, only that I am. She is also the same woman who I saw in my dream! And now that I have seen her in the flesh, a new sort of pain and yearning is growing in my heart that is far stronger than any I have experienced before...
That was a totally real quote by the way.
Because, you know, every thirty year old man talks like that. "I simply must do this because I have fallen in love!" He just sounded like a less severe version of Constance, with her "there's something you must be privy to" and the like. Not to mention Garrett's parents sounded like the same person, and lent nothing to the story line. It was just so contrived and simple.
Although...on the same hand, a lot of things aren't really explained. There's one part toward the beginning where Constance proves no one can see her by doing stupid stuff in front of Trent and Jay. It's confirmed no one can see her. Yet she still has to sneak around? Apparently, because it told me so in the book. I don't really get WHY she has to sneak around, because no one can see her, right? But she does. Also she apparently needs to steal clothes from people and doesn't need to eat, but the author made it a point to say that she looked radiant after taking a shower. So shouldn't she smell? No, because the text tells me she still smells like her perfume from 170 years ago. So apparently her clothes don't come with her, but her perfume does. Yeah. Which seems like a very convenient way for the honorable Garrett to see her undergarments without her wearing them. Let's go shopping, and buy Chanel perfume and Nike shoes and Victoria's Secret bras! Trust me Constance, this is extremely important right now, even though you might be fading away and dying or whatever. It was just ludicrous.
I do not put this in the same category as Nicholas Sparks, and even Nicholas Sparks has his gimmicks (namely, that one of the characters always dies)
(I received this in a First Reads giveaway.)
It was just annoying and very superficial. The entire book was just a repeat of the same few paragraphs over and over again, interspersed with some of the worst dialogue. And even the dialogue was largely the same sentences repeated over and over again.
That may sound dramatic. I know that. Yet I can't deny it. ALL THE CHARACTERS SOUNDED EXACTLY THE SAME. Trent and Jay sounded exactly alike. Garrett apparently doesn't speak like he was born and raised in the present day. Instead, his interior monologue goes like this: The crying that I heard last night, just before falling asleep in the dining room....that crying was also hers! I cannot say why I'm so sure of it, only that I am. She is also the same woman who I saw in my dream! And now that I have seen her in the flesh, a new sort of pain and yearning is growing in my heart that is far stronger than any I have experienced before...
That was a totally real quote by the way.
Because, you know, every thirty year old man talks like that. "I simply must do this because I have fallen in love!" He just sounded like a less severe version of Constance, with her "there's something you must be privy to" and the like. Not to mention Garrett's parents sounded like the same person, and lent nothing to the story line. It was just so contrived and simple.
Although...on the same hand, a lot of things aren't really explained. There's one part toward the beginning where Constance proves no one can see her by doing stupid stuff in front of Trent and Jay. It's confirmed no one can see her. Yet she still has to sneak around? Apparently, because it told me so in the book. I don't really get WHY she has to sneak around, because no one can see her, right? But she does. Also she apparently needs to steal clothes from people and doesn't need to eat, but the author made it a point to say that she looked radiant after taking a shower. So shouldn't she smell? No, because the text tells me she still smells like her perfume from 170 years ago. So apparently her clothes don't come with her, but her perfume does. Yeah. Which seems like a very convenient way for the honorable Garrett to see her undergarments without her wearing them. Let's go shopping, and buy Chanel perfume and Nike shoes and Victoria's Secret bras! Trust me Constance, this is extremely important right now, even though you might be fading away and dying or whatever. It was just ludicrous.
I do not put this in the same category as Nicholas Sparks, and even Nicholas Sparks has his gimmicks (namely, that one of the characters always dies)
(I received this in a First Reads giveaway.)
August 9, 2016
One the one hand, I liked this book. Innovative story line. The architect's friends added some nice background vibrancy to the novel. However, as I was reading I had a hard time with the obvious thread of sexism spun through this book. The premise alone should have clued me in - "man longs for simpler time." Yeah, the simpler time when women did not question their place. The book is peppered with references to "taking" the woman. There was this passage where the female character pondered the freedoms that woman have gained over time, but still longed for the time where she was not free. I realize this paragraph was mostly background to the main story but it was not handled well, AT ALL, in my opinion. So, although I liked the story for the most part, I wanted to drop the book for the obvious sexism so many times. It was a "cringe-worthy" read. I have no plans to read anything further from this author.
December 29, 2013
I'm still not entirely sure what compelled me to actually finish this book. The characters were basically stock (in some cases, calling them two-dimensional would be a stretch), the writing was a cross between elementary and sophomoric (how many times can we use the phrase "17 decades" or "over 170 years" and...mora mortis? Seriously?), and the lack of development made the whole thing, well, cheesy.
I started reading this book because it smacked of Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson, which was engrossing, but this.... Well, I kept hoping that resolution would live up to what I had hoped for at the outset. Alas, it did not, and was one of two plausible endings I considered starting about a third of the way into the story.
It's sad, really: the premise had so much potential and had slightly more attention been given to development of character and plot, this would have been a much better read. As it is, it's on par with Stuart Woods. Blech.
I started reading this book because it smacked of Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson, which was engrossing, but this.... Well, I kept hoping that resolution would live up to what I had hoped for at the outset. Alas, it did not, and was one of two plausible endings I considered starting about a third of the way into the story.
It's sad, really: the premise had so much potential and had slightly more attention been given to development of character and plot, this would have been a much better read. As it is, it's on par with Stuart Woods. Blech.
May 13, 2014
The focal point of this story is Seaside the house serves as the catalyst of the interaction between Constance and Garrett. Seaside is vividly described, partly due to the fact Garrett is an architect restoring Seaside to its old glory. If you enjoy architecture you'll find this aspect attractive. The reader becomes familiar with both exterior and interior of the house, you'll think of it as your second home.
The plot certainly wasn't original, it's been repeated a number of times, however, I was curious to see where Barclay would take the narrative and the reader. The deal breaker for me was the unbending feel of the entire plot. Rigid, lifeless, nothing stretching my imagination, extremely flat. The events leading to the ending completely killed the story, it was ridiculous. Admittedly I had high expectations for the actual ending and was dumbfounded.
Constance and Garrett came across as robotic. Absolutely passionless and failed to evoke any tenderness. I found them dull, and quite boring. Both characters did absolutely nothing for me.
There was a clear undertone of misogyny. Constance makes the following comment:
"I much preferred 1840 than today."
But women have come so far since then," he said. "Things are very different now, since you were a woman in 1840."
"Yes," Constance answered. "In some ways women have come far, and that is a good thing. But in other ways, they have lost much too."
"Back then, Garrett," she said, there was an understood gentility about things. I know this will sound contradictory, but despite of lack of rights, men took care of their women. I of course cannot speak for every woman of that time, but in my experience, most women were treated with true respect. Men opened doors for them, bowed to them, and kissed the backs of their hands, and spoke in far more loving and respectful ways than they now do. Forgive me for seeing old fashioned, but it's as if all of the rights and privileges that women have fought for and won throughout the years have been paid for with a contradictory increase in crassness and crudity. Sometimes, I must admit, I find myself unsure of whether the trade off was a fair one."
Barclay's writing was lackluster, predictable, I read words on paper, I felt distant from The Widow's Walk with no true draw to his story as well as players. Disappointed in the misogynist connotation.
The plot certainly wasn't original, it's been repeated a number of times, however, I was curious to see where Barclay would take the narrative and the reader. The deal breaker for me was the unbending feel of the entire plot. Rigid, lifeless, nothing stretching my imagination, extremely flat. The events leading to the ending completely killed the story, it was ridiculous. Admittedly I had high expectations for the actual ending and was dumbfounded.
Constance and Garrett came across as robotic. Absolutely passionless and failed to evoke any tenderness. I found them dull, and quite boring. Both characters did absolutely nothing for me.
There was a clear undertone of misogyny. Constance makes the following comment:
"I much preferred 1840 than today."
But women have come so far since then," he said. "Things are very different now, since you were a woman in 1840."
"Yes," Constance answered. "In some ways women have come far, and that is a good thing. But in other ways, they have lost much too."
"Back then, Garrett," she said, there was an understood gentility about things. I know this will sound contradictory, but despite of lack of rights, men took care of their women. I of course cannot speak for every woman of that time, but in my experience, most women were treated with true respect. Men opened doors for them, bowed to them, and kissed the backs of their hands, and spoke in far more loving and respectful ways than they now do. Forgive me for seeing old fashioned, but it's as if all of the rights and privileges that women have fought for and won throughout the years have been paid for with a contradictory increase in crassness and crudity. Sometimes, I must admit, I find myself unsure of whether the trade off was a fair one."
Barclay's writing was lackluster, predictable, I read words on paper, I felt distant from The Widow's Walk with no true draw to his story as well as players. Disappointed in the misogynist connotation.
October 26, 2021
The author seems like a nice person.
February 11, 2017
I cannot believed this writer has a career AS a writer. Widow's Walk has horrendous dialogue, the story is very contrived, and the author has no skill whatsoever in weaving a tale or building a scene. The editor of this book and the publishing house should be ashamed of themselves for publishing a writer who cannot write his way out of a paper bag. This book reads like the worst of a self-published title by a wannabe writer who needs to take several more college level fiction writing classes from qualified instructors. As someone else said here on Goodreads, I will NOT attempt to read anything else by Robert Barclay. This book is SO bad I've a mind to write the publisher and insist they drop Barclay. As the founder and executive director of the former New Century Writer Awards, which worked in close association with Francis Ford Coppla's Zoetrope:All-Story literary magazine from 1998 through 2003, I know quite a bit about good story verses bad, and I know dozens of excellent fiction writers who should be published but cannot catch a break. If Widow's Walk is the quality of character, story, and writing style that Barclay has to offer in his other books not only should he be dropped from the publishing world, but his editor should be fired, and his literary agent convinced to quit the business. I just cannot be kind at all in my review of this book. I am astounded anyone thought it was worth wasting the publisher's money.
August 17, 2014
Garbage. Everything from the writing style to the story line was contrived, flat, and forced. I can think of only 2-3 books I have never been able to finish. I give this one star because I worked so hard to plow through it.
September 2, 2014
I wanted to like this book, I really did. The premise was interesting. But, it just fell so flat.
September 28, 2025
I don’t even know how to rate this book. I gave it a three because I wanted to be nice. I was second-guessing this book the whole way through. It felt like I was watching a cheaply made movie or in book talk a very cheap historical romance and I didn’t really enjoy it. The author didn’t really know how to write In my opinion. It seemed like a child was writing it. The story could have been better had it been written better. And the way he was conversing with his parents first with his mother getting her opinion on topics and then his father and how they answered him. It felt like a rehearsed play and sounded stupid. I have to say that I don’t think I will be reading anymore novels from this author.
September 28, 2025
The story sounded ok, from the synopsis, and I'm always game to try out new authors. But in this case I should have skipped it. I guessed the ending way too easily and much too early. And I'm generally terrible at guessing a book's ending. This book is what you get when you mix bad writing and bad editing.
September 20, 2017
I read this book in two days. It was an easy, enjoyable read with a great story line that was pretty believable in its mystical way. I look forward to reading the author's other books.
February 16, 2021
Seriously, don’t bother. If we weren’t in an ice storm and the library is closed, I never would have finished it.
October 11, 2014
It is sometimes said that a select few hear the call of the past in the songs of old and in the works of art that decorate museum walls. They are a people that respect the legends of past generations that help create an architecture of both brick and bone. This book is about one such person that both loves and respects the past. He is a man named Garrett Richmond and he has decided that he will restore a dying historical landmark called Seaside. Not knowing why he wishes to possess such as place, he puts both forth massive amounts of sweat and blood; for he see the potential that Seaside could be. Little to his knowledge does he know that Seaside holds a secret. Garrett is not alone in his new home, nor will he will he ever be as long as he remains there. A woman named Constance Canfield resides in the home somewhere in between the living and the dead. A place where heaven and hell has forgotten about her. For Constance seventeen long decades have passed as she has watched the only place she has called home wither away. Curiosity and desperation has caused her to be bold and have her act out of turn. Can Garrett help Constance understand why she is still alive in Seaside? Why is it that only Garrett can see her? How can she break the curse that she is under?
I have to say that I found this book to be very enjoyable. It was very different for me and I don’t think I have ever read anything quite like it before. I liked the character development and enjoyed the history that was brought into the story as well. It allowed me to get to know both Garrett and Constance a little better. I was actually surprised by the ending, which is good for me. I usually am able to predict the ending and was wrong on this one. I was pleasantly surprised by that and that was fun for me. I highly recommend this book and have no doubt most will enjoy its uniqueness.
I have to say that I found this book to be very enjoyable. It was very different for me and I don’t think I have ever read anything quite like it before. I liked the character development and enjoyed the history that was brought into the story as well. It allowed me to get to know both Garrett and Constance a little better. I was actually surprised by the ending, which is good for me. I usually am able to predict the ending and was wrong on this one. I was pleasantly surprised by that and that was fun for me. I highly recommend this book and have no doubt most will enjoy its uniqueness.
Read
August 25, 2014Set in New Bedford, Massachusetts in the mid-19th century and the present day, Robert Barclay’s third book involves Constance Canfield, a young woman caught between life and death, and the only man in existence who can “save” her. His name is Garrett Richmond, and he is the sensitive architect who purchases the beautiful seaside home Constance once inhabited, so that he may renovate the place. What Garrett does not know is that 170 years earlier Constance—whom only he perceives—fell from the widow’s walk while awaiting the return of her missing whaler husband. Now Constance is a ghost of sorts, doomed to completely disappear if something isn’t done, fast. One consolation is that Garrett takes her shopping for some really cute clothes at Victoria’s Secret, which—somehow—he alone can see.
Together, eventually Constance and Garrett consult Dr. Brooke Wentworth, a world authority on a phenomenon called mora mortis. Quoting a few vague lines from that renowned authority Nostradamus, the doctor informs the couple the only way to break the spell Constance is under is for them both to hurl themselves from the widow’s walk. Maybe. Because the woman they have known for less than an hour says she doesn’t actually know what could happen then. Both could die, one could die, and so on, through various possibilities. Now Garrett finds himself contemplating suicide, considering the act a “leap of faith.”
Like the author’s previous efforts, this one is aimed at fans of Robert James Waller and Nicholas Sparks and may appeal to those who enjoy books similar to The Notebook. Time-Slip. Alana White's Review Appeared in the "Historical Novels Review" Issue 69 (August 2014)
Together, eventually Constance and Garrett consult Dr. Brooke Wentworth, a world authority on a phenomenon called mora mortis. Quoting a few vague lines from that renowned authority Nostradamus, the doctor informs the couple the only way to break the spell Constance is under is for them both to hurl themselves from the widow’s walk. Maybe. Because the woman they have known for less than an hour says she doesn’t actually know what could happen then. Both could die, one could die, and so on, through various possibilities. Now Garrett finds himself contemplating suicide, considering the act a “leap of faith.”
Like the author’s previous efforts, this one is aimed at fans of Robert James Waller and Nicholas Sparks and may appeal to those who enjoy books similar to The Notebook. Time-Slip. Alana White's Review Appeared in the "Historical Novels Review" Issue 69 (August 2014)
August 21, 2014
Constance Crawford and her whaler-captain husband Adam live in a beautiful ocean front home in New Bedford, MA in 1840. Seaside is a beautiful home but a lonely one for Constance as Adam is away for up to two years at a time on whaling expeditions. They are childless; while Adam is away she works as a midwife and helps escaped slaves by providing a station on the Underground Railway. As Adam's journey nears its end, Constance goes regularly to the widow's walk at the top of Seaside to wait for him. One day as she leans on the rail, it breaks and she plunges to her. . . . death?
170 years late Garrett Richmond, an architect who has always been fascinated with Seaside buys the sadly neglected home and begins to restore it. But he keeps catching glimpses of and having dreams about a beautiful woman dressed in period clothes who is sobbing uncontrollably. Could this be Constance? Is she a ghost or something else? As Garrett begins to fall in love with her, he and the young woman have to seek the answers to what is apparently an unbelievable situation.
Once skepticism is suspended about the possibility of an existence caught between life and death, this is a charming and beautiful love story. I enjoyed reading about life in New Bedford in the 1840s and the type of homes found there. Parts of the story were very cute, especially when Garrett takes Constance (whom only he can see and hear) shopping at a modern mall. Her reaction to Victoria's Secret is priceless! In a time when we have come to accept relationships between vampires and humans, time-travel, etc. in modern novels, this one isn't too much of a stretch. It is an easy read and enjoyable.
170 years late Garrett Richmond, an architect who has always been fascinated with Seaside buys the sadly neglected home and begins to restore it. But he keeps catching glimpses of and having dreams about a beautiful woman dressed in period clothes who is sobbing uncontrollably. Could this be Constance? Is she a ghost or something else? As Garrett begins to fall in love with her, he and the young woman have to seek the answers to what is apparently an unbelievable situation.
Once skepticism is suspended about the possibility of an existence caught between life and death, this is a charming and beautiful love story. I enjoyed reading about life in New Bedford in the 1840s and the type of homes found there. Parts of the story were very cute, especially when Garrett takes Constance (whom only he can see and hear) shopping at a modern mall. Her reaction to Victoria's Secret is priceless! In a time when we have come to accept relationships between vampires and humans, time-travel, etc. in modern novels, this one isn't too much of a stretch. It is an easy read and enjoyable.
May 6, 2014
Somehow, while I knew this story has been told a million times, I thought there was a glimmer of hope that it would ride to the top. This was certianly not the case I read it rather quickly because to be honest I skimmed through a lot of it. I hate to do that. With such weak charactors and plot, it was the only way I could make it through to the end.
If I paid attention, I would have remembered that I have attempted to read Mr Barclay before.
I am so sorry. I was given the book for an honest review.
If I paid attention, I would have remembered that I have attempted to read Mr Barclay before.
I am so sorry. I was given the book for an honest review.
April 2, 2018
An interesting premise but so badly written as to render it nearly unreadable. The characters are unrealistic and poorly fleshed out, the sequence of events are arbitrary and their resolutions contrived, and the writing is more on par with a high schooler’s creative writing assignment than a vetted and published work of fiction. I finished it more out of obstinacy than any form of enjoyment
October 10, 2014
Good story line but badly told. Constant repeating of woes, like a bad Hallmark movie.
June 16, 2017
Enjoyed it, many parts similar to Stronger than Death. Somewhat predictable in parts. Overall enjoyed.
July 28, 2014
A love story that transends time!
November 17, 2017
I was in the mood for a light read with a slight supernatural element, and by and large Mr. Barclay delivers; although his storytelling style leans pretty heavily on telling ("Garrett could see that the young man was nervous."), rather than showing. Still, I was able to set that aside and enjoy the story. I only had two real quibbles in the end, which I'll share below:
SPOILER ALERT
First, the "mora mortis" (the phenomenon which trapped Constance between life and death for 170 years until Garrett could find her) is never truly explained, and the reader must accept that it's just a mystical force that happens to be there. This is the equivalent of explaining something in a fantasy novel with "a wizard did it." The rules governing how it functions seem fairly arbitrary, and the premise for how Brooke Wentworth came to know about something as incredibly obscure as the mora mortis (it was in a book her archaeologist father acquired in his travels) seems a bit too convenient. This isn't terribly important if you just want to read the story for enjoyment's sake, but it you're like me and find dangling plot threads and details annoying, then you should be forewarned.
Second (and more serious in my view) is the "invisibility cloak" that Constance created to hide her sleeping nook in the barn, as well as the antebellum furniture from her house (which was stashed in a secret cellar under the barn.) She has NO IDEA how she was suddenly able to create it, or why such a thing should also magically preserve all of her vintage furniture for 170 years. Deus ex machina in its purest sense. Making things even worse, the invisibility cloak is never mentioned again. I found this very hard to accept, and I'm surprised his editor didn't catch that.
Why, after all that and the 2 stars, do I still say it's a pleasant read? Because I was looking for something light. Depending on your mood and preferences, my observations may not be meaningful. However, I must be fair and point out the potential holes.
SPOILER ALERT
First, the "mora mortis" (the phenomenon which trapped Constance between life and death for 170 years until Garrett could find her) is never truly explained, and the reader must accept that it's just a mystical force that happens to be there. This is the equivalent of explaining something in a fantasy novel with "a wizard did it." The rules governing how it functions seem fairly arbitrary, and the premise for how Brooke Wentworth came to know about something as incredibly obscure as the mora mortis (it was in a book her archaeologist father acquired in his travels) seems a bit too convenient. This isn't terribly important if you just want to read the story for enjoyment's sake, but it you're like me and find dangling plot threads and details annoying, then you should be forewarned.
Second (and more serious in my view) is the "invisibility cloak" that Constance created to hide her sleeping nook in the barn, as well as the antebellum furniture from her house (which was stashed in a secret cellar under the barn.) She has NO IDEA how she was suddenly able to create it, or why such a thing should also magically preserve all of her vintage furniture for 170 years. Deus ex machina in its purest sense. Making things even worse, the invisibility cloak is never mentioned again. I found this very hard to accept, and I'm surprised his editor didn't catch that.
Why, after all that and the 2 stars, do I still say it's a pleasant read? Because I was looking for something light. Depending on your mood and preferences, my observations may not be meaningful. However, I must be fair and point out the potential holes.
June 11, 2017
This was a book that I picked up as a trade paperback that sounded decent. (As in, I went to a physical book store and paid actual money for this.) That's rare beyond anything these days, because most of my books come through the library. It sat in my car as an "emergency book" for about a year. Today, without my phone, I finally had a reason to put it to use.
I wanted to like it, which I suppose is a dumb thing to say, because who doesn't want to like a book? I especially found myself wanting to give it a chance because it was written by a male author. Their style of writing is often refreshing... and, equally often, infuriating if they try writing a female perspective... but I like to give it a go every so often, and find that I do give them an extra chance in situations where I'd already have condemned a female author. (That sounds so backwards. I guess I expect a female author not to write sexist BS, is the best way I can explain it.) Mainly, I wanted to believe that if I'd picked up a physical copy, it must be worth it.
In its favor, I will say that I read it in two hours. It was a very quick read. On the flip side, nearing the last quarter of the book, I may have skimmed a bit. It started off compelling - I was interested. The writing was enough to draw me in. I wanted to know what Constance's deal was. Towards the middle when it started feeling like a romance novel trying to get the couple together at the cost of a mildly interesting plot, I lost interest. By the end, I didn't particularly care who did what.
Also, I was genuinely unimpressed with the ending. Did I see it coming? Yes, although the author backed away from it for a few chapters and feinted in another direction in what I assume was an attempt at distraction. Didn't expect the very ending, though. Might have missed something that made sense of where they ended up (in her story instead of his, etc), but I'm okay with not knowing.
I wanted to like it, which I suppose is a dumb thing to say, because who doesn't want to like a book? I especially found myself wanting to give it a chance because it was written by a male author. Their style of writing is often refreshing... and, equally often, infuriating if they try writing a female perspective... but I like to give it a go every so often, and find that I do give them an extra chance in situations where I'd already have condemned a female author. (That sounds so backwards. I guess I expect a female author not to write sexist BS, is the best way I can explain it.) Mainly, I wanted to believe that if I'd picked up a physical copy, it must be worth it.
In its favor, I will say that I read it in two hours. It was a very quick read. On the flip side, nearing the last quarter of the book, I may have skimmed a bit. It started off compelling - I was interested. The writing was enough to draw me in. I wanted to know what Constance's deal was. Towards the middle when it started feeling like a romance novel trying to get the couple together at the cost of a mildly interesting plot, I lost interest. By the end, I didn't particularly care who did what.
Also, I was genuinely unimpressed with the ending. Did I see it coming? Yes, although the author backed away from it for a few chapters and feinted in another direction in what I assume was an attempt at distraction. Didn't expect the very ending, though. Might have missed something that made sense of where they ended up (in her story instead of his, etc), but I'm okay with not knowing.
November 22, 2020
Garrett has purchased the home known as Seaside on the coast. He has had an affinity for the home since his childhood. Now as an architect and expert in historical buildings, he intends to return it to its former glory. As the remodel begins, he is stunned to find a young woman crying in the house. She is Constance Elizabeth Canfield and was reported missing over 150 years ago, after falling off the widow’s walk of the house while waiting for her husband’s whaling ship to come home. Garrett has an instant connection to her, but is skeptical of her claims that no one else can see her. Once she is able to prove her identity, they are on a quest to find out how this happened and how they might release her from this state. In the process, they begin to fall in love, but begin to experience flashbacks to her past, with each one becoming more intense. Constance begins to change as well, and begins to fade away. Garrett and Constance must make a potentially deadly choice in order to save themselves from a horrible fate.
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December 16, 2020The concept of the plot had its merits, but I felt the book to be somewhat poorly written; language inappropriate for the time and place (not vulgar at all, but rather stilted for the present, or complex for the past settings). "Literally" was used at one point twice within the same short paragraph, and although I'm not a member of the grammar or language police, I was annoyed by these faults. The characters are rather shallow in portrayal. Constance is repeatedly described as incredibly beautiful but all we really learn about her physically is that she has blond hair. It seems to me that a better job of editing and additional research of the 1700s might have contributed to a better story.
January 28, 2025
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.
The Widow’s Walk is a love story with supernatural elements. Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, and oh yeah… girl is dead.
I thought this story had great promise. The idea was clever and it was a fast read. However, I think the characters lacked development. I also thought the dialog between them seemed very formal and stilted. I would expect that from Constance who’s been dead for ages but Garrett is from present time.
There are some stories you read and you can feel the love and passion between the characters but I didn’t get that from this book. I just didn't believe they loved each other enough to die for each other.
The Widow’s Walk is a love story with supernatural elements. Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, and oh yeah… girl is dead.
I thought this story had great promise. The idea was clever and it was a fast read. However, I think the characters lacked development. I also thought the dialog between them seemed very formal and stilted. I would expect that from Constance who’s been dead for ages but Garrett is from present time.
There are some stories you read and you can feel the love and passion between the characters but I didn’t get that from this book. I just didn't believe they loved each other enough to die for each other.
May 5, 2017
This book started out really good but by halfway it was just okay and I just wanted to finish it. I didn't like hocus pocus metaphysical aspect the story took about 3/4 through. Constance and Garrett were okay characters but the writing became very awkward. At times Constance journey was described as 170 years and other times it was seventeen decades or 17 decades. At times it was stated that several weeks or months went by but then a couple lines later it was only a couple of days or weeks. I just didn't care for Barclay's writing style and will not be reading anything else of his.
May 6, 2017
The Widow's Walk is a beautiful and unusual love story, and I would highly recommend it. From beginning to end, I was involved in the story. If a book doesn't interest me by the first chapter or no later than the third, I may not finish it. Mr. Barclay had me in the Prologue - I was there with the characters. I am not going to say too much because I enjoyed it more by not knowing what it was about.
October 1, 2017
I enjoyed the premise behind this, and I loved the setting of the old seaside mansion. However, the writing quality was lacking SO badly. Whole pages were dedicated to repeating the same thing over and over again (usually, internal debate/monologue between the two characters), and the story was a bit goofy. Eh. It was good for what it was. I enjoyed the first half way better than the actual meat of the story in the second half, though.
September 11, 2019
This was just bad....It felt like a first draft, none of the characters had any depth or growth. I kept wondering why Garret was in love with Constance, because there was nothing there to love besides "she's pretty" And blech, the whole Medium thing at the end. And that ending...Wow, Um they might be able to scrape together a hallmark movie from the premise but this ain't no Nick Sparks. (And even those aren't my fave....)
Pass on this one.
Pass on this one.
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