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The J.M. Barrie Ladies' Swimming Society
When Joey Rubin stumbles upon a group of elderly women swimming in a lake one freezing January morning, she thinks they must be mad. But then they dare her to come in… Joey, an overworked New York architect, is in the Cotswolds to oversee the restoration of Stanway House – the stately home that inspired J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan. It hasn’t been easy. The local residents aren’t exactly welcoming, and then there’s the problem of the brooding caretaker, a man who seems to take every opportunity to undermine her plans. She soon begins to feel that she can’t do anything right. Until, that is, she discovers the J.M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society and begins to take a daily dip with them in their own private Neverland. For Joey, meeting Aggie, Gala, Lilia and co. is a life-changing experience, the beginning of a friendship that will transform her in the most remarkable of ways...
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
30 people are currently reading
737 people want to read
About the author
Barbara J. Zitwer
12 books17 followersBarbara J. Zitwer is a graduate of Columbia Film School, has written screenplays and worked as a film producer. She owns a renowned literary agency in New York, where she lives with her husband and her two dogs. Most of her childhood was spent on the beaches of Montauk, and ever since she could not shake the fascination of the whales and the magic of the sea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
November 6, 2012
The one thing I hate about Americans writing about the UK is lack of research. Little bits of dialogue or description that jar and pull me out of a story. Some that stick in my mind from this book:
We have milk in our coffee, not cream.
If someone is cooking haggis as a special treat for a Scottish friend, they wouldn't serve it with a green salad, especially not in January - it would be some version of neeps and tatties.
An ambulance driver wouldn't say 'Don't worry Ma'am,' it would be 'Don't worry Miss,'.
An aristocratic, elderly lady would NEVER call someone 'dearie' and to be perfectly honest 'darling' on a first meeting would be highly unlikely as well.
The other thing that grates is the author's habit of referring to a group of sixty something to eighty something women as 'ancient'.
Grumble, grumble ...
We have milk in our coffee, not cream.
If someone is cooking haggis as a special treat for a Scottish friend, they wouldn't serve it with a green salad, especially not in January - it would be some version of neeps and tatties.
An ambulance driver wouldn't say 'Don't worry Ma'am,' it would be 'Don't worry Miss,'.
An aristocratic, elderly lady would NEVER call someone 'dearie' and to be perfectly honest 'darling' on a first meeting would be highly unlikely as well.
The other thing that grates is the author's habit of referring to a group of sixty something to eighty something women as 'ancient'.
Grumble, grumble ...
September 2, 2012
It would be nice if publishers did their jobs these days. There were so many factual errors in this fiction book, I had to consider it a romantic fantasy rather than the chick lit novel it claims to be. Set in England, with a main character from New York City, the author exhibited complete ignorance of British (or for that matter, American) equine sports culture, a situation one might have thought British publishers would catch. They didn't. Early on, at a horse show, Zitwer writes about the crowd screaming and cheering. They don't. Not in England, not in the United States. If spectators cheered and yelled, horses would be trashing young riders left, right and center, especially in the over-fences classes. (Class, by the way, is the proper term for a single competition in hunt seat--which is what the English ride and what Americans riding in English style ride--and may refer to riding on the flat or over fences. In dressage, a single competition is called a test.)
Later in the book, the love interest of the New Yorker takes her riding. Imagine him not telling her even the basics of sitting a horse; imagine him causing his guest's horse to canter. Imagine that guest claiming to have held onto the saddle (an almost impossible task in an English saddle as there is no horn, but just a pommel too close to the crotch and too flat to the horse to make an effective hold) and pinched with her knees to stay on...an action that is all but guaranteed to make the rider pop off. Especially a non-rider with virtually no strength, in rider terms, in her legs. I admit that, as a rider and riding instructor, all that aggravated me. But worse, it makes it seem as if riding is as easy as it looks in westerns. It is not...except maybe in westerns, in which case the huge, deep saddle with a horn is helpful to non-riders. In short, I regard the misinformation in this book to be dangerous. And I regard the British publishers' failure to rectify it to be publishing malfeasance.
Zitwer's main character also takes her dog to Britain. Oh, Zitwer writes, it's just fine. So easy. Not to worry. It's normal shots will get it in, no problem. NOT. NOT. NOT. To bring a dog from the US to Britain takes 6 months and a few days and costs a small fortune. One must chip the dog, then vaccinate it for rabies, then have a blood titre which, if it is sufficient, will allow one to bring the dog into the UK...after 181 days from the date of the rabies shot. And after it has two additional shots within 48 hours of its landing in the UK. Moving a dog, or a cat, to the UK is time-consuming and costly. The USDA must be involved and its UK counterpart, DEFRA, must be involved. Each vet who signs off must be certified to sign off, and every single number on every single document must be perfectly legible and must match. Nor can dogs just show up at the passenger gate in the US to be taken to the hold by staff; they must be brought to cargo where a humongous stack of documents will be completed, fees will be paid, and the owner will hope for the best. And all this occurs many hours before the flight. It is nerve-wracking in the extreme--start to finish--and no one would willingly do it to themselves or their dog without a darn good reason, such as a permanent relocation. A visit of a month? Not hardly.
Aside from what I regard as rookie errors by both the publisher and the author, how was the book? It was an overgrown 1980s romance, no more and no less. That it took five years to write, so says the author, begs belief as much as do her scenes about horses and dogs. Not to mention her scenes about menstruation. How many girls, either side of the Atlantic, fail to begin before age 15, and then have the whole deal be a big surprise? Even in my generation, it would be the very odd girl who didn't begin by 13 or so; any later, and the parents would be taking the girl off to the doctor for hormone tests.
The author claims to be an international literary agent. I guess most jobs can be done totally by internet these days (although she MIGHT have asked an actual rider about the horse thing, but one can find out everything one needs to do about shipping pets to the UK on the internet); I figure her claim to being an international agent is based on a package tour to Cancun.
The book was annoyingly flawed, the claims about it and its author were annoyingly overblown, the story was annoyingly slight, and the characters were woodenly one-dimensional. Unfortunately, I can't give it half a star, so one will have to serve.
Later in the book, the love interest of the New Yorker takes her riding. Imagine him not telling her even the basics of sitting a horse; imagine him causing his guest's horse to canter. Imagine that guest claiming to have held onto the saddle (an almost impossible task in an English saddle as there is no horn, but just a pommel too close to the crotch and too flat to the horse to make an effective hold) and pinched with her knees to stay on...an action that is all but guaranteed to make the rider pop off. Especially a non-rider with virtually no strength, in rider terms, in her legs. I admit that, as a rider and riding instructor, all that aggravated me. But worse, it makes it seem as if riding is as easy as it looks in westerns. It is not...except maybe in westerns, in which case the huge, deep saddle with a horn is helpful to non-riders. In short, I regard the misinformation in this book to be dangerous. And I regard the British publishers' failure to rectify it to be publishing malfeasance.
Zitwer's main character also takes her dog to Britain. Oh, Zitwer writes, it's just fine. So easy. Not to worry. It's normal shots will get it in, no problem. NOT. NOT. NOT. To bring a dog from the US to Britain takes 6 months and a few days and costs a small fortune. One must chip the dog, then vaccinate it for rabies, then have a blood titre which, if it is sufficient, will allow one to bring the dog into the UK...after 181 days from the date of the rabies shot. And after it has two additional shots within 48 hours of its landing in the UK. Moving a dog, or a cat, to the UK is time-consuming and costly. The USDA must be involved and its UK counterpart, DEFRA, must be involved. Each vet who signs off must be certified to sign off, and every single number on every single document must be perfectly legible and must match. Nor can dogs just show up at the passenger gate in the US to be taken to the hold by staff; they must be brought to cargo where a humongous stack of documents will be completed, fees will be paid, and the owner will hope for the best. And all this occurs many hours before the flight. It is nerve-wracking in the extreme--start to finish--and no one would willingly do it to themselves or their dog without a darn good reason, such as a permanent relocation. A visit of a month? Not hardly.
Aside from what I regard as rookie errors by both the publisher and the author, how was the book? It was an overgrown 1980s romance, no more and no less. That it took five years to write, so says the author, begs belief as much as do her scenes about horses and dogs. Not to mention her scenes about menstruation. How many girls, either side of the Atlantic, fail to begin before age 15, and then have the whole deal be a big surprise? Even in my generation, it would be the very odd girl who didn't begin by 13 or so; any later, and the parents would be taking the girl off to the doctor for hormone tests.
The author claims to be an international literary agent. I guess most jobs can be done totally by internet these days (although she MIGHT have asked an actual rider about the horse thing, but one can find out everything one needs to do about shipping pets to the UK on the internet); I figure her claim to being an international agent is based on a package tour to Cancun.
The book was annoyingly flawed, the claims about it and its author were annoyingly overblown, the story was annoyingly slight, and the characters were woodenly one-dimensional. Unfortunately, I can't give it half a star, so one will have to serve.
December 10, 2019
Decidí leer este libro porque me llamó la atención el título, pensé que me contaria otra historia distinta a la que leí, la verdad es que no me gustó mucho, aun así es de lectura fácil y rápida, tiene algunas reflexiones y frases interesantes.
Elegí estás dos frases del libro como mis preferidas..
Trata a tus invitados como si fueran de la familia y a la familia como si fueran invitados.
Dos personas no son amigas de verdad hasta que tienen una buena pelea y encuentran la manera de superar los problemas.
Elegí estás dos frases del libro como mis preferidas..
Trata a tus invitados como si fueran de la familia y a la familia como si fueran invitados.
Dos personas no son amigas de verdad hasta que tienen una buena pelea y encuentran la manera de superar los problemas.
November 29, 2012
I read a review of this book in one of the broadsheets a while ago and thought it sounded like a lovely and inspiring tale. Oh dear.
It has some lovely observations on friendships and how they can change over distance and time but apart from that I was very disappointed.
It was written by an American which isn't a problem in itself but whoever edited it should be shot! An English grandmother wouldn't offer her grandchild 'cookies'. A Scotsman would never serve Haggis - especially if he was cooking for a fellow Scotsman - with A SALAD - Jesus!- and the only women in this country who are addressed as Ma'am are perhaps the Queen and female seniors in the police force. A Paramedic certainly wouldn't address a member of the public as such. I'm probably being a bit pedantic about this but the Americanisms really jarred with me.
All a bit too cliche ridden and not enough depth for me.
It has some lovely observations on friendships and how they can change over distance and time but apart from that I was very disappointed.
It was written by an American which isn't a problem in itself but whoever edited it should be shot! An English grandmother wouldn't offer her grandchild 'cookies'. A Scotsman would never serve Haggis - especially if he was cooking for a fellow Scotsman - with A SALAD - Jesus!- and the only women in this country who are addressed as Ma'am are perhaps the Queen and female seniors in the police force. A Paramedic certainly wouldn't address a member of the public as such. I'm probably being a bit pedantic about this but the Americanisms really jarred with me.
All a bit too cliche ridden and not enough depth for me.
September 25, 2012
Hm, this sounded like a bit of fun and I thought it might be at least a little about JM Barrie. But neither was the case. References to JM Barrie were few and far between and irrelevant really. The story was so predictable. I could see this one coming like a freight train. It bore no resemblance to real life and wasn't even interesting chick lit.
Nothing to recommend. It makes me wonder what on earth happens to get books like these onto the shelves in supermarkets where they get massive exposure and purchase opportunity. Why don't the supermarkets push decent books instead? Money deals I guess.
Nothing to recommend. It makes me wonder what on earth happens to get books like these onto the shelves in supermarkets where they get massive exposure and purchase opportunity. Why don't the supermarkets push decent books instead? Money deals I guess.
September 25, 2015
yorum yazmaya üşeniyorum, üşengeçliğim geçince bir ara yazarım artık.
March 15, 2023
Sabeu la típica pel·lícula de dissabte a la tarda (idea de l'Elsa, gràcies guapa!), però de les dolentes? Doncs això.
______________
Sabéis la típica película de sábado por la tarde, de las malas? Pues eso.
______________
Sabéis la típica película de sábado por la tarde, de las malas? Pues eso.
October 2, 2014
30/8 - Good start so far. The talk of the upcoming renovation of Stanway House (J.M. Barrie was inspired to write Peter Pan by the house) reminds me of the UK shows of ordinary people renovating their newly bought stately and heritage listed homes - Grand Designs, Restoration Home, My Dream Derelict Home et al. I love those shows, so if the book focuses on that part of the plot I'm sure I'll enjoy this just as much. To be continued...
3/9 - A really enjoyable chick-litish book revolving around the main character's supervision of the renovation of Stanway House. While in the Cotswolds Joey meets a number of colourful characters, including a group of senior citizens who swim at the local pond/lake no matter the weather. One particular lady stood out for me, Aggie - I could definitely see this being made into a movie and Maggie Smith playing her.
This wasn't 'literature', and it may not have had the most accurate description of life in England (this view was taken from other reviewers complaints of inaccuracies that someone, me, not well-versed in horses or English life failed to notice), but I thought it nice light-hearted fun. I do wish there had been more discussion of the renovation of Stanway House as that's what drew me to the book to begin with, but "Oh well.".
3/9 - A really enjoyable chick-litish book revolving around the main character's supervision of the renovation of Stanway House. While in the Cotswolds Joey meets a number of colourful characters, including a group of senior citizens who swim at the local pond/lake no matter the weather. One particular lady stood out for me, Aggie - I could definitely see this being made into a movie and Maggie Smith playing her.
This wasn't 'literature', and it may not have had the most accurate description of life in England (this view was taken from other reviewers complaints of inaccuracies that someone, me, not well-versed in horses or English life failed to notice), but I thought it nice light-hearted fun. I do wish there had been more discussion of the renovation of Stanway House as that's what drew me to the book to begin with, but "Oh well.".
June 20, 2017
I was shocked to see the bad reviews on this book. It is a sweet romance and lasting friendships story rolled into one. All the little irritations people had over this book never occured to me. I was too busy wrapping myself in the warmth of a group of elderly women who were friends to the end. I loved how they took Joey into their fold and she was changed by them.
I also enjoyed the romance of the old building and the work to be done. And of course ... the romance between Joey and Ian.
A fun read that leaves you feeling there is a great deal good in life.
I also enjoyed the romance of the old building and the work to be done. And of course ... the romance between Joey and Ian.
A fun read that leaves you feeling there is a great deal good in life.
April 4, 2015
I wanted to like th I should book but my gosh, I despise the main character so much it's unreadable. Main character us a shallow, whiny, judgmental bitch that you just want to slap. I failed to finish the book, why waste my time on an unlikable character?
April 9, 2012
You may not believe this, but we can look out of our house on Christmas morning and see people swimming in the cold, cold water just a few miles from the place where the English Channel meets the Atlantic Ocean.
I’m inclined to think that they’re mad, but I do know that they are part of a very old tradition.
Every Christmas Day, since 1864, in Hyde Park the members of the Serpentine Swimming Club have competed in a Christmas day swimming race. J. M. Barrie was a patron on the race and he gave the club a trophy, now known as the Peter Pan Cup.
That’s why, when I first read the title ‘The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society’, it seemed completely natural and right. A book that really had to be. And I am happy to be able to report that the story inside is completely natural and right.
It begins in New York. Joey is an architect, busy climbing the career ladder and sharing her life with Tink, a twenty-pound dog with very firm views on route selection. I was inclined to like Joey, even before I discovered our dogs had a great deal in common. But I did wonder if she needed something more in her life.
It came when Joey had to step in at the last minute to make a major presentation. She didn’t want to do it but she knew that she had to do it, that she had more knowledge of the project than anyone else. Her professionalism, and her passion for the project, carried her through and she won the contract for her firm.
And then Joey – and Tink – had to travel to England, to the Cotswolds. She was to oversee the restoration of Stanway House, the stately home that inspired J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan.
It was a wonderful opportunity. Joey could visit her best friend, who had married an Englishman and was raising a family in London, and then she could make sure that a restoration that she really cared about was done as it should be.
But things when wrong. Sometimes friends’ lives move in different directions and they don’t understand each other as well as they think. And sometimes locals have their own ideas about what should be done, and they don’t take to experts with ideas of their own.
The caretaker, a young widower with a teenage daughter, did a wonderful job, and he so clearly loved the house, but he was a particular problem.
Joey had a lot to learn. About friendship. About communities. About what the really important things in life are.
And that’s where The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society came in: a group of elderly ladies who came together to swim in the pond at Stanway House.
Old friends who had lived very different lives; who had all lived, loved and lost; who celebrated life’s high times together and who supported each other through the low times.
The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society lit up the story, and they helped Joey to understand what she should do, how she should live her life.
The story is lovely, and Barbara J. Zwiter balances different plot strands and different themes beautifully. It was clear, even before I read her explanatory afterword, that she cared so much about her subject matter.
Not quite perfect – the pacing is a little uneven and some times there was more explanation than I needed – but still lovely.
The characters rang true: I believed in each one, in their psychology, in their relationships, and in the way that they evolved.
There were moments when things became a little predictable, but it really didn’t matter. Because there were a few unexpected twists and, more importantly, everything that happened rang true.
I loved Joey’s story, and the spirit of The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society made it even more wonderful.
And I should end with the ending – it’s perfect!
I’m inclined to think that they’re mad, but I do know that they are part of a very old tradition.
Every Christmas Day, since 1864, in Hyde Park the members of the Serpentine Swimming Club have competed in a Christmas day swimming race. J. M. Barrie was a patron on the race and he gave the club a trophy, now known as the Peter Pan Cup.
That’s why, when I first read the title ‘The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society’, it seemed completely natural and right. A book that really had to be. And I am happy to be able to report that the story inside is completely natural and right.
It begins in New York. Joey is an architect, busy climbing the career ladder and sharing her life with Tink, a twenty-pound dog with very firm views on route selection. I was inclined to like Joey, even before I discovered our dogs had a great deal in common. But I did wonder if she needed something more in her life.
It came when Joey had to step in at the last minute to make a major presentation. She didn’t want to do it but she knew that she had to do it, that she had more knowledge of the project than anyone else. Her professionalism, and her passion for the project, carried her through and she won the contract for her firm.
And then Joey – and Tink – had to travel to England, to the Cotswolds. She was to oversee the restoration of Stanway House, the stately home that inspired J.M. Barrie to write Peter Pan.
It was a wonderful opportunity. Joey could visit her best friend, who had married an Englishman and was raising a family in London, and then she could make sure that a restoration that she really cared about was done as it should be.
But things when wrong. Sometimes friends’ lives move in different directions and they don’t understand each other as well as they think. And sometimes locals have their own ideas about what should be done, and they don’t take to experts with ideas of their own.
The caretaker, a young widower with a teenage daughter, did a wonderful job, and he so clearly loved the house, but he was a particular problem.
Joey had a lot to learn. About friendship. About communities. About what the really important things in life are.
And that’s where The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society came in: a group of elderly ladies who came together to swim in the pond at Stanway House.
Old friends who had lived very different lives; who had all lived, loved and lost; who celebrated life’s high times together and who supported each other through the low times.
The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society lit up the story, and they helped Joey to understand what she should do, how she should live her life.
The story is lovely, and Barbara J. Zwiter balances different plot strands and different themes beautifully. It was clear, even before I read her explanatory afterword, that she cared so much about her subject matter.
Not quite perfect – the pacing is a little uneven and some times there was more explanation than I needed – but still lovely.
The characters rang true: I believed in each one, in their psychology, in their relationships, and in the way that they evolved.
There were moments when things became a little predictable, but it really didn’t matter. Because there were a few unexpected twists and, more importantly, everything that happened rang true.
I loved Joey’s story, and the spirit of The J. M. Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society made it even more wonderful.
And I should end with the ending – it’s perfect!
March 13, 2013
The J.M.Barrie Ladies’ Swimming Society is far from being an epic, but it IS a delightful, enjoyable debut novel from Barbara J. Zitwer.
Joey Rubin is a New York architect who travels to England’s Cotswolds to oversee the restoration of the historic mansion where J.M.Barrie penned Peter Pan.
Here she encounters a group of intrepid elderly women who daily dip in the freezing waters of lake for health and sheer enjoyment. They invite Joey to join them.
It is a small community in which Joey discovers that everyone seems to know or be related to everyone else. Her childhood friend’s mother is one of the ladies of the swimming group. The caretaker of the soon-to-be-restored Stanway House is the son-in-law of another of the group.
Ian is a widower with a young daughter who quickly befriends newcomer Joey. Since the death of his wife, he has refused to let another woman into his life. As Joey soon discovers, Ian is not just faithful unto death to his late wife, but beyond death as well.
Getting her job done in a community skeptical or downright resistant to the restoration plans and struggling with relationships old and new soon begins to take its toll on Joey. She is drawn to Stanway House and the countryside as though it were her own personal Neverland. But she is a New York career woman through and through, and soon she will have to head back home. Or will she?
This is an undemanding novel, but certainly one that draws you in to Joey’s circle of new friends and makes you want everyone to have a happy ending. While a lightweight read, it does have some wise commentaries on understanding, appreciating and embracing our differences as well as the common histories we share with friends from the past.
Joey Rubin is a New York architect who travels to England’s Cotswolds to oversee the restoration of the historic mansion where J.M.Barrie penned Peter Pan.
Here she encounters a group of intrepid elderly women who daily dip in the freezing waters of lake for health and sheer enjoyment. They invite Joey to join them.
It is a small community in which Joey discovers that everyone seems to know or be related to everyone else. Her childhood friend’s mother is one of the ladies of the swimming group. The caretaker of the soon-to-be-restored Stanway House is the son-in-law of another of the group.
Ian is a widower with a young daughter who quickly befriends newcomer Joey. Since the death of his wife, he has refused to let another woman into his life. As Joey soon discovers, Ian is not just faithful unto death to his late wife, but beyond death as well.
Getting her job done in a community skeptical or downright resistant to the restoration plans and struggling with relationships old and new soon begins to take its toll on Joey. She is drawn to Stanway House and the countryside as though it were her own personal Neverland. But she is a New York career woman through and through, and soon she will have to head back home. Or will she?
This is an undemanding novel, but certainly one that draws you in to Joey’s circle of new friends and makes you want everyone to have a happy ending. While a lightweight read, it does have some wise commentaries on understanding, appreciating and embracing our differences as well as the common histories we share with friends from the past.
August 14, 2015
Het soort luchtige lectuur dat ik normaal niet lees. Ik zag dat een van mijn Goodreads-vrienden het boek aan het lezen was en vanwege de titel begon ik er ook aan. Mijn verwachtingen waren niet hooggespannen en terecht, zo blijkt.
Het verhaal heeft weinig om het lijf, de karakters zijn oppervlakkig uitgewerkt, ik had het gevoel dat ik naar een derderangs weekendfilm aan het kijken was. Ik las ergens dat de auteur er vijf jaar aan gewerkt heeft, maar mij lijkt het eerder een haastig bijeengeschreven boek. Vriendschap en - hoe kan het anders - liefde zijn de centrale thema's.
Er bestaat vast wel betere chicklit dan dit. Waarom ik dan toch twee sterren geef? Omdat het misschien door het lezen van dit boek is dat ik deze week weer contact opnam met een vriendin die ik te lang verwaarloosd heb.
Op naar het volgende boek, dat van een heel ander kaliber zal zijn: De onderwaterzwemmer van P.F. Thomése (we blijven in de nautische sfeer).
Het verhaal heeft weinig om het lijf, de karakters zijn oppervlakkig uitgewerkt, ik had het gevoel dat ik naar een derderangs weekendfilm aan het kijken was. Ik las ergens dat de auteur er vijf jaar aan gewerkt heeft, maar mij lijkt het eerder een haastig bijeengeschreven boek. Vriendschap en - hoe kan het anders - liefde zijn de centrale thema's.
Er bestaat vast wel betere chicklit dan dit. Waarom ik dan toch twee sterren geef? Omdat het misschien door het lezen van dit boek is dat ik deze week weer contact opnam met een vriendin die ik te lang verwaarloosd heb.
Op naar het volgende boek, dat van een heel ander kaliber zal zijn: De onderwaterzwemmer van P.F. Thomése (we blijven in de nautische sfeer).
March 4, 2021
2021: I don't really get why I was so worke]d up about the grammatical errors first time around, I didn't notice that many this time. It utterly deserves the full 4 stars.
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2017:I want to give 3.5 stars due to all the grammatical errors (isn't there an editor that should spot those?) and some inaccuracies concerning England, London and UK culture. But besides that it's a lovely book with a lot of lovely characters (even the cynical main character Joey is very likeable). I do hope there will be a sequel though, as the story isn't finished and the characters deserve more story.
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2017:I want to give 3.5 stars due to all the grammatical errors (isn't there an editor that should spot those?) and some inaccuracies concerning England, London and UK culture. But besides that it's a lovely book with a lot of lovely characters (even the cynical main character Joey is very likeable). I do hope there will be a sequel though, as the story isn't finished and the characters deserve more story.
April 9, 2016
One of the silliest books I have ever read!
May 16, 2018
the title of this book is somewhat misleading. There is very little about J.M. Barrie in the book, except that the American heroine, Joey is supposed to be in charge of renovating an old house with a vague connection to Barrie. She meets a group of feisty old ladies who go swimming in the lake in the grounds of the house, even in January. Joey isn't getting on with her best friend, Sarah, who has married an Englishman and has four children, and different interests now from Joey. Joey meets a handsome English widower called Ian, who has a teenage daughter and hasn't had a relationship since his wife died seven years ago. BUt obviously that is going to change now.
unfortunately I didn't find anything the characters or incidents very interesting of believable, some frankly absurd. The way Sarah and her husband carry on when their daughter is taking part in a riding competition would get them slung out of any real life event, their behaviour is unsporting in the extreme. And we are supposed to believe that Ian's daughter gets her first period at fifteen - that's a bit ancient, isn't it? and the way Ian's mother in law carries on is frankly ludicrous - her daughter has been dead for seven years but she expects him apparently to remain celibate forever. And honestly - the only person in England who gets called Ma'am is the Queen. The biggest disappointment though is the almost total lack of any relevance to J.M Barrie whatsoever.
unfortunately I didn't find anything the characters or incidents very interesting of believable, some frankly absurd. The way Sarah and her husband carry on when their daughter is taking part in a riding competition would get them slung out of any real life event, their behaviour is unsporting in the extreme. And we are supposed to believe that Ian's daughter gets her first period at fifteen - that's a bit ancient, isn't it? and the way Ian's mother in law carries on is frankly ludicrous - her daughter has been dead for seven years but she expects him apparently to remain celibate forever. And honestly - the only person in England who gets called Ma'am is the Queen. The biggest disappointment though is the almost total lack of any relevance to J.M Barrie whatsoever.
December 26, 2017
There were some things I liked about this book: the setting, some of the characters, the Barrie connection. There were other things that could’ve been improved: more exploration of the Barrie connection, the suddenness of the romance plot, the attitude of the main character in some cases, THE TYPOS IN THE TEXT (there is never any excuse for this).
It is a cute read but reasonably predictable.
It is a cute read but reasonably predictable.
January 7, 2026
This was a fun easy read on my summer holiday. I loved that it was the authors first book. It felt fresh and promising.
I so appreciated the research the author put into the work and her personal link to the story she created. The importance of tire friendships and helping others were strong themes in the book
I so appreciated the research the author put into the work and her personal link to the story she created. The importance of tire friendships and helping others were strong themes in the book
December 1, 2021
No entiendo porqué si la historia está media de flojera, no podía dejar de leerlo. Tal vez porque es muy fluida y no pasan cosas relevantes.
La idea principal del libro que es el dichoso club del nado se deja muy muy muy de lado.
La idea principal del libro que es el dichoso club del nado se deja muy muy muy de lado.
March 10, 2018
Joey travels from New York to the Cotswolds to manage a renovation project in an old house with links to the author of Peter Pan. A heartwarming story of friendship, loss and learning to get over life's problems. Some wonderful characters. A most enjoyable afternoon's reading.
December 29, 2019
Delightful book: Manhattan career woman meets eccentric elderly English ladies. Recommended. For full review please go to http://thebooksmithblog.wordpress.com
May 11, 2022
Somewhat a slower read. Nevertheless, had some good points of friendship especially importance of strong friendships among women.
January 19, 2019
A light holiday read. This book is based on a good plot concept which was not always as well-executed as it might have been. A little hurried and/or quick to resolve plot points in places. I was disappointed at the lack of historical information about J. M. Barrie = which might have been incorporated quite easily. It seemed as though his name was used to boost sales without any real investment in research or cleverly incorporating information about him within the narrative. A relatively enjoyable holiday indulgence but not great literature. Advice: Check your brain at the door and enjoy it for what it is.
July 23, 2020
Geen topper, maar wel aardig.
March 31, 2023
3*
Eigen boekenkast.
Leuk verhaal, maar het boek is veel te kort wardoor je continue het gevoel hebt dat je hele hoofdstukken mist. Zo snel gaat het verhaal. Het is ook nogal klef en te cliché, maar voor een keertje leest dat wel lekker vlot.
Ik ben blij dat ik het gelezen heb, maar hou dit boek zeker niet bij.
* “Ageing is a privilege! Not everybody’s lucky enough to get to do it.”
Eigen boekenkast.
Leuk verhaal, maar het boek is veel te kort wardoor je continue het gevoel hebt dat je hele hoofdstukken mist. Zo snel gaat het verhaal. Het is ook nogal klef en te cliché, maar voor een keertje leest dat wel lekker vlot.
Ik ben blij dat ik het gelezen heb, maar hou dit boek zeker niet bij.
* “Ageing is a privilege! Not everybody’s lucky enough to get to do it.”
January 18, 2013
Readers if you find yourself in need of a sweet, heartwarming romance look no further than The J.M. Barrie Ladies Swimming Society by Barbara Zitwer. Debut author Zitwer is an international literary agent who has previously produced film and written the play, the Paper Doll, and she certainly knows how to pull heartstrings. Joey, a thirty something New Yorker, lands the job of a lifetime when she is sent to the Cotswolds in England to oversee the restoration of Stanway House, the residence that inspired J.M. Barrie to write the classic Peter Pan. Little does she know that the trip will change not only her life but the way she views the world. Joey quickly meets a group of hearty elderly women, who regularly swim in a nearby pond, despite the winter cold. And then there is the brooding caretaker, Ian, who is not at all pleased with Joey’s arrival or the plans for Stanway House. Despite her various missteps Joey quickly manages to make a few friends and unwittingly finds herself on a journey of self-reflection. While many readers may find the plot predictable, and the supporting characters a bit one dimensional, the novel remains entertaining and enjoyable. The J.M. Barrie Ladies Swimming Society is a perfect book for a summer’s day or when an uplifting, lighthearted read is needed.
November 29, 2012
As I am not an English native speaker, I didn't recognized the criticized details pointed out by other reviewers. For me, the first part of this book has too much names made me confused...
However, overall I enjoyed reading this book, As my copy was given by the author directly during the London Book Fair, which was so grateful, I could feel the author's energy and warmth between the lines.
Personally, my favorite part is chapter 10, particularly page 92, which describes Joey, the main female character, was swimming in an icy-cold pond. This reminded me of a scene back in 1995, when I went to Ha-er-bin city in China - elderly men and ladies were swimming at Song-hwa river. It was winter around minus 20 degrees. My old camera even didn't work due to the low temperature. The swimmers look in their 70's. I thought what a damn crazy performance it was! But while I was reading that page, i thought I wish I could jump into that brain-breaking coldness and exhilaration.
This book deals with relationships - long-term and new relationships from the point of view of a female character. That also made me reflect my relationships between friends and family members.
Simply, you could feel the cold and warm from this book, if it can make sense to you.
However, overall I enjoyed reading this book, As my copy was given by the author directly during the London Book Fair, which was so grateful, I could feel the author's energy and warmth between the lines.
Personally, my favorite part is chapter 10, particularly page 92, which describes Joey, the main female character, was swimming in an icy-cold pond. This reminded me of a scene back in 1995, when I went to Ha-er-bin city in China - elderly men and ladies were swimming at Song-hwa river. It was winter around minus 20 degrees. My old camera even didn't work due to the low temperature. The swimmers look in their 70's. I thought what a damn crazy performance it was! But while I was reading that page, i thought I wish I could jump into that brain-breaking coldness and exhilaration.
This book deals with relationships - long-term and new relationships from the point of view of a female character. That also made me reflect my relationships between friends and family members.
Simply, you could feel the cold and warm from this book, if it can make sense to you.
May 28, 2017
“A liberdade pode ser solitária. A gente paga um preço alto para conservar a própria independência.”
Todo mundo tem seu filme “Sessão da tarde”. Aquela história que você já assistiu milhares de vezes, mas sempre que passa de novo na tv, você não mede esforços de preparar um chocolate quente, sentar no sofá e assistir tudo outra vez. Aquela história clichê mas que te deixa com os olhos brilhando e um sorriso bobo na cara. Bom, meus caros, se Sociedade J. M. Barrie fosse um filme, seria o meu filme “Sessão da tarde” favorito.
Atualmente estou numa vibe 0% de expectativas para todos os livros que pego para ler, porque já estou cansado de depositar todas as minhas esperanças nas páginas e acabar me decepcionando (e olha que, nos últimos meses, não tem sido pequeno o número de livros que fecho fazendo aquela cara de “por que mesmo que eu resolvi ler isso?”), então, quando comecei a leitura de Sociedade J. M. Barrie, eu realmente não esperava nada, mal sabia do que a história se tratava. E depois de algumas poucas horas de leitura, já estava adicionando esse para a minha não muito extensa lista de livros favoritos da vida.
Todo mundo tem seu filme “Sessão da tarde”. Aquela história que você já assistiu milhares de vezes, mas sempre que passa de novo na tv, você não mede esforços de preparar um chocolate quente, sentar no sofá e assistir tudo outra vez. Aquela história clichê mas que te deixa com os olhos brilhando e um sorriso bobo na cara. Bom, meus caros, se Sociedade J. M. Barrie fosse um filme, seria o meu filme “Sessão da tarde” favorito.
Atualmente estou numa vibe 0% de expectativas para todos os livros que pego para ler, porque já estou cansado de depositar todas as minhas esperanças nas páginas e acabar me decepcionando (e olha que, nos últimos meses, não tem sido pequeno o número de livros que fecho fazendo aquela cara de “por que mesmo que eu resolvi ler isso?”), então, quando comecei a leitura de Sociedade J. M. Barrie, eu realmente não esperava nada, mal sabia do que a história se tratava. E depois de algumas poucas horas de leitura, já estava adicionando esse para a minha não muito extensa lista de livros favoritos da vida.
July 21, 2012
This could have been a stronger novel if the author had focus less on the main character and more on the various characters in the swimming society. Parallels are drawn to the Polar bear club in the exposition in the earlier part of the novel. But it is their friendship and lives which are more interesting instead of just the depiction of swimming in a cold pond. It felt under-written and certain characters remains shadowy and almost sketched in. This feels like the movie "Steel Magnolias" without any strong leads at all. JM Barrie hovers like a spectre , pretty much like the dead wife of one of the characters. He ended up jutting out like a sore thumb and disrupting the flow of the plot. It is as if the author was trying to dovetail all her research material into the book regardless of its appropriateness.
It feels like a mish-mash of a rom-com with historical fiction and family drama/chick lit. Too many genres at play with so little back story to work with.
It feels like a mish-mash of a rom-com with historical fiction and family drama/chick lit. Too many genres at play with so little back story to work with.
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