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Out of the Blue
Anna Bolles, a dynamic young woman cut off from romance by tragedy, refuses to become involved in the turbulent love affairs of her colleagues, spending her life as an observer to the dramas surrounding her, until the arrival of Joe Malone, a businessman, pilot, and amateur photographer, forever transforms her life. By the author of A Change of Heart. Reprint.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 29, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
December 30, 2009
When I saw this was about a 29 year old woman who was an avid athlete before being diagnosed 5 years prior with a disabling disease, I had to read it. After all, that’s exactly how you can describe me, although I don’t have MS, like the heroine. I have another neurological disorder, one that’s better in some ways and worse in others.
With that in mind, this is an extremely difficult book for me to dissect fairly. Because the heroine’s situation is so similar to mine, I was infuriated with her behavior, since that’s now how I’d have gone about things at all. However, fair or unfair, I will pick it apart anyway.
Anna Bolles was a gifted athlete and enthusiastic teacher until her life was turned upside down by a diagnosis of relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis 5 years ago. As the book opens, she has settled comfortably, if a bit regretfully, into the new patterns of her life. In the midst of a relapse which has her wheelchair-bound, she visits a gallery having a photography exhibit. While viewing a particularly emotional photo of a fog-enshrouded bridge, she meets Joe Malone, a pilot, businessman and amateur photographer.
Over coffee and a conversation about art an attraction blooms. An attraction Anna vows to fight, since having MS has prompted her to slam shut the door labeled “normal romantic life.” Joe, however, is not at all interested in taking no for an answer.
In some ways, I really liked how Anna’s disability was handled. Mandel pulls no punches, delving into the nitty-gritty, messy and completely unglamorous effects of MS. The first half of the book made a lot of sense to me. Anna handles her life without any “why me,” tackling her reality matter-of-factly. She gets up, does her exercises, goes to work and generally just gets on with it.
I really enjoyed her no-nonsense mother with the potty mouth. She was the perfect foil to mild-mannered Anna. She pushes Anna without being overbearing or manipulative. Her brash tone cuts through the bullshit Anna weaves about herself. I was laughing out loud at their conversations at times.
However, a bit more than halfway through I wanted to scream. Anna falls in the street, can’t get up under her own power, and has a revelation – she can have no future with Joe, or any other man, because she will be an embarrassing burden.
I understand books require conflict, but holy hell can I never see this particular conflict again?
I know the able-bodied thinks disability is the worst thing ever, but guess what – it isn’t. Yes you miss skiing and golf and sitting in the bleachers at Fenway, but you adjust. We do not walk around feeling unworthy of love or that we’re lesser beings. I am sick to freaking death of this trope where the disabled person feels unworthy or guilty. What are authors trying to say? Should the disabled feel guilty for accepting help? Isn’t it a bit patronizing for the disabled person to decide what the able-bodied partner wants? How is watching someone give up supposed to be heroic?
Maybe I’m looking at this wrong. Perhaps Mandel intended for Anna’s rejection of Joe’s love to be idiotic and irrational. I didn’t see it as noble sacrifice, if that was the intent, I saw it as depressing capitulation.
In the end, Anna redeems herself a bit in my eyes. She stops relying so much on her mother, swallows her pride a bit, begins to accept that she’s a cripple for life and she has to get on with it. I had a bit of a hard time accepting the HEA, but Joe is enough of a straight-shooter that I can see him putting the kibosh on any attempts at self-delusion in Anna’s future.
I’m not sure this is strictly a romance. It’s told in the first-person and the sex is 98% closed door. It is more women’s fiction with a strong romantic plot. Anna’s character growth is the main event, not the romance.
As a whole, Out of the Blue is a well-written exploration of living with MS. I only wish Anna were portrayed as less of a wimp. I couldn’t help but take it all personally.
With that in mind, this is an extremely difficult book for me to dissect fairly. Because the heroine’s situation is so similar to mine, I was infuriated with her behavior, since that’s now how I’d have gone about things at all. However, fair or unfair, I will pick it apart anyway.
Anna Bolles was a gifted athlete and enthusiastic teacher until her life was turned upside down by a diagnosis of relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis 5 years ago. As the book opens, she has settled comfortably, if a bit regretfully, into the new patterns of her life. In the midst of a relapse which has her wheelchair-bound, she visits a gallery having a photography exhibit. While viewing a particularly emotional photo of a fog-enshrouded bridge, she meets Joe Malone, a pilot, businessman and amateur photographer.
Over coffee and a conversation about art an attraction blooms. An attraction Anna vows to fight, since having MS has prompted her to slam shut the door labeled “normal romantic life.” Joe, however, is not at all interested in taking no for an answer.
In some ways, I really liked how Anna’s disability was handled. Mandel pulls no punches, delving into the nitty-gritty, messy and completely unglamorous effects of MS. The first half of the book made a lot of sense to me. Anna handles her life without any “why me,” tackling her reality matter-of-factly. She gets up, does her exercises, goes to work and generally just gets on with it.
I really enjoyed her no-nonsense mother with the potty mouth. She was the perfect foil to mild-mannered Anna. She pushes Anna without being overbearing or manipulative. Her brash tone cuts through the bullshit Anna weaves about herself. I was laughing out loud at their conversations at times.
However, a bit more than halfway through I wanted to scream. Anna falls in the street, can’t get up under her own power, and has a revelation – she can have no future with Joe, or any other man, because she will be an embarrassing burden.
I understand books require conflict, but holy hell can I never see this particular conflict again?
I know the able-bodied thinks disability is the worst thing ever, but guess what – it isn’t. Yes you miss skiing and golf and sitting in the bleachers at Fenway, but you adjust. We do not walk around feeling unworthy of love or that we’re lesser beings. I am sick to freaking death of this trope where the disabled person feels unworthy or guilty. What are authors trying to say? Should the disabled feel guilty for accepting help? Isn’t it a bit patronizing for the disabled person to decide what the able-bodied partner wants? How is watching someone give up supposed to be heroic?
Maybe I’m looking at this wrong. Perhaps Mandel intended for Anna’s rejection of Joe’s love to be idiotic and irrational. I didn’t see it as noble sacrifice, if that was the intent, I saw it as depressing capitulation.
In the end, Anna redeems herself a bit in my eyes. She stops relying so much on her mother, swallows her pride a bit, begins to accept that she’s a cripple for life and she has to get on with it. I had a bit of a hard time accepting the HEA, but Joe is enough of a straight-shooter that I can see him putting the kibosh on any attempts at self-delusion in Anna’s future.
I’m not sure this is strictly a romance. It’s told in the first-person and the sex is 98% closed door. It is more women’s fiction with a strong romantic plot. Anna’s character growth is the main event, not the romance.
As a whole, Out of the Blue is a well-written exploration of living with MS. I only wish Anna were portrayed as less of a wimp. I couldn’t help but take it all personally.
April 8, 2011
A Teacher with multiple schlerosis and her sassy mother live in NYC. The girl falls in love with an airline businessman. Very good.
August 5, 2016
This book was so gawd-awful, I made it one chapter and one page before tossing it aside. And that was FORCING myself to read it.
Page 5: I set my brake in front of the photograph.
..........knew I was going to be a while looking at it.
Page 6: He grabbed the handles of my chair and pushed me
..........out the doors.
((WHAT ABOUT THE BRAKE, IDIOT?!?!))
Page 9: "I could hear Ma buzzing in my ear: 'Whoa, there, Annie - you're in deep doo-doo -- except she wouldn't have said doo-doo. I suppose it's my form of rebellion -- I never use what I consider to be vulgar curse words, except to quote Ma."
((Only you just quoted Ma and *DIDN'T* use the curse word, now did you? And wouldn't Ma's VOICE be buzzing in your ear, not Ma, herself?))
Page 11: "It wasn't until we'd left the restaurant for the part that I got him to open up. I use the term advisedly since he imparted information in such a detached manner."
((First, you didn't use the term advisedly. Second, what the HELL is 'advisedly', anyhow? And third, YOU are imparting information in a detached manner.))
I hated this pretentious, horribly disconnected, uninteresting and terribly written book. I've never in my LIFE stopped on page 15, completely sure that something was so bad that it didn't deserve more of a chance than that. But here it is. The first deemed-worthless-within-a mere-dozen-pages book.
Do. Not. Bother.
Page 5: I set my brake in front of the photograph.
..........knew I was going to be a while looking at it.
Page 6: He grabbed the handles of my chair and pushed me
..........out the doors.
((WHAT ABOUT THE BRAKE, IDIOT?!?!))
Page 9: "I could hear Ma buzzing in my ear: 'Whoa, there, Annie - you're in deep doo-doo -- except she wouldn't have said doo-doo. I suppose it's my form of rebellion -- I never use what I consider to be vulgar curse words, except to quote Ma."
((Only you just quoted Ma and *DIDN'T* use the curse word, now did you? And wouldn't Ma's VOICE be buzzing in your ear, not Ma, herself?))
Page 11: "It wasn't until we'd left the restaurant for the part that I got him to open up. I use the term advisedly since he imparted information in such a detached manner."
((First, you didn't use the term advisedly. Second, what the HELL is 'advisedly', anyhow? And third, YOU are imparting information in a detached manner.))
I hated this pretentious, horribly disconnected, uninteresting and terribly written book. I've never in my LIFE stopped on page 15, completely sure that something was so bad that it didn't deserve more of a chance than that. But here it is. The first deemed-worthless-within-a mere-dozen-pages book.
Do. Not. Bother.
July 20, 2021
I have read only 2 "romance" novels in my life.
P.S.I love you and this. The former because I loved the movie. This was downloaded on my kindle by mistake but it kept me hooked because the first person narrative is similar to how I think. The imagination, the insecurity, the sense of responsibility.
Other than that, it's like a hallmark movie. Comfortable, cozy and too good to be true
P.S.I love you and this. The former because I loved the movie. This was downloaded on my kindle by mistake but it kept me hooked because the first person narrative is similar to how I think. The imagination, the insecurity, the sense of responsibility.
Other than that, it's like a hallmark movie. Comfortable, cozy and too good to be true
December 23, 2023
Gelezen als e boek.
Een "aardig" boek, wel voorspellend.
"Ik wist dat er iets mis was toen mijn benen verdwenen. Het was één van die mistige herfstochtenden en ik was bezig aan mijn derde rondje in Central Park. Het tintelende gevoel werd met elke stap erger. Tenslotte zakte ik in elkaar...
Het leven van atlete Anna Bolles neemt een tragische en onherroepelijke wending wanneer zij een ernstige ziekte onder de leden lijkt te hebben. De deur naar de toekomst zit op slot. Anna begrijpt wel waarom haar vriend hun relatie verbreekt als hij hoort dat ze aan multiple sclerose lijdt. Behalve haar moeder laat ze niemand in haar hart toe. Maar haar plannen om met haar ziekte te leren leven vallen in duigen wanneer ze Joe Malone ontmoet. Joe, piloot, zakenman, amateurfotograaf, is een man die veel heeft bereikt, behalve de kunst om gelukkig te zijn. Joe wil zijn leven voortaan met Anna delen, wat er ook gebeurt. Hoe kan hij Anna ervan overtuigen haar diepste dromen te verwezenlijken?"
Een "aardig" boek, wel voorspellend.
"Ik wist dat er iets mis was toen mijn benen verdwenen. Het was één van die mistige herfstochtenden en ik was bezig aan mijn derde rondje in Central Park. Het tintelende gevoel werd met elke stap erger. Tenslotte zakte ik in elkaar...
Het leven van atlete Anna Bolles neemt een tragische en onherroepelijke wending wanneer zij een ernstige ziekte onder de leden lijkt te hebben. De deur naar de toekomst zit op slot. Anna begrijpt wel waarom haar vriend hun relatie verbreekt als hij hoort dat ze aan multiple sclerose lijdt. Behalve haar moeder laat ze niemand in haar hart toe. Maar haar plannen om met haar ziekte te leren leven vallen in duigen wanneer ze Joe Malone ontmoet. Joe, piloot, zakenman, amateurfotograaf, is een man die veel heeft bereikt, behalve de kunst om gelukkig te zijn. Joe wil zijn leven voortaan met Anna delen, wat er ook gebeurt. Hoe kan hij Anna ervan overtuigen haar diepste dromen te verwezenlijken?"
September 24, 2019
I can relate to some of this story as I also have MS. However, I cannot relate to Anna not wanting to take meds out of her denial of the disease...what? It’s really the other way around! I wanted to be on meds ASAP so as to hide any symptoms I had so no one could guess what was going on with me. You can’t deny/hide your symptoms if they are out there in plain view, so that really did not make sense to me at all. One thing the author explained in a new way that I liked was this idea of an “alien” taking over your thoughts and the words that come out of your mouth when you have MS, that is really true.
I did not appreciate the expletives in the story, they were not necessary and really added nothing to the flow of the story, so one less star on my vote for that alone. The author has great vocabulary, so it was a shame she weaves in junk slang, waste of time.
I did not appreciate the expletives in the story, they were not necessary and really added nothing to the flow of the story, so one less star on my vote for that alone. The author has great vocabulary, so it was a shame she weaves in junk slang, waste of time.
March 26, 2021
My Original Thoughts (2000):
Great fluff! I couldn't put it down. Romance. Humorous. Didn't cry, but got choked up. Not great literature, but entertaining. A perfect beach read. Engrossing, yet light. This author is one that I'll keep my eye on. She's written four other books, but they're all out of print.
My Current Thoughts:
This isn't the sort of book I'd read now, but I obviously enjoyed it quite a lot 20 years ago. Did I go on to read more by Mandel? Nope.
Great fluff! I couldn't put it down. Romance. Humorous. Didn't cry, but got choked up. Not great literature, but entertaining. A perfect beach read. Engrossing, yet light. This author is one that I'll keep my eye on. She's written four other books, but they're all out of print.
My Current Thoughts:
This isn't the sort of book I'd read now, but I obviously enjoyed it quite a lot 20 years ago. Did I go on to read more by Mandel? Nope.
February 1, 2018
A girl with M.S. falls for a guy and after arguing about whether they should start a relationship they end up getting married. The guy's argument was that since he used to change his grandma's soiled diapers when she became incontinent, he's ready for any M.S. relapse his future wife has. Yes...a romantic proposal.
Full of cliches and themes that are often repeated in romance novels.
Full of cliches and themes that are often repeated in romance novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2025
DNF
DNF – I made it to about 40%, and the book just felt all over the place. The story and character development felt really forced, and I still didn’t feel like I knew anything about Joe by that point. I almost never DNF books, but this one just wasn’t worth continuing for me. It felt like a waste of time.
DNF – I made it to about 40%, and the book just felt all over the place. The story and character development felt really forced, and I still didn’t feel like I knew anything about Joe by that point. I almost never DNF books, but this one just wasn’t worth continuing for me. It felt like a waste of time.
May 2, 2020
Makes you think and be grateful for good health, but also know how truly strong people can be when faced with challenges that are not challenges for most of the world.
This is definitely a worthy read.
This is definitely a worthy read.
March 11, 2025
I first read this book as an advanced reading copy and instantly fell in love. It was the right book at the right time for me.
Re-reading again 25 years later I still love it. Is the book truly 5 stars, maybe? But, for me it holds a place in my heart.
Re-reading again 25 years later I still love it. Is the book truly 5 stars, maybe? But, for me it holds a place in my heart.
June 21, 2018
Sweet love story with the main character coming to terms with M.S. Very good information about M.S.
August 30, 2018
God. That was so beautiful, reading this book. I couldn't stop crying during the last part of it. It was just awesome.
January 23, 2020
Loved this story.
November 20, 2021
FANTASTIC!
November 30, 2021
did not enjoy this one
June 2, 2022
What a great book! It was funny, sad and showed the courage of people with life changing illness.
January 29, 2023
A fictional account of a woman with MS that was well done and made me laugh out loud at times.
August 28, 2015
I read this years ago in high school and remember liking it a lot more. For some reason this second reading was difficult.
I didn't really understand why Anna and Joe loved each other. I suppose they had strong physical chemistry because many of their conversations felt flat. Joe's emotionally closed off character was frustrating and I didn't feel like I got to know him. Anna also annoyed me with her frequent episodes of I'm-thinking-something-but-I'm-not-going-to-say-it. I struggled with the mother going on vacation for over 2 weeks right after her daughter had returned from the hospital. Very unlike the caring character Mandel had established. Many sub-plots were left undeveloped (like why Joe and his father no longer spoke, why Celeste shut Gus out, Frank and Joe's relationship, etc).
Towards the end of the book, Joe and Anna go to a sushi restaurant and Anna reminisces about the time she expanded Joe's horizons by encouraging him to try sushi. I didn't understand why Mandel withheld this scene from us when the book had thus far been establishing their relationship. It's weird to be reading a romance novel and then have the main character reminisce about something you should have read 50 pages back. Aren't we following Anna on this journey?
But if the book was more about MS than anything else, Mandel did a great job presenting the disease in all of its ugly glory. There's no sugar-coating Anna's disability and I thought Mandel did a great job here.
Overall, this is a book you take with you to the beach. Not for readers looking for a bit more substance.
I didn't really understand why Anna and Joe loved each other. I suppose they had strong physical chemistry because many of their conversations felt flat. Joe's emotionally closed off character was frustrating and I didn't feel like I got to know him. Anna also annoyed me with her frequent episodes of I'm-thinking-something-but-I'm-not-going-to-say-it. I struggled with the mother going on vacation for over 2 weeks right after her daughter had returned from the hospital. Very unlike the caring character Mandel had established. Many sub-plots were left undeveloped (like why Joe and his father no longer spoke, why Celeste shut Gus out, Frank and Joe's relationship, etc).
Towards the end of the book, Joe and Anna go to a sushi restaurant and Anna reminisces about the time she expanded Joe's horizons by encouraging him to try sushi. I didn't understand why Mandel withheld this scene from us when the book had thus far been establishing their relationship. It's weird to be reading a romance novel and then have the main character reminisce about something you should have read 50 pages back. Aren't we following Anna on this journey?
But if the book was more about MS than anything else, Mandel did a great job presenting the disease in all of its ugly glory. There's no sugar-coating Anna's disability and I thought Mandel did a great job here.
Overall, this is a book you take with you to the beach. Not for readers looking for a bit more substance.
May 1, 2015
First I thought the title was appropriate for the story because Anna suddenly found she couldn't run one day, later her attacks of MS symptoms came from Out of the Blue and she met Joe, the photographer on several occasions in New York City by chance, Out of the Blue.
Anna had MS for five years when the story starts and she meets Joe. I enjoyed her humor, found her stress with life from a wheel chair added to her character and not always in a positive manner and her passion for teaching is something I can understand after teaching for more years than I want to admit. Although she was twenty-nine in many ways she was immature and very dependent on her mother. You had to love her rough talking mother that was devoted to helping her daughter and had a heart of gold.
Joe is a successful pilot, part owner in a family air charter service where he works to build the company into a successful charter service. He finds what is missing in his life when he meets Anna and after careful consideration; he makes his move to be part of her life being fully aware of the problems they will face with her MS. I think he faced every one of Anna's MS problems with understanding, which made him pretty special.
I don't expect characters in stories to always be strong but I do appreciate when their human short comings are presented and dealt with in a respectful manner, which was done excellently in Out of the Blue.
Anna had MS for five years when the story starts and she meets Joe. I enjoyed her humor, found her stress with life from a wheel chair added to her character and not always in a positive manner and her passion for teaching is something I can understand after teaching for more years than I want to admit. Although she was twenty-nine in many ways she was immature and very dependent on her mother. You had to love her rough talking mother that was devoted to helping her daughter and had a heart of gold.
Joe is a successful pilot, part owner in a family air charter service where he works to build the company into a successful charter service. He finds what is missing in his life when he meets Anna and after careful consideration; he makes his move to be part of her life being fully aware of the problems they will face with her MS. I think he faced every one of Anna's MS problems with understanding, which made him pretty special.
I don't expect characters in stories to always be strong but I do appreciate when their human short comings are presented and dealt with in a respectful manner, which was done excellently in Out of the Blue.
August 5, 2016
The book arrived in a plain brown wrapper-- a former grocery bag, the best kind of mailer.
It was a gift from the sister-in-law who is usually the recipient of books *I* send!
I sat down to read it and didn't get up until I had finished it... seriously.
Anna Bolles, 5 years after the onset of Multiple Sclerosis has stopped her athletic life in its tracks, stops to study a photograph in an exhibition. The photographer (unknown to her) stops to study her. The rest is history. Very well written history.
In romance novels there are always bumps between "boy meets girl" and "they get married." Those bumps are where the artistry is displayed. Anna's early refusal to acknowledge that she has feelings for Joe, her reactions to Joe's mother's behavior, her appreciation for Joe's father (I won't go further), and most of all her refusal to see that the MS is not the most important part of the equation, make her part of the story engaging.
Joe and Anna's mother's relationship is another delightfully colorful aspect of the book. In fact not only their relationship, but their own personae and those of the several other important people in the novel make the reader a silent participant in a group of people who become very human.. I was sorry to finish reading this book.
This is a seriously good read.
It was a gift from the sister-in-law who is usually the recipient of books *I* send!
I sat down to read it and didn't get up until I had finished it... seriously.
Anna Bolles, 5 years after the onset of Multiple Sclerosis has stopped her athletic life in its tracks, stops to study a photograph in an exhibition. The photographer (unknown to her) stops to study her. The rest is history. Very well written history.
In romance novels there are always bumps between "boy meets girl" and "they get married." Those bumps are where the artistry is displayed. Anna's early refusal to acknowledge that she has feelings for Joe, her reactions to Joe's mother's behavior, her appreciation for Joe's father (I won't go further), and most of all her refusal to see that the MS is not the most important part of the equation, make her part of the story engaging.
Joe and Anna's mother's relationship is another delightfully colorful aspect of the book. In fact not only their relationship, but their own personae and those of the several other important people in the novel make the reader a silent participant in a group of people who become very human.. I was sorry to finish reading this book.
This is a seriously good read.
May 22, 2016
Anna Bolles was funny, smart and a born athlete. Her life was tragically and irrevocably changed five years ago when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Her days are filled with perfectly baked muffins, air conditioned museums and teaching at a private school. Her mother is her sole support. Her father drifted away from her and her mother years ago.
Then she meets Joe Malone, pilot, businessman, amateur photographer. He has everything except happiness. He is known for a short attention span but he sees in Anna a world of possibilities. He thinks he wants a life with Anna no matter what and seems willing to risk everything to be with her. But can he trust himself enough to give their deepest dreams the chance to flourish.
Sally Mandell never fails to remind readers of the things that matter most in life.
The only thing I didn't like was the foul language of Anna's mother.
Then she meets Joe Malone, pilot, businessman, amateur photographer. He has everything except happiness. He is known for a short attention span but he sees in Anna a world of possibilities. He thinks he wants a life with Anna no matter what and seems willing to risk everything to be with her. But can he trust himself enough to give their deepest dreams the chance to flourish.
Sally Mandell never fails to remind readers of the things that matter most in life.
The only thing I didn't like was the foul language of Anna's mother.
November 27, 2019
Anna Bolles used to be a superb athlete - skiing, tennis, backpacking, swimming etc. until MS hits her in her 20's. She's now teaching English at a private high school in NYC and living with her long divorced mom. At a photo exhibit, she's entranced by a picture and then the photographer - airline exec Joe Malone. They share one wonderful afternoon together.
Months later their paths cross again and their relationship blooms into a love affair that Anna keeps trying to deny because of her MS. The relationship grows or shrinks depending on her relapses until she finally comes to terms with it after Joe's dad is killed in a small plane crash. The book revolves mainly around Anna's MS problems and her point of view - way too much. Interesting story but too focused on MS. Lots of language, some sex.
Months later their paths cross again and their relationship blooms into a love affair that Anna keeps trying to deny because of her MS. The relationship grows or shrinks depending on her relapses until she finally comes to terms with it after Joe's dad is killed in a small plane crash. The book revolves mainly around Anna's MS problems and her point of view - way too much. Interesting story but too focused on MS. Lots of language, some sex.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2021
I enjoyed this book and I could relate as a person who has had MS since their teens. I too went through not liking the ABC drugs and went without by having myself treated with steroids as needed. I have experienced every episode the character in the book did. I also went through the period of thinking there was acceptance, but there was not.
I do think the author described emotions and symptoms perfectly. The fear of entering a relationship was so accurate, it made me wonder if the author had MS.
I do think that things could have been told more succinctly while keeping the emotion and accuracy of the disease. I feel like this book could have ended after 250 pgs. That said, I did very much enjoy reading.
I do think the author described emotions and symptoms perfectly. The fear of entering a relationship was so accurate, it made me wonder if the author had MS.
I do think that things could have been told more succinctly while keeping the emotion and accuracy of the disease. I feel like this book could have ended after 250 pgs. That said, I did very much enjoy reading.
October 10, 2015
This book was on the “staff recommendations” shelf at our library, so I decided to give it a shot. Ironically if the description had been more explicit I would have dismissed it as one of those woman overcomer + romance books. But it was far more than that. While not profound or particularly exceptional in terms of story, Out of the Blue is the first book I’ve read that provides a fairly realistic portrayal of MS with its terrifying unpredictability and the way it undermines a person’s sense of possibility. Kudos to Mandel for not treating it as a death sentence or romanticizing the physical breakdowns and loss of control.
February 27, 2020
Anna Bolles is an English teacher at a private New York City school and is battling Multiple Sclerosis. She meets businessman and pilot Joe Malone at a photography exhibit and the two enter into a complicated romance. As someone with Multiple Sclerosis who is the same age as Anna in this book, I adore reading her story unfold. I've not found many books that depict MS, much less as accurately as Sally Mandel has with this character. I felt so seen and understood and loved this book because of that experience. The romance feels authentic, albeit fast paced and the characters seem genuine.
September 9, 2014
Interesting book
I read the book, found it to be very interesting but it didn't captivate me and I cannot put my finger on the reason why. The story was good, the characters were real, the writing was good but for some reason I looked forward to the end of the book.
Maybe it was my headspace while reading the book.
I read the book, found it to be very interesting but it didn't captivate me and I cannot put my finger on the reason why. The story was good, the characters were real, the writing was good but for some reason I looked forward to the end of the book.
Maybe it was my headspace while reading the book.
September 16, 2008
Quite touching.
January 20, 2009
Sort of a light read, romance type. Does give an insight into living with MS. Kept my interest.
October 1, 2014
read about 50 pages; predictible
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews