The Diary

by Eileen Goudge

Two sisters discover startling secrets in their mother’s old journal in this “poignant” novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of Garden of Lies (Debbie Macomber). Emily and Sarah Marshall are cleaning out their dying mother’s attic when Emily finds an old leather diary. Their mother’s handwriting on the yellowed pages takes them back to a small Nebraska town in the summer of 1951, where sheltered, almost-engaged Elizabeth Harvey is swept into a clandestine romance with AJ, her rebellious childhood friend. When AJ becomes the prime suspect in a neighborhood fire, Elizabeth has to make the most difficult decision of her young life and choose between passionate but unpredictable AJ and her stable, longtime beau, Bob.   Shocked to learn that their mother was in love with a man other than their father, Emily and Sarah must confront painful truths about their mother, their father, and ultimately, themselves. Moving and uplifting, with a surprise ending readers won’t see coming, The Diary is a novel about the mysteries of romantic love and the unassailable bond between parents and children.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Book Club, Audiobook, Family, Historical Fiction

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I began writing at the age of eight and wrote my way through the lean years before I found success as New York Times' bestselling author with my first novel GARDEN OF LIES. To date I have published 19 novels and a cookbook. Every life experience I've weathered has found its way into my novels in one form or another: bad exes, births, deaths, divorces, romances, and even true crime. My heroines are like me: tough cookies who don't crumble.

My latest novel, Book One of my Gold Creek series, ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW, is the story of a woman fleeing her abusive ex who finds refuge in a small California mountain town, where she's befriended by a group of women who call themselves The Tattooed Ladies and reinvents herself as a police sketch artist. Kyra "draws lines to stop crimes," as they say in the biz, never imagining she'll one day be forced to confront the biggest criminal of all: her ex.

I'm married to former entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon and the mother of two grown children. We live in Sacramento, California, where we remodeled a 1940's house for which I was the on-site project manager. Fortunately, multi-tasking is my superpower, so I was able to write a book and supervise a home remodel at the same time. The latter is sure to find its way into a future book. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see pics of my home remodel and other adventures.

Reviews

[Sammie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book club read, and probably, I wouldn't have picked up this book otherwise, so perhaps that has some effect on things. I don't know. What I do know is that I was definitely not into this book, and I walked away kind of disappointed. It was a quick enough read, something light that doesn't require a lot of thought or depth, so it's got that going for it.

The biggest problem for me with this book was how heavily it leaned on tropes and cliches. Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% all for tropes and cliches when used well. Heck, sometimes I'll pick up books just for a particular trope that I normally love. This? This was just ... a mess. The main character is a wealthy, perfect, upper class teenager who has everything going for her, who everyone thinks is beautiful. She's dating an upper middle class boy in her town, which is okay because even if he's not rich like her family, he's super attractive and is a football star and everyone agrees that he's just an all-around good kid. And since they're both perfect, they're perfect together. Except, oh no, here comes the bad boy, AJ, who has had no contact with Elizabeth in years, but she's inexplicably attracted to him. But, alas, he's also dirt poor and got into some trouble with the law and of course, someone of her status can't be with someone of his status.

The conflicts in this book feel very contrived, and the interactions between characters feel stilted and forced. AJ shows up after years of being gone, and Elizabeth trips all over herself to swoon over him because she remembers how attracted she was to him when they were 11 and spent some time together then. But her long-time boyfriend has finally proposed, and of course, on paper, they're the perfect match. This is essentially what the entire conflict of the story boils down to: which boy will she choose and why does she end up with the man we already know she married? For me, that just wasn't enough. I didn't feel like any of the characters had any particular chemistry, and I didn't connect with any of them enough to root for them.

The characters themselves felt two-dimensional and unrealistic to me. They felt like caricatures. Even Elizabeth's two grown daughters, who I'm guessing are supposed to be in their 40s, come off sounding like teenagers. They're just flabbergasted that their mother would have the audacity of loving someone before their father! How does that even happen? Their reactions made me cringe several times, and I just couldn't picture any 30-year-olds or 40-year-olds being so naive and reacting to things the way they did.

The underlying story of this, how two people fell in love, sounds terribly endearing and romantic, and to be sure, there are parts that are, but I think where it falls down is really in the delivery. It sounds like it should be a good read, since I'm a romantic at heart, but it didn't feel like there was really anything at stake, and the characters fell flat for me. That was enough to kill it.

If you're a fan of these particular tropes, this might be a good read for you. The other women at my book club seemed to like it and were endeared to the story, or it reminded them of people they had known. Unfortunately, this just wasn't my cup of tea.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Diary, by Eileen Goudge, is the story of two grown sisters finding their mother's diary when cleaning out their childhood home. Turning the pages of their mother's most private possession they learn more about their parents lives and loves than they could imagine.
A sweet story with a perfect ending!

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars
Two women, Sarah and Emily, find a diary written by their mother, who is in care and in her last days. As they start to read, it becomes evident that the Elizabeth in these pages is vastly different to the mother they know and love. They had always thought their parents had the perfect marriage and were the love of each other’s lives. But the diary talks about another man their mother loved. What happened to him? They keep reading to find out what happened. To begin with I wasn’t totally enamoured of this short novel but then as the story progressed I became more interested. This is a gentle romance but it has a bit to say about how a person can do the right thing and still be ostracised by a community. I enjoyed this love story, although I thought the ending seemed a bit rushed. I did get a little teary at times

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best books I have ever read.The Diary by Eileen Goudge had me sobbing at 4 a.m. this morning as I finished it. I don't think I have ever sobbed while reading a book! The ending took me completely by surprise and that never happens. It was a truly beautiful and heartbreaking story... Two daughters are packing up their mother's belongings as she lay dying in a nursing facility from a stroke and is unable to communicate. They come across a diary written by their mother the year she married their father. The girls decide to open it and find that their father was not the only man that their mother was in love with.

They are taken completely by surprise and continue reading the diary because they have no other way of finding out what happened with this other man. Their father had passed away and the only life they knew was that their parent's marriage was completely happy. They uncover their mother's heartbreaking journey as she tries to figure out "Which was worse: to marry the wrong person for the right reasons or to be with the right person who was wrong in every other way?"

The girls examine their own lives as they continue reading the diary to try to understand the decisions their mother made that year. The diary's entries end with a marriage proposal from the other man and the girls are left wondering what happened to the other man because their mother obviously chose to marry their father. The girls finally get the answers to their questions when an elderly man shows up to pay his respects after their mother's memorial service. And this is the point where I lost it and the tears started flowing! I would highly recommend this book to everyone. It makes you examine your own questions about love and makes you wonder how well do you really know your parents?

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, the rave reviews for this book have me stumped. I thought that it was awful. Barely 200 pages long, I thought that it was 200 pages too long. Dull, simplistic, boring and written like a young adult novel. I was never drawn into the story and the characters never came alive for me. Eileen Goudge is one of my favorte authors, but this one was a rare disappointment for me.

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most boring, corniest book I've read. Scenario is simple enough - mom is on deathbed, 2 grown daughters find mom's diary while cleaning out mom's attic. Daughters read diary and find out maybe mom had another love of her life before she married their dad. Handful of pages of daughters' commentary on poor mom who let the love of her life get away.
Circa 1950 - The man who mom loved in the pages of her diary was a rogue, a ner-do-well, he even had a leather jacket. Gasp! Mom is semi-engaged to the local football hunk. Mom finds herself attracted to ner-do-well. Which one does she end up with? {{cue ominous music}}
I found myself thinking "...oh for crying out loud blahblahblah!!" after every line of dialogue.
"Is this a bad time?"
"No of course not."
"How are you? I haven't seen you in ages."
"I'm guessing you're not alone."
"No, but I'm glad you caught me," she said in the same false, bright tone. "It's awfully good to hear from you."
"Same here. I got your message."
"Really? Well, it was nice of you to get in touch."

Awful book. Just awful. I think maybe Ms. Goudge was trying for a Nicholas Sparks tear-jerker romance and missed. BIGtime.

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually my first book by Eileen Goudge but it will absolutely not be my last.

The Diary was a beautiful love story that evoked so many different emotions for me while reading. I adored Elizabeth and tore through the pages as I followed her journey to true love. I was angry for her when her community ostrocized her at a certain point and my heart beat rapidly while reading the last few pages as the story came to its unpredictable but amazing conclusion. I LOVED the ending.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of 'The Wednesday Letters' and 'The Notebook.' When I finished it made me realize how important it is that we let our children know who we are, even if we can't face it when we are still walking on the earth.
This is PG-13 because there is a love scene smack in the middle of the book. It was written very technically, so I wasn't embarrased to read it. It wasn't trashy, just honest I think. However, if you were put off by 'Breaking Dawn' then I would skip to the end of the chapter and keep going. If it weren't for the love scene I would have given it 4 stars.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hasn't this plot been used about a thousand times. I am really tired of beautiful heroines, who look like Elizabeth Taylor, except for the eye color. A bit of a bad boy hero and the good, jolly gee boyfriend who gets thrown over for the bad boy. Of course, the jolly gee boyfriend doesn't harbor any ill will cause you know Elizabeth and A.J> are just meant to be together. Throwing in the diary and the two daughters did not make it any better. UUGH

[Mira15 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eu, como romântica incurável, procuro sempre ler histórias comoventes e avassaladoras, com um amor mais forte que a própria vida – um amor que apesar de todos os obstáculos consiga sobreviver e romper com os estigmas impelidos pela sociedade. Ao descobrir este pequeno grande livro escondido na estante percebi que este era o seu momento de “brilhar”.

Num Mississípi dos anos 50, a hipocrisia e o preconceito reinavam. Esta discriminação não foi exclusiva dos negros, como o fenómeno literário “As serviçais” fielmente retractou. As mulheres que não seguissem à regra as tradições e condutas sociais aceitáveis ou que correspondessem ao que se esperava delas – boas donas de casa, tal como leais e submissas ao marido e à família – eram condenadas e “postas de parte” por toda a comunidade. Foi com extrema admiração que vi Elizabeth Harvey superar esta barreira e lutar pelo seu verdadeiro amor, contra tudo e todos!

“Elizabeth, com vinte anos, estava informada em relação aos pássaros e às abelhinhas – afinal de contas, eram tempos modernos -, mas, para senhoras solteiras da sua classe social, a região da anatomia feminina discretamente mencionada como «a flor da feminilidade» era território terminantemente interdito aos membros do sexo oposto e até, à excepção da higiene básica, à própria mulher. Houvera alguns progressos desde a era dos espartilhos que a sua mãe vivera na juventude, mas, para uma jovem, ser conhecida como «fácil», mesmo em 1951, era quase tão ruinoso como ter a fama de incendiar automóveis.” p.25

Enquanto as duas irmãs e suas filhas, Sarah e Emily, desfolham as páginas do diário da mãe, os leitores são transportados para uma história de um grande amor, perante uma mulher indecisa entre dois homens. Às páginas do diário, junta-se a narração dos próprios acontecimentos como se acontecessem hoje mesmo, criando, assim, uma ligação mais forte com todo o enredo. Serpenteando por entre os pensamentos de Elizabeth, AJ e as duas irmãs vamos desvendando todos os segredos escondidos por detrás deste misterioso diário.

Escrito com emoção e simplicidade, mantendo o estilo de narrador na primeira pessoa, Eileen Goudge faz-nos mergulhar no enredo, que considero estar muito bem delineado, de uma forma tão profunda que não conseguimos parar de ler por um instante que seja, onde rimos e choramos com as personagens que se tornam tão queridas para nós.

“ – Amo-te, Elizabeth Harvey. Aconteça o que acontecer, nunca te esqueças disso.
- Não me esquecerei. – Ela sorriu contra o ombro dele, um sorriso secreto, só seu.
Acontecesse o que acontecesse, lembrar-se-ia sempre deste Natal. Para o resto da sua vida, guardá-lo-ia junto do coração, como AJ estava neste momento. Seria o sopro silencioso no centro de cada pensamento, a nota muda entre cada batimento do coração da vida. Um dia, quando tivesse filhos, desejaria o mesmo para eles: um momento no tempo em que o amor fosse tudo o que importasse.” P.160

Lê-se num par de horas e mal chegamos perto das últimas páginas, deparamo-nos com um final verdadeiramente maravilhoso e estonteante. Consegui adivinhar o final, pelas várias pistas deixadas ao longo dos capítulos, todavia, esta foi uma história que muito me surpreendeu e deixou no meu coração uma marca profunda. Passado algum tempo ainda consigo sentir a sua essência…


+ O formato pequeno (como um verdadeiro diário) e a capa belíssima transmitem acessibilidade e um encantamento impossível de resistir
+ Embora não seja um romance histórico, faz um óptimo retracto daquela época
+ A autora é capaz de descrever muitas informações em poucas páginas
+ As intrigas conseguem pôr o leitor sempre a pensar no que acontecerá a seguir


Independentemente dos gostos ou da idade este é um livro que consegue agradar a todos. Esta história comprova que não é preciso um livro ser avultado para ser fantástico, capaz de agarrar os seus leitores e de os inspirar! Sem dúvida que o voltarei a ler!

[Margarida Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicioso!! Uma autêntica ternura para os nossos corações enregelados por este frio invernal.

A capa só por si remete-nos para a terna história que nos espera nas páginas de O Diário. A simplicidade de umas folhas enlaçadas e das cores que adornam o rosto deste lindo romance vão em tudo de encontram à simplicidade dos sentimentos e emoções que nos são descritos ao longo de todo este pequeno livrinho.

Confesso que ao início as expectativas não eram elevadas. Não só desconhecia o trabalho desta autora como também as primeiras páginas de O Diário se revelaram um tanto maçudas e desinteressante s. No entanto, a partir do momento em que Elizabeth, a mãe de Sarah e Emily, conhece AJ, tudo muda e é criada uma empatia tão forte entre o leitor e o casal que se torna impossível largar o seguimento da sua história, na expectativa de saber o que realmente se passou no final para Elizabeth ter casado com o pai das duas irmãs, ou seja, o homem que não amava de verdade.

É aterradora a forma como a protagonista, Elizabeth, é desprezada pela comunidade onde vive por escolher aquele por quem o seu coração realmente bate. Temos o ódio e a pressão da mãe que a chega a culpar de ser a causa da morte da avó por todo o escândalo que instalou na vila ao fazer a denúncia que salvou AJ da prisão e que revelou os sentimentos secretos que nutria por um vagubundo quando, na altura, se encontrava prometida ao rapaz mais admirado pela comunidade. Temos a atitude de repulsa da Igreja para com as acções pecaminosas de Elizabeth nas costas de Bob, o seu admirado namorado. Tudo coisas que carregam uma tremenda dose de emoções e que conseguem uma surpreendente envolvência do leitor com a história e, em particular, com Elizabeth e AJ.

No fim, depois de toda uma ansiedade pela revelação do motivo que, afinal, separou o casal perfeito, eis que a mais surpreendente das revelações nos é feita, conduzindo-nos a um auge avassalador e a um alívio impossível de conter.

Andava desesperada por um bom romance, uma doce e comovente história de amor, e embora não acreditasse que "O Diário" fosse capaz de me satisfazer este apetite literário momentâneo, a verdade é que o fez, com uma distinção digna de um dos melhores romances que li em 2010.

Recomendo vivamente!!

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

With their father dead and their mother in the hospital dying, two daughters find their mother’s diary while cleaning out their parents’ home. The diary told the story of their mother’s love of two men. Their mother wrote of how her mother didn’t approve of the man she truly loved and how her mother convinced her to marry the man she saw as most suitable. The daughters were shocked to learn that their mother didn’t marry the man she loved but had settled on their father. The Diary ended when their mom married. The daughters, wanting to learn the entire story, planned to visit the town where their mother grew up to learn the rest of the story as their mother couldn’t fill them in being left mute after a massive stroke. Fortunately, they learned the rest of the story at their mother’s funeral when the other man showed up to show his respects.

The Diary was a tender story that was well written with an unexpected twist. Susan Ericksen did an okay job in telling the story.

[Lisa Montanaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick romantic read! A secret diary. Two time lines simultaneously, present and past, told from the perspective of two daughters and their mother. Who wouldn't be intrigued by delving into the courtship of their parents? Interesting concept when you find out that maybe your parents aren't exactly who you thought they were.

[A. R. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I could get past the well-worn plot line (beautiful girl almost engaged to football star boyfriend really loves the bad boy) and the tale told through a diary that is only partially a diary. But I'm sorry, when the last 30 pages is nothing but a recitation of how the story wraps up, I couldn't handle it any more. That was probably the hardest 30 pages I have read in the last year.

Goudge has written many books - which I had a hard time believing...I even checked to see if this was self published. "The Diary" was the first I've read. Believe me, I won't be going back for more. The characters were like cardboard. The football star so good that he can forgive anything with just a minor hiccup to vent his anger. The "bad boy" of course isn't bad at all. And the girl...well, she was boring. Throwing the daughters in to pull the tale along was totally unnecessary. In fact, they were a distraction.

I felt no emotion. I figured out the twist in the story pages before it was revealed...so there was no surprise. And by the end, I kept checking page count to see how much longer I had to suffer through.

Although it's relatively clean (one or two swear words and a love scene straight from a text book) I can't in good conscience recommend this one to anybody. Don't believe those other 5 star reviews. This was not a romance worth the time it took to read.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick enjoyable read. The storyline kept me guessing until the end of the book. I was shocked by the ending & did not figure it out on my own. The story also brought some tears to my eyes. Makes you think about your one opportunity to find true love.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet little read. I'd had it on my bookshelf for several years -- having picked it up at a bookstore closing sale. It was pretty true to it's promise. Two daughters find their mother's diary which reveals she had loved two men before her marriage. The "mystery" of who this other man was brings them to examine their own lives, and develop some pride in their mother for bravely facing the choice of love versus security that faced her in the 50s. While it was an enjoyable read, it doesn't really plow any new ground.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story. Two sisters who have lost their father and their mother is dying, find her diary among her belongings. After reading the diary they discover things about their parents that they had no idea about.

it was a romantic story and I was thinking how lovely it would have made me feel if I found something of this nature regarding my own parents.

It is a lovely story, and it also could be a young adult read.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has my heart already. I have enjoyed it from the start. It is about two girls whose mother is in a nursing home and they are selling the house. They are going through the mother's items in the attic when they find a diary. Common enough plot, I know, but it always gets me. The diary contains secrets of a love that the girls never knew about between their mother and another young man, who is not their father. I can't wait to see how this goes, but I'm really into it already. Fast read. I just want to say that this is one of my new favorite books. It makes you really wonder about the choices you make.

Favorite parts of this book:
p.78
Sometimes it seems like I must have dreamed it. Other times it's as real as when I cut my finger and it bleeds. That's how it feels: like I'm slowly bleeding to death, only on the inside, where it doesn't show. I think about him all the time. I think about when we kissed and what else I want him to do to me. I'm afraid of what would happen if I were to see him again. I'm afraid of what might happen if I don't. Why can't I make up my mind one way or the other? Why must I torment myself?
p. 95
He crooked a finger under her chin, gently tipping it up to kiss her. She'd been breathlessly anticipating this moment, despite her earlier resolution to nip the affair in the bud, but it caught her by surprise nonetheless--not the kiss but the intensity of it. There was none of the initial tentativeness of last time. AJ laid claim to her with his mouth and hands as though they were already lovers.
They went on kissing under the benign, unblinking eye of the moon. When he lowered her onto her back, she was only dimly aware of the grassy turf rising to meet her; she could feel nothing but the sensations that were like slowly winding passage taking her deeper and deeper into a forbidden realm. Even her body felt unfamiliar, a stranger's yielding to touches that from anyone else would have caused her to shrink in modesty.
p.96
They made love on the grass in a way that was both tender and urgent. Elizabeth showed no hesitancy, yet he was acutely aware that it was her first time and was careful to take it slowly. In a way, it was like the first time for him as well. He'd been with other women but no one for whom he's had such strong feelings. How could he love another when he was filled to the brim with Elizabeth? She was the first thing on his mind when he woke up in the morning and the last thing he thought about before he went to sleep at night...
p.128
...His eyes met hers, and she saw the heat burning its way through the ice. At last she understood: He was angry precisely because he did care. Enough to want what was best for her, as opposed to them.
...
But now, after weeks of receiving no word from him other than those few innocuous lines scrawled on the backs of postcards, she'd been left to wonder if he would keep his promise. The uncertainty, along with the slings and arrows she'd been forced to endure, had weakened her resolve. Had she really known what she'd be in for when she first headed down this road? If she had, would she still have had the courage to speak up in AJ's defense? She liked to believe she would, but maybe that was just wishful thinking. The fact was, she missed her old life almost as much as she missed AJ and would have done just about anything to get it back.
Started: 5/27/09
Finished: 5/29/09
217pps

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Elizabeth Marshall's two grown daughters - Emily and Sarah - discover their mother's old diary stored in her attic, they are stunned to learn that their mother's true love wasn't their father. By reading Elizabeth's private thoughts and feelings about her life, a whole host of questions are kindled in their minds: is all as it seems? This is the mystery that Emily and Sarah must unravel as they stay up late reading the words penned by Elizabeth so many years ago.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth can't give her daughters the answers they so desperately seek. After suffering a massive stroke, she now lies mute and near death in a nursing home. Only the pages of her diary can provide clues as to what really happened.

In a richly detailed journey into the past, young Elizabeth Harvey loses her heart to one man while remaining devoted to another. Finally, she must choose between the devoted and steadfast Bob - who represents loyalty and stability...and the electrifying and unpredictable A. J. - who holds Elizabeth's heart, and who spent time in juvenile detention as a teenager. When a suspicious fire in the neighborhood is linked to A. J., Elizabeth faces another dilemma: she's the only one who can clear A. J.'s name, but to step forward would ruin her reputation. Surprisingly, it is Bob who eventually comes to her rescue, forcing Elizabeth to make perhaps the most painful decision of her life...

The Diary by Eileen Goudge is an intricate love story. However, it is also the story of the unshakable bond of love between a mother and her daughters. This is actually the third book by Eileen Goudge that I've read, and I must say that in my opinion, she really is an excellent writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I like stories about families; and specifically stories about relationships between mothers and daughters. I appreciated that Ms. Goudge's characters were so vulnerable - they each really resonated with me, and I found myself sympathizing with all of them. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

[Stacey B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

INSIDE COVER BLURB: A bestselling author known for her storytelling prowess, "Goudge's characters leap from the page ready to engage readers" (The Denver Rocky Mountain News), and never more so than in The Diary, that begins when two sisters searching in their mother's attic are given the shock of their lives...

Elizabeth Marshall's grown daughters had no idea their mother's old diary would turn the image of their parent's happy marriage upside down. For upon reading the opening pages, they learn that the love of their mother's life was not their father! And the desperate-to-know answers to their questions reside with Elizabeth who, after a massive stroke, lies mute and near death in a nursing home. Will pages of her diary provide the truth they seek?

MY REVIEW: I had a good time reading this book. It seemed like a really fast read for me because I have never read a large print edition before, so it felt like I was flipping through the pages pretty fast, but then I guess I would have been even if it wasn't a large print book. The story line was very intriguing and kept you wondering what was going to happen next in the mother's diary and how her two daughters were going to react to it. Reading this book reminds you that everyone has a past, even your own parents. It makes me wonder about the past experiences of my parents before they met.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one day. It was a short and simple read but pleasurable. It is not a "buxom beauty ravished by Fabio" type love story either, but a clean, sweet telling of a romantic tale that takes place in the 1950s. The book opens with Emily and Sarah going thru their mother's things as their mother lies in the hospital suffering from stroke and old age. They find their mother's diary and upon reading a few pages, they cannot put it down. Thus, thru their mother's words, they enter the world of poodle skirts, county fairs, and Studebakers. Their mother, Elizabeth had had a life altering affair with a "bad boy" prior to marrying their father. She was swept off her feet and away from her "Pleasantville" like life and good old fiance, Bob by a childhood friend, AJ. They get in trouble, cause a scandal, experience loss. The book is suspensful and keeps the reader hanging until the very end. I kept asking myself..."If she loved AJ so much, how did she end up marrying Bob and why??" I could not wait to find out the answer and the answer revealed in the end is a wonderful surprise! My one complaint: I would have liked to know her daughters better. I wish there had been a little more about Sarah and Emily, the daughters of the fun, courageous Elizabeth.

[Fedora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two sisters find their mother's diary as they are cleaning out the attic. Their mother is in a coma, and they aren't sure whether she will recover. The entries reveal a passionate woman that they have a hard time seeing as their mother. This woman is torn between two men who lay claim to her heart, and the daughters cannot imagine her loving another man who is not their father. They are torn between intruding on her privacy and finding out who she chose.

Initially this read a bit slowly and painfully, because Ms. Goudge portrays the small-mindedness of the times and her strict mother so well. A very lovely unveiling and ultimately satisfying ending.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved all Eileen Goudge books and this is another one to read. The sisters found their mom's diary while cleaning out the attic because their mom was dying. To their surprise, the diary was all about a guy named AJ that their mom loved and lusted after, but then she married Bob Marshall instead. Wait until you read the end of book............

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this a 31/2, but couldn't do that on the stars. An easy read love story, with a bit of a twist at the end. Sweet, not very deep, but I enjoyed it, and made me cry towards the end. Makes you ask yourself if you really know your parents, and their story as they were growing up.

[Mikkee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not at all impressed by this book. The characters were one-dimensional and annoying. It looks like a novel, but in many places it was no better than a Harlequin novel. The author's use of big words came across as annoying and out of place.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet (though kind of antiseptic) love story.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful love story! Easy read. Sorry it's over already:(

[Cindy Hatok · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good story, a quick read and a great love story. I was surprised by the ending, never expected it. I loved the characters too.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Not what I was expecting, which is a good thing! What a great love story and the ending blew me away. Everyone should have a love like this!

[Ann Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the twist at the end. Despite growing evidence that soulmates aren’t a real thing, having a passionate draw to your spouse is essential. I’m glad Elizabeth was true to herself.