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The Idle Point Stories #2
Someone Like You
They were the daughters of music legends, the unforgettable Mark and Mimi Doyle, whose love story had been played out in the pages of Rolling Stone complete with quotes from Dylan and Baez. Folk rock’s forever couple.
Who would have guessed forever would end one cold winter morning when Mark walked out the door and never came back.
Now it’s thirty years later and his baby daughters are grown women with complicated lives -- and loves -- of their own. Joely lives in Scotland, as far away from the drama of her childhood as she can get while Cat, the older of the two, runs a knitting studio and farm in their hometown of Idle Point, Maine. The only thing the two sisters have in common is their mother Mimi, a deeply troubled woman who is still listening for the sound of her husband’s key in the front door.
But when Mimi has a serious accident, the Doyles find themselves back in the news and a very pregnant Cat is forced to call in a long-ago promise. It is time for Joely to come home and face the biggest challenge of her life: her family.
A master at touching readers' hearts, Barbara Bretton explores the emotional journey of two sisters and the healing truth of an unforgettable family legacy when an unexpected reunion inspires a better understanding of secrets and sacrifices.
Who would have guessed forever would end one cold winter morning when Mark walked out the door and never came back.
Now it’s thirty years later and his baby daughters are grown women with complicated lives -- and loves -- of their own. Joely lives in Scotland, as far away from the drama of her childhood as she can get while Cat, the older of the two, runs a knitting studio and farm in their hometown of Idle Point, Maine. The only thing the two sisters have in common is their mother Mimi, a deeply troubled woman who is still listening for the sound of her husband’s key in the front door.
But when Mimi has a serious accident, the Doyles find themselves back in the news and a very pregnant Cat is forced to call in a long-ago promise. It is time for Joely to come home and face the biggest challenge of her life: her family.
A master at touching readers' hearts, Barbara Bretton explores the emotional journey of two sisters and the healing truth of an unforgettable family legacy when an unexpected reunion inspires a better understanding of secrets and sacrifices.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
76 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Bretton
130 books598 followersBarbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world. Her works have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.
Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.
Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.
Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.
Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.
Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.
Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 11, 2016
See full review: http://ilayreading.com/2016/02/11/som...
Barbara Bretton will continue to appear on my TBR for times just like these. I’ll always get in over my head with too many big brain books, and sometimes I just need a rest. Barbara Bretton is just the cure for intense book hangover.
Barbara Bretton will continue to appear on my TBR for times just like these. I’ll always get in over my head with too many big brain books, and sometimes I just need a rest. Barbara Bretton is just the cure for intense book hangover.
September 19, 2017
Someone Like You
This story was about two sisters who's parents were very famous at one time. But their father disappeared twenty-four years ago. The story is parts of those parents and the effect it has on the sisters. As you read you get a glimpse of both sisters and their lives with men. How what the father did and their mothers shutting down made them into what they are today.
This story was about two sisters who's parents were very famous at one time. But their father disappeared twenty-four years ago. The story is parts of those parents and the effect it has on the sisters. As you read you get a glimpse of both sisters and their lives with men. How what the father did and their mothers shutting down made them into what they are today.
December 5, 2022
This is about two sisters born into a very dysfunctional family and how it affected their relationship with the men they were meant to love. I had difficulty keeping focused but I kept plugging along. It was better toward the end.
May 12, 2023
The Idle Piont, Maine #2 - PB - 2005 - Have It - Read It
October 23, 2011
Someone Like You is typical American happy endings book that would reinforce your faith in humanity and guarantee a peaceful sleep in the night. It did for me at least! This is a story about two grown up sisters at two corners of the world trying to come in terms with their crazy mother's accident and the surprising events thereafter that explains (not negate) much of the heartburn that they went through during their difficult childhood. Most of the content of the story is about the inability of their parents to raise their children though their love for each other was "magical". The two daughters suffered as a result and finally grew apart frm each other trying to fight their own battles.
What Works For The Book?
The story unfolds at a good pace and gives you some good emotional moments that stir a tear or two if you are sentimental like me. It has a decent amount of sarcasm as well that keeps the american humor alive. Also, if not for the almost alive characters, I would have given the book a rest for few weeks.
What Does Not Work?
The story came across as common and the ending quite predictable. In fact, I could almost visualise it as a major hollywood romantic flick with Kate Winslet and Drew Barrymore playing the lead sisters Catherine Doyle and Joely Doyle. (Why Drew Barrymore? I just like her! :))
There are few things that are worth mentioning here regarding the book. If there is one thing that stuck with me throughout the whole book then that is the characters. Her characters were so well fleshed out, I felt they are real. How did she do this?! I went back to check if she had mentioned anything about their facial features, their clothing, etc and I drew a blank. Not once did Barbara cared about giving those details. So, what did she do?
Simple - She wrote about their pain so well that you almost lap it up and start sympathizing with the characters. She managed to write their feelings, reactions to situations, their fears, their innermost insecurities in a language that you often use when you are battling with yourself. That is what, according to me, made them so real. This was a very important learning for me and core of any book anyone writes. Keep it real enough so that your readers can relate to it.
Verdict:
It was a well spent time and I adored it. Worth a try!
What Works For The Book?
The story unfolds at a good pace and gives you some good emotional moments that stir a tear or two if you are sentimental like me. It has a decent amount of sarcasm as well that keeps the american humor alive. Also, if not for the almost alive characters, I would have given the book a rest for few weeks.
What Does Not Work?
The story came across as common and the ending quite predictable. In fact, I could almost visualise it as a major hollywood romantic flick with Kate Winslet and Drew Barrymore playing the lead sisters Catherine Doyle and Joely Doyle. (Why Drew Barrymore? I just like her! :))
There are few things that are worth mentioning here regarding the book. If there is one thing that stuck with me throughout the whole book then that is the characters. Her characters were so well fleshed out, I felt they are real. How did she do this?! I went back to check if she had mentioned anything about their facial features, their clothing, etc and I drew a blank. Not once did Barbara cared about giving those details. So, what did she do?
Simple - She wrote about their pain so well that you almost lap it up and start sympathizing with the characters. She managed to write their feelings, reactions to situations, their fears, their innermost insecurities in a language that you often use when you are battling with yourself. That is what, according to me, made them so real. This was a very important learning for me and core of any book anyone writes. Keep it real enough so that your readers can relate to it.
Verdict:
It was a well spent time and I adored it. Worth a try!
September 27, 2012
I really liked this story. It was different. I was not sure what to expect exactly, perhaps a sappy cheesy story about two girls holding grudges that were as nearly as old as they were. But infact I was pleasantly surprised.
Catherine "Cat" and Joely (I love that name!) Doyle are two sisters living separate lives who are suddenly brought together after a couple of years as a result of their mother Mimi's illness. Mimi has suffered mentally since her husband, the sisters' father, walked out of their lives some 20-odd-years before.Joely, having been raised by Cat and their Grandma Fran, makes a life for herself in Scotland, while Cat still lives in their hometown but commutes to NYC a couple of days a month, for business and her relationship.
It surprised me that the sisters did not maintain some kind of closeness after growing up, which I found to be very sad considering their difficult circumstances growing up. All this changes, however, when Mimi suffers from a stroke.
Soon the girls become more like sisters rather than passing relatives. They are forced to confront emotions and truths that were long buried, grudges against their parents for not being there for them and also to become vulnerable to their significant others before it is too late.
The book took a surprising twist when the girls' dad actually showed up, and he was not as remorseful as I would have expected, but all the same he accepted that he had done wrong. I particularly enjoyed the parts where the women realised that their parents were actually famous in their heyday. I felt as if I was there, the way Ms. Bretton described the paparrazzi showing up and all the entertainment shows taking interest upon the news of Mimi's illness .
I was so happy that Joely and Matthew were able to give their relationship another shot. I was really rooting for them, especially for the sake of Matthew's daughter Anabelle! And the reviews were right about the book -- it is a guaranteed GREAT read!
Catherine "Cat" and Joely (I love that name!) Doyle are two sisters living separate lives who are suddenly brought together after a couple of years as a result of their mother Mimi's illness. Mimi has suffered mentally since her husband, the sisters' father, walked out of their lives some 20-odd-years before.Joely, having been raised by Cat and their Grandma Fran, makes a life for herself in Scotland, while Cat still lives in their hometown but commutes to NYC a couple of days a month, for business and her relationship.
It surprised me that the sisters did not maintain some kind of closeness after growing up, which I found to be very sad considering their difficult circumstances growing up. All this changes, however, when Mimi suffers from a stroke.
Soon the girls become more like sisters rather than passing relatives. They are forced to confront emotions and truths that were long buried, grudges against their parents for not being there for them and also to become vulnerable to their significant others before it is too late.
The book took a surprising twist when the girls' dad actually showed up, and he was not as remorseful as I would have expected, but all the same he accepted that he had done wrong. I particularly enjoyed the parts where the women realised that their parents were actually famous in their heyday. I felt as if I was there, the way Ms. Bretton described the paparrazzi showing up and all the entertainment shows taking interest upon the news of Mimi's illness .
I was so happy that Joely and Matthew were able to give their relationship another shot. I was really rooting for them, especially for the sake of Matthew's daughter Anabelle! And the reviews were right about the book -- it is a guaranteed GREAT read!
February 20, 2017
Story moved along
February 11, 2016
Love lasts forever
When your true love walks out of your life twenty-seven years ago, does that mean it's over? You would think you would get over it, even though you never forgot that person. Well this is a story about Mimi, who never gave up hope that she would ever see Mark again. His departure left a lot of unanswered questions and two daughters angry and not willing to believe that true love exists and lasts. Mimi was never the same after he left and that left 10 year old Catherine to raise baby Joely, therefore, the angry and skeptical attitudes. Cat is unwilling to let Michael into her life and that of her dysfunctional family, even though she chose him to be the father of her child. Joely takes off to Scotland to get away from this family and town. She lives with William and his daughter but begins questioning her part in this uncommitted family. Tragic circumstances bring them all back together and they realize that maybe Mimi was right after all in believing in everlasting love. Spoiler alert: Get the tissues out when Mimi gets a visitor in the hospital. I thoroughly enjoy love stories with several other storylines and a story that gets you emotionally involved!
When your true love walks out of your life twenty-seven years ago, does that mean it's over? You would think you would get over it, even though you never forgot that person. Well this is a story about Mimi, who never gave up hope that she would ever see Mark again. His departure left a lot of unanswered questions and two daughters angry and not willing to believe that true love exists and lasts. Mimi was never the same after he left and that left 10 year old Catherine to raise baby Joely, therefore, the angry and skeptical attitudes. Cat is unwilling to let Michael into her life and that of her dysfunctional family, even though she chose him to be the father of her child. Joely takes off to Scotland to get away from this family and town. She lives with William and his daughter but begins questioning her part in this uncommitted family. Tragic circumstances bring them all back together and they realize that maybe Mimi was right after all in believing in everlasting love. Spoiler alert: Get the tissues out when Mimi gets a visitor in the hospital. I thoroughly enjoy love stories with several other storylines and a story that gets you emotionally involved!
January 19, 2016
Once again an incredible story
This was the second book in the Idle Point series and it did not disappoint. Life at times can be difficult, especially if you are a child and your parents are famous or once were famous. Cat had always been there for Joelyn, from day one. She had to be since parenting wasn't one of the things that were top priority with either of her parents.
Fast forward 20 years, both Cat and Joelyn are grown women who know what they want, it so they think. Cat hasn't told anyone her BIG secret and thinks no one knows. When really almost everyone who knows her had figured it out. Joelyn is happy in her life, or is she? She has everything that would make any girl swoon...a good looking, hard working man, a sweet little girl. But something is missing.
What will happen when the sisters are forced to come to terms with issues dealing with their parents. Things they have tried to sweep under the rug, forget, or just not want to deal with. Only time will tell in this story, I've that will surely please any reader.
This was the second book in the Idle Point series and it did not disappoint. Life at times can be difficult, especially if you are a child and your parents are famous or once were famous. Cat had always been there for Joelyn, from day one. She had to be since parenting wasn't one of the things that were top priority with either of her parents.
Fast forward 20 years, both Cat and Joelyn are grown women who know what they want, it so they think. Cat hasn't told anyone her BIG secret and thinks no one knows. When really almost everyone who knows her had figured it out. Joelyn is happy in her life, or is she? She has everything that would make any girl swoon...a good looking, hard working man, a sweet little girl. But something is missing.
What will happen when the sisters are forced to come to terms with issues dealing with their parents. Things they have tried to sweep under the rug, forget, or just not want to deal with. Only time will tell in this story, I've that will surely please any reader.
June 7, 2012
As others said. Typical romance, mediocre. Underwhelming.
I realize that I don't like main characters who have problems expressing love (and here we had 2 of them). I'm sure the storyline appeals to some, but books I truly resonate with are the ones where the characters are warm, loving and involved. Or even if they are anguished, as were these 2, they are still aware of their hearts and yearnings. People I could see as being my own friends. Cat, the older sister, had some of that, but on the whole there was too much mental "steeling" and not enough openess. That was really the characters' struggle (so the author achieved her goal), but I guess I don't like either living it or reading about it. Give me a book that pulls my heart strings any day.
I realize that I don't like main characters who have problems expressing love (and here we had 2 of them). I'm sure the storyline appeals to some, but books I truly resonate with are the ones where the characters are warm, loving and involved. Or even if they are anguished, as were these 2, they are still aware of their hearts and yearnings. People I could see as being my own friends. Cat, the older sister, had some of that, but on the whole there was too much mental "steeling" and not enough openess. That was really the characters' struggle (so the author achieved her goal), but I guess I don't like either living it or reading about it. Give me a book that pulls my heart strings any day.
February 27, 2011
This book definetly lacked anything interesting happening. It could have used more drama, and not of the sisterly variety.
Not bad writing, just too boring a plot.
Read
May 28, 2014Two sisters struggle to come together when their formerly famous mom suffers a stroke and burns down her house, but their own issues with intimacy get in everyone’s way. Bretton’s book shows promise, but the story ends almost before it begins with a too convenient and hurried ending.
Amy R. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
May 30, 2013
For what it was- it was great. This book was like 328 pages of birthday cake. It was a typical character novel, with a very nice conclusion. In a world where things can feel depressing and you can get lost in your own mind full of worry, this book leaves you with a good feeling, and fills you with hope for the future. As cheesy as it sounds, it really serves its purpose.
December 25, 2014
Loved it
Another great book by Barbara Bretton. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to everyone in the book, but now's its over and I want more. Love how she tells a story, draws you in to the characters lives. Never a cliff hanger either. Each book seems better than the next. Can't wait for the next one.
Another great book by Barbara Bretton. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to everyone in the book, but now's its over and I want more. Love how she tells a story, draws you in to the characters lives. Never a cliff hanger either. Each book seems better than the next. Can't wait for the next one.
September 30, 2009
Returning home to Maine for her mother's final days, Joely Doyle, by observing her sister's life, discovers the sacrifices that her mother made, her father's secrets, and the events that shaped her destiny and will define her future.
March 5, 2016
Typical romance, which is to say mediocre. Lots of angst and misunderstandings, fragile dysfunctional adults because of secret tragedies in their past, but the love of a good man (not to mention a talking to by your best gay friend) will set everything straight in a heartbeat.
December 31, 2014
A Shattered Family
jelly had never known her father. He left to go buy new guitar strings and never returned. Cat knew her father and had to raise her sister because her mother stopped trying. Such a dysfunctional family tries to deal with the mother's stroke and house fire.
jelly had never known her father. He left to go buy new guitar strings and never returned. Cat knew her father and had to raise her sister because her mother stopped trying. Such a dysfunctional family tries to deal with the mother's stroke and house fire.
January 6, 2015
Just awesome
Read it with 2 bathroom stops and one meal lol. So well written and kept you enthralled. I laughed and cried it just sucked you in until the last word. Highly recommend.
Read it with 2 bathroom stops and one meal lol. So well written and kept you enthralled. I laughed and cried it just sucked you in until the last word. Highly recommend.
July 16, 2015
Good read
I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a wonderful love story. It is filled
With a great cast of characters and the plot is a good read.
I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a wonderful love story. It is filled
With a great cast of characters and the plot is a good read.
April 14, 2010
Termine 2 chapters... atrapada
February 14, 2011
Story of two sisters dealing with a disfunctional family and finding true love.
September 3, 2015
3 1/2 stars. A tale of family and love and finding yourself and your place in life, in your family, and finding the love of your life.
July 23, 2013
Read the large print. Enjoyed it very much, easy reading at a stressful time of my life. First time I've read any of Ms. Bretton's books so I will look for some more.
December 29, 2014
Audiobook from Audible. Was a great listen.
December 30, 2014
Good read
This book is a very unusual story. It held my attention till the very end. This is a new author for me but I will definitely look for more of her books.
This book is a very unusual story. It held my attention till the very end. This is a new author for me but I will definitely look for more of her books.
January 16, 2015
Very good read
I love Barbara Bretton's books. She always writes a good story that I have enjoyed til the end. I love the time travel ones.
I love Barbara Bretton's books. She always writes a good story that I have enjoyed til the end. I love the time travel ones.
October 19, 2015
Enjoyed
This book is an enjoyable read. I was expecting the end of the book to turn out the way it did.
This book is an enjoyable read. I was expecting the end of the book to turn out the way it did.
January 6, 2016
Fantastic love story!
An exceptional love story with excellent characters that are fully developed. Interesting take on a pretty dis functional family, with a happy ending!
An exceptional love story with excellent characters that are fully developed. Interesting take on a pretty dis functional family, with a happy ending!
February 17, 2016
Idle Point, Maine book 2, but this is a stand-alone book -- good story and good characters. Really enjoyed both books.
October 15, 2016
Lovely book
Very enjoyable to read. Sisters full of love a dysfunctional family. Questions of commitment and love and a good ending ... what could better.
Very enjoyable to read. Sisters full of love a dysfunctional family. Questions of commitment and love and a good ending ... what could better.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews