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The Barefoot Summer
New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown returns with a heartbreakingly hilarious novel about three women who had nothing in common, except their husband.
Leaving one widow behind is unfortunate. Leaving three widows behind is just plain despicable. Oil heiress Kate Steele knew her not-so-dearly departed husband was a con man, but she’s shocked that Conrad racked up two more wives without divorcing her first. The only remnant of their miserable marriage she plans to keep is their lakeside cabin in Bootleg, Texas. Unfortunately, she’s not the only woman with that idea.
Fiery, strong-willed Jamie wishes Conrad were still alive—so she could kill the scoundrel herself. But for their daughter’s sake, she needs that property. As does Amanda—twenty-eight, pregnant, and still weeping over the loss of her true love. On a broiling July day, all three arrive in Bootleg…with a dogged detective right behind who’s convinced that at least one of them conspired to commit murder. One momentous summer filled with revelations, quirky neighbors, and barefoot evenings on the porch offers three women the chance to make the journey from enemies to friends, and claim a bright, new beginning.
Leaving one widow behind is unfortunate. Leaving three widows behind is just plain despicable. Oil heiress Kate Steele knew her not-so-dearly departed husband was a con man, but she’s shocked that Conrad racked up two more wives without divorcing her first. The only remnant of their miserable marriage she plans to keep is their lakeside cabin in Bootleg, Texas. Unfortunately, she’s not the only woman with that idea.
Fiery, strong-willed Jamie wishes Conrad were still alive—so she could kill the scoundrel herself. But for their daughter’s sake, she needs that property. As does Amanda—twenty-eight, pregnant, and still weeping over the loss of her true love. On a broiling July day, all three arrive in Bootleg…with a dogged detective right behind who’s convinced that at least one of them conspired to commit murder. One momentous summer filled with revelations, quirky neighbors, and barefoot evenings on the porch offers three women the chance to make the journey from enemies to friends, and claim a bright, new beginning.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 3, 2017
5928 people are currently reading
10573 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Brown
184 books4,139 followersHi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.
I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.
I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.
Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!
I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.
Happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 987 reviews
February 7, 2017
2.5 Stars
I'm a huge fan of Carolyn Brown's romances. They're filled with humor, fun, and a sage outlook on life and relationships. The premise of The Barefoot Summer sounded great: three women finding out they were married to the same man at the same time while attending his funeral. If he wasn't dead already they would've killed him! In fact they're all now suspects in his murder. The women are not happy to make each other's acquaintance, but have no choice when they all decide to spend time at their departed husband's cabin in Bootleg. Gradually they bond over their common situation.
As I said, I'm a fan of Ms. Brown's writing, but somehow this didn't have the same magic as her other stories for me. I liked Kate a lot, but I didn't connect with Jamie so much, and I just flat out didn't like Amanda. She was petulant, and snotty, IMO, and while she did improve by the end it didn't really change my impressions of her.
There wasn't much time given for the romance between Kate and Waylon, the detective working their case, and so while I wanted some happiness for Kate after all she went through, I wasn't completely sold on their relationship. Not enough time spent to develop chemistry or a relationship between these two for me.
I'm sure this reaction a fluke for me, usually I'm completely charmed and laughing when reading one of Carolyn Brown's stories.
A copy was kindly provided by Montlake Romance via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a huge fan of Carolyn Brown's romances. They're filled with humor, fun, and a sage outlook on life and relationships. The premise of The Barefoot Summer sounded great: three women finding out they were married to the same man at the same time while attending his funeral. If he wasn't dead already they would've killed him! In fact they're all now suspects in his murder. The women are not happy to make each other's acquaintance, but have no choice when they all decide to spend time at their departed husband's cabin in Bootleg. Gradually they bond over their common situation.
As I said, I'm a fan of Ms. Brown's writing, but somehow this didn't have the same magic as her other stories for me. I liked Kate a lot, but I didn't connect with Jamie so much, and I just flat out didn't like Amanda. She was petulant, and snotty, IMO, and while she did improve by the end it didn't really change my impressions of her.
There wasn't much time given for the romance between Kate and Waylon, the detective working their case, and so while I wanted some happiness for Kate after all she went through, I wasn't completely sold on their relationship. Not enough time spent to develop chemistry or a relationship between these two for me.
I'm sure this reaction a fluke for me, usually I'm completely charmed and laughing when reading one of Carolyn Brown's stories.
A copy was kindly provided by Montlake Romance via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2023
This is a Southern Women's Fiction with a little bit of mystery tossed into it. This book was so much fun to read for me. I laughed so much, and I really fell in love with these characters. There was so much I guessed was going to happen before it did, but I did not think that hurt my reading enjoyment of this book. I did not guess who did it before it was revealed, but I do not think there were any real clues before it was revealed. The ending of this book was so cute and sweet.
May 26, 2017
This was a quick read for me! The first page made me laugh out loud and I was hoping it would be a great book and it was!!
June 2, 2017
This book was terrible. The dialogue was probably the worst part but the story was not well executed at all. I wanted drama, anger, girl fights... I wanted hate toward a husband that these wives clearly didn't know, I wanted them to hate each other, I wanted revenge (if that's possible against a dead person)... I WANTED SOMETHING!!!
Nothing... I got nothing.
Nothing... I got nothing.
June 6, 2021
Loved this one! Carolyn Brown is my go to author when I need a feel good story.
Three women show up to a funeral of their husband. None of them know anything about each other and thought that they were the one and only wife of Conrad. (Oh the audacity of this SOB!). Conrad was murdered and all three women are suspects. The women all show up to a Cabin that Conrad owned, claiming that they are are the one to inherit the cabin. Soon all three women and one child are living under one roof and none of them are willing to budge. They must learn to live together and hope that none of them are Conrad's killer.
This was a fun story that was about, love, loss, new friendships and learning how to overcome the lives that they thought they had. I loved all of the character's, especially Gracie!
Three women show up to a funeral of their husband. None of them know anything about each other and thought that they were the one and only wife of Conrad. (Oh the audacity of this SOB!). Conrad was murdered and all three women are suspects. The women all show up to a Cabin that Conrad owned, claiming that they are are the one to inherit the cabin. Soon all three women and one child are living under one roof and none of them are willing to budge. They must learn to live together and hope that none of them are Conrad's killer.
This was a fun story that was about, love, loss, new friendships and learning how to overcome the lives that they thought they had. I loved all of the character's, especially Gracie!
January 4, 2018
Not sure how this book got such good reviews, because it didn't do anything for me. The plot is boring and predictable, the dialog is uninteresting, and the characters are silly and unlikable.
The police officer in charge of figuring out who killed the husband is terribly incompetent. His way of solving the crime is to stop by every day and ask the wives repeatedly if they'd killed him, as if asking enough times would lead him to solve the crime. He also flirted and struck up a relationship with one of the wives (also a prime suspect) during the investigation.
The youngest wife has trouble believing that her husband had been married to two other women before he married her, and spends a lot of time sticking her head in the sand and hoping God would straighten it all out and take care of her.
Also, I'm guessing the author seems to think having kids and grand-kids is the epitome of life's worth. Every child in the book is treated with reverence (with endless comments about how beautiful and delightful they are), and the one wife without children spent the entire book wishing she had them. At one point, one of the characters even called an ex-wife selfish for not wanting kids.
Just no.
The police officer in charge of figuring out who killed the husband is terribly incompetent. His way of solving the crime is to stop by every day and ask the wives repeatedly if they'd killed him, as if asking enough times would lead him to solve the crime. He also flirted and struck up a relationship with one of the wives (also a prime suspect) during the investigation.
The youngest wife has trouble believing that her husband had been married to two other women before he married her, and spends a lot of time sticking her head in the sand and hoping God would straighten it all out and take care of her.
Also, I'm guessing the author seems to think having kids and grand-kids is the epitome of life's worth. Every child in the book is treated with reverence (with endless comments about how beautiful and delightful they are), and the one wife without children spent the entire book wishing she had them. At one point, one of the characters even called an ex-wife selfish for not wanting kids.
Just no.
January 9, 2019
Don't let the title fool you. I read this book for a challenge and I have to agree with the person whose shelf I chose to read it from because she gave it a 1 star.
The MC is Kate and her husband is murdered. I normally like a book with friendship-building, romance, and a murder mystery, but it just seemed like everything in this book fell flat for me and just did not work. She finds out something a bit shocking at her husband's funeral when she meets a couple ladies. All of the women are suspects in the murder of Kate's husband.
Kate and her husband, Conrad, were in a troubled marriage. She simply didn't want a divorce so that added heat to the fire. After his death there are several people who claim their rights to his estate and, as one would assume, their are heated arguments regarding who should get what and why.
Because I love murder/mystery, I wanted so much more about that plot line. I felt like it was just a tease. It was very disappointing to me as I read and was anticipating what was going to happen and when it would pick up, but it didn't pick up. I hate not giving a decent rating on a book but I have to be honest and say I didn't care much for this one.
The MC is Kate and her husband is murdered. I normally like a book with friendship-building, romance, and a murder mystery, but it just seemed like everything in this book fell flat for me and just did not work. She finds out something a bit shocking at her husband's funeral when she meets a couple ladies. All of the women are suspects in the murder of Kate's husband.
Kate and her husband, Conrad, were in a troubled marriage. She simply didn't want a divorce so that added heat to the fire. After his death there are several people who claim their rights to his estate and, as one would assume, their are heated arguments regarding who should get what and why.
Because I love murder/mystery, I wanted so much more about that plot line. I felt like it was just a tease. It was very disappointing to me as I read and was anticipating what was going to happen and when it would pick up, but it didn't pick up. I hate not giving a decent rating on a book but I have to be honest and say I didn't care much for this one.
April 20, 2017
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This was a fun book, well worth the read! The main character, Kate is an oil heiress, her husband has been murdered and she discovers two other "wives" at the funeral. Trying to take time off, she heads for the cabin her husband owned. The other "wives" have the same idea and the women have to share the cabin for the summer. On top of that, the Detective handling the murder case lives close by and continually pops over to remind all the wives that they are considered suspects. This book is both heartwarming and humorous. I look forward to reading more books by this author!
September 14, 2017
"I love you to the moon and back." Gracie grinned.
"Well, I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck."
This book...
...just left me completely frustrated. Now when I saw The Barefoot Summer I was ecstatic. I really liked The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn so I naturally assumed this book would be just as good or even better. No. Just no. I was completely disappointed.
The murder mystery plot line was just meh. It didn't move me and I didn't care about Conrad's death or who killed him. I wanted to kill all of the characters and this book. Unfortunately for me this was a Kindle book, and I will not destroy my precious kindle due to a horrible book. No, I will be second guessing the book recommendations by Kindle for the rest of my life. I will also be reconsidering if I want to read so many of the books that I originally wanted to read, written by Carolyn Brown. Please send your thoughts and prayers to her other books so that I'm not disappointed again.
"Well, I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck."
This book...
...just left me completely frustrated. Now when I saw The Barefoot Summer I was ecstatic. I really liked The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn so I naturally assumed this book would be just as good or even better. No. Just no. I was completely disappointed.
The murder mystery plot line was just meh. It didn't move me and I didn't care about Conrad's death or who killed him. I wanted to kill all of the characters and this book. Unfortunately for me this was a Kindle book, and I will not destroy my precious kindle due to a horrible book. No, I will be second guessing the book recommendations by Kindle for the rest of my life. I will also be reconsidering if I want to read so many of the books that I originally wanted to read, written by Carolyn Brown. Please send your thoughts and prayers to her other books so that I'm not disappointed again.
October 22, 2017
2.5 stars. The story started well but fizzled out quickly. I might have assumed that the setting would be funny and expected to laugh a lot. There were few nice moments here and there but I don't think it worked out as full coherent story.
I still don't know whether the story is romantic comedy or chick lit or cozy mystery or light contemporary. Some books turn out well even if it belongs to lot of genres. This book is not one of them.
While reading the story, I didn't laugh much. I didn't feel the romance. The mystery of who killed the con man was never really focused upon. The friendship between the ladies was too easy. The small town setting was supposed to be natural but it wasn't. The characterization was muddy. There was nothing to bind the story together and it was all over the place.
I still don't know whether the story is romantic comedy or chick lit or cozy mystery or light contemporary. Some books turn out well even if it belongs to lot of genres. This book is not one of them.
While reading the story, I didn't laugh much. I didn't feel the romance. The mystery of who killed the con man was never really focused upon. The friendship between the ladies was too easy. The small town setting was supposed to be natural but it wasn't. The characterization was muddy. There was nothing to bind the story together and it was all over the place.
May 21, 2017
So boring
October 12, 2022
the Barefoot Summer by Carolyn Brown
One dead husband leaves behind three wives!
Ah whenever I see a Carolyn Brown book I know I'm in for a treat. This one was so funny but with its typical heartwarming and at times heartbreaking parts of the story.
Kate was the first wife, she's so long over the late Conrad it's comical.
Jamie was wife number two and she is a spitfire.
Then there's the newest youngest and oh so pregnant wife Amanda who is the only one grieving the death of her husband.
The three women connect over the cabin they all had with the husband. Jamie's daughter is a nice addition to the story.
Can these women go from enemies who hate each other and all want the cabin for their own reasons to something else, not friends maybe but just women who can get along for a short while??
what a great book about love, loss, the women betrayed and those emotions, to healing and even comraderie.
highly recommended as always, and a favorite author of mine delivered another great read!
One dead husband leaves behind three wives!
Ah whenever I see a Carolyn Brown book I know I'm in for a treat. This one was so funny but with its typical heartwarming and at times heartbreaking parts of the story.
Kate was the first wife, she's so long over the late Conrad it's comical.
Jamie was wife number two and she is a spitfire.
Then there's the newest youngest and oh so pregnant wife Amanda who is the only one grieving the death of her husband.
The three women connect over the cabin they all had with the husband. Jamie's daughter is a nice addition to the story.
Can these women go from enemies who hate each other and all want the cabin for their own reasons to something else, not friends maybe but just women who can get along for a short while??
what a great book about love, loss, the women betrayed and those emotions, to healing and even comraderie.
highly recommended as always, and a favorite author of mine delivered another great read!
September 14, 2017
Good premise and you'd think that there'd be enough plot lines coming out of the rafters, but this was sooooooo booooorrring. This isn't about the murder investigation, it's about women from different points of life getting to know and understand one another. However, it's not even about that. It's about baking and getting new jobs and working on a ranch and other rather mindless day to day activities that really felt like a huge page filler. The characters are flat, the romance(s) are flatter and the story is just anorexic. It's not even good to cure insomnia.
February 23, 2018
I was disappointed in this book. The murder mystery plot line never developed, so I expected the romance to be front and center. However, it took the majority of the book for a relationship to even start. I never felt connected to any of the characters, and found myself wishing the book to end. I wanted more from this book.
June 9, 2023
3 women meet after a graveside funeral. Kate is 44. Jamie, 35 and Amanda is 28yo. Problem, they all married the same man and now ask are suspects in his murder. At the end of the week, the 3 women find themselves looking at each other as they all went to a cabin on the lake. A promised place by their Ex. Who will get this place? Who killed Conrad?
February 18, 2023
I love this author and this one dose not disappoint.
August 4, 2020
A con man is murdered and the police investigation digs up not one, but three widows. All are shocked and all are down-right determined to spend the summer at his lake-side cabin for the summer. It was a fun premise, a favorite author, and a narrator I already love so I kicked off my sandals and joined the gals at the lake.
Kate Steele has had a marriage in name only for many years now to Conrad and an acrimonious one at that when he found out he could trick her into marriage, but not out of her oil company inheritance. But, even she was shocked when he was shot and she becomes the number one suspect followed by two more wives who thought they were Conrad's one and only. Her workaholic no-nonsense mother wears a sour 'I-told-you-so' expression and tells her to get out of Dallas until the dust settles and then she needs to come back prepared to take over the business when her mother retires. Kate is unsettled about all that gets revealed, but also about Waylon the nearly retired detective on the case who is a full time cowboy and getting away gets her to thinking hard about other paths and new desires.
Elementary school teacher, Jamie always wondered about Conrad's need to be away so much, but never in a million years did she think he was a cheater and she'd end up a fake wife. She holds her anger to herself because her adorable daughter Gracie should be allowed to grieve her daddy. She doesn't know about the other two wives, but she's taking her child to the lake-side cabin for a summer of fun before reality has to set in. If she has to share with the other two, so be it.
Amanda is caring the man's baby and thought she had found the love of her life. Her anger is directed at those other two lying hussies who aren't Conrad's wives. There are divorce papers, surely. She needs to look to her child's future and she intends to spend the days before the birth at the cabin where she had her honeymoon with Conrad. Those other two might insist on being there and they don't even more his passing, but she was his true wife, right?
The Barefoot Summer is about three very different women from different walks of life. They are hostile, resentful, and even suspicious at first. But, slowly, they find common ground as they share their lives and experiences and start to compare notes about the man who tricked and used them all. Gracie is the sweet distraction and becomes their shared focal interest. She pulls them out of their wallowing and they all make an effort for her sake.
As with any book by this author, there are friendly neighbors, small town happenings, ranch life, country living, and relationships and family. At first, romance wasn't a strong element, but two of the women have love interests. I got a kick out of feisty Kate and phlegmatic Waylon's romance. He really does suspect her as the killer even while he gets a kick out of her snippy airs toward him. She relaxes and softens out in the country and it is Kate who got the lion's share of the story narrative.
It was fun having Kate, Jamie, and Amanda interacting and all sharing the cabin. Just as Kate changes when she gets a chance to see a different life possibility, the same happens for the other two as well. Conrad was despicable, but he did give them that and the chance to know each other.
It's a gently-paced story with no big drama moments or much tension, but it was engaging and heartwarming.
Donna Postel is a narrator I came to appreciate when she did another Carolyn Brown book. She has a husky yet versatile voice that gets a slight drawl and good distinction of character voices. There is a sparkle to her work, if I might call it that. I relaxed and enjoyed the story as a result and definitely want to listen to more of her work.
All in all, The Barefoot Summer was a great escape listen and encapsulated the summer season and the Texas country setting by the lake. I can definitely recommend it to those who enjoy women's fic crossed over with contemporary romance.
Kate Steele has had a marriage in name only for many years now to Conrad and an acrimonious one at that when he found out he could trick her into marriage, but not out of her oil company inheritance. But, even she was shocked when he was shot and she becomes the number one suspect followed by two more wives who thought they were Conrad's one and only. Her workaholic no-nonsense mother wears a sour 'I-told-you-so' expression and tells her to get out of Dallas until the dust settles and then she needs to come back prepared to take over the business when her mother retires. Kate is unsettled about all that gets revealed, but also about Waylon the nearly retired detective on the case who is a full time cowboy and getting away gets her to thinking hard about other paths and new desires.
Elementary school teacher, Jamie always wondered about Conrad's need to be away so much, but never in a million years did she think he was a cheater and she'd end up a fake wife. She holds her anger to herself because her adorable daughter Gracie should be allowed to grieve her daddy. She doesn't know about the other two wives, but she's taking her child to the lake-side cabin for a summer of fun before reality has to set in. If she has to share with the other two, so be it.
Amanda is caring the man's baby and thought she had found the love of her life. Her anger is directed at those other two lying hussies who aren't Conrad's wives. There are divorce papers, surely. She needs to look to her child's future and she intends to spend the days before the birth at the cabin where she had her honeymoon with Conrad. Those other two might insist on being there and they don't even more his passing, but she was his true wife, right?
The Barefoot Summer is about three very different women from different walks of life. They are hostile, resentful, and even suspicious at first. But, slowly, they find common ground as they share their lives and experiences and start to compare notes about the man who tricked and used them all. Gracie is the sweet distraction and becomes their shared focal interest. She pulls them out of their wallowing and they all make an effort for her sake.
As with any book by this author, there are friendly neighbors, small town happenings, ranch life, country living, and relationships and family. At first, romance wasn't a strong element, but two of the women have love interests. I got a kick out of feisty Kate and phlegmatic Waylon's romance. He really does suspect her as the killer even while he gets a kick out of her snippy airs toward him. She relaxes and softens out in the country and it is Kate who got the lion's share of the story narrative.
It was fun having Kate, Jamie, and Amanda interacting and all sharing the cabin. Just as Kate changes when she gets a chance to see a different life possibility, the same happens for the other two as well. Conrad was despicable, but he did give them that and the chance to know each other.
It's a gently-paced story with no big drama moments or much tension, but it was engaging and heartwarming.
Donna Postel is a narrator I came to appreciate when she did another Carolyn Brown book. She has a husky yet versatile voice that gets a slight drawl and good distinction of character voices. There is a sparkle to her work, if I might call it that. I relaxed and enjoyed the story as a result and definitely want to listen to more of her work.
All in all, The Barefoot Summer was a great escape listen and encapsulated the summer season and the Texas country setting by the lake. I can definitely recommend it to those who enjoy women's fic crossed over with contemporary romance.
December 19, 2017
Proof -reading anyone ??
Page 87: The guys came out with the bed and loaded it onto their trucks. Then they took in the new bed and a bassinet filled with cute baby things.
Page 89. Amanda laid a hand on her stomach as the men brought the smaller bed into the house and carried it down the hallway.
Page 89. Amanda's eyes grew huge when the guys hauled out the mattress.
??? They ALREADY took the bed out! AND brought the new one in!!
***
Page 146: Kate shook her head. 'I'm not sure. His accountant took care of his business, both personal and professional. I despise his accountant. She's probably as crooked as Conrad was. You might start there. When I called him about the utilities on the cabin he said that since Conrad wasn't there to authorise the payments, no more would be made.'
***
Page 188: 'Sounds kind of like my situation, only my mama was sixteen when I was born and she lived with Aunt Ellie, her older sister. When she was nineteen, she married a man and she said she was coming back to get me in a few months. But then she had a couple of kids and she embraced his traditions that didn't have room for a little red-haired stepdaughter.' Amanda said.
Page 188:'Where did your mom go?' Jamie asked.
'Iran. She met a man at a restaurant where she was working, and they fell in love. When he went back to his country she went with him.' Amanda answered.
'Why would she leave you behind?' Kate asked.
Amanda shrugged. 'Aunt Ellie said that she was pregnant again and the new husband wasn't to keen on a stepdaughter.'
err.. didn't you already say that the husband's 'traditions' didn't have room for a stepchild??? Now you are saying he wasn't too keen on one.
And for heaven's sake - what 'traditions' preclude stepchildren?? Is this a subtle dig at Islam?? Because if it is its sure as hell obnoxious and false to boot.
***
Page 261: 'Oh yeah. Y'all can come back and see Amanda, but the baby is in the nursery. You can see her through the window, though, Gracie.'
Page 261: When they reached Amanda's room, they found her holding the new baby next to her chest.
?????
***
And then we have the saccharinely sweet 'Godspot' which always makes me shudder and really had very little to do with the story other than pad it out with seemingly endless 'potluck' meals and bible classes for small children.
There were numerous clunky sentences that should have been picked up by any competent proof-reader/editor:
* She was lucky to find a parking space not far from the front, where people were still going inside.
* He started to open the passenger door of the Cadillac but noticed her long legs going over the seat.
* Kate crawled out of the car behind the rest of the crew.
There was also a snide dig at people who are fat,which I simply CBA to write about.
Page 87: The guys came out with the bed and loaded it onto their trucks. Then they took in the new bed and a bassinet filled with cute baby things.
Page 89. Amanda laid a hand on her stomach as the men brought the smaller bed into the house and carried it down the hallway.
Page 89. Amanda's eyes grew huge when the guys hauled out the mattress.
??? They ALREADY took the bed out! AND brought the new one in!!
***
Page 146: Kate shook her head. 'I'm not sure. His accountant took care of his business, both personal and professional. I despise his accountant. She's probably as crooked as Conrad was. You might start there. When I called him about the utilities on the cabin he said that since Conrad wasn't there to authorise the payments, no more would be made.'
***
Page 188: 'Sounds kind of like my situation, only my mama was sixteen when I was born and she lived with Aunt Ellie, her older sister. When she was nineteen, she married a man and she said she was coming back to get me in a few months. But then she had a couple of kids and she embraced his traditions that didn't have room for a little red-haired stepdaughter.' Amanda said.
Page 188:'Where did your mom go?' Jamie asked.
'Iran. She met a man at a restaurant where she was working, and they fell in love. When he went back to his country she went with him.' Amanda answered.
'Why would she leave you behind?' Kate asked.
Amanda shrugged. 'Aunt Ellie said that she was pregnant again and the new husband wasn't to keen on a stepdaughter.'
err.. didn't you already say that the husband's 'traditions' didn't have room for a stepchild??? Now you are saying he wasn't too keen on one.
And for heaven's sake - what 'traditions' preclude stepchildren?? Is this a subtle dig at Islam?? Because if it is its sure as hell obnoxious and false to boot.
***
Page 261: 'Oh yeah. Y'all can come back and see Amanda, but the baby is in the nursery. You can see her through the window, though, Gracie.'
Page 261: When they reached Amanda's room, they found her holding the new baby next to her chest.
?????
***
And then we have the saccharinely sweet 'Godspot' which always makes me shudder and really had very little to do with the story other than pad it out with seemingly endless 'potluck' meals and bible classes for small children.
There were numerous clunky sentences that should have been picked up by any competent proof-reader/editor:
* She was lucky to find a parking space not far from the front, where people were still going inside.
* He started to open the passenger door of the Cadillac but noticed her long legs going over the seat.
* Kate crawled out of the car behind the rest of the crew.
There was also a snide dig at people who are fat,which I simply CBA to write about.
August 4, 2020
Another good one!
January 4, 2017
Another wonderful read by Carolyn Brown. As with all her books, this one did not disappoint me. I knew I would get a good story with wonderful characters and good story. Filled with hilarity, some heartbreak, romance, and friendship along the way this story is a page turner.
Three women are at a funeral for Conrad Steele and one of them thinks she is the widow. But to their surprise discover that all three were married to the same man. Kate, wife number one is a strong business woman poised to take over the family Oil business from her mother. She knew her husband was a conman shortly after she married him. She cried no tears at his passing. Jamie is wife number two, a strong steel backbone, who is a teacher, wishes that her dearly departed husband was still in the living so that she could have done the job of putting him into the next life herself. He left her with a mortgage and a sweet child who needs any money coming to her as an inheritance. Amanda is wife number three and she is pregnant and grieving the most for her loss.
The three women all converge on what they think of as theirs, a cottage in the town of Bootleg, Texas where they each spend a week with the deceased. Not one of them is leaving, so unlikely sisterhood starts to form when they stay the summer and with the help of friendly neighbours, children, the summer sunshine and a little fishing, they find healing and closure and a bond that will give them the future they all need. But there is one thing hanging over their heads. A Detective who thinks one or all killed Conrad.
I really loved this story, although I wanted a little more at the end. I felt as if I didn’t get enough closure for Jamie and Amada and how their lives evolved. But as always I was left with good feeling and smile at the end.
Three women are at a funeral for Conrad Steele and one of them thinks she is the widow. But to their surprise discover that all three were married to the same man. Kate, wife number one is a strong business woman poised to take over the family Oil business from her mother. She knew her husband was a conman shortly after she married him. She cried no tears at his passing. Jamie is wife number two, a strong steel backbone, who is a teacher, wishes that her dearly departed husband was still in the living so that she could have done the job of putting him into the next life herself. He left her with a mortgage and a sweet child who needs any money coming to her as an inheritance. Amanda is wife number three and she is pregnant and grieving the most for her loss.
The three women all converge on what they think of as theirs, a cottage in the town of Bootleg, Texas where they each spend a week with the deceased. Not one of them is leaving, so unlikely sisterhood starts to form when they stay the summer and with the help of friendly neighbours, children, the summer sunshine and a little fishing, they find healing and closure and a bond that will give them the future they all need. But there is one thing hanging over their heads. A Detective who thinks one or all killed Conrad.
I really loved this story, although I wanted a little more at the end. I felt as if I didn’t get enough closure for Jamie and Amada and how their lives evolved. But as always I was left with good feeling and smile at the end.
May 5, 2017
The Barefoot Summer is the perfect heartwarming tale of overcoming betrayal and finding a forever after love.
Kate Steel's husband was murdered, not that she was heart broken, they'd been separated for over a decade. The shocked was meeting two woman at his funeral claiming to be his wife, that believed she was his sister. Three very different women.
Their journey through the summer is poignant and sweet and testimony to the strength most women can drudge up in adversity as they stay together at the cabin in Bootleg and come to bond with each other and the small town.
I won't give away the details, but will say this book has it all, mystery, humor, romance and wonderful interaction between the characters. I received an ARC copy from Netgalley, gratefully because it was high on my want to read list. Grab it and you will not be disappointed. Ms. Brown delivers a 5 star read...if I could give 10..I would.
Kate Steel's husband was murdered, not that she was heart broken, they'd been separated for over a decade. The shocked was meeting two woman at his funeral claiming to be his wife, that believed she was his sister. Three very different women.
Their journey through the summer is poignant and sweet and testimony to the strength most women can drudge up in adversity as they stay together at the cabin in Bootleg and come to bond with each other and the small town.
I won't give away the details, but will say this book has it all, mystery, humor, romance and wonderful interaction between the characters. I received an ARC copy from Netgalley, gratefully because it was high on my want to read list. Grab it and you will not be disappointed. Ms. Brown delivers a 5 star read...if I could give 10..I would.
August 2, 2017
This book was so bad. Like if I had the option of choosing -5 stars I would choose it. It looks good, but so not my type...
April 4, 2017
Great storyline
I totally loved this book. It starts out immediately with drama and ends with romance and friendship and true understanding of family. Love it!
I totally loved this book. It starts out immediately with drama and ends with romance and friendship and true understanding of family. Love it!
June 24, 2019
Predictable , but a good summertime leisurely read.
June 9, 2020
The Barefoot Summer by Carolyn Brown will make you feel that anything is possible, if you will only be patient and find forgiveness! When Kate Steele has to sit through her "sorry excuse for a husbands" funeral, after he was murdered, she believes the end is in sight , but little does she know it is only beginning. Not only was Conrad Steele married to her, he was also married to Jamie, the mother of his daughter and young and very pregnant Amanda. Determined to get away from it all, Kate decides to take a leave from her job of running the family oil business, and go to the cabin that Conrad took her to for their honeymoon. The other two wives have the same plan so they all end up together in the small town of Bootleg, Texas. With each lady hating each other, it will take a big miracle to ease the tension and bring some peace to each of their hearts. When Detective Waylon Kramer, who is investigating Conrad's murder, comes in contact with the three wives, he is almost certain that one or all three are guilty of committing the murder. But will he learn the truth before he retires? Will his heart betray him? Will the truth behind Conrad Steele's life and murder finally bring closure to these innocent victims? Will a family be forged from these three very different ladies? Author Carolyn Brown brings so many feelings to her wonderful novels! It felt as if I were magically placed within the pages of this emotionally charged novel! I cannot get enough of this brilliant author's work!
August 9, 2022
With how this one started I was surprised by how it ended. Each woman had to make her own journey, to settle things in her head around her husband and his actions. Honestly the best thing to happen to all 3 women was Conrad getting killed and them being forced into each other's company. They all were so different, yet had that one common thing they could talk about. It was rocky at the start, but soon they became close friends, building their own family, something they all needed for different reasons. I loved how they all ended up in Bootleg and were starting to build lives, surrounded by their new family.
January 9, 2017
Four stars: A delightful and heart warming story that starts out a bit prickly when three widows learn they were all married at the same time to a con man.
Kate Steele can't stand one more moment in the broiling heat. To make matters worse, she is attending the funeral of her deceased husband, who was unexpectedly murdered. Kate feels nothing for the man she was married to for fourteen years. He was despicable and she is glad to be rid of him, but she quickly finds out he isn't going away anytime soon. Kate is shocked to find that her dead husband had two other wives: Amanda and Jamie. Jamie is a fiery gal with a six year old daughter, who wishes Conrad was alive so she could strangle him herself when she learns the truth. Amanda, on the other hand, is a sobbing mess. Pregnant and twenty eight, she is convinced there was a mistake because her precious Conrad loved her. The three woman then find themselves all sharing the same roof. Will sparks fly or will they make peace with their situation?
What I Liked:
*The Barefoot Summer is a departure for Carolyn Brown, but a delightful one for sure. This is a humorous and heart warming story about three women who learn they were all conned by and married to the same despicable and now deceased man. Sparks fly, secrets are spilled, followed by sunshine days and a sisterhood. I loved seeing the friendships form and the new beginnings for each woman.
*I enjoyed the diversity of characters. Kate, the first wife, is wealthy, beautiful, a career driven woman who has no time for vacations and frivolity. Jaime is a firecracker, who is determined to protect her daughter at all costs. Amanda, is naive and hormonal, but she grows on you. Add in Victor and Hazel, the charming elderly neighbors who have been life long friends, as well as one determined detective and you have an entertaining and eclectic bunch of people who entertain you throughout.
*I loved that despite the trying circumstances and the hardship, that each woman found her peace and a new path. Their journeys are all different, but each was interesting to watch. I can't decide who grew and changed the most: Kate or Amanda. Needless to say, I loved watching them all blossom.
*Victor and Hazel are absolutely charming. They are two elderly citizens of Bootleg, who take an interest in the three women. They have been life long friends, but never dated, and they have a standing date on the Ferris Wheel every year. I loved these two, they added heart and charm to the story.
*I throughly enjoyed the small town setting of Bootleg. I was expecting a town full of whispers and gossip, but was pleasantly surprised by the goodwill and kindness all the townsfolk extended to the trio. No ugliness, backbiting or gossip in this town. I was ready to pack up and go spend a lazy day on the lake in Bootleg myself after reading this one. This is the perfect escape read, especially in winter.
There is a bit of romance as well. It was simple and subtle, and just right.
*The ending was delightful. I loved the Epilogue one year down the road, and I was surprised by some of the outcomes. It was perfect.
And The Not So Much:
*Amanda was trying early on. She is hormonal, naive and crying all the time. I was irritated with her at first, but thankfully, she wakes up and realizes the truth. After that, I enjoyed her much more. She requires some patience, but she is worth the time and effort.
*I was disappointed that there wasn't movement with the relationship between Kate and her mother. Not a big deal, but I wished her mother had been more understanding.
*Even though I loved seeing how the girls had fared one year ahead, I was sad that I didn't get to experience some of the highlights, especially when it came to the romances. I wish that we could have gotten three books, one from each girl's point of view.
The Barefoot Summer is an entertaining and delightful tale that follows three women who unexpectedly are thrown together by a con man. I loved watching the ladies blossom and grow and form a sisterhood. This is a perfect escape book for winter or any time of the year. Good old fashioned comfort reading. Don't miss this!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Kate Steele can't stand one more moment in the broiling heat. To make matters worse, she is attending the funeral of her deceased husband, who was unexpectedly murdered. Kate feels nothing for the man she was married to for fourteen years. He was despicable and she is glad to be rid of him, but she quickly finds out he isn't going away anytime soon. Kate is shocked to find that her dead husband had two other wives: Amanda and Jamie. Jamie is a fiery gal with a six year old daughter, who wishes Conrad was alive so she could strangle him herself when she learns the truth. Amanda, on the other hand, is a sobbing mess. Pregnant and twenty eight, she is convinced there was a mistake because her precious Conrad loved her. The three woman then find themselves all sharing the same roof. Will sparks fly or will they make peace with their situation?
What I Liked:
*The Barefoot Summer is a departure for Carolyn Brown, but a delightful one for sure. This is a humorous and heart warming story about three women who learn they were all conned by and married to the same despicable and now deceased man. Sparks fly, secrets are spilled, followed by sunshine days and a sisterhood. I loved seeing the friendships form and the new beginnings for each woman.
*I enjoyed the diversity of characters. Kate, the first wife, is wealthy, beautiful, a career driven woman who has no time for vacations and frivolity. Jaime is a firecracker, who is determined to protect her daughter at all costs. Amanda, is naive and hormonal, but she grows on you. Add in Victor and Hazel, the charming elderly neighbors who have been life long friends, as well as one determined detective and you have an entertaining and eclectic bunch of people who entertain you throughout.
*I loved that despite the trying circumstances and the hardship, that each woman found her peace and a new path. Their journeys are all different, but each was interesting to watch. I can't decide who grew and changed the most: Kate or Amanda. Needless to say, I loved watching them all blossom.
*Victor and Hazel are absolutely charming. They are two elderly citizens of Bootleg, who take an interest in the three women. They have been life long friends, but never dated, and they have a standing date on the Ferris Wheel every year. I loved these two, they added heart and charm to the story.
*I throughly enjoyed the small town setting of Bootleg. I was expecting a town full of whispers and gossip, but was pleasantly surprised by the goodwill and kindness all the townsfolk extended to the trio. No ugliness, backbiting or gossip in this town. I was ready to pack up and go spend a lazy day on the lake in Bootleg myself after reading this one. This is the perfect escape read, especially in winter.
There is a bit of romance as well. It was simple and subtle, and just right.
*The ending was delightful. I loved the Epilogue one year down the road, and I was surprised by some of the outcomes. It was perfect.
And The Not So Much:
*Amanda was trying early on. She is hormonal, naive and crying all the time. I was irritated with her at first, but thankfully, she wakes up and realizes the truth. After that, I enjoyed her much more. She requires some patience, but she is worth the time and effort.
*I was disappointed that there wasn't movement with the relationship between Kate and her mother. Not a big deal, but I wished her mother had been more understanding.
*Even though I loved seeing how the girls had fared one year ahead, I was sad that I didn't get to experience some of the highlights, especially when it came to the romances. I wish that we could have gotten three books, one from each girl's point of view.
The Barefoot Summer is an entertaining and delightful tale that follows three women who unexpectedly are thrown together by a con man. I loved watching the ladies blossom and grow and form a sisterhood. This is a perfect escape book for winter or any time of the year. Good old fashioned comfort reading. Don't miss this!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Read
September 11, 2023I could not get past chapter 2. Rating: minus 4
The setup is simple and straightforward and the background made no sense to me. I have always wondered why most romances seem to denigrate women. Perhaps being a man, I am missing some vital aspect of the storytelling.
Before I continue, I will visit YouTube for a bit. This was made possible by Rebecca Watson, May Moon Narrowboat, Cinzia Dubois, Malinda, Engineering Knits, Lisa Walton, A Day of Small Things, Ukraine Matters, Autumn's Boutique, Verilybitchie, Owen Jones, J Draper, Break N Remake, Shannon Makes, Xiran Jay Zhao, Library Ladder, Oliviareadsalatte, Sound of Music Flashmob, History with Kayleigh, Geo Girl, Planarwalker, No Justice MTG, ThePrimeChronus, Philosophy Tube, The Book Leo, Kazachka, Sailing Melody, Books and Lala, Jessica Kellgren Fozard, Lily Simpson, Lady Knight the Brave.
For this I would have liked to have seen other reviews but I am only Allowed to see one out of the near one thousand. Goodreads have been playing this and other games with me for more than a year now. I will need proceed with just my own reaction.
The three wives are all infantilized and the given is their lack of agency. The book would have held my attention if there were any possibility of personal growth and a rejection of the worldview which made them accepting rather than questioning.
The dead husband is the most vital character in the pages which I managed to read. The second most vital character was the detective without a name. The husband with no income is allowed to disappear for three weeks a month, every month over fourteen+ years. He does so with no contact, no explanation and no question. I can not even comprehend what satisfaction he derived from any of these marriages. They were technically relationships but in reality were only serial sex partners who made no effort to know who or what he was.
I wondered what conversations he could have had with any of them. Three wives and none are curious about his business or work. He apparently arrives every month for a week of hard sexing and disappears again until their next rotation. He could not have been particularly fond of any of them. One of my questions was what he did on his week off. Based on the pages I managed to read, I picture him using that time for bar hopping and waitress chasing. Then there is the question of how he paid for this years long sex party with three very unappealing women.
The detective is not a policeman but a stalker. I could not place the type of morality that would even allow him to care about this criminal's death. To boldly announce that he chose to withhold information regarding the dead man's crimes from all three victims, was stunning to me. With each paragraph, I realized that the book's American Hollywood Southern reality was probably the only piece of world building the writer would deliver.
This Southern woman's romance was dated, had it been written forty years ago. There is a market for it obviously but I can not understand the appeal which allows such bad writing to be rewarded. I commit more thought to my reviews now, than this writer seems to have in any of her books, if this one is representative of her body of work.
I need another YouTube break from this review. This next is brought to you by Emma Thorne, May, LuckyBlackCat, iiLuminaughtii, Amanda the Jedi, Clint's Reptiles, Extinction Rebellion UK, Fantasy and World Music by the Fletchers, Interior Design Hub, Abney Park, Ben and Emily, Beautifully Bookish Bethany, Geo Girl, Digging for Britain, Hildegard von Blingin, Katie Makes Stuff, Lily Alexandre, Sarah Z, Travelling K, Tibees, Lizcapism, North02, Dungeon Dad, Deerstalker Pictures, Jill Bearup, Bobbing Along, The Thought Spot, Dr Becky, Kristine Vike, ILona Millinery, Welcome to Ukraine - Buff Bacon, Jessie Gender, Acollierastro, Fortress of Lugh, The Bands of HM Royal Marines, KernowDamo, Kelly Loves Physics and History, Jess of the Shire, Karolina Zebrowska, Morgan Donner, Widebeam and Wellingtons, Lady Knight the Brave.
Every woman introduced is an unattractive stereotype. This is not "Steel Magnolias" and I had certain issues with the diabetic insisting on carrying a child and a husband who agreed to it. There are techniques labelled "Artificial Insemination", "Surrogate Pregnancy", Adoption, and more. That one fact broke me despite a number of good actresses delivering good performances.
I will start with the first wife introduced. The family controls an oil corporation or owns an oil company and the daughter is allowed to marry a stranger without a pre-nuptial agreement. No reader can believe that is possible. She can sleep with a carpenter, truck driver, school teacher or construction worker with nothing said but marriage without a pre-nuptial agreement automatically means marriage without an inheritance or maintenance payments. A marriage without a fully vetted suitor is another ridiculous story foundation. The fans must realise that and this weird character is part of a guilty pleasure. Five star reviews for a guilty pleasure does not make for a useful reader's forum.
I have never lived in the Southern USA but from American film and my occasional scans of American news articles, I can not believe that any reader is pretending that some civil servant can threaten a wealthy family. The detective would find himself seeking new employment within hours. This setting is America, I thought. As for the murder, rural American police forces are notoriously corrupt and that is taken from my occasional skimming of news stories not movies. A more likely story start would involve the dead husband having a conveniently fatal encounter with police during a traffic stop. Irritant is removed with no fuss, no investigation and another useful connection cultivated.
That would actually make a more interesting start for me. Of course the conman husband, etc would need be rewritten. Class separation does exist in america, especially in the Southern USA unless everything I have read is incorrect. This book is a splendid case of lazy writing which meets some emotional need for an undemanding audience. It is not a novel as much as a "We are all girlfriends" fantasy.
I realized the probable direction of the book, within very few pages. The snapshot of the other wives and the dialogue was insulting to lower class women. The equivalency along gender lines without any class distinctions just does not work. I will not bother to think on this book any further.
I have noticed that most of Amazon/Goodreads recommendations are just awful. That some are supposedly best sellers disturbed me several years ago and now just disappoints without surprise. Nadine Norries does historical romances which are much better than this book. She is a former MP with a reputation for a certain eccentricity (more than one commenter, refer to her as "Mad Nad"). I do not feel that my judgement of this book is too harsh.
After trying Amazon recommendations for a bit more than four years, I have begun watching my fiction for the first time. It makes sense that the bulk of any fiction genre will drift towards lower quality but Amazon seem to have made that a policy. Fortunately the streaming services and YouTube short film channels (DUST, Omeleto among others) deliver better writing and more entertaining fare.
I am relatively new to YouTube and It has been a rewarding experience. I began with science fiction fan film and commentary, then moved to lifestyle, hobbyist, educational and essayist channels. I accidentally discovered book channels last. 😍 These host some fantastic communities of readers with varied tastes and demands but all of whom are enamoured of all things bookish. From sponsor spots on educational channels, I was introduced to the dedicated educational video sites. Nebula, SkillShare, Brilliant and others are all to my mind worth a visit.
About Goodreads as a forum. About eighteen months ago, I wrote a short negative review of Powers of the Earth, an unreadable, badly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero by Travis Corcoran. He is a self-described libertarian and vocal advocate for the return of chattel slavery - of course, an employee of an unnamed US agency, a US veteran and supporter of Putin's Russia. There followed an almost year long stream of angry comments including the writer's fantasy of a socialist "takeover" resulting in all black Americans being sent to Jamaican plantations and that "rich blacks" should be deported to Brazil (?). This was in support of the quality of his libertarian rant (it was in no way a novel).
To my revised review, Claes Rees Jr/cgr710 (an avid fanboy of my reviews) wrote a last comment declaring that They had "won" (?). I discovered that They had unleashed a veritable flood of vile sexual and racist comments against channels which I mentioned. They failed to impress the Oxford astrophysicist, the German particle physicist, the lovely couple restoring an historical boat, the French essayist or the many other female creators. They did however broadcast a splendid self-portrait of the twisted American man-child to a broad multinational audience, in addition to increasing the world's overabundance of unpleasantness. Goodreads discourse is quite a wonder. USA, Yay ???
My YouTube picks of the moment.
Liz Barclay, Linguoer Mechanic, Crow Caller, The Shades of Orange, Female Warrior - Teresatessa, The Clockwork Reader, The British Museum, Celtic Woman, Elina Charatsidou, Abney Park, Alizee, Gemma Dyer, The Closet Historian, Squire, Snappy Dragon.
About Amazon/Kindle/Goodreads. I ask that you consider treating this as a potentially hostile site. 😐
Ominous music begins. 🙂 The science fiction and related genre readership on this site are represented by or give silent acquiescence to the vocal minority (hopefully) of nutcases described above. Their little comment clouds are to be found on many negative reviews in that corner of Goodreads. They do not appreciate thoughtfully negative judgements of some very nasty work (writer and book alike). After my review of Powers of the Earth, Goodreads began their various small acts of harassment. It has now apparently with management approval achieved new levels of nastiness. It seems that They do not approve of a socialist perspective. 🤗 For details, see my review of Marine by Dalzelle, The Awakening by Jasper T Scott or "Dark Horse", a good novel by Diener.
Kindle/Goodreads have interrupted my Kindle services access for days at a time with no explanation and no response to queries. The automatic end of book transition to the Rating and Review page has been disabled in addition to other strange changes to my pages. The only limits seem to concern the system log trail of actions, permissions and authorities. That is a necessary feature of all networks.
It might be that Amazon's Kindle readers are not fit for purpose and the failure to respond to or acknowledge a query or complaint may be a result of terrible network maintenance. Oddly these and other Goodreads problems occur in irritating spurts, which a corporation whose most profitable division might be their corporate web hosting (AWS) would address as a priority issue.
It might be my imagination but it does feel as if they would rather that I were not a customer and that my reviews were not posted. Amazon also released my limited message history to nutcases, who managed to enlist Australian Intelligence in interrogation of my friend for my personal information. It seems They were performing a favour through Pine Gap Centre for some US secret clearance holder. My friend was very concerned for my safety and while I could feel flattered by the governmental attention, am for some reason angry. I am of the opinion that perhaps Amazon need to revamp their customer service protocols. 🤗
I hope that you are not targeted and never are but this corporation's antics are dangerous. If you find my experience unsettling, some simple precautions should make your exposure to Amazon/Kindle/Goodreads somewhat safer. Basic first steps include minimizing profile information, removing lurkers (those friends who monitor but never post), maintaining caution if using Goodreads messaging, screenshotting the odd and the ugly and even using a single use email for Goodreads, Kindle and Amazon. It costs nothing to implement these small steps but should your status change, to not might well do.
It is important to remember that your immunity rests on the whims of damaged anti-socialist, misogynistic, racist man-children who are lacking in both restraint and morality. More importantly, they are American. Ominous music ends. 🙂
May we all enjoy Good Reading! 😊
I am no judge of the best of YouTube channels, though these did entertain or inspire me. Some of my favourite channels.
Sailing Melody, Ula and Josh, Travelling K, Nomadic Crobot, Tara Mooknee, Books and Lala, Munecat, Noah Samsen, Philosophy Tube, Vlad Vexler, Kings and Generals, Crecganford, Some More News, May, Renegade Cut, Sarah Millican, Kathy's Flog in France, Cari can Read, Horses, Heather Dale, Cold Fusion, Joe Scott, The Kavernacle, Truth to Power, Tom Nicholas, May Moon Narrowboat, Knowing Better, Mia Mulder, Terrible Writing Advice, Lady Knight the Brave, Mrs Betty Bowers, Mia Asano, Cruising Alba, KernowDamo, Mythic Concepts, Annie's Literary Empire, Prime of Midlife, Owen Jones, Hello Future Me, Second Thought, ConeOfArc, Then & Now, Alysotherlife, Overly Sarcastic Productions, Sabine Hossenfelder, Cruising Crafts, The Snake Charmer, No Justice MTG, Randy Rainbow, Miniminuteman, Mauler, The Little Platoon, Forgotten History, Abby Cox, Bernadette Banner, Dominic Noble, What Vivi did next, Nini Music, OrangeRiver, Lily Alexandre, Lady of the LIbrary, A Life of Lit, Savy writes Books, No Justice MTG, History with Kayleigh, Planarwalker, Gutsick Gibbon, Paleo Analysis, Rebecca Watson, Jabzy, The Chloe Connection, Ben and Emily, Bobbing Along, SK Media, Depressed Russian, Jake Broe, Andrewism, IzzzYzzz, Adult Wednesday Addams - 2 seasons, Not the Andrew Marr Show, Lilly's Expat Life, The Welsh Viking, Sideprojects, Dark Docs, Dark Tech, Megaprojects, Steve Shives, RobWords, MechWest Show, It's Black Friday, LuckyBlackCat, Cecilia Blomdahl, Jessie Gender, Abbie Emmons, Viva La Dirt League, Renegade Cut, Potential History, Alt Shift X, XPLRD, Science of Science Fiction, Olga Mieleszuk, Alina Gingertail, Verilybitchie, Ponderful, Historigraphs, Natasha's Adventures, Critical Drinker, Shanspeare, Rowan J Coleman, Kaz Rowe, Cass Ellis, Baggage Claim, Answer in Progress, Ana Psychology.
I wish you a glorious morning, a wonderful afternoon, a pleasant night, a fantastic night and may we all continue learning.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
Taiwanese Proverb
The setup is simple and straightforward and the background made no sense to me. I have always wondered why most romances seem to denigrate women. Perhaps being a man, I am missing some vital aspect of the storytelling.
Before I continue, I will visit YouTube for a bit. This was made possible by Rebecca Watson, May Moon Narrowboat, Cinzia Dubois, Malinda, Engineering Knits, Lisa Walton, A Day of Small Things, Ukraine Matters, Autumn's Boutique, Verilybitchie, Owen Jones, J Draper, Break N Remake, Shannon Makes, Xiran Jay Zhao, Library Ladder, Oliviareadsalatte, Sound of Music Flashmob, History with Kayleigh, Geo Girl, Planarwalker, No Justice MTG, ThePrimeChronus, Philosophy Tube, The Book Leo, Kazachka, Sailing Melody, Books and Lala, Jessica Kellgren Fozard, Lily Simpson, Lady Knight the Brave.
For this I would have liked to have seen other reviews but I am only Allowed to see one out of the near one thousand. Goodreads have been playing this and other games with me for more than a year now. I will need proceed with just my own reaction.
The three wives are all infantilized and the given is their lack of agency. The book would have held my attention if there were any possibility of personal growth and a rejection of the worldview which made them accepting rather than questioning.
The dead husband is the most vital character in the pages which I managed to read. The second most vital character was the detective without a name. The husband with no income is allowed to disappear for three weeks a month, every month over fourteen+ years. He does so with no contact, no explanation and no question. I can not even comprehend what satisfaction he derived from any of these marriages. They were technically relationships but in reality were only serial sex partners who made no effort to know who or what he was.
I wondered what conversations he could have had with any of them. Three wives and none are curious about his business or work. He apparently arrives every month for a week of hard sexing and disappears again until their next rotation. He could not have been particularly fond of any of them. One of my questions was what he did on his week off. Based on the pages I managed to read, I picture him using that time for bar hopping and waitress chasing. Then there is the question of how he paid for this years long sex party with three very unappealing women.
The detective is not a policeman but a stalker. I could not place the type of morality that would even allow him to care about this criminal's death. To boldly announce that he chose to withhold information regarding the dead man's crimes from all three victims, was stunning to me. With each paragraph, I realized that the book's American Hollywood Southern reality was probably the only piece of world building the writer would deliver.
This Southern woman's romance was dated, had it been written forty years ago. There is a market for it obviously but I can not understand the appeal which allows such bad writing to be rewarded. I commit more thought to my reviews now, than this writer seems to have in any of her books, if this one is representative of her body of work.
I need another YouTube break from this review. This next is brought to you by Emma Thorne, May, LuckyBlackCat, iiLuminaughtii, Amanda the Jedi, Clint's Reptiles, Extinction Rebellion UK, Fantasy and World Music by the Fletchers, Interior Design Hub, Abney Park, Ben and Emily, Beautifully Bookish Bethany, Geo Girl, Digging for Britain, Hildegard von Blingin, Katie Makes Stuff, Lily Alexandre, Sarah Z, Travelling K, Tibees, Lizcapism, North02, Dungeon Dad, Deerstalker Pictures, Jill Bearup, Bobbing Along, The Thought Spot, Dr Becky, Kristine Vike, ILona Millinery, Welcome to Ukraine - Buff Bacon, Jessie Gender, Acollierastro, Fortress of Lugh, The Bands of HM Royal Marines, KernowDamo, Kelly Loves Physics and History, Jess of the Shire, Karolina Zebrowska, Morgan Donner, Widebeam and Wellingtons, Lady Knight the Brave.
Every woman introduced is an unattractive stereotype. This is not "Steel Magnolias" and I had certain issues with the diabetic insisting on carrying a child and a husband who agreed to it. There are techniques labelled "Artificial Insemination", "Surrogate Pregnancy", Adoption, and more. That one fact broke me despite a number of good actresses delivering good performances.
I will start with the first wife introduced. The family controls an oil corporation or owns an oil company and the daughter is allowed to marry a stranger without a pre-nuptial agreement. No reader can believe that is possible. She can sleep with a carpenter, truck driver, school teacher or construction worker with nothing said but marriage without a pre-nuptial agreement automatically means marriage without an inheritance or maintenance payments. A marriage without a fully vetted suitor is another ridiculous story foundation. The fans must realise that and this weird character is part of a guilty pleasure. Five star reviews for a guilty pleasure does not make for a useful reader's forum.
I have never lived in the Southern USA but from American film and my occasional scans of American news articles, I can not believe that any reader is pretending that some civil servant can threaten a wealthy family. The detective would find himself seeking new employment within hours. This setting is America, I thought. As for the murder, rural American police forces are notoriously corrupt and that is taken from my occasional skimming of news stories not movies. A more likely story start would involve the dead husband having a conveniently fatal encounter with police during a traffic stop. Irritant is removed with no fuss, no investigation and another useful connection cultivated.
That would actually make a more interesting start for me. Of course the conman husband, etc would need be rewritten. Class separation does exist in america, especially in the Southern USA unless everything I have read is incorrect. This book is a splendid case of lazy writing which meets some emotional need for an undemanding audience. It is not a novel as much as a "We are all girlfriends" fantasy.
I realized the probable direction of the book, within very few pages. The snapshot of the other wives and the dialogue was insulting to lower class women. The equivalency along gender lines without any class distinctions just does not work. I will not bother to think on this book any further.
I have noticed that most of Amazon/Goodreads recommendations are just awful. That some are supposedly best sellers disturbed me several years ago and now just disappoints without surprise. Nadine Norries does historical romances which are much better than this book. She is a former MP with a reputation for a certain eccentricity (more than one commenter, refer to her as "Mad Nad"). I do not feel that my judgement of this book is too harsh.
After trying Amazon recommendations for a bit more than four years, I have begun watching my fiction for the first time. It makes sense that the bulk of any fiction genre will drift towards lower quality but Amazon seem to have made that a policy. Fortunately the streaming services and YouTube short film channels (DUST, Omeleto among others) deliver better writing and more entertaining fare.
I am relatively new to YouTube and It has been a rewarding experience. I began with science fiction fan film and commentary, then moved to lifestyle, hobbyist, educational and essayist channels. I accidentally discovered book channels last. 😍 These host some fantastic communities of readers with varied tastes and demands but all of whom are enamoured of all things bookish. From sponsor spots on educational channels, I was introduced to the dedicated educational video sites. Nebula, SkillShare, Brilliant and others are all to my mind worth a visit.
About Goodreads as a forum. About eighteen months ago, I wrote a short negative review of Powers of the Earth, an unreadable, badly written salute to the January 6, 2021 hero by Travis Corcoran. He is a self-described libertarian and vocal advocate for the return of chattel slavery - of course, an employee of an unnamed US agency, a US veteran and supporter of Putin's Russia. There followed an almost year long stream of angry comments including the writer's fantasy of a socialist "takeover" resulting in all black Americans being sent to Jamaican plantations and that "rich blacks" should be deported to Brazil (?). This was in support of the quality of his libertarian rant (it was in no way a novel).
To my revised review, Claes Rees Jr/cgr710 (an avid fanboy of my reviews) wrote a last comment declaring that They had "won" (?). I discovered that They had unleashed a veritable flood of vile sexual and racist comments against channels which I mentioned. They failed to impress the Oxford astrophysicist, the German particle physicist, the lovely couple restoring an historical boat, the French essayist or the many other female creators. They did however broadcast a splendid self-portrait of the twisted American man-child to a broad multinational audience, in addition to increasing the world's overabundance of unpleasantness. Goodreads discourse is quite a wonder. USA, Yay ???
My YouTube picks of the moment.
Liz Barclay, Linguoer Mechanic, Crow Caller, The Shades of Orange, Female Warrior - Teresatessa, The Clockwork Reader, The British Museum, Celtic Woman, Elina Charatsidou, Abney Park, Alizee, Gemma Dyer, The Closet Historian, Squire, Snappy Dragon.
About Amazon/Kindle/Goodreads. I ask that you consider treating this as a potentially hostile site. 😐
Ominous music begins. 🙂 The science fiction and related genre readership on this site are represented by or give silent acquiescence to the vocal minority (hopefully) of nutcases described above. Their little comment clouds are to be found on many negative reviews in that corner of Goodreads. They do not appreciate thoughtfully negative judgements of some very nasty work (writer and book alike). After my review of Powers of the Earth, Goodreads began their various small acts of harassment. It has now apparently with management approval achieved new levels of nastiness. It seems that They do not approve of a socialist perspective. 🤗 For details, see my review of Marine by Dalzelle, The Awakening by Jasper T Scott or "Dark Horse", a good novel by Diener.
Kindle/Goodreads have interrupted my Kindle services access for days at a time with no explanation and no response to queries. The automatic end of book transition to the Rating and Review page has been disabled in addition to other strange changes to my pages. The only limits seem to concern the system log trail of actions, permissions and authorities. That is a necessary feature of all networks.
It might be that Amazon's Kindle readers are not fit for purpose and the failure to respond to or acknowledge a query or complaint may be a result of terrible network maintenance. Oddly these and other Goodreads problems occur in irritating spurts, which a corporation whose most profitable division might be their corporate web hosting (AWS) would address as a priority issue.
It might be my imagination but it does feel as if they would rather that I were not a customer and that my reviews were not posted. Amazon also released my limited message history to nutcases, who managed to enlist Australian Intelligence in interrogation of my friend for my personal information. It seems They were performing a favour through Pine Gap Centre for some US secret clearance holder. My friend was very concerned for my safety and while I could feel flattered by the governmental attention, am for some reason angry. I am of the opinion that perhaps Amazon need to revamp their customer service protocols. 🤗
I hope that you are not targeted and never are but this corporation's antics are dangerous. If you find my experience unsettling, some simple precautions should make your exposure to Amazon/Kindle/Goodreads somewhat safer. Basic first steps include minimizing profile information, removing lurkers (those friends who monitor but never post), maintaining caution if using Goodreads messaging, screenshotting the odd and the ugly and even using a single use email for Goodreads, Kindle and Amazon. It costs nothing to implement these small steps but should your status change, to not might well do.
It is important to remember that your immunity rests on the whims of damaged anti-socialist, misogynistic, racist man-children who are lacking in both restraint and morality. More importantly, they are American. Ominous music ends. 🙂
May we all enjoy Good Reading! 😊
I am no judge of the best of YouTube channels, though these did entertain or inspire me. Some of my favourite channels.
Sailing Melody, Ula and Josh, Travelling K, Nomadic Crobot, Tara Mooknee, Books and Lala, Munecat, Noah Samsen, Philosophy Tube, Vlad Vexler, Kings and Generals, Crecganford, Some More News, May, Renegade Cut, Sarah Millican, Kathy's Flog in France, Cari can Read, Horses, Heather Dale, Cold Fusion, Joe Scott, The Kavernacle, Truth to Power, Tom Nicholas, May Moon Narrowboat, Knowing Better, Mia Mulder, Terrible Writing Advice, Lady Knight the Brave, Mrs Betty Bowers, Mia Asano, Cruising Alba, KernowDamo, Mythic Concepts, Annie's Literary Empire, Prime of Midlife, Owen Jones, Hello Future Me, Second Thought, ConeOfArc, Then & Now, Alysotherlife, Overly Sarcastic Productions, Sabine Hossenfelder, Cruising Crafts, The Snake Charmer, No Justice MTG, Randy Rainbow, Miniminuteman, Mauler, The Little Platoon, Forgotten History, Abby Cox, Bernadette Banner, Dominic Noble, What Vivi did next, Nini Music, OrangeRiver, Lily Alexandre, Lady of the LIbrary, A Life of Lit, Savy writes Books, No Justice MTG, History with Kayleigh, Planarwalker, Gutsick Gibbon, Paleo Analysis, Rebecca Watson, Jabzy, The Chloe Connection, Ben and Emily, Bobbing Along, SK Media, Depressed Russian, Jake Broe, Andrewism, IzzzYzzz, Adult Wednesday Addams - 2 seasons, Not the Andrew Marr Show, Lilly's Expat Life, The Welsh Viking, Sideprojects, Dark Docs, Dark Tech, Megaprojects, Steve Shives, RobWords, MechWest Show, It's Black Friday, LuckyBlackCat, Cecilia Blomdahl, Jessie Gender, Abbie Emmons, Viva La Dirt League, Renegade Cut, Potential History, Alt Shift X, XPLRD, Science of Science Fiction, Olga Mieleszuk, Alina Gingertail, Verilybitchie, Ponderful, Historigraphs, Natasha's Adventures, Critical Drinker, Shanspeare, Rowan J Coleman, Kaz Rowe, Cass Ellis, Baggage Claim, Answer in Progress, Ana Psychology.
I wish you a glorious morning, a wonderful afternoon, a pleasant night, a fantastic night and may we all continue learning.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
Taiwanese Proverb
January 8, 2017
The basic premise of this book makes it interesting. One man, three different wives. Conrad had it all—including three wives, who finally meet up for the first time and realize what a snake Conrad, was at his funeral. First wife was Kate. Born into an oil dynasty company family, Kate was older than the other two, self-assured, obviously from and in money, but not overly full of herself or her wealth that she could not relate to others. Second wife was Jamie. Not rich like Kate, Jamie was a school teacher, a strong woman, mother to Conrad’s only child, Gracie, made of steel and wishing she had been the one to end Conrad’s life, rather than the bullet during a robbery at a florist, and charade. Last was Amanda. Amanda was the youngest, most recent wife, very pregnant with Conrad’s child, still dreamily in love with the man she thought Conrad was and ready to protect his legacy (until she realizes what he really was). After his death, the three women move to Conrad’s cabin, where each spent her honeymoon with the snake Conrad. Over a summer, we meet them, watch them move on past Conrad and accept what is for what it is, as each grows in different ways as well as grows to like and enjoy each other. The big character in the story, however, is little Gracie, a tender seven-year old and Conrad’s only child, who steals and warms the hearts of everyone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was a bit different from many of the others I have read recently. Though the basic story line could have gone in many different directions, I like the one the author chose. She made the story about these three uniquely different women who came together when they had only one thing (a very big thing, I acknowledge) in common, Conrad. This was a story of growth, love, interactions, acceptance of what is, and of letting go of the past. The characters were all well developed and likable, especially Gracie. In many ways, Gracie was the glue that held the trio together, made them a unit. I cannot see anyone not falling in love with this innocent child, who sometimes care across as wise beyond her years and who sometimes understood more than anyone gave her credit for. Without Gracie, the story would have been very different and may not have turned out as it did. I think the author struck a good balance with the three wives. Each had strengths they brought to the table. Each had weaknesses, or limits, that were complimented nicely by the other wives. It was definitely fascinating to watch them grow as a unit as well as individuals. Conrad may have been a snake, but he did bring them together, and I think they and the reader realized this one good thing about him by the end of the story. I highly recommend this book. It provided me a lot of enjoyment as well as an understanding of how strange, seemingly difficult, situations help make our lives what they are, while challenging each person to grow into what reality brings. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was a bit different from many of the others I have read recently. Though the basic story line could have gone in many different directions, I like the one the author chose. She made the story about these three uniquely different women who came together when they had only one thing (a very big thing, I acknowledge) in common, Conrad. This was a story of growth, love, interactions, acceptance of what is, and of letting go of the past. The characters were all well developed and likable, especially Gracie. In many ways, Gracie was the glue that held the trio together, made them a unit. I cannot see anyone not falling in love with this innocent child, who sometimes care across as wise beyond her years and who sometimes understood more than anyone gave her credit for. Without Gracie, the story would have been very different and may not have turned out as it did. I think the author struck a good balance with the three wives. Each had strengths they brought to the table. Each had weaknesses, or limits, that were complimented nicely by the other wives. It was definitely fascinating to watch them grow as a unit as well as individuals. Conrad may have been a snake, but he did bring them together, and I think they and the reader realized this one good thing about him by the end of the story. I highly recommend this book. It provided me a lot of enjoyment as well as an understanding of how strange, seemingly difficult, situations help make our lives what they are, while challenging each person to grow into what reality brings. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
August 22, 2017
Could not finish it, especially since I disliked all of the characters. I'm not sure why this book has good ratings.
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