Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Summer Dance
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WEBSITE: http://www.nanrossiter.com/
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RESEARCHER NOTES:
| LC control no.: | n 96027428 |
|---|---|
| LCCN Permalink: | https://lccn.loc.gov/n96027428 |
| HEADING: | Rossiter, Nan Parson |
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| 053 | _0 |a PS3618.O8535 |
| 100 | 1_ |a Rossiter, Nan Parson |
| 670 | __ |a Rugby and Rosie, 1997: |b CIP t.p. (Nan Parson Rossiter) |
| 953 | __ |a lb13 |b rg10 (053) |
PERSONAL
Born in Mount Vernon, NY; married Bruce; children: Cole, Noah.
EDUCATION:Rhode Island School of Design, graduated, 1986.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and illustrator.
AVOCATIONS:Hiking, reading.
AWARDS:Golden Sower Award, for Rugby and Rosie.
WRITINGS
Contributor to books, including Making Spirits Bright, 2011.
SIDELIGHTS
Nan Rossiter is a writer and illustrator. She has written and illustrated books for children and is also the author of novels for adults.
Children's Books
Rugby and Rosie is the first of Rossiter’s children’s book. She is also the illustrator of this volume. The title characters are a chocolate lab and a golden retriever, respectively. Rugby is an adult dog, who has been living with his family for many years. He is skeptical when the family brings in the young Rosie. Rosie is being trained to become a guide dog and will stay with the family only temporarily. Rugby finds himself sad when Rosie leaves. A Publishers Weekly contributor suggested that the book was “perfect for lovers of dog stories that mix in just a touch of rue.”
A farm boy named Samuel cares for an injured Canada goose in The Way Home. The goose, named Chicory, travels with its mate, Spruce Goose. Chicory’s condition improves in time to migrate south for the winter.
In Sugar on Snow, Rossiter tells the story of a family that goes together to tap maple trees to gather sap for sugary syrup. The children, Ethan and Seth, are excited about the task, but their mother makes sure they eat a good breakfast before they leave the house. They take the tractor to the maple grove and being the sap-gathering process. “Rossiter’s book demonstrates how a family can contribute to a process that generates its own sweet rewards,” noted Kathy Piehl in School Library Journal. A Publishers Weekly critic described the volume as a “cordial if somewhat stilted tale.” Similarly, a contributor to Kirkus Reviews remarked: “Rossiter’s … story of a family’s day in the sugar bush is a bit too solemn for the occasion.”
The Fo'c'sle
The Fo’c’sle, a volume of nonfiction, chronicles the life of the author Henry Beston, who wrote The Outermost House. Rossiter focuses on the period of time in which Beston lived on Cape Cod in a small house near the sand dunes. The volume includes excerpts from Beston’s work.
“The language and visuals both will put budding naturalists in a meditative mood,” commented a Kirkus Reviews writer. A contributor to Publishers Weekly described the book as “a lovely vision of one man’s communion with nature.”
The Gin & Chowder Club and Words Get in the Way
Rossiter’s first novel for adults is The Gin & Chowder Club. It tells the story of a romance between an older woman, Noelle, and a teenage boy, Asa. The two developed an attraction years before. Now eighteen, Asa can finally be open about his love for Noelle. However, Noelle’s friendship with Asa, in addition to their age difference, makes their relationship difficult. Asa leaves for college, but the two maintain their relationship. Later, a tragedy strikes that affects them both. Leah Hansen, critic on the RT Book Reviews website, described the plot of the book as “not believable.” Hansen added: “Compounding this problem are bland and generally unlikable characters.”
In Words Get in the Way, single mom Callie returns to her hometown to care for her ailing father. She reconnects with an old flame named Linden, who has pined for her for years. “This story is dry. … The romantic subplot is incomplete and lacks intensity,” remarked B. Nakia Garner on the RT Book Reviews website.
More Than You Know and Under a Summer Sky
More Than You Know tells the story of sisters Beryl, Isak, and Rumer, who have come together to grieve the loss of their mother to Alzheimer’s disease. Beryl has never been married and wonders if she ever will. Isak deals with her children becoming adults, and Rumer believes she may be headed for divorce. Susan Mobley, contributor to the RT Book Reviews website, suggested: “This truly inspirational tear-jerker will be remembered long after the last page.”
The Coleman family are the central character of Under a Summer Sky. Parents Laney and Noah have five sons, including Asher. Other kids have been giving Asher trouble at school. Another issue for the family comes from Noah’s offer to host his brother Micah’s wedding. Writing on the RT Book Reviews website, Melissa Parcel commented: “It’s a meaningful tale, yet doesn’t seem to make it past the surface of things.”
Nantucket, Firefly Summer, and Summer Dance
Liam Tate and his high school sweetheart, Acadia “Cadie” McCormick Knox, reconnect in Rossiter’s 2015 book, Nantucket. Liam has pined for Cadie for years and is shocked to run into her at an art show. Over the next few months, the two discuss trying for a relationship a second time. Susannah Balc, critic on the RT Book Reviews website, asserted: “Rossiter’s latest is a moving story that could cause readers to shed a tear or two.”
Four sisters converge on Cape Cod in Firefly Summer. The women, Piper, Sailor, Remy, and Birdie, grew up visiting Cape Cod each summer. However, during one of their trips, a tragic event occurred. As the sisters grow up, they never deal with the tragedy they experienced, and they grow apart. Finally, as adults, they discuss the pain they felt when their brother died all those years ago. Jaime A. Geraldi, contributor to the RT Book Reviews website, commented: “The author’s true grit and honesty is a real eye-opener, and readers will enjoy the different time frames.” “Firefly Summer accurately portrays how grief and the emotions surrounding that can profoundly affect the outcome of someone’s life,” asserted a reviewer on the Booker Worm website.
In Summer Dance, protagonist Sally Ryan is a writer and coffee shop owner in Nantucket. She is in the process of writing her memoir, in which she tells of her ill-fated relationship with Drew McIntyre. Sally falls for Drew and soon becomes pregnant. Though the relationship quickly devolves, Sally marries Drew. When she has a miscarriage, she runs, eventually settling in Nantucket. Sally later falls for Coop, though she feels guilty because she is still technically married to Drew. “Overall, it’s a pleasant love story fit for a summer read,” remarked Parcel, the writer on the RT Book Reviews website. A Publishers Weekly reviewer suggested: “The story of Sally’s life is a pageturner.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 15, 1999, John Peters, review of The Way Home, p. 270.
Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2002, review of Sugar on Snow, p. 1701; June 15, 2012, review of The Fo’c’sle.
Publishers Weekly, January 13, 1997, review of Rugby and Rosie, p. 75; December 9, 2002, review of Sugar on Snow, p. 84; June 11, 2012, review of The Fo’c’sle, p. 52; April 17, 2017, review of Summer Dance, p. 38.
School Library Journal, December, 2002, Kathy Piehl, review of Sugar on Snow, p. 107.
ONLINE
All about Romance, https://allaboutromance.com/ (January 6, 2018), review of Making Spirits Bright.
All Readers, http://allreaders.com/ (January 6, 2018), review of Words Get in the Way.
Booker Worm, http://www.bookerworm.com/ (October 22, 2016), review of Firefly Summer.
Connecticut Center for the Book Website, https://ctcenterforthebook.org/ (January 6, 2018), author profile.
Greater New Milford Spectrum Online, http://www.newmilfordspectrum.com/ (July 21, 2011), Nanci G. Hutson, author interview.
Mullane Literary Associates Website, http://www.mullaneliterary.com/ (January 6, 2018), author profile.
Nan Rossiter Website, http://www.nanrossiter.com/ (January 6, 2018).
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (January 6, 2018), Leah Hansen, review of The Gin & Chowder Club; (January 6, 2018), B. Nakia Garner, review of Words Get in the Way; (January 6, 2018), Susan Mobley, review of More Than You Know; (January 6, 2018), Jaime A. Geraldi, review of Firefly Summer; (January 6, 2018), Susannah Balc, review of Nantucket; (January 6, 2018), Melissa Parcel, reviews of Summer Dance and Under a Summer Sky.
Nan Rossiter was born in Mount Vernon, New York. Some of her earliest memories include riding her green Stingray bicycle—complete with banana seat and sissy bar—to the Pelham Library—a tiny, cave-like space tucked underneath Hutchinson Elementary School and fortified with solid oak doors. It was from the shelves of this library that Nan first discovered the magic of books through the worlds of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Laura Ingalls, The Brothers Lionheart, and Harriet the Spy.
In 1977, Nan moved with her parents to Barkhamsted, Connecticut. She graduated from Northwestern Regional 7 High School and went on to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1986 with a degree in illustration. After freelancing for several years, Nan began writing and illustrating books for children, including RUGBY & ROSIE, winner of Nebraska’s Golden Sower Award, and more recently, THE FO'C'SLE: Henry Beston’s Outermost House.
Nan lives in rural Connecticut with her husband, Bruce, two handsome sons, Cole and Noah, and a black Lab named Finnegan. When she’s not working, she enjoys hiking with her family or curling up with a good book.
Nan’s adult fiction is often compared to the work of Nicholas Sparks - especially her first novel, THE GIN & CHOWDER CLUB. Nan's second novel, WORDS GET IN THE WAY, is an uplifting story about a single mom whose young son has autism. Her third novel, MORE THAN YOU KNOW, touches on the bonds of sisterhood and the tragedy and despair of Alzheimer's. UNDER A SUMMER SKY ties the first three books together in an unexpected way, and NANTUCKET touches on the difference time can make, the truths that never alter, and the bittersweet second chances that arrive just in time to steer a heart back home. FIREFLY SUMMER is an uplifting story of the resilience of sisterhood and the bright glimpses of joy and solace that, like fireflies after rain, can follow the deepest heartaches, and Nan's new novel, SUMMER DANCE, brings together characters from her acclaimed novel NANTUCKET in a powerful, heartwarming love story that bridges past and present.
About the Author
Nan Rossiter, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and the author and illustrator of several children’s books as well as series of novels, set in New England, centered on the themes of faith and family. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two sons, and a black lab named Finnegan.
QUOTED: "(The Gin & Chowder Club) has probably been in my head for about 10 years ... but I didn't start writing it til 2005. Then the story took on a life of its own. ... It just came to life. I was just the vessel."
Children's book author breaks into adult literature
Nan Rossiter pens "The Gin & Chowder Club"
Nanci G. Hutson, Staff Writer Updated 3:03 pm, Thursday, July 21, 2011
SPECTRUM/Renowned children's book writer Nan Rossiter of New Milford is making her debut in the adut literature field with "The Gin & Chowder Club." Courtesy of Nan Rossiter June 2011 Photo: Contributed Photo
Photo: Contributed Photo
SPECTRUM/Renowned children's book writer Nan Rossiter of New Milford is making her debut in the adut literature field with "The Gin & Chowder Club." Courtesy of Nan Rossiter June 2011
The writing career of Nan Rossiter, of New Milford, began humbly enough.
At the Rhode Island School of Design, where she earned a degree in illustration, Nan Rossiter enrolled in an English literature class featuring the works of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
One day, as the professor, Alice Hall Petry, was returning students' essays, she praised Ms. Rossiter's literary talents and suggested she consider becoming an author.
It was a flattering notion politely accepted, but dismissed.
Yet on the 25th anniversary this spring of her college graduation, Ms. Rossiter celebrated the official release of her first adult novel, "The Gin & Chowder Club."
The novel is a tale of an illicit summer love affair on Cape Cod in the early 1960s and how it reverberates in a tight circle of friends.
She mailed a copy of the $15 paperback book -- a lead character in the story takes the same literature course in college that Ms. Rossiter did -- to her former professor, who now teaches at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Ms. Rossiter, 47, has high hopes the book, that percolated in her mind for so long, will jump-start her adult novel career.
The publisher, Kensington Books in New York City, has already commissioned a second book, about a boy with autism.
"(The Gin & Chowder Club) has probably been in my head for about 10 years," said Ms. Rossiter, "but I didn't start writing it til 2005. Then the story took on a life of its own. ... It just came to life. I was just the vessel.
The book's namesake is a real club in Colebrook.
The fictional story has nothing to do with that club, but it does have its share of gin and chowder.
It is not Ms. Rossiter's first book, nor is it the only one she is releasing this year.
She is an award-winning children's author and illustrator -- between 1997 and 2002 she wrote and illustrated three children's books, including "Rugby & Rosie," about raising a Guiding Eyes dog; "Sugar on Snow," about making maple syrup in New England; and "The Way Home."
"Sugar on Snow" was recently reprinted in a paperback version.
So what was this married mother of two teenage sons doing for seven years?
Her freckled face breaks into a shy smile with that inquiry.
Beyond raising her family in their home in the northeast section of town, she was writing stories and answering rejection letters, including some for her just-published novel and a nonfiction children's book she wrote and illustrated, "The Fo'c'sle: Henry Beston's `Outermost House,' " scheduled for release in the fall.
That children's story is about a tiny seaside shack -- 16-by-20 feet -- on a Cape Cod dune near the Nauset beach light station.
Writer/naturalist Henry Beston named it "Fo'c'sle" -- which means the "forward castle" on a ship -- and where he spent a solitary year in 1928 observing wildlife in the four seasons.
The out-of-the-way place was named a national literary landmark in the late 1960s, but it no longer exists. It washed out to sea during a winter hurricane in 1978.
A soft-spoken woman with steely resolve, Ms. Rossiter refused to be discouraged by rejections of her story ideas. Buoyed by faith and belief in her storytelling, she persevered.
In 2009, she sold "The Gin & Chowder Club" to a publisher who now wants her to write a book a year. At the same time, she was writing and finishing illustrations for the children's book.
She also wrote -- along with such top authors as Fern Michaels -- for a women's Christmas anthology titled "Making Spirits Bright," which will be released in October.
Fran Keilty, the owner of Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington, describes Ms. Rossiter as a "talented young woman" who she was glad she could introduce to members of the area literary community.
Those introductions helped connect her with an agent and publisher. One of Ms. Rossiter's recent book signings was at the book shop.
"I am so thrilled for her because she has worked so hard for this," said Sally Tornow, the public services librarian at New Milford Public Library. "It's just so cool."
Ms. Tornow said she was captivated by a story that is a blend of what Ms. Rossiter said she loves to read: passion, betrayal, faith, friendship, triumph and tragedy, and redemption.
She jokes she is particularly delighted Ms. Rossiter has "come to the adult side."
"It's a beautiful love story," Ms. Tornow said.
For more information about Ms. Rossiter's latest children's book and other projects, visit her website at www.nanrossiter.com.
"I am so thrilled for her because she has worked so hard for this."
Sally Tornow
New Milford Public Library public services librarian
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nan Rossiter grew up in Pelham, New York. Some of her earliest memories include riding a green stingray bike—complete with banana seat and sissy bar—to the Pelham Library which, at the time, was a tiny, cave-like space tucked beneath Hutchinson Elementary School. It was from the shelves of this library that Nan first discovered the magic of books. Some of her favorite characters included Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Pippi-Longstocking, Laura Ingalls, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Harriet the Spy.
When she was in middle school, Nan moved with her parents to Barkhamsted, Connecticut. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, and after freelancing for several years, began writing and illustrating children’s books, including RUGBY & ROSIE, winner of Nebraska’s Golden Sower Award, and most recently, THE FO’C’SLE: Henry Beston’s Outermost House.
Nan’s adult fiction is often compared to Nicholas Sparks, Elin Hildebrandt, and Nancy Thayer and has been highly acclaimed by reviewers from Publisher’s Weekly to Booklist.
Nan lives in rural Connecticut with her husband, two handsome sons, and a noble black Lab named Finn, who takes her for long walks every day, no matter what the weather!
QUOTED: "Rossiter's ... story of a family's day in the sugar bush is a bit too solemn for the occasion."
Sugar on Snow. (Children's Books)
Kirkus Reviews.
70.22 (Nov. 15, 2002): p1701. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2002 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Rossiter, Nan Parson Illus. by the author Dutton (32 pp.) $15.99
Jan. 2003
ISBN: 0-525-46910-9
Rossiter's (The Way Home, 1999, etc.) story of a family's day in the sugar bush is a bit too solemn for the occasion, and there is a static quality to the artwork that drains much of the life out of the elemental act of sugaring. Seth and Ethan eagerly announce that it looks like sap- gathering weather to their mother one March evening, though the boys' gestures in the accompanying illustration look like they have been carved from stone. As the boys try to crank up the excitement, their mother keeps saying things like "We'll see" and "Whoa! Food first," tamping any electricity that might begin to flow. The narrative crawls at the same speed as the tractor making its way through the maple trees: "Mom poured the contents into the holding tank Dad was next, emptying his bucket from the other side of the trailer." So it goes, all the day long, to end upon this upbeat note: "She had a thermos of coffee tucked under her arm, since she and Dad would be up most of the night tending the syrup." Pass the oxygen. Fun is an alien concept to this event, where the boys are dutiful day laborers, their payoff a snow cone and their parents' approval. They ought to organize and demand a minimum wage. (Picture book 5-8)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Sugar on Snow. (Children's Books)." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2002, p. 1701. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A94893690/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=a37f5b47. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
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Gale Document Number: GALE|A94893690
QUOTED: "cordial if somewhat stilted tale."
2 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
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Sugar on Snow. (Picture Books)
Publishers Weekly.
249.49 (Dec. 9, 2002): p84. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2002 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
NAN PARSON ROSSITER. Dutton, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 0-525-46910-9
In Rossiter's (Rugby & Rosie) cordial if somewhat stilted tale, two brothers and their parents spend a March day gathering sap from maple trees on their farm. As the children anticipate the mission, their mother assures them that there will be "lots to help with--including the tasting." At times, the narrative resembles a television script from a bygone era: "The boys grinned at each other, and Mom laughed. 'Go wash up for dinner. If you're going to help with anything, you need to keep up your strength.' " Children are more likely to respond to concrete details such as Dad's comments to the boys, "Sap is mostly water, you know. Syrup is what's left after most of the water boils off. Forty gallons of sap make only one gallon of maple syrup!" The idyllic paintings, which show the spring sunlight on snowy New England vistas may well enthrall readers, but they add few details to the sugaring process. Natalie Kinsey-Warnock's recent From Dawn Till Dusk, illus. by Mary Azarian Children's Forecasts, Sept. 2), offer s a clearer overview of how sap becomes syrup. Most engaging here are Rossiter's light-filled paintings chronicling the day's work, which convey the boys' earnestness and eagerness to help. Ages 5-9. (Jan.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Sugar on Snow. (Picture Books)." Publishers Weekly, 9 Dec. 2002, p. 84. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A95628361/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=8d33edcf. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A95628361
QUOTED: "a lovely vision of one man's communion with nature."
3 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
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The Fo'c'sle: Henry Beston's "Outermost House"
Publishers Weekly.
259.24 (June 11, 2012): p52. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Fo'c'sle: Henry Beston's "Outermost House"
Nan Parson Rossiter. Godine, $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-56792-433-6 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Rossiter (Sugar on Snow) offers an evocative account of writer Henry Beston's year living in a tiny house on the dunes of Cape Cod, which inspired his 1928 book The Outermost House. As the year progressed, Beston documented the wildlife he observed, received midwinter visits from "surfmen" who patrolled the beach, and explored his surroundings. Excerpts from Beston's writing are incorporated into Rossiter's prose passages and inset panels that appear against her gorgeous, sweeping panoramas ("The ocean thunders, pale wisps and windy tatters of wintry cloud sail over the dunes, and the sandpipers stand on one leg and dream"). Painted in a coastal palette of pale blues, tans, and pinks, four spreads show the same view during different seasons, with Beston's house tucked away in a corner, all the better to demonstrate the changes in landscape. At times, Rossiter is perhaps more interested in echoing the tone of Beston's writing than in connecting with young readers ("He stayed to watch the unheralded ceremony of nature unfold and to write about the never-ending pageantry of Creation"), but it remains a lovely vision of one man's communion with nature. Ages 8-up. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Fo'c'sle: Henry Beston's 'Outermost House'." Publishers Weekly, 11 June 2012, p. 52.
PowerSearch, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A293351179/GPS?u=schlager& sid=GPS&xid=b4587620. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A293351179
QUOTED: "perfect for lovers of dog stories that mix in just a touch of rue."
4 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
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Rugby and Rosie
Publishers Weekly.
244.2 (Jan. 13, 1997): p75+. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 1997 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Nan Parson Rossiter. Dutton, $14.99 (32p) ISBN 0-525-45484-5
In a heart-tugging debut, Rossiter imagines the emotions of a boy who raises a guide-dog puppy for one year, until it is old enough for intensive training. The narrator and his family already have a grown dog, a chocolate Lab named Rugby, when golden retriever Rosie arrives. "She loved everyone in the family-- even Rugby!" It takes Rugby a while to warm up to the newcomer, but soon he is as smitten as the boy. When it comes time for Rosie to leave, the unhappy boy consoles Rugby ("I wanted to explain everything, but I knew he couldn't understand"), and even takes Rugby to Rosie's guide-dog "graduation." The author emphasizes the distinction between family pet and seeing-eye dog when Rosie, though delighted to see Rugby, will not leave her new, blind owner's side: "She was a working dog now with an important job to do." Rossiter concentrates on the narrator's conflicted feelings, never minimizing his grief, and does not anthropomorphize the animals. Her otherwise realistic illustrations, however, drenched in autumnal hues and elegiac golden light, bespeak a deep and unrequited nostalgia--perfect for lovers of dog stories that mix in just a touch of rue. Ages 5-9. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Rugby and Rosie." Publishers Weekly, 13 Jan. 1997, p. 75+. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A19020905/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=e38698f2. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A19020905
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The Way Home
John Peters
Booklist.
96.2 (Sept. 15, 1999): p270. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 1999 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Rossiter, Nan Parson. The Way Home. Sept. 1999. 32p. illus. Dutton, $15.99 (0-525-45767-4).
Ages 5-8. The attachment that grows between a farm boy and an injured bird results in a predictable but heartwarming reward in this picture book from the author of Bugby and Rosie (1997). Samuel names the Canada goose he finds tangled in fishing line Chicory for the nearby flowers. Under the watchful eyes of both Samuel and Spruce Goose, Chicory's attentive, fussy mate, Chicory slowly recovers. Then, as winter approaches, the geese take to the air. Fretting about the pair's safety and wondering if he'll ever see the geese again, Samuel waves good-bye. Rossiter matches a longish text with autumnal farmscapes done in golds and oranges that give the story a sentimental flavor. Samuel, always seen with his supportive father, clearly shows his worry, and then sadness when the geese depart. Readers will rejoice along with Samuel when, come spring, the geese reappear--along with a chain of fuzzy goslings. Pair this with Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom's Honk! Honk! (1997) or, for a sharp change of mood, Marc Simont's The Goose Who Almost Got Cooked (1997).
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Peters, John. "The Way Home." Booklist, 15 Sept. 1999, p. 270. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A56063783/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS&xid=c5e6ec7e. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A56063783
QUOTED: "The language and visuals both will put budding naturalists in a meditative mood."
6 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
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Beston, Henry: THE FO'C'SLE
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 15, 2012): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2012 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Beston, Henry THE FO'C'SLE Godine (Children's Picture Books) $17.95 7, 26 ISBN: 978-1-56792-433-6
A poetic tribute to an early-20th-century cousin of Walden and the house where it was written. Originally published in 1928 and still in print as an early classic of the modern environmental movement, Outermost House chronicles a year spent in a remote bungalow on Cape Cod watching waves and wildlife on the nearby beach and dunes. This account focuses less on Beston--a journalist, author of fairy tales and husband of children's writer Elizabeth Coatsworth-- than on his observations while in residence and the house's later history up to its being "taken by the ocean" in 1964. Rossiter mixes short quotes from the original ("-the sandpipers stand on one leg and dream, their heads tousled deep in their feathers") with commentary written in a similarly measured style. Her full-page and double-page-spread paintings are likewise spare: formal glimpses of avian passersby, views of the author gazing out to sea, or broad, subtly colored expanses of sky over ocean bordered by a slanting strip of empty beach. The language and visuals both will put budding naturalists in a meditative mood. (Picture book. 6-8, adult)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Beston, Henry: THE FO'C'SLE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2012. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A292825680/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=4a3bf9ae. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A292825680
QUOTED: "The story of Sally's life is a pageturner."
7 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
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Summer Dance
Publishers Weekly.
264.16 (Apr. 17, 2017): p38+. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Summer Dance
Nan Rossiter. Kensington, $15 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-4967-0505-1
Rossiter returns to the characters from her novel Nantucket in this coming-ofage story. Sally Ryan, the proud owner of Nantucket coffee shop Cuppa Joe, is publishing a book about her life story. As readers learn, Sally had a very unremarkable childhood, living with her widowed father in Medford, Mass. Her life forever changes when she meets Drew Mclntyre, gets pregnant, and marries him at a young age. Fearful of Drew and encumbered by Catholic guilt (she believes her miscarriage resulted from one of her misdeeds), Sally believes that the marriage can't be dissolved. She travels to Nantucket, finds a place to stay, and begins working at a local coffee shop. After meeting Coop, a Vietnam vet, Sally enjoys their close friendship, which evolves into an on-again, off-again romance they try to keep secret. While the story of Sally's life is a pageturner, it's the manner in which she is finally able to reconcile her faith with her relationship with Coop that will resonate. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Summer Dance." Publishers Weekly, 17 Apr. 2017, p. 38+. PowerSearch,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A490820748/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=6b489891. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A490820748
QUOTED: "Rossiter's book demonstrates how a family can contribute to a process that generates its own sweet rewards."
8 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MA...
Rossiter, Nan Parson. Sugar on Snow
Kathy Piehl
School Library Journal.
48.12 (Dec. 2002): p107. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
illus. by author. unpaged. Dutton. Jan. 2003. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-525-46910-9. LC number unavailable.
PreS-Gr 2--An overview of a special spring harvest in the Vermont woods. Seth and Ethan help their parents collect sap and make maple syrup. Seth is particularly excited about his chance to drive the small tractor that pulls the collecting tank to the sugar bush. From rising at dawn to eating fresh maple syrup drizzled on snow late in the evening, the boys pitch in with the tasks required to turn maple sap into a golden treat. The afterword summarizes a Native American legend about maple syrup and briefly describes current technology that simplifies sap collection. The illustrations of wildlife and the woods are clear and engaging. Each text block is accompanied by a close-up of a bird or animal, often enlarged from the scene on the facing page. However, the people have a static, somewhat idealized quality, as though posing for tableaux in an outdoor clothing catalog. Less nostalgic than Marsha Wilson Chall's Sugarbush Spring (Lothrop, 2000) and Jessie Haas's Sugaring (Greenwillow, 1996), Rossiter's book demonstrates how a family can contribute to a process that generates its own sweet rewards.--Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Piehl, Kathy
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Piehl, Kathy. "Rossiter, Nan Parson. Sugar on Snow." School Library Journal, Dec. 2002, p. 107.
PowerSearch, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A95528217/GPS?u=schlager&sid=GPS& xid=29cb11d6. Accessed 25 Dec. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A95528217
9 of 9 12/25/17, 9:07 PM
QUOTED: "Firefly Summer accurately portrays how grief and the emotions surrounding that can profoundly affect the outcome of someone’s life."
Firefly Summer
By Nan Rossiter
Firefly Summer
Blurb
A little light can guide you home…
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nan Rossiter’s touching new novel reunites four sisters at their childhood vacation spot on Cape Cod—where they uncover the truth about a past tragedy to find their future as a family…
The close-knit Quinn siblings enjoyed the kind of idyllic childhood that seems made for greeting cards, spending each summer at Whit’s End, the family’s home on Cape Cod. Then comes the summer of 1964, warm and lush after a rainy spring—perfect firefly weather. Sisters Birdie, Remy, Sailor, Piper, and their brother, Easton, delight in catching the insects in mason jars to make blinking lanterns. Until, one terrible night, tragedy strikes.
Decades later, the sisters have carved out separate lives on the Cape. Through love and heartbreak, health issues, raising children, and caring for their aging parents, they have supported each other, rarely mentioning their deep childhood loss. But one evening, as they sit together at Whit’s End to watch the sun set, the gathering fireflies elicit memories of that long-ago night, and a tumult of regrets, guilt, and secrets tumble out.
Poignant yet hopeful, Firefly Summer is an uplifting story of the resilience of sisterhood and the bright glimpses of joy and solace that, like fireflies after rain, can follow even the deepest heartaches.
Our Review
This is a heart-warming tale of four sisters dealing with their grief following the loss of their brother Easton decades earlier. In the years following Easton’s death their parents encouraged the sisters not to talk about him or what happened that night and as a result each sister has dealt with the death in very different ways.
The authors writing style is reminiscent of Freya North’s in terms of the excellent character development. Each of the sisters is dealing with their own problems alongside the continued grief from their brother’s death.
Firefly Summer accurately portrays how grief and the emotions surrounding that can profoundly affect the outcome of someone’s life. I think in particular this is true of the eldest sister Birdie who feels a profound guilt after her brother’s death and turns to alcohol to cope. Birdie is not a likeable character as she tends to blame other people for the misfortunes in her life.
For me Birdie’s sister Sailor was a bit of a nothing character taken on her own but within the context of her family her character works. Sailor moves closer to her sisters after separating from her husband and father of her children. Her chapters deal mainly with the difficulties associated with this situation.
I found Remy’s story intriguing because it dealt with her concerns over her recent memory problems in light of her mother having Alzheimer’s, her continued grief over her husband’s sudden death when her children were young and feelings over a potential romantic interest.
Piper was my favourite character in the book. She came across as practical and positive in nature. Her story focused on her relationship with her partner and father of her son, her worries as a mother and her concerns over getting older.
All in all this was a thoroughly enjoyable book and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
Our Final Rating...
Sat, 22nd October 2016
Words Get In The Way Book Summary and Study Guide
Nan Rossiter Booklist
Nan Rossiter Message Board
Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Words Get In The Way
Callie is going through a rough patch, her son Henry has autism and her dad's health is failing. She had no idea how bad things had gotten for Ben Wyeth when she returned to her childhood home in New Hampshire. She was long over due to visit. Her dad was being cared for in a nursing home that he was getting used to. Upon her arrival she learns that he's been rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke.
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Linden had a crush on Callie long before they left New Hampshire for different colleges.
When he sees the lights on at her dad's house he assumes she's come back to check on things. Four years have passed and Linden has never forgotten her. Linden wasn't able to express his feelings prior to her departure and has often regretted it.
Linden doesn't know that Callie had a baby by a professor who booked out of town taking a position at another school. Callie had to drop out and get a job in order to take care of her now four-year-old son. While he pines over Callie, his high school buddy Josh's baby sister Katie has grown up and she has the hots for Linden. Katie is home for summer vacation from Dartmouth where she will be a senior in the fall.
Katie tells him that Callie had a baby and when he looks at her for more she quickly adds, that she has never married. Katie thought everyone knew since gossip spreads fast. Linden is taken aback. A baby, and never married may mean he has still has a chance.
Callie and Linden run into each other at the store and share an awkward moment. He asks about her dad, and when Callie becomes emotional they say quick good byes.
Henry is having a hard time adjusting to being in unfamiliar spaces and Callie is doing all she can to make him understand they can't go home until his grandfather is better. Her dad's doctor starts the conversation with an update on her dad. They will have to wait until he is stronger before doing surgery. He asks Callie how she's holding up and she shares some of the latest challenges regarding Henry's outbursts and hiding episodes. The doctor understands and tells Callie that he and his wife have a son with autism and that the best she can do for the time being is to try and understand Henry's behavior better.
The next time Linden sees Callie in front of her house he invites her over to meet his animals. She isn't surprised to see that he still has a soft heart. Secretly, she hopes he forgave her for being distant all this time.
Callie is focused on her son and dad's condition. She really doesn't have time to travel down memory lane with Linden. She's cordial but she doesn't have the energy to focus on love at the moment. Linden doesn't seem to get that.
Linden is gifted a pair of pilot headsets (great for blocking out noise) and he gives them to Henry. Good move. Henry settles down when he wears them. While Callie appreciates the gesture she isn't sure that Henry blocking out the world will help him adjust to living in it.
Callie's dad has surgery and everything goes well. She has to find a rehab center for him to work with therapist to get his strength and coordination back. It is hard for both of them as her dad has always been a get-it-done, take charge type of guy.
Callie apologizes to Linden for not being in touch and giving him a chance to love her as a single parent. She cries, he forgives her and tells her he never stopped loving her. He enjoys hanging out with Henry and thinks he is a great kid.
Ben is finally well enough to see little Henry and his heart bursts with pride. Henry may be the salve that gets him to do the things rehabilitation requires faster and with a good attitude. Things were looking up when Callie receives a surprise home visit from the doctor. Ben didn't make it.
With the help of old family friends and neighbors who remembered how hard Callie had taken it when her mother died, she manages to push through. Gardening was suggested as a way to help with grieving and plant she did. Her parents had a plot a of land next to the house, and Callie dug into the earth in hopes of finding the strength needed to cope. Her parents had always kept faith that God would pull them through the hard times. This is what Callie leaned on.
An annual town race held on Thanksgiving gives Callie hope when Henry participates in his first run. Linden is there, reliving his high school track days and he gets to kiss Callie on the cheek. Together, they cheer Henry on.
Best part of story, including ending: I liked the relationship between Callie and her dad.
Best scene in story: My favorite scene was Callie's joy over Henry making through surgery.
Opinion about the main character: I disliked that Callie was never able to take time for herself. She deserved to live a little.
The review of this Book prepared by C. Imani Williams a Level 13 Blue-Winged Teal scholar
Chapter Analysis of Words Get In The Way
Click on a plot link to find similar books!
Plot & Themes
Tone of book?
- very sensitive (sigh)
Time/era of story
- 2000+ (Present Day)
Romance/Romance Problems
- Yes
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Profession/status:
- blue collar
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 3 ()
United States
- Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Writing Style
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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QUOTED: "Overall it's a pleasant love story fit for a summer read."
Image of Summer Dance
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream, General Mainstream Fiction
Published:
May 30 2017
Publisher:
Kensington
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Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
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Series
Erotica
RT Review Source
RT Ratings Guide
5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
SUMMER DANCE
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
Continuing the story started in Nantucket, Rossiter revisits the New England island with a quiet look back at one woman's past with the man she loved. Some things just don't work well with this tale, such as structuring it as a (less-than-enthralling) memoir within a book. Sally's insistence on staying married even though she was breaking many other rules and commandments seemed insincere and more of a plot device than a conviction. Overall it's a pleasant love story fit for a summer read.
In the late 60s, Sally Ryan and Winston Cooper meet at a summer dance. Cooper has just come home from Vietnam and is scarred by his experiences. Sally has a tumultuous past which included a young marriage and a struggle to reinvent herself afterward. Cooper's nephew Liam is now raising his own son, and is curious about the relationship between Sally and his uncle. Sally writes a book detailing their relationship so that everyone who knew both of them will understand their love story. (KENSINGTON, Jun., 352 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Melissa Parcel
QUOTED: "The author's true grit and honesty is a real eye-opener, and readers will enjoy the different time frames."
Image of Firefly Summer
RT Rating:
Genre:
Mainstream
Published:
July 26 2016
Publisher:
Kensington
Buy Now!
Amazon:
Buy Now
Barnes & Noble: Buy Now
*This post contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and purchase an item from the vendor, we receive a percentage of the profit (even if you don't buy the item we've linked to). Thank you for supporting RT Book Reviews!
Book Reviews
All Genres
Top Picks!
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
Historical Fiction
Romantic Suspense
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Paranormal
Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
Young Adult
Inspirational
Mainstream
Science Fiction
Series
Erotica
RT Review Source
RT Ratings Guide
5 GOLD: Phenomenal. In a class by itself.
4 1/2: TOP PICK. Fantastic. A keeper.
4: Compelling. A page-turner.
3: Enjoyable. A pleasant read.
2: Problematic. May struggle to finish.
1: Severely Flawed. Pass on this one.
FIREFLY SUMMER
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
This captivating and emotional novel tells a heartwarming story about love lost and found, family secrets and a lot of truth. The author's true grit and honesty is a real eye-opener, and readers will enjoy the different time frames of flashbacks and future casts between the siblings and how they have grown. When tragedy strikes, we're not quite sure what happens in between; it takes more than several factors to digest everything. But, the four very different sisters are now well past their 50s, and it's amazing that their memories remain, as if the good ol' days in Cape Cod just happened yesterday. This is the perfect book club pick.
Cape Cod, summer of 1964, will forever be etched in the minds of the Quinn sisters. Sadly, that was the year the four sisters lost their brother who loved catching fireflies in a jar just as much as they did. Not much about their grief is spoken until they have all grown, married, divorced, etc. But, years later, as if etched in stone, the girls get together to discuss that night when their entire family and lives changed. Will their sisterhood grow stronger than it has ever been, or will they grow apart and try to forget those sweet, summer nights?
(KENSINGTON, Aug., 352 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Jaime A. Geraldi
QUOTED: "Rossiter’s latest is a moving story that could cause readers to shed a tear or two."
NANTUCKET
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
While the pacing feels slow in some areas and rushed in others, overall Rossiter’s latest is a moving story that could cause readers to shed a tear or two. In addition to the bumpy pacing issues, the hero’s laissez-faire acceptance of life-changing events seems a little unrealistic. Regardless, there are moments of pure gold in the story that will undoubtedly touch readers’ hearts. With wonderful characters and a charming idyllic setting, Nantucket does pack an emotional wallop along the lines of a good Kristan Higgins book.
After 25 years, Liam Tate has given up hope that he will ever see his teenage love Acadia McCormick Knox again. While attending an art show, Liam gets the surprise of his life when he sees Cadie there ... and the surprises keep on coming. In the weeks and months that follow, Liam will see his world get turned upside down, but the one constant will be his love for Cadie. (KENSINGTON, Sep., 326 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Susannah Balc
QUOTED: "It’s a meaningful tale, yet doesn’t seem to make it past the surface of things."
UNDER A SUMMER SKY
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
Continuing with the characters from the Gin and Chowder Club, Rossiter’s Under a Summer Sky explores other facets of their lives. It’s a meaningful tale, yet doesn’t seem to make it past the surface of things. There are many different storylines, but Rossiter never delves deep into the emotions caused by the various events.
Laney and Noah Coleman are looking forward to a busy summer on Cape Cod with their five boys. As the school year winds to a close, Laney reflects on her past and also worries about her youngest son, Asher, who is being bullied. Meanwhile, Noah has agreed to host the wedding of his brother, Micah, on their beach-front property — much to Laney’s dismay, as she wasn’t consulted first. Noah and Micah’s parents, Asa and Maddie, have some secret struggles of their own. (KENSINGTON, May, 352 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Melissa Parcel
QUOTED: "This truly inspirational tear-jerker will be remembered long after the last page."
MORE THAN YOU KNOW
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
Loosely connected to Rossiter’s previous novels, this tale is peopled with wonderfully intriguing characters, both two- and four- legged. The story within a story is moving: quite emotional with much sadness, but there’s also joy. This truly inspirational tear-jerker will be remembered long after the last page.
Her father died the day she was born. Now Alzheimer’s has taken her mother and Beryl Graham and her sisters, Isak and Rumer, are home to plan their mother’s service. Single Beryl anticipates her sisters’ arrival with the knowledge that, at 44, she may never share their experience of marriage and family. Rumer arrives first, struggling with the idea that her 23-year marriage may be ending. Isak is dealing with an empty nest. The discovery of a secret that their mother only shared with them after she is gone and a near tragedy will drastically change all their lives. (Kensington, May, 352 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Susan Mobley
QUOTED: "This story is dry. ... The romantic subplot is incomplete and lacks intensity."
WORDS GET IN THE WAY
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
There is no real connection between the main character and her son, her father, her love interest or anyone else she comes in contact with. This story is dry and it misses a great opportunity to give a more thorough, insider’s view of autism. The romantic subplot is incomplete and lacks intensity. Readers will be highly disappointed in this novel.
Callie returns home to be with her ailing father. Moving back into her childhood home with her now 3-year-old son Henry, she reminisces about how things used to be and the boy whose heart she broke. Linden, her ex-boyfriend, has spent the past few years pining after Callie and the love they once had. When he sees her again, old feelings resurface and the two make an effort to be in each other’s lives as adults. (KENSINGTON, Apr., 352 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
B. Nakia Garner
QUOTED: "not believable."
"Compounding this problem are bland and generally unlikable characters."
THE GIN AND CHOWDER CLUB
Author(s):
Nan Rossiter
This story focuses on the forbidden relationship between an 18-year-old boy and an older woman who’s married to a very close friend of his parents. Putting aside the creepiness of the fact that their love was apparently kindled before he turned 18, the reader never really gets to see why or how the lovers came to fall so “passionately” in love, making the entire story not believable. Compounding this problem are bland and generally unlikable characters.
Asa grew up on Cape Cod, and is loath to leave his childhood home for college — nor does he want to leave the woman he loves, Noelle, who just happens to be married to his parents’ best friend. Asa and Noelle may openly acknowledge their feelings for one another, but their sense of ethics won’t allow them to consummate the relationship. Eventually, of course, they do sleep together. Even after Asa leaves for college, they continue the affair with heartfelt letters and illicit encounters over the holidays. The relationship finally ends in tragedy without either character really learning a lesson or mending his ways. (KENSINGTON, Jun., 288 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Leah Hansen
Making Spirits Bright
Buy This Book
Ah, the holidays. That special time of year when women drive ourselves extra crazy to try and give those around us the perfect season. Of course, what truly makes the season perfect can’t be given: It is the companionship of friends, family, and even the kindness of strangers that make for the richest gifts. The latter can be in short supply during this trying time, but maybe that is what makes it extra sweet and special when we come across it.
Making Spirits Bright
- by Fern Michaels
Grade : D Sensuality : Kisses
Making Spirits Bright Fern Micahels, Elizabeth Bass, Rosalind Noonan, Nan Rossiter
Melanie McLaughlin determines that it is time to have a family, even if she doesn't have a man. But her first encounter with the adoption agency is anything but auspicious as elderly Mrs. Krause resembles nothing so much as a female version of Scrooge. Undaunted, Melanie determines to move forward and have kids for Christmas - if not this one, then the next. When she finds it will speed the adoption along to be married, she asks for help from friend Bryce Landry. Handsome, educated Bryce is all she has ever wanted in a man. He shares her love for skiing, they have the same loving friends, and get on well when together. Not to add that the heat between them definitely warms up the season. But can she be what he wants in a woman? Especially when she comes with adorable baggage?
Making Spirits Bright
Buy This Book
Ah, the holidays. That special time of year when women drive ourselves extra crazy to try and give those around us the perfect season. Of course, what truly makes the season perfect can’t be given: It is the companionship of friends, family, and even the kindness of strangers that make for the richest gifts. The latter can be in short supply during this trying time, but maybe that is what makes it extra sweet and special when we come across it.
Making Spirits Bright
- by Fern Michaels
Grade : D Sensuality : Kisses
Making Spirits Bright Fern Micahels, Elizabeth Bass, Rosalind Noonan, Nan Rossiter
Melanie McLaughlin determines that it is time to have a family, even if she doesn't have a man. But her first encounter with the adoption agency is anything but auspicious as elderly Mrs. Krause resembles nothing so much as a female version of Scrooge. Undaunted, Melanie determines to move forward and have kids for Christmas - if not this one, then the next. When she finds it will speed the adoption along to be married, she asks for help from friend Bryce Landry. Handsome, educated Bryce is all she has ever wanted in a man. He shares her love for skiing, they have the same loving friends, and get on well when together. Not to add that the heat between them definitely warms up the season. But can she be what he wants in a woman? Especially when she comes with adorable baggage?
Making Spirits Bright by Fern Michaels was the dark spot in this otherwise excellent anthology. Choppy writing, ridiculous situations and zero chemistry between hero and heroine made the story a chore to read. I am so sorry this story was the first in the book, it gives the impression that the whole thing might be bad when in fact the other tales are quite delightful .
Runaway Christmas
- by Elizabeth Bass
Grade : A- Sensuality : Kisses
Runaway Christmas by Elizabeth Bass is the highlight of this anthology. Teenager Erica was expecting the holidays to be a bit hard. Her mother's somewhat recent death and the living situation at her dad's just about guaranteed that. But she had hoped that her Aunt Laura would step up to the plate and make the season bright. No such luck since Laura's pregnancy has turned her into a raging Momzilla. Then the opportunity presents itself to surprise everyone in her family by visiting her Aunt Heidi in New York. Exuberant at the chance to escape all her worries back home, Erica heads to the Big Apple, looking for some Christmas cheer.
All Heidi Bogue wants for Christmas is a glass of wine and Avatar. Between starting her restaurant and testifying against her slime ex-boyfriend she had missed the blockbuster when it hit the big screen and plans to make up for lost time now. But a series of unfortunate events find her sharing her apartment with a yappity dog, cranky baby, and unexpected (but welcome) niece. When the power goes out, the family must take shelter elsewhere. Heidi's lonely, relaxing Christmas turns into an adventure of family, strangers, pets and the tentative blooming of a new romance.
This short story had all the things that make a holiday story great; Terrific characters, heart warming story, and skilled writing. I was completely enchanted by the tale, thrilled by the romance and sad when the story ended. I so wanted to spend some more time with these great people.
Home for Christmas
- by Rosalind Noonan
Grade : B Sensuality : Warm
Most of us long to be Home for Christmas. This tale by Rosalind Noonan lovingly invokes that longing and shows the joy of family and community during this special season.
Jo Truman has always been a hometown girl. Her small business and large family - not to mention her charming daughter - anchor her to the community she was raised in. When she finds out that the focal point of their town, the hub around which all of the other businesses run, is in danger, she springs into action. She is far less ready to spring into action with wounded soldier Sam Norwood. He is home for the holidays, but can he fit in her life for always? Can they work through their past to have a present and a future? Jo isn't sure but she does know she wants Sean to know that when he is with her, he has all the home he will ever need.
This is a sweet story of love lost and found. Jo as a single mom feels the weight of making responsible decisions for her daughter's future. She isn't sure where Sean fits in, but knows that he certainly fits with her. As the two try to work out just what being together will mean they find that love really is all that counts, during the holidays and throughout the year. While I found one decision Jo made regarding her finances rather incredible, for the most part this was a really good tale of your heart finding its home during the holidays.
Christmas on Cape Cod
- by Nan Rossiter
Grade : B Sensuality : Kisses
How patient are you when it comes to love? In Christmas on Cape Cod by Nan Rossiter, Maddie Carlson has waited forever for Asa Coleman to see her as more than a friend. As she helps him make the perfect holiday for his son Noah, she hopes that he can see how perfectly she fits into their lives. Their little family needs only her addition to make it complete. As they go through the rituals of the holiday - church services, live nativities, playing Santa and nursing a very special gift for a special boy - Asa does begin to see just what has been before him all along. Do they have the courage to move forward and grasp the happiness before them?
This is a nice friends to lovers story. Handled really well in both this tale and Home for Christmas is the importance of considering the kids when tackling a relationship that involves single parents. I appreciated the gentle and realistic way this was managed and the thoughtful way the single parent characters approached it. I also loved the depiction of Christmas in this story. It did a good job of capturing the unique rituals families form to help them celebrate this special time. Asa and Maddie are solidly written characters, well developed and very likable. I thoroughly enjoyed their story.