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46th out of 317 books
—
512 voters
Full of Grace
by
Dorothea Benton Frank (Goodreads Author)
The move from New Jersey to Hilton Head, South Carolina, wasn't easy for the Russo family—difficult enough for Big Al and Connie, but even harder for their daughter Maria Graziella, who insists on being called Grace. At thirty-one and still, shockingly, unmarried, Grace has scandalized her staunchly traditional Italian family by moving in with her boyfriend Michael—who, th...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
March 27th 2007
by Avon
(first published May 1st 2006)
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I'm mulling this one over in my mind...an interesting mix of Charleston and Catholicism and not sure how I feel about it all. Give me a minute.
Okay, I've got it now. The reason I had such a hard time with writing an entry was because of the range of reactions I had to reading this. In one sense, I found it very much in the style of Dottie Frank, so it was like slipping into a comfortable pair of jeans. It's always interesting to me to see how she pops in local places and faces from Charleston. (...more
I really enjoyed this book because Grace was a fun and defiant character. There's tension between her and her parents, which is entirely reasonable (and realistic) over her boyfriend. This makes for a fun story, and then you have her dealing with her family and their traditional Catholic values.
Overall I had a good read, I was drawn in quickly and enjoyed the plot. I had high hopes for this book, but the ending dumped on all of that. Scientific thinking is thrown out of the window for miracles,...more
Overall I had a good read, I was drawn in quickly and enjoyed the plot. I had high hopes for this book, but the ending dumped on all of that. Scientific thinking is thrown out of the window for miracles,...more
Now that's Italian; thatsa Catholic! This is a review of the audio version of the book, and this is the first of Dorothea Frank's novels that I have read (or listened to). From what I have learned about the author, the story is a departure from Frank's previous Lowcountry novels, even though it is set in Hilton Head Island. The plot has more to do with a young woman of Italian heritage, tradition, religion, faith, Catholicism, and how Grace and her boyfriend deal with these issues. As someone wh...more
Oh dear! I have read several of D. B. Frank's books in the last month or so and this one is by far my least favorite. It was a bit sappy and reminded me a lot of Danielle Steel's writing style. The heroine in the story is totally unbelievable (at least for me) and somewhat contradictory, although I thought she was supposed to come off as being totally cool and "with it". It just didn't work for me. On the other hand, the book had some wonderful and interesting history involving Our Lady of Guada...more
I'm with Carly, my least favorite of Dorothea's books... the lowcountry setting is not evident enough to make me love it!!
This is a powerful novel that will either shake up your belief system or confirm that your faith is right where it needs to be. As a non-catholic, I will also say that it went a long way toward helping me understand some aspects of that faith. The author bravely deals with conflicts between the modern world and religious beliefs. I read this years ago but picked up the book on CD version recently to help pass the time as I drove back and forth for chemo treatments. I had forgotten that the book...more
My favorite by Dorthea Benton Frank! All her books make me feel like I am on vacation in Charleston!
Started out strong.....but really fizzled out in the last 1/4 of the book....became very annoying
This was another Book Group selection that I felt was an unfortunate piece of sappy drivel....(OK, Linda, why don't you say what you REALLY think!!)---a total waste of my time---just one step above a romance novel---super heavy on the preachy religion aspect and the "holier than thou" Southern Belle attitude.... After looking at my "read" book list, I realized that my Book Group had selected another of this author's books in December 2008 (The Christmas Pearl), and I didn't like that novel eithe...more
Overall, Full of Grace is like My Big Fat Breek Wedding but with a crazy cast of characters from a hard-core Italian Catholic family. Grace (the over-30 and seemingly content to still be unmarried daughter of this family) is and always will be Maria Graciella to her grandmother.
Add to this storyline Michael, Grace's live-in commitment-challenged boyfriend who is Irish, an agnostic and whose calling in life is doing stem cell research. He has never met Grace's family because he's neither Italian...more
Add to this storyline Michael, Grace's live-in commitment-challenged boyfriend who is Irish, an agnostic and whose calling in life is doing stem cell research. He has never met Grace's family because he's neither Italian...more
This book was surprising in many ways. Having read several books by this author, I was sure I would like this one as well. I did, but not the way that I expected.
The book starts with a rather mundane accounting of Grace's day-to-day life. She's living with her boyfriend, Michael, who is a research physician. On holidays, she visits her family—but without Michael who isn't welcome at her parent's home. Part of the reason is because he's using stem cells in his research and their Catholic doctrine...more
The book starts with a rather mundane accounting of Grace's day-to-day life. She's living with her boyfriend, Michael, who is a research physician. On holidays, she visits her family—but without Michael who isn't welcome at her parent's home. Part of the reason is because he's using stem cells in his research and their Catholic doctrine...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I bought this one on a whim, and it turned out to be a pretty good summer read. The main character has to reconcile her love for her staunchly Catholic family with the love of her life who is Irish, agnostic, and a stem-cell reasearch doctor. I enjoyed it mainly because I identified with the Italian family aspects. Catholics would especially enjoy it, in fact, I started to wonder if Dorthea Benton Frank was the Anita Stansfield of Catholicism. I guess that statement alone will make all my book g...more
I picked this book up for a dollar when a certain bookstore was going out of business - so I didn't have much invested in it. It was a nice read, but got very religious. However, it was told from a sceptic's point of view, and didn't feel like it was trying to convert anyone. Then suddenly it took a twist towards the end and everything just ended all neat and tidy. It was like the author got bored with the book at that point and just wanted to finish. Not a bad book, but I won't read it again.
One of those books to read while sunning by the pool or sitting on a lounge chair in the sand. I gave it four stars because I enjoyed the characters and could relate. Sometimes I was the Italian Catholic old world parents, sometimes I was the daughter, chafing under the watchful eye of great grandma and the saints. Enjoyed and related to the family dynamics, however the ending, although for me believable, unfolded a little too quickly and wrapped up a little too neatly for me.
This is a new author for me, and was recommended by a friend. I found this book to be light-hearted and enjoyable. I probably would have given it a 5 star rating, except that I was never really sure which direction the story line was going to go. I guess that can be seen as a positive, since it kept me wanting to read! The religious aspect got just a bit "heavy" at the end and took away from some of the humor that ran throughout the book. I am anxious to try another book by Dorothea Benton Frank...more
Oct 05, 2009
*Babs*
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Dram, Thriller etc
Recommended to *Babs* by:
Rusty
Shelves:
drama
I see a few did not rate the book well, but I have to differ. I rather enjoyed reading about Grace and her crazy family along with her wonderful boyfriend Michael. It makes you see how other families deal with certain issues that come their way and just how open some Catholics are. As a cancer survivor myself I could relate to Michael and Grace and their fears and joys. I am also Lutheran and can relate to some of the Catholic was as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good l...more
I should have read the reviews before picking up the audiobook. The story and writing weren't bad at all but when it began to turn toward spiritual matters, I lost interest. Combine that with a spoiler comment in the Goodreads reviews and I didn't hesitate to hit the 'eject' button.
Up until then it was good for background noise - but I don't really remember much that made me think or made me smile.
Up until then it was good for background noise - but I don't really remember much that made me think or made me smile.
I choose to listen to this book because I had some projects to complete. The author was challenging readers to question their own faith and their relationship with established churches. One question that was asked was, "Did growing up in a church turn you off to a church as an adult?" I found this book very fun to get lost with. I enjoyed the writing style of this author.
Another book by Dorothea Benton Frank, and another enjoyable read. This one seemed different from her others to me, but it could have been the subject. It was just a tad slow in spots, but in the end, I really did like it.
This book follows Grace Russo, the only daughter in a big New Jersey Italian family, who moves to Charleston when her parents decide to relocate to Hilton Head. She's - gasp - in her 30's, unmarried, living with an man who is not Italian, and pursuing her career as a travel age...more
This book follows Grace Russo, the only daughter in a big New Jersey Italian family, who moves to Charleston when her parents decide to relocate to Hilton Head. She's - gasp - in her 30's, unmarried, living with an man who is not Italian, and pursuing her career as a travel age...more
I loved the sassy, sarcastic style. The depiction of the Italian-American family culture is spot on. I know this family! I laughed aloud at the dialogue several times as I listened to the audio version while driving. Unfortunately, it slipped into sappiness as the religious theme emerged. Then, it became preachy. Such a waste of great characters.
Quick, good read but not my favorite of Frank's novels. Has very explicit Christian/Catholic messages and the main dilemmas in the book are all tidly solved and wrapped with a bow in the end. But I do love Frank's characters and the ones in this book are unique compared to the typical low-country/Charleston types that permeate her other books.
This book started out with a good solid storyline -- of a woman with an interesting job and a crazy family and loving boyfriend. Then the author completely lost me with the religious -- and unrealistic -- tone of the final quarter or so of the book. Couldn't wait for it to end, and, in fact, probably skimmed the final few pages.
As always, I prefer unabridged audios, but this seemed to be a good abridgement. I seem to be the only Southerner not in love with DBF, so I was happy finally to read one I enjoyed. If I had read the entire book... and if I were Catholic (so I would have a heads-up about some of these saints), I would probably give it a 5.
Some books you read, others you listen to on CD - Full of Grace is one of those books that is great no matter how you get the story. I just finished the Audio Book version - it's the funny, touching novel about Grace Russo, a transplanted Jersey girl now living in South Carolina, at odds with the traditional Catholic faith her deeply Italianparents and grandmother (Nona) are so devoted to.... this is the story of Grace, her boyfriend Michael (with whom she is "living in mortal sin," much to her...more
I had to give up on this one. The characters were flat, the story line completely boring, family interactions were unnecessarily nauseatingly drawn out. The theme of miracles, esprcially relating to the Catholic church, was insultingly simplistic and not at all believable or captivating. I rarely give up on books, but this one was BAD!
I love Dorthea Benton Frank books because they are stories from the south. I love to hear about all the cities around me.
This book was a great love story that had your usual family troubles in it.
The only thing I found about this book is that it was too focused on religion at the end.
This book was a great love story that had your usual family troubles in it.
The only thing I found about this book is that it was too focused on religion at the end.
I really enjoyed this book! Maybe its because I lived in South Carolina, but the story wrapped around me in such a way that I found myself engrossed. It was a fantastic story about a true faith conversion. It also conquered some of the more interesting things about growing up and keeping (or not) the faith. I recommend this book as a great read!
Reading this one now....the travel adventures of the main character are fun, and the characterization of her family members, especially Nonna, reminds me so much of my family. Her boyfriend was just diagnosed with a brain tumor, so the story is taking a turn...
Ms. Frank writes about Charleston, SC and the people there. I enjoy her stories so much. I have been to Charleston a few times and find it a fascinating place. She is a great writer for light, entertaining, escape type stories. Women are always her main characters and they always end up learning so much about themselves by the conclusion of her tales. I love the southern culture and especially the southern "beach" culture. It's a world unto it's own and so fun to read about. It's always enjoyabl...more
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Dorothea Benton Frank is the New York Times best selling author of ten novels.
Dottie has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk and many local network affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library org...more
More about Dorothea Benton Frank...
Dottie has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk and many local network affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library org...more
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Oct 20, 2010 09:47am