376th out of 1,229 books
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3,053 voters
Firefly Beach (Hubbard's Point/Black Hall series #1)
by
Luanne Rice (Goodreads Author)
Under the summer sky, anything is possible....
Author of the acclaimed novels Cloud Nine and Follow the Stars Home, Luanne Rice returns with another moving portrait of a family in crisis—as three sisters come face-to-face with the past and find in each other the courage to go on.
Coolly sophisticated and steadfastly single, Caroline Renwick has always been the sister everyon...more
Author of the acclaimed novels Cloud Nine and Follow the Stars Home, Luanne Rice returns with another moving portrait of a family in crisis—as three sisters come face-to-face with the past and find in each other the courage to go on.
Coolly sophisticated and steadfastly single, Caroline Renwick has always been the sister everyon...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
May 29th 2001
by Bantam
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Again I am trying to solve the mystery (to me) of why some books with painful subjects are palatable and even enjoyable while others rot in hopelessness. I have to say, the first half of this book almost, almost fit into the second category. But there was that mysterious element, small but there, that whispered book redemption. Which in the second half came through, making it a worthwhile read.
Love and caring in flawed characters is a necessary ingredient (for me) to "relate" to a book (and thi...more
Love and caring in flawed characters is a necessary ingredient (for me) to "relate" to a book (and thi...more
A story of family, a family that struggles with the past, present and future… but a family that loves…
Hugh and Augusta…. He a famous artist, she the understanding, supportive wife… with 3 daughters… Hugh regularly unfaithful (afterall he is an artist) and Augusta ignores it, she loves him so… and when she is pregnant with Skye, and Caroline is 5 & Clea is 3, the husband of his current amor comes to their house with the intention of taking from Hugh as he has taken from him… He holds a gun to...more
Hugh and Augusta…. He a famous artist, she the understanding, supportive wife… with 3 daughters… Hugh regularly unfaithful (afterall he is an artist) and Augusta ignores it, she loves him so… and when she is pregnant with Skye, and Caroline is 5 & Clea is 3, the husband of his current amor comes to their house with the intention of taking from Hugh as he has taken from him… He holds a gun to...more
A story of family, a family that struggles with the past, present and future… but a family that loves…
Hugh and Augusta…. He a famous artist, she the understanding, supportive wife… with 3 daughters… Hugh regularly unfaithful (afterall he is an artist) and Augusta ignores it, she loves him so… and when she is pregnant with Skye, and Caroline is 5 & Clea is 3, the husband of his current amor comes to their house with the intention of taking from Hugh as he has taken from him… He holds a gun to...more
Hugh and Augusta…. He a famous artist, she the understanding, supportive wife… with 3 daughters… Hugh regularly unfaithful (afterall he is an artist) and Augusta ignores it, she loves him so… and when she is pregnant with Skye, and Caroline is 5 & Clea is 3, the husband of his current amor comes to their house with the intention of taking from Hugh as he has taken from him… He holds a gun to...more
This is another good read from this author – one of my favorites. It’s not one of her best books, in my opinion, but it ranks up there above many other authors’ novels you can find on the market.
The book revolves around a suicide that happened when two of three sisters were little girls (the third sister wasn’t born yet). Now they are all grown up and about to come face to face with the son of the man who killed himself in front of them. Their mother is also one of the main characters and she wa...more
The book revolves around a suicide that happened when two of three sisters were little girls (the third sister wasn’t born yet). Now they are all grown up and about to come face to face with the son of the man who killed himself in front of them. Their mother is also one of the main characters and she wa...more
this book is not perfect, however, the mature, intense, powerful, story superseded all the criticism i could bestow. The author is sensitive to her characters feelings. None are portrayed as perfect or evil. All have their weaknesses and strengths exposed.
Its a completely absorbing book, very tragic but also blooming with hope. A beautiful family tale combined with intense, sparkling romance so full of chemistry that you'll be completely engrossed. I read it within 2 days. Loved it.
Its a completely absorbing book, very tragic but also blooming with hope. A beautiful family tale combined with intense, sparkling romance so full of chemistry that you'll be completely engrossed. I read it within 2 days. Loved it.
This story was excellent and emotionally engaging--I really enjoyed it. It centers around the relationships of a woman and her sisters, mother, and a boy she met through strange sad circumstances as well as how the past comes back to haunt and maybe free them. The editing and grammar were particularly poor, though. I don't want to say too much about the plot because I hate spoilers, but the story is good. I would give it a four or 4.5 for plot and a 2 for editing.
Luanne Rice books are always well-written and usually dark, and this is no exception. Artist's dysfunctional family struggles with a past filled with violence in the form of suicide and a hunting accident. The three sisters were forced to learn survival skills and to hunt after being held hostage in their own home by the wronged husband of their father's mistress. Alcoholism, domestic violence and attempted rape abound. A good read, though not an easy one.
Caroline and Joe are connected by a tragic death that changed both of their lives forever when they were five years and six years old. Caroline and her two sisters, Clea and Skye, and mother, Augusta, live on Long Island Sound in Connecticut. Caroline is now in her thirties when a treasure hunter appears in her inn. He is the long lost Joe. Their romance progresses along with his sunken treasure hunt.
Awful. Totally predictable. The ending was excruciatingly long and drawn out. The characters were hackneyed and stereotypical. An anti-alcohol diatribe. Even the poor dog was a weak character. Maybe I'd feel differently about this book if I'd have sisters, but this was just awful. My book club meets in two days to talk about this, and I'll be afraid to open my mouth, fearing someone actually liked it. Yuck.
This family drama is about how violence of violence impact the lives of two dysfunctional families. Rice shows how though love, new challenges and mutual support the characters come to grips with their past and are able to move forward. this is a good read with an interesting story that wraps up neatly at the end. It is a good enough book but not something I would revisit.
This was a terrible book. I listened to it on CD, and why I listened for as long as I did I am not sure. I was unable to even finish it. The book was annoyingly descriptive. "Her heart ached with love," etc. And the same phrases were used over and over again. There was very little depth to the plot of the story. It wasn't even a good "shallow" book. Not recommended.
I really love the way Luanne Rice develops her characters. They are not perfect, but so real. The book starts so sad with a suicide witnessed by two little girls. It starts a life long journey of the two families, and how they each deal with the tragedy. Include the normal crazy, difficult, and always loving relationship of three sisters, some alcoholism, and two brothers trying to connect and how can it be bad? Another day in a typical dysfunctional American family.
I just get swept up in her s...more
I just get swept up in her s...more
Quick and easy read I picked up from our building's basement laundry room bookshelf. For one of these types of books (heartfelt, family saga, a little romance thrown in), it was pretty good writing and somehow the last few chapters were a real boo-hoo festival. Sigh. I'm a sucker for guilt over dead relatives, I guess. I've not been in the mood for anything too challenging this year -- and this book fit that bill -- but I don't feel my time was wasted because who doesn't benefit from a little te...more
This is a pleasant book. Tragedy had changed the course of this family's life forever. The children coped better than their parents. The younger generation were able to forgive first, allowing the surviving parent to forgive. Eventually everyone moves forward.
It was pleasant, but could have been so much more.
It was pleasant, but could have been so much more.
What a great story about sisters who actually love each other and take care of each other.
It is hard to believe that in real life they would all be still living in the same town where
they grew up and one even living with their mother. A beautiful story. I loved reading.
With a couple of "bad" men thrown in just like real life.
It is hard to believe that in real life they would all be still living in the same town where
they grew up and one even living with their mother. A beautiful story. I loved reading.
With a couple of "bad" men thrown in just like real life.
I'm listening to this one on cd. Don't care much for the narrator's style and voice. So far, I'm getting the message that this is a romance novel. We'll see.
I finished listening and really liked the book. It is a romance, but the premise is different and includes treasure hunting and some family dynamics that are interesting.
I finished listening and really liked the book. It is a romance, but the premise is different and includes treasure hunting and some family dynamics that are interesting.
Jun 11, 2010
Alice
added it
I read this a few years ago and just noticed it wasn't on my list. I can't remember it well enough to give it a star rating. Also an easy "beach read."
I expected more than what was delivered in this book. It was very predictable and boring at times. I found myself only wanting to read the dialogue so that it would go faster. But then I thought, I might actually miss something. I liked the letters, but that was about it. I was surprised because Luanne Rice novels are usually better than this one.
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Luanne Rice is the author of thirty-one novels including the forthcoming THE LEMON ORCHARD (Viking/Pamela Dorman Books.) Five of her books have been made into movies and mini-series, twenty-two have been consecutive New York Times bestsellers and two of her pieces have been featured in off-Broadway theatre productions. Born and raised in Connecticut, she divides her time between New York City and...more
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“Clear nights are sometimes the coldest.”
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9 people liked it
“Sometimes it's more generous to take than give,
he said.
"How?" Caroline asked.
"To let the other person give you what he has to offer. If you're always the one giving, you never have to feel disappointed, because you don't expect anything in return. But it's miserly in its own way. Because you never leave yourself open or give the other person a chance.”
—
9 people liked it
More quotes…
he said.
"How?" Caroline asked.
"To let the other person give you what he has to offer. If you're always the one giving, you never have to feel disappointed, because you don't expect anything in return. But it's miserly in its own way. Because you never leave yourself open or give the other person a chance.”

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