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Jun 02, 2010

Kate rated it:

Beach read--breezy, not substantial. The setting, which is, in fact, a beach town, is described beautifully. The character development is not as well done. Two sisters return home (where mom & a 3rd sister live & run a bookstore). The town is buzzing with the anniversary of the store/historic home, which is being marked with a week of celebratory events. One man returning is the guy two of the sisters were in love with the last time they saw him, back when they were in their late teens. (T More...

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Jun 24, 2010

Felina rated it:

Once again I sit here with eggs on my face. This book comes from a genre that I have publically loathed and snubbed. I am the fantasy/sci-fi chick who looks down at girls who spend their time reading 'stupid chick lit drivel’. I think I have good reason to dislike romance books. I think they put unfair and impossible standards on men to which they can never achieve and make ALL women feel inadequate. I mean, if your man won’t fly across the world and bust into your office during the year end mee More...

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Jul 31, 2009

Mary rated it:

I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. I think it's a good vacation read. Funny how I've gravitated that way lately. No actual beach vacation for us this year so I'm reading books about people who live at the shore! I liked the author's writing. Having 6 sisters, I think Patti Callahan Henry did a great job portraying the Sheffield sisters' relationships with each other. It may have gotten a little dramatic and intense at times but that was believable as well. Another aspect of the no More...

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Feb 13, 2010

Katie rated it:

Sweet little story, nothing special. The ending wrapped everything up in a neat little bow. I made the following post about two chapters into the book, and my feelings remain the same after completing it:

So far, the dialogue in this book is kind of awkward and the story already seems a bit cliched and overly melodramatic. Writing style=only meh.

Reasons I have to read it anyway:
1) Cozy little beach town setting ftw. (I want to live in a beach town way too badly More...

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Jul 30, 2011

Anne added it

I did not enjoy this book. It was an easy, quick, light read, which I think it what the author intended. But I thought the writing was so lazy that it became a distraction from the story. The dialogue was unnatural, and reminded me of pre-teen books I used to read growing up. In addition, some elements of the story just did not make sense - such as the large age gap between the mother and youngest daughter.

Because of the distraction of the writing, I never really felt attached to the charact More...

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Aug 14, 2011

Cathy rated it:

Ok, I would rate this three-and-a-half stars, but I think I consistently round down on here. I read Driftwood Summer today. The whole book. It moved extremely quickly, in part due to the simplicity of the characters, partially because of the predictability of the plot, and partly due to Patty Callahan Henry's smooth writing style. I definitely enjoyed the story, but I'm pretty sure it will blend into every other Lowcountry chick lit novel I've read, within a few weeks. The characters are mi More...

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Jul 18, 2009

Justin rated it:

Wow, this was a fabulous read! I settled in this evening for a nap, but instead found myself unable to put the book down until it was finished. I started it yesterday morning and by this evening I had completed my reading with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.

The sisters struggle to overcome some past issues in the beginning only to reveal a beautiful bond. Henry shows the reader that family really can come together and overcome anything. Not only that but she also shows More...

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Sep 10, 2011

Tiffany rated it:

This was a book I just couldn't put down because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The characters were so beautifully created; they were very vivid and real to me. I found myself instantly drawn into the story, mostly for Riley. I enjoyed Maisey too, but I found her to still be very young and immature throughout most of the story. This was a wonderful book about connections, family, realtionships and letting go of the present so you can live in the future. However, the story a More...

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Jul 30, 2009

Tiffany rated it:

I typically don't give 5 stars to a book, but I couldn't resist! The book is about the relationship of three sisters and their mother. One sister runs the family owned bookstore in a summer town. A week of special events is held to try to save the bookstore from being sold. The book made me want to open my own bookstore/coffee shop even more! I also wish I had more money to buy a lake home! I liked the way the author dedicated each chapter to one of the two sisters. It gave the reader more infor More...

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Dec 11, 2009

Kathleen rated it:

Looking back at childhood, adolescence, first loves, terrible decisions from the perspective of a thirty something sounds like it's been done before. Throw in the setting of a bookstore, which serves as the hub of a southern Georgia town and the heart of a family trying to find itself again, and this book held my attention. While I had a sense of how things would end, I have to admit the hopeful spirit, the respect for family ties and old friends, and civility remain benchmarks for ways to liv More...

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Sep 07, 2011

Miranda rated it:

Driftwood Summer is the story of three sisters, all raised in small beach side town where people flock every summer to get away from their busy city lives. Although they were all raised there, the oldest, Riley, is the only one permanently living there, along with her son Brayden. The two live over the bookstore that Riley and her mother own. Maisy ran away from the sleepy little town twelve years ago, and the youngest sister, Adalee, has been busy at college.

But now it's the bookstor More...

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Jun 02, 2010

Leann rated it:

Review: "Driftwood Summer" by Patti callahan Henry

Pages:357

Description:

An engaging novel of sisters, from the acclaimed author who “writes movingly about love and family and the voyage we all take to discover what we really value.”(The Island Packet)Three sisters— responsible Riley, vivacious Maisy, and fun-loving Adalee—reunite to save the family’s beach-community bookstore. But summer also marks the return of Mack Logan, whose choice of Mais More...

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Jan 24, 2010

Amy rated it:

This book is centered around Driftwood Cottage Bookstore, three sisters who haven't seen each other in many years, and their mother who has been recently diagnosed with cancer. The girls are planning a party to commemorate their mother's birthday and help save the bookstore. I loved imagining what the bookstore looked like even picked the bookgroup I wanted to join (the cooking group). I would recommend this book as a good summer read.

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Sep 10, 2011

Nancy rated it:

This was a fairly light but satisfying read, again about sisters and their bond and how a family pulls together when there is a trial and illness...Of course too, a romance and all taking place in a historic home in lowcountry that is also the town's bookstore....Enjoyed this book alot , my second one read of this author. I love how she writes of Lowcountry. I was there in Edisto Beach when I read this.

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Jul 21, 2011

Allison rated it:

Very chic lit summer beach read. Story centers around a bookstore that is in financial trouble. The bookstore is a family run business in a small beach town. Very much a family story about three sisters and their mother and the constant struggle to keep that family dynamic. I enjoyed this book and liked the way the author brought everything back together in the end.

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Aug 21, 2011

Teresa rated it:

A quick and easy read that left me wishing I actually owned a bookstore on the beach. Someone else had commented that the book reminded them of the adolescent books they use to read. Maybe that was why I liked it. It did remind me of the books I use to read as a teenager during the lazy days of summer when I had no other cares in the world.

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Jun 26, 2009

Charlotte rated it:

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot.com...

I couldn't resist. The synopsis looked so appealing. A family owned bookstore in a small beach resort town in the south. Three sisters gather to help save the family bookstore and celebrate their mother's milestone birthday.

Sadly enough, the book just didn't grip me. The sisters seemed genuine, but could their seventy year old mother REALLY given birth to the youngest sister, who is only 22?

Things like that d

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Aug 05, 2011

Lynne rated it:

I normally like light reading. This is an enjoyable and easy read. But there is so much more going on. The relationships, dealing with choices and consequences, hope, love, and everything else. The characters mature and realize things that help them become happier and more mature. Really good book.

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Aug 04, 2011

Sarah added it

Really loved this book and would recomend it to anyone who loves to read. The main character owns a bookstore and I don't know about you but I could spend hours in bookstores so I thought this book was pretty good. The story illustrates the family bond of trying to save a family business.

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Sep 13, 2010

Kelsie rated it:

A story about three estranged sisters that reunite to try and save the beloved family bookstore. This was my first book by Patti Callahan Henry and I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't too predictable and the characters were all likeable. The setting was a nice little seaside town that you couldn't help but want to visit. A good choice for those with a love of books, first loves and sisterhood.

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Jul 09, 2009

Michaela rated it:

This was a predictable story - so what. I had the plot figured out, but wasn't completely certain that it would happen, and so I was crossing my fingers. The characters were real and relatable. It was a great, easy, summer read. It will probably never be considered to be "literature" but it is an enjoyable book.

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Sep 08, 2009

Betty rated it:

Loved this book; first time to read this author, but will read more. Three sisters converge back home to help their mom with the bookstore ...... several stories going on, and enjoyed all of them and liked the ending. Finished the book in a day. Reminds me of Nicholas Sparks' writing.

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Jun 19, 2009

Kris rated it:

I've read all her novels, and they had been getting consistently better and better until this one. The story was just okay and some of the dialogue (which is generally one of her strong points) was pretty weak and awkward at times. Still read it over 36 hours but it's not her best.

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Jul 21, 2010

Shelley rated it:

This was the last book I read before the one I'm on now. It's such a wonderful southern story of a family and sisterhood! It's a heartfelt story and you'll finish the book wanting to go to the beach of course and you'll be happy with the book's outcome for sure!

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Jun 16, 2009

Toni rated it:

I enjoy this lowcountry writer .Good beach read about three sisters - their loves, misunderstandings and the the events of one summer that change their feelings about each other and family. Some of the results seem too simple and life is not simple yet it is a feel good read about sisters and how our interactions with our family members shape us.

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Aug 04, 2010

Jennifer rated it:

This was definitely a good summer book club read. Had all the elements that make it fun to read; a book store on the beach that hosts endless book clubs and three sisters and a mom who have to come to terms with love and lost love and family relations.

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Jul 07, 2009

Mary Lou rated it:

For a southern "chic" book I like this book. This is the second book I have read by Patti Callahan Henry and both are set in a beach environment. This story is about a book store. Two of my favorite places; bookstores and beaches so this book is a winner for me. Easy read!

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Jul 20, 2011

Jen rated it:

A re-uniting of 3 very different sisters in their hometown with their overbearing mother. I enjoyed the story and how the sisters initially seemed to fit into neat stereotypes, but as the book progressed so did the depth of the characters.

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Sep 02, 2009

Jeannie rated it:

I wish I could have given this book 6 stars. It was GREAT!! Any Mother of daughters, a sister, or even a woman should LOVE this book. It is a story about 3 sisters and their mother, their lives when they were younger, and as they are now. I couldn't put it down. Taking place in the South adds to it too.

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Aug 03, 2009

Sara rated it:

A good, quick summer read. The setting is perfect for sitting with your feet in the sand;I read it on the beach in about a day. I enjoyed the use of flashback scenes to keep the exposition moving. Not my normal genre, but enjoyable.

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