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Leaving Before It's Over
From the author of The Space Between Before and After comes a compelling novel that explores the true meaning of family.
When Roy Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love--a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie R...more
When Roy Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love--a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie R...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
August 10th 2010
by William Morrow Paperbacks
(first published July 25th 2010)
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This was a $2 remainder at Big Lots during a recent period of travel to a small town where there were no good bookstores... And so, it helped me pass the time on my way home, especially during a three hour layover in Baltimore. (can't stand not to have a stash of books packed while traveling and often need to search out extra reads. No, I have not made the switch to an e-reader yet....)
In the opening chapter, readers meet Lola Vines, age 16. Time and setting: late spring of 1976, rural North Ca...more
In the opening chapter, readers meet Lola Vines, age 16. Time and setting: late spring of 1976, rural North Ca...more
I found this story on Barnes and Noble’s Free Book Friday blog.
Leaving before It’s Over is heart wrenching story of a son separated from his own family due to a wide variety of circumstances, one being that of thankless parents, whose only love and affections are toward the other son who has decided to make the family business his ambition.
Roy Vines separated himself from his family some 18 years ago and now lives happily hours from his parents in a sleepy town with loving wife and two daughter...more
Leaving before It’s Over is heart wrenching story of a son separated from his own family due to a wide variety of circumstances, one being that of thankless parents, whose only love and affections are toward the other son who has decided to make the family business his ambition.
Roy Vines separated himself from his family some 18 years ago and now lives happily hours from his parents in a sleepy town with loving wife and two daughter...more
I picked this book up because the summary on the back cover made it sound very compelling, (I know better then falling for that but this time I did), especially with the following: "As bad blood threatens to destroy her family, Rosalind must make a difficult choice. Should she walk away -like Roy once did- for love, or try to mend wounds that may never be healed?" Unfortunately, I have no idea what choice this was and I've finished the book!
I tried to like this book even though it dragged, and I...more
I tried to like this book even though it dragged, and I...more
It was simply an OK book. I wanted to break from my usual genres of reading and try this book. A contemporary family drama.
I found this book:
highly repetitive
Melodramatic
Maudlin
Unrealistic in its dialogue
Poorly plotted
Soap Opera-ish
Poorly edited
The good would be that it evidently impressed a publisher enough to get published and that it seems a lot of people here really liked it. So maybe it just didn't appeal to me and for that I will say it is an OK read.
And I just have to further air my main...more
I found this book:
highly repetitive
Melodramatic
Maudlin
Unrealistic in its dialogue
Poorly plotted
Soap Opera-ish
Poorly edited
The good would be that it evidently impressed a publisher enough to get published and that it seems a lot of people here really liked it. So maybe it just didn't appeal to me and for that I will say it is an OK read.
And I just have to further air my main...more
From my book review blog Rundpinne .
"Family, secrets, and choices, Leaving Before It’s Over by Jean Reynolds Page explores the complex dynamics that make up the Vines family. Lola and Janie Ray Vines grew up believing their father’s parents were dead, and had no idea they had an Uncle Montgomery until the summer their mother Rosalind became ill and money was desperately needed. Roy Vines hitched his way to Gray’s Hollow to beg money from his parents and strikes a deal with his parents and his t...more
"Family, secrets, and choices, Leaving Before It’s Over by Jean Reynolds Page explores the complex dynamics that make up the Vines family. Lola and Janie Ray Vines grew up believing their father’s parents were dead, and had no idea they had an Uncle Montgomery until the summer their mother Rosalind became ill and money was desperately needed. Roy Vines hitched his way to Gray’s Hollow to beg money from his parents and strikes a deal with his parents and his t...more
Mar 29, 2013
Gina
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
chick-lit,
contemporary-fiction,
brothers,
drama,
family,
health,
historical-fiction,
medical,
published-2000-s,
relationships,
siblings,
southern-fiction,
library,
kindle,
2013,
book-club,
ccc-club,
challenges-2013,
child-abandonment,
criminal-charges,
death-parent,
death,
family-dysfunction,
fathers,
grief,
love,
marriage,
psychology,
psychology-men-s,
romance,
reviewed,
self-actualization,
school-setting,
sisters,
sociology,
stepfamilies,
teen-issues,
true-love,
twins,
women-s-fiction
Goodreads Description- When Roy Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love--a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie Ray.
But their happiness is threatened when Rosalind suddenly falls ill. Desperate to get her the help she needs, Roy does the one thing he swore he'd never do--turn to his heartless and bitter identical twin brother, Mont,...more
But their happiness is threatened when Rosalind suddenly falls ill. Desperate to get her the help she needs, Roy does the one thing he swore he'd never do--turn to his heartless and bitter identical twin brother, Mont,...more
Apr 07, 2013
Liz
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Liz by:
bn free fridays
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I downloaded this book through Barnes & Noble's "Free Friday" promotoon and thought it would be a nicee change of pace.from what I was currently reading.
Set in the hills of North Carolina and Virginia, at a time when Kodak Instamatics were new, the story revolves around the Vines family. It's the end of the school year, and 16-year-old Lola is worried about her future and her mother. Her father left suddenly and her mother won't come out of her bedroom.
Fortunately, the story did not follow t...more
Set in the hills of North Carolina and Virginia, at a time when Kodak Instamatics were new, the story revolves around the Vines family. It's the end of the school year, and 16-year-old Lola is worried about her future and her mother. Her father left suddenly and her mother won't come out of her bedroom.
Fortunately, the story did not follow t...more
I really liked this book and would recommed reading it. The only thing that I would have liked would be a better ending.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
For a Barnes & Noble "Free Friday" selection, this book was better than most. Usually I have to force myself to finish one, but this one I actually enjoyed reading. I did think the main characters were a little TOO insightful and able to articulate their feelings -- not very believable. The point of view changes from paragraph to paragraph -- sometimes from sentence to sentence within a paragraph -- and it's pretty vague as to when the story takes place. I think it's set in the 1970s, but th...more
From the book synopsis:
"When Roy Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love -- a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie Ray.
But their happiness is threatened when Rosalind suddenly falls ill. Desperate to get her the help she needs, Roy does the one thing he swore he'd never do -- turn to his heartless and bitter identical twin brother, M...more
"When Roy Vines married his wife, Rosalind, he traded his family and his inheritance for love -- a painful choice that has blessed them with years of joy nestled in rural North Carolina with their beautiful daughters, sixteen-year-old Lola and little Janie Ray.
But their happiness is threatened when Rosalind suddenly falls ill. Desperate to get her the help she needs, Roy does the one thing he swore he'd never do -- turn to his heartless and bitter identical twin brother, M...more
I loved the simplicity of this book. Growing up in the south, things really do move as slowly as depicted in this novel. Extravagant lives are unnecessary. Finding a family that relishes family time and just being together was great for my soul. I identified with the characters, and their growing pains, and I liked that every character grew during the novel. That's a huge sticking point for me when I read. Know your characters, own them, become them. This book did this. I only gave it four stars...more
I got this book from my mom, and I really enjoyed it. It kept me hooked and was entertaining. I enjoyed the realistic family history: that not all families are perfect. Although only a small part of the book, I enjoyed two of the characters (Sherry and Luke) having vasovagal syncope, a diagnosis I received nearly four years ago. When people see me pass out or black out, it seems strange to them that I am really okay, as long as I don't hit my head while falling. I appreciate the author taking ti...more
Sep 22, 2010
Headacheslayer
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Headacheslayer by:
First Reads
Leaving Before It's Over is a sweet, gentle, heartwarming novel that shows us how our choices in life--good or bad--affect others in ways we can't predict.
Roy Vines and his family are managing a content life in a small time when his wife is struck down by a serious illness. With a new interstate diverting traffic away from the town and his business, Roy must do the unthinkable--go to his estranged parents and brother and ask for money to save his wife's life.
The catch--a 17 yr old boy who thinks...more
Roy Vines and his family are managing a content life in a small time when his wife is struck down by a serious illness. With a new interstate diverting traffic away from the town and his business, Roy must do the unthinkable--go to his estranged parents and brother and ask for money to save his wife's life.
The catch--a 17 yr old boy who thinks...more
Rating 4 cups
A very well written and wrenching tale told from three split points of view, Leaving Before It’s Over is a story of family and the choices we make and how they affect who we become. In heartwarming and riveting prose, this storyteller has characters that are so real you can almost hear them breathing. A good family drama with an interesting plot.
Virginia
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
A very well written and wrenching tale told from three split points of view, Leaving Before It’s Over is a story of family and the choices we make and how they affect who we become. In heartwarming and riveting prose, this storyteller has characters that are so real you can almost hear them breathing. A good family drama with an interesting plot.
Virginia
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
I won this book as a first-reads giveaway. I thought it was okay. There was nothing spectacular about it. I didn't learn anything new, there weren't any unexpected twists or surprise endings and there was nothing really interesting or unique about it. It was completely predictable. Most of the characters were unrealistically perfect. And at the end the author gets you all geared up for some big surprise from the wife/mother, Rosalind that will supposedly save the day, but then just lets it flop....more
This is a coming of age story about a family in crisis that has to turn estranged family for help. But that help has a price. How far are they willing to go?
This book was a good story full of flawed characters that made mistakes, but in the end, truly understood what made them happy. I enjoyed the parallel between Lola and Duncan's relationship and Lola's parents' relationship when they were younger. It was nice to see parents who remembered what it was like to be young and in love.
The story its...more
This book was a good story full of flawed characters that made mistakes, but in the end, truly understood what made them happy. I enjoyed the parallel between Lola and Duncan's relationship and Lola's parents' relationship when they were younger. It was nice to see parents who remembered what it was like to be young and in love.
The story its...more
I liked this free Nook book. It was an easy read and managed in its pages to address truth versus honesty, love versus toleration (I like that new word), and describes the kind of family that exists only in fiction. There was even a bit of mystery. Did I forget to mention the drugs and alcohol? See, it has it all. Sweet little book about a family that is facing a very difficult time and manages to make it through the battle without winning each and every fight.
YAY! I finally finished!! It DID keep my interest all the way thru! This family could have been anyone's neighbors, living down the road! Definitely liked the departure into a different kind of book for me! Loved it!
Previous update for this book~~>>((Even tho I have put this book aside for a few more days, I will definitely go right back to this one. Different from the books I've been reading, but I am enjoying the change. Anxious to get back into it, and see if it will hold my interest al...more
Previous update for this book~~>>((Even tho I have put this book aside for a few more days, I will definitely go right back to this one. Different from the books I've been reading, but I am enjoying the change. Anxious to get back into it, and see if it will hold my interest al...more
This was a wonderful novel of how family secrets can tear a family apart and the rebuilding process that happens when a child is stuck in the middle. I found that Jean Reynolds Page has wonderful character development with all of the characters in this book. I found myself taking sides in the book and hoping that my side, the good side, would prevail in the end.It's amazing what a caring adult can do for a child in need!
Good book, great story, great characters, but it ended just too abruptly. Could be because on the Nook it said it had 50 more pages, but that was all other stuff and I didn't realize that, but still, it just seemed like it needed more closure than it gave, or you wanted more. Definitely worth the read, lots of "oh my" or "are you freakin' kidding me" moments, lol. And for a Free Friday Nook book, well worth the price, lol!
This is a good book revolving around the true meaning of family. I really liked the storyline however I could not get emotionally involved with the characters. With the exception of Roy's twin brother, Mont, and their parents, the remainder of the "cast" were way too nice and forgiving! That was a little unrealistic to me which at times made the book a little boring. I do recommend the book, though, as it is an easy read and has a few interesting twists to the story. I would like to read The Spa...more
Ok so this book had good intentions the story line was good. However when reading it my boom said it had 50 more pages to go and what do u know it just ended without knowing it was going to end. The title of this book makes no sense and the ending sucks. Nothing gets accomplished nothing big happens. Leaves u thinking what the heck that was stupid. Liked the authors writing though and like able characters
Disclaimer - Free Fridays ebook from B&N
A good look into a few weeks of a family's life. Of course you can't just take a peek at a family and understand all that is happening, you get their history, their likes/dislikes/etc.
A story about a strong man and his wife and how they deal with adversity and how they raise their children even with a past that isn't good or nice. I enjoyed this very much.
A good look into a few weeks of a family's life. Of course you can't just take a peek at a family and understand all that is happening, you get their history, their likes/dislikes/etc.
A story about a strong man and his wife and how they deal with adversity and how they raise their children even with a past that isn't good or nice. I enjoyed this very much.
I didn't really enjoy this book. The story is somewhat formulaic and it didn't really draw me in. The characters all seem the same, really - no matter the age everyone has the same "voice" and can reason and debate just the same as everyone else. It was a quick read, and while I didn't have to force myself to get through it, I just wasn't ever invested in the characters or the story outcome.
I enjoyed this quite a bit, though it was far from a perfect novel for me.
I only found out when reading the Author's Notes that the novel took place in 1976. That would have been useful to know and I probably would have liked it better had I realized it. As it was, I just thought the characters were a bit too "small town" and old-fashioned.
I will be reading more books by this author.
I only found out when reading the Author's Notes that the novel took place in 1976. That would have been useful to know and I probably would have liked it better had I realized it. As it was, I just thought the characters were a bit too "small town" and old-fashioned.
I will be reading more books by this author.
Roy and Mont are twins who went their separate ways after Roy divorced his 1st wife Sherry. Mont and the rest of the family delight in being miserable and dragging everyone else down with them including Luke who is either Roy's son or nephew depending on the persons point of view. Interesesting story with the usual family dynamics at work.
This was most definitely one of the best free friday books from my nook. Well written. I kept coming back to it out of all the books I have started. Something haunting about it. Good, strong characters. A story of family secrets and complicated relationships. Some readers complained about an abrupt end and I appreciated the heads up. But really I thought the time line of when it ended made sense. And if there is a lesson or a thought to linger over it's left to the reader. I like that.
I couldn't finish it...I couldn't even get halfway through! Each chapter was just a few minutes in each character's life, jumping to a different character in every chapter. This writing style is too jarring for me. I feel like it's an interesting concept for a story, but there wasn't enough character development or sense of urgency to be found.
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Mar 26, 2013 08:54pm