The Night Before

Hubbard's Point/Black Hall #6.5

by Luanne Rice

A new short story by Luanne RiceOn the eve of a wedding by the edge of the sea, a once-in-a-lifetime storm sweeps through a family Christmas tree farm on the Connecticut Shoreline and sets in motion the events of The Night Before. New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice tells the powerful story of the young couple about to get married, a mother and daughter three thousand miles apart, and best friends who could never forget each other. Lydia Madison, an artist with a carefully guarded secret, opens her home and her heart to Danny Byrne (last seen in Silver Bells) and Sara Castillo. When the storm hits memories are cracked open, Lydia’s inspiration as an artist is revealed, and love and heartbreak intertwine. This brand new short story returns to the setting of Rice’s beloved Black Hall and Hubbard’s Point series of novels, and poignantly reveals that when there is love this deep there’s no such thing as time or distance. A rare treat from an acclaimed and treasured author.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Short Stories, Novella, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Holiday

27 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 9, 2014

About the author

Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-eight novels, translated into thirty languages. Rice often writes about love, family, nature, and the sea. Most recently she has written thrillers, including one based on a murder that affected her family. She received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award for excellence and lifetime achievement in the Literary Arts category.
Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the College’s Special Collections Library. They are archived in the Luanne Rice Collection.
Rice has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph University in West Hartford, Conn.
Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television. Her monologue for the play Motherhood Out Loud premiered at Hartford Stage and has been performed Off-Broadway in NYC and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Rice is a Creative Affiliate of the Safina Center. She lives in southeastern Connecticut.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with emotion, The Night Before by Luanne Rice is a beautiful short story that will leave you feeling good about life. New love, an upcoming wedding, a natural disaster and a friendship that has lasted through the years all play a part in this short, yet powerful story as a woman reflects on the past, the present and the future.

Luanne Rice has filled these few pages with a wealth of feeling and warmth. Her satellite characters are the filler to the musings of Lydia, who comes to terms with her life, her memories and what is truly important. Beautifully written, this is a story to be savored and enjoy the message it sends.

I received this copy from Luanne Rice in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: May 12, 2014
Publisher: Snowy Owl Productions, INC
ISBN: 9780692214411
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 24 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long- time fan of talented author, Luanne Rice, THE NIGHT BEFORE, is a compelling e-short story of Lydia Madison (artist) and Sara Castillo (expectant mother working the lemon orchards).

This poignant short e-book highlights Black Hall and Hubbard’s Point series of novels, and reiterates love can survive no matter the obstacles.

A storm sweeps through a Christmas tree farm on the Connecticut Shoreline where a couple met. Sara’s baby (Isabel) is now grown, which lives with Lydia, when she met Danny, a worker on Lydia's Christmas tree farm, she hired five years previous, who had grown up on a tree farm in Nova Scotia (SILVER BELLS).

Isabel had come to Connecticut, the previous year after her twentieth birthday---after Sara had asked Lydia to take her in, due to a misfortune. The couple fell in love and planned to be married.

On the eve of a wedding by the edge of the sea, a once-in-a-lifetime storm sweeps through a family Christmas tree farm on the Connecticut Shoreline and sets in motion the events of The Night Before. A powerful story of the young couple about to get married, a mother and daughter three thousand miles apart, and best friends who could never forget one other (a precious heartwarming story).

Having had the opportunity of reading THE LEMON ORCHARD (coming 5/27/14), which I highly recommend as a 5 star read--- her latest love story between two people (Julia/Roberto) from seemingly different worlds. (From Connecticut to Malibu).

SILVER BELLS---(Rice's classic novel)--On a quaint, snowy Chelsea street, librarian Catherine Tierney and a widowed Christmas tree seller from Nova Scotia rediscovered the magic of the season where they least expect it: in a chance encounter that leads to a holiday surprise of love and hope powerful enough to last a lifetime. (also a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie)

A beautiful and special read--full of memories!

http://judithdcollins.booklikes.com/p...

A special thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Veronica]

I don’t think this should be apart of the Hubbard Point Series. Black Hall maybe (the two merged somewhere along the way). These were brand new characters for me with no link to anything I’ve read from the series up to this point. It’s a cute, short, sweet story. Not long enough for a rating.

Started and finished same day. Only found on Amazon kindle

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short story. Would love to to see the story turned into a novel. Just love how the author tugs at your heart strings with the story line and the character development.

[Edwina Book Anaconda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply beautiful little short story that is both bitter-sweet and heart-warming.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful short story. Fell in love with the characters immediately! Want to know more of their story!!

[Kelly Ruggeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I would have found this before I read The Lemon Orchard.. Now there's only one of Rice's books I can't find.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually a short story, which I didn't realize. I am more into character and plot development.
"On the eve of a wedding by the edge of the sea, a once-in-a-lifetime storm sweeps through a family Christmas tree farm on the Connecticut Shoreline and sets in motion the events of The Night Before. New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice tells the powerful story of the young couple about to get married, a mother and daughter three thousand miles apart, and best friends who could never forget each other.
Lydia Madison, an artist with a carefully guarded secret, opens her home and her heart to Danny Byrne (last seen in Silver Bells) and Sara Castillo. When the storm hits memories are cracked open, Lydia’s inspiration as an artist is revealed, and love and heartbreak intertwine.
This brand new short story returns to the setting of Rice’s beloved Black Hall and Hubbard’s Point series of novels, and poignantly reveals that when there is love this deep there’s no such thing as time or distance. A rare treat from an acclaimed and treasured author." synopsis copied

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story that lends itself well to a sequel. It exemplifies the truth that friendship has no borders.

[krista Deichelbohrer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

Great story, just wish it was a novel. I recommend it for a very short. Love the monarchs mentioned. Love it.

[Elisabeth Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short read,but very good 👍

Love Luanne Rice
Always an enjoyable ending
This one was happy all the way through, even with the sad parts

[Sue Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHORT Story

Sweet short story. It gives a bit of the struggles of Mexican families and their effort to improve their lives. In the process there can still be finding love.

[Sue Deyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

No title

No reviews refuse to be told what to do.will not say more so there.repeat exams ,tire of making you feel happy.

[Donnajo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced novella.

[Sue Goldrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved a short story at just the right time for me.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely short novella. I enjoyed it and wanted more story.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

True love . . .

From beginning to now the love story continues. Thank you, Luanne Rice. Another good read in the Hubbard’s Point/Black Hall series.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful short story that I didn't figure out how it even fit in the series. Glad that it was very short.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice short story with a lot of surprises about a friendship that lasted for years. Learned a few things about framing.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short story but very good. I just wish it had been longer and more complete.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although rather short, this story packs a powerful punch. It is the story of Lydia Madison, an artist who befriended Sara Castillo, an expectant mother who lives and works in the lemon orchards during a summer study work/trip. Though they do not have a lot of time together, they forge a lifetime bond. This story focuses on the marriage between Sara’s daughter and the manager of Lydia’s family owned business, a Christmas tree farm in Connecticut. The story brings together the power of a natural disaster, the joy of memories of Lydia’s visit and the coming together of families who have arrived at the Christmas tree farm for the wedding. The story, though short as I said, is moving and heartfelt. My only regret is that it was so short, as I wanted it to go on and on. The characters, as usual for Ms. Rice, are well developed and the settings are described clearly and in depth. I have read most of her novels and love them all. I can now add this to that list. I think most readers who enjoy a good read will enjoy this one. I highly recommend it.

[Avid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick and significant read telling the stories of Lydia Madison and Sara Castillo. This book ties the stories of the Lemon Orchard from the past and Lydia’s current life on the Christmas tree farm. Quite a lot of information is buried within the pages of this novella. If you plan to read The Lemon Orchard, (which I highly recommend,) this novella will only enhance that story. If you are a Luanne Rice fan you will want to pick this book up. If you haven’t read her work yet, this is a great introduction to her writing skills and the characters in this series of books. I was blown away by how such an easy read pulled me in the way this one did.


5 stars to this beautifully descriptive and heartwarming read.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is the first book that I've ever read from Luanne Rice, an author I've been hearing a lot about.

It is the story of a wedding, of conjuring love. Lydia Madison is an artist. Many years ago, she met Sara Castillo on a trip to Mexico. Now, she must witness the wedding of Sara's daughter.

The plot may sound cheesy, but it is not. The strength of the book is not the wedding plot, but the story of Lydia's life, her past and how she copes with it now.

It's a peaceful and calm read with some deep inquisitions. I was surprised by the impeccable writing style of this author and how she sets the atmosphere of the narration.

I'm planning to read The Lemon Orchard soon because I really liked this one.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lydia's family have owned the Christmas Tree farm for generations and, on the night of the storm, she reminisces about the first time she met the bride-to-be's mother, Sara, in Mexico.

Sara's family picked lemons for a living in an orchard and Lydia was there as an artist. Sara was pregnant with her daughter. As their friendship blossomed, they realised that they had far more in common than they realised.

I was captivated by this beautifully written sweet short story full of love, friendships, natural disaster, family and loyalty.

Taken from my blog Carole's Book Corner

[Cas H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Before by Luanne Rice was a great story snippet which introduced you to Lydia, Sara, Danny and Isabel. It seems that Lydia and Sara had met years before and due to that friendship that had blossomed, Lydia has become a trusted friend, whom Sara depends on. I can't tell you too much about this short story without giving away the story so I will just tell you to take a chance, and read this little gem that Luanne Rice has entrusted us with.
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

[Ionia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not really one for short stories as there generally speaking, is a total lack of character development. In this case though, if you have read the author' previous works, you may recognise a face or two and that grounded this story.

This is a short, charming tale of love, loss and hope for the future, written with the usual tenderness you find in this author's works. I enjoyed the characters and think this would be a perfect read for a lunch break or a short commute.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Night Before" by Luanne Rice is a short story and was a freebie on Amazon. Though it's only about a couple of dozen pages, Rice doesn't disappoint and tells a rich and substantial tale about the friendship between two women that spans decades and onto the next generation.

If you're looking for a REALLY quick read that packs a punch, this golden nugget is your ticket to literary satisfaction. Four stars!

[Judy Lemaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reader of Luanne Rice

My first book by this author. Found it very different than what l usually read. Probably will add her to my list of books to read. As for my rating, as l stated this is my first Luanne Rice book, so have to see if she becomes one of my favorites. Not having read the previous books on these characters , l feel l should not judge it on its contents, but hopefully will when
l have read others......

[Shri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what the point off that was.

What was the point of that? I mean honestly, was it just to put words on paper? Was it the need to produce something, anything? I don't get it. The book wasn't bad, it was just pointless. Maybe I'm just not deep enough, but I really didn't get so much as a blip of purpose here. ahhh well.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this short story. Luanne Rice has long been one of my favorite authors. I was left wanting more of the story. Just as I settled in for the rest of the story it was over. I will have to find one of the other books this story is linked to. I received a free copy of this story from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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