thank you LolaLadybird sooooo glad you enjoyed it.

i know its not a classic but still very enjoyable IMO.
thank you

Hi Aristocat. Book arrived from Mrs Muddle this morning and I have already finished it! (To explain, I have tonsilitis and my star of a mother took both DC's off my hands for the day. Having the book to read really took my mind off my v sore throat).

Well I really, really enjoyed it - I know it was very, very sweet and not a literary work of art - but it worked for me just fine. Gad, did I cry though - a combination of the story and feeling under-the-weather I think!

Also, really surprised to see that it had been written by James Patterson. I had read Kiss the Girls and another one I think and this is a v different type of book.

Will be interesting to see what you think of my book when it comes your way. It's not similar in storyline or setting at all but it has also been described as being a bit one-dimensional, easy to predict etc. I think you either like that kind of book or not and erm, I seem to!

I've just finished it! I have read a book by him before (Mary, Mary it was called, I think) and it was a real psychological thriller that scared me half to death!

This kind of book isn't one that I would normally read or buy, but it was really refreshing to get a nice short easy-to-read book this month. It was just what I needed.

I did enjoy it, but in the same way that I would enjoy an entire tub of Hagen Daaz - good at the time, but far too sweet and makes you feel guilty afterwards for not choosing something more worthwhile.

I didn't like the style of writing or the characters. They were all too apple-pie perfect American family and smug, and it was a bit cliched (IMVHO). I wonder if it was published due to his reputation as a thriller writer? It's a really different to his normal way of writing. I also thought the conclusion was obvious from the start.

Having said all that, I did stay awake to finish it!

What I like about this book swap is the opportunity to read books that I would otherwise not pick up, so thanks for choosing this, Aristocat, and I'm sorry I'm not more positive about your choice.

just bumping this thread so it can be found

never mind stickylf - better luck next time

oh dear - I didn't like it either. It was a bit like one of those American movies for television they show in the afternoon, for me - all a bit unremittingly Waltonsy with a cast of perfect people. Very predictable too.

Mostly I didn't like it for playing on parents' worst fears of losing their children and/or partner. It left me rather tearful and worried. I don't like TV and films that do that either, but there are a lot of those sorts of programmes/films, so I must be in the minority.

On the plus side - I did like the sound of Martha's Vineyard! And it is true about the juggling balls - but I think most people are aware of that really - unfortunately most people have a mortgage to pay and can't make the choice that Suzanne did so easily.

Aristocat, don't be sorry - it is indeed a good job we are all different!

oh dear whinegums sorry you didnt like my book

good job we are all different isnt it

am not in the least offended as this is what the book swap is all about.

Finished it last night - not hard to guess how it was going to end up, I thought it was so obvious that it couldn't possibly turn out like that, but then it did IYSWIM!

PLOT SPOILER BELOW!!!!!

I didn't like it. I thought it was mawkish, unsophisticated and sentimental, with unconvincing characters who were lacking in complexity. And the ending was quite far-fetched - I mean, this guy was supposed to be madly in love with Suzanne, and so soon afterwards was with someone else, and then married her. Unlikely if he'd even just split up with her, unbelievable if she and his son had died IMO.

Maybe it was all making me feel a tad inferior with its descriptions of perfect life, etc (well, ok, apart from Suzanne's heart condition, nowt perfect about that!), but really, are there children younger than one who can walk, talk, use a toy vacuum and pretend to tidy up, amongst other things? I must have a word with DS, he is sadly lacking if so!

Ok, well, I'm whizzing through this. I'm not really enjoying it though. Don't be offended aristocat, it's just not my thing at all, but that's why I like bookclubs - I read stuff I'd never usually pick up.

I'm finding the characters annoying in the extreme. Suzanne is smuggity mcsmug with her 'I am such a great mom' stuff. Even if you were writing an open and honest diary for your child, would you really go into details about sex the way she does? (Well, I wouldn't!). I don't like product placing - why do we need to know that Katie is taking photos with a Canon camera, or such and such has a Lexus SUV? Katie is so one dimensional, even paint would slide off her.

More later when I've got to the end!