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Reviews of patron literary blind dates!
Patrons borrowed one of our wrapped
books and took it home.
Here are their thoughts on the books they tried out:
Read By: Sheila
Holderness
Book: Woodlands
by Robin Jones Gunn
Thank
you for your creative and appealing holiday celebration. I took home a romance novel, a genre I haven't read for 30 years.
The theme is devotional and simplistic: the
heroine
leads a good life and receives her just reward. The bible guides her in the right direction as she opens her heart and gains confidence. The formula was perfect for Valentine's Day and I read the book in one day. Good replacement for a
date.
Read By: Carmela
Book: Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
I haven't read for a long time. I enjoyed reading this book. I felt like I was going through it with them, although I wasn't impressed by the ending.
Note: Great idea of wrapping the books so people would pick them without knowing what they were.
I wouldn't
have tried this book otherwise.
Read By: Alice Menillo
Book: Family Trust by Amanda Brown
This is a fun, refreshing, light story—kind of like a lemon ice on a hot day. Definitely a book for women, preferably ones who prefer romances and happy endings. It’s set in 20th or 21st century Manhattan, with a visit to the Hamptons. The main characters are believable and sympathetic. By about page 50 or 60 you know how the story has to end, but you’re also rooting for it to end that way. The descriptions of the rich society women, corporate super stars and the upper-crust Manhattan pre-school mania are amusing because they’re painted with a bit of acid, showing just how ridiculous they really are. Not a lot on the ups and downs of two people from different backgrounds raising a 4-year old, as suggested by the blurb in the front cover, but it’s not all peaches and cream, either.
A good, fairly quick read, especially for a vacation. Also, you don’t have to be worried if your 13–year old picks it up—-nothing steamy here.
Note: This project was a good idea and I enjoyed the experience.
Regards,
Alice
Read By: Cindy Abramson
Book: Kiss River by Diane Chamberlain
Overall, my response to this date was while “She’s a nice girl,” there will not be a second date. My response is definitely influenced by my preferences for other genres (I’m more a mystery, spy and/or fantasy fan).
I thought the author did a great job in bringing the Outer Banks of North Carolina to life. I also enjoyed the historic references to how people’s lives were affected in a very real, local manner on the East Coast during WWII by their constant fear of Nazi invaders on American soil. As to character development, I felt the author did a better job bringing the “past” characters to life versus the present day characters. The present day characters felt a bit shallower and “unfinished.” My guess is that this was intentional, since their life stories have yet to be written.
Note: Thank you for the Blind Date! I loved being part of such a fun and creative activity.
Take care,
Cindy
** Send your review of your blind date to alexa.metrick@montvillelib.org or drop it off at the circulation desk.
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