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Jan Stites

Teoksen Reading the Sweet Oak tekijä

3 teosta 36 jäsentä 3 arvostelua

Tekijän teokset

Reading the Sweet Oak (2015) 22 kappaletta
Edgewise (2008) 13 kappaletta

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Jäseniä

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4.5 stars

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Ozarks, Reading the Sweet Oak is a beautiful novel of family, friendship and love. This engrossing novel by Jan Stites is a wonderful journey of self-discovery for all of the characters after they form a romance novel book club. It is a thought-provoking and charming story that I strongly recommend to readers of contemporary women's fiction.

Tulsa Riley and her grandmother Ruby love their home on the banks of the Sweet Oak River. Together, they run a canoeing and cabin rental business and although it is risky decision, they decide to purchase an adjacent property when the opportunity arises. With the help of her half-brother, Guy Smith, Tulsa devises a clever advertising strategy to draw in new customers but they are fighting an uphill battle when bad weather strikes and a neighbor sets out to destroy their business. In the midst of trouble, Ruby's ingenious plan to use a romance novel book club to convince Tulsa to open her heart to love seems to be working after Tulsa meets Slade Morrison, a wealthy business who comes to Sweet Oak in search of adventure.

The romance novel book club is a clever plot device and the members range from Tulsa's age on up to Ruby's. Each are facing their own unique set of challenges and the books that Ruby selects vary from contemporary to historical and the lead characters are as varied as the storylines. After completing each book, the women apply the lessons they learn to their own lives, often with surprising results.

Tulsa's resistance to Ruby's attempts to convince her to read the selections is fruitless and she is definitely a reluctant participant. Tulsa is a strong woman who loves Ruby dearly but her early life with her mother left its mark on her. Her mother flitted from one failed relationship to another and unfortunately, Tulsa's few attempts at romance have been unsuccessful. After watching her mother get her heart broken time and again, she has decided not to risk her heart, but her recent break up hurt more than anticipated. After meeting Slade, Tulsa tries to keep their relationship purely physical but despite her best efforts to remain emotionally detached, she entertains the possibly of a future with him.

Ruby also includes Tulsa's friend Jen Haskell in the monthly book group and after reading the novels, she finds herself reassessing her relationship with her live-in boyfriend. While on paper he is picture perfect, she begins noticing how unequal their roles are and how little he values her needs and desires. But after her tumultuous upbringing, Jen craves a family of her own but is the safe choice the best option for her?

Guy's mother, BJ Smith, is also a member of the book group and she is probably the most troubled of the women. Her past is full of poor decisions and she still harbors a great deal of guilt and shame from her long ago actions. After a heated exchange over her excessive involvement in his life, Guy convinces her to take the initative and ask a recent widower out on a date. She works up the nerve and much to her surprise, he accepts. Using the romance novels to guide her, BJ takes their relationship to the next level, but will her secrets destroy her chance for happiness?

The book club would not be complete without Ruby's childhood friend Pearl. Like Ruby, Pearl is widowed but unlike Ruby, she does not mourn the loss of her late husband. A devout Christian, Pearl's literal interpretation of scripture lead to miserable marriage where she was more indentured servant than wife. A shocking revelation from her beloved grandson forces her to rethink her long held beliefs but can she put aside the convictions of a lifetime for his sake?

Reading the Sweet Oak is a captivating novel that is quite heartwarming. The characters are vibrantly developed, immensely appealing and incredibly easy to relate to. The issues they are facing ring true and the resolution of the various story arcs is believable. Jan Stites brings the setting vividly to life and the lush beauty of the Ozarks leaps off the pages. The phenomenal character growth, engaging storyline and stunning location are the perfect ingredients for an incredibly satisfying and entertaining reading experience. An absolutely marvelous novel that I highly recommend.
… (lisätietoja)
 
Merkitty asiattomaksi
kbranfield | 1 muu arvostelu | Feb 3, 2020 |
Tulsa loves the river, canoeing, the birds and critters, the scenery in the Ozarks and she especially loves her grandmother Ruby. Together they run the Sweet Oak River Oasis - a canoe rental business that sits on a river that threads the Ozark hills.

Widowed for thirty years and still missing her husband, Ruby knows the joys that love can bring and wants her granddaughter to experience those joys herself. But Tulsa has no time for anything except running the Oasis. When her grandmother suggests she read a romance novel Tulsa reluctantly agrees out of the love she has for Ruby.

Unbeknownst to Tulsa, Ruby has created a romance novel book club. Their friends Pearl, BJ, and Jen get together to discuss books but end up learning about forgiveness, taking chances, and love.

I really loved the setting of this book and the strong bond of friendship these women shared. I also loved when BJ responded to her doctor's orders to find a man's love with "Jesus loves me" and he told her "Jesus loves everybody. You need to find someone less promiscuous." A well-written, cozy novel.
… (lisätietoja)
 
Merkitty asiattomaksi
jenn88 | 1 muu arvostelu | Apr 25, 2017 |
The Review

This novel came to me for review. However, the cover really kind of set me apart from the book as I was a bit afraid of cracking it open and finding out what was inside. But, when I agree to review a book… I do. And, so it came the book’s time to be read, yet a part of me resisted.

During the first few chapters, I kept myself distant from this book. Reading about others’ heartbreak and dysfunction just held me arm length’s away. I have been through too much in the past year to immerse myself in other people’s fears and faults. But, I don’t walk away from a commitment and I never leave a book unfinished. I read on.

Within a few more chapters, I came to understand the characters and learned to relate to them rather than avoid them. I found myself wanting to watch Simone’s psychosis unravel itself within the story. I wanted to know what it was that caused Simone to fall apart. As I pressed on, I was able to relate to the supporting characters of the story. I wanted to see them succeed and move beyond the fears that trapped them.

This book is not what I would consider a “light read.” It includes considerable depth into the inner workings of the minds of the broken characters. The author must have extensive experience in the psychiatry field and the book reflects it. In many ways, this book is sad, yet it provides hope. I found myself happy for Simone’s small victories: leaving Michael at the dinner table, confronting her father, and not giving up on Satch. However, the overall feel of the book left me feeling a bit “bluesy” and down. It is hard to think about how the parenting of a child can severely affect their well-being as an adult. It’s even harder to think about my own personal challenges and what it will take to overcome them fully.

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

This book is the first of its kind that I’ve reviewed. Without a solid comparison book, I am rating this one of my pure opinion. For the genre Fiction:Psychological, I am going to rate this book a 7 OUT OF 10.
… (lisätietoja)
½
 
Merkitty asiattomaksi
ANovelMenagerie | Jun 24, 2009 |

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Teokset
3
Jäseniä
36
Suosituimmuussija
#397,831
Arvio (tähdet)
½ 3.6
Kirja-arvosteluja
3
ISBN:t
6