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Loading... The Shortest Way Home: A Novel (edition 2012)by Juliette Fay
Work InformationThe Shortest Way Home by Juliette Fay
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Again, with the three stars.... don't let the rating fool you. This is a good book! It was a much-needed break from the usual romance novels I have been reading! This is a heart-warming, charming book! I can't put into words what I think about it. The main characters are so real. The situations are so real. The epiphanies throughout the book jump out at you so hard, you may find yourself rethinking your own personal decisions in life! I gave it three starts just because it wasn't one of those "I just cannot put it down yet" kind of books, but definitely a book you strive to finish! ( ) Again, with the three stars.... don't let the rating fool you. This is a good book! It was a much-needed break from the usual romance novels I have been reading! This is a heart-warming, charming book! I can't put into words what I think about it. The main characters are so real. The situations are so real. The epiphanies throughout the book jump out at you so hard, you may find yourself rethinking your own personal decisions in life! I gave it three starts just because it wasn't one of those "I just cannot put it down yet" kind of books, but definitely a book you strive to finish! I'm surprised I actually finished this book. The main character was so self-centered, I wanted to smack him. It wasn't until the last few chapters that he realized what a selfish jerk he was. However, the family dynamics kept me somewhat interested, at least enough to finish. I believe I read somewhere that this received some sort of award. Unbelievable. For most people, working as a trauma nurse in third world countries would be stressful and a serious sacrifice. After more than 20 years working under these conditions, Sean reluctantly returns home to Belham, to take a break and try to ease the pain in his back. His Aunt, sister Deidre, and his nephew Kevin still live in the home where he grew up, after his mother died of Huntington's and his father left them. Returning for a brief respite from the field turns more complicated than Sean expected, as he finds his aunt has developed early-onset dementia, his sister has become so wrapped up in her acting career that she is never home, and nobody is being a parent to Kevin, a lonely child with sensory processing issues. Sean is eager to escape these family ties and get back to his life, however, he soon realizes that the real world of family is more complicated than trying to save the world. Though I was a little slow to attach to this middle-aged male character, I loved Sean's relationship with Kevin, his buddy Cormac, and the other friends in Sean's life. The story was rather predictable, as you knew how it would end and it seemed like it took a long time for Sean to develop insight into his behavior. However, it was a very heartwarming story with likeable people and fully-developed characters. I also enjoyed how it overlapped with the author's previous novel "Shelter Me", with cameo appearances of those characters and Cormac playing a larger role. I can't wait to read the author's next novel, and I hope to revisit Sean, Kevin, Cormac and Rebecca and see how their lives have continued. A very nice surpriseā¦ I really enjoyed this book. I typically don't pick up and read books that have serious subject matter, I consider myself through this phase of life and ready to read lighter stuff, although one can only read so many at the beach and everything gets betterā¦. anyway, I loved the development of the characters and although the subject of a torn family was hard, it had a very satisfying ending. I will read more by Juliette Fay, without trying to see what they are about first! no reviews | add a review
Fiction.
Literature.
Romance.
"A tender tale...Juliette Fay can hit the high notes of emotion with unexpected moments of redemption and wry humor.".
HTML:"The Shortest Way Home is Juliette Fay's best yet and shows us that loving the people in your life can be as exciting, as daring, as difficult an adventure as any.".
HTML: Sean Doran has spent twenty years in third-world war zones and natural disaster areas, fully embracing what he'd always felt was his purpose: doing as much good as possible. But when burnout sets in, Sean finds himself reluctantly drawn home to Belham, Massachusetts, the setting of Juliette Fay's much-loved Shelter Me. There, he discovers that his steely elderly aunt, dramatic sister, and quirky nephew are having a little natural disaster of their own. When he reconnects with a woman from his past, Sean has to wonder if his destiny is about to be rewritten all over again. Another perfect slice of life from the irresistible Fay, this novel is full of humor, heart, and hope for finding yourself where you least expect to. .No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature English (North America) American fiction 21st CenturyLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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