Title: A Better View of Paradise
Author: Randy Sue Coburn
Publisher: Ballantine Books
First sentence: Pele is far from Stevie's mind on the warm September morning that her new garden is scheduled to open.
My Synopsis: Stevie Pollack is an accomplished landscape architect who has hit a rough patch in her career. A park that she designed in Chicago isn't turning out as she planned. In addition to that, her boyfriend has recently dumped her, as seems to be par for course for her love life. She decides to escape to her family's house in Hawaii only to discover that her father is there - and is dying of cancer.
She has never really been close to her father, spending much of her growing up years with her mother outside of the States. Even so, she is surprised to learn that her father had a sister and a niece, Margo. Margo appears to have had as difficult a relationship with her mother as Stevie has had with her father.
As Stevie grows closer to her father and learns about his life, she also starts to realize some things about herself. Helping her along is a pup who wanders onto her property that she names Pip and the handsome veterinarian Japhy she meets because of him.
My thoughts: Loved the book. The characters had a lot of depth and it was a great read getting to know them. The setting was beautiful, and though I have never been to Hawaii, it let my imagination soar. This was my first Coburn book, but will choose to read more by her in the future!
Please visit my other posts about A Better View of Paradise and interview with the author Randy Sue Coburn.
A Better View of Paradise
Publisher/Publication Date: Ballantine Books, July 2009
ISBN: 978-0-345-49036-0
368 pages
5 comments:
Sounds like a really nice setting, and you make the book sound good too.
The cover looks like a great book, with towels hanging out at the beach, would love to live on the beach, if it wasn't for hurricane, we have those here in the south.
mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net
All of the reviews for this one have been great! I'm anxious to get a copy of it.
Thank you, Kristi, for taking the time to read my book and post such a thoughtful review.
Yhis one is on my list; i love the cover, and I think it would be refreshing to read this one. Thanks so much
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