Claire Noble is a single mother and a respected history teacher, who has also been caring for her aging parents. Everyone may need a dream, but Claire gave up on hers a long time ago. But her dreams apparently never gave up on her - and now, Claire finally has a chance to experience something that she has always wanted.
She has fallen in love with Rick Saunders, who is offering her both security and the opportunity to travel. Before their planned fall wedding, Claire will be leaving to spend the summer on Cape Cod, where the fabled light has been luring artists for a century; for the chance of a lifetime to study with one of the most noted photographers in the country.
But just as Claire is about to step forward into her new life, the previous one begins to change dramatically. Her estranged daughter suddenly shows up with a backpack full of problems. Claire's father reveals a fifty-year-old secret that threatens to unravel their family. Her mother confides that at seventy-eight years old, she's still waiting for the love of her life. And a chance encounter with an environmental writer results in an intriguing new relationship, threatening Claire's certainty that she's found the man with whom she hopes to spend the rest of her life.
In the midst of all this turbulence, Claire begins to question everything she thought she wanted. And surprisingly, so do her mother and her daughter. Set in the lush, rolling hills of northern New Jersey and the romantic, windswept dunes of Cape Cod, So Happy Together by Maryann McFadden is the story of three generations of women who find their lives, and dreams, suddenly transformed in ways they never would have imagined. However, ultimately, it is the heartbreaking and joyful journey of one woman who comes to realize that, when you're a mother, and a daughter, you are never truly free.
In my opinion, this was quite a book. The plot and story were very believable, and the family dynamics were just the type that I enjoy reading about. This was actually the first book that I've ever read by Maryann McFadden, and it was a book that Mareena chose for me when we went to our local library's perpetual book sale back in April of this year. I think that Mareena chose wisely - I give this book an A+! and will definitely put Ms. McFadden's two other books - The Richest Season and The Book Lover - on my Wish List.
She has fallen in love with Rick Saunders, who is offering her both security and the opportunity to travel. Before their planned fall wedding, Claire will be leaving to spend the summer on Cape Cod, where the fabled light has been luring artists for a century; for the chance of a lifetime to study with one of the most noted photographers in the country.
But just as Claire is about to step forward into her new life, the previous one begins to change dramatically. Her estranged daughter suddenly shows up with a backpack full of problems. Claire's father reveals a fifty-year-old secret that threatens to unravel their family. Her mother confides that at seventy-eight years old, she's still waiting for the love of her life. And a chance encounter with an environmental writer results in an intriguing new relationship, threatening Claire's certainty that she's found the man with whom she hopes to spend the rest of her life.
In the midst of all this turbulence, Claire begins to question everything she thought she wanted. And surprisingly, so do her mother and her daughter. Set in the lush, rolling hills of northern New Jersey and the romantic, windswept dunes of Cape Cod, So Happy Together by Maryann McFadden is the story of three generations of women who find their lives, and dreams, suddenly transformed in ways they never would have imagined. However, ultimately, it is the heartbreaking and joyful journey of one woman who comes to realize that, when you're a mother, and a daughter, you are never truly free.
In my opinion, this was quite a book. The plot and story were very believable, and the family dynamics were just the type that I enjoy reading about. This was actually the first book that I've ever read by Maryann McFadden, and it was a book that Mareena chose for me when we went to our local library's perpetual book sale back in April of this year. I think that Mareena chose wisely - I give this book an A+! and will definitely put Ms. McFadden's two other books - The Richest Season and The Book Lover - on my Wish List.
Four generations of women come together, all very different, yet the same. I really liked this book. Claire deals with her ailing parents and their relationship, her troubled daughter, the man she thinks she loves, and a man who seems to understand her better than she, herself, understands. The characters are very well written. Loved the Cape Cod location of part of the story.
While I loved Maryann's book about Pawleys Island, I was not too sure about this one. But then as I read it, I found I loved Claire, the main character, and her worries became mine, and I suddenly felt hope with her that her life would be better soon!! So far, it is my favorite one!!!
