Scan barcode
faiththompson416's review against another edition
3.0
This one is my least favorite of the Mitford books (at least the original nine), although I still adore it. It just feels less like coming home and more like a stop on the way.
That is not a bad thing, at all! I still absolutely recommend this series...and this book...this particular installment simply feels a little bit melodramatic at times. That may simply be my opinion, however. The third one is one of my all-time favorite books, so I can't wait to get to that one!
That is not a bad thing, at all! I still absolutely recommend this series...and this book...this particular installment simply feels a little bit melodramatic at times. That may simply be my opinion, however. The third one is one of my all-time favorite books, so I can't wait to get to that one!
books10's review against another edition
5.0
Book #2 picks up right where book #1 left off. In this book, we get to learn more about the people of Mitford, and Mitford begins to feel more like “home.”
It’s a community that sticks together, and helps one another out. It’s a place I’d like to be a part of if it were possible. Up next, book #3.
It’s a community that sticks together, and helps one another out. It’s a place I’d like to be a part of if it were possible. Up next, book #3.
sarahelizabeth205's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
ncrabb's review against another edition
4.0
In discordant times, a few hours in Mitford, North Carolina can be incredibly healing and liberating. Sadly, in this second book, it can also be maddening and frustrating.
Father Tim has returned from Ireland as the book opens; he was there for several months. One of his hopes is that his lovely neighbor, Cynthia Coppersmith, remains his neighbor. She had asked him to “go steady” with her at the end of the first book, and she received a noncommittal unsatisfactory answer. The shy priest is determined to step outside his self-imposed prison of reluctance and fear of commitment and do better than he had before his trip.
While it is charming to watch the two of them misunderstand one another and fumble their way forward, it’s also a bit trying and even a tiny bit off-putting. He is 61; she is in her 50s. But the author has them both acting like a couple of teenagers—her irrational crying spells, his failure to square his shoulders and communicate like a mature man. I confess before this ended, I was frustrated enough to exclaim in a place or two, “fix things already!”
Despite my frustrations, these characters—the entire town—uplift and heal any heart they touch. Even the horny, old widow, who nearly brings the relationship between Father Tim and Cynthia to the breaking point, is good for a smile.
The magic of this book lies in the fact that Father Tim recognizes that salvation happens one person at a time. Ther’s no such thing as aggregate group-activity salvation. When He was here, the Savior did His best work one person at a time. Father Tim has fully caught that mindset and applies it to his work in heart-touching and effective ways.
Father Tim has returned from Ireland as the book opens; he was there for several months. One of his hopes is that his lovely neighbor, Cynthia Coppersmith, remains his neighbor. She had asked him to “go steady” with her at the end of the first book, and she received a noncommittal unsatisfactory answer. The shy priest is determined to step outside his self-imposed prison of reluctance and fear of commitment and do better than he had before his trip.
While it is charming to watch the two of them misunderstand one another and fumble their way forward, it’s also a bit trying and even a tiny bit off-putting. He is 61; she is in her 50s. But the author has them both acting like a couple of teenagers—her irrational crying spells, his failure to square his shoulders and communicate like a mature man. I confess before this ended, I was frustrated enough to exclaim in a place or two, “fix things already!”
Despite my frustrations, these characters—the entire town—uplift and heal any heart they touch. Even the horny, old widow, who nearly brings the relationship between Father Tim and Cynthia to the breaking point, is good for a smile.
The magic of this book lies in the fact that Father Tim recognizes that salvation happens one person at a time. Ther’s no such thing as aggregate group-activity salvation. When He was here, the Savior did His best work one person at a time. Father Tim has fully caught that mindset and applies it to his work in heart-touching and effective ways.
jmfishburn's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rickijill's review against another edition
4.0
This installment has Cynthia moving back to New York to finish illustrating her current book. She's on a strict deadline, and she's housesitting for her agent while he's in Europe. Tim does not like it one little bit. He has only himself to blame because Cynthia wanted to go steady, but Tim was too slow to respond. There is a lot of crossed-purposes between the two, but it has a very happy ending!
I checked-out this book from our local library.
I checked-out this book from our local library.