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pattieod's review against another edition
3.0
Was trying to think what this reminded me of, and it was Ann Tyler, only the characters are richer and have exquisite taste. An enjoyable book if you're okay with character-driven novels (don't look for a lot of action) I'm not sure I understood the Ellen character, but liked the others.
bookrec's review against another edition
3.0
I agree with the "rich" comment. But that aside, this book can certainly lead to some interesting discussion on religion and homosexuality. The book does let the characters act noramlly. I like the way the siblings called each other on things but where supportive if needed. Outside of all the money they seemed pretty typical.
wordnerdy's review against another edition
5.0
In this novel, a woman and her brother receive news that their wayward younger sister has suddenly married an evangelical preacher in their hometown in Alabama; the two make a trip down south to visit the newlyweds, but problems arise when the preacher is informed that the brother is happily married to another man. I really enjoyed this novel--it really captures the feel of the slow days at the end of summer, and the small human dramas McFarland captures are very compelling. A/A-.
miss_tricia's review against another edition
4.0
So Morris and Ellen are the sympathetic characters, except a lot of times they aren't. They're caustic and obnoxious, and I don't sympathize with their attitudes at all. And Pastor is sort of the antagonist, except a lot of the time he's the character I relate to. Everybody is much more complicated and nuanced than the surface level conflict would indicate. And in a lot of ways, every issued this book touches on, it sort of skirts around. Nobody actually deals with anything. Instead, they bring up the conflict, stare at it for a while, and then wrap it in tissue paper to deal with later. A fascinating read with a lot of meat.
juliechristinejohnson's review
3.0
Very enjoyable, just this side of too easy. McFarland offers up characters who are immensely likable and sympathetic (maybe too much so?). You may find yourself exasperated by actions, but it's nearly impossible to dislike any of actors. The novel is set early on in Cape Cod but moves quickly down to a beachfront manse outside of Mobile, Alabama. McFarland tosses out a charismatic evangelical preacher who is a dreamboat to boot, a witty & erudite gay professor and his two sisters, one fluffy and forgetful but full of hidden moxie, the other a slightly bland, too-thin poet (I kept picturing Sally Field!). McFarland's affection for his characters is evident in the way they all care deeply for one another and in that he never lets anything really tragic happen to any of them (dramatic yes, profound, no). Everyone is well-off, tanned, smart, attractive and life's nasty bits are solved with a slice of lemon meringue pie or a glass of sweet tea.
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