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mbkarapcik's review against another edition
4.0
It wasn't exactly what I expected but very good. I actually got tears in my eyes over a few parts. The examination of a long relationship/marriage was presented, and I thought it touched on some good subjects.
kqjeske's review against another edition
3.0
There were a few interesting aspects of this book, but ultimately it was a bit too predictable and emotionally manipulative. Still, you may enjoy it for its descriptions of wealth and social mobility and the story of a couple who fall in love all over again. You may also dislike it, as I did, for preaching conformity to standard upper middle class prescriptions for life.
lisawhelpley's review against another edition
1.0
This book was so bad. Inconsistent. Errors in logic. Unrealistic, as if someone had not lived life tried to write a book.
jeslyncat's review against another edition
4.0
In "Skipping a Beat", Pekkanen illustrates normal characters in their everyday lives. Following a wife who's been growing apart from her husband despite the millions they have in their bank account that they thought would keep them happy, the novel is set in an emotional state that a great many people experience. After her husband has a near-death experience, he sells his company and donates every penny of their money to charity, and then asks his wife for a second chance to fix their relationship. This request is a tough one for our leading lady coupled with the loss of all their money because, as we learn through a series of flashbacks, that her childhood was financially tumultuous, and the memories of that come flooding back when everything is gone. An interesting aspect of the story is the truth that comes with the story of the couple's marriage--she carries a divorce lawyers card in her wallet, and frequently crunches numbers to ensure that she could make it fiscally without her husband. Pekkanen casts the wife in a negative light quite often, this is upsetting because the wife is acting our of survival in a way that a lot of readers would, and that creates guilt and insult. As the money leaves their accounts you are aghast with the cavalier style of the husband, who come back from his near-death experience quite a few IQ points below where he started, and makes you hate the wife because of her emotional immaturity. A great novel with interesting ideas and developments, the ending is a fitting one.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Julia Dunhill was planning one of her many fund raisers when her life as she knew it was about to get turned upside down very quickly. Julia’s husband, Michael collapses while at work. Michael stood up to speak and his heart just stopped. In fact Michael was officially dead for four minutes and eight seconds.
Lucky for Michael and a little invention called a portable defibrillator. As wikipedia encyclopedia explains, a portable defibrillator is a machine that can help someone who has gone into cardiac arrest through the use of electrical therapy, which just starts the heart into a regular heart beat rhythm.
Now that Michael as a second chance, he has a new perspective at life and his marriage. Julia can’t tolerate the upheaval; Michael is bring into their lives. What is a wife to do?
Skipping a Beat is the first book I have read from author, Sarah Pekkanen and what she has to offer. After reading this book, I plan to go back and read The Opposite of Me. Right from the beginning, I was hooked. I blocked everything else around me out and got comfortable. I liked Michael. I thought he was a sweet heart. Michael had a great attitude about his second change at life. Julia on the other hand, I wanted to shake her really hard and yell at her…”What is wrong with you?” This is not technically a bad thing as this meant that I was invested in the characters. Skipping a Beat is worth both your money and time. This book will have you skipping all the way to the bookstore.
Lucky for Michael and a little invention called a portable defibrillator. As wikipedia encyclopedia explains, a portable defibrillator is a machine that can help someone who has gone into cardiac arrest through the use of electrical therapy, which just starts the heart into a regular heart beat rhythm.
Now that Michael as a second chance, he has a new perspective at life and his marriage. Julia can’t tolerate the upheaval; Michael is bring into their lives. What is a wife to do?
Skipping a Beat is the first book I have read from author, Sarah Pekkanen and what she has to offer. After reading this book, I plan to go back and read The Opposite of Me. Right from the beginning, I was hooked. I blocked everything else around me out and got comfortable. I liked Michael. I thought he was a sweet heart. Michael had a great attitude about his second change at life. Julia on the other hand, I wanted to shake her really hard and yell at her…”What is wrong with you?” This is not technically a bad thing as this meant that I was invested in the characters. Skipping a Beat is worth both your money and time. This book will have you skipping all the way to the bookstore.
judithdcollins's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautifully written novel about love, marriage, and loss. Sarah is such an incredible writer and accomplished author! I have recently read all of her books (with the exception of The Opposite of Me, which I am saving until last) and her three short stories – each are uniquely different and all 5 stars!
Sarah does everything with feeling (you will laugh and cry)-she does not miss a beat. What I enjoy the most is the raw emotion, her writing style, and the way she describes every detail, making each setting so realistic. Each part of the story unfolded at just the right time.
The real love of this couple as teens, and their heart breaking childhood, to their struggles coming from such a poor background, their tenacity and challenges to excel in the world – and finally achieving the money and success. However, it took a near death experience and giving up the money to make them truly happy.
You will fall in love with each of the characters as each has a special place in this beautifully written story - have some Kleenex handy! A lesson for each of us in today's busy and demanding world –to demonstrate the meaning of love and forgiveness.
Sarah does everything with feeling (you will laugh and cry)-she does not miss a beat. What I enjoy the most is the raw emotion, her writing style, and the way she describes every detail, making each setting so realistic. Each part of the story unfolded at just the right time.
The real love of this couple as teens, and their heart breaking childhood, to their struggles coming from such a poor background, their tenacity and challenges to excel in the world – and finally achieving the money and success. However, it took a near death experience and giving up the money to make them truly happy.
You will fall in love with each of the characters as each has a special place in this beautifully written story - have some Kleenex handy! A lesson for each of us in today's busy and demanding world –to demonstrate the meaning of love and forgiveness.
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
After meeting the author and discussing the book at book club at One More Page bookstore, I can now say I love this author and this book even more. A story set near my home with two characters that throughout the book, I both loved and hated. Julia, a woman who grew up in a volatile household and was always trying to ensure that her future was better than her past. Michael, a hardworking guy who as time has passed spends more time at his office than at his home. Their communication was basically absent and their relationship was more like roommates than lovers.
I adored this story and I will absolutely refrain from spoiling such a good ending – so this may be short and sweet. At this time in my life this was a perfect read as I have recently grown accustomed to the boy being away and I have learned to fill the time with more of the hobbies that I enjoy. When our journey ends which is soon, I will have to relearn how our lives mesh and we will be able to reestablish our relationship. As Julia has done, I have learned to lean on a close friend for companionship during the week (and the pup of course). I understood Julia’s struggle to try to understand how to be back in a relationship and learn to trust her feelings with him.
I can’t say more because I loved this book and I want everyone to go find it and read away. The writing was easy for a day at the pool or curled up indoors. It was definitely one where you sit down to read and then hours just easily pass by. A great reflection on the relationship we have and the value we must hold in building and nurturing each relationship from friends to husbands to family.
I adored this story and I will absolutely refrain from spoiling such a good ending – so this may be short and sweet. At this time in my life this was a perfect read as I have recently grown accustomed to the boy being away and I have learned to fill the time with more of the hobbies that I enjoy. When our journey ends which is soon, I will have to relearn how our lives mesh and we will be able to reestablish our relationship. As Julia has done, I have learned to lean on a close friend for companionship during the week (and the pup of course). I understood Julia’s struggle to try to understand how to be back in a relationship and learn to trust her feelings with him.
I can’t say more because I loved this book and I want everyone to go find it and read away. The writing was easy for a day at the pool or curled up indoors. It was definitely one where you sit down to read and then hours just easily pass by. A great reflection on the relationship we have and the value we must hold in building and nurturing each relationship from friends to husbands to family.
kayceslitlife's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, I just realized how long it’s been since I finished a book. The craziness of life has kept me MIA…until now. I’ve finally been able to finish Sarah Pekkanen’s latest novel, Skipping a Beat. Last year, both LibraryLove and I reviewed her first book, The Opposite of Me, and this year has brought us more from the ever witty and charming Pekkanen. I can say without a doubt that I enjoyed this book so much more than the first one! It really is amazing how much writers can change in just one year or between one novel. This one kept my attention (granted, it also had a couple of months of it since I was reading at the pace of molasses this time around.) But anyway, this was an interesting story for a couple of reasons.
A unique story line, Michael cheats death and is given a second chance at life. (By the way, nonfiction books of the same topic seem to be creeping up more and more, but I digress. I think I made clear my feelings on that with my review of Heaven is for Real) Something that struck me is that neither of the main characters seemed to have any belief or faith in an afterlife or any higher being, but alas, that’s not the point either. When Michael is given his second chance, he makes drastic changes to his lifestyle without discussing them with Julia (the marriage seems very business-like) and Julia doesn’t exactly seem in love with her husband, much less affectionate toward him. Readers will be pleased to see Julia warm toward her husband throughout the story as she simultaneously navigates new waters with him and reminisces over a love once lost between them.
I appreciate Pekkanen’s witty voice and her sense of humor and there are laugh out loud moments where you just can’t help but chuckle. It seems to come so natural for Sarah. A truly entertaining author, Sarah Pekkanen continues to create stories you can lose yourself in and absorb. I would have liked to have seen more with Isabelle and what happened with her situation and think that would be a fun story in itself! (Hint, hint…) It was nice that Julia and Isabelle kept a close friendship because both Julia and Michael’s worlds were so work-oriented. In the DC area that’s not hard to do, but it’s always refreshing when there is that someone close you can support and lean on during tough times.
All in all, I really enjoyed this 2nd work from Sarah and I look forward to reading more of her novels. And hopefully, also to picking up steam with this year’s challenge!
http://bookwormz2010.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/book-s-fabookulous/
A unique story line, Michael cheats death and is given a second chance at life. (By the way, nonfiction books of the same topic seem to be creeping up more and more, but I digress. I think I made clear my feelings on that with my review of Heaven is for Real) Something that struck me is that neither of the main characters seemed to have any belief or faith in an afterlife or any higher being, but alas, that’s not the point either. When Michael is given his second chance, he makes drastic changes to his lifestyle without discussing them with Julia (the marriage seems very business-like) and Julia doesn’t exactly seem in love with her husband, much less affectionate toward him. Readers will be pleased to see Julia warm toward her husband throughout the story as she simultaneously navigates new waters with him and reminisces over a love once lost between them.
I appreciate Pekkanen’s witty voice and her sense of humor and there are laugh out loud moments where you just can’t help but chuckle. It seems to come so natural for Sarah. A truly entertaining author, Sarah Pekkanen continues to create stories you can lose yourself in and absorb. I would have liked to have seen more with Isabelle and what happened with her situation and think that would be a fun story in itself! (Hint, hint…) It was nice that Julia and Isabelle kept a close friendship because both Julia and Michael’s worlds were so work-oriented. In the DC area that’s not hard to do, but it’s always refreshing when there is that someone close you can support and lean on during tough times.
All in all, I really enjoyed this 2nd work from Sarah and I look forward to reading more of her novels. And hopefully, also to picking up steam with this year’s challenge!
http://bookwormz2010.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/book-s-fabookulous/