About this title: A tribute to classic film and true romance, this is the story of a 31-year-old caf manager and an 11-year-old who is searching for her father--and the unexpected ways in which their lives are forever changed by chance.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
"Love Walked In was a charming read. Usually in a book I am rooting for the love story between a man and a woman. To me a satisfying ending is one where everything is wrapped up nicely with a couple living happily every after. This book took that and sent me topsy turvy as I rooted, not for a man and a woman, but for a woman and the little girl who unexpectedly walked into her life. I loved the main characters- I identified with Clare's need to protect her mother and maintain the illusion that everything is all right in the face of upheaval. I loved Cornelia for her love of old movies and her open heart that embraced life as it came. I found myself just wanting all obstacles to fade away so that Clare could get a chance to have a normal stable childhood and Cornelia could have the child of her heart (and maybe a chance at happiness with someone unexpected). Though it didn't end quite the way I wanted, it was a satisfying ending with a realistic resolution. I look forward to reading the sequel so that I can live with these characters a little longer."
"So sometimes you think that love does conquer all.. But really. No. I still liked this book but had such mixed emotions about the Clare situation. All the adults including Cornelia are just free to make and break promises to this little girl. Although I aprreciate the relationship Clare and Viviana have/had, I have a hard time just letting her back into Clares life after such a episode. I still love Teo and completely uinderstand Linny-Cornielia relationship. Sometimes needing that one person apart from your one and only to understand and love you. Reading this book reminded me of those people."
"Too many characters and the whole stream of consciousness-like prose made this book hard to enjoy. Cornelia is really hard to like because of her foolishness. She "falls in love" with Martin simply because he looks like Cary Grant!!?? I can slightly understand that, but her keeping the relationship going AFTER she realizes that he has no substance makes no sense. Cornelia's attempt to explain everything in her life according to old movies (much of them I have never seen) makes this a tedious read, especially her references to actor and acctresses from those movies. Teo's "relationship" with her sister, Ollie, makes even less sense, especially at the end when he explains why they are together. Everything is to goofy, the characters are just kind of stumbling around feeling their way through life without a second thought about consequences and just plain good common sense. The only character who seems to have sense (and she is also extremely likeable) is Clare - and she's only 11! She made this books worth completing. I found myself skipping the parts with Teo and Cornelia, just to see what Clare was doing next. I did go back and read the parts with Teo and Cornelia to lessen my confusion. I had such high hopes after reading Belong to Me, by the same author. I was sadly disappointed with her first novel."
"This is a little gem of a book. Not quite a diamond, but perhaps a perfect, tiny ruby.
Yes, it's likely classifiable as "chicklit" (not my typical read, although of late, I find my list of fluff growing ... bizarre). But, it lacks the syrupy, yet over-cynical, often obnoxious banter as is typical of that fairly new-to-the-scene genre.
This is simply a book about a woman who doesn't yet know where she belongs, and is perfectly happy in her transition place. She's managed to surround herself with a colorful cast of characters who definitely keep life (and the read) interesting. When some, ok too coincidental, things happen, this semi-motherhood-pining woman finds herself caring for a pre-teen, bringing the real import of life full-focus.
"Don't sit there waiting for me to disclose some dark childhood secrets-and I hope and pray I'm not one of those tiresome underachieving, unabused offspring who blames her parents for her limping career, designer knock-off shoes, and broken toaster oven ..."
It doesn't sound good from my uber-brief synopsis, but trust me, very lovely read.
I recommend this for the holidays. Uplifting and not-too-heavy, yet not overly hard on your *gag* reflex, either!
And, just because I'm a sucker for decent imagery: "The secret was not the small hard kind you could hide at the bottom of a pocket or in a closed fist. The secret was a living creature. It followed her everywhere, fluttering in the curtains, squatting in the corner of the room, or darting across the floor ..."
There are lots more quotes that I've dog-eared in this one; a true sign of a decent read :)"
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