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iamnotacentipede's review against another edition
4.0
"Love comes in so many different shapes and forms. Everybody needs something different."
This line 100% sums up this collection of short stories. Each story follows a new couple that showcase different types of love, whether it's old love or new, family love or second chance love each set brings with it a cozy reading experience as you work through which way each character will take you.
I absolutely had an amazing time with this book, it's a great option for someone who is wanting something a little more fast paced but also something to not commit to if you are wanting a nice pallet cleanser. Each short story is on average about 10 pages long so you could also read this and another book at the same time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is not a big commitment of a read and feels so nice and fluffy.
There are some things about these stories that I did find a few small gripes about. First is that many of the stories are very predictable, it's not terrible but because these are pretty quick reads it doesn't take much to see where the story is going to go. Also, there is clearly some of the author's personal tastes in men (older) showcased in these stories in addition to quite a few "insta-love" situations. Also, quite a few stories are set in Europe but the imperial system is still used which obviously wouldn't really happen so that kinda took it out for me when reading (unless it was added in for American audiences and was originally written in metric units).
Overall if you are wanting a book that has gorgeous writing, a nice romance representation, and something that is going to make you want to drink coffee in front of a fire or a glass of wine out on a patio this is the book to grab!
This line 100% sums up this collection of short stories. Each story follows a new couple that showcase different types of love, whether it's old love or new, family love or second chance love each set brings with it a cozy reading experience as you work through which way each character will take you.
I absolutely had an amazing time with this book, it's a great option for someone who is wanting something a little more fast paced but also something to not commit to if you are wanting a nice pallet cleanser. Each short story is on average about 10 pages long so you could also read this and another book at the same time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is not a big commitment of a read and feels so nice and fluffy.
There are some things about these stories that I did find a few small gripes about. First is that many of the stories are very predictable, it's not terrible but because these are pretty quick reads it doesn't take much to see where the story is going to go. Also, there is clearly some of the author's personal tastes in men (older) showcased in these stories in addition to quite a few "insta-love" situations. Also, quite a few stories are set in Europe but the imperial system is still used which obviously wouldn't really happen so that kinda took it out for me when reading (unless it was added in for American audiences and was originally written in metric units).
Overall if you are wanting a book that has gorgeous writing, a nice romance representation, and something that is going to make you want to drink coffee in front of a fire or a glass of wine out on a patio this is the book to grab!
felydancer's review against another edition
5.0
A romance yes, but not all the stories end happily ever after. There is the possibility of a happy ending and also what if ....
carosbookcase's review against another edition
5.0
After reading [b:Snow in April|60469|Snow in April|Rosamunde Pilcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386924757l/60469._SY75_.jpg|1323954] recently, I wanted to follow it up with another book by [a:Rosamunde Pilcher|20849|Rosamunde Pilcher|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1363607202p2/20849.jpg]. I would have grabbed one of her novels if I’d had one on my shelf that I hadn’t already read. But I didn’t.
What I did have was a collection of her short stories, A Place Like Home. Well, I’m not one who typically gravitates towards short stories, but I do make exceptions.
This collection was mainly about women finding the right man. But as with her novels these stories are also about the common struggles of everyday life, moments of pain and of joy, and understanding one’s self.
As Lucinda Riley points out in the introduction to this collection, “Rosamunde had the unique gift of being able to sum up the essence of some of life’s big questions in just a few wise words.” She gives the example of a line from the short story, “Someone to Trust”. “Loving a person … is not finding perfection but forgiving faults.” There is a similar phrase in her novel, ‘September.’ “Loving isn’t finding perfection, but forgiving horrible faults.”
There are other examples in this collection of short stories that feel like the seed of Pilcher’s later novels, and the ideas that she worried at and refined as her writing progressed.
This collection was a joy to read, but I think I appreciated it more because I was already familiar with her later books. If this had been my first introduction to Pilcher I'm not sure I would have appreciated this collection quite so much.
What I did have was a collection of her short stories, A Place Like Home. Well, I’m not one who typically gravitates towards short stories, but I do make exceptions.
This collection was mainly about women finding the right man. But as with her novels these stories are also about the common struggles of everyday life, moments of pain and of joy, and understanding one’s self.
As Lucinda Riley points out in the introduction to this collection, “Rosamunde had the unique gift of being able to sum up the essence of some of life’s big questions in just a few wise words.” She gives the example of a line from the short story, “Someone to Trust”. “Loving a person … is not finding perfection but forgiving faults.” There is a similar phrase in her novel, ‘September.’ “Loving isn’t finding perfection, but forgiving horrible faults.”
There are other examples in this collection of short stories that feel like the seed of Pilcher’s later novels, and the ideas that she worried at and refined as her writing progressed.
This collection was a joy to read, but I think I appreciated it more because I was already familiar with her later books. If this had been my first introduction to Pilcher I'm not sure I would have appreciated this collection quite so much.
bethaneycotten's review against another edition
4.0
With most short stories collections, I loved some, but not others. It was nostalgic fun to revisit Rosamunde Pilcher’s world!
rwbrock's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5⭐️
I was thrilled to discover this new anthology of short stories recently discovered and written by one of my favorite authors. It felt like coming home as I read them.
Pilcher writes with a descriptive, and deceptively simple quality that almost feels like poetry to me. Each story (there are 15) made me wish for a full-length novel. Yes, she writes romance but not just love stories…her characters are so fully developed, her settings so fully imagined that the romance sometimes can feel like an afterthought.
My favorites here were A Place Like Home and Skelmerton, but I loved them all.
My sincere thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for providing me the free early arc for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
I was thrilled to discover this new anthology of short stories recently discovered and written by one of my favorite authors. It felt like coming home as I read them.
Pilcher writes with a descriptive, and deceptively simple quality that almost feels like poetry to me. Each story (there are 15) made me wish for a full-length novel. Yes, she writes romance but not just love stories…her characters are so fully developed, her settings so fully imagined that the romance sometimes can feel like an afterthought.
My favorites here were A Place Like Home and Skelmerton, but I loved them all.
My sincere thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for providing me the free early arc for review. The opinions are strictly my own.
noreenceedee's review against another edition
3.0
I read and loved The Shell Seekers in the eighties so I grabbed this at the library when I saw it. I don’t remember that book as a romance novel and I’m not a fan of that genre. I also am not crazy about short stories so 15 short romances in one book was too much for me. Well written and nice characters but too shallow.
kathryneh's review against another edition
5.0
This book came right after reading a book that was much heavier and it felt like coming home after a long day. Each story a bit different from the previous one, some a bit better than others, but each and every one gave me comfort and joy.
ktamen's review against another edition
4.0
I love Rosamunde Pilcher, always have, so this was a delight to read these mostly unpublished stories. I enjoyed all but maybe 2 of them. She had a gift for making different locales come to life, which makes her writing so enjoyable.
obsidian_blue's review against another edition
5.0
Re-read this again and still in love with the majority of these stories. I really have to re-read September again.
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
I thought this was absolutely wonderful. This is a collection of short stories by Pilcher and I have to say that this book was just what I needed. I curled up in a blanket with cups of tea.
There is an introduction by someone named Lucinda Riley that I don't know anything about, I skipped this though because most introductions spoil the stories within and it drives me up the wall.
Per usual, here are my ratings of all the stories.
"Someone to Trust"-5 stars-I thought this was a great start to the collection. We follow a woman named Rachael who realizes that after many years, the man she is in love with, is never going to love her the right way. She goes to visit her cousin and tries to put her lover behind her. But things change for her when she starts to realize that not all men are like her ex. I did like that Rachael comes to a better realization about her relationship and the man that seems to not care at all about hurting her.
"Anniversary"-5 stars-A woman named Janey realizes that she needs more from her long-time lover, David. She's scared though to ask for more since he seems very anti-marriage. When Janey travels to celebrate her parent's wedding anniversary, she meets a couple that has her thinking things may have to change for her to move forward. What I liked about this one though is there a hint of darkness in the ending. I think Pilcher did a good job with showing that not all marriages are the same.
"Skelmerton"-3 stars-this one was the only story that really dragged for me. The title of this story is the name of the village where the story takes place. I think this one didn't work for me because it follows a single woman (considered a spinster) who really put her life on hold for a young man she met and fell in love with years ago. He of course met and married someone else, but has now returned to Skelmerton. I don't know. I don't think the story was meant to seem like hey good for you for being second best. But it read that way. I don't know if that was on purpose or not.
"A Place Like Home"-5 stars-I really enjoyed this one. A young woman named Joanna is in the hospital and realizing that she is truly almost alone in the world. She is an orphan and her remaining relatives are nowhere nearby. Her boss comes to visit her though and suggests a place that he knows in Scotland as a place to recover. I loved the description of Scotland and the people that Joanna meets, especially one of them. It really was a great story and I can see why the collection was named after this story.
"Ghosts of the Past"-3.5 stars-This one was definitely dark. I liked it though, but it didn't really fit with the general mood of the book I thought. Pilcher loves playing with stories about the end of affairs. I thought this one had a kind of ridiculous ending, but I loved the set-up of it before that.
"Jonathan"-3.5 stars-Not bad, it just felt a bit samey to the story told in Skelmerton.
"The Key"-3.5/4 stars-This was a weird story. As I reflect on it, I think I liked it. A young girl named Ruth goes and sees a house. She's not what she seems. It's a weird story.
"A Fork in the Road"-5 stars-A young man has a choice between a woman or moving to Edinburgh. After a visit there, he starts to think of the possibilities before him.
"The Stone Boy"-4 stars-This story follows a woman who has a chance encounter with a man that she has tried to forget.
"A Touch of Magic"-5 stars-This story was hilarious. An older aunt and another woman want the woman's brother in law to grow up and finally stay in one place. An accident ends up allowing the brother in law to see someone in a new light.
"A Smile for the Bride"-4 stars-Not a bad short story, but I knew how this one would end. I felt like I have read this before.
"Magic Might Happen"-4 stars-I thought this was okay, but honestly thought the ending was a bit...eh. It just didn't work for me due to the fact I thought Pilcher was telling a different story for readers. About how to go on after your heart is broken.
"Through the Eyes of Love"-5 stars-A young woman realizes that she needs to move on from a lover who has caused her nothing but pain. She goes home to her family for Christmas, and sees someone she has known for a long time in a new light. This felt very similar to Winter Solstice in themes or just the feeling of coziness it inspired. Loved it.
"Our Holiday"-5 stars-Yikes. I mean this is good, but this is probably a story that maybe should have ended up in a different collection. I loved it though it left me feeling melancholy.
"Harbour of Love"-4.5 stars-Not a bad story to end on, I just thought it was going in a totally different way though.
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
I thought this was absolutely wonderful. This is a collection of short stories by Pilcher and I have to say that this book was just what I needed. I curled up in a blanket with cups of tea.
There is an introduction by someone named Lucinda Riley that I don't know anything about, I skipped this though because most introductions spoil the stories within and it drives me up the wall.
Per usual, here are my ratings of all the stories.
"Someone to Trust"-5 stars-I thought this was a great start to the collection. We follow a woman named Rachael who realizes that after many years, the man she is in love with, is never going to love her the right way. She goes to visit her cousin and tries to put her lover behind her. But things change for her when she starts to realize that not all men are like her ex. I did like that Rachael comes to a better realization about her relationship and the man that seems to not care at all about hurting her.
"Anniversary"-5 stars-A woman named Janey realizes that she needs more from her long-time lover, David. She's scared though to ask for more since he seems very anti-marriage. When Janey travels to celebrate her parent's wedding anniversary, she meets a couple that has her thinking things may have to change for her to move forward. What I liked about this one though is there a hint of darkness in the ending. I think Pilcher did a good job with showing that not all marriages are the same.
"Skelmerton"-3 stars-this one was the only story that really dragged for me. The title of this story is the name of the village where the story takes place. I think this one didn't work for me because it follows a single woman (considered a spinster) who really put her life on hold for a young man she met and fell in love with years ago. He of course met and married someone else, but has now returned to Skelmerton. I don't know. I don't think the story was meant to seem like hey good for you for being second best. But it read that way. I don't know if that was on purpose or not.
"A Place Like Home"-5 stars-I really enjoyed this one. A young woman named Joanna is in the hospital and realizing that she is truly almost alone in the world. She is an orphan and her remaining relatives are nowhere nearby. Her boss comes to visit her though and suggests a place that he knows in Scotland as a place to recover. I loved the description of Scotland and the people that Joanna meets, especially one of them. It really was a great story and I can see why the collection was named after this story.
"Ghosts of the Past"-3.5 stars-This one was definitely dark. I liked it though, but it didn't really fit with the general mood of the book I thought. Pilcher loves playing with stories about the end of affairs. I thought this one had a kind of ridiculous ending, but I loved the set-up of it before that.
"Jonathan"-3.5 stars-Not bad, it just felt a bit samey to the story told in Skelmerton.
"The Key"-3.5/4 stars-This was a weird story. As I reflect on it, I think I liked it. A young girl named Ruth goes and sees a house. She's not what she seems. It's a weird story.
"A Fork in the Road"-5 stars-A young man has a choice between a woman or moving to Edinburgh. After a visit there, he starts to think of the possibilities before him.
"The Stone Boy"-4 stars-This story follows a woman who has a chance encounter with a man that she has tried to forget.
"A Touch of Magic"-5 stars-This story was hilarious. An older aunt and another woman want the woman's brother in law to grow up and finally stay in one place. An accident ends up allowing the brother in law to see someone in a new light.
"A Smile for the Bride"-4 stars-Not a bad short story, but I knew how this one would end. I felt like I have read this before.
"Magic Might Happen"-4 stars-I thought this was okay, but honestly thought the ending was a bit...eh. It just didn't work for me due to the fact I thought Pilcher was telling a different story for readers. About how to go on after your heart is broken.
"Through the Eyes of Love"-5 stars-A young woman realizes that she needs to move on from a lover who has caused her nothing but pain. She goes home to her family for Christmas, and sees someone she has known for a long time in a new light. This felt very similar to Winter Solstice in themes or just the feeling of coziness it inspired. Loved it.
"Our Holiday"-5 stars-Yikes. I mean this is good, but this is probably a story that maybe should have ended up in a different collection. I loved it though it left me feeling melancholy.
"Harbour of Love"-4.5 stars-Not a bad story to end on, I just thought it was going in a totally different way though.