I liked this book and thought it was a great summer read. I didn't really have a problem with the way Adrienne and Thatcher fell in love. Even though we don't really know Thatcher's thoughts, you seem to understand that he loves Adrienne, but feels conflicted by his feelings for Fiona, his life-long best friend. I sensed that this relationship between Thatcher and Adrienne was the real thing, but I certainly didn't know how Thatcher was going to "redeem" himself after his marriage to Fiona! I am glad the author included his thoughts of his relationship with Fiona - and the reason why he married her before she died.
I found myself jumping around emotionally with these characters! For awhile I was annoyed at Adrienne for being so jealous of Fiona and not being more understanding of her eventual death - at MUCH too young an age. On the other hand, I was appalled that Thatcher left Adrienne on their first date to go have dinner with Fiona. I might have called it quits right then. Then, I thought it was really unfair of Fiona to consume Thatcher, even after knowing about his feelings for Adrienne. It's like she was just going to take what she could and not care about anyone else. In other words, selfish. Then I felt guilty for thinking that because whyshouldn't she go for what she wanted in the short time she had left?
I saw Thatcher and Fiona's relationship as purely platonic. I believe Thatcher really needed her during childhood because he really didn't have a lot of family support. She was his family. I think he may have had romantic feelings for Fiona when he was 15, but I think those feelings turned into a friendship love before they reached adulthood. Just my opinion! I wasn't at all surprised that they kissed for the first time at their wedding. Not sure what to make of their wedding though. And of Thatcher never taking his wedding ring off for the rest of his life. I will give Adrienne kudos for being able to accept that! (Which it inferred that she would). There is nothing that puts a damper on a marriage like a third person - dead or alive!
I agree with Trish that I didn't understand the need to close down the restaurant one week early. You would have thought they would have kept it open FOR Fiona and Thatcher. Antonio ran the kitchen all the time anyway and Adrienne certainly knew Thatcher's job. That early closure was a letdown. I was also wondering about Adrienne and her drinking! Wow. Slow down girl. I was hoping she would "wake up" about this potential problem and make a change before she ended up in AA too. I was happy to see that not only did Adrienne stop drinking, but that she didn't flee Nantucket the second the restaurant closed down. It showed that she was maturing. She took a LONG time to accept the relationship between her father and Mavis. I kept thinking, "Come on Adrienne, it's been 16 years! Your wonderful father deserves some happiness". And Mavis genuinely seemed like a loving woman. So I am glad she finally worked through that too.
One more comment! I'm not a big fan of cooking - although I am a huge fan of eating! - but I really enjoyed learning the ins and outs of the high-end restaurant business. I enjoyed the seating arrangements, the VIP chips, the Assistant Manager/Hostess walking around with a glass of expensive champagne in hopes of selling it to the "guests"! It made me want to have a ton of money and go eat somewhere like that on a weekly basis. ;-)
Enjoyable read!
Wendy's Rating: ****
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