Table for Five

By: Susan Wiggs

Narrated by: Amy Rubinate

Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Lily Robinson and Sean McGuire have nothing in common. She guards her independent lifestyle with a ferocity that hides a fear of love and the pain it can bring. He’s always been a rolling stone, making his own way. But with the sudden deaths of a couple close to them both, the two become joined in grief and a knowledge that they must step up and care for the three orphaned children.

With little more than hope and dedication, these five embark on a cross-country road trip filled with the ups and downs, the joys and frustrations that make up a family. Along the way, Lily and Sean and these troubled children will discover that even when you’ve lost everything, love still remains.

©2005 Susan Wiggs (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Yummy

Great Story. A realistic plot. Characters developed throughout. A perfect feel good book. Well done.

Characters

Loved the story and narration Sad at times but also heartwarming and spoke of healing and the love of family

Heart warming

Oh, I wondered how the story would play out as from the beginning it seemed as though there wasn’t much left to tell. To my surprise it was like watching a beautiful flower open from tragic,their is beauty. Always remember to stop and smell the roses
.

They overcame a tragedy and their differences

Great story filled with sorrow, misunderstandings and love. I highly recommend the Audible version of this book

awesome!

another awesome book by Susan Wiggs. highly recommended anyone who loves that happy ending. I know I do

Table for Five

This was a wonderful, feel good book. The narrator was good and the ending was great. I enjoyed the entire story.

Ok if you’re in the mood for women’s fiction

about grief and responsibility. I prefer more entertainment.

The publisher’s blurb (on the back of the book) emphasized a cross country road trip with ups and downs, joys and frustrations. I was disappointed that the road trip was a very minor part of the book and toward the end.

My description of the book:
The parents die, leaving three children. Lily is the mother’s best friend. Sean is the father’s brother. Sean becomes legal guardian. Lily spends a lot of time with the children because they need her. There is a lot of grieving, mostly by Lily but also by the two older children who have problems. The point of view is mostly Lily. We are not in Sean’s head and don’t see his grief. But his actions are impressive as he assumes responsibility for the children.

Instead of the road trip, most of the book is grief and thinking about loss. Another part is Lily being the rigid school teacher who is afraid to love. She wouldn’t get a pet because she didn’t want to be hurt when the pet eventually died.

At the end there is a romantic undertone, but not enough to call it romance.

Did I like it? Not really. I wanted a lighter feel, more entertainment. I was hoping for interesting and romantic interaction between Sean and Lily while they were on a road trip. I didn’t get that. It was mostly grief, being responsible, dealing with children’s problems, and watching children improve. The most frequent phrase in the book was Lily saying what is “best for the children.” I was tired of hearing it.

There were some good parts about Sean as a golfer. I enjoyed the golf games and his comeback.

NARRATOR:
The narrator Amy Rubinate has a little girl’s voice. It did not fit the adult teacher (Lily) who was the main point of view. The narrator would be better reading a children’s book or a little girl’s point of view. I’d prefer a different narrator for this book.

Genre: womens fiction, grief and family, golf

Pass it by

Obvious, manipulative, and it's the slowest paced book I've ever read. No surprises -- you can predict this one from the very start. Can't recommend.