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Rebecca K. (Chicagoland)
A perfect summer read
In 1999, Jackie Pierce is a music teacher for kids. She's surprised when she learns she has inherited The Sandcastle, the sprawling estate of her late uncle, a rock star, upon her aunt's death. It immediately takes her back to the summer of 1979, when she spent the season at the home of her father's brother. Her cousin Willa became her inseparable companion for that time. They had many adventures together.
The summers were different then. The Sandcastle was where traveling musicians came to stay. The cabins, campfires, and beach parties were legendary. Jackie became part of that world for several months, but it
…more all came crashing down in an instant.
Jackie returns to the estate to pack it up and sell it. But she soon learns her aunt promised a music producer he could record a tribute album at the studio in the basement. Before she empties it out, she agrees to fulfill her aunt's last request. The producer, a super fan, seems to know a lot about the family. What's his real motive? And how does he know so much?
Although I wasn't alive in the 1970s, this novel felt like it transported me there. I could practically smell the campfire, hear the waterfall, and feel the sunshine on my face as I read. It made me nostalgic for a time I've never even lived through, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I'm looking forward to reading more from novelist Amy Mason Doan. (less)I was hooked from the fist page. You instantly get attached to Jackie and Willa. One of the things that really stood out for me is that I knew exactly all the locations mentioned being from Northern California. Being famous or in a famous family doesn't mean that life is perfect. Such a great book that would make a great summer beach read.
Dan W. (Fort Myers, FL)
California Dreamin'
This book had me off and running from the very beginning. I was engaged from the start about a story based in the California coastal region in the 70's. I was heavily engaged to the music scene at that time.
What really captured the essence of this book is the close relationship that developed between two teenage cousins Jackie and Willa. This period of time the girls engage in the communal living that was popular in certain places the country and the California musicians and their lifestyles.
It is an engaging book from start to finish. Its primary focused on Jackie and Willa's developing and enduring friendship
…more keeps one reading at a rapid pace.
The beauty of this book is that the plot and story presents an unexpected turn of events. When this happens, the race is on to finish the book for a very surprised ending. An ending one doesn't see coming. (less)I thought this was a great read. My only regret is that I will be at the beach next week and this is a perfect beach read! The narrative set in 1999 and 1979 moves seamlessly and I was engaged in both. I will admit that I was a little more involved in the the 70s timeline, but I was 14 in 1979 and the music/surfer Northern California story was too great! The underlying suspense kept me going, and I liked our protagonists. All in all I really enjoyed this one.
Mary L. (Greeley, CO)
I could give it 10 stars!
While I can rate many novels 5 stars, there are only a very few I regret leaving at the end. "Lady Sunshine" is such a novel. From the beginning, the major character Jackie metaphorically takes the reader by the hand into her life in 1999 and back to the summer of 1979 into the lives of her Uncle Graham, Aunt Angela and, especially, her cousin Willa weaving late adolescence, music, domestic violence, the Pacific Ocean and the way love, thought lost, roars back into one's life like the tide. If you read just one book in 2021, read this one!
Vicky R. (Roswell, GA)
Loved this vibe
My genre is usually a great psychological thriller but I lost myself in this bohemian world of musicians, surfers and artists. The author wrote and created a free spirited world you could actually feel...The 70's in California...what is better than sun,surf,and secrets...start reading.
Anne M. (Madison, WI)
A Sweet Summer Read
Lady Sunshine is a book to savor with a cold beverage at the beach or while relaxing on a comfortable porch sofa. From the California setting to summer to music jam sessions and complicated family drama, it provided the entertainment I was looking for in a great summer read. It was both a coming of age story and a retelling and rekindling of the past with a few twists and turns along the way. And the setting made one feel like you were on summer vacation or at an extended getaway music jam session with the rest of the characters. It was sad coming to the end, much like the last day of a great summer vacation!
Veronica E. (Chesterton, IN)
MEMORIES
I so enjoyed this story. Lady Sunshine was very well written and the descriptions of the northern San Francisco were right on. The detail of the lives of the characters made me a part of the story (a hidden character). Music, love, laughter, anger, forgiveness but especially friendship and the process of growing up. The author did fabulous on writing.
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