cupcakegirly's review against another edition
2.0
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I normally enjoy this author's books, but unfortunately, this one was just okay. I didn't connect with the characters and was disappointed that the story on the back--the one about Ella losing her husband in a tragic accident--wasn't the real story. As with all of Henry's books, this one was well-written but the story ended up not appealing to me.
I normally enjoy this author's books, but unfortunately, this one was just okay. I didn't connect with the characters and was disappointed that the story on the back--the one about Ella losing her husband in a tragic accident--wasn't the real story. As with all of Henry's books, this one was well-written but the story ended up not appealing to me.
amyma's review against another edition
3.0
The story in The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry started out with a little white lie on two people's parts, two people who figured they would never see each other again. But, they're drawn to each other and those little white lies keep compounding into bigger lies. I listened to this book and it was definitely enjoyable, but not one that I was thinking about when not listening.
taralpittman's review against another edition
3.0
This isn’t groundbreaking work and, at times, it definitely reads like the plot of a Hallmark or Lifetime movie you’re just sure you’ve already seen half of on some rainy Saturday afternoon. And Ella also has an (equally stereotypical) sassy elderly downstairs neighbor with a tragic past. But, somehow, as inevitable and unoriginal as it all seems, it also works fairly well for an enjoyable read, with a satisfying ending.
chrissymcbooknerd's review against another edition
3.0
It all started with a little white lie...
Hunter is a screenwriter in need of a story. He visits a sleepy little town, hoping to interview its community in search of something to spark his next big hit. Posing as a serious author of historical and travel works, Hunter manages to get the attention of a beautiful young woman with a captivating story...
Ella can't bear to face the truth of her husband's affair, so she invents an amazing story that portrays his death in a heroic light. When an author comes to research her town, she figures there's no harm in sharing the realities that she has spun to comfort herself. So, she tells great tales of a noble man who died rescuing his young wife...
When Hunter and Ella learn that they may, together, be creating the start of a magical love story, each has a horrifying truth to confront. Are they each too infatuated with the idea of love to be able to imagine its reality? Or, will these little white lies be enough to destroy the possibilities of a bright tomorrow?
The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry is a feel-good romance with an extra bit of heart and soul, featuring two fairly unlikeable characters who seem destined to be stuck in their own imaginations. I can't deny that it was hard to feel attached to individuals who seemed so intent on living a lie, but the possibility of character growth and development was enough to keep me reading until the end.
For anyone who loves a story of characters overcoming their personal demons to find a happy ending, The Idea of Love would probably be an excellent choice -- as long as you don't mind a few irritatingly frustrating characters along the way.
I did receive a copy of The Idea of Love for the purposes of providing a complete and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by the manner in which the book was received.
3.5 stars
Hunter is a screenwriter in need of a story. He visits a sleepy little town, hoping to interview its community in search of something to spark his next big hit. Posing as a serious author of historical and travel works, Hunter manages to get the attention of a beautiful young woman with a captivating story...
Ella can't bear to face the truth of her husband's affair, so she invents an amazing story that portrays his death in a heroic light. When an author comes to research her town, she figures there's no harm in sharing the realities that she has spun to comfort herself. So, she tells great tales of a noble man who died rescuing his young wife...
When Hunter and Ella learn that they may, together, be creating the start of a magical love story, each has a horrifying truth to confront. Are they each too infatuated with the idea of love to be able to imagine its reality? Or, will these little white lies be enough to destroy the possibilities of a bright tomorrow?
The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry is a feel-good romance with an extra bit of heart and soul, featuring two fairly unlikeable characters who seem destined to be stuck in their own imaginations. I can't deny that it was hard to feel attached to individuals who seemed so intent on living a lie, but the possibility of character growth and development was enough to keep me reading until the end.
For anyone who loves a story of characters overcoming their personal demons to find a happy ending, The Idea of Love would probably be an excellent choice -- as long as you don't mind a few irritatingly frustrating characters along the way.
I did receive a copy of The Idea of Love for the purposes of providing a complete and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by the manner in which the book was received.
3.5 stars
girlonthecsaw's review against another edition
4.0
Patti Callahan Henry never disappoints. Her novels consistently remind us of the complexities of all types of love but this one focuses on how expectations of love are formed. The main characters, Ella and Blake, are floundering in life. She is an aspiring wedding dress designer who's getting over her husband's betrayal and he is trying to re-establish his screenwriting career. Blake visits the coastal town where Ella lives in search of inspiration. When they meet each of them lie about who they are but that deception doesn't keep them from forming an emotional bond. The setting is lovely, the secondary characters are realistic, and the plot of this novel keeps you engaged. Henry's quote from the novel "Is love just an idea that won't survive the harsh light of day or can it change your life?" perfectly describes the level of suspense she creates as their story unfolds.
daybreak1012's review against another edition
Did you ever add a book to your TBR list so long ago that you can no longer recall why you added it in the first place? You read the description and this yields no clues, but you assume that something about it must have made you deem it worthy to add it, so you shrug and give it a shot.
I still have no idea what prompted me to mark this to be read and nothing compelled me to continue reading it. The two main characters are lying to each other right out of the gate, and neither of them is all that likable or sympathetic or at least entertaining. I am super picky about romances anyway, but this checked none of my boxes.
TBR is too long to waste precious reading time on a book that makes my skin crawl. Moving on. Maybe harsh? I usually just graciously say a book isn't meant for me, but I cannot find a single thing to say about it that might allow you to tell if it's for you.
I still have no idea what prompted me to mark this to be read and nothing compelled me to continue reading it. The two main characters are lying to each other right out of the gate, and neither of them is all that likable or sympathetic or at least entertaining. I am super picky about romances anyway, but this checked none of my boxes.
TBR is too long to waste precious reading time on a book that makes my skin crawl. Moving on. Maybe harsh? I usually just graciously say a book isn't meant for me, but I cannot find a single thing to say about it that might allow you to tell if it's for you.
karak's review against another edition
I just couldn't get through this relatively short book. I never connected with either of the main characters, and just found that I couldn't care what happened to them over the course of the book.
beckyreads2's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book because I enjoy Patti Callahan Henry's book The Bookshop at Water's End , which I really enjoyed. Callahan Henry is a good writer with good grammar, and her story ideas are interesting.
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I feel like Ella and Mimi were the best written characters. Sims, Betsy, Amber, and Blake don't seem to have a lot of depth, and I can't say that I really liked any of them. I guess Blake had a few redeeming qualities.
You will enjoy this story if you like stories about crappy men, a pathetic best friend, and people telling lies to each other. On a happier note, you will like this if you like stories about women in the beginning stages of standing up for themselves.
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I feel like Ella and Mimi were the best written characters. Sims, Betsy, Amber, and Blake don't seem to have a lot of depth, and I can't say that I really liked any of them. I guess Blake had a few redeeming qualities.
You will enjoy this story if you like stories about crappy men, a pathetic best friend, and people telling lies to each other. On a happier note, you will like this if you like stories about women in the beginning stages of standing up for themselves.
vdoprincess's review against another edition
1.0
I rarely bother to write reviews, using goodreads instead to track books I want to and have read. But I hated this one so much I had to explain why I didn't bother to finish it.
Put simply, the whole premise of the novel is the objectification of women. The main guy (Blake? I think) is a screenwriter who can't come up with a story so he's stealing stories from women he meets. Even after he meets our heroine, we constantly hear about how her hair blew or dress swished, nothing to indicate he sees her as an actual human being.
I had to quit. Too many other books worth reading to spend more time in this one.
Put simply, the whole premise of the novel is the objectification of women. The main guy (Blake? I think) is a screenwriter who can't come up with a story so he's stealing stories from women he meets. Even after he meets our heroine, we constantly hear about how her hair blew or dress swished, nothing to indicate he sees her as an actual human being.
I had to quit. Too many other books worth reading to spend more time in this one.