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February 8, 2008 12:10 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

Reviewed by Helen Redfern

The story of three women and their young, male babysitter unfurls during the hot summer in Nantucket. All of them have a story. Vicki has lung cancer, Brenda, Vicki’s younger sister is in disgrace after having an affair with one of her students and Melanie, Vicki’s friend, is newly pregnant with a long fought for baby, only to discover her husband is having an affair. Josh is a twenty one year old writing student on his summer holidays in the right place at the right time.

Vicki and Brenda have inherited a little cottage on the island so have decided to spend the summer there whilst Vicki has her chemotherapy treatment and Brenda sorts herself out emotionally whilst also writing a screenplay. Their mother firmly believes that a bit of sand from Nantucket lying between your bare feet soothes and solves all manner of problems.

This isn’t a fast paced, catch your breath book. It is gentle and slow as we go on a touching journey with the three women and Josh. Emotions are long drawn out and tense at times, making you want to read on quickly to see what happens at the end of the summer. We look into the recent past of the three women and watch as they deal with their issues and come to terms with them.

The women’s characters are displayed warts and all, my only issue was that I saw too many of their faults to truly care for them. The woman I cared for least was Melanie. I thought she was a bit daft, but then her hormones were all over the place and she was in shock because of her cheating husband so perhaps that’s why.

Reading this during dark and dismal January made me look forward to summer. It would be great to read on the beach when you are quite literally barefoot feeling the sand between your toes.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard

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Posted by Keris on February 8, 2008 in American Authors | Permalink

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