For quiet, overweight, unassuming Charlotte Clapp, life can be summed up by a single phrase-"some men die with their music still in them." All of her life, she's lived in a small town where the only thing more stifling that its inhabitants are her own thoughts. But, when she gets the news from her doctor that she's dying, and has only a year to live, letting the music inside of her out has never seemed more important. So, she robs a bank. Yes, a bank...the very same bank that she's worked at for the past fifteen years. After all, she's dying, and if she wants to realize her dreams- which include going to Hollywood, California, meeting Tom Selleck, singing karaoke, riding in a hot-air balloon, and finding a man to love who will love her in return-she's going to need money. Lots of money. Money in the form of two million dollars in small bills, to be exact, which just happens to be sitting in the bank in small town Gorham, Massachusetts. And so begins Charlotte's transformation; first into the life of Blossom McBeal, a woman who unconsciously strips off over a hundred pounds of comforting body fat, meets a widow who throws parties for her dogs, and falls head-fast into lust with the pool boy. And as the people of Gorham believe that Charlotte has committed suicide over the news of her impending death, Blossom comes to terms with who she is. She's a woman who has so much to give, and so much to give up-anger, resentment, and, above all, she must hand out forgiveness to everyone who has hurt her, and must also forgive herself. As Gorham's Police Chief begins to suspect that quiet Charlotte, all two-hundred and fifty-three pounds of her, may have been behind the bank heist, opinions in town flow fast and free. It seems that Charlotte was much loved, more so than she ever knew. But out in Hollywood, Blossom is learning to live again-through nightly swims in the pool at her apartment complex. NIGHT SWIMMING is a wonderful, wonderful book, a mixture of women's fiction, mystery, adventure, and romance. Ms. Schwarz perfectly blends the story into a book that you won't be able to put down. Charlotte is me-she's you-she's every woman whose ever had dreams that have been put on hold, stuffed into the back of an old drawer. She's the woman we wish we could be-brave, spontaneous, forgiving, loving. Charlotte is Blossom, who is Lila, who is all of us. As Chief Makley closes in, as her friendship with her neighbor Dolly comforts her in her sadness, as her relationship with lawyer-turned-pool boy Skip turns to love, the message of NIGHT SWIMMING is clear-no regrets. Live your life to the fullest. And no matter what, you cannot be allowed to die with your music still inside of you.
"Sometimes you've got to change just to stay afloat... "5 star rating!Charlotte's bad news gets her the heck out of dodge with a bag of money she has pilfered from the bank she had worked at for 15 years. On the lam, overweight and needing a huge change to her personality Charlotte sets off for Hollywood. Hoping for a glimpse of Tom Selleck Charlotte settles at an aparmtent complex with a pool and some eccentric neighbors.Little does she know all of it is for the best and good things will come out in the end.Tom Selleck fans will love this story! Everyone else enjoy Charlotte's transformation!"For too many years, quiet, unassuming, overweight Charlotte Clapp has let life slip through her fingers. Holed up in tiny Gorham, New Hampshire, gorging on bonbons and glued to reruns of Magnum, P.I., she has made a habit of playing it safe. But Charlotte is about to get a major wake-up call. What was supposed to be a routine physical turns up shattering news: Her days are numbered. In fact, she has just one year left.How can she be dying when she has never truly lived? That's the refrain that keeps running through her head. Unwilling to waste another second, Charlotte walks into the First Savings and Loan Bank where she's worked for fifteen years and quits. Then she does the unthinkable: She robs the place.Now two million dollars richer, Charlotte-all 253 pounds of her-is going on the lam to discover what life and love are all about. It's a journey she never envisioned-one that's bound to be difficult, maybe painful, even lonely. Yet it will transform her in the most unpredictable and deliciously surprising ways.Arriving in Hollywood, Charlotte changes her name and buys a luxury apartment, complete with expansive views, marble foyer, and a blond, built, bronzed god of a pool boy. She forges new friendships, falls in lust, and, on nights when she can't bear the weight of her own thoughts, takes moonlit swims. Soon something magical happens: In the buoyant water of the pool, the pounds start to slip off, and the real Charlotte begins to emerge.Then, just when Charlotte believes that the love and happiness she's longed for are finally within reach, reality intrudes. Back in Gorham, people have begun to investigate the disappearance of both Charlotte and the two million dollars. She's a wanted woman. But will she have time to get what she wants before it's too late?A wise and winning debut by a talented newcomer, Night Swimming is that rare hybrid: a novel filled with both wit and heart."
Do You like book Night Swimming (2005)?
This book was so stupid. Why do I insist on finishing books that clearly aren't going to do it for me? I have to say, this one was recommended to me by someone I really respect, so I kept reading it. She was thinking that I would appreciate how this woman "found herself" when she found swimming. I did appreciate that about the book; however the stupid plot line, unrealistic events, and mediocre characters took up the other 300 and some pages.I know I am an addict - I promise next time I will stop at page 50 when the book isn't doing it for me. I will. I really will.
—Wendy Hall
I was anticipating a light, clever read with humor. The premise seemed promising - a dying fat girl robs a bank to live her dream. But oh, it was just regurgitated bilge. The end was especially disgustingly sacchrine. Fat girl becomes skinny. Skinny girl wins love. She's not going to die. Her crime is forgiven. She inherits a huge sum of money. For a very similar story with a bit more originality, read The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery. I'd probably rate that one 2 stars.
—A
The story begins with a woman finding out she has cancer and only one year to live.Finding herself in this situation, the average, law-abiding citizen, Charlotte Clapp, decides to take off on the journey of her life in order to spend her final year happier than ever before. This journey involves 3 critical steps. Step 1: Become a fugitive over-night by robbing the bank she has worked as a bank teller for the last 15 years. Step 2: Run across the country to the one place you’ve always dreamed of going—Hollywood, California. Step 3: Live life to the fullest—lose weight, fall in love, ride a hot air balloon, and swim in the pool of a million dollar apartment. With the police right on her tail, Charlotte does just this as she discovers herself and the world in a whole new way.Through the use of descriptive and figurative language the author, Robin Schwarz, provides engaging descriptions of the environment and characters. The story has many unexpected twists that leave you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. From a rich old lady to cancer-ridden woman, Schwarz’s characters tell poignant life stories in unique ways. New identities, bank robbery, and the mob intermingle with the remarkable characters to entertain readers. However, several sections of the book lack momentum. Because these less interesting portions are interspersed with the action, the overall book is worth reading. The amusing tone, rich dialog, vivid language, and unusual metaphors make the story a delightful addition to any reader’s bookshelf.
—Rachel
