Oh boy. This story started out with such promise and then fizzled into nothing. Having now read three Betsy Carter books, I have concluded that she doesn't really know how to wrap up a story. I really liked The Puzzle King but felt the ending was rushed. I recently read Swim to Me and felt like it wasn't really a story, just a telling of events with no ending at all. Now (after giving this author one more chance) I'm feeling the same way about The Orange Blossom Special. It's kind of like when someone asks you about your day. If something really interesting happened, you tell the story--there's a beginning, a middle, a climactic point, and an ending, a resolution of some sort. If it was an uneventful day, you might say something like, "Well, I woke up and started to do some laundry, but I was out of detergent. Then I took the dog for a walk, went to the grocery store, called a friend to chat, and now I'm just trying to figure out what to make for dinner." Carter tends to lean toward the latter. You keep feeling like maybe something is coming that will make the read worthwhile, but it never really does. Even the "surprise events" in the story are predictable. An even more obvious flaw in Orange Blossom is the timeline. The story beings in 1958, yet we're to ignore the fact that ten years have supposedly passed by 1966, when Part 3 begins. How did an editor not catch this? To end my review on a positive note, Carter's character development is good, which is why I give this book 2 stars. Can't say I'd read another one though.
The characters go through a lot of turmoil and don't really handle it well, some of her characters aren't even likeable, and although the ending was satisfying it definitely wasn't as happy as it could have been. But I think it's because I feel like I kinda know who these people are. Instead of just following one main character she gives us the history and view points of all the main characters. Some people might not like the book for that reason but it makes me feel like I understand a little bit about why they act the way they do. I'm not exactly 100% sure what it is about her books but they definitely draw me in!
Do You like book The Orange Blossom Special (2005)?
I decided to read this book based on the wonderful book cover.....and I was not disappointed. It was a fun little story about a mother and daughter working to pick up the pieces after the husband/father dies....the move to Gainsville, Florida and there begin a new life with new friends......lovers.....and jobs. The family dynamic is a bit different in this book in that each family ends up with a new member in their family that originally started out in their own family and so on and so on.....the characters are likeable enough and it you don't like them......you do learn to tolerate them. I enjoyed this book and like that Tessie and Dinah had silly little quirks that made me feel as if I'm not the only one who does weird stuff....HA. I would recommend it for a time when you want an easy...light read.It
—Tracy Walters
