Susannah's Garden by Debbie Macomber

from goodreads

3 stars

When I think of Debbie Macomber, I think of a warm summers day lazing on the beach, the sun starting to set. Pure and utter relaxation. You don't have to think much, you can just read the story and know that there is going to be a happy ending. Sometimes it is nice just to have a happy ending story.

Synopsis

Susannah is back in her hometown. Her mother has been moved into a nursing home leaving Susannah to pack up the house. Susannah has also been dreaming about her high school boyfriend and wondering what his life is like. As she goes through her parents things she gets more questions than answers. Susannah has to decide if the risks outweigh the benefits of knowing the all the answers.

My Thoughts

I found this book to be well written and very readable. Macomber seems to understand human emotions and how we all feel at one time or another. I found there was enough detail you understood the situation but was not so detailed you felt bogged down. While reading this book it made me want to visit Washington state. I love the landscape there and would love to hike through the forests.

As for the actual characters themselves, well, I did not find Susannah or her daughter Chrissie all that likeable. I felt that they were both immature and frankly, a bit whinny. I felt that Susannah came across to be younger than what she was. I think she was supposed to be in her late forties early fifties. To me she came across as being more in her thirties. The lack of trust Susannah had in her husband, whom she supposedly loved and thought was the best, was a bit disturbing. If the story teaches you anything it is trust your partner, they are probably more understanding than you give them credit for.

As for her daughter Chrissie, she was self-absorbed and ridiculous. She kept on saying that her parents couldn't tell her what to do because she was an adult now. Well if you are such an adult, get a job, stop thinking your parents are going to pay for everything, be a bit grateful and get over yourself!

I did like some of the secondary characters. They were pretty cool, and Susannah's husband. What a stand up guy, considering all the craziness he has to put up with.

So to me this was a fluff book. I have read a few other Macomber books, main characters were a bit more likeable, and they were all lighthearted and just fine. These are basically books that will make you feel good and makes you think about your relationships a little, but are definitely not intellectually stimulating.