Loved this story; simply written
583257
Loved this book! Simple and unadorned writing, very easy to read. Few characters to follow, with a very good plot that unravels in the end. I like a surprising twist and this book has it.

I love to read stories with newly found handwritten letters that reveal the lives of the writer and the recipients. and this was a lovely story to read.
2959324
I loved this moving, well-written story. Rarely does an author impress me so much with their depth of honesty, and self-awareness. That is a gift to us all. I also appreciated and clarity with which she described her spiritual experiences. It was inspiring to follow her pursuit of freedom of mind and heart, and so sad to see how such a beautiful thing could be so abused by one who has a place of power. Gladly the story ends well, and hopefully there is another in the works.!
787544
Beautifully written story. Thoroughly enjoyed this read.
4627694
A great story and easy read. I really loved the uniqueness of this story and flowed so well. I really enjoyed the fact that the individual smaller stories ended and yet flowed right into the next one seamlessly. I definitely recommend this and definitely want to read the rest of the series.
1874421
I truly enjoyed this story. It is beautifully written and starts to unfold and blossom as you progress through it. As I stated in my tag line..."couldn't put it down" is ironic since that's exactly what Greta did as she read his story.  It is refreshing to read a "complete" story that is not broken up into a series. Without giving anything away, this story contains anger, sadness and ultimately happiness which is what makes it such an awesome book.
2292131
I didn't want this book to end, in part because it was lovely and in part because I felt I was just starting to get to know the characters. While there were a couple of things that bothered me, I still gave this a 5-star (4.5 if that were an option) rating because I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt the characters were surprisingly well-rendered (more on that below).

*No Spoilers*

One of the common complaints about this book is that there are just "too many characters!" which I admit makes me chuckle a little bit. Yes, there are effectively ten main characters of this story: four parents and six children (though they are adults for much of the book). Because the families become blended, it can get confusing to remember which child belongs to which biological parents and siblings. However, it really isn't THAT difficult to set it straight in your mind, especially if you know this going into it. Write it on a post-it and stick it to the inside the cover if you need to; it's really that simple. My point is, please don't let such a triviality keep you from experiencing this story.

The other chief complaint is that the story jumps around too much, across time and between different points of view. When I first started this book I was disappointed by this and almost didn't continue reading it--that first 2-3 chapters have a very jarring structure and you aren't sure where exactly you are in the story. I'm not sure if this is intentional on behalf of the author or just oversight, but thankfully as the story continues it becomes much, much easier to follow along. I actually came to love the format in the second half of the book, as I figured out more of the storyline and grew more attached to the characters. However, if you are a reader that simply does not like stories that jump around through time and perspective, this probably isn't the story for you.

The other thing I heard from readers was that the characters weren't developed enough or that they didn't connect to the characters or couldn't "root for them." I disagree. One of the beautiful things about Patchett's writing is she can tell you everything you need to know about a character in very few words and she doesn't waste your attention by fleshing out every detail. She lets you in on what the characters are feeling only when it is necessary. I found each of the characters in this story unique in all the ways they needed to be. You find out more about some characters than others. I found myself most attached to the point of view of Franny, who is the character with whom we spend the most time. I would have gladly read a novel solely from Franny's perspective, though that would have resulted in an entirely different book. The characters of this story are very human. They aren't overly flawed or overly virtuous; they're just people. I didn't need any other reason to "root for them" than that. They each have to deal with the chaos of their lives, and they do so imperfectly.

Though Patchett doesn't spell everything out for you (which I love her for), there is a subtle theme of forgiveness/redemption in this story that I found beautiful and a little heartbreaking. The members of these two families don't live in perfect harmony, but they also don't harbor any dramatic grudges, which I found refreshing. I would have gladly read another 300 pages of this story.
314303
Sweet, heartbreaking, nostalgic, heartmending. All this and more fill this short story. My eyes stayed damp with just a touch of tears throughout the story. So muchand so extremely well-written, put into a short story. Good character development was there, breathing life into each of them. I smiled at the end, after doubting that it was going that direction. Thank you, Mallory Kane!
2252712
I have loved novels that are set during  old times and this particular story got me hooked right from its first chapter. I love the writing style of the author and how characters are presented. This book is easy read and will require only a short time to finish. I enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it to my friends!
485800
I absolutely loved the story! There were a couple characters I started out hating, and I didn't care what happened to them, but as the story went on, I was glad they remained for so long.  I love how this author was able to make me feel as though I was in each scene. I could clearly visualize each event and person/ creature.
4097369
4.5 Stars  Can I just say I LOVE Autumn Doughton's writing and her ability to weave a story so eloquently? I'm not sure that's the right word--eloquently--in fully explaining my feelings about this novel and this author. Effortlessly? Beautifically? Amazingly? These are the adverbs that came to mind while reading this book.

"On an Edge of Glass" draws you in with the simplest yet most elegant and easily recognizable premise: "boy meets girl". Then! Doughton creates this intricate little story that is actually so much bigger than the page, virtual or otherwise.

Autumn Doughton writes characters that readers will fall in love with and care about deeply. You will "feel" with them. I especially loved Ben. Boy, did I love this guy. And Ellie? Well, she was complicated and stubborn (to me) and sometimes she didn't get out of her own way enough to see her life for what it was or where she was going. And yet? Somehow, Doughton makes that okay. There's a certain underlying reassurance within Ms. Doughton's writing that will make you, as a reader, believe that everything just might work out. Hope? Maybe.

As a reader, I trusted her.

As a writer, I just admired her writerly ways and her beautifully spun words. Her turn of phrase and description seems effortless but powerful.

Like these lines: "A cool autumn wind picks up, blowing the smells of buttered toast and nutmeg and red currants over to us. The trees sketched out against the bright blue sky are tipped in flames. A few dried leaves--as brown as packaging paper--scatter to the ground around our feet."

See that there? Awesome prose. You can smell and feel the autumn in her words.

And then! There is the incredible ease with which the author tells this story, how it all unfolds. She makes it all look so easy which actually reveals the intricate depth of her writing. Amazing, probably because Doughton is never hurried, and the story never feels rushed. Instead, Doughton takes her time and lays the story out with just the right amount of detail both in description and character building and meanwhile her use of dialog is also just so perfectly believable.

"I wanted to grill these but I noticed that the propane tank on the grill is empty."

I scrunch my nose. "Yeah...I'm not even sure how that thing works, and my instincts tell me that I should stay away from devices that combine gas and fire."

Sweet dialog. Just sweet.

I write more complex storylines so I openly admire Doughton's style. It's refreshing and it never feels forced.

This is a sweet romance with unforgettable characters and such a nice style of writing compared to so many other books I've read in New Adult / Contemporary romance that tend to come off as formulaic. Not this one.

So. Read "On An Edge of Glass" just for the pure enjoyment of reading and falling in love with characters one page at a time. Go ahead and get lost in a story that slowly reveals itself as its own sweet perfection.
3142426
I truly enjoyed reading this book.

What really grabbed my attention was the way the characters spoke. It was realistic for those times, but not ridiculous, over-the-top, or hard to understand, the way you'd see in lots of so-called historical fiction. No, it was easy to read, enjoyable to read, and most importantly, told in a straightforward, simplistic manner, much like the style of The Good Earth (my favorite novel of all time).

To me, this story is a year in the life of a family of women during the Civil War. Wonderfully told. My only real complaint is that I wish there was more of it. If Ms. Stokes isn't planning to write a sequel, I'll wait for whatever she writes next!
4876186
Loved this story! Mackenzie was a pleasant surprise for me. I was hooked from the very beginning, and was almost in tears a couple chapters in. This was a well written story with both relatable and likeable characters. I really liked Cole, he was a typical teen, but also very mature, insightful, and thoughtful. I also liked the dynamic between the characters, you felt their bond, and believed it was real. I could go on forever, but all in all, it was a wonderful story that deserves a lot of praise :-)  Note: This book is a standalone, but have many of the same characters in it as the author's first book, "Jaybird". And though I was able to follow along just fine, it would have been helpful to have read Book 1 first, to know more of their history. Great book, I highly recommend!
4789011
There are so many things I enjoyed about this story. The characters were well written, even the secondary ones. They all had an integral part in the story, and Ms. Goshorn made sure to weave them into my heart like they were just part of the family  good and bad. The pace of the story was great. I never felt bored or tired, nor did I feel that the blossoming romance wasn't happening fast enough. In fact, I liked the way it was written because it felt more natural and realistic. Some people like a couple to immediately get together, but I am not one of them! Plus the story had excitement. About three quarters of the way in something big happens  sorry not giving any spoilers away. Let me say this  I was on the edge of my seat. I was scared for Ruth Ann, Benjamin, and all the others. And I did not let anything interfere with me reading past that section and to the very end. But, there is one particular thing about this book that totally took my breath away.

Ruth Ann. The story could have been dull, but quite honestly I still would have enjoyed it because of Ruth Ann. She is my favorite heroine of the year. Why? Because I felt like I was her, or could have been her if I lived back then. First of all, she was not some skinny, beautiful heroine. She had curves, was a little big boned if you will, and men still found her attractive. Being a larger woman myself, I long to have stories that have a curvy heroine in them. The thing about Ruth Ann was that she didn't let her curviness define her like so many women do. She was just Ruth Ann. Spunky, stubborn, opinionated, caring, loving, and not afraid to stand up for what she felt was right. I loved that she was a teacher at Freedmans School  I would have done the same. Back then it was frowned upon of course, but she didn't care. She did what was right, and I found that to be so inspiring. When things got tough, she didn't run away. When her mama wanted to force her into a marriage of convenience, she didn't back down. She had plenty of struggles, especially with a parent that seems to constantly demean you. But she got through them. She was so easy to relate to, even though she was from a different time period. We all have similar struggles in our life. Ruth Ann showed wonderful growth as I continued to read, and by the end she was the character I had hoped she would transform into.

Ms. Goshorn has written a wonderful novel that is worth reading. It provides great attention to detail as far as the historic end, well rounded characters, faith, exciting scenes, and yes  the romance we all want to read about. I cannot wait to see what stories come next from Kelly Goshorn. She is an author to keep your eye on!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3006420
I truly enjoyed this beautifully written story.  I love stories that have characters who are real, yet admirable, and this one surely delivers!
523629
What a great story. If you haven't already heard, the author's writing is purely sublime. I'm no literary expert or poet, but the way some things were written made even me smile and appreciate how smooth some of the sentences are- Descriptions unspooling like a strand of silk waving gently in the wind. That's kind of what it reminds me of. A story told from the perspective of the innocence of youth during a turbulent and not-so innocent time. Highly recommend.
3985403
Such a beautiful, moving story, and well-written to boot. Having lost many family members myself to illness and violence, and wanting to feel their presence when they were gone, I was touched by this story. It brought me to tears with the struggles those who have already passed on have in letting their family pass into the light. SPOILER: At first I couldn't understand why a main character was written out of the story halfway through, but the author resolved the matter.

You're not only in for tears, but laughter as you watch the Deadlines interact with each other. I highly recommend this story.
3217792
Loved this story from beginning to end. As some reviews have said, it is a long read but we'll worth it. The writing is incredible and the characters are easy to relate to.