Afternoon Readers Book Club July 2016
Last One Home
Debbie Macomber
“We all face difficulties of our own, and how comforting it
is to immerse yourself in a book—my book, any book, any romance. It’s entertainment,
it’s escape, and it can even be an inspiration.” Debbie Macomber
Readers were eager to talk about this month’s selection and
what it meant to them. They all agreed with the quote from the book jacket, that
Last One Home “…delivers an inspiring
new stand- alone novel about the power of forgiveness, and a second chance at
love.” The story covers many serious themes and connects
them all in heartwarming ways that resonated with readers. Readers commented on
the family relationships and misunderstandings, life altering events and missed
opportunities, self-discovery, personal growth and hard work which resulted in love
and career opportunities.
Readers appreciated the realistic portrayals of all of
the characters and said that Cassie’s young daughter was authentic and they
knew pre-teens who were just like her. Cassie was a very good mother and readers
said that they expected Amiee to grow into a terrific young lady. Amiee’s
craving for KFC was so intense that everyone wished they had some during the
discussion but said they would save the chicken legs for her. Some said they
preferred the mashed potatoes, gravy and cole slaw. A lot of time was devoted
to talk about the food and celebrations in the story creating a familiar
atmosphere.
Readers were interested in the focus on Habitat for Humanity
and the details of how people were able to work into order to obtain a new
house built just for them and by them. It was fascinating. Some readers knew
quite a lot about it and others were interested and surprised to discover how
this topic was woven into the heart of the story.
Readers were inspired to talk about memories of The Mayflower Grove which
was built in 1901, as an
amusement park in Bryantville on the shores of Little Sandy Bottom Pond (Route
27). It was named after the flowers that once grew so abundantly in the
area. The Brockton and Plymouth Street Railway Company wished to increase the
number of passengers on their new trolley line from Whitman to
Hanson. They installed a “turn-out” to allow the trolleys to make stops
off the main track. To stimulate business it was decided that an amusement park
would be built, and along with it came the Mayflower Grove. It consisted of a
dance hall, a movie theatre, a restaurant with a barbecue site, a hotel, a boat
launch, games, a pool room, a carousel and much more! Mayflower Grove
attracted entertainment from all over; regular entertainers included the
Bingville Band and the Bryantville Kitchen Orchestra. Miss America visited in
1926 and 1927. Years later between the depression and damage from hurricanes,
the park was sold to developers and the Mayflower Grove ended.
Have you read Last One Home? What did you think? Please
share your thoughts in comments.
