Spoilers ahead probably. Nora's mother sells her salon which had been an informal meeting place around the neighborhood leading Nora feeling unmoored. Nora goes off to stay at a lodge where after a one night stand she finds herself pregnant. I don't really know how to relate the details for the rest of the plot because this book was such a mess. It starts off with Nora being pregnant and then seeming to say she is writing a book for her daughters and then jumps back in time to explain how she gets pregnant but meanwhile in the time frame of the past it has passages also going further into the past to tell us about her grandmother's tragic love story. There are so many inconsistent jumps in time in the book and such a disjointed story line the whole time I was reading it I had to try to orient myself to what was happening. The passage of time wasn't equal, one second we were moving days then next years. There was such an overabundance of characters and they added nothing to the story line. the whole thing about how her father had just been held hostage by a women after having a brain injury for years, that was some Stephen King Misery shit but it didn't really add much to the novel, it was just thrown in there and the whole time I was what the hell. Also why did this story have to follow Nora over decades anyways. I just can't stand reading books where the plot line doesn't really go anywhere and we have to endlessly follow the characters. Definitely one of the worst books I've read in a while.105 s Louise Wilson3,129 1,665

When her mother sells the salon that has been a neighbourhood institution for years, Nora Rolvaag goes off on a camping trip. With the intention of doing no more than roasting marshmallows round an open fire. However two chance consequences and her get away turns out to be a retreat from her daily life than she ever expected.

There is a lot of characters in this book for the reader to keep up with. The author does have a nice style of writing though.

I would to thank NetGalley, University of Minnesota and the author Lorna Landvic for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.31 s Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows)1,626 344

Nora has a one-night stand on a camping trip which results in getting pregnant with triplets. Say what? Ok, you snagged me, Lorna! Before she learns of her impending trio of baby fun, she accompanies her grandma to Norway, unfolding the story of Ione. A chance encounter with an eccentric lady has Nora purchasing a lodge. Families, new friends, long time friends, acquaintances, lovers, so on and so forth come in an out and we get to learn about each and every one of them.

Sound all over the place? That's how I felt reading this novel. I had absolutely no idea going in that this was a sequel to Patty Jane's House of Curl! I think that had I read this first, I wouldn't have felt the disconnect that I did with these characters. Let me just say that they are quite the cast and each have a very distinct voice that the author wants you to hear. What I d about this book is that it felt you were basically watching their lives unfold with a bowl of popcorn (or a plate of gingerbread cookies) and a fancy tea (the iced variety). The ties that bind the family and the truths that come out over time are evident and true to form for what you would expect from a feel-good contemporary novel. I definitely appreciated some of the wit and humor that was brought into play. And anyone who brings up the Newlywed Game, making whoopee and Chuck Woolery (well, he goes hand in hand with the first two), has my seal of approval!

What didn't work for me, unfortunately, was the abrupt change throughout the book - are we in the past? Are we in the present? Wait, who is this and how do they integrate into this story line? I wanted to make a family tree and and add saplings on the side to try and remember the whole cast but invariably I ended up lost most of the time and thus not caring too much what happened or didn't happen. My favorite characters though were the triplets and my how they grow up so fast! Everything seemed to go by so quickly, but it was kind of nice to see the progression of the family. I think I just wanted something more substantial behind it - this is where I think maybe the first book would've helped? Maybe not? Personally, I think this was mostly a mismatch of book to reader.15 s Oreoandlucy154 4

A more complete review is available on my blog:
http://ofbooksonmynightstand.b...

This was a sweet story, very reminiscent of chick-lit, and I enjoyed the characters. Ione is an outspoken, cinnamon bun baking grandma that has something to teach each and every one of her family members. Patty Jane is still married to Thor, a man who disappeared around Nora's birth and didn't materialize until she was fourteen with a head injury, but she, Thor, Clyde, and Ione still create a cohesive family for Nora and Henry, one in which Ione rejects the idea that she is not Henry's real grandmother simply because he is not Thor's son. Ione and Edon's relationship is one we all wish we will experience when we are older; dancing at home on Valentine's Day and making sure to spend every morning and evening together. I fell in love with the characters, even though there were quite a few and some readers may find them difficult to keep straight. Landvik's writing style was just not my cup of tea. It is kind of choppy and the stories felt very rushed and manic, jumping between characters and stories. I didn't find it funny or witty, which the synopsis made it out to be. I think that this novel would be good for readers who enjoy light chick-lit but don't demand that romance (or any one theme) dominates the story. It was an interesting, light read but one I could not find the humor or importance in.

Thank you to Netgalley and University of Minnesota Press for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.7 s Becky657 146

I have not read a book by Lorna Landvik in many years. I have d the down home, character driven stories of hers, taking place in MN.

When I started reading this soon to be released book, I did not know it was a sequel of Patty Jane's House of Curl. It took me a long time to figure that out, as I read the other book so many years ago.

I had a hard time following the story at times- it starts with Patty Jane's grown daughter, Nora, finding out she is expecting triplets & from there the story works backwards & then to current times.

There were so many people being introduced into this story & then characters from the old book that I just could not keep track.

Some people might actually love this, but the flow was "off" for me & even though I enjoyed some of the little family stories, it was just all way too much for me to soak in. This is a generous 3 star review.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for a fair & honest review.arc-netgalley books-read-in-2016 ebook6 s Peggy312 172

Review to follow. fiction netgalley read-20175 s El1,355 497

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for review.

I will start out by saying when I got this book from NetGalley, I did not realize that it's a sequel to Landvik's previous novel, Patty Jane's House of Curl. Normally I prefer to give an author a full chance by reading all previous books and not just jumping into a series, but occasionally it doesn't work out that way. And sometimes it doesn't even matter. From what I could tell, this was one of those instances where it wouldn't matter too much.

The characters are the same, but I was able to piece together the premise of the first book and could see where this book picked up the story.

Unfortunately, these are some of the most boring characters ever. I have no interest in reading the first book, which is a shame because I think that one is more highly enjoyed by readers.

What this book seemed to me was just an update on the characters readers would meet in the first book. The author herself didn't seem too invested in how the characters turned out for the most part. Some of the strongest characters, in my opinion, were the triplets, and that's because I was invested in their stories. They were not all strong, but at least two out of the three had good stories that kept me reading.

The adults, however? I had little interest in any of them. And their stories all moved along at too quickly a pace, so it read more just as a list of characters and what they're up to in their lives now.

I cannot say that reading the first book prior to this would have given me any different feeling reading this book now. Disappointing.

Also the NetGalley format was all sorts of jacked up, but that's a complaint I'll leave on the NetGalley page. I state it here mainly as a reminder to myself. I won't say that it ruined my appreciation of the story, as I don't think it was strong enough on its own to begin with; but it certainly didn't help either.21st-centurylit netgalley4 s booksandcarbs866 17 Read

Once in a Blue Moon Lodge is the sequel to Patty Jane's House of Curl, a book that I dearly loved 15 or so years ago and used to recommend and gift. This sequel had some lovely moments, but didn't really do it for me. Honestly, there were too many characters to keep track of and since I read the first book so many years ago, it's not I remembered the characters that well to begin with. Landvik's books always make me want to visit Minnesota though. Norway too. Also, this might be my favorite book cover of 2017.4 s Nora316 3

This was entertaining, and moved pretty quickly. Landvik is a bit over the top, but she captures Minnesota pretty well. 3 s Kathy 3,505

4.5 stars.

Once in a Blue Moon Lodge by Lorna Landvik is an absolutely delightful multi-generational novel starring the ever charming Rolvaag family and their friends. Following the family for over two decades as they traverse life's numerous ups and downs, this captivating follow up to Patty Jane's House of Curl is a light but emotional read that old and new fans are going to LOVE.

Nora Rolvaag is a little lost after her mom, Patty Jane, decides to sell the family owned business. Craving a little solitude, she sets off on a weekend of camping that leads to some very unforeseen life-altering changes. Her unexpected encounter with eccentric Nellie Freeburg leads to an unanticipated opportunity that comes along just as she needs a new direction for her life. An out of character decision also changes the course of her life and could derail Nora's burgeoning romance with a wonderful new man. Luckily for Nora, her close-knit and loving family is always ready to provide her with the support she needs as she embarks on the next phase of her life.

Just as Nora is facing new challenges, her beloved grandmother Ione receives news that takes her back to Norway. The impending death of her estranged cousin Berit is the impetus for the trip and their first face to face meeting in decades is surprisingly healing as old secrets are finally revealed. However, there are more welcome surprises awaiting Ione as she becomes reacquainted with her first love, Edon, and readers will be completely enchanted by this luminous couple's second chance at love courtship.

Patty Jane is also featured heavily throughout the story as she and the love of her life Clyde Chuka celebrate his commercial successes as a revered sculptor. Their unusual relationship is an absolute delight and although their happiness is also mixed with the tiniest bit of sorrow, their commitment to one another and compassion for others is one of the highlights of the story.

Once in a Blue Moon Lodge is a warmly inviting story of family and friendship that is incredibly heartwarming. The cast of characters is eclectic but immensely appealing and watching them navigate all of the joys and sorrows of their lives is an emotionally-charged experience that will bring readers much laughter and a few tears. This absolutely marvelous follow up to Lorna Landvik's divine Patty Jane's House of Curl can easily be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend both of these heartfelt novels.
3 s Kathleen Seaton164

In 1996 I read a book called Patty Jane's House of Curl in part because I have a sister named Patty Jane. From page one I fell in love with the author, Lorna Landvik, and her wonderful characters. Set in suburban Minneapolis, patrons flock to the salon in the family's home for haircuts, counseling, friendship, and the arts. I wanted the story to go on and on. In the years since, Landvik has written nine other novels that are funny and touching. But with each forthcoming book, I longed for Patty Jane, her daughter Nora, and her mother-in-law, Ione, to return. Well, Landvik has made my day with the publication of Once in a Blue Moon Lodge. The book picks up with the closing of the House of Curl and takes us on a wild and unpredictable ride from the lakes of Minnesota back to Minneapolis, over to Norway, and all other kinds of places. The three women gather together an increasing number of family members--all with their unique and engaging personalities. Prepare for the unexpected and to have many tugs at your heartstrings. Long live the strong and opinionated women of the Blue Moon Lodge. A satisfying gathering.3 s Jamie1,492 1,243

I want my time back.

Okay, so this book went from bad to worse. First off I want to see that I got it because Overdrive had it listed for my library under humor. None found. I do mean NONE. I suffered through then entire thing waiting. It starts off extremely confusing with its time jumps. It took awhile to understand that they were letters and not other characters since I did this via audiobook (narrator mediocre). But is just kept spiraling and I could not tell what was past or prestent until about 1/3 in. And the plethora of characters that seemed to seve no real purpose. I have no idea where the author was going with them all. I didn't feel invested in the story or characters in the slightest. Yet I kept going..for nothing. There is no real end. It just pointlessly muddles through the book, claims to be it and stops. Bah!3 s Ann5,452 70

Set adrift when her mother sells the salon which has been a neighborhood institution for decades, Nora Rolvaag takes a camping trip, intending to do nothing more taxing than roast marshmallows over an open fire and under a starry sky. Two chance encounters, however, will have enormous consequences and her get-a-way turns out to be more of a retreat from her daily life than she ever imagined. But Nora is the do-or-die-trying daughter of Patty Jane, who now must embrace the House of Curl’s slogan: ‘Expect the Unexpected.’ There are a lot of characters to keep track of but it's a good story overall about new beginnings. 2 s Vix S287 7

Oh, I wanted there to be more! So much more! I whizzed through this book as quickly as we whizzed through the lives of the characters, of whom there were plenty. So many in fact, that I found it hard to keep track of them all at first, but found that I grew to knowand love them within quite a short time.

The opening few chapters were so vibrant, they reminded me of the 'before' neighbourhood scenes in 'Edward Scissorhands'. But this developed into so much more than a simple small-town tale, spanning several countries and many, many lifetimes. I'll definitely be looking up some of Landvik's other books (this is the first I've read), to see if any of these brilliant characters feature in early incarnations! kindle netgalley2 s Charlotte Guzman501 34

This book was won by a friend and was read for our ladies book club.
I didn't care for the book and realized that this was a sequel. Since I didn't read the first book I was a little lost with the characters and their story. Then the story line kept jumping all over the place with different stories about the characters. (So lost.)
With all this going on I had a hard time enjoying this book at all. There was no flow to the story for me.
The book had its moments when I enjoyed a characters story but then it jumped to someone else.
I wanted to this book so much because this author has a good rating with her books but this didn't do it for me.2 s Patricia Williams645 174

I loved this book. It was a wonderful story about 4 generations of women. It's about love and forgiveness, all kinds of both. I won this book from the publisher for my book club and am not sure that everyone will enjoy it as much as I did but I definitely plan to read other books by this author. I know this was a sequel but I had no problem figuring everything out about everyone and did not need the first book, although I will definitely plan on reading it. If you stories with "heart" this will be a book for you.2 s Ella107 1 follower

Meh... I enjoyed reading about the interactions of the multigenerational family... and about the scandanavian food. But thats about it. The stories of each character were all so thin and I didnt feel attached or interested in any of them..
i read patty janes house of curl a long time ago, so i dont remember most of the characters. this can be read as a stand alone book, which it basically was for me.
Not to be snarky, but this book with all the characters and the lack of depth given to their problems, seemed to me it would be a Hallmark movie.2 s Lori1,164 44

Unaware this book was a sequel to Patty Jane's House of Curl which I had not read, I dove into this book, expecting it to be more about a place than a multi-generational story. Nora, Patty Jane's daughter is the central character, but we hear the voices of her grandmother, mother, and her own triplets. The book was a little "all over the place," lacking a true focus and vision to tie it all together. The expected the lodge to fulfill the role, but the author never gave the lodge character to enable this. The Scandi influence and humor, while appreciated by some, is probably lost on the majority of readers. Serializing the contents over several books and developing the stories more fully would have been a better option. The last section just seemed to zoom through the entire course of the triplets' lives without delving too deep into any character. Disappointing!1 Jenna1,908 23

2.5 stars

the first chapter grabbed my attention.
but then the story does a flashback & i got lost b/c i had to figure it out as there was no explanation...
(as in 4mths ago...or a year ago...i got into this predicament b/c...)

and then i kept thinking, um..what about what just happened in the first chapter?
what is happening w/that detail?
very annoying.

Then it eventually cycles back to the present.
It was also a little long.

otherwise, the characters were engaging & i was interested in the story.1 Annette701 7

Satisfying sequel to Patty Jane's House of Curl.
Patty Jane, Thor, Ione, Crabby and the rest continue to wrestle with life's unpredictable ups and downs. This was the perfect read for me this past week.
Lorna Landvik writes in the style of Fannie Flagg- she creates characters who are lovable- quirks, flaws and all.
Enjoy the return her most beloved characters as life continues to twist and turn.1 Kim Territo454

This was a really good story with able characters. The book started out strong, but towards the end, I felt it was rushed and there was a lot of jumping around that was kind of confusing. But overall, I enjoyed it. 1 Becky Loader1,934 21

Nice summer read. I really appreciate all the local humor.1 Mykenzie160 30 Read

DNF at page 161 Elizabeth508 10

I usually love this author, but this book was a disappointment. Disjointed and at times so confusing, I couldn’t follow the story. Too many jumps back and forth in time.
Just nope. 1 Sheila Shaw62 5

It was a solid read, but I have d her other books more.1 Emily552 10

What's the plot?
MN women live their lives?og-book-club1 Karen L97

A very light read that was sweet and charming. Not a page turner in any way. Kind of finding a bunch of old letters in a box in your attic and reading about the lives of people in your family from years ago.1 Jean41

Great sequel to Patty Jane's House of Curl.1 Lulu Edwards253 1 follower

3.51 Jenn412 13

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