By: Gwynne Forester
Published By: Dafina
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Review:

"When the Sun Goes Down" by Gwynne Forester was a wonderful written novel about the Leon Farrell family. It was the death of Leon Farrell when it all came out about a family that looked good on the outside but when you are able to get inside this picture...my, my, my what will we find...a father whose life changed for his family in their treatment after his loss his 'beloved wife.' There were three children, Edgar, the oldest, next their was Gunther and then the baby sister Shirley. We find Edgar was the 'rebel' who lived his life by is own terms only leaving Gunther and Shirley more or less on their own due to the treatment of their father. What was so very important about this read is that from the opening of the story till the very end that there wasn't any love lost between the father and the children. Why was this?

Edgar was a guitarist, Gunther an entrepreneur software designer and Shirley was a PR specialist for a cruise line. The two younger Farrell children had worked their way through college and into successful careers while Edgar, well you will see from the read how he managed. Now, to really understand what all is going on with the Ferrell's you area going to have to pick up this amazing read to see what happens after their father dies and no one can find the will.
Who will be really concerned with this... the inheritance? Will they find this well hidden will? Be ready for some mystery, with deep secrets and lies with will be revealed in this drama of many twist and turns. Will the oldest sibling, Edgar finally grow up and stop depending on his brother and sister to help him out of his messed up life? One thing I will note about this novel is that their was love showed toward the brother, Edgar by his siblings. They truly had tried to help him out many, many times. "When The Sun Goes Down" will be a long novel but I feel the author did a good job at presenting it all to her readers the way she did and it was a easy smooth read.

The characters well developed and interesting maybe some I didn't like but that did not take away from the awesome story that was presented. I thought that the 'family dynamics' were very true to life in what could happen when someone loses a 'influential' family member especially when money is involved.

If you are looking for a good family story with a little bit of it all you have come to the right place for "When The Sun Goes Down" will give you some of it all. From death, secrets, lies, love, rape, deceit to romance....it's well covered between the book cover. Would I recommend? YES! ( )

I got this as part of the Early Reviewer's program.

I tried to get into it several times but I couldn't make myself finish it. I felt the writing was a little choppy and the dialog didn't sound quite like real people to me. I couldn't lose myself in it the way I often do. The story was interesting, but there was nothing here I couldn't see coming from a mile off. Maybe as a beach/pool read, where you're not asking for a deep story, just to be entertained. ( )

I have to admit that I did not even finish this book. I really did not like the way the author seemed to have to spell everything out for the reader and the self descriptions of the characters. I thought that it lacked any real depth and did not have a gripping story line. ( )

Passionately written. You can identify with the pain that the character goes through, but it was totally predictable. For a light read, this book would ht the spot. ( )

This book was a decent read, but it was not very good. In this book, we are introduced to 3 siblings at their father's funeral. It becomes very apparent that there was no love lost between them and the deceased father. I don't remember any dialogue detailing any happy memories of time with their father.
We are introduced to Gunther, an entrepeneur software designer. His older brother Edgar, who is a guitarist/gambler/rebel, and a younger sister Shirley, who is a PR specialist for a cruise line.

What I liked about the book is that there seemed to be unwavering love for Edgar, who would make a nun want to strangle him. He is lazy, selfish and direction-less.
Shirley found love in the book (I don't want to give up the details), but that was encouraging.
They were blessed with another sibling, which was revealed through the father's will.

What I didn't like about the book;
1) The dialogue was unnatural and didn't flow. For that reason, I just never connected with the characters. They just seemed too robotic, especially Gunther's dealings with Lissa. I don't know any man who would answer or approach that situation with such clarity of thought and language. Also, this whole thing about "harrassment" was too contrived by the author.
2) I didn't feel that the siblings "enjoyed" life. I heard a lot of acceptance for their life as they were the captains of their own ship--they made their own way--but I didn't feel their enjoyment of their choices.
3) The author could have added more depth to the characters. I mean, it got kind of predictable.
4) This book was just not captivating or intriguing. I put the book down several times to tend to other things. I can read a book like this in 1-2 days. The writing was choppy and didn't flow. But the actual plot and storyline had a lot of potential.

This book was just okay for me. ( )