Official Review: Sweet Hawaii by Stella M Preissler

[Momlovesbooks]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sweet Hawaii" by Stella M Preissler.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Sweet Hawaii, by Stella M. Preissler, is a fun, romantic novel. It is a light read that would be great to have by your side at the beach or pool.

The story begins at the end of 1969. Brandi McGraw is a twenty year old living in Seattle but eager for a change. She knows someone in Hawaii, so she decides to make a move to Honolulu. She quickly jumps into the social life surrounding Pearl Harbor and meets a submariner named Skip. They are immediately attracted to each other and begin a romantic relationship. However, they have their ups and downs as each struggles with past heartbreaks and insecurities.

Skip is sent on highly classified ninety-day patrols aboard a submarine during the time of the Vietnam War and Cold War with Russia. Skip has trouble trusting Brandi while he’s away, while Brandi is hoping for a deeper commitment. Rumors, miscommunication and questions about their future threaten their relationship. Can young love survive the trials of their time?

This was a quick, engaging read that kept me turning the pages. My emotions ranged from laughter to tears. The dialogue was an interesting style. It went back and forth between the main characters, Brandi and Skip. At first it was a little confusing, but when I got used to the style, I enjoyed reading about their different perspectives of the same situations.

The characters were interesting and unique. They ranged from Hawaiian locals to navy personnel. Brandi was easy to relate to, but I didn’t always like Skip’s personality. At times he seemed shallow and unfeeling. However, I was able to relate to different aspects of both of their love lives - their feelings of insecurities and being betrayed; yet loving someone and wanting to make the relationship work.

The author did her research on the setting and political climate during that period. The descriptions of Hawaiian food, clothes and scenery were vividly described. The author also mentioned many songs that were popular at that time. I spent time in Honolulu many years ago. The descriptions in this book took me back to the warm, sweet-smelling island with its beautiful ocean and sunsets.

Although I enjoyed reading the book, there were several grammatical errors. I believe another professional editing would be beneficial. Based on the above observations, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Fans of romance novels will enjoy this story. However, there are some mild sexual situations and lots of profanity. I wouldn’t recommend this to young readers. I look forward to reading the next book by this author and continuing to follow the story of Brandi and Skip.

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Sweet Hawaii
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[fadjei]

This sounds like a heartwarming and fun story to read. I've been reading some pretty heavy stuff lately I think I might have to read this to give myself a balance. Really great review.
Thanks for the review!

[Y0landa]

It's great how the author did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Hawaii. Can't afford a trip to Hawaii at the moment, perhaps I could be transported there with this book. By the way, great review. Thanks.