The Magic of Ordinary Days: A Novel

Back when this book then movie came out I was too busy as a single mother working 2-3 jobs to keep our home together. Seeing pieces of the movie on REELS I just fell in love with what I could catch. As a book worm of older days I know how much more a book can detail in a story as the book as a ton of time to give to the reader. I read this book in 2 days. Maybe one day I will be able to sit and watch this wonderful movie.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I read it because I saw clips of the Hallmark movie and I love the lead actors. It was lovely that the movie stayed so true to book. I was, like many people disappointed in the end. Neither the movie nor the book did that well but I will say I liked the movie better. Throughout the book, I felt the author stayed true to the plight of a woman that got herself in “trouble” during this time. I understood her prejudice against the bumpkin life as well as how he wore down her walls to allow her to let him in. And I loved her friendship with Lorelei and Rose but I hated how she just left them to endanger themselves in the end and everything ends up great and joyful for her and so terrible for them in the book. I’m not a fan of fundamentally changing the ending or any part of a book for a movie or show but my compliments to Hallmark for doing what they could to make it better. The end to this book aside the writing was engaging. The characters multidimensional. The story the right kind of mix of beautiful visualizations of mood and landscape while also providing actions and showing the plot instead of telling the plot. I genuinely enjoyed 90% of the book.

I absolutely loved this book, and couldn’t put it down! This was chosen for my book club, and I think there will be so much to discuss.

At first glance THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS is a love story. Of the surface it relates the story of Livvy, who is pregnant and forced to marry a man that she does not know. The story focuses on the evolution of their relationship and the changes in Livvy's life. Her husband Ray, has the very appropriate last name of Singleton, because he is indeed a single, solitary man. But on a broader scale, there are a number of underlying themes that the reader should be aware of. The first is the responsibility that people must take for their own acts and how what seem to be casual decisions about relationships can alter a person's life. Issues of family relationships are also brought out in the book. Most people will identify in some way with the relationships between the siblings. Women will contemplate what they would have done had they been Livvy - pregnant and without a husband in the early 1940's - and how their own father would have reacted. The underlying issues of religion and a small community vs a large city are also present. Author Ann Howard Creel masterfully deals with a subject that is popular among historians and this is women on the home front during the time of war. She also deals with men, such as Ray who does not go to war but still deals with issues of guilt. Creel's handling of the issues of Japanese interment is excellent. It is a subject that many readers, espcially young readers will know little about. So her even handed descriptions are informative. In addition, most Americans have little knowledge of the German and Italian POW's that came to America. The Hallmark Hall of Fame did a wonderful job with this novel, following almost exactly as Creel wrote it, although the did not use the first person. However, their ending was probably more acceptable to a general audience. The Japanese women in the novel to not fare as well as they did on TV. The sad part is that Rose and Lorelie were victimized by being put in the camp and then made bad decisions, just like Livvy, based on their desire to be loved. Although this book is well suited for young readers, and could be a useful tool in an educational environment, it is also an excellent read for readers of any age. War has many ripple effects on the society and Creel deals with many of them. This book gives much to reflect on. I'm just glad that Hallmark brought it to light for millions of readers.

I should say at the outset that the Hallmark movie based on this book is not s typical Hallmark movie. It has more depth—probably because of the book. I have loved the Hallmark movie for years, so the last time I watched it, I decided to read the book (after all, the book is ALWAYS better). What had drawn me to the movie/book was the characters; the simple, yet magical, story; and the actors (great casting). Most of the book was as good as (albeit slightly different from) the movie. It filled in a lot of the background, and I liked the historical details. But the ending was MUCH different in ways I found significant. I only gave the book three stars because I thought the book ending was HORRIBLE. At the core of it was a tragedy, with racist elements (and perhaps even elements of mysogyny and paternalism) that disrespected all the characters, but esp. the three main female characters. One could say Hallmark altered the ending to give it the typical rosey Hallmark ending. However, I think the Hallmark movie fixed a problem with the book, was more true to the characters, AND was more respectful not only of the characters, but also of the love story at its core. When I got to the part of the book where it became clear that tragedy was going to be unavoidable, I was so disappointed I could hardly read on. But I did. The book is in first person narrative, and the last few paragraphs are more true to the story, and satisfying. HOWEVER, the last paragraph is an abomination and seems tacked on. It could easily be deleted.

I was so excited to receive this in the mail. I love how respectful the author treated this slow burning love story and giving the characters such dignity. I like the nod to history, but how I wish there was a lot less of their story line and more of the main characters growth and details. Maybe that's just the romantic in me. However, I would likely re-read this in the next few months. It's so good I couldn't put it down and finished it in less than a day!

I’d watched the movie many years ago, enjoyed it very much, so when I found the book I had to read it. The movie helped to put faces to all the characters in the book rounding out a gentle love story born out of abandonment and loss into one of warmth and love.

This is a book that is read more with the heart than the eyes.

Loved this. A clip from the TV movie came up on my Facebook feed and I noticed it was from a book so I bought the book. I enjoyed it very much. I good read, with lots of information about WWII. I thought the movie would be worth watching, so I watched it on YouTube. It was good and true to the book.

I watched its movie on YouTube. Not my first choice for whatever reason. Again it kept popping up. I watched it twice. I can't get enough of them. I wish there was more to it after the happy ending. Then I bought the book. Its price is out of my comfort zone for an ebook but I did not care. I read every single words. Movie a bit different. The movie Director sure knew how to pick up Actors. How did they know? How did they decide who's who to make that wonderful couple. I was so touched when Livvy realised that Ray is "the one" and when she let him in towards the end.

A sweet little romance that was made into a sweet movie. Touches on the post Pearl Harbour discrimination against Japanese.

Prachtig boek

Una historia de amor hermosa.