96 Hours

I have read a number of Beers’ books over the years. They are all marvelous in their own way. This one struck a different chord with me, however. Maybe because I chose to read it just before the 18th anniversary of 9/11 and it brought up my own memories but I believe it was the wonderful storytelling of Ms. Beers.She tells a wonderfully intricate tale of all the characters. Her ability to make her characters so “real” and deep draws you in and holds you until the end.I have read many authors in my life. Georgia Beers is one I can always recommend no matter which book anyone asks me about! (However, sometimes I wish she would consider a series with some of her characters!)(I only gave her 4 stars because I always want to read more from her and I worry she might stop! Just kidding!)

This tale is a tribute to the people of Gander in addition to a love story of 2 women, who look hard at themselves and find the courage to change, to meet each other fully. Beers recounts the horror of 911 from the perspective of people who were caught up in the aircraft grounding and forced to. experience the angst remotely, in Newfoundland. It’s a “Come from Away” story, enriched with love and passion.

This book has been in my TBR pile for a while and as September 11th approached I felt it was time to read it. I enjoyed this book. It was an evening read and opened to me a part of the happenings of 9/11 that I hadn’t considered much. I and the nation were so focused on the horror we were watching and rewatching and rewatching as the airplanes stuck the towers that I gave little thought to the people who were stuck in out of the way places because the air space over the United States was closed.Ms. Beers has taken a real incident and placed us in a story while maintaining the human condition of disbelief, pain, anger, and fear. She has given us a story that while occurring during such a profound evil gives us hope that there is still kindness and goodness on the Earth.I give this a 3.5 and as a math person I always round up. Before 9/11, Abby is the fiddling grasshopper , and Erica, the focused ant. They have this earth shattering event occur, they connect, then go their separate ways “feeling changed”. Then meet again at Ground Zero where they reconnect. Abby feels a bit shallow to me. Her growth is a predictable arc. She is 25 and been protected and not challenged much. Erica has been challenged a lot and grown a shell that is entirely work focused. 9/11 and their connection causes both to reexamine their paths and grow.People do bond in a crisis. The secondary characters formed a good balance to Erica and Abby. Ms. Beers developed the bonds that would lead to form the family like connections that would lead into the future.3 1/2 Stars ... Kindle edition is well formatted. There are some minor editing issues but not anything that will detract from the enjoyment of this novel.

I was a bit of a skeptic about a 9/11 love story. The emotions from that day come back so easily - remembering where I was, the fear and confusion a lot of us felt - all of those feelings that come back so fresh when I read about or see replays of these events. Georgia Beers does an incredible job of telling this story in a way that, yes, brings up those emotions but confronts all of those feelings of fear and confusions with the contrasting kindess and love by the people of Gardner. This story took me back to the feelings I had at the time, and I found it to be very real. It reminded me more importantly the way that everyone came together. The fact that what happened in Gardner really did happen made it an even better story. Having all of those strong emotions around 9/11 it was so easy to relate to the experiences of the different characters that Beers does such a good job of bringing to life. The characters were so real, and I found myself wishing they really existed. This was a great love story that I felt so connected to I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend this book.

I read this book in one day - couldn't put it down!It must have been hard to write about romance in the wake of the tragedy of 9/11, but Georgia Beers pulls it off so well! The story never dragged. There were no parts to skip over or slog through. Each chapter flowed so well into the next, it made me want to keep reading.All the characters are believable, likeable and lovable, and you will find yourself feeling what they felt throughout the book. Now, my only problem is deciding which of Beers' books to read next!

I have always enjoyed Ms. Beers's books and this one is no exception. I can actually relate some to the character Erica (loved the reference of why one packs earbuds when traveling <smile>) and just loved how the story unfolds and the characters change through the story line. Ms. Beers always brings the surroundings to life, and like others have said even though the backdrop for this is 9/11 she handles it with such richness, tenderness and laughter I just could not put the book down. And agree with others, it really does make you believe in the kindness of strangers and makes you wonder would we do the same (I hope so). Once again her story telling is weaved in a way that takes you there (Gander in this case)and explores the life of the main characters as well as depth to the sub-characters and just love the way Ms. Beers writes-each book feels fresh in the writing, the characters and the surroundings, cannot wait for her next one and truely hope this one is up for an award with her peers!

Scientist Erica Ryan is flying home to the USA after an unsuccessful business trip to London. She isn't in the best of moods, all she wants to do is to get home and sleep in her own bed.Abby Hayes is flying to New York City to spend a few days with her mother before flying off to visit friends in San Francisco.Neither women will reach their destinations. Their plane has been diverted to Gander, Canada following the closure of USA airspace due to the tragic events of 9/11.Standoffish Erica first notices Abby in the airport before their departure. She wasn't enamoured with Abby's flighty friendly happy go lucky ways.When Erica and Abby find themselves thrown together in Gander for 96 hours, initially Erica is not happy. But then both women find themselves feeling attracted to one another.Will Erica and Abby act on their attraction? Will they even remain friends when they return to their everyday lives? Or are their feelings caused by the tidal wave of emotions felt due to the devastation of 9/11?Although this book is a fictional romance, it has obviously been well researched and is based on stories following the horrendous events of 9/11. An event, although happening on USA soil affected the whole world in many ways.This is not just a romance. There is a lot of heartfelt emotion and feeling in this book. It is a story of how kind people can be and how they will rally together in times of great need. A story told with compassion. A story of personal conflict and personal change. A story of how love can come from the deepest despair and the disastrous events of 9/11.The characters Erica and Abby couldn't be more different, but opposites do attract. There is a fantastic cast of supporting characters,each and every one of them essential to the story, which moves along smoothly and quickly. My one wish would have been for a longer book. I really didn't want this book to end. Another winner for Georgia Beers.

96 Hours  I have read quite a few books by ms Beers. Slices of Life, Snow Globe are light hearted romance books.She then comes out with a gem of a book. 96 hours is based on that fateful day of 9/11. We find 4 people thrown together, Abby, Erica, Brian and Michael, in the small town of Gander.I am really pleased that the publishers had agreed that she should write this book. I think this should be classed as a classic. Ms Beers. Tells it how it was. The confusion, loss but also the unfailing love and help they got from the people of Gander.America had the Twin Towers, England had 7/7 and the subway, underground, explosions. Both countries lost a lot of people so I feel that everyone should read this.In the midst of all this we find four people who change because of it but will Erica and Abby find what they are looking for...Finally I feel that this book is written for all those like the population of Gander who helped all these misplaced people. Finally we remember those that we have loved and lost both at 7/7 and 9/11. May they Rest In Peace. 96 Hours

Not sure about this one, i think after reading all the reviews i was excited to read this and expecting greatness but felt kinda let down. I fell in love with georgia beers probably through the first few chapters of "to close to touch" and that book remans my favourite book ever to date! but since then everything else i've read by her seems to lack something. This book just seemed to up and down, one minuet your dealing with the atrocity of 9/11 then the next minuet a love story, and i know people all did things they wouldn't normally do during this time but as a outsider reading it was hard to switch between all the emotions, the characters just didn't seem believable. To some extend i also felt this book was a platform for the author to voice her many opinions on 9/11, which again i cant really blame her for as i can imagine that being a hard thing to resist. Maybe i just found this a hard topic for a back drop of a romance love story.

Such a difficult setting but handled so carefully and with such empathy by Georgia Beers.I've had this book for a while but with another anniversary of 9/11 just passed I felt I wanted to read it again, to be reminded of the goodness of people in the face of such devastating events.To weave a gentle love story into the few days and weeks following 9/11 must have taken painstaking care and this book has to remain joint favourite from this author.

One of the world's worst atrocities in a romance novel beautify written ,the cast of characters strong in the face of disaster.superb book .