You don't have to be from West Virginia to relate to this book, or to enjoy it. It is written with a wry humor that will have you smiling to yourself. The characters will remind you of people you know and some you wish you didn't know. I cared so much about the characters that I kept reading in order to find out what happened to them.
Cassandra
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Told with humor and wit, the story is about three friends trying to build a better future for themselves and their West Virginia community. They encounter a wide variety of characters with a wide variety of problems, often tragic, but the friends are always willing to lend a hand and share what they have. The writing is descriptive. You'll get to know the characters and root for them to succeed.
Carol
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The Lighthouse Diner is a story of loyalty, self discovery, and friendship. It is an entertaining book with lots of twists and turns. I loved it!
Laura Kirkpatrick
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When I read the author’s teasing promos on the book jacket, I thought “well, this is pretty ambitious.” By the time I reached the book’s end, I found myself looking for a sequel to find out just how the three friends, and their families, maybe friends, fared.
The author gives us time to take the characters from apparent stereotypes to, okay it’s true, nuanced stereotypes if there is such a thing. The cultural behaviors are just bait to draw you into their world with all its complexities. Mr. Major even throws in a few surprises to keep the reader from easily predicting what comes next.
I lied the pace of the storytelling and our narrator, like the other Musketeers, is complex, amusing and often surprising. Chad’s high school career and high jinks could be Anywhere, USA and the references to his and Jeff’s past escapades help inform and enrich the telling of their latest adventures.
I must admit the name of the diner had to grow on me. At first, I didn’t quite get it but as more characters seem to readily accept “Lighthouse Diner”, I hopped on the RV. You might say “Wait! What RV? I suppose you’ll just have to read The Lighthouse Diner to find out.
Dennis Szymanski
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The Lighthouse Diner by David Major is a wonderful story about how simple but kind hearted folks can pull together and make something from very little. I lived in rural Appalachia for many years and the voices of the West Virginian protagonists are spot on, as are the social dilemmas and prejudices that plague them.
The story takes place in a small community but the issues confronted are vast and socially voluble. A man loses his mother to Alzheimer’s disease but gains a small inheritance, a friend is to be evicted from his land, an unwed pregnant woman needs a job. A dog has a job. Interactions lead to relationships and complications abound. Then new faces keep getting added to the mix.
The characters are rich, funny and well-conceived. This is a fun read with twists and turns that are as intense as an amusement park ride.
You will smile, laugh, and maybe cry.
I highly recommend it.
Robert Hagberg MD
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I loved it but wanted the storyline to continue. Was sad when I finished the book. We want another book.
Linda Bergman
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In David Major’s debut novel, The Lighthouse Diner, we meet the rich and the poor, the kind, the heartbroken, and the generous souls who are always lending a helping hand., There’s bullies, heterosexuals, and homosexuals, all woven seamlessly into a warm tale set in a small town in the hills of West Virginia.
The above individuals play a role in the lives of the major characters in the story: three young adults — Chad, Jeff, and Bev — each who have limited financial means and equally limited direction in life. I found myself rooting for them throughout the book, but at the same time often saying “No … Don’t Do That” but most of the time they didn’t hear me. Lesser, but important roles are played by Bev’s Grandma, although mainly a silent character in the book, her help is key to the young team’s survival. Travelers and same sex couple Carolyn and Vicki pop in and out of town, each time lending the young trio a bit of much needed guidance. The reader may be surprised at how these two are treated by the residents of small-town West Virginia.
Well woven throughout The Lighthouse Diner is the theme of friendship, best represented by 28-year-old Chad, who many of us would love to have as a friend. While Chad is loyal, he is generous to a fault. As we share in Chad’s life we learn, along with Chad, that all decisions have consequences and we have to live with them. If you’re from a small town, you may well know a Chad, Bev or Jeff. Hopefully, you have a Grandma or know a Grandma like Bev’s Grandma. If you’re not from a small town, The Lighthouse Diner might just make you wish that you were.
The book in pretty innocent with the exception of the hospital scene where somehow incredibly beat up, broken boned Jeff proves, yet again the power of sexual appeal.
The Lighthouse Diner is also about the power of relationships, and there’s one relationship that is left unfinished — that of Chad and a young woman he met. If there’s a Lighthouse Diner II, I’d like to see if Chad can make a go of it with this like-minded soul. If such a book is written, I would like to read it.
Kathy Szymanski
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The Lighthouse Diner Is a charming story of a trio of misfits coming together to start a diner in the hills of West Virginia. The colloquial charm of the area is ever present. Friendships develop along with the startup of the Lighthouse Diner. The diner evolves into a haven for downtrodden newcomers and a mini melting pot of the classes. This is an uplifting story in which the characters show heart, empathy and compassion for all regardless of sexual orientation, social status, or race. The characters address social injustice and community with heart and soul during their many adventures. These everyday heroes are likable. Romance and good intentions abound. The story leaves you filled with hope for our Trio, their friends and the diner.
Trudy
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