The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller

The legendary love story, the bestselling hardcover novel of all time, and the major motion picture starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. This is the story of Robert Kincaid, the photographer and free spirit searching for the covered bridges of Madison County, and Francesca Johnson, the farm wife waiting for fulfillment of a girlhood dream. It shows readers what it is to love and be loved so intensely that life is never the same again

This book was chosen as one of my book group reads and I must admit about groaning before starting it and going into it with a biased view.  I do not like Clint Eastwood movies and associated this book with a Clint Eastwood movie (even though I haven't even watched it) so I thought it would be everything I hated about an old fashioned, bodice swelling love story.

I could not have been more off the ball on this.  I could not help compare the book to the classic book, Love Story by Erich Segal as it was set over a short period, it was pithy and to the point.  I thought the writing style was just divine as it flowed like a chocolate fountain and was so descriptive that I could picture each location as if I were there myself.  I am so glad he kept it short and to the point as it did not allow all the unnecessary sloppiness that is usually inserted in these types of novels and it kept it true to the short time period (a few days) that the love element actually happened.

I have a confession!  I actually shed a tear and felt my heart breaking for the two main characters as I so wanted a happy outcome for them, even many years later.  I usually hate happy endings but this is one book that I wanted to have one.  I wasn't actually disappointed though that it didn't have a happy ending as the actual ending was just true to the overall story.  Sorry can't say more as do not want to insert a spoiler.

So, a pleasant surprise from my original bias and a movie I now want to watch.  I guess I will try and get the book group together after the discussion to watch it.  5 out of 5 from me and if it can make a cynic like me cry then everyone else will be weeping buckets of tears!