Heather Graham Books

The Chrysalis is Terrell's first book, and her legal training and experience are evident here in this fascinating historical mystery.

The story is told in three distinct eras:

1) the first is the creation of the painting, The Chrysalis, by Johannes Miereveld, a Dutch artist from the 1600s.

2) The second is the story of the owner in 1944, the Baum family in Belgium, Jews who have converted to Catholicism, and who love the painting for its Catholic iconography.

3) The bulk of the tale is told in the present day, when Beazley's auction house is planning on selling it for an unidentified seller, and Hilda Baum sues for the painting, claiming it was stolen from her family by the Nazis.

Beazley's provenance research shows it was sold by the family to a dealer in Nice. Mara Coyne, an attorney at a prestigious Manhattan firm, is convinced winning this case will encourage her firm to offer her a partnership. A bit dismayed when she finds out that the attorney for Beazley's that she will be working with is Michael Roarke, a sensitive and intelligent man she was attracted to in college. Still she soldiers on and her legal research proves brilliant. Her ability to keep her distance from Michael, however, is not so good--they form a secret relationship quickly. Mara also finds herself getting close to the main provenance researcher for Beazley's, the elderly Lillian Joyce. A sudden email discovery shows that her case and all she knows about Michael and Lillian may be false; her world is shattered. Does she want to be party to a fraud?

The various eras are portrayed well. I wish the book were longer so we could have lingered more in the 1600s with Johannes and Amalia.

Armchair Interviews says: The legal roadblocks to proving a painting's ownership when stolen by the Nazis are really amazing.

I loved this. I was amazed that the author could create this believable and complicated conflict over a painting and then 1) show what actually happened to the painting (who bought and sold it -- legitimately or not; and 2) show the painting of the painting of itself -- in 15th century Holland! This last story line was my favorite. So much here throughout though: art, religion, morality. Betrayal and mystery. Aboslutely loved this.

I am seriously baffled by the rave reviews for this book. The author, an attorney, should have learned principles of grammar even before law school, so why the run on sentences, apparently unintended sentence fragments, lack of agreement and misplaced modifiers--ie. "silk persimmon dress"-- an artificial silk fruit, or orange dress???? And what color is "cimarron"? I tried a lot of dictionaries for that one with no success at all. Did she mean cinnabar? I think there were serious plot and characterization flaws, but the truth is that I was so bogged down by the prose that it was hard to get past it and focus on the story. Has the publisher fired all its copy editors? I think one star is too many--any promise it had was elimated by shoddy editorial work. A real shame because the premise was good and it should have been exactly the type of novel I like best.

I did not want to put this book down! I loved the characters and the past and present story lines. A well written, thought provoking story and an entertaining mystery all in one.

Wonderful story lines and characters! I was on the edge of my seat. Loved the deep, colorful images and crisp writing style!

This was my first Viking book, and my first Heather Graham book that I ever read, and it is now my all-time favorite. If you like Alpha males, then this book is for you. Olaf was always demanding, yelling, and threatening throughout the book. And Erin was strong-willed and stubborn. Two characters that seemed to be always fighting, yet their love for each other grew over time and won out in the end. It just was an amazing tale that I will never forget. Also the other books that make up this Viking series, "The Vikings Woman" and "Lord of the Wolves" were great too. All three books are a keeper for me! Golden Surrender might have been my first Heather Graham book, but it sure wasn't my last!

It was o.k. I just really missed the part where they fell in love. As they are threatening each other and yelling, they are thinking of their unrequited love. The conflict went on way too long without depth to the plot showing the growing of their love. Yes, Viking stories can be harsh, but these are, after all, men. They have feelings and enjoy family( the author even makes note of this with the brother Eric).

This mixture of romance, history, and war turned out to be a very good historical romance. The two main characters, Erin and Olaf, are both strong-willed, proud and stubborn which made for some interesting feuding from the very beginning. The author fleshed them out enough to make you care about them, and like them both.

Aside from the romance, which was very good, there were also some pretty interesting battle scenes as war raged on between the Vikings and the Irish. (Don't worry, these scenes aren't overlong.) The author did a good job of conveying the pride and dignity of both sides in the warring.

I must admit I was slightly irritated by a few things Erin did, but I quickly overcame my irritation because of the interesting way that the situations were resolved. This irritation was also overshadowed by some of the admirable actions that Olaf took.

In sum, if you like historical romances, this is a book worth reading.

I liked the story, but it didn't flow right. It also lacked humor and humility. I didn't get Erin at all.

It was strange to see how much the male character grieved for and adored his first love. That's rare, and I'm telling ya, it ruined the story early on. More in this series? if I see the next at a sale, maybe.

This is the best book I have ever read. The main characters were beautifully written! Erin the beautiful strong-willed princess had me rooting for her throughout the entire novel and Olaf, stole my heart with his tough exterior but a true softy at heart. This is a story of suspense and love that is meant to be. It will keep you glued to each page, and make you cry at the wonderful ending. I loved it, and have read it again 4 times!!

This was a wonderful story as all of Ms. Graham's stories are. I read it in just a few hours 'cause I couldn't put it down!! I did have to re-read a few parts as I had too many tears in my eyes to see the printed page. I think I've read all of her books and this one ranks at the top along with all her other books about the Civil War.

I really enjoyed this book. The parallel story line drew me in and the characters were believable; I found I really cared what happened to them. The surprise ending was fun and I found myself wanting to try and find the Oak River Plantation myself.

"The most important thing in the world is family. People tend to lose sight of this in todays hustle and bustle of day to day living/surviving."

I found this book slow to start, jumping from civil war era to present day. I stuck with it though and realised the information was of importance to the latter part of the book. The pace picked up and made up for the slow start twofold.

The book is about a civil war family who suffers tragedy and a present day family who is having marital problems.

I have not read a book like this in a long time. It was very good, and left a lasting impression on me after I finished the last page. A real winner.

The first chapter is centered around a civil war hanging scene, and I sort of rolled my eyes and thought this was going to be a heavy historical war saga that I wouldn't be able to get into. However, it quickly moved into the delightful contemporary story described above.

I found it very enchanting how the civil war family, who died way too young without resolving their quarrels with each other, "came alive" again to help the modern-day family heal, reconcile and rediscover their love & committment for each other.

A Magical Christmas tale which I enjoyed very much.

Sparks flew the minute they saw each other. Feelings were that strong. Once they laid eyes on each other- they couldn't take them off, literally. In the first night's time they were passionately involved and within a month Gayle Norman and Brent McCauley were married. Even others that came in contact of them said they were made for each other. But then the nightmares began. Gayle started having violent dreams that she could not explain. Concerned, Brent convinced her to go to a psychologist to talk things out. In the meantime, they move into a farm house that Brent inherits and stranger things start to happen. Brent starts acting like another person. It is going to take someone stronger than a psychologist to get to the bottom of what's going on- a parapsychologist. Could Gayle and Brent have possibly known each other before now? In another life time? Could the love they share be so strong that it is still searching 200 years later? From the Revolutionary War until now? It's a good book, fast-paced, page-turner- we all hope we could experience a love relationship like these two experience! Enjoy it!

This book was great...it is fast paced-a sure page turner. The story line is wonderful, and touches upon interesting subjects. I loved the way the past lives are intertwined with the present, and the idea that a love strong enough can transcend beyond death....The book was truly wonderful...GREAT!!!!

Two lovers who are meant to be together thru every century. A betrayal that destroys that love or was it. Gayle and Brent knew they were meant to be together after that first touch. Married within a month, their lives looked to be perfect. Gayle started having vivid dreams of a long ago past and Brent changes into a revolutionary man who wife is a cheat whom he can't trust. Watch how Gayle and Brent learn the secrets of the past to bring harmony into their lives or end it.

I must admit that I was a little disappointed in this book when I compared it to other Heather Graham Civl War Romances. Un-like the other books this is definitely a far-fetched fictional romance that you must really stretch your imagaination to grasp. After getting over the whole time-travel episode the story is overall a good one... The romance was excellent and the characters were excellent... again I think the time travel hurt the story. The book is worth reading for the ending! If you like the Civil War and Time Travel then I would reccomend this book! (If you are a Heather Graham fan then it is imparitive that you don't compare her other Civil War romances to this book!)

I really enjoyed this lovely little tale of time travel

The battle was raging, the air hot with smoke, loud with rifle fire. Then the air turned dim with and eerie mist, and for Jason Tarkenton, captain in the Confederate cavalry, the true nightmare began. Vickie Knox was today's woman dressed like yesterday's, wearing Yankee garb to play a part. But playacting ended when a Reb stepped out of the mist and took her prisoner-for real. They never should have met, never should have battled-never should have loved. But something had gone wrong with time itself, weaving together past and present like torn threads of a tattered tapestry. Something had gone wrong, and in mending such shredded silk, their loves-and their lives-might be the final sacrifice.

The author did a great job! This story was put together really well

Several mystery/thriller authors have gotten together to form a new professional organization and this book is a first - a thriller anthology. Thirty thriller writers have contributed short stories; James Patterson introduces each author and his/her story.

The settings are varied - France, England, New York, old west and anywhere the writers' imaginations take them. The time periods vary - anywhere from the 1700's to present day. I confess I started a few of the stories and had to skip to the next one. But most are quick reads with a twist at the end. I hope to see another book from the group.

Great read for both old-time thrill readers or anyone new to this genre. Short stories from some of the best "thrill" writers around. Many of the writers use characters that they have developed in their other books. A must read for anyone that enjoys a good "thrill". Thanks to James Patterson (editor) and the International Thriller Writers, Inc. I hope they are willing to put together a Thriller II.

There are a few reasons you should read this book. First, it is likely you will get a taste of the writings of authors you otherwise would not have ever tried.
Second, there are variations here on what defines a "thriller." Don't be prejudiced by your own definition of the term -- read these with an open mind to possibilities.
Third, if your life is as hectic as mine, it is great to be able to dip in for 20 or 30 minutes and enjoying a complete quality story; there are many of them in this collection.
Finally, many reviewers here write about how the collection was weak except for... and then they name the few stories they think were best. Peruse the reviews and you will see they are not all the same few stories... all in all, most of the stories were enjoyed by someone here! Which is to say that the lower ratings are because of TASTE, not QUALITY. Enjoy the breadth, indulge in your favorites, and don't be deterred by the selective ratings of the reviewers here.
A quality anthology -- can't wait for Vol 2!!

This is a reprint of "Heartbreaker", but since I never read it before, I got to enjoy it as well as the other stories. Good story and a great plot. The fine line between hate and love is what starts this story in the beginning, but then things change, and it goes beyond the line.

Since I'm an avid Linda Howard fan, I couldn't resist buying this book. Heartbreaker is a sequel to Midnight Rainbow and Diamond Bay, and was written in 1987. Diamond Bay fans may remember a rancher named John Rafferty who helps Rachel Jones and Kell Sabin fight off the bad guys. Heartbreaker is about Rafferty and a desperate socialite-turned-rancher who proves irresistable. While Heartbreaker lacks the sophistication of Linda Howard's later novels, it's good entertainment. The other two books in the anthology can't hold a candle to Ms. Howard's contribution, but the book is worth buying just to read Heartbreaker.

I really enjoyed this story. I liked the chemistry between Marcus and Christina as well as the setting in Italy. There was also a good suspense story linked to the romance.

This novel was a truly interesting read. I found it hard to put down. After a month of reading non-fiction, I was over-whelmed with the greatness of this novel. I found it a great combination of mystery, action, and romance. I greatly enjoyed the mystery in Marco's persona and if you ever have a spare hour or two, I highly reccommend that you read this novel.

Emily is a mere soldier's widow, a soldier's daughter. What could she possibly offer the Duke of Avon, a man with who's disfigurement isn't the leg that doesn't work properly, but the soul that's been so terribly hurt? Dominic Maitland knows the true worth of Emily isn't in a title or wealth, but in a heart that's his heart's desire.

I found the Gayle Wilson portion of this book outstanding. Even though I hadn't read any of her others books, I'll go find some now. The Heather Graham portion was disappointing. This was the reason I had originally bought this book, as I am a huge fans of hers. The story was less than 100 pages so perhaps she didn't have a chance to put more into it!

While I totally love Heather Graham, and this series inparticular, there was something missing in this book. I thought she could have explored Julian and Rhiannon's relationship better. It sort of felt like the book was written because she had to put something in with Julian to continue the series. I just think it could have been way better. There were parts of this book that explained a few things from other books in the series for me (I didn't manage to read them in order of course!) , it still did not draw me in the way that Rebel and Triumph, and basically the rest of the series, did. I do however love the way she describes the scenes as if you were there. She is probably one of the best authors regarding Civil War Romance. Just not this particular book.

Disappointing is a very gracious word! Heather Graham usually pens a more vibrant heroine and hero. Yet for some reason I could not come to terms with Rhiannon. She was 'bland', depicted as etheral, mysterious, yet, nothing about her character exemplified those traits in the novel. She constantly wore mourning black even while married to a very live and viral man. The way Graham describes her, I always seem to picture 'Morticia' of the 'Adams Family', particualy when Angelica Huston portrayed the character 'Morticia' in the movie. It was very difficult for me to 'like' Rhiannon. There were several other heroines of Graham writing 'Shannon Drake' that I didn't particularly enjoy, however, Graham's 'McKenzies' normally married sensuous Rebel or Yankee 'spitfires', and Rhiannon failed to fit into this catergory. The novel itself was a combination of several novels. There were too many stories combined to make up 'Glory'. The story of Jesse and Sydney, which was introduced in 'Surrender', was fiery enough to create a novel of their own tumultuous affair. And Jesse's character changed in 'Glory'. In 'Surrender', Jesse was a 'a typical' hero, strong, possessive, reckless with his own life, but protective of those he cared for. In 'Glory', Jesse seemed 'too young', too soft in my opinion. I kept expecting him to say to someone that he assisted putting Sydney in 'Old Capitol' prison to keep her safe during the war and that is where she should have remained. Yet he claimed he had an undying love for her, but where did it develop? If I was the author of 'Glory', Sydney and Jesse's affair would have began the moment he kidnapped her in 'Surrender' and of course, a spin off of their own novel, commencing with Jesse forcing Sydney to leave Jerome and her later awaking on his couch after being kidnapped. I failed to see how sending Brent McKenzie to a veneral disease research center could be considered interesting enough to the readers. It failed to interest me. Yes, I'm aware that veneral disease killed many soldiers during the Civil War and it is still running rampant today, however, a valuable talented physician wasted his talent being sarcastic to a woman whom was just as sarcastic to him, while caring for very ill patients, one of whom was her father! If Brent and Mary are going to be the next major characters in the McKenzie saga, I can't see where his experience in an 1860s CDC will spin off a romantic sequel. And where is Jennifer? Has she recovered from grieving for her spouse, or was she on the verge of becoming slightly mentally unstable - or will she ever experience love and friendship with a male again. On the positive side, Heather Graham gave graphic details of the medical units responsibilities and the conditions that existed during the Civil War. The military strategic maneuvers of both Generals Lee and Meade were outstanding. And Julien was a likeable hero, even though he was portrayed harder and colder than either Ian or Jerome. All and all, 'Glory' lacked the excitement and sensuality of both 'Rebel' and 'Surrender', but again, gave valuable historical insight into the daily lives of medical units under fire. My favorite line from the book is where Ian questioned Julian's position as a physician under fire and Julian responded, "they shoot at me, I shoot back"!

This time, the doctor and the psychic meet. "Glory" is Julian McKenzie's story. Julian is Ian's brother, Jerome's cousin, James' nephew, and Jarrett's son. Oh hhh, the McKenzie men are fine!!

"Glory" is about Julian and the woman he falls in love with, Rhiannon Tremaine. There story is delightful and romantic. Julian certainly equals the standard of the McKenzies.

I first read Glory and then read Rebel. I loved both of them. I can't wait to start from the first and read to Heather Grahams latest of the MacKenzie family "Triumph". Each are so accurate in history detail during the civil war. The detail of events make you feel as if you are standing right there while it happens. And the romance just make you want to swoon. Lordy me!

You have to read these books!

Glory is yet another of the books I could read two or three times. Heather Graham puts out a terrific performance about the love of the rebel doctor Julian McKenzie and a woman branded a witch becuase of her healing powers and her ability to see. It also starts out the good parts of Sydney & Jesse, and Brent & mary. I like the fact that she uses the battle of Gettysburg as the peak of the book. I live a few minutes from Gettysburg and it was neat to compare the book with the information I could find there. I suggest everyone read the McKenzie saga and the Cameron saga, both are about the Civil War and the Seminole War.