Female Books

I am a licensed Counselor, who specializes in trauma/substance abuse.
In reviewing this book, I have found it to be a wonderful book for my client's partners to better understand their significant other's needs and their own. This book creats hope for both partners, and supports increased and healthy communication between both individuals. I would recommend this book for anyone who practices within this field, or an individual who is involved in a loving relationship with a person who has been sexually abused. Remember:"It is better to be active and supportive with those that have been abused, then to do nothing at all, and hope one day things will work itself out."

This book may not earn awards for best literary style, but you can feel the sincerity of deep understanding through this author's words. As with any material, I disagreed with portions of its contents; however, I wish my husband and I would have owned this book at the beginning of our healing process. It gives you a realist overview of the turmoil you will face as a couple. As the abused victim, I was so consumed in my healing that the silent screams of what my husband was dealing with went unheard by everyone. Men, while trying to remain strong and supportive, suffer alone with forgotten wounded hearts which also have to heal.

Although this book is somewhat helpful, it is, unfortunately, based mostly on the anecdotal experience of one couple [the author and his wife]. I think that Allies in Healing is a more helpful book - if you are looking for a book written mostly for spouses of survivors.

To husbands: FYI - the healing is a very long and arduous process - it ain't pretty, and it really helps if you have a LOT of love and MORE stamina. If so, I highly recommend "Women Who Hurt Themselves" by Dusty Miller. It's a tough read, but will put things into a logical framework for you. This issue has a lot of gender implications in its understanding, and a logical framework seems to be essential for the male in the role of supportive mate.

A good read for therapist or therapist in training. Great to have in the back of your mind to recomend to such clients.

This is an absolute must read for any men out there who have women partners that have suffered childhood sexual abuse in any of its many and abhorrent forms. My wife suffered this from no less than three different males in her life before the age of 14, and two of them were relatives. I, like you, needed some reference material to try and help me cope with how to help her, and though there isn't going to be a cookie cutter answer for every situation... this book offers a lot of insight and gives you some starting points to begin looking for help.

Thanks.
Lynn

I was pleasantly surprised and gratified to find out about "What Did I Do Wrong? When Women Don't Tell Each Other the Friendship is Over". This is a book I have been waiting to read for a long long time. Bravo to Liz Pryor for addressing a topic that has been completely taboo. Even between the women involved, there is usually NEVER an open or honest discussion about the painful experience of a friendship ending between girlfriends. With a wide range of anecdotal material plus illuminating stories from her own life, Pryor illustrates the possible causes of these "break-ups". Strange misunderstandings, moral judgments, competition, overstepping of boundaries, insecurity and lack of communication seem to be key (all aspects of ego-mind, by the way). Occasionally, but not entirely without angst, both parties agree to end the friendship amicably due to "growing in different directions". In my own experience, a major factor is that old bug-a-boo jealousy, which is mentioned only briefly. Perhaps with her next book Liz Pryor can delve more deeply into the psychological issues that are significant barriers to unconditional love, trust and caring support between women-friends. In my view the number one reason why women treat each other so shabbily stems from an early negative relationship with one's own mother. The mother-daughter relationship becomes the ongoing dysfunctional pattern for how a woman will treat the other women in her life, unless the wound is acknowledged and transformed. Cattiness, pettiness, bitchiness, negative gossip, competition and jealousy between contemporary women is so prevalent these days it almost seems to be the norm, and that is not right. Healed and whole, women are the force of love in the world.

Like most people, we see a title of a book and it says something to us, and that makes us pick it up. I saw the title of this book and instinctively picked it up and read it the same day; crying through most of it because I too was going through the same type of situation with a friend.

The book hits the nail on the head with its various stories of how friendships, however solid we think they are, for whatever reason fail because of lack of communication, misunderstandings, or someone just not wanting to be your friend anymore. And how those ending make us feel about ourselves and our ability to move on and try again, or stay crippled in fear/anger about letting anyone into our lives again for fear of being hurt/betrayed again.

But more importantly, it does address how sad and heartbreaking it is to lose a friend and feel that you cannot talk to anyone about it (I think the author or one of the people interviewed mentioned that).

This book makes it a bit easier to deal with the loss of a friend.

Highly recommended to anyone dealing with friendship issues that they cannot understand, this book helps.

This book was a very quick read. It made me think and feel a lot better about some of the friendships in my life that fell through.

Women can be really cruel to one another, even "Best Friends" of over 30 yrs. Not saying anything, just ignoring, pulling away, "customs" & annual events you always did together, other plans get made that don't include you are all passive aggressive signs. But since you have never seen this behavior from "her" you don't expect or recognize it for what it really is, rejection, walking away. The best part you will find out is that YOU did not do anything wrong. SHE DID! Read the book

The author made a good effort but it is missing something, maybe because it is based on her life and I am not in this social class.

For me this book reinforced the idea that Women are bad friends. The stories make me wonder who this author knows - sounds like a self-centered crowd.

The friendships she depicts seem shallow ending over gossip, petty squabbles and my personal favorite my husband doesn't like you. Is this the stone ages where a woman can't be friends unless her husband gives permission? My parents had individual friends and couples they were friends with. Each had individual friends that the other liked and didn't like so based on my experiences with friendship some of her stories seem silly and shallow.

I agree with other reviewers about writing a letter when you are in the midst of a painful end to a friendship is a bad idea. Most people are not going to wait until they have enough emotional distance to write such a letter and sometimes you have no idea what the recipient is going through. I would not want to write a letter to someone when I may not know what is happening in her life. Is she experiencing a deep depression? Is there a recent crisis? Sometimes regardless of the spirit in which a letter is intended the person will still read it though a lens that may be clouded by pain or bad circumstances.

This author is not an expert so in some ways her approach seemed fresh but having an expert voice involved could have made it a much better book.

The thing about this book, is, Fisher tries to come across as someone
with more knowledge about why people act the way they do, than she actually has.
Frustrating read.

They picked a great actress to recite Amy's book in authentic Lawn GUY-land dialect. Indescribably hillarious! BUY IT!!!

Have you ever wondered what Amy Fisher was thinking? If so, this is the book to read. She tells you exactly what she was thinking and when she was thinking it. She doesn't sugar coat it. I thought the story was well written and very insightful. Highly recommended.

"Amy Fisher: My Story", shows how a young sixteen year-old got trapped into a prostitution ring; an adulterous affair; and an eventual crime charge. It is easy for one to absord all the negative press; however, after reading this book, one sees an innocent sixteen year-old that was taken advantage of by an older man's charm. She fell for his charm's sweet-toned voice and false love for her. It was this false love that made the fall of Amy Fisher. I related to her book because I was once taken advantage of in my former Amish religion. I know how easy it is when you are young and inexperienced in the world. You keep hearing things like a tape-recorder. Then they become reality. If you want to know the real Amy, buy the book. I also recommend her new book, "If I Knew Then." For Amy is now a wonderful mother and a wife.
Teresa Phillips,
Author of, "Leaving Lancaster County."

My what a few years does for Amy. Her new book is so much better than this one. I think we can all forgive her tresspasses since Joey's wife has forgiven her.

As the book begins, which is the 3rd in the Lake Emily series, Virginia, Mae, and Trudy are at this museum when Virginia feeling quite unwell, has a stroke. She is immediately taken to the nearest hospital, and Mae is devastated. Mae is also expecting the birth yet again, of her second child. With the stress of Virginia, she starts having premature contractions. After being in the hospital for a day or so, she is better, but Virginia will have a long frustrating recovery ahead of her.

Virginia will have to learn to gain her strength back all over again and regain her speech as well. She sits in despair every day in the nursing home and is growing very bitter. Things turn around though when Ed Cleworth, Mae's former boss comes calling. Ed lost his wife Willa years before and is lonely. This is a turning point for Virginia, and she begins to snap out of her depression better and starts to recover.

David, Peter's dad and Virginia's son comes to town when Virginia first has her stroke, but then does not stay around when he is most needed. As a symphony orchestra conductor, music has been his whole life above and beyond everyone else. And when he up and leaves yet again, Peter is killing mad. So he and his dad have another falling out after this happens. They may never make amends either.

Jessie, Virginia's little friend, is very upset when Virginia has her stroke and they don't see each other for a long time after. The worst thing too is that Steve, her dad has began drinking again and this is doubly hard for the young girl. When Steve meets and falls for Virginia's therapist, Anna, Jessie sees her as a sort of new mom and has hopes that her dad will marry.

Trudy, Mae's sister marries Bert Biddle in this sequel, and Bert's parents would like for Bert to buy the family property with the farm and everything so that Bert can be close to his work there. Bert's long lost twin brother Fred shows up though after not even keeping in contact for a couple years, and expects the property for his own and his new Russian wife, Sletvana. Things are very tense when he and his wife move in until they can find a place. And Lillian, difficult as she always is, automatically despises her new daughter-in-law. Trudy and Sletvana strike up an instant friendship, and Mae becomes very jealous as this has caused a division in their special sisterly relationship since they've always been really close.

Peter is worried about the farm going under as well since the weather conditions have turned against it. And with milk prices going the way they are too, things are even worse. He tries to get some other help with the bank loan so they can hopefully wait for things to turn around.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would like to see yet another installment written, but am not sure if there will be. Depree is an excellent writer.

Rich characters with depth and emotion fill the pages of this tender and well crafted novel. You will be able to see the rural Minnesota you might never have visited through DePree's eyes.
Her characters are full of surprises and her story has its own rhythm and depth. Virginia Morgan is someone you will learn to care for and respect; she is a woman of sacrifices and good intentions who is torn by the devastating and frustrating results of her stroke. She will have to learn to walk again and to speak again and she will win the battle again and again making life changing choices as she goes along and falling in love once again after her beloved husband's death.
A touching story with heartfelt and deeply human characters. You will love it if you love a deep and moving read.

I kept waiting for this book to get better. After all, a lot of people gave it great reviews here on Amazon. But, it never got better.

This is a very dull book. I think it was meant for the Christian market, not that Christian markets are supposed to be dull. But this one is.

I understand that it is supposed to portray feelings in every day life, but the main character (Virginia) spends a lot of time feeling sorry for herself instead of counting her blessings or trying to rise above her misfortune. I could not feel sorry for her since she was doing such a good job of feeling sorry for herself.

The characters are whiners. Okay, the father should try to balance his life between being a conductor of a big symphony and his family, but give the guy a break. He needs to find balance between the two, not to just automatically give up his lifelong desired career and then be made to feel hugely guilty about it because he wants to be an artist.

If I were Virginia and the rest of the Whiner Family, I would be more giving of myself to others' needs, not be as self centered as the characters in this book appear to be. I would want happiness for others, true, unselfish happiness for THEM. That sometimes means letting your family go, not insisting that they be constantly at your side and giving up any semblence of a real life of their own.

At least this book could have been interesting to make up for the shallowness of the characters. But, after about the first four pages, it couldn't even be that.

UGH. What a waste of my time and money.

I can get lost in the books she writes! -thank you Traci!

One of the best terms for Traci's books is "comforting." Written with a readable style, her rural setting and familiar characters offer readers an oasis from the stress of everyday life. You may also want to read Can of Peas by Traci and, if you care for short Christian fiction, I would recommend Cool Water for the Thirsting Soul by Kenny Paul Clarkson.

This one was good if predictable. I love her handy man Dave.. he is personable and the new partner is going to be a good addition. I did not like her Dissing of Virgil the Cat.
She made him out to be the Evil One and cats are not.. but any how..

The book begins with a classic battle of wits: cat vs. human. Abby tells about the situation with humor, and I had to laugh, because after a very similar situation of "moving in" on another cat's "territory," I know exactly what Abby was going through. Cat-lovers and dog-lovers alike will be able to relate to Abby's predicament.

In addition to the humor in the story, I thought Abby's compassion for the woman she met at the prison on her first visit was very classy. This woman, very pregnant, notices Abby staring at her (Abby's intuition has kicked in, is why Abby's paying such attention), and snaps rudely at Abby to back off. Abby does, but later, courageously approaches this woman and offers her help. I won't give anything away by telling what happens, but I was touched by the friendship that develops from a first meeting that was a tad hostile.

I like how characters from previous books participate in Crime Seen; everything flows well and belongs.

This was another good installment for the psychic eye series. Not only did we get a funny well written mystery, but there is a lot of character development along with new characters being added in. I can see a lot of story lines coming up for Abby. You could probably read this as a stand alone but why would you? I recommend the whole series..

Crime Seen by Victoria Laurie was excellent. Abby is a psychic who has become a crime fighter by accident through out this series. She wants to help people and because of that ends up in dangerous situations. In this novel she helps out his FBI boyfriend with a few out cases and because she is Abby people start to try to kill her... If you are a fan then you love this book and if you have never read this series start with her first and you have a new favorite must buy author. Enjoy!

Check out the whole Psychic Eye Mysteries series;#1 Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, #2 Better Read than Dead,#3 A Vision of Murder, #4 Killer Insight, #5 Crime Seen and #6 Death Perception (due out September of 2008!)

I would also recommended; Spirited Away by Cindy Miles, Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown, My Favorite Witch by Annette Blair, Falling For Gracie by Susan Mallery and What's A Ghoul to Do? (Ghost Hunter Mysteries, Book 1) by Victoria Laurie.

While I enjoy this series, this installment was definitely not the best one in the series.

While I was glad not to have the annoying Cat in this book, I was irritated by Abby's constant references to "my boyfriend" in practically every paragraph. It made her seem weak and dependent and not at all the strong lead she's been in previous books. The ending only added to that feeling.

I'll read the next installment, but hope we're not in for a series of Abby and "my boyfriend" from here on out.

i haven't read the book because in the table of contents there is no track?

Major ommission. Sprinting is a major sport. It also causes numerous injuries - hamstring and hip tears and pulls.

I was going to buy this book for my nieces (15 and 16 yrs) - track stars. I was also interested as i am a sprinter as well.

sarah graves

One of my daughters was an MVP Basketball player in high school. She worked hard, played hard and certainly took her share of injuries. My second daughter was a tennis player. I wish I had this book back then - the sprains, knee injuries, "collision" injuries, tennis elbow and shoulder strains they sustained during game times maybe could have been avoided with better strength training exercises as outlined. As an active, health conscious person myself, I certainly found the guidelines and exercises for the mature female athlete very informative as well. This well-thumbed book has made its way into the hands of several of my friends and was also presented to each of my daughters for when they have their own little "female" athlete!

Having raised a swimmer, bowler and softball girl we're very familiar with muscle pains, pulled ligaments and shoulder and neck issues. It's nice to hear something other then "ice it and elevate it"! Female bodies are different than male bodies, particularly during puberty, and it is nice to be able to identify and commiserate with other females on common (and not so common) injuries and the correct preventative measures to take both on and off the field. Bravo! to Gloria Beam and Ruth Winter for a well written and informative book!

Finally a book just for woman athletes! I have had sports related injuries in the past and now I know what to do to prevent them. I thought the information was great and presented in a concise and easy to follow manner. I recommend this book to highly.

This is the first book that I've found that is by both a sports authority, sports enthusiast and well known medical writer. It's is great to have a source of information that is both credible, easily searchable and very useful to me as both an athelete and a women! Great job!

oh this book was just all that and more......i mean each character just kept you on your toes...........i can't say what i really want to say cause it might be too hott for here....but please please don't sleep on this book because it will be something you will regret........simple HOT!!!!

I ENJOYED THIS BOOK SO MUCH, THAT I HATED THAT IT HAD TO END!!! I WILL BE LOOKING INTO MORE OF MS. HOLLIDAY'S BOOK!!!! I LOVED THE FRIENDSHIPS THESE 4 PEOPLE SHARED,AND THE LOVE ,AND FUN THEY FOUND AND MADE!!!! EXCELLENT READ!!!

Easy and quick read.
Overall, an enjoyable book.
I wouldnt exactly say steamy but certain parts might be considered "hot"

I believe this is the worse book out of the whole Groove series. Ok Geneva finally finds love in an unexpected way but does that mean she should settle for looking the way she does & even though she's not happy with it. Crystal needed some so bad her mother had to send an escort, who was actually an old friend to give Crystal a good round in order to bring back happiness. While on that rollercoaster ride she experiences some crazy things that she never in her wildest dreams saw herself getting into. That was just blah! Then of course the flamboyant Noah who refuses to take part in a "swap mate" with his partner, & catches him kisses & getting free feels with another. But of course Noah doesn't really recall his previous habit & the reason he had to go to rehab. Even after all his crazy acting his mate still took him back with no strings. He had to be reminded just how much someone else took from him by someone else & then realized a meager kiss doesn't compare. Last but not least of course the loser, Chevy. She finally finds a job she can keep more than 2 weeks. A dream job at first until she's asked to do the unthinkable. Then ends up actually coming out on top for awhile any way. Her high paying job still doesn't instill good morales & of course she's still splurging off of her friends. Some things could of been left out. Especially Geneva's bad & nasty eating habits. Hopefully the next installment in the series proves better.

As always again Ms. Holliday did great Noah is still hanging London,that CHEVY still at it that THANG is CRAZY,CRYSTAL she turn out now he have blew her mind,GENEVA done got her a FIND A.. YOUNGER i tell you part 3 can't wait to read it.

Maybe this book is no worse than most in the genre, but I was disappointed. I didn't find it very insightful and I didn't laugh much either.

I bought this book on the way to a wedding for plane reading and thought it looked cute but nothing special, like something I'd throw out after the trip - but I ended up keeping my copy and buying copies for the whole wedding party instead. The book really tells both sides of the story. The writers define the same words from the male and female viewpoints and line them up side by side.

I especially like the definition of bridesmaid: She means "what you turn into when your best friend gets married and appoints you one of a bevy of personal slaves in hideous, identical dresses"/He means "someone to hit on at a wedding, she's usually vulnerable."

Maybe I was so tickled by this one because I was maid of honor and yes I was wearing a green taffetta Thing that probably looked hideous, but there were some other really good ones too. It's a humor book but under the jokes there is real stuff - I learned a few things about men and recognized a few things about women. My friends loved it too.

If you are wanting a good book about men and women go elsewhere. What I was after was a book explaining what men think about what women say, you know, what messages are we giving off, etc. This book in no way gave me that information.

A book like this could be just a novelty gift, but this one absolutely transcends the genre. I picked it up in the bookstore and couldn't stop laughing, until I finally gave in and bought it. I thought it was notably literary, and perfectly executed in a deadpan style.

All I can say is if you have ever felt the slightest bit misunderstood by the opposite sex, BUY THIS BOOK!!! Herein lies a cornucopia of linguistic fun (post-modern politically correct humor), it will make you laugh so hard and maybe even help you find and keep a significant other. Makes a great gift, too.

Maddie Springer is a children's shoe designer in L. A. Her boyfriend, Richard Howe, an attorney, has gone missing, along with $20 million in embezzled funds. Maddie can't believe he is involved, but the longer he's missing, the more she wonders.

When Maddie stumbles upon a murder, Jack Ramirez, a sexy cop, works with Maddie to help uncover the embezzlement. She's also aided by her best friend Dana who is a bit sex-crazed. They end up in various hilarious adventures. Can Maddie catch the killer before the killer sets his/her sights on her?

I loved this hilarious romantic chick lit mystery. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Maddie is such a fun-loving protagonist. I found it hard to put down. I was also laughing out loud many times. My husband kept asking me what was so funny!

I thought the author did a great job of creating characters, setting, and plot. I kept wondering who the killer/embezzler was. I didn't figure it out until right before everything was revealed.

I highly recommend this book.

I read this one and Killer in High Heels and loved them both. Congrats to Gemma....you've accomplished something great! These are so much fun to read! WRITE FAST GIRL! Looking forward to more!

I liked this one as much as Killer in High Heels. In fact I have preordered the next one in the series. If you want to laugh then this book is for you.

I know these people! As a native of So Cal I know every character in this book. I swear this book too real & surreal, it was a great ride.

This book would have been good for its genre if the author knew anything about Los Angeles. I'm not sure why she set her story there, since she lives in San Francisco and it is obvious that she has never even looked at a map of LA. She goes into great geographical detail, giving driving directions and mentioning well-known LA landmarks and streets, but it is all completely wrong. Does no one do any editing these days? These errors ruined the story, they were so annoying. All she had to do was look at a map. Is this so difficult? I can now empathize with a reviewer who complained about another author who set her book in Seattle and got everything wrong.

Here are only three, out of many, examples that anyone from the LA area (potentially hundreds of thousands of readers for Gemma Halliday) would know are absolutely incorrect:

1. Pages 77-80. The character, Maddie, lives in Santa Monica and goes to her nearest Starbucks. This would only be a few blocks away, since they are everywhere in LA. She gets a call from her Mom to go to a Bridal place and then takes the 101 to get there in 10 minutes. The 101 freeway does not run anywhere near Santa Monica. The closest it gets is over in the Valley, miles away. It would be impossible to get from Santa Monica to anywhere on the 101 freeway.

2. Pages 100-104. Maddie goes to see her best friend, Dana, at her apartment in Studio City. They are then going to disguise themselves and drive to a seedy motel in North Hollywood (which is huge and not every area is as sleazy as the author makes it out to be). The route they take to North Hollywood from Studio City would take them miles out of their way. The author has them going up the 405, over the hill and into the Valley. They then take the 101 East to the 134 East and get off at Lankershim. First of all, Studio City is already in the Valley and is adjacent to North Hollywood. It would make more sense to just drive up Laurel Canyon Blvd. Second, the 405 does not go anywhere near Studio City, so it would be impossible to hop onto it from there. Finally, the only exit onto Lankershim is going West on the 134, not East. I drive this freeway every day, so I know.

3. Page 251. "At exactly 4:02 I was circling the block between Fairfax and La Brea on Hollywood Boulevard for a parking place...." The major streets of Fairfax and La Brea in West Hollywood and Hollywood (respectively) are separated by about 8 to 10 blocks, I can't remember the exact number they are almost a mile apart. You cannot "circle the block" between them. Also, that section of Hollywood Boulevard is completely residential, with the exception of a Jewish temple and an Episcopal church. Otherwise, it is all apartment buildings. What business is she going to go to?

I know that many people will think I'm being too picky, but wait until an author starts talking about your city and places you drive every day, getting everything completely wrong, and you'll know how annoying that is and how it can ruin a potentially good book.

You don't just feel you are in the adventure, you learn as you read. I love that the class, race, and gender all play a part in this tale. The cover is a stunner, I want to frame mine, and the story rings true. My only complaint is that I feel the main character really should have had a better grasp of her situation earlier on in the book, but I suppose if she had nothing to learn the story would have been less. I would buy the sequel.

If you have a daughter who likes to read books from the POV of a strong and gutsy heroine, this book would be a good choice. Patricia grows from naive young girl to practical ships surgeon over the course of the story. This book is better written than another YA pirate book called "To Catch a Pirate". If you or your daughter enjoyed this story and setting, another good girl pirate story would be "Pirates!" by Celia Rees.

I'm amazed by how well Linda Collison was able to incorporate so much fascinating information about ships, sailing, and life in the 18th Century, while keeping this a fast-paced page turning adventure. Patricia is a strong, realistic heroine, who changes significantly over the course of the novel. The settings, especially the ships, evoke all the appeal of fantasy, while having the depth and relevance of history. And the narrative voice in the story effectively conjures up the feel of the 18th century without ever becoming dull or flowery (no easy feat there).

Basically this book works on many levels. It's fun to read. It's historical fiction. It has the pace and feel of an epic adventure. And Patricia, the main character, is strong with some interesting flaws that make her memorable. It's a book I think both teens and adults will enjoy. It's great pleasure reading, yet it would also work well in 8th-10th grade classrooms. I hesitate to say it's educational, since that might make people think the book is boring or contrived. Trust me --it's neither. You'll be amazed by how elegant and engaging this story is, and how quickly you get pulled into Patricia's world. I'm eager for the sequel!

Abandoned and penniless, Patricia Kelley, once a gentleman's daughter, stows away on a ship headed for the West Indies, and Barbados, the island of her birth, in hopes of reclaiming her father's estate after his death. It's not long before she is discovered, and she is torn between the simple life and love of a commoner, and the station that which she was born into. But will she really have any choice in the matter, or does Patricia dare to forge her own way into this new world?

The book contains three parts, the first of which is slightly hard to read into. Collison's writing is wrought with many, many details, but rather than bog the plot down, it does a commendable job in building suspense throughout the story. Once readers get past part one and into the heart of the novel, they will find themselves falling for the characters. This is perhaps one of the most realistic tales considering the traditions and customs of the era, but rather than turn off the reader, they will find themselves completely absorbed in Patricia's quest for fulfillment in this unflinching and poignant tale.

Patricia Kelly is a foolish and prideful young woman. She has her share of courage, but not much else to her name. Life is full of choices which affect our future, and Patricia makes none of the traditional choices of women of the Eighteenth Century. Following her dream, she boards a ship set for the West Indies in order to claim her inheritance. On this journey, the lessons which will shape her as a woman begin. Along the way she meets many new individuals, including those who help her, those who are indifferent to her plight, and those who mean her harm. Patricia's need to determine the course of her future will carry her on, even though her life's fortune seems to rise and fall with the waves in the sea.

This is a seafaring adventure of a sort I've never read before. The author has a nice turn of words which sets the scene and the mood of the time. The reader can feel, smell and hear the ship and those aboard. You want to know more about the many well drawn characters in the book; the Captain's serene wife Mary, the ship's gentle surgeon MacPherson and the mother of Alexander Hamilton. Linda Collison lets you see the humanity of even the crudest of men.

Star-Crossed captures the uncertainty of youth standing on the brink of adulthood. As an historical novel, it is interesting and informative. I never knew about women aboard naval ships, and I am not new to the seafaring genre. There is a fine glossary at the end with sailing terms for us landlubbers. Due to some of the subject matter, I would recommend this book for older teens and adults, although the author handles the bawdiness of the sailor's lives with discretion and the intimate scenes with respect.