Contemporary Books

The Hideaway series is the best to truly enjoy it you must read all of them you will love them I promise!

Vows by Rochelle Alers is an incredible story about two people who, in spite of their trying to fight it, fall madly and passionately in love with each other while traveling in Mexico.

Vanessa Blanchard, while traveling to Mexico for vacation, meets the mysterious and devastatingly handsome Joshua Kirkland while on the airplane. Instantly, there is an attraction between the two of them. Even though they try to fight it, they are phyically and emotionally drawn to each other. However, Joshua is not traveling to Mexico for a leisurely vacation. He is employed by the Federal Government to investigate Vanessa, who is thought to be a traitor - selling confidential U.S. weapons information.

Although his main reason for meeting Vanessa is to eventually bring her to justice, he just can't seem to shake his need to protect her and his growing attraction to her.

What follows is a story filled with passion, romance, and suspence. This is the first book that I have read from Rochelle Alers and she certainly didn't disappoint. I loved the characters of Vanessa Blanchard, a strong, intelligent woman, and Joshua Kirkland, a mysterious, sexy, and chivalrous man who wants the simple things in life with the woman he loves.

I would highly recommend this book! I read it in one day because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. You won't be disappointed!

Am I the only one who can't stop reading this book? I think that Ms. Alers knows these people. The characters are real and the dialogue is smart and not the usual sappy drivel found in romance novels. And not to be biased, but the fact that it centers around African American/Latino characters just adds to the books appeal. I am ruined for other romances. A+!

This novel will keep you in suspense and awe at the relationship of the characters. Sometimes it tears you apart how they are committed to their military careers so much that they let it come before their love life. But thanks to the writer it all works out in the end, but not before you go through a roller coaster of emotions wanting the best to happen. This is one of the BEST love stories that I have read in years. I highly recommend it to all and especially book clubs!

Joshua Kirkland is a secret agent sent to investigate 2 million dollars of missing funds within the Grenville-Edwards Aerospace and the leak of classified information on laser guided bombs. He falls quick and hard for his suspect and is willing to protect the "enemy" with his life. He's never been in love until meeting Vanessa. He is investigating to indict the beautiful, sexy, gutsy, brilliant traitor who has jeopardized national security. Vanessa has no clue of the deceitful things going on around her; she just wants to shop 'til she drops while on vacation in Mexico never expecting to fall for a mysterious stranger in 4 days. Vanessa has lots of doubts but Joshua quenches them by confessing his love for her and asking her to marry him. Joshua disappears the day after the wedding. Let the whirlwind begin..............

Excellent contemporary romance with a suspense twist that keeps you on the edge of your seat with anticipation. You will not however have to wait long to find the "love" in this story.

One of the most original and beautiful storys I've read in a long time. It has become one of my favourite books series, right up there with Harry Potter, Twilight, Sookie Stackhouse and the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

It is so unique a story and refreshing that I can't compare it to any others I've read for content but I have to say that for heart and soul this beats all the other formula romances hands down.

This is the only book I've read where I have wanted desperately for the world and characters described to actually exist. I would move into "Green's" house in a heartbeat!

I would give it 10 stars instead of just the 5 here allowed here.

Bravo!

Book 2 Wounded.
This is were the clothe started to be woven better.
The dialogue flowed more smoothly and was more natural, it was the characters speaking, not being told what to say. They had more depth, more dimension/reality to them. Maybe it was the pathos of Adrian's loss, but it had a texture that more tangible than the first book. The plot ran more smoothly, it flowed rather than paused and changed abruptly like it did in Vulnerable. I did wonder why Marcus went from being a stockbroker in Book 1 to a schoolteacher in Book 2, but figured it was an oopsy moment
These are books I really like.

Returning to the world of the Little Goddess there were hearts to mend, more wrongs to right and some clever political maneuvering to bring safety back to Green's Hill and his beloved people as we find deeper plots behind the insidious attacks from the prevous book. Despite a great deal of suffering for the characters we've grown to love, as they deal with the overwhelming grief caused by the senseless loss of several of their own, there is a loveliness to the story that is hard to explain.

Wounded really struck me on an emotional level. After watching the destructive power of grief in the previous book, there was beauty in witnessing the literal `power' of love and also a strength in the way Cory transforms choices that are made for her here and makes them her own. In Wounded, love begins to take another shape for Cory, Green, Bracken, Remy and the other survivors as they begin to heal, even as much of the happiness in the book is tinged with the sadness of longing for that which can never be fully theirs.

So this one gets five stars from me for heart and soul. I'll leave others to rate commas and typos, I was too caught up in the story to notice. If you are new to the series you probably should know though that as in the previous book, the sensuality that is integral to several of the characters knows no boundaries between species, age or gender but it is, except for a few exceptions, handled subtly.

Loved it!!! Loved Vulnerable, too. Miss Adrian!!! :-( However...am really enjoying the series!!!!

After reading Vulnerable I didn't know how I'd feel about Wounded. I thought I'd miss Adrian too much to enjoy it. I was oh so wrong. It was touching to see the process of Cory (and Green and Bracken) learning to get past the death of Adrian. It was the strength of all three together(along with the help of Grace the vampire, Arturo the former Aztec god elf, Renny the werekitty, Max the cop, Niky the avian & Andres the yummy new vampire) that made it possible for each of them to move on. None could do it alone.

The relationships changed as they learned to depend on one another. Cory accepts her need of other men and her responsibilty to Green's and Adrian's people. Green accepts that he can't belong to Cory alone(nor she to him) due to his position as leader of his people. And Bracken comes into his own as both a man as Cory's lover and an integral part of the community as Green's warrior. And during it all Adrian's memory is carefully preserved.

The book itself shows amazing progress. The story flows. The characters grow, show more depth and seem more real. Again I laughed and cried. Again Amy Lane made me feel. The residents of Green's Hill are becoming family and I look forward to Bound and seeing where they go from here.

Bette Ford is indeed one of the best romance writers of our time. Her books have set the bar, that other authors need to strive for. Her book After Dark is simply wonderful. If I have re-read it once I re-read it 5 times, along with her other books. Awesome Talent!!! Simply Awesome!!!

Bette Ford is a premier writer of the most sensous and heartwarming romances. In "After Dark" we are given a birds eye view of Donald and Taylor's hot, bumpy romance. I loved the way Ms Ford weaved bits and pieces of the Montgomerys and Randols (from her previous books, "For Always and Forever After")into the storyline. Donald is a gorgeous, famous NBA star and Taylor is the down-to-earth beauty he falls in love with. He practically moves heaven and earth to win her trust and love. The MANY delectable steamy love scenes left me breathless. Once again, Bette Ford delivers..this was pure satisfaction!

Ok Ms Ford was another author on my "to read list". This book was really good! Different for me b/c I hadn't really read any romance novels with a celeb involved. I loved Donald's character. He knew what he wanted and he was patient until he got his woman. And when he finally tells her how he feels wooooooo. I could identify with Taylor's character in not letting go of past hurts and letting her guard down. I also liked the sub story of her brother and his girlfriend. Made me wonder if they have/had a story. Definite recommendation.

I know this is supposed to be a romance but the back to back love sessions were a bit much. We don't have to have details every single time they make love. An author is prone to run out of creative scenes. And why must most of the main female characters be so hard up with chips on their shoulders? Yes, men love a challenge and women who play hard to get but too much independence and bitchiness is a turn-off. But the author did touch well on the life of a celebrity. Donald was my only likable character.

This book is too much...just too much love, passion and excitement. Bette Ford is an amazing author and Donald and Taylor are proof of that. Their story is one filled with turmoil that only confusion and misunderstanding can cause. Taylor harbors her feelings toward Donald and Donald goes out of his way to find a way around the wall she has erected. WOnderful reading.

I have been reading the whole series and this one keeps up with the others. I thought it was great. Definitely one to tell otehrs about.

I am reading all of her books in the series. I really enjoy them.

THE DARKNESS, the tenth volume in the Vampire Huntress series, is a twisted, socially conscious, erotically charged, violent, and thoroughly fun rollercoaster of a novel that grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Banks' ability to craft convincing characters in a fantastic setting makes both the chills and the romance completely believable, and she writes dialogue as well as anyone in the business.

THE DARKNESS, book 10 of the 12-book Vampire Huntress Legends (VHL) series, is captivating. Unexpected character cameos and new allies kept me up all night.

With the battle at Masada behind them, the team recoups in San Diego thinking Lilith's spawn has been defeated. Chairwoman Lilith also believes this to be true and expects He Who Shall Remain Unnamed to stomp her into a puddle of oil or worse. The outcome: she is given the daylight bite and the power to make daywalkers. The anti-Christ has survived, and in order to give him time to mature, Lucifer commands her to distract the Neteru team and restore the dark realms' numbers.

Lilith wastes no time. Fallen Nuit, Sebastian, and Yonnie are given the daylight bite. Yonnie's unexpected visit provides the team with much need intell as he walks the line between the Light and the Dark. When Level Seven's most infamous resident goes to church, the guardians reassemble, gather reinforcements, gain a new friend, discover a new talent, and take the fight to the street once again. Even though Carlos and Damali have learned to lead the team, both are in need of further assistance from the Council of Kings and Queens.

The interaction between Carlos and Damali reminded me of THE HUNTED (book three of the VHL series). I stopped reading several times just to catch my breath. Sensual, touching love scenes notwithstanding, Jamal's "balm" really works, and I'm sure readers of the series already know the power of sincere prayer. Restoration is granted. Ultimately convicted by Banks' beautiful words, I eagerly await THE SHADOWS.

Our favorite Neteru duo is back with their Guardian family....intent on locating the Antichrist and stopping Armageddon. With the help of Yonnie---Carlos's brother, who is acting as a double agent on the dark side--the team is able to gain valuable intel on what is going on with Lucifer and his dark agents in the bowels of Hell. What they have discovered is that councilman Sebastian has used his talents for reanimation to bring back from the dead two of the most evil women in history to fill council seats---giving the Guardian team even more to deal with. But with the help of the Kings and Queens on high, the team is once again able to stem the tide of evil that seems determined to take over the world. Will they be able to find the Antichrist before his birth? Or will Lilith and Lucifer prevail?

This tale shows all once again that Ms. Banks is the reigning Queen of Dark Literature. This novel has been somewhat relieved from the overuse of outdated slang (although, the cliche "fair exchange is not robbery" is still repeatedly used. Why, I must ask???), giving this novel the extra shine it deserves. And I must add...if her affinity for dark tales begins to wane, Ms. Banks most assuredly has a career penning erotica. This series contains some of the hottest sex scenes that I have ever read. A must-read for fans of the series.



DYB

The Dead Don't Dance is simply marvelous. Charles Martin has written a profound novel of life in the South without creating ridiculous characters. The protagonist is a man trying to find meaning in his life after the death of his firstborn and the half-life of his wife after she lapsed into a coma following complications from the birth. A must read for anyone searching for meaning in their lives.

I hesitated reading this book because I was worried it would be too sad for me. But I decided to give it a try because I had read another book by Charles Martin, When Crickets Cry, and loved it. It was a book that stuck with me and I made a mental note to read something else by him. I also loved 'The Dead Don't Dance'. Even though I cried; it did not weigh me down. I grew to love the characters and I am already half way through its sequel 'Maggie'. Charles Martin is an author to follow. I plan to read all his books. If you like Francine Rivers and Lynn Austin you will also like Charles Martin: they all tell a good story. They are different in style; which makes him a good author to throw into the rotation. Thanks CM, keep up the good work!

Love and faith are Dylan's bread and water in this novel. You can feel his pain as he watches his wife fight for her life in a deep coma, not to mention the loss of their first child. The lessons he learns and the people he meets on this journey will bring you to tears and then put a smile on your face. Read with a box of tissues and then buy a copy for everyone you know.

THis was actually the third book I have read by Charles Martin and so far my favorite. Unlike many other Southern Writers, He is not a tourtured soul beyond redemption! The characters are believable and likable and well developed. Thank you for a good Read!

This was such a wonderful book that I couldn't put it down. Because of this book I have now ordered all of Charles Martin's books and everyone of them has been delightful and so well written. My husband who is a retired editor says Mr. Martin is one of the best writers that he has read in a long time. After The Dead don't Dance, I read Maggie. I did not enjoy this book. I think the way the first book ended there didn't need to be a sequel on Maggie and this book was so very depressing but since then I have read When Crickets Cry, Chasing Fireflies and Wrapped in Rain. All of these books were delightful and very moving. I have already pre-ordered his next book coming out in July. I can't imagine anyone reading Charles Martin's books and not enjoying them.

For this book review I read Little Town on the Prarie by:Laura Ingles Wilder. This book is good reading for preteen girls. The story is historical and is about living in the pioneer days.

In this book Laura and her family work hard to send her older sister to Collage and keep her there untill she finishes. Laura and her little sister Grace have to go to school when they move to town for the winter. Laura is very exited about going to school because she wants to get her teachers certifacit when she is sixteen. To find out what else happens you will have to read the book.

This book was fun to read and kept my intrest. It was a little confusing at timeskeeping up with who was talking. It was very interesting also to learn about how they lived back then. Over all it was a good book and I would consider reading it again.

It's wonderful to see how my children love listening to these books over and over, now that we've been collecting the CDs. The little details really stick in their heads, and have been surprisingly useful tidbits of information on several occasions, as they hear or read other things that relate!

When I first bought the CDs, I was unsure about Cherry Jones' accent, but it just brings a nice, down-home aspect to the reading. Of course, the readings are unabridged - the only way to go, I think!

My favorite part of the CDs, though, is hearing the songs, often accompanied by a fiddle. As a child, I remember skipping over the songs as I encountered them in the text, especially those I didn't know, and it has really added to the experience of the books to hear an actual tune for them. Often, the songs reflect the mood of the moment exceptionally well. Cherry Jones sings them out (usually as Pa!) in her low alto voice, and you do really have to hear a few of them to get used to it, but we love them.

Laura Ingalls thought that being thirteen was difficult, but now she is on the cusp of her fifteenth year, and things around her are changing like crazy. After a difficult winter full of one blizzard after another, Laura is happy to be back on the claim shanty with her family, away from the hustle and bustle of town. But she knows that her family will most certainly head back to De Smet to live in the shop before winter comes again, to protect them from the harsh weather that may lie ahead. Weather aside, however, Laura can't believe how many new things are arising. Especially the most important one of all - changes for Mary.

Laura couldn't be happier to be back in school again. After so many months of studying on her own, she is thrilled to be back in the classroom with her old friends Mary and Minnie, and Ida. But there's someone new in the classroom. A person from Laura's past who makes Laura shake with anger - Nellie Oleson. Laura, however, is determined to ignore the nasty Nellie and study as hard as she possibly can in order to gain her teaching certificate, and help to send Mary to college. But even without her being a part of the workforce, Mary is able to go off to college, and Laura couldn't be happier - or more devastated. But seeing how much Mary loves college, Laura resolves to study even harder, and begin earning the money to assist in keeping her there. Of course, Laura never imagined that things could possibly stand in her way. Such as the selfish new schoolteacher who thrives on taunting and humiliating both Laura and Carrie in front of the other students; and working as a seamstress in town. But the most shocking of all, is Almanzo Wilder's sudden interest in young Laura. Almanzo is a handsome fellow, whose Morgan horses are the talk of the town, and now Almanzo seems to have taken a fancy to Laura - something that leaves her confused and excited at the same time. But no matter what, she must remember to continue her studies, or else Mary may have to return home before her education is complete.

It seems strange to bear witness as someone ages, but that is exactly what readers have had the opportunity to do as Laura Ingalls grows in age, height, and maturity. The love she holds for her family is so refreshing and charming, and truly keeps the reader's interest peaked; while the constant maturity Laura displays in each and every one of her decisions is just unbelievable. Laura has completely grown up before our eyes, and each year she just becomes more and more lovable. The inclusion of facts regarding the changes taking place during this era are interesting, and present a fun learning experience for readers; while the sudden budding romances springing up around the young people of De Smet indicates just how much older these characters have become. Almanzo Wilder has grown on me over the past few books, and I love reading the scenes where he is present; and Nellie Oleson, as nasty as she is, will always remain a fun character whom you absolutely love to hate, but hate to love. This series just gets better and better!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I read this book to my two sons, 7, 9 and my husband, during long drives. We all loved it. Even though the main character is a girl, my boys were interested the entire time and identified with Laura. The descriptions are great and the characters are well-drawn. We're now reading These Happy Golden Years and my family is loving that, too. I recommend this book for a family to read together.

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational story about what life was like among homesteaders in the Dakota territories in the 1880s. I mostly agree with the other positive reviews here. But there is a teaching moment in this book that should not be overlooked. The parents in this book are paragons of virtue, and their behavior matches the highest standards - standards of 1880, not 2006. There is a short scene during one of the "literaries" where several men perform in blackface. Although it occurs with innocent intent, modern readers might find it in questionable taste if they don't allow for the historical context.

If they're smart, parents and teachers will embrace this as an opportunity to open a discussion with children about changing standards, and the work it took to improve those standards.

You have to keep going. It's a way of living, a way of proving you're alive. A perfect life can change in the blink of an eye. You don't forget, but you don't shut down. You keep going.

In Susan Haley's Rainy Day People, Amber's story is about life. The highs and the lows happen; the promises of life are lived then withdrawn. And out of this, Amber learns to let go of the past and discover a new life and a new love.

After the death of her husband, Amber finds herself settled in a quiet, solitary life on the Florida coast. Much of the story that follows is about meeting Ben. Amber and Ben are drawn to each other, but these complex, rainy day people have much to consider.

To me, Amber's story shows the kind of courage that we often need as we go through life. At the same time it helps if we keep our perspective, enjoying the small things. Amber loves rainbows, nature, and driving fast in her convertible. She's a tiny, feisty, sometimes fun and always interesting heroine, someone that I wanted to know.

Above all, what Rainy Day People has going for it is truth. People who are rebuilding their lives have more than attraction to consider in new relationships. But then, let's not be too quick to discount attraction.

This is a rich story that kept me constantly involved. I highly recommend Rainy Day People.

Michael Durr
Author: My Brain, My Future

When viewing a Chuck Close canvas, one needs to step back a bit to appreciate it full essence. Such is the case with the power of this wonderful novel. A riveting story is only part of what makes Rainy Day People such a success. The artistry involved in crafting this work enticed me to move from audio to hard copy, then back to audio once again. Through these dual modalities of sight and sound, I was flooded with the very emotions this author's words were meant to evoke. All sensibilities were heightened: sight, sound, touch . . . but foremost, the all-to-human feelings surrounding the experiences of love and vulnerability. Susan Haley is one talented writer. Keep an eye on her. I know I will.

Lois W. STern
Author of SEX, LIES AND COSMETIC SURGERY

The writer understands the meaning of life and how we are all connected and how to put that meaning into print to touch a person soul. This is a must read even if the author is currently maybe unknown will some day be a great author. After reading this book you become hungry for a new novel by this author. We read the book and listend to the audio and both were great. The book lets you stop and reflect on a certain part but the audio lets you paint a true picture in your mind. The narrator was excellent and a true story teller. I know that you will love it and you to will find your rainbow.

Although Rainy Day People comes under the genre of fiction, this story is based on real-life happenstance. Susan Haley transports her readers on an incredible journey that runs the gauntlet of life's emotions and it does not stop until the story ends. Ms. Haley's love of the ocean and the majestic beauty of the land, her love of animals, whether it's a wild bear, a snake, or a six-week-old kitten is manifested in the persona of Amber, the main character. Very briefly, Amber, a widow, meets Ben Riley. Together they embark on a journey which takes them from the warm waters of Florida to the bone-chlling nights of Maine. Amber's love for Ben sustains him as he is dying from cancer, which is unbeknown to Amber. This heart-warming love story ends like a thriller novel. I strongly recommend it.

This heartwarming story of love for all things living was like a hug from my mother. She was a horse whisper and introduced me to nature spirits many years ago. I identified with the magic of this story. When you open your eyes to what is really around you, you will see miracles every day. Ashley in the book claims that there are no coincidences. By the end of the book you realize that what she means is that they are really just God's little miracles.
Rainbows are signs of love and hope in this fantastic book. I saw a completely round rainbow. I happened to look straight up to the sky and there it was, above my head. It was so far away that it was a small circle but all the colors were clearly visible. It too gave me comfort as I was adjusting to widowhood.
Susan Haley is an outstanding writer. Her ability to capture you made the book one of those you can't set down. The clever way she wrote and wove the ending shows why this is an award-winning book. This love story is based on her life experiences. It touched my very soul. I look forward to reading this book again so I can take the time to reflect on the spiritual insights expressed in the conversations between Ashley and Ben.
I recommend this book of courage, love, and of being in touch with all that is. It's like a spiritual awakening.

I was trawling through a bookshop in Girona Airport(Spain) looking for a book to read on my flight back home (London, UK). Picked this book and thought I would just about manage to get through the first chapter before being lulled off to sleep. How wrong I was. I couldn't put it down.
I could relate to all three main characters and haven't laughed so much in years.
Thanks Patrick Sanchez, I'd never have thought that a man could relate to women's feelings the way you have done.
In my PC (politically correct) world , it was such a refreshing read.

In THE WAY IT IS by Patrick Sanchez, three seemingly different women have much more in common than they think. Issues with weight, love, careers, and self-worth put these women to the test.

Ruby is a woman with a successful career and a beautiful home in downtown Washington, DC. However, Ruby's weight issues plague her day in and day out. Between her mother's constant nagging for Ruby to shed some pounds, to the inner struggles with food, body image, and self-worth, she really has her work cut out for her. As if things couldn't get any worse, she has to take in two roommates to help with the mortgage after her nerdy husband leaves her for another woman.

Wanda is big, beautiful, and loving life. As a plus-sized model, she embraces her size and isn't too shy to let everyone know it. But there is an annoying obstacle in Wanda's way if she wants to make it to the top of the modeling industry.

Simone is a beautiful Latina anchorwoman for DC's local news channel. Coveted by many and very popular with the men, Simone thinks she has everything under control. However, Simone holds a dark secret that could ruin her career and, ultimately, her life.

Patrick Sanchez doesn't disappoint with THE WAY IT IS. He delves deeply into his characters, their quirks, and insecurities and writes from deep within his characters' minds, allowing the readers to walk beside them in their struggles and antics. The result is an outrageously touching and hysterical novel.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Can this guy get any better? Oh my! He is wonderful!! Patrick Sanchez is one of the best authors I have ever read! The Way It Is is a fabulous page turner of a novel! I enjoyed every minute of it and it was hard to put it down. It is the story of three gals, who by chance became roommates, and the life issues they are dealing with at the moment. The covers of his novels alone will draw you in and never let you go!! Read this one!

This book was funny and poignant. I liked Ruby's character. She reminds me of myself. I complain about my weight all the time like she does. My goal is be Simone's size. Read the book and find out for yourselves. This book gives all the ladies their own voice and I thought that was well done coming from a male author. He knows the women.

Patrick Sanchez has done it again with his second novel, The Way It Is. Each chapter is filled with comedic antics that will keep the reader laughing and looking forward to the next chapter. Mr. Sanchez introduces the reader to three women from three different paths in life.

Ruby Waters is lacking self-confidence, divorced, plus-sized and is saving for the day when she will be thin. She is waiting for the day when she will be thin so she can wear a little black dress that her mother (Doris) has saved from her younger days. She goes to work each day trying to get the courage to talk to the co-worker she has a crush on. Ruby has a three-bedroom house and is in need of a roommate. She puts an ad in the paper and has an interesting time interviewing the interested parties. She decides to have two roommates (Wanda and Simone). Ruby's roommates help her with her self-confidence and she is also able to give others some help in the process.

Wanda is a plus-sized model that knows what she wants and how to get it. She moves in with Ruby and helps Ruby to become a new person. Wanda has a co-worker that wants to take Wanda's place as a model. Wanda finds out a secret about her co-worker that just may change everything.

Simone is a sexy, famous news anchorwoman that is living in style. She moves in with Ruby while her place is being renovated. She likes her men young and does not want a commitment. While Simone looks good on the outside, she has issues of her own that have to be dealt with and soon.

I did not want the story to end and hope that the author will write a sequel. Each of the characters is interesting. Ruby is one of my favorite characters because her issues are real for some people today. I recommend this book and look forward to reading future novels by Patrick Sanchez.

Reviewed by Phyllis
For BBW Reviews

This is the first Deborah Smith book I've read, but it definitely won't be the last. I just finished reading it, and already I miss the characters. They were so real to me!! I recommend this book to everyone!!

Blue Willow was a satisfying read. The characters and scenes are rich and the plot twists kept me engaged. In the end, I felt the story had been well told by Deborah Smith. Though the love between Artemis and Lily is nearly strangled by the tragedies that come between them, love prevailed.

Money did not insulate the Colebrooks from hardship and the MacKenzie's goodness and love did not shield them from untimely deaths. Blue Willow kept me engaged and yearning to read it greedily and quickly. While I rarely reread a book. I will read this again so that I can enjoy its richness once again. While the love scenes are erotic, they are tastefully done and the passion permeates the story line. I recommend this to anyone whose enjoyed Nora Roberts or Maeve Binchy's work.

I read this book in one sitting, which would've been fine if I didn't have to sleep! I've read other books by Deborah Smith, and although I liked Blue Willow, it isn't my favorite one. (So far I like 'Stone Flower Garden' and 'When Venus Fell' the most, maybe because I read them first.) There's only one reason I didn't give Blue Willow 5 stars: it was too long for me. There were great characters with lots of depth, but towards the last few chapters I felt like it was dragging and I only stayed up late to finish it because I just wanted it to finally end! All of Smith's books I've read are wonderful romantic reads, with lots of meat to them. I enjoy her books a lot, and usually don't want them to end after I've finished, but I do have to take breaks in between because they all have a common theme: star-crossed lovers who meet as children.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I read it over two days then turned around and re-read it. The love felt between Lily and Artemas pours out of each page, but that they are bound by family and life-circumstances, just makes their love all the more beautiful and touching. Deborah Smith has become one of my most favorite authors and this book one of my favorites. I just love the way she writes! This is a keeper-book for sure!!

This book has to be one of the best books I've ever read!!! The bond and the enduring love of the 2 main characters...their lifetime of loving each other...simply undescribable! If you have ever loved someone since childhood....and think they are lost to you....don't give up yet!!! You must read this book!!! It moved me in ways no other books have before, and I still find myself thinking about the characters all the time. A beautiful, haunting love story!

David Stanley manages to inform and create atmosphere concisely and with speed. The reader becomes quickly aware that Kieran has a troubled past and knows that he will soon become entrenched in further entanglement. This novel promises to be tense. With this in mind we are invited to read on.

For those who desire a good book to treat our modern tastes and sense of our physical awareness, our willingness to explore the previously taboo, then David Stanley's Sleeping with Rachel is it. After reading merely the first five pages. I was salivating, wanting to know what secrets lie in the father's grave and more importantly what relationship does Kieran have with his sister. This book tests the definitions of love and far more significantly, its boundaries. It's nice to know that writers are coming into existence that can finally answer the questions of our generation, all grown up in our thirties, yet still the children of our parent's past, present and future. If you liked Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, you will love this book.

The opening chapter of this novel is delivered like a well-aimed blow. We're straight into the narrator's world and his point of view with no time wasted. It's clear from the off that we're embarking on a journey that's going to be far from comfortable and yet alongside that clear intention, compassion and humour are as evident in the opening pages of what promises to be a remarkable piece of work, as the sense of unease at the inevitable impending horrors. That's a really hard balancing act to pull off and the author here seems to manage it with style and with ease. I feel myself starting to (figuratively) put my hands over my eyes and peek through my fingers as this story starts to unfold - like the opening of The Lovely Bones (for example), I realise I'm going to be taken somewhere I really don't want to go but will be compelled by the persuasive style and the compelling plot to stick with Kieran.
The characters are surprisingly well realised in such a short narrative space - something I'm finding rather lacking in many of the other stories in this competition. We already see the contradictions in Kieran's character, doubtless we'll see their roots as the story progresses, the black and slightly bitter humour and his wry, brutal detached observations of his wife show him, even at this early stage, to be a fully realised and meticulously drawn character.
This very solidly crafted opening also introduces several principal interwoven strands of plot simultaneously without any hint of clumsiness or recourse to `techniquey' devices - the gift of a great story teller is to make you forget you're being told a story and simply accept the narrative. In the complex emotional and psychological knot that this novel promises to be, we know from the outset that the various strands will be made of horrors, terrors and all manner of taboos but this opening also promises that these will be tempered with sufficient tenderness and sympathy to prevent the novel becoming black and bleak simply for the sake of it. At least I hope so - I think this writer shows exceptional promise and I hope to read more of their work.

Sleeping with Rachel by D. Stanley opens with a phone call to Kieran Park from his twin sister Lisa. She needs him to come round right away, but won't tell him why.

Subsequently there's a moment of PTSD flashback (dead man on the floor) and an interchange with his wife Shona. These paint some circumstances of Harrison's life: haunted by grisly memories and dispassionate about his marriage.

When he lands up at Lisa's, he suspects something awful--rape or cancer--but she shows him an add for a new housing development. The message is clear: they'll have to dig up their father's remains. This was the moment when my curiosity was truly piqued.

The writing is clean and serves the story well. From Kieran's POV we see a man who appears calm both inside and out (for now) though this wasn't likely the case just a short time before. Both his wife and his sister seem concerned with his stability. The author puts forward this one line to really demonstrate Harrison's awareness of other's thoughts regarding his 'fragile' emotional/psychological state:
~'I imitate a sane person I saw once in a shoe store, causing her to laugh. `I'm fine.''

Overall, I found the story engaging. It attracted and held my attention by presenting enough information to make me curious about Harrison's past and present. I wasn't floored by the writing, but it was good and worked well with the story itself.

An acutely disturbing past, colouring the present in errant shades of internal unrest, governs the lives of Kieran and his twin sister, Lisa, and extends outward to Shona, Kieran's wife.

What childhood shames and atrocities brought the twins to this moment? How close is too close in sibling relationships? Can I empathize with Shona's feelings of always being number two in her husband's life, even if she may not have been a good life-partner choice? Did Kieran sabotage his marriage from the beginning through his damaged history and self? How does Rachel's long-ago death find closure? Why do two supposed adults not see themselves and what they have become, through other's eyes?

David Stanley's excerpt raises dozens of questions that demand answers! There are plenty of gleaned potential twists and turns to this story that urges one into wanting to know the full story! I want to see if all the characters ultimately learn something about themselves and if, in the end, they can finally learn let go of their demons and become emotionally and mentally healthy people. Or not. This is definitely a read that I believe deserves the opportunity to voice itself to the world! Publish this book! ASAP please!