Contemporary Books

Bound on Earth is the best, most finely crafted novel featuring complex, fully-rendered Mormon characters to date. Many have tried, but Hallstrom got it right. My copy of Bound on Earth takes its place proudly next to the works of Anne Tyler and Barbara Kingsolver on my bookshelf.

When I finished the first chapter, I loved this book. Beth is struggling through Thanksgiving with her family after just leaving her husband who suffers from Bipolar disorder and quit taking his medication. By its middle, I had changed my mind. Tina seemed to be every character in a Jack Weyland novel. She does bad things and bad things happen to her. As I turned the last page, I loved it again. Wait a minute. This is it. These are the stories of families trying. Some of their tales are quite extraordinary.

I don't generally read much LDS fiction. I find the stories usually a bit too tidy and my most important qualifier for really good literature is that it be honest. A lot of time, LDS fiction can be fluffy. Yes, there is usually some necessary conflict that involves the bad character doing bad things. By its end, however, the punishment usually fits the crime and when a miracle is in order, it rarely fails to show up.

I saw a recommendation for this book on Blog Segullah and it got such rave reviews from some seemingly picky readers that I requested it from my library. It's brand new and I was the very first person to check it out. If you consider where I live and what kind of book it is, you'll agree that it was a special moment.

At just under 200 pages, this is the kind of book you can easily read in a day or two. I started it last night and have had a hard time putting it down. Bound on Earth follows the Palmer family through many generations, although not chronologically. The chapters bounce around in time and between family members, a writing technique I'm not always super fond of. Part of me thinks it's a shortcut, to eliminate the tricky transitions that progress a plot. But I also admit that as a reader, it can work well to experience multiple first hand narratives; it makes it much easier to get the "BIG" picture. And this is a book that is all about the big picture.

What is marriage? What is family? How do they survive? Do our trials break us apart or bind us together? Hallstrom doesn't cut corners with heartache. The situations she puts her characters in are vividly real, so real that I felt like I knew these people. I do know them. They just have different names.

If you're wary of LDS literature, give this a try. If you are looking for a great book to read with your ward bookgroup, this is your book. Or if you simply want to discover some great characters that you feel sad to part with at the end...read it. It's legitimately good.

Bound on Earth is an excellent read. The characters authenticity made each of their stories very compelling to read. The book takes a unique approach of looking at similar stories through different perspectives which makes the characters more life-like and real. Once you begin this book you will have a hard time putting it down. I look forward to reading Angela's next book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read. You'll come to care for all the characters and wish their stories would never end.

Hallstrom has written a moving and believable character study of the fictional Palmer family. The chapters, told in turns by different family members at different times, explore what it means in the here and now for a family to be "bound" to each other. The family's [Mormon] religion informs every aspect of their lives, but the book neither preaches nor apologizes for the specificity of their world view.

The book is slight and an easy read, at just under 200 pages, but now days after finishing I can't get the characters -- these ordinary, very flawed people -- out of my head. They feel very real to me. I like that.

I first found out about Marcia Evanick through her more recent book, "Mistletoe Bay." I was in the mood for a fun read and picked it up at Wal-Mart one day.. With that being said, I loved that book so much I searched local book stores and couldn't find any of the others in the Misty Harbor series, so I ordered them.

I loved "Catch of the Day," it had me on my toes, and I really didn't want it to end. The characters were amazing, and the story was just plain fun! I can't wait to read the other books in this series!! =)

These books are not Nobel Prize winners. That being said, they ARE incredibly fun, witty romances. All of the Misty Harbor books that I have read are sweet and fun, with just enough spice to keep things interesting.

Marcia Evanick perfectly describes the trials and tribulations of love and relationships. She weaves several tales into one book, keeping each story interesting.

If you're looking for a fun, happily ever after read, the Misty Harbor books are perfect. Read them in order, so you can really get to know the characters.

My friend initially thrust this book into my hands. I wasn't chomping at the bit to read about a woman moving to a small town to start a restaurant. I wasn't put off by the idea either- thankfully. Small towns have a way of sucking me in.

This book isn't a fast paced thriller, nor is it an enigmatic mystery. Plain and simple it is a story of man, woman, food and love. Not necessarily in that order.

The book made me long for a town such as Misty Harbor, Main where the eligible bachelors far out number the eligible women (gotta love those odds!). If you're looking for laughs, small town gossip, twin vikings and romance, then this is probably a good read for you.

This was a very nice read. Gwen and Daniel were great characters alone with all the others. I especially liked Jonah and clarence. I looked forward to reading the entire sequel.

I stumbled upon this book at the library, and after reading such heavy books as "Da Vinci Code", etc..., I wanted to read something light. I've also been disappointed by several books that I read lately as well..."Pushing 30" and "English As A Second Language."

The cover looked a bit cheesy, but I figured what the heck...I'm from Maryland and never been to Maine. I loved the book. It was fun and easy reading. I finished it in two days. I didn't have to do alot of thinking, and all the characters are charming.

I am reading "Blueberry Hill" by the same author (the third book of the series), and it's not as good, but enjoyable. I can't seem to get a copy of the second book of the series "Christmas on Conrad Street." I guess I'll have to order it on the internet.

Harold Hoehner has worked very hard to nail down the year of Christ's birth, His years of ministry, the year (and date) of His death, and the length of His ministry. There is also a trememndous chapter expounding and exegeting Daniel 9:24-27, whee Hoehner shows how it culminates to the time of Christ to the exact day.

The only part of the book where I found myself in disagreement with Hoehner was his belief that Christ was most likely born in December or January based on church tradition. I felt that the evidence for the month of His birth was inconclusive.

But I agreed with Hoehner on the year 33 A.D being the year where Christ was crucified.

The whole book was so encouraging to my faith that I plan on reading it again and again. One of the best books on biblical studies available! A must buy!

Hoehner, Harold. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ. Zondervan 1977, 176 pp.



This book should be a helpful companion for any serious student of Holy Scripture. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ answers many questions that students of the Bible might wonder about but lack the research tools and ability to answer. Topics covered include:

The Date of Christ's Birth- After surveying the evidence, Hoehner concludes that Christ was born in the winter of 5/4 B. C.

The Commencement of Christ's Ministry- Reasons that Christ's ministry began in the summer or autumn of A.D. 29.

The Duration of Christs' Ministry-Believes that the evidence points to a three and a half year ministry.

The day of Christ's Crucifixion- Concludes that Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose again on Sunday.

The year of Christ's crucifixion- presents a persuasive case for Friday, April 3, A.D. 33.

Daniels Seventy Weeks and New Testament Chronology- This chronology supports a Dispensational understanding of Daniel's seventy weeks. Regardless of one's theological commitments the evidence should be evaluated fairly.

The benefits of this book are many. As the evidence for various dates is presented and evaluated the reader gains an understanding and appreciation for history, and chronology as the science of time. Methodologically, dates and valuable information can be gleaned from items such as ancient coins, Egyptian Papyri, and even headstones in a Roman graveyard. The author hold s to a high view of Scripture and this is demonstrated repeatedly as he works with the historical evidence. This is sure to instill confidence in God's word (2Tim.3:16).

One of the greatest benefits of this book is its accent upon history in an ahistorical age. If we fail to grasp the fact that the Christian faith is rooted in history, Evangelicalism will quickly morph into into a substitute for the genuine article. " By this you know the spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." (1 John 4:2)

In this book, Hoehner tries to elucidate the dates of major events in Jesus' life such as his birth, start of ministry, crucifixion, etc. Hoehner does this largely by using extrabiblical information about the Roman Empire and linking it to data from the gospels, especially Luke.

Hoehner did his Ph.D. on Herod Antipas, qualifying him as an expert on first century Judaic/Roman history. It comes through on every page. The book is a fascinating read because the author masterfully puts together the brief bits of information we read in the gospels, such as which year of Tiberius' reign an event occurred, with extrabiblical Roman history to put together a chronology.

You will learn a tremendous amount about Herod and Pontius Pilate. For example, why is it that Pilate was so weak-willed in the gospel accounts, which contrasts with some of his previous brutalities and strong leadership? The answer comes from a conflict with Claudius involving a man named Sejanus. You will learn why Pilate then gave Jesus over to Herod for him to decide. All this Roman history will really add insight into your reading of the gospels.

Hoehner is also very fair when he establishes dates. He lists all the major views on a given point, and then weighs the pros and cons. He is so careful and rigorous in scholarship, documenting everything that he says, that you will continually go back to this book as a reference.

One conclusion that he fairly decisively argues is that Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 3, AD 33. Some other scholars argue for an AD 30 crucifixion, but Hoehner clearly shows why that view is deficient.

This book is not for everyone: if you are not a fan of history or the type of person who cares exactly when various events occurred, you will not enjoy this book. Even if you do care, as a word of caution, the level of detail in this book is very high and might bore some. The book is not easy to sit and read straight through. Many people may find the book most useful as a reference tool. In fact, my recommendation would be to read his concluding chapter *first*. You get to see where he is going, and read the final chronology. To understand a particular issue, such as "was Jesus crucified on a Wednesday or Friday?" you could then turn back and read the relevant chapter. For the serious New Testament student, there are a number of extremely valuable finds that you will very likely want to go back and re-read later. For example, was the Last supper a Passover meal or not? If so, why wasn't it celebrated on Friday with everyone else? Hoehner masterfully covers this difficult subject with great scholarship and insight.

As an added bonus, Hoehner concludes by reflecting on the meaning of Daniel 9:25-26. Sir Robert Anderson published a book called "The Coming Prince" in the late 1800s on that subject but made an error in his calculation. Hoehner corrects the error to arrive at an astounding conclusion.

The last strength of the book is its brevity. Hoehner is not wordy, so despite the amount of rich content of the book, it is remarkably short. He knows how to express ideas clearly and simply, making this book accessible to a wide readership. Overall, this book is invaluable for the serious New Testament Scholar.

If you have questions about the timing of many events in the Gospels, this is the book to have. Dr. Hoehner, explains the 'difficult' timing of Good Friday/ Easter and the Date of Christ's birth in clear laymans language, but with the deep Theological insight that a Ph.D from Cambridge and long years of teaching at Dallas Theological Seminary would provide. Simply the best book available. I have read and used it frequently in my ministry.

This book has been in on my shelf for years and I find myself going back to it time and time again. This will make sense out of many of the dates that seem odd. The chapter on Daniel's 70-7 is priceless.

I have a few books on my shelf on this topic, but this one was the most impact-full to me in terms of its intensity.
This was due to how extensive the examples of abuse are.
Like Fox's book of martyrs, I had to read it in bites, and put it down occasionally.
I guess I'm not very thick skinned :~/

If you are a serious leader in the church, you should be familiar with this material.
Some will say that these events prove that Christians can find safety from abuse within the institutional walls.
But so didn't the children of Israel find safety within the well protected walls of Egypt.
Every institution of man has its pros and cons.
And if you know what to look for, you can always identify the servants and the masters there.

This is why I found this particular book so important.
As I observed the characteristics of one abusive Christian system after another, I started to see the necessary building blocks which lead to the abuse.

For me, the bottom line is, that there are large numbers of people in the world who are very happy being followers. And out of these, are a large number of vulnerable souls.
Vulnerable people are easy to take advantage of.
And it takes a very high level of Christ-character not to be drawn into doing so.
The seed of abuse is inherent within our first Adamic nature.
When the environment is conducive, the seed germinates, and if the new-man does not cast it off, (Hebrews 12:1) we soon have a very large tree.

To be the CEO of Enron requires a high level of academic achievement, business acumen, and charisma.
And so, when an instructionalized clergy-laity system, based on the template of the world exists, the fruit is inevitable.

Men who are put into positions of leadership within a church, which following the template of the world, selects them solely by academic achievement and charisma.
Men, in authority with very little Christ-character worked into their lives are seed beds of abuse ready to germinate.
Place that seed into the ground of vulnerable and submissive followers, and you have today's Christian version of Enron.

This book will help you to see the signs.
100% thumbs up.

I believe we all know of people who have been in abusive relationships and even abusive job situations but it is sometimes hard to imagine people getting involved in abusive churches. That is why this book is a must read for every disciple.

This book exposes abusive churches. Dr. Enroth even names names. Every chapter opens with an abusive story. Each person is real. Each person has been hurt by abusive churches. The irony is that the leaders discussed in the book fail to see their abuses. Many try to cover them up or simply ignore the pain they have dealt to others.

In the end, I appreciated Dr. Enroth showing the reader that Jesus is not the abuser. While most of these religious groups claim to be speaking in His name or even quote Scripture, they have twisted the teachings and practices of Jesus to be something He never intended (1 John 5:1-4). Truly, Jesus is not like men (Hebrews 13:8) and He will not cause us the pain that is found in this book (Matthew 11:28-30).

There are extreme forms of church abuse and subtle forms. As we grow as individuals we need to learn how to use our wisdom to prevent us from getting involved in abusive situations like church cults. I really didn't need to read much of this book to know the author's motivation for writing it. I was a member the church that ultimately inspired Mr. Enroth to write this book. Fortunately for me, I was not easily controlled, but there were still things that I went along with simply to appease people I assumed were my friends. Unfortunately, there were members who were not a strong willed and this led to broken homes, severed relationships, and suicide attempts among many other things that left me questioning my own sanity for being involved in something that so obviously had nothing at all to do with God. Read this book if you or someone you know is involved in a religious cult because it might very well save a life or at the very least save someone's sanity.

This book is helpful and encouraging. Find the life in it and you'll be glad you read it.

In a world of "mega-churches" and cults of personality, it more important to arm oneself with the truth, and not someone else's version of it. While the examples in the book are taken from the late 1980's, and back about a century, there are many examples everyday of the devastating consequenses of spiritual abuse. Whether it is David Koresh and the Branch-Davidians, Jim Jones and Jonestown, or even Andrea Yates (who's mental illness was only worsened by her husband's minister) the results are tragic. Bad churches happen when good people don't step up and say anything. Read this book and recognise the patterns.

This book was not only one I could not put down, it warmed my heart with its tales of life and love (between family, friends, lovers) and its naturally intertwined references to Panamanian culture. Henriquez describes the details of her characters' lives in such a way that anyone will be able to relate.. and, as an added bonus, if you have a personal relationship with Panama, it will touch your heart with references of the familiar.

This book is amazing. I loved reading it. The short stories were so wonderful. I read it in 3 days.

Cristina Henríquez's moving debut collection centers on contemporary Panama where Noriega's shadow offers a disconcerting backdrop as ordinary people struggle for love and meaning. With eight short stories and a novella, Henríquez demonstrates that such struggle doesn't always translate to defeat though sometimes it comes perilously close. In "Beautiful," one of the more disquieting and powerful pieces in this collection, the young protagonist begins her story mid-sentence: "And then that summer when the heart felt like wading through molasses and the streets hummed in a desperate sadness all day and all night, God came down from heaven and paid a visit to our family in two ways: My father returned home and my uncle got rich." A divine visit, however, does not guarantee happiness: the prodigal father eventually preys on his daughter. But ultimately, she imposes her own kind of justice on the abuser. "Chasing Birds" brings us tourists (a married couple) struggling with their relationship as they visit Panama. The husband is more interested in bird watching than romancing his disaffected wife. The result is not surprising but nonetheless heartbreaking on many levels. The title novella weaves together two strands of narrative: the U.S. invasion of Panama and a young boy's unrequited love for a girl who is more interested in his best friend. Henríquez's storytelling is at its most potent in this longer story where she seamlessly blends the political with the personal. Taken together, these stories from the young Henríquez demonstrate a fully-matured and well-honed artistic vision of the human condition. [This review first appeared in the MultiCultural Review.]

I'm a recreational reader who's always looking for an interesting book to read & I read about this novel in a newpaper review. It is comprised of short stores and they are extraordinary - so thought provoking. so incredibly well written. Kudos to this talented young author.

This book was absolutely wonderful. Through her understated prose and organic characters, Henriquez creates an incredibly poignant picture of Panama, in both its beauty and its turmoil. She is at her absolute best in the stories "Ashes" and "Mercury," but each piece is spellbinding.

I appreciated that the Panamanian setting is not overwrought, so that the reader isn't really presented a collection of stories about Panama. Henriquez writes about relationships. Her description of Panama is nevertheless clear and gripping, and makes for a truly enjoyable book.

PROFESSORS-WITH-A-PAST: I've only met a one or two former offenders who were "criminologists" and it's hard for me to say how good they were in that role. My sense is that they are too "close" to what they are studying and that it is hard for them to remain objective. But I've also met a few "criminologists" who were not ex-offenders and who were not objective in their work. I suppose one's ability at one's job is dependent many factors, not just one's personal experiences.

As I see it, this trend for hiring "Professors-With-a-Past" represents yet another travesty of post-modernism and the academy. I once participated on a panel at the American Society of Criminology where a panel member declared he would never be associated with these "academic" institutions that constitute "cop shops." His entire focus was against "Ex-Cops" and other former-law-enforcement Professor's filling their lectures with "war stories."

There is now a marked trend by many criminal justice departments to realign their designation as "Department of Criminology;" "Department of Law and Society;" or to, either return/retain embodiment within a university Department of sociology or Social Work or other department umbrellas.

I tend to see much of this "Ex-Con Professors" article as "partisan pleading" and the "endless excuse." It is ironic that at a time when we will not hire people with a professional law enforcement background in criminal justice that these individuals are being lionized. The very fact that the Northern Kentucky University's Ex-Con Professor must open his lecture with warning that he will be using profane language hints at the same specious staging of these course. I would love to see the syllabi being produced by these people.

Yes, ex-offenders, as consumer of the product, may bring keen insights into the academy, especially thru research in institutional racism, institutional violence - gang's behind bars, prison rape, extortion. Prisons, reporting to the executive branch of government at the Federal, State, and Local level represent the most politicized element of the CJS, they are constantly prey to the respective policy mandates of an administration. Solid and balanced insights from ex-offender scholars regarding the "Politics of Punishment" are wanted and needed. I agree with the closing admonishments to the Ex-Con Professors regarding "serious research."

We do not need emblazoned ex-offender "war stories"...we need viable research in solving the dilemmas of recidivism and contributing to successful reintegration strategies.

Jess Maghan
Chester, CT
April 2004

CONVICT CRIMINOLOGY IS AN EDITED BOOK THAT FEATURES SOME OF THE BEST KNOWN ACADEMIC SCHOLARS IN THE FIELD. I especially enjoyed the chapters written by the ex-convict professors. They are the real experts on crime and corrections. The reading is cutting edge, state-of-the art, a new paradigm in criminology. This book will blow the cob webs off the walls of the ivory tower. This is a new criminology!

RICHARDS AND ROSS EDIT A FASCINATING WORK ON THE LIVES AND OBSERVATIONS OF VARIOUS SCHOLARS WITH DIRECT EXPERIENCE IN THE PENAL SYSTEM. THIS EASILY DIGESTIBLE BOOK SERVES AS AN EXCELLENT REFERENCE WORK ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF CRIMINOLGY, AND IS RECOMMENDED BOTH GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. THE BOOK FEATURES 9 CHAPTERS BY EX-COVICTS THAT ARE NOW PROFESSORS OF SOCIOLOGY, CRIMINOLOGY, OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

There a lots of how to books out there but Behind Bars is something different. This book is assecessible to the general public and gives its readers, an inside perspective on prison. The language is clear and its points are made simply and directly. As an educator who has worked with "street kids," this book will be a useful tool at letting my students appreciate what it means to become ajudicated. Behind Bars is a "how to book" that you hope you will never need, or that your family or friends will ever need. But, on the other hand, maybe we do need to read this book so we get insight on this huge American industry. In order to be a well informed citizen I believe you should read this book.

As part of the Wadsworth Series on Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, this edited volume attempts to go beyond the coverage of typical classroom texts. The contributors, many of whom are ex-convicts-turned academics, are critical of assumptions used to justify incarceration, their central difficulty being with the way prisons dehumanise. This volume critically examines the prison institution from the perspective of the `other.'

Part 1, "What's Wrong with Corrections," sets the stage in three chapters. Austin argues that the current criminological research focus, much of which is misinterpreted, on predators, persisters or the truly dangerous, has resulted in the uncritical acceptance of incarceration as the solution. According to Ross, misrepresentations and stereotyping are the consequence of uncritically accepting of the media's take on corrections and reinforce existing crime-control practices, preventing discussions of alternative ways of doing crime control. Fisher-Giorlando reminds us that criminologists' successes, including her own, rests on the lives of men and women prisoners and that we owe it to them to devise and implement relevant policy.

Part 2, in six chapters, sets out "Convict Experience and Identity." Tromanhauser and Terry discuss the current state of conventional criminological research. Using his own life as an example, Tromanhauser reminds us that there is no simple explanation of crime causation. Terry concurs with Tromanhauser, adding that most criminological research is dominated by factor analysis and multivariate correlations' having little relevance with people's real life situations. Richards and Newbold discuss the state of social support for convicts. While Richards points out that corrections workers, more often than not, fail to interact with convicts in any meaningful or relevant fashion, Newbold argues that recidivism rates are high because many have no outside social support and reincarceration often occurs for breech of parole conditions. Thus, Newbold adds, life inside becomes easier because people learn how to adjust to life in prison. Lanier and Jones deal with adjustment to life inside and outside the prison walls. While Lanier points out that the increasing number of fathers in prison has negative psychological impacts due to their having long-term consequences for their institutional adjustment, Jones argues that adjustment back into society is subject to inmates' interpretations of past events and their current problem-solving skills. How prisoners face these challenges, Jones points out, can tell us a lot about what might be done to help them. The final chapter in Part 2 (by Mobley) argues that a fiscally responsible penology may mean better prisons may look completely different from prisons as we know them now. But Mobley, as an ex-convict, points out that suggestions made by him and his fellow convict criminologists face resistance from both convict and academic communities because the suggestions come from ex-convicts.

The final six chapters (Part 3), a somewhat eclectic collection, are about "Special Populations"-women, the physically and mentally ill, American Indians and juveniles. wen argues that we need to understand women's experiences from their point of view, conceptualising their behaviour as expressions of oppressive social contexts both outside and inside prison walls. On the issue of caring for the physically ill, Murphy suggests that overshadowing health care with security concerns poses danger to the inmate population and ultimately the community-at-large in terms of fiscal and resource burn-out. Arrigo points out that mental health offenders are effectively silenced because they are the subjects of transcarceration between mental hospitals and prisons. Thus alternative (more positive) interpretations/labels of their behaviours are effectively negated. The legal label `Indian' has social implications in terms of access to both constitutional rights and relevant institutional programming inside which has implications for preventing recidivism, according to Archambault. Tregea, a little off topic, deals with preventing recidivism, arguing for relevant programming that enhance inmates' chances for productive citizenry. In addition to vocational skills, quality educational programs that teach writing, oral, critical thinking and problem solving skills are needed. He further argues for both sentencing and recidivism guidelines to reduce the prison population in the long run. When examining how juveniles understand their carceral experience, Elrod and Brooks assert that the official version of the institution is a sanitised and at best, simplified version of realities experienced by those who live there, and that many juveniles do not see the point of much of what goes on inside.

The concluding chapter (Richards and Ross) invites readers to think about listening to the clientele of prisons so as to make relevant prison policy that may have a better chance of reducing the prison population in the long run.

Despite a few editorial errors, the no-nonsense writing style of some of the contributors may be unpalatable for some. The shifting levels of analysis among section chapters make this volume odd and eclectic in ways. However, this volume represents a significant and valuable contribution to the field of criminology making a strong argument for qualitative research in prisons. This volume offers a view of the prison institution and its effects, from the point of view of its clientele-the inmates- and is appropriate for senior undergraduates and criminal justice policy makers and administrators.

I couldn't put it down. First my husband read it in 2 days and then I read it in 2 days. David Martin is an awesome writer.

I was unable to put this book down and read it in a single day. It's a great read, describing the love between two seemingly polar opposites. I truly fell in love with Bear and the other characters like the vet and even the animals. Like one reviewer said, I'll never look at animals the same way again. Beautiful love story with a sad, yet touching ending. I suggest reading this book.

This book was one of the most touching sweet stories I've ever read. It's not many books that make me cry, but the last chapter had me sobbing. It was a wonderful story!! It totally beats The Corrections which is on the best seller list and which I could not even get into. READ CRAZY LOVE - ITS THE BEST BOOK!

The wait between David Martin's novels is excruciating, but the wait is always worth it. Crazy Love is no exception. Like Martin's previous novels, Crazy Love's characters are wonderfully developed, many-layered folks who tend to burrow into one's memories for a long time. Unlike his most recent books -- all thrillers with a quirky edge -- Martin's newest is most reminiscent of Crying Heart Tattoo, an all-time favorite of mine. The man has more talent in his little finger than John Grisham and Robert James Waller combined. It's a crying shame that his publishers don't promote him and his books the way they should. If they did, David Martin's books would fly off the shelves. As it is, they are collector's items, and those of us who collect them religiously know that we're on to something BIG that one of these days is going to be a sensation. It's been more than 20 years and 10 books, for God's sake. When are publishers, publicists,reviewers,and the buying public going to wake up and get acquainted with one of the finest writers this country has produced in a long, long time? There ... I feel better.

I'm buying extra copies for friends, and I can't wait for the paperback (there WILL be a paperback?) so I can buy lots more.

Crazy Love is intense and romantic, and the animal characters as vivid as the humans. I guess it could be compared to Dr. Doolittle, Deliverance, Old Yeller. Martin's a master, always unexpected but not at the expense of his characters. He never cheapens them.

Katherine Warrick has brought ballroom dancing competion to life in her book "Dancing With His Heart." Alex and Lauren have an undeniable chemistry from the start. Katherine's character, Lauren also deals with the challenge of raising a child with autism. Together Lauren and Alex step up to the challenges they each have in their lives and manage to find common ground they can relate on. A must read, I didn't put it down once I picked it up!

Katherine Warwick mixes escapist romance and personal poignancy with "Dancing With His Heart". It's the story of Lauren Peay, a champion ballroom dancer who has to deal with an old acquaintance coming back into her life (Alex Saunders) and the feelings that stirs up, while struggling to raise an daughter with autism. While reading the book, you may find that the scenes with Lauren and her daughter are rife with love, anguish and pain. Then when you read the "About The Author" section in the rear of the book, you'll discover that Ms. Warwick is herself the mother of child with autism. This gives the book a realism and a poignancy that gives the love story a real-life obstacle to overcome, rather than your usual romance novel challenge. I've read Ms. Warwick's "Noon"...and while I enjoyed that, I enjoyed "DWTH" more because of the storyline with Lauren and her daughter, because I didn't feel like I was reading about Lauren Peay. I felt like I was reading part of the Katherine Warwick story. Recommended read.

Katherine does a GREAT job bring Alex and Lauren to life in this great book. She does an incredible job combining dance and romance! Is a must read!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I was hooked from the first page. If you like romance/dance novels or just a good, light read, this is definately for you!!! I loved the discriptions and insights into the characters, which sometimes made me laugh, sometimes smile, and even sometimes squirm. You do not have to come from a dance background to understand or like this piece either, it's easy to pick up, and I found I learnt a lot along the way.

An entracing, well reccommended read! I now have a new favourite authour, that's how much I loved it.

I recently discovered Katherine Warwick's Dancing With His Heart and I'm excited to say I enjoyed it so tremendously that she's now on my autobuy list! I haven't come across any romance that touches on competitive ballroom dancing before and I found it extremely fresh and original.

This book is a perfect example of how romantic tension can be fiery hot without the use of any offensive or explicit language. Readers of sweet to sensual romance willl be pleased and I think those whose taste run to the more explicit will be pleasantly surprised (I read a spectrum of both). As Alex tries to circumvent Lauren's instinctive antagonism and distrust due to an incident in their past, their undeniable attraction humms and vibrates like a strummed music string.

Warwick's voice is clean and vibrant, with some beautiful metaphors, and I like how she explored the other aspects of Alex's and Lauren's lives apart from the romance. Her portrayal of the challenges in raising a child with autism was so realistic it came as no surprise when I found out one of her children also has autism. I thought the suspense angle could have been explored further but it's a minor issue. One of my favourite parts of the book was the epilogue-very romantic and fitting to the theme.

If I can afford the time, I just might take up ballroom dancing lessons. That's how good this book is!

As I look back, I still find it hard to believe that this was a debut novel. It holds up a lot better than romantic suspense by some of the veterans of the genre.

The plot moves along at a fast pace. There are a few coincidences, but not so many that they spoil the read. The characters also fit the story well. As an added attraction, the Key West scenes are great.

My own quibble is that the villains are off stage so much of the time. That's unavoidable with this type of plot, but it's usually not my cup of tea. (I prefer stories about villains hidden within a close circle of family or friends.) If you don't mind off-stage villains, you'll like this even more than I did.

This book deserved its Golden Heart award. I gave it a B at All About Romance.

Wow! What an amazing debut novel! I read Dangerous Curves in one evening and hated to see the story end. This is one of the best Silhouette Intimate Moments I've read in a long time. If you like romantic suspense, you will love Dangerous Curves! It's a must read for the summer!

What an exceptional debut novel. The layers of experiences from senses to complex characters brings a level of writing more common in the seasoned author.

For those looking for a summer read, I recommend this Florida adventure that will have you on the edge of your beach towel!

Remember sun screen. It's hot!

If I had seen this in the bookstore, I probably would not have picked it up based on the cover and the title. I would have thought it was kind of cheesy. But I read the reviews and I have always agreed with Kristina Wright when I've read the reviews that she has written so I gave it a try. I am glad that I did. It was hard to put down. I will definitely look for more of her books in the future.

I am not a fan of romance, so I was more than pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I sat down to read the first few pages one night, and ended up reading it to the end. I never came to that part where, late at night, you tell yourself you're going to close the light after this next chapter. My desire to find out what happened next, was greater than my desire to sleep. It grabs you from the first page, and never seems to let you go, even as I knew morning would come very early. It grabs you on the first page and never lets you go. I enjoyed the easy way Kristina writes, and her ability to make you feel each of the main characters. She mixes suspense and emotion very well, giving you just enough at just the right time. It's hard to believe this is her first. I'd like to say this is a great first novel, but this would make a great tenth novel.It's polished and very well written. I have no doubt we will be seeing more of Kristina Wright in the future. I know I hope to.

You know what. I knew I would like this story even while I read the prologue. I actually considered calling in sick to work for the day. And sitting in a Starbucks all day to read it from cover to cover. I was so tempted. In the end though, like Nick and Charity, I did my duty and fulfilled my obligations to my employer.

There is no way any words from me can do justice to this stonkingly enjoyable novel. I like this author's voice so much. I don't care that many less fawning readers might say that the hero and heroine from each book are completely interchangeable. It's the nuances of difference that matter to me. Like. I just loved the driving-ability thread. And happily. The suspense in each novel is so completely unique.

If I was a son or daughter of that proud nation of Russia I'd be just a tad annoyed that a man with the sheer determination, guts, willpower, talent and class of Vassily Worontzoff is aired out by an alpha male dimbo and his dumb blonde bunny girlfriend. Sheesh. I'm not Russian though. And I liked the message the author gave out. That there is no excuse for soft or hard terrorism where innocent people die. Not even if you have suffered gut-wrenching heartache and awful physical deprivation as did Vassily. I personally. Would have liked to witness Vassily do something baaad. He is built up as this evil evil guy. But doesn't really display any behaviour that justifies this rep. He is very menacing though. And is killed far too quickly.

This time the hero and heroine are Nick and Charity. And yes. She's as dumb as her name suggests. However. Being dumb is not a crime. So I'm not ashamed to say I liked Charity. Even though she gets married to a guy she's known for a week only. And then totally forgives him for lying his head off to her. There is a great chapter in the story that illustrates exactly why Charity falls for Nick. It totally worked for me too.

What didn't work in the novel was why Nick let Charity go to Vassily's house for the meet. It's not exactly unknown for terrorists to have the same scanning technology as black ops guys. So really. Nick should have expected the mike to be detected. A big weakness is that Nick does not save Charity. Vassily does. Nick just blusters. That's the tragedy of Vassily. Hope he and Katya are reunited in the afterlife. Also I completely felt Arkady's love for his Vor.

There's a lot of reader teasing in the romance scenes. Sometimes the reader is shut out of the bedroom. Other times the reader is allowed to see the hot visualisations in Nick's head. Hmm. There are no hot scenes after the marriage. The plot took over. But overall the story certainly did qualify as erotica. It is streets ahead of 99% of the e-book romantica rubbish I have recently read.

A very very special mention needs to be made about Chapter 22. It contains some of the campest scenes, images and dialogue that I have ever read in all my life. My eyes practically bugged out as it's outrageousness unfolded before me.

Lets start at the beginning of Chapter 22. Where Nick and John display their shiney DHS badges for Charity to coo over. As if badges were a proof of anything. Then there's the bit where Charity asserts she's made of steel and agrees to spy on Vassily because she's a true patriot. To say nothing of the paragraph where Nick throws the test-tube, bolt and CD in front of Charity and proceeds to explain how they are proof of Vassily's evil mafia network. That dumb bunny Charity laps up every word Nick spills from his lying mouth. But oh, she believes that when he went to bed with her his body told her the truth. Jeez. That poor girl. I expect Consuela believed in Nick's body too. Hur hur. And it goes on. At the end of the chapter Nick weeps all over Charity. Oh brother. Like I said. The whole of Chapter 22 belongs in the weird-zone.

But that didn't stop me totally loving the experience of reading this book.

I absolutely LOVE novels by Lisa Maria Rice. She is such a consistently excellent author, with very unique and very hot erotic romances that never fail to please. Lisa Marie Rice is in a class all her own. Her erotic romances are very classy. Her writing is so intelligent and sophisticated, I always feel like I'm enjoying something very special when I read her books. I love how her alpha heroes know what they want and aren't afraid to go after it -- no waffling for them, unlike in so many romance novels. Her heroines are a unique combination of femininity and strength. I loved this novel. It's a definite keeper, and another gem to go on my special Lisa Marie Rice shelf.

Nick is the perfect creation of a hero, every woman's dream. A good strong all American character, an alpha male that all women love certainly, but not so alpha as to be like Batman (not that there is anything wrong with Batman). He has just the right balance of strength that is counterbalanced by his growing affection and love for Charity. Action packed, passionate and sexy, the perfect blend. A much recommended book, it goes on my best book shelf. Kushiel's Mercy (Kushiel's Legacy) is also well worth reading, as is 100 Percent Erotica

There are a number of criticisms I could make about Lisa Marie Rice's latest offering if I really wanted to be picky. Here are a few things: the book is a little formulaic; the hero is not as strong as some of her previous action men; the secondary characters were largely undeveloped; the heroine is a little too naïve; the ending is a little rushed and therefore weak. However, none of this adds up to enough detraction in my reading pleasure of this book to give it less than 5 stars. As ever, the author creates a great story with well-orchestrated action and a coterie of contemporaneous villains and all in very polished prose (despite the usual masculine vernacular!!). And, compliments to the author for a really gut-wrenching depiction of grief beyond imagination.

At times Dangerous Secrets is more of a straight thriller than erotic romance and Nick wasn't quite as sexy for me as the three Midnight Men but, boy, oh boy, he'll do nicely, thank you very much! Lucky Charity! I do hope her next book isn't as long in coming. I waited for this with much anticipation and read it in one sitting. Now the wait begins....

Nick Ireland has spent the better part of his life being someone else. Known as the Iceman, he assumes new personas with each new undercover assignment. His assignment this time was to get close to Charity Prewitt. She has befriended Vassily Worontzoff a world renowned writer thinking he was a broken man after all he has suffered through in his life when in fact he is an ice cold clever terrorist. Vassily is also obsessed with Charity because she is a mirror image of his deceased love, Katya. Nick insinuates himself into her life through her work at the library when he goes there to perform some research on a new business venture. Having only seen her from a distance, he is blindsided at her beauty, and humbled at her charming innocence. Nick has had to have many sexual encounters in the line of duty, but none before have claimed his heart and soul like this woman has. From the moment they met, the chemistry between them was explosive surprising them both.

When Nick felt things start closing in, he knew something big was about to happen. He knew that he had to do anything to protect Charity. The only thing he could think of was to marry her. If they were married, and he was killed in this mission, his team would protect her with any and all resources at their disposal. He also called, and had his will changed naming her his only beneficiary. Nick knew it was wrong to marry her while undercover, but this one time he was following his heart.

I have been reading LMR's books for a long time enjoying them all. This one is no exception. Nick and Charity are well written multi-layered characters making a wonderful couple. Strong, silent, and completely alpha Nick is just what the doctor ordered. He encompasses the all American hero, and is very appealing. Charity is his perfect counterpart. She is a strong centered woman that puts her life on the line when the chips are down. This story has suspense and incredibly hot erotic scenes. The only thing I didn't like was the abrupt ending. We go on this long journey with Nick and Charity only to have it all wrapped up in a couple of pages.