Maine Books

Reading this books just makes me want to quit my day job, move to Maine and build wooden boats. I have spent some time in my youth working in a Maine boatyard, and this book perfectly captures the character of that experience. But for now I guess I'll just need to be transported through the writing in this wonderful book. I've been a fan of Joel White's designs for years this book has built my appreciation for the man as well.

I read this book while I was vacationing in Maine. It made me have an understanding and appreciation of what goes on in those boat yards along the coast. It also made me wish I knew Joel White and some of the other boatbuilders. I found the end of this book very touching. The author portrays White's illness, but doesn't make it seem maudlin or sentimental. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in boats or the people who live in Maine.

As someone who has spent time scraping and painting the bottom of a large sailing boat, this book brought back all the sights and sounds of a boatyard. I could smell the dust and paint fumes, feel the smoothness of varnished rails, and sense the excitment when each boat was hoisted into the water. This book should interest all aspiring boat builders, and prepare them for the painstaking work of boat design, construction and restoration.

Wynott does a superb job describing the interpersonal dynamics of a boatyard's personnel and the importance of good management. Though I found myself irritated at Steve, Joel White's son, for spending his winter in the Carribean during his father's last year, Steve's management style is instructive for leading a group of talented artisans, be they boat builders, scientific researchers, or writers.

I savored every page of this short book, sometimes reading each section twice as not to miss the rich details. It made me laugh, such as the passage about novice sailors who they ended being towed into port and decided to buy a boat anyway, and cry -- Joel's death. I recommend it highly for all who find satisfaction in "messin' around with boats." This book squarely dispells what every boat owner already knows: Boating only looks romantic!

I read this book while I was vacationing in Maine. It made me have an understanding and appreciation of what goes on in those boat yards along the coast. It also made me wish I knew Joel White and some of the other boatbuilders. I found the end of this book very touching. The author portrays White's illness, but doesn't make it seem maudlin or sentimental. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in boats or the people who live in Maine.

I agree with the reviewer who suggested that this book really needs some illustrations. Whynott's word-pictures just aren't sufficient for those whose knowledge of sailing boats is limited.

As a non-reader of Wooden Boats magazine,the source of much of the info here, I'd love to have seen photos or sketches of the boats mentioned, as well as the boatyard crew.

And for the ocean-loving landlubbers among us, a good glossary would be a godsend. For example, what's deadwood? or a spoon-shaped bow?

It's also a bit of a stretch to say that Whynott wrote this book. Take out the extensive -- and wonderful -- citations from the writings of E.B. White and his son, Joel that Whynott lovingly included, and not much of the writing came from the pen/typewriter/PC of Whynott. What did is quite well written, sometimes really well written, however.

What this book really did is send me searching for my copy of E.B. White's "One Man's Meat." I'm not surprised to see this title in the "others who bought this book" section here on amazon.com.

I'm also gonna check out "The Yard: Building a Destroyer at the Bath Iron Works," by Michael S. Sanders. The Boston Globe review of this book is what interested me in Whynott's book -- which the reviewer liked a lot.

Caroline B. Cooney, Losing Christina: Snow (Scholastic, 1990)

The second book picks up where the first left off: Christina is stuck at Schooner Inne with Dolly, her best friend, who's just as much under the Shevvingtons' spell as is everyone else, and Christina knows that, since Anya seems to have escaped their clutches, they've taken on Dolly as an acceptable substitute. How to get her out of the clutches of the Shevvingtons without making herself look completely nuts? And who is that guy in the brown wetsuit that only Chrstina, Anya, and Blake ever seem to have seen-- and who now seems to be living in the Shevvingtons' cellar? As with the first book, Snow is a cracking good read, but with one major caveat: Cooney is another of those authors who feels the need to go over a lot of the material from the previous book in the series during her narrative (the most egregious, and obvious, example of the painfully annoying practice is Terry Goodkind), and so the first fifty-odd pages of this tend towards the boring-retread school of writing. Skim the stuff you already know, and if you haven't yet, read Fog first. ***

The Snow
By: Caroline B. Cooney


The Schooner Inne is an odd place to keep girls. According to Christina Romney the owners are evil, and strange things happen to the girls. This book "The Snow" by Caroline Cooney is about Christina's experience at Schooner Inne.

This book is about a girl named Christina, who is 13. She lives at Schooner Inne, with the Shevvingtons - they own the Inne. She believes that any girl who stays at Schooner Inne, will go insane because the Shevvingtons drive them to insanity. People on the Island think that Christina is a trouble maker because she is always complaining about the Shevvingtons being evil. This is an example from the book that she is making trouble, "You still don't understand! Listen to me. For once, listen to me! The Shevvingtons gave him his orders. They planned this. They trained him." Christina said.

In a way Christina is right about the things happening at the Inne, but she has the wrong evil character. So if you want to find out the evil character then read the book.

Christina is still fighting against the evil of the Shevvingtons, still trapped inside their formiddable home.
A home which now comes with something extra...A laughing lunatic who hides in the attic.
How will Christina ever prove the true nature of the hideous Shevvington couple?

In the world, the greatest evil is the one in people you think you can trust. That is the Sevingtons. They are evil on two legs. They also embody the greatest fear. The fear of when you are right, and in danger, but nobody belives you. Book two of three.

The Snow
By: Caroline B. Cooney


The Schooner Inne is an odd place to keep girls. According to Christina Romney the owners are evil, and strange things happen to the girls. This book "The Snow" by Caroline Cooney is about Christina's experience at Schooner Inne.

This book is about a girl named Christina, who is 13. She lives at Schooner Inne, with the Shevvingtons - they own the Inne. She believes that any girl who stays at Schooner Inne, will go insane because the Shevvingtons drive them to insanity. People on the Island think that Christina is a trouble maker because she is always complaining about the Shevvingtons being evil. This is an example from the book that she is making trouble, "You still don't understand! Listen to me. For once, listen to me! The Shevvingtons gave him his orders. They planned this. They trained him." Christina said.

In a way Christina is right about the things happening at the Inne, but she has the wrong evil character. So if you want to find out the evil character then read the book.

I wish there would be more stories like this. It was interesting to read from many reasons: as a researcher this gave new ideas of how to approach the subject. Also, as a personal "biography" this was interestingly written of otherwise quite a sensitive topic

I liked this book. Was a great read, I work with children and it makes me realize that all children can be a challenge no matter what background they come from. I enjoyed the honesty and the importance of telling the reader what she had ot ential on a daily basis with the foster children in her care. I have read many foster care related books and some of them judge and compare and beg the reader not to become a foster parent. This book, on the other hand, wasn't in comparison to those. Yes, there was some griping about the kids but most of it was aout how each situation was different and how she was trying to help the children but got no help or good communication from the welfare offices or social workers.
I would recommend to any foster parent and to anyone who works with special needs children.

I purchased this book because I am interested in learning about fostercare. I have to say it was only mildly helpful. I did get a little information about how the department of Family and childrens services vs private agencys work, or do not work together. I feel tho the author uses the book to work out her own personal issues. While her work with these children is commendable. She seemed to be doing fostercare as a way to pay the bills. Most of the time she was too involved to be much help with these children. Perhaps she would make a better child advocate. In all I was less than pleased with the book. The book has little realtime information.

Excellent information. A must read for anyone who has had their children taken and is fighting to get them back as well as activists against the abuse of children by CPS.
Mary Callahan's stories about some of the children she cared for hold your interest as well as give you important information. It was hard to put the book down.

Considering Callahan's choice to raise therapeutic-level foster children (children diagnosed with behavioral and emotional abilities) one is first impressed with the author's ambition.

But it is the honesty, the frank and sometimes humorous descriptions of the successes and failures that endeared this reader to the book itself.

Callahan is a smart and intuitive foster mother, trained as an emergency-room nurse, who is great with the kids and has a special ability to step outside of the complex and emotional circumstances in which she finds herself. One is struck by the conclusions she arrives at as she is able to consider the situations in a clinical objective fashion. At one point she diagnoses a child in her care to have a rare genetic disorder, an affliction missed by doctors and social workers who had been shuffling the child around in the "system" for years.

It is the sudden and clear insights offered by Callahan during the tale that are most impressive about this story. Combined with true caring and compassion, common-sense offered in a world gone down the rabbit hole, this is a well-written, an easy and enjoyable read.

I think that this book is more than just a must for anyone who has had contact with the foster care system - I think that non-foster parents with teenagers will also find it to be a moving and worthwhile read about the struggles of raising children.

Callahan has become well-known in Maine recently as an activist looking to improve the foster care system, and a bright and articulate spokesmen for the children and parents who encounter foster care. This is a writer with many dimensions, extensive personal experience, and growing respect and influence in the foster care community.

My son and I read the Parker books. I asked him if he remembered a book written years ago--I could not rememeber the name but remembered the plot. He helped me find the title, Wilderness, and we have ordered the book. We look forward to reading it again. Suspense in woods is excellent!

When I first picked up this book I was disappointed that this was not a Spencer novel, as I read it my disappointment soon ended, a great read and probably one of his finest written books spencer or no spencer.It will not dissapoint.

I've read many of parker's books like most of the people who have given review but I can't believe the high rating that they all have given this poor book. "The best of his non-Spencer books?" Are you people insane? If you think this poorly written, flat charactered, meandering novel is better than the Sunny Randall stuff or the masterpiece "All our Yesterdays," you're crazy. The first half of the book has an interesting moral dilemma as well as fairly believable interaction between the characters and the second half is a decent romp through the forest after the killers, but most of the book fell very short of the mark. I agree with the other reviewer that Janet is at first detestable and then turns unbelievable. The other two don't do much for me either. Also, much of the dialogue sounds forced and scene explaining the bolt of a gun is just maddening. If you want a good non-Spencer book, pick up "All Our Yesterdays," and if you want Parker doing the "survival in the forest thing," pick up the Spencer book "Pastime" and enjoy. This book is mostly junk

Easily Parker's best non-Spenser work, and possibly his best overall. More suspense than you might think Parker capable of delivering. Written at the peak of his talents. A shame he hasn't come back to this genre.

This is by far the best of Parker's non-Spenser novels. I enjoyed reading it tremendously. It is too bad Parker hasn't seen fit to follow it up with sequels. This book doesn't deserve the obscurity it has been forced to endure.

Excellently written - definitely tucks you in the small town of Maine. Bizarre things happen no matter where you are. May Amy Cave rest in peace.

I imagine if you are familiar with the town or the people, this would be a reason to read this book. But, having read numerous true crime novels, I can tell you this one is severely lacking. Not only do we know very little about the background of Amy Cave, but we know next to nothing about the killer. There was nothing in this book that could not have been found in newspaper articles at the time. A real true crime book would delve into the personal histories of each. We hear fleetingly of Amy's loneliness, her change in behavior towards some of her friends, but its never followed up on, explained, or tied to anything in the book.

As for Sam, there was nothing on her background as to why she dressed as a female, or even more importantly what drove her to kill Amy. In fact, we know little to nothing about her at all. Unbelievable.

Don't waste your time with this book, there are so many gaps its hard to mention all of them.

I guess "I would have had to have been there" to appreciate this book. As it is, I never really identified with Amy Cave. Ms. Flagg makes many mentions of photography, cameras, dark rooms, pictures of convicted person, but does not share one photo with her readers. Photographs may have enhanced Amy's story for me.

I have just finished "The Disappearance of Amy Cave" I could not put this book down. Ms Flagg's account of the murder which took place in the 1980's in the vicinity of Taunton Bay in Hancock, Maine was as I had remembered it. I know many of the people named in the book, and through Ms. Flagg's descriptive writing, could pinpoint the locations referred to throughout the book. This was such a bizarre incident. The victim was a gentle woman who was well liked by everyone who knew her. The media circus that ensued upon the arrest of the person ultimately convicted of murdering Ms Cave made that time and the trial seem like something out of a very bad movie.

Ms Flagg, even though she was acquainted with the victim, wrote in a professional detached manner in which she presented both her personal reactions and the factual accounting,which must have been very difficult. I found myself wincing at the account of Ms Cave's murder, and asking myself how I would feel if this had happened to a close friend of mine. Her writing flows beautifully, and the book is an extremely easy read. If this is her first book, I can't wait for her to write another! Loved it!

Small town coastal Maine: a classic American location. The locals notice that a genteel retired woman, living alone, is becoming a recluse. And as Amy Cave fades out, another woman, younger, stranger, fades in. She's over-endowed and men can't keep their eyes off her. Where did she come from? What's she doing here? By the time Amy finally goes missing, Samantha -- Sam -- has become all too conspicuously present. It doesn't take law enforcement officials long to put two and two together. And that's just the first layer to be peeled off the onion.

It's a great story and a true story. And our narrator, a reporter for the local weekly, obviously has a great time telling it. I lapped it all up and wanted more. Encore! Encore!

Fathers of daughters with eating disorders need help understanding the disorder and how to overcome their frustration with not being able to "fix" their daughter. This book opens the door to begin the process of restoring a more normal and effective role for the father.

While not the most "user friendly" writing style for the non-professional, it is easily understood and offers much information to help men (and the women they love) deal effectively with everyone impacted by the eating disorder...themselves, their spouse and, most importantly, their child.

Although I am a physician, I am also the father of a daughter with an eating disorder and read this book upon the advice of her therapist. I am very glad to say that it has started my daughter and me on a path to a much richer relationship and that she is on the road to recovery.

Great Low Price for a great book in excellent shape.
Came earlier than expected.

I was hoping this book would take a much more academic, intellectual look at psychoanalysis and the study of father-daughter relationships. Instead, the language and tone are simplistic, the anecdotes are quaint and pleasant, and the overall depth of research seems minimal. It may be a fine place to start as an overview on the topic, but this is definitely not the book to buy if you're searching for anything serious or memorable.

This is a brilliant book on the connection between a father's relationship with his daughter and the manifestation of her body image into adulthood. Time and time again it has been proven that the absence of a loving emotionally healthy and nurturing relationship with a father substantially increases a woman's risk for a variety of self-esteem issues, including weight problems. The father is the template to which a woman relates to men, sees herself in interaction with men, and perceives her values with men, and men often are seen as the world given the patriarchial overtones in society and commerce.

In this book, Dr. Maine concentrates on how the father can be instrumental in protecting his daughter from the onslaught of emotionally-driven complications in body image. Often when a young girl is pursuiing thinness it is out of a need for attention. In adolescence this is acute in its unconscious desire for a man's attention with the blossoming of hormones and puberty. Mass media tells young girls that love is only possible through physical appearance. If a young girl has no concept of uncondition love from the one and only man who she needs it from - her biological or adoptive father (NOT a stepfather, they are actually dangerous to stepdaughters) ... she will be indoctrinated by the belief and it will be her sense of reality that only her body and its state of perfection guarantees performance-based ego-centric love.

Dr. Maine outlines the role of fathers, what they can do, and gives them brilliant advice in this book on how to love their daughters and protect them from the illusions of the world. BRAVO!

Once again ... daddy's girls get all the breaks. It is as if only the father can guarantee immunity from predatory men if he sets a high standard in his daughter's mind. The predatory nature of a mysoginist culture is often a culprit behind why women are literally dying to be thin just to get bread crumbs of shallow attention for undeserving men. Only women who have their father's unconditional love stand a chance at being firm and rooted enough in that love to see the myth and lie that being thin is the passage way to being appreciated.

This book makes sense to me. Focusing on a systems approach has brought the clairity and peace of mind I have needed. This book does not place blame on fathers but forces us to look at our parental figures as part of a bigger picture. I honestly feel this is one of the best books I have ever read. Relatives and friends of mine are eager to read read this book. Thank you Dr. Maine!

Fighting the French has been Major Gerrit Hawkes destiny and despair. Choosing to dispel the nightmares with dissolute living, Gerrit is struck by the innocence and faith of young Hester Leighton, visiting London from the American colonies.

Out of her depth in London society, Hester is enamoured by Gerrit Hawkes, convinced of his good character despite reports to the contrary. Yet she is well aware that their friendship cannot develop further with Gerrit's estrangement from God.

When Hester returns to America, Gerrit is faced with a choice that will forever change his destiny.

If Regency romance is your cup of tea then Ruth Axtell Morren's The Rogue's Redemption is a must read. This story is marked with substantial characters dealing with life struggles from faith, trauma, guilt and forgiveness. From London to Maine Territory, the description of both cultures and societies are detailed and fascinating. Gerrit and Hester are appealing characters whose depth is explored over the course of the story. Gerrit's journey to faith is achieved with sensitivity and authenticity. I will be sure to seek out Ruth's engaging stories in the future.

The Rogue's Redemption is a timeless love story than spans two continents. The author masterfully takes her readers on a journey across the ocean into the London ton and back to post revolution America. On the journey, we meet Hester Leighton and Major Gerrit Hawkes.

Hester travels to London for a season in society while her father conducts his logging business. She attends galas, balls and many social events. This beautiful, faith-filled young woman raised in Maine on love and strong Christian values find it difficult understanding London elite culture.

While attending one of the balls, she meets Major Gerrit Hawkes. Gerrit was raised into this society but now feels like an outsider. He is familiar with using others to get what he wants, as most in his world do. But Hester's pure innocence intrigues him. Memories of the war and the ways he has hurt many people make him feel unworthy of her affection.

Despite societal differences, faith issues, and separate lives, Gerrit and Hester develop a strong friendship that grows into a deep abiding love. When Hester returns to Maine, must their relationship end? Or will true love find ways to overcome the obstacles they face?

Reading this book is like a refreshing wind on a spring day. Ruth Axtell Morren has once again written a love story that touches the heart and soul of her readers. Sit back and enjoy!

I love this author and have read (and thoroughly enjoyed) ALL of her work, especially the Winter is Past Series. Once again, I could not put her latest book down.
Such compassion rose up inside of me for all of the characters in this book. Young Hester only wants a friend, and the only one offered to her in London, is someone who is wrong friendship material; but she is drawn to him and eventually concludes that he needs a friend more than she does, but more than that, she knows he needs to meet the Friend who sticks closer than a brother (The Savior, Jesus). Hester, sees Garrit through the eyes of her Lord; beyond his faults and prays for his needs and even when she falls in love with him, she leans on her relationship with Jesus and does the wise thing by obeying her father and most of all, the word of God and her faith, which she refuses to violate or compromise, by leaving London and the man she loves.
As a parent of older daughters, I couldn't help but feel for Hester's parents, who pray that their children will find Godly people to befriend and, in the right timing, marry a like-minded believer. When they steer from our 'perfect ideal and standard' by choosing friends who are not believers, it is a stressful situation and one that constantly gets taken before the cross of Christ.
Then there is Garrit, who is a 'type' of all of us in our worst condition. So depraved in his sinful, selfishness, you see him slowly being wooed and drawn by the Holy Spirit because of the prayers of the saints around him. I didn't find myself saying "serves you right" when he was at his lowest state, despite him being the villian in the book, "Dawn In My Heart" because I knew that each of us must reach that point where all we can do is look up to God, no one else can save us. I found great similarities to portions of the book of Hosea and saw the love God has for His people, even in the lowest, most base conditions and that only He sees from the heart and is with us no matter where we go. But for the grace of God go I! Judgement belongs to God.
My prayer is for the reader to see exactly how far God's redemption really goes - and how depraved behavior can be overcome from the GUTTERMOST to the UTTERMOST. If only one person gets that message, this book will be well worth it.

This book meets the standard I have come to set for Morren and has earned a 5 star rating from me.

This book opens at a masked ball where the American heiress, Hester Leighton, is presented to a duke while members of the ton surrounding remark on her hoping to "snag a title." (When you actually MEET Hester, you become quickly aware that this is NOT the case...she is pure and innocent of the world of London nobility) The handsome war hero, Garret Hawkins, observes the scene and immediately feels drawn to Hester.

Before long a friendship buds as he tries to help her into the right circles all the while fighting his growing feelings toward her. Hester, in turn, allows her admiration bud into love for the self proclaimed rogue, never believing that he is the person he warns her of and instead seeing the man God would have him believe he IS.

I don't want to spoil the book for anyone. Suffice it to say that this story is magnificently written. You can feel Gerrits regret, his suffering, his desire to change. And you can feel Hester's love and patience and hope. Your heart truly takes the ride with these wonderful characters.

One quick note... this book has two settings... one in London and the other in Bangor, Maine. It is really neat to see the differences spelled out on the pages. Imagine being a "redcoat" Major and stepping into a country that hates you!! Just a GREAT book. It is so much more than a romance meanwhile the romance was spectacular!!!!!

Please keep writing this series!!! I eagerly await the next installment.

Major Gerrit Hawkes, a decorated hero, has returned home from Waterloo and finds himself unable to pick up his life as it was before: drinking, carousing and womanising. He can't forget the horrors of the battlefield, and particularly some of the very young French soldiers he had to kill. When he meets Hester, an American heiress visiting London with her father, he finds himself intrigued by her lack of interest in the usual London socialising, and unable to understand what she sees in him. He tries to help her find a suitable husband, but what he doesn't see is that there's only one man she finds suitable... himself.

What spoiled this book completely for me was the religious moralising throughout. It wasn't obvious from the beginning (or I'd have given up from the first chapter), but from around 1/4 way through it was getting very intrusive and annoying. I would have given up then but I actually liked Gerrit (though that name is really not plausible for a Regency-era man). Hester was somewhat unbelievable and I couldn't understand why he didn't tell her to stop preaching at him, but then this is - as I finally realised - a religious imprint.

I had no idea when I bought this book that Steeple Hill publishes religious fiction. There was no indication anywhere on the cover, or on the story summary on the back, that this was religion-filled fiction. There wasn't anything in the first few pages of the story, either - I always check those before buying when I can, to see if the writing is any good and the historical setting plausible. I'm sure, to those who are aware of Steeple Hill's nature, the logo is enough, but I do feel somewhat duped. At least Harlequin makes clear on the covers what people are getting with their religious genre.

I should stress that I'm not anti-religion; I just don't want it in my fiction, thanks very much. As such, I won't be buying any more by this author, or this publisher.

I'd never read a book by Barbara Bretton before, but the back cover description on this book looked interesting, so I decided to give it a try.

And at first, I really enjoyed A SOFT PLACE TO FALL. Bretton has a flowing writing style that is easy to read and draws the readers deeply into the story. Her characterization is very well done; no one seems flat, uninteresting, or distant to the reader. Bretton actually brought me to tears in the first chapter, which has to be a first for me! When an author can make the reader that invested in her characters in the first twenty pages, that is talent with a captial T.

So why did I give this book only two stars? The premature sex! When the characters hop into bed after knowing each other a mere two days (and it's not like they were spending every single minute of those two days together, either), that's waaaay too soon. I was so dissapointed, as the sexual tension had been so well done up to that point; not overblown or in your face, and I felt like there was more between them than just lust. But their rush into having sex just ruined all that for me. I felt dirty and cheated. All the tender feelings I'd been having about them were instantly destroyed.

Obviously, given the high ratings for this book, I'm in the minority. Fine. I'm not saying this to be different, but to help those readers who don't like sex being used as a cop-out to bring characters together. Sex needs to be in its proper place. And two days into an unofficial relationship is not it.

I truly enjoyed "A Soft Place to Fall." Annie and Sam were just spectacular...as was Claudia. I do think I like "Girls of Summer", the sequel a bit better than this book...but this one is a keeper!!!!!

Once upon a time, Annie Galloway was a woman with boundless hopes-and big, glorious dreams. There were so many good days, when everything she wanted seemed just a heartbeat away-a career in art, a peaceful marriage, a house full of children. But there were dark times, too. And when her husband died young, her precious, cherished dreams died with him.

Now, settling into a beachfront cottage in Shelter Rock Cove, Main, Annie has finally found the strength to start over again. All she needs is courage, and time. The last thing she needs is a handsome, charming next-door neighbor...

Sam Butler has fled the high-stakes drama of Wall Street for the quiet charm of Shelter Rock Cove. Like Annie, he's no stranger to sorrow. But he's ready to show her that life does go on-one day, one dream at a time...

I'm not always in the mood for romances, but when I am, I'm very picky. I want them to make sense, I want the characters to be likeable and believable, I want a story I can sink my teeth into, and above all, I want (of course) a happy ending.

When I first picked up "A Soft Place to Fall," it did not hold my interest. Try as I might, I could not get past the first chapter. But something kept me from putting it away permanently, and a few days ago, I was drawn to it again. This time, I was hooked. I'm not sure what put me off the first time, but this time around, I loved the story, the characters, the writing--everything.

Basically, the plot revolves around two lost souls. Annie Galloway, everybody's vision of a perfect bride, and a perfect wife in a perfect marriage, has lost her perfect husband when she is only in her 30s. Only she knows the truth behind the facade of her seemingly fairy-tale life, and she cannot reveal it to anybody. Her grieving mother-in-law, Claudia, looks to her as a remnant of her lost son. Her friends and family continue the myth. So Annie finds herself a cottage in her home town of Shelter Rock Cove, Maine, and tries to pick up the pieces of her ruined life. All of her dreams, of happiness, of motherhood, of everything--seem gone forever. She is a shell, but a strong shell, if that makes any sense.

Close by lives newly arrived Sam Butler, back home after a high-flying career in New York. Only he knows the terrible secret that haunts him and threatens his peace and security. He is in no better shape emotionally than Annie.

Sam and Annie meet, and, in the way of most romance novels, sparks fly. But this book is written with intelligence and dignity. They do not eye one another and then jump into bed. A great deal of hurt is contained in each of these people, and as in real life, each is afraid to reveal that hurt or to risk another one. When they finally do fall in love, they do not live happily ever after. Reality intrudes. Big-time.

How they solve their very real and very overwhelming problems while trying to save their budding relationship is the core of this wonderful story. I loved every word of it. And yes (sigh), it does have a happy ending.

I read this, and its follow-up novel, Girls of Summer, in one weekend. It's a highly enjoyable story, with likeable characters and a beautifully described setting. With the right balance of drama, romance, friendship, family-bonds and humor, I couldn't help being drawn into the community and grow to care about the characters as though they were my friends.

A summer afternoon is the perfect time for enjoying the exploits of Tinker's Cove murder meddling sleuth Lucy Stone, and I recently decided to catch up with three such mysteries that have been sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read. So along with a blanket and some refreshments I took the first (The Tippy Toe Murder) to Forest Park, the legendary birthplace of the hot dog, the ice cream cone and iced tea at the 1904 Saint Louis World's Fair.

Settling under a very shady tree, I opened the book to discover that the annual ballet recital of the Tinker's Cove Academy of the Dance had been scheduled for June 18. But before that can take place Caroline Hutton, the retire ballet instructor disappears. Naturally Elizabeth and Sara, Lucy's daughters, are going to dance in the recital and Lucy is planning to videotape their rehearsal. Unfortunately, it seems that the Stone video camera is the only one in Tinker's Cove and Lucy is forever loaning it to someone. This time she has loaned it to Franny Small, and when Lucy goes to pick it up she discovers that it has been used to bash in the head of the town curmudgeon Morrill Stack.

Now with a missing woman and a murder, there's no way to keep Lucy from getting involved even though she is pregnant with her fourth child. As usual she is convinced the police have arrested the wrong person in the murder and she is determined to not only identify the murderer but also locate the missing woman both of which could have dire results for her. But when did that ever stop Lucy Stone?

Unfortunately in this book, the domestic violence/child abuse theme that runs through it gets in the way of the plot at times. Surely not every husband and wife in Tinker's Cove are abusing one another. And while Lucy's husband Bill has always been a bit of a dolt and Maine's answer to the King of Siam, for Lucy to imagine him as a wife beater is a little heavy handed. Other than that, this book is a perfect summer reading adventure in the park or wherever you want to a lazy day.

In this second installment of the Lucy Stone Mystery series, Lucy is running on empty. Being 6 months pregnant with her fourth child, Lucy has too much to do and almost no time to do it. In between getting ready for a ballet recital, the upcoming birth of her child, and fitting in endless amounts of activities for her children has her exhausted. She barely has time to cook, and when she does, husband Bill complains about the limited menu of burgers or fish sticks. But nothing prepares Lucy for two seemingly unrelated events that shake the small town of Tinker Cove. First, a highly respected dance instructor goes missing. Normally, Caro is punctual to a fault, and highly organized. One day, she takes a long walk with her dog and disappears. Did the elderly lady get confused and wander off, or did something horrible happen to her?

While the town is busy organizing search parties, a murder occurs. A tightfisted shopkeeper is murdered, and one of his valuable employees is accused of the crime. When the employee's past comes back to haunt her, it looks like the prosecution's case is neatly tied up. But Lucy does not believe that her friend is guilty. She works both cases at once, and discovers a deep, dark secret that several people in town are willing to do anything to keep.

This was a bit darker than many cozy mysteries that I have read in the past. The book deals with the subject of sexual abuse...both of adults, and of very young girls. I was shocked, and wasn't quite expecting some of the things that happened in this "cozy". Probably not a good read for young people...

I also found myself a little annoyed with Lucy's husband. I was a little surprised that he drank a beer before coaching Little League, and griped at Lucy for making hamburgers one night, and fish sticks another. (He wanted mashed potatoes and gravy, with meatloaf). I hope his character becomes a little less needy and whiney in future installments.

I do however, really enjoy this series. Lucy is a believable character. She is like many mothers...overworked and underappreciated. She seems very real, and the problems that she faces with her family are issues that many moms face each day. Other than the tough subject of sexual abuse that was tackled in this book, and her complaining husband, I really enjoyed this book.

The first book in the series is called "Mistletoe Murder". Enjoy!

This was my first Lucy Stone novel. I became interested in this series after I read a short story about the character in Candy Cane Murder. This book was very good. I enjoyed every page. It had a lot if surprises in the plot.
Lucy is a typical mom taking the kids to school and other activities. She is one of the last people to see her neighbor before she disappeared without a trace. Twists and turns in the plot take you down unexpected roads.
I think most readers would love this book. I look forward to more in this series.

Loved this book for how easy it was to throw it in the diaper bag and pick it up to read when I had a few moments! Long enough to develop characters well, but short enough for us busy Moms to read through the whole thing in less than a week (in between basketball practice and diaper changes). Thanks to Leslie Meier for providing a really fun mystery that was actually full of suspense to the end. A couple of times I thought I had it figured out, only to find later there may be yet another answer out there! Great Book!

I absolutely loved this book! I love Lucy and her cozy family. I love Tinkers Cove, Maine. I love all the characters.

Lucy is very realistic, and someone I can definitely relate to. In this book, she has 3 children and expecting the 4th. She is a good mother and wife, has a busy schedule, and crams a lot into her days. Her son goes to baseball practice; her 2 daughters go to ballet practice. She doesn't miss the kids' awards ceremonies. She is an active mother that is involved in her kids' lives. I love and adore her so much!

And in addition to the cozy family atmosphere, I absolutely loved the mystery/plot/story line, which was very clever. One resident is missing; one resident is murdered. Are the two occurances related or just a coincidence? This author is a winner.

I love Lucy and her family and Tinkers Cove so much, I am reading all of the books, in order, except for having read the Halloween one first. That was because it was Halloween, and I was looking for a Halloween book to read and I saw "Trick or Treat Murder" on the book shelf in the mystery section. I am so grateful that I bought it. This is absolutely the best mystery series I have ever read.

This is the first book in the 5-volume Calhoun series, and it is the best of the lot by a rather wide margin. It should also be read first, but I read it after the other four books.

The writing here is more focused, tighter. There is no lurid bedroom distraction--the first Nora Roberts book I've read without one. Somehow it works better that way. The plot works nicely. C.C. Calhoun is a shapely if rather oily auto mechanic heroine, and Trent St. James is a thirtyish businessman, bent upon buying the sisters' castle and turning it into a luxurious hotel. The conflict of personalities and life aims is certainly there and keeps the book moving.

But once again, what makes most Nora Roberts books worth reading is her ability to create a place and take the reader there. This time it is a century old stone castle overlooking the ocean in Bar Harbor, Maine.

The characters and dialogue are OK, like the plot. It is Bar Harbor and the castle that kept me reading and interested me.

The four Calhoun sisters and their Aunt Coco live in The Towers, their crumbling old family mansion. They have jobs, and they've been selling things off a little at a time to make ends meet, but it's just not working, and they've finally decided to consider selling.

Enter Trent--Trenton St. James III, of the hotel St. Jameses, visiting with an eye toward adding the Towers to the family's hotel chain at the behest of Aunt Coco, who's "forgotten" to tell her nieces he's coming. He meets CC, the youngest sister, who's an auto mechanic, and they immediately start annoying each other, much to Aunt Coco's delight.

The first time I read this, I thought it was fun, and clever. This time, it didn't seem very realistic to me. Not that it's unrealistic for a woman to be a mechanic, but it didn't seem that Nora was as thorough with it as she usually is. Generally when a main character has a specific job in one of Nora's books, you come away half-believing that Nora's done that job herself, and that didn't happen here. Maybe it's just because it's an earlier Silhouette.

CC starts off the book angry with Trent for buying their home. Ridiculous--he's not forcing them to sell, nor is he trying to cheat them--but it's understandable. But it's not just that--it seems everything about him annoys her. So I really didn't get it when she told him she loved him so soon. It was like she went from despising him to loving him without any ah-ha! moment in between. I think that's what I was missing, was that moment when she realizes it herself.

I did enjoy the scene at the dinner table when Aunt Coco was trying to figure out which of her nieces should be paired up with Trent. It was one of the brighter, more humorous parts of the story.

So the romance itself was iffy, but then there were the flashbacks. See, an ancestor had a miserable marriage, a love affair with a painter, hid a priceless emerald necklace, and committed suicide. And there are periodic flashbacks to Bianca's story throughout the book.

I didn't see any reason at all for those flashbacks. Bianca's story didn't relate in any way to the current story, other than to show the necklace, and I think that part of the story was better told in the seance and visions, etc. As for Bianca's story itself--it was depressing and pitiful. Maybe if I found Romeo and Juliet romantic rather than stupidly tragic, I'd have enjoyed that part more, but I doubt it--even if Bianca's story had been a happy one, it still had no purpose.

COURTING CATHERINE is the beginning of a series revolving around the Calhoun women. This story tells of a strong female (Catherine or CC) who would rather work in her auto repair business than worry about attracting men. She's happy with her life, herself and wouldn't change much. If only we all could have the amount of self-esteem that CC has!

The exception to her happy life is the fact that she's being forced to sell her family home to a hotel conglomerate. And then there is always the fact that she and her family are unable to find the truth about a story of missing emeralds whose legend has spanned many generations. Is the story true and are the emeralds real, or is it a tall tale handed down from generation to generation?

Trenton St. James III is the owner of the company buying the Calhoun mansion (with a name like that, you know he has to be wealthy). He goes to the coast of Maine to arrange the final details. A spit and polished business man attracted to a pretty grease monkey -- sounds far-fetched but Nora Roberts pulls it off as only she can. COURTING CATHERINE will have you cheering for CC's spunk and understanding how Trent can fall hopelessly in love with her.

This romance goes well, but the future of the emeralds must wait until another book in the series. COURTING CATHERINE doesn't have much in the way of cerebral exercises, but will definitely have you smiling and saying, "Ah...".

I loved listening to this audio book recording of Nora Robert's Courting Catherine, it is about a young lady named Catherine Calhoun who is called C.C. by everyone, she is a mechanic and meets a wealthy guy named Trenton St. James when he comes into her garage, it is a great story and as some spooky moments while they are looking for the lost necklace in the spooky old mansion and talk about the ghost and there is also a sinister villain who is up to no good! This audio book is a keeper!

Courting Catherine is a title from a series The Calhoun Women which was first published in 1990 and has recently been reissued. Once again it is similar to Nora Roberts' other romance books from series but still worth the journey and destination.

An eligible bachelor is invited by an aunt to possibly buy the home of her four nieces. Her nieces parents died years before in a plane crash and now the white elephant of a home is slowly becoming a burden none of them can afford. Aunt Coco has invited Trent St. James to the house for a few days. He is interested in possibly acquiring the property and house for his conglomerate, but Aunt Coco also has another type of merger in mind with four eligible nieces. What Trent and one of the sisters, Catherine doesn't expect though is to fall in love.

There is also a mystery angle to this book as the sisters and Trent try to find an unbelievable and legendary emerald necklace given to their great grandmother by their great grandfather. And as an added element to the book is a glimpse into the life and love of their great grandmother Bianca.

Like most of Ms. Roberts romance books, I did enjoy Courting Catherine and look forward to reading the other four titles from this series.