This is the sequel to Wings of the Storm, and it is even better than the original. It is a medieval time travel romance mystery--what happened to the time research team to lose their memories and years of their lives--set in the Middle Ages. The tale unfolds in a way reminiscent of Rebecca (DuMaurier), a little information revealed at a time in flashbacks. It has great humor as well sa a fast paced storyline, bringing back some characters from the first novel and answering some leftover questions about what happened to those characters. The romance is very well done, as is the ending. Be careful about reading too much in other reviews as it will spoil the plot.

After having read the synopsis of the story on the back of the book, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel.

Libby was part of a 5 person team that had traveled back into the past (from our future) to further the studies of time travel. In what was supposed to be an empty castle, the team conducted their research on a top-secret new type of time travel. When a violent reaction occurs, Libby has lost 4 years of her life, her memory and 2 members of the team. Having more of a desire to study life on the Mongolian plains, she is confused over her desire to return to of all places the Middle Ages of England. Thus, using the "front" of rebuilding the time portal that almost caused their demise, Libby and the remaining two scientists return to try and recover their lost memories and rebuild the destroyed time portal.
Libby also decides to pursue her recent interest in studying outlaws. Enter Bastin of Bale-the epitome of our romantic hero and an outlaw; the perfect specimen for Libby to study. Libby is immediately drawn to him as he holds her hostage to free his men from a dungeon, and then later comes to pose as a worker rebuilding the castle where the original accident takes place.
When a Lord shows up claiming that Libby is his bride, she decides that she should return to the future and ends up as Bastins' willing captive instead. With fragments of memories starting to return and Libby realizes that Bastin was at the castle at the time of the explosion (and lost his wife as well as suffers from the same violent headaches from loosing his memory) the two undergo a quest to regain the past that they have lost.
With an irate jilted would-be-husband, the shire's sheriff, and outlaws under a different leader hot on their trail Bastin and Libby kindle a love that, well you'll just have to read the book.

Okay, so the book is a lot better with more details that are hard to write into a review with out giving away all the fabulous surprises that keep you hooked until the last page.

So Libby has taken on her mother's hobby and job? huh? Well,good for her. I like the scenes with Sebastian!

Beguiled by the Wild is a complete collection of limited edition prints by wildlife artist Charley Harper that spans three decades of his career. The captions printed in the book are the original versions that were issued with each print. The prints have long been sold out and this book represents the only published collection of his work. A rare self-interview and introduction by Roger Caras are the only additional text. Each page brings to life an example of Charley's unique ability to combine humor, art, and science. Readers will be hard-pressed to flip through the pages of this coffee table book without stopping at almost every page to learn the message inherent with each piece. Charley's unusual style, which he calls "minimal realism", catches the eye and draws a smile. Often a maze of bright colors and geometric shapes dominates the scene making an initial interpretation puzzling. Reading the caption usually provides insight into the biology of selected insects, birds and mammals, which is often whimsical and always factual. "Armadittos", for example, depicts and inverted armadillo mother suckling a line of four pups in a circle of pine needles. The caption describes how armadillos always reproduce with four genetically identical quaruplets of the same sex (and they live in pine forests of the southern states). Similary, "Jesus Bugs" depicts a group of water strider insects with large circles surrounding each of their six feet, which also form circular shadows under the water. Only an entomologist would know that these circles represent depressions on the water surface caused by minute foot hairs that keep the insects from sinking. This artist has attracted a large audience of amateur and professional biologists who should get their hands on a copy of this book before it too goes out of print.

This is a wonderful coffee table book for anyone who loves animals and modern art. In his unusual style, the artist brings animals to life with geometric precision. The more I look at the art, the more I like it.

Many types of animals are included. There are lots of birds, as well as insects, sea life, dogs, and cats. Forest, farm and African animals are also included. Many of the drawing as well as the anecdotes with them are quite humorous.

Some of my favorites are a raccoon hanging upside down, two whales hugging, a baby harp seal & one of a blue jay bathing. I also especially liked "Love on a limb" featuring two monkeys with their tails entwined.

My all time favorite is called "The Wedding Feast." It features two praying mantis mating. The caption below it is quite funny. There is a nice index in the back of the over 125 plates shown in the book.

Beguiled in the Wild" is a high quality art book which presents many of Charley Harper's delightful drawings of birds and animals.

Mr. Harper's art is amazing. His genius is first in distilling the soul of his wildlfe subjects, then in weaving these insights into geometric compositions which of themselves are artistically intriguing, but more important, are witty, affectionate, and cannot help but bring to the viewer, a big, warm smile.

I had a hard time putting this book down to go to work! Quinn McGuire is such a strong, emotionally-challenged, knight in tarnished armor that he jumps right off the page. The twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing. I'm looking forward to the next story in Ms. Allen's Avengers series.

Harper Allen is full of surprises, as always. Another book I could not put down to go to sleep. The technical information is amazing, I wonder how that author can keep up. And the love scenes are always a bonus to spice up one's life and suggest to one's husband or mate. Definitely a Winner.

Harper Allen kicks off a new miniseries with another amazing read in "Guarding Jane Doe." Soldier-of-fortune Quinn McGuire lived each moment as if it were his last, until he received a letter from a woman who'd once saved his life and Jane Smith walked into his life. Bound by a promise he'd made years ago, he became Jane's protector. Someone was after her, leaving threatening notes and endangering her life--and Jane couldn't remember why. She knew nothing about her past

Allen's best book since "Twice Tempted," "Guarding Jane Doe" is an amazingly emotional and action-packed read that combines all the best elements of Intrigue. In spite of my trepidation to see yet another amnesia plot (the second one this month), this is an author known for thoroughly inventive plotlines, and I wasn't disappointed in this book, another original tale unlike any other.

This is the rare book that manages to combine a good mystery with strong sensuality and the kind of deeply romantic scenes that leave readers sighing. Although Jane initially seems like a disappointingly wimpy heroine, Allen soon reminds us that no one is who they first seem to be in one of her books. Identities are uncovered, secrets are revealed, and everything we think we know is turned on its head several times over. Although I had the misfortune to figure out the ending long before it came (more dumb luck than anything on the writer's part), it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book, because Allen delivered enough action and intensity before the ending came to keep me wondering if I could be so sure what I thought I knew. Ultimately, I could, but getting there was still a blast.

As with all of her Intrigues, Allen shows a remarkable talent for creating memorable scenes, the kind that will stick with you long after the book is over. There are so many choice moments that make this book unforgettable, both emotional and suspenseful, including a climax that is both. There especially, the hero and heroine show what incredible people they are.

I think it's safe to say this is the best Intrigue I've read this year, and the way this year's been going, I don't expect it to be beat. Whether your first book by this author or your fifth, "Guarding Jane Doe" will keep readers anxiously awaiting the arrival of Book Two, "Sullivan's Last Stand," next month.

This is a seminal collection of knowledge that no civil war book collection should be without! Written during the immediate aftermath of the war, it embodies all the sentiments and spirit of the times and is therefore an invaluable addition to the understanding of the civil war and of American history itself. An absolute "must have"!!

I have 27 issues of Harpers Pictorial magazines "History of the Civil War" originals. Copyrighted 1866 by Harper & Brothers and copyrighted in 1894 by the Star Publishing Co. of Chichago Illinois, who first ran the series of the contents of this book. The editors were Alfred H.Guernsey and Henry M. Alden. The cover and all of the illustrations were done in beautiful pen & ink. They originally sold for $.25 each and were considered to be worth twice their value at the time of print. This is an awesome collection of this material.

Henry Mills Alden was the beloved step-father of my grandmother, Aline Kilmer. He was an editor of Harper's Magazine. This large and heavy tome is a 1996 facsimile edition of "Harper's Pictorial History of the Great Rebellion in the United States," first published in 1866. It reflects the horrifying bigotry of its times, evident in the writings of some of the most adamant of Northern Caucasian Abolitionists. The text, pictures, and maps are fascinating and invaluable to Civil War buffs such as my husband, Tim Slattery.

I found this book to be very helpful in understanding why we make some of the decisions we do in our lifes. I have passed this book on to many people, especially those who are married to women who went through a divorce. It opens up lines of communication. It's nice to know we are not alone and there are others that have gone through difficult times and with God's help have come full circle.

If this were just a book about victory over cancer, it would be a good book. However, it is much more than that-it is a book also about failed relationships, abandonment, and loss. Ms. Harper's healing from cancer is faith-inspiring, and she gives full credit to her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Through this illness, and the many other crises in her life, she attests time and time again to the faithfulness of her Lord. Her incredible courage through life's journeys is truly an inspiration to all of us....no matter what battle we are facing. She has the refreshing honesty it takes to write such a book, holding back none of the embarrassing details. How many of us would be willing to be so honest? This could not have been easy for her, but she was determined to write a book using her own triumphs...and failures...that would help others. Through these pages, she has given the world a great testimony to the truth of Jesus and of His unfailing love when we will but trust. She writes about herself, but she always points you to Jesus.

Joan Harper holds nothing back as she shares her life's journey of heartache, sickness and ultimately triumph. This story offers hope, not only to those who might be struggling with breast cancer, but to those who are looking for something to hope for.

I am glad that Philip Harper wrote "The Insider's Guide to Sake." What you have here in this little book is everything a person needs to begin their exploration into the inscrutable world of Sake.

Like many alcohols, Sake is a beverage of wildly variant qualities. Some is made to be cheap and get you drunk quick, some is made to savor and enjoy. Of course, approaching a Sake label with little Japanese ability makes it difficult to discern the difference. Even if the label is translated, the meaning is not readily clear. What makes a good Sake? What qualities should I be looking for?

This books takes that exact frame of mind, leading the novice through all stages of Sake production from rice growing to brewing methods, both traditional and modern. Sake is quality-graded by the government, and by the end of this book a drinker will be able to choose with confidence between a Junmaishu, a Hinjozu or the ultra-sake Daiginjo.

A few other benefits of this guide are a sake alphabet, with facts and useful tidbits of information spread throughout the book in alphabet format. The tasting guide offers a brief glance at a hundred or so of the available 1,000 plus Sakes. I found this to be a very useful starting place, allowing me to make an informed choice at the Sake store. (The book also shows you how to recognize a quality Sake seller. a very useful piece of information.) Depending on where you live, the sake restaurant guide is useful.

All in all, this book picked my interest in sake and transformed my casual curiosity into a full-blown investigation. Don't go into a sake shop without it!

As a lover of great sake but one who did not know much about how to go about choosing it, I found this book to be very informative and entertaining at the same time. Entertaining in that this is a true "insider's guide" since the author is the only foreigner that I have heard of who has worked in a traditional sake brewery for an extended amount of time. The insights contained in this book can be found nowhere else in the English language as far as I know.

Sake, like wine, comes in many forms and can be an aquired taste. Really good sake served cold (were talking really expensive stuff) can be one of the best tasting drinks you will ever experience. Please don't judge the merits of sake by that cheap hot stuff thats often served in inexpensive Japanese restaurants.

I recommend this book for those even with a passing interest in sake - wherever you currently reside. For foreigners currently living in Japan, the book will encourage you to taste various sake available only in Japan (as you should while you are there). For those outside Japan, the book contains a very comprehensive guide to restaurants and stores that serve/sell premium sake.

Finally, I should also mention that "The Insider's Guide to Sake" is much better than other books you will find on the subject, including "The Book of Sake". It is an easy read, and is thin enough to fit in your pocket (OK, a large pocket) so that you can take it with you to the local liquor store.

The book includes two "sampler" guides: a sampler of 100-odd premium sakes (chosen somewhat arbitrarily, it seems, from the produce of the 1500-odd sake breweries in Japan), and a sampler of restaurants and bars in all large Japanese cities and a few large US and European cities where one can try premium sake. Of the two samplers, I think the second may be more useful. The average restaurant in Japan serves two kinds of sake: cold, and hot. This sampler helps those of us in search of real sake to find places to drink it -- an extremely useful piece of information.

The background information on sake brewing was fascinating, especially to a home brewer; I didn't put it down 'til I was done.

Needless to say, I was hooked on romance books after I read this book. My original copy got boxed up and given away by my parents. So, I re-purchased it and still read it all the time when I want a good story.

This was a great story - I've read it so many times! It really keeps you guessing to the very last minute whether or not Janine and Craig actually get together.

I've read this book several times and have enjoyed it every time! Janine is insecure and in love with the most popular guy in school. I really like the way the author keeps you wondering if they'll ever get together or not! Sometimes the writing it a little too formal, but I really liked the story.

Martha Matilda Harper And The American Dream: How One Woman Changed The Face Of Modern Business is the fascinating, meticulously researched, superbly presented biography of the woman who invented the business franchise. Yet her inventive contribution was lost to American business history until Jane Plitt (business owner, labor arbitrator, social justice advocate, and visiting scholar at the University of Rochester) discovered through original research what a remarkable contribution Martha Matilda Harper had made to the contemporary face of American-style free enterprise. Martha Matilda Harper And The American Dream is enthusiastically recommended reading and an essential addition to Women's Studies and American Business History reading lists and library collections.

This is a great book about one of the first, if not THE first, woman to open a public beauty salon (in the 1890's when people did their hair at home). Harper manufactured and distributed hair and skin care products; she trained women to open their own shops under the Harper name. According to the book her products preceded those of the familiar cosmetic names of today. Her business ethics were to help others, share the wealth, the Golden Rule, deal with others honestly and fairly. This, and hard work paid off! This story would make a great rags-to-riches movie!

A well-written and well-deserved biography about a previously obscure
female entrepreneur and humanitarian who overcame her own impoverished
background and helped other women do the same. Although recognition
of Martha Matilda Harper's accompliishments are overdue, she was a
person ahead of her time-- she introduced the first franchise idea in
America. [Ms. Plitt's] excellent (and very readable) book broadens
the perspective of American history by identifying this dynamic
American business woman.

Thanks, Jane R. Plitt, for bringing Martha
Matilda Harper to our attention.

There are a number of "breed" books out there on the Pembroke, but this is the official one. Mostly geared toward people who are interested in conformation showing and breeding, it is the only book with extensive photographs and discussions of bloodlines which have influenced the breed. Like all books by breed fanciers, it does not say anything critical about anything. If you want to find out about problems in the breed or in certain lines, you won't find it here (for example, temperament, genetic health, over-popularity). It does have short but informative sections on other topics besides showing and breeding. It is an excellent example of its kind. Certainly all Pembroke breeders should have a copy (but they probably do).

This is the most complete corgi book out there. The wealth of information in this book surpasses all other corgi books out there. Though this book might cost more, it is well worth it. The author is very knowledgeable & the immense content of the book is extraordinarily interesting & helpful to any new/old corgi owner.

The new complete pembroke welsh corgi offers quite a bit of information for fanciers of the breed. The history of the breed is well documented and includes rare photos of champion corgis. The text is written so as to interest both those who breed and show corgis, as well as those who are just interested in owning one as a pet. The health care information is informative and provides pet owners with important insight into corgi care. This is definitely one of the best references for the breed that I have seen.

Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or Fortune 500 executive, Preventing Strategic Gridlock is right for you. Pam Harper reveals many solutions that often plague the process of strategic business plan implementation. If you are seeking to build or develop a business, make its foundation rock solid by applying what you learn from Pam Harper!

Sometimes a clear, reasonable plan does not get the desired results in a business situation. Pam Harper uses some interesting, real world examples to discuss how major initiatives can fail to achieve the desired goals. In her review of the examples she outlines pitfalls that many of us have seen occur, but have rarely considered when planning a major business program. She then proceeds to provide her U.N.L.O.C.K. methodology as a tool set to help readers avoid the traps described in the examples.

The book is an easy read and is well organized. The examples alone are worth the reading time. I enjoyed it and have suggested it to several of my clients.

Strategic Gridlock - when business strategies and initiatives come to a complete stop because of persistent organizational problems. Everyone understands the fatal implications of such a problem but few seem to understand how it comes about and how to get out of one. "Preventing Strategic Gridlock" provides an analysis of how seven "roadblocks" cause strategic gridlock and what to do about them.

The first part of the book goes over each of these roadblocks, what causes them to occur, the implications of each of them, their symptoms, and how to determine if you are experiencing them. Each of these chapters has a checklist to help keep out of gridlock, an interpretation section to define if you are experiencing the roadblock, a set of frequently asked questions, and a series of checkpoints that define the highlights of the chapter. Together these make the book very useful for anyone seeking to avoid gridlock or determine if they are in a gridlock situation.

The second part of the book contains the details of the U.N.L.O.C.K. system to resolve strategic gridlock. The technique is detailed and illustrated through examples. Throughout the book multiple real life scenarios illustrate each concept.

This is a recommended read for anyone experiencing gridlock in their organization or who wants to understand gridlock from the root causes to the moving beyond it.