Chloe Field's father gambled away his fortune and planned to marry her off to pay the debts. Instead, Chloe left and found employment with her childhood friend, William Seabrook. William hired her to be a companion to his hateful sister, Laura. Chloe needed to save enough money to allow her to purchase a modest cottage for herself, so she stuck it out no matter what Laura did.

When news of her father's death arrived, Chloe could not help but feel guilty, especially since foul play was suspected. If she had let her father marry her off (basically SELL her) he might still be alive. She had hoped to someday reconcile with him. Laura continued to be someone I, as the Reader, loved to hate. Enter the hero of the story!

Captain Andrew Seabrook had known Chloe since childhood. Eleven years before, he had almost seduced her! This was something he had never forgiven himself for. He had been sent home to recover from a leg wound received at Waterloo. Quietly, he was also to investigate the murder of Chloe's father. He did not know Chloe had been in love with him all these years, but felt the passion from eleven years ago return in full force!

***** Delightful! I feel this to be the best work of the author, Allison Lane, thus far! The author seems to get better with each novel that is published! I highly recommend this one! A KEEPER! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

"The Purloined Papers" is another installation in the Seabrook saga, and this time the focal point of the novel is that of the complicated relationship between Chloe Fields and Captain Andrew Seabrook. Laura Seabrook's (also seen in "The Notorious Widow" & "The Rake and the Wallflower") crazed machinations to stop her brother's marriage to Martha Truitt (the daughter of a prosperous merchant), and the mysterious death of Chloe's estranged father also features into this interesting and compelling novel.

When Chloe Field's father (Sir Nigel Fields) lost his fortune at the gambling table, rather than allow him to marry her off so that he could pay off his debts, Chloe left home in order to find employment. Luckily for her, her childhood friend, William Seabrook, was in desperate need of someone competent to be a companion to his somewhat crazed and unlikeable sister, Laura. And while life with Laura has been no picnic, Chloe has managed to save quite a bit of money (mostly bribes from Laura's brothers-in-law so that she will not leave her post), so that her dream of being able to live peacefully in a small cottage one day has almost become a reality. And then two things happen that changes the course her life seems to be set on: her father dies suddenly and under suspicious circumstances; and Captain Andrew Seabrook, her childhood friend with whom she has been in love with for years, but with whom she parted badly, returns to Exeter. Now, Chloe must somehow not only cope with Laura's obnoxious shenanigans and the loss of a father with whom she never reconciled with, but also maintain a cool facade so that Andrew never learns that she is still in love with him...

Andrew has returned home in order to recover from a leg wound he sustained at Waterloo. A career soldier, he is weary of war and would dearly love to sell out, except that he isn't equipped to be anything else but a soldier. And if that's not depressing enough, watching Chole working as his nasty sister's companion is definitely enough to bring on a case of the megrims! And then there is also the guilt he feels for having almost seduced Chloe 11 years ago, and the horrid manner in which they parted. Now, however seeing Chloe everyday (esp since he is investigating her father's death), Andrew comes to the realisation that he has never stopped loving Chloe. But can he get Chloe to forgive him for past misdeeds, and to open her heart to him again?

"The Purloined Papers" was a truly engrossing read -- such a lot happens in this 200 odd page romance novel. And eventhough the romance subplot was a little marginalised in favour of exploring the relationships that other characters had with each other in this novel (not to mention the murder subplot), I didn't feel this to be a flaw at all. Andrew and Chloe have quite a lot to work out, and I liked that Allison Lane allowed for their relationship to develop slowly, giving them time to become close friends again, before broaching the romance that fairly simmers between them. Chloe and Andrew complement each other very well, and one cannot but help admiring Chloe for making a stab at independence, no matter how unpalatable the course. I'm not sure if there will be any more Seabrook novels, Ms Lane has managed to tie up everything neatly and satisfactorily (esp where nasty Laura is concerned). "The Purloined Papers" falls more into the 'dark' Regency category than the light hearted drawing room one, but it is an engrossing and compelling nonetheless. A truly enjoyable read!

"Selfishness and its faithful spouse, Stupidity, will be your gods. And they will be loved and respected as never a god was adored on earth."

These words introduce us to Marquis Fausto Rasero, the title character of this tour-de-force by Mexican author Francisco Rebolledo. They are Rasero's words, spoken for readers of the future.

When we meet Rasero in the 1740s, the 26-year-old Spanish noble is a quiet, contemplative man still coming to terms with a grotesque malady: every time he has sex, he sees visions of the future at the moment of orgasm. These visions are quite naturally terrifying: people cramming into metal tubes which travel underground, glass boxes within which small people move around while others watch and laugh... Above all, images of war: a giant metal bird dropping something out of the sky, after which thousands of Asians are incinerated in a blinding flash of light. Rasero is unsure how far into the future all this is happening; he only knows that the horrible visions of the year 1745 have been the worst of all.

In a move that speaks both of Madrid's stagnation and Paris' excellence at this point in history, the wealthy young noble leaves his native Málaga for a diplomatic post in Paris. He will spend his life there, making the acquaintance of the brightest minds of his time, men such as Diderot and Voltaire, Lavoisier and even Mozart, seeking to reconcile their beliefs with his secret knowledge. They are all working to bring about the Enlightenment they aspire to. Yet how can the Enlightenment these men hold so dear possibly be leading to the horrendous future Rasero witnesses in the arms of one lover after another?

This is an undervalued book that deserves to be more widely read. Its prose is thick and ornate, and you won't want to read this on an airplane full of tourists. Give it instead the time and silence it deserves. "Rasero" is not only an all-expenses-paid journey to the Paris of Louis XV, it is a thought-provoking examination of human nature using the borrowed voices of many great men, and some clever women as well. Some of its chapters, especially "Mariana" and "Robespierre" approach such perfection that they could have been developed into self-containing novels. In the end, Rasero - and Rebolledo - adopt a stance of uncompromising pessimism towards the future of humanity. Standing in Rasero's shoes, standing in Paris on an overcast day in 1794 watching as the Revolution devours its own children, including the enlightened young man he helped raise, you'll find his disgust is hard to argue with. This is a book that will keep you thinking about it long after you close it.

A delightful narrative and wonderful historical tour of the Enlightenment. Rebolledo has stormed in onto the Latinamerican literary scene and claimed his place next to the likes of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Carlos Fuentes. Nicolas A. Vivas (nvivas@ix.netcom.com

I absolutely LOVE this book. While it is helpful to read After the End to get the theory etc, if you are a teacher who loves writing with your children and is looking for new ways to help your children truly REVISE their work, this book is for you.

The book is full of wonderful mini-lessons which can be adapted to many different levels. I teach 6th grade, but have recommended it to many younger grade teachers in my building and they love it too. These teachers have not read After the End, but they still able to use the activities with their children and see progress.

This book is a strong compliment to Lane's earlier book, AFTER THE END. I highly recomend both, but this title will be less useful to those who have not read the earlier book. While AFTER THE END contained theory, activity suggestions, and limited samples, the Tool Box is largely activities. It contains many useful ideas, most applicable accross grade levels 2-12, addressing the difficult problem of teaching genuine REVISION , rather than simply re-typing or editing for conventions.

As a Middle School Language Arts teacher, I use several of the activities suggested in this volume to expand my kids work and our vocabulary for talking about writing. I hope to use more activities next year, as there are too many to take on all at once. Some are so simple that my students could teach them.

This is not a 'work sheet' book. These are activities that you will need to do with your kids as part of your writing program.

This book was so exciting and easy to read. I loved the pictures which are done just like in Laura's books. I liked this book even better than Rose #1.

Rose and her family move to there new house. There Rose helps clean the house , get the hens in the new henhouse, put brown clay into the log house coners intill Papa says Rose is as dirty as mud fence after a rain. Then Rose gets a Rabbit for supper and then the whole family has a barn raising .

Rough Cut is a good "whodunit. The opening chapter grabbed me
and did not let go.
The characters are well developed and believable. Yes, there were a lot of suspects even a butler, but the it was well written and clear who was who.
There was enough background on C.J. Cavanaugh for the reader to
realize that C.J. could be white, red, yellow or brown; he was the product of the U.S. military elite.
I was amused by the interaction of the threesome C.J., Destini, and Renita and pleasantly surprised at how the author worked it out.

I was right with C.J. as he discovered who was paying him. But I did not guess who set up the murder until C.J. exposed the murderer.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I love a good mystery.
Yes, I am recommending that my bookclub, In the Company of My Sistahs (Northern Californis) read the book.

Do you love reading a detective mystery that keeps you guessing until the end? Then you'll thoroughly enjoy Michael Lane's "Rough Cut". The characters are well developed and believable, and the story takes interesting twists and turns throughout. I look forward to reading the next C. J. Cavanaugh mystery!

For all the people of the earth, the Creator has planted a sacred Tree, under which they may gather to find healing, power, wisdom and security. Its roots spread deeply into Mother Earth, its branches reach to Father Sky. Its fruits are the good things that our Creator has given to all peoples, the path to love, compassion, generosity, patience, wisdom, justice, courage, respect, humility and other great gifts.

The life of the Tree rests with life of the people, but if they forget to take its nourishment, many would grow sick at heart, lie, quarrel, and abuse the land, poisoning everything they touch. The people would be as in sleep, to awaken again to their search for the Tree, whose knowledge rests with the elders. I find this an especially calming and beautiful book for these terrible times.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

This book is simple and profound. It started me on a path that helps me see the big pictue and still feel comfortable on the planet.

Read this to the five-year-old twice already, and expect to r3ead it lots more. The ten year old was delighted: she joined us and reread the book when we were done.

Recommended. You got to love those cows.

Those loveable Santa Cows take their human friends on a magic carpet ride to the islands! Tropical fun to keep the holiday spirit alive. You'll love the whole Santa Cow Series!

This book is like medicine. It is the kind of book you want when you come home after a busy day. When you begin to read it you will feel how you start to relax and forget the world around you. It is a quiet novel and the characters are quiet as well. The author thought about the plot and clearly loves her characters. A brilliant read.

I would like to thank Elizabeth Latham for this wonderful book. I read it at a time when I was experiencing a lot of strain and felt depressed and overworked. This book was better than any medicine you might want to take in such a situation. It is so soothing and makes you feel better immediately. You will become absorbed in the wonderful style very quickly and notice how your body starts to relax. Although the story may sometimes seem a little sad, the ending is great and you will want to go on and on forever. Simply a masterpiece and highly recommendable.

The author has such a wonderful way of describing a person, place or feeling. ... such a unique, touching story!

I was in the middle of reading another book when I first came across Soundless. Thinking that I would just read the lead sentence to see if it grabbed me, I ended up setting my other book completely aside until I finished Soundless. It was compelling from start to finish! I recommend it as a wonderful quick read.

This book brings you not only a wealth of incredible recipes, but a humorous daily account of life in a southern restaurant. A must for anyone that loves the kitchen!

Cobb Lane is one of those restaurants that you love to share and wish you could keep it a secret. Everything on the menu is excellent and the location gives you a feel of being in a small bistro in one of a hundred different places. This cookbook definitely brings the spirit of Cobb Lane into print. The quirky nature of the lane is reflected in the book selections. Everything from bloody mary mix to the Cobb classics to crab cakes. I've probably got around 50 cookbooks, but for special meals, this is the one I always go to first.