I loved this book. On a whim I picked it up at the bookstore and haven't regretted in since, not even after reading it for my fourth time last week. The characters are well drawn and the love story is perfect. Who could ask for a better hero that Billy Darling?
Even the epilogue brought warm tinglies. You can't very often find a good western, but Ms. Medeiros does it just right. I own all of her books and I have to admit that this one is my favorite. You just have to love a story about a woman who is bent on finding her brother, and the man she hires to help her. Especially when the story comes along with an amazing supporting cast.

Do yourself a favor - run to the store or library and READ THIS BOOK! It is so achingly sweet it took my breath away. After reading this book, I wished Billy Darling were real - he was the epitome of the tender, rugged cowboy. Esmerelda was also a sweet woman that anyone can relate to. The sparks between them practically flew off the pages, and made me wish the story would never end! Medeiros knows how to write beautifully, with smart dialogue and doses of humor everywhere. I wish I could give this 20 stars!

Nobody's Darling is another original story from this author. Billy Darling is the quintessential romantic hero. He's tough, honest, sexy, misunderstood, underestimated and a great lover. Esmerelda is a good match for him. The plot is good, the dialogue is fun, the love scenes are perfect. I was really sorry to finish this book.

Dawn Turner Trice is a great storyteller. She was able to make this reader visualize the surroundings and the characters' emotions. I loved the relationship between Temmy and Jonetta. Jonetta was able to guide and protect Temmy with her recollections of the past and her dreams for the future. The other characters, Alfred Mayes, Judd, Fat Daddy, Chittlin', Hump, Reatha Mae, Felicia, Thomas, Aunt Jennie and Ms. Lily were definitely characters and left nothing to the imagination. However, I must say that I expected more drama from reading the jacket cover. Certain portions were not explored and left this reader asking questions. For example, Temmy's friend Gerald saying he had a secret about her father but it was never revealed and Temmy's father ignoring her while he was talking with one of his students. These two incidents were never explained and it left the reader wondering. Some of the happenings in the book were predictable-City Hall's actions and Valeries' secret. The newspaper article grabbed my attention but then the story slowly played itself out. All-in-all I did enjoy this book. Dawn Turner Trice is great at telling a story!

I applaud Ms. Trice for a very well written first novel. Her wording was so profound, I felt as if I was actually in the book, living the experiences with Tempest. The story (which also made me cry) was wonderfully written and the characters practically came to life, they were so real to me. BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN! I've been waiting and waiting for her second novel. Can't hardly wait till October so that I can pick up a copy. KUDOS, Ms. Trice for quenching my literary thirst.

"Only twice I've wished for heaven" is a superb first effort by Ms. Trice. I won't gush because it would sound phony but she deserves a little gushing. In black vernacular, "she has put her foot into it." Which simply means she has put some heart and soul into this novel and it shows. Thankfully, this is not another "McMillan look-alike." We are getting a fresh and real life story. The setting is Chicago but it is the essence of so many neighborhoods in so many cities. She accutely captures the mindset of African-Americans setting themselves apart in the name of upward mobility and those of the people on the other side of the fence. To tell the story in two voices, representing both sides is a good touch. The reader will be drawn into the lives of the main characters, Tempestt and Ms Johnetta and see their worlds through their eyes. Don't blame me if you stay up all night just to finish this book. Just have a few extra cups of coffee at work.

As a previous reviewer said, it has been a while since I first read Under the Beetle's Cellar, yet images from the book continue to dance unbidden in my thoughts. I can't explain it, because, though the story is excellent and the writing is adequate, I felt at the time that Under the Beetle's Cellar lacked soul. Maybe it was the fact that I never truly felt for the characters, particularly the main character, a bus driver who, along with 50 children, is held hostage by a religious cult. One of the threads of the story is that the bus driver tells stories to calm the children. I felt that these story-telling sessions lasted far too long. A page or two at a time would have been sufficient. The story was powerful enough to overcome my many misgivings but, in the hands of Stephen King or a host of other top writers, it would undoubtedly have been a bestseller. Yet still chunks of the story still keep floating back into my head. Funny that!

This books amazing. The plot was original and the characters engrossing.

Molly Cates is back on the scene when her connection with Samuel Mordecai, a fanatical cult leader, becomes known. Molly, a reporter in Texas, wrote about Mordecai for her piece on religious cults. Now Mordecai has kidnapped a school bus with children, and the bus driver, and is holding them hostage on his compound.

This book should be read by all mystery and thriller fans. Mary Willis Walker has no parallel when it comes to involved plots that could become convoluted and ridiculous in less capable hands. She tells the story of a boy turned cult leader who was terribly abused as a child, but never uses that fact to excuse his behavior, rather to understand how a boy emotionally and physically abadoned comes to such a horrific and devastating point. The scences between the bus driver and the school children are some of the best in fiction. You feel their terror and resentment of Mordecai and cheer when they outwit him.

A great read!

Mary Willis Walker weaves my favorite tale ever in Under the Beetle's Cellar, a gripping novel that grows as you read and finds you entangled by the end.
A former Southerner myself, Texas cults have always interested me. Walker gives the reader a story worth reading. It starts out slowly, stiffly even, with unnecessary and unrealistic dialogue utilized at times by the heroine, Molly Cates. But as the pressure builds, Walker lets go of all the [stuff] and just writes. The result is a beautifully suspenseful and finally, devastating novel.
Walker tells the story of an apopalyptic cult and its insane leader, Samuel Mordecai. Predicting the end of the world, they take hostage a busful of 11 children and their driver-- and bury them underground. The story flits madly back and forth between the children and their driver, the FBI negotiators, and the heroine reporter trying to find Samuel Mordecai's past above ground. The most wonderful part of this book is the movie-star like quality of Mordecai and the gasping reality of what he did and what he could have done with his life. He is a human being and Walker paints him as one without excusing his horrible actions.
Ruining the book's ending would be inexcusable. I will not--I will, however, say that a box of tissues would be well equipped. Walker manages to both fascinate and repel you, and the pages will whir by without you having realized it. For me, I was left gasping for air and wondering how I had finished so quickly. The book is a haunting masterpiece, so much more than simple crime fiction, and so much better than those over-hyped rivals like Sue Grafton and Stephen KIng. I am sadly wistful for more...the likes of you, Mary Willis Walker, are hard to find.

After racing through the three previous books in the series (Mallory's Oracle, The Man Who Lied to Women, & Killing Critics,) I could hardly wait to start Stone Angel. Kathy Mallory is a fascinating character and the hints about her past in the rest of the series really whetted my appetite for the truth promised in the fourth book. Unfortunately, Mallory is only a supporting player in this one. Charles Butler (in jeans on a big white horse!), Riker, and some interesting locals have center stage, here. The Louisiana setting is intriguing,with all kinds of colorful characters from an elderly ecoterrorist to an Elmer Gantry-style evangelist, but the final solution to the mystery is more sordid than satisfying. Anyone who enjoyed the other Mallory books will want to read this, but be warned - it is slow going! All the right ingredients are here, but without a more active role for the main character, this literary gumbo ends up having all the flavor of dishwater. Author O'Connell seems unable to get past the charm of the young Kathy (who was actually more interesting as a wild child in New York City than as the happy doctor's daughter she used to be before her life went bad)in order to show any kind of catharsis in the adult. I would read more of her books on the strength of the rest of the Mallory series, but I would not recommend Stone Angel to anyone who was not already in love with Mallory.

Kathy Mallory is back in the most riveting, complex novel of the series. Sociopathic New York Detective Mallory takes on the bayous of Lousiana as she returns to her hometown to set some things straight. The mystery is not as important as the story and O'Connell introduces several new, very interesting characters - specifically Sheriff Tom Jessop and Augusta Trebec. The interactions and the actions are fascinating and the plot twists and turns enough to mesmerize. Mallory is not the whole story in this novel, which is a turn for the better. In addition, we finally see a little bit of human reaction and emotion. Mallory may be made of stone, but the surface chips slightly here. This is a keep-you-up-at-night book; O'Connell keeps getting better and better. You must read this one but be forewarned, it makes more sense if you've read the other three Mallory novels first. Let's all hope that O'Connell continues to humanize Mallory more and more (but not too much, she's at her most interesting when she's in her total sociopath mode) and can find a way to bring Tom Jessop into future books - the surface stereotype small town southern sheriff with much more than meets the eye! Mallory is the most interesting hero(ine) introduced in many years and O'Connell characterizes her perfectly. Steve Isenhowe

I couldn't wait for this book to hit the market. A great read. It takes up where KILLING CRITICS left off. Mallory has left NY to return to La and find her mother's killers. Carol O'Connell has developed this character from the beginning to become the most striking and arresting one in all of fictiondom. Charles Butler, the sheriff, the old lady who owns the dilapidated house, the idiot savant and the others are believable and necessary figures in Mallory's universe. The storyline moves , the plot is tight and the denouement is the only one that is possible. I love Mallory . Miss O'Connell, bring on the next chapter of this amazing creature

If you're looking for a great mystery combined with many story plots, and some historical backround, you should definietly read this book. McCrumb has done an excellent job of taking the lives of a variety of different characters and weaving them all together throughout this book. Although contradictory to what others may say, this book is centered around the escape of an mentally ill old man from jail and how a number of other people's lives tie in with his journey home. You will get to know three police officers, two of whom think the escaped convict is no threat, but one who does. A radio announcer who hypes up the old man's journey is another big focus of this plot, along with a college professor who is on a journey of his own to follow the trail of the legend, Katie Wyler.

Even thought it may be hard at times to follow the many characters who are introduced, they all come together in the end and make an exciting and page turning book. This book is set in the Appalachian mountains around Virginia and Tennessee and McCrumb has done a wonderful job on describing the scenery of the land. McCrumb's language makes you feel like are there in the mountains. Along with the scenery, McCrumb has also done her share of research on the area and provides information (as one of the characters) about the geological factors of the Appalachians. With all the surprised that end each chapter, you are always wondering what will happen next, or who will finally meet who. For a great anytime reading get Sharyn McCrumb's She Walks These Hills.

She Walks These Hills is another excellent book in the Appalachian series by Sharyn McCrumb. She again combines two stories - one in the present and one in the past along with a pinch of a ghost story, culminating in an overall satisfying novel.

This installment tells of the stories of Harm Sorley, an escaped murderer in the Appalachian area, a college professor following the trail of Katie Wyler, a pioneer woman trying to get to her home in 1799, and Hank the Yank, a bodacious radio personality who tries to get into both these stories. I will not give the ending away as some reviewers did, but you need to read this book to get the full flavor of the area and the era.

How do these three characters intertwine with each other - both from the past and present? It is up the reader to find out in this thrilling novel.

I totally agree with a writer form St. Louis when he said that She Walks These Hills was haunting, tragic and beautifully written. The way Sharyn McCrumb twisted different plots into her novel kept me wanting to know more and more with each sentence I read. She was able to accurately go from Katie Wyler's time in 1790, to Hiram Sorley's time in 1960, and even to the present day. McCrumb's use of descriptive language and long, flowing sentences made the book much more captivating. From the time that she introduced us to Hiram Sorley in the beginning of the novel, to the time he died in the trailer fire, I grew attached to the escaped convict. McCrumb made me feel sorry for the old man because of the way she questioned his guilt through Hank-the-Yank, the local radio DJ. And the way that Sharyn McCrumb made Martha Ayers look as brave as a soldier, made me have so much respect for her character. I felt as if I have known the characters in the novel all my life because of the specific details given by McCrumb. What made this book so easy to read was McCrumb's use of descriptive vocabulary. I felt as if I was actually there in Tennessee with Martha and Sabrina, and that I was going through the same things that Jeremy Cobb was going through in the woods. Overall, I loved the way that McCrumb went from Katie Wyler and Jeremy Cobb's journey through the woods, to Martha Ayers trying to prove herself by catching Harm Sorley, the escaped convict, who was also trying to find his daughter and ex-wife. It was just so interesting to read about the happenings from the different time periods, but in the end how they all came together as one.

In 1880 Union General Lew Wallace was stationed at a Western outpost when he began writing Ben Hur to dispel the boredom of his job. General Wallace who fought in some of the major campaigns of the Civil War was also questioning the meaning of his faith when the novel was written.

There are few who do not know the basic premise of this novel and fewer still who have not seen the monumental MGM film based on it. This story chronicles the life of Judah Ben Hur and his desire for revenge against the Roman Messala and all of Rome for the wrongs done him and his family.

In plot the story is simple enough. Ben Hur has been wrongly convicted of an attempt to kill the Roman Governor of Judea and sentenced to death on the Roman galleys. His fortune has been stolen and his family locked away in a dungeon. Ben Hur survives the galleys and defeats his enemy in the now famous chariot race at the Circus at Antioch.

If this were the end of Wallace's story we would have been left with a decent story of revenge and nothing more. However, Wallace incorporates into his story (bookends it really) with the story of the Passion of Jesus.

Wallace uses the coming of Jesus to examine the issues of his own faith. To analyze the dual nature of Jesus as King and Redeemer. To Ben Hur and the fiercely nationalist Jews of his time the world was waiting for a King to come to overthrow the power of Rome. Ben Hur sees this king as an element of his revenge against Rome and uses his restored fortune to build an army in support of the king.

By the end of the novel Ben Hur realizes that the King was not to come to overthrow Rome but to be a Redeemer of souls. That the kingdom to be created was not to be one of this world.

Wallace's narrative takes some time to get used to. It is sluggish and detail oriented. Literally everything is described. If you are looking for a fast read this book is not for you. If you are looking for a novel in the grand scale which also works as a powerful religous meditation give this one a try. The book was a great best seller when it was written and it can still be powerful 120 years later.

When this book was first publised in 1880 and up to the late 1920's, Ben-Hur was one of America's favorite books--many many households had a copy. This book is as relevant, accessible and awe-inspiring today as it ever was. If you want to read a life-changing book, pick this one up. You won't be able to put it down.

Ben-Hur is a story of a young Jewish prince who is sent as a to the galleys of the Romans. Saving the captian's life he gets adopted by the captian. Even then his troubles are not over. This book is to the very end. Even then you want to read more!

a strongly negative review written earlier by someone who appears to review only books she dislikes intensely. I read this book by Mary Jo Putney, an author I admire intensely, with mixed feelings. In the end, I decided that the book was not a keeper for me, although it has some fine moments.

Here's why:

The plot is certainly an old and tried one (rich nobleman disguises his identity and goes travelling around) but with a couple of twists - firstly, that he is not looking for love (as the prince in the fairy tale does), and secondly, that he is apparently terminally ill. It is not surprising that he is estranged from his family; somehow most of MJP's heroes are. Because of the two twists in the basic "fairy tale" plot, I found the plot line rather more interesting. There is also the suspense of wondering if the doctor and his brother will catch up with him, and wondering why the doctor is so desperate to see the duke.

From this point of view, the story worked beautifully. There was just enough intrigue and suspense to make it believable, but not too much that would overwhelm both the romantic element and the development of family relationships. [Many Regency historicals are more suspense/intrigue, with the romantic aspect taking secondary place. I find myself disliking such books for the most part].

Mary Jo Putney is a fine writer, and it shows in the book. I believed in the hero, a terminally ill Duke, and in the reasons why he set off without setting his affairs in order, or notifying his brother. [If you have received a severe shock, and your only brother and sister are not exactly warm in their feelings towards you, sometimes your only thoughts are of escape].

I liked the heroine and her family tremendously. While I did not like the fact that the hero deceived her and her family about his identity, I could accept that as another plot device to keep the story going - although I would have preferred a different version.

I have to say that where I was turned off by the story was where the heroine's past is revealed. No spoilers here, but I felt that the story would have been stronger if the new Duchess had been precisely who we thought her to be. This was what made some of MJP's other novels so strong for me [and what has annoyed me about a couple of her later novels]. Constructing this previous identity for her, and having it revealed oh-so-conveniently made matters too easy. Some of the tension seeped out of the story at this point, in my opinion.

I would have given this story three and a half stars, but that option is not available. The story as it was until the revelation of the heroine's real identity merited a higher ranking. All I can say is that I found the revelation of the facts about the Duke's illness intriguing (and wanted to hear more about it), but the story about the heroine's past rather ho-hum. For a better version of *that* kind of story, I recommend THESE OLD SHADES by Georgette Heyer.

I am a 15 year old girl who loves to read but has never set my eyes in a romance novel. I have enjoyed this book completely and have started looking into others. This is a book that will capture your attention time and time again. The author has picked a strong story line and the perfect charactors. This is a book that you will never put down and if you did it would be pure agoney trying not to think of it. It has an unpredictable ending that will have you heart pounding from the romance. I would recomend this book to everyone I know. Please try it for yourself. You won't regret it.

I had never read this author's work before picking up this book. I am delighted to find another author to add to my collection of top-rated works! I know I will be reading more of her books.

The theme and plot for this story are not completely new, because we've all read or seen movies about two lovers who face the death of one of them. What made this unique for me was the time, and the setting: there is a particular helplessness and poignancy in facing a terminal diagnosis when technology isn't there to promise any hope (false or otherwise). The author uses this as an opportunity to explore psychological and spiritual aspects of dealing with one's own - or one's beloved's - mortality. There was a depth of characterization for Stephen and Rosalin that I won't forget, and their dialog and scenes together were so wonderfully natural that I felt like I was looking into someone's window at a real life. Their relationship develops gradually after a fair amount of soul searching, which allows their sexual involvement to flow naturally and with believability - no quick bed hopping here. But it made the story even more enjoyable, and I had some bad moments wondering what would happen to them and how it would end. My only disappointment was that when the end came, it was so swiftly completed; I felt the story "hurried" a little at this point. However, that was not enough to deter me from giving it 5 stars. I plan on both keeping it to re-read in the future, and recommending it to my friends.

This is one of the best books I have read. I've recommended it to many friends and all of them have loved it. Mrs. Campbell blends the topics of personal, social and racial relationships into an incredible work of art. Don't worry about being bored with this novel, because Brothers & Sisters will definitely keep your attention. While reading this book, it was very easy for me to imagine it being brought to the big screen. I think this would make a very enjoyable movie for everyone. I liked the way all the characters were written and how the plot had some twists & turns in it that eventually leads to a satisfying end. As with me, this book will make you a Bebe Moore Campbell fan!

Campbell's Brothers and Sisters is a great book, it depicts the relationships between blacks and whites at a very heated time: the Rodney King riot. This book raises many issues that the American people today must face and overcome..... I truly enjoyed this book and I found that it is very hard to put down. I recommend this book to everyone who can read and understand literature, in other words this book is a must read book for everyone!! Please read the book for those who haven't read it, and for those who have tell me what you think of the book and what other issues and questions this book raises. E-mail me with your response! Areggae@aol.com

Bebe Moore Campbell is definitely the most underated author of our time. Bebe writes books about characters that many of us know (or are) in real life. She writes books that you can step into and feel like you are a part of these people's lives. But I have to say, of all of her books, Brothers and Sisters is by far my favorite! Get this book!!!!

God! I am so in love with the MacGregor clan! In THE MACGREGOR BRIDES, we meet Laura, Gwendolyn, and Julia. Their grandfather Daniel, "the MacGregor", has decided it's time they should wed. He has found the perfect men for them, Royce Cameron, Branson Macguire, and Callum Murdock. He manages to have them cross paths and waits for the sparks to fly. And they do fly! You just can't help but fall in love with these gorgeous men and cheer them on throughout the book. They are the perfect matches to these three incredibly stubborn women, a MacGregor trait. Also included in the story are Justin and Serena Blade, Caine and Diana MacGregor, Alan and Shelby MacGregor, Ian MacGregor, and of course, Daniel and Anna MacGregor. You'll just fall in love with this family. Also try to read THE WINNING HAND, Richard "Mac"(the oldest MacGregor grandson) and Darcy Macgregor's story, and THE MACGREGOR GROOMS, where "The MacGregor" targets his other grandsons DC, Duncan, and Ian. Trust me, you'll love them all!

This is the very first book that I ever read of Nora Roberts and I just have to say that I fell in love. I have bought all most every book she has ever writen and to be honest they all just keep getting better and better. But the Macgregors are near and dear to my heart. You end up feeling like you are a part of the whole MacGregor clan, and who could resist Daniel??? This book is funny and warm. I highly recommend....Do enjoy :)

The MacGregor family is Nora Roberts' most enduring set of characters. This story focusing on the 3 granddaughters of Daniel MacGregor is perfect summertime beach reading. Daniel MacGregor is one of Ms. Roberts' first characters, being the main character in one of her very early serial romance books. I actually "met" him in that book, the story of how he met and romanced his wife-to-be. I was just thrilled to meet up with him again in the Brides' story. He has remained consistent through the years, believing in the grandeur of being in love with that perfect match and meddling in his families' lives so that they can each enjoy their own love affair as he and his Anna have for so many years. Great, easy, enjoyable read.

I was sure I wouldn't like this book, but now I love Joan Johnston. I'm not a full time reader and like a good story that you don't have to read every day to remember. This one kept me reading from start to finish and now I want more of her books. I hope they are this good. Maybe the fact that I have horses and love cutting had something to do with it.

What a great book. It captured my attention from the prologue.

I enjoy books where the characters are strong and opinionated, not wishy washy. The fact that they had an early relationship and have not seen each other in years, just adds to the story. The time spent apart has given them more depth.

The fact that their families have been at odd for years only enchances the story.

Ms. Johnston thank you for writing such a wonderful story.

I found The Cowboy to be a great read. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Trace is everything you want a hero to be - compassionate, romantic, hard driven, understanding. The heroine independent, loving, and giving. They both have a stubborn streak a mile long. The question is which one will give in first.

They have been separated for 11 years and when they come together its explosive. You can feel the sexual tension radiating off of them.

Ms. Johnston has written a superb book filled with strong characters, great dialogue,and humor. Anyone who finds this boring or unromanctic, doesn't know the meaning of the word romance.