Book Description
From ABC White House correspondent Martha Raddatz, the story of a brutal forty-eight-hour firefight that conveys in harrowing detail the effects of war not just on the soldiers but also on the families waiting back at home.
In April 2004, soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division were on a routine patrol in Sadr City, Iraq, when they came under surprise attack. Over the course of the next forty-eight hours, 8 Americans would be killed and more than 70 wounded. Back home, as news of the attack began filtering in, the families of these same men, neighbors in Fort Hood, Texas, feared the worst. In time, some of the women in their circle would receive "the call"-the notification that a husband or brother had been killed in action. So the families banded together in anticipation of the heartbreak that was certain to come.
The firefight in Sadr City marked the beginning of the Iraqi insurgency, and Martha Raddatz has written perhaps the most riveting account of hand-to-hand combat to emerge from the war in Iraq. This intimate portrait of the close-knit community of families Stateside-the unsung heroes of the military -distinguishes The Long Road Home from other stories of modern warfare, showing the horror, terror, bravery, and fortitude not just of the soldiers who were wounded and killed but also of the wives and children whose lives now are forever changed.
Customer Reviews:
Thanks .......2007-09-29
Thank you i got the book today and have read a little bit of it .. it got here before i thought it would so thank you
Long Road Home is a quick read........2007-09-24
Martha Raddatz does a good job of making you experience an episode in Iraq from the viewpoint of the soldiers. She lets them tell the story. Perhaps it would have been good to include more of her viewpoint or some corollary material but it is fine book as it is written and portrays an important story in this horrible war.
PHENOMENAL.......2007-09-20
I don't ever write reviews on here but this is one of the best books I've ever read. Written from many different points of views between Iraq and the United States, it pulls you in and makes you want to keep reading. I have told all of my family and friends (and a few random people in the bookstore) they must read this book. it truely is phenomenal and makes me cry and support the soldiers and their families so much.
'Long Road Home' - remarkable view of War on Terror .......2007-09-03
The 'Long Road Home' captures a side to the War on Terror that Americans, or anyone for that matter, rarely glimpse.
Author and journalist Martha Raddatz takes us into the hearts and minds of some of America's sons (and their families) on one of the toughest days in modern military history. We witness a 'from top to bottom' look at how Soldiers, from the Army's 1st Cavalry Division, respond in a series of deadly desperate circumstances - outmanned, outgunned and surrounded. The day - 4 April 2004, aptly became known as Black Sunday - in Iraq.
This is one of those rare insights, through the eyes of those who fought and died ...those who fought and lived ...and those who still fight each day with their demons. Martha Raddatz honored the Soldiers and families of the 1st Cavalry in this deeply moving record of what happened one day in April 2004.
Clearly, she takes the story telling to a higher plain. She's not one to embrace low-hanging fruit of political ax-grinding and blame-game antics. She keeps faith, in writing this book, with the valor of the Soldiers and families she introduces to us.
A harrowing war story, it is also filled with indelible marks of hope, conviction, compassion, determination and courage. Our family was deeply and forever affected by the events of this day of days. 'The Long Road Homes' signature is the telling of many Soldier's experiences - among them, my own son, Corporal Loren Haller.
Simply excellent.......2007-08-24
This is a wonderfully written and compelling book about a fierce battle in Sadr City, Iraq. One of the best war-time books I've ever read.
Book Description
Where would your dream take you if you had a whole year to just travel? But perhaps you're thinking, "if I only knew how to start planning my adventure!" This detailed "how-to" guide will get you moving from the dreaming to the doing in no time at all.
Included is step-by-step, real-life information on planning the trip you've always wanted to take -- along with generous doses of humor and advice on topics such as:
* How to pay for a year away from home * How to unravel all your current commitments - to family, work, and organizations * How to plan on the fly and enjoy every day * How to pack in 3 small drawers and 24" of closet space - for two! * How to handle the emergencies that crop up along the way * And the most asked question: How to enjoy your traveling companion on a 24/7 basis!
Once you've decided to "leave it all behind", Live Your Road Trip Dream takes you along on an action-packed, whirlwind tour of the authors' trip - just to help you visualize what months on the road might really be like, and to offer a glimpse into how decisions and discoveries are made along the way.
This is the ultimate road trip planning guide.
Customer Reviews:
For me, more of a 3 1/2 star book but since halves are not an option, 4 stars........2007-10-03
The first chapters of this book provide excellent guidance for planning a one-year trip away from home. The authors guide you through the entire process of planning and preparation. Definitely four star information. The authors purchased a small RV, set up their budget, rented out their house and got ready to go. This book shares what worked for them and walks you through all the necessary steps that need to be accomplished prior to your departure including a planned/actual budget and a more frugal version. Both budgets seemed high to me, but if the trip were made today, both might be a real bargin.
The second portion of the book, a journal of their year on the road, seemed sketchy and a bit disjointed. There isn't a lot of information on any of the areas visited, so not as useful as it might of been for some actual travel planning. They spent so many nights at hotels that I'm not sure the motor home was a good investment, but the authors thought it was.
If you are considering traveling away from home for an extended period of time, you will find this book a helpful addition to your library along with one or two good travel guides. If, however, you are more interested in reading about traveling the USA in a small RV, Barbara Thacker's books, while older, are fun armchair travel reading along with Ron and Barb Hofmeister's books on full timing in a much larger RV.
Entertaining and loaded with great info.......2007-08-26
This is a very entertaining book loaded with great information about extended traveling. Be it just a few weeks or a year or more, the authors have dispensed great ideas on how to handle the everyday life you leave behind (for whatever period of time).
I finished the book in about a week, reading it for it's entertainment value. I will be retiring soon and my wife and I plan on taking extended "vacations" in our RV. I will read the book again (and again) so I can garner as much information as I can.
listen to the voices of first-hand experience.......2007-07-19
Phil and Carol White amply demonstrate that anyone can live "a road trip dream" as they thoughtfully share their proven insider tips for enjoyable RV travels. Interesting to discover, according to the authors, that a big mistake first-timers make is overplanning. Read this book and "just do it!"
I'd like to start with $80,000 a year too! .......2007-03-09
My family and I are preparing to spend a year full-timing in our 5th wheel camper and thought this book would be helpful in some regards to that. Unfortunately, there were no real bits of information for us to use in planning for our trip. Actually, there was not much at all that was helpful for our purposes.
Great Book - Makes me want to do it!.......2007-02-04
My husband and I have been planning a similar trip for when we retire (in 4 years) but this book actually gives a step-by-step guide to preparing and planning your trip (even a master budget). Carol talks about things that I hadn't thought about (mail, voting, income tax filing, etc.). I couldn't put the book down once I started. It made me wish we could leave sooner. I love the idea of a theme - National Parks. Can't wait to "Live My Road Trip Dream."
Book Description
Thousands of U.S. soldiers have suffered grievous wounds in Iraq, but only one of them is a Doonesbury character. This special collection chronicles seven months of cutting-edge cartooning, during which B.D.-and readers of the strip-got an up-close schooling in a kind of personal transformation no one seeks.
Deprived not only of leg but also his ubiquitous trademark helmet, B.D. survives first-response Baghdad triage, evacuation to Landstuhl's surgeon-rich environment, and visits by innumerable morale-boosting celebs, both red and blue in hue. He's awed in turn by morphine, take-no-guff nurses, his fellow amps, and his family, including the daughter who hand-delivers succor, one aspirin at a time.
Transferred stateside to Walter Reed's Ward 57, B.D. is inspired by the wisdom of physiatrists, warmed by the dedicated ministrations of real-life fellow-amp heroes like Jim the Milkshake Man, and dazzled by high-tech prostheses that cost more than luxury cars. He's annoyed by his own bouts with self-pity, by the bedside awkwardness of friends more comfortable regarding his stump from e-mail distance, and by Zonk's unwavering commitment to supplementing his care with organic meds.
As their journey continues, B.D. and Boopsie are cared for by Fisher House, a home-next-door-to-the-hospital for families whose lives revolve around therapy. B.D. finds himself painfully engaged in building his future, one sadistically difficult physical therapy session at a time. "To Lash, Helga, and the Marquis!" toast the band of differently limbed brethren, raising their glasses to their PT masters as they prepare for reentry into the ambulatory world.
From rebuilding tissue to rebuilding social skills to rebuilding lives, B.D's inspiring, insightful, and darkly humorous story confirms that it can take a village, or at least a ward, to raise a soldier when he's gone down. "Thank you for getting blown up," offers one of B.D.'s visiting players. Replies the coach, "Just doing my job."
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful humorous touching Doonesbury.......2007-03-09
I have been a fan of Doonesbury since high school in the early 1970's, I read it
every day. One of the first books I bought was ``Call Me When You Find America.''
This string of cartoons had an unusual tone -- Trudeau gets a forward from John McCain who used to regard him with ``utter comtempt''-- a serious and dark one behind the humor. It was the first Doonesbury book I could say was moving.
know the sacrifice.......2007-01-18
People die and get hurt in war. That's something we all "know".
But for people who actually have to deal with this fact, the rest of us, our ignornace can be a hurdle.
Trudeau presents this issue with in a way that is accessable to all, and with a humor that may seem out of place; but as my Dad used to say, laughter heals more ills than all the pills.
Moving and Real.......2006-11-03
I really loved this book. It was recommended to me by my graduate thesis professor who is a leading edge researcher in prosthetics. I am also the mom of a disabled son AND I've worked with amputees during my graduate school years. This book speaks to the realities, doubts, and fears of being a disabled person, yet it's hopeful, too. Trudeau really captures the feelings and thoughts of both the amputee and family members. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is wrestling with amputation and/or disability issues and who wants a thoughtful (and sometimes lighthearted--there IS light in the darkness!) view on it. This book is realistic and human. Don't miss it.
"I notice a lot of things now...".......2006-09-21
"Not your time,bro. Not today." With these words,B.D.'s life changes direction forever. In this book, Trudeau has brought home the high price paid by those who go to war, become injured,and must start their lives over again. Trudeau shows how important family , friends and other support are in travelling down that often difficult road to recovery. Who is to blame, is not the issue to these warriors returning to pick up their lives. He shows what an important function that Fisher House provides to both the veteran and the family.
This is probably the Trudeau book that can be read in the shortest time.It took me only 40 minutes and has only 93 pages. That is not important,though;as Trudeau gets the message through and is crystal clear.
This may be one of Trudeau's most important books;particularly since the proceeds from the book will go to benefit Fisher House.
A tip of the hat to Trudeau;and everyone who has been a Doonesbury fan should get behind Gary,buy the book;and help support Fisher House.
Surprisingly effective and even-handed.......2006-03-19
I have been a longtime fan of Doonesbury since it was first syndicated and have literally all of Trudeau's books (including "Trout Fishing in the Reflecting Pool" in the first edition), but I've not been reading it recently. Thus, I was unaware of the plot of this book when I got it. It hit me like a ton of bricks. He really does a great job of telling a complete story here, with humor and pathos and a remarkable amount of sensitivity, while at the same time acknowledging that dealing with a loved one with an amputation, let alone an amputation caused during a war over which great debate rages, can cause legitimate discomfort. A simply remarkable and accessible book. And no, I had no idea what a physiatrist was either.
Book Description
“She can’t be dead!” the young pastor cried as he looked down at the still, white face of his new bride. Blinded by bitterness, Paul Cameron leaves his church and flees to a logging camp deep in the north woods of Wisconsin. There he wrestles with his loss—unable to get Corrine out of his mind and unwilling to make peace with God.
When a falling tree crushes his legs, Paul can run no further. Broken now in body as well as spirit, he must face his own heart as he encounters the love of God in the patient care of his nurse, Abigail Finlayson.
The Long Road Home touches shattered dreams with God’s faithfulness and the possibility of new love in this turn–of–the–century romance.
Customer Reviews:
For all romantics at heart.......2002-06-12
The Long Road Home is a great book for evey romantic at heart. The novel leads readers down a path of adventure and bitter heartbreak. I really enjoyed this novel; many times I had to force myself to put it down! The Bible verses and the characters' faith in God throughout the entire novel were of great encouragement to me. No matter what the circumstance the two characters remain steadfast in their faith. The struggles the characters face are practical and can be easily applied to everyday life,even if you don't experience that particular difficulty. For example,both of th main characters experience the loss of their mate. Both are shattered. Paul becomes bitter, while Abby accepts what is and tries to make the best of it.They find that the best way to deal with your struggles is to give them to God and in doing so life will be much easier. Who knows there may even be a reward ??? Read this book, you won't be sorry you did!
For all romantics at heart.......2002-06-12
The Long Road Home is a great book for evey romantic at heart. The novel leads readers down a path of adventure and bitter heartbreak. I really enjoyed this novel; many times I had to force myself to put it down! The Bible verses and the characters' faith in God throughout the entire novel were of great encouragement to me. No matter what the circumstance the two characters remain steadfast in their faith. The struggles the characters face are practical and can be easily applied to everyday life,even if you don't experience that particular difficulty. For example,both of th main characters experience the loss of their mate. Both are shattered. Paul becomes bitter, while Abby accepts what is and tries to make the best of it.They find that the best way to deal with your struggles is to give them to God and in doing so life will be much easier. Who knows there may even be a reward ??? Read this book, you won't be sorry you did!
A very well written and good story........2002-05-25
I think this book, "The Long Road Home," by Lori Wick is really good. It is something that would appeal to all Christian fiction lovers and is a very entertaining ang good story. It's one that can be read again and again. In my opinion Lori wick writes top rate fiction!
Tragedy in two young lives results in bitterness and fear.......2000-02-10
The youngest Cameron brother, Paul is pastoring his first church when tragedy hits hard. He runs, turns his back on God and his loving family and wishes for death. At the same time, Abigail is burying her beloved Ian, a minister. Ian's father blames her for his death and vows to get even. With this fear, she travels far away and ends up falling back on her nursing experience to care for the critically injured Paul. His anger and her fear cause them to clash until he regains his health and she leads him back to God. What then? I enjoyed this book number 3 of this series by Lori Wick. I would recommend it to those who like easy reading and simple and sweet lives of people of yesteryear.
Well written and engaging.......2000-01-24
I read the first book in this series and fell in love with Lori Wick. The second one, I felt was slow, but I still loved it. This one was wonderful. Ms Wick shows that life is not all roses and rainbows. I like how she had Paul changes so dramatically after his wife died. By the middle of the book, I hardly recognized him from the man at the beginning. Abby was a wonderful character, a strong Christian. They way Ms. Wick weaved these characters together was ingenious. I loved this book and I cannot wait to read the fourth in this series.
Book Description
Jefferson Austin Bonham, or Ty to his few friends, is perfectly content with his life. He has a decent business, a flamboyant male assistant, and a sterile, stripped down apartment. Ty has built himself the kind of life people have always envisioned for him, pushing down his teenage desire to become an artist. He thinks it suits him, has convinced himself that's what he wants. That he has all he needs. It works just fine until a blast from the past breezes in his door, wanting to hire him as an image consultant. Abe is all bad boy, just like he was back in college, needling Ty until he's ready to kiss the man or kill him, one of the two. They fight as hard as they did when they were boys together, but the attraction between them is just as strong as the animosity. Together they start to rebuild Abe's image, renovate old buildings, and realize that sometimes what people expect them to be is not what they want in life. Can Abe convince Ty that there's more to life than black clothes and chrome furniture? And will their past be willing to let go long enough for them to have a future?
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Jefferson Austin Bonham, or Ty to his few friends, is perfectly content with his life. He has a decent business, a flamboyant male assistant, and a sterile, stripped down apartment. He thinks it suits him, has convinced himself that's what he wants. That he has all he needs. It works just fine until a blast from the past breezes in his door, wanting to hire him as an image consultant. Abe is all bad boy, just like he was back in college, needling Ty until he's ready to kiss the man or kill him, one of the two. Can Abe convince Ty that there's more to life than black clothes and chrome furniture? And will their past be willing to let go long wnough for them to have a future?
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The Long Road for Home: The Civil War Experiences of Four Farmboy Soldiers of the Twenty-Seventh Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteer Infantry As Tol
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- El Largo camino a casa
- Unos de mis libros favorito
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El Largo Camino a Casa/ Long Road Home (Best Seller)
Danielle Steel
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ASIN: 8497594096 |
Book Description
Aun otro clasico libro de la popular escritora Danielle Steel.
Customer Reviews:
El Largo camino a casa.......2002-03-09
Esta historia me hizo llorar, se trata de una nina maltratada fisica y mentalmente por su propia madre, al ser abandonada en un convento por su madre ella aprende a querer a las monjas que la educaron, pero cometera el gran pecado de enamorarse de un cura.
Este libro es buenisimo se los recomiendo.
Unos de mis libros favorito.......2001-01-19
Esta es una historia muy buena, es el primer libro que leo de Danielle Steel pero les puedo jurar que es el mejor de todos fue por eso que me e vuelto una fan de Danielle Steel, es un relato muy conmovedor, una vez que lo empece ya no lo pude soltar es bastante buena se la recomiendo, en verdad creo que este a sido el mejor libro que e leido. se trata de una niña que vive con su madre y padre pero a la edad de 3 años es maltratada por la madre aunque el papa lo presenia no hace nada por miedo a la madre, que luego el padre termina abandonando la esposa y la madre se vuelve a casar y la abandona, y luego le sucede muchas cosas interesantes que en verdad te llega al corazon.
Amazon.com
At age 6, our heroine, lovely Gabriella Harrison, a rich kid on Manhattan's Upper East Side, "looked startled much of the time, like an angel who had fallen to earth, and had not known what to expect here." What Gabriella gets is a mother like Lucifer and a father who slips out to sleep with Italian prostitutes while Mrs. Harrison is busy breaking Gabriella's spirit--and sometimes her bones. Gabby's tormentor makes the real-life moms in Mommie Dearest and Mommy Dressing look sweet.
Gabriella gets a better break when her parents divorce and dump her in a convent. She meets a sensitive, older man with a deep, dark secret, and pretty soon they've got some steamy erotic secrets in common.
Unfortunately, he's a priest, and troubles erupt that are too much for any confessional to contain. Soon Gabriella is living on the East Side again, only this time in Mrs. Boslicki's boarding house, where the richness in people's hearts makes up for their relative material poverty. A kindly, retired Harvard English professor resembling Einstein nags her into trying her hand and purging her demons as a writer. "When I say you have talent, young lady, I mean it," says Professor Thomas. "They didn't hire me at Harvard to grow bananas." Will Gabriella have the courage to confront her talent? Can she face her past at last, conquer the future, and land a man to share it? Hey, is this a Danielle Steel novel or not? --Tim Appelo
Book Description
From her secret perch at the top of the stairs, Gabriella Harrison watches the guests arrive at her parents' lavish Manhattan townhouse. At seven, she knows she is an intruder in her parents' party, in her parents' life. But she can't resist the magic. Later, she waits for the click, click, click of her mother's high heels, the angry words, and the pain that will follow. Gabriella already knows to hide her bruises, certain she is to blame for her mother's rage--and her father's failure to protect her.
Gabriella's only escape is through her stories. Only writing can dull the pain of her lonely world. And when her parents' marriage collapses, Gabriella is given her first reprieve, as her mother abandons her to a convent. There, Gabriella's battered body and soul begin to mend. And there, amid the quiet safety and hushed rituals of the nuns, Gabriella becomes a woman. Then a young priest comes into her life.
Joe Connors never questioned his vocation until Gabriella entered the confessional and shared her soul. Confession leads to friendship. And friendship grows dangerously into love. Like Gabriella, Joe is haunted by the pain of his childhood, consumed by guilt over a family heartbreak. With Gabriella, Joe takes the first steps toward healing. But their relationship leads to tragedy as Joe must choose between the priesthood and Gabriella, and life in the real world where he fears he does not belong.
Exiled and disgraced, Gabriella struggles to survive on her own in Manhattan. There, her life as a writer begins. But just when she thinks she is beyond hurt, Gabriella is shattered once again, betrayed by someone she trusts. But in the shattering comes an opening. And through that opening a new beginning, as Gabriella realizes that her only hope for healing rests in the past, in facing her fears, her parents, and the terrible questions that have plagued her since childhood. For Gabriella, an extraordinary journey begins--one of courage, revelation and forgiveness--a journey to healing that comes full circle in The Long Road Home.
With profound insight, Danielle Steel has created a vivid portrait of a child's broken world and a woman's unbreakable spirit. A work of daring and compassion, The Long Road Home is more than riveting fiction. It is an inspiration to us all.
Customer Reviews:
Not the best book.......2006-08-31
Normally I enjoy reading Danielle Steel books but I found this one to be way off base and I could barely stand to finish it. I found that the romance between Gabbie and the priest to be awful and the fact that he killed himself over it to be worse. The priest and Gabbie were both weak and that would not happen like that in real life I do not believe. Their whole romance was one of the worst things I have ever read. Then the ending of the book was horrible also how can she fall in love with someone whom she hardly knows and has never seen outside of a hospital talk about a violation of the doctor patient relationship! The ending of the book left a lot to be desired I would not recommend this book to anyone after reading the whole book.
Unbreakable Spirit.......2006-06-05
The Long Road Home is one of the most touching books I have ever read. I absolutely loved this book and it goes to show that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel. Gaberiella never gave up hope, no matter what came along she always found a way to overcome the obstacles . This book has a tendency to get you right in the heart. The Long Road Home was definitely an inspirational novel that left me speechless.
You've Got to Be Kidding Me.......2006-01-01
I cannot believe all the 5 star reviews for this book. If you want to read a book filled with graphic descriptions of child abuse, then this book is for you. I am a DS fan, but I was shocked and disturbed by this book. BUT, perhaps that's what DS wanted to achieve, and if so, she succeeded. But for me, I will stick to her other, uplifting stories that are not so brutal.
Loved it... except the ending!!!.......2005-11-23
I fell in love with the charactor of Gabbie and the nuns however... I felt like the ending seriously needed some help. Although thats how it is with most of her books... it stopped a little too abruptly and I was thinking "Thats it?!?" But it is a really amazing story of love and strength and courage and it was very inspiring. It was one of my favorites.
Shauntae G........2005-09-29
The Long Road Home is a spectactular book. I loved it! It's about a girl named Gabbie growing up with an abusive mother who beats her day in and day out, and a father who's confused about what to do about the beatings. Gabbie's lived with the beatings ever sense she was born and when her father finally said he couldn't take it anymore and abandoned his wife and her she finally got out of that house. Her mother took her to live in a convent while she, ran away to another state with her boyfriend. Later Gabbie finally finds what love is really like and what having a good life is like.
I strongly recommend this book for young adults and adults.
Customer Reviews:
Four Gems!.......2006-07-20
Let me begin by saying, this book is entirely out of the realm of my normal reading habits, but something about it looked so inviting on the discount shelf at the Christian Book Store, and I'm not one to pass up a great bargain. I thought I'd give it a try and if nothing else, I could give it my daughter who enjoys romance novels. What I found in BOUND BY LOVE was an absolute gem that was far more than I ever expected.
The book is written by four different authors, each covering a different saga in budding romance and family lineage, spread over four centuries and each having guardianship over a Gutenberg Bible. It begins in 1715 with a spectacular story written by Cathy Marie Hake. I thought surely the editors assigned Mrs. Hake the task of hooking the reader into a rather enthralling story, which she accomplished remarkably well, and the book would quickly go downhill from there. My apologies to the other author's.
I must admit, upon finishing the first story, I cheated a bit and turned to the back of each story to find different writers, the second of which is none other than Mrs. Hake's High School aged daughter, Kelly. I won't go so far as to say Kelly's story was the best written of the four, but it was the most interesting, to me at least. Her story takes place in the early 1800's and revolves around a British Earl has hired an aged bookbinder to refurbish his library. The bookbinder brings along his helper, who happens to be a 24 year old demure daughter with a profound love for books of antiquity.
The third story resumes at the onset of WWII, with the book being housed by an antique book dealer in London. Only the second of the two original Gutenberg volumes remains and must be guarded against falling into the hands of those who want it returned to Germany. The old dealer entrusts his American born granddaughter with the book and it's safe passage to America.
Finally, we end in present day Dallas with the shortest of the four stories. This is my least favorite, but may be very likely due to the accurate portrayal of how life itself has degenerated over the generations as much as the story itself. Don't get me wrong, the story is well written, though it did come off as a bit rushed and highly unplausable. Also, the repetitious inclusion of Christianity comes off as forced and becomes detrimental to the overall story.
Overall, this is a gem of a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good CLEAN romance novel. I also recommend this to newly married couples. You will find words here that will enhance your relationships.
Pastor Monty Rainey
Inspirational, historical romance at its finest!.......2005-11-08
This wonderful book was such a joy to read that I wish I had gotten around to it much sooner than the year it languished on my bookshelf! I suppose it's because I'd been making a conscious effort to steer away from historical romances, and it came as a delightful surprise to discover that this was not a typical one. It was a refreshing difference that men were not the usual chauvanistic, domineering and arrogant characters who expected their women to be submissive and obedient.
Right From the Start by Cathy Marie Hake is set in Germany in 1715. Lady Lorice was promised to Gareth of Ravenhurst when they were both children. Over the years, their families became bitter enemies, and it came as a great surprise to them that the betrothal agreement hadn't been rescinded by the time their parents died. Gareth honors the promise, willingly enters into the arranged marriage, and treats Lorice with a touching amount of kindness, acceptance and protectiveness. As their lives are threatened by an unknown force, their trust and love blossoms through daily mediations over the precious family Bible, a rare original Guttenberg.
My favorite story in the collection is A Treasure Worth keeping by Kelly Eileen Hake, which I was amazed to learn was written by a high school student! Set in Regency England in 1832, it centers around the renovation and cataloguing of the Earl of Pemberton's massive personal library. Fed up with the spoiled debutantes his mother attempts to match him with, he delights in the refreshing presence of the book restorer's intelligent daughter. Love blossoms when they discover a secret room containing, amongst other treasures, the Ravenhurst family Bible.
Of Measureable Worth by Joan Croston is set in London during WW II. Ann Heydon works in her grandfather's vintage bookstore, where she meets and is courted by writer Peter Austin. When the Nazi's threaten the shop's Ravenhurst family bible, Ann must secretly carry it to America for safekeeping. Peter follows her, Ann must decide if he is on her side or with the enemy.
My least favorite story of the collection was set in present-day USA. The Long Road Home by Joan Livingston was almost offensively preachy. Instead of being inspiring with its Christian and Biblical message, its heavy-handedness became a turnoff. Nick is a reformed criminal who admirably turned his life around with the help of a benefactor and newfound faith in God. He is attracted to a rough-around-the-edges waitress named Angela, but she doesn't share his faith or understand his calling to do missionary work. When Nick's benefactor dies and leaves him the Ravenhurst family Bible, will it draw Nick and Angela to a common ground together or pull them apart forever?
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Books Index
Books Home
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