Jane Hudson, the daughter of an aging doctor, takes over his practice. She tries to keep secret her love affairs with a DEA agent and treats a wide range of medical problems. Does love win out in the end? Read the book to find out. I'd definitely recommend this one!
I absolutely loved this book! I listened to it on CD and the narrator spoke with a great dialect which made the characters really come to life. It is a simple story about a young girl who leaves her native Ireland for a new life in Brooklyn. Nothing earth-shattering happens, but it is the telling of her story and the play between the characters that make this book come alive. It is similar in style to An Irish Country Doctor - simple but well worth reading.
As promised, here's my review of Love Walked In. It's actually a prequel to Belong to Me, though I don't remember it mentioned that way on the Belong to Me jacket. If I had, I'm sure I would have read them in order and enjoyed Belong to Me much more.
The opening tag line of this book is : Have you ever wanted to rewrite your past? 
Marisa de los Santos shows that just as you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you shouldn't judge the people you meet until you've had the opportunity to really get to know them. Chances are you'll be surprised with what you find. 
I was excited to find this book as I thoroughly enjoyed Beth Harbison's earlier works, Shoe Addicts Anonymous and Secrets of a Shoe Addict. They were great light reading - perfect for the beach or pool and I highly recommend them! When I discovered Hope in a Jar held references to commercials and beauty products from the 80s, the era of my youth, I was even more excited. Unfortunately, I found this book disappointing. I felt no connection to the characters and found the story to be choppy and disjointed. Finally, the 80s references, while nostalgic, weren't incorporated into the writing at all and they were often distracting. I wouldn't recommend Hope in a Jar but definitely pick up Beth Harbison's other books.
This is a long, masterfully written tale about the era and person of King Henry VIII and his last two wives, Anne of Cleaves and Kitty Howard. I listened to the book on CD and enjoyed the use of four voices telling the story from the perspective of four different characters. My daughter, however, read the book; and found the use of a four-party narrative confusing. If, as I assume, Gregory painstakingly researched the time period and its events – then I learned an enormous amount of an era in which I had previously known very little. I now view this historical period with color, depth, and a profound interest. Of course, much of what is portrayed is based on Gregory’s speculation; but I think she does a very credible job. Under her pen the characters come alive to leave a lasting impression on the reader/listener. Her character development of Henry’s two wives is nothing short of amazing. They both mature very differently, but in an extremely appealing (though not entirely happy) fashion. If you read their story on Google, you will find black and white words on paper. Once you read Gregory’s book, the characters are ‘fleshed’ out into living breathing (and sometimes dying) people. I unreservedly recommend this book.
April is National Poetry Month and the library is celebrating!
I often find that I'm usually in the minority when it comes to appreciating and enjoying popular books and movies. It's happened again with Revolutionary Road. Those of you that have been following my reviews know that I tend to base my opinions on how the characters and story affect me. This was the most stressful and depressing story I've ever read.
This book is excellent for lovers of cozy mysteries and history. Daisy is one of those people who stumble over bodies with amazing regularity. Since the story is set in the Tower of London in 1925, she still reacts like a lady was expected to when presented with a distressing scene. However, she is a thinker and likes to figure out the puzzle of what happened. Her Scotland Yard detective husband would of course prefer that Daisy stayed out of it but she never does, and it is Daisy who ultimately figures out the murderer. I have enjoyed all of the Daisy Dalrymple mysteries by Carola Dunn. They are entertaining and amusing and just delightful and they never disappoint me.
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