Romance Books

I loved this series. It had just the right amount of suspense and steam for me.

I did not read the other books in the series, but i absolutly loved this one. I couldn't put it down for the whole 2 days it took me to finish it. It's a great story with a great theme, and you actually feel like you're there. If you like any other Nora Roberts books then you have to read this one!

This book, which is a part of a trilogy, doesn't let you down if you are a reader of Nora Roberts. It will make you feel good and keeps you interested with the dipiction of the main characters, three "brothers," who have been adopted after experiencing extremely difficult childhoods and develope into very exciting, exceptional adults. The trilogy is about the power of love and how it can overcome extremely difficult barriers.

Phillip Quinn has made something of himself. He is an educated accountant and has a high profile job that he loves. He struggles daily to keep a balance between the life he built for himself and the promise to his family to be there for Seth.

Sybil Griffin shows up claiming to be doing research for a new book, but then it comes out that she is in fact Seth's biological aunt. That puts the family on notice. The brothers know that she could claim Seth and destroy the family that they have lovingly put together.

Phillip is used to women falling at his feet, but when he meets Sybil he is hooked. When he finds our about her deception, he tries to resolve his feelings for her and still be loyal to the family. It has taken the four brothers a long time to build their lives and to become a family, and as Sybil begins to see this, she sides with them.

Great story to complete the series. I like the way the new characters mix with my old favorites. The only problem is that is leaves you dieing to find out what happens to Seth. Read Chesapeake Blue to find out what happens to Seth

I loved this book! Working at a crisis pregnancy center as well as knowing girls who have gone through this situation themselves, I thought the book was acurate. As a Christian I thought the struggles between, her and God were very accurate too. Being a Christian doesn't mean happy all the time, but through struggles we question God, we doubt, we hurt, yet we trust in God to answer those prayers and trust Him enough to go to him when we are hurting the most. I thought the book was greatly written and the characters portrayed great. Ethan is a real guy...I see all the time. Her roommate thinks she knows the best for her but doesn't. Her parents want the "best" for their daughter yet they forget to deal with their own feelings and past. It was very real and I loved the book!

Atonement Child from Francine Rivers is a pivotal book dealing with the issue of abortion. At times, it has been criticized for not being realistic enough, but to those who've said that, they've missed the point. Though it was written in 1997 and some of the references might seem a bit dated, the message stays the same. If you were stripped of all your comforts; home, friends, future . . . would you still serve God? I read this book when it first came out, when Christian Fiction with issues was a new genre. I decided to read it again when it tumbled from my book closet. I'm glad I did.

What an amazing masterpiece. This book is what made me want to go into a career with girls struggling with teenage pregnancy. Such a hard topic but Rivers writes so well and depicts so perfectly the battle in Dynah's mind and heart. So honest. My favorite book!

I simply love every book I've read by Francine Rivers. A message that stands out to me and is a prevalant theme in her stories is that we need to listen for God's answers. This is so hard to do since life is so rushed and we're all so impatient. I first read The Mark of the Lion series because it was given to me by a good Christian friend. I would start reading it, then put it down again. There's a lot of backgound information at the beginning that is very deep, especially if you haven't read much of the Bible. I'm guilty of not reading mine enough. These books, however, made me pick up my Bible and start reading again. If you haven't read this series, please do. Hadassah's story will change your outlook on life.
I'm actually still reading The Atonement Child. I stayed up until 2 A.M. reading it last night and plan to finish it today. Ms. Rivers does a superb job of broaching this delicate subject. She also makes you feel like you are Dynah. As I struggle daily with waiting for God's answers, these books give me the assurance that God is there and He has a plan for us all. Perhaps the message in this book is that Dynah had to go through this trying experience to change the people around her and bring them back to God. Thank you, Francine Rivers, for your excellent work in Christian fiction!

I was very touched reading this book... for the second time. I love that it shows that no one has to be a victim, that God can carry us through anything... that He is faithful, even when we are faithless - because He can not deny Himself. I became connected to the characters, I felt their emotions with them... I felt emotions against some. In other words, this writing really drew me in, it was written wonderfully.
God's love is strong and powerful, and He is able to birth us all through the fire it we're willing.

When an independent beauty asks for lessons in love from a rake who is notorious for his extraordinary lovemaking skills, a tale of sensually blistering passion and unexpected emotion is guaranteed to follow.

Having seen her parents destroy themselves in a loveless marriage, Roslyn Loring is determined to marry for nothing less than true love. She attends a Cyprian's masked ball in an attempt to find out what makes a man fall for a woman. It's there that she meets Drew Moncrief, the Duke of Arden, who is on the prowl for a mistress. Roslyn successfully evades him for a short time, but doesn't escape him altogether until after the two have shared a briefly passionate encounter. When Roslyn is confronted by Drew at her sister's wedding to his best friend, she has no choice but to admit to the suspicious Drew the true reason behind her attendance at the ball. When she goes so far as to ask him for lessons in seduction so she can seduce her handsome neighbor into proposing, Drew cannot refuse.

When Drew sees the familiar face of Roslyn Loring at his friend's wedding, it doesn't take long before he places her as the young woman he met at the ball. He threatens to expose her to her family if she doesn't tell him the truth behind her risqué behavior. Once he gets past the initial shock of Miss Loring's request to teach her the ways of seduction, he finds he cannot refuse her. When those lessons go beyond simple instruction and the two become intimate, Drew can no longer bear the thought of continuing to prime Roslyn for another man. He wants her for himself, but convincing Roslyn that he is ready to put his rakish ways behind him won't be easy. It appears that Drew may well have a lesson or two to learn from his delicately beautiful pupil.

TO BED A BEAUTY is the second in a three-book "Courtship Wars" series by Nicole Jordan. I read this book before reading the first book and enjoyed it very much as a stand-alone novel. I didn't feel as any details were missed by my not having read the first book. Roslyn is an independent, highly intelligent woman who is determined to marry on her own terms rather than those set out by society. Her strong feelings after the heartache and pain she and her sisters experienced at the hands of their parents are excellently written. Drew is a rake, a real ladies' man who is determined to never marry. Having been raised by a coldhearted mother he has his own reasons to avoid shackling himself to a woman. Watching these two fall for each other, incredulous at the deep emotions the other has stirred, was highly enjoyable. Secondary characters and events serve to enrich this wonderful story without detracting from Roslyn and Drew. Ms. Jordan is undoubtedly one of the masters of historical romance and I highly recommend this book as well as any of her previous work. I did go back and read the first book in this series, TO PLEASURE A LADY, and equally enjoyed it, but haven't yet read the third book, TO SEDUCE A BRIDE. If you enjoy fine historical romance, I hope you won't miss this latest series from Nicole Jordan.

I love all three books of the Courtship Wars Trilogy! Jordan's tone in this trilogy is 'lighter' (there's more light humor) than in her previous romances, but that doesn't mean the LOVE is any less intense -- the simmering heat between hero and heroine are very much alive and kicking.

In fact, Roslyn (the middle sister of the Lorings) has a very carefully planned strategy for winning the hand of a respectable gentleman, which involves pleasing him as a mistress would... since she has always noticed that men seem to LOVE their mistresses more than their wives. She hopes to act like a mistress in order to attract the 'right' man to marry her (and, fall in love with her, for she wants genuine love), but she has no experience in these matters. The man who can teach her these things is the Duke of Arden; he doesn't believe in love matches at all, so he feels he can teach Roslyn these things without falling for her -- this will prove to be much more difficult than he ever dreamed!

Roslyn and Drew are full-blooded, four-dimensional characters, complete with hearts and souls, who fall hard for each other. And wow do they have some beautiful love scenes together. Another reviewer wrote that Nicole Jordan puts the 'steam' in steamy. I'll second that!

She is an amazing author who draws you in, page by page. Her plots and characters are believable, real, and you cannot help but want to know more... and THEN you want to read the third book (To Seduce a Bride), another winner!

Enjoy the ride!

I am very sorry I bought all three books at once. The first two are just terrible(except that she writes good love scenes)... but there is the barest shadow of a plot in each connected by love scenes! Now I read that Book 3 is even worse. Do yourself a favor and read some of her earlier books and skip these.

Roslyn Loring is determined to forge her own path of love and happiness. To that end, she engages her friend Fanny, a notorious Cyprian, to help Roslyn learn the art of seduction from a courtesan's point of view, so that Roslyn might snag a husband. Roslyn believes that husbands are generally more enamored of their mistresses than their wives, and she wants more than just a marriage of convenience. However, at the ball, Roslyn encounters the Duke of Arden, a reputed rake and the best friend of Roslyn's future brother-in-law. Attempting to escape his notice, lest he later recognize her as the sister of his best friend's bride, Roslyn escapes to a private room at the party--not expecting that the duke will follow her.

When Drew Moncrief attends a Cyprians' masked ball, his first intention is to find a new mistress. When the only woman he finds himself interested in, an innocent-looking blond temptress, flees his company, Drew finds himself determined to give chase. He attempts to secure the woman as his own, using skilled seduction and soft words, only to find that the woman then flees his company for good. And when he meets up with her again at his best friend's wedding, he realizes why she fled. Roslyn is a lady, not at all the sort of woman who should be in the company of courtesans. And when she asks Drew's help in learning the art of seduction, he finds himself compelled to assist her.

To Bed a Beauty is the second book in Nicole Jordan's Courtship Wars series, following To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1). This series is focused on a push-pull relationship between the hero and heroine, keeping tensions high until the pair manage to fall in love. In this book Roslyn was an absolute delight, a strong, confident woman who refuses to settle for anything less than true love. Roslyn is content with her simple life, but wants more for her future than just a marriage of convenience. She saw her parents endure such a union and knows that a marriage full of secrets and infidelity would not suit her. She wants passion, she wants children, and she wants love. To that end, she is willing to do anything to obtain them, even using the more-than-willing duke as her tutor. On the contrary, Drew Moncrief is a man who knows nothing of love. His mother is a purported ice queen, and Drew has been used for his money and title more often than he can count. He agrees to help Roslyn in her attempts to find love, though he finds the idea abhorrent, just so that he can get his hands on the beauty, though he doesn't expect to fall in love.

I liked To Bed a Beauty infinitely more than the first book in the series, and am eager to see how Jordan wraps up the story of the third Loring sister in To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars, Book 3). This series is full of confident young heroines who don't need a man to make them happy, but who understand that finding true love will round out their already fulfilling lives. These books can be read out of sequence, but I'd definitely recommend picking up To Pleasure a Lady before reading this book.

If you were expecting a new turn on this tired theme then I am the bearer of bad news.

The first half of "TBAB" is good and slowly builds the sensual tension to a fevered pitch. There is chemistry between Drew and Roslyn and some excellent hero-jealousy. However, from the moment these two have sex for the first time, "TBAB" follows every formulaic romance you've ever read. There was nothing fresh or new to hold my attention. I was so disappointed I actually groaned aloud at one point because at every turn I seemed to know what would happen next.

I read book 1 and 2; book 3 I will save my money.

Hotel Liaison is JLee Meyer's fourth book and although the other books are very well written, this novel simply takes it to the next level. It stands alone as a masterful piece of work.

One feels they are on a personal journey with this group of inspiring women as they each grow into their strength. The Hotel serves as their home, their fortress. It becomes the reader's home too.

JLee's novel is an exciting romance, poignant, historically empowering and very realistic. The struggles these women face are struggles many of us can relate to. There are abusive relationships in real life, there are financial woes from time to time, and there is the hope of love to keep us going.

Excellent! ~CC

Abuse exists in many forms. It can exist within relationships, organizations, or societies. Hotel Liaison is a romance that has at its heart abuses of several different types.

Stefanie Beresford and her friends are trying to restore an old hotel with the idea of creating a business that would cater only to women. Things have not been going well as they've found themselves beset with unreliable contractors, cost overruns and mounting mortgages. The entire project seems endangered when they break through a wall and find a secret cache of old papers that indicate, ironically, that the hotel might have been a meeting point for women in the past and might have historical significance. Laurel Hoffman is an assistant professor specializing in women's studies who is respected by her colleagues and admired by her students, but she's trapped in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship with her partner who also happens to be the chairman of her department. When one of her students suggests she might be interested in looking at some old papers found on a construction site she's working on, Laurel uses it as a temporary escape from problems at home. The papers bring Laurel, Stefanie and an interesting group of women together for several missions. They find themselves not only trying to save the hotel and Laurel, but dealing with the misuse of power by businessmen and within families. There is also a conspiracy lurking in the background trying to undermine everything they do. As Laurel and Stefanie are drawn closer together, they realize there is more to fight for than just their relationship and more to win than a chance for love.

Hotel Liaison is Meyer's strongest book so far. The characters are much better developed and the plot is more complex. There are some weaknesses. Some points in the book are just a little too convenient and contrived; however, the interlacing of the different story lines keeps the reading fresh and the conspiracy theory is interesting. This book has a little bit for lots of people - romance lovers, mystery lovers, historians and conspiracy buffs.

I usually reserve 5 star ratings for the small number of lesbian romances that are exceptional. Hotel Liaison scores highly because the author has done something different and original.

I have only read one other book by Ms. Meyer, Rising Storm, and wasn't gripped by the throat at all, but this new romance is one of the most enjoyable I've read recently. The idea of women renovating a women only hotel and uncovering a fascinating history is a winner. This plot could have been dusty and dry, but Ms. Meyer created a cast of characters who bring the story to life, from runaway Ember to her unlikely ally, elderly Mrs. Castic.

Most important among them is Laurel Hoffman, who is smothered in an abusive relationship with her boss. Both women are academics and the partner, Rochelle, uses her power in this setting to intimidate Laurel into being less than she really should be at home and in her career. Kudos to Ms. Meyer for making this destructive relationship believable without being black and white. Laurel plays a role in her own unhappiness and her journey to break free is one of the most compelling parts of this book.

The romance between Laurel and Stephanie was rewarding and touching without being over the top. I was left with the feeling that there is more to be told. Sequel please! Hotel Liaison is a well-written story with a very good plot and characters that feel real. These are women you could hope to meet and sit down for a cup of coffee with. The writing is pleasant and there are touches of humor that also make reading a pleasure. I closed the covers with a sigh and a smile. I want to thank Ms. Meyer for writing a romance a cut above the ordinary in every way.

Forever Found was amazing--senstitive, multileveled, intriguing characterizations, deftly crafted, absorbing. Hotel Liaison, however, simply defies description--IT STUNS the reader's senses; IT INVIGORATES the reader's viscera; IT RENEWS the reader's spirit; IT is a most astonishing work.

I've read all of JLee Meyer's past novels and I believe that this is the best work that she's done to date. Originally when I read the premise of the book I wasn't sure what to think, but having read JLee Meyer's books in the past I ordered it. I'm so glad that I did!

There are not only 2 strong central characters, Stephanie, the hotel owner and Laurel, a history prof of Women's Studies at the nearby university, but there are also several other critical players in this book. They all have a story to tell and the reader is struck by how women can work well to help each other, that is except one person who Laurel must face head on in order to save her own life, the life that she needs to live. The women in this book are young, old and in between, but they need to learn from each other in order to keep the hotel.

A secret room is discovered....and it holds secrets from the past that actually link to the present. Those secrets might save the hotel, or they might be the hotel's downfall.

There's a surprise visit in the book by a character from JLee's other novels and it works so well that I was cheering the closing pages of the book.

This is a novel that will leave you smiling. I'm looking forward to the series that the author has said this will become. I can see where the strong women in this novel leave a lot of stories still to be written.

Go out and buy this book. Then go and stay at a boutique hotel and see if you look at it the same way again. :>)

I have been a SEP fan for several years. However, with each of her recent books she has chosen to insert more and more personal political points of view through her characters until that's now the story. I read a novel to get away from that. It pulls the reader out of the story and into the New York Times.

This is my first SEP book, and I wasn't disappointed. Was a bit leery at first (main female character in a beaver suit??), but found I couldn't put the book down. Fast-paced and funny, solid writing. Blue and Dean were both interesting characters I wanted to find out more about, and I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Very humorous and warm story. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Blue Bailey has played the sucker for love role one too many times. On the two occasions where her ex-boyfriend Monty professed his undying love to her, Blue's left everything behind, and packed up her belongings to follow her guy wherever he would go. Unfortunately, the second time she's made the move, she was hit with a nasty surprise. It seems that Monty has made himself at home in a new town and with a new woman. Now she has to pick up the pieces of her broken heart - and bank account.

Blue is certain that she will have to make do in the state of Colorado where she has no friends or family to lean on for help or support - that is until she meets Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard.

While driving, on his way to Tennessee, Dean catches Blue who is dressed as a headless beaver, pacing down the highway. This comical scenario peaks his interest, so he stops and offers her a ride. Pride already in shreds, she realizes that she has no other option and decides to unwillingly go with this gorgeous stranger who irritates her from the very beginning.

Throughout their travels, they bicker and fight to the death and you begin to think no two individuals are more wrong for each other than they are. But, as the story moves forward, we begin to see that the two of them suffer from painful pasts and trust issues that causes them to react the way that they do.

I got so much more from NATURAL BORN CHARMER than a romance. It's a story that also speaks of forgiveness, moving on and the importance of family. It isn't easy to tie in serious themes with light hearted comedy - but that's what makes SEP a great author.

Have never read this author before. A friend gave me this book. I have to say, I laughed out loud many times reading this book. Especially the beginning chapters. The author writes with humor and is very descriptive. I had a visual of everything going on. I loved the book. I also liked the fact that the woman character wasn't some terrific beauty and how the relationship between her and "Boo" developed.

I love to read. Moreover, I love to read romantic comedies. So I am at a loss as to why it took me so long to discover an author who, for good reason, has had legions of loyal fans for years! I was first introduced to Susan Elizabeth Phillips (or SEP which those of us "in the know" [wink, wink] like to call her) a couple of years ago when `AINT SHE SWEET' was first published. I bought it, I loved it. I then could not wait for her next book `MATCH ME IF YOU CAN' which immediately became one of my all time favorite books. So it was obvious that when `NATURAL BORN CHARMER' came out I ordered it on the spot. Regretfully it took me almost a year to the day of purchasing it to actually read it, but let me tell you it was well worth the wait!

SEP has a way of creating characters that her readers genuinely care about, a story that engulfs you and can weave a tale of romance that will leave even the ficklest of readers wanting more, and more, and more. In `NATURAL BORN CHARMER' she reintroduces us to Dean Rolbillard star player for the Chicago Stars football team who, in search of a much needed respite from the chaos of his everyday life, heads down to his Tennessee vacation home. He soon meets Blue Bailey who is also in need. She needs a roof over her head, a job and time to sort out the mess her life has become. These two soon find out that they have more in common than an instant attraction. They both come from similar childhoods and they both are stubborn, headstrong and not willing to give an inch. All of which makes this novel a ton of fun.

At the heart of this story, yes, it is a romance but there is so much more to it than that. It is about family, reconciliation, willingness to forgive and being able to look past some serious rough edges in order to see the good in people. All of which may sound a bit cheesy but believe me SEP makes it work.

I have a list of "go to authors" as I like to call them. They are the authors that I can always count on to produce quality work, who I know will never let me down. Now Susan Elizabeth Phillips, you my friend, are definitely on that list, I thank you.

Love this entire series! This book follows right along with the previous great stories. Can't put her books down!

Lauraine Snelling has done it again! What a wonderful continuation of the Bjorklund/Knutson family saga. Snelling enables one to get completely lost in her books. You laugh out loud, you cry and most importantly, you feel encircled by the love that her characters exude. I can't wait for Rebecca's story!

This is an incredible book. I couldn't put it down. Finished it in one day. Excellent author for period writing

Lauraine Snelling's writing embraces me with the sense of home and family that everyone longs to belong to. I enjoyed reading more about Ingeborg's family and her growth in faith. Getting to know Grace was a delight as she faced the heartaches of destroyed dreams but finds a path better than she imagined. I liked hearing her perspective on others' reactions to her handicap. I missed the last book in this series and now feel I have to read it to catch up with Sophie, and I look forward to the next one about Rebecca Baard and how she works through the pain of having lost both her parents.

In 1900 Blessing, North Dakota eighteen years old Grace Knutson was born deaf. However, her mother refused to allow her daughter to wallow in silence. Instead she learned and taught anyone interested how to use sign language. Grace complemented that by also learning how to read lips.

Grace has always been in love with Toby Valders, who works at the local mill when he is not in a brawl; she is also his only friend. His haughty mother feels strongly that a deaf mute is not good enough for her son. Affluent New Yorker Jonathan Gould comes to Blessing at the invitation of Grace's aunt to learn first hand life on a farm. He is unsure he will survive the difficult rugged lifestyle except for that fact that he wants Grace, who inspires him to be all he can be.

The third Blessing inspiration historical saga is an entertaining tale that enables the reader to vividly see life on the Northern Plains at the turn of the previous century. Especially enlightening is observing the hard often harsh lifestyle through the eyes of big city Jonathan as he provides a fresh perspective how difficult it can be. Through the hard winters that embellish the isolation, faith in the Lord keeps the Knutson brood and their neighbors going and ready to face anything. This is a fine entry, but references to the past as described in the previous novels (see SOPHIE'S DILEMMA and A PROMISE FOR ELLIE) behooves fans to read them first so as to understand their context. Still this is a delightful story as fans will wonder if Grace will stay inside her comfort zone (Toby), take a risk on the new player on the farm (Jonathan), or neither.

Harriet Klausner

I ordered a paperback and was sent an audio tape. I am returning the item.

What a wonderful Irish story. Its filled with fun, happiness, sadness, love and a bunch of Irish Fairies. Great read...especially of you love Irish tales.

This was a fine sequel to "Jewels of the Sun." The characters were sweet. On the whole, the book is quite simple, but it's an easy read and definitely worth a look if you are a Nora Roberts fan.

A lovely story about childhood friends who move past the platonic brotherly/sisterly relationship they've cultivated over the years into an abiding love firmly rooted in friendship and appreciation of the other. I love Nora Robert's style of writing! It oozes with Irish charm and magical folklore.

Irish Trilogy - Book 2

The second story brings Shawn to find his destiny. After Jude and Aidan marry, he takes up residence in the haunted cottage where continues with his compositions and music. He is perfectly content until fate puts Brenna in his way.

Brenna O'Toole has always loved Shawn, but has never done anything about it. When she decides to stop sitting on the sidelines and take control, she pushes Shawn beyond his limit.

It takes magic and a ghost to get them to resolve their differences, and love each other.

Precisely because this book is written in a "read between the lines" fashion, one is forced to look within one's self; thus the reader is lead to seek and find his/her own understanding.

I found this book to be very interesting. It goes into great detail about the symbolism of the story of the Grail, and Johnson shows you how you can use mythology to relate to your own inner experience. That being said, I thought that there were not enough example of how certain things play out in everyday life. I was hoping that he would say how a man shows his mother complex, or how the father archetype shows itself in man's development. (Ironically, there is no mention of the father archetype at all!) The analysis basically boils down to a man needing to understand his feminine side, which I have frankly heard enough of in my psychoanalytic studies. I do believe it is important, and I would dread life without being in touch with the feminine, but why can't Jungian psychology move on? Why is there so little talk about the father? Why is it that every book I pick up tells me that I need to be in touch with my anima? I get the picture.

In addition, Johnson mentions that the masculine search within ends with a higher understanding of the self, but he ends rather abruptly. I wish that there was more about the mysteries of the self, and how the masculine enhances the self, but there is no such discussion.

If you think about this book enough, you will see that it is lacking very much, and it is better as a primer about the story of the Grail than it is about masculinity and the struggles of men today. It still has strong interpretive value, and it teaches us things to look for in mythology. So I would still recomend it for anyone.

After gaining personal insights that I had never seen articulated so well, I gave HE to all my sons -5 - one of whom told me "that HE was a book which should be made mandatory reading for every boy in high school. HE helps put the forces which drive male psycholgy in perspective and balance incredibly well.

This book is disjointed, underdeveloped, and, at times, cursorily written. Why, then, the four gold stars?

Because it reveals every man's story: through the retelling of the deeply symbolic Grail Legend, it unmasks many of the landmark trials in man's psychological development, and it does so in an unassuming way.

Some of the trials Mr. Johnson addresses are:

1) The Fisher King Wound - that happy fall that casts him out of his "ignorant paradise" into duality and starts him on the arduous path toward redemption and wholeness.
2) The healing function of the Inner Fool (the childlike unconscious)
3) The Red Knight killing (overcoming the Shadow and using its power for strength)
4) The poison of the Mother Garment (overcoming the mother complex)
5) Learning from the Godfather (furthering one's masculine development)
6) The mother death (the necessary separation from the mother in the transition from boy to man)
7) Blanche Fleur (the Anima, or internal feminine motivator) and her danger
8) The Hideous Damsel (Doubt, Hatred) that motivates a new grail search
9) Consulting the Old Hermit (our wise, introverted aspect within that leads us toward the Grail)
10) The true meaning of the Grail

I saw myself on every page and had many awakenings about my identity, about masculinity, even about the development of western civilization.

The writing at times may be muddled, but this book is a rich and momentous journey which will help you on your own.

This small book actually began with 10 lectures given by Robert Johnson at an Episcopal Church. Thus they are concise and do not offer a broad array of examples. I found the book to be excellent and found it much more to the point that Emma Jung's long study of the Holy Grail myth in all it permutations.

Of course, as a Jungian, Johnson sees mythology as reflecting underlying psychological and spiritual processes that take place in the human psyche. These myths are spontaneous images from the unconscious and contain both psychological and spiritual truths. Myths allow the interaction of archetypes, which are patterns of life that are universally true for humans. Myths are to mankind as dreams are to an individual. Therefore a dream shows the dreamer a truth about themselves whereas the myth shows mankind a truth that applies to all of us.

Individuation is a process that Jung describes as a life long movement toward wholeness and completion. It involves the life long expansion of consciousness and the ability of the conscious ego or personality to reflect the total self. One interpretation of Jesus Christ is that of a man who has been able to allow the unconscious to fill up the self and be always present in the personality. Because God the Father moves through and emerges in the world through the human unconsious, Christ may say that he and the Father are one.

A primary first step in the individuation process is the confrontation with the Shadow. Actually the confrontation with various aspects of the Shadow continue throughout a lifetime, but the first encounter is usually of great psychological power. The negative repressed side of the personality, that longs for acceptance and integration, continually follows the ego until the strength is mustered to face the shadow, accept the shadow, and then integrate the shadow into the personality which increases the energy and strength of the personality/psyche because energy is no longer used to suppress the shadow.

After the shadow is integrated, many people then may develop to the point where they can integrate the anima/animus, which is the characteristics of the opposite sex into their more complete psyche. It is here that Johnson points out the Parsifal and quest for the Holy Grail is in fact a myth of the male reconciliatoin with the anima who becomes a guide and leads him to the Grail.

Here Emma Jung and Robert Johnson would have slightly different interpretations of the Holy Grail myth. Whereas both see the anima as being essential to reaching the Grail, Johnson believes the integration of the feminine, the Anima, is a major and tricky task for young men. Also, whereas Emma Jung saw the grail as serving mankind as an expanded consciousness through which much psychic material may now flow; Johnson sees that the grail serves mankind through and expanded consciousness but also serves God because it is through this expanded consciousness that God flows into human interactions and becomes real and active in the world. This is a philosophical and theological issue of great importance. The first question is: Is God an active participant in the world and in the lives of men? Johnson goes beyond Deism, which would acknowledge God acting through nature, and would assert that God acts through the unconscious of mankind and it is through expanded and integrated consciousness that God becomes real in the world of men. Thus the Grail, the symbol of the accessible unconscious, serves man and God. This is the key to both Emma Jung's and Robert Johnson's work. She would emphasize that the Grail serves man and Johnson would emphasize that the Grail serves God, but both would acknowledge that the Grail serves both. This is the point of Johnson's book but he takes you down many fruitful trails to reach this point. I will point out some of these paths:

The Fisher King has wounds so severe that he cannot live, yet he is incapable of dying. The kingdom is dependent on the virility and power of its rule. As an adolescent, the Fisher King is burned on the fingers when he tries to eat hot broiled Salmon. He touches the divine part of his own unconscious but it is too hot for his consciousness to handle. He touches his individuation but can not hold it. His life becomes barren, his wound never heals, and he can not cure himself even though he and the Grail are in the same castle. The fool must come to cure the king.

Parsifal is the holy fool, the innocent, who emerges from the forrest nieve and full of creative possibilities. He is entraced by the knights and longs to become one. He must break with his poor heartbroken mother, Heartsorrow, on his journey to be a man. All men must be somewhat disloyal to their mother on the path to manhood and toward individuation. His first quest is to fight the Red Knight and gain his armour. He kills the Red Knight and thus takes on masculine power, courage and virility. However when he gets on the Red Knights' horse, he can't steer or stop it but must let it run its course. This is the symbol of a young man's first forray into the world of power where forces can be let loose which no one can control. Johnson points out that a boy gets his red Knight armour by taking it from someone else. This is the way of young male competetion. But a man must not carry the young male competitiveness throughout life, he must move beyond the Red Knight. A young male moves beyond the red Knight when he learns to master his own aggression. So every young man must defeat the Red Knight, take on the armour of power, aggression, virility, strength, courage, but must also not let these attributes consume the entire psyche. Parsifal gets a mentor, Gournamond, who teaches him chivalry and the skills of knighthood. He also tell Parsifal that he must seek the HolY Grail, the ture vocation of all knights, that he must not seduce or be seduced by a woman, and that he must ask "Whom does the Grail serve?" at the right moment in the castle of the Fisher King.

There are many women in the story who play various aspects of the Anima, but it is White Flower and the Ugly Hag who play critical roles as the positive and negative anima, each with a part to play.

The book ends with a really good explanation of why the Holy Grail serves the Grail King (God) and also serves Parsifal. Parsifal asks the question and the Fisher King is healed immediately, he becomes whole. But God now has a path, a window, into the world of Man and thus the Grail ultimately served God's purposes. Even though this interpretation of the Holy Grail story is more Christian in interpretation than that of Emma Jung, both are fantastic and insightful reading.

I think this book is a romantic thriller; or maybe it's just a love story; or then again, maybe it is supposed to be a mystery? I'm confused!

The story line is that a brilliant woman computer scientist who likes her life ordered and organized, is challenged by an FBI agent who is a friend of her brother's to step outside of her comfort zone. So, she goes off on a wild goose chase to a godforsaken little town in Texas to talk to some nutty professor about an ancient feud that might affect her brother's life with his newly married wife. While in this town she ends up getting involved in three murders and is stalked by a maniacal killing machine who is assisted by all kinds of seedy characters. To the rescue comes the FBI agent who becomes the love of her life, etc. etc. etc.

The plot of this novel is as preposterous as anything I've seen. This rich and brilliant woman ends up renting a car that is a wreck? Hello! In real life she would have been an Avis/Hertz kind of person with Club memberships and would have gotten an expensive and very well maintained vehicle to drive! Also, she is out to meet with this goofy professor who researches historical Scottish clans in the middle of Texas? Since she knows computers, how come she does not know how to research people and their backgrounds on the internet?

Let's look at the FBI agent: here is a guy who never spends more than a week with any woman. So, all of a sudden he is turned on by her horn rimmed reading glasses to the point where he proposes marriage? huh? How about this plot line: the woman becomes a suspect in a murder so she calls her brother, and immediately, without any paperwork, permissions, or turf issues, both her brother and Noah (her paramour) fly off to Texas, the nearest FBI office drops everything that they are doing to help - even though the local police do NOT ask for help - and they are all involved in a simple murder case? How is that related to the real FBI and their role?

It even gets weirder - when the two FBI dudes get into town they arrest the chief of police! They immediately find out that this little town where everyone knows everyone else has a prostitution ring that has everyone sleeping with people who are not their spouses. A local town bully is a surveillance and electronics wiz-kid who also operates a blackmailing operation, and in addition he is a stupid follower of orders that clearly are intended to harm him. The two sides of town are separated by a line and the "good" restaurant is next to the "good" hotel which is on the "good" side of town while the "bad" restaurant is next to the "bad" hotel which rents rooms by the hour.

While I am not a Texan, even I found the overly broad characterization of the town to be uncomfortable and disturbing in its stereotyping. Has the author ever visited Texas?

The final kicker for me was the final scene and the resolution of the whole plot line. The killer manages to find his way to Boston to waylay the heroine and wound her. This, after he completely ignores her in his own backyard of Serenity Texas and three other people are killed there. What nonsense. To top it all off, the whole point of the plot was this supposed feud between the clans and the treasure that was lost. So, what happened with that feud? It's alluded to but never really explored.

Basically a waste of time.

Jordan Buchanan has always lived her life on the safe side. A successful software designer and computer programmer, her laptop and cell phone are her lifeline, and every aspect of her existence has always centered on technology. That is until the day Noah Claybourne, FBI agent and long-time friend of her brother, points this out to her. Maybe he's right. After all, the last of her friends is getting married. She's still single and hasn't taken risks that hadn't been calculated to death. And that is why she takes on the challenge to research a feud between the MacKennas and the Buchanans that began back during Medieval Scotland. An eccentric and somewhat creepy professor insists that the Buchanans had always antagonized the MacKennas and Jordan wants to prove him wrong. Well... that and she'd like to find a treasure the professor spoke about. Jordan travels from Boston to the small town of Serenity, Texas to retrieve the research papers. Serenity isn't so serene anymore when the professor's body is found inside Jordan's rented cark trunk. Things get all the worse when another body is found days later in her trunk? Who's trying to frame her for murder? Noah and Jordan's brother Nick take over the case. It seems someone wants to cover his tracks, and would do just about anything to keep his identity a secret.

This is obviously part of a series. I don't think I'll bother looking into the other books. You've read one romantic suspense novel starring a tough and gorgeous FBI agent and a damsel in distress and you've read them all. I only read this because I want to read Shadow Music, which is the prequel to this story, set in Medieval Scotland. I read The Bride and thought it was a fun and romantic read and have wanted to read more medieval-set romances by Julie Garwood ever since. This novel is okay, nothing special or innovative for this genre. The few times the heroine focuses on her family history are entertaining, but the rest is pretty straightforward. The suspense isn't quite so suspenseful. I kind of figured out who the killer was long before the author revealed it. All in all, Shadow Dance is an average read. I hope Shadow Music is better.

I will admit up front that I don't read a lot of romance. However, I'd heard a lot of good things about Julie Garwood's books, so when I saw this in the bookstore, I thought I'd give it a try.

Maybe I was at a disadvantage because I hadn't read any of the other Buchanan books. However, at least my lack of knowledge of the rest of the series allowed me to look at this one from a fairly objective angle, one not colored by previous experience with the author's work.

Unfortunately, I found the characters to be flat, the romance perfunctory (it almost felt as if they got together because the author felt they had to, not because of any real chemistry between them), the secondary characters cartoonish. Also, several plot threads were basically left dangling (I've noticed that I'm not the only reviewer who went "bwuh?" when the whole issue about the Buchanan/MacKenna feud was pretty much summarily dropped). Also (this is a pet peeve of mine), there was so much head-hopping (abrupt shifts in point of view) that I had to keep pausing to remind myself who was thinking what. That's just sloppy writing, as far as I'm concerned.

I didn't give this book one star because I did manage to finish it, as Ms. Garwood at least made me remotely interested as to how it would all turn out. But otherwise, I think the "meh" pretty much sums it up.

SHADOW DANCE started off with an ancient mystery concerning a Buchanan and MacKenna family feud. That's enough for me. I got comfortable and readied myself for a good read. Ms Garwood had my attention...but then lost it. Somehow the plot skidded all over the place and never came together. Once the professor, who informed the main character about the feud, died, so did any follow up to this story line. The pacing was very slow, which surprised me since the back cover promoted this book as a suspense. I expected cliff hanger chapters and edge-of-my-seat reading. Instead, I tried to get through this book on several occasions but ended up flipping the pages, hoping to find more information about the mystery. What I found were pages that dragged and never captured my attention.

Yet another author who apparently uses her idea of what Texas must be like instead of actually spending a significant amount of time there to do research.

The Texans were all almost exclusively stupid, corrupt, immoral, gossip-mongers or criminals. Even the friendly folks had skeletons in their closets or were vamps in disguise. Really over the top stupid.

The plot might have stood a chance otherwise.... despite the fact that the main character had an arms-length of people in high positions to save her. The heroine was a 'computer geek' so of course that meant she knew absolutely everything about everyone in the technology industry's job- from programming software to hardware installation to building processors! Oh brother!!!

I was anxious to see how the people in this next book in the series survived the daily trials of life. Not to mention so much violence going on around them. True light is a story of things that will happen, can happen and do happen in a break down of society. I really enjoyed finding out how a certain romance was doing and watching the friends of the brannings work through all their exciting problems. When will the pulses from the star that caused the power outages of all kinds finally stop? Is Deni ever going to cast Craig aside and turn to Mark? Exciting book I thought. Helps a person think how they would react in that situation.

This book really makes you think about how grateful we should be for all the modern conveniences we enjoy today. If you enjoy reading Terri's books, you will enjoy this one as well.

Any Terri Blackstock book (I especially love her many series) is worth reading if you like Christian mystery.

So far I've read the first 3 in the series, and this was my favorite. I have really enjoyed the thought provoking "how would I respond to this" aspect of the series, but I especially appreciated how Blackstock didn't let Mark settle for the mess his father (and brothers) left of his life. He didn't say, "Oh well, if I'd had a better Dad, things would be different." I hear so many people whining about things in their past...focusing on what they haven't had instead of the potential they do have. I'd recommend the book purely for that reason even if it wasn't a great continuation of the series. Can't wait to read #4!

The pulses are now in their 8th month. Even in Alabama, the residents are feeling the pains of winter as they are facing a rare snow storm. The Branning family is still surviving without modern technology, although they are all growing tired of the evil surrounding them.

Unfortunately, things are about to get worse. Jeff Branning's friend Zach is shot over a deer he has just killed. As he lies in the hospital barely hanging on, the sheriff looks for the shooter. Unfortunately, the evidence seems to be pointing to Deni's boyfriend Mark Green. And, because of Mark's father, the people in the community are quick to convict him. Did Mark really do it? If not, how can he clear his name?

Once again, Terri Blackstock has written a gripping novel set in a fascinating world. This book really opens up the action, allowing us to see how hospitals and law enforcement are dealing or not dealing with the changes. The characters are still rich and pull you into the action. This book focuses more on Mark than the Brannings, which made for an interesting change. And the mystery is actually well developed here as well. I did put things together a little before the characters did, but not by much. The climax was exiting and I raced through it.

You could jump in here, but it really is best to read these books in order. I've found all three interesting and hard to put down. I can hardly wait to get to the final book in this series.