Customer Reviews:
Rumpole Forever.......2007-08-04
I have read all three Rumpole Omnibuses several times. I ordered an additional set for my mother, a former probate judge. What I find remarkable about John Mortimer's work, is that Rumpole is as engaging at the end of the series as at the beginning. I have also enjoyed Mortimer's three autobiographical books. I read and reread these stories, not as mysteries, but as a series of one act plays, where the dramas are spun out of the interaction of stock characters in the style of commedia dell'arte. Rumpole himself plays the part of the buffoon as barrister: fat, vain, self-centered, addicted to greasy food and cheap wine; but also extremely intelligent, perceptive, and compassionate. As I read more of the stories, Rumpole became less of a stock character and more of actual human being. Unlike Perry Mason, Rumpole does not necessarily win all of his cases. When Rumpole loses, we get to see him go down to cells beneath the Old Bailey, with all of the sounds and smells of prison life, to say goodbye to his former client. The stories are often very funny, but occasionally poignant and even sad.
Finally, John Mortimer is one of the masters of modern English prose. Just read a few paragraphs of any airplane novel (preferably one that has "Code" in the title), and then read a few paragraphs of any Rumpole story, and you will see what I mean. And nobody, including Raymond Chandler, does dialog better than John Mortimer.
Rumpole.......2006-08-27
I certainly don't need to review "Rumpole of the Bailey." You know all about it. So, I'll just mention that he's especially good company when you fly. You can read a well-crafted story in what, 30 minutes? Ideal for airports and airplanes. Do this, sit for an hour, do that, sit for another hour, etc.
Horace Rumpole, no silk-stockinged Q.C........2006-07-29
Horace Rumpole presents himself as just an Old Bailey hack doing run-of-the-mill burglary defenses and the odd car-heist case. In reality he defends the best in the Anglo-American legal traditions against modern forces (for example, the presumption of innocence) - and this was written 20+ years ago!
Rumpole is the lovable defender of the average man and foe to all stick-in-the-muds. His motto "Never plead guilty." It could just as well be comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Hilarious, warm, human, touching, self-effacing and ever-ready to pierce the pompous gasbag - that's Rumpole of the Bailey. Start with the First Rumpole Omnibus and work your way through the rest.
Guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and warm your heart.
Rumpole - the Anglophile's Best Friend.......2005-09-21
John Mortimer's Rumpole is so satisfying that this is my second copy - I wore the covers off the first SET of the three omnibuses (or is it omnibusi?) I've read every Rumpole story in existence, as far as I know. While there are tiny inconsistencies in the names of characters and small subplot variations from story to story (that only a committed Rumpolean would notice), Rumpole remains a literary sustaining gulp of claret and a warm and fuzzy blanket on a cold foggy night. Long after the belly laughs passed and every crime and misdemeanor was committed to memory, I've still enjoyed the comfortable reek of Rumpole's small cigars and the warm memory of Leo McKern in the title role of "Rumpole of the Bailey."
Rumpole Is A Lark!.......2005-09-17
These amusing tales of London's favorite claret-loving, Wordsworth-spouting, hen-pecked barrister are neither proper mysteries nor courtroom dramas, but really exist as amusing character-driven light fantasies. Horace Rumpole, who NEVER works on behalf of the prosecution, merrily stomps through the Old Bailey in defense of his eclectic clients, as he has for half a century. All the while Rumpole practices law, he is dodging the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune in the form of the "Mad Bull" Mister Justice Bullingham, his arch enemy, and his own wife Hilda (better known in the Rumpole lexicon as She Who Must Be Obeyed). As Rumpole serves if not always the common good, then at least the individual good in his ardent defense of such clients as career petty thief Peanuts Molloy, he does it with a style best described as...inimitiable. Rumpole is a completely likable old coot, perpetually claret-soaked and clad as he is in the same courtroom wig which he's worn since before the Queen took the throne. Reading through this Omnibus edition of his earliest cases makes for a happy adventure through the twisting passageways of the British justice system as it SHOULD be.
Average customer rating:
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The First Rumpole Omnibus
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000G9OC0E |
Book Description
Reckless and wild, beautiful Lily Lawson delights in shocking proper London society and in breaking any rule to flaunt her independence. Now she's determined to rescue her sister from an undesirable marriage to the ruthless Alex Raiford, the arrogant Earl of Wolverton. She succeeds in rescuing her sister, but in the meantime Alex decides that Lily must be his. He has resolved to make her pay dearly for her interference –with her body, her soul...and her heart.
Download Description
Reckless, wild, and beautiful Lily Lawson is determined to rescue her sister from an unwanted marriage to the notorious Alex, Lord Raiford. But the spirited miss will pay dearly for her interference -- with her body, her soul, and her stubborn, unyielding heart. She thought her heart was safe, but... Reckless, wild, and beautiful, Lily Lawson delights in shocking proper London society -- and now she is determined to rescue her sister from an unwanted impending marriage to the notorious Alex, Lord Raiford, by fair means or foul. But while she succeeds outrageously, Alex is a master gamesman who is not to be undone. Alex has lost one bride, yet he is enchanted by this remarkable lady who is willing to break any rule to flaunt her independence. When Lily offers him only scorn, he counters with kindness, and he parries her blistering barbs with gentle words and a soft, tender touch. The spirited miss will pay dearly for her interference -- with her body, her soul, and her stubborn, unyielding heart. But will Alex's own heart be the prize to be won in this sensuous game of love?
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Book!.......2007-07-30
I'm gonna keep this short and sweet. I found this book an engaging and lovely read. I read this book after I read 'Dreaming of You' and found that this book was a great beginning to the "You" Series. It's a great book that you'll read again and again.
Refreshing read.......2007-07-28
One of those "feel good" reads. Especially when you see the couple in the next book "Dreaming of You". It brings it all together. :-)
lawless and lusty.......2007-06-27
I loved Lilly Lawless! Any woman who can swear in society and get away with it as being charming has my vote. And the quarreling between her and Lord Raiford turn into something steamy and more as she tries to dissuade him from marrying her sister. It works out only too well and his attentions turn towards her. Lisa Kleypas is a talented author and I adore everything I've read of hers. I think only two more novels and I'll have read them all.
Then Came YOu.......2007-03-08
The book was great. It arrived promptly and was in great shape.
Heroine Was Completely Annoying.......2007-01-30
I was very disappointed with this book. My main problem with the book was Lilly, the heroine. She was so reckless that I just couldn't relate to or sympathize with her. Also, many parts of the plot were unrealistic. For example, after a long estrangement with her family, they forgive her at the doorstep of their rich future son-in-law. Her mother is described as a social climber, yet she doesn't seem to care that Lilly's reckless and scandalous behaviour may taint their younger daughter and jeopardize her ability to marry the rich aristocrat. They just accept her into the fold weeks before Lilly's sister's wedding. It was also hard to believe that society would so easily accept Lilly after learning about her child out of wedlock and her purported liason with Derek Craven.
The only positive part of the book was Derek Craven. After reading this book, I wanted to read more about him.
Book Description
Nine years ago, Samantha Marconi was swept away in a whirlwind wedding....even though she'd only known her new husband for a month. When Jeff left her just weeks after the wedding-she found out she was pregnant and had nowhere to turn. So Sam did the only thing she thought she could do. She placed her daughter up for adoption and tried to forget the past-until her past came knocking on her door....Jeff never received Sam's letters, nor did he know she had their child-until after the little girl was put up for adoption. Jeff managed to find their daughter, Emma, and lovingly raised her on his own. He's about to remarry-but his divorce from Sam never went through. Jeff needs Sam's help to get "unmarried," and quick. Yet when Jeff shows up on Sam's doorstep, he's shocked to find the sparks that once flew between them are still burning strong. Can he let Sam go again? Especially when the truth about what really happened nine years ago is finally revealed....
Customer Reviews:
Memorable and Original.......2007-07-01
I really enjoyed this book. It is a memorable read with an original premise. The author did a wonderful job of revealing layer by layer what happened in Sam and Jeff's past. I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to keep reading and discover how Sam and Jeff were going to come to trust each other again. I loved the ending of this book. Sam and Jeff's road to "happily ever after" was unique, cute, emotional and fun all in one. Definitely a keeper.
Amazing Contemporary Romance.......2007-05-14
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'd been holding out reading the Marconi Sisters trilogy until all three books were released--now that they are, I picked up AND THEN CAME YOU yesterday and finished it today.
Samantha "Sam" Marconi is the middle child, the sensible one, the "good one." Not as take-charge as her older sister Jo, or as quick-tempered as her younger sister Mike, Sam is the one to stay in line. That was always true, until she married her first love, Jeff Hendricks, at the age of eighteen. That was nine years ago, but Sam hasn't forgotten a thing--falling in love, watching her young husband leave, getting pregnant, giving up the baby for adoption, coming home to face her divorce alone.
But then Jeff shows up, with a few surprises. They're not divorced. The daughter Sam gave up was raised by him. His mother plotted not only their divorce and the fact that Emma, their child, grew up with only one parent, but the truth that Sam has no idea that Jeff never wanted divorced all those years ago--that he does, in fact, think Sam divorced him.
AND THEN CAME YOU is a wonderful contemporary romance. Two great main characters who never truly got over their first loves, a daughter who wants only to see those around her happy, and a supporting cast that will totally delight you.
Mike's and Jo's stories will be next for me--the only thing I worry about is how I'll feel once this trilogy is over!
First Marconi story sets the framework for the great series.......2007-03-21
Samantha Marconi gets a surprise when her ex-husband is at her door announcing that they're still married. She and Jeff married as teens, and after he left for London, she was alone and pregnant and after not hearing from him other than receiving divorce papers, she gave their child up for adoption. Though she specified that it was to go to a couple, Jeff's mother made arrangements for Jeff to raise Emma, neither knowing the extent at which Jeff's mother connived to keep them apart. Jeff needs the divorce now because he plans to remarry. As Sam gets the opportunity to get to know her daughter, Jeff fears that she might try to take her away from him. She does hold up signing the papers in order to arrange a custody agreement. Neither count on their love for each other to continue nine years later, but lightening appears to strike twice. Will they be able to learn from the past and forge ahead?
Child's first in the Marconi series sets the tone for the books to follow, introducing the heroes that will eventually spar and capture her sisters' hearts, as well as the family patriarch who has joined forces with his three daughters in a construction firm. They are a raucous bunch, but nothing is more important to them than family, which made her reason for giving Emma up in the first place somewhat implausible. I did feel a little cheated that Jeff's mother died before she was taken to task for her machinations, but overall, considering the somewhat clichéd subject matter, Child's sense of family and attention to detail made it a great romantic story, with little Emma at the forefront (though perhaps a little too forgiving of the mother who abandoned her).
GREAT!!!.......2006-06-30
This book was awesome and it was cute. I loved all the characters and especially Jeff. This is a definite read and a great one.
Samantha is the middle Marconi daughter, the sensible one, yet she marries wealthy, impulsive, and sexy Jeff Hendricks during her first year of college over the loudly voiced objections of her family and his. Just a few months later, her marriage falls apart, and she returns home heartbroken, and pregnant. Stunned to discover nine years later that her divorce had never been finalized, and that Jeff had raised the child she gave up for adoption, she eagerly seizes the opportunity afforded by Jeff's intention to remarry in order to negotiate for joint custody of Emma. This engaging second-chance-at-love story displays Child's trademark tenderness toward children, her belief in the importance of family through good times and bad, and the sort of engagingly quirky supporting characters she portrays so well, all set in a familiar, warm, and comforting hometown atmosphere.
Implausible plot .......2005-08-12
I have read several of Maureen Child's books and enjoyed them a lot, but this one was not up to par. The story has three major problems. The first is the break up nine years ago that precipitated the divorce between Sam and Jeff. No reason was ever given for why Sam pushed Jeff out of their apartment in nothing but his boxers or why he took off for London without even telling Sam about it. It was all very nebulus and vague. No real conflict was ever mentioned as the why Sam and Jeff couldn't get along. As for the divorce, what modern woman would sign divorce papers without consulting an attorney and insisting on a settlement of some kind? The second problem concerns the adoption of Emma. And this was the big one that I just couldn't get around. I, too, find it unlikely that Sam would have put her daughter up for adoption with such a supportive family. But the real question is if the letter Sam sent to Jeff telling him she was pregnant was returned to her UNOPENED, how in the world did Jeff's mother find out about it? Sam didn't even tell her family about Emma until after the adoption was a done deal. And what incompetent or fraudulant attorney handled the so-called adoption and let Jeff's mother have Emma when Sam had specified that Emma was to go to a two parent family? Just how did Jeff's mother get her hands on Emma? Big hole in the plotline there. Also, I believe that a legal adoption requires that BOTH parents relinquish parental rights, not just the mother. I could be wrong about that, but I don't think Emma could have been put up for adoption without Jeff signing the papers, too. I thought the whole plot surrounding Emma's adoption was unbelievable. As for the third problem, there didn't seem to be any emotional closeness between Sam and Jeff. I felt it was all just flash and fire, no real feelings. Anyway, I forced myself to finish the book and am hoping that Mike's story will restore my faith in this author.
Book Description
Parker, a successful entrepreneur, is his own man and in charge of all that surrounds him. Chinzea is the vexing physician taking care of his ailing mother. Passion ignites when their two personalities clash and their egos spar.
Customer Reviews:
Delicious Writing...........2000-11-23
When Dr. Chinzea (Chi) walks into Parker Ryan's mom's hospital room, she has no idea she is about to come face to face with her deepest desires. Parker is sitting by his ill mother and frankly says: "If I had known the doctors here were this attractive, I would have gotten here earlier."
Immediately, you are drawn into this love story as the chemistry between Parker and Chi heats up. Parker is a thoughtful son. He returns to check on his mother quite often, and make sure she is well taken care of. His mother, Harriett, is healing physically as her son heals emotionally. Only a year before he lost the love of his life and now he was feeling mildly guilty for his uncontrollable attraction to Chi.
Dr. Chinzea's cool, calm exterior is only betrayed by how distracted she becomes emotionally when Parker is near. Parker sees a beauty in Chi and is determined that no one will take this woman away from him. His obvious pursuit unnerves this work first, play later doctor. Her feelings leave her confused as she tries to escape from the emotional aspects of her job.
Parker's smooth moves, his love of Jazz and his enticing smile just adds to his charm. On a deeper level, Parker and Chi need each other emotionally. While the story focuses on Parker and Chi, we also learn of Chi's son who has sickle cell anemia. She refuses to give up on her son, but almost gives up on her own dreams.
Dorothy Elizabeth Love's writing is enticing. She portrays Parker as a bad boy who also has a very human loveable side. She uses evocative descriptive language, throws in an unexpected turn in the plot, makes the characters extremely likeable and creates a connection between the reader and characters.
The character development is only surpassed by Dorothy's descriptive writing. It will take hold of you and not let go until the last pleasurable page. The story seems to end on page 299, then Dorothy is sweet and includes an epilogue.
I was amazed at the fluidity of her writing. This is only her second novel. "Whispers in the Night" preceded this work and a romantic suspense called "You're Mine" is due out in 2001. She spent time in London and Paris researching You're Mine. While walking on the shores of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dorothy had glimpses of "Unforgettable" which will be her fourth and possibly best romantic classic. She not only holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in International Business, she loves traveling to the Caribbean Islands to dive. Somehow, she finds the time to write!
Perhaps Dorothy's inspiration for her writing springs from a core belief that love can conquer just about all. She shows a great passion for her writing and the true essence of life surrounds her work. Her writing is just delicious!
I also admire Dorothy Elizabeth Love for giving of herself through her writing. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to support the fight against sickle cell anemia. As long as Dorothy continues to write romance novels, they will be flying off the shelves! The cover on this book is a beautiful purple iris design and the models look just like you would imagine Chi and Parker to look like.
~TheRebeccaReview.com
Author of Moonbeam Moths
Beauty&depth.......2000-11-10
those words best describe the great mind of Dorothy Elizabeth Love.like her last name she puts alot of Love into her work.very detailed&full of insight.this book takes feelings&relationships into a whole different area.you come away looking in the mirror at yourself.the mark of a great story teller.i look forward to reading more of Ms.Love's work in the future.i just got the book&it's very uplifting.check it out.
Very Good.......2000-11-02
I really enjoyed Chi and Parker. Parker was an entreprenuer who had visions. He always saw visions about people he was in love with. He saw the woman he was going to marry get hit by a car two days before their wedding. After that incident, he decided he would keep his feelings under wraps.
Parkers mother had an accident and ended up in the hospital. There is where he met the beautiful Chi Addams. She was his mother's doctor.
Chi was the single mother of a son with sickle cell. Her mother was helping her with her son while she worked late. Chi didn't want to be attracted to Parker, but it was inevitable. Parker was persistent, sweet and very handsome.
There are a large number of African American with Sickle Cell traits or disease. I have friends that have lost love ones to the disease. My own grandfather had the trait.
I liked the way Chi decided to take control of her own life, instead of allowing her mother to run it. The way she handed her son's father who had been absent all the boy's young life.
Parker is also in the book Whispers in the Night. Which is a book about his sister Patricia. Good Job Ms. Love.
Then came you.......2000-10-19
I really enjoyed Then Came You although, romance novels is not my ususal pick. I read Ms. Love first book Whisper's In the Night which I thoroughly enjoyed and I was anxiously awaiting her next novel. I was not disappointed! Ms. Love has a unique style of writing that just pulls you into her characters life. I can honestly say it helped to ignite some flames in my relationship that were dying.
Oh How Excellent................2000-09-20
I can't wait to get the book to read. I have checked many book stores here and currently I have been unable to find the book in stores. Most of the book stores will have it October 3rd.
I read Ms. Love first book, Whispers in the Night and it was excellent. Ms. Love has such a way with words. I am an avid reader and many authors don't have a good plot, but Ms. Love books gives the complete package.
If "And Then Came You" is anything like Ms. Love first book, then I know that I will be up all night reading it. I was not able to put her first book down until it was completely read.
Ms. Love, keep on producing these excellent novels and I will keep on purchasing them.
May God continue to keep you in His care and Guide you.
Ms. Lee
Average customer rating:
- A warm and fulfilling read
- Didn't work for me.
- I thought it would never end
- A breathtaking love story
- A Warm-Hearted Romance with lots of Spice
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And Then Came You (Zebra Bouquet Romances)
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 082176375X |
Customer Reviews:
A warm and fulfilling read.......2000-02-02
I disagree with the reviewer who didn't like this book. I found Sarah and Cole to be very three-dimensional and warm characters. As for the love scene, if romance readers wanted a birth control lecture, they'd go to an AIDS awareness class. The fantasy is part of the joy of reading romance. Well-crafted characters, intriguing plot...a must-read!
Didn't work for me........2000-01-29
Sorry, but this one didn't work for me. It seemed as if Sarah and Cole spent the entire book playing cat and mouse games. Also, Sarah was rather immature in her expectations of Cole and her sister. But what I found the most disturbing was how Sarah jumped into bed with Cole so quickly with no thought whatsoever of birth control. Unplanned pregnancies (not to mention sexually transmitted diseases) are not always so welcome in three-month old relationships.
I thought it would never end.......1999-12-21
Sorry, but I didn't like this one. The woman, Sarah Keller, was very childish and too much of a nit-picker. What I liked the least was the cat and mouse game that she and Cole played. I also found the ending questionable. In real life, it may not have been so romantic.
A breathtaking love story.......1999-11-23
City slicker meets country gal with a fun, fresh twist. I hated to see Cole and Sarah's story end.
A Warm-Hearted Romance with lots of Spice.......1999-11-06
I loved this book. It's filled with humor and romance, and life-like characters that really make you care for them. A wonderful setting in the mountains of Montana, and secondary characters that feel like your best friends. Romance is definitely in the air in Montana, and Connie Keenan makes you believe it.
Book Description
Highlighting many common hopes, dreams, and expectations of parents-to-be, this keepsake includes room for parents to record their own thoughts and feelings about their new child.
Average customer rating:
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And Then You Came
Ann Bridge
Manufacturer: Chatto & Windus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q9MD8C |
Average customer rating:
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And then you came,
Ann Bridge
Manufacturer: Macmillan Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007DWTH2 |
Product Description
three mmpb books. 3 Titles By Maureen Child : And Then Came You A Crazy Kind of Love Some Kind of Wonderful
Books:
- The Garden Angel: A Novel
- The Great and Secret Show
- The Key to Rebecca
- The Nannies: Friends with Benefits (Nannies)
- The Oathbound (Vows and Honor, Book 1)
- The Old Contemptibles (A Richard Jury Novel)
- The Position: A Novel
- The Pride and the Pressure: A Season Inside the New York Yankee Fishbowl
- The Quiche of Death (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
- The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- History: Fiction or Science
- Condemned Building: An Architect's Pre-Text--Plans, Sections, Elevations, Details, Models, Ideograms
- Child Of My Right Hand
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Hole in My Life
- Monster/Beauty: Building the Body of Love
- Daddy-Long-Legs and Dear Enemy
- Common Malaysian fruits, with Thai and Tamil names
The Second Rumpole Omnibus (Rumpole)
The Third Rumpole Omnibus (Rumpole)
Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders
Rumpole Rests His Case
Rumpole and the Reign of Terror (Rumpole Novels)
