Customer Reviews:
Interesting story of a peculier situation.......2006-05-05
Ethnic novels really are not my thing. But this one had me interested after seeing pictures in a book on the civil war titled 'Slave Children of New Orleans' featuring mostly mixed race children of near caucasion appearence I became curious about them. Having read a great deal of the civil war there really isn't that much. So when I found this book I quickly took to reading it.
The main character is what is called 'A child of the plantation', the offspring of a slave owner and a slave woman the product not of love but of exploitation who are so casually discarded as to be a disgrace. In the beginning, she is very naive and optimistic. Regrettably, life doesn't treat her that well.
An interesting story. Admittedly I would have done things different but since this one is based on fact I can't rightly complain. I liked reading about the main character and how she was treated by all parties. Certainly I do not like that she was mistreated by many. Her ability to move among white circles was interesting only when her heritage is revealed do things get bad which disgusts me.
Overall, I take people at face value and wish everyone else would do the same. People should be judged by their behavior rather than by pseudo scientific nonsence.
Excellent!.......2005-01-26
This is one of the best books I've read in my life. Alex Haley was such a skilled writer. "Queen" deals with many harsh facts of the antebellum South without becoming vulgar. It is also an inspiring tale of an American family.
One of my complaint with "Queen" is the blatant misuse and fabrication of facts by David Stephens, who finished Alex Haley's posthumus masterpiece. The writing of Mr. Stephens also doesn't measure up to that of Haley. While it is a great book as it stands, I wish I could see what this book would be if Haley had been alive to complete it.
The parts written by Alex Haley are good........2004-03-11
This book is a travesty. The guy who wrote it isn't even American. He plays fast and loose with historical facts. The potato famine is in the wrong century. Napoleon invades Ireland before he even rose to power. There are at least two chapters that are totallly irrelevant. Why does he feel the need to give us a history lesson on Andrew Jackson and the Indian removal? Does he think the Indian removal and slavery are the same issue?
On the other hand, the parts written by Alex Haley are exceptional. It is very easy to pick out which parts Alex Haley wrote. They are well-written and historically based. It is just such a shame that Mr. Stevens was allowed to add to Alex's work. Mr. Stevens cannot not write anything but cheap, historical romance. He should be writing for Harlequin, instead of, ruining the work of a great American writer.
A triumphant story of hope and glory........2001-12-12
Alex Haley & Dave Stevens' QUEEN is a rare gem---the story of an american family that touches many lives. Queen is the main focus of the book but her story spans past & future generations from Ireland to America. Some of the characters are tragic but all have hope for a better tomorrow. The heartbreak of Easter's love for her "master", Queen being taught to read by her grandpa and the Haley family's quest to get a better education for their youngest son are just some of the heartbreaking stories in this novel. I enjoyed the book very much and I now hope to finally read ROOTS.
Come Up With Serene Responses to Today's Suttle Racism.......2001-03-15
I just finished reading this book, this morning. And, I read "Roots," 2 weeks ago. In both of these books, I was able to vicariously be there, and emotionally travel with each person in these stories.
And it gave me a sense of peace that I had not had before about being African-American. It helped me to come up with the most empowering responses to not only suttle racism from Euro-Americans, but also suttle responses to African-Americans who seem to be bound by expecting to just get by (who also believe that empowered African-Americans somehow owe them endless worthiness).
To me, even though this book is titled "Queen," it has many stories: politics; narcissism; racism; boys growing into manhood; belonging; the price of not having someone to verbalize your pains to; and, how whites turned their outrage over their motherland into what drove them to do the same to blacks, in this country.
During the entire time that I was reading these 2 books, as I conducted my day to day responsibilities, I felt like I had a secret weapon against being held back. And I saw things that I might not have seen before in what I could do to turn suttle racism into my opportunity to expect mutual respect between myself and my interlocutor.
I recommend this book, and "Roots" to any who is looking for a means to grow beyond your wildest expectations. You will cry with these stories, laugh, and feel every possible emotion, knowing that you are breathing new life into your life.
Average customer rating:
- Good but not unique
- Nothing here, moving on...
- ...lick your lips...uummm
- Justin Truly is a Perfect Groom
- Tastefully Sensual and Sweetly Satisfying
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A Perfect Groom
Samantha James
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0060502797
Release Date: 2004-11-30 |
Book Description
Perfection is in the eye of the beholder . . .
Proud of his reputation as a rogue, Justin Sterling intends tobe the first to bed "The Unattainable"—the Season's most luscious debutante—and win the wager that's the talk of the ton. However, he never expected the enchantress in question to be Arabella Templeton, who once stole his heart and owns it still. Now the notorious scoundrel will have to prove to her that his intentions are honorable . . . while protecting her virtue from every other rascal in London.
Arabella will marry only for love—and she does not need her childhood nemesis to act as her self-appointed guardian! Though the arrogant cad seems sincere, she is well aware of his rakehell history and won't be swayed by his considerable charm and disarming good looks. For it would be pure madness for Arabella to ignore the voice of reason that whispers "beware!" and heed instead a traitorous heart that insists Justin Sterling would make . . .
Download Description
"
Perfection is in the eye of the beholder ...
Proud of his reputation as a rogue, Justin Sterling intends to be the first to bed ""The Unattainable"" -- the Season's most luscious debutante -- and win the wager that's the talk of the town. However, he never expected the enchantress in question to be Arabella Templeton, who once stole his heart and owns it still. Now the notorious scoundrel will have to prove to her that his intentions are honorable ... while protecting her virtue from every other rascal in London.
Arabella will marry only for love -- and she does not need her childhood nemesis to act as her self-appointed guardian! Though the arrogant cad seems sincere, she is well aware of his rake hell history and won't be swayed by his considerable charm and disarming good looks. For it would be pure madness for Arabella to ignore the voice of reason that whispers ""beware!"" and heed instead a traitorous heart that insists Justin Sterling would make ...
"
Customer Reviews:
Good but not unique.......2007-08-28
Justin Sterling, the second son of a marquis, was born to a mother who was more concerned about her lovers than her children. After their mother abandons them, their father can barely contain his animosity towards them, Justin in particular looks most like his adulterous late wife. After a confrontation with Justin, Justin's father dies of a heart attack and Justin grows up convinced he's inherited his mother's wickedness and lives his life to that expectation. Upon hearing five young men make a bet about who can bed the season's darling dubbed the Unattainable, Justin's friend makes a side bet with him daring him to bed her within the month. When Justin finds out the Unattainable was the little girl Arabella who tormented him as a child, he tries to break the bet but still finds himself drawn to her. Arabella is all grown up now and he is drawn to her unlike any other woman. Arabella has rejected three suitors for her hand, she vows only to marry for love. She has always been self conscious of her height and vivid coloring and when she and Justin get together she feels things she's never felt before. Before long, things progress and Arabella and Justin are married. But will ugly secrets destroy them?
This was a good story, but it seems like I've read this story several times before.
Nothing here, moving on..........2007-05-26
I really don't why I bother with these, I really don't.
Samantha James' A PERFECT GROOM reads as an immature, contemporary teenie bopper romance, replete with the bets, dances, handsome rogues, ordinary-looking heroines, tempestuous "romance"/relationships, and cliche "plotting" (if you can call it a veritable plot) we're so familiar with. I love how romance authors like to downplay the appearance of their heroines yet make their heroes the "handsomest", tallest, broad-shouldered rogues ever. I think I counted the word "handsomest" used to describe our hero Justin Sterling at least 10 times. Seriously. Not surprisingly, looks don't mean much to our experienced, handsomest rogue in all of England and he pines over our heroine Arabella's feisty "wit." Please, we can use many adjectives to describe Arabella Templeton's behavior, least of all witty. Immature dithering, repetitive and insipid introspection, constant pining over Justin's handsomest appearance, juvenile fits of anger, maybe. Witty? I don't think so.
The author didn't spend much time thinking through the characterizations in A PERFECT GROOM. Around Justin Sterling, the only thing Arabella notices is his handsomest good looks, and tall, imposing size and yet she says she would like more than good looks in an ideal husband. When it's blatantly obvious that Arabella's attraction to Justin rests with Justin's handsomest good looks? Hypocritical much, Arabella? She disparages men who're after beautiful girls, yet she consistently fawns over Justin's "handsomeness", and Justin's only distinction lies with his appearance. Adolescent beyond belief, no serious mature characterization here.
Arabella's vanity and hypocrisy knows no bounds. Despite having a rather ordinary, gangly appearance herself, Arabella actually claims she doesn't want to be the center of attention. Yet, all of Arabella's conversations with her friend Georginia are centered around Arabella's rejections of so many proposals; in essence, centered around Arabella. When Arabella refuses her 4th proposal from a relatively decent and smitten man (Walter), she's more worried about what the ton will say than any real compassion for the man she scoffed. She wants to believe she considers the man's feelings when she rejects his suit, but obviously not, since after rejecting Walter, she's more distressed about gossip related to her 4th rejection exacerbating her reputation from her point of view. She can't choose anyone shorter than her, well, because, that would just be unbecoming. Appearance and vanity clearly DOMINATE Arabella's thoughts, yet she expects her ideal husband to be above of such vain thoughts in his wife. Uhuh, her characterization makes me physically ill, and the author actually lets her get away with it the entire novel.
Justin's demons and wounded past didn't ring true in the least. It's the same 'ole, same 'ole bad childhood boo-hoo-hoo, get over it Justin, man!
The Story.
Justin Sterling returns to London after being on the Continent for his travels and he's greeted at White's by gentlemen wagering to deflower the Toast of the Season, the Unattainable. The Unattainable has already refused 3 suits and promises to break even more hearts. After 5 men enter a wager in which the first to claim the Unattainable's virtue wins the bet, Justin and his friend enter a private wager of their own, doubling the stakes. Only there's a time limit, and Justin must claim the Unattainable's virtue before the other men. Intrigued, oblivious to the identity of the Unattainable and a reputed cad/libertine, Justin agrees and enters the private wager.
When Justin discovers the identity of the Unattainable, he's reminded of the fiery girl who sticks a needle in his shoe and punches him years ago after witnessing his rakehell ways. Our red-haired, freckled heroine hasn't changed much over the years, she's described as someone who says and does what she feels regardless of etiquette. Not a beauty by any stretch of the imagination, our hero Justin immediately finds himself taken by Arabella's so-called "wit" and combative nature.
Imbecile meetings between our lead pair and adolescent introspections ensue, having little point and less entertainment value as Justin implants himself in front of Arabella whether she wants it or not.
To the book's credit, the ending wasn't as beleaguered and prolonged as I'd expect from juvenile, hackneyed stories such as these. Predictably, Arabella discovers of the private wager and after some time, comes to forgive him having fully reformed Justin's rakehell status.
Nothing here, moving on...
...lick your lips...uummm.......2005-09-20
Samantha James has written another great novel. She has never failed me yet. A Perfect Groom is a wonderfully written and very sexy book. The reader will feel the despair, the heartbreak, passion and the joy of Justin and Arabella in this very excellent character driven romance. Samantha James has the ability to break down her characters souls and feed their emotional struggles onto the pages. I also found the characters to be multi-dimensional. The plot and characters seemed fresh, the pace was quick, and it was a totally engrossing read. Full of enjoyable supporting characters and stories. The characters are colorful and unforgettable. I love how this book shows what child abuse does to the adult and how it took someone who loves Justin completely to heal his wounds. Justin is handsome, sexy, intelligent, but embittered by life. I am always a sucker for stories with "heartless" heroes who find their souls through the love of a good woman.
Justin Truly is a Perfect Groom.......2005-07-06
The second in Mrs. James's Sterling Family Trilogy, A Perfect Groom, is a wonderfully enjoyable read with a hero that you'll love. Justin Sterling has lived through the scandal of his mother's desertion as a child and his father's abuse (until his death). As such, he has enjoyed a life of privilege--including an endless stream of beautiful lovers in his bed. It was this wicked behavior that led to him being hit in the nose by a young girl that overheard him "breaking it off" with one such lady. Never forgetting this insult, Justin is amazed to years later find the seasons most sought after maiden, "The Unattainable," (Arabella) is the same young lady that once bested him.
Forced to marry after being caught in a compromising position, the couple must wed. Resulting in a passionate, yet emotional love that helps Justin heal from his past and Arabella believe in love. Throughout the story, Justin is the most dynamic character (of the book) and it is his development that really held my interest. When a predictable twist in the story shatters their happiness and nearly rips the couple apart, it is Justin who I feel is injured the most. However, in the end, Arabella finally comes to her senses and reclaims her "Perfect Groom."
Tastefully Sensual and Sweetly Satisfying.......2005-01-29
In the second installment of the Sterling Family trilogy, Justin Sterling is touted as the `handsomest man in England' but underneath the handsome visage he bears deeply ingrained scars from a less than perfect childhood. For years he has carried a deep secret guilt that has directed his wild and notorious reputation as a love`um and leave`um unfeeling rake. When challenged by an acquaintance with a similar reputation in a private wager to be the first to bed the season's latest debutante stunner labeled "The Unattainable" he decides to at least learn who and what the talk was all about.
Discovering that the unattainable miss, was his childhood nemesis Arabella was indeed a shock especially as Arabella's opinion of him as an adult hadn't altered much - other than to probably despise him more so for the wicked rumors that followed his adult footsteps. The fact that she had blossomed from a red-headed harridan brat into a goddess surely disconcerted him and he was totally enjoying the challenge of matching her rapier sharp wit with his own double entendres. When goaded enough he left her complete dazzled with a burning hot kiss....and romances being what they are, Arabella began to look at Justin in a whole new light as he, shaken himself, decided that perhaps it was time to turn over a new leaf!
*** I really liked this story even though it was a relatively light plot, there being no big mystery, villain or such. For me it was just an emotional, sometimes tearful, progression of two people who fell in love, yet naturally had such a hard time admitting to it (Ah, the stuff romances are made of!) Eventually, Arabella, with the help of Justin's brother Sebastian, came to understand the demons that drove him and was finally able to convince Justin that he was `worthy' of being loved. With an impeccable writing style I truly enjoyed, and a tasteful sensual prose, I found this to be a sweetly satisfying read that most are sure to enjoy, and I truly am looking forward to the last Sterling sibling, Juliana's, story.
--- Marilyn, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---
Customer Reviews:
The only one!.......2000-07-08
When my daughter got engaged, I checked 15 wedding books out of the library. This is the only one I'm buying. It offers extremely practical information, is up-to-date and still classically correct. I recommend it to anyone putting on a wedding.
Book Description
From figuring out whether she’ll say “yes,” to deciding what cut of diamond she’ll love, this guide speaks to every man embarking on one of life’s greatest adventures: marriage. And the reassuring advice it offers will help relieve the nervousness that often accompanies taking the big step. Learn the four “Cs” of diamonds, the pros and cons of various settings, how much a ring should cost, essential diamond terminology, and gem alternatives. Take inspiration from others who have proposed, laugh at their mistakes, and be grateful that (thanks to this book) you won’t make them yourself. There’s even guidance for the first stages of the wedding plans.
Product Description
Paperbacks
Product Description
6 massmarket paperback Titles By Whittenburg - The Fifty-cent Groom - Two-penny Wedding - Millionaire Dollar Bride - Happy Medium - A Perfect Pair - The Santa Suit
Product Description
Boy meets girl. It's a story that never grows old. Yet, occasionally, it gets a new twist, as in Canada's War Grooms and the Girls Who Stole Their Hearts. During World War II, thousands of servicemen came to Canada to train and, naturally, there were just as many local girls eager to meet them. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was the conduit for many of these young men, who would often find themselves stationed on remote bases across the country. Needless to say, the wide open spaces, harsh winters, and vast distances were a far cry from what they were used to "back home." Yet loneliness and foreignness soon gave way to love for many of these men, for Canada, as well as that "special girl." Through interviews and pictures, author Judy Kozar has gathered more than 40 of these wartime romances in a collection that will make you believe love truly does conquer all. "Finally! A book that tells the little known story of the Canadian war grooms of World War II." Melynda Jarratt, BA, MA, DDM www.CanadianWarBrides.com "A wartime story with a difference!" Shirley Render, Executive Director, Western Canada Aviation Museum, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Average customer rating:
- Meh...
- I loved this book
- True treasure is love NOT money!
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The Perfect Groom
Ruth Scofield
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
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ASIN: 0786228326 |
Customer Reviews:
Meh..........2005-12-26
From the back cover:
Looking for Mr. Right...
Ivy York knew exactly what she wanted in a husband. If only heaven would send Mr. Right her way: a sophisticated partner who enjoyed all the finer things in life.
Handsome, hardworking Noah Thornton was definitely not her dream man. No matter that his teasing grin brightened her day and his dark gaze warmed her heart. When would Noah realize they'd never be more than friends?
Still, Ivy could not deny his many fine qualities--his kindness and strong faith. Yes, Noah was a catch, she thought...for some other woman. But was the perfect groom she'd prayed for waiting beside her all along?
And my review:
I did not find this book very good. It had an okay plot, but I found both of the lead characters quite annoying. She was a bit childish and whiny, and he was a bit of a high-handed chauvinist.
They bickered and squabbled until literally the last few pages of the book, then suddenly it's "I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you". Okay......
This was most certainly not a keeper book, and didn't do much to sell me on the "Love Inspired" line.
I loved this book.......2001-09-17
This was the first book of this series that i had read, and i fell in love with it. It is wonderful and touching and i would tell any one to read it!
True treasure is love NOT money!.......1999-08-20
Scofield scores with another family values book. Raised in poverty, ambitious Ivy York dreams of living a refined lifestyle by--God willing--making a success of her fledgling interior design business and marrying a wealthy, sophisticated man. The only thing she hadn't worked out in her dreams was how to tell Mr. Right, when he came along, that when he married her he'd also have to take to his hearth her aging Aunt Arletta, the Aunt Bea of inspirational fiction. A true motherhen, who takes it upon herself to help others with or without their consent, Aunt Arletta's best intentions often drain Ivy's limited resources and particularly her patience when she promotes Noah Thornton, a struggling landscape contractor, as Ivy's Mr. Right instead of wealthy philanthropist, Gerald Reeves. Only when Ivy learns that wealth is not the true measure of a man are her dreams for her self and Aunt Arletta fully realized.
Books:
- An Hour To Kill: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Justice in a Small Southern Town (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- Another Man's Wife: A Novel
- Aunt Dimity: Snowbound
- Behold the Man (Kingdom and the Crown, Vol 3)
- Blow-Up: And Other Stories
- Blowout
- Breath of Magic
- Business Analysis and Valuation: Using Financial Statements, Text Only
- Caballo de Troya 7 (Nahum) (Caballode Troya)
- Candle in the Window
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Salsa Guidebook
- Secrets of the Hidden Realms: Mystical Keys to the Unseen Worlds
- House of Eternity: The Tomb of Nefertari
- Memories of Underdevelopment
- Official Signs & Icons 2
- Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
- Plutarch's Lives Volume 1
- The Painter's Manual of Dionysius of Fourna
- Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood Fears: Helping Your Child Overcome Anxieties, Fears, and
- Introduction to the Compositae
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
A Different Kind of Christmas
Mama Flora's Family: A Novel
The Autobiography of Malcolm X : As Told to Alex Haley
Mama Flora's Family
