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- The Day My Mother Left
- Jeremy's spirit will inspire us all to be better people.
- Understanding Prosek
- Courtesy of Teens Read Too
- A Gem
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The Day My Mother Left
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
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A Good Day's Fishing
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The Complete Angler: A Connecticut Yankee Follows in the Footsteps of Walton
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Early Love and Brook Trout: With Watercolor paintings by the author
ASIN: 141690770X |
Book Description
Jeremy's whole life changed the day his mother left.
When his mother leaves with the father of his worst enemy at school, nine-year-old Jeremy seeks to make sense of her abandonment. He throws himself into recreating the Book of Birds, a collection of drawings that his mother took with her on the day she left. While his father fights his own depression and his sister distances herself from their lives, Jeremy turns wholeheartedly to nature, and finds solace in the quiet comfort of drawing.
In this novel, James Prosek tells Jeremy's story without blame, without self-pity, and without excuses. The Day My Mother Left should be read by anyone who has gone through the pain of losing a parent, and by anyone who wants to meet Jeremy, a boy who can see inside himself the person he wants to become.
Customer Reviews:
The Day My Mother Left.......2007-06-13
The Day My Mother Left beautifully captures the agony and the pathos of an adolescent abandoned by his mother. The novel includes a myriad of conflicts that are typically found in realistic contemporary fiction. We see the conflict of person vs. person with the main character dealing with his father, mother and the school bully. The main conflict; however, is between Jeremy, the protagonist, and himself. His unresolved issues with the divorce, his mother leaving and offering no communication and his burgeoning artistic talent contribute most to the overall theme of the novel: beauty and love can grow from struggles and pain. Each character is round and dynamic; the major characters in this story evolve and change subtly as time progress in the novel. One of the highlights of the book is how the author reveals these character changes. The book is told through the eyes of Jeremy, an early adolescent. His self-centeredness only shows the other characters flaws and transformations when Jeremy finally sees them. Prosek reveals his characters and themes so movingly and realistically. This novel will appeal to late middle school students and up.
Jeremy's spirit will inspire us all to be better people. .......2007-06-01
Nine-year-old Jeremy has a close relationship with his mother. She goes to every one of his baseball games, cheering him on from the bleachers. Jeremy gets teased for her enthusiastic encouragement, but he doesn't care. The bond they share is special. In fact, she is the only one to whom he has ever shown his collection of bird drawings. But when she abandons the family, Jeremy's world shatters into a million painful pieces.
It starts with an argument about her excessive drinking, the fact that Jeremy's father isn't making enough money, her crazy behavior at the fancy dinner party, his lack of attention, and especially about her seeing another man --- the father of Jeremy's rival, Rick. The two of them met at one of Jeremy and Rick's baseball games. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Jeremy's mom decides to leave and be part of a different family, one that doesn't include Jeremy.
Jeremy's older sister responds by escaping in her car for work and friends, while their father becomes imprisoned in his own despair. Jeremy must decide for himself how to put the pieces back together. Recreating his collection of bird drawings is the first step, since his mom took the old one with her. Jeremy finds comfort in the birds, in mirroring their beauty, in tromping through their wooded habitat. He also takes an art class to improve his talents and meets a girl named Casey.
Over the next three years, Jeremy continues to struggle with the fact that his mother abandoned him and never even called him on the phone, much less paid him a visit. But life continues, with even more obstacles to overcome, such as his dad remarrying and his beloved uncle getting sick. Jeremy learns to wade through the tough times without overloading his heart of bitterness. He even manages to say a prayer for Rick when he needs an operation. But will he ever be able to forgive his mom for leaving him?
James Prosek has created a beautiful story that all ages, genders and races will enjoy. He has an obvious love of nature, which shines through in his vivid descriptions of feathers, fish and forests. His novel's voice is precise and rare, nailing perfectly Jeremy's preteen character enduring pain and grief. Jeremy's spirit will inspire us all to be better people.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman
Understanding Prosek.......2007-05-07
I have been a fan of Prosek since his Trout days. This introspective book helped me to understand his precocious talent for observation and drawing and his need to get out on the stream. I wish him well.
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-04-26
Jeremy's mother has often been disappearing for hours at a time, but on a Sunday afternoon all truths are told.
His mother has found a new love - the father of Jeremy's enemy at school and on the baseball field. A fight occurs between Jeremy's mother and father. His mother leaves, and she takes everything with her - including Jeremy's Book of Birds that he had been illustrating himself.
No one can believe that she left. Especially Jeremy. He feels abandoned and hurt. Through his father's sadness and his own mixed-up feelings, Jeremy recreates the Book of Birds and finds solace within himself through nature.
James Prosek's THE DAY MY MOTHER LEFT is very moving. Coming from a divorced family myself, it's easy to relate and understand Jeremy's feelings. Mr. Prosek uses outstanding details within the story and has also created lovely drawings. It is a great book and experience from beginning to end.
Reviewed by: Jeremey
A Gem.......2007-04-10
I first became aware of James Prosek through his artistic and literary treatments of fly fishing and thought I would give The Day My Mother Left, his first fictional effort, a go. I am so glad I did--what a wonderful little book! Though it is intended for young adults, as a mature reader I found it very engaging.
This autobiographical novel is a very candid picture of a difficult time in Prosek's, and his protaganist's, life. Prosek tells his touching story beautifully and without remorse. I would liken this book to Angela's Ashes in its portrayal of an unbalanced family and their troubles in a voice that does not blame but instead finds grace in the struggle. In the case of Prosek, his gravitation to art and nature provides ballast and equanimity; he shows us an inner journey enabled by his exploration of the natural world. And it is a damn good story. . .
Yale-educated James Prosek is clearly an extremely gifted and multi-dimensional creative talent. I know of few other YA books that tell such a story of charm and tenderness from the male point of view. I highly recommend it!
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Benjamin Comes Back/Benjamin Regresa (Child Care Books for Kids)
Amy Brandt
Manufacturer: Redleaf Press
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The Good-bye Book
ASIN: 1884834795 |
Book Description
“Mommy come back!” Little Benjamin starts missing his mommy before she even leaves his child care center, and misses her all the way through playtime with the other children. But with the help of his teachers and the nurturing routines of a day at the center, Benjamin learns not only that his mommy comes back to get him, but that Benjamin himself will come back to child care the next day.
Benjamin Comes Back is a reassuring story of a small child coping with separation anxiety. It also shows how caring interactions with a supportive teacher can ease a child's worry by helping him understand the recurring cycle of home and child care.
Benjamin Comes Back, along with When Katie Was Our Teacher, are the first children's books in a new series from Redleaf Press entitled “Child Care Books for Kids.” It contains colorful illustrations and is written in English and Spanish.
Customer Reviews:
My kids favorite book.......2000-07-01
My four year old boy, anthony, absolutely loves his "Benjy Book". I would recommend it to any parent of a kid under six.
Book Description
"She is among the greatest Italian authors of recent years."-Corriere della Sera
"Ferrante dissects the personal microcosm so well, and with awesome lucidity and precision shows us the meanderings of a woman's mind, the suffering that accompanies being abandoned, and the awful rumbling of time passing."-El Mundo
"Elena Ferrante has given us a startlingly beautiful novel of exceptional and bold strength."-Il Manifesto
"Severe and rigorously unsentimental, packed full of passages written with dizzying intensity at a rare and acute pitch. Ferrante is at her best when her writing holds tight to those nagging, niggling obsessions that make up our mental landscapes."-La Stampa
A national bestseller for almost an entire year, The Days of Abandonment shocked and captivated its Italian public when first published. It is the gripping story of a woman's descent into devastating emptiness after being abandoned by her husband with two young children to care for. When she finds herself literally trapped within the four walls of their high-rise apartment, she is forced to confront her ghosts, the potential loss of her own identity, and the possibility that life may never return to normal.
Elena Ferrante was born in Naples. Though she is one of Italy's most important and acclaimed contemporary authors, her identity is a mystery. Theories and speculation as to who Elena Ferrante really is continue to circulate; however, the author has successfully shunned public attention and has been able to keep her whereabouts and her true identity concealed. The Days of Abandonment, her second novel, is currently being made into a film by director Roberto Faenza, due for release in North America in 2006.
Customer Reviews:
Intense........2007-02-10
This is an intense tale of a woman plunged into despair by her husband's announcement he is leaving her, and her eventual recovery. It is a tribute to Ferrante, that except for the long day the woman becomes what I would identify as clinically depressed, I found the book entertaining. It is certainly a book one remembers. Ferrante accomplishes this in two ways: Ferrante's language often delights; the woman, despite not being all that nice, is likable, honest, and has great powers of self analysis. As an example of Ferrante's language, "I stretched a taut wire that pierced the days and I slid softly along it". Readers who enjoyed this book might like Anita Brookner's "Leaving Home" (different topic but much in common). One little thing bothered me: if her husband knew for some time that he might leave her, why did he encourage her to quit the job she had gotten in Turin? After all, he is a calculating guy.
Not for the weak at heart.......2006-09-13
Unputdownable! A very intense, super-charged atmosphere!
Recounts four months in the life of a married mother after her husband leaves her abruptly for the love of a 20-year-old girl. The severe depression ensuing from her husband's betrayal and abandonment hits rock bottom. She is left to fend by herself, to take care of two kids and a dog. As in similar cases of acute depression, she becomes, sleepy, lethargic, disoriented, clumsy and neglectful of her self and her kids. She is transformed into the nemesis of her true self: angry, vulgar, ugly, dirty and, in a failed attempt at getting back at her husband, almost prostitutes herself with a stranger.
This is a roller-coaster of emotions, anger, childhood memories and soul searching episodes the reader feels suffocated and in desperate need of a breather. The characterization is superb and real, the protagonists are almost tangible.
Take a deep breath and plunge in.
Unprecedented.......2006-08-31
Everyone knows divorce is a terrible ordeal. When a marriage, a family, is suddenly ripped apart by the husband leaving for a younger woman, the suffering is horrific. It's one of the oldest of stories. Countless woman have experienced it. Those who do, look on others embarking on the path with pity and knowing. Women who've experienced this kind of break up know that the only way through it is, well, through it.
But no one talks about it. Probably because it hurts so damned much. Eventually, the mother and children get through the ordeal, each with their own private scars, but it just becomes a bad spot in the past, like a bruise on a banana.
Elena Ferrante talks about it. In Days of Abandonment, she goes into the home of Olga, Ilaria and Gianni and shows us what went on behind that closed door after Mario, husband and father, left them for Carla. The story is from Olga's point of view, and it is her anguish we feel most poignantly. But we see all of them, Olga, Ilaria, Gianni, even Otto the dog, swirling in the wake of Mario's departure. They plummet until it doesn't seem they can go any lower. Then they begin to heal.
The well-being of the mother and children can be measured by the way they view Carrano, their neighbor. When the story starts out, they see him through the eyes of Mario. Mario didn't like Carrano, and his observations were taken in by the rest of the family without question. After Mario leaves, Carrano goes through a remarkable series of transformations. He starts out sullen, unattractive and rude and migrates through lechery, incompetence to being a source of comfort.
Ferrante accomplishes all of her magic by showing us the transformations of Olga's outside world as she goes from shock to despair and up through the dregs to find her strength.
A fantastic book about an occurrence all too common but little understood. The book is difficult to read because the subject matter is so painful and displayed so graphically. But well worth taking the opportunity to become acquainted with this marvelous Italian talent.
Captivating.......2006-07-14
I found this book engaging from the first page. The book offers an unflinching portrait of a tightly wound and highly internalized 38 year old woman who becomes unbalanced after her husband leaves her. The portrait drawn is clear enough that one becomes aware of flaws of the protagonist so that her husband isn't the only source of her problems. The protagonist is a very intense and internalized person, who exists more strongly in her own thought than in her interactions with people. As we come to know her we see more of the truth about her difficulties, that she was too reliant on her husband, she is awkward around people, that she is more passionate than considerate. It's remarkable about how this portrait manages to make her at once sympathetic and unsympathetic. Once her husband leaves, her emotional state deteriorates until, signaled by a neighbors knocking on her door, almost inexplicably she regains her balance.
I feel that in many parts of this work the author manages to capture the multiple passions that at once pull a person in contrasting directions. One good example is a pathological sexual encounter the protagonist initiates with a neighbor. Some parts of the book where she is describing the nadir of her unbalanced period are not that believable, and the very end could have been more satisfying, but I give high marks for the lucid writing and the clear portrait she draws of the protagonist's internal life. A movie based on the book is going to be released soon. It seems this would be a challenge to do since the real action is in the mind of the main character.
Intense & enjoyable read.......2006-03-22
I was totally absorbed by this book within the first few pages! Her pain, anger, confusion and evloution are palpable. I felt as though I knew her and was totally drawn into her story. Early on, I felt what a friend might feel for a friend - not a character in a book. I highly recommend this book, but caution, it can be a distubing and painful read.
Book Description
~ A Defiant Lady ~
In Scotland's darkest hour, an English warrior dressed all in black has come for her. Blessed with the kenning, Lady Tamlyn MacShane foresaw this day, when the ruthless Lord Julian Challon would conquer her land -- and her heart. She is determined to resist him...but she is no match for his strength...or his sensuality...
~ A Resolute Lord ~
To Julian, the proud Scotswoman should be nothing more than a captive. Yet Tamlyn's fiery Beauty ensnares him, body and soul. Now, the warrior known as the Black Dragon is in danger of falling under the spell that cannot be broken---the spell of love....
Customer Reviews:
The union of two predestined warriors in a magical land........2007-09-25
A Restless Knight (The Dragons of Challon, Book 1)
A beautiful romance delivered in an engrossing plot. I loved the character portrayals of the legendary Black Dragon, Lord Julian Challon and Lady Tamlyn MacShane, the mistress of Glenrogha. Two strong yet vulnerable warriors who are predestined for each other. Deborah MacGillivray's narrative deftly illustrates their profound love for each other.
Ms MacGillivray's in-depth insight into Scottish Medieval period is ever present in her detailed descriptions and certainly conveyed me to the magical ambiance of Glenrogha and of the period.
The Challon saga continues with In Her Bed (The Dragons of Challon, Book 2) Damian St Giles and Lady Aithinne Ogilvie, another must read!
PERFECT HERO, MAGNIGICENT HEROINE WONDROUS STORY.......2007-09-15
The fact that this book already has over 40 reviews from enchanted readers tells you that this is an unforgettable story with incredible characters, unbelievable emotion and great sexual tension.
With fabulous narrative and a beautifully developed plot, the story begins the saga of the Dragons of Challon. Set in the period of Scotland's history, full of bloodshed and cruelty at the hand of English King Edward, known as Longshanks, it is a time of savagery but also a time where out of Scotland's darkest hour emerges the face of William Wallace, as a victorious champion for his people.
The story revolves around an English Knight, Julian of Challon, who has lost favor with his English King and the youngest daughter of a Scottish Laird, Tamlyn MacShane. Julian is fleeing the horrors of Berwick, a town massacred by Longshanks to teach a lesson to the Scottish people. The horrors beheld by Julian and two his two bastard brothers is unimaginable - he is plagues by horrid nightmares and he carries the guilt of the death of his youngest brother Christian that also perished at Berwick.
Tamlyn, the youngest of three sisters and gifted with fey knowledge, is awestruck by the visions that she is able to see from Julian's past. In her dreams, she relives Julian at the battle of Berwick and witnesses the death of Christian, so she is aware of the unbelievable pain that Julian is carrying inside.
The development of the story and its characters will leave you breathless with its beauty. Both Julian and Tamlyn are reincarnated lovers from a pagan time and the fey magik is sprinkled throughout the story.
The splendor and lore of the Scottish highlands is retold here with a magickal wand. You can almost smell the heather on the hills and feel the mists of the Loch envelop you as you read. A truly magnificent novel, skillfully executed by this accomplished story teller. You will be waiting with baited breath for all the continuing chapters in the Dragons of Challon.
The story of Damian St Giles, Julia's cousin and of Lady Aithinne Ogilvie, also Tamlyn's cousin is told in the next book "In her Bed" which is already out in paperback.
everything I could want in a Scottish Medieval.......2007-07-20
Set in the year before the body of the movie Braveheart takes places, an English warrior is sent to claim the valley of Glen Shane. The peaceful valley is protected by a magic fog, which keeps all away--except the Black Dragon of Challon. Julian Challon is war weary, he is aging, want a home, sons. He still grieves for the death of his younger brother, just a year or so before. A man who has been a soldier too long, coming to the tranquil holding that is now his feels like coming home. At the end of the journey is Lady Tamlyn MacShane. She is a strong-willed woman, yet has a tender heart...and she is a witch. Just what Julian needs to heal his torn soul.
A wonderful romance that leaves me hungry to the next book in the series.
Just plain wonderful!!.......2007-07-02
Good story, wonderful romance and yummy love scenes. I can't wait for the next book "In Her Bed".
A Breathtakingly Beautiful book!.......2007-02-12
There is no way you could read this book without experiencing everything the characters do. The descriptions are so vivid you'll see the scenes and feel the mist and hear the crackle of the fire. This writer is a definite artist and a automatic buy for me from now on. I loved the characters and was rooting for them from the start. I can't wait for her next book.
Book Description
213 SINGLE SCOTSMEN
There was something about the Brigadoon-like Falgannon, something that kept most of its male inhabitants unwed. From Michael the Story to Callum the Bicycle--and we mustn't forget The Cat Dudley, the slyest poker-playing moggie in the Outer Hebrides--every male of the Isle had happiness dependent upon that of its Lady. So things had been since Pictish times, and so they would be long after the present day.
Despite her machinations, to this point B.A. Montgomerie had been unable to make her men happy. Her first marriage had been against their advice; her husband had been an Irishman, true, but he had failed to meet other necessary requirements...and things had ended badly. Now, another Irishman had come--and was making the natives restless. Yes, the men of Falgannon could sense Desmond Mershan's conquering Viking spirit and his desire for B.A.--which B.A. could sense herself. And while her men would never let anything happen that she didn't want, this Irishman had come to pillage and loot, and nothing was going to stop him. Staring into his vibrant green eyes, B.A. anticipated the battles to come.
Customer Reviews:
QUIRKY CHARACTERS; AN ALL TOO HUMAN CAT; A TERRIFIC ROMANCE = A FABULOUS READ.......2007-07-24
It's hard to believe that The Invasion of Falgannon Isle is only the second release by this talented author. It not only shows her talent at writing romance, but writing romance in a number of genres as her first release, A Restless Knight, is a historical (breathtaking read).
In this contemporary romance, Ms. MacGillivray makes all her secondary characters as 3-dimensional as her main characters without taking away from our hero and heroine's story. The island itself is a character with life and breath and depth.
The love story between Barbara Anne (BA) Montgomerie and Desmond Mershan unfolds at a believable pace. The author shows two wounded souls - one afraid to love again and one afraid to love at all - trusting in themselves and one another enough to take the risk that is love.
Throw in a touch of magic, history and lore (Ms. MacGillivray's knowledge of all things Scottish and Gaelic is beyond excellent) and you have for one terrific love story. You don't just read the words on the page, you are transported to this Isle and into these people's lives.
While not a cat person per se, I could own Dudley! You just get the feeling he is the reincarnation of a wise, old soul.
So, book your ticket to Falgannon Isle - you will be given a warm welcome and a plate of delicious scones while you root for BA and Des!
a special romance to touch the heart.......2007-07-20
I adored this book. The quirky characters are charming, Des and "B.A." stole my heart. I didn't read the book; I visited Falgannon. I wish there was a Falgannon--I'd book a vacation there and never come back. Looking forward to more of the Sisters.
The Invasion of Falgannon Isle .......2007-06-27
The Lady of Falgannon Isle, Barbara Anne (B.A. for short) Montgomerie, sets up a website inviting single ladies to sample the delights of Falgannon Isle in the hope that the new magic of the Internet might combat the old Pictish curse that decrees that the Lady must be happily wed before women will ever live on the island.
Desmond Meashan lands on the Isle without the Lady's permission. B.A. is hard pushed to appear unimpressed since he seems to be the answer to the ancient curse - the island will breed only male children until B.A. marries a man with green eyes, dark hair and Irish ancestry. The entire island is cautiously ecstatic, hoping their troubles are over. They keep close watch on the couple's struggles. But Desmond has sworn to make the Montgomerie family pay for past crimes, and arrives with dark thoughts in mind.
This is an entertaining, imaginative romp with a whimsical cast of male islanders all desperate for wives and girlfriends. I enjoyed The Invasion of Falgannon Isle. The characters are both memorable and lovable, and the mix of fantasy and reality is cunningly and believably done. Deborah MacGillivray's wonderful creation includes a poker-playing cat that wins Rolex watches and bites people affectionately. She also manages the slow twist from comedy to anguish very well indeed. The motivations and emotions of the hero and heroine are exceptionally well drawn and the final denouement is a heart-stopper.
Jen
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
A GREAT BOOK!!!!!!.......2007-04-17
I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book. I consider it exceptional in that it gives you romance and a fabulously strong leading lady and it brings about the ''catharsis'' of the hero in a believable way. I wish to thank Ms MacGillivray for this book. It made my month.
You'll want to spend some time on..........2007-02-17
Falgannon Isle--213 handsome, single Scotsmen and nary a woman in sight, though B.A. Montgomerie can't be can't be blamed for that. She's willing to do whatever it takes to attract future wives for the men of her island even if it means she has to take on Desmond Mershan the sinfully handsome, green-eyed, black haired Irish son-of-a... who wants to steal her heart and turn her peaceful island into a bloody resort.
You'll love the quirky characters of Falgannon--Willie the Writer, Michael the Story, Angus the Ferry, and there's no forgetting The Cat Dudley, the island's four-pawed card shark.
The Invasion of Falgannon Isle is the first in Deborah MacGillivray's Seven Sister's series for Love Spell. Like A Restless Knight , MacGillivray's debut novel, Falgannon Isle is another winner. Steamy and laugh aloud funny in turns, The Invasion of Flagannon Isle is a fabulous way to spend a weekend.
Product Description
With the Scottish War for Independence raging, a Highland laird heads to the Scottish/English border to avenge his father's brutal death. After kidnapping his enemy's daughter, the young laird takes her to his castle in the Scottish Highlands, where they wage their own battle - of growing feelings - as well as strife between their two countries. Their future seemingly doomed by fate, HIGHLAND WISHES is the story of two people who vanquish fears, torments, and sorrows to bring each other to an awareness of self-assurance, happiness, and joy.
Customer Reviews:
delightful debut novel.......2007-09-13
I ordered this book after watching the video trailer on Youtube. I liked it so much I ended up ordering the next book in the series. Ms. Burroughs puts her heart into the novel, very old-fashioned in flavour so might not please all, but those was more of a saga feel to their books this is worth the time. Enjoyed Her Highland Rogue even more.
Fell hook, line and sinker for this stinker!.......2007-03-11
Boy, did I get taken in by the other reviews of this book! The characters are predictable as is the story. There were so many inconsistancies - this book went right into my re-sale box after about 50 pages. If I could've given it a half-star I would.
Feminists Beware!.......2006-10-16
This story is both beautiful and brutal.
Written in the time of Edward "Longshank's" campaign to beat Scottland into submission, this story is alive with Highland castle life. I enjoyed the intimate look at many Scottish traditions as Tory, our English-bred heroine, is assimilated into life at Drummond Keep.
I have to admit that my 2006 sense of gender rights was seriously offended many times throughout this tale. Unlike so many stories of this genre, Ms Burroughs's plot kept a sense of brutal honesty that looked beyond the fairy-tale notion of chivalry and plunged deep into the mud, muck, and mire of pre-modern war.
Tory, both old and innocent at 17, has been legally abused and humiliated by her father. She gathers her battered spirit to run away when he promises her to a known wife-killer. Her freedom doesn't last past the stables however, as she is captured and enslaved by raiding Scotts.
Grant, is quickly protective of his troubled (and often in trouble) captive to the confusion of his people. However, he is a bit slow to open his heart and fight for what is truly important to him.
Both learn trust. Tory learns self-respect. Grant learns to forgive himself. All amidst lots of love and some great side characters.
Overall I was very satisfied with Highland Wishes.
such heart.......2006-08-11
this book is old style historical with the writer's heart poured into it. I just loved Tory and Grant. Sigh.
I am looking forward to reading the next in the series, Her Highland Rogue.
Wonderful Scottish tale!.......2006-06-23
I really enjoyed reading Leanne Burroughs Highland Wishes. Grant and Victoria's story takes the reader on a wonderful journey through medieval Scotland. I found the ending extremely satisfying and was so glad to have met such great characters.
Book Description
DREAM LOVER
Damian St. Giles has woken up before with a sore head from imbibing too much mead, but finding himself naked and shackled to a bed is an entirely new experience. As if in a dream, a flame-haired enchantress appears and offers him a brew to ease his pain...and enflame his desire. He soon realizes this Highland beauty has given him a potent aphrodisiac and she is fully prepared to take all his body has to offer...
TRUE DESIRE
Lady Aithinne Ogilvie knows she must treat this man as nothing more than a stud, for that is what he is to her...a means to get her with child and thus produce an heir who will save her inheritance from ruthless Scottish warriors and greedy King Edward. Yet she cannot deny the instant bond she feels for this handsome stranger--and the feeling that it will be the prisoner in her bed who will end up laying claim to her heart.
This book is the sequel to A Restless Knight. The second book in the Dragons of Challon series.
Customer Reviews:
Isabel Mere, historical romance author.......2007-10-08
The cover of IN HER BED alone was enough to compel me to read Ms. MacGillivray's book, for which I'm grateful. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in 13th century Scotland with Aithinne and Damian, characters I could laugh with, worry about and cry for. I look forward to the next book in The Dragons of Challon series and highly recommend IN HER BED to readers who appreciate a well crafted, sensual romance.
Witty, Lusty, and Just Plain Fun.......2007-10-07
When Aithinne Ogilvie sends her three huge, slightly-brainless brothers to fetch a stud to father her child, she didn't mean Damian St. Giles, cousin to the powerful Julian Challon (A Restless Knight). She wanted a stranger, someone to father a babe that she could claim as her deceased husband's. Her brother's were supposed to get someone she could forget.
Aithinne and Damian fall in love the moment they thrust together, but Damian thinks the woman in his arms is Aithinne's cousin Tamlyn (A Restless Knight). Even after he realizes his mistake and knows his lover's true name, Aithinne can't let it go. Call a woman by the wrong name in bed just once and she holds a grudge--go figure.
Deborah MacGillivray writes of strong women; gorgeous, driven men; and laugh-aloud secondary characters. In Her Bed, the second in the Dragons of Challon series, is a lusty, utterly satisfying read. Watch this author--Deborah MacGillivray is going places.
Reviewed by: Laurel Bradley, Author of A Wish in Time
Even better than the first!!!!.......2007-09-23
Lady Aithinne Ogilvie is willing to do whatever it takes to save the people of Lyonglen, anything including bedding a man for the sole intent of getting pregnant. She sends her brothers to locate a suitable man, but her brothers instead return with Damien St. Giles. Damien is the cousin of the feared Black Dragon (see Julian Challon's story in A RESTLESS KNIGHT) and a man who will be missed- not the sort of man Aithinne was looking for at all! And he's definitely not the sort of man she can keep shackled to the bed for a week during Beltane as Oona's magic dictates to ensure a baby is conceived!
Damien has long dreamed of a woman, and thought he'd found her in Julian's soon-to-be wife, Tamlyn. However, Aithinne is practically the spitting image of Tamlyn, only taller and with freckles. Neither Aithinne nor Damien is prepared for the attraction that sparks between them. Will love flourish between Aithinne and Damien after such an inauspicious beginning?
Deborah MacGillivray has a writing style that is pure magic! In the hands of such a gifted storyteller, the reader is transported back to these turbulent and chaotic years in Scottish history. The tension of the times comes vividly alive, as Damien and Aithinne are caught up in the intrigue as Scotland and England clash.
IN HER BED continues along the storyline first started in A RESTLESS KNIGHT. However, IN HER BED is easily a stand alone as Deborah MacGillivray provides readers with all the necessary information to enjoy this rich and lush tale. I didn't think she could top A RESTLESS KNIGHT for its sheer poetic and haunting style, but IN HER BED exceeds even the high caliber of the first book.
Aithinne is a character that is so easy to relate to. Overshadowed by the beauty of her cousin Tamlyn, Aithinne has insecurities that run quite deep. Damien's unrequited love of Tamlyn only adds to her feelings and there are some scenes that are so gut-wrenching that you'll want to have a box of Kleenex handy. Aithinne's three brothers add just the right touch of humor so that this powerful tale isn't overwhelming. Deborah MacGillivray infuses such passion and emotion into this poignant and memorable tale that it is guaranteed to be a hit.
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
STIRRING, EMOTIONAL LOVE STORY OF DAMIAN & AITHINNE (2ND IN CHALLON SERIES).......2007-09-18
When the mailman delivered IN HER BED, I eagerly opened the package, and started reading this 2nd in the Dragons of Challon series immediately. As much as I loved the main characters in A RESTLESS KNIGHT, I was even more taken in by Damian St. Giles and Aithinne Ogilvie. So drawn by their story, I almost turned my back on my family, wishing they'd go away and not interrupt my reading. Each time I had to put the book down to handle daily chores, my mind stayed with Damian and Aithinne.
The book opens with Damian trying to drown his sorrow of losing Tamlyn to marriage with his cousin. When identical triplets supply him with a strange drink, promising to take away his pain, his wild ride begins.
Aithinne, with the help of her healer and friend, Oona, and her bumblesome brothers (the triplets), have set in motion a plan to bring a brawny man to her tower bedroom--hoping to get Aithinne with child. She plans to fight off the neighboring lords trying to take her land by lying about marriage to her guardian, Lord Lyonglen, and producing an `heir' to the title. She didn't count on the kidnapped man chained to her bed merely for `stud' service stealing her heart and soul.
IN HER BED is first and foremost a love story--two people finding each other in the midst of war, and slaughterhouse encounters dealing with the English and the Scots, but the antics of the triplets, Damian's teasing of Aithinne and her freckles, and her insults to him to hide her love kept this reader wreathed in smiles.
Ms. MacGillivray skillfully spins yet another sensual tale of a yummy English Knight and his mystical, pagan Ladylove, and their road to finding each other. The author is an expert on medieval Scotland, and it shows in her witty dialogue, interwoven with just the right amount of history. This author impressed me with her fan-yourself-hot love scenes that remained tasteful--unusual in this day of so many erotica books with sex for sex sake. Another addition to my `keeper' shelf (in fact, I enjoyed it so much, I didn't want to it to end). I highly recommend this book to everyone, and I anxiously await the next in the series.
Well worth the wait!.......2007-09-13
Deborah MacGillivray introduced us to Damian St. Giles in A Restless Knight (The Dragons of Challon, Book 1). Who was that delicious man who disappeared, leaving us sorely enticed? Now we find out where he's been. In Her Bed isn't a sequel to A Restless Knight since both books take place simultaneously. Hey, and we thought Tamlyn and Julian had issues. Ha! Just imagine the blow to Damian's ego when he finds out Lady Aithinne Oglivie has used him for stud service.
Aithinne is desperate to secure the future of her holdings, and to do that, she must produce an heir. She sends her twin brothers and her protector to procure a good specimen. Damian, drugged and spelled by Oona, can't believe his good luck when he's seduced by the woman whose image he's loved for years. He thought, at first, it was the Lady Tamlyn, but even though he's a bit miffed at his treatment, he finds Aithinne even more irresistible. Lady Aithinne, on the other hand, isn't the slightest bit interested in having any man claim her or her lands. And she's not at all amused when Damian tells her that King Edward has granted her lands to him.
Let Ms. MacGillivray take you on a journey through sensuality, betrayal, and true love. In Her Bed is the second book in MacGillivray's Dragons of Challon series, but can be read as a standalone just as well. (I don't know why anyone would want to miss the first book, though.)
For a true page-turner, I highly recommend Aithinne and Damian's rocky road to true love.
Other great reads:
A Restless Knight (The Dragons of Challon, Book 1)
The Invasion of Falgannon Isle (The Sisters of Colford Hall, Book 1)
Riding the Thunder (The Sisters of Colford Hall, Book 2)
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