The Last Noel
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • OK for a Christmas novelty book
  • Not my cup of tea
  • The Last Noel - Alison Owens
  • made for tv movie fodder
  • Not a good holiday read!
The Last Noel
Michael Malone
Manufacturer: Sourcebooks Landmark
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
LiteraryLiterary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1402201478

Book Description

Award-winning author Michael Malone's The Last Noel is a beautiful gift to American fiction. In a deeply touching tale, The Last Noel captures the exuberance and poignance of a lasting friendship between a man and a woman from very different backgrounds. Noni Tilden and Kaye King grow up and grow close as their lives come dramatically together through four decades of tumultuous change in a small southern town.

The story begins in 1963 when Kaye first meets Noni on the eve of their seventh birthdays. On that Christmas Eve, Kaye climbs through her bedroom window to invite her to come sledding with him in a rare southern snowfall. Over the next thirty years on twelve days of Christmas, they meet to share the passion, the sacrifice and the romance of a lifetime. At once exquisitely written and tearfully joyful, The Last Noel is one of the great love stories of our time.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars OK for a Christmas novelty book.......2005-11-05

I admit to a mad passion for MOST of the work of Michael Malone, and was so sad to see he had succumbed to the temptation to write a "christmas book". I was so shocked I did not buy it- the only available Malone I don't own. Still, when my curiosity got the best of me in the library one day, I took it home and read it. And true to Malone's talent, it was readable and interesting and I got engaged by the characters and the perfect writing. Still, it isn't up to the standards of his best work (Try Foolscap or the Times Witness/Uncivil Seasons mysteries, for example) and I regret he didn't save the story for a deeper and less overtly commercial book. He's too good to be on a shelf with the likes of "The Christmas Gift".

2 out of 5 stars Not my cup of tea.......2005-07-20

I don't think there is anything special about The Last Noel. The characters came across as flat and predictable, and were presented in such a fashion that I frankly didn't care what happened to them. Noni, as some have pointed out, was too good, and I think it's unrealistic that she could just let her life slip away from her without any complaint. She spends her life serving others without thinking of herself; how could she not even shed a tear or throw a fit about her lonely existence? Nobody seems to grow or mature in the novel; all the characters stay the same, and keep making the same mistakes.

Basically, the entire story is about how two people have refused to acknowledge what they want in life, and realize-too late-that nothing can't rectify their mistake. Noni seems to repeat the mistakes of her mother and finds herself in a less than ideal marriage, where there is a noticeable absence of love. Meanwhile, Noni can never admit to herself the person whom she really loves, and takes no action to turn her life in the right direction.

The ending may have upset some people, but I knew it was coming, and I felt that these characters who took no control of their lives deserved to suffer.

If you like reading about dysfunctional marriages and families, this is the book for you. If you liked Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, then this book will not disappoint. But if you want a book with well-developed characters and an interesting plot, I cannot recommend this book.

4 out of 5 stars The Last Noel - Alison Owens.......2005-01-01

My best friend and I have a book exchange in that we take turns choosing a book to read each month. For December I picked this book and my friend was unimpressed. I procrastinated the book because of his bad reviews until yesterday. I wasn't supposed to like it and therefore didn't for the first few pages. After that, I got hooked and read it in a day. I even stayed up this morning til 2:30 to finish it. I cried for a good hour (maybe two - I'm trying not to exaggerate) of my reading. I particularly loved the gift exchange between the two best friends. Malone captured a great deal of their love for each other in the gifts they gave. The most memorable part for me was the end, when he walked into the hall closet to get the sled and told his son "It was your mother's first gift to me....and she gave me so many". I have thought about the book all day today and grieved for Kaye, Noni, Amma and Johnny.

My husband is a professional musician and he sometimes makes fun of my choices in music. They are not musically sophisiticated enough for him. Just yesterday I heard Whitney Houston's "I will always love you" and he said he thought it had been butchered by too many singers for him to like it. The song strikes deep emotional chords for me, despite my husband's critique of it.

This book does the same despite my best friend's critique. I think when I see it on my book shelf, I will get a feeling like I do when I hear Whitney sing "I will always love you".

2 out of 5 stars made for tv movie fodder.......2004-12-23

The Last Noel started with a cute premise: a bold and intelligent friendship starting at age seven. Even the "kiss" in chapter one is intriguing. But from that point on it becomes too messy. The characters take a back seat to social commentary, the march of time, and the annoying little literary trick of introducing props to serve as titles for the upcoming chapters (hitchcock chair, hope chest, etc).
Its hard to write a book about a person's life without focusing on only the "bad" stuff - and Malone tries to attempt a double life story by covering Noel and Kaye. The result is a focus on one tragedy after another. Plus, the reader is never really given a fair chance to ever really care about Bud and Judy Tilden.
This book is filled with too many extra characters that are disposable. I never really cared about many of them and they ate a lot of print. Wade - idiot. Parker - couldn't trust (neither could Kaye). Roland - loser. grandpa Gordon - bigot. Shani - just there. No richness, just flat. Soap Opera and plodding.
It was a relatively easy read with a terribly unnecessary, and unoriginal ending.
I can't really think of anything positive to say about this book. But if I were a writing teacher, I would read chapter 1 aloud to my students, and stop right there. I would let the students then finish the story. That would be fun because chapter 1 is powerful and would provide a great prompt for creative writing.

1 out of 5 stars Not a good holiday read!.......2003-10-20

When I read this book, to be honest, I couldn't put it down. The friendship of Noni and Kaye is so heartwarming and wonderful from the time they were seven and through their years.
I understand that this is the real world and along with happiness comes sadness, but the real world quite honestly is sad enough at times and maybe it could have ended on a happier note. This book left an ache in my heart....I probably should have paid more attention to the title....
Margaret: The Last Real Princess: The Shockingly Frank and Revealing Account of the Life and Loves of HRH Princess Margaret
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not bad...
  • A portrait lacking insight
Margaret: The Last Real Princess: The Shockingly Frank and Revealing Account of the Life and Loves of HRH Princess Margaret
Noel Botham
Manufacturer: John Blake Publishing, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | British | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Royalty | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1903402646

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not bad..........2005-06-14

Not great, but not bad. A nice easy read, this is unfortunately a one-sided portrait of an otherwise complex interesting character, focusing mostly on her romantic controversies. I would have liked to know a bit more about all of her, her hobbies, daily routines, relationship with other Royals. I was also disappointed at the photographs, whole pages of her lovers! I would have liked to see her homes, her clothes, and her beautiful wedding. Not a disappointment by any means but this could have been a richer read than as it stands.

1 out of 5 stars A portrait lacking insight.......2002-04-28

I hesitated in deciding to review this book. Is it worth drawing the public's attention to a book that is, at best, descriptive journalism which promises more than it delivers? Only after reading the book did I acquaint myself with the author's journalistic reputation which helped explain some of my original disappointment with the book. As an academic, I cannot recommend this book to any serious reader interested in matters concerning the Windsor family. The book lacks proper endnotes and citations. Botham rarely identifies his sources but chooses convincing descriptive labels that suggest authoritative individuals with first hand knowledge. I am disappointed in Botham's "soap opera" treatment of a topic that is of genuine interest to many in the British Commonwealth. In short, save your money!
The Last Great American Picture Show: New Hollywood Cinema in the 1970s (Amsterdam University Press - Film Culture in Transition)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Last Great American Picture Show: New Hollywood Cinema in the 1970s (Amsterdam University Press - Film Culture in Transition)

    Manufacturer: Amsterdam University Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 9053566317
    Release Date: 2005-03-30

    Book Description

    The French Connection, The Last Picture Show, M.A.S.H., Harold and Maude--these are only a few of the iconic films made in the United States during the 1970s. Originally considered a "lost generation," the 1970s are increasingly recognized as a crucial turning point in American filmmaking, and many films from the era have resurfaced from oblivion to become a reference for new directorial talents. The Last Great American Picture Show explores this pivotal era in American film history with a collection of essays by scholars and writers that firmly situates the decade as the time of the emergence of "New Hollywood."

    Sam Peckinpah, Arthur Penn, Peter Bogdanovich, Monte Hellman, Bob Rafelson, Hal Ashby, Robert Altman, and James Tobac: these legendary directors developed innovative techniques, gritty aesthetics, and a modern sensibility in American film. Here, contributors compellingly argue that the cinema of today's major directors--Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Robert Zemeckis--could not have come into existence without the groundbreaking works produced by the directors of the 1970s. A wholly engaging and long-overdue investigation of this important era in American film, The Last Great American Picture Show reveals how the films of the 1970s transformed the American social consciousness and influenced filmmaking worldwide.

    Last Survivors, The Natural History of Animals in Danger of Extinction
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Last Survivors, The Natural History of Animals in Danger of Extinction
      Noel & Paul Geroudet, Illustrated by Diller Simon
      Manufacturer: New York: The World Publishing Company, 1970
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: B000O3NWOE
      Two Hundred Last Verses
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Two Hundred Last Verses
        Noel Rawsthorne
        Manufacturer: Kevin Mayhew Ltd
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 0862091896
        Oscar Wilde's Last Stand
        Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
        • The "Fourth" Oscar Wilde Trial.
        • Rule, Britannia
        Oscar Wilde's Last Stand
        Philip Hoare
        Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

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        ASIN: 1559704233

        Amazon.com

        Even though Oscar Wilde--playwright, wit, critic, and convicted sodomite--died exiled and disgraced in 1900, his memory and influence remain central to British culture. In 1918 the specter of Wilde manifested itself in what social historian Philip Hoare calls "the trial of the century." This shocking libel case was brought by American actress Maud Allan, who had just appeared in a production of Wilde's Salome, against Noel Pemberton Billing, an arch-conservative M.P., who accused her of being a member of "the cult of the clitoris": his catch phase for a sexual and social degeneracy that he saw as destroying England. Billing also claimed that the German government (with whom, you will recall, England was at war) had "a black book" containing the names of 47,000 prominent members of the British society who were "in the cult of Wilde"--a euphemism for quot;degenerate" homosexuals--and who were potential blackmailees, subversives, and traitors. As in the Wilde trials 23 years earlier, the real issue here was an attack by conservatives and moralists against social and sexual freedom.

        As in his earlier work, Serious Pleasures: The Life of Stephen Tennant and Noel Coward: A Biography, Hoare proves himself to be an incisive social critic and a vigorous historian who illuminates the paradoxes of the recent past with insight and passion. But the real power of Oscar Wilde's Last Stand (that Hoare makes clear again and again) is its understanding that Wilde--social rebel and martyr to artistic and sexual freedom--remains, in so many ways, under attack by conservative social forces even today. --Michael Bronski END

        Book Description

        Even though Oscar Wilde--playwright, wit, critic, and convicted sodomite--died exiled and disgraced in 1900, his memory and influence remain central to British culture. In 1918 the specter of Wilde manifested itself in what social historian Philip Hoare calls "the trial of the century." This shocking libel case was brought by American actress Maud Allan, who had just appeared in a production of Wilde's Salome, against Noel Pemberton Billing, an arch-conservative M.P., who accused her of being a member of "the cult of the clitoris": his catch phase for a sexual and social degeneracy that he saw as destroying England. Billing also claimed that the German government (with whom, you will recall, England was at war) had "a black book" containing the names of 47,000 prominent members of the British society who were "in the cult of Wilde"--a euphemism for quot;degenerate" homosexuals--and who were potential blackmailees, subversives, and traitors. As in the Wilde trials 23 years earlier, the real issue here was an attack by conservatives and moralists against social and sexual freedom. As in his earlier work, Serious Pleasures: The Life of Stephen Tennant and Noel Coward: A Biography, Hoare proves himself to be an incisive social critic and a vigorous historian who illuminates the paradoxes of the recent past with insight and passion. But the real power of Oscar Wilde's Last Stand (that Hoare makes clear again and again) is its understanding that Wilde--social rebel and martyr to artistic and sexual freedom--remains, in so many ways, under attack by conservative social forces even today. --Michael Bronski END

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars The "Fourth" Oscar Wilde Trial........1999-08-20

        There are a number of ways to count the trials of Oscar Wilde, but what's becoming widely known as the "fourth" Oscar Wilde trial is a fascinating incident which occurred after his death. It is certainly must reading for anyone wanting to be acquainted with the Wilde story; especially if you're American. Maud Allen, the Canadian-American who brought about the libel action which initiated the trial, is familar to Canadians and some Americans since Felix Cherniavsky's 1991 book "The Salome Dancer" was published and mentioned this incident. And now Philip Hoare, a Briton, provides us with a fuller treatment of the trial's flow. Hoare's book is nicely written and has some stunning photographs of Maud Allan performing on stage. My only criticism is that Mr. Hoare says Ms. Allan's opponent, Noel Pemberton Billing, was "Mosley Before His Time." He refers to Sir Oswald Mosley, a later leader of the British fascists. If Mr. Hoare really knew his fascists, rather than his sterotypes, he would know that Mosley affiliated with the left wing tradition as a moderate member of parliment. Mosley continued to advocate those economic remedies as a fascist, continued his interest and associations with Britains's cultural vanguard, and was remarkably tolerant about homosexuals. In fact, it's no secret that Mosley's son by a first marriage, Nicolas, was homosexual, and to that son Mosley left the papers detailing his long, extraordinary, and tragic career. Today Nickolas is a prominent and respected liberal novelist, and his books about his father, Rules of the Game and Beyond the Pale, indicate that respect was mutual.

        5 out of 5 stars Rule, Britannia.......1998-08-31

        This is how history should be written: exhaustively researched, well organized, good command of the language. This book goes way beyond what the title promises, giving us an encompassing social history of the "upper classes" of Britain from 1900 to 1918. Many surprises here, all of them believable. The only request: to give us, in an appendix, a more thorough vitae of the players.
        The Line Upon a Wind: An Intimate History of the Last and Greatest War Fought at Sea Under Sail: 1793-1815
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          The Line Upon a Wind: An Intimate History of the Last and Greatest War Fought at Sea Under Sail: 1793-1815
          Noel Mostert
          Manufacturer: Jonathan Cape
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 0224069225
          Release Date: 2007-07-17

          Book Description

          An Intimate History of the Last and Greatest War Fought at Sea Under Sail: 1793—1815.

          Following his acclaimed Frontiers, Noel Mostert’s new book chronicles the first true “world war.” In February 1793, France declared war on Britain and Holland. The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars that raged for the next twenty-two years saw European powers manoeuvering for mercantile and political advantage in a complex and ever-changing web of alliances and coalitions. By 1815, the world was a different place; age-old certainties were shattered, established dynasties and kingdoms overthrown, the United States emerged as a world power, and a new age was dawning.

          This was to be the longest, hardest and cruelest war ever fought at sea, on a scale comparable only with the Second World War. Methods of battle under sail, little changed for centuries, would be forced to adapt at an unprecedented pace that brought with it the fearsome power of rockets, torpedoes and submarines. The Line Upon a Wind is also the story of the daily lives of the sailors on board the fighting ships, the blood and guts ferocity of engagement in an age of gentility, the struggle of ships’ surgeons to repair broken bodies and the daily struggle to keep the men fed and free of disease. It is a story of ordinary men and extraordinary bravery.

          The Great War, as it was known to contemporaries, spanned generations and continents. Noel Mostert has achieved a work of unparalleled research, rousing descriptions and illuminating analysis — maritime history at its very best.
          Last Noel (The Iris House Mystery)
          Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
          • Light, Cozy Mystery
          • Interesting read
          • An enjoyable Sunday afternoon read
          Last Noel (The Iris House Mystery)
          Jean Hager
          Manufacturer: Avon
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
          SeriesSeries | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
          Women SleuthsWomen Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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          ASIN: 0380786370

          Book Description

          Murder Steals The Scene

          Peace and goodwill go out the window at Tess Darcy's Community Church in Victoria Springs the minute out-of-town drama professor Sherwood Draper walks in the door. He's been asked to replace the former director of the annual Christmas pageant, and she's furious. The organist is humiliated to be replaced by taped music, and the husband of a parishioner is outraged when he finds Sherwood backstage playing love scenes with his wife.

          But it turns out to be curtains for the unpopular professor before the show begins. His corpse is found in a dressing room and there's no shortage of suspects with both motive and opportunity. Now it's up to Tess to find out if the irreverent professor has been done in by the fury of a wronged wife or by the righteous indignation of a fellow parishioner willing to commit a deadly sin on sacred grounds.

          Customer Reviews:

          3 out of 5 stars Light, Cozy Mystery .......2006-08-31

          In the 4th book in the Iris House Mystery series, it is the holiday season, and Tess has relatives staying at Iris House. Tess Darcy, owner of the inn, is excited about the upcoming Christmas season, and has invited her half-siblings to stay with her while her father and step-mother fit in a last minute trip before joining them right before the holiday. Tess is involved in the annual Christmas pageant, and enlists the help of her siblings to keep them occupied during their visit. The pageant is not without controversy, however, as the pastor of the Community Church has decided to hire an out-of-town director. The former volunteer director, Claire, is furious that she has been replaced, and the first rehearsal for the pageant is tense, at best. When the new director, Sherwood Draper, starts making radical changes to the traditional program, everyone involved becomes furious. Harsh words are spoken, and threats are directed toward Draper. And when the new director is found in a compromising position backstage with another member of the church, Lily Brookside, several people have murder on their minds. So, when Draper is found dead, there doesn't seem to be a shortage of suspects, and Tess steps in to help officer-in-charge, Andy Neill, solve this case before the killer steals a merry Christmas from all.

          I have enjoyed the other books that I have read in this series, and was mildly disappointed with the pace in this installment. There doesn't seem any lack in the amount of suspects in the case, and there were several twists and turns that kept me guessing as to the identity of the killer. But, I really missed the usual characters of Gertie and Nedra, two of my favorite characters in this series. And the Iris House setting was absent for most of this book, and I missed the cozy atmosphere of both the inn, and my two favorite characters. I hope to see more of them in future installments! Overall, this is a light, cozy read, and I recommend giving this series a try if you enjoy the genre.

          The first book in the series is called "Blooming Murder". Enjoy!

          3 out of 5 stars Interesting read.......1998-02-23

          This is the first Tess Darcy book that I've read of her series. I have to admit I bought it because of its Christmas theme which turned out to be about putting on a Christmas pageant. The idea that a small-town church would hire someone to run its pageant seemed a little far-fetched but thats where the murder comes in. While reading the book I wondered how the main character can run a bed & breakfast with all the extra-curricular things she is doing. I did enjoy the characters and will probably read the rest of the series to get to know the characters better. I enjoyed Tess & her friends and family and I think you will too.

          4 out of 5 stars An enjoyable Sunday afternoon read.......1997-12-25

          This was a welcome addition to the Iris House series. My only disappointment was at the very end when I expected one last twist but the characters and plot were executed well.
          Last Person Rural
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Last Person Rural
            Noel Perrin
            Manufacturer: David R. Godine Publisher
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover

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            ASIN: 087923914X
            3 Titles By Hager - The Last Noel (Iris House) - Bride and Doom (Iris House) - Ghostland (Oklahoma Mystery)
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              3 Titles By Hager - The Last Noel (Iris House) - Bride and Doom (Iris House) - Ghostland (Oklahoma Mystery)
              Jean Hager
              Manufacturer: various
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Mass Market Paperback
              ASIN: B000QIYJXU

              Product Description

              Multiple books shipped as one item. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.

              The Last Chance Cafe : A Novel
              Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
              • Last Chance Cafe
              • Last Chance Cafe
              • Romance/Suspense Novel
              • unable to acheive willing suspension of disbelief
              • Lovers together again!
              The Last Chance Cafe : A Novel
              Linda Lael Miller
              Manufacturer: Pocket Star
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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              ASIN: 0671042513

              Book Description

              New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller captures the passionate heart of America in this page-turning romantic novel. Seeking shelter from the storms of life, a woman who is down on her luck Wnds an unexpected refuge at...

              THE LAST CHANCE CAFÉ

              When a blinding Nevada snowstorm and a broken-down truck force Hallie O'Rourke and her two young daughters into the warmth of the Last Chance Café, Hallie could not know she would find a new beginning at the roadside diner. Or that the handsome stranger she meets there would change everything she believes about home and family. Chance Qualtrough is a rancher with deep roots in Primrose Creek, and he's never met a woman as alluring -- or downright stubborn -- as Hallie. An undeniable passion is pulling them together, but Hallie is fleeing a danger so threatening she dares not let Chance into her heart. Will all that Hallie fears come back with full force, destroying her last chance for the life she's always dreamed of?

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              New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller captures the passionate heart of America in this powerful contemporary novel set in a small Western town. Seeking shelter from the storms of life, a woman who is down on her luck finds an unexpected refuge at THE LAST CHANCE CAFÉ With acres of land and a house that have been in his family for generations, rancher Chance Qualtrough has deep roots in Primrose Creek. Now, at the local diner, he is about to encounter his future¿.Perhaps it was fate that brought Hallie O'Rourke and her two young daughters to the Last Chance Café. More likely, it was the blinding Nevada snowstorm and a broken-down truck that forced the desperate single mother inside. Hallie couldn't know that she would find not just a hot meal and a few hours' rest, but the start of a new life. And Chance doesn't know that Hallie is fleeing a danger so threatening she dares not ask anyone for help. Even his kind offer of his aunt's house as lodging seems like too great a risk for Hallie. But her fierce protection of her children wins out, and she knows she has no choice but to accept Chance's invitation. Slowly, as Chance and Hallie break down barriers of fear and doubt, trust takes hold. Hope replaces despair. And a fragile attraction grows into an undeniable passion. From the moment she took a chance with a handsome stranger in a country diner, everything Hallie has ever believed about home and family is seen through new eyes. But Hallie can never forget that just one careless word could bring back the past with full force, and could destroy all that she has made her own. With a richly emotional storytelling style that has enchanted readers worldwide, Linda Lael Miller explores the secrets and wishes that push a woman's heart to new tomorrows and -- forever and always -- to lasting love.

              Customer Reviews:

              5 out of 5 stars Last Chance Cafe .......2006-08-28

              Loved the book, had me hooked from the start and couldn't put it down, that i read it in one day. Can't wait for the movie with Kevin Sorbo as Chance. Can just picture him as Chance as you read the book.

              Wonderful loved every minute of it.

              5 out of 5 stars Last Chance Cafe.......2006-02-02

              I read this book and really enjoyed it. I like how the everything fell into place the way it did. Not too fast and not too slow. It almost makes you feel like Hallie did go back in time, when really, she was just in another town. She is there and meets all the town people, who all seem like they are from another time. And Chance is described as a cowboy, kindof sexy. ;) Jessie is more apt to ride a horse than drive her car. It is a great book. Any one who is any one will absolutely love this book and the ending doesn't leave you hangin. Highly recommended.

              4 out of 5 stars Romance/Suspense Novel.......2005-10-08

              The Last Chance Café by Linda Miller was a story of Hallie O'Rourke who escapes her home and her old life because she knows too much. She finds herself broken down on the side of road in the middle of snow storm with her twin seven year old daughters. Chance Qualtrough takes one look a snow covered family and finds himself offering let them house sit at his cousin's ranch. It is a nice mix of romance, mystery and danger. This book sat for too long of my shelf I am glad I finally got around to reading it....

              1 out of 5 stars unable to acheive willing suspension of disbelief.......2005-04-27

              Hallie, the protagonist, mother of twin girls, is cast as desperate, having left behind the good life to escape a dangerous ex-husband, who is somehow embroiled in a plot that resulted in the murder of Hallie's stepfather. The story doesn't establish the nature of her ex's crimes before Hallie has fled the city with girls in tow, and not even in her own reliable car. No, she had to use the beat-up truck behind her step-father's house, because otherwise, how could they break down so becomingly in the snowstorm two miles outside of Primrose Creek? And, although wealthy, she cannot access her bank account without her ex locating her, Of Course.... This is never well explained - HOW can he access her financial information? They are DIVORCED and have been for 3 years.

              After contriving such an unlikely desperation scenario, the plot never allows Hallie to feel any real anxiety before she is caught up in the overprotective arms of the handsome cowboy, Chance. Before she and he are even acquainted at all, he has provided her with a relative's house to use as her own, car and food included. They are having passionate sex within the week - yet Miller would have us believe that Hallie is not rash. (They share bodily fluids before they've even shared their personal histories!) What responsible man would just open up a home in his care to a complete stranger? What woman would throw her two young girls' lives into the path of a strange man?

              I read this book because the cover art reminded me of one of my favorite love stories, The Honk and Holler Opening Soon. I recommend it as a replacement if you find Last Chance Cafe as hollow as I did.

              5 out of 5 stars Lovers together again!.......2005-04-09

              Chance Qualtrough is a woman's dream lover...caring and gentle, sexy, patient and determined to protect the woman he loves. It takes Hallie a while to realize this because she's running from real danger and is reluctant to drag Chance into her line of fire.

              Books:

              1. The Lost Library of Cormanthyr (Forgotten Realms: Lost Empires, Book 1)
              2. The Manhattan Hunt Club
              3. The Music Lesson: A Novel
              4. The Obscene Bird of Night (Verba Mundi)
              5. The Oppermanns: A Novel
              6. The Possibility of an Island
              7. The Sagas of Icelanders: Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition (World of the Sagas)
              8. The Stone Carvers
              9. The Tesseract
              10. The THOUGHT GANG

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