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< Distant Shores, Silent Thunder > < Storms of Change > < Beyond the Breakwater > < Safe Harbor > < Winds of Fortune > < When Dreams Tremble > Radclyffe

price： 510
Bolds Strokes Books
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customer 's review
(I love these books)

(Fabulous Romance deservidly a Lammy winner)

(Great addition to the series)

(A Definite Must Read!)

(Best in this series)

I read Distant Shores, Silent Thunder first not knowing that there is more. Now I have all but the last one to come out and I can't wait for it to get here. And all I can say is look out Mr. Mailman! I can't wait for it to get here!!!

If there were ever a series that created a yearning to visit a particular peninsula in Massachusetts if only to catch of glimpse of Sheriff Reese Conlon, her loving partner, Dr. Tory King, Rookie Officer Bri Parker, and now Dr. KT O'Bannon, and Pia Torres, PT, OT, CMT, then Radclyffe's "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" will clinch it. After being immersed in the first two novels, "Safe Harbor," and "Beyond the Breakwater," and the fourth in the best-selling Provincetown series "Storms of Change," one can only hope that Radclyffe never tires of writing about these characters because readers will never tire of reading about them. It's not easy to keep a series fresh, but Radclyffe is proficient at bringing in new blood while keeping us abreast of old favorites, to satisfy and yet fuel the insatiable hunger for the ultimate escapism of getting lost in a book.

What endears Radclyffe to her followers goes beyond telling an exciting story in a great setting and tapping into all aspects of human nature. The award-winning author has her fans eating out of her skillful hands by giving them characters who are so real it's either impossible not to search every cruiser or bike for Reese and Bri or to hope if you ever need a doctor in an emergency that Tory or KT will come to the rescue. If you enjoy witnessing the mending of a broken heart and spirit, falling in love, or aspire to having forever with one special person, you will love "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder." Radclyffe eloquently puts into words what it feels like when a woman loves another woman with her body, heart, and soul, and it's riveting.

"Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" takes us on the tumultuous journey of a woman when her career and confidence are shaken for the first time and redeems her in every way possible. It is easy to forgive Tory's ex-lover, Dr. KT O'Bannon, her past transgressions because Radclyffe has us falling in love with her transformation. Fate has landed the surgeon a low blow but in the process has taught her what's important in life. KT meets a therapist who not only helps restore the use of her hand, but who restores faith in matters of the heart. KT and Pia are perfect together and as far as love interests go, it's a match made in heaven, but can heaven really be found on Earth?

Whether the scene is between Reese and Tory, Bri and Allie, or KT and Pia, Radclyffe keeps the pace fluid while doing each couple justice. It's wonderful to follow Reese and Tory's pre-marital bliss with baby Regina. Even when Reese's oft-dangerous job and other threats loom on the horizon, the couple's relationship remains solid. Bri shows great promise as an officer and Reese is very proud of her, while Reese is Bri's hero and mentor. Bri's character is put to the test in more ways than one. Is Bri strong enough to remain faithful to her lover studying art abroad in the face of stiff competition by a persistent, desirable fellow officer Allie? Then there is the pleasure of rooting for KT and Pia and hoping they will have their ever after. Further keeping the interest for continual sequels, new characters are always popping up as well, and Counselor Trey Pelosi shows great promise of future story lines.

Few authors write medical drama better than those who have lived it. Radclyffe's medical expertise enhances the clinical scenes dramatically but her writing is never condescending or over-the-top. There is that perfect balance so that everyone can enjoy and understand what's going on. She also writes police procedurals with the same flourish. It is no surprise that "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" was awarded a 2005 Lammy and was a Goldy finalist in the Romance category. "Storms of Change" continues the saga and is touted as being Radclyffe's best work to date. This reviewer thinks that every work is her best, only it just keeps getting better.

Romance is a leading seller in fiction and Radclyffe has yearning, love, sex, and satisfaction down to an art. Distant Shores, Silent Thunder earns five plus stars and is one of those books you can read more than once and enjoy it more each time.

This was a great read. I enjoyed the evolution of the relationships. The core characters become more interesting without betraying their essential elements. This is a fantastic series to read and reread. I can't wait for the 4th to arrive.
Dr. KT O'Bannon, is a woman at the top of her game. Her life as a surgeon is a dream come true. Often times confident and sometimes brash, she's living life large and in charge. Then the unthinkable happens and KT is suddenly faced with the possiblity of losing the only way of life she knows.

Dr. Victory "Tory" King, and her partner, Sheriff Reese Conlon, along with Officer Briana "Bri" Parker whose stories began in Safe Harbor then were continued in Beyond The Breakwater once again find themselves smack in the middle of a case fraught with intrigue, danger and suspense. As the three women work to unravel clues, someone one of them never expected to see again suddenly surfaces - in a most unexpected way.

KT, who is reeling from the impact of her situation and desperate to practice medicine of any kind, responds to an ad placed by a doctor needing an assistant. A doctor with whom KT shares a history - namely one Victoria King - a woman KT once loved and left in pursuit of a career. Despite reservations that Victoria's not sure she can put a name to she hires KT to work in her clinic.

Into the fray comes temptation from an unlikely source for Briana. Temptation that could affect her position in the Sheriff's department. Will she allow herself to succumb or will her feelings for Caroline, who was her first, be strong enough to help her resist? When Bri is injured during the course of the case, a major question arises - whom will she turn to for comfort?

Then there is the matter of KT unexpectedly finding herself more than a little attracted to Pia Torres, a physical therapist who works with severely injured patients. Although it seems Pia has been fighting feelings for KT almost from their first meeting, she is still leery of becoming involved with the surgeon. Will Pia allow herself to act on her feelings and take a chance on getting burned? As for KT, what choice will she make if she is able to return to the life she once knew? Will she choose Pia or will she choose career over love once more time?

Radclyffe has written a truly masterful tale of how someone - who is faced with overcoming their greatest challenge - sometimes has life throw them the absolutely perfect pitch. Distant Shores, Silent Thunder joins the long list of this author's works, which include such terrific reads as the "Honor" and "Justice" series as well as stand alone books - Passion's Bright Fury, Fated Love, Love's Tender Warriors, Tomorrow's Promise, Innocent Hearts and Love's Melody Lost. Each book is a perfect example where Radclyffe's skill of weaving a tale of intrigue with romance and drama is very much on display.

All the books in the Provincetown series are entertaining. But I found the the first two to be very average Radclyffe fare which relied too much on her usual formula and stock characters.
Distant Shores, Silent Thunder is much better in every way. The book continues the story of Doctor Tory King and her partner, the butch and brave Sheriff Reese Conlon, who is sometimes too noble to be true. But why shouldn't we have such heroes in our own fiction?
In this compelling book, the author writes about a group women who are very well rounded characters that are easy to identify with and have believable lives. The plot is complex enough that a lesser author would probably have messed up. But not Radclyffe. She pulls it all together and takes the reader to a happy and satisfying conclusion.
I don't like books whose authors try to hide shallow characters and poor plots with emotive cliche. Radclyffe is a very good romance author and doesn't need to do this. But for a long time I've found her writing a bit too overheated and sentimental. This has changed in Distant Shores, Silent Thunder and it seems like she has struck a perfect balance between the emotional content and a feeling of authenticity.
You don't have to read the whole series to enjoy this fine book as a stand alone novel. I highly recommend it.

No matter how much we plan, lifeand peoplehave a way of surprising us.

For Doctor KT OBannon, a near-fatal tragedy derails a career and disrupts everything she thought she knew about herself and her future. Battered and nearly broken, she turns for solace to the one woman who knows her best, her ex-lover Doctor Tory King. Their unexpected reunion in Provincetown uncovers old wounds, forges new bonds, and awakens long-buried passions. While Torys lover Sheriff Reese Conlon struggles to uncover a deadly drug ring and Officer Bri Parker navigates the torturous path between friendship and desire, Tory and KTand those who love themare forced to examine the boundaries of love, friendship, and the ties that transcend time.
Rerations
< Distant Shores, Silent Thunder > < Storms of Change > < Beyond the Breakwater > < Safe Harbor > < Winds of Fortune > freaks

< Gentle Cage (Yaoi Novel) (Yaoi Manga) > < Sleeping With Money (Yaoi Novel) > < Caged Slave (Yaoi Novel) > < Better Than A Dream (Yaoi Novel) > < Body Language (Yaoi Novel) > < A Promise Of Romance (Yaoi Novel) > You Shizaki,Kamiko Sasaki

price： 895
Digital Manga Publishing
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customer 's review
(a nice suprise)

(Really Satisfying)

One thing I never expect when I see a 'June' published novel is good proofreading/editing. To the point I go crazy. This was one nice change about this novel. I didn't see any spelling mistakes or just words that shouldn't have been there.

This story is probably the best I read in the yaoi novel genre. I really liked it because the story really played out well, and the characters were well developed. It also has a sense of time, in their lives. When often reading these novels you were just enjoying the characters and the story is over. This was a nice change. It wasn't a hurried read, but enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone who likes this genre wholeheartedly. ^_^
This yaoi novel are very satisfying in my opinion.. With lots of angst, and of course characters development (which is in my opinion are very important in a novel), and how like the love story evolved. With really nicely developed plot of the story. Not so hurried. You won't left wondering with questions like "What? That was it?.. Every pages are so entertaining and never been a bore. And of course it has my typical type of a seme (somewhat brute), wink. But dont let it discourage you. This is a keeper!!!
Private Secretary to a high-powered businessman, Itsuki is surprised to hear that his employer has named the temperamental sculptor Hitachi as the successor to his business. But does that include Itsuki himself? Hitachi seems to think so!
Rerations
< Gentle Cage (Yaoi Novel) (Yaoi Manga) > < Sleeping With Money (Yaoi Novel) > < Caged Slave (Yaoi Novel) > < Better Than A Dream (Yaoi Novel) > < Body Language (Yaoi Novel) > freaks

< When Homosexuality Hits Home: What to Do When a Loved One Says They're Gay > < Someone I Love Is Gay: How Family&Friends Can Respond > < The Gay Gospel?: How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible > < Desires in Conflict: Hope for Men Who Struggle with Sexual Identity > < 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality > < You Don't Have to Be Gay: Hope and Freedom for Males Struggling With Homosexuality or for Those Who Know of Someone Who Is > Joe Dallas

price： 240
Harvest House Publishers
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customer 's review
(Help for Parents)

(DANGEROUS AND HARFUL)

(Things We Must Not Forget)

(This book is a gift.)

As a parent, I found this book to be extremely helpful. Mr. Dallas recognizes that each person will make their own decisions. We can't make decisions for them but we can control how we respond to them.

The most meaningful line in the book for me is this: "You may never agree on this issue, but you are committed to not letting this disagreement ruin your relationship." This focused my attitude on what had to happen so that I could live in peace with my child. Mr. Dallas helped me see how I could continue to show love for my child without comprimising my values.

I really liked the practcal advise in this book. There is a chapter on negotiating family boundries. He has some good suggestions for respecting everyones beliefs and comfort. I do not need to constantly tell my child my views on homosexuality; I have already told her. He also instructs us how to ask children about our fears for their lives as a homosexual person such as AIDS, drugs, and promiscuity. These things may or may not be a part of the person's life. It is ok to ask; your fears may be relieved. The book helped me feel more comfortable with asking questions about my child's life.

The book also talks about the possible causes of homosexuality. Is it genetic or environmental? He takes a more balanced aproach to this than most of the information I have read. He basically says that it is likely a combination of both factors.

I felt quite a bit of relief from reading this book. It is in line with my evangelical Christian belief system, but doesn't demand that I change my child. Mr. Dallas shows compassion for the gay person and his/her family members.

This book is directed toward Chrisians with a literal interpretation of the Bible. If you are not in this catagory you may disagree with the book. If you are in pain, because homosexuality conflicts with your Biblical views, it mahy help.
As a licensed professional counselor, I encourage my clients to not purchase a pre-packaged belief system, but instead engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning in their lives. As such, I refrain from passing judgment on the beliefs that others choose and instead celebrate the colorful diversity that is found in the tapestry of human ideology. Nevertheless, when I am confronted with principles that are destructive and harmful to the human spirit, I feel compelled, as a health care professional and as a human being, to speak out against such wickedness.

While one's sexual activities and behavior may vary over the course of a lifetime, one's sexual orientation does not. Requiring that individuals whose sexual orientation is something other than heterosexual "change" or "heal" is no different than Hitler requiring that those with the wrong eye color, the wrong hair color, or the wrong family lineage be exterminated. One does not need to "heal" or be "cured" from something that is not an illness. This book does not simply state an alternative opinion on homosexuality; it causes significant and severe damage to the psyche of those who know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that, even if they can change their activity, they cannot change who they are at their core. Rather than offering the hope and healing it claims to provide, this book inflicts emotional violence on its readers.

Everyone has a right to his or her own beliefs. In the case of this book, the author has chosen to act on his beliefs. Discriminatory acts, based on prejudice, have a damaging effect on the lives of innocent people--they hurt, they demean, they humiliate, they wound, and sometimes they kill. I do not accept the label "religious" to excuse beliefs and actions that are designed to hurt people. Is religion about abusing others? Is that part of the moral game plan--demonize people who are different from you, condemn them and exalt yourself in the name of a religious conviction?

When I walk into the music store with my 13-year-old daughter to buy a CD, I notice that some of the CD's are labeled with "warning" stickers. As a parent, I appreciate this so I can steer my daughter toward purchases that will fill her mind and soul with affirmative messages. This book needs to come with a similar "warning" sticker, for anyone who reads it is going to be a victim of emotional and spiritual abuse by the worst kind of perpetrator...a bigoted wolf in sheep's clothing!

This book made it clear that the performance of homosexual acts is sinful. Those with same-sex attractions carry daily the cross of a disordered condition they did not choose and science still doesn't know the cause of. Homosexuals who takes seriously the requirement to order their lives as best they can to live celibately should never forget that they are guilty of no sin for making these efforts, and are as infinitely loved by God as are all human beings. You do the best you can with the "hand you're dealt" in life, and in the end all will be well, exceedingly well.

The worst we could do to a homosexual family member would be to reject them or love them any less, especially by pushing unproven reparative therapy to change their orientation which is permanent for true homosexuals, regardless if ultimately pronounced heterosexual behavior is clearly exhibited. The psychic damage done in trying to coerce someone to change the unchangeable is cruel, unconscionable, and in no way remotely consistent with Christianity.

Yes, the goal for permanently homosexual Christians, as it is for unmarried heterosexual Christians, is the same as it was for Jesus Christ: celibacy. Not a bad role model.
I have really struggled with my thoughts and feelings about how to respond to a loved one who recently announced they were gay. I spent many hours considering how to engage in a way that was both loving and true to my own, strongly held, Christian beliefs.

This book is a real gift for those of us who hear the words, "I'm gay." Joe Dallas is Biblically centered (I believe), sensitive, and steadfast. I found particularly helpful chapters that speak specifically to moms and dads, brothers and sisters, spouses, and extended families.

The heart–wrenching declaration that a loved one is a homosexual is increasingly being heard in Christian households across America. How can this be? What went wrong? Is there a cure?

In this straightforward book, Joe Dallas offers practical counsel, step by step, on how to deal with the many conflicts and emotions parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters or any family member will experience when learning of a loved one’s homosexuality.

Drawing from his own experience and from his many years of helping families work through this perplexing and unexpected situation, Joe offers scriptural and compassionate advice to both struggling gays and those who love them.

Rerations
< When Homosexuality Hits Home: What to Do When a Loved One Says They're Gay > < Someone I Love Is Gay: How Family&Friends Can Respond > < The Gay Gospel?: How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible > < Desires in Conflict: Hope for Men Who Struggle with Sexual Identity > < 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality > freaks

< Calling the Dead > < Night Call > < Partners > < Lethal Affairs (Elite Operatives Romance Intrigue) > < Deal with the Devil > < Aftershock (Shaken Series) > Ali Vali

price： 510
Bold Strokes Books
Not yet published

Detective Sept Savoie is a cop who thinks making a relationship work is harder than catching a serial killer, but her current case may prove her wrong.

Six months after Hurricane Katrina has devastated most of New Orleans, Detective Sept Savoie is battling the nightmare of everything the storm has taken from her when a brutalized body turns up behind one of New Orleans's most famous restaurants, run by Keegan Blanchard. The more Sept works through the clues, the more they point to Keegan, making the relationship growing between them anything but love at first sight. The first death, though, is only the beginning as the miles of deserted neighborhoods Katrina left behind provide the perfect stage for murder.
Rerations
< Calling the Dead > < Night Call > < Partners > < Lethal Affairs (Elite Operatives Romance Intrigue) > < Deal with the Devil > freaks

< Standish > < Ransom > < Brethren: Raised By Wolves, Volume One > < The Tin Star > < Matelots: Raised By Wolves, Volume Two > < The Master of Seacliff > Erastes

price： 544
P.D. Publishing, Inc.
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customer 's review
(History Rewritten?)

(Breathless)

(Lush Romance)

(1820s Gay Male Romance)

(Superb Storytelling)

Through the work of Oscar Wilde and E. M. Forster, we see what it must have been like to be a homosexual in England during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. In Erastes's Standish, we get a fascinating glimpse into gay life in the earlier Regency period. Unlike the more modern Forster, who had the good sense to keep quiet as to his homosexual "proclivities," Ambrose Standish, like Wilde, finds himself in the clink for crimes of gross indecency. While at times the plot moves too quickly and the sex is excessive, the key elements of the story seemed quite plausible, making this work of gay, historical fiction a fresh, unique and remarkable read.
This book.

Is one of the best books I have ever read. I started it and didn't put it down till I had read the last page.

What a story. What a love. I am blown away.

This book left me breathless.

Erastes is an exquisite writer. I am beyond impressed.
Beautiful, lush and romantic. I couldn't put the book down. I knew I was in trouble around 2:30 a.m. I was still reading. It was everything a romance novel should be. Romantic, well written, characters you love and care about, Exotic and lush locations. I wish this book would around when I was 16. Buy it and enjoy!
Standish is not "stand-out-ish," but it's a pretty good story, though often black and dark beyond redemption. The characters, especially Rafe, Ambrose and Fleury, are well-drawn, unique and interesting. The settings are diverse (England, Paris, Venice and a horrible British prison), and probably are accurate and mostly believable. Erastes' take on history seems passable. Isn't it interesting that our basic view of these overwhelmingly important eras in history are almost always exclusively brought to us from the perspective of the rich and privileged? Really, it's only during the prison scenes in this sotry where we gain a truer picture of real life in the 1820 in Europe.

This is a gay story with lots of gay male sex, gay male talk, gay male musings, and gay male dilemmas. For the most part, the author gets the sexual episodes nearly right, if a bit overdone. This soft male porn isn't always a realistic rendition of what sex really looks/sounds/smells/feels like. But the love, the intimacy, the closeness and the need for physical attention and affection are indeed well-portrayed. The sex really does spice up the story.

The story itself is less believable, frankly, than the sex, but it is an engaging tale. Too bad so may people are so badly damaged and so badly damage each other throughout. Sometimes, in reading stories like this, I yearn for the normal people who actually populate my life. They are every bit as interesting as these fictional ones and never quite so tragic. This story follows one disastrous episode after another in the lives of these sometimes pitiful but interesting characters.

Make no mistake. This is not literature. It is a soft porn romantic tale, a snapshot into the lives of some seriously flawed homosexual men trying to live "normally" in a hateful, repressive time in Europe.

My one complaint is this: For the life of me, I could not, and cannot figure out the ending. As a voracious reader of all kinds of novels, I detest the cute "style" employed here by Erastes of demanding that you conclude for yourself what happened at the end -- not a satisfying conclusion at all!! I thought I deserved better after wading through the whole book.

If you don't want to read graphic, detailed, several-pages-long episodes of erotic sexual encounters between men (some midly brutal, I might add), then don't read this story. If that's all you want, don't read it either. But if you want a mix of an 1820's man-to-man romance with gay sex and a good view of the life of the privileged class at the time, then by all means read it.
One of the characters in Standish does nothing--doesn't move, doesn't speak, doesn't think. And yet this character controls emotions and actions and passions just by existing. It is a house called Standish. Like the Rochester mansion in "Jane Eyre" or the cliffs in "Wuthering Heights" Standish is a place so important to the story that it almost takes on life.

Standish is the vanished patrimony of Ambrose Standish, impoverished grandson of the man who lost the place to Gordian Goshawk in a gambling game and lost his life in a duel soon after. Ambrose is studious, intelligent, and bitter at a fate which has him toiling as a tutor to support himself and his two spinster sisters. The house, Standish, is his obsession, his dream, his torment.

When Rafe Goshawk, who inherited Standish from his father, returns from many years abroad to take up residence there his life is set on a collision course with Ambrose. The Goshawk family's reputation is that of "venal, predatory raptors" and Rafe himself is a cold-eyed man, as bitter as Ambrose but for a different reason. He was born in Paris, raised as an aristocrat, and was a young boy when the Terror sent his mother to the guillotine, destroyed his world, and sent him and his father fleeing to England.

Ambrose hates the Goshawks without ever having seen one of the infamous breed who ruined his family. And then through circumstances or fate, he finds himself hired as tutor for Rafe's son; for the first time he sees the house he has obsessed about, up close. It is everything he dreamed it would be. It's a given that Rafe and Ambrose will end up in each other's arms but if you expect roses and violins and a predictable ending...surprise!

I won't go further with the story because it has so many twists and turns and I don't want to write a spoiler. The writing--descriptions, dialogue, everything about it--feels real and authentic. Erastes is an author who must research and research and research. And yet the research never overwhelms the story. It never intrudes. The author handles violence and sex with equal ease and knows the fine line at which to stop.

It's superb, well-crafted storytelling at its best.

...Ruth Sims, author of The Phoenix
A great house. A family dispossessed. A sensitive young man. A powerful landowner. An epic love that springs up between two men. Set in the post-Napoleonic years of the 1820's, Standish is a tale of two men - one man discovering his sexuality and the other struggling to overcome his traumatic past. Ambrose Standish, a studious and fragile young man, has dreams of regaining the great house his grandfather lost in a card game. When Rafe Goshawk returns from the continent to claim the estate, their meeting sets them on a path of desire and betrayal which threatens to tear both of their worlds apart. Painting a picture of homosexuality in Georgian England, Standish is a love story of how the decisions of two men affect their journey through Europe and through life.
Rerations
< Standish > < Ransom > < Brethren: Raised By Wolves, Volume One > < The Tin Star > < Matelots: Raised By Wolves, Volume Two > freaks

< Incubus Volume 3 (Incubus) > < Crimson Spell Volume 2 (The Crimson Spell) > < JUNJO ROMANTICA Volume 7 (Junjo Romantica) > < Incubus volume 2 > < LOVE MODE Volume 10: (Yaoi) (Love Mode) > < Love+Alpha (Yaoi) > Yayoi Neko

price： 280
Media Blasters
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Can a demon find love on Earth? The painful relationship between the demon Lenniel and the human Judas continues despite all the odds stacked against them. They will endure tribulations as pressures from Hell and Earth seek to split them apart. How can they overcome such epic obstacles?
Rerations
< Incubus Volume 3 (Incubus) > < Crimson Spell Volume 2 (The Crimson Spell) > < JUNJO ROMANTICA Volume 7 (Junjo Romantica) > < Incubus volume 2 > < LOVE MODE Volume 10: (Yaoi) (Love Mode) > freaks

< Curve > < Infinite Loop > < Thirteen Hours > < Fully Involved > < The Candidate > < The Rainbow Cedar > Carrie Brennan

price： 542
Yellow Rose Books
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customer 's review
(Its refreshing voice elevates this work)

(Fast paced romance filled with terrific humor)

(Good Story Ended Too Soon)

(Romance and Drama!)

(What An Unbelievable Ride!)

I was delighted with this book, and feel that it deserves an above-average rating of 3-1/2 stars. Since its the holiday season at the time I write this, and because I was so taken with the author's use of language, I'm happy to display that as 4 stars.

Now granted, this book isn't perfect. The ending in particular is rather rocky in its execution, and at times I felt that I'd lost the thread of the narrative, leaving me fumbling around wondering where the author was going with this. I feel that this book could have been even stronger if the author had adhered a little more rigorously to a central point or theme. In addition, previous reviews are correct in that the book starts very quickly, bringing Maggie and Anne together very quickly, and that had the potential to be jarring if I hadn't been prepared for it.

However, I too was riveted from the opening sentences. This author has a very sure way of depicting the inner dialogue of these characters, leading to understandable and well-wrought and supported motivations. In addition, their mental voices were unique. Carrie Brennan was able to use language and words in a rhythm that was often unexpected, and this helped set her characters apart as individuals in a genre that often falls prey to redundancy and cliche.

I really liked that the author got them together relatively early in the book, then allowed the drama to build around their attempts to mesh their lives. True, I like books that spend the whole time waiting to get characters together as well, but it was a refreshing change to instead get to continue on a journey with these women through the emotional ups and downs, compromises and triumphs that comprise adjusting one's life to revolve around another person. Lately it seems I've complained more than once that a book wrapped up too quickly, and in part this book addresses the meat of what is missing when previous books end right after the characters finally partner up. There is a lot of drama and tension in a relationship that I wish more people (particularly in the Main-stream Media Kingdom of constant contrivances and twists to keep two characters apart beyond all realism) would explore. I was thrilled to travel that road of partnership with Anne and Maggie in this book.

I also enjoyed that each character had a supporting cast of family and friends.

This book wasn't perfect, but was nevertheless an excellent read, particularly from a first-time author. Her voice was fresh, and I eagerly await further efforts from Carrie Brennan.

A delicious romance. When reading the first chapter you wonder if the two main characters will ever get together. They are so hesitant at meeting each other that best friend and police officer partner `Moocher' finally steps in to get the ball rolling.

It takes off from there with 24 year old Maggie drawn to her very first romance with 30 something Anne. Being in a relationship is all new to Maggie and Anne has tremendous baggage from an earlier failed relationship. Along the way there is romance and family drama. A surprise twist towards the end left me wondering if this relationship would work. Keeping it all together is tremendous humor and the affection and deep regard Maggie and Anne have for each other.

From the publisher's website - When Maggie, a Berkeley police officer, and Anne, an up-and-coming lawyer, first meet neither has the nerve to speak. It could have been the end of their relationship, but fate has a way of taking care of things. The two women, aided by friends and family, survive through the highs and lows of the first eight months of their relationship. Like real life, the story is a mix of humor and angst as Anne and Maggie discover that falling in love isn't as easy as the fairy tales would have you believe. Maggie faces coming out to her family, while Anne struggles with her overwhelming need to protect her lover. They stumble and grow through both good decisions and bad, hoping in the end that we're all being graded on a curve.

I can't remember what motivated me to pick up a copy of Curve by Carrie Brennan. I guess I wanted to try a new author. To the best of my knowledge, this is her first book. It's a good story, but I was slow getting into it. I am glad that I kept reading, however. The story begins with Anne Doyle, a lawyer, meeting Maggie Monahan, a bike patrol officer in a court house elevator. The story seemed to moved rather quickly at first with Anne and Maggie pronouncing their love for one another after the second date. Although this could be believable, I wasn't buying it because the characters just weren't developed enough for me to do so.

A little bit further into the story, it is soon discovered that the story is about how Anne and Maggie manage a new relationship and not the initial meeting and how they fall in love like most other stories, which explains the quick start. This is a story about how two people grow together and manage thier lives as one despite all the outside distractions that life throws at us. Maggie is a closeted lesbian afraid of what her family's reaction will be to her being a lesbian, and Anne is haunted by past failed relationships and the idea that she must protect her loved ones from all harm or she is a failure. This combination proves to be difficult for thier relationship. As Brennan works through these details, she does a pretty good job of developing these characters later in the novel, as well as few other characters: Moocher and Anne's mother, Jill.

Maggie's cop partner, Moocher, steals the show, as Brennan creates a very likable, humorous and insightful character who keeps the story light. I found myself laughing at the commaraderie between Moocher and Maggie. I just had to keep reminding myself that the characters in the story are young, 25-27 years old, and they were indeed believable for that age.

I found myself surprised by the plot that seemed to just develop without any forewarning. That is to say that it was not predictable, and I can't really say why. I just didn't expect to happen what happened. How's that for a tease? It turned out to be a good story with the second part bringing out all kinds of emotions from anger, sadness, joy, and angst, of course. It's a good read. 3 Stars is a good book in my rating system.
Maggie Monahan, a sometimes tough, sometimes not, bicycle cop meets lawyer Anne Doyle and confusion abounds...even as both women find themselves immediately attracted to the other.

With the help of a friend, Maggie and Anne are able to overcome their mutual shyness and embark on a relationship that seems to be fraught with numerous uncertainties. Anne, who had loved and lost before is fearful of the same thing happening once again...fearful of failing, failing those most dear to her. How and for whom did she fail? Can she overcome these fears to let herself love again? Will she be able to hold herself together and help Maggie fight her biggest fear? Will the support of one's family be enough to allow both women to band together and overcome the objections of the other's? Will the uncertainties of a new love be strong enough to hold them together or will they tear them apart? Life, it seems, can often be unfair.

Curve is an intriguing book by first time writer Carrie Brennan and is an intense display of how smooth or rough the dynamics of relationships can be. Readers will find themselves running through a gambit of emotions traveling right along with the characters as they face the obstacles in life and the pursuit of a true chance at love.

Carrie Brennan's first published novel is a tremendous addition to the world of lesbian fiction. From the opening pages to the last sentence, the rider is taken on a emotional roller coaster ride. This reader couldn't put the book down (no kidding... I kept reading while I brushed my teeth before bed and didn't fall asleep until every word was read).

Anne Doyle, lawyer extraordinaire, finds herself riding the courthouse elevator with stunning, blonde bike patrol cop Maggie Monahan -- a ride that changes both their lives forever. Although neither has the courage to speak in the elevator, both are distracted by their attraction until Maggie's cop partner, Moocher, steps in and plays Cupid. Anne and Maggie become close quickly and eventually move in together. Maggie even comes out to her strict Catholic family and pays the consequences.

The women are inseparable until Maggie is badly hurt during a bad arrest. Anne, unable to handle the emotional turmoil of the situation, distances herself from Maggie. Maggie moves out of their home, unsure of what exactly happened to drive Anne away. Anne can't explain it herself. Brennan outdoes herself bringing everything together from here.

An absolute gem. Well written and edited, this book constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. Parts of the story made me want to cry, other parts made me feel like I was in the Elysian Fields. This one is a true classic and will stay on my shelf for many years to come.

Rerations
< Curve > < Infinite Loop > < Thirteen Hours > < Fully Involved > < The Candidate > freaks

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