REVIEWS BY SANDY HUSEBY
Every family is fascinating in its own way . . . and few are more so than the heirs of Emma Harte. When
Barbara Taylor Bradford introduced the rags-to-riches story of this Woman of Substance in 1979, she opened the
curtain on lives of elegance and glamour sustained for generations. In her newest Harte saga,
Unexpected Blessings, Evan Hughes confronts
the dicey problem of revealing to her father that dear ol' granddad is not the man he thought. Emma's great-granddaughters face their own challenges: Tessa's beloved daughter Adele disappears and her brutal husband is suspected; Linnet the lioness is called upon to solve Adele's disappearance; and India's true love is in a class of his own—well below her family stratum. In this age of chick-lit and video games, the enduring theme of family loyalty ennobles the Harte family saga and raises it to a heartwarming crescendo that longtime fans will appreciate. New readers will relish it as well, thanks to the detailed family tree that keeps all the golden branches straight.
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Documentary courts controversy
When does truth tarnish an American hero? Suzanne Brockmann's sizzling new suspense novel,
Hot Target, focuses on two of today's most incendiary topics—gays and the extremists who love to hate them. Movie producer Jane Chadwick's plan to film the biography of World War II hero Hal Lord means outing him, and that's more than the rabid members of the Freedom Network will tolerate. Death threats spook Heartbeat Studios enough to bring in a team of bodyguards, including Navy SEAL Cosmo Richter, and FBI agent Jules Cassidy. Jane singles Cosmo out to foster her own façade as a Hollywood hottie, but soon finds he's more than arm candy. Jane's brother, Robin, is the womanizing actor chosen to play Hal, a career-making role. His "research" forces him to confront the self-denials driving his dissolute lifestyle. This fast-paced, sensuous and provocative novel proves that all relationships contain virtually the same nuances, angst and joys. Brockmann takes aim at stereotypes, fears and ignorance with the heart of a warrior-writer and ably proves the pen is indeed mightier. Brava, Brockmann.
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You are my sunshine
Catherine Anderson's poignant My Sunshine, is a compelling new entry in her Coulter Family saga. When an accident leaves Laura Townsend with brain damage and aphasia, a language disorder, her opportunity to regain a normal life is threatened by ignorance and stereotypes. At the suggestion of his mother, veterinarian Isaiah Coulter offers Laura work as a kennel keeper, a job that should be a new beginning for her. But the interference of matchmakers jeopardizes the fragile hold Laura has on her self-worth. Laura's quiet empathy with the critters she cares for sneaks into Isaiah's overwhelmed, busy heart as he realizes this gentle woman is vital to his life. Now all he has to do is convince Laura to follow her heart and stay with him. The tender story, along with Anderson's sympathetic portrayal of Laura's struggle to overcome her handicap, make this a memorable and enlightening read.
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And nanny makes three
Pamela Bauer's Bachelor Father is a captivating story of a woman's difficult choice: whether to stay with the status quo or seek a better life. For an Amish woman, life is meant to be strict, constrained, simple . . . and plain. But Faith awakens after an accident with no recollection of that life. She's drawn into the intimate circle of a single father trying to raise the six-year-old daughter who's still almost a stranger to him. When Faith's memories begin to return, she is faced with why she'd left the Amish life and what life among the "English" could hold for her. Adam Novak and daughter Megan want Faith to stay; yet to move forward, she must first face her past, whose strong ties could keep her forever.
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Sandy Huseby reviews from her homes in Fargo, North Dakota, and lakeside in northern Minnesota.
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