08.02.09
New Reader Review for Winter of the Heart
Winter of the Heart
by E. G. Parsons
A historical romantic novel, set in the USA of the post civil war era.
A young woman applies for a job as teacher on an estate in South Carolina, but gets more than she bargained for. Her employer is similarly affected, a grim mask soon falling off as romance blossoms. Both, however, have a past and it soon comes back to haunt them, and in one case claim them. Or will it?
A nicely written story, which captivates the reader right from the start. The scenes are described with great clarity in the historical backdrop of those years in the 19th century.
The story benefits greatly from a good characterisation, on both sides of the spectrum of good and bad. The parallels between the two central characters, which lie central to the story, are uncanny but appear by no means contrived. A momentum is always maintained in this story, even when there is little activity due to the conditions on the ground.
The eventual outcome provides closure for both the main personalities, and hope for a third – I am looking forward to the sequel in 2010.
E.G. Parsons has written a great story, one that shows a deepening and progression in her writing.
I wish Winter of the Heart well.
Guido Blokland
05.01.09
LASR Reviews Winter of the Heart
LASR (Long and Short Reviews) gives WINTER OF THE HEART a four and half book review. It’s also up for ‘best book of the week’, so if you have time check in at http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm tomorrow (Saturday May 2, 2009 or Sunday May 3, 2009) and vote for it. Thanks, Elizabeth
“This touching historical takes readers on an emotional journey that is hard to forget as a woman in an abusive relationship seeks to make a better life for herself and finds a love she never expected…” Read more – http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/04/winter-of-heart-by-eg-parsons.html
03.03.09
Review From Working Girl Reviews
Black Rock: A Time for Love
By E. G. Parsons
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Rock-E-G-Parsons/dp/1601541716
This book has been on my TBR (To Be Read) pile for quite awhile. I was waiting until I was in the mood for a good historical romance to read it. What a mistake that was! If I had known just how good Black Rock: A Time for Love was going to be I would have read it weeks ago.
The author sets the stage for this wonderfully intriguing story with a brief prologue. The year is 1846. On a small ranch in the town of Wild Rose, Texas, two ranch hands have mysteriously disappeared inside the magnificent black rock from which Black Rock Ranch takes its name.
As the story opens, more than fifty years later, twenty-year-old Roxanne Ingram is looking forward to returning home to Black Rock Ranch after ten years in a Boston girls’ school. Shortly before her departure, Roxanne gets word that her beloved father has passed away, and she will be retuning as sole heir to the family ranch. Confusion is added to grief, when, attempting to settle the estate, Roxanne discovers the date of birth recorded for her in the family Bible does not match the one she has always known to be her true birth date. Touring the ranch, which she now owns, Roxanne has an unexpected encounter with Collin, who has come to study the giant black rock on the edge of her property. She is outraged by his rudeness, but can’t help being attracted to the irresistibly handsome Colin. Shortly after her encounter with Colin, Roxanne meets charming Brad Wellman, the wealthy rancher whose property adjoins her own. As both men vie for her affections, it becomes a race against time for the two men — one a deadly villain, and the other a prince charming who holds the key to the shocking secrets of Roxanne’s origin.
If you’re looking for a beautiful historical romance you need look no further than Black Rock: A Time For Love. The author is so in tune with the late 1800s that it almost seems as though she must have lived them in a former life. The clothing, customs, and dialogue are written to perfection as the story moves seamlessly from one breathtaking scene to the next. The paranormal twist to this story is a most intriguing and welcome bonus. Roxanne is a thoroughly likeable heroine, and Colin will steal your breath away! I highly recommend this book to any lover of paranormal and/or historical fiction, or to anyone who just plain loves a good story.
Honeybee
12.08.08
Review for Winter of the Heart by E. G. Parsons
Recommended Read from AllBooks Review:
Pre-Pub Reviews
Genre: Historical Fiction
Title: Winter of the Heart – ISBN: 1440491682 or EAN13: 9781440491689
Author: E. G. Parsons
It is 1876. Megan Connors, alias Maggie Bertram is married to a horrible, abusive man. She manages to escape and acquires employment as a school teacher on a ranch, owned by Charles Donovan, in South Carolina. The instant chemistry between Megan and her new employer is obvious to everyone. Life seems to be improving by the day. A rather strange encounter with the ghost of Charles first wife, Rachel is rather unsettling. It seems that Rachel wants Megan to help Charles find love. Charles is still haunted by a letter that Rachel left just before her death.
Megan loves her job and now has a new friend, Alicia Jordan. One day Megan’s world is shattered when William O’Brian, her husband, finds her and insists on taking her with him. In spite of his feelings for her, Charles Donovan does nothing to stand in William’s way and Megan leaves.
When Charles realizes that the man is a beast and Megan might be in danger; he hires a private investigator to find her. He cannot deny his love for her. Megan, abused and locked in her room struggles to be free. One night she can no longer tolerate the abuse and she again escapes. Will Charles find her? Will she survive the mountain winter on her own? Will William reappear and recapture her? All of these questions will be answered in Winter of the Heart.
The characters are realistic and colorful, the plot is suspenseful and the entire story is overflowing with heartfelt emotion. Romance fans will love this book. A book that readers will have trouble putting down until the final conclusion. Well written, well researched and a very entertaining read.
Highly recommended by Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review. www.allbookreviews.com
Review From RWU:
Desperate to escape her abusive home life, Megan Connors flees to rural South Carolina, where she accepts a position as a schoolteacher on a prosperous but secluded ranch. Wealthy ranch owner Charles Donovan, a man haunted by the ghosts of his past, is immediately attracted to the beautiful, headstrong Megan. Though Megan shares the attraction, she resists her feelings for Charles, afraid of the terrible secret that casts a dark shadow across her newfound happiness. Together, these star-crossed lovers must reconcile both past and present dangers if they are to lay their ghosts to rest and find a future together.
I opened the cover of Winter of the Heart expecting a romance that would sweep me off my feet. As always, E. G. Parsons delivered. The imagery in this novel is exquisite, allowing the reader to envision life in 1800’s as clearly as if she were staring into a beautiful and lifelike painting. Charles and Megan are likeable, believable characters that you can’t help caring about and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them. The plot has something for everyone; history, romance, a hottie hero and it even contains a shivery ghost story for lovers of paranormal romance. All these factors combine to make Winter of the Heart E. G. Parsons’ most beautiful love story yet.
Review from RWU (Romance Writers United) http://rwunited.freehostia.com/woth.htm
12.01.08
Review: In The Shadow Of The Dragonfly
From above the shadows … light
Orphaned and impoverished, Gray Baldwin is a lost soul in search of a home, a life, and most of all — love. Kicked from foster home to foster home, at last a restored motorcycle and the onset of adulthood give him the means to leave behind all the ols threats, struggles and losses that haunt him. When he accepts a job at Hanwell Construction, life’s promising new start is both his hope and his torment. The spoiled daughter of a well-to-do business owner, pretty Hope Hanwell has a past to reconcile and a few tragic secrets of her own. She wants for nothing — and everything, pushing love as far away as she can until love pushes back. When Gray and Hope meet, theirs is a story of heartbreak, redemption and fate at its most devastating.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE DRAGONFLY A Literary Love Story
My Review:
In The Shadow Of The Dragonfly
By M. Jean Pike
Black Lyon LLC
ISBN: 978-1934912072
***** Five Stars….
Gray Baldwin was born into poverty and neglect. After losing his prostitute mother at the age of eight, he’s given into the custody of his first foster mother. Gladdy teaches Gray the true meaning of love, home and family. Despite the many pitfalls in his life, he never forgets those lessons and clings to his dreams of finding true love with a home and family of his own to belong to. When he meets Hope and her family, he believes he’s found what he’s been looking for his entire life.
Beautiful and spoiled, Hope Hanwell has never wanted for anything, at least on the surface. She’s never known her mother and bears the heavy weight of guilt for a later tragedy on her young shoulders. Hope has her flaws and is, at first, not very likable, but the author offers deeper insight and the reader gets a glimpse of the lovely person she could become. Hope wants Gray, but with nothing more serious in mind than a summer fling and has no idea how drastically their love affair will affect her life.
A literary love story, yes, but In The Shadow Of The Dragonfly by awarding winning author M. Jean Pike is much more than that. Through the lives of the very real people living within it’s pages, this story allows the reader to examine the pain, heartbreak, love, and hope that dwells within the hearts and minds of all mankind. With great strength and courage these characters overcome heartache and tragedy, moving on with their lives and forging a better tomorrow for future generations. In The Shadow Of The Dragonfly touched me on an emotional level seldom felt and I know these characters will live in my heart for a very long time. I can’t remember ever having read a more satisfying story and highly recommend it to all.
Author/Reviewer, E. G. Parsons – http://egparsons.com
Visit M. Jean Pike’s Wesite: http://www.freewebs.com/mjeanpike/
08.02.08
Innocent in Death – J. D. Robb
I’ve been reading Nora Roberts for years and have always loved her work, but had never tried one of her books written under the name J. D. Robb. The only reason for that is because I don’t make a habit of buying books published by major publishers, preferring to purchase my reading material from the pool of newbies out there and getting the others from my local library. But I was reading Ms. Roberts and a few other favorites since before they were famous and continue to buy their books on occasion. I did not, however, buy INNOCENT IN DEATH. It was a birthday gift from my son.
As soon as I read the cover blurb, I knew it was right up my alley, so took a day off my own work to indulge myself with a day of reading. I wasn’t disappointed. I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished the last page. Set in future day New York, it’s a crime drama, murder mystery, romantic suspense, all rolled into one, so loving all those genres, I was pretty sure I’d enjoy it. With a strong, intelligent, kick ass heroine and equally interesting and likable hero, it kept me glued to the page.
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is on the hunt for the killer of a school teacher, by all accounts a respectable and well liked young man with no enemies and a devoted wife. There are a more than a few suspects for her to sort through, all more than capable of doing the deed and with opportunity galore. While trying to solve the crime, Eve has to deal with her emotional turmoil at the reappearance of one of husband’s old girlfriends, a woman who seems determined to continue where they left off.
There were a number of secondary characters that I’m sure had appeared earlier in the series, but I wasn’t confused by their reappearance. Ms. Roberts does a bang up job of giving enough information to make them interesting without slowing the pace of the story. I wasn’t sure how I’d like the futuristic aspect of the setting, but it was subtle and I actually enjoyed some of the different lingo. I loved the story, even though I guessed who the killer was way too soon. Making that guess only made me more excited to finish and see if I was right. Having said that, there was one scene in the story that totally turned me off.
Caution–minor spoiler:
When Eve walks in on an intimate moment with her husband and his ex girlfriend, she punches him in the face hard enough to do damage and draw blood, even though she knows the truth about what’s happening. This is followed by rather violent and steamy sex. The steamy sex was okay and at any other time would have had me panting for my hubby to come home, but having followed the punch in the face, it turned me off. I mean come on–if a hero punched the heroine in the face that way, we’d all be up in arms and trying to get a boycott going on the book. As far as I’m concerned, the heroine doing the punching is no different and should not be allowed just because it’s maybe in character. I’m sorry Ms. Roberts, but any punching done by the hero or heroine of a story in the genre of romantic suspense should not be on each other. The scene could have played just as well without that punch.
Elizabeth Melton Parsons
