Customer Reviews (22)

Enjoyable first half, very disappointing second half
I don't normally write reviews, but the first two novels left such a lasting impression, and the third such a sour aftertaste, that I felt the need to share my opinion. Overall I really enjoyed the first half of this book, as the reader delves into the daily lives and struggles of Tatiana and Alexander. I think the intimate scenes that other reviewers have cited as gratuitous were actually very constructive for the plot, since they illustrate how the couple learns to reconnect through dialogue and without. I also thought the flashbacks were good background for Tatiana's character, similar to how there are many flashbacks to Alexander's childhood in the 2nd novel.

However, I could not continue with the book once the section on Anthony and Vietnam began. The plot seemed horribly contrived and muddled in an attempt to create a parallel storyline in a new conflict. It lacked the passion, heart and reflection of the first half and of the previous two novels. It was incredibly unnecessary and detracted from the impression left by what I had previously read of the story. I skimmed the book from that point on, and frankly I wish I had not. The ending drags on forever and Simons does her best to remind the reader, in perpetuam, of aging and memory using all sorts of repetitive and unnecessarily sad descriptions. This book could have wrapped up 400 pages earlier, and truly it could have been finished with "Tatiana and Alexander"/"Holy Cross." While the first section is worth a look, I can't recommend the book as a whole and wish I had not kept reading. I will definitely read the first two novels again, but this one will not be reopened.

on-time and as-expected
The book arrived quickly and in great condition.I would buy from this seller again!

Magnolia Rose
A really great read.It was wonderful to experience the progression of Tatiana and Alexander's relationship into the mid-life and beyond.The living out of values which had been fostered in their relationship has been promoted into their future.Paullina did a marvelous job of moving the story along and blending with the plots of the previous books in the series.There are some surprises which bring the story up to date with current affairs.Will there be a sequel - to include the next generation?????I love this series!

Seller true to thier word!
Bought this and had it sent to my mother. She was very delighted! Thank you.

A Realistic Ending to a Terrific Series - BRAVO PAULLINA! Well Done!
This third installment in the trilogy strongly finds its footing amidst the backdrop of America's Cold War.Tatiana & Alexander stumble along the way, trying to adjust to the more "mundane & everyday" course of living. They're trying to keep the fireworks alive in their marriage against the reality of 1950s conformity & conservatism (Simons really captures this era Extremely Well, reflective of peers, pressures -- very reminiscent of "Revolutionary Road").

On the path to rediscovering themselves and each other, this realistic portrayal of a Post-War Marriage finds universality no matter what era we're in, no matter which war.We all have our battles to face, be it our inner demons, our outer conflicts, finding meaningful work, while trying to meet each others needs and grow together.Everyday life ain't always easy.

To the Critics of this fine Swan Song, I say this: the thrill & adventure of the first 2 books (Bronze Horseman, Tatiana & Alexander) has No Place in this book! It is simply Not Realistic.The pacing is appropriate. And I still could not put the book down - I did not want this journey to end.For indeed, it is a journey of a lifetime.

To the Cynics of this story, is your life so fascinating & intense Every Day? Is it even possible to live it on the Edge like that?Bronze Horseman/Tatiana and Alexander captures all the highs & lows of a rollercoaster. And Summer Garden has plenty of highs & lows of its own. But it cannot be sustained in the "do or die" mode of WWII. It is not realistic.

My Grandfather fought in the French Resistance in WWII, hiding his family, risking his very life -- Can You Imagine the INTENSITY?The Stress? The Fear? The Audacity?

His reward was surviving and finally making his way to America, to make a home, make a life. The adjustment was Not Easy.So when I tell you that his love for my Grandmother surpassed all love stories, that their Old World Kitchen always smelled of food and bread, as my Grandfather twirled my Grandmother around the kitchen, kissing her in front of us grandchildren (mind, they were in their 70s and still in love as ever), I can say with certainty that Paullina Simons caught the True Essence of Survival and a Fully Lived Life.

And yes, my Grandfather carried his past along.He was Not Perfect. He was larger than life, like Alexander, even Cocky and Dominant like Alexander -- He Had To Be! It was HOW HE SURVIVED!And my Grandmother adored him for who he was -- just like Tatiana.

A Gorgeous Coda to Storytelling, that waaaay surpasses Diana Gabaldon's beat-the-horse-to-death Outlander series.The beauty here is that Paullina Simons wrote a satisfying life story in only 3 books. How I wish there was more! (I am looking forward to reading the anecdotal stories in the Cookbook, Tatiana's Table, next.)

Give this book a credit for what it is - a love story.And if you decide not to read it based on some pulp-fiction cheap romance reader critiques, then it's your loss. If you think you can do better, I challenge you to write your great american novel and get it published by a real publisher.Go for it.I dare you.

Meanwhile, I get the joy of cherishing these books again and again. Having lived vicariously through my Grandparents' stories of survival and love, I can tell you that Simons got it pegged in all 3 books!Bravo! ... Read more

Product Description
Set on the flat plains of Kansas, Paullina Simons's first novel concerns a teenage friendship between three girls, overshadowed by a tragedy that will change their world forever. This is the story of one of those girls, a story of abuse and recovery, despair and redemption, and above all of love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (129)

Little depressing
Usually this is not the type of story that keeps my attention, however I bought the book just because Paullina Simon is the author. She did it again; she captivated me from the beginning to the end and even if Tully is definitely not one my favorite personage, I was eager to learn more about her and her life. Regretfully this is not a funny read, Tully is not an easy and lovable character and nor is her life and surrounding. I have to admit that at the end of the book I was kind of depressed, but I guess this is also an emotion that just a talented writer such as Mrs. Simons are able to inspire.

Tully is so good I don't want to put it down!
I started reading Paullina Simons with The Bronze Horseman.I LOVED it, so wanted to find more of her books.Had to track down Tatiana and Alexander, and The Summer Garden, to finish that trilogy, but it was worth it.Then, I wanted to read more by this author, so got Red Leaves and Eleven Hours from the library.The library didn't have many of her books, so I got The Girl in Times Square and Tully on-line.All have been excellent reads.Very captivating.I don't want to put them down, and I feel sort of sad when the books end.I just want the story to continue!

Top shelf book most definitely!!!!
One day, about 10 years ago, out of boredom I went to look around Books-a-Million.I did not really have my heart set on any specific book... just kinda browsing around.It was the summertime, I was a student, I had loads of time to kill, and I wanted to read.I'm pretty sure I was looking through the romance section, when I came across a few books that I decided to take home with me.I can remember not being overly excited about any of them... I just sort of had this feeling of "These books will do"So I took my purchases home, one of which was Tully, and eventually got around to reading them.

One of the book reviews for the novel by Maria from London says:
"Tully is one of those books that you believe is your own secret discovery, and then you realise that lots of other people have also been reading it and reacting in the same way as you...It's one of those books that you fall in love with, without knowing exactly why, and you return to it again and again."

I could not put my feelings about this book into better words!In the past ten years I can't count how many times I've read this book... more than a dozen I'm sure!!There were times when I would pick up, just to read a few pages, and the next thing I knew hours had passed and there I was again re-reading the whole thing! haha I idenitfied with many of the characters.Especially Jennifer... I remember feeling a sense of comfort by knowing that I was not the only person in the world who would get ridiculous crushes on someone who never did much to provoke these kinds of feelings from me... =)I was 16, 17, 18 years old at the time.

Since then, I have moved around quite a bit.And somewhere between the shuffle of moving from Mama's house, to college, to my first apartment, to my first house... I've lost my tattered, worn, and very loved copy of Tully.I now plan to purchase a new copy that will from now until forever more reside on the very top shelf of my bookshelf!This book taught me life lessons, love lessons, death lessons, and so much more that I still carry with me today.I LOVE this book! =)

One of My Favorite Books
First of all I really like the author of this book and will always look for new books that she has out (some to my disappointment). Tully however stands out in my mind as one of my very favorite fictional novels. I first by accident came across it in a public library, a very old paperback addition that had obviously been read by many. I read the book twice in the next few years because the story was so interesting. Maybe it was the time and setting of the book or the author's great ability to describe characters and events in time. I grew up during the time in which the setting of the book occured so I could relate. Anyway it was a novel that I found myself captivated with and unable to put down. I now have purchased the hardback addition simply because I want it in my home library of favorites. Will someday read again.

INSPIRATIONAL, BRILLIANT, MUST READ!
Tully is my only favorite book ive read, I love everything about it.Simmons writing is magical.You cant help but fall inlove with Tully, she takes you on a journey through Love, Friendship, Family, Revenge, Beatrail, Death and what you would do for the ones you love....
I cried, I laughed and because Simmons has created Tully as such a strong character you cant help but feel every emotion and feeling she goes through, its amazing. I highly recommend Tully to all readers and can almost guarantee once you start reading you will not be able to put it down till the very last word....Im suprised they havnt tried to make a movie out of it, if they did ide be the first one there :) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
After reading Tully, over and over again there is no stopping Paulina Simmons when it comes to writing. She is brilliant! Red Leaves stayed in my hands till i finished reading it..Great story line and the way she throws you with the suspense between Nathan and Kristina's past,that was brilliant. I loved it and highly recommend it....

this book should be a movie
Paulina Simons is particularly direct and powerful in this novel.Compared to her other volumes, this is succinct and yet, entirely compelling.I remember reading it in 36 hours flat, unable to put it down.There is fabulous suspense amid discovering the truth about the main characters.This would make an ideal movie for a director with the skill of storytelling such as Harold Becker.I have given this book to many people to read and I have never met a person dissatisfied with the experience.

Unforgettable
I read Red Leaves when it first came out in paperback, then set it down kind of shocked by the killer ending.A day later I picked it up and read it again -- and I've only ever done that for Red Leaves.It's been about 10 years since I set that book down, Kristina and Albert are still in my head.

I couldn't put this book down
I loved Tully so I decided to check this one out.I loved it!It grabbed me from the start and it was hard to put down.

Big disappointment
I was looking for the book by Belva Plain with the same title. I found this one instead. The first few pages were intriguing, but by the end, I didn't like any of the main characters or care what happened to them ... Read more

Product Description
A stunning and powerful contemporary love story from one of the best storytellers this century. Lily's life is turned upside down with the disappearance of her flat mate, incredible revelations about her family and a personal discovery, all of which will affect her forever!What if everything you believed about your life was a lie?Meet Lily Quinn. She is broke, struggling to finish college, pay her rent, find love. Adrift in bustling New York City, the most interesting things in Lily's life happen to the people around her. But Lily loves her aimless life ! until her best friend and roommate Amy disappears. That's when Spencer Patrick O'Malley, a cynical, past his prime NYPD detective with demons of his own, enters Lily's world. And a sudden financial windfall which should bring Lily joy instead becomes an ominous portent of the dark forces gathering around her.But fate isn't finished with Lily.She finds herself fighting for her life as Spencer's search for the missing Amy intensifies, leading Lily to question everything she knew about her friend and family. Startling revelations about the people she loves force her to confront truths that will leave her changed forever.From a master storyteller comes a new heart-wrenching, magnificent and unputdownable novel.This is the odyssey of two young women, Lily and Amy, roommates and friends on the verge of the rest of their lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The girl from Times Square
Book was EXCELLENT - Paulina Simons can really weave a story.Service
from my supplier was fantastic !

Way way over the top
No-one can deny Simmons ability to write and this book was at times too compelling to put down.However by the end I felt a little battered by the whole thing - there is far too much going on - a girl disappearing, alcoholism, cancer, a lottery win, tales of the holocaust, family betrayal a passionate affair between a police officer and the sister of his chief suspect - she might carry off maybe three of those themes but taken together I was suffering from emotional overload - by the end - to the extent that when the mystery of missing Amy is finally solved I found I'd lost interest. I think Simmons is at her best when dealing with family and romantic relationships - her ideas of how cops/doctors might carry out their professional duties is sometimes a little off - for example doctors blurting out confidential information about a patient to the first person who asks them- and the whole police enquiry about Spencer strikes a false note to me. It could have done with some serious editing - the first section drags and the ridiculous business with the uncashed lottery ticket irritated me to the point I almost threw the book down. And the whole cancer/alcoholism story often threatened to veer into wild family melodrama though much of it was very compelling.The end greatly disappointed - the Milo storyline was unbelievable and some of the parts where he is spouting Marxist/anarchist doctrine to Lily are laughably bad.

I think she could either have written a book about a girl whose flatmate disappears and whose brother is a suspect or a book about a girl who has an alcoholic mother, a dysfunctional family and has to battle cancer.Either of those storylines could have made a great novel but taken together it's way way too much to digest ...

Great Story by a Great Writer!
If you've read Paullina Simons' epic historical novels, you'll find this one to be very different.It's contemporary, but with lots of conflict and twists to keep the reader interested.Characters are well developed into the kind you love and the kind you hate. It's a great mix of narrative and action.At times, it seems a bit unrealistic, but then it IS fiction!Overall, a great read!

My New Favorite Author
I REALLY loved this book. There are enough plot summaries, so I won't add mine. This book has everything: murder mystery, suspense, family skeletons, great plot/character development, and a tender love story. Lily is just such a lovable character. She remains loyal to her dysfunctional/shady family--all the while battling cancer. As much as I was captivated by all the subplots, it was the love story between Spencer and Lily that had me turning pages until the wee hours of the night. It will capture your heart.

Paullina Simons is incredible. This novel is very different from The Bronze Horseman trilogy, but it is just as moving. One of the many things that Ms. Simons gets right again and again is the character development. She is so detail-oriented and thorough. You leave her stories really caring about these characters.

I highly recommend this book, and hopefully you will cherish it as much as I have

Truly engaging quick read with depth and magic
This is a 600 page plus book, but it doesn't feel like it.

Lily, an aimless but happy 25 year old, finds her entire life changed when her flatmate, Amy, goes missing. What follows is the unraveling of Lily's life - her every assumption about who she is, who her family is, what she deserves in life and the delicate balance of self belief vs what the universe has in store for her. Lily battles cancer, tears down some relationships and builds others. At heart this really is a love story - the love story both of Lily and herself and Lily and the man in her life. All of the characters in this book are deeply flawed in one way or another, and not all of the stories end happily. I like that. Life doesn't always offer up happy endings and I don't like books that pretend they do. Sure, sometimes it is okay (and some things certainly are okay for Lily in this book) but some things just aren't. The language of this book is simple and evocative. The pages fly by as you are immersed in Lily's world.

My only complaint would be that sometimes the author went a bit too far - Lily wins the lottery, Lily is an incredible painter who sells all of her paintings and is offered thousands of dollars for them, someone in the story is in a convent in Mexico after a psychotic break, someone cut off a vital part of their anatomy in a drug fulled frenzy. Sometimes that goes just a tad too far, you know? But it is all a part of the magic of this book, of the slightly unreal feel it has. It's a book that stays with you for a long time. ... Read more

Product Description

The epic saga of love and war continues—the heart-stopping sequel to Paullina Simons's beloved international bestseller The Bronze Horseman.

Customer Reviews (40)

BOOK 2 OF THE BEST LOVE STORY EVER!
I went on Amazon as soon as I finished TBH to buy this book.I had to find out what happens next with Tatania and Alexander.Some reviewers are saying it wasn't as good at TBH.I agree, but it is well written and it does give you more of Alexander's background and you understand him more because of it.I have aslo read The Summer Garden (book #3) and it was better than this one.Reading all three is a must!

The second of the trilogy
I got through this book just as fast as the first, finding it nearly impossible to put it down, and even dreaming about it when I slept. Rarely do books reach that aspect of my life, and when they do I know the book is special. Though I found it very frustrating to wait till near the end of the book to reunite Tatiana and Alexander, it made it even more special when they did, almost as if you waited as long as they did. I also enjoyed hearing more about Alexander's past, especially that of when he moved to the Soviet Union with his family, and how that whole situation fell apart. I really want to read the next one of course but it looks like I will be waiting for a new edition that will be published early next year. Can't wait!

It had to be done
I had to read this book.The first book, A Bronze Horseman, left me hungry for answers. I remember not being fully invested with this novel 'till about page 300.I knew I had to go through this journey with these characters, even though I knew how it would end.I was disappointed with some of the author's story line choices, but I believe that's to the author's credit--I was attached to all the characters.I will be purchasing book #3.

Not as good as The Bronze Horseman
As some of the previous reviewers stated, Tatiana & Alexander is not quite as good as The Bronze Horseman. I got tired of reading about them separately, wondering wondering wondering when they would finally be reunited; then, to be somewhat disappointed in way it all transpired. The waiting in the first book was more than long enough too, but at least its culmination was satisfying.

In addition, this book's ending was SO transparently set up for us to have to buy the next book in the series...

It was OK
I enjoyed so much the bronze Horseman that maybe I was expecting too much from the sequel "Tatiana and Alexander". Although the story itself is very well written, Tatiana and Alexander reunion is disappointingly just at the end of the book and even if the reunion is very emotional they spent most of the time together fighting. I was expecting more interaction between the two characters and instead I got lot of memories and rewind of past story. ... Read more

Product Description
To find yourself, you must first risk everything. The most interesting things in Lily's life happened to other people, and that was just how Lily liked it. She loved sitting around into the early morning hours with Amy, Paul, Rachel, Dennis, hearing their stories of violent, experimental love lives, hitchhiking, South Miami Beach bacchanalian feasts. She liked other people to be young and reckless. For herself, she liked her lows to not be too low and her highs not to be too high. She soaked up Amy's dreams, and Joshua's dreams, and Andrew's dreams, she went to the movies three days a week - oh the vicarious thrill of them! She meandered joyously through the streets of New York, read the paper in St. Mark's square, and lived on in today, sleeping, painting, dancing, dreaming on a future she could not fathom. Lily loved her desultory life, until yesterday and today. -- From Lily ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

lilly\girl in times square
I was confused looking at the reviews lily only recieved 3stars and the girl in times square 5 same book people well the story was complex troubling but its story was credibleand its an story that i enjoyed, glad that i took the time to check both book reviews and realizing that they were the same before i brought girl in time square i brough lily at a much cheaper price

One of the worst books........................ever
Having read "Tully" several years ago, I was eager to read another book by the same author. What a disappointment. The dialog was stilted, the language overwrought, but the worst thing was the numerous [over the top] story lines. The missing roomate, the life threatening illness of the title character, the affair of Lily's politician brother with aforesaid roomate, Lily's involvement with the age innapropriate, alcoholic, emotionally withholding detective, the Holocaust backstory, the peyote burn out fringe group.....................the mind boggles. All these story lines, none fully realized, all crammed into one unspeakably bad book. I read a library copy...............hopefully it is out of print!

LILY
Paullina Simon is the best!!!!Her books draw you in and never let you go. You laugh, you cry....you can't stop reading! ... Read more

Product Description

The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.

Customer Reviews (186)

Review of the Horseman :)
A heart wrenching story of two people fighting for love thru war, poverty, and family loyalty. The first few chapters were kind of slow but once you get thru them the story comes to life. I couldn't put it down. If you enjoy Love stories this book is for you. Great love's like Allie and Noah, Jack and Rose, Bella and Edward (haha i know), have nothing on Tatiana and Alexander! This is a great book definitely worth the read. Now i can't wait to read the rest of the series :)

BEST LOVE STORY EVER!
This book is brilliantly written.I absolutely fell in love with Tania and Alexander.Paullina Simons is a very talanted and gifted writer. I have read all three books in this trilogy and they are all wonderful. I have read a LOT of books and these are my all time favorites.The down side is, Ms. Simons sets the bar so high that I am dissapointed in most books that I have read since.I understand that she is writing the screenplay. Oh please let that be true!

If you love romance and history, read this book!

Awesome love story
Bought the book for my wife and she absolutely loved it.She couldn't put it down.

Epic Love Story
I was looking for a triology to start this summer and accidently stumbled upon this book. I have loved every page. Its intensity is as passionate as the characters. The characters are easy to relate to and you find yourself cheering for them to make it through.

Wow!
I have had this book in my TBR pile for over a year, and am kicking myself for waiting so long to read it.This was one of the best books I have ever read.My heart is pounding.I'm emtotionally wrecked.I was unable to stop reading.You will love Alexander and Tatiana.You will worry for them, and pull for them.And most of all, you will want to get your hands on the sequel, Tatiana and Alexander, ASAP!What a great book, what a great love story. ... Read more

Product Description
A magnificent epic of love, war and Russia from the international bestselling author of TULLY and ROAD TO PARADISELeningrad 1941: the white nights of summer illuminate a city of fallen grandeur whose palaces and avenues speak of a different age, when Leningrad was known as St Petersburg.Two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha, share the same bed, living in one room with their brother and parents.The routine of their hard impoverished life is shattered on 22 June 1941 when Hitler invades Russia. For the Metanov family, for Leningrad and particularly for Tatiana, life will never be the same again. On that fateful day, Tatiana meets a brash young man named Alexander.The family suffers as Hitler's army advances on Leningrad, and the Russian winter closes in. With bombs falling and the city under siege, Tatiana and Alexander are drawn inexorably to each other, but theirs is a love that could tear Tatiana's family apart, and at its heart lies a secret that could mean death to anyone who hears it.Confronted on the one hand by Hitler's vast war machine, and on the other by a Soviet system determined to crush the human spirit, Tatiana and Alexander are pitted against the very tide of history, at a turning point in the century that made the modern world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Received books in timely manner and matched description.
Loved this book so I bought two!One for me and one for my mom.
Very happy with the condition of the books.

A lesson for everybody.
Soviet history is a big black hole in most people's knowledge, partly because of the secrecy surrounding it, and partially because we've had a few decades of books and movies about Nazi Germany and little else.

Tragic events such as Stalin's Ukrainian genocide (millions more Ukrainians died than Jews in the Holocaust), and the siege of Leningrad are two such events that are only just coming to be known amongst Westerners.

This book draws you in and holds you tight as you suffer through the annexing of Leningrad during World War Two. At the end of the war all citizens were declared Heroes of the Soviet Union - only, there was hardly anybody left. The Nazis' plan to starve the city into surrender is shocking, and was ultimately a failure. The Russians - already suffering under the Communist regime - fought on even as they dropped dead of starvation in the streets.

This book could almost warrant five stars, but partway through it begins to lose its way just a bit. The romance between Tatiana and Alexander is the heart of the story, and though it does seem a little `Cinderellaish' it sure is addictive. However, once their relationship develops further we seem to lose track of the war and instead focus far too much on sex.

The first half, and the ending just about make up for this lapse in the middle. All the same, this a story everyone should share.

WOAH!
This is one of the best books I'v read in my life to date! I ran across a recomendation for it on a Diana Gabaldon site. The Outlander series is beloved to me and I can't help but compare everything to it. Although this is a very different sort of yarn ,this story is heartbreaking, gut wrenching,romantic,It has it all!It's the first of a trilogy. I ordered them all and was not disappointed. These will stay on my bookshelf forever and I will read them again and again.A modern day classic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What a disappointment!
I have read all the previous Paullina Simons books and found them good holiday reads but this one was such a disappointment.Firstly it could do with some serious editing, the long sections of discussion between the friends about the meaning of life just seemed over indulgent and boring and added nothing to the plot.
WARNING THIS PART OF THE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
The first half of the story was ok and I enjoyed the detailed account of Larissa's life but there were some major flaws in the second half after she leaves.Her decision to leave was only forced by her lover deciding in May that he wanted to leave and yet her husband later finds out that she had secretly been withdrawing money for a year in preparation for leaving when none of this had been indicated previously.I also found the lack of focus on the feelings of the children and the ease with which they seemed to have accepted her disappearance simply ludicrous. The whole part of the book set in Australia was just incredibly dull and didn't seem well written at all. Such a shame to be looking forward to a book by a previously enjoyed author and then struggle through 700+ disappointing pages hoping that the ending would somehow make up for it and then to find it didn't!! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

eleven hours
Paullina Simons is a great writer.Once you start one of her books, it's hard to put them down. If you have not read The Bronze Horseman Trilogy, I highly recommend these historical romance novels.

Not her best work
I discovered Paulina Simmons through the Bronze Horseman series. I love those books and I consider them on my list of the best I've read. But this book yeech ! I'll try another because I have faith in this author but skip this one.

A suspenceful page turner
It has been a long time since I read a book that had me turning the pages quite so frantically as this one. I had to force myself not to skip to the end because the suspence left my nerves in shreds!

The novel focusses on the kidnap of Didi Wood, a heavily pregnant woman in her early 30s, from a shopping mall in Texas. When Didi's husband realises she is missing, he contacts the police and so begins a cat and mouse chase as the FBI struggle to trace Didi and her kidnapper before it's too late. The action covers an eleven hour period, and things become more and more tense as time goes on and Didi's captor becomes more unstable.

The storytelling in this book is really impressive. Although Didi and her husband Rich are not exactly my ideal characters, I was completely swept up in their story. As other reviewers have mentioned, certain religious views feature prominently and some of them seemed, to me at least, to be rather odd. Didi talks about bad things happening to 'other people', people who are not 'God fearing', as if certain people have a right to expect never to be hurt while others don't. Furthermore, Didi also prays to God (which I liked) but then when she isn't saved she sort of blames God for forgetting her. I was perplexed by this viewpoint, because there are so many people suffering in the world, it seems rather closeminded to think that God has a duty to rescue YOU above everyone else.

Overall, this is a great book if you want to read something that will drag you along for 300 pages at break neck speed. Perhaps some of the action (particularly the way Didi's husband is allowed to participate in the police investigation) is not entirely realistic, but the novel doesn't suffer for it. It is a rare breed - a suspence thriller that is genuinely terrifying and compulsive.

Fast paced, edge of your seat read!
Paullina Simons delivers a fast-paced, edge of your seat mystery.Race along with Rich as he tries to save his 9 month pregnant wife from her abductor, all within eleven intense hours.The story is graphic and tense, but it does not disappoint.

Page turner
Paullina shows us more mystery with this story. This story is a fast read- one you can't put down until the end. I was a little shocked a few times during the book. It was all in all a good story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Definitely for younger readers
Of the 5 Paullina Simons books I've read, this was the least enjoyable.However, it could be because it's about 3 teenage girls, and I'm a 60 year old.Also, I read it after having read Simons' trilogy about Tatiana and Alexander, which is an epic historical tale spanning 6 decades, whereas Road to Paradise is a contemporary story that spans about 2 weeks, so it was nothing like I expected.There's quite a bit of action, but a bit too much dialogue for my taste.I wouldn't say it wasn't worth reading, and perhaps if I had read it BEFORE reading the great trilogy, I would've appreciated it more.Simons is a wonderful writer, and I think she was experimenting with a different genre' with Road to Paradise.

hmmmmmm....
I LOVE Paullina Simons books. All of them. I can't say this is my favorite ( as Im sure anyone who read The Bronze Horseman will say as well) but this one was entertaining and I did find myself thinking about it long after the book was finished, as I do all of her books. I just really wanted another Tully or another Tatiana that stays with me for years and I didn't get it with Shelby. But, I'd recommend it and all of Paullina's books to anyone.

Tough book to process.
Road to Paradise is nothing like The Bronze Horseman Trilogy by this author- LOVED those books- and can't really be compared to her other books either.The book is all about dialogue- both internal and external.

It centers around Shelby Sloane- a young woman unsure of who she is and unsure of who she Shall Be.So she decides to take a road trip across the states in her mint condition canary yellow mustang, given to her by the woman who raised her.The same woman who is not her actual mother but the one who was her mother, none the less.

Which brings us to the point of the road trip:

Shelby needs to know why her birth mother just up and left her and her father all those years ago.She believes her mother is in Mendocino, CA, and, more than anything, she knows she needs to settle that aspect of her life before she continues on to Harvard where she's been accepted on a track scholarship.

When once best friend, Gina, discovers Shelby's making the trip to Cali, she horns in on the escapade to get to a boyfriend who left her behind.Shelby does, and doesn't, want Gina to come along.You see, they've had a falling out over that same boy, (of course!). But she also misses their longtime friendship andwhen Gina swears she'll help with the financial aspect of the trip- sensible, plan-everything-to-a- T Shelby, agrees.

From the get go, the trip is sidetracked- much to Shelby's frustration.Gina promises her Mom they'll stop by several relatives houses- SO not on Shelby's plotted course- and when they pick up a young girl abandoned by the side of the road,Shelby might as well have thrown her best laid plans out the window right then and there.

The girl has issues.SERIOUS issues.Yet Simons gave her a wisdom beyond her experiences and years.

Simons obviously also uses the dialogue between the girls while on the trip as a way to express her personal opinions, which didn't bother me one iota because I liked her opinions!You just have to resolve yourself to that aspect of the story telling to "get" this book. Still, it took me til the end of the tale to fully appreciate what all was going on- but, I swear I did get there- because, after all, it's not the destination, it's what we learn along the journey that counts.

And THAT is what this book is all about.

A Let Down After Some Much Better Work (2.5 Stars)
I've read all of Simons novels. Her early works (Tully, Red Leaves, Eleven Hours) are good but it's her more recent work (The Bronze Horseman, Tatiana and Alexander, The Summer Garden, and The Girl In Times Square) that is more absorbing and has real emotional resonance. I was looking forward to another Paullina Simons novel but The Road To Paradise left me feeling unfulfilled. Basically we have two teens on a road trip following high school graduation. Shelby is going to California to meet the mother who abandoned her, Gina is going to marry the boyfriend who may cheat on her if she doesn't get out there soon (why she'd want to marry him isn't really clear). Shelby and Gina used to be friends but a mysterious betrayal tore them apart. Most readers will be able to figure out the reason for their falling out long before it's revealed toward the end of the book.They pick up a hitchhiker named Candy along their way. As it turns out, Candy has a colorful past (featuring pornographers and monks) some nasty people after her. They're drawn into her world, her unconventional ideas about religion, discuss philosophy and lose all their money. We never really feel connected to any of them and are frustrated with some of the bad decisions they make on their journey (Shelby is supposed to be Harvard bound- something that's very hard to believe given the fact that she rarely says, does, or thinks anything intelligent). This could have been a story about Gina and Shelby rediscovering their friendship and putting the past behind them as they start toward their future. It could have been a story about how two sheltered, middle class girls leave their safe world behind and open themselves to trusting a stranger who could get them killed or could save their souls. Basically it had potential as a premise but it never goes anywhere. It's a shame because Simons is capable of so much more. Here's hoping her next book is a return to form.

VERY long trip!
Three young women, two of them high school friends, set out on a cross country trip from one side of America to the other, in a bright yellow Mustang. Various events deter them from making a straight run from New York to California and they end up zig zagging through many states. It's a very talky book but if you find the philosophizing of teen aged girls engrossing, you'll enjoy this read. For my taste, it was far too long and rambling and I kept thinking "Get on with it!" But then, if the reader is nearerthe age of the characters, perhaps it will have more appeal. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

eleven hours
Paullina Simons is a great writer.Once you start one of her books, it's hard to put them down. If you have not read The Bronze Horseman Trilogy, I highly recommend these historical romance novels.

Not her best work
I discovered Paulina Simmons through the Bronze Horseman series. I love those books and I consider them on my list of the best I've read. But this book yeech ! I'll try another because I have faith in this author but skip this one.

A suspenceful page turner
It has been a long time since I read a book that had me turning the pages quite so frantically as this one. I had to force myself not to skip to the end because the suspence left my nerves in shreds!

The novel focusses on the kidnap of Didi Wood, a heavily pregnant woman in her early 30s, from a shopping mall in Texas. When Didi's husband realises she is missing, he contacts the police and so begins a cat and mouse chase as the FBI struggle to trace Didi and her kidnapper before it's too late. The action covers an eleven hour period, and things become more and more tense as time goes on and Didi's captor becomes more unstable.

The storytelling in this book is really impressive. Although Didi and her husband Rich are not exactly my ideal characters, I was completely swept up in their story. As other reviewers have mentioned, certain religious views feature prominently and some of them seemed, to me at least, to be rather odd. Didi talks about bad things happening to 'other people', people who are not 'God fearing', as if certain people have a right to expect never to be hurt while others don't. Furthermore, Didi also prays to God (which I liked) but then when she isn't saved she sort of blames God for forgetting her. I was perplexed by this viewpoint, because there are so many people suffering in the world, it seems rather closeminded to think that God has a duty to rescue YOU above everyone else.

Overall, this is a great book if you want to read something that will drag you along for 300 pages at break neck speed. Perhaps some of the action (particularly the way Didi's husband is allowed to participate in the police investigation) is not entirely realistic, but the novel doesn't suffer for it. It is a rare breed - a suspence thriller that is genuinely terrifying and compulsive.

Fast paced, edge of your seat read!
Paullina Simons delivers a fast-paced, edge of your seat mystery.Race along with Rich as he tries to save his 9 month pregnant wife from her abductor, all within eleven intense hours.The story is graphic and tense, but it does not disappoint.

Page turner
Paullina shows us more mystery with this story. This story is a fast read- one you can't put down until the end. I was a little shocked a few times during the book. It was all in all a good story. ... Read more