Product Description
Widowed and penniless in the Colorado Rockies, Boston-born Laura Cheney turns to Deke Sheridan, a dangerously handsome renegade raised among the Cheyenne, when her newborn son is kidnapped. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good Romance.
This was a pretty decent read.I have read better but it was a page turner.The idea of Laura hiring Deke as a tracker to find her son who was kidnapped by Comancheros was good.The attraction between them seemed to be pretty one-sided at first.Deke seemed to like Laura right away.Laura's attraction to Deke became apparent midway through the book.I found Deke's way of speaking to be sweetly amusing.I could almost literally hear him.

I would recommend this book.It was a pretty decent romance novel.

Romance and Adventure...at its best...
Deke Sheridan wants nothing to do with the woman who entered the Saloon, disheveled and desperate, pointing a broken and unloaded gun at him, in order to gain his help finding her missing son.

Laura has suffered through a horrible marriage to a drunkard husband who abused her and gambled all their money away. Now, her husband is killed and she is left utterly alone in a place she barely knows. She has just given birth several days before, all by herself, there had been no one there to help her, and her husband had been away gambling. In short, Laura is a survivor, and she is desperate to find her missing baby.

Deke finds himself unable to refuse this woman's desperate plea, as he sees the anguish in her eyes, and the courage she displays. He finally agrees to help her, since he is the best tracker there is.

From there on the adventure starts, as they set out to find Laura's baby, and begin to care for each other, and then fall in love. This story will make you laugh out loud, some parts were hilarious. Then there were some moments that were so tender, and beautiful to make you smile and sigh in love. And there are moments that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, in suspense. And moments that are deeply moving.

Great story, great characters.

The banter between Laura and Deke is one of the most memorable I have ever read in any book. A precious, funny, moving, suspenseful and unforgettable story. An excellent read, highly recommended.

Storytelling at its finest.
Catherine Anderson is a masterful storyteller and "Cheyenne Amber" is a polished tale. Amazingly, Anderson's story flows with harmony and heartwarming emotion.

Deke Sheridan is a hero.I don't know what source Catherine Anderson draws upon to sketch her heros, but that man must be a dream.For Ms. Anderson always writes the ultimate male.Consistently, Anderson's heros are rugged, tough, protective males, but so sensitive.Her men are every woman's fantasy.

Laura Cheney, a dignified lady from Boston, has journeyed through hell courtesy of her husband! Tristan Cheney was a cruel, vindictive, unsupportive man. Fortunately for Laura Cheney he died the same way he lived - with brutal force.Fortunately for Laura Cheney - she met Deke Sheridan. Fortunately for the reader - Anderson supervises their romance.

Laura Cheney is a penniless widow and her newborn son is missing.Courageously, she begs Deke Sheridan for his help, but Deke Sheridan is not interested in Laura's "white world" dilemma.Raised by the Cheyenne, Sheridan sees trouble in Laura's bruised eyes -- trouble he wishes to avoid.In spite of his misgivings, Laura soon earns his respect and support.

This author provides an exquisite tale.Ms. Anderson uses humor and description to tell this story.This reader hung on to her every word.She gives her reader solid direction by creating real characters and delivering vivid scenes.Well done, Catherine Anderson.

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

A gritty, attention-grabber.
The story begins with Laura's husband offering his wife to another man as payment for his gambling losses.He ends up paying with his life.Laura Cheney is a gently-bred lady with spunk.She's went through labor alone and she's penniless.While she digging for water, her son is kidnapped by the man who won her in a bet. Though she has no money, Laura is desperate and goes into town.She finds Deke Sheridan, a white man raised by Indians.After an illuminating conversation, he agrees to help her.I really liked this couple.Deke was harsh, but only because of his past and the surroundings he lived in.CA slowly gets Deke to respect Laura's determination (riding a horse after giving birth only three days prior, continuing on the trail while ill) and her feistiness.He also saves her life by telling his brother that she's his wife, much to Laura's dismay, but she learns their ways and comes to respect Deke's adopted family. As a mother, I felt for Laura when she realized her son was missing, and I could empathize with her wanted to find him so desperately.Deke was a heartthrob, too.He's not very educated in the intellectual sense, and his mouth is foul sometimes, but he did know a lot about human nature.Laura's steel-tempered gentility slowly cracks the shell that has become Deke's shield for so long. ... Read more

Product Description

Three times a lady.

Customer Reviews (4)

Nice anthology
Fancy Free by Catherine Anderson
Matt Rafferty broke poor Molly's heart and publicly humiliated her.That's why her sister, Rachel, has sworn revenge.Rachel's going to get him so drunk he's going to pass out and wake up in church Sunday morning minus his pants, the only problem is when she sees Mr Rafferty walking out of the saloon it's the wrong Mr Rafferty.Clint is tired of cleaning up after his younger brother and tired of life on the ranch with his 7 brothers and no woman to clean up after them so when he wakes up in church on Sunday discovering he's spent the night passed out with the Marshal's daughter he's more than willing to marry her.

This was the most light hearted of the three reads and I have to say the first few chapters greatly outshone the others but then it quickly crumbled.Rachel was SO silly, vain and childish.She was only 18 so that explained most of the behavior but still she refused to wear her glasses and couldn't keep house, even though Clint made it abundantly clear he only married her so she could cook and clean up his home, which is described as a frontier version of house featured on "Clean Sweep" with mounds of dirt, laundry, trash, even blood lying around.I got annoyed with her excessive need to please simply because her husband was handsome and her endless failures to do so because of her broken glasses and had to skim to the end.
2 1/2 stars

The Mad Earl's Bride by Loretta Chase
Dorian's going to die.He's suffering from the same ailment that killed his mother 8 years before and all he wants to do is die in peace and perhaps a bit of dignity, if he can manage that.The only problem is his one and only friend wants him to marry his cousin so that he can beget a child before kicks off, something that Dorian thought was a fine idea when dosed with laudanum, but not so much when he was no longer under the affects.Gwen always wanted to be a doctor, something she would never be able to do because she's a woman, but her interest in the mentally ill and need of money to start a hospital with modern medical ideals leads her to agree to marry.

The best of the bunch being it's quite different than your standard regency.The romance aspect isn't all that well developed, they just sort of fell in love then had to deal withhis dying and Gwen's interest in trying to use her medical knowhow to make his last days pleasant.This wasn't light or fun per say, but it was quite entertaining and Gwen and Dorian were very interesting characters.
4 1/2 stars

Scandal's Bride by Samantha James
Victoria is faced with an ultimatum; say yes to one of the three marriage offers she currently has on the table or her father is going to pick one for her.Instead she decides to create a scandal by kissing a stranger and hopefully getting all three offers rescinded.However, she never expected her father to force her to marry Miles after walking in on them kissing.

This is pretty standard fare and nothing too exceptional.He thinks she's a superficial shallow girl who couldn't last five minutes away from London, while she thinks he's cold and unfeeling.Miles rejects her three or four times, then decides he wants her then she discovers he lied to her about the existence of his ward because he thought she would be mean and cruel to the young girl, Heather because she has a limp.I didn't like the ending of this.He truly was very callus and unfeeling towards Victoria, treating her exactly like he expected she would treat Heather.She forgave him far too quickly throughout the whole story.I know it's a novella but still the girl isn't supposed to forgive him until he grovels and his apology stating he didn't trust her not to be mean and superficial is making things worse not better.
3 1/2

Sherri's review
Each author gave a short story about bides......not much depth to the stories, but yet a nice collection.

REPRINT IS RIGHT
I don't mind reprints of older books, but I do mind paying $8.00 for them.Shame on you, Harper Collins!

I already paid full price back when it was first published on acid paper and the book has long crumbled to dust. I only bought it again for the Loretta Chase short story so I could keep it on my Kindle. Only a very few authors rate paying full price for an e-book as far as I'm concerned, so Harper Collins won't be getting much business from me.

Reprints!
Each of these short stories was written in the mid 90s, and the only one I was interested in (by Loretta Chase) is a reprint.I assume the others are as well.Note to self:don't purchase anthologies.The library is close, cozy, and free... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Reasonable Doubt by Catherine Anderson (Large Print Hardcover)
Another terrific story from Catherine Anderson!Description from the book back cover:

She made a promise to a dying woman.

Nothing less would have convinced Brenna Morgan to return to the Crescent Moon claim - to face the doubts she'd fled so long ago. But soon she discovered that prowlers, vandals and unnatural noises had invaded the isolated mining claim that had been in her family for generations. And her new neighbor, Tyler Ross, was not the first or the last to warn her of the dangers of remaining there alone.

As warnings turned to threats - and threats to violence - Brenna swore she would never abandon the claim. And when Tyler charged in to lend her his support, she accepted him with open arms. It wasn't until later that she had cause to wonder if his choice was for her benefit, or for his own ....

Faboulous book
This book was a great read.Catherine Anderson really has a way of pulling the reader into the story.

Great book!!
Catherine Anderson is a wonderful story teller/writer.I would love to have been a child in her house - I can just imagine the bedtime stories she would make up.I appreciate the fact that her stories don't drag on and on but are precise and keep you interested right up until the end.Keep them coming, Catherine!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Because of the many secrets that she guards, lovely Franny Graham refuses to give into her feelings for part-Comanche Chase Wolf, but her powerful and determined admirer refuses to let her past destroy their future together. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A disappointing ending.
I loved the first book in this series, it had everything. The second was good but not great the third one was so so but this was just awful.I wanted to really love this story and Chase Wolf but even I couldn't believe that he could fall in love with a prostitute in a small town in the 19th century and accept her being pregnant.Please give me a break it wouldn't even happen now let alone then.How much can you suspend disbelief.What a shame and a waste of Chase's character and of the others.

Comanche Magic
Very well written and part of a Trilogy.Next one is due out in March 2009

A saga worth reading...
I have read several Catherine Anderson books in the past but this is one of my top reads for 2008.Comanche Moon is the beginning of a "saga" that follows through to 3 more of Catherine's books.The story brings to light the cultural differences in White/Indian relations and how misunderstood both groups of people handled their differences.Through the fear of rape, raids and eventually death - one man and one woman find love.This book not only shows the culture during the 1880's but how all men/woman struggle to raise families and provide a better existence for their offspring.Not all are successful in this endeavor but as Catherine depicts, individuals are willing to risk their own lives to protect their people. I have passed my copy on to my oldest daughter as I think the story will certainly be attractive to multi generations.

Comanche Magic ...
This book is the last installement in the Comanche saga books, starting with "Comache Moon" "Comanche Heart" "Indigo Blue" and then we have "Comanche Magic" the story of Indigo's brother Chase, and the woman he falls in love with, Franchine.

Chase returns to Wolf's landing after several years of absence as he worked the timber business. Now he's back due to an injury. Life has made him a hardened and cynical man. He first meets Franchine when she is visiting his sister Indigo. He doesn't know that she is a prostitute. Later when he learns the truth about her work, Chase rudely and coldly tells Franchine to stay away from his sister and her family.

Franchine is a victim in every meaning of the word. Her story is heartwrenching. She conjures images in her mind, of good memories, of the beautiful life which she lost at the tender age of 13, when she was forced into prostitution. Through these images she escapes the horrible reality, when she is working in the Saloon at night. No lights are allowed to be turned on in the room either. And that is the way she keeps her sanity. The shame, guilt and incredible pain she feels is just heartbreaking. But having to feed eight siblings, the youngest of whom is sick and needs a very expensive elixir to survive, and a blind mother, force her to continue in this proffession which she hates. Mrs. Anderson does a great job showing how very few options were open to women back then, hence forcing the desperate ones into prostitution.

As things progress, Chase and Franchine get to know each other through events that are both funny and tender. The more Chase learns about Franchine, the more he sees that she is a victim, and his heart breaks for her. Hence he begins to buy her services for the entire night, but instead of having any sexual relation with her, he takes her out on picnics, and moonlight walks. Franchine realizes that Chase is playing with her heart, and that is something that she can not afford to lose. For if he broke her heart, she would most definitely break down, and this time lose her mind completely. And her family would starve. She couldn't bear more heartache or afford to dream of the wonderful things that Chase was making her believe in again. So she tries to push him away, only Chase isn't so easily discouraged.

I thought that Fanchine's mother got off too easily. I wanted to slap her for what she did.

This story is about the power of love, and faith. How a completely shattered life, a hurting broken woman, found her dreams and her life again. How a hurting, cynical man learned to dream and to love.

A very good read.

Incredible!
This is a wonderful love story between a man and a reluctant prostitute.The story will tug at your heart and make you think of Chase and Franchine long after the book is over. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not Impressed
Book came with a torn cover that looked like a dog chewed on it.I like my books in pristine condition for my library without creases or tears so I was very disappointed in the product.

The Best
Nobody, but nobody writes better than Catherine Anderson.Another great read.This is one to take to the beach. ... Read more

Product Description
Wary of love after her failed first marriage, widow Kate Blakely nonetheless falls for her new neighbor, Zachariah McGovern. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Coming Up Roses
This book wasn't in good condition.I was really disappointed with it, but wanted it so bad that I'll keep it until I can find another one.For the price, it wasn't worth it.I love to order through Amazon and this is the first disappointment I've had.

There are better books to spend money on.
I'm a Catherine Anderson fan, but she pretty much dropped the ball on this one. Frankly put, it was dull as all hell. I dragged myself through the first 300 pages, then gave up completely. The characters never seemed to evolve past line drawings -- Kate loves her daughter. Zack is very understanding. That's okay characterization for the first fifty pages, but when there isn't much expansion on those themes a hundred pages after that, things start getting stupifying.

Anderson has written other books featuring women who were victims of abuse, all of them gracefully handled. I suppose that Kate was her first try at writing a heroine like this, and it took her a while to get it right. She got the maternal love down pat, but Kate was practically an invertibrate when it came to spine or spunk. Zack was a one-note wonder, and there's not much more to say about that. I can't remember the last time that I've been as absolutely bored out of my gourd by two lead characters. They were written as nice and likable, but reading about them became a chore.

Save some money and avoid it, unless you need a cure for insomnia.

A Memory Souvenir. -- The biggest of 4 stars.
With many books, once I turn the last page, the story's image disappears.Within a few days, I have forgotten the book's foundation.This is not so in Catherine Anderson's "Coming Up Roses."I think the child in this harrowing tale will live in my memory forever.

Kate Blakely and her daughter, Miranda, endured personal hell for five long years. An agonizing world controlled by a heinous man - a perverted man to whom Kate Blakely had regrettably married. A man unsoundly motivated -- by his own interpretation of the Bible.Joseph Blakely perceived his wife and daughter as `Handmaidens to Satan' - sent by the evil one to tempt him into sin.

Zachariah McGovern is the neighbor around whom Miranda builds a castle of dreams.In Miranda's eyes, this man is her hero.A man who ranks right up there with the fairies, the elves, and the mystical unicorns from her mother's fairytales -- he is the stuff of magical wishes.Zachariah McGovern is a god sent.

Through the pages, the author has drawn striking character sketches.Kate Blakely is a gentle, loving woman -- the victim of a life mistake.Anderson drafts Zachariah McGovern from her masculine template - brawny men who are everything wonderful.And little Miranda Blakely is divine, the star of the story.This cast and their lives make remarkable reading material.

What are the problems?The conclusion wrapped up too nicely, too methodically.These are two wounded souls who would not come back from the brink of destruction so easily -- no matter who the hero is.Secondly, Zachariah's tragic past was an unnecessary side story.Still, this is a forceful well-written story.

Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.

My favorite by Catherine Anderson
This is her best work.It's the only book I ever finished, and then immediately reread - the same day.Excellent.You can still find it in some libraries.

This is Catherine Anderson's best book, bar none!!
This book will touch from the beginning until the end. I have read it several times, and when anyone asks me if I have a book they can read, this is the one I suggest. Hopefully you can find a copy somewhere, I loan mine,but it is a permanent part of my library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good
ok, so mallory's father in law gets over his head with a bad guy and the bad guy kidnaps mallory's daughter.enter bud to save the day.however, towards the end, mallory is no slouch as saving the day herself.as far as i could tell, this book had nothing to do with the coulter series - it was written before them.

it was a good book, the only thing that bugged me is the stuff about randy and mallory's "friend".i felt that was thrown in as an afterthought, it just didn't ring true to the story and to be honest, it just messed everything up with bud going back and forth with his feelings.i would have rated the book a 5 if that whole part was left out.

still a good book, i would recommend it although i like some of her other books better :)

Another Great Coulter Story...
Catherine Anderson has come up with yet another great book about the Coulter family.Couldn't put it down! ... Read more

Product Description
USA Today bestselling author Catherine Anderson takes readers to a quaint wilderness town, where together, a man and a woman find a second chance at life-and love...

Determined to give her son Jeremy the childhood he deserves, Chloe Evans has left a tough past behind to start over in the charming town of Jack Pine, Oregon. But protecting Jeremy becomes a dicey proposition when he seeks out the most dangerous man in town, Ben Longtree, to heal his sick puppy. Chloe has been warned to stay away from Ben. But there's something about him that intrigues her... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

AWESOME...I Cried
Could not put it down. I give Ms Anderson kudos for her writing in this book. She made Chloe a very strong independent woman even with all that she had been through. I totally fell in love with Ben Longtree. He was so very strong but still wonderfully GENTLE. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is only the second book I have read of hers and I will continue to read them.

Good read...
This was a good story. I liked that Catherine Anderson used unorthodox story plots.

In most stories when the author describes the characters I usually get a mental picture of what the characters sorta looks like, but with this story I just couldnt! He had bright blue eyes, tanned skin and pitch black straight hair??

It sends out good messages about forbidden topics that most writers like to stay away from.

Magical and Delightful
I enjoyed reading this book.IT was my first Catherine Anderson book and this one was certainly delightful.I liked the hero Ben (Vet, author, son caring for his Mom, Indian, great looking and caring; a little damaged by the past but still what is not to like here.)HE is so gentle with Chloe's son and helps him get past some trauma in his life dealt to him by an ill and abusive father. I thought that was handled so well. Chloe is also delightful in taking care of her son and dealing with a stalking deputy and learning to accept Ben for who and what he is.One reviewer said there was no romance between them.I certainly didn't feel that.Their time spent together taking care of the animals and the walks and etc certainly was building a realtionship between them. Romance comes together in a number of ways. Actually, I liked the magic Ben had with his healing touch even though in reality I know it was a little far fetched. However, we can all use a little magic in our lives especially in these troubled times.I think it was worth the read and would reccomend it and read it again. It's not often that I like all the main characters in a book but all were just delightful, even the animals (well with the exception of the villan). Jeremy, chloe's son is just a great little kid and made the story fun and touching.

Anderson always delivers
Once again, a wonderful read from Catherine Anderson. Her books never fail to capture me. She has a wonderful way of exploring characters and emotions, thoroughly engaging the reader. I didn't find this book as thoroughly enthralling and emotional as some of her other books, like Phantom Waltz and Summer Breeze, but I still loved it.

Lots of wonderful dynamics in this book. I loved Ben's character. As an animal lover myself, I loved his compassion for the animals he cared for. I just wanted to give him a big hug sometimes. The romance between him and Chloe is nicely done. There's a slow build-up that makes it more realistic than if they just jumped into bed with each other. I liked that they got to know each other first. They complemented each other well.

There was a minor suspense plot aspect that was a nice addition to the story. It gave the book some kick and some meat. And the reason behind the antagonist's action fit well with the story. But the story was mostly about the characters, their situations, and the romance, as with all Anderson's books. Just a good all around romance.

Enchanting...
"Only by your touch" is one of Catherine's best. This book has a bit of fantasy in it, a touch of magic. The relationship between Chloe and Ben, how it develops and grows, is charming, and enchanting. Not to forget Cloe's cute little boy, and Ben's lovable pets.

The love between Chloe and Ben is portrayed splendidly. A truly poignant and breathtaking read. Highly recommended!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great book
Enjoy all Catherine Anderson book.This one up to par with the rest of them.

Beware - not new stories! Reissues!
Just wanted to put in a quick note that this is a reissue collection. The book contains the first two books in the Coulter family series: Phantom Waltz and Sweet Nothings. So don't buy this is you're expecting something new by Catherine Anderson - it isn't! A good deal for those who have neither of those books, though - it's cheaper than buying them seperately.

That being said, both of these stories are very touching, and I highly recommend the entire series, which includes: Baby Love, Phantom Waltz, Sweet Nothings, Blue Skies, Bright Eyes, My Sunshine, Summer Breeze and Sun Kissed. ... Read more

Product Description

The Gift

Annie Trimble lives in a solitary world that no one enters or understands. As delicate and beautiful as the tender blossoms of the Oregon spring, she is shunned by a town that misinterprets her affliction. But cruelty cannot destroy the love Annie holds in her heart.

Alex Montgomery is horrified to learn his wild younger brother forced himself on a helpless "idiot girl." Tormented by guilt, Alex agrees to marry her and raise the babe she carries as his own. But he never dreams he will grow to cherish his lovely, mute, misjudged Annie--her childlike innocence, her womanly charms and the wondrous way she views her world. And he becomes determined to break through the wall of silence surrounding her--to heal...and to healed by Annie's sweet song of love.

Customer Reviews (56)

Beautifully written story!
This is a story for readers wanting MORE from their books.
I read easily 50 books a month and have no hesitation stating this to be one of the best books I've read all year. It is a beautifully written love story. It's a true love story. CA allows the couple to develop a relationship before they have sex- totally different than most authors who have the main characters in bed together after only a few chapters. I can't imagine any reader not falling in love with Alex and Annie!! Annie's disability is handled well and you can feel Alex struggling with his attraction, to do the noble thing and his elation when he realizes Annie is only deaf, not retarded. Annie's struggle will touch every readers heart. This is a book I will read again and again!!

4 stars
This is a fantastic story that got held back by the romance. A lot of the romance is weird too, and can be a book deal breaker for some romance fans but I suggest trying it anyway.

Annie is a normal healthy girl but gets a fever as a child that leaves her deaf. Her family thinks she is mad and hides her in shame and abuses her (in an ambiguously villainous way). When she is 20 a local man violently rapes her and leaves her pregnant. Her story and perspective was so interesting and really sets this book apart from the genre. I wish the her POV was either the only one or wasn't included at all; that would have added greatly to the drama and development.

Moving Romance
Sometimes I look at the titles that are put on books and wonder why they're named that.Half the time they have nothing to do with the story at all.Here, the title actually has meaning.Annie is not what people think.No one has made the effort to discover the real her.It takes a special, though regrettable, set of circumstances and a special man to look past the stigma and listen closely enough to hear Annie's song.

The book starts out with a very disturbing event.Annie, the childlike town "idiot", is raped.The worst comes to pass and Annie becomes pregnant.Alex, the brother of the rapist, marries Annie to provide a home and name for the unborn child.He has no expectation of making the marriage a real one.He plans to go on with his life and expects Annie's nurse to keep her out of his way.Before long Alex find his view of Annie shaken.Soon he sees Annie in a new light and finds a love he never expected.

This story was so beautiful.The people in it are not perfect and they don't always do the right thing.I hated some of them at times, but even then, they seemed like real people making real mistakes.

Annie's mother comes off as a harsh, cruel woman.By the time Alex is getting to know the real Annie, you would be pleased if her mom would just die.You won't understand how a mother can treat her daughter like that.We, the reader, see the truth.Why is she denying it?It's frustrating and emotional, but eventually you learn to empathize with Annie's mother (even if you never really like her).That's what's so special about this story.There is no black and white.You find yourself wondering, "would I honestly have done such-and-such differently?"Then no matter what you feel, you can't help but admire her as she moves past her beliefs and tries to help her daughter live her new life.

Alex was a hard man to read at first.He had a view of Annie and a feel of entitlement to her baby that was frightening at times.I'm glad that the things that bothered me the most: his plans for Annie after the baby was born, his contact with his brother, etc. were all discussed eventually with Annie.I thought that was very mature and even though I disliked him at times for his treatment of Annie in the beginning, I also recognize it as a very human reaction.From the moment when he asks her for that first dance I began to love him.The time and care he took with her and the determination to wait for her as long as it took... beautiful.

Annie was an object of pity and heartbreak at times, but by the end of the book you'll realize that no matter her disability, she is the strongest character in the story.Through her life she put up with horrendous things and she still finds it in herself to love her family.She doesn't love blindly, she sees the faults and weaknesses in her parents and loves them despite them.Her love of her father is almost a mirror image of Alex's love of his brother.Through Annie you'll see the things you take for granted in a different light.She has a strong character and she knows what will make her life complete.Even though she knows what she wants, she's willing to bend to another character's view if she thinks it will make them happier.

This was an awesome book and I strongly recommend it.

Ho-hummm, and then a giggle
I had never read a romance novel by Catherine Anderson before, but based on the generally good or better reviews her work appears to receive, and particularly based on the glowing reviews for ANNIE'S SONG -- I frankly expected a much better read.

A young deaf woman, Annie Trimble, who has been (mis)understood to be mentally deficient since a childhood illness, is brutally raped by the town's drunken bad boy, whose brother Alex, a fine upstanding citizen, decides to marry Annie when it's discovered she's pregnant.The plot goes on to explore the attraction that Alex has for Annie, and its much slower vice-versa, and Alex's discovery that Annie is only deaf and is intelligent.He learns the manual alphabet and teaches Annie to communicate for the first time in her life.

I had no problem with the plot - the rape in the book's first pages is little much for me, but two people who marry "of convenience" and learn to fall in love afterward are always interesting.

My problem is the pairing of the cardboard-ish goodness of Alex with the dull-ish "fey" Annie, which simply struck no sparks.Alex's physical attraction to Annie happens a little too soon.To me it seemed the minute Alex accidently brushes his hands across Annie's breasts he was in heat about her, but with all the requisite guilt about his physical attraction to this presumed mental deficient, "child of nature", spelled out ad nauseam.

Annie's parents are portrayed as harsh disciplinarians one minute, then 'understanding' and sorry over their harsh treatment of her, the next.There was a shallowness to their characters and they were manipulated like puppets to serve a brief purpose.

And I have to mention the ease with which Alex finally makes love to the eight-months-pregnant Annie, the PHYSICAL ease, if you get my drift.You'd think Annie was taunt as a gazelle - no awkwardness or discomfort.There's absolutely no mention of her bulging belly.In other romance novels I've read that contain scenes of pregnant women having relations with their man, sometimes the hero will go all misty with emotion when he puts his hands on the woman's belly, or if the baby moves while he's holding her, but that tender emotion isn't used here.Frankly, I'd thought the consummation would wait until post-birth, but Ms. Anderson surprised me, not too pleasantly...I hasten to add, I've got no problem with pregnant women having sex in or out of a romance novel, but this ultra-romantic, difficulty-free, multi-orgasmic scenerio, made me want to laugh.Why write a love scene involving a pregnant woman (especially a heavily pregnant woman) and ignore that fact altogether?

All in all I was just not thrilled by the way this story is told or the way its characters were developed.Even more disappointingly for me, there just wasn't anything especially compelling or finely written about ANNIE'S SONG that would persuade me to read another one of this author's books.

My New Favorite!
I just finished this book and wow!It was so different.I won't go into the storyline, as others always do that.Alex is endearing, charming, sensitive, sexy, and quite human!Annie is whole 'nother package!It was so awesome to see Annie grow, come out of her shell, learn to trust and eventually love.Her naitevete (?) is quite humorous at times, had to laugh out loud on several occasions.I think CA was right on in her portrayal of Annie in this story.I was a little disappointed that Douglas didn't have a more definite closure.I also would like to have seen Annie's father come around.

I highly recommend this read, it isn't some light read for the beach, it is a wonderful, captivating story of love and trust! ... Read more

Product Description
Mandy Pajeck had a tough childhood. Now 28, she feels responsible for the accident that took her younger brother's sight. But his complete reliance on her care is making them both miserable. When she meets handsome Zach Harrigan and his mini guide horse, she thinks she's found the ticket to her brother's happiness-and maybe her own. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of the tall spiderlike daddy longlegs. ... Read more

Product Description
The year is 1889, and Rachel Hollister hasn't set foot outside her house in five years. Ever since a savage attack left her family dead, she's cordoned herself off from the outside world, afraid to let anyone into her home-or into her heart. But now trouble has appeared on her doorstep-and suddenly she has no choice but to let a handsome rancher enter her well-guarded existence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

words can not descibe how i loved this book!
this is one of the sweetest love stories i have ever read.i highly recommend this series of books.

Not Believable and sooooo Boring
Hard to pen a good romance when for the first 100 pages the H and H are never in the same room together. And then if that is not bad enough, the heroine who has not seen a living soul in 5 years wants the hero to kiss her within 48 hours of meeting him. No way she realistically could develop that kind of trust for a man so quickly. The subject of Agoraphobia if treated honestly does not lend itself to the portrayal of a romance in the time span covered in this story. Some disabilities can be worked into a believable romance, but not this one in this WAY. Better to stick with blindness, deafness, paralysis etc. To go along with this poor storyline are a couple of mostly one dimensional characters. Ms. Andreson is capable of much better so we will chalk this one up to just a bad idea for a storyline that could not be saved by below average characters.

Summer Breeze
it was one of the best books I think she has written a real who-dun-it and yet was funny and passionate.It is better when you read the first book Keegans Lady as that is possibly her best book,yetI never liked "historical" romances and I even wrote to Cahterine and told her so but after reading these two I changed my mind and now can hardly wait till Early Dawn is out. Also Amazon is amazing as the order got to me in short order, considering I am out on a farm in Iowa and the selection was unbleiveable as I now have almost all of Cahterine's books. You will not be diasappointed in either amazon or any of Chatherine's books both are truly amazing!!!

Great Read
This is my 3rd Catherine Anderson book. I love it! I love the Coulter Series! I read Bright Eyes and My Sunshine.
All great so far. I feel like I am part of the story when I read her books. If I could, I would buy all the books she has in print. But for now, I will read one at a time as they come along.

Love breaks through all barriers
Joseph Paxton knows there's trouble when a neighbor's ranch hand shows up on his door step with a bullet in his back. Convinced that there's a killer on the loose the ranch hand makes Joseph promise to keep his employer Miss Rachel Hollister safe while he recovers. If the rumors are true then Miss Hollister has been living barricaded inside her home for the past five years ever since the massacre that took the lives of her entire family. She has never stepped foot outside since. Hasn't seen the sunlight nor felt a summer breeze in five long years. And when Joseph sees her elaborate fortress, he's shocked and saddened to see her living in such conditions. Now all Joseph has to do is to somehow bring sunlight into Rachel's life while protecting from a killer, possibly even the same one who wiped out her family.

A fine romance. Wonderful characters and an unusual plot. I've never read about someone having agoraphobia before. I can see how horror of having seen her family killed before her eyes forced Rachel into this maximum security type of living. She doesn't feel safe without having all those walls around her, especially since the killer was never caught. And Joseph has the patience of a saint to have to deal with all of Rachel's issues. He's such a *good* guy that you can't help but love him. And all the trouble he goes through just to give Rachel a bit of sunshine really brought a tear to my eye.

A great sequel to Keegan's Lady.

Recommended. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The romance is a little lacking, yet the author's talent still shows in this early book
From the back cover:

She was out of her element and someone--or something--was hot on her trail.

When her brother disappeared, last seen leaving a forest lodge, Crysta Meyers left the big city behind her to join in the search for her missing twin.

The hazards of civilization couldn't compare to the dangers Crysta would encounter. The Alaskan territories were alien worlds, where man-made beasts battled natures finest--and primitive passion turned the cries of the wild into the calls of the heart.

Crysta's call was answered by Sam Barrister, a rough and rugged mountain guide as untamed as the wilderness itself. She considered him her only ally in this Alaskan adventure...until she discovered his deception...

And my review:

This was one of the first books that Catherine Anderson wrote. And obviously, one cannot expect one of her first books to have as much polish or depth as her later works (which I highly recommend, as they are all excellent).

The mystery part of this novel is quite well done. Also, the author's use of the paranormal idea that twins have an extra connection that other siblings don't have was interesting and well-written. The only part of this book that dissapoints is the romance aspect of it. It kind of felt rushed, as if it was neglected for the sake of the intrigue.

But maybe that's to be expected of a book from this Harlequin line. Still, the author's amazing talent still shines through in this book. She creates lovable characters (I'd dare anyone not to fall in love with the hero's son, Timmy) and writes wonderful prose that has a pleasant flowing style and paints clear pictures in the reader's head without getting too bogged down in the details.

While I wouldn't recommend dishing out tons of money for this book, as it's not a re-read, die-hard fans are probably going to want to have it anyway. And while it's not on par with her later full-length novels (which are fabulous), it's certainly not a stinker, either.

Gentle Suspense.** Grade: C+ **
Before Catherine Anderson made it to the romance big leagues, she wrote four little suspense novels for Harlequin Intrigue.CRY OF THE WILD is one of those easy, compact books.This is a light mystery set in the Alaskan wilderness.

Crysta Meyers and her twin brother Derrick are blessed with the uncanny ability to communicate telepathically.Over the years, when needed, they have summoned each other.

Waking from the depths of a terrifying nightmare, Crysta knows Derrick needs her NOW more than ever -- someone is trying to kill him.However, first she must convince everyone: Derrick is not dead -- yet!

Sam Barrister is Derrick's best friend, and he will listen to Crysta's defensive reasoning - up to a point!However, that point expands when Crysta's life is threatened -- now he must believe her!

Anderson's imagination and her smooth style of writing allow the reader to journey and enjoy the emptiness of Alaska.This is an author who never ceases to amaze with her descriptive powers.

Although this is a pleasing gentle suspense story, I am relieved Ms. Anderson went on to write eloquent romance.In 2005, my fantasy cosmos is truly richer because Catherine opted for this latter genre.Without a doubt, today Catherine Anderson is one of the best at creating a 'romance hero'.Her leading men are always the ultimate: in masculinity, in ruggedness, and IN sensuality.Sigh!
Grade: C+

MaryGrace Meloche
Reviewer for: www.romancedesigns.com ... Read more

Product Description
This is the beginner''s essential watercolour book, providing more than 106 answers to the most frequently asked questions about materials, techniques, and more.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

excellent

I haven't finished reading this book, but so far it's excellent.Not only are the explanations clear and detailed, but she prepares you for frustration.She continually encourages and inspires the newbie painter to take risks and to enjoy the adventure with watercolor.

outstanding for beginners
I took a "continuing ed" class for fun, never having used color media, but was thrown in with a class of rather experienced watercolor amateurs.The course was not geared for the beginner, so, I borrowed books from the library to crash learn.Since I had already made quite a few mistakes, I was able to judge well the quality of instruction in the books I was reading.This book is just so honestly outstanding.Her advice is bang on, and she has steared me onto the right course.May life smile upon this woman for having had the courage, honesty, and thankfulness to have written this book.Her art work is powerful.

Good information.
While I haven't completely read through this book, what I have read so far is quite informative.It does go beyond the basics, and thus fills the intermediate gap that so often is not usually addressed.

Perfect Watercolor Introduction
*****
I am a total beginner to watercolor---actually, to any type of painting, and this book was very helpful and easy to understand.I expect that the more I paint, though, the more I'll use it, as the information seemed to be insightful ideas that more advanced artists could also use.I read the entire book before I picked up a brush (as it was my sole introduction to watercolor) and I'm glad I did.

The book is organized in a question and answer format and grouped into: paper and painting surfaces; brushes and their care; paints and palettes; combining colors, water, paper, and brushes; tonal values; painting outdoors, on location and from life; and "is this a mistake or a creative opportunity?".The last chapter was most interesting, with actual examples of salvaged paintings---before and after.

The book was peppered with encouraging advice and information about being an artist, a painter.I loved reading it.
*****

Good, but not that good
I just checked the website listed below and the book is now $39.95 not including shipping.I have gotten this book several times from the library and I particularly like her use of a "funny brush." And the exercise in the book on mixing greens I did in an art class and that has been very useful.However, the information in the rest of the book can be found in other books.In my opinion, the book is not worth the $46 to $60 it would now cost to buy. Maybe Northlight Books will offer an updated version of this book in the near future ???If the book was normally priced, I would probably buy it. ... Read more

Product Description
Three stories of love in the Old West follow a preacher's daughter who falls for the most notorious man in town, the love affair between a female sheriff and a Texas Ranger from the future, and romance between an ex-convict and the witness who sent him to prison. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great stories!!!!
There are some anthologies that really grip you & keep you enthralled with all of them, & this is one of them.I read all 3 stories in less than 2 days.

SHOTGUN BRIDE: Charlotte has had a accident by Josh's ranch & is rescued by him.Because of the blizzard he can't get her home till it clears.He is confronted by her brothers all armed with shotguns.After the wedding because he thinks she lied to her brothers Josh totally humiliates her on their wedding night.Realising his mistake after talking to Charlie's preacher father he tries to put things right...

WILD TEXAS ROSE:8 years after sending the man she loved to jail for stealing a saddle, Thorn Maxwell is back in town looking for Rose.Does he want revenge or something else?

ONE RIOT, ONE RANGER:Marty is the sheriff of Loon, Texas, a totally lawless place.She prays for help from a Texas ranger & what she gets is Chris, an ex-con who is thrown back in time about 100 years.

I bought this book for the last story by Susan Sizemore having just read her 2 time travels "Wings of the storm" & "After the storm".All the stories are great, my one disapointment is that they are not longer.I'd love to read more stories about Loon.It would make a fantastic series.The same would go for the other 2. ... Read more

Product Description
Verdie a naive sixteen-year-old girl meets Bill a man seven years older than her. They fall in love and in six months they marry. Little did she know that seventeen years later she would be the mother of ten children. Their story is about hardships, sickness and poverty. This is a true story about a family with little education but was granted a degree in common sense and the knowledge to survive the depression and other life's problems. A story of a mother who worked hard and had the responsibility of caring for the children with only the bare necessities. A father who had to spend much of his time at work in the coal mines. The children had to learn early to work and do their share. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

GREAT BOOK!!!!
Great book you really get a sense of what the old times were and how rough it could be. ... Read more

Product Description

Did you know that a daddy longlegs is not a spider?How is a baby daddy longlegs like a little balloon?Are you brave enough to find out more about these interesting creatures?How are born?How do they grow, feed, move, and have babies?Where do they live and what do they look like?What makes them special?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hands-On Learning
I used this book as a guide to teaching Patterns to a Kindergarten class during my Student-Teaching this past year.As with the other Investigations units I have had experience with, I find the results to beabsolutely amazing.The activities are fun for the students andwell-organized for the teacher.At the same time, there is a lot offlexibility allowed for the educator to adapt the curriculum to his/her ownteaching methods.It's just a great resource to use in the classroom! ... Read more