The Art of Mending

The Art of Mending
Author: Elizabeth Berg
read by: Joyce Bean
6 discs (6 hours of listening)

It begins with the sudden revelation of astonishing secrets-secrets that have shaped the personalities and fates of three siblings, and now threaten to tear them apart.  In renowned authoer Elizabeth Berg's moving new novel, unearthed truths force one seemingly ordinary family to reexamine their disparate lives and to ask themselves: Is it too late to mend the hurts of the past?

Laura Bartone anticipates her annual family reunion in Minnesota with a mixture of excitement and wariness.  Yet this year's gathering will prove to be much more trying than either she or her siblings imagined.  As soon as she arrives, Laura realizes that something is not right with her sister.  Forever wrapped up in events of long ago, Caroline is the family's restless black sheep.  When aroline confronts Laura and thier brother, Steve, with devatating allegations about their mother, the three have a difficult time reconciling their varying experiences in the same house.  But a sudden misfortune will lead them all to face the past, their own culpability, and their common need for love and forgiveness.

Personal Notes:
This is a good book that deals with a girl who's mother abused her-with that being said it is said to see the affects it had on her years later.  Its a good story to see how someone can confront their issues to get past them.  I enjoy Elizabeth Berg's novels but this book had a sad feel to it the whole book whereas In Elizabeth Berg's book "Open House" it was a divorce situation but it was more calming and uplifting as the woman got thru the turmoil of the divorce.

Hawk O'Tooles's Hostage

Hawk O'Tooles's Hostage
Author: Sandra Brown
Read by: Richard Ferrone

I just started listening to Sandra Brown's Romance novels this week and can't put them down!  I picked one up just to try a new author/genre of books-she is Great!!! Just the right amount of drama and naughtiness in each of her stories! I've listened to 3 just this week! 

Miranda Price is the Ex-wife  of a prominent public figure; when she and her song are on a sight-seeing train ride her son gets kidnapped.  Refusing to let him alone she decides to go with the captors.  They get taken as hostages by a Native American tribe who are desperate to have Someone listen to them and reopen a Mine that was a huge source of income for the people.  Miranda soon finds herself in a dilemma both scared for her life that she is being held hostage; but she and her son are also being treated very fairly and likes to see the traits Hawk O'Toole-one of the Tribe's Chiefs is teaching to him on how to be a respectful young man.  Hawk and Miranda are a true case of oppisites that attract, coming from completely different worlds but finding they have much in common including the passion they feel for each other.   Knowing that they should not and were not meant for each other makes them both want each other more which makes for another great intense and passionate Sandra Brown Romance novel.

Eloquent Silence

Eloquent Silence
Author: Sandra Brown
Read by: Joyce Bean
6 hours (6 discs)
Romance Novel

Lauri is a dedicated young teacher for deaf children; when a job offer is presented to her she leaves the deaf school to be a private live-in tutor.  Lauri is suprised when she goes to meet the father of young Jennifer and learns that her dad is one of the most well known day time Soap Stars.  The job quickly becomes more than just that as she falls in love with the little girl and tries to resist falling for her father.