On November 3, 1978, Dick Kenyon - husband, father, university employee and stained glass artist -- took his own life. That event is at the heart of Sunshower, but the book is much more than a story of a suicide. It is largely a survivor's tale, eloquently and unflinchingly told by his wife, Karen. With the grace of a poet and the insight of someone who has lived through the unthinkable, Karen Kenyon chronicles her life with Dick and the process of coming to terms with his end. In sharing this ultimately affirming story, Kenyon explores the most profound questions any of us can ask about life and love and the mystery that is every human being. I strongly recommend this beautiful book.

As a psychotherapist in private practice, I am often asked to recommend a book to help someone through a "dark wood." This is such a book. Ms. Kenyon is fiercely brave in her telling of her husband's suicide and what came after. How does one survive the unthinkable, sort out enough of (for so much here is unknowable) the grief, guilt, anger, self-blame, and fear so that life is again possible for those left behind? How does anyone go on to reclaim some right place in the world and some right place in the heart for the loved one who has chosen to die? This book is filled with the quiet courage too often unacknowledged of just keeping on, of continuning to do what feels right and necessary when life is so difficult we're not sure we can stand it. Ms. Kenyon shares with us her courage, guidance, wisdom, even humor. She makes us a map of those places the ancients used to mark by saying, "Here Be Dragons." She helps us find again a world that remembers light, hope, laughter. What Elisabeth Kubler-Ross saw and recommended some years ago in SUNSHOWER is as relevant now as it was when this book was first published. My hard-back copy of this book has been loaned out again and again over the years. Nothing recent has been able to replace it. I am so glad SUNSHOWER is back in print.

'Tapestry' is four novellas with a common 'thread' (get it, thread?) between them all -- a tapestry of some sort shows up in every story. I thought it was an interesting thought, and I'm glad I picked it up. This is one of the more entertaining anthologies I've read lately.

Lynn Kurland's 'To Kiss in the Shadows' headlines this new anthology book, and rightfully so! I was completely blown away by this very simple, very sweet story. No time travel, no fairy godmothers, and only a pinch of magic (Jason is rumored to be a warlock). It sure wasn't what I expected from Lynn Kurland, time travel queen extraordinaire! Yet this poignant story blows the other ones out of the water. It's the tale of Lianna, the wealthiest maid at court--and the most miserable. She's horribly disfigured by the pox as a young woman, and despairs of ever finding anyone to love her....and then she meets Jason de Piaget. I just loved this story to pieces! Ten stars!

I skipped the Madeline Hunter story, so I cannot comment on it, and moved right on to Sherrilyn Kenyon's 'Dragonswan'. Now, my opinion of Kenyon is very mixed. Sometimes she writes a very smart story, and sometimes she [doesn't]. But 'Dragonswan' is actually a very cute, entertaining story. It's a curious blend of magic and myth, as a dragon-man from the past, Sebastian, meets up with Channon, our modern heroine. They're both obsessed with a particular tapestry, and the story spins off from there involving time-travel, magic, shape-shifting, a good dose of fantasy, and just about everything but the kitchen sink. It's not my normal taste, but it's still entertaining and fun to read.

Karen Marie Moning's 'Into the Dreaming' is the fourth installment in this book, and I liked it the least. I'm just not a Moning fan, though I know she has a devoted fan-base. The heroine is Jane Sillee (which nearly lost me right there--I loathe cutesy), who is obsessed with a man that she dreams about constantly. She knows he is her perfect mate. Only when she meets Aedon, the 'Vengeance' of the Unseelie King, he's her dream man...but nothing like she thought he would be. This story was fast paced and while I'm not a big fan of Moning, it was entertaining to read.

Buy it for Kurland's story, and read the rest while you're at it.

"To Kiss in the Shadows" by Lynn Kurland. The women fear the arrival of Jason of Artane. However, one Lianna of Grasleigh hides in the shadows of her tapestry yet somehow Jason finds his heart's quest if he can make her see what he sees.

"An Interrupted Tapestry" by Madeline Hunter. Desperate to make remittance on her brother's debt, Gisele tries to sell her best tapestry to old friend Hanseatic League trader Andreas. However, though not good for trade, Andreas and Gisele fall in lieben.

"Dragonswan" by Sherrilyn Kenyon. In Richmond, scholar Dr. Channon "Shannon with a C" MacRae ponders the olde English words on the dragon tapestry when Sebastian Kattalakis disturbs her by muttering something about dragons, crunching and ketchup. He must persuade his beloved that not only does she belong to him, but also he will open the history of the world to her.

"Into the Dreaming" by Karen Marie Moning. In Indiana, Jane Sillee dreams of the Highlander and now owns a medieval tapestry that she has no idea who or why it was sent to her. She looks deeply at it when suddenly she is transported back to 928 Scotland where she meets her Highlander, Aedon MacKinnon. She has to break the evil spell that engulfs the man she has loved since she first dreamed of him.

Though each tale is different except for the theme of a tapestry involved in the plot, fans will enjoy these stories due to wonderful lead characters. The contributors have done great jobs entertaining the romance reading troops.

Harriet Klausner

TO KISS IN THE SHADOWS - What a great story! Lynn Kurland tells the tale of Lianna of Grasleigh, once beautiful but now her face ravished by the effects of the pox. She was shunned, ridiculed and kept to the shawdows. Jason de Piaget finds her and is attracted by her personality, when he does see her face, he can still see the beauty of the person she is. He was shunned as well - guilt by association because of his connection to the Lord of Blackmour reputed to practice the 'dark arts'. They find a love together that lets them love amongst the treachery and intrigues of court. AN INTERRUPTED TAPESTRY by Madeline Hunter is the story of Andreas von Brennan and lady Giselle. Once close friends but separated for the last 10 years. She comes to him in anger not knowing why he had broken the friendship - he was her last hope to save her brother. The years passed but the attraction is still there. This is another fine entry by a wonderful medieval author. DRAGONSWAN by Sherrilyn Kenyon - This was my introduction to this author. Never considering myself a huge fan of fantasy type stories, I was very pleased with this story. It was written with a huge dose of love and compassion. The dialog was also quite witty and fresh! Super story! INTO THE DREAMING by Karen Marie Moning - Again, another new author for me in this time travel story. Aedan had been tricked by the fairy king in order to save his people, what he thought was imprisonmen for 5 years was actually 5 'fairy' years - (100 human years equals one 'fairy' year) After being frozen in time and for 500 years and given subconscious directions, he had forgotten who he was. Jane had been dreaming of her knight rescuer for years, she knew exactly who he was so when she was sent a tapestry with the face of her knight on it whe was transported back in time. She had one month to make Aedan remember who he was and why they would always be to together!

All in all - these were four SUPER GOOD stories by four extremely talented authors. Excellent offering and a keeper!