Since Amazon didn't post an editorial review for this book, here's the description from the back of the book to help you decide if this book is for you: "The first time Penny Hayden and Sam Roberts met as teenagers, she stormed off in an outraged huff. The second time, nine years later, she hauled off and kicked him in the shin! It was then that Penny's grandfather knew they were a match made in heaven ... Oh, sure, Penny said that Sam was an insensitive jerk. And Sam insisted that he didn't need anyone in his perfectly solitary life. But her grandfather could read between the denials. And even if it was the last thing he accomplished, he vowed they would fall in love!"

didn't anyone find the ending a little wierd?

don't want to give it away but those who read it, don't you feel it was a little crazy?

In a grocery store in New York City, Heather Reed gazes at her wailing child and realizes, after three years, that she can no longer accept the extraordinary responsibility of single parenthood. As she tells her irrepressible daughter, Angelique, they are going to find her father. Their search leads them to Whispering Wind, Wyoming where an unsuspecting Todd Winston now resides. Todd has been promoted to producer of "Megan's World", a successful home fashions network. After relocating from New York, Todd has just about accepted Whispering Wind as his home though he indulges himself with frequent trips back to the city. He's a man who is detailed, organized, and basically a control freak due to a tragic accident which took place when he was seventeen years old.

From the time of their reunion, Todd and Heather find themselves still strongly attracted to each other and marginally as much friends as they used to be. But Todd finds it hard to look at Angel and not remember his consuming sense of guilt. A sense of guilt that was hammered home years ago by his father. He is afraid that being in contact with any child below the age of four will result in that child's death due to his irresponsibility.

Sherryl Woods has created a wonderful, if fictional, community. Whispering Wind is full of colorful and supportive characters. Todd and Heather are both helped along by friends and help their friends in turn. The author fully illustrates the fact that this is a close-knit community. The narrative style is light and engaging and makes for a good and easy read. I gradually came to like Todd and Heather but would have liked more access into their internal thoughts than was allowed. A prime example: if I had known what was behind his fear of caring for babies, I would have been able to understand and even sympathize with his harsh treatment of Heather and Angel at times. As it was, I did enjoy the story overall and loved revisiting the community I was drawn to in the prequel. And in the end, I was glad to experience and believe in Todd, Heather, and Angel's happy ending.

I found this book in a big box at a garage sale and paid a quarter for it. I came home and began to read it, not able to put it down, I finished it very early in the morning! I really loved the quick pace and snapping writing. My husband was amused to see me laughing while I read, especially since I had just been complaining about 3 other books I also bought and just knew I could not read after the first few paragraphs. I don't have the time or patience to try to figure out what author's, with too much time on their hands, are trying to say as they over-describe objects with obscure comparison. Sherryl Woods just found a new fan, I'm already thinking about which of her books to read next! The actual story was not as addictive as her style of writing, clear, fast-paced and very entertaining!

Part of the ongoing miniseries "And Baby Makes Three, The Delacourts of Texas," Woods gives Michael Delacourt one more chance for love, as well as laying the path for the next release, THE DELACOURT SCANDAL, due in December 2000 from Silhouette Special Edition.

Six years of meeting only on opposite sides of the courtroom haven't completely erased the memories of a shared history for either Michael or Grace Foster. When she left him, Grace thought her heart had been ripped to shreds, but the alternative of spending life virtually alone while Michael ran the family business wouldn't satisfy her need for love and family. Grace thought she had carefully put her feelings aside, but she didn't hesitate when Michael called asking for help.

Michael's siblings frequently complain that he spends too much time in the office and little time on himself. Family legend tells of the first time they fooled him into a vacation. Much against his better judgment, Michael finds himself again falling victim to his well-meaning siblings' plans. Shortly after arriving at his sister's ranch, everyone mysteriously disappears, leaving Michael with empty days and nothing to fill his time. That is, until an unexpected discovery in the barn leads to an adventure he's little prepared for.

Runaway boys, ages eight and thirteen, quickly send Michael scurrying to the phone asking for Grace's help. Dropping everything, she responds, despite her decided lack of skill in following maps and directions. When she arrives, not only does Grace find her heart quickly engaged regarding the boys, she also finds her heart still involved with Michael.

Battling bureaucracy and their own hearts, Grace and Michael struggle to find a way to keep social services from reclaiming the runaways. Having treaded this way once before, neither Grace nor Michael are prepared for the fires to be rekindled. Overcoming the past and long standing priorities is only a start for these two headstrong ex-lovers.

A veteran of over sixty romances, Sherryl Woods once again delivers with her characteristic flair for the unexpected. Readers who enjoy the combination of romance and children will certainly enjoy MARRYING A DELACOURT. Woods' narrative will carry the reader's imagination into an isolated Texas ranch, capturing both the heart and imagination with a rich cast of unforgettable characters. Recommended.

Readers of the October release, MARRYING A DELACOURT, were tantalized by allusions to the youngest Delacourt brother Tray. While Tray refused to reveal the cause of his preoccupation, several family members commented upon his withdrawal from the family and the pain he attempted to conceal. In THE DELACOURT SCANDAL, Sherryl Woods reveals both the causes of Tray's pain and the possible solutions to regaining happiness.

Determined to undercover Delacourt secrets in retribution for the damage done to her family, Maddie Kent establishes a relationship with the dynasty's youngest son Tray. Convincing Griffin Carpenter to hire her to unearth Delacourt secrets be published in the Dallas-based tabloid, Hard Truths. Never mind that she had attended one of the nations' best journalism schools, meaning that she had taken her fair share of courses in media ethics and responsibility. All she wanted was one this one expose, even if meant she'd never work as a reporter again. Then she met Tray Delacourt.

Tray Delacourt doesn't fit the Delacourt mold, preferring fieldwork to the home office and desk job. No matter how loving his family has been, Tray's always felt a bit on the outside, and persued his own direction. The most tight lipped of the Delacourts, Tray displayed a lot of flash and dazzle to the world while keeping his inner self private. Maddie certainly wasn't prepared to find herself attracted to Tray, and finds her resolve to bring the Delacourt family to their knees wavering.

Maddie's innocence-sin attraction proves irresistible to Tray. Her sweet face and kissable mouth combined with her shapely legs are impossible to ignore. For the first time since he lost the woman and child he loved, Tray feels stirrings of attraction for the saucy, sassy Maddie, even when he suspects that she's been less than honest.

THE DELACOURT SCANDAL is a sparkling, sexy romance with a hearty blend of secrets and sensuality. The author's light tone and delightful spunky energy will captivate lovers of romance. While freshness and originality are difficult qualities to accomplish in genre romance, Woods pulls it off with flair! I highly recommend THE DELACOURT SCANDAL.

When his family gangs up on him and makes him feel guilty for not spending time with them, Michael Delacourt, agrees to take a break from work and visit his sister in Texas. Finding himself home alone, when the purpose of the vacation was to be with family, Michael is not a happy man. While exploring, Michael finds two boys, who could only be runaways, in the barn. Knowing he needs advice and help, Michael calls Grace Foster, a lawyer and once his lover.

Getting a call from workaholic Michael, Grace takes some convincing to get her to agree to leave Houston and travel to Los Pinos, Texas for a few days. She agrees mainly because Michael has made her curious; he never asks for help when he can get the job done himself. At the ranch she meets the boys, Josh and Jaime, who are brothers and have been statistics of the legal system. When their mother was unable to care for them, they were separated and placed in foster homes, but each time they ran away to be with each other.

Spending days alone with the boys and Michael, Grace realizes Josh and Jaime have found their way into her heart. With Michael also claiming a piece of her heart, Grace is leery of believing business won't always come first with him. Grace is sure there will come a time when they will go in different directions again.

MARRYING A DELACOURT is a wonderful story of a man who finds out what's really important in life...family. Sherryl Woods is able to bring all the characters to life, with such intensity, that they will stay in your mind long after you've read the book. Meeting a few of the family and friends from previous books adds to this special ambiance of a series within a series. Make sure you bring home the latest installment of the Delacourts. You won't be sorry you did.

Nine years ago, Cassie Collins left Winding River, Wyoming pregnant and unmarried. Cole Davis, the young man she'd loved, had turned his back on her and abandoned her. Determined to make a life for her and her child outside of the small town she grew up in, Cassie works as a waitress and manages to provide for her son and herself. While a life of luxury is impossible, they don't want for anything. But when her son Jake hears that she has been invited back to Winding River for her ten-year high school reunion, he can't pass up the opportunity to help her get the money to make the trip possible. His illegal scam on the Internet has the sheriff suggesting the two lie low and suddenly a trip back home doesn't seem so bad after all. Jake will be able to visit his much missed grandmother and Cassie will be reunited with the rest of the Calamity Janes, four girls she befriended way back when. The only cloud in her sky is the possibility of running into Cole and having him discover the truth about Jake's paternity.

Cole Davis had planned to leave Wyoming and move out from under his father's thumb. But when Frank suffers a stroke, Cole finds himself back where he was though he has determinedly made a success of himself in the computer industry. When he runs into Cassie, he can't help but feel betrayed by the fact that she wouldn't wait for him. But soon, Cassie and Cole uncover the truth behind their separation and are slowly renewing the friendship and love that once meant so much to them both. But this second chance hits a snag when Cole begins to wonder about her son. Soon the roles are reversed and Cole discovers he has to make a choice. He can either move forward with his life with Cassie and Jake or he can wallow in the disservice done by those he should have been able to trust.

Sherryl Woods is off to a promising start with her new series The Calamity Janes. "Do You Take This Rebel?" is a charming story that won't fail to move you. The bond between the five women is still strong though they differ in many ways. Their loyalty towards each other is very much at the core of this book. But Woods doesn't allow them to usurp the development between Cole and Cassie as they struggle to piece together a family from the betrayal and mistrust of their past. Woods paints a very strong picture when it comes to Cassie who has struggled for the past nine years to raise her son and to give him the best life possible. She is painfully aware that she cannot offer him the wealth the Davises can and is also threatened by Cole's father whose machinations are never worked through completely. This is perhaps the one flaw of the story. Of the two, Cassie is the stronger character because she isn't afraid to risk her heart proving that despite years of caution and lessons painfully learned, she is still a rebel at heart. Cole has a lot more to work through though he faces a lot less pressure. Still, what he does for Cassie, despite his lack of faith in her, proves he is an admirable man who can slowly, but surely, work through his resentment. This is a good start to an interesting new series and I recommend picking it up.

Sherryl Woods begins a delightful new miniseries, The Calamity Janes, with DO YOU TAKE THIS REBEL? Five friends share an enduring friendship, begun in high school, self-named for their penchant for broken hearts and troubles. Though their lives are widely divergent now, these women are still as close as sisters, despite their infrequent contact. If this first installment is any indication of the quality of the miniseries, then readers will be eagerly awaiting each month's continuation.

Cassie Collins never told nine-year-old Jake that trips to her hometown of Winding River, Wyoming were infrequent because his beloved grandmother wanted it that way. She'd always seemed more comfortable visiting them far from judgmental stares. So when the invitation to the ten-year high school reunion arrives, Cassie uses lack of money as an excuse to forgo the event.

Jake however, is determined to visit his grandma, and chooses a calamitous path to assure the trip. He simply places a number of items for auction on the internet, saving the payments to ensure that his mother can afford to take the time off for the trip. Never mind he doesn't actually have the toys or baseball cards he "auctioned." So when the Sheriff steps in, he strongly suggests Cassie move back to Winding River and make a fresh start. Cassie returns to Winding River with the Sheriff's advise ringing in her ears.

Even though Winding River's a small town, Cassie hoped avoid Cole Davis, the father of her child. Fate has other intentions, throwing them together frequently. Time hasn't dulled Cassie's sense of betrayal, nor Cole's, it seems. Soon they both realize that parents had something to do with the way things ended between them. And it also doesn't take Cole long to realize that Jake's his son, even if Cassie never told him.

Cassie's spirited nature when she painted the water tower a shocking pink still lingers. Jake's use of the internet certainly reflects his mother's daring nature, and lends the novel a hook that starts DO YOU TAKE THIS REBEL? with a bang! Further, Wood's title is a marvelous play on words, considering the fact what most readers would assume that the word "rebel" would apply to the hero. Cassie's rebellious spirit, vulnerability, and spunk make her a delightful character, especially contrasted with the more staid hero. The second installment of this miniseries, COURTING THE ENEMY will be released in August. Highly recommended.

Believe it or not, I actually had a good time with this one. Lots going on, and at times I even found myself chuckling outloud. I cannot believe I actually ran across a romance novel that didn't make me want to hurl!

Can't imagine a better Christmas than this depiction by Sherryl Woods. The brisk writing and interesting plot set in a small town in Vermont make a perfect offering for the season.

I thoroughly enjoyed the beginnings of Body and Soul - its descriptions of New York, Claude's relationship to his mother, Weisfeld, and Al; the education of a musical prodigy. But the more I read it, the more letdown I felt. The plot got too cliched, too unrealistic, too predictable. Claude seemed to jump from being a rather inwardly focused person to a more social person without much knowledge of how it happened. His relationship to Weisfeld and Lady were well drawn, but not his relationships with others. He seemed a little too perfect in some ways as well. Yet I liked the mood the book created of the music world, and especially enjoyed the jazz performance scenes.

This read this book years ago, when it first came out, and just reread it for the second time. It's as fresh and true as the first time. The story of Claude, his troubled mother, how he found his way to the piano and thus, the rest of his life has stayed with me as few have. I know nothing about playing the piano, but the way the author describes how a person like Claude hears sounds, the patterns they make and how they influence his music was fascinating. I ran out and bought an Art Tatum tape, thinking I would understand and better appreciate jazz after reading this book, but unfortunately, that was not the case. Any way, another reviewer has described some flaws in the book as far what a real concert musician would or wouldn't have done. I suppose that's the trouble with reading books that have to do with something you have some expertise in---little details get in the way of your enjoyment of it. More's the pity, because this book is a wondrous experience. It will pull you in from the first page and not let you go til you are finished.

My teacher, knowing I was a pianist, recommended that I read this book for my summer reading assignment. I'm not a realistic fiction type of person, but I fell in love with this book after reading the first chapter. Conroy's style of writing, neither dry and terse nor florid and gushing, makes reading the words a pleasure.

From a pianist's point of view, it is immediately obvious that Conroy did his homework on the technicalities of that instrument and of music as a whole. The thing that impressed me the most, however, was the intensity of his descriptions of Claude's feelings about the piano and about his music. Conroy's description of the "wall" that Claude faces was a wonderful insight as well. I have yet to come across another author whose descriptions harmonize with my own experiences. I understand (or at least think I understand) Claude's feelings and his dilemmas; that is due entirely to Conroy's writing. I seldom find books that draw me in like this one has. It's one of those rare books that have the ability to let the reader lose himself in the pages.

Daisy Spencer nurtures children the only way she is able, through her teaching at the high school. When she finds Tommy Flanagan trying to hot-wire her car, she doesn't see a thief, she sees a ten year old boy who needs someone to love him. Without a thought to the consequences, Daisy takes steps to be a foster parent to Tommy. More happy than she has ever been, Daisy is devestated to learn that Tommy has an uncle who may or may not want to take Tommy. Happy for Tommy, but sad for herself, Daisy does everything she can to show everyone in the community and Tommy's uncle that she could be a good mother for the boy. She didn't count on her attraction to Walker Ames however.

Walker Ames has seen everything in his job as a detective in Washingtion, D.C. When he gets a call from a social worker in a small town in Virginia, Walker is shocked to learn that he has a nephew, and that his sister is dead. Not knowing what to expect, Walker takes the trip to the picturesque town.

About That Man is the story of Daisy, who can't have children of her own and reaches out to Tommy even at the risk of heartbreak. It is of Walker, who screwed up his own marriage, letting his own sons down in the process. Together, Daisy and Tucker make a family for a boy who has known too much sorrow in his young life, while finding humor in the smallest things.

A good read!

Beautiful, intelligent Daisy Spencer completely redefines the term "spinster" in Sherryl Woods latest romp, ABOUT THAT MAN. Unable to conceive, Daisy despairs of ever having a family of her own except for her lovable but domineering father, whom she skillfully keeps from running her life, and her two loyally overprotective brothers. Things change, however, when recently-orphaned Tommy Flannigan steals her heart while trying to steal her car. Instinctively, Daisy knows that she and the troubled ten-year-old need each other. Daisy's father, King Spencer, and her brother Tucker, the local sheriff, aren't so sure.

Daisy withstands pressure from King and Tucker, but she meets her match in Walker Ames, hot-shot detective from the big city and Tommy's uncle. Losing track of his runaway sister years ago, Walker doesn't even know his nephew exists until a social worker calls to give him the news. Walker doubts he would make a good surrogate father for Tommy, but in spite of himself, Tommy--and Daisy--win his heart.

The novel has everything for a light summer read: sizzling romance, main characters who overcome obstacles with wit and determination, family with all of its strengths and foibles, and friends--including the surprising Anna-Louise Walton, a minister whose sense of humor is as well-honed as her compassion. Not to be outdone by the human characters is the town in which they live. Trinity Harbor provides the perfect setting. It is a place where people know one another, meddle in each other's lives, take offense and sit in judgment, and--most wondrous of all--rally around one another in the best sense of community.

No one does southern romances quite like Sherryl Woods and ABOUT THAT MAN is simply delightful. When Daisy Spencer catches newly-orphaned Tommy Flanagan trying to hot-wire her car, she decides that he needs someone to love him as much as she needs a child to love. So she moves him into her house and keeps him. However, keeping Tommy as her own soon develops complications for Tommy has an uncle, Walker Ames, and one look at the handsome cop has Daisy's heart palpitating. Walker feels the same but he's been burnt once at love and he's wary.

Watching Daisy and Walker dance around each other while struggling to deal with Tommy, Daisy's interfering father, and her two brothers, is pure enjoyment. Don't miss this novel - it's terrific.

Back Cover description: LANGUAGE OF THE HEART...Rescuing Allie Matthews from the rubble of her home should have been all in a day's work for Ricky Wilder. But her quiet intensity sparked his protective instincts, and unexpectedly, the sexy Latino invited Allie to stay with him during her home's renovations. Soon the feisty beauty had Ricky rethinking his bachelor ways. Yet how could he prove his love when he couldn't find the words?
Vulnerable Allie preferred her life predictable and risk free--until Ricky stormed her heart and coaxed her out of her cautious world. Living with Ricky set Allie spinning in an emotional whirlwind...but could she trust her love to a man who lived his whole life on the edge?

The scene where she is in the rubble waiting to be rescued is tense and believable. If you go with the plot, he takes a complete stranger into his home, the rest of the story works. She is in the hospital being taken care of and has house insurance. Her parents are alive and more than able to give her a loan. This is where I had difficulty--not that she was deaf, or his job, just this part of the plot. Also, his real name is Enrique, why did they have to call him Ricky? If it wasn't for these glitches, I might have given it another star.

I have just recently discovered Sherryl Woods books. Much to my delight!! I have not been disapointed yet. Both of the main characters were strong and all of the characters were likeable. I felt as if I was there and 'part of the family'. Too bad all of the sisters were married, this would have been a great series! I definately enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting.

With no time to run, hurricane Gwen with her 130 mile-an-hour winds brings Alli Matthews' house crashing down around her. She lies trapped in the debris praying for help. When the search and rescue unit arrives, a neighbor describes Alli as angel--one of those genuinely good people. Rescuer Ricky Wilder's can't help wondering if today's rescue will bring him "face to face with an angel." When he sees her, Ricky can't resist her strength and resilience in the face of danger and pain.

Alli can't help wondering, once she's glimpsed Ricky, if "angels ever come with dancing eyes...and looking like sin." The bond between rescuer and victim is intense, and while it's usually broken by loved ones and friends, Alli's essentially alone. The hospital won't release her without a place to go and folks to look after her. Ricky's invitation to stay with him comes a total surprise, But Alli had been cautious, practical and self-protective for fifteen years. The hurricane had taught her that it's time to live again. Falling for Ricky may have a few drawbacks, however, given what he does for a living.

Ricky usually protects himself from commitment by simply not dating the marriageable type woman. But seeing Alli in the hospital with her faded hospital gown looking battered and bruised, Ricky couldn't walk away. And suddenly the thought of panties and hose drying on the shower rod holds an odd sort of appeal. Bringing Allie home breaks a fundamental rule in Ricky's life: never let a woman move in unless he plans to marry him.

Sherryl Woods has another keeper with A LOVE BEYOND WORDS. The fact that the heroine is deaf lends a strength and a challenge to the tale beyond what I expect from genre romance. Further, Woods has a talent for lending her narratives a sizzle and tension that keeps the pages turning. Very highly recommended.

Patrick's Destiny is the 4th book in a 5-book arc about 5 brothers who were separated as children when their parents abandoned the three oldest children to social services and took the twin 2-year old youngest brothers with them (Ryan's Place, Sean's Reckoning and Michael's Discovery are the first three and Daniel's Desire is due next month to wrap up the series). This book and the last book, Daniel's Desire deal with the twins who were taken by the parents. Of the whole series, in my opinion, the first book about oldest brother Ryan (Ryan's Place) is by far the best of the bunch (I rate it a solid 4.5 stars and my favorite Sherryl Woods book of all I have read), with Sean's story (3.5-4 stars) in second place and Michael's book in third (3-3.5 stars) (it seems the publishing order and my rating of them are in accord). Technically I would only give this book 2-2.5 stars but since Amazon.Com doesn't allow for half stars I would rather rate it a little better on the strength of the others books (and the hero who I did feel in tune with) than rate it lower, which I would have if this was a standalone book. Then again, this book definitely cannot stand by itself as it is part of a series which is both its biggest strength and bigger weakness.

Part of the problem for me is that the story itself reads like a very rough first draft with rather disjointed ideas being worked in and no true fleshing out of the plot or some of the characters, which would be acceptable in a first draft but not in a published book.

On the plus side, the hero (Patrick) is very much spot-on for me in the context of this story (and the whole series) and I really connected with him and his thoughts and feelings. On the minus side, the heroine (Alice) is just [dull]. She comes off as very shallow and two-dimensional and her character just feels completely unfinished and not thought out. Alice is also extremely unbelievable as a true love interest for the hero, which is a huge problem in a romance.

Category romances by their very nature are not going for a pulitzer prize but many authors can pack quite a wallop in 250 pages or less and Sherryl Woods proved with the first book in this series, Ryan's Place, that she is very capable of delivering that wallop in both plotting and characterization.

The biggest problem with Alice, to me, is that she is one of those beyond annoying heroines in category romances who sees the world through a very narrow, albeit semi-rose-colored glasses type view, and who never shows any growth at all during the story while the hero goes beyond his outline and actually makes you like and feel for them and believe, for the most part usually, that they truly grew during the story. I believe that relationships consist of give and take on BOTH sides and that both parties need to grow and adjust but Alice failed to live up to this as she continued on her own merry little path and with her beliefs and did all the taking in the relationship while Patrick wound up doing all the growing and giving.

Another big problem is that I just cannot see any sparks at all between Patrick and Alice, which is surprising in view of the definite chemistry between the heroes and heroines of the first 3 books. The whole romance between Patrick and Alice just wasn't believable for me and therefore the majority of the book is unappealing. This is definitely not a book that I will re-read, though if I decide to keep the series I will keep it to round out the set.

The secondary characters (including the appearances by Ryan, Sean and Michael) all seemed generally solid and I would have appreciated more of them and less of Alice. The only exception really being Patrick's twin, Daniel, whom at first glance I am not liking but I'm hoping that this goes away as I very much liked Molly (Daniel's love interest in his story next month) and look forward to what I *hope* will turn out to be a good story. I also hope that the resolution of the underlying plot doesn't fizzle out with a phony feeling happily ever after gloss over with some supposedly perfectly reasonable explanation for the abandonment by the parents and all being forgiven in a quick wrap-up.

Since this is a continuation of an otherwise very solid series, I would recommend reading it so you can see how the overall story continues to unfold, but as a romance it is a complete failure.

The Devaney story continues with Patrick. This was one of my favorite. Highly recommended.

Early work by Sherryl Woods- sexy hero- nice fast steamy read

From back of book:
For business and pleasure.... He was everywhere she turned: the candy counter, the cafeteria.. even next to her on the airplane!At first , entertainment lawyer Lindsay Tabor thought the handsome stranger was trailing her. But it turned out he was no other than Mark Channing- the elusive screenwriter Lindsay had been sent to track down and sign up.

Mark wouldn't even consider Lindsay's offer unless she accompanied him to his mountaintop ski retreat.Ever the professional, Lindsay didn't know what to think of Mark's persistent attention. And although she hated anything to do with the cold, Lindsay soon found her resistance melting- and her temperature rapidly rising!