Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat Disappointed...
Review: As I was awaiting my library copy of The Courage Tree, I could not wait to begin. The novel starts with great promise - a missing child in need of life-sustaining medical treatment. The Courage Tree captured my attention for the first 200 pages, and then it seemed to just lose its steam. The writing is clear and strong however, certain aspects of the plot were somewhat unbelievable. When there is a missing child a reader expects to feel the loss and intensity however, many of Chamberlain's characters seemed over concerned with their relationships that the missing child was only shadowed. Without revealing the plot, the ending was tied up far too perfectly and far too quickly. The Courage Tree had great promise to be something more than it was. Should you endeavor to read The Courage Tree, know that your expectations may be challenged. As this was the first novel that I have read by Chamberlain, I will give her another try with her latest, 'Cypress Point.'
Rating:
Summary: Somewhat Disappointed...
Review: As I was awaiting my library copy of The Courage Tree, I could not wait to begin. The novel starts with great promise - a missing child in need of life-sustaining medical treatment. The Courage Tree captured my attention for the first 200 pages, and then it seemed to just lose its steam. The writing is clear and strong however, certain aspects of the plot were somewhat unbelievable. When there is a missing child a reader expects to feel the loss and intensity however, many of Chamberlain's characters seemed over concerned with their relationships that the missing child was only shadowed. Without revealing the plot, the ending was tied up far too perfectly and far too quickly. The Courage Tree had great promise to be something more than it was. Should you endeavor to read The Courage Tree, know that your expectations may be challenged. As this was the first novel that I have read by Chamberlain, I will give her another try with her latest, 'Cypress Point.'
Rating: 
Summary: Don't miss this one!
Review: Diane Chamberlain has written several really good books and this one certainly tops the list. It grabs you from the first chapter and is very, very hard to put down. It has all the ingredients for a fantastic read - a sick lost child, distraught family, ex husband and his new girlfriend, a hidden shack in the woods with another mother and daughter who are hiding out for their own reasons, and a mother who is determined against all odds to find her missing child. It grabs you from the first chapter and never, ever lets up. Great character development and people you really come to know and care about. You won't go wrong with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!
Review: I am quickly becoming a Diane Chamberlain fan and her latest book is absolutely wonderful! I found that I could not put down the book and needed to finish it before anything else got done! Chamberlain weaves her story with such precision, that one thinks that they know the ending, but WHAM - a surprise is in store for the reader. The suspense skillfully draws the reader in and does not let go until the very end. I am finding that "secrets" prevail in her books, and they are not revealed until the end, but the reader is kept in suspense until the very last possible moment! Chamberlain combines romance, mystery, thrills and issues of family all interwoven and cleverly revealing. The main character, Janine, is incredibly strong, a maverick, who comes into her own despite her overbearing ex-husband and equally over-bearing and controlling parents. Janine meets Lucas, who shows her how to blossom and to become her own person, and to stop the "puppet" like behavior she has come to know. Lucas believes in her decision to start an alternative treatment for her daughter, against the wishes of both her ex-husband and her parents.
The story will appeal to both men and women, and the suspense of not knowing if Sophie, Janine's critically ill 8-year old daughter, will be found, will have the reader hanging onto every page! The story was every endearing, courageous and filled with the miracle of love conquering all. I highly recommend this book and am most anxious to read all of her previous books!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!
Review: I am quickly becoming a Diane Chamberlain fan and her latest book is absolutely wonderful! I found that I could not put down the book and needed to finish it before anything else got done! Chamberlain weaves her story with such precision, that one thinks that they know the ending, but WHAM - a surprise is in store for the reader. The suspense skillfully draws the reader in and does not let go until the very end. I am finding that "secrets" prevail in her books, and they are not revealed until the end, but the reader is kept in suspense until the very last possible moment! Chamberlain combines romance, mystery, thrills and issues of family all interwoven and cleverly revealing. The main character, Janine, is incredibly strong, a maverick, who comes into her own despite her overbearing ex-husband and equally over-bearing and controlling parents. Janine meets Lucas, who shows her how to blossom and to become her own person, and to stop the "puppet" like behavior she has come to know. Lucas believes in her decision to start an alternative treatment for her daughter, against the wishes of both her ex-husband and her parents.
The story will appeal to both men and women, and the suspense of not knowing if Sophie, Janine's critically ill 8-year old daughter, will be found, will have the reader hanging onto every page! The story was every endearing, courageous and filled with the miracle of love conquering all. I highly recommend this book and am most anxious to read all of her previous books!
Rating: 
Summary: Not Diane Chamberlain's best effort
Review: I have read all of Diane Chamberlain's books and enjoy them all until this one. It was not horrid but could have been a lot better. I hope that her next book will be better.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: I'm a middle-aged guy and as such probably not a typical DC fan. But I enjoyed this book.
Rating:
Summary: A deep taut thriller
Review: In Virginia, a desperate Janine Donahue accepts an alternative medicine to help her dying eight-year-old child Sophie with her kidney disease. Janine already feels guilty over the stillborn death of her child years ago and she believes that her role in the Arabian Peninsula caused the damage to Sophie. When the child seems to have improved by using Herbalina, Janine allows Sophie to go to an overnight Brownie camp over the objections of her parents and her ex-spouse Joe. However, something went wrong as the scout leader, another child, and Janine never make it back to the pick-up point where Sophie waits in a state of panic. The police become involved and Sophie searches for her lost child. Her parents and Joe condemn Janine, who knows the trio plans to force her to give up custody in a court battle. Only the strange Lucas Trowell seems to be on Janine's side. Will they find the lost child in time because Sophie desperately needs her medicine and dialysis now? THE COURAGE TREE is a powerful relationship suspense novel centering on the fear adults feel for their children, especially an ailing child. The story line pulls out all the punches, as Janine with the exception of Lucas feels alone with her parents and Joe piling on the guilt. The subplot involving the aging amazon actress adds little to an already stalwart, poignant drama. Still, Diana Chamberlain shows her abilities with this deep taut thriller. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Another hit by Chamberlain...
Review: Janine Donahue couldn't dissapoint her daughter by telling her she couldn't go on the camping trip with her Brownie troop. After being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease when she was three years old, Sophie is far from a normal eight year old girl. It wasn't until Janine found out about a new study that was happening that she had hope for her daughter. Now she has an eight year old who can eat whatever she wants, smiles all the time, and generally gets to behave like an eight year old girl should. When Sophie doesn't return from the camping trip, her family and herself automatically assume the worst. Soon, Janine is the only one that has hope that Sophie is out there alive. Even the man she loves, doesn't seem to believe that Sophie is alive. It is soon a race against time as Janine fights to save the daughter she loves. I enjoyed The Courage Tree, but didn't like it as much as I thought. Janine's ex-husband, Joe, was portrayed in a selfish light. At first I thought that he would be the 'hero' in the story, but soon read that the only reason he wanted Janine back was because he liked to control her. The way that Janine's parents and Joe ganged up on her was awful, especially since she never stood up to them. Not even by the end of the book. Lucas, Janine's lover, was a tragic character who has secrets of his own. I didn't really like the epilouge either, because I felt that it was unrealistic.
Rating:
Summary: Another hit by Chamberlain...
Review: Janine Donahue couldn't dissapoint her daughter by telling her she couldn't go on the camping trip with her Brownie troop. After being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease when she was three years old, Sophie is far from a normal eight year old girl. It wasn't until Janine found out about a new study that was happening that she had hope for her daughter. Now she has an eight year old who can eat whatever she wants, smiles all the time, and generally gets to behave like an eight year old girl should. When Sophie doesn't return from the camping trip, her family and herself automatically assume the worst. Soon, Janine is the only one that has hope that Sophie is out there alive. Even the man she loves, doesn't seem to believe that Sophie is alive. It is soon a race against time as Janine fights to save the daughter she loves. I enjoyed The Courage Tree, but didn't like it as much as I thought. Janine's ex-husband, Joe, was portrayed in a selfish light. At first I thought that he would be the 'hero' in the story, but soon read that the only reason he wanted Janine back was because he liked to control her. The way that Janine's parents and Joe ganged up on her was awful, especially since she never stood up to them. Not even by the end of the book. Lucas, Janine's lover, was a tragic character who has secrets of his own. I didn't really like the epilouge either, because I felt that it was unrealistic.
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