Rating: 
Summary: Beating The Residual DNA Of The Dead Horse
Review: I wasn't all that crazy about The Flame and the Flower, so I suppose it's natural that I would wonder why this brick of a novel required a sequel. On that point, I need to mention that I did enjoy The Elusive Flame. But now I wasted my time trudging through A Season Beyond--set some twenty years before the previous sequel, if you can follow that--and the only thing I can think is that Woodiwiss is either making an effort for immortality or is simply in it for the money.Okay, I think it's the money. Good thing I got this dud from the library instead of wasting money along with my time. Woodiwiss has always been a little too purple in her prose for my tastes, but her writing in this novel is down rotten and her decriptions are ludicrous. What was the line about the sun weaning from its teat of earth as a description of the sunrise? Kathleen, if you ever get the urge to type the name "Birmingham" in a manuscript again, scourge yourself. This story thread is dead, so please bury it.
Rating: 
Summary: A SEASON BEYOND A KISS
Review: I liked this book. I wish Brandon and Heather were in it more. Raelynn was really a disappointment. She professed to love Jeff but she had no faith in him. How she could believe he murdered someone in a matter of minutes is a little stupid. Jeff was great but then I liked him in the Flame & the Flower too. I wish KEW would write more on the Birminghams, maybe Brandon & Heather's daughter Brenna or one of Jeff's children. I really do like the Birminghams and would like to see more of them.
Rating:
Summary: BORING!!!
Review: The Flame and the Flower was my favorite romance novel of all time.... It was so excellently written and I was captivated by all the characters from Page 1.... I was so excited, then, to hear that Woodiwiss was writing a follow up book on this family that took place a few years later, albeit focusing on Jeff this time.... I didn't care, though.... I was eager to see what she had done with Jeff, and to see what was going on with Heather and Brandon..... Well, I got through two chapters and that was it for me.... I could not focus on this book.. I can't believe the NY Times called it a "phenomenon"...Yes, it was phenomenonly BORING! I didn't care one bit about Jeff, Raeylnn,and all the troubles they were encountering... I found myself skimming the pages instead looking for dialogue where Heather and Brandon were mentioned, but even their parts were bland.... I'm glad I borrowed this book from the library and didn't waste my money..... I wish Woodiwiss would write a follow up novel on Heather and Brandon (that's the only reason I gave this book 1 star...for Heather and Brandon)...
Rating: 
Summary: First Woodiwiss Book I have read...
Review: I have never read a book by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, and I don't even recall where I picked up A Season Beyond a Kiss. I loved this book! After reading some of these other reviews that rip apart this book, I don't understand... I fell in love with the love that Jeffrey had for Raelynn, and while it was frustrating that she took so long to come around, it was still very entertaining to read. I am now going to have to run out and get Kathleen Woodiwiss's other books, since all the reviews seem to rave about her other books...if Woodiwiss's fans felt this was a bad book, I can't wait to read what they rave about. I didn't feel there was anything wrong with this book.
Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: I have read the Flame and the Flower, the Elusive Flame, and Petals in the River, and was thorougly content will all of them. However, I have been very disappointed with this novel. So much so, that I have still not finished it. I just do not find anything thrilling about it. It is the first book that I might not finish reading. However, I still look forward for her next novel and hope that it would be more entertaining than this book.
Rating:
Summary: Skip This One
Review: I have always been a Woodiwiss fan, loved her earlier books Flame and the Flower, Wolf and the Dove especially but this one is just not the same quality - I could not get passed the first chapter. I took this one to the book swap. Recommend you not waste your money buying this one.
Rating:
Summary: Most Boring Book of the Year
Review: I wish I had read the reviews first and I'm glad I got the book discounted at Sam's Club because it is soooo awful. The writing is terrible. Long, overwrought sentences that seem to never end. This is the first Woodiwiss book I've read since reading her books in the 70's. I can't help but wonder--since I also read Rosemary Rogers back then and it's obvious her current books aren't what they once were either--that they are written by ghost writers. I can't imagine Woodiwiss would write anything this bad. Characters are nitwits and there's no plot. Yuk.
Rating:
Summary: Skip this one, fans
Review: I, too, was a long time fan of this author, never minding the long wait between novels. This book, however, is so poorly written as to be virtually unreadable. I forced myself through the first few chapters, but am unable to continue. Where is the buildup of tension that is so much a part of the romance genre? Where is the character development? I find myself not caring enough about these characters to finish the book - even if I could keep them all straight after the whirlwind introduction to them all in the first chapters. This review would be for "zero" stars if I was given the option!
Rating: 
Summary: Boredom Beyond Belief
Review: Like most fans of KEW, I eagerly await the release of anything new. I have read her stories for more than twenty years-in fact, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER was the first romance novel I ever read. I have enjoyed most of her books since then, but I especially looked forward to continuing my acquaintance with the Birminghams. Beau's story (THE ELUSIVE FLAME) was OK, but it didn't equal his father's story. Jeff's story was downright awful! Jeff himself was alright, but Raelynn has to be one of the dumbest female characters I've EVER encountered. Jeff's devotion to her through out this overly long story should be enough to win him sainthood! I did not read the first 2 installments of Jeff and Raelynn's story because I don't like anthologies, so I realized that the first chapter or two were designed to bring people up to speed. Even so, I was so amazed at the insipidness of Raelynn that I kept reading in the hope that she would improve. Of course, by the end she did, but having to wade through all the chapters in between hardly made it worthwhile. I'm sorry I wasted both time and money on this one. If KEW decides to write sequels to any of her other books, I hope she rereads them first in order to recapture the essence of the wonderful characters she created. Too many more like Raelynn and I will be a former fan who will find better storytellers to spend my money on.
Rating:
Summary: A Reason to make this a MISS!
Review: I first read Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss, 10 years ago, and I loved it!! Since then I have read everything she has put into print. To say that I was disappointed by this book is an understatement. Too much time spent going over how good looking Jeffrey and Raelyn both felt the other was, and too little time spent on story development. I give this book a big thumbs down!
| 
