Rating: 
Summary: Excellent reading!
Review: I read Diana Gabaldon's novels and thought there was nothing similar of any quality out there to read. I loved Outlander and the subsequent novels, those novels also without a clearcut genre. I was so impressed with both these novels by Ms. Koen that I can't say enough good about them! Wonderful reading!!Captivating characters! I join the ranks of others hoping Ms. Koen will do another in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Three-quarters of a book
Review: I thought that 'Now Face to Face' was a wonderfully written 3/4 of a book. However, I felt very cheated at the end. Why develop the stories of Hyacinth and Duncannon when they are just thrown into an epilogue at the end? I certainly don't read a book for the romance, but I felt that aspects of this book were like a daytime serial...stay tuned for the next book. I would have preferred an extra 100 pages to do some of the storylines justice. For those of you who enjoyed this book (and I did), I recommend Dianna Gabaldon's "Outlander" 4 book series. It immediately follows this time period and Ms Gabaldon NEVER cheats the reader of experiencing important scenes.
Rating:
Summary: Three-quarters of a book
Review: I thought that 'Now Face to Face' was a wonderfully written 3/4 of a book. However, I felt very cheated at the end. Why develop the stories of Hyacinth and Duncannon when they are just thrown into an epilogue at the end? I certainly don't read a book for the romance, but I felt that aspects of this book were like a daytime serial...stay tuned for the next book. I would have preferred an extra 100 pages to do some of the storylines justice. For those of you who enjoyed this book (and I did), I recommend Dianna Gabaldon's "Outlander" 4 book series. It immediately follows this time period and Ms Gabaldon NEVER cheats the reader of experiencing important scenes.
Rating:
Summary: Just OK, could have been better
Review: I was disappointed in this book after reading THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY. The author went too deep into the plot surrounding the King of England and not deep enough into the life of Barbara Devane from about the middle of the book on. The happenings at the end of the book that were barely mentioned should have had alot more written about them (such as Barbara remarrying and Hyacinthe coming home). It is correct to say that this book is not necessarily a romance, although I would liked to have had some more romance to the story. I do feel that the story could have been written better than it was, but it was good to at least have a continuation from the first of the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Yep, it's not a romance. . . .precisely
Review: I was interested to read the two comments that "Now Face to Face" wasn't a romance, and a disappointment that is wasn't. The readers were right, about the romance part, not about the disappointment, I hope! This story is about "who I am" more than "who I love," which is a mistake I think too many women make (myself included)--to focus on the second, and not on the first. All women sooner or later, if they are to grow spiritually and emotionally, have to discover who they are, and that happens in the midst of the most romantic relationships. All women have to face a time when they are alone, through death of a loved one or through divorce or through some circumstance beyond their control, like the death or illness of a child. "Now Face to Face" is also very much a story about friendship, women's friendship in particular, but friendships of all kinds, and a story about betrayal. It's a story about connection with others and the importance of that. There are lots of characters, but let me assure readers not to worry about whether they remember them from one page to the next. There will be no test, and you'll know the ones you need to for the story to do its work. In the end, I think we save ourselves; that the Prince Charming is us. And that's also what "Now Face to Face" is about.
Rating:
Summary: I COULD NOT put it down
Review: I will try to make this brief. I am 14 years old and I fell madly in love with this book. Many novels I simply put down after 200 pages and never pick them up again. I read this novel endlessly (during spares in school) and still wish that I could be a part of the characters' lives again. I would just like to ask that if Ms. Karleen Koen herself read this...that she may pleeeeeease write another novel continuing after Now Face To Face. I fell so deeply in love or hate with the characters and I am still upset that it ended. I suppose I am addicted in a way. Unfortunately I haven't read Through A Glass Darkly yet but I will as soon as possible and I hope that the fact that I read the second one first won't hinder my involvement. Thank you very much. If anyone would like to contact me...Just e-mail me...I'd be happy to discuss the novel!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Series!
Review: I would like to say that these two books by Karleen Koen are WoNDERFUL. They are both one sitting books. I stayed up half the night reading both books because I could not put them down. I would recommend these two books to anyone who enjoys reading. I sincerely hope that Karleen Koen will email me to let me know if there will be a third book to add to this series.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Series!
Review: I would like to say that these two books by Karleen Koen are WoNDERFUL. They are both one sitting books. I stayed up half the night reading both books because I could not put them down. I would recommend these two books to anyone who enjoys reading. I sincerely hope that Karleen Koen will email me to let me know if there will be a third book to add to this series.
Rating:
Summary: Two, two, two books in one!
Review: It would seem that Ms. Koen really wrote 2 books here. The 1st 420 pages of this are about Lady Barbara Devane's time in Virginia on her grandmother's tobacco plantation and the plotting of the Jacobites back in England. The 2nd 300 or so pages are about Barbara back in England trying to get a heavy fine that had been levied against her now dead husband repealed and the continued plotting of the Jacobites. The 2nd book within a book is better than the first.
I have not read Through a Glass Darkly, which I now know is the predecessor to this book. The feeling I get is that at the end of that book Barbara was probably on a ship heading for Virginia and the author seemed compelled to account for her time in Virginia. She would have been better off (in my opinion) to have started this book off with Barbara on a boat back to England and have Barbara fill us in on the people and plot points that she needed to continue the story back in England. The Virginia portion of the book introduced lots of characters and plot lines that the moment Barbara set foot back on English soil were either dropped, or a feeble attempt was made in the 2nd half of the book to tie back in. Ms. Koen seemed to be so preoccupied with the England portion of the story that she continued to "cut away" to the UK to give us tedious updates on the plotting by the Jacobites to over throw King George. Maybe their character development took place in Through a Glass Darkly and I missed it. I give the 1st book within a book about one and ½ stars. I came close to not finishing the book and I scanned much of the book between pages 200 to 400.
The second book within a book picks up. Suddenly Barbara changes from a deceitful, childish, promiscuous, shallow, spoiled brat into a human being with feelings, failings, and strengths. The Jacobite plot continues but the characters that for the 1st 420 pages were tedious and boring now take on personalities. At last you get a sense that the book is headed in a definite direction. Unfortunately, this part of the book is also flawed. You are left at the end with no sense of closure and are sure that there is a book three in the works. This part gets about a 3, maybe 3 ½ stars. So on average the book is about a 3 star effort.
My star ratings:
One star - couldn't finish the book
Two stars - read the book, but did a lot of skipping or scanning. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection or search out other books by the author
Three stars - enjoyable read. Wouldn't add the book to my permanent collection. Would judge other books by the author individually.
Four stars - Liked the book. Would keep the book or would look for others by the same author.
Five start - One of my all time favorites. Will get a copy in hardback to keep and will actively search out others by the same author.
Rating:
Summary: Two, two, two books in one!
Review: It would seem that Ms. Koen really wrote 2 books here. The 1st 420 pages of this are about Lady Barbara Devane's time in Virginia on her grandmother's tobacco plantation and the plotting of the Jacobites back in England. The 2nd 300 or so pages are about Barbara back in England trying to get a heavy fine that had been levied against her now dead husband repealed and the continued plotting of the Jacobites. The 2nd book within a book is better than the first. I have not read Through a Glass Darkly, which I now know is the predecessor to this book. The feeling I get is that at the end of that book Barbara was probably on a ship heading for Virginia and the author seemed compelled to account for her time in Virginia. She would have been better off (in my opinion) to have started this book off with Barbara on a boat back to England and have Barbara fill us in on the people and plot points that she needed to continue the story back in England. The Virginia portion of the book introduced lots of characters and plot lines that the moment Barbara set foot back on English soil were either dropped, or a feeble attempt was made in the 2nd half of the book to tie back in. Ms. Koen seemed to be so preoccupied with the England portion of the story that she continued to "cut away" to the UK to give us tedious updates on the plotting by the Jacobites to over throw King George. Maybe their character development took place in Through a Glass Darkly and I missed it. I give the 1st book within a book about one and ½ stars. I came close to not finishing the book and I scanned much of the book between pages 200 to 400. The second book within a book picks up. Suddenly Barbara changes from a deceitful, childish, promiscuous, shallow, spoiled brat into a human being with feelings, failings, and strengths. The Jacobite plot continues but the characters that for the 1st 420 pages were tedious and boring now take on personalities. At last you get a sense that the book is headed in a definite direction. Unfortunately, this part of the book is also flawed. You are left at the end with no sense of closure and are sure that there is a book three in the works. This part gets about a 3, maybe 3 ½ stars. So on average the book is about a 3 star effort.
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