Sweet Memories

Rating:
Summary: A quick, pleasant read...
Review: "Sweet Memories"...I cant say that this was my favorite book of Spencers, but it was still a good book. Theresa and Brian were so good together. Brian ...ooooh, Brian...I could just imagine him all lean hipped in his faded Levis with his blazing green eyes....~sigh~...Yes, he was a major draw for me in this book. I am usually more drawn to Spencers heroines. While I did enjoy Theresa, sometimes she was just too childish for my taste. I did feel for her though and I was so happy when she began to heal and allow herself to open to Brians love. My main problem with this book would have to be the overly syrupy sweetness of the writing that at times made me cringe. I have read a lot of Spencers work and I most definitely prefer her historicals, but even with its flaws, "Sweet Memories" was still a worthwhile read.

Rating:
Summary: Boring Memories would be more Accurate
Review: This book was not the usual Spencer book. It had no compelling storyline and the love story was very boring. It starts with a big breasted lady named Theresa meeting her brother's handsome friend Brian. While there are some cute 80's references in their that you don't get out of too many sappy books, it was hard to stay awake long enough to remember the story. She goes through a breast reduction surgery and he gets peeved. The book blurb says he gets totally upset about it and the book only showed him mildly upset. There's never in any part of the book any "real" emotions from eithier of the main characters. The only "real" person in the story is the mother. And she's portrayed as the "bad" guy because she is so bossy and runs the family.

Rating:
Summary: You can't judge a book by its cover...
Review: This is the first book I've read by the author. I was very impressed. Well-endowed women are no strangers to the genre. However, LaVryle Spencer has gone beyond using a character as comedy relief or the object of male lust to deal with a very real problem for many women. To her credit, Spencer is not preachy, but she makes her point with subtle grace. Theresa Brubaker has been trapped in a body that has robbed her of many things others take for granted: the ability to buy clothes she likes, participation in sports, dancing and dating. Because of her oversized bustline, man have come in two categories: the gropers and the gawkers. As a result, Theresa has shied away from relationships with men. When Brian Scanlon, her brother's best friend and Air Force buddy, comes to visit during the Christmas holiday, Theresa can't escape him. They are thrown together in a variety of circumstances. She finds that Brian is different -- warm, sensitive and willing to look beyond Theresa's er, "endowment" and her insecurities. He is patient and willing to teach her how to love and be loved. The book slowly unfolds during the first six months of their relationship. It is not an "Ugly Duckling" story, by any means. It is a story of trust, giving and discovery. I heard the audiotape before I read the book. While Constance Towers is a good reader, I knew there was more to this story than the audiocassette shared. The book was warmer and filled out the characters for me.

Rating:
Summary: My first and favorite novel from this author
Review: This is the first novel that I read from this author and in this genre. I think that it was a wonderfrul book becasue it sounded like a story that could happen to anyone any day of the week. The story is about a family with three siblings, The oldest sister Theresa who is a school teacher who is well endowed, Brian the middle child who joined the air force right out of hig school, and the baby sister Amy who is everything Theresa ever wanted to be...thin, peepy, popular. Theresa lacks confidence in herself for one reason. All her young life she has been burdened with her chest size. Boys treated her differently, she was never comfortable doing the things she loved and eventually had to give everything up due to her "deformaty"
Now being a 17 year old small chested girl myself I got to see the alternate side of my sob story. I always wished for a better endowment and I even thought of getting enhancement surgry when I was old enough. Reading this story made me realize how lucky I was. When boys talked to me I knew it wasn't because they wanted to try to feel the chalkboard on my chest, I could run, and dance, and wear cute clothes without people gawking and staring. I finally viewed myself as lucky for my shape, compared to that of Theresa's. Back to her story anyway....
For 11 years Theresa endured pain, humiliation and sorrow due to her condition, then off a plane came her dream come true. Brian. A young air force piolet who looked past the problem and saw the beauty on the inside of Theresa. Don't get me wrong, the man wasn't blind or stupid, he was understanding patient, and kind. Everything the other men never were to Theresa. This is a wonderful story about a young woman and her love for a man and eventually for herself. We all have insecurities in life and this is a nice story about a womna overcoming hers. A great read! Enjoy!