Twelve Times Blessed

Rating:
Summary: terribly written -- not to mention hate-filled
Review: A great deal of this book is devoted to Christian-bashing. The sole purpose of one of the characters is to serve as a vessel for the author's hatred of evangelical Christians. The character is introduced as a "super-Christian" who homeschools her children and is revealed to be a malicious, lying, violent, child-hating gossip.
At another point, the main character and her best friend find themselves in a bed-and-breakfast with needlepoint Scripture verses on the walls, which they find frightening and disturbing.
These are only two examples.
Odd from an author who preaches "tolerance" in her newspaper column ...

Rating:
Summary: Poorly Written Tripe!
Review: I am so glad I am not the only one that wanted to call Child Protective Services on True! I really tried to read this book but found it more and more difficult as Trues' character is revealed! She is so uncaring about her sons' safety and easily lets others make decisions for her. Hank is so vapid, I wonder what she ever saw in him. Of course, he is good-looking but come on, you must get out of bed sometime! I wonder what turmoil Mitchard was enduring when she wrote this book. IT is just terrible!! My advice is don't bother.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I have enjoyed Mitchard's previous books, and was surprised to find this book did not continue with her earlier promise as an author. I thought the characters were not believable, which makes it difficult to care what happens to them. There simply is no depth to this book. I never quite understood the reasons why True and Hank separated. Their self absorption was wearying at best and the plot was too thin to hold a reader's interest. It was an effort to keep reading it. I do not recommend this book and hope that Ms. Mitchard gets back on track.

Rating:
Summary: Deserves a better rap than it gets
Review: I just read this book after picking it up for a beach read. I also noticed some typos and places where editing was overlooked, but the story itself kept me highly interested while wondering what the fate of True and Hank would be in the end. I did not think any of it far-fetched---who wouldn't be flattered and enticed by the attentions of a younger man, especially after eight years of widowhood and raising a child on your own? While this book may not be one of Ms. Mitchard's best works, it does not deserve the bad rap it gets on this site!

Rating:
Summary: Less than Blessed
Review: I possibly would have rated this book a little higher had it not been written by Mitchard. The story line lacks the originality and insight into character of her other work, especially The Deep End of the Ocean and The Most Wanted, and to that extent, it didn't live up to expectations. It's pretty much a standard love the second time round story, except that the protagonist is a good bit older than the new love, resulting in too predictable rocky steps on the relationship pathway. Its strengths if it has any, are more in the secondary character cameos than in the main cast, especially in some members of the lover's Southern family and how they are perceived by the Cape Cod Northerners. Not nearly as engaging of the reader as Mitchard's earlier books, not quite formula driven but at times perilously close. A pleasant but forgettable read is probably a reasonable assessment. Definitely below Mitchard's usual standard

Rating:
Summary: good read
Review: I really enjoyed this book and miss the characters now I have finished. I appreciated JM's message about the juggling act women do in life today.

As a working Mom with two little kids, I don't get to read as much as I used to. This is the first book I have read for quite a while and it was worth the wait! Thank you..

Rating:
Summary: Very nice story!
Review: I very much enjoyed listening to this book in the unabridged tape version. The story was interesting all of the way through; I was very curious about what would happen next. For those considering the tape version over the book, I thought it was performed well by Robin Miles. It was more than what I hoped for and I enjoyed nearly every minute of it.

Rating:
Summary: I feel violated.
Review: I was a huge fan of Mitchard's other books, but this one was just awful. Like other reviewers, I kept reading thinking that it would get better. IT DOESN'T! I don't understand how this book got published. The damage to Mitchard's standing will be long-lasting. (...) It was just awful!

Rating:
Summary: Badly written and poorly edited.
Review: Jacquelyn Mitchard's book "Twelve Times Blessed" had to be by far one of the worst books I have ever read in my life. It had no real plot to it, it jumped around and talked about nothign but sex scenes, which if it doesn't interest you, dont read this book. I thought it was really weird how she slept with a guy she didn't even know, while her son was out in the car, it's kind of gross if you think about it. I did kind of like how i could relate to her and her roomate, as they were best friends.

Rating:
Summary: good read
Review: This book was a complete & total waste of my time. I kept reading it hoping that something would happen. It was too long and drawn out and had no action or movement of story whatsoever.

I am very disappointed.