Unforgettable

Rating:
Summary: I'm Hopping On The Karin Kallmaker Bandwagon
Review: Although I've heard good things about the author for several years, this is the first Karin Kallmaker book I've read. After reading several other lesbian novels over the years, many of which were amateurish, I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. It's well written, although not in the class of great quality literature, but the characters make this book a winner. They are reasonably believable. I say reasonably believable--frankly I never met anyone who actually had a photographic memory and my world isn't filled with nearly as many gay/lesbian people as hers seems to be, but that's splitting hairs. Anything stretched for the storyline is more than made-up-for by the character development. I "liked" these women. They seemed like people who could actually wander into my life, like some who have, and if they did, I'd want to know better. It's a sense that I don't get from very many books, not even many that I've enjoyed. It made me think about myself and the people I grew up with and that's a big plus.

The good news is that the characters didn't begin and end with this book. I look forward to reading more to fill in and follow the story.

Rating:
Summary: I'm Hopping On The Karin Kallmaker Bandwagon
Review: Although I've heard good things about the author for several years, this is the first Karin Kallmaker book I've read. After reading several other lesbian novels over the years, many of which were amateurish, I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. It's well written, although not in the class of great quality literature, but the characters make this book a winner. They are reasonably believable. I say reasonably believable--frankly I never met anyone who actually had a photographic memory and my world isn't filled with nearly as many gay/lesbian people as hers seems to be, but that's splitting hairs. Anything stretched for the storyline is more than made-up-for by the character development. I "liked" these women. They seemed like people who could actually wander into my life, like some who have, and if they did, I'd want to know better. It's a sense that I don't get from very many books, not even many that I've enjoyed. It made me think about myself and the people I grew up with and that's a big plus.

The good news is that the characters didn't begin and end with this book. I look forward to reading more to fill in and follow the story.

Rating:
Summary: It's Delightful; it's delicious; it's Kallmaker!
Review: Fasten your seatbelts, you are in for a great ride. If you love Romance of the lesbian persuasion, then this is a must read. "Unforgettable" is Kallmaker at her best.

As always Kallmaker's characters are well fleshed out and believable. The story centers around a moderately successful ballad/jazz singer, Loretta "Rett" Jamison who is haunted by the memories of her past. At 40, she is finally coming to terms with the woman she is, compared to the girl who never fit in at high school.

At her 20+ high school reunion, she discovers that all is not what it seemed to be when she was growing up. While some relationships held more promise than she ever imagined, others were more bankrupt than even she could have thought. I forget which feminist said it (Steinhem perhaps?), that the trouble with being a woman was being a little girl in the first place. "Unforgettable" carries out that theme to it's adult conclusion.

It's not the theme or the plot that I liked best about this book; rather, it's the structure and the dialogue, and yes, of course, there are those sex scenes. Face it, that's why we buy them, and this one won't disappoint. Kallmaker, just like a good script writer, introduces her characters mid-action, mid-sentence, and in this case, mid-dream. We get right into the character's head. Once there, we are ready to suspend our own lives for a moment and live within hers.

Her dialogue is fresh, never stilted and always right out of today's society. She even manages to mention Santana's great comeback with "Smooth," and we get to dance to Ricky Martin, flawlessly, of course.

Sometimes I wish real life were a little more like Kallmaker's vision. Women are usually beautiful, smart and sexy. Most of the men are gentle and understanding, and the food never makes you fat. It's written real enough to make you wonder if it's not all just around the corner.

This book is also just a tad longer than most of it's genre. It allows Ms. Kallmaker to tie up all those loose ends. I wasn't left wondering, "but whatever happened to so and so." Therefore, if you love lesbian romance, this one is delicious.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Worst I have Read
Review: I can't believe so many people gave this book five stars. I read it because of it's 5 star status. I was expecting a great lesbian story. Instead what I got was an amateurishly written, bad romance novel. As well, too much time was spent on what songs Rhett would be singing. I really did not need to know the names of all the bad songs she was singing or would be singing. None of the other characters were of any interest. With names like Cinny, Angel, and Bunny, what could one expect? It was all too contrived and followed the rules of a tacky romance novel. I would not recommend this book at all.

Rating:
Summary: A 5-star ROMANCE novel
Review: I think if you don't like romance novels you shouldn't read them. I love lesbian romance novels and this is a really great one.

I think if you don't like jazz you should avoid books about musicians who sing jazz. I like jazz, and I loved reading about it in this book. None of the songs Rett sings are "bad." That would be saying that Chet Baker and Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney -- the songs they sang are "bad." Not in my opinion!

There are a lot of not-so-well written lesbian romance novels out there now, lots of them self-published or coming in under the "uber" genre. Many of **them** are amateurish: jerky plotting, stilted dialogue, no transitions, sloppy or no characterization at all. Some are completely unedited. And they're short -- while charging the same or more.

This book is not one of them: it's fabulously plotted, the rhythm makes it hard to stop reading, the characters are well-crafted. I wanted to hate Rett's mother but even this unlikable, bitter woman was so three-dimensional that I had to grudingly at least understand her a little.

Another example is Rett's career as a hard-working singer compared to Angel's as a genetic researcher. Rett feels a little intimidated by Angel -- wouldn't we all? Rett was a real, complicated by empathetic character. The setting was well-done, too. I guess you have to have done time in Minnesota to understand why people are named Cinny and Bunny. I went to high school with those chicks.

This is a nice long, fresh, engaging, complicated ROMANCE. It's great.

Rating:
Summary: A nice read
Review: I thought the book was captivating. I read the entire book in one sitting. Rhett's charector was developed well and her attempt at self discovery was thought provoking. Her relationships with her lovers and with her mother were well directed. However, I felt that the dialogue was a bit over done and overall, it was a bit predictible.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific Romantic Story!
Review: Karin Kallmaker makes falling in love with her characters wonderfully easy. Unforgettable, being my first Kallmaker experience, was a perfect choice. I've recommended it to several friends and will continue to do so. Read it! :)

Rating:
Summary: I was cheering!
Review: Like the jazz that Rett Jamison sings, Unforgettable is mesmerizing. It plays for the mind and heart with a simple melody over a complicated background. When and why does a woman give up dreams for excuses? Self-esteem for flattery and lies? How does she turn the corner toward something better? Who can help and who can she trust?

It was Rett's journey back to her dreams that fascinated me most, and yet her story is realistic as not everything is fixed. Some things aren't fixed in a week or a even a year. Those things that do work out are movingly realized. This novel is a wonderful read and like a steamy ballad, plays on in the heart and mind long after the music stops.

Rating:
Summary: Great Fun
Review: The best thing about this book is its humor. Imagine that, humor on more than one page in a lesbian romance. The book may have its faults, but I was too busy laughing to catalog them.

Rating:
Summary: Complex Story of Believable Lesbian Characters
Review: This novel begins with singer Rett Jamison flying home from a music gig and groggily remembering abusive words said long ago by her booze-loving mother. All Rett's life, she's heard that voice in her head, and despite how far she has come in the 22+ years since she left home after high school, she still hasn't entirely shaken the doubts and negativity. This opening scene serves as a portent omen, for in the next few hours, Rett will discover that her lover/manager, Trish, has been cheating on her, that Trish doesn't love her and has used her all along, and worst of all, that Trish has blown the music deal of Rett's lifetime by being difficult and demanding. When the dust settles, Rett is alone, Trish has depleted her savings, and there are no big music gigs in the offing.

The breakup brings up painful old memories and is further complicated when Rett receives an invitation to her high school reunion from Cinny, Rett's unrequited love from her teen years. In the middle of all this change and confusion, Rett meets the familiar, but enigmatic Angel. The two are drawn to one another and share one night of passion--after which Rett promptly loses Angel's phone number. To make matters worse, that same day her agent calls with a long-term tour engagement which could solve money problems and give Rett a shot at reviving her music career. The catch is that she must leave town immediately to perform that very night. Will Rett ever find Angel again? What about Cinny and the reunion? How can she banish the cruel voice in her head? Rett knows she has a lot of issues to address.

One thing I have always liked about this author's style is her ability to render scenes with humor and with feeling. An example of the humor comes when Rett is sweating in a hot car. She cranks up the A/C because she "felt like a pot roast in a pressure cooker" (p. 118). In terms of evoking genuine feeling, I liked this sentiment: "Love crept into dark places she'd always known were there. In that instant, with the words she'd managed to say echoing in her head, all the dark places were suffused with light" (p. 239).

Karin Kallmaker has built a solid reputation by writing complex stories of believable, vulnerable lesbian characters who grow strong through facing tough issues. UNFORGETTABLE is vintage lesbian romance, continuing Kallmaker's string of well-written, thoughtful stories about women surviving difficult times and coming into their own.
--Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review