The Mulberry Tree

Rating:
Summary: Avid Alabama Reader
Review: This is not one of Ms Deveraux' better works. The story line was good and if the heroine had overcome obstacles herself instead of having all her difficulties eliminated for her, as if fairy godmother waved a wand, it would have been a better story. If Ms Deveraux' purpose was to lay a basis for future sequels, she did a good job of giving us thumbnail characterizations. The book left me wanting to know the stories of several of the other characters. My favorite Deveraux book is Knight in Shining Armor and that heroine was also showered with fortuitous circumstances. The difference between the two books is that in Knight, we have already suspended our beliefs and accepted the time travel so it isn't such a leap to accept additional beneficence. But the modern setting of Mulberry Tree requires us to leap back and forth between reality and fantasy too often. I look forward to reading more from Ms Deveraux but I suggest she decide in which venue she writes.

Rating:
Summary: Please Jude, go back to the bodice rippers!
Review: Either this book needs a good editing or should be expanded to clarify the casts of thousands-well it seemed like thousands.
The ending was contrived and confusing. None of it seemed plausible. The basic story line was solid. A young, formerly unattractive, widow transforms herself into a vibrant, modern woman. But then plots and subplots rear their ugly heads.
Some questions are never fully answered and some answers are pretty questionable. When I read I don't want to keep genealogy charts. Give me a knight in shining armour any day!

Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately....
Review: ...not one of her best books. The story seemed to be unfinished, and left me feeling that maybe a lot of pages had been torn out. It should be revised because there is a lot of promise in the story.

Rating:
Summary: ok
Review: I read this book after just having read 'Forever' and I suppose after that stinker anything was good. I thought The Mulberry Tree was ok but very confusing. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters toward the end and kept having to flip back and refresh my memory. Also: how exactly did Jimmy come by the farmhouse in the First place? What was the feud between Patsy & Janice? (Never explained). Why didn't Jimmy just tell her the whole story for God's sake? And I still don't understand why he left the money to Ray & Atlanta. It just didn't make any sense to me.

Rating:
Summary: yuck
Review: I've loved (until now) everything that Jude Deveraux had written. This book [was bad]. Nothing seemed to be completely explained and the chemistry between the two main characters (Bailey & Matt) was nil. Their fire was so [bad], I thought midway through the story that it was going to be revealed that they were brother and sister! Not a book I would recommend.

Rating:
Summary: A terrific read!
Review: After having been disappointed by some of Jude Devereaux's latest offerings, I was thrilled to finally read something which was much in the vein of Sweet Liar or Knight in Shining Armor. I initially was not thrilled with the thought of a contemporary novel, but I could not put this down. Definitely one of her better recent works.

Rating:
Summary: Was Jude just trying to fulfill a contractual obligation?
Review: Bleaugh. I'm a great Deveraux fax, and have read most of her books muliple times, but this one read like she wrote it in her sleep. The main male character came across as shallow and kind of creepy. I wanted Bailey/Lillian to get away from his neediness and give herself time to grieve her husband instead of jumping right into a relationship.
Wasn't especially funny, and the pacing lagged. I suggest "The Summerhouse" or "Knight in Shining Armor" instead.

Rating:
Summary: I Missed Church For This One!
Review: I have read all but one of Jude Deveraux's books, and it is on my wish list . . . soon to be in my shopping cart! I have enjoyed all of Ms. Deveraux's books (particularly those into which she's mixed a heaping scoop of time travel and magic), and looked forward to "The Mulberry Tree" in spite of its "normalness." Well! It's been a long time since a book kept me awake most of the night, which is exactly what this one did. Once started, I couldn't put it down . . . couldn't mark my place and close it . . . and so I read it until I finished it in the wee small hours of the morning, and consequently overslept and missed church. Ah, well! It was worth it!! I've now happily handed it to a friend and advised her to make sure she has a good chunk of time to invest before opening it! When its done making the rounds, "The Mulberry Tree" will take its place on my shelf of favorite books. Grab it and enjoy it!

Rating:
Summary: What happened to the end?
Review: This book flowed well, but the last chapter was definately rushed! I was disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Confusing, Convoluted, Terrible
Review: Wow, what happened to the Jude Deveraux that I've read and loved for 15 years? This book was just awful. Could anyone else use a different name, what were there 4 people with 2 names each? It was like 3 or 4 plots all rolled into one very bad and disjointed story. Too many people, not enough character development, strange plot lines, and who edits these things?
The character of Arleen had her name spelled Arlene in the last 2 chapters.
I will be VERY careful before I spend [this much] on another Jude book.
What a shame.