The Mulberry Tree

Rating:
Summary: I was hooked from the 1st page
Review: I have to agree with most of these reviews. The story started out great and kept my interest untill the chase in the end to solve the mystery by finding lost geriatric characters. It was far too involved, intertwined and connected to everyone mentioned so far. It's a wonder Jimmie ever got away a made a life, but was it so bad he had to pay off everyone to keep it a secret?
I've read much better stories, but you can't win them all.

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly good
Review: Although I am a longtime Jude Deveraux fan, I haven't loved her newest books, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The characters were very well written, and the story itself felt lush, if a bit unbelievable.
I liked the idea of a woman setting out on her own, learning to live independently (even though there's another guy waiting in the wings), while solving a mystery. If the plot is a bit pat at points, and Lillian/Bailey's life seems controlled by men, well. . .it is a romance novel, after all.
The only big problem I had with the book was that I found the ending far more complicated than it should have been, especially for a book that was otherwise such a perfect beach read.
This is not Ms. Deveraux's best, but if you're looking for a light read with great characters, that really draws you in, this would be a fine choice.