Rating: 
Summary: Thayer has produced a book that is difficult to put down.
Review: An Act of Love by Nancy Thaler is a very intense novel. The four main characters fall from what appeared to be comfortable lives to excessive pain. The author is extremely successful in communicating that pain to the reader. A happy marriage becomes difficult and then impossible to endure when each parent realizes that he/she must put the mental health of his/her child first. The actual act of love is when Owen and Linda take steps to live apart from each other in order to give their respective children the love and support needed to heal. Thayer has produced a book that is difficult to put down. I'm anxious to read more of her work.
Rating:
Summary: Nancy evinces a lively and intense understanding of people.
Review: Author Nancy Thayer Brings Us A Mystery of Sorts.By: Sheila Coffin This is an interview with Nancy Thayer, author of "An Act of Love." Me: Tell us about "'An Act of Love,' the book not an actual situation that might come to mind." We laughed. Nancy: "Well, this is a more serious book than my last few. An Act of Love is about a step-family in crisis." Me: It's a modern setting, with modern concerns?" Nancy: "Yes. The novel concerns a step-family, a mother and her daughter, a father and his son. The parents believe they have done a good job raising their children until their daughter ends up in a psychiatric ward." Me: "It sounds like a bit of an intrigue." Nancy: "This is a sort of mystery. Neither the characters nor the reader know what has really happened. The children are pitted against each other testing the loyalties of the parents, threatening the foundations of the family. I wanted to write about adolescents and crisis not just because I am a mother and have two children of my own but also because of what I have seen with other parents and their children. If the parent has done a good job, if they have managed to let their child learn to be self-sufficient there is a time when the parent looks at their child and says, 'Who is this person?' because their child is a total stranger to them. This is very traumatic. It is an acute time, an intense time. You realize that this person is not "your" creature, "your" creation. The parent realizes that they have given over the control for the child's life to the child. A parent cannot keep their child safe." I asked, "Do we have the mystery solved, who really did what, by the end of the novel?" "Yes," Nancy replied. "But I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to read the book." What Nancy was also not quick to volunteer was that the day after An Act of Love was finished she had five offers for movie options. I found "An Act of Love," to be everything Nancy had promised, and more. If you are already one of Nancy Thayer's fans, you'll want to hurry and get a copy of "An Act of Love." If you haven't read Nancy Thayer's books you will find that her humor, her vitality, her kindness, and her concern for people is both gripping and calming. You will feel like you have a friend who knows and cares.
Rating:
Summary: Nancy evinces a lively and intense understanding of people.
Review: Author Nancy Thayer Brings Us A Mystery of Sorts. By: Sheila Coffin This is an interview with Nancy Thayer, author of "An Act of Love." Me: Tell us about "'An Act of Love,' the book not an actual situation that might come to mind." We laughed. Nancy: "Well, this is a more serious book than my last few. An Act of Love is about a step-family in crisis." Me: It's a modern setting, with modern concerns?" Nancy: "Yes. The novel concerns a step-family, a mother and her daughter, a father and his son. The parents believe they have done a good job raising their children until their daughter ends up in a psychiatric ward." Me: "It sounds like a bit of an intrigue." Nancy: "This is a sort of mystery. Neither the characters nor the reader know what has really happened. The children are pitted against each other testing the loyalties of the parents, threatening the foundations of the family. I wanted to write about adolescents and crisis not just because I am a mother and have two children of my own but also because of what I have seen with other parents and their children. If the parent has done a good job, if they have managed to let their child learn to be self-sufficient there is a time when the parent looks at their child and says, 'Who is this person?' because their child is a total stranger to them. This is very traumatic. It is an acute time, an intense time. You realize that this person is not "your" creature, "your" creation. The parent realizes that they have given over the control for the child's life to the child. A parent cannot keep their child safe." I asked, "Do we have the mystery solved, who really did what, by the end of the novel?" "Yes," Nancy replied. "But I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to read the book." What Nancy was also not quick to volunteer was that the day after An Act of Love was finished she had five offers for movie options. I found "An Act of Love," to be everything Nancy had promised, and more. If you are already one of Nancy Thayer's fans, you'll want to hurry and get a copy of "An Act of Love." If you haven't read Nancy Thayer's books you will find that her humor, her vitality, her kindness, and her concern for people is both gripping and calming. You will feel like you have a friend who knows and cares.
Rating:
Summary: Nancy evinces a lively and intense understanding of people.
Review: Author Nancy Thayer Brings Us A Mystery of Sorts. By: Sheila Coffin This is an interview with Nancy Thayer, author of "An Act of Love." Me: Tell us about "'An Act of Love,' the book not an actual situation that might come to mind." We laughed. Nancy: "Well, this is a more serious book than my last few. An Act of Love is about a step-family in crisis." Me: It's a modern setting, with modern concerns?" Nancy: "Yes. The novel concerns a step-family, a mother and her daughter, a father and his son. The parents believe they have done a good job raising their children until their daughter ends up in a psychiatric ward." Me: "It sounds like a bit of an intrigue." Nancy: "This is a sort of mystery. Neither the characters nor the reader know what has really happened. The children are pitted against each other testing the loyalties of the parents, threatening the foundations of the family. I wanted to write about adolescents and crisis not just because I am a mother and have two children of my own but also because of what I have seen with other parents and their children. If the parent has done a good job, if they have managed to let their child learn to be self-sufficient there is a time when the parent looks at their child and says, 'Who is this person?' because their child is a total stranger to them. This is very traumatic. It is an acute time, an intense time. You realize that this person is not "your" creature, "your" creation. The parent realizes that they have given over the control for the child's life to the child. A parent cannot keep their child safe." I asked, "Do we have the mystery solved, who really did what, by the end of the novel?" "Yes," Nancy replied. "But I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to read the book." What Nancy was also not quick to volunteer was that the day after An Act of Love was finished she had five offers for movie options. I found "An Act of Love," to be everything Nancy had promised, and more. If you are already one of Nancy Thayer's fans, you'll want to hurry and get a copy of "An Act of Love." If you haven't read Nancy Thayer's books you will find that her humor, her vitality, her kindness, and her concern for people is both gripping and calming. You will feel like you have a friend who knows and cares.
Rating:
Summary: She's as easy to "listen" to as a good friend
Review: Hey, Nancy Thayer is my favorite author, well Robert Anderson also. I haven't read her new book yet, but I bet it is captivating, can't wait. She is very READABLE
Rating: 
Summary: BIg Snore
Review: I couldn't finish this incredibly boring book. One has to wonder how on earth it got published. Author reputation, no doubt. However, after tying to read this mess and falling asleep over and over again, I gave up and went on to a more interesting book. I'd never bother to try another of her books. Someone should tell Ms. Thayer, (or perhaps a little research would help?) that there is no such breed of dog as a "golden Lab." She referred to the "breed" at least twice. Ms. Thayer - there are Golden Retrievers, there are Yellow Labs, there are Golden-Lab MIXES, but no golden Labs. The minute I saw this first of many errors, she lost me as a reader. So many inconsistances I don't know where to begin. We're hit over the head repeatedly by the fact that Linda and Owen don't have lots of money, but both of their kids go to a VERY expensive private school. Who paid for the tuition? Well, I could go on and on but have too many good books to read to bother with this mess.
Rating: 
Summary: It Can Happen
Review: I enjoyed this book. People don't realize that this kind of thing does happen, and yes, with step-families. I thought the parents did the best they could with this situation. The plot leaves you not knowing what really happened, and that is the point of it. In real life when such tragedies occur, especially teen rape, who knows who's telling the truth. I admire both of these parents for not siding with either or child, and they still continued to support their children the best they could. I felt that both Bruce and Emily needed guidance and love during this, I never really knew what exactly happened. The characters seemed so real. This book is about a modern day step-family with a major crisis.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow but realistic
Review: I guess when things like this happen, this is probably a pretty close comparison as to how it is handled. The book was easy to read and the writing style was decent, maybe a bit juvenile. It is about a high school girl who suddenly tries to commit suicide and then claims the reason is because she was raped by her step brother. He denies any such thing. The book keeps you debating about who is telling the truth and who is lieing and how the parents handle the ordeal. It was a disappointment though here and there the author will throw in a little surprise. The parents were boring and somewhat lame at times, as is most of the book anyway. But I guess if you want a laid back, easy to read book, this is a good choice.
Rating:
Summary: BORING!
Review: I have to admit that I am not finished the book yet. I am on page 59 and I don't think I want to read anymore. This book is so boring and uninteresting. The author writes like I am in 6th grade and gives too many details of stupid, common sense things. EX:"With only a twinge of guilt, Linda lifted the receiver and stuck it into a drawer. It would make disturbing noises for a few seconds, then go mute. Anyone calling would get a busy signal." DUH! Why did she need to go into detail with that? She has many more of these boring details all throughout the book. My advice...don't buy it or wait to buy it at a yardsale for $.25.
Rating:
Summary: Hard to Believe
Review: I know that rape occurs all the time but it was hard to believe that a handsome, well rounded, smart, outgoing young man like this could rape the step sister he had played with for years. Yes, his Mother did desert him and virtually rejected him but I can't see the motive for the sister rape. I liked the hospital scenes. This was my 8th Thayer book and the least liked. I'll keep on though
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