Rating: 
Summary: Mesmerizing
Review: Any book that makes me want to put off my life (i.e., going to work, eating, doing laundry) so I can keep reading is a book I will remember, and Bad Girl Creek is one of them. I loved all of the characters, and respected them for trying to come to some kind of resultion in their lives and becoming a family. I wanted to be part of Phoebe's flower farm. Like all of Mapson's books, animals were main characters, and, once again, were integral parts of the story--if it weren't for the women not being able to find places to live with their animals, they would have never found each other. The writing was fantastic and flowed beautifully. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone--it was one of the best books I have read in months.
Rating: 
Summary: Bloom Where You Are Planted
Review: Bad Girl Creek was an amazing read. It is the story of coming full circle and hope. We meet four women, who under normal circumstances would have crossed paths and never looked back. However, one common thread pulls them together - the need for a home. Once this basic need has been met, we see a great bond flourish among them. Set on a flower farm, we witness growth on all levels.Each of these women - Phoebe, Ness, Nance, and Beryl are all down on their luck and their lot in life. Bad Girl Creek, addressed the issues of abuse, abandonment, terminal diseases, lost hope, and ultimately love. Each woman offers something to the other, to build one another, and themselves. Jo-Ann Mapson vividly describes the scenes and characters. Each woman has a distinct voice, and Mapson was able to successfully capture that. From the smell of the flowers, the teardrops, and the laughter, the reader is there every step of the way. Bad Girl Creek is an excellent novel, that will remain long after the book is closed. In terms of a trilogy, I can't wait to find out what happens next...
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely divine!
Review: I love books about friendships between women and this book is one of the best books I have read on this subject! It is not an all-warm and giggly type of book ~~ just four women who wound up living together in one of their worst times of life ~~ and bonded tighter than most sisters do. Talk about sisterhood! Phoebe inherits a flower farm in California from her aunt. Daunted by the care of the farm ~~ she meets Ness, a homeless horse shoer and her horse, Elroy. Together they came up with a plan to fill up the farmhouse and get the farm going again. There is Nancy, a woman rejected by her lover and Beryle who had served time for killing her abusive husband. Together, they pulled together to get the first cash crop ~~ poinsettas ~~ off the ground and along the way, they not only learned about plants and gardening but about friendship. They also discover what surprises life throws them their way. It is a heart-warming tale of four unique women ~~ the reader will identify with each of them in one way or the other. It is a great book to lend to your best friend or mom or sister. It is a great book to read in bed when you're sick ~~ that is how I survived the flu bug! Their stories will transport you into a different time and you just know that life can be better. 11-9-03
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the BEST!
Review: I wasn't sure about the title but this book really grabbed my attention and held on to it the whole night! I couldn't put this book down. Doesn't everyone wish they had roommates like these ladies? I can't wait to read and see what happens next! Thanks Ms Mapson for some truly wonderful books about women and friendships and love!
Rating:
Summary: A true "feel good" book.
Review: If only I could rent a room at Bad Girl Creek! This is the story of 4 women that come from such different backgrounds, all with their own problems, all women that you would like to call your friends. Jo-Ann Mapson has written a truly "feel good" book, one that I couldn't put down.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing "BAD" about this one
Review: In the beginning I was not sure if I would like this book because I was thinking that all the involved in the the story were "bad". True each one had their own past with problems but they all needed a second chance. Ness, I black women who left her roaming husband because he got AIDS. Nance, in a relationship with a man for 3 years and no future. Beryl, relased from jail a year before for killing her abusive husband. Phoebe, a small woman in her 30's confined to a wheelchair. Phoebe was left a dying flower farm business when her Aunt passed away. One by one these 4 women come to live together with their animals to help the business in exchange for room and board. In the process they share their problems with troubled relationships, health, men and so on. Girl power, what more can I say.
Rating:
Summary: A good start to the trilogy...
Review: Jo-Ann Mapson's latest novel, *Bad Girl Creek*, examines the true definition of family on a rustic flower farm in California. Four women unite under unusual circumstances and learn how to open up and share their innermost secrets, fears and joys. Despite the obvious difference between the women, Mapson shows that beneath the surface, we all have innumerable ways to share our lives. Phoebe is a young disabled woman who has recently inherited her deceased aunt's farm. Realizing that the success of the farm depends on a fully operational staff, Phoebe puts out ads for female roommates and their pets. The first roommate is Ness, an African-American horsewoman dealing with the possibility of a terminal illness. Another roomie is Nance and her beloved golden retriever, Duchess. And Beryl rounds out the cast, a woman with a criminal background and a virulent cussing parrot named Verde. Each woman faces an obstacle to overcome, and though this plot initially seems fairly cut-and-dry, events along the way smooth out the rough edges. Mapson does a wonderful job of depicting relationships between men, women and their pets. I look forward to reading the next two novels in this trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: What a wonderful book.
Review: This book has it all.. love, friendship, family and more. It is a good pick me up book. I started this book while I was sick and couldn't put it down. You have four woman who are going through life changes and when they meet each other they start to change there lives and make things better and sometimes thing do go down hill. -Phoebe- I thought at times she was the center of the story. I enjoyed her storys a lot but there were times I wanted to know so much more about the other woman. I do want to know if she and Juan ended up getting married and what happen to them.
-Ness- I want to know so much more about her and what her past was. I also want to know how she handles her disease
-Nance She had me laughing alot of with her upbringing and the way she acted around the girls. I also want to know if she got over Rick.
-Beryl I loved her bird and I want to know how she and Earl are doing in Alaska. Overall this book was wonderful. I loved the way the author brought you into these woman's worlds and made you a part of it.
Rating:
Summary: Where Friendships Bloom
Review: This book is a wonderful read. We meet four diverse women with varying backgrounds and beliefs. Phoebe is confined to a wheelchair as a young woman and inherits her favorite aunt's flower farm. In order to keep it up and running she must advertise for room-mates. Ness, Nance and Beryl enter into Phoebe's life and it forever will be changed...for the better. They are all strong, caring women who arrive with their pets, which is part of the agreement, and their hopes and dreams. The first person voice in the book shows us the depth and strength of each character. They are intelligent women who in their lives have made some bad decisions and choices. It is here at Bad Girl Creek where they try to right the wrongs. Each woman's strength plays off the weakness or difference of the opposing women. They bond unbelievably well and their stories show how friendship makes adversity so much easier to bear. I am anxious to read the next book in this trilogy and like so many others, I want to meet the new roomie! This book is a testimony to the true spirit of friendship. I want to change my address and take up residence here.
Rating:
Summary: Girl Bonding
Review: This book was the ultimate story of female bonding. It is a story of four completely different women coming to live together and forming an awesome friendship. I can only hope that I am half as good a friend to my friends as these women are to each other. The author does a wonderful job drawing you into each of the characters, giving you plenty of background information and descriptions that allow you to picture the characters. I absolutely loved this story and can't wait for the next book. Oh, and the description of the UPS man just made me laugh. It really made me feel the characters and step into their shoes...because I just love UPS men!
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