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Summary: Wonderful, memorable, poignant , luscious love story.
Review: I loved this book. The elegance of the author's description of places and people, interwoven with historical events, brings it all alive. The characters become real. In fact, I cannot stop thinking about "Gussie's" and Scott's happiness, not to mention Willy's. I would love for Lyvyrle to write a sequel. It grieves me that she has decided to quit writing because I have only just "found" her. I have read, besides Gamble, Endearment and Then Came Heaven...and absolutely have loved all three. Maybe after the author has some time off, she will hopefully reconsider. I love the way Lyvyrle develops her characters and their love story. And it is wonderful that she allows her characters to have such insight (and thus gives us insight at the same time). And I love the fact of waiting until marriage for the ultimate sex act, but at the same time evolving the couple sexually. The "awakening" of Agatha, for example, profoundly relit my pilot light! I plan to read all of Spencer's books and probably reread a good many of them! Please don't quit, Lavyrle -- there's got to be many sequels to write.
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Summary: WOW!
Review: I really loved this book. I wish LaVyrle would do a continuation of this book. I would like to know what happens to the characters after all this and also, I would love to see this in a movie!! This was one of my favorite books of all time!
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Summary: A truly touching tale of second chances.
Review: I throughly enjoyed this book. Charming and full of bittersweet honesty, it is one of the finest examples of Sepencer's work I had the pleasure of reading.
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Summary: Rhett Butler reincarnated!
Review: LaVryle's second-best ("Hummingbird" can never be dethroned!) Tough and tender...sweet and sassy...hauntingly magic! If someone were to write a screenplay, they'd clamor after Timothy Dalton to play Gandy. And wouldn't the world be a better place for it!!!
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Summary: A Monet Painting in Words
Review: Monet used paints to make his pictures, Ms.Spencer uses her words to put a story together and she is just as talented as a Monet or a Piccaso. When I read her stories, I'm there in the story, feeling, seeing, smelling, hearing with her style of writing. Scotty was a knight in "not so shiny" armor and Agatha was an "imperfect" angel. Even though they didn't want to fall in love, it was meant to be. Ms. Spencer pushed and pulled at our heartstrings, and finally made it work. I'll always read her books if nothing else, just for the emotional ride!
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Summary: These Characters feel like family. Best I've ever read!!
Review: My copy of this book appears to have been through a flood, a windstorm, or any other event you could imagine simply because I've read it so much that it is practically falling apart. Lavyrle Spencer is one of my favorite authors. The way she delves into each charators emotions and thoughts holds me captive. The Gamble, by far, is my absolute favorite book. I want a man like Scott Gandy. It's funny, but when I assess a man, I compare him to Gandy (luckly I found one!). The good boy gone bad can be a hard role to depict, but Spencer does it with taste and dignity and in a way that the reader can almost sense Gandy's upbringing before it is revealed. I adore his gallantry matched by his spirit and mischief. I love the protective nature in him. I admire the way he deals with Agatha on a business level, using not so fair tactics (such as the sewing machine) but being honest enough to admit it. I swoon at the way he treats women and I chuckle at his manner with Willy. Scott Gandy is absolutely my favorite hero. Rhett Butler has nothing on Scott Gandy!Agatha Downing is, as well, my favorite heroine. Her proper air is not stuffy nor intimidating. She is generally a good, honest, decent women who does not look down on others even when she does not approve of their actions. She admires what others have in their lives rather than be jealous of them (such as the inhibitions of 'the girls') and displays a lot of spunk for such a 'proper woman. The elogance and carriage that Agatha shows, especially when she moves to Waverly, is admirable. Then there is Waverly. I am always torn about which is my favorite part of the book. I love the feeling of new beginnings and those "first times" of discovering something (or someone) new to love, but Waverly is my fantasy of Southern charm, regal settings and an incredible way of life. I could never move south because all of my pre-ordained notions of Southern living are tied to Waverly Plantation and I could never have that. All is all, The Gamble has become my comfort zone over the years. I find the need to re-read it at least once a year - like a family reuion. So far, only Lavryle Spencer has been able to cause that reaction in me. I am currently re-reading Seperate Beds. Although this book is a different era and completely different storyline, I can't put this book down either!
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Summary: FABULOUS!!!!
Review: Oh my, what a book. Lavyrle Spencer creates some of the most realistic and likeable characters Ive ever met.I absolutely LOVED Scott and Agatha together. I always adore Spencer's Heroines;They are flawed and so human. The writing was,as usual,incredible. The books pacing was perfect and the scenery and all of the characters were so colorful they nearly jumped out of the pages. Only one thing bothered me about this book and that was the situation with Justine- it felt thrown in...otherwise...PERFECTION.
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Summary: One of Spencer's Best
Review: One of my favorite Spencer novels, The Gamble ranks up there with Hummingbird, November of the Heart and Vows. The characters are believable and the love story is both real and endearing. A must read for any Spencer fan!
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: There are very few romance novels out there that rise above the usual formula, that have less than perfect looking characters, and that have real depth to them. Thank God for Lavaryle Spencer. She never gives us the obvious love at first sight scenario, which I personally find to be a bore, but instead gives us two people who build a relationship on firmer ground. The Gamble, starts out with Agatha Downing trying hard to run a respectable business, while next door Scott Gandy has just opened a saloon. Agatha is a staunch prohabitionist, and isn't afraid to tell Gandy exactly what she thinks of him. The two clash at every turn, but this isn't one of those stories where the characters become attracted to each other and forget about their differences. It's only in understanding the other's situation better and becoming friends in their own right that they began to be attracted to each other. It's a quality story superbly told. I can't recommend it enough, and I am a very picky reader.
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: This is a great read. Very sweet and interesting. It is a touching story and I put it up there with my top reads of late along with Fantasy Lover by Kenyon and Anything, My love by Cynthia Simmons. All page turners you shouldn't miss.
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