Rating: 
Summary: I cannot believe this book received such bad reviews.
Review: I thought this book was very good. In fact, it was so good, that I went out and bought other Dinah McCall books. I also love her writings as Sharon Sala. Believe me, if you buy this book, you WON'T be sorry. It is excellent.
Rating: 
Summary: Research needed on this one
Review: I usually enjoy Mc Call's books very much. As a resident of Kentucky (the book's setting) I was turned off in the first few pages by two very obvious errors concerning one snake. Authors who make money off our book purchases owe it to their readers to do research on the setting;historical period;etc to avoid this type of mistake. It's just part of the writer's job. Despite public opinion, not all romance readers are uneducated and/or stupid. If the genre wishes to be taken seriously, writers must do the proper research and/or editors need to be better informed. From now on I'm afraid that I will always wonder if Ms. McCall's other books are as inaccurate as this one was.
Rating: 
Summary: The Return
Review: I was really enjoying the book as it started out. I enjoyed the story behind the baby's life. But later I lost interest. I didn't like the way Preacher and his wife were portrayed, or the old woman's confession. I felt it could've been written better. It lacked something but I'm not a writer so I can't really pinpoint what it lacked. I didn't see a point in the pack rat or the snake, or of the man who suddenly appeared and shot Catherine. All the "coincidental" curses seemed sorta far fetched that they would happen all at the same time. I knew from the start who the "hunter" was so I don't know why the author made such a secret of who he was. Where it talks about the footprint, the author didn't eleaborate on it and the sheriff didn't pursue it at all. It served no purpose to the story. The book did have a good beginning and good ending. The middle just needed "something". I have enjoyed a few of her other books much better written under the name of Sharon Sala.
Rating:
Summary: The Return
Review: I was really enjoying the book as it started out. I enjoyed the story behind the baby's life. But later I lost interest. I didn't like the way Preacher and his wife were portrayed, or the old woman's confession. I felt it could've been written better. It lacked something but I'm not a writer so I can't really pinpoint what it lacked. I didn't see a point in the pack rat or the snake, or of the man who suddenly appeared and shot Catherine. All the "coincidental" curses seemed sorta far fetched that they would happen all at the same time. I knew from the start who the "hunter" was so I don't know why the author made such a secret of who he was. Where it talks about the footprint, the author didn't eleaborate on it and the sheriff didn't pursue it at all. It served no purpose to the story. The book did have a good beginning and good ending. The middle just needed "something". I have enjoyed a few of her other books much better written under the name of Sharon Sala.
Rating: 
Summary: Thanks to my faithful readers
Review: I'm so pleased that my readers are enjoying my latest book, THE RETURN, and hope they get more out of the story than just a good read. Gossip and lies can often do as much, if not more, harm as an actual physical injury. The damage from them can certainly take longer to heal. That an entire town chose to believe something evil about one of their own is a prime example of crowd mentality. Kind people who would not consider mistreating an animal often laugh at and repeat gossip without ever knowing if it's true. I sincerely hope that after reading THE RETURN, it makes us all stop and think before we speak. Also, as I'm reading my reader mail, I'm slightly surprised that some of you were reading under the impression that the "hunter's" identity was supposed to be suspensful or mysterious. It is, of course, obvious who he would be. For me, the questions in the story were about why Annie Fane's life took such a horrible turn and who was responsible. However, get out of it what you may, my friends. I wrote it for you.
Rating:
Summary: McCall Misses
Review: In "The Return", Dinah McCall just misses in giving her readers a satisfying story. Somehow, the plot just lacks that certain McCall magic.Set in the hills of Kentucky, we read about, Catherine, who returns to her city of birth. Trials & tribulations over mean-spirited people almost overwhelm her. There is not much intrigue or fully developed characters. I do commend the authors message of how hurtful gossip & such can be. When romance writing is at it's best.... we expect rich, full, textural images and characters that make our hearts soar. Hopefully Ms. McCall will "return" with one soon.
Rating:
Summary: McCall Misses
Review: In "The Return", Dinah McCall just misses in giving her readers a satisfying story. Somehow, the plot just lacks that certain McCall magic. Set in the hills of Kentucky, we read about, Catherine, who returns to her city of birth. Trials & tribulations over mean-spirited people almost overwhelm her. There is not much intrigue or fully developed characters. I do commend the authors message of how hurtful gossip & such can be. When romance writing is at it's best.... we expect rich, full, textural images and characters that make our hearts soar. Hopefully Ms. McCall will "return" with one soon.
Rating:
Summary: Correction
Review: In my review of yesterday I made a mistake that I wish to correct at this time. I still stand by my general comments concerning the lack of proper research. However, in fairness to the author,I wish to make one correction: the aggravating errors were not about a snake; but there were several mistakes concerning the flora and fauna found in Kentucky. I also think Ms McCall needs to learn alot more about the behavior of hunting dogs and mountain people. I apologize for my error; at the time I had just read 2 books set in Kentucky, both of which had glaring errors about the area and I had them mixed up as to which error went with which book. I guess this is what happens when you write something when you are upset about stereotypes and other misconceptions about the place you love.
Rating: 
Summary: Romantic Times Review
Review: Kentucky in 1973 is stuck in the past. Controlled by superstition and family feuds, the Joslins and Blairs have been fighting for as long as anyone can remember. Years ago, young Fancy Joslin was having a baby and Turner Blair was the father. She hid in a cave waiting for Turner, so they could run away and start over. But by the time he got there, Fancy was dead and the baby was gone. Before dying, Fancy gave the newborn to Anne Fane, the town witch, and made her promise to take the child and raise her. Then came the tragedy at Pulpit Rock. Now years later, Catherine Fane comes home. Raised as Anne s granddaughter, it wasn t until the old woman was dying that Catherine learned the truth of her early life. She was Fancy and Turner s baby and she was there the night so many lost their lives. No one in the town wants to help the witch s granddaughter. Most don t even want her to stay in town. The only person willing to help her is Sheriff Luke DePriest. Catherine is stronger than the hate around her. She is determined to learn the truth about the beginning of her life, but is unwilling to tell anyone in this horrible town the truth about who she is. Now Luke finds himself having to protect her from those whose scare tactics could kill her. In a town that feels frighteningly real, Sharon Sala, writing as Dinah McCall, masterfully weaves a tale that seems unbelievable at first glance, but eventually convinces readers that it is probably truly occurring in some small U.S. town today. Emotional and heart-wrenching, this is a great read.
Rating:
Summary: Dramatic romance
Review: The Kentucky hills run red with the flow of blood from the victims of the deadly Blair-Joslin feud. A witch stands aloof as the savagery of the clan warfare leaves devastating results in its wake. Herbalist Annie Fane's life dramatically changes when a dying Fancy Joslin pleads with her to take her infant daughter Catherine away from the violence. Annie agrees to Fancy's deathbed wish. The Blairs set their dogs on Fancy, finally killing her. Her now insane husband, Tanner Blair murders his brothers and severely injures his father for what they did to his wife. Annie and Catherine leave town. They do not return until Catherine comes back to bury her grandmother Annie at Pulpit Rock where most of the massacre occurred years ago. Though she knows that her ties to Annie are by love not blood, Catherine refuses to allow anyone to denigrate her "grandmother." Her return stirs up the fears of the townsfolk who believe that Catherine is a witch who has come to town to take revenge on the townsfolk who reviled Annie. As someone stalks Catherine, Sheriff Luke DePriest is determined that no one will get hurt, especially the woman he now loves. THE RETURN is a poignant work of romantic suspense that tugs on the heartstrings of the reader. The lyrical prose gives the audience a feel of a ballad rather than just another suspenseful plot. The lead protagonist is a delightful combination of strong independence and charming vulnerability. Catherine fights for what she believes in even if it seems to her that Don Quixote had better odds of winning. This steamy tale will have fans returning to the bookstores seeking other works by Dinah McCall. Harriet Klausner
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