Rating: Summary: A Glorious Ending to a Superb Series Review: I have just finished Truimph, the final book (unfortunately) in the Florida McKenzie series. I thought it was wonderful. The historical footnotes tie into the story with amazing accuracy, as does the beatuiful description of the early Florida terrain. The story touches your heart, and entralls your sense of romance. It truely exemplifies the romance genre. Also, it finalizes the entire family, tying up the loose ends left by the other novels in the series. This family has now captured my heart as much as the Camerons of Virginia. I could only wish that the novels of these families and their exploits had never ended.
Rating: Summary: Final book ends in triumph Review: I just finished reading Triumph and I loved it, but was sad to see it end. The MacKenzie's have become one of my favorite literary families. Hopefully, Ms. Graham will take up the third generation later on down the road. My only disappointment was that it seemed, since it was the last book, that a lot of the storylines were hurried to the finishing line and that there were some confusing moments at the end. My only wish was that the family tree had been completed in the back of the book, instead of left half finished. Overall, the book was excellent and I will truly miss the MacKenzies.
Rating: Summary: mediocre end to a cookie-cutter series Review: I read the first two books in this series ("Runaway" and "Captive") and enjoyed them very much--the author lives in Florida and is obviously a serious student of Florida history. However, once she started writing about the "next generation" of the McKenzie family, it was as though she ran out of ideas for plot and characterization. Honestly, except for the different names (and by the way, some of those names were just a bit too 20th-century for these novels!) the plot line and the characters were totally interchangeable in every one of the four novels set during the Civil War. From the author's description, all the males looked very much alike (how convenient!) and every story started out the same way--the hero and heroine despise each other because they are on opposite sides of the conflict, but it doesn't take very much for said hero and heroine to hit the sheets! Because "Triumph" was the last novel in this series, the author has several stories to deal with, (as well as several sets of lovers!) and every one of them is the same--conflict between man and woman because one supports the North and the other the South! Ms. Graham, there's a little novel called "Gone With the Wind" which was set during the Civil War, was very fascinating, and had lots of interesting characters and plot lines. Guess what? There were lots of different reasons why relationships didn't work out in that novel, and not one had to do with the fact that one person supported the North and one the South! It's unfortunate that this series didn't have more imaginative plot lines and character development; it could have been quite memorable.
Rating: Summary: Good but not her best Review: I thought that this was a good book, but I was hoping for more about Sydney and Jesse. Also their is some confusion in the epilogue with names and numbers of children. At the end of the book Tia supposedly has a baby girl named Hope but in the epilogue she has four boys and her last child was a girl. What happened to Hope? There are a few other name swithches in the epilogue. I thought that this book was filled with adventure and was a good read. I finished it in a day. It was a finale though and you could tell. I think that this book is not up to Grahams usual standards.
Rating: Summary: Heather Graham's Triumph Review: The actress I have in mind for Tia is Charlize Theron. What I like about Tia is that she's strong and loving. What I don't like about her is that she doesn't keep her promises and she hurts Taylor. My favorite part is the seduction scene with Weir to save her father beginning on page 1 and returning to it on page 444. I love the conversation with her and Taylor and how she risks her life to save her dad and mom.
Rating: Summary: Perfect Ending Review: This is the perfect ending to the McKenzie saga. Although I was hoping for a story about Sydney, Tia takes the main stage and runs with it. She is not immune to the hard times of the war, and makes a stand all on her own. And Taylor isn't too shabby himself. I wasn't able to put this book down at all. I think I read it in the manner of two days. Graham is a wonderful story teller.There were some odd things that happened towards the end of the book, and I am hoping that it was the printer's fault and not Ms Graham forgetting her character names. Ian's youngest daughter is named Katie (I think), and at the end of the book is called Kelly. When Tia tells Jarrett she is pregnant again for the 5th time, Jarrett hopes that it is a girl after 4 boys--but Tia's first child is a girl. The McKenzie saga is one of the best stories I have ever read. I am very sad to see it end. I hope that Ms Graham one day continues the McKenzie saga with the grandkids--Sean, Jamie, and the rest of the kids.
Rating: Summary: Perfect Ending Review: This is the perfect ending to the McKenzie saga. Although I was hoping for a story about Sydney, Tia takes the main stage and runs with it. She is not immune to the hard times of the war, and makes a stand all on her own. And Taylor isn't too shabby himself. I wasn't able to put this book down at all. I think I read it in the manner of two days. Graham is a wonderful story teller. There were some odd things that happened towards the end of the book, and I am hoping that it was the printer's fault and not Ms Graham forgetting her character names. Ian's youngest daughter is named Katie (I think), and at the end of the book is called Kelly. When Tia tells Jarrett she is pregnant again for the 5th time, Jarrett hopes that it is a girl after 4 boys--but Tia's first child is a girl. The McKenzie saga is one of the best stories I have ever read. I am very sad to see it end. I hope that Ms Graham one day continues the McKenzie saga with the grandkids--Sean, Jamie, and the rest of the kids.
Rating: Summary: Dreamer Review: Triumph was book that I could not put down. When I first started reading the Mckenzie's I couldn't stop until I finished the series. When Taylor Douglas happens upon a rare beauty his body says go for it, but his mind is still aching for his dead wife. Tia Mckenzie thought she was rid of the man, her enemy, but when she ends up in his tent one faitful night, with her brother near by, she tells a lie that would change her life forever. The book was a good finish to the saga and also included the romance of Sydney &Jesse, Brent & Mary, Jerome & Risa, Ian & Alaina, Julian & Rhiannon. And the everlasting love of James and Teela, and Jarrett and Tara. It was a dreamer of a book that kept my heart pounding and my eyes glued. Heather Graham has done it again.
Rating: Summary: Dreamer Review: Triumph was book that I could not put down. When I first started reading the Mckenzie's I couldn't stop until I finished the series. When Taylor Douglas happens upon a rare beauty his body says go for it, but his mind is still aching for his dead wife. Tia Mckenzie thought she was rid of the man, her enemy, but when she ends up in his tent one faitful night, with her brother near by, she tells a lie that would change her life forever. The book was a good finish to the saga and also included the romance of Sydney &Jesse, Brent & Mary, Jerome & Risa, Ian & Alaina, Julian & Rhiannon. And the everlasting love of James and Teela, and Jarrett and Tara. It was a dreamer of a book that kept my heart pounding and my eyes glued. Heather Graham has done it again.
Rating: Summary: This Is Why I Read Heather Graham! Review: Triumph was triumphant on many levels. The characterizations were believable and spoke to the heart. While the plot did tread down a now familiar path, the story was well written and proved hard to put down (I read it in one setting). Being rather disappointed in both Glory and Surrender, I was delighted to read the caliber book I have grown to expect from such a talented author as Heather Graham. Thank You.
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