Rating: 
Summary: Full of emotional power
Review: An excellent read...sensual, romantic, compelling, agonizing, and intense. McCall's story weaves a superb romance with harrowing personal demons and manipulative, exceedingly dangerous villains. McCall allows to to see Catherine and Gray fall in love, to feel them struggle with their pasts and their fears, to alternately worry and cheer as they face Eduard's manipulations.Superb. Don't pass it up.
Rating:
Summary: can't wait for her next one
Review: Before this was released I was told of it from a friend of the author. I went to the website to read the available first chapter. Since it was her first book I didn't set my hopes too high, my standards being near impossible to attain. I'm a big fan of Virginia Henley, Mallory Burgess, Jo Beverley and Julie Garwood. I like detail. Imagine my surprise! This book has all of the "necessary" ingredients for me. I could not put it down. Literally. I actually tried to get my hands on a copy from my "friend" before it hit the stores because the sample on the web page had me so intrigued. And to think I almost didn't go past the prologue because of the format. What a mistake that would have been. ... This is not your average girl meets knight,pretends she hates him while she gives her virginal body to him anyway story. Refreshing. And you can bet I'm trying to get my hands on a copy of the next one already, too. Five Stars.
Rating:
Summary: Not Your Average Romance Heroine!
Review: I am always out for a great romance read. SECRET VOWS met my need. Catherine's strength, and Gray's devotion to her, endeared both characters to me. Mary Reed McCall gives the reader clear insight into Gray's and Catherine's inner thoughts as she weaves her historial tale. My most favorite romance authors have always been Julie Garwood and Catherine Coulter. Now, Ms. McCall increases my favorites authors to three. Kudos on an excellent first novel~I look forward to number two.
Rating:
Summary: Not Your Average Romance Heroine!
Review: I am always out for a great romance read. SECRET VOWS met my need. Catherine's strength, and Gray's devotion to her, endeared both characters to me. Mary Reed McCall gives the reader clear insight into Gray's and Catherine's inner thoughts as she weaves her historial tale. My most favorite romance authors have always been Julie Garwood and Catherine Coulter. Now, Ms. McCall increases my favorites authors to three. Kudos on an excellent first novel~I look forward to number two.
Rating: 
Summary: Am I getting jaded?
Review: I bought this book on the strength of the Amazon community reviews...famous last words. Let me say that I read lots of romance novels. And this one is pretty good -- but five stars? Hmmmmmmmm. The story/plotting has good moments, and the writer is creative & a fresh voice, but still...I can't put my finger on it, but I was able to put this one down with no problem. My criteria for a 5-star read has to be that I just can't put it down. I didn't have that feeling with this novel -- and I could wait to pick it up again too. Maybe I thought it was too melodramatic. Maybe I've met this hero & heroine before. If I were grading it like in school, I'd give it an 85 out of 100, or a B+. So, yes, I think it's good, but it's not the gripping keeper that other reviewers described, at least not for me.
Rating:
Summary: Am I getting jaded?
Review: I bought this book on the strength of the Amazon community reviews...famous last words. Let me say that I read lots of romance novels. And this one is pretty good -- but five stars? Hmmmmmmmm. The story/plotting has good moments, and the writer is creative & a fresh voice, but still...I can't put my finger on it, but I was able to put this one down with no problem. My criteria for a 5-star read has to be that I just can't put it down. I didn't have that feeling with this novel -- and I could wait to pick it up again too. Maybe I thought it was too melodramatic. Maybe I've met this hero & heroine before. If I were grading it like in school, I'd give it an 85 out of 100, or a B+. So, yes, I think it's good, but it's not the gripping keeper that other reviewers described, at least not for me.
Rating:
Summary: True to the time, a great add to the bookshelf
Review: I did not want to put this book down.The story of Catherine of Somerset,s brutal life until she is forced to wed a man that she
must betray.Her fight to over come her fears and confess all but
events catch up before she can.
I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading her next one.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and Refreshing
Review: I was happy to finally find a book that was not your typical romance novel. The story was very well written and I couldn't read it fast enough. I wish I could find more like it. I am looking forward to this author's next book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and Refreshing
Review: I was happy to finally find a book that was not your typical romance novel. The story was very well written and I couldn't read it fast enough. I wish I could find more like it. I am looking forward to this author's next book.
Rating:
Summary: A Stunning Debut!!!!!!!!!
Review: It is absolutely unbelievable Mary Reed McCall is a first time author. Set in medieval England, its the story of Catherine of Somerset who has recently become a widow. Her brother-in-law, Eduard Montford, after his first choice, his sister dies, blackmails Catherine into marrying Grayson de Camville, a much-esteemed knight with great holdings. Eduard is as cruel as
her husband had been and Catherine is subject to beatings and blackmail -- he tells her he will have her twin son and daughter killed if she does not do as he has told her -- which is to gain her new husband's trust and set him up to be killed. Gray is fighting demons of his own. Neither Catherine nor Gray plan on falling in love, just doing as they feel they must. Catherine, masquerading as her deceased sister-in-law, has to pretend to Gray that she's a virgin. There's a great jousting scene and the author gives a wonderful sense of time and place. Catherine and Gray are both wonderful characters (Gray is a beta male -- or maybe gamma - but I love 'em) and Eduard is a villain to top all villains - you know, one of those whose very presence on the page is an indicator of a riveting scene to come. The prologue (and the epilogue) of SECRET VOWS is written in first person and this is very effective tool in garnering reader sympathy for the heroine. SECRET VOWS is not only of the best first books I've read in a very long time, but one of the best medieval romances I've ever read. The book is historically accurate and the history acts as more than just wallpaper, but NEVER overtakes the story. Mary Reed McCall has a great future ahead of her if SECRET VOWS is any indication of her talent. This book is highly recommended and definitely makes my list for top 10 books read in 2001.
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