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Summary: A stunningly beautiful page-turner!
Review: I was consumed by this story. Deborah Smith is a brilliant storyteller. She totally captivated me with her tale of family, love, hate, mystery and unspeakable violence. Read it and you'll love it! Again and again.
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Summary: I was hooked from page one!
Review: The charactors in this novel came alive from the moment I started reading. Deborah Smith's ability to turn tragedy into triumph hit every emotion I could possibly feel. This book is a must read and also highly recommended for young adults...a great lesson about life can be learned.
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Summary: I wonder why this wonderful book is not on the best sellers list?
Review: If ever a book deserved more publicity and hipe this is it. I was hooked from the first line until the last. This is a great read. Buy the book and read it on vacation!
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Summary: A book about love, family and redemption...
Review: If you've ever rooted for the underdog or felt the pain of rejection, you'll understand the emotions in this novel. Claire, at the tender age of five, knows that Roanie is someone special. Despite the horrible things that are said and done to Roanie, both by his father and the community, Claire stands by him. Roanie longs to leave his "white trash" roots and just be able to trust someone. He trusts Claire, but they are too young to change the prejudiced ideas of their community and most of her extended family. Through fear, distrust and violence, Roanie and Claire are torn apart. Years pass, they long for each other, but Roanie has secrets he believes will keep Claire from him and Claire is not able to find him, though she sees him in strangers on the street. In her greatest hours of need, Roanie comes back to her and through tears and anger, letters of love and finally understanding, they are able to let go of the past and face a bright future.--- I hav! ! e always loved Deborah Smith's ability to make her characters real for the reader. I do find myself rooting for the underdog, laughing at their humor and crying "with them" in their grief. I haven't read a book by Deborah Smith that I haven't loved!
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Summary: A thoroughly enchanting book.
Review: The relationship between Roan and Claire was the best expressed that I have seen in modern fiction/romance. The real-life tragedies of a large family along with their flaws was very realistic. The romance that blossomed between Roanie and Claire when they were children was beautifully told by Smith. I couldn't put this book down. I am going to order the rest of Smith's books. I highly recommend this one.
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Summary: Wow!
Review: After reading Blue Willow I looked for another Deborah Smith book and came upon A Place to Call Home. Wow - it is even better - a terrific book with wonderful characters. This story manges to put a smile on your face and break your heart at the same time.
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Summary: Could someone explain what's wrong with a happy ending?
Review: I read this book about Roan and Claire and was delighted. I read "Hear on Earth" by Alice Hoffman right afterward. It was an Oprah book club selection and got great reviews. It's essentially the same tale but much, much darker with a violent ending. The Kirkus review of "A Place Called Home" calls it "A cloyingly sweet love story whose willful heroine and grudge-bearing hero remain strangely unsympathetic." Do reviewers have a bad attitude or what am I missing? Why do they always seem to pan uplifting tales? If I'm going to read for enjoyment I want to be optimistic about the possibilities in life, not constantly hammered at with twisted psyches and violent motives.
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Summary: A Great Story of Love and Family
Review: What a pleasure to read a story that can so easily transfer you to another place. By the end of the story, I wanted to meet with this great family. The description of the characters and the environment was beautiful.A story of love, faith, and courage. I want to read more by this author.
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Summary: This novel touches the deepest of the hearts emotions.
Review: This is the first Deborah Smith novel I have read and has convinced me that she will keep me coming back for all her work. I would not compare her to my other favorite authors for, without a doubt she stands alone. In "A Place to Call Home" the author takes us through the lives of two unforgettable characters and lets us share the overwhelming devotion they have for each other. The only time I was able to put the book down was to pause, take a deep breath, and absorb the emotion.
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Summary: Touching
Review: This was an incredible book. The characters touched my heart from beginning to end! Claire brings you from her early childhood and her infatuation with the local white trash, Roanie -- to her adult love of the same boy. You feel her pain, loss and love throughout!
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