The Perfect Family

Rating:
Summary: The Not-So-Perfect Family
Review: Even while Jessica Clayton's father was alive, she longed for the perfect family. But an invitation to a family reunion is the last thing she expected to receive.

While she dismisses it as a delivery mistake, a visit from the Clements family lawyer convinces her otherwise. She packs her bags and heads to a ranch in Sedona, Arizona, to meet her potential family members.

The family harbors its past including the hush-hush details behind the death of Jessica's uncle and her father's former wife - the reason her father fled the beautiful land 50 years before. But as Jessica comes face-to-face with death, the secrets are forced from the family's lips.

While certain members of the family seek Jessica for an addition to their family tree, others seek her for hidden motives. Questions behind the deaths, selling the ranch and the disappearance of millions of dollars worth of bonds place Jessica in the center of a family firestorm.

Amid this torrential downpour of family scandal comes an unsuspecting love affair. But can Jessica trust him? Can she even trust her own feelings?

Mystery surrounds the family and Jessica's attempt to unlock the secrets could cost her her life.

The Perfect Family starts off a little slow, basically establishing the past and raising questions about the future. But after the first few chapters, you're so enthralled in Jessica's story that the book seems to end far too quickly.

The twists and turns the plot takes while revealing buried morsels from the past really does make you wonder if any family is truly perfect. Potter combines the elements of mystery and romance into an intriguing novel about this 27-year-old who longs so desperately for The Perfect Family.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Twists & Turns
Review: I liked this book a lot. The story of someone who thinks they are all alone in the world and then suddenly finding out that they aren't is very appealing (not quite the right word, but it will do).

Jessie has longed for a family since she was born & now she has one, but there are too many undercurrents for her to be trusting. When bad things start happening to her, she isn't able to talk to anyone about them because she is unsure of who to trust. Finally, she begins to trust the only other outsider in the family--the adopted son, Ross.

One good thing about this book is that the reader doesn't find out who does it until the last 15 pages or so---which leads to a speedy ending. And the epilogue has just enough information in it to resolve some of the loose threads at the end of the actual story. I liked the characters of Sarah, Ross & Jessie. I thought that I was right there with Jessie while she was figuring out who was who and why they want her. One thing that kind of bothered me (very petty, but it did) was that the cover of the book had a locket on it--so figured that there would be a necklace that would be important in the book, but that is not the case--it's a book that plays the main clue as to identity.

A good book & I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Twists & Turns
Review: I liked this book a lot. The story of someone who thinks they are all alone in the world and then suddenly finding out that they aren't is very appealing (not quite the right word, but it will do).

Jessie has longed for a family since she was born & now she has one, but there are too many undercurrents for her to be trusting. When bad things start happening to her, she isn't able to talk to anyone about them because she is unsure of who to trust. Finally, she begins to trust the only other outsider in the family--the adopted son, Ross.

One good thing about this book is that the reader doesn't find out who does it until the last 15 pages or so---which leads to a speedy ending. And the epilogue has just enough information in it to resolve some of the loose threads at the end of the actual story. I liked the characters of Sarah, Ross & Jessie. I thought that I was right there with Jessie while she was figuring out who was who and why they want her. One thing that kind of bothered me (very petty, but it did) was that the cover of the book had a locket on it--so figured that there would be a necklace that would be important in the book, but that is not the case--it's a book that plays the main clue as to identity.

A good book & I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: A delightful storyteller
Review: In 1950 Sedona, Arizona, Harding Clements confronts his wife Lori and his own brother Heath for having an affair. Harding learns that Heath has also used the cattle sale money to buy bonds in an offshore outfit that leaves the farm precariously short of cash. Harding confronts Heath, but accidentally kills both his brother and his spouse. Feeling like Cain, Harding takes his little girl and flees east.

In 1999 Atlanta, Jessica Clayon receives an invitation to attend a family reunion in Sedona, Arizona. Since her father died, Jessica has no family. She also remembers her father was a lousy dad filled with anger and constantly moving them from state to state. Jessica, in need of a warm and loving family decides to travel to Arizona to learn the truth about her dad. However, instead of the friendly welcome as she envisioned, Jessica lands in the middle of a dangerous power struggle. Only ranch manager Ross Macleod seemingly tries to protect her.

Using a family dispute fueled by anger and mistrust, Patricia Potter provides her readers with a powerful romantic intrigue tale that showcases the author's vast talent. The stimulating story line moves rather quickly due to the depth to the ensemble cast. However, the plot truly belongs to the heroine who just wants the love of a family, something she never had. Ms. Potter gently reminding readers that being loved and loving others is critical for being a complete person. This is a novel that will long be remembered by those who read it.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Romance and mystery combine nicely . . .
Review: in this thriller with a heart. The main character, Jessica Clayton, learns secrets that her father kept hidden for decades. She finds a family that she never knew existed, and a love she didn't anticipate, but soon finds she cannot live without.

Her new family is warm and welcoming, but they too hide secrets. Trust as a theme goes hand in hand with relationships in this novel. A warning to the reader: Jessica's new family is populated with people with similar sounding names, so be sure to refer frequently to the family tree provided at the front of the novel.

The heart of this novel is not only her new kinship connections, but also the beautiful landscape that captures Jessica's imagination from the moment she arrives in Sedona, Arizona. The author paints vivid pictures of the rugged scenery. "The land" is almost another character in the novel--far from just a setting, it is vital to the family in the book. Kudos also to the author for drawing attention to the problem of development and the disappearing American Southwest landscape.

The pacing of the novel is a bit slow in the beginning--a little too much information too soon, and it takes a long time for Jessica to meet Ross, the cowboy adopted into her family who also has things to hide. But, once things take off, they take off with a blast. After progressing through the first few chapters, I soon found I couldn't put the book down!

Rating:
Summary: Romance and mystery combine nicely . . .
Review: in this thriller with a heart. The main character, Jessica Clayton, learns secrets that her father kept hidden for decades. She finds a family that she never knew existed, and a love she didn't anticipate, but soon finds she cannot live without.

Her new family is warm and welcoming, but they too hide secrets. Trust as a theme goes hand in hand with relationships in this novel. A warning to the reader: Jessica's new family is populated with people with similar sounding names, so be sure to refer frequently to the family tree provided at the front of the novel.

The heart of this novel is not only her new kinship connections, but also the beautiful landscape that captures Jessica's imagination from the moment she arrives in Sedona, Arizona. The author paints vivid pictures of the rugged scenery. "The land" is almost another character in the novel--far from just a setting, it is vital to the family in the book. Kudos also to the author for drawing attention to the problem of development and the disappearing American Southwest landscape.

The pacing of the novel is a bit slow in the beginning--a little too much information too soon, and it takes a long time for Jessica to meet Ross, the cowboy adopted into her family who also has things to hide. But, once things take off, they take off with a blast. After progressing through the first few chapters, I soon found I couldn't put the book down!