Rating: 
Summary: wonderful, heartwarming, tear-jerking romance
Review: Any serious romance reader who hasn't read this book is in for a rare treat. Great writers know how to grab their readers, take them by the hand and involve them with the characters they've created. Not only does Mittman do that in The Marriage Bed, she can also stop you dead in your tracks to ponder powerful description and what I call Mittman Magic. If you're not yet familiar with Stephanie Mittman, get ready, here she comes.
Rating:
Summary: WRITING AT ITS BEST!!
Review: Any serious romance reader who hasn't read this book is in for a rare treat. Great writers know how to grab their readers, take them by the hand and involve them with the characters they've created. Not only does Mittman do that in The Marriage Bed, she can also stop you dead in your tracks to ponder powerful description and what I call Mittman Magic. If you're not yet familiar with Stephanie Mittman, get ready, here she comes.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful, heartwarming, tear-jerking romance
Review: Happened to pick up this book and expected a non-exciting read. What a wonderful surprise! I've now read this book over and over and it never fails to make me cry! Olivia is a woman trapped in the expectations of being a good, biddable, giving wife but EVERY woman has her limits as Spencer (selfish, self-pitying..though understandable to a degree) finds out. But even Spencer can learn before all is really too late and Olivia, with the generous and ever loving heart she has, will receive the love she's waited for and deserves! Don't expect this to be a quick, fast action read...it's a slower, heart-tugging story that once read will not be forgotten!
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Summary: Stephanie Mittman is the best!
Review: I read alot of romance novels and Stephanie Mittman is one of my all time favorites. She will write a book that will make you laugh and cry. I couldn't wait until I finished the book. The book made you feel sadness for both Spencer and Olivia. Spencer--because he couldn't let go of the past and Olivia--because she always loved this man from childhood. But love won in the end and Spencer realized that life was just to precious to let the ones that came into his life go. Must read.
Rating:
Summary: Stephanie Mittman is the best!
Review: I read alot of romance novels and Stephanie Mittman is one of my all time favorites. She will write a book that will make you laugh and cry. I couldn't wait until I finished the book. The book made you feel sadness for both Spencer and Olivia. Spencer--because he couldn't let go of the past and Olivia--because she always loved this man from childhood. But love won in the end and Spencer realized that life was just to precious to let the ones that came into his life go. Must read.
Rating: 
Summary: Unlikeable characters
Review: It was really difficult to get through the book. Firstly, the characters were so abrasive. Spencer was just .. well, mean. Of course he tragically lost his wife and children, but did he have to carry on so? And why oh why would the heroine, Olivia .. stick through a marriage where her 'husband' belittles her all the time. Oh yeah, I forgot .. she's been in love with him forever and wants to be the one to show him the way to 'living a full life' again. And everyone else seemed to catch on from it as well. A few pages into the book, Olivia and Bess were in the store and this is what they had to say about the storekeepers daughter - who was described as "uglier than her other two sisters, who at the very least could get married". And later on when Neil, the child, went in a few chapters later .. Neil just had to say 'Boy she sure is ugly' and on and on. Okay, we got it .. next to Olivia (who is beautiful, but thinks she isn't because her husband doesn't seem to want her) .. everyone else in the town is ugly. Well okay. How is anyone supposed to like any of these characters. Ugh!
Rating: 
Summary: Read better
Review: Sorry to say that this book "stunk" from the start! I've read 100's of books and this one didn't make my favorite by far. The writing was choppy and the story just went on and on and on. Sorry! This is just my one opinion, and obviously others loved it.
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Summary: Ignorance is not bliss
Review: There are two parts of this book. In the first part, our heroine, Olivia, is so ignorant that she makes herself miserable. In the second part, she's so dumb and angry that she makes herself miserable. I spent the better part of the book wanting to do something that would make her wake up - figuratively. It doesn't help that I found Spencer to be a self-centered unsympathetic character. Somehow, his noble misery just annoyed me.I'm bummed I didn't like this book. The Door County setting held a great deal of promise. In fairness, someone out there liked this book. It won a Reviewer's Choice award from Romantic Times. It was also garnered a five star review in The Romance Reader. Obviously, there are different tastes out there (and I'll admit that Americana doesn't usually do much for me).
Rating:
Summary: Ignorance is not bliss
Review: There are two parts of this book. In the first part, our heroine, Olivia, is so ignorant that she makes herself miserable. In the second part, she's so dumb and angry that she makes herself miserable. I spent the better part of the book wanting to do something that would make her wake up - figuratively. It doesn't help that I found Spencer to be a self-centered unsympathetic character. Somehow, his noble misery just annoyed me. I'm bummed I didn't like this book. The Door County setting held a great deal of promise. In fairness, someone out there liked this book. It won a Reviewer's Choice award from Romantic Times. It was also garnered a five star review in The Romance Reader. Obviously, there are different tastes out there (and I'll admit that Americana doesn't usually do much for me).
Rating:
Summary: Americana Romance at it's finest
Review: This is my first book by this Author and if this book is any indication, go buy the rest of her books! This is a very well written romance and tugs at your emotions at exactly the right moments. When I'm introduced to a new author, my first question is always, which well-known author compares to this author? I'm hesitant to say Pamela Morsi and Lavyrle Spencer. Because I've known folks who liked Morsi but not Spencer & vice versa. Mittman is in a wonderful class all by herself. Her style and her way of telling a story is down-to-earth, heart-wrenching yet warm and folksy with a touch of sensuality to boot! Most of all, it's easy to read and from the first word, it draws you in and holds you until the very last page, the very last word. (I love Spencer but Mittman is not as wordy as Spencer, thank goodness!) It took me a while to find a copy of this book and by the time I got it, it had been recommended to me several times and rated five hearts (and such) by more than one professional romance book reviewer on several websites. Therefore, I did have high expectations. I was not disappointed and I'm happy to report that all the praise was well deserved. The first chapter had my stomach in knots. But at least I wasn't bored. I usually prefer the man to fall in love w/the woman first and spend the rest of the book making her fall in love w/him. Well, this book starts off the opposite way. What I love about this book is how it fools you and lets you think it's about a push over woman who is content to be a doormat for a guy who is emotionally dead. After the first chapter, I was convinced it was going to be one of those Grapes of Wrath sad stories about suffering and more suffering on the woman's part. I couldn't have been more wrong. This book was easy to read but the story is complex and Ms. Mittman handles it so wonderfully that all you can do is hang on and stop speculating about what's going to come next and just enjoy the ride. The editorial review about the story content tells you what the book is about. But I just wanted to make sure that not only will you enjoy the story line but the tone as well. Story is great but it's only as good as the story teller. Two people can tell a story or a joke but one is obviously better at telling the story or joke. Ms. Mittman is one fine story teller. She had me clinging onto her every word and turning the pages. A sure indicator of a keeper!
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