The Truth About Tate

Rating:
Summary: Lies, deceptions and charades - Recommended
Review: Alabama reporter Natalie Grant lands the chance of the lifetime when US Senator Boyd Chaney asks her to write his biography. Tenacious in her efforts to dig up the past, the senator's exploits lead her to an affair the senator had thirty years before with Lucinda Rawlins and their illegitimate son. Now rancher Tate Rawlins takes the place of his half-brother in an effort to protect his unconventional family from scandal, hoping to convince Natalie to abandon her expose.

Natalie's contract to write the biography stipulates that she secures the cooperation of the every one of the senator's six ex-wives, nine children, and seven grandchildren. J. T. Rawlings is the only hold out. She must convince him to cooperate. She already messed up once, loosing her career, her father's respect and her self-respect. All destroyed by the person she loved. This is her opportunity to redeem herself. Now she knows to not care for anyone or anything but the story. However stubborn J. T. Rawlins proves to be, she vows to be more stubborn. She won't leave until she gets the story.

As the more cool headed of the two brothers, Tate volunteers to handle the reporter while his mother and half-brother complete previously arranged plans to visit grandparents, especially since their grandfather was recently injured. Lying about his identity violates his morals, but leaving his family exposed to the reporter violates them even more. So when Natalie appears on his doorstep, Tate isn't prepared for the spark of attraction between them, nor is he prepared for her tenaciousness. Not only is he going to hell for lying, he's going to suffer a fierce attraction to her while on earth.

Tate's questions to Natalie form an interesting introspection in THE TRUTH ABOUT TATE. As she searches for answers to the senator's past, Natalie learns more about the truth about herself than she does her subject. It does seem odd that Natalie doesn't catch onto the deception early in the novel as she examines family pictures, and misses the occasional slip. If Natalie had done her research, and paid attention to what the senator told her, she should have realizes which J.T. Rawlings is the elder brother. Even if the Senator didn't have a picture, Tate had been a football star who gave up a promising career to care for his son. Newspaper photo should have revealed the sham to the reporter. Despite the thinness of the subterfuge, however, it does make for an intriguing plot. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Good Story, Good Characters
Review: Although this is one of those books where the main characters are initially deceiving on another, it's not the type to make the reader cringe, awaiting the ultimate denouement. I hate that type of book and usually never finish them because the deceit is usually so foolish. Not in this story, however. Both Natalie and Tate have valid reasons for their behavior - this is her last chance to redeem herself professionally, and he's trying to protect his family from her. It's interesting to watch Natalie face her personal demons, and it was a nice change of pace to have Tate recognize them and try to help her, instead of just writing her off.

All of the characters behaved in a believable fashion and were true to themeselves. And it was so nice to see Tate's son Jordan portrayed as a product of loving home, behaving and expressing himself in a natural way, rather than being set up as "the alien in the household".

I've read several of Ms. Pappano's books, and so far, I've enjoyed all of them. Her characters are complex people, the (...)attraction between them is well done, and her plots are always interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Good Story, Good Characters
Review: Although this is one of those books where the main characters are initially deceiving on another, it's not the type to make the reader cringe, awaiting the ultimate denouement. I hate that type of book and usually never finish them because the deceit is usually so foolish. Not in this story, however. Both Natalie and Tate have valid reasons for their behavior - this is her last chance to redeem herself professionally, and he's trying to protect his family from her. It's interesting to watch Natalie face her personal demons, and it was a nice change of pace to have Tate recognize them and try to help her, instead of just writing her off.

All of the characters behaved in a believable fashion and were true to themeselves. And it was so nice to see Tate's son Jordan portrayed as a product of loving home, behaving and expressing himself in a natural way, rather than being set up as "the alien in the household".

I've read several of Ms. Pappano's books, and so far, I've enjoyed all of them. Her characters are complex people, the (...)attraction between them is well done, and her plots are always interesting.