Unforgettable

Rating:
Summary: I'm Hopping On The Karin Kallmaker Bandwagon
Review: Although I've heard good things about the author for several years, this is the first Karin Kallmaker book I've read. After reading several other lesbian novels over the years, many of which were amateurish, I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. It's well written, although not in the class of great quality literature, but the characters make this book a winner. They are reasonably believable. I say reasonably believable--frankly I never met anyone who actually had a photographic memory and my world isn't filled with nearly as many gay/lesbian people as hers seems to be, but that's splitting hairs. Anything stretched for the storyline is more than made-up-for by the character development. I "liked" these women. They seemed like people who could actually wander into my life, like some who have, and if they did, I'd want to know better. It's a sense that I don't get from very many books, not even many that I've enjoyed. It made me think about myself and the people I grew up with and that's a big plus.

The good news is that the characters didn't begin and end with this book. I look forward to reading more to fill in and follow the story.

Rating:
Summary: I'm Hopping On The Karin Kallmaker Bandwagon
Review: Although I've heard good things about the author for several years, this is the first Karin Kallmaker book I've read. After reading several other lesbian novels over the years, many of which were amateurish, I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. It's well written, although not in the class of great quality literature, but the characters make this book a winner. They are reasonably believable. I say reasonably believable--frankly I never met anyone who actually had a photographic memory and my world isn't filled with nearly as many gay/lesbian people as hers seems to be, but that's splitting hairs. Anything stretched for the storyline is more than made-up-for by the character development. I "liked" these women. They seemed like people who could actually wander into my life, like some who have, and if they did, I'd want to know better. It's a sense that I don't get from very many books, not even many that I've enjoyed. It made me think about myself and the people I grew up with and that's a big plus.

The good news is that the characters didn't begin and end with this book. I look forward to reading more to fill in and follow the story.

Rating:
Summary: The cure for what ails you!
Review: Classic Kallmaker, only better! I loved this book. Fabulous characters and good story forced me to read this book in one sitting. I was home for the afternoon, not feeling well, and Rett and Angelica helped me get well. I can't wait for the next one! More please, Karin!

Rating:
Summary: It's Delightful; it's delicious; it's Kallmaker!
Review: Fasten your seatbelts, you are in for a great ride. If you love Romance of the lesbian persuasion, then this is a must read. "Unforgettable" is Kallmaker at her best.

As always Kallmaker's characters are well fleshed out and believable. The story centers around a moderately successful ballad/jazz singer, Loretta "Rett" Jamison who is haunted by the memories of her past. At 40, she is finally coming to terms with the woman she is, compared to the girl who never fit in at high school.

At her 20+ high school reunion, she discovers that all is not what it seemed to be when she was growing up. While some relationships held more promise than she ever imagined, others were more bankrupt than even she could have thought. I forget which feminist said it (Steinhem perhaps?), that the trouble with being a woman was being a little girl in the first place. "Unforgettable" carries out that theme to it's adult conclusion.

It's not the theme or the plot that I liked best about this book; rather, it's the structure and the dialogue, and yes, of course, there are those sex scenes. Face it, that's why we buy them, and this one won't disappoint. Kallmaker, just like a good script writer, introduces her characters mid-action, mid-sentence, and in this case, mid-dream. We get right into the character's head. Once there, we are ready to suspend our own lives for a moment and live within hers.

Her dialogue is fresh, never stilted and always right out of today's society. She even manages to mention Santana's great comeback with "Smooth," and we get to dance to Ricky Martin, flawlessly, of course.

Sometimes I wish real life were a little more like Kallmaker's vision. Women are usually beautiful, smart and sexy. Most of the men are gentle and understanding, and the food never makes you fat. It's written real enough to make you wonder if it's not all just around the corner.

This book is also just a tad longer than most of it's genre. It allows Ms. Kallmaker to tie up all those loose ends. I wasn't left wondering, "but whatever happened to so and so." Therefore, if you love lesbian romance, this one is delicious.

Rating:
Summary: Home Run!
Review: I am a big fan of Kallmaker's work and have the highest expectations of her every book.

Unforgettable met every expectation and blew them out of the water. It's a winner, a total home run, all 278 pages of it.

Rett Jamison is one of her best characters ever, and that's saying something. I felt like I knew her inside and out and yet I couldn't wait to see how she handled the double attraction of the two women from her past.

I also admired very much that Rett did not make nice with either her rotten ex-girlfriend or her mother. Both treated her abysmally and it might not be politically correct to refuse to forgive -- for the present -- but it sure felt real. Some things you don't forgive easily or quickly, if ever. Rett finds forgiveness for others who hurt her and finally she finds a way to just say "so what?" to the morons who made high school a misery for her.

Unforgettable is a triumph! Thank you thank you Karin, for such a wonderful book and such a long one, too. I don't know how you're going to top this one!

Rating:
Summary: One of the Worst I have Read
Review: I can't believe so many people gave this book five stars. I read it because of it's 5 star status. I was expecting a great lesbian story. Instead what I got was an amateurishly written, bad romance novel. As well, too much time was spent on what songs Rhett would be singing. I really did not need to know the names of all the bad songs she was singing or would be singing. None of the other characters were of any interest. With names like Cinny, Angel, and Bunny, what could one expect? It was all too contrived and followed the rules of a tacky romance novel. I would not recommend this book at all.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Worst I have Read
Review: I can't believe so many people gave this book five stars. I read it because of it's 5 star status. I was expecting a great lesbian story. Instead what I got was an amateurishly written, bad romance novel. As well, too much time was spent on what songs Rhett would be singing. I really did not need to know the names of all the bad songs she was singing or would be singing. None of the other characters were of any interest. With names like Cinny, Angel, and Bunny, what could one expect? It was all too contrived and followed the rules of a tacky romance novel. I would not recommend this book at all.

Rating:
Summary: A 5-star ROMANCE novel
Review: I think if you don't like romance novels you shouldn't read them. I love lesbian romance novels and this is a really great one.

I think if you don't like jazz you should avoid books about musicians who sing jazz. I like jazz, and I loved reading about it in this book. None of the songs Rett sings are "bad." That would be saying that Chet Baker and Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney -- the songs they sang are "bad." Not in my opinion!

There are a lot of not-so-well written lesbian romance novels out there now, lots of them self-published or coming in under the "uber" genre. Many of **them** are amateurish: jerky plotting, stilted dialogue, no transitions, sloppy or no characterization at all. Some are completely unedited. And they're short -- while charging the same or more.

This book is not one of them: it's fabulously plotted, the rhythm makes it hard to stop reading, the characters are well-crafted. I wanted to hate Rett's mother but even this unlikable, bitter woman was so three-dimensional that I had to grudingly at least understand her a little.

Another example is Rett's career as a hard-working singer compared to Angel's as a genetic researcher. Rett feels a little intimidated by Angel -- wouldn't we all? Rett was a real, complicated by empathetic character. The setting was well-done, too. I guess you have to have done time in Minnesota to understand why people are named Cinny and Bunny. I went to high school with those chicks.

This is a nice long, fresh, engaging, complicated ROMANCE. It's great.

Rating:
Summary: A nice read
Review: I thought the book was captivating. I read the entire book in one sitting. Rhett's charector was developed well and her attempt at self discovery was thought provoking. Her relationships with her lovers and with her mother were well directed. However, I felt that the dialogue was a bit over done and overall, it was a bit predictible.

Rating:
Summary: Truly Delightful!
Review: I wanted this book BAD. And when it finally arrived it was everything I hoped for. Truly satisfying in every aspect. I want to buy Rett Jamison CDs now! Music, show biz and the high school reunion from hell all came alive. The characterizations are so skilled for a romance novel.

I didn't start reading Kallmaker's books until a friend told me that "Watermark" just missed being nominated for a Lambda award. I didn't think a romance writer could write *that* well so I read the book for myself. Showed me what a snob I'd been to avoid "romance" as not weighty enough. Kallmaker's writing has blossomed from her earliest works and every romance goes some place serious. Watermark was the most serious by far.

Unforgettable gets serious at times with Rett's horrific relationship with her mother and a nasty break-up. Rett still lingers over the past and the damageit did to her self-image and I didn't need any post-modern prose to identify with her bad high school days.

Lest anyone think Kallmaker's portrayal of Minnesota and Minnesotans is over the top - every word was true! Grew up there. The favorite spice is *still* miracle whip. Ms. Kallmaker, if you read these reviews, know that you brightened my day considerably! Please - write faster!