Used To Be Lovers

Rating:
Summary: Not one of her best but not one of her worst either
Review: I like Linda Howard. She's a great writer and usually I like her books and I enjoy the characters. This one however was a so so. It was stale at times and I didn't exactly enjoy the fact that Tony was so cruel. No wonder Sharon left him. I didn't like the fact that they slept together got into a fight Sharon cried then they slept together again. That part got stale and wasn't enjoyable to read. I didn't like the fact that even though Brianna was Tony's first child with another wife(who died) and Sharon raised him, he didn't exactly have any right to shout at Sharon and say that Brianna was only his daughter. If you're a first time Linda Howard and unsure of which book to read, I'd reccommend Mr. Perfect(5 stars; her best yet!!), Open Season(5 stars;her best along wit Mr. Perfect), and Duncan's bride if you're into that mail order bride thing.

Rating:
Summary: Ugh. Depressing.
Review: Linda Lael Miller's hero, Tony, was wasted in this novella. The plot is thin. Tony and Sharon get divorced after several years of happy marriage. The catalyst is Sharon's opening of her dream business, a lingerie shop. Tony is not supportive of her, for reasons of his own. Apparently, this is the last straw. Sharon serves him with divorce papers unexpectedly, and they of course are divorced quickly.

This is so unrealistic, it's hard to even read the book. It's plausible enough that a couple can be married for several years and never learn to communicate, or never be open about their feelings. It's not realistic that she would serve him with divorce papers without trying to resolve the problem. And it's not realistic that he'd just accept the divorce, which he vocally doesn't want, without trying to find out what's wrong. There are such things as marriage counselors or even weekend retreats to get at the heart of the problem. I can't believe a couple would toss everything aside without trying something like this.

All of this makes it hard to believe that a single weekend together (after a miserable novel full of bickering and self pity) magically accomplishes the reunion and resolution of their problems. Why didn't they just talk sooner?

Tony was likable, Sharon was pathetic. I also got disgusted at the token kids Miller included in the book. At one point, Sharon takes off driving to clear her mind and ends up hours away - and it's her turn for custody! Come on. The last straw is when they remarry, the kids aren't even in the wedding! The kids don't even know until they see the ring on their finger! During the novel, Sharon is planning a trip to Paris, and she never gives the kids a contact number for her. At one point during the novel, she leaves the kids with Tony (his turn) and realizes later she forgot to tell them goodbye.

I spent the book feeling sorry for the kids, and feeling disgusted with the characters. And then you end the book and you're depressed from reading 100 pages of bickering and walking away!

This is a total waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: Delightful second chances -- Highly recommended
Review: Sharon Harrison and Tony Morelli married after a whirlwind courtship. Sharon took Tony's infant daughter to her heart, raising the child as her own just like the son they also share. Unfortunately, Tony did not take the time to mourn his first wife properly before beginning their relationship, a fact that seemed to overshadow their years together. Eleven years and a divorce later, only joint custody keeps them bound in an unorthodox custody arrangement that insures close contact.

Currently, Tony heads a thriving family owned construction firm. His success makes Sharon feel the slow growth of her lingerie store Teddy Bares even more. Tony had never understood her need for independence and the success of her store. Sharon never acknowledged the difficulty his first wife's shadow presented. Despite their divorce, these emotional issues and more still overshadow their lives as they work together to raise their children.

Linda Lael Miller pens a beautiful tale of second chances in USED-TO-BE LOVERS. Miller has a gift for creating a powerful, character driven romance complete with wonderful children and well-meaning family members. USED-TO-BE LOVERS explores the delicate balance of love and communication, and what happens when communication fails. With a divorce and child-rearing issues creating turmoil, their struggles to balance their emotions and their desires becomes quite entertaining as they confront daily living issues such as spoiled shopping trips and broken plumbing. While Sharon and Tony obviously still love one another, their inability to risk vulnerability allows them both to make foolish choices. A tender exploration of rekindled love, USED-TO-LOVERS comes highly recommended.