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Summary: Plain Jane would make a great movie!
Review: Your style of writing is so realistic and entertaining. I just love how well you tell a story and make your characters come alive. Trixie and Fred were awesome!I almost cried when Jeeter got his shield like the other K-9's. I would love to see this book made into a movie. Thank you for a job well done.
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Summary: I must be missing something...
Review: This was my first Fern Michaels book. I really wanted to like this book, the back cover sounded so promising and the clincher for me was that the book was a NY Times bestseller. How could I go wrong? While I like Miss Michaels' writing style, I didn't bond with any of the characters. Some of the subplots seemed too far-fetched and almost silly. (The dog barking on cue after the main character makes a statement or asks a question was particularly tiresome and a little too Disney-like for me.) I had a very hard time making it through the book but finished it anyway. Since Fern Michaels seems to have a legion of fans out there, I must be missing whatever it is that everyone can't seem to get enough of in her books. If you are one of these diehards, you'll probably enjoy the book, however for the first-time Fern Michaels reader, I'd advise you to skip this one.
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Summary: Recommended Reading
Review: I have to admit that even though I write romantic suspense,I don't normally read it, but chose this book by Fern Michaels because I liked the excerpt. Ms. Michaels gives her reader quirky characters, including dogs for the animal lover, and a suspenseful tale, not to mention a little paranormal activity going on. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Waste of Time & Money!
Review: I purchased this book based on several five star reviews recorded by reviewers. You have to be kidding! I could not get through more than one third of the book before shelving it. It is so hokey! No plot to speak of, merely implausible scenarios such as that of a 70+ year old lady, a well-funded writer, entertaining her newly acquired former K-9 dog with rides in a police car especially purchased, with the dog in mind, from the local police department. The car, complete with wailing sirens, is meant to bring the dog out of a depression caused by his forced retirement. This kooky character and her husband hide "evidence" such as phony bags of drugs and money to keep the canine happy. The lady races over open fields (the car is not allowed on public roads)simulating the dog's former work with law enforcement. This is only one sub-plot, the others weren't much better. Figuring I had plunked down over five bucks for the book, I managed to wade through a bit more of this drivel, before throwing the book down for good. I can't wait to toss the book into the next bag of items I compile for our local thrift store.
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Summary: Plain Jane is Plain Bad
Review: I agree that this starts out great and just ends up disappointing the reader. As previously mentioned, anyone in a helping profession will be totally turned off by this. To suggest that a physician or other health care professional is less than what they ought to be because they "don't get personally involved" is rubbish. Ms. Michaels has no concept of the reality of this kind of profession, and it is glaringly obvious in the completely unprofessional behavior of her main character. I couldn't wait to finish it & doubt that I'll read another. It's a problem when you don't care for the main character and start to root for the "bad guys".
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Summary: A Soap Opera in Book Form
Review: This was my first Fern Michaels book and my last. I bought the book because the story line seemed interesting. Unfortunately, the characters are rather robotic, unbelievable and the dialogue is ridiculous. This book is on par with one of those cheap romance novels you can find at the local five-and-dime store. More should be expected from a "famous" author.
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Summary: If you like curt dialouge
Review: Anyone in the helping (psychiatry, psychology, social work) field is going to find this book repulsive. Jane's career is an insult to the helping profession. It was an easy read and tried to conjure up suspense with the multi-layered story lines, but it never really got me that invested in any of the story lines. This is my first Fern Michael's book and unfortunately, probably my last.
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Summary: One of the worst books I've ever read
Review: I've read many Fern Michaels' books before and enjoyed her stories. I've read paranormal books before and enjoyed the stories. However, this book one of the worst stories I've ever read - which is saying a lot! It was full of amazing (unbelievable) coincidences. It was completely predictable (plain overweight Jane becomes a successful attractive woman who meets up with the unobtainable boy from high school, a wicked mother who didn't love Jane because she wasn't pretty and treated Jane with extreme cruelty, loving but goofy godparents that made Jane's life bearable, etc.). There was very little time spent on character development and multiple unrelated items thrown in that distract from the story. And the reason for the unsolved crime that took place in the beginning of the book was the most insane reason I've ever heard (see Plot Spoiler below for details). I would not recommend this book if it was free - I was so disappointed by the author that I'm actually writing her a letter (a little more diplomatic than this review). If you really think you want to read this book, I recommend reading the first few chapters in the book store before you actually plunk down [money]. The first couple of chapters weren't bad, but it falls apart quickly thereafter.<
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Summary: Loved Most of the Book
Review: I found the book to be very intertaining. I felt Jane's pain concerning the two women who committed suicide;especially her college friend,Connie Bryan. The writer used discriptions that enabled me to visualize the assault on Connie and feel the horror of that evening. The story drew such a vivid picture of the state of mind Betty Vance,Jane's patient,was in when Jane first saw her. The friendship and concern that was shown by Trixie and Fred for Betty was protrayed in such a way I felt I knew her personally. Not much time was spent on the rapists and their punishment. I would like to have seen more action on that part of the plot. Although, the story is as much about the "baggage" Jane was carring around with her that would keep her from making a good marriage. She would never be truly at piece with herself or the world around her until she delt with her pain. I love the way the writer exposed each of Jane's problems and how they were resolved. The ghost were a bit hard to take because they were just fanasy to me. On the other hand, I saw the ghost as a tool for Jane to look inward into herself to discover why she was so angry and what she had to do to find happiness. I highly recommend the book. It was wonderful.
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Summary: That's what friends are for
Review: Poor Jane was the chubby nerd of LSU when on one night she comes to the aid of a woman that is her total opposite. Jane hides the secrets of that violent for twelve years when she finally realizes that she has to overcome her fears and her ghosts. Plain Jane really gives a reader a beautiful tour or rural Louisana and of course Ms. Michaels always has an array of colorful character and their even more colorful dogs. The one thing I love about Fern Micheals stories is that the main character's dog are the "rock of Gilbraltar" in their lives. They confined with the dogs; and hold conversations with them as if they were humans themselves. I would love to see one of Fern Micheal's stories on the small or silver screen because the characters are life-like and readers can really related. And I'm sure there is a Jane Daniels walking on every college campus right now.
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