Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, Dull & Confusing
Review: If only Eileen Goudge wrote the sequel to Garden Of Lies 2 or 3 years later, rather than 9! While I recalled the main characters & the basics of the first story-it was hard to keep up with the newer characters as well as this muddy plot. It is pretty hard keeping up with a storyline when you've read the first book 9 years ago. Too bad she isn't like Nora Roberts, who writes a main story, then one or two followups-sometimes within the same year! At least her stories are much easier to keep up with. A waste of time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing, Dull & Confusing
Review: It was a long time to wait for the sequel to Garden of Lies (one of my personal favorites), but well worth it. Thorns of Truth picks up the story of Rose and Rachel many years later in their professional and personal lives frought with problems, decisions, joys and triumphs. It was interesting how the author wove their history into the story; a reader wouldn't have to read "Garden" necessarily to enjoy this book, but he/she would miss the wonderfully written introduction to this strange yet endearing family. The character of Sylvie throughout is just amazing - she continued to keep her SECRET until death is imminent and finally eased her conscience by devulging her past and acknowledging her child and ultimately breaking the hearts of her other child and her grandchildren. How they came to grips with the revelation and how they became stronger persons for it was interesting. Sylvie touched them all. I was sorry when I finished reading it, but I don't see it as final. The relationships of Drew and Iris, Eric and Rose, Brian and Rachel, Mandy and Robert and the ensuing problems in their lives could lead to a third book and I certainly hope this happens. Are you listening Eileen?
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging; couldn't put it down
Review: It was a long time to wait for the sequel to Garden of Lies (one of my personal favorites), but well worth it. Thorns of Truth picks up the story of Rose and Rachel many years later in their professional and personal lives frought with problems, decisions, joys and triumphs. It was interesting how the author wove their history into the story; a reader wouldn't have to read "Garden" necessarily to enjoy this book, but he/she would miss the wonderfully written introduction to this strange yet endearing family. The character of Sylvie throughout is just amazing - she continued to keep her SECRET until death is imminent and finally eased her conscience by devulging her past and acknowledging her child and ultimately breaking the hearts of her other child and her grandchildren. How they came to grips with the revelation and how they became stronger persons for it was interesting. Sylvie touched them all. I was sorry when I finished reading it, but I don't see it as final. The relationships of Drew and Iris, Eric and Rose, Brian and Rachel, Mandy and Robert and the ensuing problems in their lives could lead to a third book and I certainly hope this happens. Are you listening Eileen?
Rating:
Summary: As good as the prequel
Review: Over four decades have passed since that hospital fire led to the switching of two newborns. Now forty-six, one of the switched babies, Rose Santini Griffin, is deeply grieving the loss of her husband by burying herself in her work. Her oldest son, Drew, is engaged to Iris, the daughter of Rachel MacClanahan. Rachel is the other switched baby during that fire. A guilt-laden Sylvie is dying. She is the biological mother to Rose who switched the infants, and raised Rachel as her own. She has hidden her transgression from everyone, including her spouse. Outside of Sylvie, only Rose knows what happened during the confusing hospital fire. She has vowed not to reveal what she knows because she does not want to hurt her friend Rachel. However, knowing that she is dying, Sylvie feels compelled to reveal the truth, but hesitates for fear of what it will do to everyone she holds dear. The sequel to GARDEN OF LIES, THORNS OF TRUTH, holds up to the quality level of the first novel. The continuation into middle age of the two criss-crossed women is brilliantly described due to the strong characterizations, including the secondary players. The story line is a classical tear jerker that requires a fresh towel for every fifteen pages (a handkerchief is not big enough for all the weeping). Readers will gouge on Eileen Goudge's gut wrenching, heart warming tale. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: More Truth to Come..
Review: The book explores the relationships, trials and tribulations or Rachel and Rose who are bound together in so many ways, some of which they are unaware of when the story begins. Rachel is assumed to be the daughter of Sylvie, but in reality Rose is her real daughter. Rose was raised by another family because Rachel and Rose were "switched at birth" during a hospital fire. But Sylvie knows the truth all along and couldn't admit the truth until her deathbed. Rachel's relationship with her husband becomes increasingly strained, and the mental illness of their adopted daughter, Iris, just adds to the strain. Rose's son, Drew, becomes engaged to Iris, and Rose feels that the engagement is a mistake, which causes more anxiety in the family. Rose was widowed about a year earlier; her grief is still raw and she hasn't been able to "get on with her life". She meets a wonderful man, Eric, but can't commit to a permanent relationship with him because of her guilt about moving on so soon after her husband's death. Rose's step daughter, Mandy is also grieving over the death of her father, but her biggest battle is with alcohol. The scenes where she struggles with that demon are poignant and frightening. The author does a good job of building these characters and involving us in their lives; however the ending of the book left some situations unresolved. Looks like we can expect another installment in this series, since it seems that all of the action in this book was setting the stage for the next book.
Rating: 
Summary: slightly dissapointed
Review: The book was easy to read, but unless you have recently read the first book (say within the last year), it's going to be hard to pick your way through this one. The author constantly rehashes the old story line (in order for new readers to know what is going on), often to the detriment of the main characters. I really just wanted them all to quit whining and DO something about their lives. There was a lot of emphasis on Drew and Iris's relationship. Syvie (one of the central players) I felt was pushed to the side and not many things about her were resolved. If you are looking for something light to read while you are at the beach, then this is for you. If you want to care about the characters and see a sequel resolve the issues in the first book, this is probably not the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic sequel
Review: Well worth the wait. I just finished reading Thorns of Truth. I hated to put the book down. I didn't want to let go of the characters -- they seem so real. I am going to go back and reread Garden of Lies. I live in the same area in Brooklyn that she writes about which makes it even more enjoyable. I've read all of Eileen's books and they were all great. Eileen, keep up the good work.
Rating:
Summary: DELICIOUS SEQUEL TO 'GARDEN OF LIES'!!!
Review: What a completely satisfying conclusion to an intriguing saga featuring some of the most powerful women in recent literary endeavors!!! Reading this book was like curling up in front of the fire on a stormy night with a good, long lost friend and regaling each other with what's what from the past ten years....i loved this book...i loved the characters....i only wished that i had listened to my original thought and reread 'garden of lies' before reading this marvelous sequel....it just would've made my pleasure last that much longer.....what a fantabulous mini-series this would make but only if eileen had full control....but we all know that no one in hollywood reads so good stories such as this will never reach the screen....that's okay cuz eileen's vivid descriptions are quite sufficient....i'm just left with such a strange feeling....i just put the book down a few moments ago....mixed emotions...as i said, loved the book but so sad never to meet these wonderful characters again!!!!! thanx to you, eileen, for alll of your books but most of all, for giving in to all of your readers' requests/demands for a sequel to 'garden of lies'!!! thanx!
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