Rating: 
Summary: Michaels begins a new trilogy...
Review: Nealy Coleman Diamond has returned home to SunStar after having fled 30 years ago with her illegitimate daughter. Her father, Josh Coleman, was abusive and dictatorial, driving Nealy away. She's back now because he's on his deathbed, and she wants to literally dance on his grave. While she's back, she's going to rub the success she's found in Kentucky with breeding and racing horses-even winning The Triple Crown-into the noses of those who'd snubbed her before, most especially the guy who'd gotten her pregnant, ultimately leading to her leaving. What Nealy doesn't plan on is having to face legal snafu's caused by her father's lack of a will, and her bumbling brothers. And the long line of folks who seem to be lining up at the door waiting to get paid, and to pay their last respects... Fern Michaels has long been known for her family sagas, and those who are familiar with her Texas and Vegas trilogy's will be thrilled with the Kentucky series. While Ms. Michaels pulls us through a whole range of emotions, the characters weren't as real life as I thought they could be, and I have to admit that I was disappointed in the romance in the book, what little there was of it. However, it was a good solid story, and gives a terrific insight into the life of horse racing, the thrills and chills to be experienced. Being a Kentuckian myself, I have to say she did a wonderful job on the descriptions of the state and the horse country. For those who love sagas, you'll enjoy this book. But if you're looking for a true romance, this isn't it.
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Summary: New York Times Best Seller
Review: No. 4 on the New York Times Best Seller List...way to go Fern Michaels!! You had my attention from the first page on. I couldn't wait to find out how Nealy and Emmie would develop and make their way in life. I loved the way you used some of the titles of your other best seller books as the names for the horses in the Derby race. I can't wait to read the second book in the series.
Rating:
Summary: A juicy mainstrem work
Review: Over thirty years ago, teenage Nealy Coleman fled her family Virginia home because she never felt welcome there and with an illegitimate infant she felt less welcome. Her father treated Nealy and her two brothers with abuse and contempt. For the next three decades, she never set foot on Coleman land, especially avoiding the SunStar thoroughbred farm. Nealy has become successful in thoroughbred racing in Kentucky.
Now her sire Josh is dying and Nealy is back to dance on his grave. However, first she must fix the legal miasma Josh and her two siblings failed to avoid when no will or estate planning occurred. Then there is the matter of dealing her way with the stud who left her pregnant three decades ago. Finally, there is the 'extended' family who comes to pay their last respects or is that to get paid.
Fern Michaels fans will enjoy her latest tale in her Coleman-Thornton novels from the starting line to the final tape as she begins a new Triple Crown winner. The story line is filled with emotion as the key cast battles within themselves and among one another over events that mostly happened years ago. The characters show no range of feelings, displaying one dominant trait. For instances, 200 proof nasty highlights Josh's personality even on his deathbed while stupidity is the mindset of the two brothers who somehow know nothing about their successful sister in the same line of business. Still readers of the best selling author's Vegas and Texas series will enjoy the ride. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time or money
Review: Pure fantasy...for anyone who knows anything about horses or horse racing will be rolling their eyes with disbelief. What a big disappointment....guess I should have held out for Janet Evanovich...at least I laugh alot and enjoy her fantasy.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredibly sexist, continuation seems worse
Review: The author of this novel is incredibly sexist. She seems to be very nice in the letter at the end of the book, sharing her favorite recipes and poems with you (even though she has bad taste in poetry). She says she enjoys writing novels about women who get stronger as the story progresses, which was the case in Texas rich (Billy was such a wimpy pathetic character it made me sick) but in this book the main character gets nastier and nastier. She's a terrible heroine; she smokes, is pig-headed, has a dirty mouth and is sexist. She wants to show the world that women can do anything men can, yet doesn't believe men can do anything. She says she only likes women's cooking-but if a man said he only liked men's cooking she'd be all after him! By the second part of her books, the heroine's marriage has fallen apart, and her husband is cheating on her. Of course, she never cheats on him, nooo. I am a girl, by the way, but hypocrisy makes me sick.
A factor of magic was brought into the book; her daughter can see angels, a dead guy talks to his sister and friend, and the heroine is psychic! She single-handedly ruins the only factor of excitement the book might have had, by knowing what's the outcome of every situation, from what gender the foal will be to whether or not she will win the race. The magic and otherworldly stuff is pretty lame.
Also, every man she meets seems to be worse than the last, but every new woman is the sister she never had, the mother she never had (the third cousin twice removed she never had) and each woman more reliable than the last. Despite the fact that she is called a great mother, in the sneak preview at the end of the book, she throws both of her kids out of the house never to return because they're late coming back from their vacation. Wow. Great mother. She even admits that the horses always come first. In fact, she would be better off with horses. They'd do her more good. This is the second book I've read by her-and had I known who the author was, I would have only read one. I doubt I'll ever read another.
The good stuff: the book is interesting and keeps your attention. The characters are ok and the story is original, bringing in some of the characters from Texas Rich, which was nice. If you like this kind of story, buy it, but it isn't my thing.
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Summary: The Family reunion of all time's Colemans and Thorntons
Review: The Family Reunion! This book has it all Sallies Vegas and Billy's Class of Texas and Nealy's Diamonds.I loved how Fern brings all the love and grander of two families in to one book ,and the one thing that touched my hart in this book is how she uses Grit in all the books but the one thing that still stay's in my mind is how Nealy said to the family at the door "Im nealy Coleman and you are?"Nealy Coleman is to me like having Emilia Coleman,Fanny thornton,Billy Coleman and Maggie coleman wraped into one strong woman and she is what do you exspect from a Derby winner and a triple crown .Kenticky Rich is everything you would exspect money, power ,love and tears ! It is only a 3 hour jet ride from Texas to Las Vegas ,Nevada but only one page to Kentucky ! but like the back of the las vegas welcome sighn it says on the back come back soon and that is what Fern let's us do !Its called Kentuck Rich .
Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste your money
Review: This book is terrible. I bought it to read over Derby weekend. Obviously Fern Michaels has never been to Kentucky or she wouldn't have written such an inaccurate book. Absolutely nothing happens in the first 300 pages. The book is predictable, boring and has no character development. There is no one in the novel that you care about. Why would you want to read any more about these shallow people? Don't waste your time or money!
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Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: This has to be one of the worst books i have ever read. Her plot is seriously lacking in real content, her characters are shallow and one dimentional and her writing is crude and predictable. I found none of her characters well planned out, especially the focus Nealy, who comes of as cold, unknowledgable and arogant.
Fern Michaels reaseach is seriously lacking as well. There is no way of knowing the running ability of a newborn foal. And what happened to the prep races for the derby?? Plus the idea of breeding in a 'family' is not only 'unorthadox' it's absurd. Horses do not form families (ie mother, father, child) naturally, they form herds in which a stallion is dominant over several mares. After the colts are old enough to survive on their own, the stallion chases the off, as to eliminate compition. A stallion could care less whether his offsping did wells at the track or not. And there is not way that you would bring the parents of a three year old race horse to the track with it.
Racing fans:if you'd like a wonderfully written book that is well researched try Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley.
Rating: 
Summary: Kentucky Rich by Fern michaels
Review: This is a long awaited book for Fern's fans ....it is the beginning of 3 books that will combine & conclude the Vagas & Texas Series books she has written ,,,,,This book was great & picks up the story of the characters in the other books ...as always , when I finished it , I could hardly wait for the next book ....Fern has a special way of making the characters come to life & I always actually feel that I know them ....Maybe we see a little of ourselves in these characters ..!! As always this book will hold your attention & you will fall in love with the animals in it ...I loved it , as always !!
Rating:
Summary: overwhelmingly shallow
Review: This is my first Fern Michaels book and it won't be my last. Hailing originally from Baltimore, the home of the Preakness, I grew up loving the sport but from afar. I know nothing about the intracacies of training or racing a horse. What I do know is that Ms. Michaels captured the love an owner, trainer and jockey has for his horses and how that love is returned by the animal. Nealy Coleman Diamond and her daughter Emmie leave a disastrous home situation and are lovingly embraced and adopted by Maud and Jess Diamond. These 4 main characters share so much love, wealth and fame. The book evolves over a 30 year span and the later chapters reunite Nealy with her estranged family who once again triumph over much adversity and manipulation. The story is wholesome without much profanity, violence and sex, which is refreshing to say the least in this day and age. Pure race enthusiasts rate this low, but if the reader can forget the facts of racing and concentrate on the love emanating from the story, I think it will be a rewarding read. Kentucky Heat is on my book shelf beckoning.
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