Cinders to Satin

Rating:
Summary: Skip the first 300 hundred pages...if you want romance
Review: Background: Starts in late 1840's Dublin and follows the life of Callie James for the next five or so years as she emigrates to New York. Selected by Romantic Times as one of the top 200 romances written since 1980.

Basically, this is a book with a split personality. The first 300 or so pages are the saga of a poverty stricken Irish girl going through one crisis after another. Our "hero", Bryce, appears three times - all briefly. The final third of the book is their "romance".

This book disappointed me. It may be just my taste, but when I set out to read a romance, I expect the male and female to be interacting with each other. Also, the characters aren't very interesting or deep. Callie is so busy surviving that there isn't much else to her. Bryce is a one dimensional guy that we never learn much about. Indeed, the only character with any charm for me was the butler, Edward - a chess playing, closet romantic black gentleman.

If you like rags to riches sagas, there are better efforts out there (think Barbara Taylor Bradford) and if you want romance....

Rating:
Summary: Skip the first 300 hundred pages...if you want romance
Review: Background: Starts in late 1840's Dublin and follows the life of Callie James for the next five or so years as she emigrates to New York. Selected by Romantic Times as one of the top 200 romances written since 1980.

Basically, this is a book with a split personality. The first 300 or so pages are the saga of a poverty stricken Irish girl going through one crisis after another. Our "hero", Bryce, appears three times - all briefly. The final third of the book is their "romance".

This book disappointed me. It may be just my taste, but when I set out to read a romance, I expect the male and female to be interacting with each other. Also, the characters aren't very interesting or deep. Callie is so busy surviving that there isn't much else to her. Bryce is a one dimensional guy that we never learn much about. Indeed, the only character with any charm for me was the butler, Edward - a chess playing, closet romantic black gentleman.

If you like rags to riches sagas, there are better efforts out there (think Barbara Taylor Bradford) and if you want romance....

Rating:
Summary: You immediately love this book & Callie. Wonderful story.
Review: Cinders to Satin by Fern Michaels is truly wonderful. From the beginning you love Callie and feel the pain & hardship she is going through. Just loved how Fern put this one together. Wonderful book and a great read!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Lovestory
Review: I loved the way Fern told this story, and how she gave other characters their own points of view, as well as little side plots that let you in on the lives of the other characters and how they acted and reacted and felt in the story. The ending is happy, and it made me cry. It was a very touching story about human emotion and human frailty, and how you can grow and become stronger through circumstances.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: I remember reading this book a long time ago, back in high school when I first started reading romance novels.... While browsing through Amazon.com, reading reviews and looking for a good book to buy, Cinders to Satin came to mind and so I had to look it up, curious to see if there were any reviews written about this wonderful novel. After reading some of the reviews, I had to write one of my own...

Cinders to Satin was and still is one of my all time favorite FM novels. After all these years, I can still vividly remember what the novel was about, proving that C2S has left a lasting impression. I loved the way the story began, how the heroine met the hero. The young hero saves a brash but brave little girl from being caught, and possibly hanged, for stealing food to feed her family (Ireland was going through a depression due to the potato plight). By pure chance, he sees her years later, and saves her a second time--this time from a fate far worse, a fate of exploitation and deceit. And he comes to her rescue again at the end, this time he saves her from herself. Don't get me wrong though, the heroine is anything but weak and fragile. She is bright and strong willed, but there is an innocence and naiveté about her that leaves her vulnerable. Callie grows up and goes through many hardship and tribulations.... But in the end, she discovers a love that has always been there, a true love that was lasting...

Cinders to Satin is a beautiful story of love lost and love found, hardship faced and happiness gained, of mistakes made and lessons learned. It is not the typical love story, but all the best elements of a true romance novel are there. Cinders to Satin is a truely unforgettable novel.

Rating:
Summary: My Web Site
Review: Please check out my web site at "http://fernmichaels.com" or email me at "[e-mail]"

Rating:
Summary: Wow! A long book worth spending the time reading!
Review: This was an incredible book! Fern Michaels certainly can write. Callie is a great character to get to know. The story is both tragic and romantic...simply irresistable! You experience a child's fear, the struggle of an adolescent, the joy and pain of a young mother. A truly beautiful novel that gives Fern Michaels a good name!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Story
Review: This was my first book by Fern Michaels and it is one of the best books I have ever read. I like the starting, very well written. It was a wonderful love story and you just can't help but liking Callie. I would definetly recommend this book.