<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Surprising, funny, sad, wonderful -- and, yes, intelligent
Review: Who would ever imagine that a do-good vicar could make a
wonderful romance hero? Well, Gaffney has made this so in TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH. The genuinely good hero of this book discovers he has feet of clay. Something of a
fall-from-grace theme. Wonderfully human. The female -- I
hesitate to use the word "heroine" because she is more an
anti-heroine -- is so wonderfully cynical that SHE is
more the rakehell of this book. So many delightful
inversions and embellishments on old romance themes here.
In Gaffney's hands, all the stuff that can be so stale
comes alive anew. A truly fine writer that demonstrates
why romance is rapidly becoming more a more respected genre.
A keeper on a shelf of few keepers!
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Cuevas
Rating:
Summary: Another great Gaffney read
Review: Another very fine read, which is what I've come to expect from Gaffney. What was most intriguing about this book was the heroine, Anne's, somewhat jaded, cynical and self-deprecating outlook on life(usually that's the man's role in a romance novel). The hero was noble and good, sexy and romantic, and the romance between Christian, "Christy," and Anne is divine. The anti-hero is not your typical brutish lout - a bit more interesting and well-defined than the outragiously monstrous, errant husbands in novels with similar plots. In "To Love and To Cherish," Gaffney respects the vicar's Protestant beliefs. Rich in textured descriptions of characters and the quaint village of Wyckerly, one never feels Gaffney is just filling up page space; rather, you are transported to another place and time. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, romantic - an absolutely perfect book!
Review: This book has everything I could hope for in a romance. It's a beautifully written love story, is intensely moving, and has deep, layered and completely developed characters. I enjoyed everything about it. It's a story about forbidden love and also one about faith. Geoffrey D'Aubrey returns as Lord to the home he ran from as a child. With him he brings his wife. His beautiful, cynical, lonely and battered wife Anne. War and soldiering are the only things Geoffrey truly loves. Before they've barely moved in he leaves Anne to fight another senseless battle. He leaves his horse and her (and in that order) in the care of his childhood friend Christy - a minister. Christy is gentle, kind, caring, loving and he and Anne become fast friends despite their differences in faith (she's an atheist). They have a great time joking about their differences and are open and honest with each other. Despite their attempts to avoid and deny it they fall in love but are both such! honorable people they refuse to do anything about it - until Geoffrey is reported dead. But before they can live happily ever after they must struggle through some horribly bleak times. I ached for this couple as they suffered through so much darkness and pain. This book is so good that it haunts me still. I don't say this often, and haven't said it in a long while, but if you haven't read this already go find it immediately.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite of the series
Review: This is the first book of a wonderful series. Patricia Gaffney has created a beautiful English village and an incredible love story between the local vicar and a married woman. I loved it!
Rating: 
Summary: Not your average romance story.
Review: Well I actually read this one after I had read "To Have and To Hold" and I think I preferred the story of the 2nd book better. Gaffney does seem to have a knack of unusual storylines for romances. Anne is a very "hard to like" heroine IMO. Her views on life, religion, marriage is a bit jaded and cynical. Christy is very likable, being the Honest-to-the-bone Vicar. Be prepared for a book that does not fit the honey sweetness of your typical romance novels. Anne is a married woman, married to Christy's long time best friend (although he and Christy have not spoken for years). There are some strange circumstances around their marriage which is revealed in the book but it is left up to the reader how such a condition came about...... I like the fact that Anne eventually becomes less cynical and I love the fact that Christy didn't betray his beliefs to have her. That all ways works out better in romance if this can be achieved. I would recommend reading these books in order though, this being the first. So you can see how Ms. Gaffney sets up the different people in this cozy village. Happy Reading
Rating:
Summary: Not your average romance story.
Review: Well I actually read this one after I had read "To Have and To Hold" and I think I preferred the story of the 2nd book better. Gaffney does seem to have a knack of unusual storylines for romances. Anne is a very "hard to like" heroine IMO. Her views on life, religion, marriage is a bit jaded and cynical. Christy is very likable, being the Honest-to-the-bone Vicar. Be prepared for a book that does not fit the honey sweetness of your typical romance novels. Anne is a married woman, married to Christy's long time best friend (although he and Christy have not spoken for years). There are some strange circumstances around their marriage which is revealed in the book but it is left up to the reader how such a condition came about...... I like the fact that Anne eventually becomes less cynical and I love the fact that Christy didn't betray his beliefs to have her. That all ways works out better in romance if this can be achieved. I would recommend reading these books in order though, this being the first. So you can see how Ms. Gaffney sets up the different people in this cozy village. Happy Reading
Rating:
Summary: positive
Review: What a wonderful book hiding out as just another paperback romance! Except for CROOKED HEARTS (which is as dumb as your typical paperback romance), Gaffney's books are all quite readable--but this one is REALLY superior, well written, romantic, even moving. There certainly should be a hardcover "real literature" edition!--E.P
<< 1 >>
| 
