Someone Like You (reissue)

Book Description

Halley has always followed in the wake of her best friend, Scarlett. But when Scarlett learns that her boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and that she's carrying his baby, she's devastated. For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley. Though their friendship may be tested by the strain, like a true friendship, it will endure.

Customer Reviews:

"Someone Like You" Was Written for Someone Like Me.......2007-08-15

I finished this book in two days, but it would have been less than one day if I didn't have to work. Welcome to responsibility. Anyway, I couldn't put it down. A powerful subject, characters I can identify with and a story line that kept me engrossed until the very last page. Author Sarah Dessen does it again, but any reader of hers has adopted the rare confidence that each of her books will and does deliver. A must read for Dessen fans!

AMAZING.......2007-07-23

i loved this book. it was amazing and real. it hooked me in. i just could not put it down. with every twist in turn from the bad boyfriend to switching roles of the strongest person. this book took you to where alot of books wouldnt they touched soft subject of teens having kids. and it did it in a great believable manner. i just loved the book. it is brilliant. and this book reminds me of my person. my bestfriend.

Teen Pregnancy.......2007-07-02

Halley's life was always pretty normal. She got along fabulously with her parents and her best friend, Scarlett, lived across the street. The girls were inseparable and Halley shared every thought and feeling with her mother and with Scarlett. But things all changed the summer before she turned sixteen.

Suddenly, Halley's mother's presence is intrusive instead of comforting. She seems to want to be in on every little aspect of Halley's life, and Halley finds herself resenting that. And Scarlett is dating Michael, a boy she lusted after for a long time. Halley feels distant from everything in her life.

At the end of the summer, though, Michael dies in a horrible accident, leaving Scarlett devastated--and pregnant, she soon finds out. She needs all of the help Halley can give in order to get through her pregnancy, after she backs out of the abortion her mother wanted her to have.

Things are even more confusing for Halley when Michael's best friend Macon starts spending a lot of time with her. He isn't the type of person Halley would usually spend time with; he is dangerously wild and Halley is more wild than usual when she is with him. But with her mother pushing her to drop him, Halley becomes reluctant to let him go.

I liked the relationship between Scarlett and Halley, and the ways they supported each other. I really liked Cameron, especially the images of him cooking for Scarlett and taking care of her. I also liked that Scarlett's pregnancy wasn't glamorized; she had all of the awful symptoms she could have had.

I didn't like Halley's mother right from the beginning of the book; I couldn't believe how long it took for Halley to finally get tired of her. I also didn't like the ending of the book. It was too inconclusive for me.

disappointed.......2007-06-22

Well-written, especially for teens, but I was disappointed with the messages: Don't get pregnant with a guy stupid enough to get killed in a motorcycle accident and best friends stand by and watch even destructive behaviors from each other in order to be supportive. Very bad to teach kids these things. She should have put the baby up for adoption into a two parent, married family. When you bring a baby into the world, you do what is right for the child--period.

Someone Like You.......2007-06-13

Have you ever been in a bad situation in life that has to do with your best friend? Teens go through lots, and usually get no credit for it. This book tells how a couple of best friends get through their troubles in life together.

This book takes place in a very friendly neighborhood. Two girls, Halley, and Scarlet become best friends, when Scarlet moves in across the street. Halley is the self-confident, good girl, and Scarlet is the good looking, bad girl. Scarlet ends up getting pregnant her junior year with a boy named Michael. Just when you think things can't get worse, Michael dies in a motorcycle accident. While Scarlet is trying to figure out what to make of this situation, Halley gets her first serious boy friend. Since Halley comes from a very strict family she has to sneak around her parents to ever get to see Macon, her new boyfriend. While new troubles arise, they still stay best friends.

My favorite part in the book is when Halley goes bad. Since she now has a boyfriend, who is a party boy and gets her to do everything, she is dramatically changing. I personally like this part the best because she rebels her parents 24/7 and figures out what life has in store for her beyond her parents rules.

The purpose of this book is to tell a story about friendship. Without a decent friend life can be hard. Like it says on the back of the book "Life is a terrible place to not have a best friend." And I absolutally agree with that.

I enjoyed this book because it has to do with things that are happening around me, in my life. And being able to see the persons point of view opposite of what I believe, changed the way I feel about teen pregnancy. Anyone that enjoys a good dramatic book and mostly young teen girls would really enjoy "Someone Like You." It really is an amazing book.

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Manufactued in China
A Friend is someone Who likes You
Every child should be given this book
gorgeous childhood memorabilia
This book, like all Anglund books, makes your heart melt.

A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You
Joan Walsh Anglund
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152296786

Book Description

This special edition celebrates the twentieth anniversary of one of Joan Walsh Anglund’s best-loved books for children and adults.

Customer Reviews:

Manufactued in China.......2003-11-14

So sad to see that this was "Manufactured in China," otherwise I would have given this heart-tugging nostalgia-waxing book 5 stars. Sigh, is nothing sacred anymore? Apparently not!

A Friend is someone Who likes You.......2001-07-27

This book is a comforting, precious childhood memory. As an adult reading it to my children, it still gives me a warm breezy feeling. My children love it and find it thought provoking and soothing.

Every child should be given this book.......2000-01-15

How delighted I was to see that this lovely book is still in print. It was given to me when I was a little girl and I bought it for my daughter and one of her friends. The sentiments are wonderful and its petite size makes it so portable. This is a book that resides on a special shelf in our daughter's room and is definitely read at bedtime.

gorgeous childhood memorabilia.......1999-09-24

a sweet, innocent, classic

This book, like all Anglund books, makes your heart melt........1999-07-15

This book is a sweetheart. It makes you and your child feel good. I would recommend this to any parent, along with the book, "Love is a Special Way of Feeling".

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Enjoyable Read
Irish Ya-Ya's
juicy!
Absolutely loved it!
Very likeable

Someone Like You
Cathy Kelly
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0452283388

Book Description

Cathy Kelly has enjoyed unprecedented success in the UK and her native Ireland. Building on the popularity of her "Dear Cathy" advice column, Kelly brings to her fiction a warmth and humor that speaks to women everywhere.

Hannah, Emma, and Leonie, three women at critical turning points in their lives, meet on holiday and find themselves changing in unexpected ways. Hannah, young, beautiful and reeling from the betrayal of a lover, decides to throw herself into her career and embrace the single life. Emma, married for two years and hoping to start a family, constantly questions her ability to be a parent, while still allowing her own parents to interfere in her life. Leonie, generously proportioned and equally big-hearted, wonders if she'll ever find love with three teenage children in tow.

Someone Like You is a celebration of life and friendship, firmly establishing Cathy Kelly as a captivating new voice in contemporary women's fiction.

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"Bestselling author Cathy Kelly makes her eagerly awaited U.S. debut with a novel that speaks to the hopes, dreams, and desires of women everywhere. Leonie, Emma, and Hannah are three women at a critical turning point in their lives-waiting for the final puzzle piece to fall into place, that one elusive thing that will leave them fulfilled. They meet on a holiday in Egypt and find themselves changing in completely unexpected ways. For Leonie, a forty-something divorced mother of three, taking a vacation she can't really afford could be her last chance to find true love. For Emma, newly married, it means escaping the yoke of her domineering parents. But Hannah, an indepen-dent career woman involved with a younger lover, doesn't believe love can buy happiness. Meeting once a month despite the distance between their homes, the bond among these new friends deepens and we come to love Leonie, Emma, and Hannah as old friends. As each woman builds a life-a love, a family, a career-she learns there is worth and support for each dream, and with friends like these life blossoms in rich and often surprising ways. Someone Like You is a celebration of all life has to offer, and firmly establishes Cathy Kelly as a compelling and captivating new voice in contemporary women's fiction. "

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable Read.......2007-10-09

I enjoyed this book. It was lengthy and I definitely did not finish it in warp speed as I might have if I had felt more entangled with the plot and characters, but that said, I did like the characters and the plot. It is definitely a book that you have to go into reading remembering that it is more about the journey than the ending, but if you keep that in mind, I think you will like the book. It is typical chick lit to some degree, but the three main characters could not be more different. Hannah is the typical single gal, while Emma is married trying to have a baby and Leonie is a single mom with three teenagers. I think the range of characters and the back and forth between them keeps the book fresh and the subplots are very interesting.

Irish Ya-Ya's.......2007-01-16

Three Irish women, all in their 30's, meet on a trip to Egypt and form an instant friendship. Hannah is recovering from being dumped after a 10 year relationship with a man who had no intention of anything permanent, Emma has been happily married for 2 years and desperately wants a bby and large, lovely Leonie, who is divorced with teenaged children, still can't give up the search for Mr.Right, Yes, it does sound like a typically chick lit novel but these three women are so real with their imperfections and their loyalty to each other that the reader can't help but become immersed in their stories. It's a big, warm read and, if you're in the mood for one of these girly books, you'll love this one.

juicy!.......2006-09-26

This book started out a little cheesy.....three very different girls meeting on a cruise down the Nile in Egypt and quickly becoming the very best of friends. It turns out the girls, Emma, Hannah, and Leonie all live within a few hours drive of each other in Ireland.

They become fast, devoted friends and help each other through the worst and most challenging parts of the lives. Emma is young and incredibly self deprecating due to her awful father verbally breaking her down her whole life. She wants nothing more than to have a baby with her wonderful husband and live happily ever after. She is under such stress due to her father and the rapidly increasing illness of her mother and believes herself to be infertile.

Leonie is over weight and single, but happy with her 3 teenage children. As she passes them back and forth with her ex husband in Boston and they become attached to his new wife, Leonie worries she's losing them, along with the health of her favorite daughter to bulimia. Along the way she attempts to meet the man of her dreams to complete her.

And finally, beautiful Hannah wants to be strong and independent after a heart breaking break up with her boyfriend of 10 years. She falls for a blossoming tv star and looses herself in the process.

Each woman is there for the other throughout the melancholy and happiness....such a fun book to read, it's hard to pick a favorite character.

Absolutely loved it!.......2006-05-04

It was a wonderfully romantic book without being overly sloppy! A great story of three women friends to help each other over life's big & little obstacles

Very likeable.......2006-01-18

A friend foisted this book upon me, proclaiming that I would like it. And indeed, I did. Of the three women in this book, Leonie, Emma, and Hannah, Leonie is my favorite. Though in age is is furthest from me, I find her the most engaging and at all times likeable. The confident, but secretly scared, earth mother. Her flare for drama leaves the other two of this trio in the dust.

Emma is constantly beset by personal tragedy and is unable to really stand up for herself until the very end, that is the journey of her character, self assertion.

Hannah has to realise that the men she picks are loosers, and there is one really great comic scene with her and more than one unwanted exbeau.

Together the three women urge each other towards higher personal acheivement and love. The book ends happily.

The writing is good and most of the characters are painted really well,a few are a bit caracturish but they serve their purpose in the narrative. I thought perhaps it was a bit too long in getting it is ending, which wasn't so much of an ending as just the book stopping. (For me anyways) I felt the narrative of these characters could easily have continued in the same manner it had rambled on for over the last several hundred pages.

This is part chicklit and part old fashioned lit. A step above the usual boyfriend and shopping drama of most chicklit though. I was never disgusted with this book the way I am with most other chicklit.

An enjoyable slightly slow paced book, good for a cold night in front of the fire, but not so light for the beach.

Someone Special, Just Like You (An Owlet Book)

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AWESOME!
What an adorable boy!!
Someone Special, Just like you

Someone Special, Just Like You (An Owlet Book)
Tricia Brown
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805042687

Customer Reviews:

AWESOME! .......2006-08-12

My little boy who is Autistic and almost 10 years old loves this book. It is very lovingly written and has such a positive attitude about children no matter what their differences are. This is a must have book for parents, teachers and librarys in schools everywhere. We must teach children that being different is okay, that there is nothing wrong with it. Great illustrations too! My son brings me this book to read nightly and has for months. When this one wears out we will get another one to replace it...

What an adorable boy!!.......2002-12-11

I loved this book! Especially the cute little boy on the left-hand corner of the cover. That's my adorable friend Jon!!

Someone Special, Just like you.......2000-05-04

I volunteered to put together a group of books for my daughter's preschool (ages 3 1/2-4) which dealt with the topic of diversity and disabilities. I have ordered and read about 15-20 children's books on the subject of children with handicaps. By far this was the very best one that I came across. It had beautiful photographs of children with all types of disabilities and the message in this book (unlike several others which I read) was 100% positive. What I mean by this is that while some other books on disabilities may deliver a message that says "don't be mean, or tease children with disabilities" , etc., this one was totally focused on all children as being lovable and worthwhile people -- very focused on only a positive message. I really enjoyed it and my daughter's class also did. The message is simple, straightforward and very warm. Compared to other books on the subject, this one really was written at a good level for the 3-4 age group.

Someone Like You (Silhouette Special Products)

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One humiliating moment - after another - a fun start.
Great story filled with quirky characters
Jill & Mac??
Someone Like Yours Truly couldn't finish this book...
Another winner from Susan Mallery

Someone Like You (Silhouette Special Products)
Susan Mallery
Manufacturer: HQN Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 037377009X

Book Description

Sometimes even a city girl needs the comforts of home. . .

Jill Strathern left town for the big city and never looked back-until she returned home years later to run a small law practice. It turns out her childhood crush, Mac Kendreck, a burned-out LAPD cop, has also come back to sleepy Los Lobos. Even though Mac had rejected her back in high school, Jill can't deny the attraction she still feels for him.

Now Jill and Mac are tangled up in enough drama to satisfy the most jaded L.A. denizens-Mafia dons, social workers, angry exes and one very quirky eight-year-old can make even the simplest romance complicated. And it all goes to prove that when it comes to affairs of the heart, there's no place like home.

Customer Reviews:

One humiliating moment - after another - a fun start........2006-01-28

`Someone like you' by Susan Mallery is the first novel and `Falling for Gracie' is the second of the series. This novel is somewhat slow and but a great background story to a fabulous funny book Falling For Gracie. This novel tells you the story of Jill a corporate lawyer and Mac the new sheriff in town. Jill had a huge crush on Mac when they were teenagers but when she offers her body to him at the age of 18 declines in a very funny way. If you have to choose, I would skip this novel and jump right to Falling for Gracie. If you enjoy reading, I would pick up both as one big story.

Great story filled with quirky characters.......2005-11-07

After catching her sleazy husband Lyle in his office literally with his pants down, Jill is summarily fired from her law firm. Ever resourceful, she returns to her hometown of Los Lobos, where she takes over an eclectic law practice until she can find the perfect corporate gig.

MacKenzie Kendrick has returned to Los Lobos also. The object of Jill's teenage crush, he has returned to bring a little stability to his life after years of undercover work have left him on the edge and ever further from his daughter. In order to share future custody of Emily with his ex, he has to keep his nose clean as the new sheriff of Los Lobos. A hard proposition for the former bad boy turned lawman, whose biggest feat will be breaking down the barrier his daughter has established between them.

Jill's last memory of Mac is her 18th birthday, where she waited in his bedroom and bared all with the intention of seducing him. He promptly threw up. The next time she was ready to bare all for a guy, Evan took one look at her and pronounced he was gay. Since Lyle did not throw up or have a sudden lifestyle change, she married him.

When Jill and Mac renew old acquaintances, the chemistry is buzzing. As much as he wants Jill, he backs off, knowing that the judge won't appreciate him seducing his daughter. But lust is thicker than blood.

Add assorted quirky citizens including a tarot card reading aunt, mobsters, a secretary who does not want to put in a full day's work, and a cranky old man who wants to sue his neighbor over a fence built a century ago, and you have a riveting story about small town life that only Mallery could come up with.

Jill & Mac??.......2004-12-02

Jill has come home in Los Lobos, unwillingly, but where else can she go? She and her *lying weasel rat-fink dog* husband have parted. She found he and his assistant in a compromising position at their office-no less and she was the one let go! Mac Kendrick has just been home a couple of weeks too--he's now the town sheriff. Jill still has her teenage crush on him but now she's ready to act on it for sure. Our H/h do have many obstacles to overcome to realize they should be together for always. Custody of Mac's 8 y.o. daughter is a big one, Jill's Aunt Bev and her new boyfriend, he's part of the Mafia, is another and Jill thinks she wants to be back in a big city not a little town like Los Lobos and Mac has come back to town on purpose he knows this is where he wants to be. Ms Mallery writes the best characters -- Mac & Jill have many flaws, just your ordinary mixed up couple, but I fell in love w/Mac but wanted Jill to have him. All the secondary characters are colorful and fun too. Ms Mallery introduces us to Riley and Gracie from the Mar '05 release FALLING FOR GRACIE and I can hardly wait!

Someone Like Yours Truly couldn't finish this book..........2004-10-27

Jill Strathern just caught her husband, pants down, with his secretary. Inexplicably fired the same day from the San Francisco law firm they both work for, Jill leaves her husband and the lifestyle she loves behind to go work in a small practice in her hometown.

Mac Kendrick is recently divorced and trying to maintain joint custody of his eight year old daughter. He's recently moved home from the big city to become sheriff of his small hometown. He has his daughter, Emily, on a trial basis for the summer.

I can't decide what this book wants to be. It's like the author started with a premise instead of a plot and just let the story meander from there. I can't really say for sure since I couldn't finish the book.

Jill moves in with her eccentric, psychic aunt next door to Mac. Way back when Jill turned eighteen she dropped her dress and offered herself to Mac and he promptly threw up. She's scarred, or whatever. He doesn't remember it because he was drunk. Anyway, we're supposed to believe that Jill never lost her crush on him and is ready to pick things right up where she left off. Mac is even more unfathomable, he just starts kissing Jill and I have no real idea why other than that he thinks she's hot. The relationship development is really adolescent.

As you might have guessed this book is a sales pitch for small town life. We've got the ridiculous mayor, Jill's nutty legal clients, the wonder-woman police dispatcher granny, the over-eager boy scout social worker, Jill's hostile secretary, etc. Everyone's a character--more like a caricature.

Mac's drama with his daughter is boring. This little girl keeps having creepy "bad feelings inside". I want to wretch.

Jill's mob boss client shows up from San Francisco to add more "drama" (because we needed more characters I guess? isn't there a formula for the number of characters that can successfully be introduced in a four hundred page novel?) Jill's other clients are page fillers, most likely to distract readers from the fact that the romance has zero chemistry.

I got about halfway through the book before I decided to give up. Let's just say I finally realized it was never going to get any better. It was just boring; boring and eye-roll inducing. Being a small town girl, I don't mind the small town thing if it's done well, if the characters are people you can care about, if *gasp* the central romance is good. This book just wasn't much of anything.

In the end, I give "Someone Like You" one star. This is not a good book, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out this author is capable of better, because her prose and style don't really lack anything. Anyone else sucked in by the back blurb, be ware--this book isn't what it masquerades itself to be.

Another winner from Susan Mallery.......2004-10-16

Susan Mallery's books are like fine chocolate or good wine, they're meant to be savored. I love that she doesn't rely on shock value to grab her readers. Someone Like You is not about who can blow up the most stuff or who does the most explicit/kinky sex scene. The characters, Jill and Mac, are people I could relate to, people I can picture living in my town.

I love Jill's and Mac's shared history, and the way they slowly fall in love. This is such a warm, wonderful book, a true love story that also deals with a lot of issues that readers can relate to like divorce, bumps in one's career, family.

I was so worried for Mac's little daughter, Emily, who is scarred from the past. I had tears in my eyes reading about her thoughts and doubts. But the book made me laugh, too, especially the sparkling dialogue between the two main characters.

By the time I was done with the book, I felt like I knew the town of Los Lobos and made friends with some of its citizens. An entertaining and delightful read.

A Grief Like No Other: Surviving the Violent Death of Someone You Love

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My own experience with grief

A Grief Like No Other: Surviving the Violent Death of Someone You Love
Kathleen O'Hara
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569242976

Book Description

A Grief Like No Other is the book no one wants to ever have to buy; sadly, many people continue to need it. From 9/11 to Cindy Sheehan's son – from mass tragedies like the recent London bombings to Law and Order type crimes that make the news only to be replaced by another name. As such, more people are left with the aftermath of dealing with the violent death of a loved one. It brings its own special brand of grieving since victim’s families can spend years dealing with legal ramifications, guilt, and a myriad of other circumstances that don’t accompany “normal” deaths.

Kathleen O’Hara knows both sides of this coin. As a therapist, she has counseled hundreds of people dealing with grief. As a mother, she saw her worst fears realized when her college-aged son was brutally murdered in 1999. In the aftermath of Aaron’s murder, O’Hara developed the seven stage journey that is at the heart of A Grief Like No Other. Although this is a book for those left behind in the aftermath of violence, it offers concrete and practical steps and stages, allowing family and friends safe passage through this incredibly harrowing journey.

Customer Reviews:

My own experience with grief.......2006-05-31

I would recommend this book not only for those who are experiencing the horrific pain associated with grief, but also for those who love them. Many of my friends and family members have bought Kathleen O'Hara's book and have gained a better understanding of what I and my family are going through.
It was just over one year ago that our son was killed in action. Mother's Day, 2005. I have struggled to find the words to write, the things to say, a way to begin working through this terrible pain. After reading and re-reading A Grief Like No Other, I have been given such a gift. The book gives the reader tools to begin writing. Suggestions on how to deal with the overwhelming grief, examples of others who have lost someone to violence and how they feel. It gave me courage and hope.
The author writes about her own experience of losing her son to violence. She is an amazing woman. Her book is well worth reading and sharing with others.

Average customer rating:

Mediocre 2.5 star melodrama
Fell short
someone like you
It Left Me Wanting More
strong family drama

Someone Like You
Barbara Bretton
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0425203883

Book Description

A master at touching readers' hearts, Barbara Bretton explores the emotional journey of two sisters and the healing truth of an unforgettable family legacy when an unexpected reunion inspires a better understanding of secrets and sacrifices.

Customer Reviews:

Mediocre 2.5 star melodrama.......2007-03-21

News that her mom's in the hospital has Joely reluctantly boarding a plane from Scotland with her lover's daughter in tow to return to the Maine hometown that she'd rather forget. Raised by her sister Cat (her absentee mother was too busy wallowing in self pity when dad left home 27 years earlier to get guitar strings and never returned), Joely never had a normal upbringing. Getting reacquainted with her sister brings up past memories of their fractured childhood. When she has difficulty reaching William, she questions if the only thing they have in common is his daughter Annabelle. With a potential job offer in place outside of London, Joely has some soul searching to do. Meanwhile Cat is dealing with a surprise pregnancy and is not sure how the father will fit into her life.

When the media finds out about her mother's hospital stay, news crews and paparazzi set up camp and hound the family. Her mother and father, Mark and Mimi Doyle, made up a popular 60's folk duo. The renewed interest in her mother's health has some old ghosts knocking at the family's door.

Despite being under 350 pages, I found the story to be long and over populated. Bretton introduced secondary characters that did little to move the story along; some were introduced then abandoned altogether. The book itself was well written, I just found it... well, boring, most characters underdeveloped or unlikable. It made it hard to really care how it all played out.

Fell short.......2006-01-02

While i did like this book, it left me with a feeling that something was missing from the storyline. It was not as good as her previous books.

someone like you.......2005-09-04

I'm studying English as a foreign language.
This book is very interesting and helpful to my reading skill.
I had read it many times.
I have a plan to read Barbara Bretton's works.

It Left Me Wanting More.......2005-08-01

There is nothing wrong with the quality of writing in this book - in terms of romance authors, Bretton is actually among the best at being literate and having a story to tell. This story is about family and the ties that do (or do not) bind them; two sisters who are living on different continents, come together when their mother is injured in a terrible accident. The sisters, both of whom are not particularly close to the their mother (or each other, it seems) are not thrilled to be back home again, but come back anyway. Catherine and Joely (the sisters) are both involved in romantic relationships of some sort, and are having a hard time being truly in love, mainly because of their rotten childhood. It sounds like a good story, and it starts out that way... BUT... it doesn't really live up to expectation. The girls' mother, Mimi, never says a word throughout the entire book, and she is supposedly the main problem both of these girls face, and the relationships that the girls have with their boyfriends is really convoluted and a lot is left unexplained. For instance, we don't even discover how Joely knows her current boyfriend for several chapters - they seemed so distant that I thought Joely was a nanny and not a girlfriend. Basically, there is no romance in this story and I suppose I was expecting some of that. I wouldn't recommend this book.

strong family drama .......2005-07-05

Joely Doyle left her hometown of Idle Point, Maine to make a life for herself. Eventually she settled in Scotland where she currently lives with William and his daughter. However, though she loves her housemates, the adult relationship is drifting apart and only their adoration for the child keeps the couple together.

Her thirty-eight years older pregnant sister Cat begs Joely to come home as she needs her help since their mother, former folk singer Mimi, suffered a stroke, burned down their house, and is currently hospitalized. Reluctantly Joely returns to Maine to see her mother, a woman who has lived in a fantasy world ever since her husband deserted her three decades ago; that "realm" is where Joely feels she and her sister were raised. However, Joely begins to learn family secrets especially that of her parents; this makes the American expatriate reassess mom and reconsider her future.

This strong family drama stars three realistic females struggling with the pivotal moment in their respective lives, the abandonment of the male over thirty years ago. Readers will appreciate how that particular key event impacted the three Doyles left behind as none of them trust males and for the most part not one another too. Readers who appreciate a powerful character study that digs deep into cause and effect will want to read Barbara Bretton's fine convincing tale.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

Beck Not at His Best !
Great light reading
Some One Like You
A Great Read
Very entertaining, but light fare

Someone Like You
Timothy James Beck
Manufacturer: Kensington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0758210353

Download Description

At the Mall of the Universe, you can get anything you want. Marc Jacobs shoes. Hugo Boss suits. Food. Drinks. Dry cleaning. A room at the five-star hotel or a lane at the bowling alley. Of course, some things are harder to come by. Meeting for coffee, dishing over drinks, dealing with heinous bosses, scheming backstabbers, clueless customers, and the occasional object of desire, four new friends are about to discover the joys of shopping for love in a place where what you need most might just be where you least expect to find it.

Customer Reviews:

Beck Not at His Best !.......2007-08-01

I previously read "He's The One" by TJB and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one really didn't do much for me. An interesting cast of characters in a storyline that really didn't go anywhere. The fact that there wasn't a whole lot of sex was refreshing for a title of this genre. The big caper, a character (the boss of our cast of characters who work in a department store) who collects Dolly Parton dolls and doesn't want anyone to know about her passion, has her dolls held for ransom by her employees. (I mean really, it bordered on the ridiculous). I would be willing to read another one of this author's titles, but if it is not better then this one I'll have to say good-bye to TJB.

Great light reading.......2007-07-06

If you are in the retail business you will love this book. Many of the references are so true

Some One Like You.......2007-07-06

It is pure escapisem which I enjoy a great deal. I have read the previous three books by Timothy James Beck. I am glad to find an author who is able to write gay romatic comedys without lots of "porn".

A Great Read.......2007-02-14

Beck, Timothy James. "Someone Like You", Kensington Books, 2007.

A Great Read

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

Timothy James Beck's "Someone Like You" is one of the best reads I have had in quite a while. It starts very quietly but it builds slowly along the way and ends with a bang. As I learned of the characters and their quirks, I felt like I had a whole group of new friends.
The setting is fictional. The novel takes place in Terre Haute, Indiana at a place called The Mall of the Universe, a tremendous shopping center that has everything one needs to maintain an existence. The entire mall is referred to in astronomy related terms and has aside from the shops condos, apartments, restaurants, skating rink and of course a planetarium among other things. Our hero, Derek, is in love with the man he has dreamt about, Hunter (who happens to be the son of a very wealthy man). Hunter's father owns an international chain of stores and Hunter, himself, is the manager of the hotel at the mall so he has a great live in arrangement. They two guys are in love but Derek sometimes feel that he is related to as a "kept boy." This causes him to question his self-esteem. Derek, feeling motivated to build his self-esteem, takes a job at Drayden's, a department store, and works as a shoe sales clerk. Hunter misinterprets Derek's decision and thinks he is simply in need of some more space.
The cast of characters is simply amazing and Beck's ability to draw character studies is fantastic. The group of characters presented includes several unforgettable types. Aside from Derek who strives for independence (so he thinks), there are several others worth mentioning. Vienna is a beautiful girl who has made up her mind never to be dependent on a man ever gain. Claiming not to want to get involved with another man, she is constantly eyeing others while selling makeup at the mall. Davii is a hairdresser at CosmicTology and is as quick with the jokes as he is with the styling brush. Nursing a secret crush on Derek, all Davii wants is a stable relationship. Christian is a smooth talker and has people eating out of the palms of his hand with his unique charm. And there is Hunter who sits and waits for Derek to come around, all the while nursing the silver spoon in his mouth.
These four unforgettable characters are unaware that what they are looking for is right under their noses and here is the gist of the novel. It is a fun book to read and terrifically engrossing Romanic comedy.

Very entertaining, but light fare.......2006-12-21

I found this book to be Timothy James Beck's best! It was very entertaining and more effectively integrated different characters than his previous books, which I did also enjoy quite a bit. It is very light fare, and there are occasional hiccups in the plot or characterizations, but they are easily overlooked. This one is a new setting with all new characters (with a cameo by Sheila, the Zodiac model from previous books), and blends in more straight characters with the gay ones than in previous books. I think the writing was improved and definitely the depth of the characters has improved over previous books. His books are light fare, not high-brow intellectual stuff, but really, I find it good fun to lose myself in some fluffy, relationship comedy (romantic and otherwise)now and then! I found this book very entertaining; it kept me wanting to know more about these characters and made me actually want to visit the Mall of America!

Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love: Flash Cards for Real Life

Average customer rating:

Talk To Me Like I'm Someone You Love

Talk to Me Like I'm Someone You Love: Flash Cards for Real Life
Nancy Dreyfus
Manufacturer: Celestial Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0890878161

Customer Reviews:

Talk To Me Like I'm Someone You Love.......2000-07-07

This little book will change the way you talk with those you love by providing easily grasped changes in the words you choose to express yourself. The author is direct and insightful. This is a great gift book for couples and parents.

Someone Like You / Keeping the Moon Flip Book

Average customer rating:

Someone Like You is Fantastico!
Two of Dessen's best in one big book
Someone Like You/ Keeping the Moon
Someone Like You/ Keeping the moon
I like this book

Someone Like You / Keeping the Moon Flip Book
Sarah Dessen
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0142301655

Customer Reviews:

Someone Like You is Fantastico!.......2007-06-13

Being 16 and pregnant would be quit the roadblock in a young girls life. Without a good friend it would be hard to handle on your own. That's what this book is all about! That's the plot and the message of this book.

In this book Halley and Scarlett are best friends. Scarlett ends up getting pregnant wither boyfriend, Michael Sherwood. To put the icing on the cake, Michael dies in a horrible motorcycling accident, leaving Scarlett alone to defend for her self. But Halley never leaves Scarlett's side. They have their ups and downs but they stick together throughout the whole book; dealing with death, boys for Halley, high school and life.

My favorite part of the book is when Sarah Dessen goes in-depth on Halley and Macon's (Halley's boyfriend) relationship. Even though they did some things, they were fun and interesting to read about. Her description showed real life emotions and feelings of teenagers. There was romance, love, fighting, and relationships.

The message of this book is, you can't live without friends. Without friends, life sucks. Friends make life fun, interesting, and they make life easier. So be nice to people and make friends. Maybe you will get lucky enough to find a best friend. Also to wait to have kids till after you get done with high school. I really enjoyed this book. I would rate this book like a 4, 5 being the best and 1 being the worst. This book is romantic; it has drama, love, friendship, and high school. I didn't really find anything that I would change about this book. I would suggest anyone who loves a good chick flick kind of book; you should read, Someone Like You.

Two of Dessen's best in one big book.......2003-10-21

Both of these stories about teenaged girls, Halley & Scarlett in "Someone like you" and Colie in "Keeping the moon" held me captive. Sarah Dessenýs writing is refreshingly honest, and she is a highly respected writer for the genre. Iýve never seen a bad review of her writing. I identified so well with all of these characters on some level. I was never pregnant, but one of my best friends was. These books suck you right in.

I highly recommend you buying this! I am glad I did.

Someone Like You/ Keeping the Moon.......2003-04-19

...It is about a girl named Halley who is just dropped off at a camp called Sister Hood camp, she begins to change, when her best friend Scarlett calls her late at night, saying her boyfriend Michal the most popluar boy in her high school, has been killed on his brand new motercycle, later in "Someone Like You" We find out about Scarlett being pregnet with Michal's child. We find out about how she goes though it with Halley's help! Meanwhile Halley is finding herself with her first love a boy named Macon who was Michal's best friend, she faces diffacuilt desions thourgh out there relationship. It is a fablous book, it really taught me about myself! Meanwhile "Keeping the Moon" is complatly opposite and is still a great story! It is about a girl named Colie who has always been teased about her weight, same as her mother, they where always traveling, intil one day her mother meets a health club owner, she helps her mom find a job as a fitness women and Colie and her lose a lot of pounds, but meanwhile the jet-black died hair and the lip ring makes Colie different when she has to stay with her crazy Aunt, for the summer. She meets friends that will change her and makes her more confident about herself and her weight, she even falls for someone! These books were faboulos and great!I loved them both! Read them!

Someone Like You/ Keeping the moon.......2003-04-15

This two books were the best books I have ever read! The author Sarah Dessen, is a great writer. She truly brings life to any character that she writes about. This two stories are about incrediable heroines that will make you want to read more of her work. They are about to girls facing there problems and are willing to overcome them. Each different they make both stories excellent!!! "Someone like You" is about a girl named Halley who has always been close to her mother but when dropped off at camp things change when her best friend Scarlett calls saying her boyfriend died and later in the story she friends out that Scarlett is pregnet. While Halley is soon falling for someone herself and that realationship with a boy name Macon. It truely taught me about myself. "Keeping the moon" is about a girl named Nicole, called Colie, her mother and her used to be extremly over-weight intil her Mom becomes a famous fitness instructer, appearing on T.V. and more she is send to live with her Aunt, crazy as she is for the summer, while her Mom promotes things in Europe. It was a great book also. These are fantastic books!!!!! I reccomend it to any 13 and up girl! One who is mature!

I like this book.......2002-12-05

This book is really cool and nice, i like it a lot. It's a really good book, because it's just so excellent. The book is like the best and there is no other book as good as this one because this book is the best. It's like really cool, too. I like it greatly, please read it because it is just so good, it's unbelievable. This book is like super-cool and it's just so nice and swell. This is like the bestest book ever.
Oh yeah and after reading this review you probably think i didn't really read the book, but i did i was just too lazy to write a real review 'cause that's too much work for me.

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