FOUR STORY SUMMARY: I enjoyed, tremendously, reading the four stories back-to-back. It was like reading one large novel. Each story took off from where the last one finished and no stone was left unturned. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Rated 5.0
ISBN#0-373-48332-5
Copyright1991/1996
Reviewed 11/30/97 by Pam

As usual, I didn't go wrong when I chose a Nora Roberts novel to read. Resisting temptation and the bookstore when I found THE CALHOUN WOMEN stories all in one book was impossible for me. I had just put the series on my web page as one I wanted to find to read and within a week I had it in my hands.

Catherine Colleen Calhoun, also known as C.C., is an auto mechanic and owner of the shop she works in. She purchased it from the previous owner several years back. She, her three sisters, and her aunt live in The Towers, which has been the family home for over a hundred years. The Towers, is on the verge of being taken from them due to outstanding bills, back taxes and the like. The last things these ladies want to do is sell, but they may be left with no choice.

Trenton St. James III is on his way to Bar Harbor to meet with the owners of The Towers. He received a letter from Cordelia Calhoun, the aunt, saying they would like to listen to his offer regarding the sale of The Towers. He works with his father who wants to purchase the home and turn it into a hotel/resort. On his way there, he has car trouble and his auto ends up in C.C.'s shop. After enduring the ten mile drive to town in the cab of the tow truck, Trent asks to be dropped off in the village and also for directions to the repair shop. He completes some business and then takes a walk to C.C.'s.

Their meeting is a humorous one describing C.C. under Trent's car making repairs with only the bottom half of her body showing. There is Rock music blaring and she is grumbling about the owner of the car who she declares doesn't take care of his automobile. Trent thinks there is a young boy under the car and treats C.C. as such until she comes out and meets him face to face.

There is an obvious and blatant attraction between the two, but upon C.C.'s discovering who Trent is, it comes to a complete halt, or so she thinks. She doesn't want anything to do with the man who plans to take her family's home away.

The plot thickens as Aunt Cordelia tries to play matchmaker with Trent and one of her beautiful nieces. Trent catches on and fills in C.C. with her aunts plans. Add to this a missing necklace from the past and you'll find yourself a page turner for sure. Don't miss "Courting Calhoun" the first story in the series of THE CALHOUN WOMEN.

Rated 5.0
ISBN# 0-373-48332-5
Copyright 1991/1996
Reviewed 11/30/97 by Pam

An enjoyable continuation is found in the story of "A Man for Amanda" by Nora Roberts. This story takes off from the end of "Courting Catherine." You take a list-making perfectionist and put her in the ring with an Irish architect from Oklahoma, and what do you get - sparks - crackling like fire!

Amanda Calhoun detests Sloan O'Riley from the moment she runs into him, literally. With her arms full of boxes containing lacy lingerie, Amanda runs smack-dab into the chest of Sloan. Now, to her he is sexy at hell, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he is in her way, and she's in a hurry. Amanda is always in a hurry.

Sloan is attracted to Amanda immediately. The sparks are flying, the moods are swinging, and Sloan wants Amanda. It doesn't take long for him to determine that he wants more than a roll in the hay with Mandy. Now, if he can just get her to agree with him on the matter of marriage, well, he'll be a happy guy.

Imagine Mandy's shock at discovering that the man she ran into is the same one who is the architect in charge of renovations for the St. James Hotel. First of all, fighting the attraction is next to impossible. And secondly, she doesn't need Sloan coming into her life when she has so many things to get through. Finding the Calhoun emeralds and getting the construction done on the St. James Hotel in one of the wings of her home so that she can begin her new job as manager are among the most important. And last of all, marriage to Sloan runs in the back seat as far as priorities go.

On goes the mystery of the missing emeralds. A thief makes his way into the Calhoun home and a near-death incident is enough to add intrigue to an already wonderful story.

Don't miss it!

Rated 5.0
ISBN# 0-373-48332-5
Copyright 1991/96
Reviewed 11/30/97

Well, leave it to Nora Roberts to start off part three of The Calhoun Women series with a bang. Intriguing and magical is the tale of Lilah Calhoun and Max Quartermain.

Max jumps overboard when he realizes the men he is sailing with are the "bad guys" and are using his abilities for illegal means. He happens upon one of their conversations and as a result they want to kill him. To escape, he jumps overboard and attempts to swim to shore. The waves become to much for him, but leave it to fate to place Lilah Calhoun on the beach at just the moment that Max is going under. Without hesitation, Lilah jumps in and swims out to save him. It is a deathly adventure, but both cling to each other and end up on shore.

Max suffers some memory loss from the bullet that grazed his head. The Calhoun women offer him a place to stay to recuperate. The men in the lives of the Calhoun Women are reluctant to let this stranger stay in the same house with their ladies when they know that a thief is still running loose. The very same thief that almost killed Amanda and Sloan.

Lilah is quite the flirt, what harm is there in that when it comes to attractive men. Max misinterprets her flirting for one is quite knowledgeable in the relationships between men and women. He himself hasn't been a monk, but most of his time is spent in a classroom teaching history to college students.

Lilah is attracted to the bookworm, Max. As his memory comes back and he discovers why he is where he is and who is to blame, Max offers to help the Calhoun family find the thief and of course, assist in their search for the Calhoun emeralds.

What a wild ride as Max and Lilah find romance among the mystery and intrigue. A wonderful story that no Nora Roberts fan should miss.

Rated 5.0
ISBN# 0-373-48332-5
Copyright 1991/96
Reviewed 11/30/97 by Pam

The last story of the Calhoun Women series is the story of Suzanna Calhoun. A divorced mother of two, Suzanna has finally escaped from the clutches of her husband and returned home to Two Towers to live with her sisters and aunt. Suzanna is struggling to make a success of her landscaping business in order to provide for her children and pay off the horrendous debt she acquired by offering her ex-husband a settlement in exchange for custody of their children. Children she knew he didn't even want. So, in summary, there is no room in her life for romance and such. Afraid of ending up in a relationship with another jerk, she avoids relationships all together.

The family is still in search of the Calhoun emeralds and with the help of Max Quartermaine, Lilah's fiancé, they discover the grandson to the man who had been in love with Bianca, owner of the Calhoun emeralds, just happens to live in the same cottage that his grandfather did years ago. Since Suzanna is the one most aquainted with Holt Bradford, it is decided that she will be the one to talk to him and see if he is willing to help them in their search for the emeralds.

Holt is a retired policeman. Injured while on duty, Holt decided that he wanted to live in the quiet life and returned to where he grew up, Bar Harbor. It is very difficult for him when he discovers the crush he had for Suzanna. He doesn't believe all that hog-wash about a romance between his grandfather and Bianca Calhoun, a married woman. Eventually he does offer to help in the search. Mostly to be near Suzanna.

What a wild and romantic tale between two hurting individuals who are able to find love between them. Nora Roberts is sensational - there is no question about it.