I was so excited to meet Debbie Macomber in person on March 19th at a mall in San Antonio, Texas. I just happened to be up that way and a friend told me that Ms. Macomber was going to be having a book signing on the same day! I was elated that my trip could then include an author book signing and one by Debbie Macomber no less!

So, the front of my book, "Montana" says, 'To Pam, Let love guide your life. Debbie Macomber 2 Tim 1:7'. When reading a Debbie Macomber novel, how could one do anything less . . .

With a name like "Montana," what would you expect? A ranch love story, maybe? Well, yes, that is what this story is all about. But just to call it a ranch love story would make it seem so blah. This is a wonderful, romantically written story and you are sure to enjoy it if you like Debbie Macomber, and maybe even if you don't.

Molly Cogan has to make a choice. Her grandfather is ill, apparently has been for some time, but just hasn't told anyone, and she, with her two sons, must decide whether or not to give up their current life and move to Sweetgrass, Montana. Of course now, where would this story go if she didn't move right?

Now, where did her grandfather find this handsome ranch hand, Sam Dakota? He is so private, but yet has a way with her boys that no one ever had. Sam is full of secrets and not quite sure what to do with them. Grandfather expels a little pressure for the two of them to marry. He even offers Sam some property to marry Molly. Well, now, Molly isn't to sure what she thinks of that. Does Sam really want to marry her or is he after the land and cattle her grandfather has thrown at him?

You're in for a ride as the rocks turn over and secrets are uncovered. Sam, the untrusted ranch hand has alot to prove to the town and especially to Molly, all while protecting the ranch that could one day become his.

Rated 4.5
Copyright 1985
Reviewed 7/27/97 by Anne-Marie

This was a beautiful story involving a rich, bitter man confined to a wheel chair due to a car accident, and a compassionate nurse, Joy Nielsen, who is hired by Sloane's parents to help him recover.

Sloane Whittaker has chased off everyone who once meant something to him. He is frustrated with his slow recovery.

Joy understands the battle Sloane has to fight. But she is not prepared for the love that blossoms between them. She is fearful he will leave her behind once he learns to walk again.

You will love the friendship that develops between Joy and her sea gull friend Jonathan.

This has been re-released. Don't miss it. It's another fine example of Debbie Macombers' writing.

Rated 4.5
ISBN# - 1-55166-260-4
Copyright 1997
Reviewed 6/29/97 by Pam

One can only call Debbie Macomber humorous and funny after reading "This Matter of Marriage." The story moves swiftly with never a dull moment. You will find yourself laughing out loud and being the recipient of a few odd looks as you work your way through this story.

Hallie McCarthy is ready for a family, including the husband. One problem. There isn't a prospective husband in sight. Well, that isn't exactly true. Her neighbor Steve Marris lives right next door, but he isn't really her type. Besides he still hung-up on his ex-wife and who wants a guy like that.

Hallie and her best friend Donnalee are on a wild adventure --> a husband hunt. The escapades they endure, particularly Hallie, will knock you off your socks and have your rolling in the idles to use a few cliches. Let's face it, Hallie just has back luck when it comes to judging men.

After her own friends fail to supply her with upstanding citizens for blind dates, she resorts to a dating service, even paying their substantial fee.

Steve Marris has two beautiful children who spend many of their weekends with their dad. They like Hallie and end up at her house just as often as they are at Steve's. They all tend to feel sorry for Hallie with her badluck in choosing a decent date and including Hallie in their little family trips seems like a good idea.

You will laugh your way through all of Hallie's date hoping and praying that one day she will finally see the light -- that Steve just may be her type after all.

An extremely delightful story! Definitely one of Debbie Macomber's best.

Rated 4.5
ISBN# - 1-55166-260-4
Copyright 1997
Reviewed 5/25/97 by Anne-Marie

This was a fast-paced, humorous, and cutesy romance story.

The heroine, Hollie MacCarthy's, biological clock is ticking. She's almost 30 and not a prospective husband is in sight.

Steve Morris is the neighbor in the condo next door. He is a recently divorced man with two kids. He did not want the divorce. He is still crazy about his ex-wife Mary Lynn and dreams of them re-marrying.

Hollie is talked into calling a dating service by her best friend Donnalee. After much consideration, she finally pays the $2,000 fee to find her husband to be! What ensues is a list of kookie, perverted, or cheap dates. Her first date left her to pay half the meal since they decided during the meal that they were not a match. On the way home from this date the car breaks down and he blames Hollie. She walks out on him and takes a taxi home. Since she was broke after paying for a meal she didn't expect to she knocks on her next door neighbor Steve's door to ask for a $20 loan.

In the months to come Steve, Hollie, and Steve's children build great friendships. They go out to the drive-in, out for pizza, out to Steve's son's baseball game, have BBQ's and a lot of all round fun.

Somewhere in all of this they find each other feeling a romantic connection.

I won't say anymore. Be sure to treat yourself to this wonderful comedy. It's another winner from Debbie Macomber.

This was a cute story. The heroine returns home after being away for nine years struggling to be a famous singer. She is an unwed mother and she is in serious need of heart surgery.

The hero is her high school sweetheart who proposed to her many years ago. She said no because she wanted to pursue her potential singing career and not be straddled to ranch life.

Letty and Chase have a lot to deal with. Especially old feelings being stirred up. But there are many roadblocks before these two finally fulfill their dreams of loving one another.

This was a heartwarming story with Debbie Macomber's usual humor.

Rated 4.0
Copyright 1983
Reviewed 4/24/97 by Isolde W.

"A Promise to Cherish" is the same light story like "Forsaking all others." It is only to enjoy. Sit down, put your feet high, lay back, and enjoy the hours spent reading this book.

Lee Walker is a young woman. She works for a big construction company. She has a job that normally only men hold. That is why she has to fight against prejudice every day and, of course, being part Indian descent doesn't help. Her boss is a nauseating person.

Presently she is in Denver for an important meeting. She is to bid on a big job.

At the airport she accidently takes the wrong suitcase, but does not discover her mistake until she is at her hotel. All her documents are gone. In the suitcase she has now she finds a "Playboy" magazine and a mans clothes. The owner is a man called Sam Brown.

She decides to go to the meeting to find out who ends up with the best bid. When her bid is opened Lee is totally surprised. Somebody turned it in for her! Who could have done this?

Her company did not have the best bid so she lose this order. The winner is a very good looking man. His name is . . . Sam Brown.

He is the owner of a construction company also - Lee can't believe it. The same Sam Brown just like the name on the suitcase. Lee doesn't like Sam because she thinks he looked at her bid before setting his own.

In the evening they meet in Lees hotel and exchange suitcases. They decide to eat together but the next day they go about doing their own work.

A short time later Lee gives up her job because she can't work anymore for her unbearable boss. Sam Brown find out this and asks her if she would like to work for his company. Doing the same job, but for a higher salary. Lee accepts.

Sam isn't only interested in her because she is good in her job - there is more.

Lee has a secret as to why she is a divorced woman. Will Sam understand her? - FIND IT OUT.

ISBN# 0-06-108185-X
Rated 4.5
Reviewed 3/28/97 by Anne-Marie
Copyright 1994

Another winner for Debbie Macomber! This was a fast-moving story. I didn't want to put the book down!

Carrie Jamison is a morning deejay who is kind of quirky and definitely not conventional. Kyle Harris is a no-frills newscaster who disapproves of Katie's tactic's. One day they are called into their bosses office to be fired. The only chance they have of keeping their jobs is if they go away together to a convention in Dallas, Texas and come back as friends.

Well, Kyle hesitantly agrees and they leave together in his car. Kyle planned on taking the highway all the way to Dallas. Carrie says that will be boring and suggests they travel the more scenic route. Taking Carrie's suggestion leads both of them into the adventure of their lives that included the FBI, criminals, murder and.....falling in love!

You have to read this one. It is sprinkled liberally with humor, romance, and a little bit of mystery!

Part 1 of 3 in "Legendary Lovers"
Rated 4.0
ISBN#: 0-373-20114-1
U.S. $5.50; Canada $5.99
Original Copyright 1988
Reviewed 12/26/96 by Pam Tullos

"Cindy and the Prince" is a cute, light-hearted story. If you're looking for a feeling of happy-ever-after along the lines of the childhood story "Cinderella" than this is a story for you.

Cindy Territo and Vanessa Wilbur are working partners, janitors, four nights a week for the executive offices at Oakes-Jenning Financial Services. One night Vanessa draws attention to the fact that Cindy cleans the office of Thorndike Prince and Cindy's name is definitely close to Cinderella - her cute attempt to compare her friend to Cinderella and Prince Charming. Vanessa insists this is fate stepping in and that Cindy should try to meet Thorndike.

Cindy refuses, but to her astonishment, inn the trash she finds an invitation to the company's Christmas Ball. Using the invitation, she sneaks into the Ball under someone else's name. For this one night only she will pretend to be Cinderella from the fairytale.

Thorne Prince, First Vice President for Oakes-Jenning Financial Services, is a man missing something in life. He is about to marry and settle for a woman he doesn't love with all his heart. He attends the Christmas Ball, all the time preoccupied with the idea that he has more important things to do.

Cindy rescues Thorne from an unwanted business discussion and soon he is bewitched by this Cinderella girl. They end up spending an evening together that neither of them will ever forget. Hearing a clock in the distance chime boldly stating the midnight hour has arrived, Cindy dashes off to catch a ride from her uncle picking her up outside the office building. She leaves Thorne with absolutely no information about herself or where he can find her.

Cindy plans on forgetting all about Thorne. They are each from two different worlds, she the janitor who cleans his office, and he the dashing business executive. She would not fit in his world anymore than he would fit into hers.

Putting a crimp in her plans is the discovery that Thorne has caught a cold. While emptying his trash, Cindy finds the obvious signs, a discarded aspirin box and another for a multi-symptom cold remedy. Knowing that Thorne gave up his jacket for her the night of the ball, Cindy feels guilty and before good sense takes hold she is paying him a visit at his apartment with a pot of home made chicken soup.

Cindy plays a few cat and mouse games with Thorne, her excuse is that she is afraid to trust him with the truth about her job in his building. She doesn't feel his family could accept her and the lowly position she has as janitor. She was definitely in love with Thorne, so I couldn't understand why she didn't just talk to him about her fears instead of running and hiding at every turn.

This was an enjoyable short story. I understood Cindy's unwillingness to trust Thorne with her fears, and found myself infatuated with Thorne's ability to fall in love at first site. This was a fairytale from start to finish. It was a bit farfetched, but I allowed myself to enjoy it anyway.

Part 2 of 3 in "Legendary Lovers"
Rated 3.0
ISBN# - 0-373-20114-1
$5.50 U.S.; $5.99 Canada
Reviewed 12/26/96 by Pam Tullos

Judy Lovin, daughter to the owner, Charles Lovin, of the world's most successful shipping company, is a pre-school teacher at a day-care center. Mr. Lovin is highly disappointed in Judy's choice of jobs and demands that she quit. He claims she needs to put her schooling to better use.

Before a choice could be made, Judy is forced to make an altogether different yet difficult decision. Her father's business is going under and the only way he won't have to sell out to John McFarland is if Judy moves to the island of John's residence, St. Stephens. Judy does the only thing she can to save the family business . . . move to St. Stephens Island.

McFarland, to me, was above and beyond hateful. Judy guesses that someone "wounded John McFarland's tender spirit," but there is no mention as to why he is so cold and unfeeling. He is downright rude and ugly to Judy with no reason that I could come up with. I wanted to know why he was mean, or at the least some explanation to justify his actions, but none came.

Judy went back for more, even after John hurt her several times over. She was bound to the island and faithful to her father and his company even knowing she was only there to "amuse" John.

I don't mean to cut down Macomber's writing, because she is one of my favorites, but I did not like this hero. He was unjustly cruel with absolutely no reason given to explain, even a little bit, a reason for his actions. Now if she'd let some insight into his background, then maybe I could change my mind, maybe. If you find something that I missed please let me know.

The original copyright date for this novel was 1988, possibly some important facts were left out for this condensed version Copyrighted 1995.

Part 3 of 3 in "Legendary Lovers"
Rated 4.0
ISBN# - 0-373-20114-1
$5.50 U.S., $5.99 Canada
Reviewed 12/26/96 by Pam Tullos
Original Copyright 1988

"Almost Paradise" is a humorous adventurous, and likeable story written by Debbie Macomber.

Sherry White, a first-time counselor at Camp Gitche Gumee, was looking forward to a summer away from her loving yet strange, over-mothering step-mother Phyliss. She has taken this position as counselor, but did not tell her family where she was going. She desperately needed a break from her domineering family.

Jeff Roarke is director of the camp for intellectually gifted children. He believes in a curriculum where the minds of the children are constantly challenged. There is no time for fun stuff, particularly Sherry's reading of romantic fairy tales.

Sherry is completely opposite with her feelings . . . . children are meant to have fun. She is a good story-teller and makes up a story about a camp ghost, Longfellow, to justify the disappearance of a Barbie Doll.

The story only gets better with the mischief Ralph causes and in protecting Ralph from the camp cat, Sherry arms herself with a submachine gun water weapon.

This is a cute and funny story. The antics of the children are a wonderful enhancement to the romance growing between Jeff and Sherry. Jeff has strong will-power to keep from breaking a camp rule - no relationships between staff members. I would have liked to know more about Jeff's past and why he was so against romance and love, but all-in-all Debbie Macomber did a good job with this story!