Book Review: The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller

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Before writing this review, I did a bit of browsing of reviews already posted in Goodreads and saw mostly 1 star ratings. I felt quite sad because I really liked the story and how it was written. The prose bears a little semblance to Nicholas Sparks and Nicholas Evans, two authors of some books that I liked, and is probably one of the reasons why it was easy for me to fall in love with the story.

Francesca Johnson is celebrating her sixty-seventh birthday, and just like her previous birthdays, she has reserved the day for ceremonies that consists mainly of reminiscing the events that changed her life twenty-two years ago starting on the day she met photographer Robert Kincaid.

The Bridges of Madison County is a very poignant story of two individuals brought together by time and fate, and how they discovered the power of love and loving. It is also a story about choice and how the choices we make can affect us for the rest of our lives.

I love it that the book doesn't have lots of characters to make me confused. It is a very short and easy read, albeit very emotional and deeply profound. There are many parts in the book that should have been good starting points for discussion. I should have looked for reading buddies before reading the book. Is it possible to love two persons at the same time? When is it right to fight for love and to let go?

***Little spoilers from here on. I can understand the dislike of most of the people towards the book because like them, I also do not tolerate the adultery. In fact, during the first chapters, I already made up my mind to dislike the book. However, when I reached the last few chapters, I became convinced that yes, there is actually something to think about in this book. I cannot count how many times I cried sobbed while reading the later parts of the story. My heart goes out to Robert especially, how he lived his life alone and away from the love of his life, until the day of his death. The last chapter actually did me. I was sobbing loudly while reading and I started having hiccups.

The Bridges of Madison County is a very beautiful love story and I would love to read this again when I am in one of those emotional moods.

4 stars.

Book Review for "Ancient Blood"

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Written by: Barbara Edwards
Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 1-60154-916-4
Avail as: print & ebook book
4.5 Stars

Edwards crafts a paranormal tale that intrigues with the mystery of ancient blood, suspense, and love. Lily Alban has relocated to the small New England town of Rhodes End to avoid a human stalker, but danger has found her. Can Cole keep her safe or will his secret drive her away?

"Ancient Blood," Book Two of the "Finding Rhodes End" series is set in the cold harsh winter of January. Lily is new to the town, but soon makes friends. Melanie is a dedicated cop, and Jane, a dedicate employee of the Benedict pharmaceutical company. Cole Benedict runs the company. He also has a secret - he's a werewolf. In fact, several members of the pack live in Rhodes End.

While Lily is attracted to Cole, she learns her stalker has followed her to Rhodes End which puts her on edge. Further complicating matters Lily soon discovers she has an animal stalker as well.

Lily confides in Melanie (Mel) and the chief. After several women in the town are attacked, including Jane, Cole partners with Mel's boyfriend, Steve, to have his blood analyzed. He's desperate to mate with Lily, but fears if he gets her with child, it will be the death of her, as wolf mothers have a tendency not to survive. When Cole saves Lily from a vicious attack, he confesses his secret to her and the couple makes love. Can Lily accept Cole for the man he is?

Edwards pens an intriguing plot with many angles, which will keep the reader on their toes. Cole and Lily's story is in the forefront as they fight against their attraction in the face of danger. Steve, Cole's friend, works hard to overcome a mutation that prevents him from fully committing to Mel.

Edwards uses a good economy of words to paint rich descriptions and set the scene. The pacing never slows, keeping the reader guessing what's coming next. Secrets blend effortlessly into the story and the reader is drawn to them like moths to a flame.

Cole and Lily are interesting characters. Cole has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as leader of the pack. He's noble, honest, and protective. The chemistry between Cole and Lily could fuel a bonfire for a year.

Lily is a hard worker, focused, and determined, despite her good sense, she longs to be with Cole, but dare she when two men stalk her?

I'm picky about my wolves, but what I really enjoyed about Edwards story was her focus on the humanity, allowing the wolves human qualities to shine in the face of adversity.

The love scenes are "sophisticated" for the readers, capturing the rich sensuality of Lily and Cole's romance. "Ancient Blood" blends humanity and the paranormal effortlessly, depicting the strength of the human heart. The novel will engage the reader on the first page and won't let go until the last.

Steph B is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. Steph B is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.