Search - Tapestry

I admit being moved to tears several times throughout this book. Karen Ranney has a talent for transforming a simple romance into an endearing love story.
I've read several romances that lay claim to a "scarred" hero but the extent of the scars may be nothing more than a limp or a single scar running along the side of the hero's face. I must admit that when I first read the full extent of Alex's scarring - I was shocked to the point of almost not reading the rest of the book. In my shallowness, I couldn't fathom how the heroine could possibly look past his numerous disfigurements to see the man beneath the "monster". That's when I discovered that "Tapestry" is more than a romance - it is a story about love - pure love. By the end of the book, I had fallen in love with Alex myself.

Why didn't I give it a 5 star rating? I tend to save this rating for books I would read again and again. Although this was a beautiful story illustrating the power and endurance of love - there were times when it was heartwrenching in its sorrow evoking very strong feelings of grief and loss that I care not visit again any time soon.

Romance, laughter, pain and loss - still love abounds in this masterpiece!!!

Loved this book! A beautiful story - just when I thought it would get trite and very predictable, the story changed. A must for romance readers.

Beautiful yet heart wrenching love story. Great characterizations and believable plot. There were many times that I couldn't put it down, but I couldn't go on yet I needed to know what happened next. An especially poignant scene had me tearing up but I was at work--it was very hard to put it down, but can't have the clients seeing me cry!

I think the story idea for TAPESTRY had great potential, however this is one of Ranney's earlier books - it was her first to be published but the second one she wrote - and it shows. In my opinion, she just wasn't as good a writer or storyteller as she has now become, because I have absolutely adored the more recent books of hers that I have read.

MAIN CHARACTERS, Alex and Laura:
*SPOILER STARTS* The hero was heartbreakingly wonderful and the heroine's despair when she thinks Alex is dead and then miscarries was poignantly written and extremely tragic. Pre-tragedy Laura was a little too sugar-sweet for me; at the beginning of the book when she undertakes the charade to get into his household, she seems to have real backbone and be very courageous, but once they marry, I found her somewhat boring. *SPOILER ENDS*

OTHER CHARACTERS:
The added character of the evil stepmother was unnecessary in my opinion - Alex suffered SO much before the story takes place and then Laura suffers even more during it, so I felt that there were enough obstacles and tragedies without adding in a cruel, promiscuous, unfeeling backstabbing ... witch. I loved Laura's uncles; Dolly, who is a late addition to the cast of characters, was a treat.

CRITICISM:
I actually (GASP - seriously, this is extremely rare/unheard of for me) found myself skimming through portions of the book in the middle; I can't really explain why, except for I was somewhat bored by the story and didn't really find it compelling anymore - there was nothing to really grab you and make you *need* to read what happens. *Extremely annoying* was Ranney's POV shifts - they were not at all done smoothly and went back and forth so much that I found myself very confused, feeling like I was watching a doubles tennis match with three balls in play.

BOTTOM LINE:
Unfortunately, although it did have some great parts - the beginning and the ending were very strong, compelling, and emotional - it just isn't really worth plodding through. Instead, read some of her more recent books that truly show her talent: TILL NEXT WE MEET is fantastic and AN UNLIKELY GOVERNESS is highly enjoyable.

(http://historical-romance-heaven.blogspot.com)

Emotional roller coaster romance novel. Make sure to have some tissues handy, this book will make you tear up....

Delightful!! A real romance/love story. One that you don't want to put down and one you don't want to end.