Passing Through Paradise Author:Susan Wiggs Less than two years ago Sandra was the happily married wife of Victor Winslow, the favorite son of a town called Paradise, a politician who could do no wrong. Then a mysterious accident took Victor's life, leaving Sandra under a dark cloud of suspicion. Now Sandra has had enough. Her only way out is to rebuild and sell her Victorian beach house ... more »at the edge of town. She hires Mike Malloy, who's as skilled with his hands as he is at touching her lonely heart. His fight to secure a future with his children awakens all her buried dreams. But can she trust a man with unbreakable ties to a community she's eager to leave behind, a man determined to discover her deepest secrets? Torn between her need to confront the past and her longing to begin again, Sandra must soon decide where her heart is--in a new life far away, or right here, in Paradise.« less
I have read a few other books by Susan Wiggs. In my opinion, this was a departure from her normal genre. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding Sandra and her late husband Victor. I had some guesses throughout the story, and that made me want to keep reading to figure everything out. Well written book - another Susan Wiggs winner!!
Because of my love of Susan Wiggs' other books I couldn't bring myself to only give this one two stars, even though it was pretty tough to finish it. I think this was Wiggs first novel (or at least one of her first) and it's boring, predictable, and not a good intro to her other works. I usually blaze through a Susan Wiggs book.. but this one was one I'll never read again.
I usually love Susan Wiggs' books, but this was one was lacking. I urge those who don't like this title to try one of her later works. The plot is predictable and the characters fall flat. The conversations seem forced and don't ring true. Like I said, skip this one and move down the line to some of her other works.
This was an ok romance. Sandra Winslow, widow of state senator Victor Winslow, the darling of the town of Paradise, has been branded by the press and the townspeople as a "Black Widow" - although her husband's death was ruled as an accident, everyone believes she got away with murder. Much as she wants to stay in her home, living with the stigma is becoming too much for her, and she decides to sell her house and leave. But the run-down historical building needs extensive renovation. Enter Mike Malloy, divorcee and contractor specializing in historical restoration. Naturally, sparks fly. This was a pretty quick read, and despite the author's attempts at shrouding her protagonist's past in shadow, the revelation at the end was very easy to guess at, so it fell a little flat for me. I liked the characterization of Mike's children, but the side plot of Sandra's parents' break-up didn't seem necessary to me. Enjoyable enough for a bit of light reading.
