Deborah B. (blistermoth) reviewed on + 6 more book reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This debut by the daughter of Sidney Sheldon, an innocuous drama of mothers and daughters, is too prim to qualify as a guilty pleasure, which may be to its credit. 40-something Alexis Donleavys seems to have it all a brilliant career as an interior designer, a successful husband, a fabulous Manhattan apartment. But she is haunted by memories of her mother, Maggie, the flamboyant actress who abandoned her when she was a little girl. When Alexis is nearly assaulted by a gang of teenagers, she returns to the scene of the crime (a home for troubled youths) to "teach them about beautiful things." There she encounters sensitive outsider Linda, whom Alexis takes under her wing. Meanwhile, in Paris, Maggie recounts her life story to a reporter: her meager childhood, her affair with a married man, her marriage into a wealthy family and her rise to stardom. Alexis flashes back to her own girlhood especially the tug-of-war between her imperious grandmother and free-spirited Maggie over her upbringing and, later, the death of her own six-year-old daughter, Elise. Maggie comes off as selfish and more than a little foolish and her autobiography threatens to nudge out the real story: Alexis's relationship with Linda, which is touching, though it, too, obviously hinges on old tragedies. Still, both women are likable enough that readers won't mind the ham-handed psychology and the ending left wide open for a sequel.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
This story of a married woman searching for the mother who abandoned her years ago takes the reader on a thoughtful, if somewhat cumbersome, journey through high expectations, misunderstandings, and disappointments. Alexis Donleavy is a very rich and successful interior designer, yet she is profoundly saddened by feelings of abandonment and loss that have haunted her since childhood, when her mother left to return to her career as an actress. A crisis involving a troubled girl whom Alexis mentors at a home for disadvantaged teens forces her to uncover the true reasons why her childhood has left her in such emotional turmoil. Sheldon tells this story in a series of flashbacks involving Alexis and her mother. At first it seems disjointed and is difficult to follow as the characters and viewpoints continually shift, but readers patient enough to plow through the sluggish plot will be rewarded with a somewhat ambiguous but satisfying ending. The author is the daughter of writer Sidney Sheldon, and name recognition alone is sure to generate some interest. Recommended for most public libraries. Margaret Hanes, Sterling Heights P.L., MI
This debut by the daughter of Sidney Sheldon, an innocuous drama of mothers and daughters, is too prim to qualify as a guilty pleasure, which may be to its credit. 40-something Alexis Donleavys seems to have it all a brilliant career as an interior designer, a successful husband, a fabulous Manhattan apartment. But she is haunted by memories of her mother, Maggie, the flamboyant actress who abandoned her when she was a little girl. When Alexis is nearly assaulted by a gang of teenagers, she returns to the scene of the crime (a home for troubled youths) to "teach them about beautiful things." There she encounters sensitive outsider Linda, whom Alexis takes under her wing. Meanwhile, in Paris, Maggie recounts her life story to a reporter: her meager childhood, her affair with a married man, her marriage into a wealthy family and her rise to stardom. Alexis flashes back to her own girlhood especially the tug-of-war between her imperious grandmother and free-spirited Maggie over her upbringing and, later, the death of her own six-year-old daughter, Elise. Maggie comes off as selfish and more than a little foolish and her autobiography threatens to nudge out the real story: Alexis's relationship with Linda, which is touching, though it, too, obviously hinges on old tragedies. Still, both women are likable enough that readers won't mind the ham-handed psychology and the ending left wide open for a sequel.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
This story of a married woman searching for the mother who abandoned her years ago takes the reader on a thoughtful, if somewhat cumbersome, journey through high expectations, misunderstandings, and disappointments. Alexis Donleavy is a very rich and successful interior designer, yet she is profoundly saddened by feelings of abandonment and loss that have haunted her since childhood, when her mother left to return to her career as an actress. A crisis involving a troubled girl whom Alexis mentors at a home for disadvantaged teens forces her to uncover the true reasons why her childhood has left her in such emotional turmoil. Sheldon tells this story in a series of flashbacks involving Alexis and her mother. At first it seems disjointed and is difficult to follow as the characters and viewpoints continually shift, but readers patient enough to plow through the sluggish plot will be rewarded with a somewhat ambiguous but satisfying ending. The author is the daughter of writer Sidney Sheldon, and name recognition alone is sure to generate some interest. Recommended for most public libraries. Margaret Hanes, Sterling Heights P.L., MI
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
