 Hooked from the first line. |
| Review Date: January 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Carol Burnside, Eastern US |
Seriously. That first line:
Before the accident, I never had to seduce a man in the dark.
was intriguing enough to keep me reading for some time.
First of all, what accident?
Who is she?
Why is she seducing someone?
Who is he?
Why does she HAVE to seduce him in the dark?
Was the accident THAT bad?
The other reviews here tell you about the plot. I'm here to tell you that the writing is wonderful.
I came across Ms. Smith's first posted excerpt on the Belle Books website (bellebooks dot com)and could not stop reading. At that time she'd only posted one or two chapters. Each month I came back looking for a little more on Cathryn and Thomas. I wanted to know the why's and when's and how's of their story. The odds of their inevitable coming together (given the first line) were gi-normous. Yet, in weaving their stories together, Smith makes you believe that these two very damaged people can not only help each other, but are the ONLY ones who can help each other heal.
Perhaps I should confess that before reading an excerpt of The Crossroads Cafe, I'd never read anything by Deborah Smith (How did I NOT know about her???) By the time this book hit the store shelves, I'd purchased and read another of her books. I liked it well-enough, but wasn't bowled over. That made me apprehensive. Could she keep my interest in TCC?
She did. Not only was the plot intriguing, but the wildly eclectic cast of characters were richly drawn and multi-faceted. This rich characterization didn't stop at Thomas and Cathryn, but extended to Delta, who runs the cafe, and her husband Pike. It extended from the sideline characters of young Cora and Ivy, to the lesbian couple Macy and Alberta and their motley collection of abused women. Each character had purpose and helped move the story along. Even the Southern setting became an integral part of the story without long passages of description and brought a deeper understanding to the characters.
If you don't like emotional reads, fascinating characters, gripping prose and books with enough southern flavor you swear you can taste the grits and sweet tea, just ignore this post. But if you do, the Crossroads Cafe may very well become one of those books you keep, re-read, and hug to your memory with an affection usually reserved for long-time, cherished friends. |
wow!
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| Review Date: December 28, 2009 |
| Reviewer: M. Cotto, |
| Im not particularly good with writing reviews but I just had to write something. I read this book in 2 days and it has been one of he best books ive ever read. I went through many emotions reading this book, laughing on one page, crying on the next. I have recommended this book to everyone i know and i just know it will touch their heart as it did mine. If biscuits are food for the soul through your stomach...this is food for the soul through your eyes. Beautiful. |
She just keeps getting better!!
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| Review Date: October 20, 2006 |
| Reviewer: J. Cosh, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada |
I didn't think it was possible. After many years of reading, I think I have gotten a bit cynical & I usually open a book by a fav author with a bit of trepidation. Is it going to measure up to the last one? Or, if the last was was a struggle to read, is it going to disapppoint again?
Well, Deb Smith has NEVER disappointed me, ever since I first read Blue Willow many moons ago, & this one is another book that will go on my keeper shelves to be read & loaned out, (carefully!!) again & again. Only 1 teeny disappointment maybe, it could have been a hardcover as per her usual, they hold up better to repeated readings, but I guess maybe the softcover will reach those who can't afford the HC prices sooner.
I hear that Sweet Hush has been optioned for a movie, I think this one would be terrific for that too. I would wish that every young girl would read this book who might be struggling with the whole "being pretty" thing & body image issues. They will relate to young Ivy in the book I am sure. And heaven knows, we "older" women still struggle with those same issues, seeing ourselves as imperfect & therefore not as important in society as somone who is "perfect" in appearance.
Thank you so much Deborah Smith for another great book. Looking forward to the next one!
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good enough to read a loud
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| Review Date: January 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: R. Toy, |
| my wife read this book to me out loud and we both spent a lot of time laughing. this author, while sometimes being a bit sappy, makes up for it is her sense of humor and ability to create characters that you really want to know. at the end, there is a sad sense that you are leaving behind good friends. for books to help us feel better in the middle of an awful war and scarey climate change, this is a book to cheer you up and make you laugh and cry at the crazy turns of life and love. |
Howdy from author Deborah Smith
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| Review Date: October 10, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Deborah Smith, Atlanta, GA |
I just want to say thanks to all of you who've put The Crossroads Cafe waaay up in the Amazon ranks during its first official on-sale week. My previous novels were all published by big New York houses, and The Crossroads Cafe is by my own small press, BelleBooks, yet its initial Amazon sales have been far better than the books from the big publishers. Amazing and wonderful!
I hope you'll visit the BelleBooks website at [...]. There you can hear a special audio excerpt from the novel, read by a sexy-voiced actor. Also, I'm offering my very own designed Wild Teapots postcards to readers who order multiple copies of The Crossroads Cafe via BelleBooks.
For readers' groups: I'm offering a thank-you gift to the first 25 groups who select Crossroads for discussion. Your group will receive two pounds of the most incredible fudge on Earth -- made fresh in the north Georgia mountains at the Dahlonega Fudge FActory and shipped to your group leader just in time for your Crossroads event.
I'm thrilled with the response to this novel, the first from BelleBooks, and I love hearing from readers. Drop me a note at debbsmith@aol.com.
I'm working on my next novel, A GENTLE RAIN, to be published next spring. It's the story of a Connecticut heiress who discovers she's adopted and that her biological parents are mentally handicapped. She hides her identity to work on the Florida ranch where they are employed, too. She finds unexpected romance with the ranch owner, a tough but fascinating "cracker cowboy" who cares tenderly for his own handicapped brother. I'll be offering free email excerpts from A GENTLE RAIN, starting this winter. |
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