Customer Reviews

Star Bright (Signet Novel)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

STORY BRIEF:
Peter studied, courted and married three heiresses. The first two died under mysterious circumstances. The third is Rainie. He has been beating and abusing her. She believes he plans to kill her, so she fakes her death and runs away using a false identity. She gets a job as a bookkeeper for Parker, a horse breeder on a ranch near Crystal Falls, Oregon. When Parker discovers she lied on her job application, Rainie believes she must run again. Parker guesses her circumstances and convinces her to stay on, even though she will not tell him any details other than her real first name. She decides to trust him and stay.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
Most of the book was wonderful. I loved how smart and careful Rainie and Parker were. I loved how Parker slowly charmed Rainie over time. I loved how Rainie slowly began healing and did some other things that I don't want to give away as spoilers. One of my favorite parts was the role Loni played when she first met Rainie. As I was reading, I thought "I agree with two statements on the back cover of the book," "heartwarming, gently sensual" and "emotionally involving, family-centered, and relationship-oriented." I think a person who experienced an abusive relationship would find some healing comfort in this story. Parker is a perfect hero, gentle, loving, devoted, patient and also a strong protector.

My problem was the end of the book. I had been planning to give this 4 stars, until the end. After finishing the book, when I woke up the next day, the first thing on my mind was how angry I was at the police dispatcher for not believing that Rainie was in danger and wasting precious minutes making Parker justify why the dispatcher should send help. Then I was angry at Parker and Rainie for not informing everyone at the police station that there was a chance that a serial killer may be after Rainie and at least to be on alert for a phone call. A protective order had been issued against the killer, and it was a small police department. Everyone there should have known about it. Then I was angry at Parker and Rainie. Most of the story was so good with them being smart and careful throughout, but at the end, they both were no longer smart and careful. Because of that, the killer was able to get to Rainie. I wish the author had come up with a clever way for the killer to get to her even though she was being smart and careful. I've read other books where the H/H do everything right, yet the bad guy does something so ingenious that he is able to get to the victim, and it's believable. That would have made the book better for me.

A couple of times the book was a little slow, but during most of the book, I was experiencing a variety of good feelings. After the book, the feeling I carried around with me was anger and frustration. I wanted some smarts at the end, not carelessness. I just read the review by Donna M. I love her idea of using a body double as bait instead of Rainie. That would have been smart.

DATA:
Story length: 408 pages. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 10. Setting: current day Seattle, Washington, and Crystal Falls, Oregon. Copyright: 2009. Genre: romantic suspense.

CAUTION SPOILER:
As mentioned above, I didn't like how the author made it too easy for the killer to get to Rainie. One of those things was the following. After Rainie's divorce, Rainie and Parker make plans to get married. They meet with a Catholic priest who doesn't want them to live together before the wedding. Therefore, Rainie continues to live alone in her low-income apartment 30 minutes away. What happened to being smart? Peter is a psychopathic serial killer wanting revenge. At the least, Rainie could have stayed with Parker's father or sister (on their high-security ranches) for the time before the wedding.

Lorraina (Rainie) Hall faked her own death, escaping aboard a ship, under the name of Anna Pitchard. Her two friends helped her with the escape. She faked her own death in order to try and outrun her homicidal husband.

I loved this line in the book: "When the crystal falls, Lorraina dies", the line is mentioned in the prologue, when Lorraina remembers why she had chosen the town of "Crystal Falls" in Oregon to go to, out of a sense of irony, since her husband beat her when she accidentally dropped one of his crystals. The prologue was really good, and very promising, and the epilogue was very good also with a church wedding scene. Unfortunately it was what was in between that wasn't that good.

Lorraina moves to Crystal Falls and is looking for a job. Parker is looking for a book keeper, so he hires Rainie. And so their relationship starts. For me the book was a little slow, and it fell flat. A few conversations between Lorraina and Parker felt stilted (especially in the first half of the book), but then there was some nice and tender moments too. Also the setting a ranch, the hero a rancher, the heroine running away from an abusive relationship, it all felt similar to previous books by this author, with the husband making an appearance towards the end. It was like a "been there done that" read, only before it was executed much better. For great reads featuring this theme try "Sweet Nothings" or "Baby Love" or "Forever After".

The thing that bothered me the most however, was towards the end of the book. When Lorraina told Parker her story. Then Loni encouraged Lorraina to go to the authorities. Lorraina takes Loni's advice and the FBI get involved since Lorraina's husband has killed his two previous wives and taken their money, but since there was no proof the police couldn't do anything. So now this is their chance to get him. And here is the part that really bothered me, so what is the FBI's plan? Use Lorraina as bait, and Parker lets it happen!

I mean when Lorraina was escaping on the ship, her friend pretended to be her so that Lorraina would have time to change into her disguise. And yet the FBI did not think of using a body double instead, a trained agent who would go live in Lorraina's apartment pretending to be her, waiting for her psychopathic husband to make a move. Parker doesn't even think about suggesting that to the FBI, and then he just moves aside and lets Lorraina be the bait! They don't even give her or teach her how to use a gun! Sure Parker taught her some self defense, but that is terribly insufficient in the face of such danger. And her husband did get to her, and she almost died.

In the end, I think that the author should take a break from this series, and start on something new. The spark/magic that used to be in her older books, is simply not there anymore.

Ok Catherine Anderson must have taken some of the criticisms of her previous book, Morning Light, to heart. The religious overtones in this book were much more subdued and felt more realistic and unobtrusive compared to her last book. I felt much more comfortable and they did not detract from the story nearly as much. That being said I agree with the previous reviewer about the theme of this book. This is VERY similar to books she has written in the past. I always anxiously awaited her books because they always felt fresh, but this one just felt very repeated. It would have been nice to see a new plot line, or at least one that differed more from her older books. Her writing has improved since the last few novels she put out but I would still recommend her earlier novels to see what this author can really produce.

better than morning light the preaching on catholism has been toned down. She should maybe return to the keegan series. I will have to think carefully before I buy any more. Although I am a catholic I don't really think it has much place in romance novels. I liked the plot and the people. totaaly turned off by the religious aspects,

At one time, I was a HUGE fan of Catherine Anderson's books, but lately not so much! Because currently Ms. Anderson thinks writing huge amounts of fact or data is the equivalent to storytelling, for this reader: it is not! Lengthy lectures on animal cruelty and training horses somehow does not appeal to the romantic in me! It seems I like my romance delivered without a sermon. And I totally agree with Donna M. (another reviewer) who stated it is time for Ms. Anderson to get away from the Kendrick/Coulter family series simply because the newer stories lack spark/magic. If you are a fan or are interested -- visit the library for your copy of STAR BRIGHT.

MaryGrace Meloche.

Romance is the main theme in this book, but the suspense puts some action on the page. The characters have a great chemistry and are well thought out.

This is a must read for anyone who loves a true romance novel.

Rainie marries the man of her dreams just to discover he is really a nightmare. And a murderer. She fakes her death and changes her looks to escape him. Her new boss suspects something is up with her, but he is careful and not pushy. His strength and support help Rainie to overcome her fears and a romance begins.
But, her ex husband discovers she is still alive and comes for her!

It was snowing outside when I read this. I was all cuddled up in a fluffly throw blanket near the fireplace. It was so easy to tune out the business of my life and take a little time for myself. I highly recommend the book...and the experience!

Knowing how lethally dangerous her affluent influential husband Peter Danning is as he has killed two previous wives and not desiring to be next when he finally goes over the edge with her, Lorraina Ann with help from her friend Janet arranges for her death on a ship at sea to fool him when he searches for her. Rainie Ann no longer exists as Anna Pritchard is born. Besides altering her appearance, Anna plans to disappear to isolated tiny Crystal Falls, Oregon.

In the small town, Anna obtains work as a bookkeeper at Parker Harrigan's horse ranch. However, Parker believes his new employee is not just hiding secrets, but concealing her identity for whatever reason. As their attraction grows, Anna fears it because she knows all she can give to her beloved employer and his extended family is death if her psychopathic spouse finds her in Crystal Falls.

The third of the five Harrigan siblings romantic suspense tales (see MORNING LIGHT and SUN KISSED) is an exhilarating tale that refreshes the theme of a woman in peril from her insane but connected husband (think of Roberts-Bergen in Sleeping with the Enemy). The story line is fast-paced from the moment Rainie Ann no longer exists and Anna Pritchard with her Elvira wig does. Fans will enjoy the latest Harrigan saga as the besieged brave woman and the readers know the maniacal predator is coming for her.

Harriet Klausner

I've read quite a few Catherine Anderson titles before and enjoyed them. However, I think this will be the last one I'll purchase. I've noticed that the last couple titles have been essentially the same stories, with a small change of the Big Issue suffered by the heroine, always rescued by the wealthy man who instantly falls in love with her. But the last few books have also included religious lip-service (the characters are Catholics who make a big deal about how religious they are, but then go on to find some excuse for the obligatory hot premarital sex.) Now, my objection isn't to sex in romance novels (though I often wish there was a lot less graphic sex; deep emotional chemistry in the hands of a good writer can be a lot more effective than pages and pages of sex), my objection is to reading chapter after chapter about how religious the characters are...but then they jump each other anyway.

And -- argh! -- the characters who just didn't feel it was right to spay and neuter dogs and cats, that kind of irresponsibility in a world where millions of pets are euthanized each year really was the icing on the cake.

I think I'll just re-read Catherine Anderson's earlier, better titles and pass on any future books. I recommend others do the same.

I love this book!!!! Parker Harrigan was such a wonderful, caring, sensitive and strong character. His compassion towards Raine Hall's marital abuse brought tears to my eyes. I admire Raine for the steps she took to take her life back. "Star Bright" is classic Catherine Anderson and I highly recommend it to all fans of the romance genre.

Overall, Anderson wrote a good story, but it was lacking the usual charm of her other stories. Worth reading for fans, but new readers should try one of her other stories first.