1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Early Rocks, January 15, 2007
This review is from: A Family Resemblance (Harlequin Super Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)
This is Early at her best. Strong characterization, great plot, completely different from other romances out there. It's amazing.
Early's books are always a joy to read.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
complex contemporary drama, July 15, 2006
This review is from: A Family Resemblance (Harlequin Super Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)
Four years ago Sabine Knoll's husband Victor died in an avalanche. Though she mourned her loss as she loved Victor deeply, she has moved on for the sake of their three preadolescent children. However, she is shocked when Victor's much younger brother Joe arrives at her Oro, Colorado home. She never knew he existed until now as Victor never mentioned him.
Joe introduces himself to Sabine, but she assumes he was Victor's former partner; he explains he was his partner and his sibling. As they become acquainted, they fall in love, but one barrier remains between them as Joe reciprocates her feelings. She fears for his life whenever he climbs mountain, which is a passion for him. Joe feels trapped because he does not want to give up the woman he loves nor the pastime he cherishes, but Sabine gives him little choice as she still remembers how her late spouse, his brother, died.
A FAMILY RESEMBLANCE is a complex contemporary drama starring two likable individuals with a major difference on the safety of mountain climbing that threatens to end their relationship. The three young children (oldest is nine) add matchmaking and "un-matchmaking" depth though they seem a bit too precocious. The mountain climbing scenes are breathless and vividly brisk, but this fine story line belongs to the dilemma that seems inevitable leading to a split between Sabine and Joe.
Harriet Klausner
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4.0 out of 5 stars
a different type of romance, July 23, 2006
This review is from: A Family Resemblance (Harlequin Super Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)
A FAMILY RESEMBLANCE by Margot Early
July 23, 2006
Rating **** (4 stars)
A FAMILY RESEMBLANCE by Margot Early is the story of a widow, raising three children, who suddenly discovers that she has a brother-in-law she never knew about. For some reason unknown to her, her husband, Victor Knoll, failed to tell her that his business partner Joe (from many years ago) was actually his brother, a brother he helped raise when their parents died. The age gap was significant enough that Victor acted as a substitute father, taking care of his brother who was 7 years old at the time of their parents' deaths. When Joe Knoll shows up at her front door in Oro, Colorado, she has no idea who he is except he was the man her daughter "recognized" as her father at a dance the other night. Sure enough, Sabine Knoll finds an old photo with both Victor and this mystery man, but she does not really see a resemblance at first.
Joe has come to town expecting to take over the family business. Victor was famous for his sleds, while Joe traveled the world mountain climbing. Victor had died in a tragic accident in a snow avalanche at the young age of 56, leaving behind two children and a much younger pregnant wife. Sabine and Victor had only been married a few years, and to be taken away from Sabine so suddenly was a shock. She had never gotten over his death, and she still does not want to move on. Joe notices how beautiful she is, and decides he wants her, knowing she was his brother's wife. There is motive behind Joe's actions, and the reader will soon find out what it is.
Joe and Victor's history was not pretty. Sabine knew that Victor had been married before, and that his first wife had died a tragic death. But what Sabine did not know is that this first wife was originally Joe's fiancée. Sabine feels unsettled knowing that Victor had kept a number of secrets from her. What other lies did Victor tell, and who really was Victor Knoll? Sabine slowly searches for clues about her dead husband's past, while at the same time she tries to deal with this intruder, Joe, who she does not want around.
A FAMILY RESEMBLANCE takes the reader into the world of mountain climbing, and the dangers that these crazy men and women face every day as they climb peaks such as K-2 and Mt Everest. Sabine, who was once an avid climber as her sister Lucy currently is, is jealous of the lives that these people have, while she stays at home caring for her children. She yearns for the freedom she once had climbing those mountains on a whim, not having to worry about family at home who were relying on her to be there for them. She's given up her love of mountain climbing because of her children as well as Victor's attitudes toward it, and the more she learns about Joe and his love of the sport, the more she understands Victor and why he behaved the way he did.
The reader will find the world of mountain climbing fascinating, and will be caught up in the debate on whether these people are adventurous or simply selfish to put their lives in danger when they have families they are leaving behind back home. Victor's duplicitous past makes Sabine question whether her marriage had any validity or not, and while she always believed no man would ever come close to Victor, she is learning that it is possible that she can love again.
While the characters will keep the reader's interest, the theme of mountain climbing is as intriguing as the story line about the love between a woman and her brother-in-law. This reviewer learned a lot about this dangerous sport, and was caught up in the many facets of mountain climbing. For readers who are looking for a slightly different type of romance, A FAMILY RESEMBLANCE is it. An intriguing love story, a fascinating look into a very dangerous sport, all come together for a unique romance that readers will enjoy. - Courtesy of Love Romances - M. Lofton
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