Customer Reviews

Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox

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4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you love the show Passions, you'll love this book. It's written in novel form, and it covers most of the major events which make up the backstory for the storylines now on the show. The main characters here are Sam Bennett, Ivy Winthrop (Crane), Julian Crane, and Eve Johnson (Russell), as the stories of their affairs make up the main plot. Grace Standish (Bennett) and T.C. Russell are featured briefly early on, but become more involved later as Sam and Eve meet and fall in love with them. Many other familiar faces pop up along the way, including Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald, Martin Fitzgerald, Alistair Crane, Katherine Crane, Rebecca Osburn (Hotchkiss), Faith Standish, even Crystal Harris, the nightclub singer -- and of course, Tabitha Lenox and Timmy, as well as Fluffy! The only problem with the book is that it has almost nothing about the younger generation, like Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, Sheridan Crane, and Ethan Crane (who have small parts) and Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald, Kay Bennett, and Whitney Russell (who aren't in it at all) - even though they MAY feature Chad Harris as a newborn - y'all know what I mean. I guess they're saving the other characters for Hidden Passions 2! Another good thing about the book are Timmy's hilarious footnotes (marked by Martimmy glasses) commenting on the storyline as well as making fun of Tabitha's writing. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Passions, it will change the way you look at the show.

This book is not only for the avid PASSIONS fan - who doesn't want to know how Ivy and Sam kept their romance a secret? did Julian and Sheridan's parents love each other? or what TC Russell's first two names are??? But for those new fans...once you read this book...you will have to tune in to PASSIONS five days a week to see what's happening to everyone in Harmony 20 years later! I read it in a weekend. No true PASSIONS fan can be without it. The added bonus to Tabby's memoirs? Timmy's hysterical comments! This is probably the only book that you can read comments written by a real living doll!

As a long time viewer of Pasions, I have grown to love this show. Hidden Passions is a must read for all watchers of the show and those that want to learn about Passions. In it we learn some of the secrets that control the past of many of the Adults in Harmony. Answering many of the questions about what really happened between these people and why the anger and hatred amongst them. The book fills in only some of the gaps and leaves us wanting more.

Those that read the book and haven't seen the show will still enjoy it. It stands alone and would be a good introduction to the show for them. But even if you never watch the show, you should still enjoy the book.

As I said, this book only tells part of the story and leaves you wanting for more. I hope that "Hidden Passions" has a sequel that tells us even more about the past of this highly enjoyable show.

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down! In a matter of a few hours, I had completed the book and read it over and over again! If your a Passions fanatic, you have to get this book, its worth the money! It has very detailed stories of Ivy, Julian, Eve, TC, Grace, almost all the members of Harmony. I loved the past lives of Sheridan and Luis! All in all, I love this book, and hopefully, there will be more books to come! I would reccomend this book to any Passions fan or Passions fan to be! Once you've read this book, you'll get hooked!

Having watched Passions from its begining almost two years ago, I consider myself a huge fan of Passions. Hidden Passions is a "must read" for any fan of Passions or someone just getting into the show. It details the history of many of the older characters on the show and explains how the current story lines have come about. It also sheds light on some of the topics that the writers of Passions have been slow to reveal. After starting to read the book, I just couldn't put it down. It isn't a terribly long read, which was bad, because I wanted more! The book also is a bit more graphic than the show, expanding into the emotions and thoughts of the characters, which was great. At times, I caught myself seeing the actors and actresses faces in the characters, although the book was somewhat generous in their physical descriptions. =) But it just helped me enjoy the book that much more. I can't wait for Hidden Passions II!

I started to read this book and just could not put it down. I even fell asleep with the book by my side, only to pick up where I left off. If you are a fan of the NBC soap, "Passions" either from the very first episode,or you have just discovered it, then you must read this book. Some of my questions where answered but not all. I only hope that there will be a "Hidden Passions II".

If you are a fan of the show, this book is definitely for you. This book reveals hidden secrets about Ivy Crane, Eve Russell, Sam Bennett, Grace, Julian, Sheridan, and of course Tabitha. Tabitha was a mean-spirited witch who granted wishes and spells, but also used her powers to destroy and harm people. For instance, she cast a spell for Grace's apartment to catch on fire and suffocate her. The book also talks about Ivy and Sam's love and made me feel that they should have had married. Anyone who reads the book will feel for Ivy and Sam because they had a passionate and sweet love. The book also reveals more about Alstair and his cruel ways. He blamed Sheridan for his wife's death and harmed everyone in Harmony. Julian is somewhat nice in the book to Eve. However, he is very cold and very cocky about being a Crane. Julian is a character that you will feel sorry for and hate at the same time. One thing is certain: He definitely loved Eve and would have married her. The thing that surprised me about Eve is that she was from a wealthy family,but felt abandoned by them. She met Julian when she was a singer at the Blue Note in Boston. Julian and Eve went to the famous Studio 54 together. Eve and Julian could never be together because she is black and he is white. Eve's baby also isn't dead. He was taken to an orphanage. My favorite part of the book is with Sheridan and Luis. Luis first saw her when they were little and Sheridan was dancing by herself at Ivy's wedding. At the end of the book, is also about their past life where they met during the Revolutionary War. This book is definitely worth the price and is an easy and fun read.

Up on my soapbox again.

Soap operas intrigue me as an industry. They, I feel, are one of the few storytelling channels where it is possible to show an event, and the fallout from said event, for years. Some of the stories currently showing on daytime dramas today got their start more than a decade ago, and viewers have seen every step along the way!

That's why it's frustrating that the people currently in charge of most soap operas today don't have a clue as to what they're doing, and are using gimmicks to draw in viewers rather than utilizing their show's rich histories and coming up with character-based storylines. (A primary example of this kind of storyline is ABC's lineup, which is a real mess right now.)

And that's why it's exciting when a soap pauses to mine its heritage and tell storylines that will both draw in new viewership, and please people who've been tuning in since day one at the same time. (The shining example of this is currently CBS' "As the World Turns.")

However, the soap that's really catching the eye of the entertainment industry right now is NBC's "Passions." Interesting that the show is doing everything I talked about above, when it only began to air in 1999.

"Passions" has had a feature article in Entertainment Weekly magazine, and was on the cover of TV Guide in July, proof that it's taking off. Part of this, I will admit, is because of the bizarre stories the show is telling, what with trips to hell, angel girls and living dolls and all.

But at its heart, all this hype just reflects the fact that "Passions" is using past history to enrich what's on screen right now, and fans are tuning in in droves.

In the spring, NBC sought to cash in on the growing soap's mania and released a book, "Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox." Written by romance novelist Alice Alfonsi and using "Passions" creator/head writer James E. Reilly's bible for the show, "Hidden Passions" is a window to the past so that eager readers can make sense of some of the current mysteries.

The book is the diary of Tabitha (played by Juliet Mills on the soap), a 200-year-old witch who's been living for centuries in the show's setting, a New England town called Harmony (even though life in Harmony is anything but harmonious). Peppered with little comments from Tabitha's living doll, Timmy (Josh Ryan Evans), the book describes life in Harmony twenty years ago.

Well-to-do Ivy (Kim Johnston Ulrich) loves middle class pizza boy Sam (James Hyde), but forces (namely, Tabitha) are working to keep them apart. Ivy is to be paired with town scoundrel Julian Crane (Ben Masters), at the wishes of her dad and of Julian's machinating father, Alistair (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, he of Skeletor-voicing fame). But Julian is intoxicated by jazz singer Eve (Tracey Ross), who is about to fall in love with Sam's best friend and Julian's tennis rival, T.C. (Rodney van Johnson)

Fans of the show know that, ultimately, Sam and Ivy share one last night (right after she marries Julian!), which ultimately produces Ethan (Travis Shuldt), who was raised as a Crane heir until the eve of his marriage to Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald (Lindsey Korman), daughter of Ivy's maid Pilar (Eva Tamargo Lemus), while Julian and Eve's tryst may or may not have produced Chad (Donn Swaby), who is currently wooing both Eve's daughters.

Confused? Try re-reading the last two paragraphs a couple of times. It'll all sink in eventually ...

You see? Intricacies like this don't spring up over night! It takes planning, and sometimes decades of secrets to make something really viable, and only soaps have the power. "Hidden Passions" enhances the current fan's viewing, and will intrigue many more to start watching. (I know I'm tempted to set my VCR ...)

I particularly like the idea that Tabitha has been a thorn in Harmony's side for quite some time. (As those in the know know, Tabitha and sidekick Timmy are the show's breakout characters and the biggest daytime draw since Luke and Laura.) Tabby's diary takes us back to the early settler years, and explains Tabitha's hatred for Grace Standish Bennett (Dana Sparks) and her niece Charity (Molly Stanton), as well as a long-standing grudge against the Cranes. We also get to see that current supercouple Sheridan Crane (Mackenzie Westmore) and Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald (Galen Gering) are meant to be, even they've spent several past lives trying to be together.

But I'm happiest that "Hidden Passions" reveals a little bit of the motivation behind Alistair Crane. On the show, Alistair's face is never seen. All we see of the man is his hands, and body from the neck down, while he plots to kill daughter Sheridan and endulges in an assortment of odd hobbies and crafts. (Why kill Sheridan? Now we know ...)

Alistair is intriguing, in part because he's never completely seen, and partly because of Oppenheimer, continuing my Skeletor fascination.

That, and the fact that "Alistair Crane" is a really cool name and fun to say, although most of the characters' names roll off the tongue.

Alistair Crane Alistair Crane Alistair Crane Alistair Crane...

So check out the book and check out the show. Until they wise up, shows like "General Hospital" don't deserve your attention.

Alistair Crane, and good night.

If you watch the soap opera Passions, you NEED this book! It gives you much of the history that the show is based upon as well as helps you to figure out what the characters on the show are referring to as they make comments of things which happpened in the past. It is also a book in which anyone can enjoy whether they watch the show or not. This book is quite a unique concept as I do not believe this has ever been done with any other soap opera. There are rumors of upcoming new books and I can only hope they come true! This was a very enjoyable read for me!

I am a 23 year old male working on my engineering masters degree. I watch this show everyday, with my loving, beautiful girlfriend, whom i love and respect very much. If anything ever happened between us like it did to Ivy and SAm I would die. The book has changed the way we communicate in our relationship. We love each other more each day as we continue to read Hidden Passions together. We make time to watch the show together everyday. THis book is the greatest thing I've ever read in my life.