Customer Reviews

Once In A Lifetime (Arabesque)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The question: Can Alexis and Telford have a "Once In A Lifetime" love?

Combine Alexis and Tara Stevensons with the wealthy Harrington men Telford, Drake and Russ, throw in Mr. Henry the cook, Jack the ...[very not nice] ex husband and we have a lethal combination of love, lust, lies, secrets, and mistrust.

Jack gives up all rights to his precocious daughter, Tara, for money and wealth. Forcing Alexis to forge a new life for herself and Tara. In order to do this, she takes a job as a homemaker for the Harrington Men. Tara wraps all the men in the house, including Henry, around her little finger as soon as they talk to her.

Assorted sparks fly between Alexis and the men of the house. Good ones, bad ones,and indifferent ones, however the sparks which disturbs her the most are the sparks between she and Telford.

Read Ms. Forster's book to see and feel the strength, love, and trust of each character as they interact with each other. Once In A Lifetime is a page turner if ever I read one.
Reviewed by: Toni Bonita, APOOO Bookclub

What becomes of a divorced woman with a young child starting anew? Alexis Stevenson has divorced her husband and abandoned the life she knows; what is next for Alexis? Alexis secures a position as a home manager at Harrington House in rural Maryland. Telford Harrington, along with his brothers Drake and Russ are the proprietors of Harrington House and together with their cook, the humorous and protective Mr. Henry, Harrington House has become a mansion of brooding bachelors. When Alexis reports to work with an inquisitive four-year old child at her side, the fireworks begin.

The Harrington brothers, although rich and successful in business, have not led the ideal life. Each brother is driven but Telford has something to prove and is obsessive in his business dealings. Alexis has secrets she will not reveal and is determined to turn Harrington House into a home. With an endearing heart and a captivating spirit, Tara, Alexis' daughter, has enthralled the men of Harrington House to the satisfaction of Alexis. Can this little girl change the hearts and minds of men who are accustomed to their tranquility and space? Can she change the mind of her mother who does not want to put her trust in relationships again?

Once In A Lifetime provides just enough intrigue to keep you interested in how the story plays out and the right amount of sensuous romance to keep the reader begging for more from the characters. Through the soul of a little girl, Gwynne Forster has given the reader an enchanting novel of letting go of the past and learning to trust again so that your heart can receive the love that is waiting.

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
APOOO BookClub

Once in a Lifetime, by Gwynne Forster, is a delightful read. Forster mixes a beautiful housekeeper and her daughter into a batter spiced with three brothers and a grouchy cook. Next, she turns up the heat by adding a little romance and some mischief. When all is said and done, she serves up a delightful treat that is hard to resist.

This book is a must read for romance lovers. Forster's wit shines forth as she unveils a plot laced with love and ultimately trust. The characters were well-developed and before the end of the book I felt as if I knew each one of them personally.

If you are looking for a funny and relaxing read, I recommend this book. Once you have read a book by Ms. Forster, you will want to do it more than once in a lifetime.

T.RHYTHM KNIGHT

Alexis Stevenson believes her ex-husband Jack is an idiot for giving up all rights to their daughter Tara so he would not lose half their estate to her in the divorce. It did not matter to Jack that he cheated on her and that his former wife cooperated with the divorce. Instead, he leaves his spouse, who spent much of her time in support of his career at the cost of her own profession, with monetary problems while he continues to live the good life. Still Alexis pities him for not understanding what is truly important.

Alexis obtains work as the home manager for the three Harrington bachelors. However, she worries that she finds herself quite attracted to one of her employers Telford. As they begin to fall in love, encouraged by her precocious daughter, Jack, having repeated the same error several times, begins interfering causing a distrustful rift between Alexis and Telford.

You don't know Jack if you have not read Gwynne Forster, one of the best contemporary romance writers of the last few years. Her latest tale, ONCE IN A LIFETIME, is a marvelous story starring a strong cast who makes the tale work on several levels. Though Jack seems unreal at times, Telford and Alexis are a great lead duet and the support provided by Tara and his two siblings enhance the audience's understanding of the protagonists and the significance of love in anyone's life. Ms. Forster beguiles readers with this strong novel that requires loving sequels.

Harriet Klausner

The latest novel by Ms Forster was a bit of a disappointment for me. This book at times made me wonder what characters were speaking and plot twist jumped in so fast that it was sometime confusing. Alexis and Telford gave us what we wanted in the end - their togetherness but getting there was a little bumpy! Romance stories often stretch our imagination greatly and I found myself reaching too far. The other brothers Harrington however, could make an interesting sequel and since I do love Ms Foresters' work I will keep watching for the next insatllment.

Once in a lifetime-Is the kind of book you would enjoy reading over and over again. It has a lot of twists that keep you guessing when Alexis and Telford are going to finally tell each other how they really feel. And it even gives some drama between Alexis and her ex-husband and what Telford things. This book does not leave you hanging at the end like some books. I can say that I really enjoyed this book and I think the ending couldn't have been written better.

Alexis Stevenson is moving on with her life and away from her ex-
husband Jack and the comforts of upper-class living. She
becomes the home manager for The Harrington brothers; wealthy
and attractive bachelors, but all with their flaws, which
include a mistrust of women as a result of seeing how their mom
mistreated their father.

Alexis steps in, sets house rules, and runs the mansion with the
assistance of the cook Henry. By her side is her precious
daughter Tara, who in my mind carried the story--she is
definitely a character I'll always remember. Tara's innocence and instant liking to the brothers,
in particular Telford, made me long for family and friends. It
is through her character that I saw the true meaning of love.
Meanwhile, Alexis and Telford share not only feelings for each
other, but Alexis is keeping a secret from him that could affect
their new found love while in the background her ex-husband pops
up starting his own brand of drama.

This is a cute story with all the ingredients of a nice romance
novel, however I felt the big "secret" was not really a big deal
and I didn't care for the ending. In spite of this, I did love
most of the characters and their different voices. I am not
sure if a follow-up book is in the plans, but I'd love to read
more about little Tara and also what happens with Alexis's
sister and the Harrington brother.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal

Once in a lifetime is an epic love story. Beautifully written and extremely captivating. You will fall inlove with Forster's characters, so much so that you find yourself becoming a part of their lives. A page turner to the very end. Savoring, delightful, and satisfying. You will not be disappointed...get your copy today!

ONCE IN A LIFETIME has an abundance of love that wraps around you and makes you feel like you've been given a million dollars worth of hugs and kisses and leaving you feeling cherished above all. Reading this book made me think of all the things I value in having a loving husband and family and friends, the closeness I share with them everyday, and the special days like birthdays and holidays-all the things that make your life worth living. Ms. Forster puts her stamp of love, her joy of cooking, and her special touches of love that make for lifetime relationships, and make her the great writer she is today into ONCE IN A LIFETIME. Awesome!

"ONCE IN A LIFETIME has it all, sexual chemistry to set off a red-hot explosion, hidden secrets, a precious child, fabulous secondary characters, and a hero and heroine to die for! Wow, don't miss this book. Gwynne Forster combines all her talents to bring you an extraordinary tale of love and the meaning of family. Loved it!"

Suzanne Coleburn, Reader To Reader Reviews

It would seem that pretty Alexis Stevenson has lived a charmed life, she went to the best schools and later had a rich husband, a lovely home and a beautiful child. Now that she is divorced she must find a way to take care of herself and her young daughter Tara. Alex can't go back to teaching, requirements have changed. As she reads an ad for a full-time housekeeper she realizes that this could be the answer to her prayers. All she has to do is convince the three wealthy Harrington brothers and Henry, the brother's long time caretaker, that she is capable of handling the tasks at hand. Young Tara steals the heart of Henry and of each of the brothers one by one. They all watch as Alex and Telford fall deeply in love as they continue to deny it. For Telford falling in love means learning to trust a woman's love. For Alex it means telling the truth about her background. She fears that will mean losing Telford and the home and ready made family she and Tara have come to love. The "Once In A Lifetime" storyline has many twists and turns but they always leads back to Telford and Alex. Gwynne Forster has written a sensuous and romantic story with an interesting social twist that grabbed me immediately. Vannie(~.~)