Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
she's just so good ..., November 4, 2002
This review is from: Passing Through Paradise (Mass Market Paperback)
The first book by Susan Wiggs that I read was 'The You I Never Knew'. It was so well written that I picked up a couple of her historical romances. Despite not particularly finding historical romances enjoyable I have to admit that I liked them. Now I've read 'Passing Through Paradise' and I hope Wiggs writes many more contemporary romances. She's just so good at it. This one is about Sandra Winslow, a children's book author and the widow of a politician who died in a tragic and suspicious automobile accident which Sandra survived. She cannot recall the circumstances of the accident or how she survived and soon becomes the leading suspect and a pariah in the town of Paradise. In order to flee from Paradise she must restore and sell her beach house, the only asset she retained following her husband's death. She meets Mike Malloy, a contractor who agrees to do the restoration for her despite his doubts about her innosense. As Wiggs slowly reveals the actual events surrounding the accident she also explores the complex relationships between Mitch and Sandra, Sandra and her loving but estranged parents, and between Mitch, his young children and his ex wife. Wiggs brings all her characters and thier problems to life and keeps her readers entranced until the last surprising page. I can't wait for her next contemporary novel.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Than Just Romance, January 30, 2002
This review is from: Passing Through Paradise (Mass Market Paperback)
Well-known for her historical romances, author Susan Wiggs once again delves into the contemporary venue in this moving read complete with healing hearts and and simmering mystery. Widow Sandra Winslow moves into the old beach home along the coast of Rhode Island. The home, given to her by her grandfather, is all that she has left after the death of her husband, Victor Winslow. By all accounts, Victor was the consummate politician and perfect husband and son. Only Sandra knows what happened on the bridge that fateful February when the car she was driving careened off the bridge and landed in the frigid water below. Though Victor's body was never found, Sandra survived and was exonerated at the inquest. But the townspeople and media feel otherwise as the author credibly exhibits their disdain, making it believable and not overdone. Feeling the pressure to start anew, Sandra enlist the aid of "handyman" Mike Malloy to restore the beach home so that she can sell it and move on. But she wasn't bargaining on her attraction to Mike, at first in an elemental way she hasn't felt before. There is more than just physical desire, though, as Ms. Wiggs develops their attraction in such a way that they reinforce the empty spaces in each other's lives. Their emotional baggage seems almost insurmountable, with Mike's difficulties as a single divorced dad, and Sandra's conflicting feelings concerning her apparently happy marriage. In a compelling parallel to Sandra's own parents, who are considering divorce, Mike and Sandra must learn to work through each others differences to achieve a relationship worth saving. Complex characters, a hunky hero, and a constant undercurrent of mystery, lend creativity to this novel that is so much more than a formulaic romance. A must read!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
...Book Reviewer, April 21, 2002
This review is from: Passing Through Paradise (Mass Market Paperback)
One frigid February night, Sandra Winslow and her husband State Senator Victor Winslow went for an evening's drive. Their vehicle was involved in an accident that sent their car hurling over a bridge into an icy cold river. Sandra survived, but her husband's body was never recovered. Evidence in the vehicle suggested his death was the result of foul play. The townspeople of Paradise, Rhode Island were easily convinced Sandra was guilty of killing the much-loved politician. For the past two years, they have dubbed her the Black Widow of Blue Moon and made her existence a living hell. Fed up with the 'hospitality' of the citizens of Paradise, she decides to sell her run down Victorian beach house and move far away. With her home needing major repairs, she decides to hire a contractor to restore it to its original state so that it will sell quicker and generate a hefty profit. Hiring Mike Malloy proves to be an enlightening experience - not only is he skilled with his hands, but he has the tools to fix her broken heart. Mike Malloy is an expert on restoring historic houses. He is the victim of a bitter divorce, and finds himself in desperate need of steady work. Reluctantly he agrees to work for Sandra Winslow, even though her husband was a close friend. He believed the rumors that circulated around town that she was responsible for her husband's 'accidental' death. When the project brings them closer together and he realizes Sandra has been falsely accused, he sets out to prove her innocence. What he uncovers unleashes an awful truth that uproots the entire town. Once the mystery is solved, will it be fair of him to ask Sandra to stay in a town that has so cruelly rejected her? Whenever I pick up a Susan Wigg's novel, I always finish it with the same feeling - total satisfaction. Ms. Wiggs is a master storyteller that, once savored, will keep coming back for more. Her latest release, PASSING THROUGH PARADISE, is highly recommended. Once again she has brought to us characters that will long be remembered.
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