Customer Reviews

Passing Through Paradise

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

I gave this five stars because it seemed to have every element you could want in a good contemporary story. It was up to date, romantic,and sensitive, with a good bit of intrigue. The main characters are described with a depth that gives satisfaction, understanding and insight. You finish each chapter believing these people really do exist!
When sensitive writer,former politician's wife, and now shunned Sandra Windslow finds herself in an impossibly cruel situation she decides to bail out by leaving town. She is responsible for her husband's death but it was an accident Sandra never meant to happen. She was just trying to listen to her husband's emotional outburst while peering through the sleet hitting the windshield. Someone fired a gun but who? Without that proof she is thought to be the one; after all, why would she survive and not her husband? What happened to his body? The unanswered questions and private life inside her public husband were too much to bear. She has to leave. Before she can do that she must renovate her neglected family inheritance, the Victorian summer home on Blue Moon Beach. She will sell it and go find Paradise somewhere else. Mike Malloy, her parents, two children and a dog all show her in different ways what restoration is all about and really means. Susan Wiggs does it again with her multi- level messages to us through her words. Restoration and hope is a joy on any level when you read it through this author's perspective. I wish she would write more contemporary fiction. It is too long a wait between her books. If you liked this one pick up The You I Never Knew. It won't disappoint you and may make you beg her for more of her comtemporary works! ...

Susan Wiggs has exceeded her own high standards in this moving book that goes beyond romance and into the stuff of life. Sandra is a wonderfully complex character, and anyone who has ever been wrongly accused will find an admirable woman at her core. Her relationships outside of that with Mike only add a lush patina to a story already rich and brimming with all the complexities of family life and intricate challenges so many "everyday" people face. I loved this book, and I strongly encourage Ms. Wiggs to continue her exploration of contemporary novels as well as her historicals--if not for herself, for this satisfied reader!

This little book packs a big wallop, from the opening anger and sadness of the main character, accused of killing her husband in an accident... to the closing scenes where all is finally revealed. (HINT: No peeking) Sandra is like someone you would know, with wacky parents and "issues" like you wouldn't believe. Mike Malloy is everyone's hero. Eye candy in a tool belt, but he is also tender, romantic and a great father to his 2 kids, who live with their mother. Highly reccomended.

I grew up in southern Rhode Island and am now transplanted to Central New York. I miss the ocean but this book brought me the sounds and the smells of the sea. From Sandra's house on the dunes to Mikes boat in Point Judith, I could envision each scenario clearly as I read the book.

I am also an alumnus of the University of Rhode Island and always get a kick out of it when a work of fiction actually mentions my alma mater! There was a time when a lot of people didn't know Rhode Island existed!

This was actually the first Susan Wiggs book that I have read and I am going to seek out other titles. A good read and one that I recommend.

Susan Wiggs almost never fails to deliver a good read. This book is another one.

I quite enjoyed the story of the Black Widow of Blue Moon Bay. Lots of intrigue and waiting to find out what the real story was. Also, both Sandra and Mike seem to jump out from real life. They are not perfect people which makes their romance that more touching.

All of the supporting characters are also fully-written out and entertaining in their own right.

I highly recommend this book.

This is a book about people you care about and the drama that sweeps through their lives. There are many true-to-life moments in this, such as when Mike takes his daughter to a dance and it's all awkward, and when Sandy and her friend eat chocolate to make themselves feel better. Most of all, it is a love story that gives you hope that no matter how bad your troubles get, love will find you if you are willing to let it in.

First of all, before you purchase this novel, you need to know that this is not a romance novel. This story is a fiction that is based on a love story. I know most of you would know the difference.

This is a very good novel: well written, interesting, deep, and touching. As a peice of fiction, I would have rated this novel a little higher; but because it is categorized as a romance,I had to rate it and compare it with other romance novels...the end result-this was a medeocre romance.

I will tell you why in a minute, but let me give you a brief plot-line first: Sandy has been widowed for a year, her deceased husband-Victor- was a famous and aspiring politian. Although the medical pratictioners ruled his death as accidental, the car accident that killed him was blamed on Sandy by the media (she was the driver). Nevertheless, the media and the public, as well the local residents of Paradise where Victor grew up and where Sandy is currently living in an old Beach House, believe Sandy killed her husband to get her hands on his money. To add to her distress, her in-laws are suing her for the wrongly death of their only son.
In order to get out of the suffocating atmosphere after she deals with the civil law suite, Sandy decides to renovate the old house, sell it and move out of Paradise and move on with her life. So she hires a contracter named Micheal-a newly divorced father of two children, and the story continues from this premise.

I absolutely adored Michael and I genuinely rooted for Sandy, but two things really put a damper on the story for me, as a romance novel and as a fictional one: Victor was smothering every page of the story. Victor was literally everywhere; he was in Sandy's mind incessantly, and it never ceased. I felt like I was reading the love story of Sandy and her dead husband, not Sandy and Michael. It was cloying and it never gave Michael a chance at all, when all you wanted from Wiggs was MICHEAL, MICHEAL, MICHEAL, but the only thing she kept giving you was Victor, Victor, and oh god not again..Victor. The book was constantly about the past and hardly ever about the present relationship between her and Michael. If anything their relationship was more of a sideline, whereas Victor's memory and Sandy's grief were the whole show.

The other factor that put a damper on the novel was Sandy herself. I was sympathizing and rooting for her throughout most of the novel until the end. What did Michael have to do to win her trust and let her open up to him after he proved himself repeatedly, and I mean his behavior was truly showing her how much he loved her. Yet she still held back and let him come to her and do all the hard work. I got so frustrated with her and her paralyzing fears, which were no longer justified, that I just did not believe she deserved Michael in the end at all.

The last factor for my mediocre rating was that although Wiggs knows how to weave a dramatic story-she almost does everything right- she lacks something essential as a romance writer, which is not being able to evoke an emotion from you when she tries to make you feel the love and connection or passion between her heros and heroines. The details are all in the right place, but it never reaches you.

Like I said in the beginning, as a fiction this is a far superior novel, but as a Romance this just fell flat to me for the aforementioned reasons, but mainly because of Victor's memory and Sandy's grief that constantly consumed the story-line.

Hope that helps you decide whether to purchase it or not. But I still would recommend it, even though I had many negative things to say about it. It was a very good novel nonetheless and a very touching one. I think you would enjoy it more if you begin reading it knowing this is a work of fiction based on family dramas and love, instead of a romance.