Customer Reviews

Rubies and Other Gems - the Novel

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

 

 

Lily, Mother & wife, is struggling with what seems to be a stale marriage, and rebellious teens. She accidentally sends herself back in time, and her whole life changes. This is a book about time travel, and of families struggling to stay a family.

This is a really good book, with a totally surprising end. It reaffirms hope for those who think there's not any left.

3.5 of 5 stars

RUBIES AND OTHER GEMS is the story of a modern woman, Lily Manning, who struggles to balance being a wife, mother and finding time for herself. It's never easy with two rebellious teenagers and a laid back husband who leaves all the difficult parenting to her. What she wouldn't do for a few moments of peace and quiet to herself. Through the power of her grandmother's ruby jewelry, Lily unwittingly has her wish granted when she is transported back in time to a simpler life. It's all a beautiful dream for Lily, one that she cherishes as her "me" time. When she wakes up from her dream, she has no idea that she has actually time traveled and that's when the trouble begins. The next time her life sets her nerves on edge, Lily grabs her grandmother's rubies and is once again transported back to the same time frame, but with a twist. She seeks out the sexy Daniel that she had met her first time back and indulges in every woman's fantasy enjoying an afternoon of passion. This one decision sets Lily on her own path of self-discovery.

I found the character of Lily believable. What woman today doesn't struggle with balancing work, home life, demanding teenagers and her own needs? However, I struggled to understand some of Lily's decisions especially concerning her husband's reaction to her infidelity. Yes, she felt guilty about her indiscretion and was trying to right a wrong, but she let herself become such a doormat to her husband's whims. After awhile it was too much and I found her behavior annoying instead of sympathetic. Dealing with a rebellious teenager is tough and Lily suffers through all the abusive behavior her daughter throws at her, all without the support of her husband Sam. When she tries to reign in Molly, Sam undermines her authority again and that sets another disaster in motion. Will Sam ever realize that his own "good guy" parenting is part of the marital problems he has with his wife?

All and all, RUBIES AND OTHER GEMS is an enjoyable read of a modern woman's struggles to find out what she really wants in life. Ms. DeBacco throws one final twist in at the end bringing this story to a "good-feel" ending.

I recently finished reading Rubies and Other Gems by Joyce DeBacco and am pleased to say that I really enjoyed reading this fine work of fiction. The story revolves around Lily Manning, who is trying to keep from drowning in the normal day-to-day struggles of being a wife and mother. Like most women, Lily is just searching for that moment of clarity, a place she can go to escape the burdens and stresses of life. Trying to think of easier times, Lily gets out some jewelry pieces that belonged to her grandmother, and what she didn't know at the time, soon became apparent as her life was turned upside down and would be forever changed. Rubies and Other Gems is a wonderful treat for all women, especially those who know the stresses of married life. The characters are well written and the emotions will certainly tug at your heart-strings. If you are looking for a book that is an easy read, that will help take you away from the daily stresses, then grab your favorite drink, curl up in your favorite reading chair, and let your worries slip away as you share all of Lily's ups and downs on her road to self discovery.

Lily is a typical 21st century woman who struggles with economic, marital, and parenting pressures that are so common in today's world. When Lily begins to question the decisions that shaped her life, she concludes that she just needs a long nap. While holding her grandmother's jewels, Lily steps back in time and begins an escape from her hectic every day world that will fulfill her fantasies and lead her home again to find riches beyond her wildest dreams.

I loved Lily's story and the way it was written. This is truly a 5-Star read!

Overall this was a pleasant read. Although I was expecting a time travel romance, which I thoroughy enjoy reading, this book could be described more as a journey of self-discovery which included more of a mental journey into the past to find it. I have to admit I was hoping for the happy ever after with the sweet guy from the past, because her hsuband was a rght pain in the neck. I wanted to strangle her teenage childfren, but by then I'd realized that Lilly had to find her way through the minefield of her present life rather than finding greener pastures in the past with her dream man.

Lily's husband ignores her and her children are thankless. As she daydreams of a better life, she accidently transports herself back in time, where she literally meets the man of her dreams. Not realizing her dream lover is real, she has an affair which she feels compelled to confess once she discovers the truth. When the disclosure sends her marriage into a steeper tailspin, she vows to make amends, and promises she will never return to the past. But the past is not finished with Lily.

Joyce DeBacco has written a bittersweet story of regrets and promises, and one woman's struggles to save her marriage and her family, and to discover herself in the process. A lovely read.

This novel follows a woman on a journey of self-discovery and emotional growth. I love the overall storyline of this book. I've always enjoyed books that include time travel to the past, and I would have loved more exploration of that past. That wasn't the purpose of the story, however. The story was really designed around Lily and her journey to a better life. Initially weak and unable to bring her family together, Lily's experience in the past shapes her future. The character of Lily has a realistic feel, as do the other members of her family. It's easy to picture a family in this same rut, not knowing how to climb out of it and become whole again. I really like the concept of Lily learning something about herself by escaping to the past, and the growth in her character is apparent in the story. Although the characters themselves had a sense of realism, sometimes their actions or dialogue seemed somewhat incongruous. That detracted from the story for me.

The writing style was very simple-- a little too simplistic for my taste in adult fiction. The simplicity of the writing gave me the feeling of a lack of depth. The plot was obviously thought out, but the story dragged for me in a few places. There was some time travel in the beginning, setting up one type of story, but then the middle largely just dealt with Lily and Sam's relationship, giving the book an altogether different feel. Then the time travel unexpectedly started up again, changing the feel of the book yet again.The entire story felt a little too loosely connected, and included several plot events I didn't quite understand. When Lily brought the dog back, I wasn't sure why that happened. I had thought perhaps the dog would play an integral role in the later time travel, but that didn't happen. I just wasn't sure what the point of the dog was. One thing that particularly bothered me was that only Daniel was able to see Lily in the past. I looked back to see if I'd missed something in the story, but I couldn't find anything that would tell me why that would be.

Overall, this was a quick and quite enjoyable read. As I read, I also was prompted to reflect on my own life and relationships, which was an added plus. If you're a fan of women's literature and stories of emotional growth, this book is sure to be pleasing.

Full review @ MotherLode [...]

I usually avoid anything that hints at romance like the plague but the excerpts I had read of this story seemed to promise something more than a bodice ripper. There was the 40ish woman with rebellious teens and a marriage crumbling under the pressure. I could identify with her. I've been there.

Lily, though, is lucky enough to find a way to escape her miserable life via some ruby jewellery and finds the gorgeous Daniel who is willing and able to fill the gaps in her life.

After several trips to and fro she confesses to her husband. I am not giving anything away here because the author tells us this early on. I could not figure out why Lily would tell her husband. Her experience was so incredible that it could well have been a dream but she still feels that she should be honest. He was a pig anyway. He was remote and cold-hearted and quite happy to make Lily jump through hoops to keep him. At one stage he even threatens that he will leave once their boy is independent. Lily should have told him to buzz off right then and there in my humble opinion. The man is just short of abusive. He undermines her at every step, ignores her, treats her as his household slave and a dog's body and yet she falls over herself to please him and re-ignite their love. Puhlease. I just could not see the appeal in him. Her children were spoilt brats and obnoxious. I felt like shaking her.

She seemed to change her character as well. In the present she was a doormat, in the past she was a pert, annoying, thoughtless individual who thought nothing of turning Daniel's life upside down. It worked out well for him in the end but I could not understand that bit either.

I saw no point in the dog either. For a long time I thought the author had forgotten the dog. It appeared, and then, like a child in a soap opera, took itself off-stage for most of the story. Why was it there anyway?

There were many 'huh?' moments in this story for me. Why, after experiencing the lack of essential items in the past, would you not return with an armful of toilet paper, canned food and a flashlight or two? No, silly Lily takes her mobile phone and a cut-out from a newspaper.

The writing was good enough but it could have done with some editing. There was also quite a bit of repetition in description. It also annoyed me that a 60 year old was described as elderly. I don't think my 60ish trendy and fun-loving friends would be pleased to be told they are elderly.