Customer Reviews

SUNSHINE AND SHADOW

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

 

 

Sunshine and Shadow is one of those books that will stay with you where the other romances might be forgotten as soon as you finish the novel.

Alan Wilde is a jaded, been-there-done-that, forced-to-act-as-a-child-by-profit-motivated-parents, controlling but successful Hollywood movie director. He hungers for nothing, as he is well off yet his appetite for life is at an all time low. He is spiritless. Nothing can shock or surprise him. That is, not until he meets our heroine Susan Peachy. A pretty young Amish widow full of spirit who can marvel at all the wonders of God such as star gazing at night and laying in the grass observing the busy ants. Even the simplest everyday things we take for granted, such as being able to turn a lamp on and off captivate her attention.

He can't believe that someone so pure and untainted still exists on this earth. Nor can he help but be drawn to her simple goodness & her fresh look at everything that comes her way. When she looks into his eyes, she sees the complete opposite: disillusionment, boredom, sin and badness. But she is drawn to him nonetheless. She knows he's a sinner but sinners can be saved and that's a temptation she cannot resist. She calls him "English" as that is what the Amish refer to any non-Amish people and so in retaliation, he adoringly calls her "Amish". She shows him just by being herself that he does indeed have a soul and this is a book of his awareness of how it is to really live a full life. Life not full of material goods as that is the only world he knew but a life of just good itself.

This is a marvelous love story. Proof that opposites do attract. That good will beat bad. I don't ever recall describing a novel as "beautiful" but Sunshine and Shadow is a warm and beautiful book. It had an almost fairy tale sort of feel to it. Not because the story was unrealistic but because of the way it enchanted me. I was spellbound. If reading this book doesn't bring a little beauty and sunshine into your heart, then you might be as jaded and cynical as our weary hero used to be before Susan Peachy entered his life and changed it forever.

I had seen this book at my neighborhood UBS (used bookstore)for some time now and didn't know what all the hype was about, especially since it is out of print and hardly ever "in" so I decided to pick it up. It was a soulful read, the story was at moments heartbreaking and you sometimes wonder about the intentions of the Hero when he brings the Heroine into his world but the authors wrote this with much respect for the Amish community as well as not taking away from the love that came to be for the Hero and the Heroine. I cannot recommend this one enough, if you are lucky enough to find it... KEEP IT. It was remarkable. If you like this storyline I do also recommend "The Outsider" by Penelope Williamson (which is a historical)

Happy Reading

This book is told with the same touching poignancy of the WINDFLOWER. Sharon & Tom Curtis have a knack for creating "bad boy" heros you can empathize with and heroines who can redeem them without being annoyingly perfect or unbearably dippy. I found this to be a wonderful story - I only wish it had a sequel...

This is an amazing book - it instantly went on my top ten list. I was initially skeptical about the premise (Hollywood director and Amish woman) but was soon drawn into the story. The Curtises write beautiful, lyrical love stories -- not to mention create a great cast of characters. Sunshine and Shadow, like their other novels, is an absolute delight.

My only question is, when will they write another novel? Most of the other stuff on the market pales in comparison.

I decided to read this book after having seen Tom & Sharon Curtis' names on many best of romance lists for their highly praised novel The Windflower. A few months prior, I read one of their earlier historicals, Moonlight Mist, and felt it was pretty mediocre, so I wasn't sure what to expect with Sunshine and Shadow. Even though this is a contemporary romance written 25 years ago, the Amish theme kept it from being too dated. It is not only a great love story, but also really provokes a lot of thought about faith and acceptance. Extremely well written and deeply emotional, I highly recommend this one if you can get your hands on a copy.

This book did nothing for me and after the third member of an Amish family went against his own priciples I finally put the book down.

The main character Alan was the only person true to his own nature of being jaded and cynical. Alan was beginning to experience a subtle transformation that was believable and held my interest. But the ease in which Susan set aside her own value system to be at Alan's beck and call was uncharacteristic of someone raised in an Amish community.