Shades of Blue (Memory Box Trilogy, Book 2) [Paperback]

Cindy Bauer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 14, 2008

When Susan Barnes accepted the position at the law firm, she never dreamed she would fall in love and get married. A beautiful handcrafted memory box given to them as a wedding gift becomes her most treasured possession. Tom Watson is a strikingly handsome young attorney with a very promising future. But it isn't long before Susan discovers Tom is not the man she thought she had married. Behind those sparkling gray-blue eyes lies a secretive side to her new husband and beginning with the birth of little Tommy, she finds herself on an emotional roller coaster ride, which ultimately costs her an extremely hefty price. Once a strong Christian woman, Susan summons up the strength to surrender her life into the loving hands of God, for He is their only hope. But will they be able to escape from danger in time? "We live by faith, not by sight." ~~ II Corinthians 5:7 - NIV

Editorial Reviews

Review

Shades of Blue is the story of Susan Watson, a soon-to-be-married-bride. She is completely in love with her husband, and he believes he loves her too. But soon after they get married, things start to change. Her husband, Tom, who once seemed to care for her, and love her deeply, is now coming home later and later, spending little time with Susan. He ends up involved with alcohol and drugs and even becomes abusive. Tom seems to come to his senses and even gets help from their pastor. When evil raises its ugly head again her friends Laura and Greg McKenzie take her in. Will the cycle ever end? What will happen when her son, Tommy, ends up missing as well? Susan must believe in God to help her get through her problems, and pray for Tommy's safe return. Shades of Blue, is a great story of how to pick up your life after problems, and it also shows that God can help you through anything. -- Crosswayz Books --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: lulu.com (November 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435751590
• ISBN-13: 978-1435751590
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,059,218 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in Iowa, Cindy Bauer grew up the youngest of three children. An avid reader since early childhood, she often dreamed of becoming a writer. Cindy graduated from Assumption High School in 1975, married her husband Robert in 1976 and left her dream behind. When her mother became terminally ill, Cindy and her husband relocated to Missouri in 1986 to assist with her care. They decided to stay and make it their home.

Cindy's dream to write rekindled while working for a daily newspaper. She published her first novel, Chasing Memories, in 2006 and her second, Shades of Blue, in 2007, both of which were edited by her sister, a former journalism teacher. In early 2008, Cindy severed ties with her publisher. She then rewrote and republished both those novels in 2008.

But editor "sis" is not the only family member involved with Cindy's writing career. Cindy enlisted the assistance of her brother, an artist and lyrics writer, to design the new covers for Shades of Blue, republished November 2008, and Crystal Clear, published June 2009.

Besides writing and marketing her own works, Cindy now freelances as a writer and editor, and also reviews for Bookpleasures. Most recently, Cindy volunteered her assistance at Books In Sync, a site dedicated to promoting authors and their books.

"I believe the Lord has chosen me to spread His word through my words and who am I to question His plans for me?" ©2008 Cindy Bauer

"Dreams can be turned into reality if one has the courage to try. Failure comes only to those who don't." Copyright ©2006 Cindy Bauer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A place in the heart, June 3, 2010

By 

Wanda N. Stanley "WN Stanley" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shades of Blue (Memory Box Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

"Susan Barnes never put too much thought into marriage or a family of her own. She believed that love was something that would come in due time. Until then, she remained a true, dedicated friend to Laura Thompson and her daughter Annie, who, had suffered through tragedies of their own. Susan, a vibrant, independent young woman finally found the man of her dreams. Tom Watson dazzled her from the first time they met. He was perfect. She thought. Somewhere through it all she lost that fairytale love. She lost her self-esteem and finesse.
I thought the book was a delicate read. The spiritual side of the story was very empowering. I could relate to Susan in many ways...WN Stanley, Author of 'Journey to the Last River' and `In the Midst of Change'."

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shades of Blue, March 17, 2009

By 

Maria Savva (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shades of Blue (Memory Box Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

The second book in Cindy Bauer's 'Memory Box Trilogy'. The spotlight is now on Susan as the protagonist (Laura's nanny from the first book 'Chasing Memories.') This is a nice twist, as I had expected the main character from the first book - Laura, to again be the focus of the story. Laura and her family and other familiar characters do continue to play important roles in the book.
Susan has married the man of her dreams, Tom; however, it is not long before things start to go wrong. Susan realises too late that she may not have known everything about Tom before she married him, and there are some very dark secrets waiting to be uncovered.
Cindy Bauer has done well in portraying the character of Susan as a very typical victim of domestic violence, a woman who is blinded by her love for her partner so much that she does not see the signs and does not heed the warnings. Half way through the book I was wondering whether Susan was a credible character as it seemed almost impossible that someone who had suffered so much at the hands of their partner would continue going back for more even though she had close friends who were willing to help her. However, as the story progresses, Cindy Bauer manages to develop Susan's character well, so she does become believeable. In fact she reminded me of women I came across when I worked as a lawyer assisting women who were victims of domestic violence.
There are many tragedies and problems for Susan to deal with in the novel.
I found the novel to be very engrossing in parts, especially the second half of the book. At the end there is a surprising twist which hints at what is to come in the third book to keep the reader hooked. Cindy has again produced an inspirational novel which is a must-read for anyone suffering similar problems in their daily life.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner!, February 12, 2009

By 

V. K. Sansone "KatieS" (Midwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shades of Blue (Memory Box Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

Shades Of Blue is another great book by Cindy Bauer! Following closely in the footsteps of Chasing Memories, we tail-gate Laura's best friend, Susan, into her exciting life as a new bride, a wife and a Mother. Years of happiness and turmoil fill her life, but she manages wonderfully and comes out victorious with God! Another winner Cindy!