Customer Reviews

Silverbridge

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

 

 

Joan Wolf's Silverbridge is a great book. Tracy Collins, a down to earth movie star, goes to England to film a movie that is set amongst the splendor of the Regency era. Since this is her first foray into a drama or a period piece it is an important movie for her and she wants to do her best. The problem is she keeps seeing ghosts - who look remarkably like herself and the present lord of the manor, Harry Oliver -- on the his ancestral estate, Silverbridge, which they are filming on.

Tracy is having trouble getting over a tragedy in her past and Harry is wary of being associated with an American actress after a bad episode with a Model who overdosed and implicated him in her death. Karma is in overdrive though and these two are destined to be together.

It was a fast read with a few unusual twists and was a pleasure to read.

When a favorite author jumps into new sub-genre, like Joan Wolf has in Silverbridge, I am always a bit leery. I want to support the author, but the likelihood of the book being even close to the caliber of her regular sub-genre is low at best, since it usually takes an author two to three books to get the hang of the new style of writing - if that ever happens at all. I am happy to say that this is not the case with Joan Wolf's new novel Silverbridge and I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Kristie Leigh Maguire,MyShelf.com

The American movie star, Tracie Collins, travels to England to begin shooting her new movie. The setting for the movie is the majestic estate of Silverbridge. The last thing that Tracie had on her mind when she went to England was falling in love. But from the moment she met Harry Oliver, the Earl of Silverbridge, the feeling of déjà vu was too overpowering to ignore. Lord Silverbridge had no intentions in becoming involved with anyone - especially an American movie star. What, then, was this strange and intense attraction he felt towards Tracie?

The developing love story between Tracy and Harry in itself is enough to keep one's eyes glued to the book. However, Joan Wolf goes one step further in this novel - she not only throws in a fascinating mystery but also the love story of a long ago English governess, Isabel, and the former Earl of Silverbridge, Charles Oliver, as ghosts from the past. Tracie Collins is the bridge between the past and the present.

Joan Wolf ingeniously combines contemporary romance with historical romance in SILVERBRIDGE. The combination of the love story from the present and the love story from the past makes for a very intriguing read...

This one is OK. That being said the reason I wasn't crazy about this one is that this story has been written before, by other authors, and no I don't remember who at this exact moment, but the plot is predictable, the characters standard, and it's not much of a mystery. It's not one of those books you can't put down, more like-I guess I have to finish this so I can pass it on.

American movie star Tracy Collins lands the opportunity to play opposite Shakespearean actor Jon Melbourne in a Regency film. A veteran of romantic comedies, she relishes this new challenge. Her blockbuster name assures that Americans will buy tickets, but critics suggest she cannot handle the serious drama. But drama captured on film soon echoes the drama of her personal life when she becomes a guest of Harry Oliver, the lord of Silverbridge. Tracy comes to realize that visions of the past and the dangers of the present are somehow connected.

Harry only allows the filming of the Regency film on his property because he needs the income to support the outlandish costs of maintaining the Silverbridge estate. Between the rules for maintaining the historical site and death taxes, Harry struggles to retain ownership, even as his younger brother demands that he sell a large part of the land to a real estate mogul intent upon displacing cattle with a golf course and a luxury resort. Harry's younger sister Meg becomes the focal point that initially draws Tracy and Harry together. When Tracy becomes his guest, she encourages Meg's interesting in film making as a way to lead the teenager toward recovery from anorexia.

As a new fan of Joan Wolf, I found her characters warm and engaging. Further, SILVERBRIDGE melds a number of elements from contemporary romantic suspense to paranormal. Indeed, the supernatural elements move the plot along nicely without overshadowing the subplots of romance and suspense. While some readers may be uncomfortable with such an unexpected combination elements, the overall effect is surprisingly successful. Further, Wolf's understanding of Meg's struggle with anorexia lends the novel a convincing note that nicely contrasts the supernatural elements. Tracy and Harry likewise become appealing characters with their provocative romance. Indeed, SILVERBRIDGE provides very pleasant entertainment and comes highly recommended.

Joan Wolf's foray into the future and the past is a huge disappointment. Did someone else ghost write this thing? It was so unlike anything she has done in the past. Her previous books were buy without looking but that will not be the case after this fiasco.The movie star Tracey is one dimensional and hard to like despite her "niceness to her secretary ie.personal servant" The Present Lord Silverbridge is cold, snooty and very unsexy!! Where did Joan Wolf go? I kept asking myself this through the book, which I did not finish without skipping to the corny end.
Where did the ghost fit in? She never tied it together. Not one of her characters was real or sexy. The love scenes were boring.Last but certainly not least,anorexia is really not the topic for a romance novel.

As a long time Joan Wolf fan, I was glad to see her branching out, though I hope she doesn't stop writing regencies. I liked the ghost story and the movie set in Regency times. My one complaint, and it is minor, is that I felt switching back and forth between the past and present caused the characters to be a little less fleshed out than normal. Still, Joan Wolf doesn't write bad books. Her writing style is always engaging. This is a fun book. Even Joan Wolf on her worst day is better than most of the books you see out there. Joan Wolf fans will like her newest book. If this is your first Joan Wolf, read a few of her marvelous Regencies before you make up your mind.

Joan Wolf is one of our favorites...her writing is interesting, and her characters usually experience a destiny-driven and wholly satisfying romance. This is a twist on her more common regency novels: It is set in contemporary times, with a regency subplot woven in. I would like to see her characters sometime have a more understated romance with less of a fate-driven perfection to it.

GREAT BOOK! Could not put it down and hope to see more like this from her

Silverbridge was a quick and pleasant read with engaging characters. As a long time reader of all her works I did find the plot a little predictable but her familiarity with the regency genre showed when she was describing the Silverbridge manor house and the costumes for the period. The twist with the ghosts was very well done and gave the story that little something extra. .

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

Popular American romantic comedy actress Tracy Collins is taking quite a risk filming Jealousy, a Regency era psychological drama. Tracy is on location at the prestigious SILVERBRIDGE estate though she stays in a hotel in the nearby town. Tracy befriends shy anorexic Meg Oliver, younger sister of the owner of SILVERBRIDGE, Harry who reluctantly rents his place due to the exorbitant expense to keep his heritage proper.

A fire destroys the hotel so Meg offers rooms in SILVERBRIDGE to Tracy and her costar, Shakespearean actor Jon Melbourne. When Tracy meets Harry, she finds him attractive, but abhors his boorish behavior. As she stays in his residence, Tracy suffers feelings of déjà vu and visions of ghosts. On top of her strange reactions, someone tries to destroy the movie and only Harry can keep her safe, but who will protect Tracy's heart from her beloved aristocrat?

SILVERBRIDGE is an exciting contemporary romance with paranormal and suspense elements. The three prime subplots are well written and actually tie together in a cohesive manner. At the same, the triad plus two lesser subplots never allow any key theme to take charge of the tale as if Joan Wolf could not decide between suspense (movie sabotage), paranormal (ghosts), or a contemporary romance. Still the lead couple is a delightful duo and the tale will satisfy most of the audience.

Harriet Klausner