Customer Reviews

And Then Came You: Sam's Story

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When Samantha Marconi was eighteen she met and fell in love with upper crust Jeff Hendricks. The couple married over the objections of their family. He left for London on business and she became pregnant. He never returned to her, contacted her or answered her letters except to provide her with the divorce papers. She gave up the child for adoption.

Nine years, Jeff visits Sam to ask her to sign new divorce papers as the ones they signed were never filed by the government clerk. He is going to remarry. However, when she goes to see him at his hotel, she sees a miniature Marconi as he as raised the child she left behind. They share angry notes and soon realize his deceased mother orchestrated the split. Sam insists she has time with Emma or else; Jeff agrees. As Emma plays matchmaker, the spark between Jeff and Sam reignites, but can they overcome their history even if they are in love and love the same third person.

Why Sam gave up her newborn with the loving family she had seems odd though it apparently has to do with her mom's death just before the birth. Fans will enjoy this fine contemporary tale. The Marconi mob is a tough crowd that any male would think twice of defying. Jeff is a solid protagonist, Emma is a precocious child (too accepting of her mom in her life), and his deceased mom was a maestro manipulator who made Machiavelli look like an amateur. The interplay between everyone makes for a fine tale.

Harriet Klausner

Another great story from author Maureen Child whose books never disappoint. It's witty, it's clever. It will touch your heartstrings. Thank you, Maureen Child, for bringing me so many hours of reading pleasure.

I can always count on Maureen Child to give me a great read. Her characters snag you by the heart strings and yank on them to the very last page. And this author tackles some delicate issues with witty prose and snappy dialogue. A wonderful curl-by-the-fire feel good read!

I love this book and can't wait for the others in the series. I love books where I laugh and cry and this one had me doing both. And it's sexy, which makes it all fun. My only complaint is Chandler isn't real and I can't go there for my vacation.

I have read several of Maureen Child's books and enjoyed them a lot, but this one was not up to par. The story has three major problems. The first is the break up nine years ago that precipitated the divorce between Sam and Jeff. No reason was ever given for why Sam pushed Jeff out of their apartment in nothing but his boxers or why he took off for London without even telling Sam about it. It was all very nebulus and vague. No real conflict was ever mentioned as the why Sam and Jeff couldn't get along. As for the divorce, what modern woman would sign divorce papers without consulting an attorney and insisting on a settlement of some kind? The second problem concerns the adoption of Emma. And this was the big one that I just couldn't get around. I, too, find it unlikely that Sam would have put her daughter up for adoption with such a supportive family. But the real question is if the letter Sam sent to Jeff telling him she was pregnant was returned to her UNOPENED, how in the world did Jeff's mother find out about it? Sam didn't even tell her family about Emma until after the adoption was a done deal. And what incompetent or fraudulant attorney handled the so-called adoption and let Jeff's mother have Emma when Sam had specified that Emma was to go to a two parent family? Just how did Jeff's mother get her hands on Emma? Big hole in the plotline there. Also, I believe that a legal adoption requires that BOTH parents relinquish parental rights, not just the mother. I could be wrong about that, but I don't think Emma could have been put up for adoption without Jeff signing the papers, too. I thought the whole plot surrounding Emma's adoption was unbelievable. As for the third problem, there didn't seem to be any emotional closeness between Sam and Jeff. I felt it was all just flash and fire, no real feelings. Anyway, I forced myself to finish the book and am hoping that Mike's story will restore my faith in this author.

Last year, I fell in love with Maureen Child's Candellano clan and couldn't wait to return to Chandler to meet the Marconi sisters. I'm happy to report, And Then Came You (Sam's Story) was wonderful. From page one, I was laughing out loud at Child's quick and clever dialogue, then weeping at her poignant scenes between two people who are struggling to find their way back to love again. I can't wait for Book Two in this trilogy. Maureen Child's books are warm and wonderful and always leave me smiling. Don't miss this one.

While it was fun reading Sam's Story, there were several editing glitches with my downloaded Kindle copy. From locations 4563 to 4661, I had these numbers 258/260/264 followed by the words 'Maureen Child' imbedded into several paragraphs of this novel. This, nevertheless, definitely interrupted the flow of the story. St. Martin Press/ and Kindle need to rectify these errors.

Loved this story and can't wait to read the next in the series. So like all Italian families I know.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a memorable read with an original premise. The author did a wonderful job of revealing layer by layer what happened in Sam and Jeff's past. I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to keep reading and discover how Sam and Jeff were going to come to trust each other again. I loved the ending of this book. Sam and Jeff's road to "happily ever after" was unique, cute, emotional and fun all in one. Definitely a keeper.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'd been holding out reading the Marconi Sisters trilogy until all three books were released--now that they are, I picked up AND THEN CAME YOU yesterday and finished it today.

Samantha "Sam" Marconi is the middle child, the sensible one, the "good one." Not as take-charge as her older sister Jo, or as quick-tempered as her younger sister Mike, Sam is the one to stay in line. That was always true, until she married her first love, Jeff Hendricks, at the age of eighteen. That was nine years ago, but Sam hasn't forgotten a thing--falling in love, watching her young husband leave, getting pregnant, giving up the baby for adoption, coming home to face her divorce alone.

But then Jeff shows up, with a few surprises. They're not divorced. The daughter Sam gave up was raised by him. His mother plotted not only their divorce and the fact that Emma, their child, grew up with only one parent, but the truth that Sam has no idea that Jeff never wanted divorced all those years ago--that he does, in fact, think Sam divorced him.

AND THEN CAME YOU is a wonderful contemporary romance. Two great main characters who never truly got over their first loves, a daughter who wants only to see those around her happy, and a supporting cast that will totally delight you.

Mike's and Jo's stories will be next for me--the only thing I worry about is how I'll feel once this trilogy is over!