Unexpected Blessings [Unabridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Barbara Taylor Bradford (Author), Terry Donnelly (Narrator)

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Sound Library; Unabridged edition (2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792734181
• ISBN-13: 978-0792734185
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 6.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,075,815 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

Barbara Taylor Bradford, OBE is one of the world's best loved storytellers. Her 1979 debut novel, A Woman of Substance, ranks as one of the top-ten bestselling books of all-time, with more than 30 million copies in print. All 25 of her novels to date have been major worldwide bestsellers. Her 26th book, Playing The Game, will be published on October 12th by St. Martin's Press.

Bradford was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire (UK) as the only child of Freda and Winston Taylor. She grew up in the Leeds suburb of Armley and after Town Street Church of England School worked in the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post before going into journalism. By the age of twenty she was the fashion editor of Woman's Own Magazine and an editor and columnist on Fleet Street for the London Evening News.

Bradford's books have sold more than eighty-two (82) million copies worldwide in more than ninety (90) countries and forty (40) languages. Ten (10) of her books have been made into miniseries and television movies, making her one of the best-selling authors over the last 30 years.

In April of 2003, Mrs. Bradford was inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America alongside Mark Twain, Langston Hughes and Dr. Seuss. She was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list for her contributions to literature. Her original manuscripts are archived at the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, alongside the works of the Bronte sisters. In 2009, Barbara's publishers began a worldwide 30th anniversary celebration of A Woman of Substance. The first annual Woman of Substance Awards took place on September 10th 2009 at the Dorchester Hotel in London. She lives in New York City with her husband, of 43 years, television producer Robert Bradford.

Her official website is: www.barbarataylorbradford.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars milked out, February 24, 2005

By 

Mrs A "continuity obsessed" (Porterville, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unexpected Blessings (Hardcover)

I believe that Barbara Taylor Bradford has "milked" Emma Harte for all she is worth. In the past I have enjoyed her books - although the characters Paula O'Neil and Emily Harte were a little too flawless for human beings. This story doesn't seem to go anywhere. I never read any resentment on the part of India's family towards her "blue-collar" boyfriend, as a matter of fact, the most snobbish member of the family (according to A Woman of Substance and Hold the Dream) Edwina, Dowager Countess of Dunvale - is eager to meet him and embraces him right away. The complete change of Edwina's character really bothered me! Also, she (BTB) invents a son for Frank and Natalie Harte, when it was mentioned in AWOS that they only had 1 daughter.
It seemed like pages went by for the ONE day that Adele was missing, and then at other times weeks went by in a blink of an eye. Actions attributed to Winston Harte and Emily Barkstone in Hold the Dream, were then 'remembered' by Paula about her and Shane.
Storylines started in previous books - such as Michael Kalinski, after divorcing Valentine, starting to woo Amanda Linde (Emily's sister)that would have linked the three clans in marriage, which is harped on incessantly in this and Emma's Secret; and the fact that Lorne and Tessa where left substantial shares of the Yorkshire Consolidated Newspaper Company, but neither one work for or even act like that business exists; are completely dropped! If you only read this book, you would think that Winston Harte owned the newspapers & media company outright.
Why isn't Daisy part of this story? Why does Tessa look like a "Fairley" when her description in Hold the Dream is listed as "another Harte - red haired and green eyed"
These kinds of gaps and leaps make me crazy. Was ANYONE employed to edit this book?

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not one of her best, January 28, 2005

By 

Anne Lebrecht "author" (Orange County, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unexpected Blessings (Hardcover)

Usually I love Barbara Taylor Bradford books. This one was quite boring. It seemed to plod along with very little happening of interest. A very uninteresting murder plot was left unresolved in the end, but by then I really didn't care. This is a continued story of the family introduced in Woman of Substance. Which was outstanding. Perhaps she has milked the dynasty and characters with too many characters that are now best forgotten. Sorry to say it was not one of her best. Be sure to read most of he other books. Most are excellent.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Banal, boring and undercooked, November 2, 2005

By 

Jennifer A. Hoffman "ghostwriter888" (Scottsdale, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unexpected Blessings (Hardcover)

This book, one more in a continuation of the Emma Harte saga proves that it's difficult to create an encore that rivals the performance of the wonderful 'A Woman of Substance'. This book had too many characters, storylines and insufficient detail. I had the feeling the writing was rushed, written too quickly to get it to press and not enough time was taken to give both the characters and storyline the depth that Emma's descendants deserve and that was originally created in the first book. I thought the twin tower replay was in poor taste and was both overdramatized and underutilized in the story line. This book was, in short, boring and disappointing. A pity, because so much more could have been done with this series, as I have found that each successive book is rather lackluster.