Customer Reviews

When I Fall in Love

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It has been my life-long wish to become a writer. To put words down on the written page that will move, captivate, and enthrall the audience. Novels that are not only well written but seemless -- moving the reader into another realm where words blur into reality. I have seen only a handful of authors do this and Iris Rainer-Dart is one of them. This is the first book I have read by Dart and to be honest, it sat on my shelf for monthes. Now that I have read it, however, I can't help but ask myself "Why did you wait so long?" She is a wonderful author and this is an astounding novel. All throughout the novel, I lost myself in the pages. The characters were so well sketched, the story so plausible. It was just so REAL. How often can you say that about a novel and its characters? Even now, several days after I have finished reading it, the story stays with me. I find myself re-reading sections that I particularly liked and thinking about the characters as if they were real. I don't know how Dart does it, but she finds a way to dig into your soul and remain there. Just how does she do that? And, more importantly, how can I learn her secret?

Sometimes, a reader needs to pick a book because the blurp makes it sound enjoyable, and she needs enjoyable. Sometimes a reader chooses it for the romance and laughter, something she is craving that day. And somtimes, when the reader gets into the book, she realizes that yes, it is romantic; yes it is pleasurable; yes it makes her laugh out loud at times; but, unexpectedly, it makes her think, and that is a wonderful gift she hadn't expected. She finds the words to be magic carpets that transcend time and space, and for a full day she is immersed in the lives of Lily, Byran, and Charlie. She learns about handicaps, emotional and physcial; she learns about beating the odds; she learns about love penetrating prejudice. Her heart is full; her eyes are wet; her beliefs are buoyed; she has read a deftly written book in one sitting and she is most grateful to the author. She thanks Iris Rainer Dart profusely in her review and she encourages others.........If you need to feel uplifted by life again, treat yourself to "When I Fall In Love." The carpet ride awaits!!

Altho I am not a person with a disability, I have been around disabled people my lifetime (I'm 42). I found Dart's treatment of this subject to be incredibly right on. People fear disability, and tend to treat anyone disabled with kid gloves, as if they are saints and imbecils, both. Lily does all the stereotypes of the freaked out "non-disabled" mom, the son goes through typical grief stages, and so on. I don't want to give away the whole story as is my wont.

I loved the interplay of the characters, and I fell for the unlikely (in fiction) love-interest, Charlie Roth. Go for the book-- it is well done!

I don't know just what it was that drove me to read this book as I haven't read any of the author's previous ones (although I did see the move based on her book, BEACHES). I didn't know anything about the plot or characters when I began and didn't know just what to expect. The author hooked me from the beginning and I was pleasantly surprised at the choice of love interest she chose for Lily -- talk about your unconventional hero! Since reading this book over a year ago, I've been recommending it to everyone I know - it's my pleasure to recommend to anyone viewing this review at Amazon.com. This book is a guaranteed "feel good" read.

Author Dart has labored in the trenches of writing television comedy herself so what better protagonists to bring to a story than two comedy writers for a television show? The heroine is already engaged to a handsome heart surgeon when she meets Charlie, known as The King Of Jokes, who is her new writing boss. Any novel that features a heroine who picks a comedy writer hero, who also has a disability, after dumping the heart surgeon, is/was a must read for me! The best love story of 1999.

I am a fan since Boys in the Mail Room. This book was warm and funny. The ending was not a surprise but great anyway. I read it a few times and cried each time. I recommend this book to anyone who just wants to relax with a good book.

The whole story line with Lily and Charlie and Mark kept me focused on what would happen even when I knew I had to put the book down, but I simply couldn't bring myself to do it.
The part when Lily sends Charlie the video of "I love you's" and he starts bawling like a baby. I just love it when men get emotional in novels like these. When Mark is out of the picture, and Charlie is free to profess his love for Lily, the way he proposes made my heart swell three times its size.
This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves pure romance without the huge hunky jerks who always get the girl in the end, and finally can have a true hero winning out.
Now get off the computer, get to your nearest bookstore, and buy this book!

As I read this book my whole family was still adjusting to thenews that my 2 year old nephew has cerebral palsy. I've passed thebook on for other family members to read. It was wonderful! This book left me with such a positive feeling. I highly recommend it to everyone!

While the story was mostly entertaining and a quick read, the plot lacked depth. While I love a happy ending, this book tried to wrap up too many issues all in about 200 pages - just not enough dimension.

I enjoyed this book because of the characters. They were very real as was the situation that Lily found herself in. I appreciated the often true reactions that the characters had when confronted with tough or uncomfortable situations. It was a love story that encompassed many kinds of love: love for a child, love for dear friends, love that sneaks up on you. Definitely a book to stay up nights with!