From the exotic traditions of the Far East to the troubled oil fields of Texas, from the paradise landscapes of Hawaii to the snow-covered mountains of Switzerland . . . the lives, loves, and fates of the Colemans all come together in the name of family and in the name of their unforgettable Texas dynasty.
Fern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it. I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
I got hooked on the series, and now have to see how it all ends. Much like the Las Vegas series, you can identify with events happening in this series, and you just have to see how it ends, and if you have guessed correctly.
I read this book due to a very poor selection of books during a short stay in jail. I'll say that it isn't the sort of book I'd read if I had any other option than religious pamphlets and leave it at that; as for the book itself, it seems like reading what I always assumed daytime soap operas are about. The characters were a little one dimensional and the writing itself seemed basic, for example there were a few phrases repeated throughout the book, like "the bad moment was over", and "she knew he was dead because of how he was still" (paraphrasing from memory). The character relationships were also a little confusing, especially having not read the first 2 books in the series, and seemed borderline incestuous in some cases but that may just be typical of this genre.
So I guess I'd say this book is like what I imagine most of these sorts of books are, maybe not great but probably not bad if you're into this sort of thing.
This story was starting to get overdone. Plus a wife is dying but the”loyal” husband from previous books is now a cheater. It was not needed to continue to tell this story nut I’m not the author. Same issue in the previous book, mom sleeping with daughter’s ex. This series has just let me down. Not sure I want to finish this series. This author is usually better than this.
This was a great book. It made me cry and it made me laugh. Having read the first two books I got totally involved in this book and wanted to laugh and cry. It’s a great continuation of the saga started in the first two books. Several characters left us in the story. New ones were added. I totally enjoyed it and I’m getting ready to start the last book. Be prepared for a tear jerker and to cheer.
LOVED. THIS. SERIES. This is book three in Fern Michael's Texas series. I've read them all because the stories just flowed and I couldn't stop myself from going on to the next book immediately. The Coleman story, along with all of the other families not on center stage, was a writing triumph. Great job Ms. Michaels!!
Honestly did not love this series . It wasn’t horrible and I finished it but sometimes it felt so scattered. Maybe because the Coleman’s were such a big family and tying it all together was chaotic . In the end, family was family . I did not like Susan at all and have to wonder why she needed to be a character .... not horrible but not something I need to go back to.
This book Was presented as a thrilling mystery that one could not wait to turn one page after another. Never happened. I almost quit reading it about halfway through but decided to continue . If you are looking for a good mystery story you won't find it here it just goes on and on and on about people's uneventful lives.
This was a great book. It made me cry and it made me laugh. Having read the first two books I got totally involved in this book and wanted to laugh and cry. It’s a great continuation of the saga started in the first two books. Several characters left us in the story. New ones were added. I totally enjoyed it and I’m getting ready to start the last book. Be prepared for a tear jerker and to cheer.
This was another amazing book by Fern Michaels in the series about the Coleman’s of Texas. Fern has done a great job in telling this story and making it so in. Norma Gorrill
More of the same which is good but I probably should not read them back-to-back. I got a little tired of the perceived troubles of some and the obvious "solutions" that were coming. All that said, still a fun series
The Texas series are incredible. I’ve never enjoyed a book or series as I did with this set and still need to read Texas sunrise which will happen after I finish this review. Enjoy the ride because you won’t regret it!
The best of the Texas series is in Texas Fury! You will laugh! You will cry. All of the family is here. Events happen to the family, around the world and yet The Coleman's come together when they need to. Read it!
Such a.great series . I loved the Amelia serie s and her for thought pending her death. Then the sugar can business to help Hawiians and the help for old people and homeless. If we could be as forthcoming and helping our aged and homeless.
This was one of the best books I've ever read, even if there are no horse's! I don't know how many times I broke down and sobbed. I don't want to read the next one after the short glance at the end.
I read the whole series, I loved it and all her series are just as good! She was the first author I started reading. I love her work. The Sisterhood series was my first one, it was awesome! So was the Godmother’s series. Great writer!! 💕😃
This book is awesome. I have read this book at least 3 different times. Fern Michaels is an unbelievable story teller. This book must be read by every one. Its got a little bit of everything in it !!! After this book find the #2 book.... Enjoy....
One more enjoyable read. The tales of this family never cease to end. One more challenge after another in the hands of the new generation as the previous generation over sees.