Timeless Moments

Timeless Moments

by Michele Ashman Bell

Paige St. Claire is a survivor. After battling breast cancer and suffering through a painful divorce, she is working on rebuilding a simple, uncomplicated life. Quite by accident, she stumbles across a link to her past that will forever change her future—the M.I.A./P.O.W. bracelet she wore as a teenager. Paige wonders if the soldier ever made it home.

Dalton McNamara did return from Vietnam after spending time as a prisoner of war in Hanoi. He now lives in Newport Beach—near Paige's best friend, Louisa. When Paige goes to California to help her friend through surgery, she visits the returned soldier.

After an awkward beginning, Paige soon realizes that Dalton is an amazing man. And even though this widower and single father has many female admirers in the local LDS community, Dalton recognizes that there has been no one he has connected with—until Paige.

As their friendship grows into love, can they overcome their emotional and physical scars of the past and face whatever the future may hold? From best-selling author Michele Ashman Bell, Timeless Moments is an unforgettable story, glimmering with hope and healing.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Romance, Lds, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Book Club

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2003

About the author

I grew up in St. George, Utah, where a lot of my family still lives, but now reside with my husband and family in the Salt Lake City area. My favorite thing to do is support my kids in their many interests. Between basketball, ballet and piano lessons we squeeze a lot into a week, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Reviews

[Tamera Westhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is absolutely gripping! It's about Paige, who got breast cancer and her selfish husband couldn't handle it, so he divorced her! Leaving her to fend for herself and her son (who was in high school)! Mad craziness! Luckily, she had her best friend who gave her a MIA/POW bracelet when she was 16, which leads her to write to the soldier's family and when her son finds out about it as they're going through stuff before he leaves for college, he makes her promise to write them and see if he was found. She does and gets an immediate response, which she brings with her to visit her son and best friend who live close to him (what a coincidence)! They end up spending lots of time together and he has lots of flashbacks to the Vietnam War. He has a daughter who is a teenager and Paige is able to understand her pretty well! So, she helps him out with his daughter who acts out. Her son starts doing crazy things thanks to his "friend" and who helps him out is quite the surprise! A very great story! Especially for those who are dealing with or have dealt with cancer (her best friend gets it and she tries to help her out).

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TIMELESS MOMENTS by Michelle Ashman Bell. 4 STARS

This is a fairly predictable Mormon romance, but with a mature twist that lifts it above the usual A-B-C plotline:

The main characters are older, in their 40s, have both suffered the loss of spouses to death or divorce, and struggle with the challenges of less-than-wise teenage children. Added to that, the hero has PTSD and an artificial leg. The heroine is a breast cancer survivor with a mastectomy. Viola! We have mature people with real and rather severe problems who are overcoming their defeating past lives, and are ready to love and live again.

“Sweet Young Maidens” might be repelled by imperfect protagonists, but grown-up women can identify with such characters and past traumas!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as well as it's sequel Forget Me Not because, at least for me, it was not only easy, enjoyable reading, but it was very educational. I learned more about Vietnam--both the war and the country--as well as seeing more into the life of a breast-cancer survivor. It reminded me a lot of and Anita Stansfield novel, although instead of learning more about abuse, etc., I learned more about history. The normal things about Anita Stansfield novels drove me crazy in this book, too...you know, endless amounts of money and always having someone there to watch your kids day or night...that kind of stuff. If you can put that aside, it's a pretty worthy read.

[Mollie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. I just finished an installment in a fantasy series and all I have next to my bed are other fantasy books - can't start them until I finish this other series (Or I get characters confused). I found this one under my bed - my gram is a big fan of LDS lit and enjoyed it and sent it to me...

Oh man, it is a shameless (although clean) romance. All kinds of angst, emotional and physical baggage, troubled children etc etc etc

Mostly crap (I am not a romance fan, sorry if you are) but I read it in a day so it must've been moderately compelling... yes? Or maybe I'm just compulsive.

No language or sex, some violence (war flashback).

[Ryviera Shayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a good story behind it. And I liked the story. I was also grateful that the perspective of the returned war veteran was positive. This is the first of 2 books and I liked this one better than the sequel. Just my personal opinion. As always, Michele focuses on the family and friendships and their importance and struggles. She does a great job here of teaching a lot in a little space of time. Michele tells a great tale without going overboard. I think you'll enjoy this one.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed re-reading this book and thought it had a strong, unique plot and interesting characters. My one critique is that I think Bell's writing style could be stronger, especially her description. (Example: she describes shrimp as being "grilled to perfection". This would have had more impact if she'd described it more, i.e., "the shrimp was tantalizingly spicy").(Grade: "B.")

[Shellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. Paige is a divorced mother who has survived breast cancer. Dalton is a Lieutenant from the Vietnam War who survived a prison camp. As a teen, Paige wore Dalton's POW/MIA bracelet even though she did not know him. Years later, Dalton and Paige meet up and their story of heartache and healing begins.

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and it's sequel Forget me Not. I listened to both of them via Audiobook while driving in the car. The reader did an awesome job! I enjoyed the story line and couldn't wait to get back in the car and listen some more. I recommend to anyone!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. I don't know if I was just emotional, or related well with it, but I sure cried through a lot of it. It has everything I like in a book, military, religion, and romance. Loved it!

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I read this book, I thought I had already read it, but discovered that I read "Forget Me Not", which is the second book with the same characters. I would like to have read them in the right order.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story moves right along and doesn't waste time with a lot of extra-fluffy-fill-in stuff. A wonderful story about rediscovering one's past, following one's heart, and finding love in the unlikeliest of places. I can't wait to read the second book in the series.

[Mr. Pe Mr. Pe]

this book is great i recommend this to everyone

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good, I really enjoyed it, but it is kinda cheesy..... but definitely a feel good, be a survivor, have faith kinda book. A good read!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the way that people's life came together in this book. I found that the healing process of the lives in this book was a great journey to take with them.

[Jeni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast, easy read with some historical events from Vietnam set in a fictional story. A love story. I enjoyed it.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the whole story with Dalton. I even got my husband into reading this one and the other sequal to it. WONDERFUL!!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this love story. As a person that has been divorced and wonders what a future relationship could be it was nice to read how she over came her fears and found love again.

[Ryanjuliep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really illustrates what the soldiers went through in Vietnam as well as a love story mixed in with it.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but the writing was stilted at times. I liked that the main character was an 'older' woman, not a young 20-something.

[Kay Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. I enjoyed it because it parallels some events in my life.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listend to this on my ipod, it was good, I enjoyed the story.

[Val Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of cheesy love story about M.I.A. Vietnam soldier. Good books (I read the sequel, too) to read while on vacation...which I was.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy safe books - no bad language and a good story.

[Danica is Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like her writing style. It's cute, not my favorite but it is good.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was better than the other book I read of Michele Ashman Bell's. The storyline was interesting, but something was lacking. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for her writing style or something.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!!!

[E.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a cute story. I liked the characters and enjoyed reading it.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Another book (LDS fiction) borrowed from my mom -- this was a story about a Vietnam veteran and the girl who wore his MIA/POW bracelet as a teenager meeting 30 years later.