What do you think?
Rate this book
A Piece of Heaven
(Originally published as Barbara Samuel)
With her acclaimed hardcover debut, No Place Like Home, readers enthusiastically welcomed Barbara Samuel into the ranks of bestselling women’s fiction, applauding her stirring novel of loss and redemption. In A Piece of Heaven, she shares another poignant tale rich in atmosphere and insight that explores the complexity of relationships, the importance of family, and the healing power of love.
In the sun-baked hills of New Mexico, Luna McGraw has lived a lifetime of regrets, struggling to conquer the demons that destroyed her marriage and caused her to lose custody of her beloved daughter. But as Luna fights to rebuild a relationship with the troubled teenager, she remains haunted by images of her own childhood and the father she barely knew.
Strong and resilient as the houses he builds, Thomas Coyote comes into Luna’s life one extraordinary night when his grandmother nearly dies while conjuring a fiery brew of spiritual enchantment. Luna does not need a man— especially one with a needy ex-wife—to complicate her fragile dreams of the future. Their attraction pushes them both beyond reason into a place where there is only possibility. Yet it will take more than passion to recover the tattered pieces of Luna’s soul, more than time to forgive the sins of an offending husband, and more than promises to mend the broken heart of a child.
A Piece of Heaven is an irresistible novel full of colorful characters and lush settings spiced with the magical flavors of the Southwest, a brilliant tapestry of romance and realism by a master storyteller.
With her acclaimed hardcover debut, No Place Like Home, readers enthusiastically welcomed Barbara Samuel into the ranks of bestselling women’s fiction, applauding her stirring novel of loss and redemption. In A Piece of Heaven, she shares another poignant tale rich in atmosphere and insight that explores the complexity of relationships, the importance of family, and the healing power of love.
In the sun-baked hills of New Mexico, Luna McGraw has lived a lifetime of regrets, struggling to conquer the demons that destroyed her marriage and caused her to lose custody of her beloved daughter. But as Luna fights to rebuild a relationship with the troubled teenager, she remains haunted by images of her own childhood and the father she barely knew.
Strong and resilient as the houses he builds, Thomas Coyote comes into Luna’s life one extraordinary night when his grandmother nearly dies while conjuring a fiery brew of spiritual enchantment. Luna does not need a man— especially one with a needy ex-wife—to complicate her fragile dreams of the future. Their attraction pushes them both beyond reason into a place where there is only possibility. Yet it will take more than passion to recover the tattered pieces of Luna’s soul, more than time to forgive the sins of an offending husband, and more than promises to mend the broken heart of a child.
A Piece of Heaven is an irresistible novel full of colorful characters and lush settings spiced with the magical flavors of the Southwest, a brilliant tapestry of romance and realism by a master storyteller.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2002
3875 people are currently reading
7009 people want to read
About the author
Barbara O'Neal
28 books4,394 followersBarbara O'Neal is the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling writer of women's fiction. She lives in Colorado with her partner, a British endurance athlete.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
November 3, 2016
It is a no-brainer that when you read one of Ms. Samuel's romances, you will find the characters are common folk with all of the appearances, personalities and problems that many of us face today. If you don't already know, I have a soft spot for imperfect characters as long as there are no TSTL moments. That said, if you insist on the most gorgeous heroine and the handsomest hero without angst, then be warned and stay far, far away from this author.
~Just a note: initially she wrote under the name Ruth Wind, then as Barbara Samuel and now she also publishes as Barbara O'Neal.~
In A Piece of Heaven, Luna McGraw is an alcoholic. It had been over four years since she had her last drink but there was not a day that went by when she didn't think of it. She also gave up smoking recently because the daughter she lost custody of years ago was coming to live with her. She deeply wanted to be the best mom she could be; she knew she had to earn 15-year-old Joy's respect.
Before her descent with liquor, she had been a therapist. Now she worked as a florist in a grocery store; color was important to her. 'Sunlight poked through the clouds here and there, falling like solid golden needles in some places, liquid as orange juice in others. She sometimes felt drunk on all that color, wanting to eat it, rub it all over herself, save it in jars and paint it on her clothes and ceilings.' Oh, how I just loved Ms. Samuel's verbalization!
Thomas Coyote met Luna when she saved his grandmother from setting her house on fire. It was an accident. 'Placida Ramirez knew she did not have much time. There was old in her bones, not like it had been when she was sixty and her knees got stiff after a rain or when she was seventy-six and sometimes fell asleep in her chair, half-shucked corn still in her hands when she woke up.' Thomas and Luna had seen each other around town but up until the incident with his abuela, they hadn't spoken to each other.
Thomas had his own share of baggage. He had been married and divorced twice but no children. In some ways, he still loved them both. But observe what I said: love and not in love, a big difference. He had a minor problem picking up strays: animals and people-in-need. His nose was striking, his skin was swarthy and he wore his dark hair in a long braid going down his back. As near as I can determine, he was 40-something. He was a big guy, "as big as a bear"; not handsome, but attractive in a manly-man kind of way.
Each chapter began with a quote, a calendar of important dates, a legend or a tidbit of facts. It was a piece of information that tied the chapter's theme with the characters' thoughts; it pulled them together. Read it!
The setting took place in Taos, New Mexico with its heavy Hispanic and Native American population and rich cultural history. It seemed every other person was an artist in some fashion trying to express their inner child.
There was some family drama, grief, self-discovery and I-lost-but-now-I-found moments. The author tackled spirituality and faith with a couple different forms of religion but I never felt the plot was religious or inspirational. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance for what it was: A Piece of Heaven on earth.
~Just a note: initially she wrote under the name Ruth Wind, then as Barbara Samuel and now she also publishes as Barbara O'Neal.~
In A Piece of Heaven, Luna McGraw is an alcoholic. It had been over four years since she had her last drink but there was not a day that went by when she didn't think of it. She also gave up smoking recently because the daughter she lost custody of years ago was coming to live with her. She deeply wanted to be the best mom she could be; she knew she had to earn 15-year-old Joy's respect.
Before her descent with liquor, she had been a therapist. Now she worked as a florist in a grocery store; color was important to her. 'Sunlight poked through the clouds here and there, falling like solid golden needles in some places, liquid as orange juice in others. She sometimes felt drunk on all that color, wanting to eat it, rub it all over herself, save it in jars and paint it on her clothes and ceilings.' Oh, how I just loved Ms. Samuel's verbalization!
Thomas Coyote met Luna when she saved his grandmother from setting her house on fire. It was an accident. 'Placida Ramirez knew she did not have much time. There was old in her bones, not like it had been when she was sixty and her knees got stiff after a rain or when she was seventy-six and sometimes fell asleep in her chair, half-shucked corn still in her hands when she woke up.' Thomas and Luna had seen each other around town but up until the incident with his abuela, they hadn't spoken to each other.
Thomas had his own share of baggage. He had been married and divorced twice but no children. In some ways, he still loved them both. But observe what I said: love and not in love, a big difference. He had a minor problem picking up strays: animals and people-in-need. His nose was striking, his skin was swarthy and he wore his dark hair in a long braid going down his back. As near as I can determine, he was 40-something. He was a big guy, "as big as a bear"; not handsome, but attractive in a manly-man kind of way.
Each chapter began with a quote, a calendar of important dates, a legend or a tidbit of facts. It was a piece of information that tied the chapter's theme with the characters' thoughts; it pulled them together. Read it!
The setting took place in Taos, New Mexico with its heavy Hispanic and Native American population and rich cultural history. It seemed every other person was an artist in some fashion trying to express their inner child.
There was some family drama, grief, self-discovery and I-lost-but-now-I-found moments. The author tackled spirituality and faith with a couple different forms of religion but I never felt the plot was religious or inspirational. I thoroughly enjoyed this romance for what it was: A Piece of Heaven on earth.
April 19, 2021
3.5 stars
January 4, 2014
Luna McGraw was wounded as a child when her much-loved father left home one day and never returned. She and her younger sister were raised by a loving mother who struggled to provide the material things for her daughters--but the love she provided was deep and constant.
An over-achiever, Luna wanted to leave her New Mexico hometown and not look back. She meets an ambitious young man in college, marries him after graduate school and finds herself living in Georgia where social-climbing is important to her husband's political aspirations. It is that social climbing that is Luna's downfall. Social drinking becomes more than social as she finds herself alone while her husband is frequently out of town. She is careful to never drink around her young daughter. The drinking usually comes late into the night when the darkness creeps into her soul. But Luna's husband is cunning and powerful. He finds out about her drinking, divorces her,and takes custody of their child.
Luna returns to New Mexico close to her mother and her sister, but far enough away to wallow in her pain as she goes down a dangerous path until she finally hits rock bottom and accepts the help she needs.
Four years sober, Luna's ex-husband has, for some mysterious reason, agreed that their 15 year old daughter can live with Luna and that is where the story actually begins as Luna is spending a sleepless night thinking about the precious chance to be a full-time mother to her precious daughter.
The minute I began reading this book, I was transported from my Indiana home to what I imagine must be beautiful Taos, New Mexico. Samuel paints pictures with words. My senses were tickled with not just sights, though. My mouth watered and my nose twitched when she described traditional Mexican food.(I would have welcomed recipes!) My heart was touched by Luna's heartbreak and her unconditional love for her daughter.
There are many characters in this story...Placida, the elderly neighborhood "witch" who conjures up charms...Placida's grandson, Thomas Coyote who is wounded but has an immediate connection with Luna...Luna's younger sister who hides from herself and her gift of singing...Luna's mother who has accepted the fact that she can love and be loved...Luna's own quirky daughter who has wisdom beyond her 15 years...the cast of characters goes on, and I loved each character, flaws and all.
I hated to see this beautiful "love story" end. It wasn't just about male-female relationships, but about family and friends and the healing power that love has when one is patient enough to keep loving.
I will be looking for more soul-soothing books from Ms. Samuel.
An over-achiever, Luna wanted to leave her New Mexico hometown and not look back. She meets an ambitious young man in college, marries him after graduate school and finds herself living in Georgia where social-climbing is important to her husband's political aspirations. It is that social climbing that is Luna's downfall. Social drinking becomes more than social as she finds herself alone while her husband is frequently out of town. She is careful to never drink around her young daughter. The drinking usually comes late into the night when the darkness creeps into her soul. But Luna's husband is cunning and powerful. He finds out about her drinking, divorces her,and takes custody of their child.
Luna returns to New Mexico close to her mother and her sister, but far enough away to wallow in her pain as she goes down a dangerous path until she finally hits rock bottom and accepts the help she needs.
Four years sober, Luna's ex-husband has, for some mysterious reason, agreed that their 15 year old daughter can live with Luna and that is where the story actually begins as Luna is spending a sleepless night thinking about the precious chance to be a full-time mother to her precious daughter.
The minute I began reading this book, I was transported from my Indiana home to what I imagine must be beautiful Taos, New Mexico. Samuel paints pictures with words. My senses were tickled with not just sights, though. My mouth watered and my nose twitched when she described traditional Mexican food.(I would have welcomed recipes!) My heart was touched by Luna's heartbreak and her unconditional love for her daughter.
There are many characters in this story...Placida, the elderly neighborhood "witch" who conjures up charms...Placida's grandson, Thomas Coyote who is wounded but has an immediate connection with Luna...Luna's younger sister who hides from herself and her gift of singing...Luna's mother who has accepted the fact that she can love and be loved...Luna's own quirky daughter who has wisdom beyond her 15 years...the cast of characters goes on, and I loved each character, flaws and all.
I hated to see this beautiful "love story" end. It wasn't just about male-female relationships, but about family and friends and the healing power that love has when one is patient enough to keep loving.
I will be looking for more soul-soothing books from Ms. Samuel.
September 16, 2017
This is a lovely read with a reminder of some life lessons. Set in New Mexico amid vibrant cultural sights,aromas and sounds, a woman struggles with her past mistakes and current struggles with trust and self esteem and forgiveness.
Her mother,sister and daughter play large roles in her struggles. The female family dynamic was engaging along with interesting secondary characters.Truly a contemporary romance amid imperfect people.
Her mother,sister and daughter play large roles in her struggles. The female family dynamic was engaging along with interesting secondary characters.Truly a contemporary romance amid imperfect people.
June 24, 2024
Thanks GR Giveaway for giving me the opportunity to read this book
Loved that it took place in Taos NM.
My challenge question for this review was
Would you change anything in the story if you were the author?
I would have this located in the Taos Pueblo itself to give more description of the Pueblo itself.
Loved the diversity of the characters. Wasn’t too wild about the Barbie’s.
Loved that it took place in Taos NM.
My challenge question for this review was
Would you change anything in the story if you were the author?
I would have this located in the Taos Pueblo itself to give more description of the Pueblo itself.
Loved the diversity of the characters. Wasn’t too wild about the Barbie’s.
May 19, 2022
One of the shelves I put this on was “heavy psychological aspects” but this book doesn’t feel heavy. If feels hopeful. Its also hard in the sense that some ‘everyday’ issues like addiction and marital trauma are front and center throughout the story. At the same time, courage and love and faith and optimism run through it.
I really enjoyed looking at life, mostly through Luna’s eyes and a little bit through everyone else’s. I could really relate to her struggle to quit smoking. Its been almost 40 years since I quit and I can honestly say it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Addictions are brutal.
The various angles the story took in looking at the ways alcoholism and marital breakup can impact kids (for life) was well done. In fact, it seems that the angst and upheaval in most books comes back to how people are impacted by their first family.
The evolving love story between Luna and Thomas as enjoyable but I also really enjoyed watching the other relationships develop; Maggie and Joy, Elaine and Luna, and Placida and her faith.
Great book. Thanks Linda for making me remember this one was in my TBR.
I really enjoyed looking at life, mostly through Luna’s eyes and a little bit through everyone else’s. I could really relate to her struggle to quit smoking. Its been almost 40 years since I quit and I can honestly say it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Addictions are brutal.
The various angles the story took in looking at the ways alcoholism and marital breakup can impact kids (for life) was well done. In fact, it seems that the angst and upheaval in most books comes back to how people are impacted by their first family.
The evolving love story between Luna and Thomas as enjoyable but I also really enjoyed watching the other relationships develop; Maggie and Joy, Elaine and Luna, and Placida and her faith.
Great book. Thanks Linda for making me remember this one was in my TBR.
February 27, 2016
This was such a fantastic read! Loved each and every character, very realistic scenarios. Every now and then i stumble upon a book that not only touches me but is able to teach me something as well. This is certainly one of those that i will be thinking about for some time.
Update:
Six years later and this book taught me some lessons I had forgotten. Even if you're scared to be hurt again, don't hide away. Try to the things you've been putting off; so years later you don't lament about wasted years. Let's be glad for the things we received today, even if they are lessons meant to hurt.....
Gah I have get out of my head and have some fun tonight! Lol
Update:
Six years later and this book taught me some lessons I had forgotten. Even if you're scared to be hurt again, don't hide away. Try to the things you've been putting off; so years later you don't lament about wasted years. Let's be glad for the things we received today, even if they are lessons meant to hurt.....
Gah I have get out of my head and have some fun tonight! Lol
June 28, 2024
Kinda slow for me, but overall a good story.
November 12, 2008
I picked up this book on a sale table in Johannesburg. I liked the picture on the front of the girl staring at the faraway mountains. The synopsis sounded good. I have read this book several times now and I'm amazed by it. I'm not actually sure why. The story is good, the setting seems lovely. So different from where I am and I enjoy reading about different places. But there is something about the characters in this book that is real. Not easy lives; not the best choices. Alcoholism, broken families, character flaws--but they keep plodding on. No excuses. I guess these are the type of people I would like to call friends. Something about them speaks to me. I don't know. I just like this book.
April 10, 2025
This book was just too slow to get going for me and it didn’t feel like much happened in the first half. I really enjoyed the other two books I’ve read by this author but this just didn’t compare which was a shame.
May 6, 2024
Hitting rock bottom.
Another fantastic book from this author, she has a real talent to write about people and you feel as if you are right in the book with all these people.
Another fantastic book from this author, she has a real talent to write about people and you feel as if you are right in the book with all these people.
September 29, 2025
Seems like this could have been much, much shorter. Cute read but nothing really grabbed me.
November 8, 2025
I just really loved this book. This is my 8th Barbara O’Neal book and probably my favorite so far. And I will be reading more!
June 25, 2024
A wonderfully emotional read...sad, joyous and uplifting
This was a book that I would never have usually chosen....it popped up as 'you may also like'...and for some reason I was drawn to the 'read now' button.
I'm so glad I did. Beautiful evocative and descriptive writing....I found it easy to conjure the people and places to my mind...even though it's a part of the world I'm not at all familiar with.
Tales of love and loss and emotional damage, scarring and redemption. I shed tears a few times.....and learnt quite a bit along the way about forgiveness.
Absolutely a joy to read and become immersed in.
This was a book that I would never have usually chosen....it popped up as 'you may also like'...and for some reason I was drawn to the 'read now' button.
I'm so glad I did. Beautiful evocative and descriptive writing....I found it easy to conjure the people and places to my mind...even though it's a part of the world I'm not at all familiar with.
Tales of love and loss and emotional damage, scarring and redemption. I shed tears a few times.....and learnt quite a bit along the way about forgiveness.
Absolutely a joy to read and become immersed in.
December 27, 2014
First let me say that Barbara Samuel places most of her books in the same part of the country as this - New Mexico or Colorado and it is evident that she knows the area and the different ethnic groups native to the area very well. She is able to bring a distinct voice to each group of very distinct people that inhabit this area in a way that brings the people and the region alive.
The plot of this novel, an alcoholic mother who lost her marriage, her child and her career and is slowly rebuilding her life could have become maudlin and melodramatic. But the author doesn't focus on the tragedies of Luna's life, she focuses on her rebuilding of her life and that makes a big difference.
If I understand Ms. Samuel and all of her pseudonyms, this book is more of a romance than a women's fiction book, but I actually thought that the romance, while it does take up considerable space in the plot, isn't the main focus of the book. Emphasis is placed on all of her primary relationships, both the good ones and the bad ones, so we get to know Luna as a well rounded character, not just a woman falling in love. There is also considerable attention paid to the relationships of secondary characters in the book, some that Luna has no direct connection to. And yet, even if they are only on the periphery of Luna's life, they also help explain a part of her complex past.
I found this book very compelling. I loved watching all of the characters, if not grow, at least gain in their understanding of themselves. I thought parts of it were terribly poignant and parts had universal applicability. It was essentially a novel of growth and acceptance. It had no highly dramatic climax. It seemed much more like the course of real life.
Bernadette Dunne is one of my favorite narrators. She voices Samuel's characters beautifully.
I highly recommend this book.
The plot of this novel, an alcoholic mother who lost her marriage, her child and her career and is slowly rebuilding her life could have become maudlin and melodramatic. But the author doesn't focus on the tragedies of Luna's life, she focuses on her rebuilding of her life and that makes a big difference.
If I understand Ms. Samuel and all of her pseudonyms, this book is more of a romance than a women's fiction book, but I actually thought that the romance, while it does take up considerable space in the plot, isn't the main focus of the book. Emphasis is placed on all of her primary relationships, both the good ones and the bad ones, so we get to know Luna as a well rounded character, not just a woman falling in love. There is also considerable attention paid to the relationships of secondary characters in the book, some that Luna has no direct connection to. And yet, even if they are only on the periphery of Luna's life, they also help explain a part of her complex past.
I found this book very compelling. I loved watching all of the characters, if not grow, at least gain in their understanding of themselves. I thought parts of it were terribly poignant and parts had universal applicability. It was essentially a novel of growth and acceptance. It had no highly dramatic climax. It seemed much more like the course of real life.
Bernadette Dunne is one of my favorite narrators. She voices Samuel's characters beautifully.
I highly recommend this book.
December 10, 2019
When Luna notices her neighbor's New Mexico house burning, she rushes over and saves a very elderly woman the neighborhood kids think is a witch. The old lady has to move in with her grandson who lives nearby. Thomas, like Luna, is middle-aged and has been kicked around a whole bunch, too. Luna is wary, but Thomas falls hard. Their love story develops as Luna learns to trust herself again. She's a family therapist who no longer practices, instead is happily underemployed at a floral department at the local grocery store. She is traumatized from her last days of drinking (three car accidents), and her story arc is to stop being stuck and start living fully again.
Woven into Luna and Thomas' story is Luna's relationship with her teenage daughter. Daughter was living with her dad since Luna had been struggling, but now that Luna's better, daughter comes to live with her. Daughter has a troubled friend; Thomas has a troubled employee. Both add compelling subplots to the novel.
This novel is by Barbara Samuel/O'Neal. I enjoyed it so much and recommend it.
Woven into Luna and Thomas' story is Luna's relationship with her teenage daughter. Daughter was living with her dad since Luna had been struggling, but now that Luna's better, daughter comes to live with her. Daughter has a troubled friend; Thomas has a troubled employee. Both add compelling subplots to the novel.
This novel is by Barbara Samuel/O'Neal. I enjoyed it so much and recommend it.
September 18, 2007
I admit that it took me awhile to fall in love with this book, to get fully absorbed, but by the end, I was, indeed in love, and fully satisfied in a very meaningful and deep down way. The book lingered with me for a couple weeks afterward. I kept thinking about it. I agree with what Library Journal said about it in its review, "Samuel has created truly three-dimensional characters, filled with flaws, strengths, and idiosyncrasies. (The reader will never look at Barbie dolls the same way again.) As lyrical as a Spanish ballad, peppered with Southwestern metaphors and allusions, and written in a style evocative of Barbara Kingsolver at her best, this is a book that libraries of all sizes will want to add to their women's fiction and romance collections." Absolutely. And boo-hiss to the reviewer who said Maggie's diary entries were amateurish. I LOVED them. And I love Barbara Samuel. Period.
June 14, 2019
This is my third book by Barbara O'Neal, and probably my last. (I also read "The Art of Inheriting Secrets" and "No Place Like Home".) She is a talented writer and writes stories with good characters and substance, but there is just too much sex! Thus, I am now convinced that her books are in that category of lusty romance (or loin burners, as my friend used to say). It's too bad because her plot lines are strong enough to stand on their own, even if she dialed back the lust. I appreciate a good romance that is suggestive of, but not explicitly descriptive of the full act. With these two characters, Luna and Thomas, that's all they thought of when they were together. Having chemistry is one thing, but with them it was almost animal hunger! Overdone.
Not sure about the title. It doesn't pertain--too ambiguous.
Good character development and great conversation--something Barbara is consistently good at.
Would I recommend it? Hmmmm.....it's ordinary.
Not sure about the title. It doesn't pertain--too ambiguous.
Good character development and great conversation--something Barbara is consistently good at.
Would I recommend it? Hmmmm.....it's ordinary.
September 25, 2015
I really liked this book a lot. It is full of love and as I read parts of it I could seee
the colors as they are described by Luna. Almost smell the food as she talked about it, I love the closeness of the family. I felt the pull of loneliness as Luna suffered in her past. I felt sorrow when Abuelita saw her house burn down. Built something so good came from her losing her house. Within this beautiful book are so many stories as they come together you will go through emotions with the characters in the book. I really thought the story of Thomas and Luna was a moving love story.
I don't want to reveal the twists and turns you will feel as you immerse yourself in this book.. it's hard to put down.
the colors as they are described by Luna. Almost smell the food as she talked about it, I love the closeness of the family. I felt the pull of loneliness as Luna suffered in her past. I felt sorrow when Abuelita saw her house burn down. Built something so good came from her losing her house. Within this beautiful book are so many stories as they come together you will go through emotions with the characters in the book. I really thought the story of Thomas and Luna was a moving love story.
I don't want to reveal the twists and turns you will feel as you immerse yourself in this book.. it's hard to put down.
March 17, 2016
This story set in Taos, NM, is about Luna McGraw (and her family) as well as her new relationship with Thomas Coyote (who comes with baggage of his own). This is a realistic tale about life with all of its ups & downs with a theme of second chances. I liked that the author appeals to an "active" reader who can delve into each character.
Thanks to the Inner Circle for the copy of this book.
Thanks to the Inner Circle for the copy of this book.
December 14, 2017
Going to the library today to find another book by Barbara Samuel. She is amazing. Her characters are all so multi-dimensional and real. I loved this book on so many levels. It's a story of relationships, hurts, healings, love lost and found, and lessons learned. I could just read this book over again right now! I fell so in love with the characters and how 'real' they were.
September 15, 2018
Love restored
This is a beautiful story rich in real relationships and emotions. Linda's life is finally changing her teenage daughter Joy comes back and they begin to work things out. She meets her new love and each struggles with past problems but love wins out. With a rich cast of characters, food, friends and family this is a story with warmth and love.
This is a beautiful story rich in real relationships and emotions. Linda's life is finally changing her teenage daughter Joy comes back and they begin to work things out. She meets her new love and each struggles with past problems but love wins out. With a rich cast of characters, food, friends and family this is a story with warmth and love.
May 9, 2024
After reading this book, I now know what people mean when they describe a book as a slow burn. I thoroughly enjoyed the story- its plot, characters, the dialogue, etc. I was invested in these characters and how things would turn out in the end. It wasn’t a page-turner that I couldn’t put down but I’m glad o read it.
September 10, 2009
I really enjoyed it.It's a classic story of learning to let go of the past to embrace new beginnings and possibilities, but at the same time it was just so...different. I really loved the New Mexico setting - reading about the place makes me want to go there :-)
April 8, 2019
Remarkable...
An unfamiliar culture, common fears and hopes, love in many forms... I loved the characters and wanted them to find their ways through their troubles and challenges. Loved it to the last word. Highly recommended!
An unfamiliar culture, common fears and hopes, love in many forms... I loved the characters and wanted them to find their ways through their troubles and challenges. Loved it to the last word. Highly recommended!
October 1, 2023
It's just a long story
I had to force myself to finish this book. It was way drawn out and nothing exciting really happened. Nope, not recommending, unless you're under the age of 10.
I had to force myself to finish this book. It was way drawn out and nothing exciting really happened. Nope, not recommending, unless you're under the age of 10.
November 4, 2017
DNF. I read several chapters but failed to get into the story.
February 28, 2018
A beautiful book about love and family and life. If you like character driven over plot driven novels you’ll love this one.
January 5, 2021
I don't know where Barbara Samuel (Barbara O'Neal) has been but I discovered her this year and really enjoyed everything I've read from her.
October 15, 2025
Do you see how long it took me to read this book, too long. Why, because it was boring. I kept reading another chapter saying there has to be a story here somewhere, and would put the book down to pick up another night. Ok she has a crush on a man. Another chapter, she went grocery shopping, another night, they had a dinner party again. Suddenly I realized I was almost to the end, so I had to keep reading. And finally something happened. Yes, finally, the very end it all came together at the end, one boring book ending at the end. Next time I read a book like this, I will not waste my time, I’ll just read the last chapter and get it over with. And that last few chapter were good. They should had been the first ones, Then the rest of the book explained how it got to that point. Then I would have given this 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews