What do you think?
Desperate Needs
A novel about the happiness and pain of love and marriage, and about one woman's struggle to do what is best for her family.
470 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Fern Michaels
290 books6,793 followersFern 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.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
December 25, 2015
I don't think I could be friends with a person who liked this book.
June 1, 2021
Good story--Bad language
Good story. Bad language! I loved the story, but the bad language was totally unnecessary. Distracted form the overall book. I don't enjoy reading words like that.
Good story. Bad language! I loved the story, but the bad language was totally unnecessary. Distracted form the overall book. I don't enjoy reading words like that.
January 18, 2022
on and on and on
I liked the storyline of this book. With that said, there was way too much talk, written in an almost elementary fashion. I felt like it would never end, and then just like that it did. I liked the outcome, but it was painful getting there.
I liked the storyline of this book. With that said, there was way too much talk, written in an almost elementary fashion. I felt like it would never end, and then just like that it did. I liked the outcome, but it was painful getting there.
July 20, 2024
Great book once I got further into it!
November 11, 2022
Sappy beginning. Predictable and long drawn out middle. Unrealistic stupid ending. The plot line had potential so I kept hoping…
November 24, 2021
Finally, I reached the end
They can’t all be good, right? This book just went on, and on, and on. It was a bit ridiculous and too far-fetched to be even somewhat believable. Definitely skip this one.
They can’t all be good, right? This book just went on, and on, and on. It was a bit ridiculous and too far-fetched to be even somewhat believable. Definitely skip this one.
January 28, 2022
I know kids wo are put into the Foster Kids Program don't always get the best homes to be sent to. In the case of this story Pete was one of those kids and since he was so young (6), he also lost is friend Barney who was a few years older and who promised to find him when he turned 16. When this did not occur, it really sent Pete into a real tailspin. This affected him his whole life. His best friend from childhood, Annie, was usually kept him functioning. As time progressed, Annie fell in love with Pete, but did not let him know it until years later. Pete did fall in love with someone and just before their wedding, she and her friend witnessed a murder and ended up in the Witness Protection Program which turned out to be horrible. Pet was obsessed in finding out where she was, and she couldn't take the program and walked away from it and tried to find her fiend. She finally was able to find her and when they were so afraid they returned to the program and this time their request to be together was honored. However Pete still could not find her, so he called Annie to come and help him run the store his fiancee had just opened and she came. During this time Annie fell eeven harder for Pete and the girlfriend, decided she really didn't love Pete, she just loved his money. As in most Fern Michaels stories, all ends well and Pete and Annie realize how much they love each other and a wedding is planned.
July 18, 2021
This book had so much potential. But alas. It took me a long time to read and I was quite disinterested for most of it. CONS: To start, I couldn't get on board with the importance given to Barney in the MC's life. Maybe I'm a bit glad Pete finally finds Barney, (because it was soooo important for the whole book), but I just don't really understand why. The other characters also seemed incompatible with their own story lines/levels of success (ie. just letting life happen to them/letting others tell them what to do). The plot twists were unsatisfying and I was especially put-off by the unnecessary vulgarity of the language at every other paragraph. PROS: I'm happy that it was not overly predictable, that there was a happy ending for Annie.
I've not read Fern Michaels before, but this one was a bust.
2 stars.
I've not read Fern Michaels before, but this one was a bust.
2 stars.
May 10, 2024
It was good, but too drawn out, another of those books that could have been about 100 pages shorter. I didn't particularly like either Maddie or Pete and I think Annie deserved better.
When a relationship's put to the test, if both parties think mostly of themselves, then it's bound to fail.
And the whole trope about someone thinking of you as just a friend for years then suddenly discovering they're madly in love with you is a bunch of BULL! They sure weren't thinking about you while they were rolling around naked with their significant other that they thought was the love of their life!
COME ON!!!!
When a relationship's put to the test, if both parties think mostly of themselves, then it's bound to fail.
And the whole trope about someone thinking of you as just a friend for years then suddenly discovering they're madly in love with you is a bunch of BULL! They sure weren't thinking about you while they were rolling around naked with their significant other that they thought was the love of their life!
COME ON!!!!
January 19, 2026
Another great book by Fern Michaels! Pete was a bit over exaggerated on his cluelessness and sappiness to those around him. I absolutely loved the character, Annie. Maddie was a bit over the top. It was difficult to understand how Pete was so clueless about her true likes. She saw him as some rich sucker to help her make her dreams come true with her business ideas. She didn’t want a family. She was very career driven, and felt that having a family would interfere with her dreams as a businesswoman. I can also see how Pete ignored Annie’s cues that he should have understood, even though she kept brushing him off. Great ending! I absolutely loved it!
August 30, 2019
Got better about halfway through the book .
Wasn't really thrilled with the whining characters but liked the last part of the book once there was a little excitement. Way too much drama for me. Liked the foster kid part but detested Maddie. I also hated seeing Annie be such a slave for Pete. I prefer stronger female characters. I really wanted to smack Pete too for abusing Annie. It was not an uplifting tale and I found that it made me quite depressed . Not a feel good story at all.
Wasn't really thrilled with the whining characters but liked the last part of the book once there was a little excitement. Way too much drama for me. Liked the foster kid part but detested Maddie. I also hated seeing Annie be such a slave for Pete. I prefer stronger female characters. I really wanted to smack Pete too for abusing Annie. It was not an uplifting tale and I found that it made me quite depressed . Not a feel good story at all.
September 12, 2020
I haven't read a book by this author in a while. This is an easy to read book. The plot is typical in that a man is caught between loving and the need or approval. A man is shaped by his life experiences and makes decisions based on his need to find his place in the world. Money is no problem for him. There's lots of twists and turns that lead to a predictable ending. I found reading something light was just what I needed in today's situation.
January 31, 2023
Love trumps wealth!
I didn't like the way the story danced around the obvious fact that Annie and Peter loved each other but never seemed to work it out.
As a big fan of Fern Michaels, l have read most of her books and enjoyed them. However l would not recommend Desperate Measures because this story left me disappointed that l had spent so much time on it. Yes it has a happy ending but l was so tired of all the nonsense it took to get there.
I didn't like the way the story danced around the obvious fact that Annie and Peter loved each other but never seemed to work it out.
As a big fan of Fern Michaels, l have read most of her books and enjoyed them. However l would not recommend Desperate Measures because this story left me disappointed that l had spent so much time on it. Yes it has a happy ending but l was so tired of all the nonsense it took to get there.
February 6, 2023
Great Story--Great Read
This is the story of Pete Sorenson, who lost his parents at a young age, his friend Barney, and Annie. When Pete was taken by welfare after his parents died, Barney agreed to find him when he turned 16. He was able to find his uncle Leo, who sent him to Harvard and Harvard School of Law. He met Annie at Harvard. It is an interesting story of how people don't always understand others, and miss opportunities.
This is the story of Pete Sorenson, who lost his parents at a young age, his friend Barney, and Annie. When Pete was taken by welfare after his parents died, Barney agreed to find him when he turned 16. He was able to find his uncle Leo, who sent him to Harvard and Harvard School of Law. He met Annie at Harvard. It is an interesting story of how people don't always understand others, and miss opportunities.
April 11, 2023
This is the second book by Michaels that I have read, and just as the first, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think her style of writing is fantastic. It kept me on the edge of my seat, making it hard to put down. I did notice some of the reviews of this book were negative and I have to disagree. Yes, I was a little skeptical when I first came across one her books. I am glad that I did, and I would highly recommend reading this story.
July 4, 2023
A different tale but the ending was obvious from the beginning!
A good description - if overlong- of his early life, then a rush through his early working life until he meets Maddie. Pretty ploddy then but gets quite exciting with the witness protection program before settling down into mundane again. I did wonder if it had been heavily edited as some things weren't explained but others were laboured over. But the ending was obvious. Some good characterisation though.
A good description - if overlong- of his early life, then a rush through his early working life until he meets Maddie. Pretty ploddy then but gets quite exciting with the witness protection program before settling down into mundane again. I did wonder if it had been heavily edited as some things weren't explained but others were laboured over. But the ending was obvious. Some good characterisation though.
December 11, 2020
Excellent read
Couldn’t put the book down. Read it in 1-1/2 days, reading through the night. Good character development. I was suspicious about Maddie from the beginning. I would liked to have Annie not be so submissive to Pete. It was obvious they were going to get together from the start. I have all of Fern Michaels books. She’s an excellent writer.
Couldn’t put the book down. Read it in 1-1/2 days, reading through the night. Good character development. I was suspicious about Maddie from the beginning. I would liked to have Annie not be so submissive to Pete. It was obvious they were going to get together from the start. I have all of Fern Michaels books. She’s an excellent writer.
September 4, 2021
Interesting
I can't believe this is the very first book I have read by Fern Michaels that there wasn't A dog in residence! There was a cat, but they don't count. The mention of dogs didn't happen until b the very end of the book. I will say, the story was interesting and kept my interest to the point U was determined to finish all at one time.
I can't believe this is the very first book I have read by Fern Michaels that there wasn't A dog in residence! There was a cat, but they don't count. The mention of dogs didn't happen until b the very end of the book. I will say, the story was interesting and kept my interest to the point U was determined to finish all at one time.
January 24, 2022
Another great Micheals read
I never ever get tired of Fern Michaels' books. Her plots are well timed; her characters feel like friends (or enemies) by the end of the book.
And while the endings usually happen in the most appealing answers logical outcome, I wish they happened a bit less abruptly.
I never ever get tired of Fern Michaels' books. Her plots are well timed; her characters feel like friends (or enemies) by the end of the book.
And while the endings usually happen in the most appealing answers logical outcome, I wish they happened a bit less abruptly.
February 9, 2022
Three for effort.
I liked the idea for this story but ,oh my, it just dragged on and on. I ended up not liking any of the characters except for Barney and he was only mentioned a few times. The ending left a lot to desired. I usually like this author's books but was disappointed in this one.
I liked the idea for this story but ,oh my, it just dragged on and on. I ended up not liking any of the characters except for Barney and he was only mentioned a few times. The ending left a lot to desired. I usually like this author's books but was disappointed in this one.
February 22, 2022
it was entertaining
I liked it for the most part. There were moments when I thought “Jeeze, could this book get any dopey”. The book kept my attention and I rooted for Anne even if I thought she was stupid at times. Wasn’t a fan of the Maddie character. I’m glad it ended happily ever after.
I liked it for the most part. There were moments when I thought “Jeeze, could this book get any dopey”. The book kept my attention and I rooted for Anne even if I thought she was stupid at times. Wasn’t a fan of the Maddie character. I’m glad it ended happily ever after.
February 25, 2022
Great reading
Great reading about Pete. Who lost his parents and went into foster care. They finally found his Uncle but still missed love in his life. He went to Harvard and became a lawyer with the help of Annie his best friend And he still missed his boyhood friend. He meets Maggie and falls in love with her but things change and they have to learn about life and love.
Great reading about Pete. Who lost his parents and went into foster care. They finally found his Uncle but still missed love in his life. He went to Harvard and became a lawyer with the help of Annie his best friend And he still missed his boyhood friend. He meets Maggie and falls in love with her but things change and they have to learn about life and love.
October 10, 2022
hard to put down
I really liked this story. I read until my eyes hurt. It’s easy to follow, the character realistic, even if they are a little slow of the uptake. I kept wondering why they didn’t
Use cell phones and then I read a passage and realized this book is 40 years old. So there is a time
Line factor. Still good. Great writing
I really liked this story. I read until my eyes hurt. It’s easy to follow, the character realistic, even if they are a little slow of the uptake. I kept wondering why they didn’t
Use cell phones and then I read a passage and realized this book is 40 years old. So there is a time
Line factor. Still good. Great writing
August 18, 2019
Heart Warming Story
This is my second reading , about 1 1/2 years apart. Fern, has done it twice, just as enjoyable the second time.. Guess what, I'm off to get and read, Tuesdays Child, next..Great work Fern Michaels.....
Tom Herrington
This is my second reading , about 1 1/2 years apart. Fern, has done it twice, just as enjoyable the second time.. Guess what, I'm off to get and read, Tuesdays Child, next..Great work Fern Michaels.....
Tom Herrington
March 28, 2021
True Love
Another great story by Fern Michaels. This is about a two lawyers. He was in love with a woman who pretended she was in love with him for the things he could give her. Read the exciting ending.
Another great story by Fern Michaels. This is about a two lawyers. He was in love with a woman who pretended she was in love with him for the things he could give her. Read the exciting ending.
July 31, 2021
Great Read
It was a very slow starting book. Which made it easy for me to put down for about two weeks. Once I got back into it it evolved into a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to my friends.
It was a very slow starting book. Which made it easy for me to put down for about two weeks. Once I got back into it it evolved into a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to my friends.
August 2, 2021
Desperate Measures
Another great book in the sisterhood series by Fern Michaels as always Fern has written a great story in this continuing saga of women helping the under privileged. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
Another great book in the sisterhood series by Fern Michaels as always Fern has written a great story in this continuing saga of women helping the under privileged. This is my review and mine alone. Norma Gorrill
January 25, 2022
Quite a circuitous route
Pros: believable characters, happy ending, kept my interest. Cons: excessive sexual content early on, while the ending was happy, it was exceptionally brief.
Pros: believable characters, happy ending, kept my interest. Cons: excessive sexual content early on, while the ending was happy, it was exceptionally brief.
January 30, 2022
A terrific love story
I got lost in this story of friends forever.
Lots of twists and turns that makes you want to keep reading to get to the end. An unexpected ending that will put a smile in your heart.
I got lost in this story of friends forever.
Lots of twists and turns that makes you want to keep reading to get to the end. An unexpected ending that will put a smile in your heart.
February 14, 2022
Never ending.
Every once in a great while you come across one in a million books that leave that lasting impression on you. You want to get to the end but you never want it to end.
Every once in a great while you come across one in a million books that leave that lasting impression on you. You want to get to the end but you never want it to end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews