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Davis Landing #5
Prodigal Daughter (Davis Landing, Book 5)
The Davis Landing Observer Page 5
The Gossip Guru
…hears Hamilton daughter Melissa, who'd disappeared not long after her father's first medical crisis, has finally come home—pregnant! This news certainly won't help her father, Wallace, as he once again recuperates in the hospital. Word is she's been staying at Hamilton Media attorney Richard McNeil's home, along with his sister, her husband and their kids. With all those people in the McNeil household, is there time for romance between prodigal Melissa and newly rededicated Christian heartthrob Richard? Keep checking Page 5 for updates!
The Gossip Guru
…hears Hamilton daughter Melissa, who'd disappeared not long after her father's first medical crisis, has finally come home—pregnant! This news certainly won't help her father, Wallace, as he once again recuperates in the hospital. Word is she's been staying at Hamilton Media attorney Richard McNeil's home, along with his sister, her husband and their kids. With all those people in the McNeil household, is there time for romance between prodigal Melissa and newly rededicated Christian heartthrob Richard? Keep checking Page 5 for updates!
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2006
24 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Davids
142 books404 followersI was born and raised in Northcentral Kansas. I'm a farmer's daughter, but I now make my home in the city of Wichita. I'm an RN. Neonatal nursing has been the main focus of my career. What can I say? I love babies. I was invited to the highschool graduation of a baby I took care of. Talk about making me feel old!
In June of 2011 I became a widow after my husband of 36 years and 11 months died from multiple brain tumors. It was a very sad time, but thanks to the three f's, my faith, my family and my friends, life is moving forward. I have four brothers, one daughter and two grandchildren who all work at making me feel loved.
I'm the author of more than 30 books and I'm currently writing a series called The Brides of Amish Country for Love Inspired.
In June of 2011 I became a widow after my husband of 36 years and 11 months died from multiple brain tumors. It was a very sad time, but thanks to the three f's, my faith, my family and my friends, life is moving forward. I have four brothers, one daughter and two grandchildren who all work at making me feel loved.
I'm the author of more than 30 books and I'm currently writing a series called The Brides of Amish Country for Love Inspired.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 16, 2022
So it turns out that some chrischun writers got together and created a family with six kids, and each author would write one of the kids' romances, as a sort of a trope. ALL OF THEM ending up in love and getting married, in the same year. Because that's SOOOOoooooo realistic. When I opened the book to the 'family tree' and saw what was happening, I almost didn't bother with this.
I'm kind of sorry that I did.
So apparently Davids had a daughter who had a teenage pregnancy, so she decided to write out of the experience she didn't have but she witnessed. The problem is that Melissa (heroine) *ISN'T* a teenager. She's something like twenty-three, if I did the math correctly. But she ACTS seventeen. She takes off on her family to follow a singer in a band, gets knocked up, and five months later is back home and pregnant, and ready to 'change her life around'. We don't actually get that story - we're just TOLD that's what happens. There's no storytelling here, just background set-up that robs us of any connection to Melissa, at all.
The whole thing is too pat. It's too quick, it's too neat, it's too easy. She's not conflicted, bitter... we feel no fear, no pain, no emotional angst - everything is TOLD to us by the author, who decides when/where things happen, and it FEELS like she's deciding. Which makes for a craptastically detached experience for the reader.
The romance is absolutely lacking in this book, too - Richard is clinical at best and barely feeling at worst. His idea of the grand gesture at the end is to shout 'MARRY ME!' at the top of his lungs during Thanksgiving. Wowwwww... that's so N.O.T. sweet....!!!! What the heck?!
I haven't read any of the others in the 'family' of books, but I'll be honest. This one had the feeling of 'had to write it to fit in with the girls' to it, so I'm not sure the others wouldn't feel the same. And I guess I would've liked to have seen Melissa's faith grow. Here's Richard, with this deep faith, and he... would NEVER, EVER allow himself to fall for someone who was wayward, anti-God, and shut off to faith. He just wouldn't. The only reason he fell for her was because Davids said he had to. Which... again, not good writing.
I'm passing this one on.
I'm kind of sorry that I did.
So apparently Davids had a daughter who had a teenage pregnancy, so she decided to write out of the experience she didn't have but she witnessed. The problem is that Melissa (heroine) *ISN'T* a teenager. She's something like twenty-three, if I did the math correctly. But she ACTS seventeen. She takes off on her family to follow a singer in a band, gets knocked up, and five months later is back home and pregnant, and ready to 'change her life around'. We don't actually get that story - we're just TOLD that's what happens. There's no storytelling here, just background set-up that robs us of any connection to Melissa, at all.
The whole thing is too pat. It's too quick, it's too neat, it's too easy. She's not conflicted, bitter... we feel no fear, no pain, no emotional angst - everything is TOLD to us by the author, who decides when/where things happen, and it FEELS like she's deciding. Which makes for a craptastically detached experience for the reader.
The romance is absolutely lacking in this book, too - Richard is clinical at best and barely feeling at worst. His idea of the grand gesture at the end is to shout 'MARRY ME!' at the top of his lungs during Thanksgiving. Wowwwww... that's so N.O.T. sweet....!!!! What the heck?!
I haven't read any of the others in the 'family' of books, but I'll be honest. This one had the feeling of 'had to write it to fit in with the girls' to it, so I'm not sure the others wouldn't feel the same. And I guess I would've liked to have seen Melissa's faith grow. Here's Richard, with this deep faith, and he... would NEVER, EVER allow himself to fall for someone who was wayward, anti-God, and shut off to faith. He just wouldn't. The only reason he fell for her was because Davids said he had to. Which... again, not good writing.
I'm passing this one on.
September 27, 2020
I enjoyed this earlier work of Patricia Davids.
December 19, 2020
my first novel I read and completed.it was lovely and I am biased because its my first but it will always hold a place in my heart
May 5, 2022
I liked Melissa's story. She'd made a very brief appearance in the first book of the series, but then was only mentioned in all of the other stories, with the exception of a short phone call with Amy. I liked seeing her from her own point of view, rather than the judgement passed on her by her siblings.
She was the kind of character that really came into her own, especially after her interactions with Richard and his family. Great-aunt Lettie, in particular, had some wonderful wisdom to share about healing and learning to trust God again.
As much as I liked Melissa, I feel like I only saw the edges of Richard's personality . . . like I never quite got to see into his heart . . . what made him tick as a man, and not just in relation to Melissa. I'd have liked to see more of that.
That being said, I did enjoy Melissa and Richard together . . . the whole 'friendship-turning-into-something-more' trope is definitely one of my favourites.
I look forward to seeing what is in store for Jeremy, for Wallace, and for the Hamilton family as a whole, what with the 'smear campaign' that has been going on.
3.5 stars
She was the kind of character that really came into her own, especially after her interactions with Richard and his family. Great-aunt Lettie, in particular, had some wonderful wisdom to share about healing and learning to trust God again.
As much as I liked Melissa, I feel like I only saw the edges of Richard's personality . . . like I never quite got to see into his heart . . . what made him tick as a man, and not just in relation to Melissa. I'd have liked to see more of that.
That being said, I did enjoy Melissa and Richard together . . . the whole 'friendship-turning-into-something-more' trope is definitely one of my favourites.
I look forward to seeing what is in store for Jeremy, for Wallace, and for the Hamilton family as a whole, what with the 'smear campaign' that has been going on.
3.5 stars
July 24, 2013
A young woman whom has rebellion following her when she leaves home, comes back to get reacquainted with her family. Her life will also come into contact with an old friend, who not only helps her understand her father better, but will give her the room to solve her own spiritual issues. During that time, love will bloom even though she is not looking for it, and she will take another chance on God, love and family. A nice story.
October 4, 2010
Richard and Melissa's story was so good. As they all have been so far.
Looking forward to reading the last book "Christmas Homecoming" that will tie up all the loose ends of the mystery that has been happening since book 1.
Looking forward to reading the last book "Christmas Homecoming" that will tie up all the loose ends of the mystery that has been happening since book 1.
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February 12, 20155-21-09 I have read other Davis Landing books. However, I don't think I've read them all...or in order. They are very well written. Although I never got in the entire book taht Richard was a newly rededicated Christian. So I'm not sure where that on the back of the book comes from.
September 17, 2008
I guess I'm just getting tired of the same old same old with these books. The girl loves the guy, he loves her too, but both think the other doesn't. Blah blah blah
January 1, 2013
I loved this book. It had a great plot, and I could relate to the main character when it comes to being the baby in my family.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews