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Saving Madeline
SAVING MADELINE is both heart wrenching and humorous. In the beginning, Roxy, a naïve young actor arrives in Hollywood to follow her dream and escape from her mean-spirited family. When she finds herself coexisting in a cramped Los Angeles apartment with a wounded warrior and her German shepherd, tensions run high . . . And then her mother moves in—so much for escaping.
Along comes the well-connected actor, James Jonathan Jarvis, and Roxy’s big break in showbiz: a part in a reality TV show with a wilderness survival theme. But a week before rehearsals begin, her confused mother disappears. Roxy’s search leads her close to Wyoming where she and Madeline become trapped in a real life-and-death situation.
Though the daily obstacles that challenge these three women are paramount, they manage to find humor in their frequent calamities, and Roxy’s Hollywood misadventures buffer the troubling glimpses into the world of a woman whose memory is fading.
Along comes the well-connected actor, James Jonathan Jarvis, and Roxy’s big break in showbiz: a part in a reality TV show with a wilderness survival theme. But a week before rehearsals begin, her confused mother disappears. Roxy’s search leads her close to Wyoming where she and Madeline become trapped in a real life-and-death situation.
Though the daily obstacles that challenge these three women are paramount, they manage to find humor in their frequent calamities, and Roxy’s Hollywood misadventures buffer the troubling glimpses into the world of a woman whose memory is fading.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2017
13 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Cricket Rohman
96 books624 followersCricket Rohman grew up in Estes Park, Colorado among deer, elk, bobcats, and beautiful blue columbine.
She is a full-time author and recently released Book 4 in the McAllister Brothers series. (Western Romance, Action-Adventure) titled WILD WEDDINGS.
Her creative endeavors began when she headed down the mountain to attend college in Greeley, Colorado and took up playing the guitar and singing with her brilliant brother’s folk groups, The Sundowners and Friendship Sloop. During these singing years she was bitten by the show-biz bug and appeared in a few TV pilots, numerous commercials, and theatrical voice-overs.
Before becoming a full-time author of Romantic Mystery, Women's Fiction, Action-Adventure, Cricket’s career path included the following jobs: audio/video producer, classroom teacher, school principal, and University of Arizona-College of Education assistant professor.
Cricket's best known novels are the books in The Lindsey Lark Series.
Book 1 WANTED: AN HONEST MAN
Book 2 LETTERS, LOVERS, & LIES
Book 3 HIT THE ROAD, JAKE!
And, yes. Cricket’s novels are fiction . . . Really! (OK, except the part about the dog; she really had a dog like Wendell, the mastiff in this series.)
Visit her website to see all of her books and much, much more. http://www.cricketrohman.com
She is a full-time author and recently released Book 4 in the McAllister Brothers series. (Western Romance, Action-Adventure) titled WILD WEDDINGS.
Her creative endeavors began when she headed down the mountain to attend college in Greeley, Colorado and took up playing the guitar and singing with her brilliant brother’s folk groups, The Sundowners and Friendship Sloop. During these singing years she was bitten by the show-biz bug and appeared in a few TV pilots, numerous commercials, and theatrical voice-overs.
Before becoming a full-time author of Romantic Mystery, Women's Fiction, Action-Adventure, Cricket’s career path included the following jobs: audio/video producer, classroom teacher, school principal, and University of Arizona-College of Education assistant professor.
Cricket's best known novels are the books in The Lindsey Lark Series.
Book 1 WANTED: AN HONEST MAN
Book 2 LETTERS, LOVERS, & LIES
Book 3 HIT THE ROAD, JAKE!
And, yes. Cricket’s novels are fiction . . . Really! (OK, except the part about the dog; she really had a dog like Wendell, the mastiff in this series.)
Visit her website to see all of her books and much, much more. http://www.cricketrohman.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 23, 2018
Saving Madeline is such a good book. Excellent writing. I loved the plot and the characters. I will be ready more of this author’s books. Highly recommend
September 30, 2018
Quite the cast of characters! I loved the ensemble. They all fit together quite nicely. Kind of like an old-fashioned neighborhood that all pulls together. Madeline is Roxy's Mom. Roxy is the main character that is suddenly put in charge of taking care of her Mom. Madeline is battling early onset dementia. My Mom had dementia and Alzheimer's so this book really was close to my heart. Many things brought me back to times with her. Very well written and enjoyable. I look forward to reading more by Cricket Rohman.
I received this book in exchange for a review.
I received this book in exchange for a review.
April 26, 2020
Entertaining cast of characters!
Okay. I admit that I read this book because there was a dog on the cover. FYI—The dog is truly one of the characters, and he did not disappoint. Life in So Cal was complicated for Roxy, Ginn, and Madeline. Though there was sadness and danger, there was a lot of laughter, too. I’d tell you about the mice, but that would be a spoiler. Saving Madeline has numerous twists and turns. A very entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Okay. I admit that I read this book because there was a dog on the cover. FYI—The dog is truly one of the characters, and he did not disappoint. Life in So Cal was complicated for Roxy, Ginn, and Madeline. Though there was sadness and danger, there was a lot of laughter, too. I’d tell you about the mice, but that would be a spoiler. Saving Madeline has numerous twists and turns. A very entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 26, 2019
Some odd friendships, filled with laughter and sometimes tears. Roxy who moves to get away from family is ultimately not successful in that venture but maybe she is more successful than she knows. This was a fun, cannot put it down kind of book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 22, 2018
Roxy moves away from her difficult-to-take family to Hollywood to pursue the dream of becoming an actress. After some crazy events, she finds herself living in a tiny space with a wounded warrior and her dog. Then her mother moves in. So much for escaping the family! Roxy finally lands a part in a wilderness themed reality show, when her mother disappears just before rehearsals begin. This takes Roxy to Montana, where she and Madeline find themselves trapped in a life-or-death situation.
This is not just another book about a “wanna-be” actress. It is the story of mother-daughter relationships when the mother is showing signs of Alzheimer's. In addition, not to be forgotten, this is the story of a relationship with a dog. The story is well done. I enjoyed watching the main characters develop as well as the resiliency of these three women. There were some interesting twists and turn and a solid ending, tying everything in together. This is a good choice for someone who enjoys a fast-paced, entertaining read that brings more than the usual struggling actress and her aspirations out. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
This is not just another book about a “wanna-be” actress. It is the story of mother-daughter relationships when the mother is showing signs of Alzheimer's. In addition, not to be forgotten, this is the story of a relationship with a dog. The story is well done. I enjoyed watching the main characters develop as well as the resiliency of these three women. There were some interesting twists and turn and a solid ending, tying everything in together. This is a good choice for someone who enjoys a fast-paced, entertaining read that brings more than the usual struggling actress and her aspirations out. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.
June 20, 2017
Saving Madeline by Cricket Rohman.
This book was just what I needed to read. I love the cozy mystery of this story. Roxy moves to Hollywood to be an actress. While practicing her acting schools, her neighbor had thought someone was wrong and broke into her apartment with her dog to help. I thought this beginning was great. This story had me from the start.
Roxy had left Chicago to get away from her family, I find that funny because sometimes it is hard to get away from family. There are some awesome twist and turns in this story. I really loved how the characters were developed and I didn’t have to keep figuring out who is who.
You will need to read this book to find out how the upstairs neighbor and Roxy’s mom happens to move in with Roxy. Of course, with daily drama and some good mystery to the story makes this an awesome read. I would say this is a great summer read.
Every book I have read by Cricket Rohman I have enjoyed. I love her stories.
This book was just what I needed to read. I love the cozy mystery of this story. Roxy moves to Hollywood to be an actress. While practicing her acting schools, her neighbor had thought someone was wrong and broke into her apartment with her dog to help. I thought this beginning was great. This story had me from the start.
Roxy had left Chicago to get away from her family, I find that funny because sometimes it is hard to get away from family. There are some awesome twist and turns in this story. I really loved how the characters were developed and I didn’t have to keep figuring out who is who.
You will need to read this book to find out how the upstairs neighbor and Roxy’s mom happens to move in with Roxy. Of course, with daily drama and some good mystery to the story makes this an awesome read. I would say this is a great summer read.
Every book I have read by Cricket Rohman I have enjoyed. I love her stories.
May 6, 2018
If you like a reading roller-coaster, take a read on this book! You will be entertained with family dynamics, apartment shuffle, job seeking and a mom who feels she is perfectly well. The grace, hope and healing of a family is brought to light in this delightful read.
Personally, I liked the read a lot and the plot twists were worth it. Guess you will have to read to see what happens.
Personally, I liked the read a lot and the plot twists were worth it. Guess you will have to read to see what happens.
May 22, 2018
This was an interesting read I enjoy a good mystery and this was enjoyable it held my interest all the way through. It had me chuckling out loud at times. A quick interesting read it is perfect for a quiet afternoon
April 26, 2023
This story is about family and made families, how people cope with unusual circumstances and the stresses and strains it can bring to such relationships. The three main characters are Roxy Millar, who moved to Hollywood with the hopes of becoming an actress, her mother Maddie (Madeline) whose behaviour has been getting stranger and stranger according to her sister Monica, and Ginn Jenkins, an army veteran who has been medically discharged with shrapnel injuries to her leg and which left her blind. Ginn lives upstairs from Roxy, with her dog Tonic (Ginn & Tonic!) and pretty much refuses to deal with her blindness and refused any assistance from the VA. The two meet when Ginn breaks down Roxy’s door after hearing loud voices and lots of screaming, after Roxy tried to practice some lines for an audition! Ginn believes someone was attacking her and is ready to set Tonic on them. It takes a while before she believes her and they settle for a drink up in Ginn’s flat, which has some strange setup issues with minimum furniture all around the border of the room. Roxy has low self-esteem with bad relations with her family, especially her high flying sister, who is a doctor. She has never felt she really belonged and was never treated the same. She rarely contacts her parents until she hears that her father has left her mother. Her sister Monica tells her that she is bringing their mother to stay with Roxy for a few days or so, saying she can’t be left alone as she is acting strangely. This visits comes at just the wrong time, as Roxy is running low on funds and can’t even afford her own rent, and has just offered to let her spare room to Ginn, as she herself was facing eviction due to having a dog, which wasn’t allowed on the higher floors of their block!
Monica thinks her life and job are far more important than Roxy’s, even though she lives so much closer to their mother than Roxy. When she drops off their mother, there is no word of when she will pick her back up, saying she has a meeting to get to! Roxy has to give up her bedroom to her mother and starts to realise that something must be seriously wrong with her mother, from her strange behaviours and weird speech patterns. Whilst Ginn can’t see at all, she can hear what Maddie is doing and her dog Tonic is a god warning system. After a few weird events, Roxy has to ask Ginn to watch out for her mother, whenever she has to go out for and interview. Ginn is the one to figure out that her mother may have early onset dementia, even though Roxy finds that hard to agree with, hoping it was just the fact her husband left her suddenly that had caused all of this. Roxy manages to run literally into a man, James Jonathan Jarvis, who it turns out later, is a well-connected acting coach and his help leads to Roxy’s big break on a reality wilderness survival show on TV. Ginn’s past military experience manages to give Roxy a heads up to prepare for her audition of the show and to get her looking fit enough for the role. Her chances for the role seem to have suddenly disappeared, just as her mother has somehow. The search for her mother leaves them confused, as somehow her mother has made it to a small airfield in Northern Wyoming, saying she was going to a birthday party! When Roxy gets informed her mother was found, no one will lock her up safely, so she has to get to her as fast as possible. When she does, there are no flights back until the next day, so she hires a vehicle to take her mother to Yellowstone Park and gets direction, but somehow goes off course, before the vehicle breaks down completely! She is about to put all of her survival training taught to her by Ginn, to the test to keep them both alive in severe weather and danger from another source. Roxy and her mother find an abandoned building to hide out in, out of the weather, but they aren’t safe yet. Maddie comes out with some strange tales from Roxy’s childhood that raise more questions about her own background and family. Rescue efforts are led by James and his contacts in the industry, as he recognises a location Roxy manages to give them when she gets a slight signal. Ginn begins to find some worth in her new life and a new role to play, helping others. Roxy gets a new mother-daughter relationship with her mother, however stressful parts of it are. She even manages to get in touch with her absent father, who comes back into the picture at just the right time. An unusual mix of storylines, with characters undergoing stressful lives, but figuring out a way to work together for a shared goal. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Monica thinks her life and job are far more important than Roxy’s, even though she lives so much closer to their mother than Roxy. When she drops off their mother, there is no word of when she will pick her back up, saying she has a meeting to get to! Roxy has to give up her bedroom to her mother and starts to realise that something must be seriously wrong with her mother, from her strange behaviours and weird speech patterns. Whilst Ginn can’t see at all, she can hear what Maddie is doing and her dog Tonic is a god warning system. After a few weird events, Roxy has to ask Ginn to watch out for her mother, whenever she has to go out for and interview. Ginn is the one to figure out that her mother may have early onset dementia, even though Roxy finds that hard to agree with, hoping it was just the fact her husband left her suddenly that had caused all of this. Roxy manages to run literally into a man, James Jonathan Jarvis, who it turns out later, is a well-connected acting coach and his help leads to Roxy’s big break on a reality wilderness survival show on TV. Ginn’s past military experience manages to give Roxy a heads up to prepare for her audition of the show and to get her looking fit enough for the role. Her chances for the role seem to have suddenly disappeared, just as her mother has somehow. The search for her mother leaves them confused, as somehow her mother has made it to a small airfield in Northern Wyoming, saying she was going to a birthday party! When Roxy gets informed her mother was found, no one will lock her up safely, so she has to get to her as fast as possible. When she does, there are no flights back until the next day, so she hires a vehicle to take her mother to Yellowstone Park and gets direction, but somehow goes off course, before the vehicle breaks down completely! She is about to put all of her survival training taught to her by Ginn, to the test to keep them both alive in severe weather and danger from another source. Roxy and her mother find an abandoned building to hide out in, out of the weather, but they aren’t safe yet. Maddie comes out with some strange tales from Roxy’s childhood that raise more questions about her own background and family. Rescue efforts are led by James and his contacts in the industry, as he recognises a location Roxy manages to give them when she gets a slight signal. Ginn begins to find some worth in her new life and a new role to play, helping others. Roxy gets a new mother-daughter relationship with her mother, however stressful parts of it are. She even manages to get in touch with her absent father, who comes back into the picture at just the right time. An unusual mix of storylines, with characters undergoing stressful lives, but figuring out a way to work together for a shared goal. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
October 8, 2018
“I also know you’re an actor, and during those moments when you’re an actor, and during those moments you’re not angry with me, you’re probably just *acting* happy. I get that. You’re a survivor. But keep it real for once Roxy. We don’t have to do this you know.”
Roxy left home to prove she could be an actor.No one there thought she could do it so she set out to prove them wrong. Little did she know, she’d end up collecting a menagerie of a disabled Veteran and her service dog, and then her little sister literally “dumps” their mother on her doorstep and runs. Now, what should she do? Ginn needs more help to come to grips with her blindness, Mom Maddie keeps everyone on their toes, Roxy’s student doesn’t take life serious enough and James Jonathan Jarvis, an illusive actor, keeps popping up just when he’s needed but Roxy keeps reading the wrong signals.
Will Roxy get to the crux of the problems she’s facing? And what about Ginn and Maddie? You’ll just have to read this very entertaining book as Crickel Rodman has written another fantastic read. Highly recommended. 5/5
[disclosure: I won this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
Roxy left home to prove she could be an actor.No one there thought she could do it so she set out to prove them wrong. Little did she know, she’d end up collecting a menagerie of a disabled Veteran and her service dog, and then her little sister literally “dumps” their mother on her doorstep and runs. Now, what should she do? Ginn needs more help to come to grips with her blindness, Mom Maddie keeps everyone on their toes, Roxy’s student doesn’t take life serious enough and James Jonathan Jarvis, an illusive actor, keeps popping up just when he’s needed but Roxy keeps reading the wrong signals.
Will Roxy get to the crux of the problems she’s facing? And what about Ginn and Maddie? You’ll just have to read this very entertaining book as Crickel Rodman has written another fantastic read. Highly recommended. 5/5
[disclosure: I won this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
September 16, 2023
“Saving Madeline" by Cricket Rohman is a captivating tale that explores the complexities of family secrets and the pursuit of dreams.
Roxy and Ginn, along with their remarkable canine companion, navigate life's challenges with humor and resilience. The addition of Roxy's mother and the enigmatic acting coach, James Jonathan Jarvis, adds layers of intrigue to the story.
This novel skillfully delves into themes such as wounded warriors, Alzheimer's, early onset dementia, and the many struggles actors face. Rohman weaves a well-developed plot with just the right amount of twists and turns, keeping readers engaged throughout. The likable characters and the endearing canine character are typical of Rohman's storytelling style.
What truly sets "Saving Madeline" apart is the unique mother-daughter relationship at its core. And of course, Rohman's signature humor is masterfully woven into the narrative, making this book a delightful and thought-provoking read.
Book clubs will find plenty to discuss with the rich themes and character dynamics presented in this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Roxy and Ginn, along with their remarkable canine companion, navigate life's challenges with humor and resilience. The addition of Roxy's mother and the enigmatic acting coach, James Jonathan Jarvis, adds layers of intrigue to the story.
This novel skillfully delves into themes such as wounded warriors, Alzheimer's, early onset dementia, and the many struggles actors face. Rohman weaves a well-developed plot with just the right amount of twists and turns, keeping readers engaged throughout. The likable characters and the endearing canine character are typical of Rohman's storytelling style.
What truly sets "Saving Madeline" apart is the unique mother-daughter relationship at its core. And of course, Rohman's signature humor is masterfully woven into the narrative, making this book a delightful and thought-provoking read.
Book clubs will find plenty to discuss with the rich themes and character dynamics presented in this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 29, 2020
This story was interesting with struggling actress Roxy, her blind ex-military roommate with PTSD Ginn and her awesome guide and guard dog Tonic, Roxy’s mother Maddie with early onset Alzheimer’s, a sexy actor friend named James, and a criminal next door. I learned a lot about the life of a struggling actor, but her life is that much harder caring for a mother who couldn’t be left alone. Ginn tries to break down Roxy’s door the first day they meet and she gets upset with anyone who brings up her blindness and tries to help her, but she made me laugh many times in this book. I didn’t know about James at first, who came off as a confident nice guy, but I wasn’t really sure of his motives. This romance had plenty of crazy funny moments.
September 13, 2020
This book was not what I expected. It was a little crazy at times and then there were sad times also. Roxy wants to be an actress and moves to Hollywood. That's just one issue, she is not having luck in that department. She lives in an apartment, where the neighbors are different. She befriended one neighbor, Gin, a wounded vet and her dog Tonic. Than her sister just drops her Mom, Madeline with her and leaves. New problem, Mom's behavior is off. So she is out of work, hoping for a recall, Mom is losing it and Gin is blind and has PTSD. What is she supposed to do now. Follow the path they are all on, to find the answers they all need.
February 26, 2023
Unless you have had to deal with someone with Alzheimer’s you can’t totally appreciate the accuracy of Cricket Rohman’s descriptions of this terrible disease. Early Onset Alzheimer’s is especially hard because if it unexpected. The repetitions of some actions, the wandering, being able to remember things from years ago and yet not be able to remember what they just had to eat, inability to make decisions, are all part of living with an Alzheimer’s patient. This is a wonderful story of friends learning to live not only with Maddie’s Alzheimer’s but also Ginn’s blindness and PTSD. I laughed, cried and just wanted to hug them all, okay maybe not Monica.
April 21, 2020
I absolutely loved this story! It starts as a story about an aspiring actress desperately seeking work so she can pay her rent. Add in her upstairs neighbor who becomes her roommate to be able to keep her dog. Then....her mother is dropped off with her. There is so much in this book: blindness, early onset Alzheimer’s, kidnapping, crime, survival. Leave it to Cricket Rohman to give you such wonderful characters in a fantastic story! This is one you really should read!
I received a copy of this book from the author and I voluntarily wrote an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I voluntarily wrote an honest review.
May 1, 2020
Roxy is trying to survive breaking into show biz. Ginn is trying to find meaning in her life after being disabled, which includes training her German Shepherd assistant to be an attack dog. Then Madeline, Roxy's mother, is sent to live with her, and she has Alzheimer's. If this isn't enough, throw in a friend who has a reality Survival show he wants to film and a drug-dealing neighbor. Can you can survive without laughing your head off while reading this book? It will be very, very difficult!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 1, 2020
How can you not love a book where one of the characters is a 4 legged furry friend? An entertaining story line with wonderful characters. The characters are dealing with real life, friends, family, kidnapping, crime and plenty of humorous moments that will have you laughing out loud. You definitely want to have this entertaining read in your summer reading pile.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 3, 2021
Compelling
I wasn't sure what to think with this novel by Cricket Rohman. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up.
I thought Ginn was a much older woman until about halfway through. And James... What man thinks it's okay to film while trying to rescue his girlfriend??? I think Roxy cold do better.
The end was full of action and twists, so if you get a little bored, keep going.
I wasn't sure what to think with this novel by Cricket Rohman. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up.
I thought Ginn was a much older woman until about halfway through. And James... What man thinks it's okay to film while trying to rescue his girlfriend??? I think Roxy cold do better.
The end was full of action and twists, so if you get a little bored, keep going.
April 30, 2020
This is the 3rd book I've read written by Cricket Rohman; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the chemistry between the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the chemistry between the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
May 3, 2020
WOW!
This book has so many twists and turns that you keep reading to find out what happens next.
I loved the quirky characters and the way they reacted to their situation.
Madeline was my favorite as she is multifaceted.
Cricket Rohman has written a great book that makes you think.
This book has so many twists and turns that you keep reading to find out what happens next.
I loved the quirky characters and the way they reacted to their situation.
Madeline was my favorite as she is multifaceted.
Cricket Rohman has written a great book that makes you think.
May 5, 2020
Saving Madeline was such a great book. I enjoyed it all the way through. It was very well written just like all of Cricket Rohman books. The characters were very humorous and unpredictable. It had a great plot to the story.
I hope to read more books from this author in the near future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I hope to read more books from this author in the near future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews