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Ragged Rainbows
A woman with a famous mother and a mysterious man in her past who is keeping secrets from her son, her boss, and everyone else finds them being revealed one by one when a stranger with his own secrets comes to town.
248 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 2, 2012
About the author
Linda Lael Miller
547 books3,295 followersThe daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a spacious property outside Spokane.
Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher’s Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.
Dedicated to helping others, “The First Lady of the West” personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.
More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com, on Facebook and from Nancy Berland Public Relations, nancy@nancyberland.com, 405-206-4748.
Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher’s Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.
Dedicated to helping others, “The First Lady of the West” personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.
More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com, on Facebook and from Nancy Berland Public Relations, nancy@nancyberland.com, 405-206-4748.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 20, 2022
The story was enjoyable though I wouldn't call this great writing. I don't favor female characters that constantly doubt themselves or overthink situations. This applies to real life also. I find I have little patience for those types of people.
Shay Kendell and Mitch Prescott are working on a book about Shay's mother who was a famous actress but now has dementia and lives in a home. While Rosamond, Shay's mother, wasn't much of a mother, Shay doesn't want unfavorable things written about her, neither does she want any falsehoods printed.
Mitch must walk a fine line not only with writing the story but also with Shay and his feelings for her since he's fallen in love with her but often makes wrong moves.
Finally he gives up and tells her if she loves him and wants to marry him she will have to do the asking since she's turned him down every time he's asked.
There are some funny situations in the story which help to keep the reader turning pages but Shay's constant self doubt weakened the story a lot.
So, two stars because it was good but not great.
Shay Kendell and Mitch Prescott are working on a book about Shay's mother who was a famous actress but now has dementia and lives in a home. While Rosamond, Shay's mother, wasn't much of a mother, Shay doesn't want unfavorable things written about her, neither does she want any falsehoods printed.
Mitch must walk a fine line not only with writing the story but also with Shay and his feelings for her since he's fallen in love with her but often makes wrong moves.
Finally he gives up and tells her if she loves him and wants to marry him she will have to do the asking since she's turned him down every time he's asked.
There are some funny situations in the story which help to keep the reader turning pages but Shay's constant self doubt weakened the story a lot.
So, two stars because it was good but not great.
April 22, 2021
Shay, divorced single-mother, daughter of a famous actress mother, is getting by, when she meets her best friend's half-brother. Rich author, Mitch Prescott, has spent his career working undercover, it's time for a change, he wants to write a biography of Shay's mother, and to do it, Shay and her mother justice, he wants Shay's input. He offers half of his royalties to accomplish this. So, as they work together, they grow closer and with the money Shay is able to quit her job and realize her dream.
But, Mitch's dream includes Shay in his life, and after Shay's bad experience with marriage and her traumatic recollections of her mother's relationships, is she willing to say yes?
But, Mitch's dream includes Shay in his life, and after Shay's bad experience with marriage and her traumatic recollections of her mother's relationships, is she willing to say yes?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2018
The book felt like it was witten in fits and starts with gaping holes from time to time, so it did not flow smoothly and I frequently wondered why anyone bothered to tell this story. What was the point? There wasn't enough detail to bring it or the characters alive and several promising lines of action were nipped off before they really got going. Since I've read other books by this author that are much better, I can only assume this was an early effort.
December 1, 2018
It was good. Don't get me wrong. Miller is a fantastic writer, but there was JUST SOMETHING about the main characters. It was missing the spark and connection that Miller's books are known for. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be rereading this one anytime soon.
March 5, 2023
Ms. Miller doesn’t disappoint. This is another lovely story and I just wish it didn’t end so soon. I was hoping for more of Shay and Mitch. Been awhile (decades) since I read any of Ms. Miller’s books, but now I remember how much I always enjoyed her writing. Recommend.
December 15, 2023
Pela sinopse já é possível perceber que Shay tem dificuldades com conflitos, então é preciso uma boa dose de paciência na leitura se você não gosta desse tipo de característica.
A escrita é razoável, mas no final eu já queria esganar a heroína... francamente, insegurança tem limites.
A escrita é razoável, mas no final eu já queria esganar a heroína... francamente, insegurança tem limites.
June 20, 2017
First book read by this author. An easy read but not much depth to it.
May 9, 2018
Love this author, but this one was not that great. Neurotic heroine and unsympathetic hero make for a dull read.
October 28, 2018
Great story of love and fear
I liked that this was a chance to see the dangers and pitfalls of life and love. The fear of falling !
I liked that this was a chance to see the dangers and pitfalls of life and love. The fear of falling !
January 4, 2020
Well written escapism.
August 17, 2020
Great read really enjoyed
August 23, 2021
Excellent. Most enjoyable!
Great read. Thoroughly appreciate the excellent story and writing! Thank you for all the wonderful characters and familial stories throughout.
Great read. Thoroughly appreciate the excellent story and writing! Thank you for all the wonderful characters and familial stories throughout.
February 20, 2023
Awesome stories enjoyed very much.!!!
August 28, 2023
So boring. I kept turning pages; felt like book would never end. Skimmed most of it. Shay was so irritating. Huge disappointment.
May 18, 2026
This book had it's ebbs and flows for me. I liked it at times and at times, I was honestly bored. I think that was solely from the historical aspects of it, as those aren't my typical kinds of reads. The relationship between the FMC and MMC was very well written and made to be believable by the reader.
June 1, 2018
March 19, 2017
I have a number of Linda Lael Miller books in my TBR pile but have never read her. So, I pulled out Ragged Rainbows, published in 1986.
Ragged Rainbows is the story of a divorced single mother with a troubling childhood. Shay Kendall is the daughter of a famous actress who is now being cared for in a nursing home, suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s. Luckily, one of Shay’s many stepfathers is footing the bill for her mother’s care, since her mother apparently had little of her own money left. Shay also has a decent job with a car dealership which helps her take care of her six year old son. The only albatross left from Shay’s past is a mansion her mother owned and which she lived in as a child.
Before we get very far into the story, a successful author buys the mansion. Our hero, Mitch Prescott, is looking for a home to settle in after years of travel and research for his successful, non-fiction books on tough topics like the KKK, Nazi war criminals, and Colombian cocaine dealers. Mitch is also divorced and shares custody of his young daughter with his former wife.
When Shay and Mitch meet, they are attracted to each other, but they also carry baggage from their pasts, their earlier marriages and have conflicting future plans. Most paramount, is that Mitch is talked into writing a book about Shay’s mother by his agent, which could lead him to reveal many details about Shay’s life she doesn’t want told as well as surprises she wasn’t expecting.
Since this book was written in 1986, I was expecting it to be a bit dated, but it held up rather well. At least, initially. Where the book fell down was, first, by relying on that old trope of the characters not talking to each other and, when they do, projecting their old problems onto this new relationship — especially the heroine. Further, the book is only 248 pages, but could have easily been 100 more. In fact, the speed of which events happen is mind boggling. It’s revealed that Shay wants to start a business and almost magically everything falls into line. Mitch reveals something about Shay’s family via his research and magically Shay has a wonderful, “new” family member. Shay decides she doesn’t want to run her business after all and so, she doesn’t. All of these plot lines and more should’ve been stretched out, involving more obstacles and conflict. This story had a lot of potential but was given short shrift. Because of that, I give it a C, or maybe a C+ given the potential.
I have a number of Linda Lael Miller books in my TBR pile but have never read her. So, I pulled out Ragged Rainbows, published in 1986.
Ragged Rainbows is the story of a divorced single mother with a troubling childhood. Shay Kendall is the daughter of a famous actress who is now being cared for in a nursing home, suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s. Luckily, one of Shay’s many stepfathers is footing the bill for her mother’s care, since her mother apparently had little of her own money left. Shay also has a decent job with a car dealership which helps her take care of her six year old son. The only albatross left from Shay’s past is a mansion her mother owned and which she lived in as a child.
Before we get very far into the story, a successful author buys the mansion. Our hero, Mitch Prescott, is looking for a home to settle in after years of travel and research for his successful, non-fiction books on tough topics like the KKK, Nazi war criminals, and Colombian cocaine dealers. Mitch is also divorced and shares custody of his young daughter with his former wife.
When Shay and Mitch meet, they are attracted to each other, but they also carry baggage from their pasts, their earlier marriages and have conflicting future plans. Most paramount, is that Mitch is talked into writing a book about Shay’s mother by his agent, which could lead him to reveal many details about Shay’s life she doesn’t want told as well as surprises she wasn’t expecting.
Since this book was written in 1986, I was expecting it to be a bit dated, but it held up rather well. At least, initially. Where the book fell down was, first, by relying on that old trope of the characters not talking to each other and, when they do, projecting their old problems onto this new relationship — especially the heroine. Further, the book is only 248 pages, but could have easily been 100 more. In fact, the speed of which events happen is mind boggling. It’s revealed that Shay wants to start a business and almost magically everything falls into line. Mitch reveals something about Shay’s family via his research and magically Shay has a wonderful, “new” family member. Shay decides she doesn’t want to run her business after all and so, she doesn’t. All of these plot lines and more should’ve been stretched out, involving more obstacles and conflict. This story had a lot of potential but was given short shrift. Because of that, I give it a C, or maybe a C+ given the potential.
May 5, 2016
Author: Linda Lael Miller
First published: 1986
Length: 2892 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. Seattle.
Sex: Explicit. Reasonably frequent.
Hero: Investigative reporter / writer with young daughter who lives with his ex.
Heroine: Personal assistant to used car salesman. Has a young son.
Note: Heroine’s mother has severe and rapid early onset Alzheimer’s.
Despite a good author (albeit her early days) this didn’t work for me. My problems are more than it’s a book of it’s era, which it is. One of those “she’s a career woman but wishes she could be just a wife and mother” of the mid-80s. What I struggled with was their relationship.
Mitch is moody and blames her for not understanding or "misreading" him.
All the compromising is done by Shay, and she is made to feel bad for not doing enough or fast enough.
He doesn’t meet her halfway.
And it doesn’t work for me.
References:
Author's website: http://www.lindalaelmiller.com/books/...
(ISBN 9781460894392)
-CR-
First published: 1986
Length: 2892 kindle locations
Setting: Contemporary. Seattle.
Sex: Explicit. Reasonably frequent.
Hero: Investigative reporter / writer with young daughter who lives with his ex.
Heroine: Personal assistant to used car salesman. Has a young son.
Note: Heroine’s mother has severe and rapid early onset Alzheimer’s.
Despite a good author (albeit her early days) this didn’t work for me. My problems are more than it’s a book of it’s era, which it is. One of those “she’s a career woman but wishes she could be just a wife and mother” of the mid-80s. What I struggled with was their relationship.
Mitch is moody and blames her for not understanding or "misreading" him.
All the compromising is done by Shay, and she is made to feel bad for not doing enough or fast enough.
He doesn’t meet her halfway.
And it doesn’t work for me.
References:
Author's website: http://www.lindalaelmiller.com/books/...
(ISBN 9781460894392)
-CR-
July 9, 2013
Ragged Rainbows.
Promessas do Arco-Íris.
Linda Lael Miller.
H. C. P. Sucessos 23.
2012.
Acredito que o maior problema é que não me apaixonei pelo mocinho. Por esse motivo não consegui gostar tanto do livro. Apesar de ter muitos bons personagens que não foram explorados.
Devo admitir que além de Mitch, outra coisa me desagradou, senti que em alguns trechos o texto ficou solto, principalmente no que diz respeito à vida e a obra do mocinho, não adianta, o personagem na minha opinião não foi bem descrito ou elaborado, ficou faltando alguma coisa.
Dei 3 estrelas por conta dos outros personagens.
Promessas do Arco-Íris.
Linda Lael Miller.
H. C. P. Sucessos 23.
2012.
Acredito que o maior problema é que não me apaixonei pelo mocinho. Por esse motivo não consegui gostar tanto do livro. Apesar de ter muitos bons personagens que não foram explorados.
Devo admitir que além de Mitch, outra coisa me desagradou, senti que em alguns trechos o texto ficou solto, principalmente no que diz respeito à vida e a obra do mocinho, não adianta, o personagem na minha opinião não foi bem descrito ou elaborado, ficou faltando alguma coisa.
Dei 3 estrelas por conta dos outros personagens.
November 25, 2021
Generally I enjoy Ms. Miller's books, but this one is a miss. It's not a bad story but .... events that need more detail are glossed over and things move almost too quickly. As for the leading characters, Mitch gave me whiplash with his mood swings. Every time something doesn't go his way he loses his temper and leaves. Shay is as bad because she keeps going back for more. I didnt like that she was a doormat but I really just didn't like him, period.
June 30, 2011
This is definitely an 80s romance. I always laugh how books from the 80s have to include a scene with the main female character pointing out she's a "modern" woman. I did think that overall the story was still interesting to read now, 30 years after it was written.
January 31, 2015
Tell me again how I have so many LLM books and most of them are not retained in my head enough to even remembering what the story was all about? Ahhh, now I feel sad.
Okay, this book warranted another skim. I remember it being an okay read. At best.
Okay, this book warranted another skim. I remember it being an okay read. At best.
May 14, 2011
Disappointing. Not much depth to the story. Jumped into bed together after knowing each other 4 days. Not one of her best
July 20, 2011
Beach read. I usually love her books...but this one seemed too forced. The characters never really developed any depth, in my opinion. I'm still a fan, though.
Read
December 31, 2011Didn't think t was too bad. Not the worst or the best.
September 27, 2012
The dynamics were really interesting.
July 6, 2013
Good love story, and a story about coming to terms with a dysfunctional childhood. In the end, a good "feel-good" story. Good reading.
January 30, 2014
Enjoyed
Good book enjoyed the book like reading her books
looking forward to seeing more of her books out.
She's the best.
Good book enjoyed the book like reading her books
looking forward to seeing more of her books out.
She's the best.
July 6, 2014
this ws a 2 for one that the second story was like reading through cement. so glad I'm done with the book.
November 5, 2016
An early book by this author. Not up to her current standards.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews