Is true love hidden in the moments we can’t stop remembering… or in those we choose to forget? There is nothing like a high school reunion to bring the old times flooding back…
Old Passions… Handsome singer Loretta ” Rett” Jamison has built herself a successful career and a repertoire filled with romantic ballads and hot jazz. But her failing relationship with lover/manager Trisha York has left a growing emptiness in her heart. Trisha seems to have found what she needs in the arms of younger women. Can Rett find it on the lips of the classmate who gave her the first real taste of passion?
Old Secrets… Former Head Cheerleader Cinny Keilor is an All-American girl… with an all-consuming secret. Still blond and beautiful, leggy Cinny is looking forward to reliving those idyllic days of proms and pep rallies. But has she forgotten those steamy nights in the back seat of another girl’s car?
Old Pain… National Science Award winner Dr. Angelica Martinetta is being honored by the reunion committee for her victories in the war against ovarian cancer. But the former outsider had returned to face a different challenge – can she win the heart of the one woman she has pined for all these years?
From Karin Kallmaker’s unmistakable pen comes this unforgettable lesbian romance of looking back and moving on, set to a sultry jazz ballad.
Karin Kallmaker has been exclusively devoted to lesbian fiction since the publication of her first novel in 1989. As an author published by the storied Naiad Press, she worked with Barbara Grier and Donna McBride, and has been fortunate to be mentored by a number of editors, including Katherine V. Forrest.
In addition to multiple Lambda Literary Awards, she has been featured as a Stonewall Library and Archives Distinguished Author. Other accolades include the Ann Bannon Popular Choice and other awards for her writing, as well as the selection as a Trailblazer by the Golden Crown Literary Society. She is best known for novels such as Painted Moon, Simply the Best, Touchwood, The Kiss that Counted and Captain of Industry.
The California native is the mother of two and lives with her wife in the Bay Area. You can catch her blogs at Romance and Chocolate: https://kallmaker.com/blog/. Find her on social media by searching for "Kallmaker" - there's only one.
I'm not going to spend too many words on this review. Safe to say, you can’t go wrong with a Karin Kallmaker classic and Unforgettable - published 20 years ago – fits the bill.
A messy break-up, a singing career that needs saving, a one-night stand with consequences, coming home for a high school reunion, a lingering unfulfilled passion, a loveless mother, finding love at 40. Trust Kallmaker to blend all this in a very entertaining read. The tech dates it somewhat, but the story itself is timeless. I had fun with it!
f/f
Themes: an ex-girlfriend to hate, a misplaced napkin, mommy dearest, Angel’s big Italian family, Kallmaker writes showbiz like no other.
4 stars. I loved how quiet of a read this was. It had a lot of heart to it but it was a really easy breezy type of read for me which I love. I really am a big fan of the way Kallmaker writes and the way she writes romance is always so swoon worthy for me. This was a second chance in a way romance but it also dealt with letting go of the past as Rett had some trauma from her childhood and issues with her mother that she had to confront. I liked the way that was handled and how honest it felt. The romance between Rett and Angel was really sweet and I liked their chemistry. Not too much to say about this one honestly but it was a lovely read.
Rett Jamison's career as a jazz singer is slowing being tanked by her girlfriend/manager. Her agent, Naomi, gives her an ultimatum: her or the girlfriend. At 40, Rett realises that her girlfriend has done her no favours and decides to focus on her career. A messy break-up ensues followed by an invitation to her high school reunion. The prospect of a reunion brings up far too many memories of a crappy childhood, unrequited love and a mother she hasn't seen for 23 years.
While participating in a charity function, Rett meets and hooks up with a woman named Angel. After a fantastic night she finds herself alone with a note and a phone number.
I've enjoyed all the books I've read by Karin Kallmaker to varying degrees and I'd put this one somewhere in the middle of those. It was an enjoyable read with a slightly different twist on the high school reunion theme. Initially I felt that the story had climaxed too soon but by the time I got to the end I had revised my opinion.
I liked the characters and my heart broke for Rett with regards to her relationship with her mother. Angel was a little flat and could have done with a bit more depth. I also think that if you're going to give a character a photographic memory, evidence of it should be woven into the story.
I've loved this book since I first read it, and its one that I've always enjoyed going back to read over and over again. I like how the characters react to each other, especially angel. I also really love how they don't do whats expected, and lucky cuts out a lot of drama that could very well end up in a book like this.
This is on my list of all time favorite books. I have read it 10 times. Karin Kallmaker is someone who really gets to the heart of the story. This is one of the best love stories that I have ever read.
I've given it 3 because it held my interest and I read the ePub in a couple of days. But for much of the story the main character was frustrating because she is a musical talent who seems to be able to be confident and self assured on stage but has no self esteem and let's the women in her life treat her so badly. I am also fascinated by so many novels where despite the characters age and experience childhood romances still have such a sway on them. I think 23 years is a lot of time for your heart to race and palms to sweat when you think about someone you groped at 16. Some of it felt unrealistic to me and her responses pretty immature for a 40 year old. But the other characters are all also stuck in the past emotionally. But it is after all a romance novel and you'll get that in spades! Plus a Hollywood airport ending.
Anything Karin Kallmaker writes is worth reading. Her characters are always alive and dynamic and the stories woven to keep you engaged. Two women from the same place with totally different experiences of the same events which forged the choices in their lives. Love, awakening, and understanding that each of us are responsible for the choices we make and what is most valuable.
I'm not 100% sure of my opinion on this book, when I read it I was highly upset and kinda sad, so I didnt enjoy it as much. I liked it at the beginning but I skipped a lot around the end. I just wanted to get to the last page.
This story definitely fits the cliche about I couldn't put it down! Every time I had stop reading to do something else was annoying and while doing something else all I thought about was the story and how long it was before I could continue reading it!
This is another solid novel by Kallmaker. The chemistry between Rhett and Angel is palpable and leaves you rooting for them from the beginning. The story is also filled with self discovery within the main characters as well as some of the side characters. It was a nice well balanced romance.
I decided to read this book for a bit of escapism and a bit of self editing knowhow. I had read something previously that was simply terrible and wanted a comparison. So far the book reads very smoothly with none of the amateurish mistakes of the other thing I read. Looking forward to my continued read.
Well, there was a bit of cheesiness towards the end but not that bad. At least it didn't end with one of them dying in a horrible car crash or running off with a man! Nor was it full of mills and boon cliche.
Overall a decent read, easily got through in an afternoon if you've got a few hours to put your feet up and close the door on the world.