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Bethlehem #2
Some Enchanted Season
Sometimes miracles do happen.
When Maggie left her husband Ross that fateful Christmas Eve, their marriage was over. But a near fatal accident on an ice-slick road changed everything.
Now another Christmas approaches. While Maggie hasn't regained all her memory, she's ready to test her strength at home--with Ross as her only companion. Sharing a house with him once more, putting on the best face for their neighbors, Maggie knows she's living a lie.
Then she glimpses Ross as he used to be: playful and passionate, the man of her dreams before ambition changed him. She couldn't know he's feeling the same regrets, the same heartache...or that he fears the return of her memory. What will happen when she remembers the reason she fled from him last year?
It will take a miracle to send the walls of anger and secrecy tumbling down and reunite the divided couple. But in the small town of Bethlehem, miracles do happen....
When Maggie left her husband Ross that fateful Christmas Eve, their marriage was over. But a near fatal accident on an ice-slick road changed everything.
Now another Christmas approaches. While Maggie hasn't regained all her memory, she's ready to test her strength at home--with Ross as her only companion. Sharing a house with him once more, putting on the best face for their neighbors, Maggie knows she's living a lie.
Then she glimpses Ross as he used to be: playful and passionate, the man of her dreams before ambition changed him. She couldn't know he's feeling the same regrets, the same heartache...or that he fears the return of her memory. What will happen when she remembers the reason she fled from him last year?
It will take a miracle to send the walls of anger and secrecy tumbling down and reunite the divided couple. But in the small town of Bethlehem, miracles do happen....
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1998
22 people are currently reading
509 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Pappano
190 books126 followersAward-winning and bestselling author, international traveler, feted at a Hollywood premiere . . .
All true . . . but my regular life is a whole lot more routine. Deal with the five big puppers who share our house, babysit our grandson, battle the jungle that is our yard, pray for summer in winter and dream of winter in summer, and hunker down at the computer -- that's my real life.
I grew up in Oklahoma and had the fun of living in Georgia, Alabama, California and the Carolinas, thanks to my husband's Navy career. When he retired, we came home to Oklahoma and have lived in the same house for seventeen years. That's a real "Wow!" for someone used to the nomadic military life.
Writing was the perfect career for all that moving. Have computer, will travel. I've set books, or part of them, in every state we've lived in and been inspired by every place I've ever been. I've now written somewhere around 80 books, and I think I've got only about 8,000 stories left to tell.
My biggest hobby is starting new projects -- starting. Not completing. I'm still not done with the cross-stitched Army seal I started when our son joined out of high school. He did tours in Georgia, Colorado, Korea, Italy, Iraq, Afghanistan and Louisiana, and has been out for a few years. So I'm a little slow.
I like to think about getting organized, painting my living room in cool beachy colors, and turning my entire five-acre yard into a garden. I also dream about having every room in my house clean at exactly the same time, but I live by the motto of the woman who taught me to quilt: A clean house is the sign of a bored woman.
And I've never been bored.
All true . . . but my regular life is a whole lot more routine. Deal with the five big puppers who share our house, babysit our grandson, battle the jungle that is our yard, pray for summer in winter and dream of winter in summer, and hunker down at the computer -- that's my real life.
I grew up in Oklahoma and had the fun of living in Georgia, Alabama, California and the Carolinas, thanks to my husband's Navy career. When he retired, we came home to Oklahoma and have lived in the same house for seventeen years. That's a real "Wow!" for someone used to the nomadic military life.
Writing was the perfect career for all that moving. Have computer, will travel. I've set books, or part of them, in every state we've lived in and been inspired by every place I've ever been. I've now written somewhere around 80 books, and I think I've got only about 8,000 stories left to tell.
My biggest hobby is starting new projects -- starting. Not completing. I'm still not done with the cross-stitched Army seal I started when our son joined out of high school. He did tours in Georgia, Colorado, Korea, Italy, Iraq, Afghanistan and Louisiana, and has been out for a few years. So I'm a little slow.
I like to think about getting organized, painting my living room in cool beachy colors, and turning my entire five-acre yard into a garden. I also dream about having every room in my house clean at exactly the same time, but I live by the motto of the woman who taught me to quilt: A clean house is the sign of a bored woman.
And I've never been bored.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
December 22, 2025
A couple met in college. Fell in love. Got married. Girl quitted college to work in order to help pay the man's college fees and living expenses.
The H was extremely ambitious, seeking money and power. The h was very loving and supportive of him.
The first several years were hard but loving.
Fifteen years later the couple was living almost as strangers.
The H succeeded in his career, a multi millionaire, a workaholic who put his work first, second and third.
The h was ignored and only remembered when the H needed her to play hostess etc.
We have his pov and he was not in love with the h any more but he was still very attracted to her, he thought her the most beautiful woman he ever met.
The h was unhappy. She had everything money can buy but that wasn't what she wanted out of life. She wanted a loving husband sharing life with her, companionship and was longing for a baby for years but the H kept putting it off.
The h bought her dream house 5 hours away in an ideal town called Bethlehem. She moved there while the H stayed at their regular house.
She planned to ask for divorce right after the Christmas holidays. The H was making similar plans but they never communicated them to each other.
SPOILERS
They celebrated Christmas at the h's house joined by another couple. The H gifted the other female a very expensive piece of jewellery and the h seen that, and their guilty faces knew they were having an affair. The woman was the h's best friend.
Even though the h was unhappy in her marriage, the only thing that went well was the sexual aspect
( except for the last 3 months that the h kicked the H out of the bedroom and never invited him back ). The h thought at least her husband was faithful. Now she knew otherwise.
The h fled in the car and had a near fatal accident on an ice-slick road. She spend the next year in a hospital recuperating. She couldn't remember the year before the accident ( nor the accident itself )due to amnesia.
Hero was visiting her 3 times a week as he still cared for her and he was also feeling guilty.
Released from the hospital the h was accompanied to her Bethlehem house by the H who was to stay with her for 2 months.
Again both planned to file for divorce right after Christmas.
Heroine made friends with the wonderful towns people and the H started to experience life which didn't involve work and making money. He was spending quality time with his wife and started to enjoy the gatherings, activities and real friendships with the towns warm caring people.
Slowly but surely they fell in love and started been intimate. The H was stressing at the idea of the h's memory returning and remembering his brief affair. He thought that she might not forgive him.
He didn't want to lose her as he realised how much she meant to him.
In the town of Bethlehem there was divine intervention, an angel called Noel, who would appear to the H and h when the times were tough in order to steer them in the right direction. Of course they didn't know she was an angel.
On Christmas eve night, exactly a year since the h's accident, the H decided to tell her the truth about the affair but the h already got her memory back.
She couldn't handle it and taking the car she fled again taking the same route as the previous year.
Noel appeared to her and soothed the situation. The H did wrong but he bitterly regretted it, he loved her now with all his heart and if she would go back to him she would have a wonderful life. They both made mistakes.
She went back and made peace with him. The H told her he wanted to start a family with her.
They had 16 turbulent years, years without communication and companionship but now at last found each other.
The H was extremely ambitious, seeking money and power. The h was very loving and supportive of him.
The first several years were hard but loving.
Fifteen years later the couple was living almost as strangers.
The H succeeded in his career, a multi millionaire, a workaholic who put his work first, second and third.
The h was ignored and only remembered when the H needed her to play hostess etc.
We have his pov and he was not in love with the h any more but he was still very attracted to her, he thought her the most beautiful woman he ever met.
The h was unhappy. She had everything money can buy but that wasn't what she wanted out of life. She wanted a loving husband sharing life with her, companionship and was longing for a baby for years but the H kept putting it off.
The h bought her dream house 5 hours away in an ideal town called Bethlehem. She moved there while the H stayed at their regular house.
She planned to ask for divorce right after the Christmas holidays. The H was making similar plans but they never communicated them to each other.
SPOILERS
They celebrated Christmas at the h's house joined by another couple. The H gifted the other female a very expensive piece of jewellery and the h seen that, and their guilty faces knew they were having an affair. The woman was the h's best friend.
Even though the h was unhappy in her marriage, the only thing that went well was the sexual aspect
( except for the last 3 months that the h kicked the H out of the bedroom and never invited him back ). The h thought at least her husband was faithful. Now she knew otherwise.
The h fled in the car and had a near fatal accident on an ice-slick road. She spend the next year in a hospital recuperating. She couldn't remember the year before the accident ( nor the accident itself )due to amnesia.
Hero was visiting her 3 times a week as he still cared for her and he was also feeling guilty.
Released from the hospital the h was accompanied to her Bethlehem house by the H who was to stay with her for 2 months.
Again both planned to file for divorce right after Christmas.
Heroine made friends with the wonderful towns people and the H started to experience life which didn't involve work and making money. He was spending quality time with his wife and started to enjoy the gatherings, activities and real friendships with the towns warm caring people.
Slowly but surely they fell in love and started been intimate. The H was stressing at the idea of the h's memory returning and remembering his brief affair. He thought that she might not forgive him.
He didn't want to lose her as he realised how much she meant to him.
In the town of Bethlehem there was divine intervention, an angel called Noel, who would appear to the H and h when the times were tough in order to steer them in the right direction. Of course they didn't know she was an angel.
On Christmas eve night, exactly a year since the h's accident, the H decided to tell her the truth about the affair but the h already got her memory back.
She couldn't handle it and taking the car she fled again taking the same route as the previous year.
Noel appeared to her and soothed the situation. The H did wrong but he bitterly regretted it, he loved her now with all his heart and if she would go back to him she would have a wonderful life. They both made mistakes.
She went back and made peace with him. The H told her he wanted to start a family with her.
They had 16 turbulent years, years without communication and companionship but now at last found each other.
October 23, 2014
I'm sorry but this novel was bullshit. A lot of comments say it was good but bottom line the author wrote a novel about a cheater and in order to make it all right, they sent an angel down from heaven to say it was okay that her husband shoved his cock in another woman. Regardless that their marriage wasn't much of a marriage, it was wrong, she shouldn't of taken him back. Fuck you angel, fuck you. Pah!
October 8, 2018
I’m giving this two stars even though I hated it because it contained a lot of elements unrelated to the writing that I just don’t like. I have an inherent bias against:
1.Small town settings -esp. when they are portrayed as “good” and the big city is “bad”
2.Ridiculous world building – thriving niche businesses in a small town, as well as a large police force, hospital, a Harvard med school trained psychiatrist that happens to eat breakfast with one of his patients at the local diner, outdoor rink with reliable ice before Christmas, etc . . .
3. Sequel bait minor characters who don’t add anything to the central narrative.
4. Minor characters who are there to add “charm” to the central narrative and give little sermons.
5. Christmas stories with all the trimmings.
So I KNEW this was going to be a small town romance set during Christmas in a town called Bethlehem. So I got what deserved. But I didn’t deserve:
1. A hero who rarely had any good or interesting thoughts about the heroine until late in the story. He was cold – so cold that I didn’t believe for one moment that he cheated because he was lonely. He was not lonely - he was horny and his wife was too much trouble/unpredictable to get into bed. I hated him throughout the story and didn’t believe in his redemption.
Also:
He didn’t grovel enough.
He didn’t defend his wife in a private conversation with his sleezy lawyer friend.
He didn’t stop his wife from leaving on Christmas Eve – I do think at that moment he wanted her gone out of his life. She was more trouble than she was worth.
I don’t think he would have been destroyed if she died. I think he was great at compartmentalizing his feelings and out of sight out of mind.
That he had to keep going to the hospital/rehab was an irritant to him – not a penance for his guilt.
He had no social skills and no charm. I don't know what the heroine ever saw in him.
He was just an awful person all around
I also did not deserve:
2. A heroine who wasted 16 years with the hero and is still wasting time being angry at the hero as she recovers. If she wants a divorce so bad, why doe she continually fight with the guy? He’s a waste of energy. Especially since she thinks she’s going to have a new man and a baby within a year. What magical thinking is this? She’s in a small town. Who is she going to meet? How do you fall in love on demand? Does she think that in her late 30’s she’s going to get pregnant on the first try?
I will give the author this – this kind of magical thinking sets the reader up for the ridiculous angel scene at the end.
And that ending? Honestly, it was laugh or stroke out from rage. I chose laughter because neither character is dealing from a full deck. She wanted an excuse to stay. He wanted . . . I don’t know - his doormat, predictable bedmate back? It wasn’t love that’s for sure.
The reviews are all over the map for this story . I can see why. If you like this kind of setting and characters, then MP delivers. I never got carried away by the emotions. I just wanted to set all of her Christmas decorations/pumpkin pie recipes on fire (now there would be a festival of lights) and force the heroine to *change.*
Amnesia stories are supposed to be a reset. This heroine just wanted to get well enough to be a cozy domestic doormat again. She didn’t change at all.
The less said about the hero, the better.
1.Small town settings -esp. when they are portrayed as “good” and the big city is “bad”
2.Ridiculous world building – thriving niche businesses in a small town, as well as a large police force, hospital, a Harvard med school trained psychiatrist that happens to eat breakfast with one of his patients at the local diner, outdoor rink with reliable ice before Christmas, etc . . .
3. Sequel bait minor characters who don’t add anything to the central narrative.
4. Minor characters who are there to add “charm” to the central narrative and give little sermons.
5. Christmas stories with all the trimmings.
So I KNEW this was going to be a small town romance set during Christmas in a town called Bethlehem. So I got what deserved. But I didn’t deserve:
1. A hero who rarely had any good or interesting thoughts about the heroine until late in the story. He was cold – so cold that I didn’t believe for one moment that he cheated because he was lonely. He was not lonely - he was horny and his wife was too much trouble/unpredictable to get into bed. I hated him throughout the story and didn’t believe in his redemption.
Also:
He didn’t grovel enough.
He didn’t defend his wife in a private conversation with his sleezy lawyer friend.
He didn’t stop his wife from leaving on Christmas Eve – I do think at that moment he wanted her gone out of his life. She was more trouble than she was worth.
I don’t think he would have been destroyed if she died. I think he was great at compartmentalizing his feelings and out of sight out of mind.
That he had to keep going to the hospital/rehab was an irritant to him – not a penance for his guilt.
He had no social skills and no charm. I don't know what the heroine ever saw in him.
He was just an awful person all around
I also did not deserve:
2. A heroine who wasted 16 years with the hero and is still wasting time being angry at the hero as she recovers. If she wants a divorce so bad, why doe she continually fight with the guy? He’s a waste of energy. Especially since she thinks she’s going to have a new man and a baby within a year. What magical thinking is this? She’s in a small town. Who is she going to meet? How do you fall in love on demand? Does she think that in her late 30’s she’s going to get pregnant on the first try?
I will give the author this – this kind of magical thinking sets the reader up for the ridiculous angel scene at the end.
And that ending? Honestly, it was laugh or stroke out from rage. I chose laughter because neither character is dealing from a full deck. She wanted an excuse to stay. He wanted . . . I don’t know - his doormat, predictable bedmate back? It wasn’t love that’s for sure.
The reviews are all over the map for this story . I can see why. If you like this kind of setting and characters, then MP delivers. I never got carried away by the emotions. I just wanted to set all of her Christmas decorations/pumpkin pie recipes on fire (now there would be a festival of lights) and force the heroine to *change.*
Amnesia stories are supposed to be a reset. This heroine just wanted to get well enough to be a cozy domestic doormat again. She didn’t change at all.
The less said about the hero, the better.
July 17, 2019
Took me over a year to finish this book but finally managed it!
Their cold, loveless and sterile marriage was a big put off. I just couldn’t carry on - it was so depressing. But I'm happy I finished it - a difficult but unforgettable book.
So, the story’s about a couple who were thinking about getting divorced as their marriage seems unsalvageable but then the h gets in a life-threatening accident, loses her memory of around 2-3 months prior to the accident and is hospitalized for almost a year as she slowly recovers and now is discharged into the care of her workaholic husband as she has no one else, and he agrees reluctantly to take some time off (horror!) to help her. The idea is to let her heal completely before they proceed with the stalled divorce. They retreat to Bethlehem (outside Buffalo), a small town she adores and also the place of her accident. Her memory loss is, of course, significant.
*Major spoilers*
Their cold, loveless and sterile marriage was a big put off. I just couldn’t carry on - it was so depressing. But I'm happy I finished it - a difficult but unforgettable book.
So, the story’s about a couple who were thinking about getting divorced as their marriage seems unsalvageable but then the h gets in a life-threatening accident, loses her memory of around 2-3 months prior to the accident and is hospitalized for almost a year as she slowly recovers and now is discharged into the care of her workaholic husband as she has no one else, and he agrees reluctantly to take some time off (horror!) to help her. The idea is to let her heal completely before they proceed with the stalled divorce. They retreat to Bethlehem (outside Buffalo), a small town she adores and also the place of her accident. Her memory loss is, of course, significant.
*Major spoilers*
August 9, 2018
She is a perfect Stepford Wife emotionally neglected but who has everything money can buy.
He does not want kids, he does not have time for anything just to make more money.
Our heroine is like a second thought to him, only remembered when he needs to appear in some function or eventually a night of sex.
Even the personal gifts are left to his assistant who treats her with disdain.
Only the jewels he buys personally and is a bracelet he bought for the mistress that she discovers his cheating on her.
I became very sad and depressed as I followed the journey of our heroine.
She is very much in love with the hero and does everything for him. She works two jobs to help him finish college and always supports him. But over the course of 16 years of marriage he will prioritize work and earn more and more money and will leave her and her dreams forgotten.
Our heroine is becoming bitter and resentful.
A recipe for disaster.
And it is a disaster that happens and that leads us to the journey of reunion of the couple.
The author took advantage of the Christmas period of the story and added a paranormal touch in the story. I think only the intervention of an angel and a lot of faith to redeem the hero.
Only a divine intervention used by the author for our heroine to forgive the hero.
He does not want kids, he does not have time for anything just to make more money.
Our heroine is like a second thought to him, only remembered when he needs to appear in some function or eventually a night of sex.
Even the personal gifts are left to his assistant who treats her with disdain.
Only the jewels he buys personally and is a bracelet he bought for the mistress that she discovers his cheating on her.
I became very sad and depressed as I followed the journey of our heroine.
She is very much in love with the hero and does everything for him. She works two jobs to help him finish college and always supports him. But over the course of 16 years of marriage he will prioritize work and earn more and more money and will leave her and her dreams forgotten.
Our heroine is becoming bitter and resentful.
A recipe for disaster.
And it is a disaster that happens and that leads us to the journey of reunion of the couple.
The author took advantage of the Christmas period of the story and added a paranormal touch in the story. I think only the intervention of an angel and a lot of faith to redeem the hero.
Only a divine intervention used by the author for our heroine to forgive the hero.
But was two or three months of his time so much to ask considering their sixteen years together? Considering that the responsibility for the sorry state of their marriage rested on his shoulders?
And in the end… He hadn't gotten the chance to divorce her before fate, bad weather, and an icy mountain road intervened.
For years she'd wanted children, and for years he'd put her off.
If she'd lacked determination, she never could have worked two jobs to put him through his last two years of school.
He was ashamed to admit that he had forgotten a lot about her.
Five years ago he'd gotten so busy that Lynda had taken over the shopping for him, buying outfits Maggie refused to wear, handbags she refused to carry, trips she refused to take. The only gift he had continued to choose himself was the jewelry, always something to take away the breath of the most avaricious woman around—and always something that failed to impress Maggie.
Last year he'd bought two pieces of jewelry—an emerald pendant in the deep, rich shade she favored, and a bracelet of two-carat round diamonds alternating with matching sapphires.
He and this bracelet had almost killed her.
Her gratitude was misplaced, because for one brief, unforgivable time, he'd been exactly that type. He had betrayed her and himself for a few hours' pleasure, and in the process he had almost destroyed her.
From the first moment he'd realized that he was actually going to bed with a woman other than Maggie, he'd feared the truth, the pain, the anger. He had hoped desperately that she would never find out, but in the end, after all the lies and careful subterfuge, he had been the one to reveal his own sins. One careless act, and Maggie had known everything. That night she had paid the price. Then he had hoped she would never know.
At what point had he decided that it was all right to have an affair? When had he lost that last shred of dignity and self-respect?
Hell, though he might have stopped loving her, he'd never stopped wanting her. He'd just lost the right to have her.
All because a few nights last year he hadn't slept alone when he should have.
If he could change one thing in his life, he wouldn't have had that affair—and that would change all the other things that were wrong. He wouldn't have hurt Maggie like that, wouldn't have caused her to leave the house in weather custom—made for an accident, wouldn't have watched her suffer and struggle for nearly a year, and he wouldn't find himself now wanting her back with no hope of ever having her.
But she wasn't his. He'd given up his right to her the day he'd decided to sleep with another woman.
She was everything he'd ever wanted—everything he'd once turned his back on.
She could be pregnant right then. She would be thrilled. He would be … what? His first response to even the possibility was dismay. He didn't want kids. They were a complication his life didn't need and couldn't accommodate.
"Two weekends. Three encounters. Bad judgment, immoral, certainly wrong, but not worthy of sacrificing the rest of your lives together—all the happiness, all the love, all the babies.
Christmas Eve, Ross and Jessica in intimate conversation, her hand clasped familiarly in his until Maggie walked in on them. The gift addressed to Jessica, the one that had made Ross blanch, the one that had contained a small fortune in diamonds and sapphires that matched her dark eyes perfectly. The horrible guilt on Jessica's face, the utter blankness of Ross's expression, the sudden realization that had stuck both Maggie and Jessica's husband, Kevin, at the same time.
Not only had he done it, but with her best friend. Her best friend! Damn his soul.
"A lot of women were willing, and they weren't your wife's best friend."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2023
You have to have faith my ass.
This is a story with a moral, but I’m not in the mood to accept it or to enjoy it.
The couple have been married for 15 years and are going to divorce, at the end of an argument the heroine runs away and has a terrible accident where she needs almost one year to recover. She’s lost the memory of the accident and the previous days and she’s got ugly scars.
The lil town where she decided to live is somehow too good to be true, everyone is nice and pleasant and good and welcoming.
She will stay with her soon to be ex for a couple of months then they will divorce as planned.
Basically the man is a ruthless businessman that forgot to have a wife and did all he wanted in his life, not caring about what she wanted.
She was reduced to a trophy wife and had no children because it was what he wanted.
They quarreled all the time because he was never home, never.
He never ever gave up anything for her.
And eventually he also cheated on her with her so-called bff.
A married ho.
When the heroine found out she crashed her car.
In the weeks the hero is staying with her he will understand she’s what matter most for him and he will have regrets about what he did.
After all he was the reason for her accident.
They basically fall in love again but I did not buy it.
He didn’t deserve her and there was the nice doctor that I wanted her to be with.
But no, she had to take back the cheating asshole again:
But why I wonder.
He’s been nasty to her for years beside the cheating, so why does she still want him.
Some women are really not able to turn pages and are always there because they are afraid of the new.
Because it’s easier to stay in the hell you know than to go to a new and unknown adventure.
Sad, very sad.
I don’t think he ever loved her.
Any other woman would have done.
He cheated repeatedly with her bff it was not even a ons.
He hurt her.
He admits he wanted what he had in his life while the poor heroine didn’t get what she wanted, any of it.
And then the topping on the cake.
There’s an angel that was sent to save the heroine and shove her back to her asshole hero.
But thank you very much I can do without some angels.
Eventually I was pissed and annoyed and I know some people could enjoy this book because it’s not bad written but I’m sure my safety friends would hate it.
Because this man deserved nothing good.
This is a story with a moral, but I’m not in the mood to accept it or to enjoy it.
The couple have been married for 15 years and are going to divorce, at the end of an argument the heroine runs away and has a terrible accident where she needs almost one year to recover. She’s lost the memory of the accident and the previous days and she’s got ugly scars.
The lil town where she decided to live is somehow too good to be true, everyone is nice and pleasant and good and welcoming.
She will stay with her soon to be ex for a couple of months then they will divorce as planned.
Basically the man is a ruthless businessman that forgot to have a wife and did all he wanted in his life, not caring about what she wanted.
She was reduced to a trophy wife and had no children because it was what he wanted.
They quarreled all the time because he was never home, never.
He never ever gave up anything for her.
And eventually he also cheated on her with her so-called bff.
A married ho.
When the heroine found out she crashed her car.
In the weeks the hero is staying with her he will understand she’s what matter most for him and he will have regrets about what he did.
After all he was the reason for her accident.
They basically fall in love again but I did not buy it.
He didn’t deserve her and there was the nice doctor that I wanted her to be with.
But no, she had to take back the cheating asshole again:
But why I wonder.
He’s been nasty to her for years beside the cheating, so why does she still want him.
Some women are really not able to turn pages and are always there because they are afraid of the new.
Because it’s easier to stay in the hell you know than to go to a new and unknown adventure.
Sad, very sad.
I don’t think he ever loved her.
Any other woman would have done.
He cheated repeatedly with her bff it was not even a ons.
He hurt her.
He admits he wanted what he had in his life while the poor heroine didn’t get what she wanted, any of it.
And then the topping on the cake.
There’s an angel that was sent to save the heroine and shove her back to her asshole hero.
But thank you very much I can do without some angels.
Eventually I was pissed and annoyed and I know some people could enjoy this book because it’s not bad written but I’m sure my safety friends would hate it.
Because this man deserved nothing good.
December 24, 2022
Reread December 24, 2022
Hmm, still 2 stars on the reread.
Honestly, I want to smack the guardian angel when she blame shifts his cheating with her best friend.
A little too contrived, amnesia, cheating husband, guardian angel tropes.
Hmm, still 2 stars on the reread.
Honestly, I want to smack the guardian angel when she blame shifts his cheating with her best friend.
A little too contrived, amnesia, cheating husband, guardian angel tropes.
June 21, 2010
As I began reading this book, my first thought was 'Man, this really sucks.' Not the book but the situation.
Maggie and Ross have been married for 16 years but they've drifted apart. Ross is a workaholic whose drive and ambition to show everyone who had written him off as someone who wouldn't amount to anything resulted in a need to amass wealth, power and status. So much so that his marriage becomes collateral damage.
Maggie subsumed herself in Ross, working so hard to help him realize his dreams that she lost a lot of herself. In the process she realizes that her marriage is nothing but an empty shell.
The two were...not exactly content... but apathetic enough about the state of their marriage to let matters continue on or at least limp to a somewhat inevitable divorce. Until Maggie discovers that Ross had an affair. While she could forgive the long hours, and overlook the lack of attention and the lost companionship, she could not forgive this. So she walks out on him during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve where she gets into a car accident and almost dies.
The story moves forward a year where Maggie is just being released from a long hospital stay after having been in a coma and undergoing a long and painful rehab process. She has also lost her memory of the months preceding the accident. So while she remembers well and vividly the horrible state of her marriage she has no memory of the proverbial straw that led to her accident.
Ross is eaten alive with guilt and remorse. While he and Maggie still intend to divorce, he refuses to do so until he is satisfied that she can live and function comfortably on her own.
During the months they are together the two are forced to confront the state of their marriage. Slowly they begin to reconnect and find what made them love each other in the first place. While Maggie begins to blossom under her husbands renewed attention, Ross is waiting for her memory to return and the other shoe to drop....
As i was reading this book I vacillated wildly. First I have to say that the author really pulled all the emotional strings here. Maggie's struggle and Ross' guilt and the warmth of the town and the people just melded together to create a very affecting read.
But I did waffle. Sometimes I just wanted to give both Maggie and Ross and hug. other times I wanted to kick Ross in his ever lovin' ass. What a jerk he was at times!
The other thing I waffled about was, honestly, I didn't know if I wanted them to get back together. I know this is a romance novel but really, the pain and fissures in their marriage seemed so deep and so indelible that I didn't think they could be repaired.
And actually, at the end, I don't know if I feel confident that they were repaired --- forever and ever amen. Yes, Ross and actually did redeem himself somewhat and did finally change some of the behaviors that led to the downfall of the marriage in the first place, but they seemed to happen kind of all at once. If I have a real criticism of the book, it would be that. The change didn't seem gradual enough to me. It seemed that the bitterness continued to really affect them well into the book. Only to be replaced by forgiveness and acceptance at the end-game.
And there was a Deus Ex Machina element that I could have done without. It didn't work for me because I would have liked the two to realize on their own, without prompting, what they needed to do for each other. I also thought the timing from the point where Maggie's memory returns to the time where she forgives Ross was too abbreviated. I don't think she had enough time to process and really work through what he did. I know the whole marriage, even before his infidelity, was broken, but that one event looms very large in the book as The Event. So you can't help but place a very big emphasis on it.
At any rate, I felt this book worked very, very well as a work of women's fiction. I don't necessarily think it worked really great as a romance novel. But it was a very good story with some really great writing. So even if i didn't love it-love it a romance novel I recommend it highly.
Maggie and Ross have been married for 16 years but they've drifted apart. Ross is a workaholic whose drive and ambition to show everyone who had written him off as someone who wouldn't amount to anything resulted in a need to amass wealth, power and status. So much so that his marriage becomes collateral damage.
Maggie subsumed herself in Ross, working so hard to help him realize his dreams that she lost a lot of herself. In the process she realizes that her marriage is nothing but an empty shell.
The two were...not exactly content... but apathetic enough about the state of their marriage to let matters continue on or at least limp to a somewhat inevitable divorce. Until Maggie discovers that Ross had an affair. While she could forgive the long hours, and overlook the lack of attention and the lost companionship, she could not forgive this. So she walks out on him during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve where she gets into a car accident and almost dies.
The story moves forward a year where Maggie is just being released from a long hospital stay after having been in a coma and undergoing a long and painful rehab process. She has also lost her memory of the months preceding the accident. So while she remembers well and vividly the horrible state of her marriage she has no memory of the proverbial straw that led to her accident.
Ross is eaten alive with guilt and remorse. While he and Maggie still intend to divorce, he refuses to do so until he is satisfied that she can live and function comfortably on her own.
During the months they are together the two are forced to confront the state of their marriage. Slowly they begin to reconnect and find what made them love each other in the first place. While Maggie begins to blossom under her husbands renewed attention, Ross is waiting for her memory to return and the other shoe to drop....
As i was reading this book I vacillated wildly. First I have to say that the author really pulled all the emotional strings here. Maggie's struggle and Ross' guilt and the warmth of the town and the people just melded together to create a very affecting read.
But I did waffle. Sometimes I just wanted to give both Maggie and Ross and hug. other times I wanted to kick Ross in his ever lovin' ass. What a jerk he was at times!
The other thing I waffled about was, honestly, I didn't know if I wanted them to get back together. I know this is a romance novel but really, the pain and fissures in their marriage seemed so deep and so indelible that I didn't think they could be repaired.
And actually, at the end, I don't know if I feel confident that they were repaired --- forever and ever amen. Yes, Ross and actually did redeem himself somewhat and did finally change some of the behaviors that led to the downfall of the marriage in the first place, but they seemed to happen kind of all at once. If I have a real criticism of the book, it would be that. The change didn't seem gradual enough to me. It seemed that the bitterness continued to really affect them well into the book. Only to be replaced by forgiveness and acceptance at the end-game.
And there was a Deus Ex Machina element that I could have done without. It didn't work for me because I would have liked the two to realize on their own, without prompting, what they needed to do for each other. I also thought the timing from the point where Maggie's memory returns to the time where she forgives Ross was too abbreviated. I don't think she had enough time to process and really work through what he did. I know the whole marriage, even before his infidelity, was broken, but that one event looms very large in the book as The Event. So you can't help but place a very big emphasis on it.
At any rate, I felt this book worked very, very well as a work of women's fiction. I don't necessarily think it worked really great as a romance novel. But it was a very good story with some really great writing. So even if i didn't love it-love it a romance novel I recommend it highly.
October 29, 2012
All I can say is WOW!!! This was a lovely story (from the very first page to the very last page ) about a couple whose marriage is over, yet decide to stay together until she is fully recovered from a devastating accident. It's a story about second chances, love and miracles.
There was such a twist at the very end, that absolutely floored me. I never saw it coming and it really made the ending all the more sweeter. I was on the edge of my seat. I never read this author before, but I will definitely seek out more of her work. I highly recommend this one...
There was such a twist at the very end, that absolutely floored me. I never saw it coming and it really made the ending all the more sweeter. I was on the edge of my seat. I never read this author before, but I will definitely seek out more of her work. I highly recommend this one...
July 11, 2012
Very good emotional read,Maggie-Ross had lost each other and their love was lost in disappointments,anger,resentments and bitterness.Both were really lonely and unhappy inspite of being with each other and then the final straw is Ross's affair.The accident gives them the second chance.Both really make effort and try to save their marriage,they talk out how both took each other for granted and how some actions and behaviour of their hurt them and the distance between them got wider as the time passed by.
The story was full of tension and emotions.Ross-Maggie know that its too late but they still wanna try n save their marriage of 16 years.There's Noella who helps both Ross-Maggie to see and realize their faults and ponder over it which helped them to re-built their marriage and give 16 years of marriage a second chance.Liked each and every character,looking for other books in the series.
Overall i enjoyed the book.
Recommend it.
The story was full of tension and emotions.Ross-Maggie know that its too late but they still wanna try n save their marriage of 16 years.There's Noella who helps both Ross-Maggie to see and realize their faults and ponder over it which helped them to re-built their marriage and give 16 years of marriage a second chance.Liked each and every character,looking for other books in the series.
Overall i enjoyed the book.
Recommend it.
May 7, 2020
The husband was unforgivable in my eyes. It was not just the cheating, but who it was with and the gift he picked out for his mistress! But more than that even, heroine worked her ass off for her husbands career and dreams, she loves him and is a good wife, and even before the affair he just neglects her and treats her like shit, then he had the cheek to fall out of love with her and cheat? What more could she do? Did he ever really love her?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2015
2 stars was too much. but im not THAT heartless to give this book just 1 star.
I hate it. i dont like the plot. hate the flow, even more hate ROSS. i would never forgive him if i was her. and im amazed hw this book was written by a women, considering hw the author make what maggie has been through. more so, i hated how the main problem of her terrible terrible accident was put in just the last chapter of the book, and suddenly they got Their HEA. well, Fuck that! and someone up there in heaven need to fire Noell.
for as long as i read this book from the get go till the end, i dont feel the sweetness from their so called "union", what union? Maggie was badly injured, she's been in a hospital for the whole FUCKING 8 MONTHS!! She got scarred all over her body, the accident was fatal to her, she almost lost her life!! and then how lovely that she then got her amnesia. she forgot what made her drove at that terrible night, full speed, heartbroken and in a bad wheather without that bastard-scum-cheating husband of her stop her. Nope! he just stood there, he knw it was bad to drive in that wheather and even bad to allowed someone to drive in HER CONDITION! what a lovely husband. for all the plot, i dont felt that Ross felt sorry. no he's not! he just felt guilty and fear of her memory comeback. Ross n maggie were married for 16 f-ing years. for the first years of their marriage, she gave her life, soul n body to Ross, the scum of the earth. she work soo damn hard so she can help ross to finished his college. then he work, got succes, and he bcome greedy, ambitious and forget about his wife's feeling. he left her alone for most of the time. he let her through everything in her life alone. he got her presents, jewelery which choosen by his f-ing staff. and he got a very wonderful friend who dislike his wife. did she left him? nope. she even try to work things out for both of them. but he refused and go back to work again and again. and then maggie got tired and let things just go w/the flow, which im not blamed her! but why the hell the story was plotting as if it was maggie's fault for driving ross away?? and that justifying his affair w/her f-ing best friend. i shoot my BestFriend if i found her cheating w/my husband. and in the last chapter, ross said that the affair is meaningless, what meaningless? you fucked jessica 3times, in 2 weeks and then bfore that you involved in something that i would called emotional cheating. You talk your problem to her, you talk your missery to her, you talk your tiredness to her, while you abandon your wife and you not even knw why your wife bcome cold?? the fuck is wrong w/your brain? it's all about ross. and then, IF the affair is meaningless, he wouldnt gve jessica a diamond bracelet which he purchased fron his favourite jeweler! and whre the F is/was jessica now? it's not written or told in the book. i wish she go died and divorced by her husband. ughh.... and how i hope that the story stay focused of their problem and not dragging maggie's amnesia throughout the whole chapters. it would be good if her amnesia was healed somewhere in the middle of the book. so they can work on his infidelity. i felt cheated reading this book, what they had is fake. she forgetting his mistakes, falling in love w/ross again, and he too. without even dare to come clean and said about his affair. then suddenly when maggie remebering his affair and bcome mad at him, he shoved her with this so called lovely reason "but i love you and you love me, why cant you forgive me? so i meant nothing to you?, my love meant nothing??" ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING MEEEEE...
??????????? oh, hw i wish that when maggie left and drive the car, she would got into another accident. and ross is dying w/guilty and crying his heart out. coz he isnt sorry enough for me. all the suggestion of their reconciliation is from maggie. not from ross. god, hw i freaking hate ross!!
this book is empty. it's only maggie that suffered. physically and mentally. and ross the pig is never said sorry at all about wht he did. fuck that!
I hate it. i dont like the plot. hate the flow, even more hate ROSS. i would never forgive him if i was her. and im amazed hw this book was written by a women, considering hw the author make what maggie has been through. more so, i hated how the main problem of her terrible terrible accident was put in just the last chapter of the book, and suddenly they got Their HEA. well, Fuck that! and someone up there in heaven need to fire Noell.
for as long as i read this book from the get go till the end, i dont feel the sweetness from their so called "union", what union? Maggie was badly injured, she's been in a hospital for the whole FUCKING 8 MONTHS!! She got scarred all over her body, the accident was fatal to her, she almost lost her life!! and then how lovely that she then got her amnesia. she forgot what made her drove at that terrible night, full speed, heartbroken and in a bad wheather without that bastard-scum-cheating husband of her stop her. Nope! he just stood there, he knw it was bad to drive in that wheather and even bad to allowed someone to drive in HER CONDITION! what a lovely husband. for all the plot, i dont felt that Ross felt sorry. no he's not! he just felt guilty and fear of her memory comeback. Ross n maggie were married for 16 f-ing years. for the first years of their marriage, she gave her life, soul n body to Ross, the scum of the earth. she work soo damn hard so she can help ross to finished his college. then he work, got succes, and he bcome greedy, ambitious and forget about his wife's feeling. he left her alone for most of the time. he let her through everything in her life alone. he got her presents, jewelery which choosen by his f-ing staff. and he got a very wonderful friend who dislike his wife. did she left him? nope. she even try to work things out for both of them. but he refused and go back to work again and again. and then maggie got tired and let things just go w/the flow, which im not blamed her! but why the hell the story was plotting as if it was maggie's fault for driving ross away?? and that justifying his affair w/her f-ing best friend. i shoot my BestFriend if i found her cheating w/my husband. and in the last chapter, ross said that the affair is meaningless, what meaningless? you fucked jessica 3times, in 2 weeks and then bfore that you involved in something that i would called emotional cheating. You talk your problem to her, you talk your missery to her, you talk your tiredness to her, while you abandon your wife and you not even knw why your wife bcome cold?? the fuck is wrong w/your brain? it's all about ross. and then, IF the affair is meaningless, he wouldnt gve jessica a diamond bracelet which he purchased fron his favourite jeweler! and whre the F is/was jessica now? it's not written or told in the book. i wish she go died and divorced by her husband. ughh.... and how i hope that the story stay focused of their problem and not dragging maggie's amnesia throughout the whole chapters. it would be good if her amnesia was healed somewhere in the middle of the book. so they can work on his infidelity. i felt cheated reading this book, what they had is fake. she forgetting his mistakes, falling in love w/ross again, and he too. without even dare to come clean and said about his affair. then suddenly when maggie remebering his affair and bcome mad at him, he shoved her with this so called lovely reason "but i love you and you love me, why cant you forgive me? so i meant nothing to you?, my love meant nothing??" ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING MEEEEE...
??????????? oh, hw i wish that when maggie left and drive the car, she would got into another accident. and ross is dying w/guilty and crying his heart out. coz he isnt sorry enough for me. all the suggestion of their reconciliation is from maggie. not from ross. god, hw i freaking hate ross!!
this book is empty. it's only maggie that suffered. physically and mentally. and ross the pig is never said sorry at all about wht he did. fuck that!
March 31, 2016
I have 5 words.
INFEDILITY CAN NOT BE FORGIVEN.
That is all there is.
INFEDILITY CAN NOT BE FORGIVEN.
That is all there is.
February 8, 2013
I have to say, this book took me by surprise. I was expecting a typical late 90’s romance I could skim through, but instead was drawn in by the characters and the magic of the town called Bethlehem and the holiday season. Even with a betrayal present, I empathized with the H and h and hoped for a believable ending.
Some Enchanted Season is a book about rediscovery, accountability, and realizing what is important. It’s about second chances. Ross and Maggie were well on their way to a divorce. They both evolved into different people having different goals and desires. The past few years of their marriage had been filled with bitterness, accusations and defensiveness, and misguided intentions. They lived separate lives, eventually slept in separate bedrooms, and most recently, began living apart. With the filing for a divorce simply a formality, they decided to have one last gathering on Christmas Eve at her new home until a discovery and an argument had Maggie hopping into her car on that snowy night and careening into a ravine, nearly dying. The story picks up eleven months later as she’s released after multiple surgeries and intensive rehabilitation, minus her memories of the months leading up to that fateful night. She remembers that she wanted to leave him and agrees they should continue with the divorce. He agreed to take care of her at her home, mostly out of guilt, for the next couple of months and to ensure she can function on her own.
This time allowed both parties to reassess the relationship. I really enjoyed how the failings weren’t just laid out on the table and all of the sudden the characters magically understood, kiss-kiss, and it was over. No. Those arguments were thrown at each other over the years which obviously never sunk in, each thinking the other was selfish. It was the quiet times in the characters’ heads that gave way to discoveries. Like Ross noticing that Maggie was wearing his sweater and thinking to himself “she used wear my sweaters just to feel closer to me… when had she given up wanting that intimacy?” Or as he's telling his employees to figure things out on their own “why hadn’t I set these limits years ago? Why hadn’t I set evenings with my wife as private times to be interrupted by nothing less than the end of the world? If I had made it clear to everyone that nothing took priority over her, if I had shown her that kind of commitment and respect, none of the last year would have happened. So many ifs, so many regrets.” Those moments really got to me as i am a sucker for all that is wistful.
I really thought I’d hate Ross but I can empathize. I can see how he spiraled out of control and how he landed in the situation he did. They both thought they lost the love they once had and although he felt guilty, he had been resigned for years that he lost Maggie already. I found it warming and heartbreaking at the same time to see his guilt for his actions and self-loathing increase in direct proportion not only to his renewed love for her, but his fear of her regaining her memory. I felt his desperation and despair at the thought of losing her again.
This was just short of a 5 star book and here’s why: the ending. I felt that it was unrealistic and needed to be drawn out a little bit more. Even the most insightful person needs some time to come to terms with the events and go through the stages properly to arrive at a believable conclusion. Sure, the discovery happened a year ago, but, that memory was new to her. As far as she’s feeling, it JUST happened. She never had the chance to process it the first time around and the speed of forgiveness took a little away for me. I also could have done without the mystical and divine intervention, but then they would have had to come up with a different title for the book, hmm?
Overall, this was a lovely surprise and I will definitely be reading more about the other characters in the town of Bethlehem.
Some Enchanted Season is a book about rediscovery, accountability, and realizing what is important. It’s about second chances. Ross and Maggie were well on their way to a divorce. They both evolved into different people having different goals and desires. The past few years of their marriage had been filled with bitterness, accusations and defensiveness, and misguided intentions. They lived separate lives, eventually slept in separate bedrooms, and most recently, began living apart. With the filing for a divorce simply a formality, they decided to have one last gathering on Christmas Eve at her new home until a discovery and an argument had Maggie hopping into her car on that snowy night and careening into a ravine, nearly dying. The story picks up eleven months later as she’s released after multiple surgeries and intensive rehabilitation, minus her memories of the months leading up to that fateful night. She remembers that she wanted to leave him and agrees they should continue with the divorce. He agreed to take care of her at her home, mostly out of guilt, for the next couple of months and to ensure she can function on her own.
This time allowed both parties to reassess the relationship. I really enjoyed how the failings weren’t just laid out on the table and all of the sudden the characters magically understood, kiss-kiss, and it was over. No. Those arguments were thrown at each other over the years which obviously never sunk in, each thinking the other was selfish. It was the quiet times in the characters’ heads that gave way to discoveries. Like Ross noticing that Maggie was wearing his sweater and thinking to himself “she used wear my sweaters just to feel closer to me… when had she given up wanting that intimacy?” Or as he's telling his employees to figure things out on their own “why hadn’t I set these limits years ago? Why hadn’t I set evenings with my wife as private times to be interrupted by nothing less than the end of the world? If I had made it clear to everyone that nothing took priority over her, if I had shown her that kind of commitment and respect, none of the last year would have happened. So many ifs, so many regrets.” Those moments really got to me as i am a sucker for all that is wistful.
I really thought I’d hate Ross but I can empathize. I can see how he spiraled out of control and how he landed in the situation he did. They both thought they lost the love they once had and although he felt guilty, he had been resigned for years that he lost Maggie already. I found it warming and heartbreaking at the same time to see his guilt for his actions and self-loathing increase in direct proportion not only to his renewed love for her, but his fear of her regaining her memory. I felt his desperation and despair at the thought of losing her again.
This was just short of a 5 star book and here’s why: the ending. I felt that it was unrealistic and needed to be drawn out a little bit more. Even the most insightful person needs some time to come to terms with the events and go through the stages properly to arrive at a believable conclusion. Sure, the discovery happened a year ago, but, that memory was new to her. As far as she’s feeling, it JUST happened. She never had the chance to process it the first time around and the speed of forgiveness took a little away for me. I also could have done without the mystical and divine intervention, but then they would have had to come up with a different title for the book, hmm?
Overall, this was a lovely surprise and I will definitely be reading more about the other characters in the town of Bethlehem.
August 8, 2020
MEH… I’ve had this book a long time. I can’t even remember how I got it, but hopefully didn’t spend $5 bucks on it. 😊 I had planned to read it last month in celebration of Hallmark’s Christmas in July, but got distracted. Funnily enough, I found myself in the same predicament… I started excited and charmed by the silly x-mas themes, like the town being Bethlehem, but quickly grew weary of it all and found it annoying.
I don’t want to take more time on this than I have to… there’s TONS of reviews that will walk you through the plot if interested. My reason for not enjoying this is the complete lack of any genuine remorse or actual work to fix their marriage. It was basically “fixed” by I shit you not, and wish I would have taken the time to read the numerous spoiler reviews before wasting 6-hours of my time. Also, there are HUGE plot holes like the disappearance of her BFF (Jessica) the woman he cheated with, and her husband Kevin. Where'd they go? If she had amnesia, wouldn't she wonder where her BFF was?
Bottom Line- This felt lazy, and there was just too much damage and not enough repair for me. I also thought the “amnesia” thrown in was overkill, and the fact it dragged on for much of the book preventing the couple to begin any “salvage” work… sucked. The marriage was non-existent, they were sleeping separately… not communicating, so I could have rooted for them if they had addressed/worked through the issues/hurt, but the only “real” honest conversation happened with Noelle, not Ross. **Safety- Hubs has an affair with her BFF… deets... It was short lived… I think they slept together 3 times over two weeks. H & h were not sharing a room at the time, so there isn’t bed-swapping.
I don’t want to take more time on this than I have to… there’s TONS of reviews that will walk you through the plot if interested. My reason for not enjoying this is the complete lack of any genuine remorse or actual work to fix their marriage. It was basically “fixed” by I shit you not, and wish I would have taken the time to read the numerous spoiler reviews before wasting 6-hours of my time. Also, there are HUGE plot holes like the disappearance of her BFF (Jessica) the woman he cheated with, and her husband Kevin. Where'd they go? If she had amnesia, wouldn't she wonder where her BFF was?
Bottom Line- This felt lazy, and there was just too much damage and not enough repair for me. I also thought the “amnesia” thrown in was overkill, and the fact it dragged on for much of the book preventing the couple to begin any “salvage” work… sucked. The marriage was non-existent, they were sleeping separately… not communicating, so I could have rooted for them if they had addressed/worked through the issues/hurt, but the only “real” honest conversation happened with Noelle, not Ross. **Safety- Hubs has an affair with her BFF… deets... It was short lived… I think they slept together 3 times over two weeks. H & h were not sharing a room at the time, so there isn’t bed-swapping.
June 4, 2018
I have a lot dilemma about this book. first of all it's well written, the situation is quite... err... devastating. the religious side is so strong in this book. and it's good to know Ross's point of view too. basically he's not a manwhore, he love her, he's trying to be someone but in process lose himself and his morality, his greed drove him away from her thus he was falling into sin with another woman, moreover her wife best friend (not so best friend anymore, what kind of friend who fall into temptation with her friend husband??!! tbh is a stupidity at it's finest!).
in the story he slept with Jessica 3 times and he was quite stupid to give jewelry in front of his wife and her husband. he was sorry and sorry and sorry, and think he don't deserve Maggie but he couldn't let her go as well.
overall this is a good story, good plot, and good character development.
so 3,5 stars, because I still feel I can't and I won't forgive infidelity.
in the story he slept with Jessica 3 times and he was quite stupid to give jewelry in front of his wife and her husband. he was sorry and sorry and sorry, and think he don't deserve Maggie but he couldn't let her go as well.
overall this is a good story, good plot, and good character development.
so 3,5 stars, because I still feel I can't and I won't forgive infidelity.
October 8, 2018
This was a re-read after many years. I don't remember it being so sad. I couldn't work out why it made me feel that way but it had this really sombre and almost dark thread running through it. Maybe it was that. Yet it had its moments of whimsy with Noelle saving all. My sympathy was with the h all the way, the H just struck me as being a cold fish. His redemption was a slow build but I kinda believed it. I didn't particularly enjoy this read and the secondary characters irritated me, I think they appear in other books. But for all that there was something that pulled me in.
February 2, 2017
I am not sure how to rate this book. I liked how well it was written and how intense their story was. I loved the setting. I loved how determine she was to get herself back on her feet both physically and mentally. I hated his deception. I hated that an angle was used to excuse his cheating. I hated that he cheated with He was a scumbag in my eyes. He ignored her during their marriage; She quit school and took two jobs to put him through school and he rewarded her by putting making money ahead of his family. He also cheated on her. The bastard even thought about how inconvenient his half an hour weekly visit to his wife was. She was there with amnesia, broken hip bone, broken legs, broken ribs, etc She was there for almost a year and had to relearn how to even walk. Did I forget to mention she ended up in the hospital and almost lost her life because of an accident after she left on Christmas Eve in a snow storm while she was emotionally distraught from finding out her husband has been cheating with ?
I am going to give it a 4 rating because it effected me enough to want to rant about it and since it was so well written.
I am going to give it a 4 rating because it effected me enough to want to rant about it and since it was so well written.
May 22, 2015
I don't understand the hero the author didn't concentrate on the point of infidelity. what were the circumstances that lead to this. yes we all know that he was sad but why did he turn to the bf of his wife? what was so special about her? and don't just tell that she was willing she was married and he knew her husband for god's sake. why did he give her the
most stunning diamond bracelet in front of his wife and believed that there relation won't be discovered? as a businessman this was such a foolish action. may be he did on purpose to hurt his soon to be ex wife. I prefer the confrontation in A Perfect Marriage as it reveals the feelings and actions of the H & h, the heroine just drove the car and ran away not strong enough to face them. The h did it again for a second time she didn't wait to get the answer from the hero and she wasn't even curious to know the extent of the relation! the duration, was it a love story or just lust. The Devine part is such a limb way to get through real feelings
most stunning diamond bracelet in front of his wife and believed that there relation won't be discovered? as a businessman this was such a foolish action. may be he did on purpose to hurt his soon to be ex wife. I prefer the confrontation in A Perfect Marriage as it reveals the feelings and actions of the H & h, the heroine just drove the car and ran away not strong enough to face them. The h did it again for a second time she didn't wait to get the answer from the hero and she wasn't even curious to know the extent of the relation! the duration, was it a love story or just lust. The Devine part is such a limb way to get through real feelings
December 25, 2012
I don't know about you guys, but this novel gave me heartache. It unveils infidelity like no other, realistic and vivid. I was miserable by the end of this novel, even the ending didn't manage to convince me of their HEA. I don't believe in divorces, so reading Maggie and Ross fight against all the odds was what made this book for me. I liked the fact that they didn't give up. But there were times, by God there were times, I actually thought the strain in their relationship was just too severe, as if they were better apart! All in all, it's a beautiful read.
Definitely recommended to those in need of a good tearjerker with poignant writing. Don't tell me you haven't been warned!
Definitely recommended to those in need of a good tearjerker with poignant writing. Don't tell me you haven't been warned!
February 15, 2011
I very much like this author, however, I have some things that just can not be done in a good book. The #1 thing is "YOU DO NOT CHEAT ON YOUR WIFE!!!!" If you do this, you are done.....history and stricken from the record. Full stop...period. Under no circumstances is this forgivable not even on an angel infested Christmas. Bleh!!! If he had died, it may have saved it. I don't even think he was properly repentant. The only reason I gave it any stars was out of respect to the author's previous work and the continuity of the series, which as a whole was good.
April 5, 2011
Well...infidelity sucks.
Once in a while, I need a good sad story to clear my tearducts while making me count my blessings. And I knew this book was going to be a double-whammy as soon as I got to the last lines of the PROLOGUE. They went:
"She was going to die. Right there. Alone in her truck on a quiet, snowy Christmas Eve.
He probably couldn't think of a better gift."
Sniff.
Once in a while, I need a good sad story to clear my tearducts while making me count my blessings. And I knew this book was going to be a double-whammy as soon as I got to the last lines of the PROLOGUE. They went:
"She was going to die. Right there. Alone in her truck on a quiet, snowy Christmas Eve.
He probably couldn't think of a better gift."
Sniff.
November 3, 2014
To be hones, I was very disappointed. I have read so many good reviews, but ..the cheating itself was not that big of deal, just the author using it to move the story along, unlike the h make so much deal of. Their marriage was long over before that is happened, may be betrayal of her fried added the bitterness. If there was not religious undertone, I would have given 1 more star but not my thing.
avoid
March 2, 2021Note to self avoid this book and author;
cheating H, doormat h, author ruins Christmas and angels. tries to justify cheating book.
cheating H, doormat h, author ruins Christmas and angels. tries to justify cheating book.
January 8, 2009
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Do you believe in Christmas miracles? Do you believe in guardian angels? My guess is that most readers of this book will either want to believe or have their beliefs reconfirmed after reading this enchanting tale. Marilyn Pappano has woven yet another magical Christmas story in the little town of Bethlehem, New York, a place that is watched over by a very special guardian angel. Some Enchanted Season is all about redemption and reconciliation, as well as the precious gift of love that was once lost but found again. I don't think I have ever read a romance novel in which the hero and heroine are already married at the beginning of the story, but are essentially estranged and must find their way back to the deep love they once shared. I wasn't sure if I would like it, because I don't usually care for a lot of relationship conflict in my romance and prefer to watch the couple go through all the ups and downs of new love. Well, I ended up thoroughly enjoying this captivating story that was filled with depth and emotion. While there was conflict, it didn't seem at all overdone due to past circumstances, and when misunderstandings arose they never lasted long. All things considered, I thought that Ross and Maggie communicated pretty well. It was also wonderful watching them rediscover their love that had never truly died but had been long buried under a heavy weight of ambition, anger, resentment and guilt. Having them reignite the passion that had marked the early years of their marriage, and learn that true love can overcome and forgive a world of hurt and past mistakes was equally wondrous.
Ross and Maggie were a very likable and relatable couple with a story that was very believable and realistic. The Ross readers see at the beginning of the book is the type of character that it would be very easy to dislike. He is a deeply ambitious man who became obsessed with money and power to the point that it blinded him to the truth of what's really important in life. Ross had also made a huge mistake and the revelation of that event is what led to the horrific accident that changed Maggie's existence forever. Normally this type of element in a romance novel would be a major turnoff for me, but as the story progressed, I found myself understanding quite well what had led Ross to this dark place, making him a very sympathetic character. Also, his intense remorse and self-loathing for his pasts sins, his fear of loosing Maggie forever which made him vulnerable, and the gentle, respectful way he treats Maggie all came together to make me truly like Ross, warts and all. The magic of Bethlehem has a way of healing the people who come there, and Ross was no exception. His change of heart from an almost Scrooge-like character as well as the emotional growth he exhibited were nothing short of miraculous and exceptionally heartwarming. Maggie was an incredibly strong woman who had endured the past half-dozen years of her contentious marriage as well as eleven months of painful surgeries, recovery, and rehab with her spirit, dignity and dreams for the future still mostly intact. I also thought that she had a very big heart to forgive Ross for all the past hurts he had caused and be willing to make a forever commitment to their marriage. Occasionally she was a bit short-tempered with him, which was pretty understandable given their history, but she was apologetic when appropriate. Maggie's growth and changes weren't quite as dramatic as Ross's, but she ultimately completed her healing process, both physically and emotionally in Bethlehem.
The town of Bethlehem really comes to life in such as way as to almost be a character unto itself, but I think that is owed more to it's gentle guardian angel, Noelle, and the host of warm, friendly townspeople who made me feel like I had just walked into a Currier & Ives painting. There are many carry-over characters from the first book of the series, Season for Miracles, including the hero and heroine of that story, Nathan and Emilie, and their family, as well as the Winchester sisters, two adorable old ladies who are like the world's best grandmothers to everyone, the Thomases, the Walkers, Harry and Maeve from the diner, and Holly McBride, the owner of the only inn in town. There was a little side plot about the Thomases desperate desire to have a baby, but so far being unable to, and a possible budding romance between Harry and Maeve. I will be interested to see if these stories are continued in future books in the series. Readers are also introduced to several new characters who will play major roles in other books. Dr. J. D. Grayson, a handsome psychiatrist, loves kids, left the big city for small-town life, and becomes the hero of the next book, Father To Be. Ross's cynical, cut-throat attorney, Tom Flynn, gets paired with the feisty Holly in book #5, First Kiss, and his personal assistant, Lynda Barone, becomes the heroine of book #6, Getting Lucky. Also, Leanne Wilson, the owner of the local baby boutique, becomes the heroine of book #9, Small Wonders. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but each one lends something special to the story, and really helps to bring it to life.
I found Some Enchanted Season to be a sweet slice-of-life romance that was a near-perfect joy to read. The only thing that might have been better is if both characters had done a little less redundant inner protesting. For example, Ross would begin to wonder if all he really needed was a little moderation in his business dealings to have a life, but then would immediately discard the idea thinking that his business was his life. He repeated this line of thinking quite a few times, even though it was obvious that he was already beginning to make changes. Maggie also had similar repeated introspections about whether their marriage was truly over, but I guess maybe they just needed time to convince themselves of the truth. Otherwise the plot was tight, and even though the ending seemed a tad rushed, it was still satisfying. Since Ross and Maggie spent a lot of time holding each other at arms length because of fears and trying to convince themselves that a divorce was the only resolution to their problems, their relationship progressed at a languid but steady pace, but until they figure things out, there is some nice sexual tension in the form of intense memories of the passionate early years of their marriage. In between, the pages of the story are filled with the mystical enchantment of the holiday season and all the events surrounding it that are so much a part of small-town life. Anyone looking for a holiday read to really put you in the Christmas spirit should look no further. Some Enchanted Season left me with the feeling of curling up in a warm blanket on a cold winter's day, and renewed my belief that miracles truly can happen, not only at Christmas, but any time of the year. It can be paired with it's predecessor in the Bethlehem series, Season for Miracles, for a double-dose of heartwarming holiday cheer. Both have earned a spot on my keeper shelf, and with two winners in a row Marilyn Pappano has earned a spot on my favorite authors list. I can't wait to dive into the remaining books in the Bethlehem series, Father To Be, Gabriel's Angel (a novella from the Yours 2 Keep anthology), First Kiss, Getting Lucky, Heaven on Earth, Cabin Fever, and Small Wonders, and explore some of the other books on Ms. Pappano's backlist.
"4.5 stars" Do you believe in Christmas miracles? Do you believe in guardian angels? My guess is that most readers of this book will either want to believe or have their beliefs reconfirmed after reading this enchanting tale. Marilyn Pappano has woven yet another magical Christmas story in the little town of Bethlehem, New York, a place that is watched over by a very special guardian angel. Some Enchanted Season is all about redemption and reconciliation, as well as the precious gift of love that was once lost but found again. I don't think I have ever read a romance novel in which the hero and heroine are already married at the beginning of the story, but are essentially estranged and must find their way back to the deep love they once shared. I wasn't sure if I would like it, because I don't usually care for a lot of relationship conflict in my romance and prefer to watch the couple go through all the ups and downs of new love. Well, I ended up thoroughly enjoying this captivating story that was filled with depth and emotion. While there was conflict, it didn't seem at all overdone due to past circumstances, and when misunderstandings arose they never lasted long. All things considered, I thought that Ross and Maggie communicated pretty well. It was also wonderful watching them rediscover their love that had never truly died but had been long buried under a heavy weight of ambition, anger, resentment and guilt. Having them reignite the passion that had marked the early years of their marriage, and learn that true love can overcome and forgive a world of hurt and past mistakes was equally wondrous.
Ross and Maggie were a very likable and relatable couple with a story that was very believable and realistic. The Ross readers see at the beginning of the book is the type of character that it would be very easy to dislike. He is a deeply ambitious man who became obsessed with money and power to the point that it blinded him to the truth of what's really important in life. Ross had also made a huge mistake and the revelation of that event is what led to the horrific accident that changed Maggie's existence forever. Normally this type of element in a romance novel would be a major turnoff for me, but as the story progressed, I found myself understanding quite well what had led Ross to this dark place, making him a very sympathetic character. Also, his intense remorse and self-loathing for his pasts sins, his fear of loosing Maggie forever which made him vulnerable, and the gentle, respectful way he treats Maggie all came together to make me truly like Ross, warts and all. The magic of Bethlehem has a way of healing the people who come there, and Ross was no exception. His change of heart from an almost Scrooge-like character as well as the emotional growth he exhibited were nothing short of miraculous and exceptionally heartwarming. Maggie was an incredibly strong woman who had endured the past half-dozen years of her contentious marriage as well as eleven months of painful surgeries, recovery, and rehab with her spirit, dignity and dreams for the future still mostly intact. I also thought that she had a very big heart to forgive Ross for all the past hurts he had caused and be willing to make a forever commitment to their marriage. Occasionally she was a bit short-tempered with him, which was pretty understandable given their history, but she was apologetic when appropriate. Maggie's growth and changes weren't quite as dramatic as Ross's, but she ultimately completed her healing process, both physically and emotionally in Bethlehem.
The town of Bethlehem really comes to life in such as way as to almost be a character unto itself, but I think that is owed more to it's gentle guardian angel, Noelle, and the host of warm, friendly townspeople who made me feel like I had just walked into a Currier & Ives painting. There are many carry-over characters from the first book of the series, Season for Miracles, including the hero and heroine of that story, Nathan and Emilie, and their family, as well as the Winchester sisters, two adorable old ladies who are like the world's best grandmothers to everyone, the Thomases, the Walkers, Harry and Maeve from the diner, and Holly McBride, the owner of the only inn in town. There was a little side plot about the Thomases desperate desire to have a baby, but so far being unable to, and a possible budding romance between Harry and Maeve. I will be interested to see if these stories are continued in future books in the series. Readers are also introduced to several new characters who will play major roles in other books. Dr. J. D. Grayson, a handsome psychiatrist, loves kids, left the big city for small-town life, and becomes the hero of the next book, Father To Be. Ross's cynical, cut-throat attorney, Tom Flynn, gets paired with the feisty Holly in book #5, First Kiss, and his personal assistant, Lynda Barone, becomes the heroine of book #6, Getting Lucky. Also, Leanne Wilson, the owner of the local baby boutique, becomes the heroine of book #9, Small Wonders. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but each one lends something special to the story, and really helps to bring it to life.
I found Some Enchanted Season to be a sweet slice-of-life romance that was a near-perfect joy to read. The only thing that might have been better is if both characters had done a little less redundant inner protesting. For example, Ross would begin to wonder if all he really needed was a little moderation in his business dealings to have a life, but then would immediately discard the idea thinking that his business was his life. He repeated this line of thinking quite a few times, even though it was obvious that he was already beginning to make changes. Maggie also had similar repeated introspections about whether their marriage was truly over, but I guess maybe they just needed time to convince themselves of the truth. Otherwise the plot was tight, and even though the ending seemed a tad rushed, it was still satisfying. Since Ross and Maggie spent a lot of time holding each other at arms length because of fears and trying to convince themselves that a divorce was the only resolution to their problems, their relationship progressed at a languid but steady pace, but until they figure things out, there is some nice sexual tension in the form of intense memories of the passionate early years of their marriage. In between, the pages of the story are filled with the mystical enchantment of the holiday season and all the events surrounding it that are so much a part of small-town life. Anyone looking for a holiday read to really put you in the Christmas spirit should look no further. Some Enchanted Season left me with the feeling of curling up in a warm blanket on a cold winter's day, and renewed my belief that miracles truly can happen, not only at Christmas, but any time of the year. It can be paired with it's predecessor in the Bethlehem series, Season for Miracles, for a double-dose of heartwarming holiday cheer. Both have earned a spot on my keeper shelf, and with two winners in a row Marilyn Pappano has earned a spot on my favorite authors list. I can't wait to dive into the remaining books in the Bethlehem series, Father To Be, Gabriel's Angel (a novella from the Yours 2 Keep anthology), First Kiss, Getting Lucky, Heaven on Earth, Cabin Fever, and Small Wonders, and explore some of the other books on Ms. Pappano's backlist.
December 12, 2023
First off, I have to admit that Ms Pappano is a really good writer, and my ambivalence toward the book has nothing to do with quality and more to do with the characters and the choices made with the plot. Many reviews already summarize the story and I won't go into much details here. I'm not one to absolutely hate the and I really dig a well written second chance story. that said this was just too much (and yet not enough) for me to swallow. I would want this story remade but instead both husband and wife are in the car crash, and the wife would get the amnesia but nothing physical, and the husband would be the really hurt one. And the book would be her throwing money at his condition and then going on a vacation with him for a month to try and help cheer him up. That version would've been more digest for my tastes. I'll let myself speak for the other bad reviews (very humbly) and say that we are FED UP OF THE WOMAN ALWAYS SUFFERING. Women are suffering all the time and are under tremendous pressure to accept their fate with grace and don't forget makeup and nice clothes. In this book, the woman gets all of what, maybe 3 pages (?) of feeling sorry for herself before God sends someone to tell her to suck it up and give some grace already!
On a more objective note, I thought the husband mellowed down too quickly. He came from being cold and distant to desperately in love in the spane of a chapter, if that. I don't believe in this marriage AT ALL. I think he's still the bastard he's always been and she's only wasting her time with him. But then Pappano makes a point to let her understand how truly neglected she was a child and how alone in the world she is. Of course she thinks the crumbs he's offering her is all there is to love. This is a classic case of a toxic relationship. And I'm mad.
I recommend this to people who like very realistic romances.
On a more objective note, I thought the husband mellowed down too quickly. He came from being cold and distant to desperately in love in the spane of a chapter, if that. I don't believe in this marriage AT ALL. I think he's still the bastard he's always been and she's only wasting her time with him. But then Pappano makes a point to let her understand how truly neglected she was a child and how alone in the world she is. Of course she thinks the crumbs he's offering her is all there is to love. This is a classic case of a toxic relationship. And I'm mad.
I recommend this to people who like very realistic romances.
July 18, 2018
That angel stuff at the end was stupid. It felt like the author dug herself into a hole with the infidelity that she couldn't get out of so she settled on a deus ex machine to resolve the conflict. It was cheap and badly executed. Because of it, we never got a real conversation between H/h about what happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2016
He cheated on his wife, that is not ok in my planet. HE CHEATED!!!!!!!!
January 14, 2025
I started this book with high hopes. The set-up was catnip for someone like me who loves an angsty cheaty redemption story arc. Perfect first third. But then we head to bible town, meet a bunch of churchy characters so boring and flat I wanted them to vapor up to heaven immediately, and then a literal freaking angel replaced any character-driven storytelling, thus a perfectly wonderful setup was absolutely wasted. Blech.
March 29, 2020
I did not like or hate this book it was mostly whatever.
I do think the author waited way too long in the story to
give Maggie her memory back. The book is 378 pages and
she remembers what her husband did at the 356 page mark.
I think this book cemented why I don't really like
second-chance romances. I do't think authors give the
heroine's enough credit and the Hero's never grovel enough
for me.
I read this book because it was a nostalgic read for me. I was
recommended this book by a bunch of people back when
the kindle forums were still open. However, I should have
known I wasn't going to like this book due to the subject
matter.
The problem I had with the book is that Ross is an
unlikable character for about 90% of the book. I mean
shit happens in life and second-chance romances tend
to be angsty and not that great (to me), normally. However,
the fact that Ross was a shit person throughout the
marriage and even he admits that he is a shit person
does not help redeem him. The author tries to play his
character and his mistakes off by giving him a, he grew
as a person arc, but he was just an unlikable asshole,
money hungry douche bag who put his work above all
else in life. It's hard to root for a person who sees helping
his sick wife as a chore and constantly admits to wanting
out of the marriage to go continue making his millions.
I do think the author waited way too long in the story to
give Maggie her memory back. The book is 378 pages and
she remembers what her husband did at the 356 page mark.
I think this book cemented why I don't really like
second-chance romances. I do't think authors give the
heroine's enough credit and the Hero's never grovel enough
for me.
I read this book because it was a nostalgic read for me. I was
recommended this book by a bunch of people back when
the kindle forums were still open. However, I should have
known I wasn't going to like this book due to the subject
matter.
The problem I had with the book is that Ross is an
unlikable character for about 90% of the book. I mean
shit happens in life and second-chance romances tend
to be angsty and not that great (to me), normally. However,
the fact that Ross was a shit person throughout the
marriage and even he admits that he is a shit person
does not help redeem him. The author tries to play his
character and his mistakes off by giving him a, he grew
as a person arc, but he was just an unlikable asshole,
money hungry douche bag who put his work above all
else in life. It's hard to root for a person who sees helping
his sick wife as a chore and constantly admits to wanting
out of the marriage to go continue making his millions.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews