“Touching Stars” by Emilie Richards

“Touching Stars” by Emilie Richards
2007, Mira
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2472-0

“Touching Stars” by Emilie Richards is a very long book. It’s also a very good book. I couldn’t put it down. I recognized characters in this book from another book, “Prospect Street”, by Emilie I read and reviewed here.

This is a complicated story of a family torn apart 12 years before by divorce and brought together again because Eric, the ex-husband, has suffered at the hands of Middle East terrorists and needs time to heal. He returns to the only home he’s ever felt comfortable in and the last home he fled. He is welcomed back by his ex-wife Gayle and although his 3 sons aren’t quite sure they all begin a process of resolving the issues of the past to be able to move forward into the future without a lot of emotional baggage.

I enjoyed being invited into their home as each of the characters grew and matured and chose the roads they would take into the future.

This was a really good book. I’m looking forward to reading more.

“Prospect Street” by Emilie Richards

"Prospect Street” by Emilie Richards
2002 Mira Books
ISBN: 1-55166-921-8

“Prospect Street” by Emilie Richards is about secrets. Unravel one and you’ve got another one staring you in the face.

Faith’s marriage has crumbled. Although her husband still loves her he can no longer be with her in a marriage. This is the story of Faith, her children, her soon to be ex-husband as they struggle to balance what happened with what will be.

But, there is more. There is a deep and darker secret at the heart of the family and in reclaiming her life Faith also finds the strength to discover the answers to a number of secrets that have been around since before she was even born.

The twists and turns this tale takes will have you spell bound. You really won’t want to put this book down. Emilie Richards writes well and as a family counselor shows the reader it really is possible to heal any number of hurts.

I think you will enjoy it. I surely did.

“Endless Chain” by Emilie Richards

“Endless Chain” by Emilie Richards
2005 by Mira Books
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2316-7

“Endless Chain” by Emilie Richards is one of those books that sort of fell into my lap. I read something briefly on the internet by somebody who was talking about one of her books. Even then something inside me told me to read one quick. Right away I hopped on over to my account at the Oakland Public Library and ordered up a book at random. That was “Endless Chain”. I’m really impressed.

The writing is clean, it’s smooth. It’s not convoluted or shining with excellent literary allusions or anything like that. It’s clean. It’s fresh. It’s a love story and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.

This is the story of two people who find each other. Sam Kinkade is the young minister and Elisa Martinez. Endless Chain is a story of how the quilters in a church going community opened their arms to include Elisa and taught her how to quilt. She made an Endless Chain. Click here for a pattern.

Sam wants to include the Hispanic community in his church and is met with opposition. Elisa helps him to overcome the obstacles and when it appears she is also in need is helped by Sam.

It’s a story of searching and finding, of danger and of fear and an unfolding of love that is sweet to see. It’s a story of history repeating itself over and over again and it is an "Endless Chain".