Sweet Nothings

I thought this book was excellent. I love how Catherine Anderson didn't make Molly a 100 pounds and like 5/6. She made her 5/2 and a 140 pounds. I thought that was great because ususally in romance novels the girl is always unrealistically built. Most women are molly's size. Even though its only fiction, it makes people who are not a size two enjoy the book. Its great how Jake finds her so attractive. They have the best chemistry together. Its great how she finds him after a ten year bad marriage. I think in our lives, we all want a man like Jake. I think we all wish that would happen in real life. The book is also good cause it has interesting turns and twists. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery and romance. It's an awsome read . It was so good I read it in two days.

I am one of the toughest romance novel critics around, having read romances for many years and going through several of them each week. This is why I can't understand how any romance novel reader could dislike this novel. It's wonderful! One reviewer wrote that Molly's insecurities were overdone and that she needed to "get over it." Evidently, this reviewer doesn't understand the battering someone's self-esteem can take when living with a man who for twelve years has convinced her she's fat and ugly. The fact is, according to society's views, Molly is overweight and her ex-husband played up on that. Molly marries the repellent Rodney when she's 18. From that time until the time she's 29 or 30, he works on battering her ego. This is a real scenario and one that happens all too often to women who marry young and marry control freaks. It's perfectly understandable that it would take a long while for her to build her self-esteem back up. I am so grateful that Catherine Anderson created a character who, at 5 ft. 2 and 140 lbs, isn't the "slim, lithe" heroines we always get. A woman like that would never believe that an ultra hunk like Jake would pay her any attention. Even a woman who isn't "pleasantly plump" might have a hard time thinking a man like Jake would be interested. Is it any wonder Molly doesn't want to take her clothes off in front of him? I could completely relate to the feelings the heroine went through.I do agree with some other reviewers that Jake, the hero, was too good to be true, although Anderson handles this expertly too. At first, I was thinking, right along with the heroine, that someone so gorgeous could never really be interested in a woman like Molly (who is pretty, but not beautiful). However, the way Anderson describes Jakes feelings toward Molly, it is easy to see why he would be attracted to her. Is it so hard to believe that a man wants a real woman and not a gym Barbie? I guess it might be, but I'm sure there is that one in a million male out there who hasn't been brainwashed by the media and who appreciates a real feminine shape; Jake Coulter is just that type of character. Yes, as one reviewer pointed out, he does get turned on when he feels the dimples behind her knees, but that's because he loves everything about her, all the soft, cute dimples included. This romance novel shows real love, folks. It's not just about sexual attraction (although that's there too) and how perfect each of the protagonists look. Even though Jake is gorgeous, even if he were less than perfect, you'd still fall in love with him. He truly is a hero.

Wow! That's all I can say. Well, not all, actually. I had so much fun reading this book that I'm still smiling. This is a beautiful story--one of those rare discoveries you just don't expect. This is the first time I've read a book by Catherine Anderson, but let me tell you, it won't be the last. I'll grab everything I see by her from now on, and then I'll race home to start reading. Forget housework, forget the job, forget everything. These characters were so real, and she did such a good job of describing their feelings. From start to finish, I was in heaven. I just hope she'll write a book about Hank Coulter. Please, Catherine? Give us an entire Coulter series!

This is the first novel I've ever read that dealt with the devastating effects of verbal abuse. I identified with the main character and understood her emotions all too well. My own experience with verbal abuse was from a cruel step-father, but the horrible comments about Molly's body parts, her intelligence, etc., were EXACTLY the kinds of things I used to hear. Even though you can tell yourself it was all lies, the pain and self-doubt from such abuse can last a long, long time. I appreciated the fact that healing and trusting for Molly did not come easy. It took my husband YEARS to convince me that a lot of men prefer a woman with "curves." It was pretty amazing to have both Molly's sensitivity about her body and Jake's appreciation for a full-figured woman be a major part of the story. Can't say that I've seen that before!This book touched on real and painful problems in an honest and often thought provoking way. I gave my copy to a friend who is coming off a devasting marriage where she was told again and again how worthless she was. I just hope the book will comfort my friend the way it did me.

Grab your tissues and run, don't walk to get this book. I'm such a fan of CA's previous books (Phantom Waltz, Baby Love & many others) that this book was on my wish list long before it was released. Jake Coulter, who is touted as a horse whisperer (You remember Robert Redford, don't you?) takes in Molly Wells & her ex-husband's abused thoroughbred horse on his rustic Oregon ranch. Molly takes a great chance by even taking (stealing, actually) the horse to Jake, but she is so heartbroken seeing the poor creature abused that she throws caution to the wind. After a 10-year marriage to a horrible, abusive and deceitful man, Molly is but a shell of her former self. What Jake can do for the horse is nothing short of a miracle, but you'll have to read the book to see what he does for Molly! Every woman dreams of such a hero in her life, and Jake comes through! Although I don't take this to be a sequel, this book follows the Coulter's (Jake's brother is Rafe, and his sister is Bethany) and I really enjoyed revisiting many of the people in her recent books. It's a gem - and a keeper for me.