Turning the Page

This is a terrific novel if you are looking for an upbeat romance with delightful characters, without a ton of hang-ups, great humor and writing that flows so nicely that a reader wishes the story would go on for another 100 pages. The main characters are truly engaging. The story begins with 30-something Melanie realizing she has achieved many of her careers goals without having personal satisfaction. She makes a move that brings her to a new town with new friends and a business of her own. The beauty of the story is the journey she takes, the people she meets and the decisions she makes. If you like well written romance you will love this book. The reader gets an in depth feeling for both main characters and while the story has some nice turns the characters say and do the things that are always in character. I am looking forward to her next novel `Too Close to Touch' due in July 2006. From the publisher's website - Melanie Larson is an attractive, extremely successful business executive who shocks herself by resigning from her job when her company merges with another and relocates. While trying to decide what to do with her life next and at the urging of her uncle, Melanie heads to Rochester, New York, to stay temporarily with her cousin Samantha. She hopes to use her business savvy in an attempt to help Sam sort out the financial woes of her small bookstore. During her stay, Melanie meets and becomes close to the family that owns the property on which Samantha lives, the charming Benjamin Rhodes, a distinguished, successful businessman, as well as his beautiful and intriguing daughter Taylor. Surprised by what and how she feels for each of them, Melanie is soon forced to face the facts and re-examine what's really important to her in life, career and love

Ok, we're talking romance here, so the story is a little far-fetched. That doesn't stop it from being a great fantasy! I thoroughly enjoyed Beers' "Thy Neighbor's Wife" and hoped "Turning the Page" would meet he same standards. I certainly wasn't disappointed! Samantha is a good-for-nothing spoiled brat. When her bookstore starts to go under, her father asks recently-unemployed cousin Melanie Larson to step in and help out. When Melanie shows up at Sam's place, she meets the charming Taylor Rhodes and her father Benjamin. Both of them are determined to win Melanie's heart. Melanie has never considered a lesbian relationship and goes out with Ben a few times. However, her thoughts are consistently brought back to Taylor, the woman who has sparked new emotions and feelings Melanie never dreamed possible. This book is consistent with Beers' quality work. It is well edited and easy to read. This reader was drawn in to the story and finished the book in one night. Highly recommended addition to your bookshelf (after you read it a few times, of course).

When Melanie Larson gives up her successful career, she finds a rare opportunity to examine her life, and doesn't like what she sees-financial prosperity at the expense of personal fulfillment. Not sure what she expects to accomplish, Melanie takes up the challenge of going to Rochester and helping her whimsical cousin revive a failing bookstore. But the cousin is more interested in a jaunt across Canada than attending to the business. Alone in a new place, Melanie strikes up a friendship with Benjamin Rhodes, only to find herself strangely attracted to Benjamin's daughter, Taylor.Assaulted by frightening new feelings, Melanie must come to terms with her attraction to Taylor, and ultimately find her way through a maze of conflicting emotions and entangled relationships.Beers weaves a wonderful tale of love, passion, and the fear that inevitably haunts every woman's heart.

Great book by newcomer Georgia Beers. The characters of Melanie and Taylor are fully realized and compelling enough to cause me to read this in one sitting. I liked that the story took place over a period of time--and after some angst and indecision, especially on the part of Taylor. MJ Lowe has written a thorough review below, and I don't want to repeat her already insightful comments. I'll just add two points: 1) the writing style is excellent in a very well edited book; and 2) it's great to see sexy but realistic love scenes. I highly recommend this one. It rates right up there with TROPICAL STORM by Melissa Good, NONE SO BLIND by LJ Maas, and MIRRORS by Marianne K Martin.

Well, what can I say? This is a delightful lesbian romance featuring likeable and believable characters, easily recognisable life situations with which the reader can empathise (unlike the melodrama of so much genre fiction) and a sense of real and honest emotional experiences that allow the reader to become fully involved in the action right from the start. Georgia Beers has a real gift for producing vivid but not overwritten descriptive prose, and a wicked sense of humour that permeates the entire novel. Her light and deft touch made me really care about what happened to her protagonists, and I finished the book within the course of a day. My only disappointment was that it didn't go on for longer than 250 pages. :-) This is a lovely piece of work and I sincerely hope that we'll be seeing more books from this very talented author.