Wonderful You

I have read all the books regarding this storyline. Usually read them in one day. But then, i really enjoy all of Mariah Stewart's books. M. Wiedemer

The second book of the Enright Trilogy is Wonderful. It is full of people you want to get to know, wonderful relationships and descriptions of the locales that bring them alive. You do not want the book to end and can not wait to read the next to see what is happening to another member of the family. There are so many facinating secondary characters and you wish there could be a book about each of them to tell their stories. I have read several other Mariah Stewart novels and have all the rest in my "to read" pile. When I want a great story that explores relationships, I know her books will not disappoint me.

Rarely do I decide to review a group of books instead of just one. And, while I believe each one of these books can stand on its own, readers will be so enthralled with the Enright family, they will want to read them all. Much like the wonderful family series by Nora Roberts, these books are to be savored as some of the best relationship novels of the 1990s. DEVLIN'S LIGHT set on Delaware Bay is the story of criminal prosecutor India Devlin and the first Enright sibling, marine biologist, Nick. And although there is more of a mystery in this story as India attempts to find out who killed her brother, it's the relationship with Nick that's at the forefront.WONDERFUL YOU, set in Chester Co, PA is tells Zoey Enright's story as she falls in love with Ben Pierce, a childhood friend. There are some light moments in this story when Zoey, would rather eat take out than cook herself, is required to prepare a few dishes in order to help demonstrate cookware in her job on-the-air at a home shopping network.In MOON DANCE, Stewart tells the story of the youngest Enright, ballerina Georgia. Set in the Maryland countryside, we find Georgia who wants one certain barn as a dance studio, while her nemesis, Matt, has planned to use it as a veterinary clinic. The settings of these stories are all so vividly described, it's hard to imagine they're not real places. Readers will want to visit Devlin's Lighthouse, Zoey's Garden, The Bishop Inn, and the farm at Pumpkin Hill.A common thread running through all three books is the matriarch of the family, Delia Enright, bestselling mystery novelist, who loves her children but does interfere perhaps a little too much, but always in a caring manner. Many readers will wish they had a mother like Delia!!! Readers will also be happy to know that Delia gets a love interest of her own in MOON DANCE. Mariah Stewart's books, like Nora Roberts' sibling sagas, are not about murder, espionage, or mystery (although each book has a bit of intrigue as well) but are instead about relationships - between a man and a woman, between a woman and her mother, between sisters. I can't think of many writers who can do this better. In all her books, strong secondary characters abound. She creates a world the reader is reluctant to leave after the last page is turned. Thankfully, readers can look forward to more of the Enrights in PRICELESS which will be out in 1999. It can't be soon enough for this reviewer. Reading each book has been like visiting an old friend.

Mariah Stewart introduced the Enright family in DEVLIN'S LIGHT (Nick Enright's story). She follows it up with WONDERFUL YOU the story of Nick's sister Zoey. There are no villians in this book, just a bunch of people you'd like to know. Readers will love the story of Zoey and her childhood friend, Ben. There are some great scenes when Zoey, who works on-camera at a home shopping network, cooks for the audience. Zoey is no cook and makes no bones about it. There are great secondary characters, too. Stewart has another winner here. I can hardly wait for sister Georgia's story.

Zoey Enright is the twenty-eight year old middle child of a successful family. Zoey hates being good at many things, but not great at any of them. Especially galling is the fact that her mother is a dedicated best selling author, her brother is a marine biologist, and her sister is a superb dancer. However, Zoey still tries and she successfully auditions and becomes a popular hostess on a home shopping network. Another bonus to Zoey is the CEO's grandson, Bennett Pierce, who is helping his relative take control of the company. Bennett is unaware that Zoey, a haunting ghost from his past, is employed there. When the two meet, their childhood friendship blossoms into an adult love. However, their divergent professional plans make a long term relationship almost impossible to achieve unless a compromise is found. WONDERFUL YOU is a multi-layered novel that will appeal to fans of romance, mainstream fiction, and family sagas. Mariah Stewart exceeds her own high standards of excellence with a work that compares favorably with the best of Barbara Delinsky and Belva Plain. The romance between the two protagonists feels genuine and touching, but the heart of the tale lies with the secondary characters who populate the sub-plots. Hopefully, some, if not all, of them will have their own stories told.Harriet Klausner