Overview
New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels crafts poignant, richly satisfying stories filled with characters as familiar and as real as old friends. In Up Close and Personal, she explores the dynamics of one extraordinary family, the complex bond between mother and daughter, and the transforming power of the loves we find, the loves we lose, and the ones we carry with us always--no matter where life takes us. . .For generations, the Windsors have lived on the family's grand estate in Crestwood, South Carolina, as intertwined with local life as sweet tea and pecan pie. Now, on the anniversary of her daughter Emily's death, Sarabess Windsor believes she may be the last to carry the family name--unless she can find her second daughter, Trinity, who disappeared fifteen years ago.
Trinity grew up as Trinity Henderson, adopted by the Windsor foreman and his wife. Trinity was conceived not out of love, but out of Sarabess's desperate attempt to prolong Emily's life by providing a bone marrow donor. On her fifteenth birthday, Trinity ran away and hasn't been seen in Crestwood since. But the town has never forgotten her. . .especially not handsome lawyer Jake Forrest. And although Jake has no desire to help selfish Sarabess Windsor, the thought of seeing his childhood friend again fills a void in his heart that Jake didn't even know existed.
Trinity swore never to return to Crestwood. Not for the mother who callously abandoned her, not for the late father she hardly knew, not for the huge family trust she stands to inherit. But some ties--to a place, to a past, to the people we once were and dreams we once had--can never be fully broken. And as family secrets are revealed, and desires old and new come to light, Trinity may discover the one thing she never expected to find in Crestwood: a place to call home at last.
Synopsis
For generations, the Windsors have lived on the family’s grand estate in Crestwood, South Carolina, as intertwined with local life as sweet tea and pecan pie. Now, on the anniversary of her daughter Emily’s death, Sarabess Windsor believes she may be the last to carry the family name - unless she can find her second daughter, Trinity, who disappeared fifteen years ago.
Trinity grew up as Trinity Henderson, adopted by the Windsor foreman and his wife. Trinity was conceived not out of love, but out of Sarabess’s desperate attempt to prolong Emily’s life by providing a bone marrow donor. On her fifteenth birthday, Trinity ran away and hasn’t been seen in Crestwood since. But the town has never forgotten her…especially not handsome lawyer Jake Forrest. And although Jake has no desire to help selfish Sarabess Windsor, the thought of seeing his childhood friend again fills a void in his heart that Jake didn’t even know existed.
Trinity swore never to return to Crestwood. Not for the mother who callously abandoned her, not for the late father she hardly knew, not for the huge family trust she stands to inherit. But some ties - to a place, to a past, to the people we once were and dreams we once had - can never be fully broken. And as family secrets are revealed, and desires old and new come to light, Trinity may discover the one thing she never expected to find in Crestwood: a place to call home at last.
Publishers Weekly
In Michaels' fable-like latest, wicked South Carolina heiress Sarabess Windsor must face the fallout of a decision she made 30 years ago: when her beloved daughter was diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness, doting Sarabess hatched a plan to bear another child solely as a source of bone marrow for little Emily. Donor daughter Trinity, unaware of her parentage, spent her childhood in closely monitored foster care, but forced, like the other children in town, to fawn endlessly over Emily, whose life is extended 13 years by her sister's cells. When Trinity runs away at 15, Sarabess makes sure no one tries to find her, but hapless father Harold, on his deathbed, sets up a trust for Trinity to claim on her 30th birthday. Several months before that day, Sarabess begins to try to finagle the funds for her own use. While Sarabess is without any redeeming qualities, her Trinity is anything but. Readers will root for the plucky heroine and her childhood friend Jake (a lawyer, natch). The finale's shocking revelations are just that, as Michaels, who was written more than 80 novels, somehow does it again. (Aug.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationEditorials
Publishers Weekly
In Michaels' fable-like latest, wicked South Carolina heiress Sarabess Windsor must face the fallout of a decision she made 30 years ago: when her beloved daughter was diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness, doting Sarabess hatched a plan to bear another child solely as a source of bone marrow for little Emily. Donor daughter Trinity, unaware of her parentage, spent her childhood in closely monitored foster care, but forced, like the other children in town, to fawn endlessly over Emily, whose life is extended 13 years by her sister's cells. When Trinity runs away at 15, Sarabess makes sure no one tries to find her, but hapless father Harold, on his deathbed, sets up a trust for Trinity to claim on her 30th birthday. Several months before that day, Sarabess begins to try to finagle the funds for her own use. While Sarabess is without any redeeming qualities, her Trinity is anything but. Readers will root for the plucky heroine and her childhood friend Jake (a lawyer, natch). The finale's shocking revelations are just that, as Michaels, who was written more than 80 novels, somehow does it again. (Aug.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationLibrary Journal
Immediately following her honeymoon, newlywed Samantha Rainford learns that her husband, Douglas Cosmo Rainford III, has filed for divorce. Eventually, Sam locates three more of Douglas's ex-wives, and the four women are recruited by the supersecret Americans for Justice (AFJ), an agency whose purpose is to correct judicial, legal, and moral wrongs that cannot be corrected through the justice system. Vowing revenge on their mutual ex, the women discover there are really 11 Mrs. Rainfords, with a 12th wedding in the works. Similar to the "Sisterhood" series, this humorous tale has more characters than are usually found in Michaels's stories. Laural Merlington does an admirable job of keeping the individual voices straight, but the sheer number of characters is a bit of a stretch for even her wide vocal range, particularly with the male voices. This light story will appeal to Michaels's fans and those enjoying humorous revenge and female empowerment tales. Recommended.
Convinced her parents don't care about her, 15-year-old Trinity Henderson, in Up Close and Personal, runs away from home. She changes her name, finishes high school, and goes to college. Now 15 years later, hearing a rumor that an old friend is trying to find her, Trinity prepares to run again, but this time to the one place she doesn't expect him to look-her old hometown. Once there, Trinity learns that the people who raised her were unofficial foster parents; her real mother is the town's wealthy widow. Trinity searches for answers to questions she didn't know existed and ends up with a fiancé and a family fortune. This wicked Southern belle heiress saga will appeal to those who like family tales.Reader Laural Merlington's speech is clear, distinct, and accent-free. Her voice range enables the listener to keep track of the various characters. Recommended.
—Laurie Selwyn