I totally enjoyed this book, loved that the book interwove fiction and non-fiction into one book. The book takes 12 twelve monumental days in history and forms a fictitious story with Isaac Dahl as the main character, along with family and friends. The three main characters …more - Isaac, his twin sister Agnes and Bo have a special relationship that lasts a lifetime, through life's trials and tribulations. A beautiful story that begins in Utah, 1926 and ends in California,2014 filled with humor, tenderness and sadness. (less)

I enjoyed The Divorcees for a few reasons. First, I had no idea that women in the US at one point in time, (not that long ago), had to establish "residency" in Reno, NV to be granted a divorce. Second, that special ranches existed to house the women while they waited their …more six weeks residency for their divorce to be final. Lastly, the book made me happy how far women have come in managing and controlling their lives.
I enjoyed the friendships between the women, despite their varying backgrounds. In numbers, they gained insight into what future single life may look like or to some, what a new marriage may show. At times, the women were lost and whiled away their nights in casinos gambling and drinking. But they did gain support from the other divorcees and the Golden Yarrow matriarch.
The main character, Lois is taken in by the wildness of the ranch and the new mysterious divorcee Greer Lang. Lois starts to trust Greer, but not sure if she should, but can't stop herself. Greer leads Lois on an escapade one night at the casino and Lois starts to have some shocking new thoughts about Greer. I liked how the author layers the plot of the story with very vivid characters. Fans of Strangers on the Train by Patricia Highsmith will enjoy The Divorcees. (less)

All you Have to Do is Call is a historical fiction account of a Chicago organization that assisted women in having illegal abortions before Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in 1973. In 1969, a group of 7 women started "Jane" to help women with confidential safe abortions. …more This fiction story follows closely to the real life struggles at Jane and details the women's feelings regarding abortion. The organization was made up of "secretive fronts" and was constantly under the threat of being outed for this illegal activity. The women of Jane put their lives on the line by providing illegal abortions. Along the way, Jane gathered some surprising allies to their cause – police officers, doctors and even a priest. For anyone interested in the abortion landscape in America before 1973, this is an interesting fictional account. The author does a good job providing references to the non-fiction accounts of "Jane" that were researched to this book. (less)

This family saga takes place in the throes of the Vietnam War and it is the story of how two siblings deal with their unhappy family upbringing and the direction it leads them. Raymond and Barbara Lansdale grow up in Montana and go their separate ways, but Raymond can't let …more go of his sister Barbara's disappearance and the feeling that she needs to be found. The story weaves between Vietnam, ranches of western US, and glitzy California. The part of the novel set in Vietnam is very well researched without bogging the reader down in a political quagmire. The novel realistically describes how Vietnam can affect families in extremely different ways.

I enjoyed reading this book and the plot of the storyline kept me interested to the very end. The author does a great job with life-like and descriptive characters who bring the story together. I recommend The Long Ago. (less)