A fine historical novel with a feisty, engagingly flawed heroine and a cinematic plot.

The author brilliantly traces Eleanor's decline from a strong woman of character to a spoiled socialite with one man on her mind.... Author Marilyn Hering writes confidently and with authority...this expertly constructed narrative combines many of the elements of great story telling.

"A Woman Possessed" is a riveting portrait of desire and betrayal set against the historic backdrop of the 1913 silk mill worker's strike in Paterson, New Jersey. Marilyn Hering's characters become very real as the reader begins to discover their yearnings and the price they pay for those yearnings. I particularly enjoyed reading about the conflict between the silk mill manufacturers and the worker's unions. I was equally impressed with Hering's descriptive passages regarding the art of silk ribbon weaving and the "beauty of silks the weavers created, especially those incorporating flower designs...and fabrics worn by wives of the mill owners--silk roses embedded in bands surrounding the crowns of their hats, lilies in decorative ribbon strips embellishing their watered silk dresses as they languidly descended their carriages..." Marilyn Hering is a gifted writer and storyteller! I devoured the book in one gulp and look forward to the sequel.

I have both a BA and MA in English and am an avid reader, always searching for a work of fiction with believable characters. Eleanor is a complex personality and she draws you into her world. There are many twists and turns to the plot, which makes the reader want to keep reading on. Her marriage to Charles and love for Dante make for a compelling conflict. Since I live near Patterson, I was fascinated with the historical background, particularly the silk mill strike. Ms Hering's love and knowledge of plants interested me, especially because of my own love of gardening. The end of the book left me looking forward to the sequel. I would highly recommend "A Woman Possessed," since it is the best book I have read in a very very long time.

This is another of Marilyn Hering's perfectly crafted fiction. She has once again, as in her novel A Woman Possessed, continued the story of Eleanor, mixing a beautiful love story with psychology. Extensive research has been done on the topic of addiction.

II had read A Woman Possesses by this author and couldn't wait for the sequel. I can only hope the story will continue.

Charming historical novella that takes you inside a tea plantation in America’s deep south. Eleanor is devastated to find her husband in the arms of another nurse at the non-profit clinic where they serve together in Paterson, New Jersey. The betrayal follows quickly on the heels of a miscarriage, leading to a deep depression, which is compassionately treated. When Eleanor’s father inherits a disused plantation near Charleston, South Carolina, the challenge of renewing the estate provides a fresh start. Their new neighbour develops a tendre for Eleanor, but before the older man declares his feelings, a man from Eleanor’s past arrives. But not before she is charmed by some of the Gullah people at St. Helena Island, a culturally rich black community currently without a medical clinic. The fascinating journey of these likeable characters could be improved, I thought, with more attention to editing. It would be helpful to provide the current date; and the location of Paterson, which I worked out by my own research, hopefully correctly. Perhaps these details were provided in earlier books in the series, but for a reader new to the series, the book needs to stand alone. Occasional typos also can be distracting. Nevertheless a worthwhile and engaging story presented concisely.

An Irish Girl follows Tara O'Brien's struggle to survive during the deadly potatoe famine that struck Ireland from 1845-1849. Tara is a strong young girl, leading a seemingly carefree life with her parents and brother until the famine begins. All of the characters are believable and the reader is drawn into the horrors that beset them. The famine is accurately portrayed, throwing the reader right into its midst, describing most vividly the starvation, disease, fever, and death that follows in its terrible wake. Tara meets Thomas Litchfield, a British officer, who falls in love with the strikingly beautiful woman and befriends her. Tara, however, meets John McGuire, the leader of the Irish rebellion against the British, and both fall in love passionately. The story is beautifully written, with a surprising twist at the end. This is Marilyn Hering's fourth book and a must read. You won't be disappointed.

Well written...captivating . The story line followed what my grandmother so vividly remembered her family experienced.both in the old country.and in.America. I enjoyed this immencely