Newest Review for The Showboat Affair: 4 Hearts from Sizzling Hot Book Reviews
Monday, November 28, 2011The Showboat Affair by Gwyneth Greer
The Showboat Affair, is a warm love story with a bit of suspense. The story opens with Jean Kingston’s marriage ending. Her husband is a cheating louse, so the divorce isn’t a surprise, but it is humiliating, especially because everyone else seems to know before Jean. After thirty years of marriage, Jean Kingston is freshly divorced and rediscovering the joys of being an independent woman as well a talent for interior design. Having a new man in her life is not part of the plan. Nick Cameron, prominent attorney and long-time widower, would like to change Jean’s mind and include him in her plans. Their adult children don’t approve of either plan, and are determined to keep Jean and Nick apart. Does their opposition include staging personal attacks against them? Could they really be desperate enough to stalk the couple on a weekend getaway? Or is there a deeper evil at work? Since she is now financially well off, Jean doesn’t have to work, but she does need something to occupy her time. She finally puts her decorating degree to use and tries to connect with her daughter and grandchild. While signing divorce papers at her lawyer’s office, Jean meets Nick Cameron. He’s interested, but Jean isn’t. Nick is almost too good to be true. He’s been mourning his wife for twenty years and is just now feeling ready to move on. Eventually Jean relents and she and Nick begin seeing each other. Their children are less than thrilled. Having been through something similar, I could really relate to the children’s reaction to their parents’ relationship. I felt this gave the story an additional edge of realism that many readers both young and younger could relate to. Long time friend Greg also tries to pursue Jean even though she tries to make it clear she is not interested. Then Jean is attacked and we’re not sure who the attacker is or why Jean is the victim. The plot manages to maintain its believability while still being unpredictable enough to keep you interested.
The Showboat Affair is a sweet and suspenseful book about starting over. I think readers of all ages who enjoy romance novels will enjoy reading The Showboat Affair.
|
Read more reviews for The Showboat Affair at Amazon.com |
Review 1 In The Show Boat Affair Gwyneth Greer spins a delightful story full of
family, deceit, romance, mystery, rebuilding relationships, and hope for
the future.
After over three decades of marriage, Jean Kingston isn't surprised when her often unfaithful husband asks her for divorce. She quickly agrees and sees an opportunity to start her life over and to live for herself instead of her family. The first thing she decides is that she doesn't need Rand's big show home now that she is alone and finds a small condo that better meets her needs. Picking her self up by the proverbial boot straps, Jean unearths her interior design education and uses her talents to style her new condo. She also gains a unique and encouraging friend with the woman who knows her best; her maid of two decades Selina. When Jean meets with her attorney Greg to sign divorce paperwork he tells her that he has loved her for many years. Although they have been friend for many years Jean is not interested in a relationship with Greg. Greg is not happy with this decision and lets her know that he intends to pursue it. During the meeting Jean learns that her husband Rand is giving her a nice divorce settlement enabling her freedom not to work. When leaving the appointment Jean runs into and meets Nick Cameron. Not only is he handsome, but he is also a successful attorney and long time widower. After another chance meeting Jean and Nick begin planning other activities. Their relationship quickly turns serious. Both Jean and Nick's children let them know that they do not care for the relationship and things quickly get suspenseful from there. The search for the truth is offers mystery, a cross country trip and suspense. Who is after Jean and Nick and why? The Show Boat Affair is a delightful page turner; a heartwarming tale of starting over. Each character comes to life and one really feels a part of the story. The author keeps the plot believable and unpredictable at the same time keeps you guessing about the attacker until the very end. Debbie ~Reader~
|
Review 2
Jean
Kingston isn't shocked when her husband of thirty plus years asks for a
divorce. He has been having affairs for almost their entire
marriage. She has made his life her own, so she is stumped what to
do with herself now. Rand has given her
a divorce settlement, so she won't have to work, but she feels their house is
too large so she decides to sell it. Wendy, Host ~The Minding Spot Blog~
|
Review 3
: At the beginning of this story, we are introduced to the idyllic trophy wife, Jean, who has stayed in her loveless marriage for decades and gets dumped...yes, you read correctly, dumped. Her ex is letting her go for a younger model – her daughter’s college roommate. Despite the fact that her ex is a cad, he really has released Jean with his best wishes for her happiness, a sizable allowance, and a nice hefty settlement. On the other hand, her daughter who was raised in this loveless marriage, is furious that her mother hasn’t tried to stop the divorce...The Nerve!
Enter my favorite character of this story, hands down. Nick took my heart from the very beginning and as I got to know him, he just carried it away. He lost his wife and raised his son, single-handedly. He still lives in the house she decorated twenty years before and reaches over at night to put his hand on her pillow...*sigh* His son changes before his very eyes as he begins seeing Jean and he has no idea why or what to do about it. Nick starts to refer to his budding relationship with Jean in reference to a movie they watch one night, The Showboat, an old classic, hence “The Showboat Affair” they are having since her divorce isn’t final.
A chance encounter is what brings these two together and while the sparks fly for Nick, Jean is too confused to even see him at first. When they bump into each other again, Nick is thrilled while Jean is as skittish as can be. While they both want to takes things slow and be there for each other as friends, it’s hard on both of them juggling their children’s feelings and their own feelings...before. Before Nick gets robbed, Jean gets attacked, and before they get hit by a car. The light of suspicion falls on everyone they know close to them – his son, her daughter, her ex-husband, her lawyer, etc. Before anyone can make heads or tails of what’s going on, the cops decide who’s guilty but Jean is afraid they’ve got the wrong person in jail...
This was a pleasant easy read that I enjoyed. The characters, especially Jean, grew as she found confidence in her ability to be independent. Nick, did I mention I loved him, also grew into a man who realized he needed to move on. The unexpected friendships that developed provided a lot of humor and I felt that the story stayed true, realistic, and was very satisfied with the ending. A very touching story for anyone who has ever experienced divorce, being widowed, remarried, the loss of a partner, and understands what it takes to start at the bottom and climb back up. Valerie, Reviewer ~Romancing the Book~
|
