Product Description
Emancipated long before anybody had heard of it, she escaped her family to save [her] life. The life that is recounted in Daddy's Girl is harrowing, yet the memoir is distinguished by Allen's heroic efforts to rescue and support herself, by herself. This memoir emphasizes - in addition to a commitment not to live life as a "walking wound" - the power of language.

Allen has always believed in the potency of words; she began writing as a child, and used notes to communicate with women she admired. She began writing fiction in order to get Daddy's Girl published, which supports the idea (central to confessional writers), that the self may be transformed by the self-in-writing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

This book helped me to survive
I was sexually and physically abused from the age of 6 which is when I first came to NJ to meet and then live with my biological mother, I read this book as a young child..quite a few times, i credit the author with saving my life she helped me with understanding what was happending to me and that it was not my fault but his, this book helped me to understand what obstacles I could potentially expect in my life. Thank you to Charlotte...for helping give me the strength to go on in all of my hard times .... to this very day XOXO

Good Learning for the Uneducated of Family Abuse
Back in high school, I read this book and I still remember the impact it had on me then. This book is great education for learning about the abuse through the victom's eyes and how they see it. For those who have had regular childhood, this book almost seems horrifying for the mental, physical and emotional abuse that went on for a child that wanted to be just like any other child but didn't know how. It is only normal that she couldn't get out of her situation, because she didn't understand what was normal except for what she experienced with others or saw - until her adult years in life and to be able to compair to what it should have been. That goes for any child. I recommend anyone to read this book. Thanks for reading my review.

Daddy's Girl by Charlotte Vale Allen
This was one of the dumbest books I ever read.By the time she was 18 years old, she certainly knew what she was doing was wrong.

5 Stars for a ground-breaking work!
Although this book was written two decades ago, it is still aground-breaking memoir. In fact, it was the first book on sexual abuse I had ever read. As a victim myself, Vale Allen's voice helped me realize my feelings were normal, I wasn't to blame and that I could make something of myself.
Vale Allen uses her skills as a novelist to reveal her life-altering experience in surprisingly entertaining way.
Unfortunately all these years later, there are too many new victims. I hope Daddy's Girl will help them as it helped me.

Outstanding!
Of all the books written on the subject of child abuse, this book (one of the very first published) stands alone as a singular accomplishment. It is honest and insightful, yet never overly graphic. The author brings her considerable writing talent to bear on her reflection of how years of abuse shaped her as an adult and a parent. Never bitter, never placing blame, Charlotte Vale Allen offers a potent look at the insidious permanent effects of her childhood experience. It is a gracious, heartfelt autobiography in which the author not only never names her parents but, in many ways, offers an understanding of the family dynamics at play that is nothing less than remarkable. To read her fiction and then to read this book is to see a very full portrait of a woman with the heart of a lion and a powerful gift of insight into the behavior, not only of others but also of her own self--past and present. It is the definitive book to read in order to comprehend how an extraordinary child coped with an ongoing horror and yet emerged to take what she'd learned and turn it to the good by writing books that always offer viable explanations for what is, so often, inaccessible to most of us. In its own right, Daddy's Girl is a quiet masterpiece. ... Read more

Product Description
During the Great Depression, Jessica Greaves promises her father she will look after her younger sister--a promise that has undreamed of repercussions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

About this book!
It is the height of the Great Depression and Jessica Greaves has promised her late father that she will look after her younger sister, Tillie. It is a promise that will shape her entire life and have shattering consequences.

In despair, with no resources and nowhere to turn, Jessica does the only thing she can: She takes to the streets of New York to sell herself in order to keep herself and her sister alive.

Refusing to know and, later, to acknowledge, just how her sister has managed to provide for the two of them, Tillie blithely--with completely self-absorption--goes after whatever she wants, without regard for the fact that it will ultimately fall to Jess to satisfy Tillie's demands.

When Jess agrees to what she believes is a marriage of convenience to a wealthy businessman, Tillie is very nearly consumed by anger and jealousy. And when it becomes obvious that Jess has actually found love with this man, the knowledge nearly drives Tillie mad.

Fleeing from everyone and everything following the death of her son, Tillie runs away. And in the intervening years, Jess is forced to make yet another promise--one that will, eventually, allow her to redeem herself in her own eyes. So that when the sisters finally reunite, they are two very different people who at last are able to make good on that long-ago promise Jess made to their father.

"Promises" Lives Up To Its Promise
Although this book was written in 1980, if you are a Charlotte Vale Allen fan, it would be well worth your time to read it.I found this to be a very powerful book and was quite moved by it.It starts during the depression when Jessie and Tillie's formerly wealthy father dies,leaving them penniless. Jessie, at eighteen, has promised her father she would always care for twelve year old Tillie.What follows are Jessie's sad attempts to earn enough money to care for both of them. Tillie thwarts her early attempts and they run to Canada to try to establish a new life. A truck driver,Rene', takes them most of the way and plays a major positive role in Jessie's life throughout the book. They establish a new life in Toronto, where Jessie becomes a call girl to give Tillie the decent life she wants her to have. Tillie, in the meantime,turns into an ungrateful,selfish person,forcing her way into peoples' lives ,creating destruction along the way. Jessie's life takes an entirely different direction when she marries a wealthy busiman and has a family. A tragedy seperates the sisters, and they both face different kinds of problems in their lives,leaving them seperated for years.Events played out with both women create changes in them,making Jessie stronger and more positive about herself.Tillie faces a serious problem ,which forces her to look strongly at herself, realizing what she has been to others, and effects a major change.In addition to Jessie and Tillie,there are Sandy,Press,Flora,the children and,of course,Rene'.They are all so well developed you feel you know them well. This is a wonderful book, which leaves a "feel good" feeling when you have finished it.

A Good Afternoon of Reading
I thought the book was very good, although a bit unbelievable in parts. Jessica was the one you were cheering for, and Tilly wasn't, but by the end, you wanted them both to be happy, so you find yourself cheering forthem both. If you have a rainy afternoon or just want to spend the day inbed with a good book, this is an excellent choice. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of three highly charged romance novels by the best-selling author features Illusions, Dream Train, and Night Magic. ... Read more

Product Description
What are the boundaries of love, of human emotion? For Eugenie Elliott who loses her lover and her ability to speak above a whisper all in one terrible moment, this question would appear to have no answer. Everything is gone, except for the baby she is going to have in a few months' time.

For Adele Prewitt, well-born, desperately unhappy wife of the manipulative and charming Lawrence, the boundaries have been stretched beyond all endurance -- until Eugenie comes into her life, making an offer to buy the gatehouse on the property.

Two very different women find in each other sources of hope, of love, of pure elemental kindness. They help one another through the daily battleground of horrors that has become Del's life, until an act of violence forces them, and everyone around them, to reconsider their understanding of the capacities of human nature.

A powerful and revealing look at friendship and its limitless potential. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Reading Material-Hardto Lay Down!
Charlotte Vale Allen has become one of my favorite authors. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

Genie was grief-stricken from the loss of her lover Bill when he died of a massive heart attack. On top of everything else, she had an accident that caused her to lose her voice. In order to keep from going crazy, she had to re-locate from all the familiar surroundings.

In Genie's re-location she meets Adele, and the two women become fast friends. Adele has been trapped in a very abusive marriageand needs out. When Genie came into Adele's life, she offered her a new ray of hope for the better just by her very presence.
The two become close friends searching for love to fill their lonely souls.

The book could not have been better written.

Profoundly affecting
This tale of the unlikely friendship between a voiceless, pregnant young woman and the deeply unhappy wealthy wife of an alarmingly abusive charmer is deeply touching in its exploration of how the bonds of a friendship get formed. Like the other reviewer, I, too, love this book. It has tremendous tension and great warmth. It also is an intriguing investigation of the insidious effects of domestic abuse. I once saw this book listed among the titles in a gay bookstore and found it interesting that the affection shown by the two women was interpreted as the foundation of a gay relationship. In reality, it's about the need of women for intimate friends and for warmth; it's not about a sexual relationship. The one scene that was clearly misinterpreted had to do with Del (who cannot have children) drawn to Gene's lushness in pregnancy because it represents everything Del can never have. This is a fine book, written with sensitivity and great understanding of the human condition.

Beautifully written, about the friendship between 2 women.
Gene is a woman who makes her living doing voiceovers, she is injuried during a studio accident.She rents a home from the second women in this story, seeking a quiet place to have her baby.A gentle, well writtenstory, that takes many twists.I love this book and have read it at least20 times. ... Read more

Product Description
"In "Night Magic", Charlotte Vale Allen rewrites "The Phantom of the Opera" and sets it in a Connecticut suburb".--"New York Post". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (49)

Enchanting
"Night Magic" is a modern Phantom-like tale set in Connecticut during the years of 1968-1987.In this story, Erik D'Anton is a wealthy, talented architect and musician who lives in seclusion due to a severe facial disfigurement. Rather than a birth defect, Erik's deformity was caused by a tragic traffic accident which robbed him of both of his parents and any chance of having a normal life.Erik is now 31 years old, but very childlike in his vulnerability and loneliness.His life changes completely when 16 year-old Marisa Crane, the daughter of a business client, enters his life.

I really liked this sweet, romantic book.Other reviewers have commented negatively on the age difference between Erik and Marisa, saying that he took advantage of her.It seems to me, that because of Erik's fragile emotional state and insecurity, in many ways, Marisa was much more mature than he.She was headstrong, independent, and determined to have him.She pursued him until he finally let down his guard and allowed her into his world, always fearing that she would ultimately reject him.This quotation from "Night Magic" describes Erik's emotional fragility quite well:"And there was never anyone who deserved less to be hurt...never anyone less equipped to handle the pain."

One of my Favorites
I adore this book and I adore Erik.I bought a hardcover copy because my paperback copy was falling apart and showed obvious signs of being well loved.Since I knew this book would continue to be reread many times buying a hardcover copy was a wise investment for me.This story has a phantom of the opera and beauty and the best nature to it.It is about a young girl falling in love with a disfigured hermit and their story.She helps him learn some life lessons as well as learning a major lesson herself.I would recomend this to people who are suckers for a good romance story without any real plot.

Romantic, erotic and touching,Well-formatted for the Kindle.
This book could best be described as a melding of Beauty and the Beast with Phantom of the Opera. Marissa (Risa) Crane is sixteen when her father asks an architect colleague to redesign their house, and she meets the mysterious Erik D'Anton for the first time. Erik is a recluse whose face was destroyed in the accident which killed his parents when he was a child. Risa becomes fascinated with Erik and,as time passes, draws him out of his solitude. Their shared love of music and increasing love for each other leads to marriage when Risa's father dies after her 18th birthday. Although her love for Erik is deep, Marissa's single-minded need and pushing for a child almost succeeds in pushing Erik, who fears the reaction of a child to his disfigurement, away. This is light romantic novel with strong erotic elements that draws you into it quickly. This is a book that will lead to re-reads for Beauty & the Beast/Phantom of the Opera fans. This edition is well-formatted for reading on the Kindle.

A nice light romance
I bought this novel new in its first edition back in the '80s. I wasn't disappointed with my purchase, nor did I feel I had wasted my money. I still own it, and have read it at the least every other year. This is a nice little light modern-day (for when it was first published) romance story, loosely based on The Phantom of the Opera mythos.

Is it great fiction? No. However, neither does it aspire to be thus. Its purpose is simply to entertain, to give the reader some enjoyable hours of escape into a flawed but ultimately rosy world, one somewhat removed from the real world.

Are there problems in the story itself? Sure. Both main characters sometimes act in too childish a manner, even considering each's very sheltered background. But it's also full of beautiful feelings, and interesting situations, and involving characters. And most stories, barring the great ones, can stand some sort of improving, especially twenty years after their first publication.

Is it as horrible as the noted "Top 500 Reviewer" stated? No. You simply have to go into this story without unrealistically high standards. It's a romance, plain and simple. Expect a nice little romance, and you'll be content. Expect a good bath-tub or bedtime book, and you'll be more than satisfied.

Another good variation
This is another one of those books I read in one sitting, and then immediately re-read. It is an interesting take on "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Phantom of the Opera" (which in my opinion is a BATB variation).Seventeen-year old Marisa is instantly attracted to Erik D'Anton, an older reclusive genius. Their mutual attraction quickly evolves into love.Erik's personality has been shaped by the trauma of his past.As a child, Erik survived the automobile accident that killed both of his parents, leaving his face terribly scarred. He has suffered through many surgeries, most notably a series of skin grafts on his face which resulted in a patch-work of varying textures and hues, and without much of his nose.Because of this, he wears a mask, talks in a whisper and prefers the dark or shadowsin an attempt avoid drawing the attention of acruel world. The aunt that ended up raising him was a cold unfeeling woman, who thoughtlessly kept him away from the only person who seemed to care for him, the family chauffer, and sends him off to boarding school where he is tormented by his school-mates. Marisa sees beyond his deformities and feels that although she is 15 years his junior, she can make him happy, if she can get past his defenses. "Night Magic" takes us from their first encounter in 1967 up thru 1987, the first 20 years of their relationship (the book has a 1989 copyright).

Erik and Marisa, along with Kitty (Marisa's best friend and surrogate step-mother) and Raskin (Erik's personal assistant/business associate) are likeable characters, although all 4 of them are "damaged" in some way.Raskin is a Vietnam War vet with a criminal record who has had encounters with numerous women, but never with the same one twice. Kitty, as well as Marisa, has to deal with the shock and repercussions of the untimely death of Marisa's father.In spite of their problems, I liked them, wanted to know them, and grew to care about what happened to them. I truly enjoyed this book, and would have liked a few more chapters, although the story has a very satisfying conclusion.I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, POTO or BATB.
... Read more

Product Description
It is wartime England in 1940 and Frances Holden has gone subtly mad at the age of forty; her actions have consequences that reverberate through decades.

A shocking, hateful yet clever woman, Frances manages to alienate everyone who cares for her, particularly her long-suffering husband Arthur and her oldest friend Mandy. Frances is especially cruel to her young daughter Hadleigh.

When her appalling behavior results indirectly in the deaths of three people, matters reach crisis point and Frances is forcibly institutionalized. A carefully planned effort to take her own life fails, and out of pity Arthur rescues his wife from the institution.

Over the years, and in the course of this remarkable book, Frances becomes someone we care about almost in spite of ourselves. A singularly magnetic character who commands respect for her intelligence and plainspokenness, she manages to redeem herself ultimately through her delightful granddaughter Bonita.

For Hadleigh, who throughout her childhood suffered at the hands of her mother, coming to terms with the woman is no easy thing. But in the end, despite numerous suicide attempts and her own battle with alcoholism, Hadleigh is at last able to acknowledge and honor the extraordinary, and often wildly funny woman who gave her life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Her very best so far
This is the 13th of some 30 books written by Charlotte V. Allen and I think, so far, it is the best. I am slowely working my way through all of them.I loved Francis, Hadleigh and Bonita.It got somewhat farfetched toward the end but I loved it.Charlotte, write another one like this ormaybe you already have and I haven't gotten to it yet.

Storyline ....
from the back of the original paperback book:"They were the unforgettable, passionate men and women bound together by an era of turmoil and tears ... blood and passion, by a search for love, happiness and fulfillment ... FRANCES -- a beautiful, pround Englishwoman torn between her dreams of romance and the reality of her marriage, about to be swept into a maelstrom of secrets, betrayal and forbidden sensuality. HADLEIGH -- the daughter, alone and vulnerable, too hungry for love to know the difference between caring and desire. ARTHUR -- the husbandf, obsessed with a woman he should never forgive, but whom he cannot forget ... or stop wanting. AMANDA -- the other woman, very lovely, very desirable, very devious, ready to fight for the man she loves, ready to destroy the rival she hates. Sweeping across decades from war-torn London to the promising landscapes of New York and Connecticut, from the stormy secrets of the soul to ... MATTERS OF THE HEART." ... Read more

Product Description
From BooklistPopular author Allen continues the story she launched in Fresh Air [BKL My 1 03] featuring Lucinda Hunter, a Connecticut woman in her forties who has long suffered from severe agoraphobia. Lucinda's life began to open up when she met Katanya, a young girl from Harlem sent to the country by the Fresh Air Fund, and they have remained close as Katanya becomes an outspoken teenager and Lucinda discovers her deceased father's African American family. Lucinda relishes contact with her "new" relatives, especially her aged grandmother. She is determined to spend as much time as she possibly can baby-sitting the neighbor's precocious child and visiting with friends and family, and then she meets her grandmother's doctor, Eli Carter. He is also of mixed heritage, but she is very uncomfortable with the attraction she feels for him since she hasn't been involved with a man since she was 19. Just as Lucinda seems to be making progress, the tragedy of September 11, 2001, radically changes her life and perspective. Once again, Allen offers readers moving insights into the heart and mind of a woman rediscovering the world with the help of a loving family and friends. Patty EngelmannCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Sudden Moves
Sudden Moves (Mira)This book grabs your attention within the first pages.The author is descriptive but not ad nauseum.You feel the emotion as you are reading.You can just about see what is happening like you are there watching or as if you are that person.This is a MUST READ which you won't want to end.You will need a day or so of mourning when it ends because you lived in the book and now you are back in your own reality.

Enjoyable...yet completely unrealistic
This is the sequel to "Fresh Air," taking place about three years after Katanya, a lonely little girl visiting from New York City, first made her accidental friendship with the reclusive Lucinda. After initially bonding with the girl, her mother and grandmother, Lucinda has retained a strong friendship with all three women, as well as Renee, the troubled neighbor who had initially invited Katanya to Connecticut.

In this story, Katanya's mother, who has struggled to improve her life for years, finally finishes her degree and gets a job at the World Trade Center...just before 9/11.

The aftermath leaves the teenaged Katanya full of anger and confusion at the world around her, often misplaced toward those who love her most.

While the general premise sounds promising, and Allen's writing is like visiting with old friends, the sad truth is that this isn't any more plausible than the first book. It's hard to imagine that a woman who's been a recluse for the better part of her adult life would suddenly "snap out of it," simply because she was inspired by a lively child. Likewise, it's also hard to believe that Lucinda's attentions - both tangible and not - wouldn't be at least a tiny bit resented by the girl's mother and grandmother, who've been struggling to raise her own their own.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the venture into this little world, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read. Just don't set too much by the reality, or lack thereof...

I was disappointed...
Maybe it's because I enjoyed "Fresh Air" very much, but I found this sequel to be very disappointing.The characters, with the exception of Lucinda, were largely static.Renee's change of character was completely unbelievable, and the plot device involved with her was lifted wholesale from one of Ms. Allen's other books.Gin hasn't changed at all, Katanya and her family appeared as "walk-ons."Although I did enjoy seeing Lucinda's transformation and budding romance, she is ALWAYS right and the people she disagrees with are ALWAYS wrong.It's really annoying.Eli also seemed to be too good to be true.Jason (Soupboy) was a lot of fun, but, again, his character seemed recycled from other books, especially Dream Train and Claudia's Shadow.Since I am complaining about recycling characters, I also noticed that this is the third time Ms. Allen has named the mother in her story "Lily."

Maybe it's just because I've read so many of her other books, but this one seemed formulaic and repetitive to me.The moving attempt to integrate 9/11 into the plot raised it from one to two stars.

MUST READ
This is one of the best books I have ever read.It makes you forget you are reading a book and makes you become one of the characters in the book.Makes you laugh out loud and cry all on the same page.Lucinda is so loving and caring, it makes you wish she would take you in her arms and never let you go.While reading the book you find yourself actually feeling the hugs, the laughter, the tears.Lucinda loves you no matter what and no matter who you are.Boy wouldn't it be great if everyone had a Lucinda in their lives. I can't say enough great things about this book.A must read.Great job.

Exquisite!
This is, arguably, the finest yet of Allen's books. The characters are beautifully drawn, very real. The setting is now familiar after our introduction to the cast in Fresh Air. And the writing is deceptively simple but lyrical and powerfully effective. It is a joy to see Lucinda coming back into the world, her humor and her scrappy integrity intact. Soupboy has grown into an entirely believable boy and his interaction with Lucinda has great authenticity. 9/11 is documented, moment by moment, so that it not only revives our recall of that day but it also personalizes the event as few pieces of writing could. This is a wonderful book, a must-read book. If you haven't read Fresh Air, get it and begin with it, then follow up with this rare thing: a genuinely riveting sequel. ... Read more

Product Description
Nightclub singer Lisa Hamilton relieves loneliness with anonymous lovers, until one hurts her, but a trip to the Bahamas may help, and so, perhaps, will the warm, loving Chas Clayton. Originally in paperback. ... Read more

Product Description
The suicide of her husband upends TV producer Lynne Craig's world, as she tries to come to terms with his death and deal with the cutthroat world of 1960s television. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Memorable Book
This is another earlier book,1983,but, if it weren't for the lack of cell phones and computers ,it could be taking place right now. Lynne Craig,who does television documentaries, comes home from an assignment to find her husband has committed suicide for unknown reasons. Bereft,she moves to Connecticut and tries to resume her life as a widow. Diana, the woman who narrates her documentaries, and she are trying to get the network to do a show on rape. The producers are fighting this as they do not feel it will generate enough interest and keep assigning lesser pieces to Lynn.She, in the meantime,develops a fondness for John,the young handyman who does work for her,who is writing a novel in his spare time. Their relationship develops into an intimate one, more meaningful for John than for Lynn. She is also involved with an older retired businessman,Ross,and is emotionally torn over her conflicting feelings. The troubles at the network become more involved and Diana's disappearance,just at the crucial time of possibility for their rape show realizing fruition,throws everything into a turmoil.The ultimate resoloution of the situation and Lynne's decision bring a final turning point to this well-written, very engrossing book. Charlotte Vale Allen is never at a loss for a riviting plot. Her characters are always alive and you can love or hate them as much as people you know. This is a wonderful book for now. ... Read more

Product Description
An assignment to write about the Orient Express offers photojournalist JoannaJames a new view of herself and of others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An Interesting Journey-Well Wriiten Book
Photojournalist Joanna James accepts a plum assignment with excitement and some trepidation-to ride the Orient-Express and spend five days in at the exclusive Cipriani Hotel in Venice, all expenses paid. Her life is complicated when, stopping over in London, she meets two very different men, leaving her with important decisions to make about herself.

It turns out to be an eventful trip where lasting friendships are made, hearts are broken, and new love is found. Joanna will come to know herself as she has never done before.

Take a Ride on the Venice Simplon Orient Express
I loved the characters and setting of this book, and imagined that I was on the trip with them, so great is the author's ability to set a scene and populate it with fascinating people that you would like to meet. Joanna James is a highly successful world-traveling photojournalist who is assigned to ride the Orient Express and spend 5 days at the sumptuous Cipriani Hotel in Venice. The trip commences in London, where her solitary existence is disturbed by a passionate fling with a casual acquaintance, Tyler, and just days later with her charming, British agent of 10 years, Henry. She leaves town feeling that she needs to escape from both of them to sort out her confused feelings.

Joanna meets the beautiful Lucienne, owner of a popular Paris bistro, on the train and they become immediate friends, sharing meals and long, revealing conversations. She also meets a dear old couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and a precocious, captivating 14-year old boy who helps her discover Venice. People seem drawn to Joanna because she is attractive, friendly and inquisitive. However, she doesn't see herself in such a positive light, and is rather lonely and insecure.

The author's descriptions of the Orient Express, as seen through Joanna's eyes and camera lens, are fabulous in their detail. It's easy to imagine yourself riding along in the cosseted luxury of this world-famous traveling hotel. The scenes in Venice are equally compelling and fascinating. In the 5 short days that Joanna is in Venice, she manages to form deep friendships, have an impact on the lives of others and sort out her feelings about both Tyler and Henry. Her sincere interest in others, her inner turmoil, and her insightfulness make her a heart-warming character with traits worth emulating.

Dream Train is another satisfying, entertaining novel by Charlotte Vale Allen. I haven't been disappointed with any of her books yet, and plan to continue working my way through all of her novels. ... Read more

Product Description
In the course of ten years, three people connect at different times, each leaving an indelible impression on the other. Then a terrifying fire unites them in a most unexpected fashion. ... Read more

Product Description
Two sisters living in Toronto in the 1950s struggle to coexist with their angry, abusive mother. When one sister falls victim to a violent act, the other must go forward alone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Beautiful family saga about overcoming obstacles
Faye and Louise Parker's father abandoned the family when the girls were babies - an event that fuels their mother Maggie in all that she does. She sleeps with her boss Jerry, taunting and believing her power over him is part of her revenge at her husband. She ostracizes her widowed mother Ellen, and worst of all, Maggie lashes out at her girls, both physically and emotionally. In her mind, they can do nothing right, simply because they are John Parker's daughters.

But in reality, Faye and Louise are beautiful people, inside and out. Sixteen months apart, the sisters are smart and good-natured. Shy, introspective Faye and outspoken Louise are long accustomed to supporting and protecting one another, both against their mother and the world as a whole. Thankfully, they also have their grandmother Ellen - as befuddled by Maggie as they - to turn to.

This quietly moving story follows the Parker family over several decades, taking readers through Faye and Louise's childhood, adolescence and young adulthood; Maggie's self-inflicted, oblivious downward spiral; and Ellen's attempts at happiness with her new husband Bob. The sisters' childhood friend Raffie DiStasio quickly becomes close to Faye as the two mature, and although still young, the two dream of the life they will one day have together.

As Maggie's behavior grows more horrific, Faye and Louise plan their escape. But their triumph is short-lived as tragedy strikes, and nothing is again the same.

This novel - much in the style of Anne Tyler - is at once quiet and slow-moving as well as powerful and meaningful. Allen's skill at fleshing out her characters makes readers care and want the best for them. Also, her talent for introducing minor characters, then having them resurface in a main character's life in a big way makes for a more interesting and tightly-woven story.

Stunning!
It's always amazing how nasty the reviewers from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly can be. This book's characters are anything but bland. There's a remarkable cast of truly well-rounded characters, with the lives of each investigated thoroughly. At the heart of the story, Louise Parker is clever and determined, funny and lovable; shattered by the inexplicable death of her sister, she leaves her birthplace, Toronto, to start her life again in London. As always, Allen offers great insights into the whys of her characters, particularly the hateful Maggie, mother of Louise and the ill-fated Faye. Despite its length, this is a book that keeps the reader enthralled from start to finish, as we follow Maggie, her daughters, and her mother for a decade or so--their highs and lows, their joys and sorrows. Particularly wonderful is Allen's use of films as a consolation and soporfic for the tragically vulnerable Faye. There is always something cinematic (visual) about Allen's writing; she manages to create very vivid images for the reader--memorable scenes that stay with one long after the book is done. This is a must-read novel.

A Dream of a Book!!
This is a long book,but well worth the length in enjoyment. Louise and Faye are sisters ,long mistreated by their bitter,abusive mother,Maggie. After Maggie finally goes too far, they arerescued by their warm,loving grandmother,Ellen.The two of them embark upon a life of much deserved happiness until Faye meets with an unfortunate, tragic accident.Louise descends into a deep depression, that is only overcome by her relocating to England. There she successfully starts anew,away from her haunting memories.She becomes acquainted with Rachael,a wealthy girl with bipolar disorder, which is almost causing her to lose her life. Louise takes charge of her friend's life, encouraging her to make changes. The two of them turn out to be mutually beneficial to each other.Together they bring about positive events that change both of their lives. There are the male characters: Raffie,Faye's only true love; Nick,the lower-class englishman who helps save Rachael;Tim,the doctor who was able to bring Louise the love she was afraid to face. There are many other delightful people who add so much to the plot of this remarkable book. Even the peripheral oneshave life and are real. Charlotte Vale Allen has a great talent to make all of her characters live. You know all of them personally and almost become a part of the story yourself.This is another unforgettable book by Charlotte Vale Allen. If you have never read any of her books this is a wonderful introduction,which will start an addiction to all of her books.

Excellent story of emotionally abused sisters!
Maggie (the mother from hell) vents her anger, bitterness and rage at life on her two daughters, Faye and Louise.This is a great story on the power of sisterly love and overcoming an abusive childhood.I found thecharacters to be true to life and well rounded.This was a good read thatI highly recommend.(Illusions is still my all time favorite of ValeAllen's books!)If you're new to her, be sure to read it. ... Read more

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Seventeen-year-old Hilary Forbes has spent the war years in her parents' London flat, refusing to be evacuated with her younger brother Colin. When she meets their neighbor's nephew, Claude deMartin, Hilary is at once taken with the handsome young man. And one reckless encounter leads to her becoming pregnant. Claude has returned to Switzerland. Hilary's parents are both involved in the war effort, and she's deeply afraid to tell her mother what has happened. But she does tell them and for reasons she could never guess her parents are surprisingly supportive.

Claude returns to London just after the birth of their daughter, Dianne, and does the honorable thing. He and Hilary are married and return to the family home in Switzerland with the baby. But theirs is an arid, loveless marriage and just at the point when Hilary is prepared to concede defeat and return to England, Claude makes an effort to preserve their relationship. A second daughter, Cece, is born.

After Claude's death and Hilary's disfigurement in an automobile accident, she moves with her daughters to Toronto. Too-British and constricted in upbringing, Hilary is unable to speak openly with Dianne who desperately needs the contact. Cece, easy-going and self-contained, chooses to live with her grandmother in Connecticut.

Only time and tragedy draw mother and daughter together in this taut exploration of the importance of communication between parents and children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Heartfelt!
This book and Matters of the Heart are both set in England during the Second World War. They couldn't, however, be more different. That is not to say that Matters of the Heart is, in any way, an inferior book--rather, it's just profoundly, completely different. Memories (like Leftover Dreams) deals with a pair of sisters. But that's where the similarities end. Dealing with two generations of women and ably demonstrating how the "sins" of the mother are often visited on the child, the mother in this case is as much a victim of the times as she is of an oddly disaffected husband. I loved this book; it is one of my favorites. It covers a lot of time and a lot of territory (London, Switzerland, Toronto, Connecticut) and conveys a wonderful sense of time and place. Again, Allen avoids the convenient happy ending and goes for something far more honest--another example of a woman finding herself. No one writes about the interior lives of women as honestly or as effectively as this author does. And Memories is a prime example of Allen in peak form. Just a terrific book! ... Read more

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Her life shattered by her mother's deathbed confession that she had been kidnapped as an infant, successful Manhattan photographer Snow Devane begins a desperate search for the truth about her family and the identity of her real parents. Reprint. ... Read more

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Gillian Blake an architect, recently arrived from England, is the owner of a house on Pleasant Avenue that she has personally, painstakingly renovated. Painfully shy to the extent that she stutters helplessly in uncomfortable situations, she nevertheless begins to form friendships with her tenants: the gracious, elderly Mrs. O'Brian, and the young, delightful Jenny.

But everyone in the house on Pleasant Avenue has well-hidden secrets.

A new job with an architectural firm sets Gillian on a collision course with Gabe Hadley, the principal of the school she is seeing to completion. But the job also offers the possibility of additional new friendships and a route back into life.

Gillian and Gabe have each suffered terrible personal losses. Yet slowly they find, through their blossoming feelings for each other and for Jenny and Mrs. O'Brian, that a future might just be possible -- in spite of the burdens of the past.

... Read more

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Sidonie Graham got married and allowed her husband Frank to be the center of her universe -- until the day she suddenly realized she was overweight, unhappy, and desperate to be free.

At the urging of her bold, outspoken Aunt Claudia, Sidonie begins reclaiming her life. Unfortunately, the marriage and subsequent divorce have left Sidonie feeling misshapen and ugly, even when she no longer is.

So when she meets Michael Quinn, producer of what he prefers to call "erotic films," she's primed to fall into something that can only end badly. And it does. Because Michael Quinn wants to make his dream of producing a "legitimate film" come true and Sidonie is perfect for the leading role.

But is Michael Quinn's dream film art or pornography? And does it matter if the end result is the loss of a rather naive, lonely woman's innocence?

It's a painful, humiliating learning experience for Sidonie, but she does learn. And, having discovered unsuspected strength within herself, she is at last prepared to stake a claim on her future and pursue her own dreams.

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Very ahead of its time
For a book that was written in 1978, it's nothing less than remarkable how very timely this novel is. Certainly, it's indicative of the fact that, despite the gains women have made, the moves forward have been in very small increments. Dealing with several issues (pornography, divorce, loneliness) Allen takes us along with Sidonie Graham on a journey of self discovery that is alternately disturbing and invigorating. It is, in essence, a learning experience, in the course of which the heroine finds that there are far worse things in life than being alone/single. Refreshingly, the author refrains from tying everything up in shiny ribbons at the end and sending her heroine off, hand-in-hand, with a new partner. Rather, Sidonie goes forward with new fondness for and awareness of herself. A novel with quirky characters and an unpredictable plot-line, yet again author Allen takes us down a memorable road. Each of her books is different; each is a thoughtful study of human potential. That is, perhaps, why she is not a household name. But she deserves to be. This is yet another insightful examination of yet another of Allen's unique, forgivably flawed, heroines. ... Read more

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Wynne Shipton is the woman who lives in the small house at the corner. Tony Wakeman lives in the large, imposing house across the road. They are people who have merely nodded politely in passing -- until the day Tony accepts a delivery for his neighbor who isn't home to receive it.

The simple act of crossing the road to deliver the package evolves into a heated sexual encounter between strangers. Sexual intimacy is easy; getting to know one another is anything but. They each have past sorrows and present secrets that must be overcome before they can become truly intimate.

Wynne's past has actual shape in the form of a daughter she's never met and a granddaughter she's only heard about. And in one of life's great ironies, it is this unknown daughter who winds up purchasing Wynne's house when she is finally able to commit herself to Tony Wakeman.

It's inevitable that mother and daughter must one day, some way connect, but it comes about as a result of violence that, horrifyingly, breeds even more violence in a generational study that demonstrates very literally how the sins of the father are committed upon the children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful Book!
I absoulutely loved this book and couldn't wait to read the one after (Another Kind of Magic).Wynne Shipton is an author, writing under her father's name, finds a man she absolutely adores, who brings out all the feelings she has hidden inside herself for so many years.Wynne was forced to sign over her infant daughter at an early age to her husband Edward, who was very over-bearing, and the daughter grew up thinking her mother had died. Another Kind of Magic continues on with the story of Wynne coming to grips withletting go all her covered up feelings, wanting to see her daughter, wondering if she'd hate her if she found out her mother wasn't dead. Charlotte writes with so much feeling - she doesn't miss a beat!This book was written in the late 70's and is so "up to date" in the year 2001!

Abook worth reading.
While the main character in this book is a bit far-fetched, it was still an interesting book because it presents a few unexpected twists and turns.Which makes for more realistic charactacters and an excellent choice ofreading material. ... Read more

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When Bobby Salton runs away from her violent husband, taking her daughter Penny with her, she seeks refuge in the home of Eva Rule and Alma Ogilvie. Penny proves to the catalyst who breaks down the barriers each of the three women has built around herself. ... Read more

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A gripping read...
On the run from her abusive husband, Bobby Salton finds a job and a home as the live-in companion for Alma Ogilvie, an independent older woman who's just had a stroke.

Largely through her spirited six-year-old daughter Penny, Bobby soon finds herself true friends, just like family, among Alma, her niece Eva and Eva's college-aged daughter Melissa.

But as Bobby learns, you can't always run away from your past. And in this case, her horrific experience brings painful memories of Eva's friend Deborah back to the surface...just as the man determined to kill Bobby threatens to put her new friends in grave danger... ... Read more

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Sharing a brief but spectacular romantic encounter on the worst day of their lives, a once-famous ballerina and a man much younger than herself wonder if their love will last beyond a one night stand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Well worth reading
I have to disagree strongly with the reviewer who claimed that this story lacks credibility. In point of fact, it has enormous credibility. In times of loss and grief, people are prone to do things that later they can scarcely believe they did. That is precisely the case in Gentle Stranger when, in the grip of overwhelming sorrow at the loss of her only child, the heroine goes into the arms of a man she doesn't know, seeking comfort and forgetfulness. Given that this book was written almost twenty-five years ago, it was very forward-thinking for the era. As is true of most of Allen's novels, she was dealing with important women's issues at a time when only "literary" novels purported to offer serious perspectives on matters such as rape. In some ways, this novel has a timeless aspect. And it still holds up well, even after all this time.

Famous Ballerina Takes Younger Man as Lover
Emma is attacked, raped and brutally beaten on the streets, and moments after her attackers fled, she was found by a passing stranger, Phil Aylmer. She is incoherent and distraught but is afraid to go to the police, so Phil Aylmer takes her home to clean her up and tend to her wounds. He calls her mother, Jacqueline Evannier, who comes over immediately. Sadly, Emma dies in her mother's arms. Jacqueline is grief stricken and turns to the arms of Phil for consolation and their grief quickly turns to passion.

Over the next few days during the funeral preparations, Jacqueline becomes more and more dependent on Phil, who is 13 years younger than her, and he quickly professes his love. She thinks she loves him also, but realizes that she is in no condition to commit to any sort of relationship with him. Jacqueline is a former ballerina who was also scarred and traumatized by a rape 10 years earlier. She decides to push for more compassionate handling of rape victims and enlists the support of an old friend, Viktor, in this quest.

The relationship between Jacqueline and Phil seems highly improbable, and I was never actually convinced that it would work out. The theme of older woman, younger man appears in other novels by this author, but in this case it seems implausible. Jacqueline eventually sorts out her feelings for Phil, and starts to realize some success in her campaign for rape victims' rights.

The characters aren't as finely crafted, empathetic and believable in this novel as in other of Allen's novels, but there are lessons to be learned in the handling of rape victims and the healing power of love. ... Read more