Rating: 
Summary: After the Fire--A Must Read
Review: After the Fire, by Belva Plain, is a very good book because it holds your interest and makes you want to keep reading. The plot begins a little slowly as it describes the meeting, dating, and subsequent marriage of Gerald and Hyacinth. The pace picks up, however, once Gerald becomes a successful doctor and their marriage begins to fall apart.When Hyacinth's jealously places her in Gerald's office building the night it burns down, deceit, divorce, and blackmail quickly follow. The twists and turns of Hyacinth's life after her divorce and loss of custody of her children make this book a real page-turner.Belva Plain does an excellent job of describing her characters and making the reader feel their pain. As Hyacinth mopes around the house after Gerald and the kids move to Florida, you want to cry right along with her. When she finally pulls herself together, goes to school, and becomes a successful fashion designer, you want to cheer for her. On the other hand, you want to despise Gerald for being so cruel and keeping the children away from their mother. The reader's heart also aches for the children who are caught in the middle and cannot be told the truth about what is keeping their mother from them. I would definitely recommend this book to all those who enjoy reading suspense and romance novels.
Rating:
Summary: After the Fire--A Must Read
Review: After the Fire, by Belva Plain, is a very good book because it holds your interest and makes you want to keep reading. The plot begins a little slowly as it describes the meeting, dating, and subsequent marriage of Gerald and Hyacinth. The pace picks up, however, once Gerald becomes a successful doctor and their marriage begins to fall apart.When Hyacinth's jealously places her in Gerald's office building the night it burns down, deceit, divorce, and blackmail quickly follow. The twists and turns of Hyacinth's life after her divorce and loss of custody of her children make this book a real page-turner. Belva Plain does an excellent job of describing her characters and making the reader feel their pain. As Hyacinth mopes around the house after Gerald and the kids move to Florida, you want to cry right along with her. When she finally pulls herself together, goes to school, and becomes a successful fashion designer, you want to cheer for her. On the other hand, you want to despise Gerald for being so cruel and keeping the children away from their mother. The reader's heart also aches for the children who are caught in the middle and cannot be told the truth about what is keeping their mother from them. I would definitely recommend this book to all those who enjoy reading suspense and romance novels.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL
Review: Another Winner for Belva. The characters are real and you will both laugh and cry. The story is believable. You will not be able to put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Sorry I read this title!
Review: Belva Plain is one of those authors who I still insist uon reading. But now, after finishing After the Fire, I may very well pass on reading her books in the future. Known for her blockbuster hit Evergreen and the continuation of this family saga, some years ago Plain ventured into more contemporary subjects. I for one sure wish she hadn't especially after reading this book and Homecoming and Fortune's Hand among other titles. Concentrating on today's issues liek spousal abuse, black mail, family issues, adultery and child abuse, I still long to read a book like Evergreen or even her more recent Legacy of Secrets which was her last good book. The theme of After the Fire is once again rich girl marries poor doctor man and while their lives should be picture perfect, they're not. And in one moment the husband is in a position not only to divorce hsi wife but also sue her for custody of their children. The remainder of the book is predictable but all the whiel I wondered why the woman didn't pursue his allegations. I'm sorry I can't recommend this book, even as a beach read and am still longing for another great read from Belva.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry I read this title!
Review: Belva Plain is one of those authors who I still insist upon reading. But now, after finishing After the Fire, I may very well pass on reading her books in the future. Known for her blockbuster hit, Evergreen and the continuation of this family saga, some years ago Plain ventured into more contemporary subjects. I for one sure whish she hadn't especially after reading this book and others like Homecoming and Fortune's Hand among other titles. Concentrating on issues like spousal abuse, blackmail, family issues, adultery and child abuse, I still long to read a book like Evergreen or even one like her more recent Legacy of Secrets which was her last good book. The theme of After the Fire is once again rich girl marries poor doctor man and whle their lives shoulde picture perfect, they're not. And in one moment the husband is in a postion not only to divorce his wife but also to sue for custody of their children. The remaninder of the book is predictable but all the while I wondered why the woman didn't pursue his allegations and clear her name. I'm sorry I can't wholeheartedly recommend this book even as a beach read and am still longing for another great read from Belva.
Rating: 
Summary: utterly unbelievable
Review: Expecting a decent read, I was severely disappointed as I have read other Belva Plain books. The character of Hyacinth is totally unbelievable. How can a person live in this world and be so utterly ignorant of what real life is? The further I got into the story, the more incredulous and indignant I became. She allowed her husband to victimize her. Yes, he was despicable but she took it all. If this woman loved her children and wanted them with her as much as she claimed, she would have at least pursued some kind of second opinion, confidential consultation, something! And what about any true and lasting remorse expressed for the accidental death? She only expresses fear of spending time in jail. The woman exists in a complete cocoon. How sympathetic is that for a character? Spare yourself this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: Gerald and Hyacinth appeared to have a perfect marriage, blessed with two beautiful children. However, when cracks appeared (or were the cracks there all along?), there was no stopping the swift breakdown of the marriage and the bitterness that came with it. Gerald had the upper hand in the divorce as he successfully blackmailed Hyacinth into letting him have the custody of both children. Pressured by Gerald, but unable to divulge the secret behind his blackmail to anyone, only when the mystery surrounding the fateful night was solved would Hyacinth be able to get on with her life. The plot was gripping. However, the impressive part was the way the emotional aspects in the book was handled. The sweetness of being in love, the tension between mother and daughter, the bitterness of a marriage breakdown, the pressure and burden of keeping a terrible secret, and the pain of losing loved ones were well-explored. Subtle, but intense at the same time.
Rating:
Summary: VERY GOOD FAMILY DRAMA
Review: Gerald and Hyacinth are the picture perfect couple. She a beautiful artist, he a brilliant surgeon, and two wonderful children. Their marriage is the envy of all their friends, until... One night a mysterious phone call prompts Hy to look deeply into her marriage. After confronting her husband about his infidelity, Hy goes into a downward-spiral leaving her acccused of commiting an unthinkable act. An act that will ultimitely leave her husband-less, and child-less. For fear of what Gerald will do with what he knows, Hy must never speak about what happened, not even to her mother Francine, who always hated Gerald anyway. But as time goes by she realizes she must face what happened on the night in question if she is to get her children back. "After The Fire" is a page-turning family saga as only Belva Plain could write. The characters well-developed, the plot realistic and thoroughly entertaining. Belva Plain has written another bestseller about a family in crisis that will fly up the bestseller list's. Nick Gonnella
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: Hyacinth has met the love of her life, Gerald, a medical student who wants to marry her. She is sure that theirs will be a "happily-ever-after" marriage. Her mother warns her about things she has observed in Gerald, but Hyacinth, undaunted, proceeds with the wedding. As it turns out, Mother really does know best in this case but Hyacinth has to learn this the hard way. Gerald uses an unfortunate incident against Hyacinth and she loses everything that she loves. Eventually she finds her true niche in life through a man who loves her, but her secret past keeps her from marrying him. This is a good page-turner and one in which you do care about the main character.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: Hyacinth has met the love of her life, Gerald, a medical student who wants to marry her. She is sure that theirs will be a "happily-ever-after" marriage. Her mother warns her about things she has observed in Gerald, but Hyacinth, undaunted, proceeds with the wedding. As it turns out, Mother really does know best in this case but Hyacinth has to learn this the hard way. Gerald uses an unfortunate incident against Hyacinth and she loses everything that she loves. Eventually she finds her true niche in life through a man who loves her, but her secret past keeps her from marrying him. This is a good page-turner and one in which you do care about the main character.
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