My first Reader Interview with Debbie R. discussing Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I admit it. I cannot read fast enough to post more than once every 7-10 days. I am reading in the bathroom at the office, listening to audiobooks in the truck, and listening to a book on my ipod while doing my rounds at the center. I have now begun to dream about characters from different books in the same dream. One of these days you could see a post about Stephanie Plum fighting off Jean-Claude while Joanne Walker teams up with Sookie Stackhouse to take on the Tri-City pack.

Then it hit me while I was chatting with my girlfriend Debbie R. about what she was currently reading, why not interview her and post her opinions about the books she’s reading. AHA! Eureka! I have several friends who are avid readers like me who constantly have a book going and best yet we all have different tastes in reading so I will be able to share with my readers a wider selection of reviews and commentaries.

Cool idea, huh?

Thanks Deb for the inspiration!

Soooo….welcome to the first book interview on the Besotted Bookworm:
Debbie R. discusses Susan Elizabeth Phiilips

I called Debbie on Sunday morning and over cups of cofffee, still in our pajamas Debbie talked about her current favorite author, Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Mame: Hey Misss Deb. Do you have your coffee in hand?

Debbie: I certainly do and I am ready to talk books!

Mame: Ok I wanted to talk to you about your current favorite author. You have been talking about her so much lately, who is Susan Elizabeth Phillips?

Debbie: She is this great author that I am totally hooked on right now. She writes modern romance novels. She has written a serries called The Chicago Stars books as well as several other stand alone novels. I am currently reading my third Stars book called “Dream a Little Dream”. It involves this tragic hero, Gabe and Rachel, the widow of a theiving TV Evengelist who ends up dying before telling where he hid his illgotten gains. Gabe is mentioned in one of the earlier books. He was in South America grieving the death of his wife and child who were killed in a car accident. He returns to Salvation, North Carolina to pick up the pieces of his life and buys the mansion where the TV Evengelist and Rachel lived. Unfortunately Rachel, the widow and mother of a 5 year old son, had nothing to do with her husband’s embezzlement but the town blames her since the Reverend is now dead. She had left town to get away from the name calling and shunning she and her son were being put through but now she has returned to find the money and save her good name. The two characters get together when her car breaks down and she has no money to get it repaired so she takes a job with angry, reclusive Gabe to rebuild a drive-in movie theatre in town. He doesn’t want to hire her but he feels sorry for her because the whole town seems to hate her, including his brother the town pastor. I really like that even in the middle of a huge drama Rachel has a sense of humor and can break up the tension. That is as much as I can tell you since I haven’t finished the book. I will keep you posted.

Mame: Very Cool. I sense a possible showdown between the brothers. So what other books of Susan’s have you read?

Debbie: Nobody’s Baby but Mine, This Heart of Mine, and Kiss an Angel. I LOVED Kiss an Angel. It is very tender and poignant. It is about this spoiled rich girl who is a bastard and orphaned by her wealthy mother. Her inheritance is tied up in a crazy trust fund and she is left destitute. Her father comes into her life and tells her if she lives with a guy for six months he will give her the trust fund. The guy is a Dr. of Art by the name of Alex, who grew up in the Circus. He now manages said Circus. This is a very human book and displays the fear even strong men have when parental abuse happens to a boy. When she discovers she is pregnant and he wants her to have an abortion she runs away. He must come to terms with his past to save his love and future. I really enjoyed this book because the characters are honestly drawn with real emotions. Even though the circumstances like rich orphan might not be all that common. The relationship between these two felt like it could have been anybody. She deals with dysfunction and hurt like all the rest of us and still love triumphs.

Mame: So what makes Susan such a great author in your opinion?

Debbie: A lot of thing but mostly I think is her use of humor as a tool to be a tension breaker or to ease sadness in her stories and I love that! I also like that while she writes mostly about a celebrity or very wealthy character he/she is made human through tragedy/or challenge and must release their status in order to overcome.

I also like that even though the books seem to be about the men the the women are the real focus of the stories and they are very strong to the point of being stubborn and self centered and are in need of some important life lessons.

She will be one of my top 10 authors because she makes me feels things. I start to go to sleep but I am still thinking about the story and turn the light back on. She makes me laugh and she makes me cry. She always sets a good picture without getting bogged down in what the dresses looked like or how big the tree was. Her stories move. They span a lifetime not just a slice. I love that.

Mame: Wow! I am so going to have to get some of these books from you! Is there anything you don’t like or would like her to change?

Debbie: There is one thing I do find difficult and that is sometimes she adds too many characters to the story and makes the plot muddy. There are times when I think the minor characters are competing for dominance in the story. It gets a little confusing who the story is about but she always pulls them together in the end.

Mame: As usual Deb, I have loved doing the book chat thing. Thanks so much for letting me use our conversation for my blog.

Debbie: You are most welcome my friend. You know I am always happy to give you my opinion any time.