True Colors

September 29, 2008
In her 17th novel, bestseller Hannah portrays the delicate and enduring bonds of sisterhood. The story of the Grey sisters is set in a small Washington town and follows Winona, Aurora and Vivi Ann from the time of their mother's death, when they are young teens in 1979, on through adulthood, cataloguing their trials and the men who typically come bearing them, beginning with Luke, Winona's high school best friend and secret crush. But when he falls in love with Vivi Ann, who later cheats on him with farmhand Dallas, it leads a jealous Winona to betray her sister. Vivi Ann and Dallas get married, have a baby and run the Grey family farm, but Dallas is eventually arrested for murder, and lawyer Winona refuses to take his case, seemingly killing her relationship with Vivi Ann. Dallas is convicted and things look bleak for Vivi Ann and her son, but Winona's late-breaking friendship with her nephew paves the way for the happy ending. Though Hannah boldly embraces over-the-top drama, she really knows what women—her characters and her audience—want.

October 15, 2008
Female rivalry is again the main preoccupation of Hannah 's latest Pacific Northwest sob saga (Firefly Lane, 2008, etc.).

At Water 's Edge, the family seat overlooking Hood Canal, Vivi Ann, youngest and prettiest of the Grey sisters and a champion horsewoman, has persuaded embittered patriarch Henry to turn the tumbledown ranch into a Western-style equestrian arena. Eldest sister Winona, a respected lawyer in the nearby village of Oyster Shores, hires taciturn ranch hand Dallas Raintree, a half-Native American. Middle sister Aurora, stay-at-home mother of twins, languishes in a dull marriage. Winona, overweight since adolescence, envies Vivi, whose looks get her everything she wants, especially men. Indeed, Winona 's childhood crush Luke recently proposed to Vivi. Despite Aurora 's urging (her principal role is as sisterly referee), Winona won 't tell Vivi she loves Luke. Yearning for Dallas, Vivi stands up Luke to fall into bed with the enigmatic, tattooed cowboy. Winona snitches to Luke: engagement off. Vivi marries Dallas over Henry 's objections. The love-match triumphs, and Dallas, though scarred by child abuse, is an exemplary father to son Noah. One Christmas Eve, the town floozy is raped and murdered. An eyewitness and forensic evidence incriminate Dallas. Winona refuses to represent him, consigning him to the inept services of a public defender. After a guilty verdict, he 's sentenced to life without parole. A decade later, Winona has reached an uneasy truce with Vivi, who 's still pining for Dallas. Noah is a sullen teen, Aurora a brittle but resigned divorce. Noah learns about the Seattle Innocence Project. Could modern DNA testing methods exonerate Dallas? Will Aunt Winona redeem herself by reopening the case? The outcome, while predictable, is achieved with more suspense and less sentimental histrionics than usual for Hannah.

Above-average formula fiction, making full display of the author 's strong suits: sense of place, compassion for characters and understanding of family dynamics.

(COPYRIGHT (2008) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2008
Teenage sisters Winona, Aurora, and Vivi Ann are shattered when their mother dies, but what comes close to destroying their relationship is the reaction of their father, a hard man who dotes on his youngest daughter, Vivi Ann, disparages Winona, the eldest, and ignores Aurora, who tries hard to keep peace in the family. Flash-forward 13 years, and Winona is still desperate for her father's approval and increasingly jealous of Vivi Ann. When Luke Connelly, the man Winona has always loved, begins dating an oblivious Vivi Ann, events are set in motion that will hurt everyone involved and come close to destroying one sister's life. It is difficult to care for the self-righteous Winona, the novel's central character, but Hannah, a former romance writer ("Once in Every Life") and prolific novelist ("Firefly Lane"), does a lovely job of handling the relationship between Vivi Ann and her husband. An engrossing, fast-paced story that will appeal to readers of Barbara Delinsky and fans of women's fiction. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 10/15/08; library marketing.]Elizabeth Mellett, Brookline P.L., MA

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2008
TheGrey sisters miss the love of their mother, who died of cancer, as they are raised by their cold, status-consciousfather on their horse ranch outside the small town of Oyster Shores, founded by their family. Winona, the oldest, strives for her father's praise, which he only seems to give to the youngest, Vivi Ann, while the middle sister, Aurora, tries to keep the peace. Jealousy eats away at Winonas self-esteem, even though she becomes a successful attorney. As for Vivi Ann, sheis totally unaware of Winonas hidden rancor. Thenthe man Winonaloves falls for Vivi Ann. Winona concealsheranguish, hoping that, as usual, flighty Vivi Ann wont take her boyfriend seriously, then is devastated by the couplesengagement. The symptoms of Winonasfesteringresentment go beyond her overeating and ultimately cause her to betray her sister. This breaking of the bond of sisterhoodhas a deep effect on the family, and Winona is forced toface her demons and seek redemption. As Hannah explores the deep, emotionalconnection between sisters, she creates a beautiful and captivating story of love and rivalry, family and community, that readers will happily devour.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

October 15, 2008
Female rivalry is again the main preoccupation of Hannah's latest Pacific Northwest sob saga (Firefly Lane, 2008, etc.).

At Water's Edge, the family seat overlooking Hood Canal, Vivi Ann, youngest and prettiest of the Grey sisters and a champion horsewoman, has persuaded embittered patriarch Henry to turn the tumbledown ranch into a Western-style equestrian arena. Eldest sister Winona, a respected lawyer in the nearby village of Oyster Shores, hires taciturn ranch hand Dallas Raintree, a half-Native American. Middle sister Aurora, stay-at-home mother of twins, languishes in a dull marriage. Winona, overweight since adolescence, envies Vivi, whose looks get her everything she wants, especially men. Indeed, Winona's childhood crush Luke recently proposed to Vivi. Despite Aurora's urging (her principal role is as sisterly referee), Winona won't tell Vivi she loves Luke. Yearning for Dallas, Vivi stands up Luke to fall into bed with the enigmatic, tattooed cowboy. Winona snitches to Luke: engagement off. Vivi marries Dallas over Henry's objections. The love-match triumphs, and Dallas, though scarred by child abuse, is an exemplary father to son Noah. One Christmas Eve, the town floozy is raped and murdered. An eyewitness and forensic evidence incriminate Dallas. Winona refuses to represent him, consigning him to the inept services of a public defender. After a guilty verdict, he's sentenced to life without parole. A decade later, Winona has reached an uneasy truce with Vivi, who's still pining for Dallas. Noah is a sullen teen, Aurora a brittle but resigned divorce. Noah learns about the Seattle Innocence Project. Could modern DNA testing methods exonerate Dallas? Will Aunt Winona redeem herself by reopening the case? The outcome, while predictable, is achieved with more suspense and less sentimental histrionics than usual for Hannah.

Above-average formula fiction, making full display of the author's strong suits: sense of place, compassion for characters and understanding of family dynamics.

(COPYRIGHT (2008) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)