Sun Kissed by Catherine Anderson
Rating: 1 out 5 stars
480 pages
The last book of the Coulter Family series, Sun
Kissed (January 2007), feature Isaiah’s older twin brother Tucker, long
considered to be the toughest catch of the Coulter brothers in the previous
novels. However, when we meet Tucker in this book he turns out to be quite the
nice guy, especially when he meets Samantha Harrigan, a horse breeder who turns
to Tucker to help her figure out what is causing the mysterious deaths of her
prized quarter horses. The mystery is not really a mystery because the obvious
suspect is Samantha’s ex-husband, who was abusive to her and used her for her
wealth. After Tucker and Samantha meet at a local rodeo and get arrested for
trying to stop a drunk from beating a horse, the plot goes completely downhill.
After reading the first five
books in the series, everything sounds very familiar, from the malicious
ex-husband to the sick horses to the scenery. Granted the setting is the same
because the family lives in the same small town, but the plot isn’t strong
enough to carry the sense of ennui and cliché that emerges rather quickly after
the main characters are introduced. The love connection is barely palpable, and
the whole story is unconvincing for a romance novel. Catherine Anderson offers
a rare disappointment with the final novel of The Coulter Family Series, however
that does not take away from the sense of completion readers feels when Tucker
and Samantha marry in the end. There is satisfaction knowing that all the
Coulter siblings have found spouses and it is fascinating to imagine all of
their lives before and after the events took place in each book of the series.
Overall, The Coulter Family
Series is a classic in the contemporary romance genre. There is something to
take away from each book, no matter how hackneyed the plot may feel. Catherine
Anderson provides us with a multi-faceted portrait of the human psyche and how
people can work to overcome severe psychological misgivings or physical
disabilities when they choose to let the right people into their lives and
hearts.
The love stories of Bethany
and Ryan, Jake and Molly, Zeke and Natalie, Hank and Carly, Isaiah and Laura,
and Tucker and Samantha defy a lot of the substandard characteristics found in
many of the modern romance novels because it deals with more than just physical
attraction or the simple model of meeting, falling in love and marrying. Each
of these relationships endures situations that put the characters to test and
enable them to create deep spiritual bonds and a strong foundation that the
audience can truly believe will last a lifetime. Anderson can really make
people feel optimistic about love with the novels in this series, even if they
don’t want to.
My
Sunshine by Catherine
Anderson
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
432 pages
Catherine Anderson returns to
form in the fifth novel of the series My Sunshine (January 2005). The
youngest child of the Coulter family, Isaiah, has his life turned upside down
when he hires Laura Townsend to work at his veterinary practice. Laura is
suffering from a speech disorder named aphasia after hitting her head during a
diving accident five years earlier. Although she was unable to continue her
career as an environmental scientist, she remained cheerful and decided to
start do part-time work taking care of animals. When she applied to work at the
Animal Clinic she didn't expect to meet someone as charming and handsome as
Isaiah Coulter.
Though Laura has strong
feelings for Isaiah she doesn't feel like she is good enough for him because of
her disorder. Isaiah doesn't care that Laura has a speech impediment, he sees
that she is a beautiful person on the inside and out and is determined to help
her realize that they belong together. There is some drama with a jealous
co-worker named Belinda that has her eyes set on Isaiah, but it is obvious that
she wasn't going to tear Laura and Isaiah apart. This love story is remarkably
poignant, sweet, and touching. My Sunshine is a great read because it captures
the essence of romance, has great characters and it informs readers of a rare
speech disorder. This book is a true gem and a worthy addition to The Coulter
Family Series.
Bright Eyes by Catherine Anderson
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars419 pages
Bright Eyes (June 2004) is the next entry in the Coulter
Family series. This novel tells the story of Zeke Coulter’s romance with a
struggling single mother of two named Natalie Patterson who lives next door.
Zeke forms an attachment to Natalie after her son Chad vandalizes his property
and he offers the boy an opportunity to work for him to pay off the debt.
Natalie is an aspiring singer who develops a relationship with Zeke after
seeing how well he handles her son. She has to juggle with her supper club that
is soon to be bankrupt, her shady ex-husband, and her growing feelings for
Zeke. As the story progresses Zeke becomes more involved with Natalie and her
children, including her four year old daughter Rosie, and he even tries to get
Natalie back into singing professionally.
The conflict that emerges
towards the end seems a bit forced, as if Anderson needed something really
dramatic to shake up the relationship between Zeke and Natalie. The romance in
this story does not have as much depth as the previous novels in the series and
by the end of the book Zeke and Natalie appear to be settling for one another
because the chemistry is lacking. The stronger characters in the book are the
kids Chad and Rosie, and that speaks to how uninteresting the romance is in
Bright Eyes. Anderson stumbles in the fourth book of The Coulter Family Series,
not because it’s a bad story overall, but because it pales in comparison to the
previous novels.
