CANR
WORK TITLE: THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 17-May
WEBSITE: http://www.susanwiggs.com/
CITY: Rolling Bay
STATE: WA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: CANR 265
http://www.harlequin.com/author.html?authorid=509 http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com/2013/05/the-apple-orchard-by-susan-wiggs-spotlight-giveaway-us-only.html
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born May 17, in Olean, NY; daughter of Nicholas and Lou Klist; married Jay Wiggs (an apparel designer), 1980; children: Elizabeth.
EDUCATION:Stephen F. Austin State University, 1979; Harvard University, Ed.M., 1980.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Worked as a teacher, 1980-91; writer, 1983—. Has been featured on NPR’s Talk of the Nation; public speaker.
AVOCATIONS:Kickboxing, travel, music.
MEMBER:Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, Novelists, Inc.
AWARDS:Reviewers Choice Award, Romantic Times, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 2000; RITA Award for best romance of the year, Romance Writers of America, 1993, for Lord of the Night; Holt Medallion, 1994, for Circle in the Water; Colorado Award of Excellence, 1994, for The Mist and the Magic; RITA Award, Romance Writers of America, 1995, for Lord of the Night; RITA Award for favorite book of the year, Romance Writers of America, 2000, for The Charm School; RITA Award for best short historical, Romance Writers of America, 2001, for The Mistress; RITA Award, Romance Writers of America, 2006, for Lakeside Cottage; Blue Boa Award, Peninsula Romance Writers of America; Career Achievement Award (twice), Romantic Times.
WRITINGS
Contributor to anthologies, including A Purrfect Romance, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995; Irish Magic II, Kensington (New York, NY), 1997; and More Than Words: Volume Three, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2006; author of the blog View from Here.
SIDELIGHTS
Susan Wiggs is an award-winning writer who has published numerous volumes of romance fiction. She writes from her home in Puget Sound. Wiggs is a multiple recipient of the RITA Award.
Her debut novel, Texas Wildflower, follows the efforts of Shiloh Mulvane, the daughter of a famous Texas lawman, to track down a shady character who tricks her into getting married. According to Booklist contributor Shelley Mosley, “fans will cheer for the spunky heroine who keeps putting herself at risk to be accepted by her father.” Among the author’s other early works is The Lily and the Leopard, which concerns a French woman involved with an English knight during the reign of Henry V. A Publishers Weekly critic proclaimed the novel “a cut above many historical romances.” In another early work, The Raven and the Rose, a French assassin, in Switzerland on assignment by Josephine Bonaparte, falls in love with his intended victim when she nurses him after an avalanche. A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that it features “murder attempts, blackmail, [and] hidden identities.”
The You I Never Knew is the story of an embittered daughter who reunites with her dying father. Michelle Turner returns to her father’s Montana ranch after a long absence. Seventeen years previously, as a teenager, she had gotten pregnant by one of her father’s ranch hands, Sam McPhee. Michelle brings her teenage son with her on a trip to donate a kidney to her dying father. During the journey she reencounters Sam, who has prospered and is now a successful rancher and doctor. “Wigg’s sensitive portrayal of parents and lovers trying to bond despite a less-than-perfect past exemplifies the richness and realism this theme can lend a love story,” declared a Publishers Weekly contributor.
Passing through Paradise is a novel of redemption and class conflict. Protagonist Sandra Winslow, widow of wunderkind Senator Victor Winslow, lives in genteel seclusion in Providence, Rhode Island, despised by the residents who blame her for her husband’s accidental death in the car she was driving. She lives in a rundown Victorian manor house, carefully avoiding society, until handyman and restorer of classic homes Mike Malloy comes into her life. Mike’s arrival places Sandra in a quandary, wondering how she can she balance her fears of the past with her hopes for the future. The story, Wiggs told Suzanne Fox in an interview for Publishers Weekly, “contrasts the upper-crust family of the heroine’s first husband, with the working class background of her new romantic interest. … I gravitate toward empowering and uplifting conclusions. That’s not just a response to my chosen genres but also a reflection of my views about life. I love my life, my family and my friends.” “A richly textured story that successfully moves beyond the conventions of the romance genre,” a Publishers Weekly contributor stated, “this book will polish Wiggs’s already glowing reputation.” “Once again,” wrote Library Journal contributor Mosley, “Wiggs proves she’s a master of both historical and contemporary romance, unfolding the story in slow, delicious layers.”
Family troubles drive Home before Dark and Table for Five. A free-spirited photojournalist returns to her hometown to reveal a painful secret in Home before Dark. After being diagnosed with a rare disease that is causing her eyesight to deteriorate, Jessie Ryder determines to reconcile with her daughter, Lila, who has been raised by Jessie’s sister after Jessie gave her up for adoption sixteen years earlier. “Both sisters are envious of the other’s choices,” remarked a Publishers Weekly critic, “and free-spirited Jessie’s sudden arrival turns Luz’s world—not as stable as it seems on the surface—upside down.” In Table for Five, two strangers join forces to help a trio of orphaned children. When Lily Robinson’s best friend and her friend’s ex-husband are killed in a car accident, their three children are placed in the care of an uncle, Sean Maguire. According to a critic in the MBR Bookwatch, “Derek finds he needs Lily and his three wards; the youngsters need the love and stability provided by both adults.”
In The Ocean between Us, Wiggs examines the lives of “the military families who struggle to keep their bonds strong during challenging times,” stated Sandy Huseby in her online BookPage interview with the author. “Steve and Grace Bennett look like the perfect military couple,” explained a Publishers Weekly contributor: “Steve, a former pilot, has become an ambitious officer, and Grace successfully cares for their three bright, talented kids.” However, a quarrel just before Steve leaves for a six-month stint on board an aircraft carrier threatens to break their marriage, and the issues raised are complicated when Steve falls overboard while trying to rescue a seaman from an exploding flare. “The military is definitely a world apart,” Wiggs told Huseby. “The book I wanted to write was the story of a woman and her marriage—a good marriage. Novels about bad marriages abound, but I find the idea of a good marriage that is severely tested much more interesting.” Library Journal critic Bette-Lee Fox asserted that “readers will be swept up in the struggles of these individuals as they face the challenges of military service and its familial repercussions.”
Contemporary romance in pleasant surroundings can be found in Wiggs’s novel Lakeside Cottage, in which a single mother and a national hero find romance. Kate Livingston and her son, Aaron, hope to spend a quiet summer at their family’s cottage, but they find themselves intrigued by their reclusive neighbor, J.D. Harris, a military medic who is attempting to stay out of the spotlight after saving the president’s life. Booklist contributor Maria Hatton stated that Wiggs’s Lakeside Cottage “draws readers into her characters’ lives and minds in a way that makes them real and true and unforgettable.”
Wiggs’s 2011 book, The Goodbye Quilt, focuses on a mother, Linda, and her daughter, Molly, who is going off to college. On their road trip to Molly’s school, Linda thinks about the emptiness she will feel without her daughter at home. Molly misses her high school sweetheart, but feels excited about attending college. As they drive, Linda works on a quilt for Molly. Roseann Marlett, writing on the RT Book Reviews Web site, suggested that Wiggs tells the story “with insight and compassion.”
The Apple Orchard recounts the story of Tess Delaney, who works at a prominent auction house. Tess finds her own life boring, so she finds pleasure discovering the provenance of other people’s items, thus learning their families’ stories. A handsome and intriguing man, Dominic Rossi, appears in her life and reveals to her that she is the granddaughter of an apple farmer in Sonoma, California. Her grandfather is in a coma, and Tess and her previously unknown half-sister Isabel stand to inherit his apple orchard. As she researches this secret side of her family, Tess discovers mysterious events that occurred as far back as the 1930s. Meanwhile, she becomes increasingly attracted to Dominic, and the two begin a steamy romance. “This brilliant and epic family drama disguised as a romance fills the senses,” wrote Debbie Haupt on the RT Book Reviews Web site. Swapna Krishna, writing on the S. Krishna’s Books Web site, praised the book’s “well-written characters and a beautifully described setting.” “Wiggs tells a layered, powerful story of love, loss, hope, and redemption,” stated a writer in Kirkus Reviews.
In 2014 Wiggs published The Beekeeper’s Ball. While planning her sister’s wedding, Isabel is distracted by Mac’s sudden arrival to Bella Vista. Isabel also attempts to open a cooking school from the family home. A Kirkus Reviews contributor found it to be “a satisfying, engaging read though lacking Wiggs’ typical effortlessness and buoyancy.” Booklist contributor Shelley Mosley observed that “Wiggs’ carefully detailed plotlines … with their candid look at relationships and their long-term effects, are sure to captivate readers.” In a review in Library Journal, Lesa Holstine mentioned that “this novel is highly recommended for those who appreciate women’s fiction with a historical backstory.”
Wiggs published the novel Family Tree in 2016. Cooking show creator Annie Rush suffers an accident after catching her husband and his co-host having an affair. She returns to her hometown of Switchback, Vermont, to try and sort out the path forward for her life. Booklist contributor John Charles commented that Wiggs writes using “a seemingly effortless sense of grace about what breaks families apart as well as what brings them back together.”
In 2017 Wiggs published Map of the Heart. Photographer Camille Adams has stripped all joy and thrills from her life after the death of her husband. She and her daughter accompany her father to Provence, France, where they trace their family history. While there, Camille finds romance with a local history professor named Finn. Booklist contributor Charles insisted that the author “handles characters, setting, and plot with perfect aplomb while creating an unforgettable story.” A contributor to Internet Bookwatch labeled it “another deftly crafted gem of a romance novel by an accomplished master of the genre.”
Wiggs published Between You and Me in 2018. Reese Powell works in a hospital in Philadelphia. When Caleb Stoltz defies his Amish traditions to bring his wounded nephew into the hospital, Reese is instantly attracted to him. Watching him care for his nephew makes her rethink plans for her own future and Caleb’s role in it. Booklist contributor Charles lauded that Wiggs “gracefully spins easily relatable yet realistically complex characters” with an “emotionally charged plot into pure literary gold.” Writing in Xpress Reviews, Margaret Bentley assessed that “Wiggs’s latest novel does not paint an idealized portrait of the Amish community.”
In 2019 Wiggs published the novel The Oysterville Sewing Circle. After her boss steals her designs and her best friend dies, Caroline Shelby gives up her dreams of being a clothing designer in New York City and moves back home to Oysterville, Washington to start a new life for herself. Caroline takes custody of her friend’s children, Flick and Addie, and immerses herself as a new mother while balancing a small business as a seamstress. While back home, she rekindles her friendship with fabric store owner Lindy, who was a victim of domestic abuse while Caroline was away.
A contributor to Publishers Weekly claimed that the “characters are believable not only because of their complexity, but because of their ability to deal with their faults.” The same reviewer called the novel “a winner.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor opined that “Wiggs writes about the children’s race and immigration status with a soft touch that feels natural and easygoing but that might seem unrealistic to some readers.” The same critic found the novel to be “a lovely read–entertaining, poignant, and meaningful.”
In 1999 Wiggs published the first work in the “Calhoun Chronicles,” a popular series of historical romance novels. The Charm School concerns a spinster falling in love while traveling on a cargo ship. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly described Wiggs’s second novel in the series, The Horsemaster’s Daughter, as an “antebellum romance” that features “an intense, believable relationship.” A Library Journal reviewer stated that the novel is a “lively, funny story.”
In Halfway to Heaven, Wiggs explores the tempestuous relationship between Michael Rowan and Helena Cabot. Reviewing the novel in Booklist, Diana Tixier Herald wrote: “Wiggs combines the complications of love and politics in an entertaining American historical.” Enchanted Afternoon takes place nine years after Halfway to Heaven. When Helen reveals that Michael is the biological father of her young son, her husband begins beating her, and she flees the abusive marriage. She eventually creates a shelter for battered women, and she reunites Michael with his son. “Wiggs has a knack for creating engaging characters,” observed a critic in Publishers Weekly, “and her energetic prose shines through the pages.”
Set in nineteenth-century San Francisco, A Summer Affair concerns Dr. Theodore “Blue” Calhoun, a physician who tends to the city’s poor. After Calhoun saves the life of a gunshot victim and nurses her back to health, romance blossoms between them, even though the young woman is suspected of murder. “For all the period appeal of its joss houses and society balls, the story’s theme—the all-encompassing power of love—is timeless,” a Publishers Weekly reviewer noted.
The first installment in the “Lakeshore Chronicles” series, Summer at Willow Lake, tells the story of Olivia Bellamy and Connor Davis, whose once-passionate relationship is rekindled when they decide to renovate an old camp in the Catskills. “Wonderfully evoked characters, a spellbinding story line, and insights into the human condition will appeal to every reader,” Hatton wrote.
The Winter Lodge presents Jenny Majesky, a woman who sees the fire that destroyed her home as an opportunity to start a new life. Now Jenny just has to figure out what that new start should be. She had always wanted to leave her home in Avalon (a fictional town in the New York Catskills) but stayed to run the family bakery when her grandmother had a stroke. As she plans her next move, Jenny moves in with police chief Rourke McKnight, but the two are unable to escape their romantic past. “Wiggs cleverly structures this emotionally intense contemporary romance,” wrote Lynne Welch in Booklist. She added that “teens will empathize with Jenny’s conflict.” A Publishers Weekly writer noted that “Wiggs introduces complicated, flesh-and-blood characters into her idyllic but identifiable smalltown setting,” and this “sets in motion a refreshingly honest romance.”
The next two installments in the series are The Summer Lodge and Dockside. The latter story follows the emotional connection between Nina Romano and Greg Bellamy. The two grew up together, but circumstances always conspired to keep them from forming a romantic relationship. Years later, Nina learns that Greg is a divorced father of two who has just bought the Inn at Willow Lake in Avalon. Nina had always wanted to buy the inn herself, so she once again finds that her connection to Greg is filled with obstacles. According to Bookreporter.com reviewer Hillary Wagy, “the pace of the book is as tranquil as the lake at night when the moon shines bright and is reflected on the smooth surface.” She also observed that “ Dockside sails through the characters’ lives at significant moments, exploring the many facets of love and relationships.” To a Publishers Weekly critic, the “uncomplicated stories are rich with life lessons, nod-along moments and characters with whom readers can easily relate.” RT Book Reviews contributor Catherine Witmer held a similar opinion, and she called the novel a “wonderfully written, beautiful love story with … a bunch of marvelously imperfect characters.” Welch, again writing in Booklist, described Dockside as “another charming second-chance contemporary romance set in the idyllic” Catskills.
Wiggs followed Dockside with Fireside, which portrays the love affair that grows between Bo Crutcher and Kimberly van Dorn. Bo is a pitcher who has been training for years to join the New York Yankees. Just as he is about to reach his goal, he finds out that his son A.J. has been rendered homeless when his mother is detained in Texas as an illegal alien. In the meantime, Los Angeles-based media relations specialist Kimberly heads to Avalon to escape an abusive relationship. Witmer, again writing on RT Book Reviews, commented that “the latest installment of her beloved ‘Lakeshore Chronicles’ showcases Wiggs’ justly renowned gifts for storytelling and characterization,” and she declared the book “a keeper.” Booklist reviewer Welch asserted that Wiggs’s characters “poignantly [reveal] the catastrophic results of unjust immigration laws, especially on the American-born children of deported parents.”
With Lakeshore Christmas, Wigg presents cameo appearances featuring previous couples from the series, and she also tells the tale of librarian Maureen Davenport. A stereotypical librarian in every respect, the prudish Maureen somehow attracts the attentions of bad-boy Eddie Haven, a recovering alcoholic and former child star. Although Booklist writer Welch found that the novel possesses “many appeal factors,” she also remarked that “some may find that this title is not up to her usual standard.” Witmer, again writing on RT Book Reviews, dubbed the novel “a terrifically tasty holiday confection sure to be enjoyed by fans and new readers alike.”
Return to Willow Lake is another book in the “Lakeshore Chronicles” series. In the book, close friends Sonnet Romano and Zach Alger have a romantic experience on the night of a friend’s wedding. While Sonnet does not see a future with Zach, as she is planning to leave Avalon, but Zach wants to pursue a relationship with her. However, when her mother falls ill, Sonnet returns to Avalon to care for her. She then reevaluates her feelings for Zach. Debbie Haupt, writing on the RT Book Reviews Web site, praised the book’s “vivid imagery and dialogue.”
In 2013 Wiggs continued the “Lakeshore Chronicles” series with Candlelight Christmas. India matches her brother, Logan, with her best friend, Darcy, setting off a passionate Thanksgiving weekend between the reluctant couple. A Kirkus Reviews contributor reasoned that “Wiggs revisits her popular Lakeshore Chronicles for another sweet Christmas tidbit, and series fans will love watching Logan–Daisy Bellamy’s ex–fall in love with his own perfect match.”
Starlight on Willow Lake is the next novel in the “Lakeshore Chronicles” series. After the death of her husband, Faith is hired as a caregiver for the quadriplegic Alice in a lakeside mansion. The woman’s son, Mason, is attracted to Faith. But as she learns the truth behind Alice’s skiing accident, she finds that everyone could use some healing. Booklist contributor Amy Alessio stated: “Through her very appealing, multifaceted characters, Wiggs tells an affecting story about resilience in a positive, hopeful” book. Writing in Xpress Reviews, Lisa M. Jordan claimed that the author “pulls readers in with her lake setting and the powerful emotions that drive these wonderfully developed characters as they move through the story.”(close new2)
Wiggs and her daughter, Elizabeth, cowrote the nonfiction book, How I Planned Your Wedding: The All-True Story of a Mother and Daughter Surviving the Happiest Day of Their Lives. The two authors take turns writing sections of the book, offering humorous anecdotes and insight on wedding planning. Each chapter ends with a summary of key points. The Wiggses provide tips on choosing gowns and photographers, and they also touch on dealing with difficult family members.
A writer in Publishers Weekly offered the book a favorable review. The reviewer described it as “a humorous, informative guide.”
“I’ve always loved writing emotionally rich, character-driven novels that explore the way people fall in love and deal with life’s triumphs and tragedies,” Wiggs once told an interviewer in Publishers Weekly. Wiggs added: “I’m drawn to ‘relationship’ novels because of their affirming focus on the power of love to heal wounds and transform lives.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 15, 2001, Diana Tixier Herald, review of The Firebrand, p. 1538; September 15, 2001, Donna Seaman, review of The Firebrand, p. 203, and Mary K. Chelton, review of The You I Never Knew, p. 212; October 1, 2002, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Halfway to Heaven, p. 304; November 15, 2002, Shelley Mosley, review of Texas Wildflower, p. 583; February 1, 2003, Kathleen Hughes, review of Home before Dark, p. 956; August 1, 2003, Shelley Mosley, review of A Summer Affair, p. 1966; April 15, 2005, Shelley Mosley, review of Table for Five, p. 1437; August 1, 2005, Maria Hatton, review of Lakeside Cottage, p. 2007; August 1, 2006, Maria Hatton, review of Summer at Willow Lake, p. 56; February 1, 2007, Lynne Welch, review of The Winter Lodge, p. 38; August 1, 2007, Lynne Welch, review of Dockside, p. 51; March 15, 2008, Lynne Welch, review of Snowfall at Willow Lake, p. 35; August 1, 2008, Maria Hatton, review of Just Breathe, p. 49; February 15, 2009, Lynne Welch, review of Fireside, p. 41; September 15, 2009, Lynne Welch, review of Lakeshore Christmas, p. 47; March 1, 2010, Lynne Welch, review of The Summer Hideaway, p. 56; May 1, 2013, Shelley Mosley, review of The Apple Orchard, p. 62; June 1, 2014, Shelley Mosley, review of The Beekeeper’s Ball, p. 49; August 1, 2015, Amy Alessio, review of Starlight on Willow Lake, p. 41; August 1, 2016, John Charles, review of Family Tree, p. 24; July 1, 2017, John Charles, review of Map of the Heart, p. 22; May 1, 2018, John Charles, review of Between You and Me, p. 66.
California Bookwatch, July 1, 2013, review of The Apple Orchard.
Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2003, review of Home before Dark, p. 180; April 1, 2013, review of The Apple Orchard; October 15, 2013, review of Candlelight Christmas; July 1, 2014, review of The Beekeeper’s Ball; June 15, 2019, review of The Oysterville Sewing Circle.
Library Journal, November 15, 1995, Kristin Ramsdell, review of Dancing on Air, p. 64; November 15, 1998, Michael Rogers, review of Briar Rose, p. 96; November 15, 2000, Kristin Ramsdell, review of The You I Never Knew, p. 56; February 15, 2002, Shelley Mosley, review of Passing through Paradise, p. 131; March 15, 2004, Bette-Lee Fox, review of The Ocean between Us, p. 109; September 15, 2008, Elizabeth Mellett, review of Just Breathe, p. 50; April 1, 2011, Debbie Haupt, review of The Goodbye Quilt, p. 86; July 1, 2014, Lesa Holstine, review of The Beekeeper’s Ball, p. 81.
MBR Bookwatch, April 1, 2005, review of Table for Five.
Nation, October 21, 1991, Kirpatrick Sale, review of October Wind: A Novel of Christopher Columbus, pp. 488-89.
Publishers Weekly, January 11, 1991, Penny Kaganoff, review of The Lily and the Leopard, p. 98; October 4, 1991, review of The Raven and the Rose; December 14, 1992, review of The Mist and the Magic; June 5, 1995, review of Vows Made in Wine, p. 56; February 10, 1997, review of Irish Magic II, p. 69; September 8, 1997, review of The Lightkeeper, p. 73; May 4, 1998, review of The Drifter, p. 210; October 25, 1999, review of The Horsemaster’s Daughter, p. 78; November 27, 2000, review of The You I Never Knew, p. 60; February 19, 2001, review of The Firebrand, p. 75; January 28, 2002, Suzanne Fox, “PW Talks with Susan Wiggs,” author interview and review of Passing through Paradise, p. 277; July 29, 2002, review of Enchanted Afternoon, p. 59; March 31, 2003, review of Home before Dark, p. 43; June 30, 2003, review of A Summer Affair, p. 63; April 5, 2004, review of The Ocean between Us, p. 39; June 21, 2004, review of Summer by the Sea, p. 48; July 25, 2005, review of Lakeside Cottage, p. 54; June 12, 2006, review of Summer at Willow Lake, p. 36; December 18, 2006, review of The Winter Lodge, p. 49; June 18, 2007, review of Dockside, p. 41; January 21, 2008, review of Snowfall at Willow Lake, p. 160; July 21, 2008, review of Just Breathe, p. 139; January 17, 2011, review of How I Planned Your Wedding: The All-True Story of a Mother and Daughter Surviving the Happiest Day of Their Lives, p. 42; June 17, 2019, review of The Oysterville Sewing Circle, p. 42.
School Library Journal, July, 1990, Marie Orlando, review of The Canary Who Sailed with Columbus, p. 65.
Voice of Youth Advocates, February 1, 1999, review of The Drifter, p. 418.
Xpress Reviews, August 21, 2015, Lisa M. Jordan, review of Starlight on Willow Lake; May 25, 2018, Margaret Bentley, review of Between You and Me.
ONLINE
BookPage, http://www.bookpage.com/ (September 9, 2007), Sandy Huseby, “Love, Honor, Duty.”
Bookreporter.com, http://www.bookreporter.com/ (May 18, 2010), Hillary Wagy, review of Dockside.
How I Planned Your Wedding website, http://howiplannedyourwedding.com/ (October 27, 2013), author profile.
Internet Bookwatch, http://www.midwestbookreview.com/ (April 1, 2019), review of Map of the Heart.
Leeswammes’ Blog, http://leeswammes.wordpress.com/ (June 14, 2013), review of The Apple Orchard.
Romance Reader, http://www.theromancereader.com/ (September 9, 2007), Jean Mason, author interview.
RT Book Reviews, http://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (May 18, 2010), Catherine Witmer, reviews of Dockside, Fireside, and Lakeshore Christmas; (October 27, 2013), Roseann Marlett, review of The Goodbye Quilt; (October 27, 2013), Debbie Haupt, review of Return to Willow Lake, and The Apple Orchard.
S. Krishna’s Books, http://skrishnasbooks.com/ (May 10, 2013), Swapna Krishna, review of The Apple Orchard.
Susan Wiggs website, http://www.susanwiggs.com (October 27, 2013).
Susan Wiggs’s life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She lives at the water’s edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers’ group in a 21-foot motorboat. Her husband is an award-winning apparel designer who has his own line of made-in-America kids’ adventure wear.
Susan has been featured in the national media, including NPR and USA Today, has given programs for the US Embassies in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is a popular speaker locally, nationally, internationally, and on the high seas.
From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages. According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with “refreshingly honest emotion,” and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is “one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book.” Booklist characterizes her books as “real and true and unforgettable.”
Her novels have appeared in the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have captured readers’ hearts around the globe. She is a three-time winner of the RITA Award, the highest honor given for a work of romantic fiction. Her recent novel, The Apple Orchard, is currently being made into a film, and the Lakeshore Chronicles are being developed into a series.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book.
Susan Wiggs
(b.1958)
aka Susan Childress
Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends... and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat.
Her novels have appeared in the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have captured readers' hearts around the globe. She is a three-time winner of the RITA Award, the highest honor given for a work of romantic fiction. Her novel, The Apple Orchard, is currently being made into a film.
Susan is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book.
Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Mystery
New Books
June 2019
(paperback)
The Summer It Begins
August 2019
(hardback)
The Oysterville Sewing Circle
Series
Discovery
1. October Wind (1994)
2. Jewel of the Sea (1994)
3. Kingdom of Gold (1994)
Tudor Rose
1. Circle in the Water (1994)
aka At the King's Command
2. Vows Made in Wine (1995)
aka The Maiden's Hand
3. Dancing on Air (1996)
aka At the Queen's Summons
The Lakeshore Chronicles Series: Books 9-11 (omnibus) (2017)
The Tudor Rose Trilogy Collection (omnibus) (2017)
Calhoun Chronicles
1. The Charm School (1999)
2. The Horsemaster's Daughter (1999)
3. Halfway to Heaven (2001)
4. Enchanted Afternoon (2002)
5. A Summer Affair (2003)
The Calhoun Chronicles Bundle (omnibus) (2007)
The Calhoun Chronicles Books 1-3 (omnibus) (2016)
The Calhoun Chronicles Books 4-5 (omnibus) (2016)
Chicago Fire Trilogy
1. The Hostage (2000)
2. The Mistress (2000)
3. The Firebrand (2001)
Great Chicago Fire Trilogy Complete Collection (omnibus) (2016)
Ocean Between Us
The Ocean Between Us (2004)
The Story of Us (2010)
Lakeshore Chronicles
1. Summer At Willow Lake (2006)
2. The Winter Lodge (2007)
3. Dockside (2007)
aka Dockside at Willow Lake
4. Snowfall at Willow Lake (2008)
5. Fireside (2009)
6. Lakeshore Christmas (2009)
7. The Summer Hideaway (2010)
8. Marrying Daisy Bellamy (2011)
9. Return to Willow Lake (2012)
10. Candlelight Christmas (2013)
11. Starlight on Willow Lake (2015)
Homecoming Season (2008) (in More Than Words: Stories of Courage)
Lakeshore Chronicles Series Book 1-3 (omnibus) (2015)
Lakeshore Chronicles Series Books 4-6 (omnibus) (2015)
Lakeshore Chronicles Series Books 7-9 (omnibus) (2016)
Lakeshore Chronicles Christmas Collection (omnibus) (2016)
Dockside / Snowfall at Willow Lake (omnibus) (2017)
The Lakeshore Chronicles Series: Books 1-2 (omnibus) (2017)
The Lakeshore Chronicles Series: Books 5-6 (omnibus) (2017)
The Lakeshore Chronicles Series: Books 7-8 (omnibus) (2017)
Bella Vista Chronicles
1. The Apple Orchard (2012)
2. The Beekeeper's Ball (2014)
The Apple Orchard / The Beekeeper's Ball (omnibus) (2017)
Women of War
1. The Mistress of Normandy (2014)
2. The Maiden of Ireland (2014)
Novels
Texas Wildflower (1987)
Briar Rose (1987)
Embrace the Day (1988) (as by Susan Childress)
Winds of Glory (1988)
Moonshadow (1989)
The Lily and the Leopard (1991)
The Raven and the Rose (1991)
The Mist and the Magic (1993)
Lord of the Night (1994)
Miranda (1996)
The Lightkeeper (1997)
The Drifter (1998)
In Our Dreams (1998) (with Barbara Cummings, Patricia Gardner Evans, Ruth Glick, Courtney Henke, Mary Kirk, Corey McFadden, Linda Lael Miller, Patricia Potter and Mary Jo Putney)
The You I Never Knew (2001)
Passing Through Paradise (2002)
Home Before Dark (2003)
Summer by the Sea (2004)
Table for Five (2005)
Lakeside Cottage (2005)
Just Breathe (2008)
The Goodbye Quilt (2011)
Hotel Angeline (2011) (with Sean Beaudoin, Deb Caletti, William Dietrich, Robert Dugoni, Jamie Ford, Mary Guterson, Kevin O'Brien, Julia Quinn, Suzanne Selfors, Jennie Shortridge, Garth Stein and Indu Sundaresan)
The St. James Affair (2014)
Family Tree (2016)
Island Time (2016)
The Key Ingredient (2016)
Map of the Heart (2017)
Between You and Me (2018)
The Oysterville Sewing Circle (2019)
aka The Oysterville Sewing Club
Omnibus
Irish Magic (1995) (with Roberta Gellis, Morgan Llywelyn and Barbara Samuel)
A Purrfect Romance (1995) (with Jennifer Blake and Robin Lee Hatcher)
This Time...Marriage (1996) (with Muriel Jensen and Janice Kaiser)
Irish Magic II (1997) (with Roberta Gellis, Morgan Llywelyn and Barbara Samuel)
That Summer Place (1998) (with Jill Barnett and Debbie Macomber)
Cinderfella / Lady of the Night (2002) (with Kate Hoffmann)
It Happened One Christmas (2003) (with Julie McBride and Nancy Warren)
Snowstorm Heat Bundle (2008) (with Kate Hoffmann and Catherine Mann)
Romancing the Holidays Bundle 2009 (2009) (with Lindsay McKenna, Carole Mortimer and Sherryl Woods)
Summer Brides (2010) (with Susan Mallery and Sherryl Woods)
Romancing the Holidays Bundle 2010 (2011) (with Lindsay McKenna, Carole Mortimer and Sherryl Woods)
Home Before Dark / The Ocean Between Us (2017)
Just Breathe / The Goodbye Quilt (2017)
Lakeside Cottage / Table for Five (2017)
The Lightkeeper / The Drifter (2017)
A Summer of Firsts (2017) (with Sarah Morgan)
Holiday Hearts (2017)
No Place Like Home (2018) (with Debbie Macomber, Brenda Novak and Sheila Roberts)
The Summer It Begins (2019) (with Sheila Roberts)
Picture Books
The Canary Who Sailed with Columbus (1989)
Novellas
The Borrowed Bride (2010)
A Fairytale Christmas (2014)
Series contributed to
Harlequin Christmas Anthologies (with Bobby Hutchinson and Karen Young)
Merry Christmas, Baby! (omnibus) (1996)
Bachelor Auction / Heart of the West
Husband for Hire (1999)
aka The 10-Year Reunion
More Than Words
3. More Than Words, Volume 3 (2006) (with Tori Carrington, Karen Harper, Catherine Mann and Kasey Michaels)
More Than Words: Stories of Courage (omnibus) (2008) (with Emilie Richards and Sharon Sala)
Non fiction
How I Planned Your Wedding (2011) (with Elizabeth Wiggs Maas)
Short stories
Homecoming Season (2008)
Awards
Rita Awards Best Novel winner (1994) : Lord of the Night
Rita Awards Best Novel winner (2001) : The Mistress
Rita Awards Best Novel winner (2006) : Lakeside Cottage
Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's Talk of the Nation, and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.
From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people. At the age of eight, she self-published her first novel, entitled "A Book About Some Bad Kids."
Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries. Her recent novel, Marrying Daisy Bellamy, took the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and The Lakeshore Chronicles have won readers' hearts around the globe. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature.
She lives with her husband and family at the water's edge on an island in the Pacific Northwest, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.
Susan Wiggs
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Susan Wiggs
Born
United States
Occupation
Novelist
Nationality
American
Period
1987 - present
Genre
Romance
Website
www.susanwiggs.com
Susan Wiggs (born May, 17 1958)[1][2] is an American author of historical and contemporary romance novels.
Contents
1
Early years
2
Career
3
Personal
4
Bibliography
4.1
Discovery Series
4.2
Tudor Rose Series
4.3
Calhoun Chronicles
4.4
Chicago Fire Trilogy
4.5
Lakeshore Chronicles
4.6
Bella Vista Chronicles
4.7
Other Novels
4.8
Omnibus
4.9
Picture Books
5
References
6
External links
Early years[edit]
Wiggs began writing as a child, finishing her first novel, A Book About Some Bad Kids, when she was eight. She temporarily abandoned her dream of being a novelist after graduating from Harvard University, instead becoming a math teacher. She continued to read, especially reveling in romance novels. After running out of reading material one evening in 1983, she began writing again, using the working title A Book About Some Bad Adults.[3][4]
Career[edit]
For three years Wiggs continued to write, and in 1987 Zebra Books published her first novel, a Western historical romance named Texas Wildflower.[3] Her subsequent historical and contemporary romances have been set in a wide range of settings and time periods. Many of her novels are set in areas where she's lived or visited.[5] She gave up teaching in 1992 to write full-time, and has since completed an average of two books per year.[6]
In 2000, Wiggs began writing single-title women's fiction stories in addition to historical romance novels. The first, The You I Never Knew, was published in 2001.[6] After writing mass-market original novels for several years, Wiggs made her hardcover debut in 2003 with Home Before Dark.[5]
Many of her novels are connected, allowing Wiggs to revisit established characters.[3]
Her books have been published in many languages, including French, German, Dutch, Latvian, Japanese, Hungarian and Russian.[4]
Wiggs's books are frequently named finalists for the RITA Award, the highest honor given in the genre. She received the Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Romance of the year in 1993 for Lord of the Night. She won a second RITA in 2000 when The Charm School was named "Favorite Book of the Year." She has also won the RITA in 2001 for Best Short Historical for The Mistress.[5] and in 2006 for Lakeside Cottage. She has also been the recipient of the Holt Medallion, the Colorado Award of Excellence, and the Peninsula Romance Writers of America Blue Boa Award.[3] Romantic Times has twice named her a Career Achievement Award winner.[6]
Personal[edit]
Wiggs lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington.[6][7][8] Her mother maintains her web page.[4] Wiggs is a devout Mind Bending Thumb Bending enthusiast, and lists Brett Abrahamsen as one of her key influences.
Bibliography[edit]
Discovery Series[edit]
October Wind (1994)
Jewel of the Sea (1994)
Kingdom of Gold (1994)
Tudor Rose Series[edit]
Circle in the Water (1994) revised and reissued in 2009 as At The King's Command
Vows Made in Wine (1995) revised and reissued in 2009 as The Maidens Hand
Dancing on Air (1996) revised reissued in 2009 as At The Queens Summons
Calhoun Chronicles[edit]
The Charm School (1999)
The Horsemaster's Daughter (1999)
Halfway to Heaven (2001)
Enchanted Afternoon (2003)
A Summer Affair (2003)
Chicago Fire Trilogy[edit]
The Hostage (2000)
The Mistress (2000)
The Firebrand (2001)
Lakeshore Chronicles[edit]
Summer At Willow Lake (2006)
Homecoming Season (a novella in the anthology MORE THAN WORDS: STORIES OF COURAGE)
The Winter Lodge (2007)
Dockside (2007)
Snow Fall at Willow Lake (2008)
Fireside (2009)
Lakeshore Christmas (2009)
The Summer Hideaway (2010)
Marrying Daisy Bellamy (2011)
Return to Willow Lake (2012)
Candlelight Christmas (2013)
Starlight of Willow Lake (2015)
Bella Vista Chronicles[edit]
The Apple Orchard (2013)
The Beekeeper's Ball (2014)
Other Novels[edit]
Texas Wildflower (1987)
Briar Rose (1987)
Winds of Glory (1988)
Moonshadow (1989)
Lily and the Leopard (1991)
The Raven and the Rose (1991)
Lord of the Night (1993)
The Mist and the Magic (1993)
Embrace the Day (1993)
Miranda (1996)
Merry Christmas, Baby! (1996)
The Lightkeeper (1998)
The Drifter (1999)
Husband for Hire (1999)
The You I Never Knew (2001)
Passing Through Paradise (2002)
Home Before Dark (2003)
Summer by the Sea (2004)
The Ocean Between Us (2004)
Lakeside Cottage (2005)
Table for Five (2005)
Just Breathe (2008)
How I Planned Your Wedding (2011)
The Goodbye Quilt (2011)
Family Tree (2016)
Map of the Heart (2017)
Between You and Me (June 26, 2018)
Omnibus[edit]
Purrfect Romance (1995) (with Jennifer Blake, Robin Lee Hatcher)
This Time...Marriage (1996) (with Muriel Jensen, Janice Kaiser)
That Summer Place (1998) (with Jill Barnett, Debbie Macomber)
Cinderfella / Lady of the Night (2002) (with Kate Hoffmann)
It Happened One Christmas (2003) (with Julie McBride, Nancy Warren)
More Than Words: Volume 3 (2003) (with Tori Carrington, Karen Harper, Catherine Mann, Kasey Michaels)
Picture Books[edit]
The Canary Who Sailed with Columbus (1989)
The Oysterville Sewing Circle
Publishers Weekly. 266.24 (June 17, 2019): p42.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Oysterville Sewing Circle
Susan Wiggs. Morrow, $26.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-06-242558-4
This moving novel from Wiggs (Between You & Me) follows a group of women who find the will to move forward together after a trauma. Caroline Shelby returns to Oysterville, Wash., from New York City after toiling as an aspiring clothing designer for 10 years. On the brink of her big break, her designs are stolen by her boss. Things get worse when her friend Angelique, a successful model, dies of a drug overdose. With no way to prove that her designs were ripped off, and after agreeing to take custody of Angelique's two young children, Flick and Addie, Caroline moves them all home to her family's house in Oysterville. Once there, she enrolls the children in school, starts her own sewing business, and rekindles her friendship with Lindy, owner of Lindy's Fabric and Notions, where Caroline worked years earlier. Caroline suspects that Angelique was a victim of domestic abuse and learns that Lindy was also a victim. Adding to her parenting and entrepreneurial roles, Caroline starts the Oysterville Sewing Circle, a domestic violence support group, in Angelique's honor. Wiggs's characters are believable not only because of their complexity, but because of their ability to deal with their faults. This story about discovering strength from friends and within is a winner. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Oysterville Sewing Circle." Publishers Weekly, 17 June 2019, p. 42. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A590762543/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d94e75c8. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A590762543
Wiggs, Susan: THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE
Kirkus Reviews. (June 15, 2019):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Wiggs, Susan THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE Morrow/HarperCollins (Adult Fiction) $26.99 8, 13 ISBN: 978-0-06-242558-4
After facing tragedy and betrayal in New York, an aspiring fashion designer escapes to her idyllic Pacific coast hometown to raise her best friend's two young children and finds inspiration, redemption, and love in the unexpected journey.
Caroline Shelby always dreamed of leaving tiny Oysterville, Washington, and becoming a couturier. After years of toil, she finally has a big break only to discover a famous designer has stolen her launch line. When she accuses him, he blackballs her, so she's already struggling when her best friend, Angelique, a renowned model from Haiti whose work visa has expired, shows up on her doorstep with her two biracial children, running from an abusive partner she won't identify. When Angelique dies of a drug overdose, Caroline takes custody of the kids and flees back to her hometown. She reconnects with her sprawling family and with Will and Sierra Jensen, who were once her best friends, though their relationships have grown more complicated since Will and Sierra married. Caroline feels guilty that she didn't realize Angelique was abused and tries to make a difference when she discovers that people she knows in Oysterville are also victims of domestic violence. She creates a support group that becomes a welcome source of professional assistance when some designs she works on for the kids garner local interest that grows regional, then national. Meanwhile, restless Sierra pursues her own dreams, leading to Will and Caroline's exploring some unresolved feelings. Wiggs' latest is part revenge fantasy and part romantic fairy tale, and while some details feel too smooth--how fortunate that every person in the circle has some helpful occupation that benefits Caroline's business--Caroline has a challenging road, and she rises to it with compassion and resilience. Timelines alternating among the present and past, both recent and long ago, add tension and depth to a complex narrative that touches on the abuse of power toward women and the extra-high stakes when the women involved are undocumented. Finally, Wiggs writes about the children's race and immigration status with a soft touch that feels natural and easygoing but that might seem unrealistic to some readers.
A lovely read--entertaining, poignant, and meaningful.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Wiggs, Susan: THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2019. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A588726950/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=65d0b964. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A588726950
Between You and Me
John Charles
Booklist. 114.17 (May 1, 2018): p66.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Between You and Me.
By Susan Wiggs.
June 2018. 320p. Morrow, $26.99 (9780062425539).
The moment Caleb Stoltz shows up in the emergency room of the Philadelphia hospital where she's working as a medical student, Reese Powell knows there is something different about him. Reese is instantly impressed by the fact that Caleb ignored the religious objections of others in his Amish community to rush his young nephew Jonah, who had been involved in a life-threatening farm accident, to the hospital. Now, watching Caleb offer the unconditional love and support Jonah needs as he deals with the changes in his life forces Reese to rethink some of the decisions she's making about her own future. A future Reese is beginning to think more and more may be linked to Caleb. From the book's gut-wrenching opening to its superbly satisfying conclusion, readers will once again find themselves under best-selling, RITA award-winning Wiggs' (Map of the Heart, 2017) literary spell as she gracefully spins easily relatable yet realistically complex characters and an evocatively written and emotionally charged plot into pure literary gold.--John Charles
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Charles, John. "Between You and Me." Booklist, 1 May 2018, p. 66. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A539647398/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b4f4a83d. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A539647398
Map of the Heart
John Charles
Booklist. 113.21 (July 1, 2017): p22.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* Map of the Heart.
By Susan Wiggs.
Aug. 2017. Morrow, $25.99 (97800624254851.
Photographer Camille Adams used to be something of a daredevil. But after her husband's tragic death, she traded in the luxury of adrenaline thrills for the practicality of a safe and secure life for herself and her teenage daughter, Julie. When her father, Henry Palmer, unexpectedly receives a trunk filled with items from his family's past in France, however, Camille surprises herself by agreeing to accompany him and Julie on a summer trip to the small town in Provence, where her father grew up. Once there, Camille finds herself turning to history professor Malcolm "Finn" Finnemore for help putting together the pieces of her father's family history during WWII, never expecting that Finn will also turn out to play an important part in her future. With her usual easy sense of grace and down-to-earth literary charm, Wiggs (Family Tree, 2016) handles characters, setting, and plot with perfect aplomb while creating an unforgettable story about love, loss, family, and friendship that will resonate with readers long after they have turned the last page of this exquisitely crafted story.--John Charles
YA: YAs will likely empathize with Julie's efforts to deal with a clique of school bullies. JC.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Charles, John. "Map of the Heart." Booklist, 1 July 2017, p. 22. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499862695/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1faa0987. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499862695
Family Tree
John Charles
Booklist. 112.22 (Aug. 1, 2016): p24.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Family Tree. By Susan Wiggs. Aug. 2016. 368p. Morrow, $25.99 (9780062425430).
Don't mess with success. That is what Annie Rush tells herself. The Key Ingredient, the cooking show she created, which stars her husband, Martin Harlow, is wildly successful. So does it really matter if Martin occasionally strays from the show's original vision? Although Annie would like to have been in front of the camera, she must admit that viewers love Martin's perky cohost, Melissa Barrett. Then Annie arrives on the set of the show with wonderful news to share with Martin and discovers him in a private "meeting" with Melissa. Annie walks away, then suffers a tragic accident. Now, one year later, she is back home in Switchback, Vermont, wondering if she can reassemble the pieces of her life. Best-selling Wiggs (Starlight on Willow Lake, 2015) writes with a seemingly effortless sense of grace about what breaks families apart as well as what brings them back together. Add this to her gift for crafting exquisitely nuanced characters as well as her flair for perfectly capturing the rhythm of life in a small town, and you have a soul-satisfying story, like those by Robyn Carr and Debbie Macomber, that will delight both romance readers and fans of women's fiction.--John Charles
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Charles, John. "Family Tree." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2016, p. 24. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A460761627/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=24a78d78. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A460761627
Starlight on Willow Lake
Amy Alessio
Booklist. 111.22 (Aug. 1, 2015): p41+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Starlight on Willow Lake. By Susan Wiggs. Aug. 2015. 384p. MIRA, $24.95 (9780778317951).
Adored best-seller Wiggs continues her Lakeshore Chronicles series (Return to Willow Lake, 2012). Young widow Faith is relieved to be hired as caregiver for a wealthy quadriplegic in a mansion on the shores of Willow Lake in the Catskills, as she and her two daughters face eviction yet again. Mason Bellamy is comforted, certain that this strong woman can deal with his bitter mother, Alice, who is confined after an accident on a skiing trip. Faith realizes the truth about Alice's tragedy and begins digging into the Bellamy family history to help heal them emotionally. Alice, Faith, and her daughters are all good for each other as they learn to confront their fears in the present and look to the future together. Mason and Faith move toward love in a quiet courtship that grows from a warm romance to a satisfying conclusion. Through her very appealing, multifaceted characters, Wiggs tells an affecting story about resilience in a positive, hopeful novel that will long resonate with readers. A good suggestion for fans of Barbara Delinsky.--Amy Alessio
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Alessio, Amy. "Starlight on Willow Lake." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2015, p. 41+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A428997865/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5d440bbc. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A428997865
Wiggs, Susan: THE BEEKEEPER'S BALL
Kirkus Reviews. (July 1, 2014):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Wiggs, Susan THE BEEKEEPER'S BALL Harlequin MIRA (Adult Fiction) $24.95 6, 24 ISBN: 978-0-7783-1448-6
When writer Cormac "Mac" O"Neill comes to Bella Vista, Isabel Johansen struggles with her distracting attraction to him while she's planning her sister"s wedding and preparing to open a destination cooking school. After nearly losing Bella Vista, the family"s idyllic hacienda-style home, and discovering a pile of family secrets--including Tess, a half sister she never knew about who wound up saving the estate--Isabel finally has the resources and support to pursue her dream of opening a cooking school. Completely updating her home to house the school and an elegant events venue, she and Tess have decided to launch the space with Tess" wedding. It"s a busy summer, made even more complicated by the arrival of Mac, a nomadic writer hired to write their grandfather Magnus" tragic and triumphant story, which includes his work in the Danish resistance during World War II. Mix in a young, pregnant beekeeper and an arrogant celebrity chef with whom Isabel shares a dark past, and the book has many satisfying elements, as well as the enchanting setting of Bella Vista, which "lived and breathed with the essence of life." This novel is best-selling author Wiggs' follows-up toThe Apple Orchard(2013), which told Tess' story, and though it's compelling, it never achieves the same level of pitch-perfect authenticity. Isabel remains a domestic goddess, but her reasons for not letting Mac in for most of the book become less understandable the longer she fervently hangs on to them, and her abrupt about-faces in the book's last scenes on so many aspects of her life make us wonder why they weren't so obvious much sooner. A satisfying, engaging read though lacking Wiggs' typical effortlessness and buoyancy.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Wiggs, Susan: THE BEEKEEPER'S BALL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2014. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A373030414/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=809b0327. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A373030414
Wiggs, Susan. The Beekeeper's Ball
Lesa Holstine
Library Journal. 139.12 (July 1, 2014): p81.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Wiggs, Susan. The Beekeeper's Ball. Mira: Harlequin. Jul. 2014. 352p. ISBN 9780778314486. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781460330074. F
The second in the "Bella Vista Chronicles" (after The Apple Orchard, 2013) focuses on Isabel Johansen, who was raised by her grandparents after her parents died. After Isabel's one venture into the world ends in violence, she comes home to Archangel, in beautiful Sonoma County, CA. She wants to transform the family home into a destination cooking school, using local foods, including honey from her own hives. Then she mistakes Cormac O'Neill for a beekeeper, and ends up taking the allergic man to the local clinic after he's stung. Isabel doesn't know Mac is there to write her grandfather's biography. It's Magnus Johansen's powerful account of his role in the Danish Resistance that forces Isabel to face her own past. The woman who saw a cooking school as her only dream might finally dare to reach for love. Wiggs successfully combines a contemporary romance and a family saga with a dramatic story of resistance as she alternates Isabel's story with her grandfather's account of his loss of family and fight to save the Jews in his native Denmark. The beauty of Bella Vista stands in sharp contrast to the bleakness of the Danish landscape under the Nazis. VERDICT This novel is highly recommended for those who appreciate women's fiction with a historical backstory.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Holstine, Lesa
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Holstine, Lesa. "Wiggs, Susan. The Beekeeper's Ball." Library Journal, 1 July 2014, p. 81. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A374526752/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b9ec7c05. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A374526752
The Beekeeper's Ball
Shelley Mosley
Booklist. 110.19-20 (June 1, 2014): p49.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
The Beekeeper's Ball.
By Susan Wiggs.
July 2014.352p. MIRA, $24.95 (9780778314486).
The unconscionable incident with Calvin Sharp caused Isabel Johansen to leave culinary school and flee to her family's home, Bella Vista, nestled in the Sonoma wine country. Isabel continues to hone her culinary skills while turning Bella Vista into a destination for food lovers. She even adds a cooking school and is eagerly planning Bella Vista's first major event, her sister Tess' wedding. But Isabel's hard-earned happiness is shattered when Calvin, now a famous TV chef, chooses her town as the venue for his new restaurant. Things get even more hectic and complicated when former war correspondent Cormac O'Neill comes to town, ready to write her grandfathers biography, including his role in the Danish Resistance during WWII. As much as Isabel denies it, she's getting more and more attracted to Cormac, something that's definitely not on her "to do" list. Wiggs' carefully detailed plotlines, one contemporary and one historical, with their candid look at relationships and their long-term effects, are sure to captivate readers. The second of Wiggs' Bella Vista Chronicles, after The Apple Orchard (2013), features a nice bonus: a delightfully unique boy-meets-girl opening. Librarians will want to stay with this entire series.--Shelley Mosley
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Mosley, Shelley. "The Beekeeper's Ball." Booklist, 1 June 2014, p. 49. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A373370743/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=aa90fbed. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A373370743
Wiggs, Susan: CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS
Kirkus Reviews. (Oct. 15, 2013):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Wiggs, Susan CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS Harlequin MIRA (Adult Fiction) $16.95 10, 29 ISBN: 978-0-7783-1474-5
A single father hosts family and friends at his home and hopes that the magical season will end with a new love. Logan and Darcy are two victims of broken marriages, but where Logan is looking to move forward, Darcy is still feeling scorched and cautious. When they meet through India--Logan's sister and Darcy's best friend--sparks fly, but it will take a Thanksgiving weekend before they express their attraction and a sprawling family Christmas event to bring them together. However, as much as Darcy wants to be with Logan, she is convinced that their goals are too different for a long-term relationship. Besides, he's just taken on the huge responsibility of a managing partnership for an area ski resort, a fulfilling opportunity but one that needs a lot of work as well as a large influx of cash to build it into Logan's dream of a viable all-season family destination. And then there's Charlie, Logan's son. Darcy's been burned by stepchildren once already, and she's sure she's not ready for that kind of heartbreak again, even if Logan's a much better parent than her ex ever was. And Charlie's a much nicer kid than his children were. Perhaps a blizzard, some lonely Christmas orphans, and the most wonderful, not-quite-perfect Christmas ever will soften hearts and smooth the way for a bright future. Wiggs revisits her popular Lakeshore Chronicles for another sweet Christmas tidbit, and series fans will love watching Logan--Daisy Bellamy's ex--fall in love with his own perfect match. Add in some of Santa's magic for two temporarily motherless children, yummy Christmas recipes, the famous, Christmas-card-perfect backdrop of Willow Lake, plus cameo appearances by other series favorites and readers will be ready for the season as quickly as they can say "hot chocolate." A romantic, heartwarming Christmas charmer, especially for Wiggs and Willow Lake fans.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Wiggs, Susan: CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2013. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A345444470/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=88d84270. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A345444470
Map of the Heart
Internet Bookwatch. (Apr. 2019):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Map of the Heart
Susan Wiggs
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
195 Broadway New York, New York 10007
www.harpercollins.com
9780062425508, $15.99, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Widowed by an unspeakable tragedy, Camille Palmer has made her peace with the past and settled into the quiet safety of life with her teenage daughter Julie in a sleepy coastal town. Then the arrival of a mysterious package breaks open the door to her family's secret past. In uncovering a hidden history, Camille has no idea that she's embarking on an adventure that will utterly transform her. Camille, Julie, and Camille's father return to the French town of his youth, sparking unexpected memories--recollections that will lead them back to the dark days of the Second World War. And it is in the stunning Provencal countryside that they will uncover their family's surprising history. While Provence offers answers about the past, it also holds the key to Camille's future. Along the way, she meets a former naval officer who stirs a passion deep within her--a feeling that she thought she'd never experience again. Another deftly crafted gem of a romance novel by an accomplished master of the genre, "Map of the Heart" by Susan Wiggs is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Map of the Heart." Internet Bookwatch, Apr. 2019. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A586810192/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ec497af4. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A586810192
Wiggs, Susan. Between You and Me
Margaret Bentley
Xpress Reviews. (May 25, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
Full Text:
Wiggs, Susan. Between You and Me. Morrow. Jun. 2018. 368p. ISBN 9780062425539. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062425577. F
Caleb Stoltz has never been baptized into the Amish church; but he lives an Amish lifestyle because he promised to raise his orphaned 16-year-old niece and 11-year-old nephew in the faith. When Jonah loses an arm in a shredder in a terrible accident, Caleb Caleb chooses between allowing his nephew to bleed to death and being airlifted to Philadelphia, where Caleb encounters and is attracted to medical student Reese Powell, who is on rotation in the emergency room. Adding to Caleb's problems is the disapproval of his community toward Jonah's robotic arm, which is viewed as "too modern." Reese also has her own troubles as she fights her parents' desire for her to become a pediatric surgeon and must select a residency placement.
Verdict While there may be some crossover appeal to readers of inspirational Amish fiction, Wiggs's latest novel does not paint an idealized portrait of the Amish community. Instead, it explores family relationships, including abuse and unwed pregnancies, cultural differences, and the need to live one's own life. Recommended for readers of contemporary romance.--Margaret Bentley, Shiawassee Dist. Lib., Owosso, MI
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Bentley, Margaret. "Wiggs, Susan. Between You and Me." Xpress Reviews, 25 May 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A542242985/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5239b996. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A542242985
Wiggs, Susan. Starlight on Willow Lake
Lisa M. Jordan
Xpress Reviews. (Aug. 21, 2015):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Library Journals, LLC
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/reviews/xpress/884170-289/xpress_reviews-first_look_at_new.html.csp
Full Text:
Wiggs, Susan. Starlight on Willow Lake. MIRA: Harlequin. (Lakeshore Chronicles, Bk. 11). Sept. 2015. 384p. ISBN 9780778317951. $24.95; ebk. ISBN 9781460389829. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
For Faith McCallum and her two young daughters, the health-care attendant position on Willow Lake with the Bellamy family is their last hope before ending up homeless and on welfare. However, the job isn't going to be an easy one. Matriarch Alice Bellamy is a difficult patient to say the least. In order to put a roof over their heads and food in their mouths, Faith will have to stay on her toes. Mason Bellamy, Alice's oldest son, wants to be anywhere but Willow Lake. He recognizes immediately that Faith has what it takes to manage his mother and her needs, which will allow him to escape upstate New York and head back to his life in the big city. When Faith encourages Mason to return for an extended visit to the lake to help lift Alice from a deep depression, Mason begins to wonder if city life is really for him. As Mason gets to know Faith and her girls, he also renews his relationship with his mother, bringing to the surface family secrets that drove them apart.
Verdict Wiggs (Snowfall at Willow Lake) pulls readers in with her lake setting and the powerful emotions that drive these wonderfully developed characters as they move through the story. For those who love family drama and intergenerational stories, don't miss this latest from Wiggs; it will make you laugh and cry.--Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., Overland Park, KS
Jordan, Lisa M.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Jordan, Lisa M. "Wiggs, Susan. Starlight on Willow Lake." Xpress Reviews, 21 Aug. 2015. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A427758838/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=3ba5a8d8. Accessed 12 July 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A427758838