Product Description
A poignant novel about a lifelong friendship, this is the story of Barbara and Marilyn, who once shared an idyllic childhood in the modest Riggs Park neighborhood of Washington, DC. Now, at age 58, each is dealing with a crisis - Marilyn with recurrent breast cancer, Barbara with a difficult relationship with a man. Yet both feel driven to return to the old neighborhood together to solve a decades-old mystery that still haunts them. The heart-wrenching secret they discover tests their friendship. Will it also shatter the resilience that got them through the repressive social mores of the 1950s, the white flight from the city, the years of feminism and anti-feminism and child-rearing? Or will it give them the strength to move on?Download Description
A story about lifelong friendships that span decades of happiness, sorrow and surprising revelations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Riggs Park
RIGGS PARK by Ellyn Bache
September 26, 2007

Amazon Rating: 4/5 stars

I have really enjoyed these books published by Harlequin under the NEXT line of books, what used to be unique stories about women of all ages and all walks of life. In RIGGS PARK, the book centers on a group of friends who grew up in an area of Washington, DC called Riggs Park. Events in their past have separated them, but now Barbara Cohen is summoned by one of these friends to come back home.

When Marilyn calls up Barbara without telling her the real reason for the summons, Barbara isn't sure what to think. Barbara is currently living with Jon, the love of her life, but is at a point where she isn't sure if her life is headed in the right direction. When she finally meets up with Marilyn, she learns two things: 1)Marilyn has been diagnosed again with cancer; and 2) there is some news regarding their childhood friend Penny, a girl that had a very difficult time growing up.

The story is involved and detailed, and takes the reader to the past when Barbara, Marilyn, and Penny were growing up during the 50's and 60's. Penny was the odd girl out, but the three of them somehow always ended up together. Other friends wove in and out of their lives including Marilyn's brother Steve, who ended up becoming a famous rock star, and whose first big hit song was based on Penny.

While Barbara is visiting Riggs Park, she meets up with Marilyn but is told to talk to Essie Berman (a woman who she thought had either disappeared or passed away years ago) who has secrets about Penny. Barbara eventually finds out what the secret is, and it shatters everything she had believed in all these years since they had lost contact with Penny.

I found this story to be very engaging (although I didn't buy into the fact that Steve was a world famous rock star) and couldn't wait to find out what the big secret was that Essie Berman had been keeping all these years. It was a "wow" moment for sure, and the story about the friends and how their lives related to one another was also very entertaining. I am sorry to hear that the NEXT books will no longer be publishing stories such as this, stories that are "outside the box" and not the typical Harlequin romance. I have nothing against romances, but I will always appreciate stories that don't fit a certain type of genre, with story lines that are unique and unencumbered by formulaic styles of writing.

Intriguing Story!
This book was a great surprise to me! I know that the "Next" novels are not marketed towards women of my age group, but I had no trouble relating to the characters. In fact, I found them all very intriguing!

Intriguing mystery and enjoyable women friends' book
Really liked Riggs Park and would recommend it to o my friends. The story captivated me from the first and the mystery of what happened to Penny and wondering what Marilyn was doing having a face lift kept me turning the pages.

The story shows that sometimes what we remember from childhood is very different from what actually went on.

The flashbacks were a bit confusing at times, but I was able to keep up.

Look forward to more books by this author.

captivating
I couldn't put the book down--loved the characters but also the depth and uniqueness of the story.Can't believe how much the author could pack into this size of book--will be looking for her books in the future.Highly recommend.The story was so human, so real, something all women could relate to...

fine middle age amateur sleuth
They met as little kids in the DC Riggs Park area and have remained friends for over fifty years though Barbara Cohen lives in Wrightsville, North Carolina while Marilyn Waxman remained in the Washington area.Marilyn informs Barbara that she is back and she needs to see her to discuss what happened to another friend Penny when they were in college.Knowing that it is cancer Barbara agrees to visit her best friend although she is having personal problems with her lover Jon.

Marilyn shocks Barbara when she mentions she will undergo a facelift prior to the experimental cancer treatment.Even more stunning is the secret that Penny had a child before vanishing; the father is either Marilyn's famous singing brother Steve or an unknown she apparently met on the "Bus Ride to see Steve.Reluctantly Barbara agrees to search for clues that would lead to Penny's offspring.As she begins her quest in the old neighborhood she realizes you can never go home, but continues her elusive venture.

This fine middle age amateur sleuth character study is a well written buddy tale with a cast that makes the ensemble cast especially the lead female friends seem real.The friendship between Marilyn and Barbara serves as the key foundation to an intriguing plot.Barbara's inquires begin somewhat late in the novel as she is not convinced she should follow the clues until she realizes her beloved buddy needs to know the truth.With a terrific final twist to the delightful RIGGS PARK, readers will look forward to what comes next from Ellyn Bache.

Harriet Klausner
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Book Description
A first-person journal about the author's sponsorship of a Vietnamese refugee family in the mid-'70s. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Ellyn Bache, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 911 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description
The first kiss reminded her of raspberry sherbet…

And no man's kiss has since matched that wonderful, summery essence in all its glory. LilyRose knows her rare ability to "see" sounds and "taste" shapes—synesthesia— is a gift that defines who she is…but it's also made her an object of ridicule.

And made her an outcast. That is, until a mean-spirited customer mocks a young girl—and kindred spirit—she's befriended. Years of repression suddenly give way when LilyRose hurls a basket at that customer. And finds herself being escorted from her shop in handcuffs!

For decades LilyRose has searched for that special man who could teach her to embrace her uniqueness. She just didn't expect to find him waiting to pick her up from jail….

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Customer Reviews (1)

interesting contemporary character study
LilyRose Sheffield suffers from synthesia as she has the uncanny ability to "see" sounds and "taste" shapes.Twelve years ago her then boyfriend called her a freak because of her senses behaving differently from the norm.Mortified, LillyRose has hidden her gift ever since treating it as a curse as she hates the ridicule and scorn.

However, she explodes when a nasty customer cruelly mocks a young girl, who suffers from the same synthesis condition.Angrily LilyRose hits a woman with a basket leading to her arrest.This one may have a happy ending when the raspberry-sherbet tasting lips she has waited for all her life comes to take her out of jail.

RASPBERRY SHERBET KISSES is an interesting contemporary character study with a romantic subplot.The story line focuses on LilyRose's efforts to mainstream so that she avoids mockery until the tasty kisses of the hunk rescues her from her own self imposed exile.Readers will appreciate this fine look at a woman whose biggest problem is accepting that it is okay to be different and those who mock her are ignorant fools unless you give them the power to limit you as LilyRose did as Kermit the Frog is right.

Harriet Klausner
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Customer Reviews (3)

For children of a mixed marriage
Two Christian sons chose Jewish wives. Both have children. Because of the mixed nature of the households, little emphasis was placed on the spiitual but a lot on the gifts involved in the two similar holidays; Christmas and Hanakuh. Celebrating two holidays with divergent themes is difficult to explain to young children. Therefore, this book was written to assist in explaining the similarities and differences of the two celebrations.

Holiday Reading for All Faiths
Our book group chose this as a holiday selection.It is heartwarming and quick to read -- perfect for the busy fall/winter season -- but also raises a lot of issues for discussion.Some of us learned the story of Hanukkah we hadn't known before, and we were all introduced to the unique issues interfaith families deal with all the time.I would recommend this to readers of any faith as a moving, informative book that presents a lot of information in a very sweet package.

A great holiday book!
This is the story of an interfaith family whose child gets sick during the holidays -- a terrific book for learning how interfaith families manage, but also one any mother will identify with and hold her breath over.If you want to read something that will make you appreciate the true meaning of the holidays, this is it.Also makes a great gift. ... Read more

Book Description
How do new dads teach their daughters how brave baby girls can be...and how smart...and how athletic?Why by lifting them into the air and flying them around the room, turning them into the intrepid Pink Flash!

In a warm, sweet children's picture book, an award-winning author and award-winning illustrator team to create a loving story about a nervous new dad learning to overcome his fears and have fun with his daughter, while teaching her skills and confidence.The baby squeals with delight when he lifts her into the air, and she begins to feel capable and secure in the world as he assures her she's the bravest baby in the world, and the smartest and most artistic.

This tender, beautifully illustrated picture book is perfect for babies and toddlers, but also with an encouraging message for new dads or dads-to-be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Meant for reading aloud to very little girls
The collaborative effort of writer Ellyn Bache and artist Carol Tornatore, Daddy And The Pink Flash is a picture book story meant for reading aloud to very little girls, about the bond between a new dad and his baby daughter. Celebrating the joy of making designs and experiencing the enthusiasm of life, Daddy And The Pink Flash is a truly delight, warmly illustrated with realistic color artwork.

Perfect book for parents and daughters!
I just love this book!It really shows the love between a father and daughter as well as the passing from one generation to the next.There is always the Pink Flash.The pictures are fabulous also!I have given this book to several friends with baby girls, and they all think it's great. Even my four year old son loves reading about the Pink Flash, even though his younger sibling is a boy. When reading the book, I can't help but think that I too was once the Pink Flash, and it reminds me of the relationship that I have with my father.I recommend this book to anyone with a daughter. ... Read more

Book Description
As the mother of seven boys, Mag Singer fears she will never have the career she dreams of.But she begins to re-evaluate her priorities after she learns that her troubled middle son is missing after the terrorist bombing of his Marine barracks in Beirut. For three days, as the family awaits word of his fate, they are forced to come to terms with themselves and each other, and to rediscover the deep reservoir of love they once shared.Download Description
Bache gives us an American family richly created and lovingly depicted. On a chilly October morning, Mag and Patrick Singer awaken in their suburban Washington D.C. home to learn that the airport in Beirut has been bombed by Lebanese terrorists. Among the sixteen hundred Marines stationed there is Percival, one of their seven sons. Over the course of the next three days, as they wait to hear further news of Percival's fate, Mag and Patrick are joined by their six other sons in what becomes a vigil of patience and love, as well as a time for the Singers to make peace with their common past. The Singers' reunion is beset with turmoil, both comic and frightening.SAFE PASSAGE has been made into a film starring Susan Sarendon and Sam Shepard. For an author bio and photo, reviews and a reading sample, visit bosonbooks.com. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Family Reunited In the Threat of Separation
Safe Passage tells the story of Mag Singer, a mother of seven boys.Mag admits that she is a detatched mother.She never wanted her boys, until they were born.But when her middle child, Percival, a marine and the mosttroubled of the seven is feared dead in the midst of a terrorist bombing,the family gathers together and suddenly Mag realizes how important herfamily really is. ... Read more

Book Description
A devastating wildfire moves toward a North Carolina beach town during its annual Azalea Festival.As the crisis approaches, three lives touch and entwine-a high school administrator, a feisty "Azalea Princess," and a beautiful but unhappy jewelry maker. In the ensuing firestorm, each is forced to confront what they fear most. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

itty profound look at middle age crisis
In her late thirties and unhappy, Veronica Legacy decides it is time to pull up anchor, give up on the secure middle class existence she lives and start anew.Accompanied by her twenty years old daughter Simpson, Veronica leaves her spouse to return to the only place she ever felt at home, the farm of beloved septuagenarian Ernestine Trueheart.She doubts her husband will notice that the two women in his life have left him.

However, though welcomed by Ernestine, Veronica realizes you can't come home as nothing remains the same.The energetic Ernestine of memory is a slowly dying elderly woman.Still she offers Veronica what she most needs a sense of worth and belonging, but will that prove enough for an adult seeking a haven from the storms of life?

This is a terrific slice of life character study that showcases intriguing individuals, especially Veronica, struggling with problems that have thrown them into a depression yet come out fighting for what they believe in.Veronica is the center of this interesting tale, but the support cast mainly Ernestine and Simpson make her a fully developed protagonist.Fans will appreciate this fine often witty but always profound look at middle age crisis.

Harriet Klausner
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Product Description
Embarrassed by her mother's all-too-public civil rights activities in the fall of 1963, 17-year-old Beryl Rosinsky flees her home in Washington, DC, and begins college at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.Here, in the segregated South, she means to reject her destiny as her mother's daughter by conforming and fitting in.But she finds herself in a world of uncomfortable paradoxes.Strict rules for women don't apply to men.Southern good manners don't extend to the black girl who lives alone on the other side of the dorm.Soon Beryl begins to appreciate her family's values -- and learn who she really is. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A lively look back at the '60s
Anyone who lived through the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement in the early '60s or wants to know what it was like -- or who remembers (or wonders) about the rules college women had to endure (and college men didn't), will enjoy this lively, lighthearted novel that is also full of timely issues.Beryl Rosinsky thinks she's going to escape her civil-rights-activist mother when she runs away to college in the South, but instead she's forced to come to terms with exactly the kinds of prejudices and biases her mother is fighting.

Straightforward, honest story
Ellyn Bache serves up an interesting tale of relationships and identity in The Activist's Daughter. Living in bustling, Kennedy-era Washington, D.C., the Rosinsky family would appear to blend in well with their surroundings,if not for father Leonard's despondance over his reputation and careerbeing destroyed after the McCarthy trials and mother Leah's determinationto single-handedly help every worthy civil rights cause in the nation.Embarassed and angered by her mother's attention toward other people (andlack thereof toward her own family), seventeen-year-old Beryl wishes tobreak altogether from the activist's shadow. The best answer appears to beenrolling in an out-of-state college--North Carolina at Chapel Hill, whichin 1963 was more likely a different country.

The Activist's Daughter isstraightforward storytelling and a good recommendation for teenage readersinterested in segregation and the Civil Rights Era. Though I would haveliked to have seen more interaction between Beryl and her mother (whodisappears mid-story and seems to pop up when convenient), Bachecompensates for this strong conflict by keeping Leah in spirit, as seen inBeryl as watch her grow. Anyone frustrated with what television season hasto offer in terms of "strong women" should pick us this bookinstead. ... Read more