Love and
Glory follows the lives of Lane and Catherine Temple
and their family. After the war with Japan is
over, Lane returns home to his family and a failing
law practice in Sweetwater, Mississippi. He is
plagued by haunting memories of experiences during the
war. Moving his family to the city, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, in an effort to rejuvenate his law practice,
he finds himself drawn up in shady practices in order
to bring more wealth to his struggling family.
Along with shady deals, comes contact with conniving,
dangerous people who threaten more than his law practice.
Will Lane make choices that will lead him into being
unfaithful to his wife and family? What about
his business choices which seem to be drawing him into
a web of deceit and danger? Will Lane recognize
the illusion of power and success for what it is - the
ploys of the enemy - before it is too late?
I found The Innocent Years Series in general to be well-written
but depressing over all, as the characters dealt with
problems encountered during and after a soldier returns
from devastating experiences during war. However,
although I found them depressing, I couldn't bear to
give up on the series and often finished a book in a
day or two. If you like stories about American
History, particularly set during or after wars, you
might really enjoy this series.
These
Golden Days continues the saga of the Temple
family. Enjoying relative prosperity with his
law practice in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lane settles
in to rebuilding his family life. All is not well
with the oldest Temple daughter, Jessie, who appears
to be hanging out with the "wrong" crowd. A terrible
and senseless tragedy shakes Jessie's life and propels
her down a road she had not intended upon taking.
Her "wild" boyfriend, Austin Youngblood, experiences
something that may threaten their relationship more
than Jessie's choices and changes Austin's life forever.
As Jessie innocently sets out on her chase towards the
life of glitter and glamour in Hollywood, she meets
and experiences the more jaded side of show business.
Will she realize all that she has left behind and return
to the ones that really love her? Will Lane, who
has been recalled into the marines for the war in Korea,
escape this war alive and no more injured than with
the memories of lives snuffed out in combat?
This book promises more of the same themes introduced
in the first of the series. I was more encouraged
by the content of this story than I was with the first
book. An interesting glimpse into different aspects
of the war such as combat, life at home for those left
behind, and the Bob Hope tours to the men in combat.
A fair read.
Heart and Soul follows
the lives of the Temple family as Lane returns and convalesces
from his physical and mental injuries attained in the
Korean War. New opportunities arise as political
climate shifts in Louisiana. Lane must decide
whether to run for a seat in the Louisiana House of
Representatives. Powerful enemies introduced in
the first book of the series, seek to destroy Lane and
his credibility as well as his life. Senator Catelon
has not forgotten his vendetta against Lane Temple and
sets events in order that threaten the happiness of
the Temple family once again. Will Lane have to
spend time in one of the most horrendous prisons in
America? Will his family and friends be able to
save him from his enemies? Why has the key player
mysteriously disappeared?
This third
book in the series, combines mystery, power, and political
ambitions in an attempt to create an interesting story
from beginning to end. Having read the first two books
in the series, I felt like I knew these characters and
empathized with them as they battled forces outside
of their control. However, again I found that
the book focussed on overwhelming negative situations
and didn't have enough periods of happiness or real
joy to counteract it's depressing nature. I gave
up before I finished this book. Perhaps you'll have
better luck keeping on with this series. Maybe I'll
pick it up again in a few years and enjoy it more then.
Good luck!
She Came to Memphis Looking for
a Big Break, but She Finds So Much More. On a cold
dark night in a ramshackle nightclub located across
the river from Baton Rouge, Jessie Temple sees Elvis
Presley perform and decides to go to Memphis, hoping
to break into the latest musical craze called rock
and roll. But while she struggles to become a singing
star, Jessie meets a street preacher named Billy Pilgrim
who grew up with Elvis. Pilgrim's success as an evangelist
begins to skyrocket, opening the doors to some of
the biggest churches in the South, and he takes Jessie
on a whirlwind tour with him as the featured singer
in his meetings. Meanwhile, Austin Youngblood is finishing
up his law degree at Harvard and is putting pressure
on Jessie to get married. Will she lose their future
together if she continues to travel with Billy Pilgrim
and sing in his meetings? And what are Pilgrim's feelings
for Jessie? Back at the Temple home, Jessie's sister,
Sharon, is now fifteen and smitten by a football player
named Aaron Walters. When her health begins to fail,
will he prove to be a true friend in her time of need?
(c) Amazon.com
I didn't read this book as I
found the previous ones too depressing to continue
with the series.
Dalton Temples dream of a future
in professional football seems a sure thing. But a
severe knee injury in his junior year sidelines both
his football career and his romance. He gives his
all to rehabilitation, but the reality is that hell
never play pro ball again. Disillusioned, Dalton ends
up in New Orleans French Quarter where he is given
a second chance at love but his wonderful woman has
a shady past whose shadows must be put to rest . .
.(c) Amazon.com
Cassidy Temple is young, restless
and rebellious. He enters L.S.U. on a track scholarship,
his dream of a national sprinting title within his
reach. But a confrontation with the quarterback of
the football team pushes Cassidy over the edge and
he decides to join the newly formed Green Berets.
Shortly after his arrival in Vietnam, Cassidy falls
in love with a USO dancer. He may be tough, but is
he tough enough to win the treacherous battle to claim
her love? (c) Amazon.com
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