A must read for the amorous romantic, April 12, 2009
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) -
This review is from: Afternoon Tea (Hardcover)

Jody Riva La Greca’s inspiration for writing Afternoon Tea is her passion for the Victorian Age. She says, “human nature is timeless, and reveals the same dimension of emotion and intrigue in any era”.

Her novel is about love, struggle, and differences of the haves and have-nots in society taking place in the year 1895. The setting is beautifully detailed in and around New England’s picturesque towns. The plights of the characters were difficult at the turn of the century and you are enthralled by the descriptive prose laying them bare.

Lawrence Gray, 83, visits the grave of his beloved wife Emily, where he places red roses every Sunday even though she had died 40 years before. A neighbor, Meg Bailey, continuously watches him from her kitchen window and is intrigued by his devotion. Fanny Brund, the town historian, invites Meg to her home for tea and goes back to 1895 where she seeks the truth about Emily Gray’s untimely death. She looks to uncover a secret that may change Meg’s life.

Descriptions of a debutante ball, a devious ‘red lady’, and an old-fashioned wedding are all beautifully depicted. This was an interesting historical time when medicine was quite primitive and “tinctures” were mysterious potions which magically healed.

LaGreca brilliantly develops her characters to be graceful and elegant when manners were boundless, dress was significantly important, and the adventures of all classes were intriguing. The struggles of the poor are tremendous and the lives of the rich are full of imagery.

This could be a modern day portrayal relating to challenges of success and the rewards of unwavering devotional love. Even though this is a by-gone era, the book enchants you from beginning to end. The author laces a romantic triangle that will tug at your heart with a surprise ending. J. R. LaGreca has captured the Victorian Era exquisitely, like a fine painting or a glass of aged wine.

J. R. La Greca also is an award-winning poet and ends her book with A Grain of Sand, a poem dedicated to her sister.

A must read for the amorous romantic.

--Clark Isaacs
   Reviewer

Suburban Weird is a red-hot read, February 22, 2010
By Michael McCarty “Horror Author” (Rock Island, IL USA)
This review is from: Suburban Weird (Paperback)

Courtney Gold marries Seth Stephens and moves into his mother’s nine-bedroom mansion in Bayshore, Long Island. Courtney develops a crush for Seth’s adopted brother Dr. Aaron Stein, a fertility specialist. Then Aaron gets engaged to a sexy mail order Russian bride who also moves into the household.

Suburban Weird is a red-hot read. Highly recommended.

For those who would like a peek into how the other side lives, May 8, 2009 Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) -
This review is from: The Gloaming (Paperback)

The privileged, Reginald and Hannah Wellington of Great Neck, Long Island, New York, make lavish preparations for the engagement party of their daughter Margo who is to marry Stephan Randall. The elegant party takes a twist of events when Cousin Walter brings his beautiful Cousin Chloe, as an uninvited guest, and jealousy brings about tragedy.

Stephan and Margo have a tremendous fight when Stephan becomes drunk and exhibits interest in Chloe. He becomes so upset that he storms out of the party, has a car accident on the freeway, and this all results in his demise. After the accident, Margo’s glamorous life drastically changes when she discovers she is pregnant with Stephan’s child. She becomes irrational, defiant, and exhibits strange behavior by cutting her long flowing hair very short.

This story beautifully shows contrast between those in high society with wealth and honor as against those with unfortunate humble lives in the lower class. Chloe is the simple, well-grounded one, who has it altogether. She has an amazing impact on the Wellington family and befriends Margo. An unimaginable friendship ensues between Chloe and Margo, as their lives take on peculiar circumstances. Bonding between these two women becomes interesting after Chloe marries Margo’s controlling brother Rich.

Margo’s parents decided it would be best if she retreated to a home for unwed mothers. The novel becomes even more intriguing as Margo continues to be unmanageable by cutting her hair once again, but this time to baldness. Chloe struggles and maintains her good common sense. Mom and Dad Wellington are totally lost as they share some life lessons, but always are careful to keep the integrity of the family name, no matter what!

J. R. LaGreca has shown that being wealthy can mean you need to keep your social standing in society and must marry into the same status. As regards the poorer class, there seems to be less self-indulgence and more wholesome qualities, showing they seem to appreciate the simple things in life.

The Gloaming means “The period of fading light after sunset, but before dark.” This book is recommended for anyone who appreciates the affluent life, and for those who would like a peek into how the other side lives.

Clark Isaacs
Reviewer

Seduction seduced me!, September 12, 2009, by
Michael McCarty “Horror Author” (Rock Island, IL USA) -
See all my reviews This review is from: Seduction (Paperback)

Seduction novel reminds me of a pot of hot gumbo soup: throw in a love story, a mystery, suspense, plenty of amorous romance and even spooky undertones at times -- simmer until it boils then add plenty of spice and you would end up with something like J.R. LaGreca’s book.

Set in Long Island, this story is a tug-of-war love story, Camille Casey and Tasha Brookes both fighting for the affections of Raphael Manex. Then the mysterious old widow Marianne Franz throws everything for a curve.

The characters and plotting had me guessing until the very last page.

Bravo! I loved this book - highly recommended.

By Michael McCarty
Author of Liquid Diet, Modern Mythmakers, Out Of Time and 10 other books....

This review is from: Fleshpot (Paperback)
FLESHPOT, the curse of being beautiful, a beauty that everyone wanted to possess.  No matter who Maria met, they wanted to own her, like a piece of art or sculpture.  They would become obsessed with her and no matter what happened, they would not let her go.  The only way out for Maria was their unfortunate demise, sometimes at her own hands.  Her life was forever completely changed.  The twists and turns of this novel compelled me to keep reading.   I needed to know what Maria’s life was going to be.  I was totally shocked to find out what she had decided to do with the rest of her life.

Angela Carrillo
An avid reader, 5/6/10

“Afternoon Tea”, December 2, 2008, by
Suzanne S
This review is from: Afternoon Tea (Paperback)

“Afternoon Tea” is like walking onto a painting, a wondrous escape to a magnificently alive “other time” with exquisite, meticulously researched details interlaced throughout the complex and extreme fates of the main characters. Scattered throughout the ethereal romantic story is fascinating imagery of the clothes, literature, etiquette, and surprising inventions of the Victorian Era, which enhanced the sensation of really being there. My favorite revelations were the ultra-detailed precious “keepsakes” created by “the girls” (admirers and friends) ... totally inspiring! Especially today when crafts are taking center stage and the steampunk movement is still emerging. “Afternoon Tea” allowed me to peak at love, life, fate, and paradox through another window ...

“Afternoon Tea”, December 14, 2008, by
Sandra Grannis
This review is from: Afternoon Tea (Paperback)

I found Afternoon Tea to be a wonderful book to read! If you are a true romantic this book is for you! Old fashioned story telling from 1895, New England; this book offers romantic, and mystery. A love story with a surprise ending you would not want to miss. You will feel like you are part of this era, learning about historical times. Very romantic with a triangle love story that ends in more modern times. Romance and devotion are not lost! I hope you will enjoy the poetic writing and story telling of Jody La Greca as I did.

--By Sandra Grannis
   Reviewer

Victorian Romance Novel Lover’s Cup of Tea, March 22, 2009 , by Bingo-Karen Haney “Reader, Reviewer, and BOOK... (Florida) -
This review is from: Afternoon Tea (Paperback)

AFTERNOON TEA by J. R. LaGreca is set in New England in the late 1800’s. The details for the setting add much to the flavor of the story as it winds around the quaint villages of that area, many of which can still be visited today. AFTERNOON TEA is a romantic tale of class struggle in that era between the upper and lower class citizens.

As the story opens, 83-year-old Lawrence Gray is spied on by Meg Bailey from her kitchen window as he visits his wife’s grave every Sunday. His wife who had died about 40 years earlier is buried within Meg’s view and she becomes quite fascinated by the love and attention Gray still has for his wife after all these years. Would someone love Meg enough to bring her roses each week?

Meg becomes quite inquisitive about why Gray does this and so she pays a visit to Fanny Brund. Fanny is the keeper of the town’s secrets, the town historian one might call her. When Meg inquires, Brund invites her over for a cup of tea and so that afternoon, Meg learns of the wonderful love that Lawrence Gray and Emily Reed had for each other. Fanny takes Meg back to the time of Emily’s death and hints at what might have been a somewhat suspicious death.

Meg decides that she must discover what the secret is that has lain dormant all these years and so searches for answers to her questions. Little does Meg know that what she finds out may change her own life forever.

As Meg “goes back in time” she finds that it was still a time when medicine and medical care were very archaic and strange potions were thought to cure things almost by magic. LaGreca shows a great deal of research in this part of the story including how things looked such as every young woman’s special time when she would come out at a debutante ball. The description of the traditional and conservative wedding of that time is written with such wonderful detail that readers will feel like they are at the affair.

The clothing, customs, and manners of that time period come to life with LaGreca’s words and whether the rich or the poor are being described, one still can tell what it was like and thus gets a very real pictorial comparison of class struggle during that era.

What the reader finds out is that this was not just the simple time it might appear to be. A passionate 3 way love affair takes place that will surprise you as we would not think something like that would take place back in those days. Meg discovers that Lawrence’s precious Meg is set up by her father, Philip Reed, in a not unusual for the time arranged marriage...but not to Lawrence but rather to a promising young man by the name of Sir Dexter Lund. Lund is a lawyer with a good career ahead of him unlike poor Lawrence who has no education and therefore, no way to care for Reed’s daughter, Meg. At least in his eyes, not the way she would be cared for.

Unexpectedly, Lawrence is able to follow Emily to the home where she is now staying with her betrothed’s family. And so, to be near her, Lawrence is forced to become the beau of Lund’s sister, Mallory. In your imagination, you can think of many possibilities of where this would all lead, but which one is correct? How, if at all, does Meg fit into any of this? How did Lawrence finally wind up married to his beloved Emily whose grave he visits weekly? What part did the medical care of that time have to play in all this? How this story ends and why it is such a satisfying read are what keep you turning the pages until the very last one. Is the ending what you think it will be or is there a twist and surprise you never see coming? This is what you will find out when you read and enjoy as I did, AFTERNOON TEA by J. R. LaGreca.

The Bluestocking Guide: Book Reviews by Bluestocking
Rated L for Loved It!

Afternoon Tea
March 11, 2009

The story begins at a cemetery outside a church in Clinton, Connecticut. A young woman named Meg Bailey observes Lawrence Gray, an older gentleman with a cane, struggles to reach a gravesite. The grave bears testament to the fact that he visits every day- it is covered in roses.

As Meg asks around to determine the source of Lawrence’s devotion, a fellow church goer tells her that essentially Lawrence is doing penance because he feels responsible for his wife’s death. The churchgoer tells Lawrence’s story over a cup of afternoon tea...

The story begins in 1895. William and Lawrence Gray (father and son) were traveling through New England looking for employment after William sold his farm. William decides to look up his old (affluent) school chum, Philip Reed. Philip readily agrees to hire the pair and welcomes the duo into his house like family. Philip has a daughter, Emily. Right away we see that Emily and Lawrence take to each other. Emily feels Lawrence is the only person with whom she can talk. Ah, yes. Enter the conflict.

The pair are clearly from opposite sides of the track. Back in the Victorian times, young ladies weren’t necessarily allowed to marry the man they loved, not unless they fell in love with a man of great fortune. Generally, that’s whom their parents would have wished them to marry. Anyway, the pair begin to fall in love, but they are discovered as we suspected that they would be.

The pair find themselves victims of forces that they cannot control. Lawrence and his father find their station at the Reed’s reduced to servants. Emily is forced into a relationship with a man that she does not like. She’s sent to meet the man’s family. Surprisingly, Lawrence is invited to go along as an artist to paint Emily’s intended family.

I won’t tell you more of the story, but I will say that the pair go through a lot before they end up together. Even when they end up together, their lives are not smooth. Ah! Where are the men like Lawrence today? What an upright, courteous, and honorable man. I tell you, they don’t make them like that any more!!

I really enjoyed this book. I know this will surprise those of you who have been around my blog for a while, especially those who saw my Valentine’s Day post. I’m not the most romantic person in the world. But this was an excellent read. In fact, I sat down and read it in an evening. What I really liked about this book was the authenticity. The author mentions on the back cover of her book that she has an affinity with the Victorian Age. It came through loud and clear in the book. For example, the author mentions the book The Mystery of Love Courtship and Marriage Explained. This book does exist. It was written by Henry J. Wehman and published in 1890 by the Wehman brothers. The book offered advice and lessons to help men and women succeed in love. I ran an internet search and found out that little tidbit. I’m going to have to hit up some used bookstores to see if I can’t get my hands on a copy of this book. I’m familiar with a similar book called The Language of Flowers, which taught men and women to communicate by flower arrangements. No I’m not kidding. The sexes were restricted in talking with each other, so they thought up some pretty ingenious ways of communicating.


--Bluestocking
  

Afternoon Tea is a light romance set in the Victorian New England countryside of the late 1800’s. The story opens when Meg Bailey witnesses an ongoing ritual from her kitchen window of an old man bringing roses to his wife’s graveside.

Meg’s curiosity gets the better of her and she seeks out the help of the town historian, Fanny Brund for answers. Who is this man? Why does he visit the cemetery everyday? Fanny invites Meg over for a cup of tea that very afternoon and reveals to her the love story of Lawrence Gray and Miss Emily Reed.

Theirs is a love that cannot be fulfilled as Emily’s father, Philip Reed believes that an arranged marriage with a promising young lawyer, Sir Dexter Lund is a more suitable match than with Lawrence, a young man with little education and no means of supporting his daughter.

There is a turn of events and Lawrence is able to follow Emily, his only true love to her soon to be home with the Lund family. Once there though he unfortunately finds himself obligated to become a suitor to Miss Mallory Lund, sister of his true love’s fiancee...

Afternoon Tea by J. R. LaGreca: Reviewed by Øystein Bredesen (Norwegian Novelist)

In his autobiographical book, “Lost in America”, Isaac B. Singer, who received the Nobel Prize in 1978, put the following demands of standard to an author, wishing to write a novel:

“First of all you must have a good story to tell, and besides you must be the best to tell exactly that story.”

Jody R. LaGreca, the author of “Afternoon Tea”, would not have any problems with Isaac B. Singer.

“Afternoon Tea” is a juicy, exciting, heartbreaking and lovely novel, with all the ingredients a good story should have. Being brought back a good century to New England, and following the two main family branches, the Reed’s, the Lund’s, and the main role of Sir Lawrence Gray, through over sixty years, the story is both historically interesting, and intricate, regarding the destinies of the main roles. One immediately gets absorbed by the author’s good pen and her splendid telling style.

The time, period and culture are strong elements, being handled very convincingly and reliably by the author.

“Afternoon Tea” is a novel recommended to a wide range of readers, and would also do well as movie material.

Bergen, Norway the 15th of August 2009
Øystein Bredesen
Novelist

This review is from: Afternoon Tea (Paperback)

“Afternoon Tea” was a pure delight to read. The Victorian age comes alive once again as the result of both your highly descriptive writing and obviously a great deal of research. Wonderful and insightful attention to detail in relation to the period. I particularly enjoyed the rich character development. Your honest manner in which emotions and human nature were portrayed was quite refreshing. Also, that little twist at the end of the book was icing on the cake.

Don Ewold
April 19, 2010

This review is from: Afternoon Tea (Paperback)

The Oklahoman

Victorian Age shapes poet’s novel
Published: November 30, 2008

J.R. LaGreca is an award-winning poet and internationally published writer in magazines and anthologies. Her book, “Afternoon Tea” (Xlibris $19.99 paperback, $29.99 hardcover), was inspired by her emotional affinity with literary masterpieces of the Victorian Age.

The novel is set in Newport, Rhode Island and Salem, Mass. In 1895, Lawrence Gray and his father, William, are traveling the New England countryside in search of work when they come upon the Reed Estate. Philip Reed and William Gray were boyhood buddies, and the Grays are hired to work on the estate.

Lawrence soon becomes friends with the daughter, Emily Reed. The Grays are invited to Emily’s debutante ball, and it becomes apparent Emily is set to marry a local bachelor of good standing, Sir Dexter Lund. As Lawrence continues his poetry reading and painting with Emily, he develops his aspirations to become a pharmacist and a doctor. After the wedding of Sir Dexter to Emily is announced, Sir Dexter convinces Lawrence he must marry his sister, Mallory, in a double ceremony. Lawrence agrees to the wedding only to remain on the estate and be near Emily.

The author brings the extended family relations of deep emotions to an exciting end after a moving story covering 40 years of turmoil. The descriptive writing is well-suited to Victorian Age customs and accoutrements.

--Russ Long

This review is from: Seduction (Paperback)

Clark’s Eye on Books by Clark Isaacs, September 23, 2009
By Clark Isaacs “Clark’s Eye on Books by Clark I..., (Kingman AZ)

Seduction
Author: J. R. LaGreca
ISBN: 978-1-4415-1313-8, Pages: 200, $19.99, Publication Date: 2009, Paperback, Published by Xlibris Corporation

Jody Riva LaGreca has written four other books, “Afternoon Tea”, “Suburban Weird”, “The Gloaming”, and “Fleshpot”. She says her latest novel, “Seduction”, “is a mix of my college inspired mind and my adult mind, merged into a saga of vintage seduction, revisited...”

The setting of this novel takes place on Long Island’s South Shore in New York, 2008. The young and beautiful Camille Casey shudders and cannot believe what she is reading. In the South Shore Weekly, the Nuptial Section announces the engagement of her high-school rival, Tasha Brookes, to Raphael Manex, a 40-year-old Philadelphia jeweler and diamond dealer. Camille will never forget that day two years ago when her best friend, Tasha, seduced her high-school sweetheart and took him away from her.

On a snowy, winter night, Camille devises a scheme of revenge. She invites Raphael to her house under the ruse of buying some vintage jewelry. When he arrives, the story becomes very intense and complicated. The handsome and debonair Raphael, forces himself upon Camille using her as an object of his obsession. Camille had schemed to woe him from Tasha, but had not considered falling in love with him at first sight.

“A haunting tone is set when Marianne Franz, an old widow, hires Camille to do odd jobs,” says LaGreca. This strange and mysterious old woman becomes an integral part of Camille and Raphael’s lives as they become friends.

Camille and Raphael invite Marianne for a New Year’s Eve dinner at a posh restaurant as they recognize that solitude has brought loneliness to Marianne. In turn, Marianne invites them to her house for many delicious home-cooked meals. Unexpected circumstances’ surrounding these three diverse characters begins to unfold and curiosity compels continued reading.

LaGreca has written an intelligent and thought-provoking novel. She skillfully exposes how revenge, jealousy, love of ambition, and quest for money can change the innocent and inexperienced. These elements led to wrong decisions and showed that the rich and powerful don’t always get what they want.

A great book and eye-opener for mature men and women because they can be very much alike when it comes to romance and passion. Get ready to be entertained as all of your senses will be awakened. A surprise ending is waiting to shock you! This book is highly recommended.

Clark’s Eye on Books by Clark Isaacs

Suburban Weird, January 9, 2009
By Sandra Grannis, (Ohio)
This review is from: Suburban Weird (Paperback)

In Suburban Weird, J.R.Greca captures the essence of the young married woman torn between her devotion of her marriage vows and the lustful love she feels for her husband’s brother. The writing is intense and pulls you into the fascinating characters of this page turning novel. A must read! I highly recommend this novel to anyone who has loved, wants to be loved and is in love!

Suburban Weird, December 2, 2008
By Suzanne S,
This review is from: Suburban Weird (Hardcover)

“Suburban Weird” starts out seeming almost “normal” and then goes completely WILD!!! One never knows what goes on behind closed doors. The plot is brilliantly twisted with tons of mystique. Everything keeps changing so quickly that “nothing is what it seems at first glance” becomes a major understatement! Amidst facades galore, the familiar grows creepily unfamiliar. Just when I thought I had caught the flow unexpected events sneak up and attack. Now I’m hoping there is going to be a sequel!

Nothing Weird Except in Suburban Weird by JR LaGreca
By Karen Haney

A tale of deceit and desire, Suburban Weird lives up to its title even though you won’t realize why until the end. It is a spellbinding story that never is quite what it appears to be. Just when you think you have it figured out and know where the story is going, it changes and veers off in another mystifying direction to hold your interest.
Suburban Weird is centered on Courtney Gold, a forty-year-old woman who has maintained her good looks and seems to have everything anyone could ask for. She is married to a man who seems to adore her, provides well for her with his job as a criminal attorney, and also has the luxury of living on his mother’s massive estate. However, all this changes when her brother-in-law moves in with his new wife who just happens to be a mail-order bride from Russia -a YOUNG mail-order bride. Courtney gets caught up in a game of seduction and deception.

The story is set in an area called Bay Shore out on Long Island, New York. For Courtney, prior to actually marrying her fiancé, Seth, things begin to change for real when her future mother-in-law, a woman named Edith Stern, turns out to be a rather odd and unconventional type that Courtney had been warned about before.

Even though Courtney sees some things that are just not right, she goes ahead and marries her fiancé, Seth. Soon, however, Courtney finds that she is attracted to Seth’s adopted brother, Dr. Aaron Stein. Aaron is a fertility specialist as well as a specialist in coming on to Courtney while he also puts his brother down constantly. Seth is the youngest in the family and somewhat of a bad boy but Courtney must learn to handle him as well as the feelings he brings out in her.

When Courtney and Seth move into the mansion that belongs to his mother, it would appear that things would be glorious until we find that Aaron, and his mail-order bride, Natasha, move in with them. Natasha is 27 years younger than Aaron and is gorgeous and dangerous at the same time. The four of them in that house is a recipe for disaster, and one other tiny detail that may get you to thinking is when we find that Dr. Aaron is treating Courtney for infertility as she is having trouble getting pregnant.
As if there weren’t enough twists and turns up to this point, the story is masterfully told by J. R. LaGreca so that you never know until the end what is going to happen. How will Courtney deal with the flirtations from Aaron and the passion it brings out in her? What part will the young nymph, Natasha, play in this foursome? Will Edith remain in the background or play a more important role in this madness called Courtney’s life? This is a novel you must read for yourself to find the answers to these questions and all the others that will continually come up as you read of the lust and love on Long Island that LaGreca spins into a purely hypnotic conclusion.
Highly recommended for book clubs as sure to bring on plenty of discussion!”

--Karen D. Haney, Author/Developer of BOOKIN’ WITH BINGO