Retro Review: Miracle by Deborah Smith

Posted February 1, 2017 by Holly in Reviews | 12 Comments

Retro Review: Miracle by Deborah SmithReviewer: Holly
Miracle by Deborah Smith
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: October 1st 1991
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 464
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four-half-stars

Haunted by a past filled with poverty and abuse, Amy Miracle finds escape and release in the vineyards of Georgia--and in Sebastian de Savin, a brilliant and arrogant surgeon whose own past has hardened his heart. Amy finally breaks through de Savin's shell and teaches him to love and laugh again, and Sebastian helps Amy blossom into a magnificent woman.

******As part of our 10 year anniversary celebration, we’ll be re-posting old reviews that make us cringe, laugh or sigh all over again.

I remember loving this book so much, but the idea of re-reading it now makes me cringe. I can’t imagine diving back into this epic mess.

This review was originally published June 11, 2007

Many thanks to Wendy for turning me on to this author. I found this novel to be very reminiscent of Danielle Steele, without the constant repetitiveness in the writing style.

Amy and Sebastian meet at his father’s Vineyard, where Amy is working. Sebastian is a brilliant surgeon and finds himself drawn to the vineyard after losing a patient. For some reason he’s drawn to Amy and finds himself returning there to see her again and again.

After a brutal fight with her father, Amy searches Sebastian out to help her with a medical problem and he offers her sanctuary at his house until she can find something new. After spending several weeks together, Sebastian has to leave for Africa and offers to pay Amy’s way through school. Though reluctant, she finally accepts and they’re separated. Sebastian is convinced Amy will be better off without him – he has major emotional baggage from a tragedy in his past – and says goodbye to her, never planning to see her again.

But over the next two years, he can’t stop thinking about her. Amy dedicates her time to her studies and fantasizing about seeing Sebastian again. But Sebastian’s family – French aristocrats – step in and drive a wedge between them – one that forces them to move on from each other physically.

Ten years later, after a major journey for each of them, Amy and Sebastian are reunited, but they’re both different people and they struggle to make the wrongs of their past right.

I truly enjoyed this story. Watching their separate journeys through life was wonderful. Amy was so shy and lacking in self-confidence in the beginning, watching her mature and grow confident in herself was wonderful. She was a strong heroine, and once she found herself, she didn’t compromise herself, not for the hero or anyone else.

Sebastian was a great hero, and a wonderful counterpart for Amy. He was extremely tortured, and desperately needed Amy’s lightness to bring him out of the darkness of his past. He suffered a lot, starting from an accident in his childhood, to a loveless marriage.

Although there was a lot of drama and the H/H were apart for most of the book, the story really worked for me. There were a few times when I was rolling my eyes, or thinking GET ON WITH IT ALREADY, but for the most part, I was just wrapped up in it, hurting for the characters and cheering them on.

I definitely recommend it.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

This book is available from Bantam. You can purchase it here.

four-half-stars


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12 responses to “Retro Review: Miracle by Deborah Smith

  1. I have When Venus Fell (is that the correct title) TBR. As soon as I get settled from my move I’m going to read it.

  2. Hey Holly 😀

    I like Deborah Smith books in general… I think the best are those where the H/H are separated most of the books 😀 You should try Blue Willow 😀 I thought When Venus Fell was so-so only.

  3. Ween, I think you stole enough of my books this weekend. You’ll be reading for months.

    Nath,
    I’ll add it to my list.

    Wendy,
    I noticed When Venus Fell is written in the first person. How does that work for her? I mean, does she write some in First and some in Third or did she change it up somewhere along the lines?

    And I love me some hard edged heroines, too. So this should be great.

  4. Oh, I’m not put off. A few years ago I would have poked my eyes out before reading a First person, but in recent years I’ve discovered some wonderful authors who write in the first and I’m fine with it. I was just curious if she mixed it up or if she evolved from one to the other.

  5. Wendy

    I’m partial to When Venus Fell because it was the first book I read by Smith. Plus the heroine has some hard edges, and I love me the heroines with hard edges. If that one works for you I would also recommend The Crossroads Cafe and Alice At Heart. I hear really great things about A Place Called Home – but alas, still in the TBR…..

  6. Rowena

    Ugh, why didn’t you tell me about this book when I was at your house this weekend? I would’ve took it! LOL, now I gotta go buy it, jeez! haha.

    Great review sweetie, I wanna read it, but dude 10 years? Holy wow that’s a long time, Matt and Meredith anyone? =)

  7. Wendy

    Holly,
    I haven’t read any of her older titles yet, so can’t comment on the evolution of her writing style. Just flipped through my copy of When Venus Fell (originally read a library copy back in 1999, just bought a pb copy to reread), and it looks like it’s all in first person from the heroine’s POV. First person can be great – don’t let it scare you!

    The Crossroad’s Cafe is also written in first person, but she shifts POV. You get both hero and heroine first person POV. Also, pretty sure Alice At Heart is in first person, but can’t recall for sure now…..

  8. Love Deborah Smith! I can’t think of any of her books that were clunkers for me. Rowena you can usually find a few of her older books in any UBS.

    Ms. Smith will have a new book out in November, A GENTLE RAIN, published by Belle Books, her own imprint. CROSSROADS CAFE was also a Belle Book release.

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