a review of Secrets of the Heart

Please take a moment to read ....
One of my reviews from Barnes and Noble, there are more on BN and Amazon.  I appreciate this review which conveys the message I tried to give, it was a time long gone, yet you can feel like you lived then.

..AnonymousHighly Recommended Customer Rating Posted December 2, 2010, 2:32 PM EST: This is a wonderful quick-read that melds authentic history from the 30s to the present intertwined with personal stories that sometimes grab your heart and squeeze it. Madlyn writes with such passion, compassion and incite that I couldn't put this book down until I finished it. I didn't want it to end...wanted more. Such a grasp of the era. Love of family, friends, community and country. I loved how Madlyn included music of the times with Meggie's recollection of her intimate experiences. I literally flashed back there again with all its ecstasy and agony. Amazing! I know every one of those songs and it was thrilling to find them online and to connect them to this book. Such a unique concept. She captures the essence of each story in her writing style without extraneous detailing. Concise yet compelling. My first date was at the Totem Pole (which is mentioned in the book.) Madlyn's description brought me back there in an instant. I could see that glittering ball revolving overhead while we danced to a live orchestra (Baron Hugo, I recall) playing "Dream a little Dream of Me" in 1948. She brought me back to the end of World War II. Overwhelming range of emotions were enkindled. In my little community, there was confetti falling like snow, the streets were filled with people crying, laughing.such togetherness. We were all one in spirit. So much love exploding everywhere. Meggie's love of family was expressed so vividly. I was in awe of her spirituality, genuine awareness and acceptance of death. Undoubtedly, you will be astonished as your memory returns to your own experiences while so absorbed in each story just as if you are part of a hologram with the music playing in the background. When you get to know "Meggie", you will feel like you've always known her. You will long to continue a relationship with her. This book inspired me to reconnect to friends I had lost track of through the years and now my life is richer for it. I'm hoping this author writes more books!