A Woman of Fortune

April 7, 2014
Lack of subtlety is compensated for by a stolen glimpse into the lifestyles of the Texas rich and famous in Coates’s (Mother of Pearl) contemporary romance, the first in her Texas Gold series. Claire Massey is a woman who has it all: three beautiful grown children, a husband of 30 years who adores her, friends, hundreds of millions of dollars, and a reputation as the consummate hostess. Her world seems perfect until the night when the disclosure of her husband’s financial perfidy tears away almost everything they built together. In the aftermath, Claire is left alone to rebuild her life and see to the needs of her children, while her husband, Tuck, accepts his punishment. Harkening back to the days such television shows as Dallas and Falcon Crest, the story is dependent on stereotypes, and Claire’s obvious Job-like journey through trials follows a predictable path to the ending, making this a shallow guilty pleasure. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

June 15, 2014

As the wife of a Texas billionare cattle broker, Claire Massey leads a life of luxury. Daughter Lainie is engaged to the youngest soon-to-be U.S. senator in the state's history; one son is in the family business; and another is a successful writer. Suddenly, Claire's husband is arrested at their daughter's engagement party; the charges: running a Ponzi scheme selling "ghost cattle" to investors. Claire finds her family's "good" life imploding as Lainie's engagement is broken off, Claire is forced to go to work, and her eldest son suffers guilt for uncovering his father's shenanigans. VERDICT Well-drawn, sympathetic characters and graceful language make this an engaging choice for readers looking for a family-centered story line. Gilbert (Mother of Pearl) is a former legal investigator and trial paralegal who investigated the largest cattle fraud case in U.S. history. Fans of Catherine Armstrong will enjoy her inspirational tale with a Texas twist.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2014
The socialite wife of a Texas billionaire, Claire has everything she wants: her handsome husband, Tuck, and three grown children, houses all over the world, designer clothes, luxury cars. And she's helping her daughter, Lainie, prepare for a wedding to a young politician who may someday become the president of the U.S. Then Tuck is arrested, and her life falls apart. A Ponzi scheme funded their lavish lifestyle, and now Tuck has agreed to a plea bargain. Lainie's engagement is terminated; eldest son Garrett, who had worked for his dad, flees to Houston with his pregnant wife; and Claire's youngest, black sheep Max, is her only emotional support. Things go from bad to worse when Claire discovers that along with all of their friends and their church, Claire's very difficult mother was also bilked out of her fortune. But through a recovering alcoholic and a powerful pastor's sermon, Claire discovers God's presence in her life. Readers who like their inspirational fiction with glitz and glamour will enjoy Gilbert's tale of wealth, loss, and redemption.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)