LaVyrle Spencer
Author of That Camden Summer
About the Author
LaVyrle Spencer was born in Browerville, Minnesota on July 17, 1943. While working as a teacher's aide at Osseo Junior High School, she started writing her first novel, The Fulfillment, which was published in 1979. She has written more than a dozen novels that have hit the New York Times bestseller show more list, and many of her works have been condensed for Reader's Digest and Good Housekeeping. She has won five Romance Writers of America RITA Awards for her novels The Endearment, Hummingbird, Twice Loved, The Gamble, and Morning Glory. In 1988, she was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Many of her novels have been made into television movies including The Fulfillment, Home Song, and Family Blessings and the major motion picture Morning Glory. She retired from writing in 1997. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by LaVyrle Spencer
November of the heart. Book 3 of a 4 volume publication by Reader's Digest Vol. 3 1993 (1993) 3 copies
La fille d'à côté 2 copies
The Humming Bird 1 copy
O triunfo do amor (70) 1 copy
Smak marzeń 1 copy
Powój 1 copy
Megbocsts 1 copy
Separate Beds #, Forsaking all Others #, A Promise to Cherish #, — Author — 1 copy
a braccia aperte 1 copy
The Brethern 1 copy
Přísahy 1 copy
A Fountain Filled with Blood 1 copy
Ein Sommer in Main 1 copy
Associated Works
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1996 v02: Coming Home / Come to Grief / That Camden Summer / Blaze (1996) — Author — 160 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1997 v02: The Third Twin / Small Town Girl / To the Hilt / The Burning Man (1997) — Author — 69 copies
Reader's Digest Select Editions 1998 v03 #237: The Winner / Homeport / Then Came Heaven / Flight of Eagles (1998) — Contributor — 44 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1993 v03: Mrs. Washington and Horowitz, Too / Point of Impact / November of the Heart / Shooting Script (1993) — Author — 31 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Straight • Morning Glory • Touching the Void • The Negotiator (1990) — Contributor — 10 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Death Penalties • River God • November of the Heart • No Picnic on Mount Kenya (1993) 7 copies
Livros Condensados: O Sócio | O Céu Na Terra | Jogo Mortífero | Laços De Sangue (1998) — Author — 4 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Come to Grief • Coming Home • Oscar: The True Story of a Husky • That Camden Summer (1996) 4 copies
Kirjavaliot: Pelikaanimuistio, Onnen sirpaleet, Paluu, Kuin kulkisi pimeässä (1994) — Author — 3 copies
Het Beste Boek 161: De koning van het meer / Een tweede kans / De genadeloze nacht / Parels voor Anna — Author — 3 copies, 1 review
Time Life Book Digest: The Burden of Proof / Bitter Sweet / The Longest Tunnel / The Gold Coast (1990) 3 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Tiebreaker, Morning Glory, Her Name Will Be Faith, Johnnie Alone 2 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Night Over Water • Bygones • Search Dog • Doctor on Trial — Contributor — 2 copies
Livros Condensados: Furacão em Nova Iorque | Bracken| O Triunfo do Amor | O Peregrino do Estuário (1992) 2 copies
Het Beste Boek 182: Het alibi / Die zomer in Camden / Het vierkant van de wraak / De vlucht van de valk (1997) — Author — 2 copies, 1 review
Až za hrob; Příslib lásky; Toxin; Měsíční svit Ti sluší — Author — 1 copy
Reader's Digest Select Editions: Cobra Event / Then Came Heaven / Remote Control / The Shadowy Horses (1999) — Contributor — 1 copy
In een sluier gevangen; Thriller voor twee camera's; Haagwinde; De Genève connectie 1 copy, 1 review
Readers Digest Select Editions: The Final Judgement | Icebound | That Camden Summer | Wildfire (1997) — Author — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1943-07-17
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- Teacher's aide
novelist - Relationships
- Spencer, Dan (husband)
Spencer, Amy (daughter)
Spencer, Beth (daughter) - Short biography
- LaVyrle was born on July 17, 1943 in Browerville, Minnesota, USA, where she grew up. Married with her high school sweetheart Dan Spencer, shortly after her graduation, they had two daughters, Amy and Beth (d. 1990).
LaVyrle worked as a teacher's aide at Osseo Junior High School, when in her thirties, she read Kathleen E. Woodwiss's novel "The Flame and Flower", which gave her the idea to become a novelist. She decided to try transferring to paper a recurring dream she was having about a story based on her grandmother's lifestyle on a Minnesota farm. Her story became her first manuscript, The Fulfillment, that she sent to Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. The bestselling author read the novel and promptly mailed it to her own editor at Avon. The editor purchased the novel, which was published in 1979. She was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame in 1988. She wrote 23 sweet historical and contemporary novels. Published around the world, her works included 12 New York Times Bestsellers, and have been won 4 RITA Awards, 3 Golden Medallion Award and a Minnesota Book Awards. LaVyrle said: "the trademark of my books is mending relationships, showing people how to mend relationships."
LaVyrle was a founding member of the Midwest Fiction Writers (MFW), chapter 24 of the Romance Writers of America. Four of LaVyrle's novels were produced as television movies: The Fulfillment in 1989 (She and her husband appear as extras in the film), Morning Glory in 1993, Home Song in 1996 and Family Blessings in 1999.
LaVyrle and her husband are grandparents. Her husband was a retired estimator for a general contractor, and she also decided to retire from writing in 1997, after 18 years of career. They live in a Victorian house in her native Minnesota, where she enjoys gardening, cooking, playing bass guitar and electric piano, and photography. - Nationality
- USA (birth)
- Birthplace
- Browerville, Minnesota, USA
- Places of residence
- Browerville, Minnesota, USA
Stillwater, Minnesota, USA - Associated Place (for map)
- Minnesota, USA
Members
Discussions
Found: 1940s 'small-town' romance - guy been to prison in Name that Book (May 2025)
Found: Historical romance, old west setting, hero owns a saloon, heroine of story has a limp in Name that Book (March 2022)
Romance in Name that Book (November 2014)
romance novel about a one stand betwwen a rich guy poor girl that ends in pregnancy in Name that Book (December 2013)
Romance-possibly Harlequin-Female photographer falls for male model in Name that Book (August 2012)
Reviews
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, Henry Holt and Company.
Having read several of Richard North Patterson’s previous books, I was eagerly anticipating this one. I am happy to report that I was thoroughly caught up with In the Name of Honor from the moment I picked it up.
Patterson’s latest recounts the story of a young lieutenant, Brian McGarran, who is charged with murdering his commanding officer shortly after the two men return home from Iraq. McGarran, the son of an show more Army General of mythic reputation, suffers from the aftereffects of the trauma he endured in horrific battlefield conditions. He is defended at his court-martial by Paul Terry, an army lawyer wrestling with demons of his own stemming from the death of his father. Further complicating the trial is the fact that the victim was married to a woman (Kate Gallagher) with whom McGarran had a sisterly connection from the time McGarran’s mother committed suicide when McGarran was a boy.
There are so many things I like about this book, it’s hard to know where to start. Like Patterson’s earlier novels, In the Name of Honor tells a riveting story while exploring serious questions raised by a contemporary issue. Here, the reader is asked to consider how the concepts of honor and obedience interact with personal moral imperatives when executing orders of a questionable nature, and how the definition of honor in any situation may ultimately depend on an individual‘s moral code and circumstances. For the older McCarran, honor may not allow him to admit to the deleterious effects the war had on his soldier son; for the prosecutor it is a question of honor to defend the Army unquestioningly.
This story also causes the reader to reflect on how Iraq veterans are treated upon returning home, as well as the possible legal implications of the diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The combat scenes are so well written that they are hard to read -- all the more so because you are aware that such scenes are being played out overseas as you are reading. The acknowledgements section at the end of the book indicates that Patterson researched this book thoroughly, a fact borne out by the compelling authenticity of both the battle scenes and those set in the military courtroom.
Interwoven with this thought-provoking legal and military narrative is a multi-faceted family drama. The intrigues of the McCarran and Gallagher families, who are connected by war and tragedy, make for an engrossing saga. Patterson creates characters who are wholly human, foibles and all, who act in ways that show humanity at its best and its worst.
For the seamless combination of legal thriller, human drama and military fiction, with a denouement that kept me glued to the edge of my seat (to the extent that’s possible when reading), I highly recommend this book. show less
Having read several of Richard North Patterson’s previous books, I was eagerly anticipating this one. I am happy to report that I was thoroughly caught up with In the Name of Honor from the moment I picked it up.
Patterson’s latest recounts the story of a young lieutenant, Brian McGarran, who is charged with murdering his commanding officer shortly after the two men return home from Iraq. McGarran, the son of an show more Army General of mythic reputation, suffers from the aftereffects of the trauma he endured in horrific battlefield conditions. He is defended at his court-martial by Paul Terry, an army lawyer wrestling with demons of his own stemming from the death of his father. Further complicating the trial is the fact that the victim was married to a woman (Kate Gallagher) with whom McGarran had a sisterly connection from the time McGarran’s mother committed suicide when McGarran was a boy.
There are so many things I like about this book, it’s hard to know where to start. Like Patterson’s earlier novels, In the Name of Honor tells a riveting story while exploring serious questions raised by a contemporary issue. Here, the reader is asked to consider how the concepts of honor and obedience interact with personal moral imperatives when executing orders of a questionable nature, and how the definition of honor in any situation may ultimately depend on an individual‘s moral code and circumstances. For the older McCarran, honor may not allow him to admit to the deleterious effects the war had on his soldier son; for the prosecutor it is a question of honor to defend the Army unquestioningly.
This story also causes the reader to reflect on how Iraq veterans are treated upon returning home, as well as the possible legal implications of the diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The combat scenes are so well written that they are hard to read -- all the more so because you are aware that such scenes are being played out overseas as you are reading. The acknowledgements section at the end of the book indicates that Patterson researched this book thoroughly, a fact borne out by the compelling authenticity of both the battle scenes and those set in the military courtroom.
Interwoven with this thought-provoking legal and military narrative is a multi-faceted family drama. The intrigues of the McCarran and Gallagher families, who are connected by war and tragedy, make for an engrossing saga. Patterson creates characters who are wholly human, foibles and all, who act in ways that show humanity at its best and its worst.
For the seamless combination of legal thriller, human drama and military fiction, with a denouement that kept me glued to the edge of my seat (to the extent that’s possible when reading), I highly recommend this book. show less
I guess I'd call this a literary romance, in that it is primarily a love story (and one with a happy ending that you're never really in any doubt is going to come about), but the novel gets its story on the page and moves more like literary fiction than it does like a romance novel. The story opens with the sudden tragic death of Krystyna Olczak, a young wife and mother, and moves from there to follow her husband Eddie, her daughters, and her daughters' teacher, a nun in the local Catholic show more school, as they deal with the aftermath of her death. Spencer does an excellent job putting on the page the small 1950s Minnesota town where the story is set, and her exploration of Sister Regina's doubt about her vocation is handled very well. At times, the book is more character study and consideration of setting than it is anything else, and that is definitely part of what made it such a good read for me. I felt like I was reading about all my older relatives--almost recognizing people I knew as they might have been thirty years before I was born. My only disappointment was that the last tiny bit of the book (the last fifteen pages maybe?) felt a little less carefully put together. Once Eddie and Jean (Sister Regina) had navigated all their obstacles and were finally together, it felt a little, I dunno, almost creepy? Like Spencer put so much effort into exploring all their feelings and concerns and doubts along the way and then at the very end it was all just: and now here we are and everything is fine. Heh? But the journey up to that point was so satisfying that it almost didn't matter. Mostly recommended. show less
We begin Vows just outside the territory of Wyoming in the year 1888. Vows is a sweet story peppered with the perfect amount of old west/new territory drama. Victorian decorum mixes with modern day sensibilities about love and intimacy. Emily Walcott, a feisty tomboy and fiercely loyal to her family is engaged to a family friend she has known since childhood. Charles Bliss followed her family from back east to Wyoming so not only is he a family friend, he is the epitome of home. However, the show more sparks don't fly when she is kissing Charles Bliss on the wild western plain (thanks, Natalie, for that phrase). Still she knows he is a good man and her family has loved him forever. Enter Thomas Jeffcoat, a stranger in town. Newly arrived, he is the antithesis of Charles. Rough around the edges, a threat to her family's business, and not afraid to speak his mind. Tom Jeffcoat knows how to make sparks catch fire when it comes to Emily Walcott. And there are sparks from the very beginning of their acquaintance. Who will Emily chose for her beau? Safe and familiar Charles or wild and unpredictable Tom?
As an aside, even though Spencer bucked the stereotypical bodice ripper cover, she kept the cliché of one character vehemently hating another while the attraction silently simmered. Love/hate relationships are the perfect vehicle for smoldering passions. show less
As an aside, even though Spencer bucked the stereotypical bodice ripper cover, she kept the cliché of one character vehemently hating another while the attraction silently simmered. Love/hate relationships are the perfect vehicle for smoldering passions. show less
Another winner from Spencer! I saw this book at a local library used book sale and snatched it up, given the great experience I had with Morning Glory. I was not disappointed!
First off, I adore Roberta! I find her fantastically independent, caring, and vulnerable when she needs to, as well as un-domestic, just like me. There were times where the claims to independence were a bit much with multiple stressing of the point, but I can forgive that with how much I love her character. I also loved show more Gabriel. He seemed like a truly caring man, who is mourning for his lost beloved wife, loving towards his daughter if a bit exasperated by her teenager-ness, and just trying to build a strong and steady life for his family. He’s the kind of man that truly seems to balance out Roberta’s wild ways.
And boy do I love the love connection between Roberta and Gabriel! They are perfect bookends for each other; high energy meets placid calm, fiery temper meets even keel. I adored the slow burn we got to the relationship, with the emphasis on emotions rather than the sexy times. But then from Spencer’s previous book, I’ve grown to expect that. Another point of awesome is the older age for the leads. I liked that they were more mature than your usual couple, which added a nice bit of difference to the book.
I also liked that the author wasn’t afraid to explore some very serious issues among the sweet romance. While not as emotionally fraught as the previous book I read, the issues in this book still make for some very heavy reading. The author doesn’t get explicit enough to be gratuitous, but the events have true weight with abundant consequences throughout the latter half of the book.
I was so thrilled to get this book and so engrossed by it, that I read the whole thing in 21 hours. Started as soon as I exited the book sale and read the whole way through. Sweet romance, fantastic characters, and some heavy material to balance out the fluff make this a winner historical romance. I look forward to more from this author and recommend the book highly. show less
First off, I adore Roberta! I find her fantastically independent, caring, and vulnerable when she needs to, as well as un-domestic, just like me. There were times where the claims to independence were a bit much with multiple stressing of the point, but I can forgive that with how much I love her character. I also loved show more Gabriel. He seemed like a truly caring man, who is mourning for his lost beloved wife, loving towards his daughter if a bit exasperated by her teenager-ness, and just trying to build a strong and steady life for his family. He’s the kind of man that truly seems to balance out Roberta’s wild ways.
And boy do I love the love connection between Roberta and Gabriel! They are perfect bookends for each other; high energy meets placid calm, fiery temper meets even keel. I adored the slow burn we got to the relationship, with the emphasis on emotions rather than the sexy times. But then from Spencer’s previous book, I’ve grown to expect that. Another point of awesome is the older age for the leads. I liked that they were more mature than your usual couple, which added a nice bit of difference to the book.
I also liked that the author wasn’t afraid to explore some very serious issues among the sweet romance. While not as emotionally fraught as the previous book I read, the issues in this book still make for some very heavy reading. The author doesn’t get explicit enough to be gratuitous, but the events have true weight with abundant consequences throughout the latter half of the book.
I was so thrilled to get this book and so engrossed by it, that I read the whole thing in 21 hours. Started as soon as I exited the book sale and read the whole way through. Sweet romance, fantastic characters, and some heavy material to balance out the fluff make this a winner historical romance. I look forward to more from this author and recommend the book highly. show less
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