Rovella Starr Strangely Wonderful..., January 21, 2009 By  GABixler, IPBookReviewer "Glenda" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews    Rovella Starr (A Love-Starved [...]) by Carol Denise Mitchell has done it! I had not been surprised by anything that has been inflicted by one man to another in any fiction novel I've thus far read. At least that was true before I read Carol Denise Mitchell's latest! The problem is that Mitchell writes her novel as an old-time storyteller and you feel like you are sitting on the back porch, drinking a glass of iced tea, as she tells her story. Whew! After reading Mitchell's earlier book, What Happened to Suzy, it did not surprise me that her main character, Rovella Starr had been a victim of childhood abuse. I was not surprised to learn that, in many ways, she was just a little bit "crazy." Nor was I surprised when, on her wedding day, her new mother-in-law jumped her and beat her--well, maybe I was amazed! I also wasn't surprised when, upon having her third child, born dead, and then come back to life, she devoted the rest of her life to protecting him. She kept him close, including scaring off any girl who showed an interest in Ray, while allowing her husband and other sons to come in a neglected second in her life. And, of course, I wasn't surprised when all of Rovella's neighbors stayed away, especially when Rovella thought nothing about having her shot gun handy to keep anybody off of her property. But when Rovella paid lots of money to a woman who could only be called a modern-day "witch doctor" for a spell to give to her beloved son? Yep, that about did it for me! And yet, in the midst of the utterly unbelievable tales that surrounded the life of Rovella Starr, there developed a beautiful love story--that between her son Ray and a famous author, Dana Ann Arbor. From the moment the two first saw each other it was love. True, it was a love that most people thought would be over quickly. While Ray was a handsome man, most people felt he was retarded, or at least, not quick in thought and manner. Dana Ann, on the other hand, was known the world over for her beautiful love stories that kept people enthralled. But there was one thing that Dana knew; Ray loved her with a gentle and kind love that she had never known from the successful and worldly men with whom she had previously been involved. The amazing thing was that Rovella even allowed their relationship to develop as far as it did before she took her first major step. But once she decided to break up the love match, nothing could stop her! Let's stop until I get another glass of tea...and then hurry back! Carol Denise Mitchell is going to finish telling what that love-starved bitch did to her son...and how this amazing story ends! You're just not going to believe parts of this tale...but you won't want to miss it. Because, every great love story is bound to have a happy ending, don't you think? Rovella Starr, by Carol Denise Mitchell, a tale that only a true storyteller can place before her readers! But make sure, you've got something to drink...and maybe even some smelling salts! Again, I say...Whew, this is some kind of tale! Read it--only if you dare! G. A. Bixler IP Book Reviewer