Barbara Taylor Bradford

I am a huge fan of your writing and especially of the Emma Harte series. I just finished Just Reward yesterday and while the book is excellent, I feel a little cheated. Emma Harte did things in a big way. When she passed the torch to Paula there was more fanfare. I feel like Paula going to see Linnet in private and charging her to "hold the dream" the way she did was a real let down.
Emma Harte was a wonderful, large character. Paula before this book was the same. I feel that there should have been a little more flair to the ending.
Also, if this is the last in the series why end with info about Jonathan. Are you leaving the door open for another book or is this it? I am disappointed that the Emma Harte saga has ended but I am also let down the way it was down. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Emma Harte grow from a poor lass to a successful business woman and the head of a huge and powerful family. I just expected a bigger ending to a big story.

Dear MDK1024;

Thanks for your note on Just Rewards.

As I've answered several times on this board (in this section) Just Rewards is not the last book in the Harte series. It is only the last book in this current trilogy. After I complete the brand new Ravenscar series (another trilogy) I do plan to return to the Hartes with some fresh ideas and new enthusiasm. After three books in three years, I wanted to go in a different direction for a short time.

As for the difference between Emma's passing the torch to Paula, and Paula passing it on to Linnet, there is a major difference. When Emma handed over her business to Paula, she was considerably older and she had skipped over a generation in her family. It was quite dramatic. In Just Rewards, Paula is only around 60. Her health issues make her decide to hand things over. It's another torch passing, but not intended to be the end of Paula's life, as it was for Emma.

I'm glad you liked Just Rewards overall. Thanks for taking the time to write in.

Barbara Taylor Bradford