Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox

by Tabitha Lenox

Book Overview

Welcome to Harmony... On the surface, this seaside town is a New England dream of cobblestone streets and charming colonial homes. In its sleepy little harbor, fishing trawlers bob next to pleasure yachts on sun-drenched waves. But beneath the picture-perfect waters and walkways lie tumultuous secrets that threaten to tear Harmony's families apart. Hidden Passions turns back the clock in the quant town more than twenty years to reveal the intimate...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061076058
• ISBN13: 9780061076053
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: HarperEntertainment
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Alistair Crane Alistair Crane Alistair Crane Alistair Crane.

Up on my soapbox again.Soap operas intrigue me as an industry. They, I feel, are one of the few storytelling channels where it is possible to show an event, and the fallout from said event, for years. Some of the stories currently showing on daytime dramas today got their start more than a decade ago, and viewers have seen every step along the way!That's why it's frustrating that the people currently in charge of most soap operas today don't have a clue as to what they're doing, and are using gimmicks to draw in viewers rather than utilizing their show's rich histories and coming up with character-based storylines. (A primary example of this kind of storyline is ABC's lineup, which is a real mess right now.)And that's why it's exciting when a soap pauses to mine its heritage and tell storylines that will both draw in new viewership, and please people who've been tuning in since day one at the same time. (The shining example of this is currently CBS' "As the World Turns.")However, the soap that's really catching the eye of the entertainment industry right now is NBC's "Passions." Interesting that the show is doing everything I talked about above, when it only began to air in 1999."Passions" has had a feature article in Entertainment Weekly magazine, and was on the cover of TV Guide in July, proof that it's taking off. Part of this, I will admit, is because of the bizarre stories the show is telling, what with trips to hell, angel girls and living dolls and all.But at its heart, all this hype just reflects the fact that "Passions" is using past history to enrich what's on screen right now, and fans are tuning in in droves.In the spring, NBC sought to cash in on the growing soap's mania and released a book, "Hidden Passions: Secrets from the Diaries of Tabitha Lenox." Written by romance novelist Alice Alfonsi and using "Passions" creator/head writer James E. Reilly's bible for the show, "Hidden Passions" is a window to the past so that eager readers can make sense of some of the current mysteries.The book is the diary of Tabitha (played by Juliet Mills on the soap), a 200-year-old witch who's been living for centuries in the show's setting, a New England town called Harmony (even though life in Harmony is anything but harmonious). Peppered with little comments from Tabitha's living doll, Timmy (Josh Ryan Evans), the book describes life in Harmony twenty years ago.Well-to-do Ivy (Kim Johnston Ulrich) loves middle class pizza boy Sam (James Hyde), but forces (namely, Tabitha) are working to keep them apart. Ivy is to be paired with town scoundrel Julian Crane (Ben Masters), at the wishes of her dad and of Julian's machinating father, Alistair (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, he of Skeletor-voicing fame). But Julian is intoxicated by jazz singer Eve (Tracey Ross), who is about to fall in love with Sam's best friend and Julian's tennis rival, T.C. (Rodney van Johnson)Fans of the show know that, ultimately, Sam and Ivy share one last night (right after she m

Great book for fans of Passions

Having watched Passions from its begining almost two years ago, I consider myself a huge fan of Passions. Hidden Passions is a "must read" for any fan of Passions or someone just getting into the show. It details the history of many of the older characters on the show and explains how the current story lines have come about. It also sheds light on some of the topics that the writers of Passions have been slow to reveal. After starting to read the book, I just couldn't put it down. It isn't a terribly long read, which was bad, because I wanted more! The book also is a bit more graphic than the show, expanding into the emotions and thoughts of the characters, which was great. At times, I caught myself seeing the actors and actresses faces in the characters, although the book was somewhat generous in their physical descriptions. =) But it just helped me enjoy the book that much more. I can't wait for Hidden Passions II!

A MUST READ FOR PASSIONS FANS!

This book is not only for the avid PASSIONS fan - who doesn't want to know how Ivy and Sam kept their romance a secret? did Julian and Sheridan's parents love each other? or what TC Russell's first two names are??? But for those new fans...once you read this book...you will have to tune in to PASSIONS five days a week to see what's happening to everyone in Harmony 20 years later! I read it in a weekend. No true PASSIONS fan can be without it. The added bonus to Tabby's memoirs? Timmy's hysterical comments! This is probably the only book that you can read comments written by a real living doll!

A Must Read For Every Passions Fan

I started to read this book and just could not put it down. I even fell asleep with the book by my side, only to pick up where I left off. If you are a fan of the NBC soap, "Passions" either from the very first episode,or you have just discovered it, then you must read this book. Some of my questions where answered but not all. I only hope that there will be a "Hidden Passions II".

For anyone who is a true Passions fan

If you love the show Passions, you'll love this book. It's written in novel form, and it covers most of the major events which make up the backstory for the storylines now on the show. The main characters here are Sam Bennett, Ivy Winthrop (Crane), Julian Crane, and Eve Johnson (Russell), as the stories of their affairs make up the main plot. Grace Standish (Bennett) and T.C. Russell are featured briefly early on, but become more involved later as Sam and Eve meet and fall in love with them. Many other familiar faces pop up along the way, including Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald, Martin Fitzgerald, Alistair Crane, Katherine Crane, Rebecca Osburn (Hotchkiss), Faith Standish, even Crystal Harris, the nightclub singer -- and of course, Tabitha Lenox and Timmy, as well as Fluffy! The only problem with the book is that it has almost nothing about the younger generation, like Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald, Sheridan Crane, and Ethan Crane (who have small parts) and Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald, Kay Bennett, and Whitney Russell (who aren't in it at all) - even though they MAY feature Chad Harris as a newborn - y'all know what I mean. I guess they're saving the other characters for Hidden Passions 2! Another good thing about the book are Timmy's hilarious footnotes (marked by Martimmy glasses) commenting on the storyline as well as making fun of Tabitha's writing. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Passions, it will change the way you look at the show.