Stephen D. Lalonde

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THE PHOENIX GIFT REVIEWS


Kathie Stockton






Jan Pierce


Darryl Isotalo



Diana Legun









Dan Brown



Rhonda Eilmes-Peck


Nicole Hildebrand Burgess


Mary Lou Zografos


Judge, 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards-





Cathy Brown



Jody Davis


I recently finished reading Stephen Lalonde's compelling novel, "The Phoenix Gift".  It was well written with an unexpected plot twist which left this reader unsure how the protagonist would be able to navigate that twist with a satisfactory result. Was she able to do that?  Well, you'll just have to read it and decide that for yourself!  A good read!  I will be watching closely for Stephen Lalonde's next novel and scoop that up as soon as it comes out!


Just finished reading book last night. Started and couldn't stop until I was finished. Well done Steve.


Glad to see you and the great turnout for your event (book signing). I can hardly wait to give a copy to a close friend. I am sure that he and his wife will enjoy the novel as much as Carol and I have.


I found in Stephen Lalonde’s The Phoenix Gift a distinctly rare storyline that spins Mary Burns’ life out of kilter in the most personal way, revealing from early on a dilemma that would follow her through the journey she takes to discover the roots of her father-in-law’s past and a truth of her own that held her hostage until she made the most difficult choice of her life.   Juggling the two mysteries simultaneously, The Phoenix Gift includes vivid family members and their relationships with each other, rich details and delightful dialogue that bring them all to life, wonderful descriptions of eastern Washington state locations, and an acute focus on how immensely powerful love can be.  Watching Mary grow throughout the pages made this book satisfying start to finish.


I finally found time to read the book and it was great.  I enjoyed the family history and dynamics, the Northwest and Spokane references, and the neat mystery aspects. 


 Good book Mr. L. I finished it a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it. Very well written.


I enjoyed it. Fun read. Kept me turning pages.


Loved your book!❤️


An interesting interplay between the husband and wife regarding her increasing interest in his father.
Fun family repartee at p. 105. “Dad!” “bashing a hole in the head to let out the evil spirits” – a truly touching scene, p. 115. A really impressive twist. What a secret to be carrying around!
I do note that your dialogues are better later in the book. A really good flow, particularly in the family scenes. You have a really good balance between thought-driven and dialogue-driven scenes. This is a rare quality.

I enjoyed your book very much! The plot twist was truly surprising, and I enjoyed the Spokane references. It was fun being able to picture the settings. “Hey, I’ve been there!”

 Loved your book Stephen, it was totally engaging with an interesting twist, easy to follow and keep reading. . .and not the ending I expected! keep writing!