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Refreshing Novel about Healing and Maturingby: Sandra Pianin
As the tender and oh-so fragile petals of a brand new blossom unfolds, the story of Clare Balenger opens to us. Clare's story is really our story--a woman's story recalling the entire journey toward maturity and becoming a whole person. Conceding the fact that fiction's primary role in literature is narrative, it is what we, as readers, do with the emotions that are prevalent with the impact of the story. Clare Balenger, her family and select group of friends live in Fairhope, Alabama, a town filled with the characters, gossip, and folklore that supports the survival of similar towns across the United States. Clare is a divorce therapist, a professional who helps men and women in healing ailing marriages or supporting them through the process of divorce. Clare can help everyone but herself. Her carefully buried secrets remain under her caregving veneer. Clare is unnerved when she meets Lex Yarborough, a charming, strong sea captain from Maine. Lex is recently retired and resettled in Alabama. Their relationship is born in friendship, but as time goes on Lex wants more. This disturbs Clare. She can no longer hide behind her work. She must face the facts of life on life's terms not her plan of not being committed in any relationship. Clare must act or she will lose Lex. His attempt at reconciliation with his ex-wife complicates matters further. Cassandra King instills in her very human characters all the caring, devotion, loyalty, and joy we should acknowledge in each other. She imbues Clare's story with the powerful message of hope in the absence of any hope. She uses the art of dance to enchant and bind relationships. Cassandra King is the author of Making Waves, The Sunday Wife, and The Same Sweet Girls. A native of Alabama, she lives in South Carolina with her husband, novelist Pat Conroy. I particularly loved the character of Zoe Catherine Balenger, the mother of Clare's deceased husband, Mack. She is an elder of the community who has been "stingingly" nicknamed Bird Woman. Zoe Catherine is tied to nature. We should all have a Zoe Catherine in our life. I cannot say too much about this novel. It had me paging though its wonderful story for hours on end. I rarely find such a novel which keeps me spellbound and refreshes my spirit. Sandra Pianin is a freelance writer and reviewer who lives in New York City. She is a frequent contributor to ladies-room.net. |
