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Gal pals make all the difference
REVIEWS BY SANDY HUSEBY
Noted for her unfettered, down-to-earth storytelling, Macomber's new novel honors the expectations of readers with a story that will have you alternately thinking, "Yep, that could be me!" and reaching for the Kleenex as you share the bittersweet experiences of these friends. Clare, Liz, Karen and Julia meet in a journal-writing class and bond so strongly that they find a way to keep their connection alive -- meeting for breakfast every Thursday. Their personal lives are radically different and their ages range from Gen X to midlife, yet together they share the joys and sorrows and surprises that come into women's lives when they least expect them. Macomber is at the peak of her powers here as she zestfully "writes" each woman's journal entries and chronicles the journey they share in one year. She follows the trials and tribulations of Karen, the 20-something wannabe actress trying out for commercials while struggling with a demanding mother; Julia, the entrepreneur dealing with a midlife surprise; Liz, widowed and seasoned yet attracted to a younger man; and Clare, who faces the ultimate faithfulness decision. Macomber notes in an author's letter that she has her own friendship circle, and this book is a gift that will compel readers to find one for themselves.
By Debbie Macomber Mira, $22.95 ISBN 1551668114
Family feudAmid the backdrop of the Irish rebellion against Elizabethan rule, two families unite to settle a longstanding feud in Ana Seymour's The Black Swan.Settling a nation seems easier than resolving the issues of a contrived marriage -- especially when the groom, Cormac Riordan, is determined not to bed his willful bride, Claire O'Donnell, lest the Riordan family curse claim her life. Seymour writes with poignance and passion about the reluctant groom, who runs away to avoid endangering his bride's life. Seymour's deft weaving of the realities of rebellion and the dangers of standing against English rule add the power of history to this magnificent tale.
By Ana Seymour Jove, $5.99 ISBN 051513063X
Roberts' readersIf you don't yet know what a Noraholic is, there's no better launching point than Nora Roberts' new trilogy, starting with Dance Upon the Air. Avid Roberts readers, who've dubbed themselves Noraholics, are a demanding lot, and the prolific Roberts keeps them well satisfied.Dance Upon the Air is vintage Roberts, with elements of mystery, romance and otherworldly suspense. Nell Channing flees her past by coming to Three Sisters Island and even Zack Todd, the local sheriff, may not be enough to keep the terror of her past at bay. With Roberts as a guide, readers come to know the island and its people with the signature intimacy she brings to each unique tale. Noraholics and new discoverers alike will be captivated by this bewitching story.
By Nora Roberts Jove, $7.99 ISBN 0515131229
Sandy Huseby writes and reviews from her homes in Fargo, North Dakota and in northern Minnesota. She salutes her own circle of friends, the Prairie Writers Guild. |
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Debbie Macomber's romances have always been strongly leavened with family relationships, so it's a natural evolution for her to broaden the circle to encompass four women friends, each facing life-altering choices, in Thursdays at Eight.