Thursday, August 27, 2015

Starlight on Willow Lake - Susan Wiggs

Starlight on Willow Lake
Susan Wiggs
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $24.95
ISBN 9780778317951

In Avalon, New York, single mom of two young daughters (diabetic Ruby and older Cara) Faith McCallum struggles with insuring food is on the table.  Filled with despair, Faith feels she finally got a break when the Bellamy family hires her as an in-house caretaker for Alice; whose husband died in the skiing accident that left her an acrimonious paraplegic whose anger has driven off several health care employees and household staff.

Knowing she cannot run from this chance to better the lives of her children, Faith faces Alice’s rage head on while encouraging her charge to not just accept her paralysis but to live again.  Alice’s son Mason arrives at the mansion to insure a smooth transition so that he could avoid this place he detests and return to his preferable geographical electronic checkbook support to his mother and the Bellamy brood.  Whereas Faith’s courage re Alice deserts her when she meets Mason; he keeps rationalizing why he has not fled Avalon for Broadway. 

The eleventh Lakeshore Chronicles contemporary (see Candlelight Christmas and Return to Willow Lake) is a highly emotional family drama.  The cast is three dimensional especially caused by the dysfunctional dynamics of ire and angst.  The romance serves as an impetus into a profound look at the negative impacts of loss and anguish, and the healing of love and compassion.


Harriet Klausner

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