Title:
Waiting for an
Eclipse
Author:
Karen Wiesner
Published By:
Hard Shell Word Factory
ISBN:
0-7599-4101-7
Release Date:
Available Now
Format:
Electronic
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Steve Thomas, a professor at Eisner University, has a guilty secret. His wife, Jessie, is a drug addict. In and out of rehabilitation programs, Jessie has made Steve's life, and the lives of their three children; Ron, Tom, and Valerie, a living hell. But what can Steve do? He has made his vows, and will live up to them. The only thing that can force Steve out of his rut to change the situation in which his family is living is the psychological damage that is being done to his children.
Kristina Ingram, a counselor at the Eisner University Drug Crisis Center, has been in love with Steve for 5 years. She's never told anyone, not even Steve-especially not Steve-of her feelings. Steve considers her a friend, and she has tried to be one to him. But now, the crisis in Steve's life brings a change to their relationship--a change which neither one of them actively seeks, but which neither can seem to avoid.
While I normally prefer escapist romance fiction to nitty-gritty reality, I found myself riveted by this very unusual romance story. It is neither insipid nor sweet nor aggressively erotic, and yet it is a compelling read. The bittersweet story is so well-written that, although the true sadness and horror of Steve's situation is clearly described, the reader feels sympathy and hope rather than despair, and comes away with the satisfaction that the characters have finally found their way. The characters of Steve and Kristina are shown as real people, with human failings, and yet both of them have moral strength and an ethos of honor and responsibility. I liked them and really wanted them to find happiness. The story is well plotted, and moves along at an inexorable pace, neither too fast nor too slow to communicate the story. The conflicts the characters face are serious and, unfortunately, all too real in this day and age.
If you are tired of marshmallow fluff romances, you need to read this novel. It will grab you from the very start, and won't let you go until 'The End.'
Reviewed by: Jean
