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Rosalee Linoff is adjusting to a new life at sixty-three years old. Her husband, Arnold, has recently passed away, and Rosalee’s grief has left her stagnant. As a new year has dawned, Rosalee knows she must get back into normalcy and stay active. She longs to get back into her sculpting. Her attempts at self-rejuvenation are tested when she meets her new neighbor, Fran Barish. Despite Fran’s ingratiating manner, Rosalee keeps her at arm’s length. Fran infiltrates Rosalee’s social circle and befriends Rosalee’s granddaughter Jill. The barely concealed animosity between Rosalee and Fran is revealed to revolve around Rosalee’s late husband, Arnold, and a previous relationship with Fran. In spite of the turmoil with Fran, Rosalee is determined to put her best foot forward in sculpting and in life.
The ability to move on from sorrow and to reconcile with the past are two of the chief themes factoring into Rosalee’s story. The abrupt conclusion of her relationship with Arnold has left her justifiably adrift in sadness. Rosalee’s spirits are buoyed by her friends and her family, primarily Jill. However, Rosalee views Fran’s entrance into her world initially as an intrusion. The book transitions well from the friction between Rosalee and Fran to Rosalee’s genuine interactions with Jill. The past is a sore point between Rosalee and Fran, but their mutual care and concern for Jill provides common ground. Despite a generational gap between the three, there are similarities in character. Set in the early 1970s, this is a fulfilling and appealing read that explores the complex interrelationship between friends and family with a nation in upheaval as a historical backdrop.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review