Love on the Line
Laura Castoro
Avon, Feb 2009, $13.95
ISBN: 9780061542763
Four years have passed since her white husband died. African-American Widow Thea and their daughter Jesse have moved on. Mom has an influential well paying job and a new “old teen” love in her life Pastor Xavier Thornton; while her mixed race child who can pass for white is a terrific athlete starting college. Xavier proposes and she accepts though her work keeps her in a different state than his.
Xavier’s Arkansas church frowns on his wife for her frequent absences, her white like attitude and her daughter’s white like looks. Thea loves Xavier and what she does for living, but begins to understand the pressure mounting on her spouse. She is also worried about Jesse, who is unsure of her heritage even as her blue eyes and light skin give her a choice until someone reveals her mixed bloodlines.
This is an intriguing look at defining one’s race in modern times when the child is the offspring of mixed races. Thea and Jesse make the tale work as each face complex identity issues with courage and strength. Although Xavier is more a caricature of the ideal husband-father-community activist than a person, fans will enjoy this fine inspirational as Thea knows he is a good man but loves her work and Jesse knows what she should do, but that is not easy to do.
Harriet Klausner
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment