Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Sand Castles-Nancy Gotter Gates

Sand Castles
Nancy Gotter Gates
Five Star, Nov 2009, $25.95
ISBN 9781594148262

In Columbus, Ohio, setting up a surprise retirement party for her sixty-two years old spouse Leland, Virginia “Ginny” McAllister takes a nasty fall. She is taken to the hospital where she undergoes knee surgery. While recovering in the hospital, Ginny and her “gimp twin” roommate Joy Wentowski becomes friends and she tries to help her new buddy through a bad time.

Her efforts lead to a confession from Leland that upsets Ginny. After his wife leaves the hospital, Leland relocates them to a Sarasota, Florida retirement community. However, instead of quality time together, he is off playing golf or fishing all the time while she feels like a widow whose friends and family are all back home. When she meets Nicholas at a poetry group meeting, Ginny considers ending her long marriage to Leland as her new “beau” is there for her while her husband is not. A hurricane that traps her and her sister Melba pushes Ginny to decide.

This is an interesting retirement age tale as two snowbirds move south, but drift apart as neither adjusts to their new situation; in fact each runs from the changes in their relationship. Although lacking any twists as the plot is obvious, fans will enjoy a different type of coming of age as two retirees must decide what each wants out of what is left in their lives and with whom.

Harrier Klausner

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