Reviews

Meyer, a children's and YA author, makes a charming adult debut with this novel about a woman who leaves a stale job and reluctant suitor to go back to her home town and live in close proximity to a mother she never really understood. Dorcas Buchanan returns to Juniata, Pa., when a friend informs her that Dorcas's mother, Lavinia, has recently been displaying some eyebrow-raising art at a local show. The octogenarian has been showing her Amish-inspired paintings for years, but she's recently taken to showing erotic nudes, which has shaken up sleepy Juniata society. Upon her arrival, Dorcas finds Lavinia slightly older, decidedly tight-lipped about her change in subject matter, but certainly not slipping into senility, as Dorcas had feared. While home, Dorcas renews old relationships and impulsively decides to buy an old mansion and open a bed and breakfast. She is caught up in remodeling the inn and getting her business off the ground when her own daughter, Sasha, arrives on her doorstep, pregnant and with her lesbian "co-parent" in tow. Little do these women guess how much they have in common-shared passions, losses and secrets that lead them to question the choices they have made in their lives. Meyer weaves the story of three generations of women who, with their distinctive voices, will endear themselves to readers. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Meyer, author of many books for children and young adults (e.g., Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess), here has modest success as she tries her hand at an adult novel about three generations of women. Dorcas Buchanan, 55, acts as linchpin between her mother, Lavinia, and her daughter, Sasha. Each generation holds untold secrets, and the fun lies in their discovery. Lavinia, a respected Pennsylvania artist of Amish scenes, jumps late in life to the scandalous subject matter of male nudes. Dorcas, deep in a midlife crisis, breaks up with her lover, quits her job, and opens a bed-and-breakfast while also worrying over the long-buried identity of her daughter's real father. Sasha returns home to be with her dying father and announces her pregnancy and new life partner, Michelle. Most of the characters are fully and interestingly drawn, though the emphasis is clearly on the women and their friendships. Recommended for large public libraries.-Sheila Riley, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.