Review: Ten years later at a funeral
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2012
Coffee at Little AngelsInteresting interplay of characters a decade after their graduation from High School and their dispersion from the small town they had been raised, into the world and their individual fortunes.  One of their HS group who had remained in their home town was killed early in the morning while out jogging with his dog by a hit'n'run driver.  Their remaining hometown friend, Kaitlyn, contacted the group of friends and extracted a promise to return for the funeral to honor Phillip (even though all of them had moved on and didn't have any regular contact with either Phillip or each other.  Kaitlyn and her mother owned the motel and restaurant/lounge that she booked her HS friends into and planned the funeral as Phillip's parents had died earlier.  Each chapter is headed by the name of one of the characters and they generally spoke for themselves, giving their version of the feelings and linkages that separated their characters and drew them together.  The all basically questioned why they had returned and wondered why they couldn't feel the loss or mourn for their friend.  They started to question their personal honesty and missed the tears that they felt obliged to shed.  Phillip showed up on his own chapters and filled in the story from his own perspective and balanced out the story, giving comfort to Sarah who had missed her chance to tell him she really loved him until he appeared following his death.  The coming together allowed this group to work out the group tensions that they had left their home town with and straighten out the misconceptions that had been a drain on their happiness.  Good characters, strong feelings, emotional baggage and valid spiritual release in a good ending.  Good book to re-read and enjoy!