Review: The end of one perfect life, the start of another
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 16, 2011
Author Jill Barnett is a master of the oddly disconcerting image--a bay whose crystalline water is "mythical, like a panoramic image from a Peter Jackson film," twinkling stars above the Sierras that "flickered like distant, approaching headlights," a fifty-year-old man who's "the human equivalent of a tomcat," and an awful lot of handbags. (Okay, I'm not into handbag therapy, but that's just me.)Mike and March build a perfect life, based on shared humor and love, in the first part of this novel. They take risks, create a business, and help their children grow. But March's "razor sharp internal clock" takes a beating in part two. Her feelings as the world falls apart are hauntingly evocative. Surrounded by love, sometimes she just wants to be alone to plan the "uncharted journey I faced."The Cantrell family may seem to have it all, but their lives are filled with the same problems every family faces, sibling rivalries, the longing for a child, rebellious teenagers, misunderstandings, and the loneliness of an empty bed. Characters come to vivid life through the natural cadence and humor of excellent dialog, but deep back-stories filled with telling details do slow the story down. Sometimes I just wanted to skip ahead and see the future instead of another character's past.The people in Bridge to Happiness are fun the spend time with on a long evening. They're realistic, wounded and wise as they bridge that time between past joys and future uncertainties. And they offer hopeful suggestions and wise direction to all who share that journey with them. The past is a part of ourselves and our self image, but it doesn't define us, no matter how well-loved. And stepping into the future is a risk worth taking.Disclosure: I got this book from Bellebooks and Belle Bridge Books in exchange for an honest review