Review: A little Unconventional, Off the Beaten Path, Aborbing Story, Adult  Contemporary Fiction lovers will Enjoy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 6, 2014
Dawn at Last by Lawrence Grodecki is a 2013 self published novel.  I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.BOOK BLURB:Dawn at Last is an intriguing debut novel about one person at war with her past and it's future. It's about fear and love, real or imagined, and the close bonding of six misfits.Single, 37 and never married, Donna Belauche – therapist, fugitive, entrepreneur – has everything in control until a chance meeting with an old sponsor. She must start again, leave Victoria, but she's tired – she needs other options. She tries to go it alone but they get in her way, those five other misfits.This is a mosaic of fascinating characters, searching for a taste of love in their own delicious ways. Their stories blend – Ben the painter, Sunaria and Andrea, youthful dreamers, Pierre and Charles, more than just partners. It snaps a picture of love's morality, or lack of it, the clash between the material and the spiritual, and the art of life.Lawrence Grodecki exquisitely portrays our strengths and frailties, capturing the tender moments where we find a little love . . . or where love finds us?A group of six adults all at lose ends and all a little quirky find themselves connected to one another, some by pure coincidence and some by design.Donna is the core character the others form around. She has set out to be come a psychology major but a research project turned into something more and she got a little side tracked and never got her degree.  That doesn't stop her from presenting herself to clients as a bonafide therapist.  Things aren't too bad until Donna is confronted head on with her past,  forcing her make some changes.Art is the foundation on which the plot is built."Like most,  she can appreciate the talent and uniqueness, but not the process. It took many years for Charles to learn this about art lovers.  No matter how hard they try, few really understand what is truly a gift, something truly priceless... but many try."Art is in the eye of the beholder and in this case it take on a whole new meaning when art and therapy collide. Some artist are actually painting a story and each one of us reads it in a different way, much same as reading a novel.As the six  lives "blend" in the most unexpected ways,  a person that has lived a life of fear  has the chance to begin again. This development may close some doors, but  opens new doors for Donna and the others in this odd ball group of people.  They are all looking for some kind of connection and really isn't that what we all want?  Some how, some way , these six individuals manage to connect on many different levels.This  is truly a unique novel. The prose is literary in nature, but the story is about love,  courage, faith,  and maybe even a little redemption.  The characters all had very unique personalities that are revealed to the reader slowly making you wonder how all these people managed to connect and why did these connections seem to work out so well. But, it does work, although it was a bumpy ride for some.  Each person found a little something about themselves they had not realized before.  Some had more to overcome than others, but in the end there is a huge feeling of relief as Donna is finally able to let go of her past and accept her future without the need for secrecy and pretense.  There was a kind of "The truth will set you free" moral to the story.This book is different which made me really pay attention to the details and dialogue more closely. Once I started reading a chapter, it turned into two and although I needed to get to other books on my list, I kept going back and sneaking in a chapter or two whenever I had time.  While the synopsis leads us to think the book is mostly an adult romance/drama , there  are  some very funny moments as well.  If you have read any other reviews of this book, I'm sure you have seen warnings that this novel is for adults only.  Yes, it is.  However, a few have deemed it erotica and I can see that it might feel that way to some. I don't really have much interest in most erotica, but I think the word someone tossed out for this book was sensual and I think that is much more accurate. While unconventional and alright, a little controversial,  all sexual content was written very tastefully.  It's all a matter of perception and it is good to give readers an idea what kind of book they are reading.  I just don't anyone  to be misled by a label.This author has a real talent for weaving an absorbing, albiet offbeat, story, bringing the characters to life, and keeping the reader interested and engaged.  I understand this is the first book in a planned series. I hope that's true as I will certainly want to read more works by this author.  One final thought for those that finish the book the cover art is quite revealing and I had  to chuckle at the irony.  You'll have to read the book to understand the meaning.  So, on that cryptic note...This book will appeal to adult romance readers, contempory or literary fiction lovers and anyone looking for something off the beaten path.Overall this one is an A