Review: The Ninth Step by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 26, 2012
Anyone who has ever been involved with an alcoholic, or alcoholic recovery, will be familiar with the 9th Step:[We] Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.It is one of the more difficult of the 12 steps, and is the underlying theme of this novel.You see, 6 years ago, Cotton O'Dell left Olivia Saunders at the altar without a word. Oh, she did get a postcard, four days later: "Tell Livie it's not her fault. Tell her to forget me. Tell her not to look for me. I'm not worth it." Heartbroken, Livie grieved and moved on.She buried her gown under the pond on her first landscaping job. The embossed linen napkins went under a clump of bog orchids. The matching table cloth found a new home in front of the local funeral home - under the fountain.(Very creative, if you ask me.)Livie lived, made friends, grew her business, and bought her little house in the country. So what if, every now and then, she put on a red dress and red shoes, drank too much, and went home with men she didn't know and wouldn't remember? She wasn't hurting anyone, was she?Then, the letter arrived. Dear Livie, I'm sorry. And, with those four simple words, Cotton was back.Or at least, on his way back. At a stop in New Mexico, he called his sponsor. She was worried about his sobriety, his state of mind, and the legal troubles he faced back in Texas.But Cotton was fixated on step nine and determined to find a way to make amends for his mistakes. He had fled Texas after a horrible accident on his wedding day, leaving Livie alone, and a young girl without a mother.As in real life, nothing is simple. Cotton can't fix what he's done with an I'm sorry, or a thousand. And when he gets tangled up with the young girl and her father, it may cost him everything to try.The ninth step is a biggie, because of the last half: "except when to do so would injure them or others." People, like Cotton, become so focused on the amends part, that they often fail to realize their attempts are doing more harm than good. That they're acting to ease their conscience, not truly to make amends.Ms. Sissel seems to understand and has created a cast of vibrant characters: those who caused harm, those who were harmed, those who are both, and those who are observers of the train wreck. Livie and Cotton feel real; their reactions and actions are believable. As are their families and friends.It was a difficult read for me; some parts hitting a little too close to home. Especially, watching Cotton come to grips with the damage he'd done, then throwing himself into the path of the train.I appreciated the realistic ending, as well. Reality isn't tidy; fiction doesn't always need to be, either.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary electronic galley of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com [...] professional readers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.