Review: Somewhere Between Black and White
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 18, 2013
Somewhere Between Black and White is an enjoyable story that delves into the dynamics of family, romantic relationships and life in general. Written in the third person narrative and set in Las Vegas, author Shelly Hickman weaves a fun tale that follows computer teacher Sophie Cook as she learns that life isn't always black and white, that it also has a softer shade of gray.Sophie is very opinionated and quick to judge people and situations, she views life as either black or white. At first glance she comes off very strong, abrupt and abrasive when dealing with her older sister Evelyn and brother-in-law Christian. Evelyn has lupus, and Sophie is very concerned for her sister because Christian has a mood disorder that makes him disconnected from everyone and everything in life, rendering him unable to help take care of Evelyn, which makes Sophie totally nuts. But Sophie's in for a lesson in life when she meets fellow teacher Sam Collins. As Sophie and Sam's romantic relationship develops, this strong and steady man teaches Sophie that life isn't always black and white, that sometimes life and its situations fall within a gray area.I really enjoyed reading this story, it provides a healthy dose of reality when the story delves into matters involving the dynamics of family and romantic relationships and life situations, but it also has a humorous side like when Sophie is dealing with her troublesome students in the classroom, and it also has a sweet romantic love story between Sophie and Sam.I have to admit that at first I was not a fan of Sophie. I didn't like her strong and overbearing personality, especially in her dealings with Evelyn and Christian. But when Sophie meets Sam and their relationship develops, I like the change in Sophie, she becomes a more softer and accepting person. I love Sam, he's a gentle, kind and accepting man that simply melted my heart. I also admired Evelyn and Christian's marriage, they both have their struggles in life, but the love and dedication that they have for each other keeps them strong and holding on. The only thing that I did not enjoy was the flashbacks that was interwoven throughout the story, they just didn't make sense and were an unnecessary distraction. But overall, if you are looking for a heartwarming and entertaining story that has a sweet romance and thoughtful life message included, then Somewhere Between Black and White would be a perfect light summer beach read.