Review: A Must-Have
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 7, 2013
4.75The Coda series were the first books I read by Marie Sexton and the third installment, Strawberries for Dessert, was my favorite out of them.  Cole and Jonathan were so perfect, the plot was breath-taking, and the writing was superb.  Needless to say, whenever it ended I wanted more.  Thankfully Ms. Sexton has chosen to give Jon and Cole a sequel and it does not disappoint.The main premise of this story pretty much picks up from the last line of SFD.  Cole and Jon are starting the process of becoming fathers.  But also in this one, we learn more about Cole's past and the reasons behind his estrangement from his mother.  It's very insightful and brings Cole even more to life than he already was.  We also learn more about George's past and the event surrounding Jon's sister's death.  The other characters retain their endearing characteristics and unique traits that make them life-like; George is wise and father-knows-best, Cole is eccentric and fabulous, and Jonathan is so sweet and loving that it makes your heart melt.As far as the plot goes, there isn't too much conflict or angst.  Although there are a couple of points of contention, they are not melodramatic and are handled in a way that makes them easily believable.  This story almost felt like a slice-of-life kind of piece, something that is an "extra bonus story" at the end of the novel, which I king of think Sexton was going for based on comments she's made on her website.  This is by no means negative, though.  The novella reads quickly but leaves you feeling full and satisfied when it's finished.  It's a nice complementary piece to SFD and comforts those who responded to the ending of SFD with "Noooooo!  We want more Jon and Cole!"As always, Sexton's writing is outstanding.  She really pulls you into her story and has you refusing to put the book down until you know how it ends.  She is without a doubt one of the best writers in contemporary fiction, and in this genre especially.  I found her prose in this story very eloquent and moving and also charming and funny at times.  Something I thought was interesting and well-done was that there was a section in the middle told from George's point of view; this part is the epitome of the eloquence I mentioned above and offers fantastic characterization and character introspection.My only wish is that this story was a bit longer.  There were parts in the beginning that I felt could have been fleshed out more and it would have been nice just to read more about Jon and Cole's relationship and how they're adjusting.  But I guess there was nothing really to say and I wouldn't have wanted Sexton to just add stuff for the heck of it and put in a lot of filler, so we are given a nice, concise, to-the-point story.  This does not detract from her beautiful work, though, and you should not let it discourage you from picking this up.  If you are new to Ms. Sexton's writing I highly recommend her.  I have not been disappointed by a single work of hers.  Of course, you must read Strawberries for Dessert before you read this, and you might as well read the entire Coda series while you're at it.  You will not be sorry you did so.