WHEN LIGHT BREAKS by Patti Callahan Henry
Novelist Patti Callahan Henry has only had a couple of books in print but with each one her talent matures and her stories grow more interesting and entertaining. Her latest WHEN LIGHT BREAKS is her best yet and should satisfy the fans she has already accumulated, as well as add scores more to the ranks.
Kara Larson is the centerpiece of the book, and her romantic entanglements provide the complex elements of the story. As the book opens she is awaiting her wedding day with Peyton Ellers, a professional golfer. Peyton is the answer to any girl's prayers and is a fiancé that suits her and her family. Kara is sure he will blend in completely with her father, sister and brother and that is of maximum importance to her.
Kara is a pleaser. She doesn't want to upset anyone and she doesn't want any ripples on the surface of her happiness. She has been this way most of her life, and especially since her mother died when Kara was nine years old. Perhaps this is what has kept her from finding the right man to marry as she always wanted someone who would please her family - even more than please herself.
As she goes through the busy days of planing her wedding and working at her job as a PGA Tour Manager, she also manages to squeeze in time to visit a local nursing home facility. There she meets Maeve Mahoney, a woman who tells Kara stories of her life and magically entwines them into Kara's present day affairs.
As Maeve's stories unfold Kara finds herself thinking about Jack Sullivan, the first boy she ever loved. She wonders what became of him and why they have not kept in touch. She wonders if her heart ever completely turned loose of the love they shared.
Patti Callahan Henry intricately weaves these strands of her story into a comprehensible tale of love lost and love found. She does this with a passionate heart as well as a thinking mind. The readers get to look inside Kara's head and discover the challenges of her situations. They understand the questions she has, and why she has them.
One of the most daring aspects of Henry's writing is that she lets Kara be flawed. There are times in the story when she is not a totally likeable person. She is indecisive, forgetful, shallow and pig-headed in more than one instance; but she is always loveable in her desire to move forward and to become a better person.
This new novel by Patti Callahan Henry lets us see what happens when the light breaks into a person's world; when ideas of change and challenge enter the picture; and when the restrictive bonds of putting others first fall away. The light breaks, the images are seen more clearly, and the world becomes a different place.
Patti Callahan Henry has written an insightful, perceptive novel that takes us to the world of the South. There she spins a universal story about love, hope and happiness. It is a wonderful place to visit and with Henry as your tour guide you are in capable hands from beginning to end.
WHEN LIGHT BREAKS is published by the Penguin Group. It contains 304 pages and sells for $12.95.