Sunday, May 24, 2009

Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs

Chicago cartoonist Sarah Moon tackles life's real issues with a healthy dose of sharp wit in her syndicated comic strip "Just Breathe". As Sarah's cartoon alter ego, Shirl, undergoes artificial insemination, her situation begins to mirror Sarah's own difficult attempts to conceive. However, Sarah's dreams of the future did not include her husband's infidelity: snag number two in Sarah's so-called perfect life.With Chicago, and her marriage, in the rearview mirror, she flees to the small Northern California coastal town where she grew up, a place she couldn't wait to leave. Now she finds herself revisiting the past, an emotionally distant father and the unanswered questions left by her mother's death. As she comes to terms with her lost marriage, Sarah encounters a man she never expected to meet again: Will Bonner, the high school heartthrob she'd skewered mercilessly in her old comics. Now a local firefighter, he's been through some changes himself. But just as her heart is about to reawaken, Sarah discovers she is pregnant. With her ex's twins.It's hardly the most traditional of new beginnings, but who says life and love are predictable...or perfect? The winds of change have led Sarah here. Now all she can do is just close her eyes...and breathe.

my review:
An excellant read!! I loved this book! I have never before read a book by Susan Wiggs, but I really enjoyed Sarah, Will & Aurora. But I especially liked her Grandma June & Aunt May. It was a roller coaster ride for me. There were a couple of times I just had put the book down, because I wasn't sure I would like were Sarah was going with certain decisions she was having to make. (Would she really think she needed to go back to that cheating boob, Jack?) Then I had to pick it back up again, because I knew in the end she would be ok, no matter what her decision was. This book shows how easy it is to become someone else, to fit into someone elses life, to let them make the decisions for your, to the point that you loose yourself. But it also shows you that it is possible to get back to being you.
This book, IMO, was one of the best stand alone reads I've come across lately. I will be picking up another Susan Wiggs book, very soon!

2 comments:

Pam said...

I see you love to read as much as I do! I'm now a follower. Can't wait to read more reviews.

kalea_kane said...

Great review. I have never heard of this author. I am so glad you brought this review up! :)

Help Teach A Child To Read

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library