This time around I had the pleasure of reading Margaret Dilloway’s second BHBC book. I am so glad that I got in this time around because this was a fantastic read.
The story is about Gal, a keep to herself kind of lady, dealing with the cards she has been dealt. She teaches at a private school, deals with frequent dialysis, and of course, care of her roses. Throughout the book, Gal is found in her greenhouse, tending to her nearly prize winning roses. The rest of her life is split between her classroom and the hosptital bed. That is until her life is upended! While the book is slow to start, once Gal is unexpectedly saddled with her niece Riley, things start to move rapidily for Gal.
The relationship between Gal and her niece is tense throughout most of the book. While I found the description of Riley (and most the teenagers) in the book to be way too stereotypical, I was still able to see the important characteristics that needed to be driven home. We saw the surface of the teens in Gal’s class who eventually become Riley’s friends. We don’t learn enough about them for them to matter too much to the entire story. It seems that Gal was aware of most of the teen drama that surrounded her classroom and home, the story lines didn’t delve too deeply into them. It was sparse when it came to Riley’s interactions outside of Gal’s home. I felt that the story could have been filled in a little more with a little more of Riley’s perspective on her new situation.
This is the kind of book that kept me turning pages. It was relatively easy to finish and would make a great vacation read. While I felt that I was left with many unanswered questions, I am okay with that. It felt as if I was given a small window into Gal’s life without intruding. I was able to see her struggle and her triumphs and sometimes felt like crying along with her on her blue days. Margaret Dilloway does an excellent job of letting us see into a situation that most people may never experience. The text will definitely have to you thinking about what you would do if your life were turned on its head tomorrow.
Remember to be thankful for today and look expectantly at tomorrow!
I was compensated by BlogHer but all opinions are my own.
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