SISTER'S CHOICE (Emilie Richards)

If you don't like romance, stop reading right now! Sister's Choice is definitely a little more "fluffy" than most of the books I read, and very definitely a romance. A "romance" is a story where two people meet, fall in love, and eventually live happily every after. Romances come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from simple Harlequins, which many people automatically think of when they hear the term, to suspenseful thrillers where the heroine is a strong woman who can take care of herself but doesn't mind occasionally leaning on her equally strong man. Quite a bit of women's fiction, literary or not, also falls under the romance genre.

Sister's Choice is not really "fluffy", although it is a story that is too good to be true. Partly for that reason, it is uplifting, relaxing, and very pleasing to read. It is a story about two people overcoming their pasts and recognizing what is really important in life, but we also get a lot of insight into many of the other characters as well. A few of the main characters seem a little TOO good, such as Jamie, the architect-in-training and mother of two precocious girls by different fathers (neither of whom she married). She offers to act as surrogate for her sister, Kendra, who is unable to bear children of her own as the result of an accident. Other characters are a little too angst-ridden, like Cash, who married young only to spend 2 years watching his young wife waste away and die. These characters are likable, though, and you will find yourself rooting for them throughout the book. One of the things that sets this novel apart from other romances is the underlying story of Grace Cashel and her marriage to Bill, Cash's grandfather. Grace is a terrific character. She could be perceived sometimes as a bit too all-knowing and wise, but learning about her history as she reveals it to Jamie puts her more in perspective for the reader. Many of the characters in this book have appeared in Richards' other Shenandoah Quilt novels, but you don't need to have read the others to appreciate this book. If you read Sister's Choice you will emerge with the feeling that bad experiences can lead to good choices, which can ultimately lead to happiness and fulfillment. In other words, life is what you make of it, and if you happen to meet an attractive man along the way who falls madly in love with you, go for it! This is definitely escapist literature. Enjoy it!