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The Season of Second Chances: A Novel
by Diane Meier
Synopsis: After 15 years teaching among dry, competitive, and unfeeling academics at Columbia University in New York, Joy Harkness leaves for Amherst College in Massachusetts, where she finds warm hearted people, friends, the perfect house to refurbish for her own, and a lover. Divorced, she is given a second chance at life.
My comments: Friendship and community in a small city are balanced against hard driving ambition, competition and the fast life of a big city. I liked the theme of the benefits of a less complicated life among friends at work and at home. The novel was well written, the characters engaging.
However, I found the character of the handyman/lover of Joy's somewhat inconsistent. Teddy appears very capable and sensitive to adults and children and yet has an overpowering weakness that seems out of character with the smart person he is. Joy however is the likeable and consistent person to follow in this "season of second chances." Anyone interested in reading contemporary women's fiction should enjoy this novel.
Author: Diane Meier
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.; 1 edition (March 30, 2010)
Genre: Women's fiction
Source: ARC from publisher
My objective rating: 3.75 to 4
