Time heals all wounds. Perhaps......
For those parents who have lost a child, old wounds may fester and re-open even with the passage of time. Hearts continue to ache and closure may be out of reach.
It has been five years since Julia lost her daughter, Jenny, and husband Peter, in a tragic automobile accident. Her marriage had already disintegrated into emptiness-both she and Peter knew the end was near. But Jenny was Julia's shining light-was the accident intentional?
Roberto is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, now living in California and the overseer of the lemon orchard owned by Julia's Uncle John. Roberto, too, has experienced the devastating loss of his daughter, Rosa. When the family attempted to gain entry into the United States from Mexico, she disappeared; lost in the relentess heat and danger of the desert. Not knowing what happened to his daughter torments his mind.
Julia's uncle asks her to house-sit his home in Malibu, a refuge that holds fond memories for her as a child. Peace and solitide, however, are elusive. She meets Roberto and together they form a bond so strong it cannot be ignored. A most unlikely couple join forces to solve a mystery, love one another without pretense, and find hope after years of despair. Grief unites them.
This novel may start slowly. Persevere in your reading, and I think you will find it is worth your time. So many current events are touched upon. The issue of border crossing is well documented. The raging fires on the West Coast of our country that threaten to destroy valuable property and lives are described in detail. Julia's work as an anthropologist is profiled and intertwined into the story. Your mind will envelope the sheer, breath-taking beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains and the salty sea.
And perhaps the sweet, lovely fragrance of lemons will linger for a while......
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