Rain Song by Alice Wisler

Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis from cbd.com: Nicole Michelin avoids airplanes, motorcycles, and most of all, Japan, where her parents once were missionaries. Something happened in Japan...something that sent Nicole and her father back to America alone...something of which Nicole knows only bits and pieces. But she is content with life in little Mount Olive, North Carolina, with her quirky relatives, tank of lively fish, and plenty of homemade pineapple chutney. Through her online column for the Pretty Fishy Web site, she meets Harrison Michaels, who, much to her dismay, lives in Japan. She attempts to avoid him, but his e-mails tug at her heart. Then Harrison reveals that he knew her as a child in Japan. In fact, he knows more about her childhood than she does...

Review:  There are certain books that I always save for vacation, for a time that I can relax and best appreciate them.  I have enjoyed seeing Rain Song on my shelf since receiving it as a Christmas gift several months ago, and I just treated myself to reading it during a recent trip to the Hudson River Valley. 

As I began reading Rain Song, I expected the plot to consist mainly of Nicole's experiences in Japan, but I soon realized that taking the steps to travel to Japan is the greatest part of the journey.  Like me, Nicole Michelin does not like the thought of flying, and she has her share of insecurities.   Like all of us, she has certain fears and past experiences that she must face before she begins to fully embrace her future.  We may have dreams and desires to accomplish something, and we may know how to take a series of small steps to get there, but taking action is often the most difficult part. Opportunities can be overshadowed by our own fears.   

Rain Song is a deeply moving novel that resonates with the part of each of us that has experienced loss, self-doubt, and fear.  Written in first person, Nicole shares her daily thoughts about her relatives and past in a way that often jumps from topic to topic, much like our own minds.  She has avoided her painful past and the mystery that surrounds the death of her mother, but the loss has left a gaping hole in her heart.  Nicole deeply loves her aging grandmother, but fears losing the only mother-figure that she can remember.  After beginning her correspondence with Harrison,  she is given the opportunity to learn about the past, but only she can fully overcome her fears.

Alice Wisler has crafted a very well-written and thought-provoking novel that will both inspire and challenge each reader.  I highly recommend Rain Song to be used in a reading group as well because it offers many possibilities for  discussions.

Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler

Rating: 4 stars

I've just returned from a vacation in Hatteras.  Not in reality, but I was transported to the Outer Banks while reading Alice J. Wisler's most recent book, Hatteras Girl.   Hatteras Girl contains elements of a light, relaxed read, with enough conflict to give the novel substance. The novel tells the story of Jackie Donovan, a "Hatteras girl" and newspaper reporter looking for love and attempting to accomplish her long-time dream of re-opening the Bailey House Bed and Breakfast.  As Jackie's dreams become real-life possibilities, she faces challenges and opportunities that she never imagined, and learns that God's plan is not always the same as one's own plans.

Hatteras Girl is a very enjoyable read from a fresh perspective.  Wisler's use of first person, present tense allows the reader to connect to the emotions and experiences of the main character, Jackie.  The supporting characters are equally well-crafted, especially Jackie's roommate, Minnie, and her precocious son, Zane.  Wisler's descriptions bring the small communities of North Carolina's Outer Banks to life, capturing the charm and beauty which draw so many visitors to the coast each year.

In each of Wisler's novels, I have found elements to which I can relate. Like Jackie, I entertain the dream of restoring an old home and opening a bed and breakfast.  As a child, I often vacationed in Nags Head with my family.  I recently "reconnected" with the Outer Banks on a trip to Corolla (See photos in the Side Trips page).  Reading Hatteras Girl evoked my vacation memories and helped me to envision the setting of the novel.  I often find relatability lacking in modern novels, but this has not been the case with Wisler's books.  After reading Hatteras Girl and How Sweet It Is, I am quickly becoming of fan of Alice J. Wisler, and highly recommend her work.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers through their book review program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions expressed above are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>

How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler

Rating: 4 stars

How Sweet It Is is the first book that I’ve read by Alice J. Wisler.  I admit that I did not have high expectations for this novel.  Based on the back-cover synopsis, I expected this to be light-hearted, perhaps "cheesy" read that lacked depth.  To my surprise, the storyline was fresh and meaningful, with dashes of flavor that are unique to Wisler.  The story is told in first person by Deena Livingston, a young woman who moves into her deceased grandfather's remote cabin in North Carolina, following a devastating car wreck and a broken engagement.  Deena's life has diverged onto a path that she has not chosen and she must attempt to find happiness and healing in her new home.  Living in her grandfather's home and following his instructions to teach cooking to a group of troubled middle school students, Deena learns life-changing lessons about love, forgiveness, happiness, and healing. 

How Sweet It Is inspired me in a couple of ways.  The novel is infused with cooking ideas and recipes as Deena teaches her students to cook and experiments in her own kitchen.  Although I am not a cook, I decided to try out the "homemade" tortilla chips referred to in the novel.  (Cut a flour tortilla into triangles and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.  Deena coated hers in olive oil and sprinkled the pieces with garlic salt, but for dessert, you can coat them in butter, cinnamon and sugar).   A few recipes are also included in the back of the book, which is a fun addition to the novel.

More important than cooking-related inspirations, I was moved by the novel's message of finding happiness in life even when it takes an unexpected path.  Although I have not gone through an experience as tragic as Deena's, I am struggling with an unchosen job change.  Like Deena, I find myself longing for my former life.  (In my case: my former job, office, and co-workers.)  Reading Deena's story has inspired me to search for happiness in my new circumstances.  Although it may take time to adjust to life's new flavors, we must trust that the end result will be a delicious new recipe with its own unique tastes that are worth experiencing. 

How Sweet It Is opens with this quote by Helen Keller, which I find particularly poignant:

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.

~M