Dunne, Aug 2004, 23.95, 352 pp.
ISBN: 0312326173
Middle-aged Sam Warren leaves his fortyish wife Lotte and their three children for a younger babe. Instead of crying at her loss, Lotte makes a major career move; she ends her work as an architect to study horticulture.
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Not long after she qualifies as a horticulturist, wealthy Irish business mogul Brody Keegan hires Lotte to work at his fifteenth century estate, Maddon Park. Lotte and her three kids relocate there so that she can restore the place to its former splendor based on an old map. Originally only interested in the fame the property provides him, the married Brody soon finds Lotte's élan for life and the past hooks him. Lotte reciprocates though a college archivist likes her too. When Brody's empire collapses he heads to the states while the English Lotte continues to make Maddon park a place worth seeing.
Though there is little in the way of major conflict or action, A LOVESOME THING is a fine contemporary tale that emphasizes the importance of enjoying what you do as life is too short otherwise. The story line contains a delightful cast, but clearly the tale belongs to the heroine. Besides the support cast motivated by Lotte's gusto, readers also will feel the spell of her upbeat look at the world especially her beautiful way of seeing the old country house and the gardens.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
