A WHOLE NEW LIGHT

Author: Sandra Brown ISBN: 9780553297836 9/2008 FICTION Publisher: BANTAM

Cyn McCall knew she could always count on her late husband's friend and business partner, Worth Lansing. He could make her laugh and forget her problems. She could tease him about his many romantic entanglements. The last thing Cyn expected was to find herself longing for a man who could never settle down. When Worth invites Cyn to a weekend in Acapulco, he doesn't expect to be sharing a room—or to respond to her the way he does to any beautiful woman. And while he can't help feeling he's betraying his friend's memory, even guilt can't stop the desire that overtakes them both. Cyn wants to believe their passion was sparked by the exotic locale. But Worth knows it's something deeper. He's ready to stop playing games ... if only Cyn will open her heart to the promise of new love.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

A wonderful story about moving on, finding happiness and expanding horizons, A WHOLE NEW LIGHT by Sandra Brown is definitely one for the keeper shelf! I was pulled into this story from the first scene, completely interested in the life of a widow, her small son and her outspoken, honest mother. It is a realistic family unit, even if it is, at the beginning, somewhat lop-sided.

Cyn's husband Tim has been dead for two years but, as her mother so candidly puts it, she is in a rut. With a great kid, a satisfying job and her future open before her, she has become crabby and much less engaged in life than she ever has been. But Cyn's inability to move forward emotionally isn't something that can be cured overnight. Or can it be?

A trip with her deceased hubby's best friend, Worth, brings out feelings that neither of them dared own before. This isn't a romp story; rather, it's a lovely, heartfelt journey toward self-dicovery and, hopefully, a happier existence for everyone concerned. There are some wonderfully funny moments, especially one in a taxi and another in a hotel room holding only one big, inviting bed, that made me laugh. Other parts of the story, so realistically written, gripped my heart. This is truly a no-punches-pulled look at Cyn and Worth's acceptance of what they've uncovered in each other—and themselves.

I will certainly look forward to reading Sandra Brown's next book. She tells a great story. A WHOLE NEW LIGHT is one I'll be talking about for a long while.

Kay James