About this book: Josie Brooks is a woman whose life is consumed by her career as a consultant. She is driven to get in, get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible, and then move on to the next challenge, leaving no time for developing relationships, which has served her well thus far. A woman in her 40’s, she is starting to deal with hot flashes and an unusual sense of loneliness. She purchases a mysterious snow globe, with an enticing stream and landscape that she is inexplicably drawn to. Through the people that she meets at her current assignment, she slowly starts to allow herself to explore new relationships, and she begins to change her perception about what is really important. She comes to realize that relationships are valuable, and that first impressions are not what they may first appear to be. My thoughts: The story is an easy, quick read, and I could relate to the themes of mid-life issues and company lay-offs, which is definitely a current issue many are dealing with. The characters are relatable and readers will probably be able to recognize them as someone they know in their own lives. There’s the new boss, Buzz, who seems to be all flash and show at first. There’s the very kind, service-oriented Barb, who makes every effort to encourage those around her. And then there’s Lyle, who at first seems like a ‘bleeding heart’ to Josie until she gets to know him better. For me, the element of the mysterious snow globe seemed to be an unnecessary ‘gimmick’. Although I fully understood the metaphor that the author was using the globe to represent, I thought the story would have been just as good without adding this ‘mystery’ element. disclaimer: this book was provided for review by Waterbook Multnomah Blogging for books!
