In a Book Club Far Away

March 1, 2021

Regina Castro, Adelaide Wilson-Chang, and Sophie Walden become firm friends when they meet in a book club as army wives at Fort East. But something happens that tears them apart. Eight years later, Adelaide tries to bring them back together by asking both Regina and Sophie for help when she needs emergency surgery. Moving back and forth between past (2011) and present (set in 2021), and among each of the women's stories, the book illuminates their longings, problems, and happily-ever-after futures. Setting it in the near future does lead to a few clunkers, like a statement that the "pandemic last year" changed things, and the pace drags a little as Marcelo (Once upon a Sunset) drags out the details of the betrayal that broke up the friendship. But fans of book clubs will enjoy the discussions of the popular reading that Adelaide's book club favors. VERDICT While switching viewpoints between present and near past can be confusing at times, themes of love, family, and betrayal are clearly carried between both settings. Told in a straightforward style, this story of women's friendship and commitment to the army lifestyle will appeal to fans of Kristin Hannah, Debbie Macomber, or Sarah Pekkanen.--Melanie Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2021
When caterer Regina Castro gets an SOS text from her best friend, Adelaide Wilson-Chang, there is no question that she will be there; that was a pact that she, Adelaide, and Sophie Walden made when they got to know each other while stationed together as military spouses. With her husband deployed overseas, Adelaide needs help with her toddler daughter while she goes in for surgery. Unfortunately, Sophie also responds to the SOS--sure, she's a nurse, but Regina will never forgive her for the events that led up to her divorce. Alternating perspectives between the three women, Marcelo (Once upon a Sunset, 2020) slowly reveals the birth and disintegration of the friendship. But some bonds can never be broken, and as each woman deals with her own personal issues, she finds that the best way to solve them is together. With a wonderfully diverse cast, tantalizing descriptions of Filipino food, a realistic portrayal of the challenges of being a military spouse, and a hint of romance, Marcelo's latest will charm readers and could lead to a fruitful book discussion.

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