Gaining Visibility

August 1, 2016

Kentucky-based interior designer Julia Berkwith has been feeling invisible for quite some time, even longer than the two years she's been fighting breast cancer and since husband Frank walked out on her. Now her daughter is living in Alaska and her adored ex-mother-in-law is kicking up her heels in a nursing home, freeing Julia to show she's made of sterner stuff. With her implants firmly in place, she's off to Italy. Julia has been training to hike the Cinque Terre, a series of trails through five villages in Liguria, near the town of Lerici. Unfortunately, she's distracted by a hunky stonemason. Breaking her toe isn't in the plan, nor is the care and attention from 34-year-old Vitale, who isn't a stonemason but an artist and doesn't seem to think a 48-year-old Americana is off-limits. VERDICT Cancer survivor Hearon (In EmmyLou's Hands) puts the force of her own experience into this delightful story that will be appreciated by most women, especially those of a certain age who don't want to do anything, let alone grow old, gracefully. A few minor gaffes won't dissuade readers from traveling along. Benvenuto.--Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

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