Beach Roses

April 15, 2003
Spirited Rita has lived on Martha's Vineyard all of her life and would do anything to help the Vineyard community. So when Doc Hastings asks her to run a support group for women with breast cancer, Rita agrees, even though she has no medical training and has not been affected by breast cancer herself. The group consists of Katie, the pregnant rock goddess who must make some serious decisions; Hannah, the housewife who is so used to taking care of everyone else she's forgotten how to take care of herself; and Faye, the wealthy socialite who feels that she has nothing to live for. When these very different women come together, they slowly begin to form a bond based at first on their cancer and then on experiences of motherhood, marriage, strained family relationships, and long-buried secrets. As Stone's characters face the hardships of illness and life, they turn to each other for support, guidance, protection, and unconditional love. Rich in both humorous moments and sobering turns, Stone's novel shows that true friendship knows no bounds.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)