The Shortest Distance Between Two Women

By Kris Radish

Book Overview

Bestselling author Kris Radish takes the emotional measure of mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends in her wise and wonderful new novel of a woman unsure if she's on the verge of a breakdown--or a breakthrough.... After all these years is there any way you would see me again? When Emma Lauryn Gilford heard the voice on her answering machine, she thought, How dare he? She's put a lot of distance between herself and Samuel, filling her life with work and family, lavishing her attention on her lovely nieces and a garden that's the pride of Higgins, South Carolina. So why does his voice still have the power to make her heart skip? Why can't she stop thinking about this man she'd forgotten so long ago? Emma has always been the dependable daughter, the mediator of the controlled chaos always surrounding her high-strung sisters and her widowed mother, Higgins's own senior citizen seductress. But with the annual Gilford family reunion just around the corner, at least two of her sisters approaching meltdown, and her favorite teenage niece taking sanctuary in her home, Emma's concrete wall of self-denial is showing cracks. And on the other side is a life she can't put off living a moment longer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 055380541X
• ISBN13: 9780553805413
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

www.jennifervido.com

It comes as no surprise that the Gilford name is synonymous with the little town of Higgins, South Carolina. It's the place where the Gilford clan has been gathering for many years to celebrate its annual reunion which is the envy of all its residents. Where else can one find food, fun, and a frenzy of relatives each one dying to outdo the next while relaxing under the umbrella of family love? Emma Lauryn Gilford is no stranger to the mayhem associated with her crazy family. Since the death of her beloved father, her mother has been living day-by-day as if awaiting the next chapter of life. So when the brunt of the planning for the annual reunion gets shifted to her, Emma feels totally overwhelmed, and is wondering if she can ever live up to her mother's high expectations. When a voice from the past invades her world, Emma starts to question her life choices. She knows she gave up on romance with Sam who happens to be her sister's former boyfriend as well as Emma's past secret lover. And now, Sam is back. Why has he chosen to contact her after all these years? Is this the push she needs to finally start living again? As the reunion day quickly approaches, Emma's family starts pulling her in all different directions. Marty, her flamboyant mother is acting strange with a new paramour named Robert constantly by her side. Her sister Joy's marriage is quickly falling apart, her much loved niece Stephie seeks refuge in her arms, and her favorite sister Erika is contemplating a life change. Will Emma be able to help solve their problems, or is it time for her to step aside and start chasing her own dreams? THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO WOMEN is a spell-binding novel of feel-good drama that underscores the importance of familial bonds while learning to live life to the fullest. It's hard not to get caught up in Radish's world as she spreads some fun-loving adventures of a hilarious family as they earn a well-deserved place in the reader's heart.

engaging regional family drama

In Higgins, South Carolina, the biggest annual event is the Gilford family reunion. The yearly happening is headed by the widowed matriarch Marty as a Five Star general and three of her four adult daughters as Field Generals. However, the youngest daughter forty-three years old Emma is the NCO making sure the gala comes off all right; in fact making sure the lives of her older siblings, their spouses and children, and mom come off all right. One blast from the past changes everything when Samuel leaves a voice message asking Emma if she would see him. He wants to start over. Emma on the one hand does, but fears he will leave especially after the Higgins chaos; on the other hand she wants him to go to hell. Her family collapses without her helping hand since she now needs a mental helping hand from them but none step forward. Samuel's return forces her to relook her relationships as the spinster who is the dependable one never gets the hunk because she is too busy. This is an engaging regional family drama that is fun to follow but clearly over the top of Sassafras Mountain with the Gilford "kick the can" rules; that includes an overwhelming ensemble cast making it at times difficult to recall who's who. Still this is entertaining tale that reminds the audience to be responsible but take time out to enjoy life with your love ones. Harriet Klausner